Life really does seem to speed up as you get older... I can't believe 2012 is already drawing to a close. I love these times of the year when it's natural to reflect on the past and make goals for the future. And one of the reasons I blog is to have a little record of where my head is at at certain points. I just re-read my new years reflections from last year. Here are some of the things I was hoping for for 2012 and how I think they went...
Practically I want to be diligent about meal planning and spending less on food. I want to put my clothes away at the end of the day (I know, I'm 30 something and still struggle with this. Shame on me!). I want to continue my quest for a simpler more generous life. Relationally, I want to invest in some new friendships and continue to strengthen the old. I want to pick up the phone more. I want to love my husband better and be a more engaged mom. Spiritually I simply want to learn how to become friends with God.
- I definitely improved on meal planning and most weeks had our dinners written out. I could do better at spending less on food and not wasting as much.
- Picking up my clothes? (still laugh that this was a goal, but hey, sometimes it's the little things). Still not perfect but now that we host a small group at our house and our bedroom is one of the meeting places, it's clean at least once a week. And I usually don't let the mess go on as long. I'll have to let Joel weigh in on that one.
-Living a simpler and more generous life is huge on my radar these days and I've made good steps towards that, including being part of a small community that meets once a month to bounce ideas off each other and grow. Again, still a long way to go. I think I have at least eight blog posts in my head related to this topic.
- We've definitely developed some new friendships that are growing. I can give us a clear check mark for that. We have people in our home way more than we used to and enjoy practicing hospitality. There is a greater depth we'd like to go in many of these new relationships and that takes energy I don't often feel I have, but I also know it takes time.
- Pick up the phone more? No, completely failed on that. Do people like to talk on the phone any more? I actually enjoy a good phone conversation but always hesitate because I don't want to bug people. Email and texting is safer. I admit, I like safe!
- Loving my husband better and being more engaged as a mom...steps forward for sure but I'll be working on those two for the rest of my life. I've become more aware of how selfish I can be and my addiction to comfort. I'm learning to make more decisions that aren't about me.
- And friends with God? Very very slowly but in a better place than I was a year ago. And the good thing is I feel no guilt about that. That's progress for sure.
I have much to be thankful for and today I'm especially grateful that I have grown from the person I was a year ago. Life is a journey and I'm enjoying the ride. Stay tuned for my goals for 2013. Happy New Year!!!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas Time
Christmas is only a few days away. Read my thoughts about Christmas last year from part of my living simply series. (I have many more thoughts to add to that series, just working on how to articulate them).
This is the first Christmas that the boys really have some idea of what is going on. That don't really know that Christmas is an actual day, they just know it's Christmas time. That means we decorate a tree, have a manger scene (where the donkey gives everyone a ride!) and light our advent candles each night. Their favourite Christmas songs are Away in a Manger, Jingle Bells and Up on the Rooftop (thank you daycare!).
I am feeling quite thankful that we have embraced the idea of a simple Christmas. We've decided that in our little nuclear family we are only going to do stockings for each other. This is pretty easy at the moment as the boys are still young. I am not anti-gifts and they will still have presents to open at extended family gatherings but they really don't need more from us. I want Christmas to be more focused on giving to others in need, spending time with family and sharing experiences together. And of course, celebrating the gift of Jesus. Lighting the advent calendar this year has more been a lesson in counting than anything spiritual. Such is life with toddlers.
It continues to amaze me how much Christmas seems to be about stuff. By far the biggest question I'm asked is if I'm done my Christmas shopping. People also ask if my kids are excited about Santa. Santa wasn't a big part of my childhood. I'm not going to go out of my way to teach them he isn't real but I'm not telling them he's bringing them gifts. He's more a figure we see on TV and sing about sometimes. (As a side, I will always remember a favourite moment last year, sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Some kids were acting up and their dad was threatening to call Santa to cancel their presents. He was on his way to dialling before they smartened up. I would bet any amount of money that no matter what they did he was never going to follow through.)
I love that Christmas is not stressful for us. It's about people, not stuff, and celebrating God incarnate. I think going against the consumerism of the season will get harder as the boys get older. They will begin to notice what happens around them. But we're determined to be intentional about learning to be a family that lives counter-culturally and gives generously especially at this time of year. And I'm thankful to be part of a community that values this as well. There are million ways to do Christmas and I love learning from others. I have a long way to go. What are some ways you've changed the way you do Christmas over the years?
Sunday, December 16, 2012
27,000 Children
As most people seemed to be, I was shocked and saddened to hear about the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut this past Friday. That night I was feeling overwhelmed for those who had to experience the horrors and for the families of those who died. It is a devastating loss. Almost every post I read on Facebook had to do with the events that took place and the understandable emotions that we were all feeling. But something didn't sit right with me.
In the past few months I have been working my way through this book. I just finished reading a chapter called 'One Hundred Crashing Jetliners.' The premise was that whenever a plane crashes, it makes the news. And yet, nearly 27,000 children die A DAY of preventable causes related to poverty and we almost never hear about it. This was fresh in my mind as I heard about what happened on Friday.
I get it. It is easier to feel things when it happens close to home. We can relate. It affects us. It's all over the media. Children dying of hunger, malaria, lack of clean water... that generally happens to people far away and we can't relate. I have met some of these people and I still forget. Days go by and it doesn't cross my mind. It's a truth I'm not proud of.
So what does that mean? As our pastor put it this morning, it means repentance. Repentance for not thinking about the poor and doing enough to help them, while I focus on acquiring more stuff and being comfortable. It means taking a long and hard look at my life and being intentional about making choices that help those in need, instead of focusing on me. I love the now famous prayer, prayed by Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision... "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." That means the loss of innocent children in the United States, AND the loss of innocent children around the globe. None of them should suffer.
While people debate gun laws and media coverage, I want to look at myself and ask, what can I do to help those who are suffering and prevent senseless tragedy that happens day after day. And I want to put in the hard work of not forgetting so that it will cause me to act and make a difference. The posts about the killings in Connecticut will soon disappear and it will eventually leave the minds of those of us not directly affected. It's just what happens. But tomorrow 27,000 children will die that shouldn't, and the next day 27,000 more will die. The good news it the number has been decreasing in recent years but it's obviously not good enough. I pray that I would not forget and that I would do my part each day until that statistic no longer exists. God help us!
In the past few months I have been working my way through this book. I just finished reading a chapter called 'One Hundred Crashing Jetliners.' The premise was that whenever a plane crashes, it makes the news. And yet, nearly 27,000 children die A DAY of preventable causes related to poverty and we almost never hear about it. This was fresh in my mind as I heard about what happened on Friday.
I get it. It is easier to feel things when it happens close to home. We can relate. It affects us. It's all over the media. Children dying of hunger, malaria, lack of clean water... that generally happens to people far away and we can't relate. I have met some of these people and I still forget. Days go by and it doesn't cross my mind. It's a truth I'm not proud of.
So what does that mean? As our pastor put it this morning, it means repentance. Repentance for not thinking about the poor and doing enough to help them, while I focus on acquiring more stuff and being comfortable. It means taking a long and hard look at my life and being intentional about making choices that help those in need, instead of focusing on me. I love the now famous prayer, prayed by Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision... "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." That means the loss of innocent children in the United States, AND the loss of innocent children around the globe. None of them should suffer.
While people debate gun laws and media coverage, I want to look at myself and ask, what can I do to help those who are suffering and prevent senseless tragedy that happens day after day. And I want to put in the hard work of not forgetting so that it will cause me to act and make a difference. The posts about the killings in Connecticut will soon disappear and it will eventually leave the minds of those of us not directly affected. It's just what happens. But tomorrow 27,000 children will die that shouldn't, and the next day 27,000 more will die. The good news it the number has been decreasing in recent years but it's obviously not good enough. I pray that I would not forget and that I would do my part each day until that statistic no longer exists. God help us!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
My Africa Story - Part 2
* I've scanned a few photos from my trip without people. If you make it to the end you'll understand why.*
I've had this one written for awhile but keep forgetting to post it. Again, it's turned into a little novella. If you haven't read part one about my first adventures in Zambia, you can find it here .
Part two began when I was doing my year of teacher’s college. I can’t remember how exactly it started but I was contacted by someone from a missions organization to ask if I’d consider leading a trip to Uganda that summer to work with orphans. Africa and orphans. I was in! A while after committing to the trip we were told that trip was no longer going to happen and we were going to Madagascar instead with a focus on teaching English. I was disappointed as neither the location nor the description held the same interest for me, but I sucked it up and decided to stick it out. There were two teams going; a French speaking team from Quebec (Madgascar’s official languages are French and Malagasy) and my team comprised of five of us from the rest of Canada. All the girls were great and I was looking forward to getting to know them more overseas.
But when it came time to go, I can’t say I was all that excited. I was nervous about leading, not too passionate about what we were doing and had recently started dating a guy I really liked (yes, he’s the one I ended up marrying!) so spending two months apart wasn’t at the top of my list for summer activities. We boarded the plane and were off. We spent the first week living at a small motel on the ocean doing missions training, then we got paired up with someone from the French team and were off on our first adventure. We travelled hours and hours by small boat up a canal and lived for several days in very remote villages. We were also with students from a Bible college who were training to do evangelism. Our little team was awesome and we had a lot of fun together, meeting with people in their homes, putting on little workshops for youth and just living life together. I remember eating a lot of rice and fish, pretending pineapples were chocolate and belting out Celine Dion tunes....one of our Malagasy friends’ favourites. We slept on the floor of a raised hut and were awoken early each morning by the roosters living under us. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
When we got back the French team left to go back to the capital city and we stayed in a small town where we spent the remaining six weeks. We stayed on site of a small children’s home which was awesome. Our mornings were spent teaching English to local people in little make-shift classrooms, and the afternoons we hung out with the kids. We taught them Dutch Blitz, played soccer, danced and did our best to communicate including lots of hugs.
