Embrace Life

hello (back to school) monday | 136

hello new school year ahead. holy crap on a cracker the year has begun! my "baby" has entered high school. his sister is leading the way in grade 10. cole is embracing his final year - and in boarding. claire is in her second year of university. wow. quadruple wow!!

hello only two in the annual photo. have i mentioned the days are long but the years are short? i am so very happy and proud and so very surprised and off balance with it all.

hello university sophmore. claire has been in kingston for a while organizing the freshman experience :) orientation is over and today is her first day of classes. i haven't heard a word so i'm defaulting to the belief that no news is good news :S

hello varsity volleyball tryouts. both caden and cole are in contention for the varsity team. neither expect to make it but i love their enthusiasm and how they compete, with good nature, with each other.

hello found items. it's a miracle, but over the months of summer which included a big move, my less-than-organized kids have been able to find their locks, their gym uniforms, their ties, kilts, dress shirts and pants. thank goodness!

hello uniform. cole? check! chloé? check! caden? omg. he's outgrown everything.

hello new books. just under the wire we got all of the books we need for the year. most are passed down, but often the texts change and new have to be purchased. we're all set, all books are in the house!

hello faculty advisors. there is the veteran, the switched and the new.

hello grade parties. each evening for the next few, the parents are invited to the school to meet-and-greet other parents and the faculty. the first one happens for cole's class tonight! wish me luck. i've known everyone for years but always feel awkward at these events.

hello smoothies. much to caden's surprise, i made breakfast. truth be told, it's the only breakfast i make for my kids through the year. not pancakes, oatmeal, eggs or waffles. they hate breakfast and i gave up attempting it ages ago. this time i'm trying smoothies. who knows? maybe it won't be the last time this year!

hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.

 

what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.

pmm | caden the volleyball player

In a land where it is not allowed, Caden was never a very good hockey player. He was not much of a skater and would slide into other players to stop. He quickly earned a reputation as a "thug". Ha!

For good or for bad, he does have a competitive spirit! For a long time his passion far exceeded his ability. Over the years he tried his hand at many sports. He plays rugby and squash at school and enjoys it. At football he was a remarkably good player, so good he scared the bejeepers out of his mother and, for fear of the inevitable concussion, he was pulled out. During the summer he plays baseball and has really grown into the sport and is excited about this upcoming season.

Nothing quite captured his imagination as much as volleyball has, but it wasn't easy. At the start he was reluctant to play. His sister Claire has always played and was captain of her varsity team at school. Talk about intimidating! Since it is a sport not introduced until later he had no real exposure to the game, then he got cut from the grade 7 team. He took it hard and wanted to do everything he could to improve. He spent all of last winter at Pakmen learning all he could, as quickly as he could, about volleyball.

All things considered, for Caden, volleyball is the perfect sport. Communication and consistent team play is critical, every position is key, you can smash that ball as hard as you want and there was very little fear of concussion or much more than a bruised muscle or scraped knee. In a community where many kids are put on the fast-track to elite athleticism early - really early - like the minute they can walk skates are put on their feet. There is not much room for "late bloomers" in sport. It is really unfortunate. And then there is volleyball.

Caden made it onto the school team this year. He also made it onto the town U14 team. A nice lesson that hard work and patience can be rewarded.

The last weekend of March, Caden and his Oakville Thunder team were in the Provincial Tournament held in Waterloo at RIM Park. They all played hard. There were good games and bad games and everything in between. Everyone learned a lot!

The season is now over. I can't wait for the next to start!

Over the summer there will be plenty more lessons, camps and leagues. After all, playing is a lot of fun, playing with skill is even better!

real right now | back to school

And then there were three! The obligatory Back to School portrait of my growing-up-too-fast-but-not-fast-enough children. Yesterday they went off to their first day of school after eleven weeks of holiday. I hope they remember how to learn!

I got a couple of "good" shots and far more "goofy" shots.

After years of experience, I've learned to stay home the first day of school. The parking lot is gridlock and the "newbies" are clueless as to how it all flows. Best to just wave and have them walk.

I did pick them up. Wow! What a bundle of energy in the truck. We spent the evening pouring over schedules, discussing how "awesome" all of the courses are and how "excited" they all are for the year ahead. I'm grateful for the mindset since I know that what you believe becomes real.

This is going to be a great year.

No back-to-school portrait of Claire, but she did send me a quick iPhone shot of her first lecture. Classics. She too is optimistic and had a great first day.

real right now | caden at 13

Yes, you read that right. Thirteen. I now officially live in a home filled with four teenagers.

