Since last night was Earth Hour, I had intended to put the kids to bed at 8 pm like I usually do, and turn off almost all the lights. I assumed that Breanna would go to sleep quickly and I planned on leaving Hayley’s small lamp on because she’s afraid of the dark. Then I would come out in the dark living room and hang out online since I could run my laptop off the battery power without using electricity.

Except that yesterday we visited my parents and Breanna fell asleep on the way home so she wasn’t tired at 8 after her 20-minute power nap in the car, and Hayley was extremely worried about the idea of turning the lights out even with the promise that she could leave hers on and even the hall light if she needed it.

I didn’t want to miss Earth Hour, so I said what the hell and figured since it was a Saturday, bed time didn’t have to be a strict rule. Instead of putting them to bed only to have to fight Breanna to sleep and have all the lights blazing, I let them stay up and we celebrated the hour together. We lit three candles in the living room and spaced them out so there was a cozy glow, and then I opened the blinds to let the light in from the street lamps as well. It was dark but not scary dark for two little girls, and I never even bothered to touch my computer since we sat on the floor or the couch and read books by candle light. I also explained to Hayley how people didn’t have electricity at all once upon a time and had to rely on candles or lanterns at night. She was fascinated by that, so I’ll have to keep Little House on the Prairie books in the back of my mind for future reading for her.

We did cheat just a little twice, both times in the bathroom. Our bathroom has no window so when the lights are out it’s pitch black in there. I wasn’t comfortable walking around with drippy candles with two monkeys at my feet, so when both Hayley and I needed to use the bathroom, the three of us would go together and we’d turn the light on and hurry.

Hayley was disappointed when 9:00 pm rolled around and it was time to go to bed. Still, she was tired by then and fell asleep quickly. Breanna still took an hour to fall asleep after that but I just watched Law & Order: SVU in bed until she drifted off. When I came out, I was reluctant to light the whole place up so I turned the hall light off since Hayley was sound asleep, and I only turned on my desk lamp in the living room, rather than two lamps like I usually do.

I watched the 11 o’clock news that night and was disappointed to hear that, unlike Australia’s raging success last year, Montreal was a bit of a fizzle. Apparently not all that many people bothered to turn off their lights; I knew our neighborhood wasn’t taking part much by glancing out the windows. Still, they turned off the lights on the cross on Mount Royal, turned off the giant beacon light on Place Ville Marie’s rooftop, and I know that aside from ourselves, my parents took part (my mom said she was going to light candles and listen to the hockey game on her transistor radio) and so did some of our friends who did the same thing we did.

Hopefully next year more people will take part. In the meantime, I’m glad that I did my small share and I’m glad that I involved my kids. After all, they’re the ones we’re trying to protect right? We’re trying to save the planet for them and their children, so all the better that they were up to enjoy Earth Hour with me.

Did you turn out your lights in your city?

I give up. Seriously.

I still have some work to do so I thought I’d go make myself a cup of tea. I boiled the kettle, then when it was done I unplugged it. I went and got a tea bag out and dropped it in a cup.

I like my tea to be pretty dark so I left it for a few minutes, then came back to remove the tea bag and put some milk in.

I forgot to pour the water in the cup. The tea bag was sitting, dry as ever, in an empty cup.

How many years can you get away with blaming faulty memory on kids and resulting sleep deprivation? Do I need to find a new excuse?

Just reading about this and seeing those two photos completely freaks me out. You couldn’t get me in there.

The scene: George and I are sitting here on the couch watching Law & Order: SVU. They’re currently dealing with a Nigerian man who came to the US and has three wives, as is legal in his own country. Elliot and Olivia are questioning two of the wives and Olivia asks if they’re really okay with more than one wife.

Sherry: You know, I think we should practice polygamy too.
George: *sputter*
Sherry: Because then we can have some other wife clean all the crap up around here while I relax.
George: Then get a maid. I want someone who comes in to clean up and then leaves. I don’t want someone who hangs around.
Sherry: Because she’ll make her own mess?
George: No, because I already live with three females and you’re all killing me. When you all get your period at the same time I’m out of here.

Alas, no additional wife to wash my dishes and clean my tub.

We always leave milk and cookies for Santa – the Easter Bunny gets carrots, a dyed egg, and some water. This year, Hayley also made the bunny a card. She wrote it all out herself, without any help. It amazes me to see her continuing to learn how to put words together to read or write on her own.

This afternoon we dyed eggs. I’d only ever done it once before, many years ago. I have no idea why we didn’t do it, it’s so much fun. Even Breanna did a great job of scribbling designs on the eggs with the wax crayon, then dropping them into the cups of dye.

Now it’s just past midnight, the chocolates and candies are hidden, and all that’s left to be done is to get up in the morning, hand the kids their baskets, and let them hunt for their treasure!

Happy Easter to those of you who are celebrating!

Maclean’s columnist Scott Feschuk asks Mother Nature what’s going on with this Winter crap.

You know it’s going to be great when it’s starts off with “Dear Bitch, Are you for real?” and include “We’ve tried to have patience. Some of us have also tried patience’s little helper, Xanax. But look what you’ve done to us. We’re a quivering mass of shattered nerves, deadened eyes and extended middle fingers.”

Or one of my favorites: “But you need to lighten up. Winters like this — they’re not something that humans are built to endure. In that way they’re like all Robin Williams movies since 1987. We can’t take the physical strain of trudging through this much snow. We can’t take the mental strain of driving on impassable streets. And we can’t outrun the yetis who’ve come down from the hills to feast.”

Go read it and understand a little bit what Winter has been like for those of us in the Eastern part of the country this year. Because seriously. Isn’t this enough snow already?

It’s the first day of Spring. Bring it on, baby.

On Friday, my sister posted this picture:

It’s her cat Milo. She wrote:

Milo has a need to “conquer” any box that’s lying around, even if he can’t fit his entire body!

Several weeks ago I used a few Amazon gift certificates that I had to order some books. They were expected for deliver on the 19th of March. On the 10th, the doorbell rang but I didn’t hear it and missed a delivery. I finally got around to going to the post office today and yes indeed, it was my package from Amazon, early (and all these days of trying desperately to find something to read – I had books* waiting for me!).

I brought them home, opened everything up, and carried on with my business. And then I had to grab my camera so that I could say, Amanda?

Apparently it’s not just cats.

(* I got The Boleyn Inheritance since I loved The Other Boleyn Girl so much, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and a photography book.)

I just wanted you to know that I fully intended to post something witty, hilarious, yet provoking with a full photo essay.

Alas, I am currently being totally distracted by yet another season of Dancing With the Stars. Sorry about that. It’s sad but so very true.

There’s something very endearing about starting your day with a toddler who slaps their arms against their hips and says, “Look Mommy! I a seal! I a SEAL! Arp! Arp!”

You have to hang on to those endearing moments when your five-year-old is still burning up with a fever that hasn’t gone down much since last night. Poor Hayley. If it doesn’t start going down soon I’m going to call and see if they want me to take her in to check her out. I hate when she’s sick. George looked at her last night, after she came out at almost midnight and curled up on the couch and he said, “she shrinks when she’s sick”. It’s true, she just looks so tiny and vulnerable.

Here’s hoping the fever breaks and she’s fine soon. Maybe I can send Breanna the seal into the other room to cheer her up. Arp!

Hayley is sick (again) and has a fever. She can’t sleep so we pulled out the hide-a-bed and she’s sitting there, wrapped up and waiting for meds to kick in. The Daily Show is on, and she’s laughing at Jon Stewart. It must be genetic. At least she has good taste – I should ask her if she thinks he’s hot, just to make sure.