I really enjoyed teaching English but after a few weeks I got really sick. What started as a sore throat turned into a really bad infection. The entire back of my throat had turned white and swallowing was really painful. I had a doctor come see me and after some failed antibiotics, I went daily for injections in the backside. One of the girls from the home always accompanied me and found it very amusing. I never found at what is was as the best translation I could get from the doctor was “sore throat.” Eventually it got better but put me out of commission for awhile. I cancelled my classes and my team did their thing without their leader...they were more than fine!
I struggled a lot on the trip, not just physically. Reading back through my journal I really questioned why I was there and often felt like a very inadequate leader. I also had no access to email and only heard from people at home via the occasional and very welcome letter. And remember that guy I was dating? Well I heard nothing from him almost the whole time, which of course gets the female brain going to all sorts of places. Turns out he was questioning whether we should be together and was processing it all (yes, sometimes the female brain can be pretty accurate). Eventually he came around and I received a bunch of mail via courier near the end.
I had a lot of great moments. I loved teaching English, adored the children and our team was great. I credit that experience and teaching in Zambia to pursuing my specialist in teaching ESL. And although each day was tough, God and I were pretty tight. I relied heavily on him to get me through each day and he did.
One of the toughest parts, however was when we got home. Several months later we found out that the missionary leading us for the first few weeks, was having an affair with a Malagasy woman who he later married. But a million times worse was that we discovered there had been abuse of many kinds going on in the children’s home. The “parents” were quickly removed. It became clear why the children had clung to us so much and why they seemed so devastated when we were leaving. The show that was put on for us was about to end and reality would return. I shed many tears for those kids. In a way the whole trip felt like a bit of a scam but I was glad we could provide some relief for the children for a few short weeks and that the abuse was discovered.
Madagascar is a beautiful country with a unique mix of African and Asian cultures. We also got to spend a few days in Mauritius which was a tropical paradise. I doubt I will ever get there again but it was a unique experience that helped me grow, and for that I am grateful.
I've had this one written for awhile but keep forgetting to post it. Again, it's turned into a little novella. If you haven't read part one about my first adventures in Zambia, you can find it here .
 |
| The Indian Ocean |
Part two began when I was doing my year of teacher’s college. I can’t remember how exactly it started but I was contacted by someone from a missions organization to ask if I’d consider leading a trip to Uganda that summer to work with orphans. Africa and orphans. I was in! A while after committing to the trip we were told that trip was no longer going to happen and we were going to Madagascar instead with a focus on teaching English. I was disappointed as neither the location nor the description held the same interest for me, but I sucked it up and decided to stick it out. There were two teams going; a French speaking team from Quebec (Madgascar’s official languages are French and Malagasy) and my team comprised of five of us from the rest of Canada. All the girls were great and I was looking forward to getting to know them more overseas.
But when it came time to go, I can’t say I was all that excited. I was nervous about leading, not too passionate about what we were doing and had recently started dating a guy I really liked (yes, he’s the one I ended up marrying!) so spending two months apart wasn’t at the top of my list for summer activities. We boarded the plane and were off. We spent the first week living at a small motel on the ocean doing missions training, then we got paired up with someone from the French team and were off on our first adventure. We travelled hours and hours by small boat up a canal and lived for several days in very remote villages. We were also with students from a Bible college who were training to do evangelism. Our little team was awesome and we had a lot of fun together, meeting with people in their homes, putting on little workshops for youth and just living life together. I remember eating a lot of rice and fish, pretending pineapples were chocolate and belting out Celine Dion tunes....one of our Malagasy friends’ favourites. We slept on the floor of a raised hut and were awoken early each morning by the roosters living under us. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
 |
| Our trip up the canal |
I really enjoyed teaching English but after a few weeks I got really sick. What started as a sore throat turned into a really bad infection. The entire back of my throat had turned white and swallowing was really painful. I had a doctor come see me and after some failed antibiotics, I went daily for injections in the backside. One of the girls from the home always accompanied me and found it very amusing. I never found at what is was as the best translation I could get from the doctor was “sore throat.” Eventually it got better but put me out of commission for awhile. I cancelled my classes and my team did their thing without their leader...they were more than fine!
I struggled a lot on the trip, not just physically. Reading back through my journal I really questioned why I was there and often felt like a very inadequate leader. I also had no access to email and only heard from people at home via the occasional and very welcome letter. And remember that guy I was dating? Well I heard nothing from him almost the whole time, which of course gets the female brain going to all sorts of places. Turns out he was questioning whether we should be together and was processing it all (yes, sometimes the female brain can be pretty accurate). Eventually he came around and I received a bunch of mail via courier near the end.
 |
| The village where we spent a week |
I had a lot of great moments. I loved teaching English, adored the children and our team was great. I credit that experience and teaching in Zambia to pursuing my specialist in teaching ESL. And although each day was tough, God and I were pretty tight. I relied heavily on him to get me through each day and he did.
One of the toughest parts, however was when we got home. Several months later we found out that the missionary leading us for the first few weeks, was having an affair with a Malagasy woman who he later married. But a million times worse was that we discovered there had been abuse of many kinds going on in the children’s home. The “parents” were quickly removed. It became clear why the children had clung to us so much and why they seemed so devastated when we were leaving. The show that was put on for us was about to end and reality would return. I shed many tears for those kids. In a way the whole trip felt like a bit of a scam but I was glad we could provide some relief for the children for a few short weeks and that the abuse was discovered.
Madagascar is a beautiful country with a unique mix of African and Asian cultures. We also got to spend a few days in Mauritius which was a tropical paradise. I doubt I will ever get there again but it was a unique experience that helped me grow, and for that I am grateful.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Sick and Tired
I'm not very good at being sick. I feel a bit like a whiny baby and the whole world should stop for me. I feel entitled to constant rest until I'm better, but alas, life must go on. For the last week and half I haven't been feeling great. Some days have been worse than others but a week later while my tonsils were still inflamed I decided it was time to go to the doctor. I feel silly going to the doctor for things like a sore throat and feeling run down, but I'm also usually better in a few days.
I woke up feeling pretty awful and knew it would be a rough day with the boys. So Joel called our daycare lady who is awesome and super flexible and we shelled out the money so I could rest and get to the doctor. I'm glad I did. Turns out I have strep throat, which is pretty hard to fight without antibiotics. 24 hours after starting and I'm feeling a lot better already. And the people around me have been amazing. Joel, who is already and amazing husband and dad, stepped up even more while also trying to avoid getting sick. The boys also knew mommy wasn't feeling well and were troopers about cooperating and going to daycare last minute. And just as I was sitting on the couch yesterday feeling like I had no energy to make dinner, our daycare lady called and said she was making some for us. Amazing!
I try not to be a complainer but I have to admit I find it hard when I'm sick. I have a friend my age going through chemo, another friend with three kids whose husband is dying of cancer. Not to mention my many friends who struggle just to get by. I had a sore throat and no energy...no reason to complain. But I still fall into it, so I try to fight it with gratitude... for a warm bed and hot soup, for help, for the luxury of medicine and rest. Being sick is no fun, but getting better is pretty great!
I woke up feeling pretty awful and knew it would be a rough day with the boys. So Joel called our daycare lady who is awesome and super flexible and we shelled out the money so I could rest and get to the doctor. I'm glad I did. Turns out I have strep throat, which is pretty hard to fight without antibiotics. 24 hours after starting and I'm feeling a lot better already. And the people around me have been amazing. Joel, who is already and amazing husband and dad, stepped up even more while also trying to avoid getting sick. The boys also knew mommy wasn't feeling well and were troopers about cooperating and going to daycare last minute. And just as I was sitting on the couch yesterday feeling like I had no energy to make dinner, our daycare lady called and said she was making some for us. Amazing!
I try not to be a complainer but I have to admit I find it hard when I'm sick. I have a friend my age going through chemo, another friend with three kids whose husband is dying of cancer. Not to mention my many friends who struggle just to get by. I had a sore throat and no energy...no reason to complain. But I still fall into it, so I try to fight it with gratitude... for a warm bed and hot soup, for help, for the luxury of medicine and rest. Being sick is no fun, but getting better is pretty great!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Date Night
Enjoying the music
I have no idea what our next dates will involve but I'm looking forward to some special time with my boys!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Easy Granola
I have many childhood memories of my mom making big batches of granola. Now that I'm a mom, I am fairly conscious of what kind of food goes in my sons' bodies. And they love their cereal. The problem is, that even the healthy kind of cereal is processed and contains refined sugar. That hasn't stopped me from giving it to them, but I knew I wanted to try my mom's recipe. It's really easy, is packed with healthy ingredients and can be modified to include what you like and take out what you don't. I'm not sure of the original source but thought I'd share.
5 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup soy powder (I didn't use this)
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup honey
1 cup oil (I used vegetable, I'm sure there is a healthier alternative?)