Send wine :)

Template: Cathy Zielske, CZ_StoryGuide1
Digi Paper: Maplebrook Studios Dara
Element: Karla Dudley

hello monday | 68

jones, check. earbuds, check. lounging on the back deck. check. happy boy!

hello future. the waiting is over.

hello project catch up. i've been so preoccupied i've not spent much time dedicated to the clean & simple workshop. i haven't completed anything but the assignment for week #1! it's time to get some work done.

hello feelings. i am not just giving thought to them, i am voicing them. with that, i hope to manifest the life i deserve - for me and my children.

hello countdown. summatives and studying. that is what our next few weeks are going to look like! one month to the end of the school year. what a wild ride :)

hello deposits. plans for summer camps are complete. deposits are submitted and the calendar is now, officially, full. the kids are going to have a fabulous couple of months.

hello bathrooms. mine and the powder room are done. really. still getting used to using my bathroom rather than the kitchen sink to brush my teeth!

hello reality. it has only just hit me that my my baby will be graduating high school in a month. and then she's off on her own! i think i've prepared her and that's all that i can do.

hello project clean house. this can and will happen.

hello tears. the overwhelm of relief this past week has been welcome. i have completely surrendered to the tears and they are flowing freely. such joy i have not embraced in a very long time.

hello monday. you are my most favourite day of the week. i love that you provide me with 52 fresh starts every year.

 

what are you saying hello to on this brand new monday?
head on over to lisa's blog and link up in the comments.

anticipation | baseball & softball season

Claire loves all things baseball and though she manages to suffer thorough the school softball season, she's excited to head back to Little League and play her preferred sport again this summer. Even after some hitting lessons at Field House Athletics, she has decided against trying out for the "Big League" Whitecaps Team with her friends. With her busy schedule she was afraid she could not commit - and she's probably right. There'll still be lots of "spare time" spent at one diamond or another volunteering at tournaments and events throughout the season - she really enjoys announcing, expecially the t-ball games.

Caden is going back to baseball, too. He's content to play house league and has little ambition or desire to play any more than his regular weekly practice, game and a few exhibition games. He's happy to have new cleats and a "magic" new bat that helps him hit to the fences! My boy is getting huge! I know he'll have fun over the summer expecially when he gets that bat working. He has played in an "evaluation game" and the season opened over the weekend with picture day and a win!

Chloé is always up to try new things and joined the local softball league - so anxious she had me sign her up during early registration in January. She's still interested and I'm happy for her to pick up a sport she can play her whole life :) There have been a couple of practices and she has enjoyed meeting the girls on her team. I am happy she'll be able to walk out our front door and across the street for a vast number of her games and practices. Even the extra hitting practices are held steps away from our home.Keep it simple ... I think she's going to love her summer!

Cole has opted out. At the end of last season he was willing to play baseball again, but as spring drew near he had second thoughts. Instead of a refund, we've elected to donate the registration fee to another player who might not otherwise have a chance to play - certainly one who wants to play more than mine! He won't be free completely since he'll be joining me on the sideline cheering on one sibling or another.

As for me, I have purchased a new lawn chair and cooler. I plan on being far better prepared this year than last - with mitts, blankets, sunscreen, icepacks, umbrellas and water in the truck at all times! I'm looking forward to cheering loudly and stay open to enjoy all of the experiences that present themselves.

Play Ball!

real right now | never say never

After a concussion sustained in hockey made worse by another concussion last rugby season combined with the chronic bursitis in his shoulder, I never thought Cole would ever play any contact sport ever again. A good reminder to never say never!

I forgot to take into account passion.

He loves rugby. Truly loves it.

Well, he still has the ball. It was quickly passed off and a try scored.

As much as I flinch when there are a number of other-coloured jerseys surrounding him, I know he is playing something he loves. And he's good at it. He doesn't want to play for the Crusaders Club. Or Ontario. Or Canada. He's happy to focus on his position as 8-Man for his school team.

Life is good - and never dull :)

BONUS

I couldn't say yes to one and not to the other:

Caden is the "back-up everything" for his Middle School rugby team. There are a huge number of boys so not a spot for everyone. During this game he was the back-up 8-Man and scored the final try of the game.

