Category Archives: family life

February photo-a-day

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Day 8: Sun

What a great subject on a sunny February day :) We were running around, picking stuff up for our new puppy, waiting for the breeder to call us to say she was home. With nothing left to do but wait, and two sleepy bugs in my backseat, I pulled off the highway and sat in my car to read for a bit. The long afternoon sunshine was beautiful, out in the country, away from the noise of the city:

Day 9: Front door

We have 3 doors leading into our house: a glass door for the sunporch, a screen door, and our storm door. It’s a lot to bump and shove open when your hands are full and your keys are at the bottom of your purse!

Day 10: Self-portrait

A little puppy had a rough night, and I wanted a nap. I bribed my kids to sleep with a pyjama/movie night so that Gracie and I could do this:

Day 11: Makes you happy

I love to cook. I love to try new recipes and ideas. Some are great, some are disasters. And most of them, my kids won’t eat :(

So, when I find two recipes that turn out fabulously, AND my kids gobble them up? Well, that makes me happy indeed!

Day 11: Inside my closet

With Leith always on the road, there is always a significant absence of clothing in our house. When all the clothes are actually washed, folded and put away (!!) and I see these empty hangers, it makes me miss him even more…

Counting up

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86. Dinner with my parents

87. A full grocery cart

88. Carrying sleeping children from the car to their beds (…although I did smack Kit-kat’s head on the door frame – ouch!)

89. Slow-cooker suppers that make the house smell so delicious!

90. Listening to them recite movie lines while they’re playing

91. Strawberries, blueberries, bananas, almond butter

92. Surprise kisses and hugs

93. Painting our nails together

94. Crazy, grown-up, complex statements coming out of little mouths :)

95. Fuzzy, wiggly puppy kisses

96. Reiki zen self-care time

97. Heartfelt conversations with my husband, being on the same page as each other

98. Hours-long text conversations with my mom :) And goofy dog names

99. Having him home for a couple of nights in a row, in the middle of a two-week single parenting stretch

100. A new puppy to love and learn with!

101. Long rays of afternoon sunshine

102. Cuddling together on the couch

103. Watching them try hard to set a good example for the puppy

104. When they stop being upset long enough to breathe, use words, and try to explain

105. A first night home with no crate accidents :)

106. Watching the sun rise between the trees outside our window

107. Weeknight dinners with mom & dad, and tasty homemade soup

108. Falling asleep between my two girls, texting my husband, with a puppy sleeping on the floor beside us and the furnace humming :)

Counting up

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With Leith back to “away” work, you might think it’s a bit harder to count the blessings in a day. I find it’s the opposite – I look harder, so that I can keep perspective in each day when things do get hard. Counting my blessings helps even the toughest times feel manageable :)

66. Family date night – a regular effort we make now when Leith is home, to spend time all together

67. Pull-through parking stalls

68. Waking up to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes

69. Rubbing her back when her tummy is upset

70. Listening to them chatter excitedly about their new babysitter

71. Snowman families and rosy cheeks

72. Speaker-phone calls at bedtime, watching them kiss and hug the phone goodnight

73. Sweaty blonde curls stuck to their foreheads while they sleep

74. Bubble baths

75. Walking through our forest trails

76. When they choose carrot and rep pepper sticks for snack; teaching them healthy habits from an early age

77. Free healthcare

78. Every single day that I get to spend with my bugz, instead of at a job

79. Glitter everywhere – evidence of their playtime ;)

80. Listening to their imaginations run wild all over the house

81. How C-boo “reads” her favourite stories out loud

82. Emails from Sku

83. Hot water

84. Injuries that heal themselves with stretching and movement

85. Mommy-daughters date days!

January: a month in review

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Detox 2012 already has one month in the bag! It’s been a good month, but it went by so quickly…I guess all my dreaming and wishing for Mexico has paid off ;)

  • I started running again – yay!
  • I registered for the Footstock 2012 half marathon in June
  • I went back to physio for some lovely IMS needles
  • I made it to 9 Bikram yoga classes!
  • I walked 15.5 hours –> that’s 54.25 miles!
  • I made it to 133lbs
  • I booked blood work to find out why I am so tired, instead of just ignoring it
  • I read Little Bee by Chris Cleave, How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway, and started My Life in France by Julia Child (!!)
  • Spent a LOT less time yelling and more time breathing
  • We went on several family “dates” all together, since Leith was home until January 29 :)
  • I took care of myself first, so that I could give my family the best of me
  • I cooked and baked a myriad of tasty meals and snacks from scratch, exploring and expanding my creativity
  • I spent a weekend with my oldest, dearest friends celebrating milestones
  • I played outside with my bugz in this beautiful weather
  • I celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday with our family
  • I enjoyed new tea flavours in my mug – a chance to unwind and reflect
  • I started counting all the things in my life that I am grateful for
  • I spent at least one day a week with friends, letting our kids run wild

And most importantly? I spent most of January as a very, very happy person :)

Counting Up

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43. Grilled cheese with apples, and fresh blueberries
44. Another positive celiac test (this time for C-boo), which means that they will both be equally restricted in their diets, instead of C-boo being restricted for the benefit of her sister
45. Holding hands in the car
46. Calves burning against my first run in 4 months
47. His support for my goals – half marathon in June!!
48. Fresh snow crunching under the 4-wheel drive
49. A weekend with my oldest, dearest friends :)
50. Squeals and hugs and kisses when I pick my bugz up from Grammy and Poppa’s house
51. Strong legs, running
52. Health benefits to pay for physiotherapy!!
53. Safe travels on icy roads
54. Impromptu play dates :)
55. Shoulder rubs at the end of a long day
56. Fitting into free 29″ jeans :) :)
57. Watching them devour fresh fruits
58. Baking cupcakes together after a grumpy morning
59. Sunshine streaming through our kitchen window
60. Watching them learn and problem solve!
61. Dirty dishes to wash…because it means we’ve had food to eat
62. Watching them learn to use scissors (yikes!!)