Mix well then bake at 300 F for approximately 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so!
Super easy and a hit with the kids. Because I skipped the soy powder I added half a cup of wheat bran and half a cup of ground flaxseed. You could add raisins, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds or pretty much anything you want. As always, let me know if you make it!
5 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup soy powder (I didn't use this)
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup honey
1 cup oil (I used vegetable, I'm sure there is a healthier alternative?)
Mix well then bake at 300 F for approximately 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so!
Super easy and a hit with the kids. Because I skipped the soy powder I added half a cup of wheat bran and half a cup of ground flaxseed. You could add raisins, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds or pretty much anything you want. As always, let me know if you make it!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Toddler Bed Disaster
I was pretty nervous about making the transition to toddler beds with twin boys but I knew it had to happen eventually. I know many kids who stay in cribs longer, but because they were in a bed at daycare and outgrowing their pack n' plays when we went away, I figured we should be consistent. I bought them the Gro Clock which had rave reviews to show them when to stay in bed (when they see the star) and when to get up (when they see the sun) and everyone was excited. The first few nights went beautifully.
But then they discovered their freedom and the monkey business began and pretty much hasn't stopped. I can't blame them. They are little boys and they have a lot to discover. But I'm tired of them taking hours to fall asleep. I'm tired of one biting the other. I'm tired of them falling out of laundry baskets while giving each other rides (pretty cute idea though!). I'm tired of things being destroyed and clothes everywhere.
We went with the little-intervention approach. If we heard crying we went in to deal with it, but figured if we generally stayed out of it they would get bored. Well two weeks later it hasn't gotten any better, probably worse. And although we've gotten them to help us clean up clothes and done a lot of talking about it, I think we've unintentionally taught them that what they're doing is okay. And to us, it isn't.
I don't really want to turn back but I'm not opposed to going back to cribs. If they can't handle the freedom, then they can't. I have had friends say they've taken everything out of the room to make it boring. But I have no where else to put their giant dresser and I want them to learn while they have their regular room in tact. We are changing our strategy and will be tightening up the reigns in the next few days. I am really hoping it works. I know this is all just a phase and it's great they are having fun, but they also need sleep. We'll see how it goes!
Friday, October 19, 2012
A Lazy Day
It may have taken me until about 2pm to get out of my PJs today. I woke up with a sore throat and feeling crummy. I was close to sending the boys to their babysitter and having a day to myself, but true to the norm for me, it's always the worst when I first get up. And some Tylenol helped. I told the boys mommy wasn't feeling well and they needed to try their best to cooperate today. They've been awesome. Nothing about today is anything to write about in a parenting magazine. We watched Youtube videos and I tried to sneak in little two minute naps between switching to new ones. The boys played in the play room while I lay on the couch upstairs and watched TV (I know, one of the many benefits to twins!). They watched their first ever episode of Sesame Street. We had macaroni from a box for. We have yet so step foot outdoors. But I don't feel bad. Days like this are rare and I don't always have to be on my A game.
Yesterday when our plans for the gym were changed due to our "poopy incident' (I didn't want to call over the PA system to clean up a second mess) we also stuck close to home. We took the wagon to the library across the street, we stopped by the slides in our little park and the boys rode their tricycles. I find it's generally easier to take my boys out to do something in the morning, but I forgot how fun and meaningful it can be to be around home together. Whether it's some creative, well-planned activity (let's be honest, those are rare!) or a lazy day in our PJs, I get to share life with my boys and I'm grateful.
Yesterday when our plans for the gym were changed due to our "poopy incident' (I didn't want to call over the PA system to clean up a second mess) we also stuck close to home. We took the wagon to the library across the street, we stopped by the slides in our little park and the boys rode their tricycles. I find it's generally easier to take my boys out to do something in the morning, but I forgot how fun and meaningful it can be to be around home together. Whether it's some creative, well-planned activity (let's be honest, those are rare!) or a lazy day in our PJs, I get to share life with my boys and I'm grateful.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Dealing With Stress
This has not been the best week of our lives. It started off with some disappointments and emotional decisions. Then a boy throwing up in the night (which I didn't know about at the time, thanks to my awesome husband and some ear plugs). Then dealing with similar bodily fluids down my shirt and hair and an understandably upset boy while trying to get out of the door for an appointment. While driving to that appointment I hear on the news that my husband's company is laying off hundreds and hundreds of people. Thankfully he still has a job. Today it was dealing with an enormous amount other bodily fluids running onto the floor and up my son's back, trying to give them both a bath (because if one gets a bath the other wants one too right?) and cleaning up the mess. Also, losing it on my son who was frustrated for some unknown reason and lashed out at me physically. I was not proud of how I dealt with it.
It's all par for the course. Being a mom involves having your patience tried multiple times a day and cleaning up things you'd never imagine. Being human involves feeling sad, frustrated and disappointed. I don't expect to be spared from any of that but it's still tough in the moment. J and I have both been exhausted this week with nothing extra in the tank to give. So how do I deal with stress? I think it's safe to say after this week that I'm an emotional eater. On Monday it was a chocolate croissant and some KFC for lunch. The feeling left in my stomach for the rest of the day probably wasn't worth the five minutes of fried chicken indulgence. The next day it was mini chocolate bars, chips and cheesies, followed by ice cream that night. Yesterday was more chips and cheesies. Last night I just felt gross. While I'm all for the occasional treat, I had gone way past moderation. I'm pretty that this week I found those six pounds that I lost last month!
One thing I do find helps with stress is exercise and recently I've been loving to swim. Yesterday in my daze I drove right past the gym exit without realizing it, but managed to eventually get myself in the pool and knock off several dozen laps. I loved zoning out, feeling weightless and getting the blood pumping. While there have been lots of wonderful little moments this week, it has been tough and I'm hoping next week is a bit more normal. If not, I'm pretty sure I'll have to lock up the junk and get out the fruit. How do you deal with stress?
It's all par for the course. Being a mom involves having your patience tried multiple times a day and cleaning up things you'd never imagine. Being human involves feeling sad, frustrated and disappointed. I don't expect to be spared from any of that but it's still tough in the moment. J and I have both been exhausted this week with nothing extra in the tank to give. So how do I deal with stress? I think it's safe to say after this week that I'm an emotional eater. On Monday it was a chocolate croissant and some KFC for lunch. The feeling left in my stomach for the rest of the day probably wasn't worth the five minutes of fried chicken indulgence. The next day it was mini chocolate bars, chips and cheesies, followed by ice cream that night. Yesterday was more chips and cheesies. Last night I just felt gross. While I'm all for the occasional treat, I had gone way past moderation. I'm pretty that this week I found those six pounds that I lost last month!
One thing I do find helps with stress is exercise and recently I've been loving to swim. Yesterday in my daze I drove right past the gym exit without realizing it, but managed to eventually get myself in the pool and knock off several dozen laps. I loved zoning out, feeling weightless and getting the blood pumping. While there have been lots of wonderful little moments this week, it has been tough and I'm hoping next week is a bit more normal. If not, I'm pretty sure I'll have to lock up the junk and get out the fruit. How do you deal with stress?
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili
I love finding good recipes to add to my collection. I found this on Pinterest the other day. Most recipes take me awhile to get around to but I knew I wanted to try this one right away. I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes, black beans and quinoa and to me this recipe is the perfect healthy meal.
You can find the original recipe here. The only changes I made were I used chicken stock instead of vegetable stock (making it no longer vegan) since I didn't have any around. I also cut some fresh corn off the cob and added it in. It probably took closer to 30 minutes to cook the sweet potatoes and quinoa.
We are usually a bit lazy with our cooking on the weekend but while J played with the boys in the play room I had an uninterrupted hour to work on this. Plus he chopped the onion and garlic which is not my favourite job. My verdict? Delicious! I can't wait to have it again for dinner tomorrow night!
You can find the original recipe here. The only changes I made were I used chicken stock instead of vegetable stock (making it no longer vegan) since I didn't have any around. I also cut some fresh corn off the cob and added it in. It probably took closer to 30 minutes to cook the sweet potatoes and quinoa.
We are usually a bit lazy with our cooking on the weekend but while J played with the boys in the play room I had an uninterrupted hour to work on this. Plus he chopped the onion and garlic which is not my favourite job. My verdict? Delicious! I can't wait to have it again for dinner tomorrow night!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Jewellery Organizer
I've been trying to figure out a good way to organize my jewellery for awhile. For years it's been in the bottom drawer of a plastic organizer, often getting tangled up. Since joining Pinterest I've seen some really good ideas that I've wanted to make.
The plan was to buy some hooks to hang the necklaces. And for hanging earrings I loved the idea of using screen or chicken wire behind an empty frame (inspiration found here). I bought wooden pegs and found some screen. I just needed the frame and I was good to go.
But then on a trip to Home Sense on the hunt for a mirror, I came across this piece of awesomeness. I'm not actually sure of what it's original intent was but I knew it would be perfect. And as a bonus it came in the same colour I've used as an accent in our bathroom.
We finally hung it up today and I'm thrilled with how it looks. Let's be honest. I'm not crafty and whatever version I came up with, although fine, wouldn't have been as nice as this one. And the price was right. Just one more step towards making our home more functional. I love it!