I'm just settling in to get a good tan this spring :)

Photo Walk | St. Lawrence Market, Toronto

I have not been back to the St. Lawrence Market, in downtown Toronto, for a very long time - more than 30 years! I remember it being vast, busy and filled with food. Very little has changed :)

Every Saturday afternoon for the next few months, I will drive to downtown Toronto as Chloé has started in an acting program. The traffic can be questionable so it doesn't make sense to drive home, 45+ minutes away, when she has only a 3-hour class. There's a lot to do in my home town.

Located less than 2km away from her lessons is the St. Lawrence Market. Last weekend, I took the opportunity to visit again. This time, I wasn't the child, I brought Caden along.

I have to admit, it was stimulating - the sights, sounds and (I'm sure) smells. Caden does not appreciate crowds and he was more than a little uncomfortable with the chaos of it all. It is such an unfamiliar experience for him. Further proof my kids need to have the suburban knocked out of them - I have succeeded with the first two, now it's time to citify the next two!

Caden was far more comfortable walking along outside the market. The problem this particular day was he decided not to wear a coat. Not a good idea! Though it was only -1C outside, it was damp and gray - bone chilling. Not conducive to a nice leisurely walk around town.

I was able to get a couple of shots:

Looking North toward the market from where we parked.

The one thing I think I love most about my hometown is the mixure of old and new - architecture, cultures, traditions ... all of it. So wonderful to see this old church tucked among large modern skyscrapers.

One of my most favourite buildings from my childhood? The Flatiron building. Gorgeous! The view behind has changed, but the building remains the same. Toronto is vibrant and always changing but holding onto the old parts that make it wonderful, to me.

Then it was time to take my shivering boy back to the truck then on to the studio to collect Chloé from her class.

The weather was not on our side today. At all. I was still happy to share a bit of Toronto with Caden. With Chloé's classes close to King Street and Parliament, there is still a ton to see: the Distillery District, Queen's Quay, The Beach, and many more places - maybe up by where I grew up in mid-town or around the Annex (oh, how I'd love to live there!). We can have an adventure every weekend. Toronto is such a great place and I'm hoping my children will learn to love it as much as I do.

pmm | caden is on the swim team

When the coach of the Middle School swim team approached me at a school event about Caden swimming for the team, I was surprised. Caden? Swim?

I was immediately brought back* to his time in intensive care at Sick Kids, then his recovery time at Bloorview and what I wanted most to do was hyperventalate at the absurdity of the idea. Instead, I simply asked him if he wanted to join the school swim team. He did.

It's about him, not me, so he joined.

It took me until the very last meet of the year to go and watch. Our school has a very small deck and it's hard to take photos. Well, that's the excuse I use :) Caden asked me to attend the last meet of the season at the Etobicoke Olympium. How could I say no?

Caden was entered in three events: 50M Free, 50M Backstroke and 200M Free Medley. I made it out to the pool mid-morning and managed to see him in the 50M Backstroke. I love that every time I ask him how he did in a meet he claims "great, best time yet". He gets it. At this point, the game is not to win the heat but to always beat your personal best. In his 50M Backstroke race he beat his personal best by over 8 seconds. Yay! He came in 43rd place - out of 50 participants

My boy continues to be very angry with me that I have made him stop playing football. He's not pleased he had to give up rugby, either. (It turns out he really didn't like playing hockey, so he was happy mama made him stop. As it turns out, skates hurt - among other things.) We are trying to find a suitable alternative.

That alternative just might be swimming. He likes it way more than hockey and a bit more than rugby. He has even agreed to attend "Performance Swim Camp" this summer in order to get better. Caden's mother is a big believer that if you don't do something well you don't grasp the "fun" in an activity. The better you are at anything the more fun you will have. I encourage Caden's improvement no matter what the activity happens to be.

To be completely honest, I'm just over the moon that we can even experience these arguments and joys and lessons - bring it. I'm so proud of him!

* * * * *

* In 2002, just before Caden turned 3 he almost drown in our pool. His father called me at an event and I rushed to our local hospital to watch the medical staff try to shove a breathing tube down his throat. For an hour. I was then transported, via police car, to Sick Kids hospital in Toronto where Caden remained in a coma, in urgent care, for a week then onto another floor - it's a blur. Upon his discharge, he and I then spent a month, every day, at Bloorview where he went for therapy: occupational, psychological and physical. It was the most traumatic experience of his life. And mine.

real right now | the football player

Caden has always been our family "gamer".

Time passes and things change.

Caden discovered football. Originally a sport to fill his time over the summer, along with baseball, it moved right into autumn. There were so many participants our Oakville team had to be split in two: the Titans and the Spartans.