63. Toasty toes on the furnace vent
64. Orange juice dripping down our chins, smiling together
65. Singing in the car together

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Counting up

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Another week gone by so quickly! While I try to pause for the little moments, I really am appreciating taking the time to actually write down the little things that make my life so full. Heather had a great quote on her blog this week, from Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts:
I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life. A lifetime of sermons on “thanks in all things” and the shelves sagging with books on these things and I testify: life-changing gratitude does not fasten to a life unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time.
It really made me think: it’s one thing to say you’re grateful, but it is another thing completely to be aware and focused on all the millions of tiny blessings that make up each day. There are so many that I miss while I am racing through my life that I am so grateful that I took the time to write down these special moments in my week:

24. How committed he is to putting his kids and family first, willingly, without complaint_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

25. Weekly photo messages of Erin’s growing baby belly!!
26. Watching him taking care of his health, getting lots of exercise this winter, finally having time
27. Making a blanket tent in bed in the morning, and hearing their stories
28. A balanced cheque book, even between pay days
29. A roaring fire in the wood stove
30. When he gets home early, and I can make it to the last yoga class of the day
31. Sliding my wedding rings back on after class, and being so grateful for love
32. Letting them jump on the furniture!
33. Fresh orange zest
34. Hot baked oatmeal when the temperatures are frigid
35. Sun shining on a very, VERY cold day
36. That he knows the names of all their princesses :)
37. So much fresh water
38. How clean and white the road through our subdivision still is, even after the traffic has been through. No sand or dirt!
39. Finding them colouring quietly together
40. Seeing the seeds of their self-efficacy take root when their swimming teacher praises them
41. Peaceful drives home in the still darkness
42. Heated car seats on sore muscles

Counting up

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After a week of counting gratitudes, here is my first post on my way to One Thousand Gifts!_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

thank you to Ann at www.aholyexperience.com
(even though it isn’t Monday…)
1. Sneaking back into bed for a half hour nap :)
2. Watching them perform “ballu-et” every day…not *just* ballet lol
3. A washing machine with a sanitize cycle when tummies are upset!
4. The hum of the furnace, lulling me back to sleep
5. Coconut oil – as a hair mask, face moisturizer, oil for cooking, spread on bread…
6. Hot tea
7. Bright blue skies and sunshine in January
8. Grocery shopping all. by. my. self.
9. Homemade guacamole
10. Fresh cinnamon biscuits, using Gramma’s biscuit recipe
11. Shirley Temples and sparkling princess gowns :)
12. Finding bed-bugz in my bed!
13. Hearing compliments about how well-behaved our little girls are
14. Early morning tickle fights
15. The chance to work out every day and feel strong
Bonus gratitude: that my parent’s 16-year old treadmill still works!
16. Listening to the songs they make up together
17. Their first dance class
18. Feeling waves of heat wash over my body in the yoga studio
19. Brushing their soft, blonde curls
20. Cafe O Play dates!
21. Watching movies on the couch with him
22. Listening to their excited voices carry across the pool while I watch
23. First swimming lessons

Little Princesses

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I have two little princesses who are just a little excited to rain sparkles and glitter down on the seats of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium!

I have one Belle and one Ariel waiting to see Beauty & the Beast in REAL life. There is just a little bit of anxious squirming in the backseat of our car ;)

Spirited Gratitudes

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It’s +5 on Christmas Eve. Really, my entire list of gratitudes should just stop there. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining (for a few more minutes…), and there is just enough snow on the ground to cover up the mud._uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

Perfect, really :)
But in addition to that, I really must give thanks for:
  • husbands who come home
  • last-minute miracles at Walmart, in the form of Princess flashlights – these have been requested with dire need, and I had no freaking idea where to find them. Then, in a flurry of Christmas Eve shopping for tampons and ribbon at Walmart, I found them: smiling up at me from the bottom rack of the impulse shelves in the checkout line. I may have squee’d a little :)
  • sledding on our hill. I love that we have a hill on our acreage that is perfect for sledding!
  • (most) gifts wrapped and ready to roll
  • honey-roasted peanuts, despite their atrocious calorie count. Why?? Whyyyy?
  • the Glee Christmas album, even though I’m not a big Glee fan…
  • reading about all the people preparing for the real Christmas celebration, and not just some overinflated consumer holiday
  • overcoming the urge to give in to buying things “just because” I have to, and instead only buying things that would be important and appreciated by their receiver
  • snuggling with warm, fuzzy-footed bugz in my bed, or their bed, or on the couch watching movies :)
  • virtual hugs and encouragement
  • lighting candles in the low afternoon light
  • stories before bedtime
  • yoga passes and meditation
  • hot coffee and handsome husbands ;)
  • brown paper packages tied up with string ribbon, waiting for little eyes to close tonight
  • a date booked for Kit-kat’s GI scope and biopsy, even if it’s two months later than we expected – it means we can eat “normally” for a little while longer ;)
  • no one barfing in the past 36 hours…
  • books to read, so many books to read!
  • Christmas humour:
  • friends, family and being together
  • homemade gifts, despite my lack of “crafty”
  • the thought of warm cinnamon buns for breakfast tomorrow…although then I should also be prepared to be grateful for a trip to Superstore, since I just remembered I have no flour…never mind that plan…
  • homemade hot cocoa and little hands gripping mugs
Peace, love and happiness to you and your family this Christmas. May you be blessed with the goodness that you put out into the world in 2011, and get everything your heart deserves.
xoxo