The plan was to buy some hooks to hang the necklaces. And for hanging earrings I loved the idea of using screen or chicken wire behind an empty frame (inspiration found here). I bought wooden pegs and found some screen. I just needed the frame and I was good to go.
But then on a trip to Home Sense on the hunt for a mirror, I came across this piece of awesomeness. I'm not actually sure of what it's original intent was but I knew it would be perfect. And as a bonus it came in the same colour I've used as an accent in our bathroom.
We finally hung it up today and I'm thrilled with how it looks. Let's be honest. I'm not crafty and whatever version I came up with, although fine, wouldn't have been as nice as this one. And the price was right. Just one more step towards making our home more functional. I love it!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
And We're Done...
In a few short hours it will be October and our month of changes will be over. I remember feeling at the end of August how much I needed this month. I was in a rut and stuck in some habits I didn't love. While this month was a lot different than I expected it definitely achieved the results I was looking for.
As J and I were talking the other night he declared himself to be five times happier than he was last month. A pretty bold claim but I think it actually might be true. Our marriage is better, we are healthier, we are not as focused on our selves and feel more connected to God.
In terms of not eating junk and sugar, I have definitely seen the benefits. Between us we have lost 11 pounds without even trying. I think I've realized how quickly snacking can add up, especially when you do it whenever you feel like it. I never quite mastered the art of having a bunch of healthy snacks on hand....something I'll keep working on.... but the cravings for sweet things disappeared and I don't really miss them. This week I will definitely enjoy a Coke and popcorn and probably some form of chocolate but going forward I plan to keep my sugar intake significantly reduced. I believe in moderation, I just think my perception of what was moderate was a little skewed.
I think not watching TV has been the hardest just because I enjoy it after a long, busy day. But this month was so busy getting our house ready to host and other life things that it would have been a lot more stressful trying to fit our favourite shows in. The benefits were evident though. J and I had so many good talks, almost nightly, that we often didn't make time for before. We made some pretty significant life decisions and communicated really well as we processed things. Going forward we're going to limit our TV nights to twice a week so we can keep on up on a few shows we really like and enjoy a weekend movie. It will still be a challenge as I know we'll WANT to watch more, but it will force us to be not as lazy and more relational which is always a good thing. I do miss connecting with people on Facebook and plan to go back on, but in a much more limited way. I'm sticking to a few minutes at nap time and then after dinner while Joel cleans up. I don't need up to the minute information on what you're having for dinner, but the reality is I get to stay in touch with many more people than I would and I find it a great place to bounce ideas off of other people.
Journalling didn't go at all as planned but in the end I'm okay with that. It wasn't about the journalling so much as reconnecting with God and I am definitely moving in the right direction. I do want to be more disciplined about gratitude (in my one thousand gifts journal) and recording significant thoughts. I'm a huge fan of going back and reading where I've come from and what I was processing at certain times of life. I think following Jesus is best done in community and I'm very thankful for several little communities that are forming, even just in this past month, where I can do life with others.
I wish it only took a month to make all the changes I want in my life. Although I guess if it was perfect it would also be a little boring. What I wanted was momentum that I had severely been lacking and moving forward, even if it's slowly, is a lot more rewarding than not moving at all. I hope your September was a good one too!
As J and I were talking the other night he declared himself to be five times happier than he was last month. A pretty bold claim but I think it actually might be true. Our marriage is better, we are healthier, we are not as focused on our selves and feel more connected to God.
In terms of not eating junk and sugar, I have definitely seen the benefits. Between us we have lost 11 pounds without even trying. I think I've realized how quickly snacking can add up, especially when you do it whenever you feel like it. I never quite mastered the art of having a bunch of healthy snacks on hand....something I'll keep working on.... but the cravings for sweet things disappeared and I don't really miss them. This week I will definitely enjoy a Coke and popcorn and probably some form of chocolate but going forward I plan to keep my sugar intake significantly reduced. I believe in moderation, I just think my perception of what was moderate was a little skewed.
I think not watching TV has been the hardest just because I enjoy it after a long, busy day. But this month was so busy getting our house ready to host and other life things that it would have been a lot more stressful trying to fit our favourite shows in. The benefits were evident though. J and I had so many good talks, almost nightly, that we often didn't make time for before. We made some pretty significant life decisions and communicated really well as we processed things. Going forward we're going to limit our TV nights to twice a week so we can keep on up on a few shows we really like and enjoy a weekend movie. It will still be a challenge as I know we'll WANT to watch more, but it will force us to be not as lazy and more relational which is always a good thing. I do miss connecting with people on Facebook and plan to go back on, but in a much more limited way. I'm sticking to a few minutes at nap time and then after dinner while Joel cleans up. I don't need up to the minute information on what you're having for dinner, but the reality is I get to stay in touch with many more people than I would and I find it a great place to bounce ideas off of other people.
Journalling didn't go at all as planned but in the end I'm okay with that. It wasn't about the journalling so much as reconnecting with God and I am definitely moving in the right direction. I do want to be more disciplined about gratitude (in my one thousand gifts journal) and recording significant thoughts. I'm a huge fan of going back and reading where I've come from and what I was processing at certain times of life. I think following Jesus is best done in community and I'm very thankful for several little communities that are forming, even just in this past month, where I can do life with others.
I wish it only took a month to make all the changes I want in my life. Although I guess if it was perfect it would also be a little boring. What I wanted was momentum that I had severely been lacking and moving forward, even if it's slowly, is a lot more rewarding than not moving at all. I hope your September was a good one too!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Toddler Activity: Cheerio Towers
* A classic example of how random my blog is, but I thought this was a good one to share with my toddler mom friends *
I can't even remember where I came across this idea to give credit... likely Pinterest, who's kidding who. I am always looking for simple, cheap and fun ways to keep my boys busy, especially as the colder months approach and we spend more time inside.
Simply stick some raw spaghetti in some play-dough, give them some Cheerios and they're off to the races. It didn't hold their attention for hours but they were pretty into it and they got a little bonus snack on the side. It's one we will be doing again.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Parmesan Zucchini Bites
The one time I made it to my city's Farmer's Market this summer I bought a zucchini. I don't particularly like them but am trying to expand my vegetable repertoire and they looked good. I found this recipe on Pinterest so thought I'd give it a try. The recipe I worked from can be found here. You can find exact amounts, I just estimated.
What you need:
- A zucchini or two
- Panko bread crumbs (regular would work too, I think)
- Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
What you do:
- Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch circles and toss with olive oil.
- Combine bread crumbs, salt and pepper. I also added garlic powder to add to the flavour. You can experiment with spices.
- Put the breadcrumb mixture on a plate and dip the coat both sides of the zucchini with it.
- Put zucchini on a foil-lined, sprayed cooking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for around 25 minutes, possibly longer if you want them crisper (check them at 20 to be safe). I would probably even broil them for a minute or two at the end. They don't need to be flipped.
My verdict:
- I am still not a big fan of zucchini but if I was ever going to eat it, this is the way. Cheese and a golden crust with help me eat almost anything. For my zucchini loving friends I'm pretty sure you'll love this. It's a fun way to mix up a side dish or even a healthier appetizer.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
A New Adventure
As of tomorrow our family will be on a new adventure. We are leading and hosting a group from our church each week. Because we're such a large church, it's hard to develop a sense of community on Sunday mornings so these groups provide people with a smaller family to connect with and grow spiritually. We've been part of an awesome group for several years, which has provided us with some great friends. But with growing numbers and feeling the need to be a little less comfortable we decided to start our own. Also selfishly, we didn't want to have to get babysitters so hosting was ideal. Our other group was in the city next to us so naturally most of the friends we made were from there. We always found ourselves driving west to spend time with people. And although we're still happy to make the drive we wanted to start building friendships in our own community. Our city is very diverse and we're excited to engage in it. As our sign-up sheet indicated today, there is definitely a need. We made a last-minute shopping trip tonight to increase our mug supply :)
So we're stepping out of our introverted comfort zones and opening our home to strangers who we're hoping will eventually be family. The bathrooms are clean, the floors are mopped, the baking is done and the plan is in place. We're excited to see who walks in the door tomorrow night and the ways we'll be challenged to love and serve them, especially on nights when we won't really feel like it. Those often end up being the best ones. There is always that sense of anticipation before something new. I'm ready to jump in!
So we're stepping out of our introverted comfort zones and opening our home to strangers who we're hoping will eventually be family. The bathrooms are clean, the floors are mopped, the baking is done and the plan is in place. We're excited to see who walks in the door tomorrow night and the ways we'll be challenged to love and serve them, especially on nights when we won't really feel like it. Those often end up being the best ones. There is always that sense of anticipation before something new. I'm ready to jump in!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Week Two
I haven't been blogging as much as planned but this has been a particularly busy month. We are hosting (and leading!) a small group for our church that starts next week and have been working our way through the to-do list to get the house ready. Here's how my month of changes has been going in the midst of it all.
Food. This has been the easiest. Thankfully the headaches are gone and so are the cravings for the most part. Would I like some chocolate? Yes. But I can live without it pretty easily. We successfully avoided the dessert table at a family BBQ and when hosting a games night last weekend I ate apple sauce while everyone enjoyed snacks. Surprisingly easier than I thought. It makes me realize how much I eat junk, especially socially, simply because it's there. My goal when this is over is to just stick to things I really enjoy. As an unexpected bonus I've lost about three pounds, not that I'm expecting it all to stay off come October. And I still have some work to do in having healthy snacks around (thanks Robin for your ideas!).