If you listen to the parents, the general belief is the Titan coach poached all of the "good" players (aka hockey players) for the Titans team and left the rest on the Spartan team. I have to say, I really didn't notice. What I did notice was that the "superstars" or those pegged into certain positions were gone one day. That left plenty of opportunity for my son and his friends to grow. Not one of them had the burden of being developed into a pre-conceived position.

It's amazing what happens when children are left to play for fun without expectation.

Caden LOVES it. He plays offence and defence and often spends the whole game on the field. He executes exactly what the coach requests. Nothing creative or abstract for this lineman. This last game he played outside himself. He was having so much fun and executing plays he never would have imagined himself capable at the start of the season.

Photos from one of the parents:

The photos, below, I managed to take when the mums and I stopped jumping up and down while screaming our heads off: GO SPARTANS!!

Caden directing the action :)

Heart in my throat.

Our team, the visitors, up 24-22 with seconds - that were drawn out like hours - left. Nail biting time for sure!

The after game handshake.

Our SPARTANS won! Caden and his team are going to the CHAMPIONSHIP game on Saturday. No one would have believed it at the beginning of the season. These boys earned it for sure! To the parents, this game was the championship, but I know the boys are anxious for Saturday.

Win or lose, it will be Caden's last football game. He is not happy about it, but knows this to be the only option.

Nothing will take away the joy of this - his one golden football season.

things we do | massey hall

For the most part, I have four selective eaters. They've always been that way. Of the four, I have one picky eater. Or should I say, I had one picky eater. A couple of years ago, and with daily thanks since to Jamie Oliver and his "Food Revolution" television show, Cole eats real food. We've moved beyond microwaveable crap to tasty and nutritious choices.

Claire is my best eater, trying new things and enjoying nutritionally balanced offerings with the occasional binge of Dr. Pepper and Mars bars (newly changed to ginger ale and peanut M&Ms). Chloé prefers most of her food to be white - yes, ick - and carb filled. Caden has always been my most active child in the kitchen, often willing to try new things and help me prepare.

I've learned to choose my battles. In order to keep things well rounded and healthy we may indulge in far too much of some of the same things: roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, "mama" rice, sauteed tomatoes and mushrooms, wilted spinach and oodles of salad. Not a large selection, but the kids will eat all of it! A few times a week I experiment - usually from a Jamie Oliver or Barefoot Contessa cookbook - and if there are enough thumbs up, it will enter the rotation.

For the longest time we had Jamie Chicken at least once a week. Things have changed and now that Claire - my only white meat eater - has moved out of the house, I purchase a crazy amount of "club pack" chicken thighs as preparing a whole chicken was a waste. I still appreciate the lessons learned via Jamie Oliver through his television show, his cookbooks, his TED talk.

What does all of this have to do with Massey Hall?

Well, Jamie Oliver came to town!

Jamie Oliver has a new cookbook out and I was thrilled learn that he was on a book tour which would bring him to Toronto. I was even more thrilled that my boys wanted to come to Massey Hall and hear him with me!

After a CRAZY day - that included dentist appointments and voice lessons - we hopped into the truck and drove into Toronto to hear a very engaging man speak about his "special needs", his passion for food, his determination to make good food accessible and his life with four young children. He was engaging and charming and Cole was thrilled we attended. Caden kept expecting a cooking demonstration and was less than happy that after an hour and a half there was no food preparation.

As part of the price of admission we each received a copy of the new cookbook - Jamie Oliver's Great Britain. Cole got home and promptly folded over pages filled with recipes he'd like me to make for the family. Who knows, this time around he might even help me make them?

As you can imagine, no matter how much we love the man, we do not need three copies of one cookbook!

If you're interested in a copy, leave a comment answering:

What is the favourite vegetable in your house and how best is it prepared?

I'll draw for a winner sometime later in the week - let's say, Friday the 2nd by noon my time :)

challenge | big question 2

At the end of August, to celebrate the launch of her new virtual home, Tiffany Moore asked a number of her favourite bloggers to answer some BIG questions. I have been looking for a challenge and decided to take a stab at this particular exercise.

* * * * *

What is most sacred to you?

My relationship with my children.

This was the first thing that entered my head when I read the question. Then I checked out dictionary.com and their defininition: "worthy of or regarded with reverence, awe, or respect" confirmed it.

The only thing I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a good mother. I believe that is often the case for those of us raised by a not-so-good mother. Coming from such a negative experience, the last thing I would ever wish upon my children would be the same sense of abandonment or cruelty I experienced as a child.