TV and Internet. I really don't think about Facebook any more except connecting with a few friends. I do miss TV, especially when I'm folding laundry or have run out of energy at night but for the most part we've had too much to do to even think about it.
Journalling. Well, let's just say this hasn't been going as planned. I haven't quite mastered the discipline of just sitting, being quiet and writing. We've been having some pretty big discussions about major life things and definitely involving God in that which has been good. But I still seem to be lacking my awareness of him throughout my day. Once again, a work in progress!
Food. This has been the easiest. Thankfully the headaches are gone and so are the cravings for the most part. Would I like some chocolate? Yes. But I can live without it pretty easily. We successfully avoided the dessert table at a family BBQ and when hosting a games night last weekend I ate apple sauce while everyone enjoyed snacks. Surprisingly easier than I thought. It makes me realize how much I eat junk, especially socially, simply because it's there. My goal when this is over is to just stick to things I really enjoy. As an unexpected bonus I've lost about three pounds, not that I'm expecting it all to stay off come October. And I still have some work to do in having healthy snacks around (thanks Robin for your ideas!).
TV and Internet. I really don't think about Facebook any more except connecting with a few friends. I do miss TV, especially when I'm folding laundry or have run out of energy at night but for the most part we've had too much to do to even think about it.
Journalling. Well, let's just say this hasn't been going as planned. I haven't quite mastered the discipline of just sitting, being quiet and writing. We've been having some pretty big discussions about major life things and definitely involving God in that which has been good. But I still seem to be lacking my awareness of him throughout my day. Once again, a work in progress!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Hunger and a Twin Mom Success
Last night as I was lethargically lying around, I was complaining to Joel of hunger and the fact that we still have three weeks to go. I wasn't in my highest energetic state yesterday and by evening I had crashed, just wanting to eat some ice cream and watch my show. The headaches don't help either. The meals have been fine but it's snacking that has been my issue. I need to snack. As a teacher I eat every recess and don't know how people get through the day without it. My body likes to have food every few hours. But I'm a little tired of fruit and nuts. And who's kidding who, a bunch of vegetables just aren't going to cut it. I need something more substantial and all I could think about was muffins. But I didn't have any I liked already made and definitely wasn't up for baking. My favourite Quaker oatmeal muffin mix with chocolate chips isn't within the rules this month. So, if you have any great, healthy (and not wimpy!) snacking ideas, please let me know!
In other news I'm a bit excited over what may seem like a small win to some, but a big one for me. Three times in a row I have successfully brought my boys in and out of the gym without a stroller. This includes walking through a decent sized parking lot, through the main floor, up and elevator and into the childcare centre...and back. I tried the no-stroller approach a few months ago at the senior's home and it was an epic fail. I had two boys running in different directions, putting themselves in danger and having to choose which one to go after first. For the record I can't remember who that was, but likely the one who is a bit more of a monkey (those of you who know my boys can guess who that is). I put that idea on hold for several months and finally got up the courage again last week. After lots of talk about parking lots, holding hands and staying with mommy I think it might have clicked. Not to say it'll always go perfectly but I'm no longer nervous about it. And in my little world of mommyhood, that is a BIG deal! :)
In other news I'm a bit excited over what may seem like a small win to some, but a big one for me. Three times in a row I have successfully brought my boys in and out of the gym without a stroller. This includes walking through a decent sized parking lot, through the main floor, up and elevator and into the childcare centre...and back. I tried the no-stroller approach a few months ago at the senior's home and it was an epic fail. I had two boys running in different directions, putting themselves in danger and having to choose which one to go after first. For the record I can't remember who that was, but likely the one who is a bit more of a monkey (those of you who know my boys can guess who that is). I put that idea on hold for several months and finally got up the courage again last week. After lots of talk about parking lots, holding hands and staying with mommy I think it might have clicked. Not to say it'll always go perfectly but I'm no longer nervous about it. And in my little world of mommyhood, that is a BIG deal! :)
Monday, September 10, 2012
The End of Week One
Well, here we are at the end of week one of my September month of changes. It's had its challenges but overall the week wasn't as bad as I thought. Here's how it's been going....
Food. I've stuck with not eating any extra sugar, salt or junk food. I've started eating this cereal most mornings, with some almonds and a banana instead of my usual peanut butter and jam sandwich (weird I know, but I generally don't like breakfast food unless it involves bacon). Lunches have mostly consisted of salad with home made dressing. Dinners have been less processed and healthy although we did splurge on weekend pizza. I often forget to snack in between so am trying to keep some nuts on the counter or grab some fruit. I have yet to cut up a bunch of vegetables I bought a week ago so I haven't been eating as much as I should. I can't say I've really missed the junk. A few days I've wanting to reach into the chocolate chip bag but easily resisted. The hardest part has been the headaches I've been getting pretty much daily. I'm sure it's due to my diet changes and hopefully they'll go away soon.
TV and Internet. I haven't watched any TV at home except sitting with my boys when they watch Super Why (the best kids show ever!). They're allowed to watch it while I make lunch or dinner so usually I'm busy but like to grab a free moment for cuddles when I can. I've also watched a few minutes while I've been working out at the gym, but neither of these count as cheating for me. I've logged onto Facebook a few times to respond to things but haven't lingered to read updates. Again, all within my boundaries. Although there is still lots to do on the Internet I am definitely spending less time on it. There have been several times in the evenings where we've just wanted to relax and watch TV. That has been the hardest part. The beginning of the week was rough as the evenings were full with chores, preparing for school etc. and didn't feel restful at all. We were tired and grumpy. By the time the weekend came we were able to enjoy some great conversations, an at-home steak date night, and win a game of Sequence or two....not that I'm competitive or anything ;) Tomorrow is the season premier of my favourite show so I'll have to distract myself with something exciting. Overall, this area has been the biggest challenge and success of the week and yielded the greatest pay-off. I already know I want to make permanent changes to our TV habits.
Journalling. It's been going okay. I enjoy writing and have managed to get pen to paper three evenings. I've also finally gotten back to my journal of one thousand gifts. (I started this a year ago and it comes and goes from my radar....getting close to 100 which is a pretty good indicator of how it's been neglected.) I'm a huge fan of gratitude. I am slowly reconnecting with God although still trying to figure out what works for us. I rebel a bit at the Christian idea of "quiet time" (okay, that whole phrase actually makes me cringe but more on that another time). I think time with God is all the time and want to be more aware of him in my everyday life. But I can pretty easily go through most of the day without acknowledging or thinking about him. Definitely a work in progress.
So, week one has done what it's supposed to do. It's gotten me off my butt and moving in the right direction. Change is never easy and good things are often hard. I'm okay with that. I'm probably still in the honeymoon phase and will get tired of it all, but am hopeful by the end I'll be feeling great.
Food. I've stuck with not eating any extra sugar, salt or junk food. I've started eating this cereal most mornings, with some almonds and a banana instead of my usual peanut butter and jam sandwich (weird I know, but I generally don't like breakfast food unless it involves bacon). Lunches have mostly consisted of salad with home made dressing. Dinners have been less processed and healthy although we did splurge on weekend pizza. I often forget to snack in between so am trying to keep some nuts on the counter or grab some fruit. I have yet to cut up a bunch of vegetables I bought a week ago so I haven't been eating as much as I should. I can't say I've really missed the junk. A few days I've wanting to reach into the chocolate chip bag but easily resisted. The hardest part has been the headaches I've been getting pretty much daily. I'm sure it's due to my diet changes and hopefully they'll go away soon.
TV and Internet. I haven't watched any TV at home except sitting with my boys when they watch Super Why (the best kids show ever!). They're allowed to watch it while I make lunch or dinner so usually I'm busy but like to grab a free moment for cuddles when I can. I've also watched a few minutes while I've been working out at the gym, but neither of these count as cheating for me. I've logged onto Facebook a few times to respond to things but haven't lingered to read updates. Again, all within my boundaries. Although there is still lots to do on the Internet I am definitely spending less time on it. There have been several times in the evenings where we've just wanted to relax and watch TV. That has been the hardest part. The beginning of the week was rough as the evenings were full with chores, preparing for school etc. and didn't feel restful at all. We were tired and grumpy. By the time the weekend came we were able to enjoy some great conversations, an at-home steak date night, and win a game of Sequence or two....not that I'm competitive or anything ;) Tomorrow is the season premier of my favourite show so I'll have to distract myself with something exciting. Overall, this area has been the biggest challenge and success of the week and yielded the greatest pay-off. I already know I want to make permanent changes to our TV habits.
Journalling. It's been going okay. I enjoy writing and have managed to get pen to paper three evenings. I've also finally gotten back to my journal of one thousand gifts. (I started this a year ago and it comes and goes from my radar....getting close to 100 which is a pretty good indicator of how it's been neglected.) I'm a huge fan of gratitude. I am slowly reconnecting with God although still trying to figure out what works for us. I rebel a bit at the Christian idea of "quiet time" (okay, that whole phrase actually makes me cringe but more on that another time). I think time with God is all the time and want to be more aware of him in my everyday life. But I can pretty easily go through most of the day without acknowledging or thinking about him. Definitely a work in progress.
So, week one has done what it's supposed to do. It's gotten me off my butt and moving in the right direction. Change is never easy and good things are often hard. I'm okay with that. I'm probably still in the honeymoon phase and will get tired of it all, but am hopeful by the end I'll be feeling great.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Healthy Basic Muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup each oat flour, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour (I found oat flour at Bulk Barn)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each baking soda, cinnamon and salt
1/4 cup each white and packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (I just used regular milk)
1 cup berries, chopped fruit, nuts or chocolate chips
*You can mix the dry ingredients together ahead of time and store in a container to use later. I find this helpful as a mom!*
1. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
2. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil and milk.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
4. Stir in your fruit, nuts or chocolate chips.
5. Divide among 12 muffin cups.
6. Bake at 350F for 22 minutes or until muffins are golden around the edges.
7. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Welcome...back!
I started this blog back in 2007 as a place to reflect on life after our return from spending a year in Africa. It’s evolved over the years as my life has changed. I don’t claim to be a great writer but I enjoy it so if someone else wants to read it I’m happy to share my thoughts. There’s no central theme and nothing fancy, just my random thoughts on anything, including the kitchen sink (stay tuned for a deep post coming on that one ;). You’ll find recipes, things I’ve discovered, posts about my quest to live simply, faith, parenthood and whatever is on my mind. Read what interests you, skip what doesn’t. I’m hoping to post more often, even if it’s just a short, seemingly insignificant thought. If you’ve been with me for awhile, thanks for sticking around. If you’re new, welcome for the ride. As always I love to hear your thoughts and comments. Feel free to let me know if you’ve stopped by.
(Oh, and I know great blog posts are usually accompanied by great photos but I won’t have any new ones for awhile. Just what I have saved. My boys have broken my second camera in a few months and I’m trying to figure out if I can repair it or need to buy yet another. I know...I need a new spot to keep my camera!)
(Oh, and I know great blog posts are usually accompanied by great photos but I won’t have any new ones for awhile. Just what I have saved. My boys have broken my second camera in a few months and I’m trying to figure out if I can repair it or need to buy yet another. I know...I need a new spot to keep my camera!)
Some Changes for September
For a while now I feel like I’ve needed to press the reset button on my life and I’ve decided that September is the month to do it. Being a student most of my life and then a teacher, September has always felt like the beginning of a new year, much more than January. There are many things I’m looking forward to in this new season of life, but some changes I want to make. They aren’t profound but I think they have the potential to change my life. I am not good at just subtly introducing changes into my life. It’s almost like I need to shock my system before I can make real lifestyle changes. So September will be a month of fasting from things that aren’t helping me be the person I want to be. There are three main areas I want to focus on.
The first is what I eat. If someone asked me if I was a healthy eater, I would say yes. But if I stopped to take a look at what I ate every day the answer might be different. My goal for September in the area of food is not to eat any refined sugar, salt and very limited process food. I want to eat clean, whole foods and significantly bump up my fruit and vegetable intake. Lots of whole grains, nuts, seeds and homemade food.The main place this will change is in my snacking habits which are my downfall. I love my Friday nights with Joel eating air-popped popcorn with melted butter and a Coke. Delicious. But not this month. I’m going to be very conscious about what I eat which will require more time.
Conveniently my second goal with help with that. How I use my free time. I’m a mom of twin toddlers so free-time isn’t in abundance but I do have some. They nap daily and go to bed at a decent time, leaving several hours in the day for me to make choices about what I’ll do. There are things to be done, meals to prepare, chores to do. But I have felt lazy for awhile. I waste time on the internet or watching TV and I feel like at the end of my life I might have regrets about that. So as of today, I will be staying off Facebook and not watching any TV for the rest of the month. I’ll get email notifications from Facebook so if I really need to communicate with someone, I’ll log on quickly but no lingering. It’s not about losing touch with people. I can blog, check email and go on Pinterest (primarily a great way for me to find healthy recipes...I’m actually good at not wasting time on there). These limitations will force me to do better things with my time. Read, prepare food, journal, think, pray, spend time talking to my husband. I’m hoping it will be the catalyst to make some great changes on the inside.
Which leads me to my third goal. I want to reconnect with God. My views and expectations have evolved a lot over the years and I’m a work in progress. I have lots of questions and uncertainties but I do know I want to follow Jesus. For me a big point of connecting is prayer and I’ve found journaling has really helped in the past. So each day I want to spend some time journalling. From there we’ll see what happens but that’s a good start for me.
I’ll be blogging about my journey over the next few weeks. I’m expecting this first one to be the hardest as I detox from some unhealthy things in my life. But I’m hoping this month will be the catalyst I need to make some permanent changes. We’ll see what happens!
The first is what I eat. If someone asked me if I was a healthy eater, I would say yes. But if I stopped to take a look at what I ate every day the answer might be different. My goal for September in the area of food is not to eat any refined sugar, salt and very limited process food. I want to eat clean, whole foods and significantly bump up my fruit and vegetable intake. Lots of whole grains, nuts, seeds and homemade food.The main place this will change is in my snacking habits which are my downfall. I love my Friday nights with Joel eating air-popped popcorn with melted butter and a Coke. Delicious. But not this month. I’m going to be very conscious about what I eat which will require more time.
Conveniently my second goal with help with that. How I use my free time. I’m a mom of twin toddlers so free-time isn’t in abundance but I do have some. They nap daily and go to bed at a decent time, leaving several hours in the day for me to make choices about what I’ll do. There are things to be done, meals to prepare, chores to do. But I have felt lazy for awhile. I waste time on the internet or watching TV and I feel like at the end of my life I might have regrets about that. So as of today, I will be staying off Facebook and not watching any TV for the rest of the month. I’ll get email notifications from Facebook so if I really need to communicate with someone, I’ll log on quickly but no lingering. It’s not about losing touch with people. I can blog, check email and go on Pinterest (primarily a great way for me to find healthy recipes...I’m actually good at not wasting time on there). These limitations will force me to do better things with my time. Read, prepare food, journal, think, pray, spend time talking to my husband. I’m hoping it will be the catalyst to make some great changes on the inside.
Which leads me to my third goal. I want to reconnect with God. My views and expectations have evolved a lot over the years and I’m a work in progress. I have lots of questions and uncertainties but I do know I want to follow Jesus. For me a big point of connecting is prayer and I’ve found journaling has really helped in the past. So each day I want to spend some time journalling. From there we’ll see what happens but that’s a good start for me.
I’ll be blogging about my journey over the next few weeks. I’m expecting this first one to be the hardest as I detox from some unhealthy things in my life. But I’m hoping this month will be the catalyst I need to make some permanent changes. We’ll see what happens!
New Web Address
Turns out the web address I gave out in the previous post isn't going to work. So you can update your readers to www.thekitchensink8.blogspot.com Hopefully this one works!
Monday, September 3, 2012
A New Name
This just in! I’ve decided to change the name of my blog. Maybe not front-page news but I’ve been wanting to for, well, years! I’ve never really liked it. I knew I wanted to start a blog and that was the best I could come up with at the time. I always felt that it was a little cheesey and didn’t love having my name attached to it. So my new blog will be called "The Kitchen Sink" and as of tomorrow the new web address will be www.the.kitchen.sink.blogspot.com So if you’re a faithful follower you can update your Google Reader, or whatever you use and continue along for the ride (the website won't be active until later tomorrow but I don't imagine most of you will read this before then anyway). I’ll officially introduce it tomorrow! :)
Monday, August 27, 2012
My Thoughts on Homeschooling
Up until a year or two ago I admit that I had a very narrow view of homeschooling. It was reserved for those uber-conservative Christians who didn’t want their children tainted by “the world”. Homeschooled children were a little bit odd due to their limited social interaction. But in recent years my views have changed. It seems that more and more people are open to the concept. I know several moms who have decided to homeschool their children, even just for a time, for great reasons that I find admirable. I don’t think they are weird or overprotective. I actually really respect what they are doing and the wheels have started turning.
I’m no longer against the idea of homeschooling my children. I know. Big gasp! I am a teacher in the public school system so why would I even consider such a thing? Well, there are several reasons. I think the public school system is fine. It’s not perfect but does well considering what it is. Class sizes are big and teachers are expected to cater to any number of learning styles and abilities. When I taught in a grade five classroom I had kids who were ahead of expectations and kids learning at a grade one level and I was supposed to accommodate for all of them. Easier said than done. There is only a certain level of creativity and experience you can supply in a public school classroom based on the limitations you have. You can’t just spontaneously decide you’ll spend the day at the zoo while studying animal habitats. Not that great hands-on learning experiences don’t happen but they are limited by time, money etc.
I also think that students are expected to learn WAY too much. I think the curriculum is a bit ridiculous. Teachers often have to cram in quick units to get marks for a report card and therefore, things are skimmed and not taught well. I think some things are essential, but many are not. Perhaps I just didn’t do it well but I have yet to meet a teacher that isn’t scrambling through something at some point in the year. It’s just reality.