I am raising them, alone, with as much love, support, common sense, consistency, patience, respect and boundaries as I can manage. In return they provide me with constant challenge, laughter, questions, energy, frustration and concern. I wouldn't change anything for the world. Our relationships are all different and complex and sacred. I am forever blessed to have them in my life.

They, all four of them, are worthy of my reverence, awe and respect.

Go see what Carolyn Rubenstein had to say when she was posed this question.

Caden | 12

A Week In The Life 2012 | A Success

Starting a project like A Week In the Life while on the road is not ideal, though it definitely focuses the effort and simplifies the approach! I thought I'd share a peek at my week with a "photo of the day" - only a hint of what my day looked like through the week.

MONDAY, APRIL 23
Location: Tucson, AZ
Hilight: LOVE the underwater treadmill at Canyon Ranch

TUESDAY, APRIL 24
Location: Tucson, AZ
Hilight: Oatmeal Bruleé, Chicken Sausage and Kefir - perfect start

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25
Location: En Route from Tucson, AZ to Oakville, ON via Denver, CO
Hilight: Last morning, capturing my surroundings

THURSDAY, APRIL 26
Location: Oakville, ON
Hilight: Home just in time for "dress down" day at school

FRIDAY, APRIL 27
Location: Oakville, ON
Hilight: The boys enjoyed Camp Lee for their (surprise to me) PA Day

SATURDAY, APRIL 28
Location: Oakville, ON
Hilight: Claire on stage in RENT

SUNDAY, APRIL 29
Location: Oakville, ON
Hilight: Morning dragonboat meeting and practice

The plan? Simple.

Simple Fonts.

Simple Templates.

Simple Process.

I will be combining our collective stories of our week and putting it all together into a 12x12 digital book! I'm very excited about this and am anxious to show the final results ... once they're organized and ready to be shown.

What about you? Did you participate in A Week in the Life this year? Let me see what you created!

I hope to be able to show you how the whole project is coming along soon, but as you can imagine, life is full and it may take some time to get it all together. As far as projects come and go, this one is worth the effort, and I will get it done :)

Caden | Loathes Reading

* GASP *

Much to my horror, my youngest child would rather do almost anything (except clean his room) before reading a book. He seems to be okay with websites, cook books, sports pages and Nintendo instructions, but a book? Ick.

Sigh.

THIS is going to be a problem. In his current school there is very little emphasis on reading - or, challenging reading. I don't consider "Captain Underpants" or the "Wimpy Kid" books to be a challenge to a kid in grade 6. I know we have a systemic problem with boys not reading, but I really don't think things have to be dumbed-down or cartoonized to engage them. We just have to outsmart them ;)

In September, Caden enters an academically rigorous program. The expectations are much higher than what he is used to and I really don't want him to fail before he starts. I need to set him up for success.

Over the last couple of months, after speaking with some friends about my fears, I realized it may not be the book - the actual story - but the way it is delivered. He needs something else. Enter audible.com to my rescue! This is a division of Amazon.com where the books are read, in real time.

After explaining my fear to Caden, he agreed it was time to figure out this reading thing and make better book choices. Caden and I clicked into audible.com to find that I had six credits. One credit = one book. I asked Caden to go through and choose five books he thought might be interesting. I would get to choose one for him to read.

His choices included:

The Lightening Thief, Rick Riordan, 10 hours 1 minute

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins, 11 hours 14 minutes

Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins, 11 hours 41 minutes

Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins, 11 hours 43 minutes

The Red Pyramid: The Kane Chronicles, Book 1, Rick Riordan, 14 hours 32 minutes

I think this is a pretty good start! Maybe a bit ambitious, I'm happy he took our talk seriously.

For the kids, I chose:

A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle, 6 hours 8 minutes

Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls, 6 hours 45 minutes

And for me, I got Les Miserables, Victor Hugo, at a whopping 60+ hours and A Room with a View , E.M. Forster, at a more modest 7 hours 2 minutes!

On his "Wish List" which is really not a wish, but part of the summer reading program and mandatory reading for the Middle School curriculum are:

A Tale of Two Cities & Great Expectations, Charles Dickens, 28 hours 39 minutes

Lord of the Flies, William Golding, 6 hours 35 minutes

The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton, 5 hours 12 minutes

The Giver, Lois Lowry, 4 hours 41 minutes

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain, 8 hours 33 minutes

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Mark Haddon, 6 hours 6 minutes

We own all of these books (and thousands more). As much as it irks me that we'll spend an additional fortune doubling up our effort, I'm hoping the rewards will be worth the expense. The deal with Caden is that he is to listen to the books with his ear buds AND have the book open and follow along. Who knows? Maybe he'll decide he prefers his own voice as the narrator? At any rate he'll be taking in some extra sensory stimulation and I'm hoping he'll learn to love books!