I have nothing against public schools. My children will almost certainly go to them and they’ll get a perfectly good education. But I have a dream for something bigger. I have no desire to just teach my kids at home for years and years on end. My dream, at least for the early years of learning, is to have a little co-op style school. Several different families who want an alternative to public education, learning in someone’s home or alternate facility. Kids would learn through a ton of hands-on activities and much of the learning would be student-directed. If they are curious about dinosaurs, they can learn about dinosaurs. If they’re interested in planets, we’d create a space unit. Older kids would teach younger kids. After all, I think a great way to show you really understand something is to teach it to someone else. Parents who had interests in certain areas would focus on those subjects. Kids would spend a lot more time outside and on field trips...walks in the woods, exploring the ponds and fun things like tobogganing, picnics and swimming. And one of the biggest focuses would be on compassion. Teaching kids about things that really matter, like serving others, kindness and global education. Spend a few hours sorting food at a food bank or hanging out with seniors. Whatever. With more parents involved, I wouldn’t be teaching my kids a lot of the time, they’d have a lot of social interaction and they’d have great opportunities that just aren’t available in mainstream schools.
I know I’m dreaming a bit. There would be challenges and costs and various things that I can’t imagine right now. I don’t have the space to do it, and I don’t actually know anyone else interested in that kind of thing. And I would want my kids to experience the public school system at some point and certainly don’t feel qualified to teach much more than grade six. I kind of picture this being something they do for the first few years.
Our government is rolling out all-day kindergarten which my boys would go to in just two years. At this point my thought is to keep them home for at least the first year. That’s a lot of school for someone so young. I think I can teach them what they need to know and have a lot of fun doing it. I love creating learning activities and have found a ton of new ones thanks to Pinterest. That being said, we don’t know if our family is complete so if we end up having another young one at home when it’s time for kindergarten I may change my mind. And maybe by then I’ll think it will be a good thing for the boys. Whether or not any amount of homeschooling will be part of our family, I have no idea. But my little dream excites me and either way I know that whether informally or formally I will be a significant teacher in my childrens’ lives.
Thoughts? What are your views on homeschooling? Have they changed at all? Would you ever consider it?
I’m no longer against the idea of homeschooling my children. I know. Big gasp! I am a teacher in the public school system so why would I even consider such a thing? Well, there are several reasons. I think the public school system is fine. It’s not perfect but does well considering what it is. Class sizes are big and teachers are expected to cater to any number of learning styles and abilities. When I taught in a grade five classroom I had kids who were ahead of expectations and kids learning at a grade one level and I was supposed to accommodate for all of them. Easier said than done. There is only a certain level of creativity and experience you can supply in a public school classroom based on the limitations you have. You can’t just spontaneously decide you’ll spend the day at the zoo while studying animal habitats. Not that great hands-on learning experiences don’t happen but they are limited by time, money etc.
I also think that students are expected to learn WAY too much. I think the curriculum is a bit ridiculous. Teachers often have to cram in quick units to get marks for a report card and therefore, things are skimmed and not taught well. I think some things are essential, but many are not. Perhaps I just didn’t do it well but I have yet to meet a teacher that isn’t scrambling through something at some point in the year. It’s just reality.
I have nothing against public schools. My children will almost certainly go to them and they’ll get a perfectly good education. But I have a dream for something bigger. I have no desire to just teach my kids at home for years and years on end. My dream, at least for the early years of learning, is to have a little co-op style school. Several different families who want an alternative to public education, learning in someone’s home or alternate facility. Kids would learn through a ton of hands-on activities and much of the learning would be student-directed. If they are curious about dinosaurs, they can learn about dinosaurs. If they’re interested in planets, we’d create a space unit. Older kids would teach younger kids. After all, I think a great way to show you really understand something is to teach it to someone else. Parents who had interests in certain areas would focus on those subjects. Kids would spend a lot more time outside and on field trips...walks in the woods, exploring the ponds and fun things like tobogganing, picnics and swimming. And one of the biggest focuses would be on compassion. Teaching kids about things that really matter, like serving others, kindness and global education. Spend a few hours sorting food at a food bank or hanging out with seniors. Whatever. With more parents involved, I wouldn’t be teaching my kids a lot of the time, they’d have a lot of social interaction and they’d have great opportunities that just aren’t available in mainstream schools.
I know I’m dreaming a bit. There would be challenges and costs and various things that I can’t imagine right now. I don’t have the space to do it, and I don’t actually know anyone else interested in that kind of thing. And I would want my kids to experience the public school system at some point and certainly don’t feel qualified to teach much more than grade six. I kind of picture this being something they do for the first few years.
Our government is rolling out all-day kindergarten which my boys would go to in just two years. At this point my thought is to keep them home for at least the first year. That’s a lot of school for someone so young. I think I can teach them what they need to know and have a lot of fun doing it. I love creating learning activities and have found a ton of new ones thanks to Pinterest. That being said, we don’t know if our family is complete so if we end up having another young one at home when it’s time for kindergarten I may change my mind. And maybe by then I’ll think it will be a good thing for the boys. Whether or not any amount of homeschooling will be part of our family, I have no idea. But my little dream excites me and either way I know that whether informally or formally I will be a significant teacher in my childrens’ lives.
Thoughts? What are your views on homeschooling? Have they changed at all? Would you ever consider it?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Owl Cupcakes and A Party For Two
(This post is two months overdue, but one I felt like writing anyway.)
In June my boys turned two. Two boys, entering what are affectionately know as the "terrible twos". The thought was somewhat intimidating. But regardless of what the year ahead would bring we had to celebrate this significant milestone.
I had been hearing from some people I know about toddler birthdays they had been to. One with a Cinderella princess that was a big hit. One where the mom spent upwards of seven hundred dollars when all was said and done. So not my thing. I knew I wanted mine to be simple. I don't think toddlers remember that kind of stuff. We all know they are just as happy with the wrapping paper as they are with the gift. I did know that I wanted to have our family all together. Last year we did separate parties in relatives' homes but this year I decided to take the plunge and have everyone at our house. Unfortunately that left little room for any extra friends. Having embraced where we live (you can read about that here), albeit it small, I was determined to be the host of my own kids' party this time.
I decided that cupcakes would be easier than cake and found a neat idea on Pinterest one night. Owl cupcakes! (The original pin and credit is found here with instructions how to make them). They were time intensive but a lot of fun. For the actual cupcake I just used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food recipe. While they were baking I started working on the eyes. I probably broke about a third of the Oreos trying to open them and downed my fair share of Junior Mints in the process.
For the frosting I used a home made chocolate butter cream recipe that I love. There was more than enough left over tolick the bowl eat spoonfuls from the bowl. I got Joel to cut the ears and once everything was ready, started the assembly process. It was so fun to see them come together. Pretty close to the original don't you think?
Unfortunately I didn't have quite enough cupcakes to feed everyone so ended up making a last minute fudge marble cake as well. In the end I didn't mind as it was nice to have the traditional birthday cake and options for people who weren't up for eating an owl.
My other idea thanks to Pinterest were these rainbow fruit skewers. It's always nice to have a healthy option and might as well make it fun.
Overall we had a great time, close quarters aside. The boys loved being surrounded by all their favourite people and we loved having them.
In June my boys turned two. Two boys, entering what are affectionately know as the "terrible twos". The thought was somewhat intimidating. But regardless of what the year ahead would bring we had to celebrate this significant milestone.
I had been hearing from some people I know about toddler birthdays they had been to. One with a Cinderella princess that was a big hit. One where the mom spent upwards of seven hundred dollars when all was said and done. So not my thing. I knew I wanted mine to be simple. I don't think toddlers remember that kind of stuff. We all know they are just as happy with the wrapping paper as they are with the gift. I did know that I wanted to have our family all together. Last year we did separate parties in relatives' homes but this year I decided to take the plunge and have everyone at our house. Unfortunately that left little room for any extra friends. Having embraced where we live (you can read about that here), albeit it small, I was determined to be the host of my own kids' party this time.
We were grateful that of the boys' grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were able to make it. It was definitely a full house, but our somewhat new playroom provided some much needed extra space for the many kids needing to burn off some energy. The weather wasn't great but the rained held off for a few minutes so some of us could eat outside. The food was simple. Make your own sandwiches...the buns and some of the meat even bought with a Wagjag coupon for a local bakery (yes, I'm frugal!)
I decided that cupcakes would be easier than cake and found a neat idea on Pinterest one night. Owl cupcakes! (The original pin and credit is found here with instructions how to make them). They were time intensive but a lot of fun. For the actual cupcake I just used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food recipe. While they were baking I started working on the eyes. I probably broke about a third of the Oreos trying to open them and downed my fair share of Junior Mints in the process.
For the frosting I used a home made chocolate butter cream recipe that I love. There was more than enough left over to
Unfortunately I didn't have quite enough cupcakes to feed everyone so ended up making a last minute fudge marble cake as well. In the end I didn't mind as it was nice to have the traditional birthday cake and options for people who weren't up for eating an owl.
My other idea thanks to Pinterest were these rainbow fruit skewers. It's always nice to have a healthy option and might as well make it fun.
Overall we had a great time, close quarters aside. The boys loved being surrounded by all their favourite people and we loved having them.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
I'm Sorry
Those are hard words for me to say sometimes. We've been teaching the boys that after a time out they need to say sorry to us, or apologize to each other for fighting or hitting but today it was my turn. After a morning at my parents we were a little late getting home for a lunch. Getting the boys from the van, inside has been a struggle lately and usually results in me picking up a struggling toddler and shutting the door. After I won the battle somehow I needed to make a quick lunch with two needy, whining, tired boys on my hands. No easy task. I lost my cool. I was frustrated and I let my anger out on them. So, while sitting on the bed reading stories before nap I knew I needed to apologize. I explained how I was feeling and with tears in my eyes, I told them I was sorry. Yes, I know that they are two, but I think they understand a lot and it was the right thing to do. I don't think they quite got it as they started apologizing to me. I tried to tell them it was mommy who was apologizing to them, but after some hugs and kisses it didn't quite matter anymore. Grace was given.
I have vivid memories of my mom apologizing to me growing up and it's a powerful picture in my mind. I'm their mom. I'm in charge. But today I was wrong and they needed to know. It was a humbling moment. I mess up a lot as a mom. Sometimes I have no sweet clue what I'm doing and I get it wrong. Sometimes I'm selfish and impatient. I'm thankful that they don't hold it against me. I want to be a family that is quick to apologize and quick to forgive. We're working on it!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Reawakening Creatvity
*I wrote this post back in January and realized it never made it out of my drafts folder*
Since I've become a mom I've felt the need to find a hobby. It's not like I have hours a day that I need to fill, but occasionally nap time rolls around and I just don't have the energy to do house stuff, or by some miracle everything is done. I also think it's just good for my soul. A lot of my friends have creative outlets that vary from writing to cooking. I wracked my brain for a long time trying to think of something that would get me excited.
I can't remember the initial revelation but I remember when it solidified over the holidays. I was sitting at the piano at my parents' house with Caleb on my lap. I am a musician. I have played the piano for years. At one point I would have even classified myself as pretty good. I started with one teacher, then switched for many years to a woman who was great at teaching technique. I would even have to practice how to bow in front of her grand piano before a festival (where I took 2 first place awards...a big deal to me at the time). She was strict and I didn't love her in the moment, but she taught me a lot and gave me great skills. Once I reached the point of not being forced to take lessons any more and my brother's got to quit, I was encouraged to continue and switched back to my original teacher. He was very laid back, wrote a lot of his own music, and we did songs I liked. I was in sheet music heaven. I also switched it up and took some guitar lessons with him, usually when I hadn't adequately practiced the piano.
I played a lot, mostly at church and camp. And when I had nothing else to do I'd sit and play for a long time. I haven't played seriously for many many years and haven't had a piano in my home since we moved to Africa. We don't have a decent space to fit it in our current home so our friends are taking good care of it for now. But I realized while playing at Christmas that this could be my hobby. I enjoy it, it's creative and it's some quality me time. So I went to our local music store and found a sleek but quality digital piano. I had personal money saved up from birthdays and Christmases and I never know what to spend it on so this was the perfect idea. A few days later it was home and set up.
It's kind of funny that I only remember how to play two songs; Sarah McLaughlin's "I Will Remember You" and Mariah Carey's "Save the Best for Last". Why those two? I have no idea! It's time to dig out my sheet music, maybe even a conservatory book and get my skills back. The boys are already loving smashing the keys and Micah sways back and forth when I play. Twinkle Twinkle is a popular request around here. I'm thrilled to have found a hobby, or rediscovered one that I've had all along.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Summer Days
It's 10:39pm and usually too late to be blogging. But my husband is away for the night and since I'm naturally a night owl, no reason to go to bed. We're one week into the summer (at least by the school calendar). This was the first time in years I wasn't sure how to feel about summer. Being a teacher I naturally get summers off which was always welcome. The last two I've been off and in full mommy mode so didn't really notice. I've been working half time for the past several months and for the first time, I felt slightly anxious about summer. How am I going to handle being with the boys all day every day? (even though I had been doing that for 20 months straight before that). Because I'm only working one day a week next year (minus a few supply jobs) this is not only the beginning of the summer but the beginning, or restart, of being with my boys most of the time. That's what I want. That's what I think is best for everyone, but still a bit daunting. The key for us is to stay busy. Lots of play dates, bike rides and mornings at the gym. I also just discovered this moms group the other day and have signed up for some programs. All of my at-home mom friends seem to be in other cities so looking forward to meeting a few in my community.
We have a few family weddings this month, including one in Montreal where Joel and I will be spending four nights away from the boys. The longest I've been away from them is one night so this will be a first. They'll be having a blast with their cousins. All prayers and wine donations welcome to my crazy sister-in-law and brother who offered to take them. Did I mention they have 4 kids under 5 of their own? A few days at a friends cottage will finish off July and then August is pretty open. Likely lots of BBQs, trips to the farm and perhaps some camping if I can muster up the courage. I love this time of year and plan to soak up these long days while they last. What are you up to this summer?
*It's now 10:58. I was interrupted by my son who wanted a cuddle in the chair and some reassurance that the vacuuming was all done. I assured him it was. Time for all of us to get some sleep :)*
We have a few family weddings this month, including one in Montreal where Joel and I will be spending four nights away from the boys. The longest I've been away from them is one night so this will be a first. They'll be having a blast with their cousins. All prayers and wine donations welcome to my crazy sister-in-law and brother who offered to take them. Did I mention they have 4 kids under 5 of their own? A few days at a friends cottage will finish off July and then August is pretty open. Likely lots of BBQs, trips to the farm and perhaps some camping if I can muster up the courage. I love this time of year and plan to soak up these long days while they last. What are you up to this summer?
*It's now 10:58. I was interrupted by my son who wanted a cuddle in the chair and some reassurance that the vacuuming was all done. I assured him it was. Time for all of us to get some sleep :)*
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
My Africa Story - Part 1
I have been interested in Africa since I was a little girl. My dad has worked in Ghana and my parents moved to Nigeria for a few years after they were married. We had various little Nigerian artefacts around the house and I loved looking at their photos (in the form of a good old-fashioned slide show...remember those?). I can’t remember when exactly it happened but I knew at a fairly young age that I wanted to go to Africa someday and more specifically with my husband. I believe God planted those desires in me.
Fast forward to ‘99. I was in my second year of university out west having a conversation with a good friend about my desire to go to Africa (I don’t know if you remember this Cheryl but I re-read it in my journal recently!). She basically suggested I go the following year and so began a long search of finding a place to go. After emailing several organizations nothing was working out. I had already told my school I’d be taking a year off and yet still had nothing planned. Finally a school in Zambia called Sakeji, agreed to let me come. It’s a small school in the northwest corner of the country, very remote. The students are made up of about half Zambian children and half children of missionary families. One of my friends went there when he was young while he dad was a doctor nearby, which is how I found out about it.
My parents lived in Belgium at the time, so after a fun backpacking trip with my good friend Robin (recently read through that journal too!) I was on a plane by myself for my first adventure in Africa. My jobs at Sakeji were numerous. I would start each day at 6am making ice cream. Yes, you read that right. Every Sunday the students had ice cream so it had to be made daily for there to be enough. A pretty appropriate job for me, I’d say, minus the early wake-up. Then in the morning I would help out in the primary classrooms, focusing on reading with the Zambian kids whose first language wasn’t English. After a glorious post-lunch rest time, I would either lead games for the boys or teach swimming. One of my jobs was to go down to the river before swimming classes and check the pool for snakes, since it was filled by the river. Thankfully I never found any. By far my biggest fear of going to Africa was the snakes and to this day I’ve never seen a live one but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been nearby. When I first arrived at the school walking from the airstrip to the campus someone saw one go into the bush and I thought, “Great. Here we go.” Apparently our housekeeper found one outside my bedroom door and one in the bathroom but I never saw them. I definitely checked under my bed every night.
After dinner my job was to help do bathtime in the boys dorm, then I would tuck the kids in and have a few hours off. A group of us played Rook almost every night until the power went out and we were in bed pretty early. On Mondays I spent the mornings at nearby children’s home helping to teach the toddlers and giving them lots of hugs. I was affectionately known as “Mamma Julianne”. They were long, hot days but I loved every minute of them. Going to a boarding school can be pretty tough on a young kid so I basically felt like a parent and tried to dish out as much love as I could. There were definitely some challenges among the staff and things about the school I didn’t love, but I tried to focus on the kids. One of the most valuable parts of my time there was meeting a family who lived nearby who would often invite me to their home. I always admired their marriage and the way they used their family as a way to serve other people. When they moved back to the States I enjoyed a few days with them at their family cottage and my roommates and I drove down to California to stay with them on our reading break in our last year of university.
At the end of the trip my mom flew down to see the school and then we did the typical safari and trip to Victoria Falls together. Although my Zambia experience was almost twelve years ago I still remember it very clearly. It is where I truly fell in love with Africa (particularly the southern part) and I knew I’d be back. After all, I still had to bring my husband. Who he was at that point was still yet to be discovered.
**That ended up being pretty long and it’s only part one. So much more to write. To be continued....** (Photos from Zimbabwe. No digital camera back then!)
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Bring On Summer!
I have to say I'm really looking forward to summer this year. Two years ago I was in the early weeks of having newborn twins. I was exhausted and spent most of the summer on the couch breastfeeding. Last year the boys were crawling and difficult to keep in the confines of our non-fenced yard. Plus I was super paranoid about the sun (I still am!), so we spent most of it inside. This year my boys are running around, will listen most of the time, are great about sunscreen and hats and I'm ready to make the most of the summer. After working part time I'm a little nervous about being with the boys all day every day, but lots of play dates as well as trips to the gym and parks will hopefully keep us busy.
Tonight we enjoyed a BBQ on our back patio. (We ate these...our favourite BBQ food) and then let the boys go wild running through the sprinkler in their diapers. They were loving it. Summer is such a great time of year, especially with an air-conditioned house to retreat to when needed. What are you looking forward to this summer?
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