BONUS: Each book is read in real time so the length is listed. I love this! Now I know how long to expect him to listen - and it helps me choose books for myself and the other kids!

What books do you think I should include on Caden's Wish List?

Hockey | AAA Reflection

On our way to power skating | 2003

I haven't really said much about hockey this year.

A lot has to do with the fact Cole is no longer playing the game: the cut, combined with the bursitis and appendicitis, conspired to keep him off the ice. Though Caden continues to play the game, it is for fun. Hockey is no longer an all-consuming part of our days, our thoughts or the mileage on my truck.

I don't have much love for the game, indeed, I never have had much passion for it. The boys played the sport because hockey, in this country, is a rite of passage. Their father played hockey so my boys would play hockey. I am from a family of girls and with the exception of my one season of ringette, we had little exposure to ice sports as a team experience.

This blog is a way for me to record what is going on in our lives and a reflection of how events affect and effect us. I would be remiss not to address what was, at one time, an all-consuming aspect of our lives.

Last year, Cole's Oakville Rangers '97AAA team did not fare well at the AAA Championship weekend in Kingston. They came in 4th out of 5 teams in that championship weekend. The loss had nothing to do with the heart of the players. It fell squarely on the continuing inability for the coaching staff to motivate and coach. The classic do the same thing over-and-over-and-over again expecting a different results - and, no surprise, getting the same one each time. It confirmed to me things I knew all along, but never voiced outside of my home.

Cole, along with a couple of boys, got cut from the team. Clearly the loss was their fault. We heard of stories involving illegal imports of of players - kids living in basements, improperly registered for school and all manner of monkeying with the rules. Cheating and underhanded tactics are not foreign to this particular coach. Whatever.

My only thought was that the spirit crushing of my son, and of the other boys cut, had better be worth it.

Well, this past weekend was championship weekend again. Guess what? The Oakville Rangers '97AAA team - again - came in 4th out of 5 teams.

I showed the stats to Cole. He reacted with little interest, he's moved on. Far along. He expressed no joy, no sadness. Just a question about how this kid did or that kid did but no real curiosity.

If anyone asked me a year ago I would have thought I'd be pleased if the team didn't fare well this year. The truth is, I do not feel any joy. I feel terrible for those boys who have worked so hard, those parents who have sacrificed so much. I feel sad for what was "chemistry-wise" a fabulous team that was torn apart for a win that never materialized.

Life moves along.

A year later? I am happy that the events of last year have changed the dynamic of our home and the direction of our interests. I am happy my son is able to be so full with the joy in other events that his focus is on only the positive in his life. I am happy that I am not happy to hear about the misfortune of others.

Life is no longer synonymous with hockey.

Life is full.

Life is good.

Returning to ME

I used to have as many dreams as there are stars in the sky.

I've had some thoughts swirling through my head for a while about my journey of the past couple of years. The place I was, where I am now and where I hope to go in the future. To be honest, it's the dream - plans for the future - part I struggle with, not the dealing with the here-and-now. I live a very goal-oriented life, filled with short-term, practical, goals.

I read Jenny's article and realized that I too, over the course of this journey, have lost part of my identity, a significant part of it. I have been so busy being mum to my four kids and wife to someone who didn't want to be married that I got lost somewhere in the crazy of it all. One line in Jenny's article stood out to me: "I had to sit down and remind myself what I liked and what excited me that wasn’t related to Jeff or the kids."

Being so firmly grounded in the needs of my family, I have lost touch with my myself. I have lost touch with my dreams. Bits are coming back and I'm in the middle of mulling those ideas and putting a pretty ambitious (though far more limited than Jenny's!) list together.

In the meantime, I don't want my kids to lose sight of their dreams. As I've learned first-hand, it is so easy to do while dealing with the demands of every day. I wish I had a list of my dreams when I was a teen, even when I was in my mid-20s. I really can't, for the life of me, remember what I wanted to do before my life became what it is today. Following Jenny's lead, I've asked my kids what their dreams are for the future. This is what they provided me:

CLAIRE:

1. Meet at least two of my favourite bands.
2. Travel around Europe. All of it.
3. Learn guitar.
4. Graduate and get into some great universities (e.g. Acadia, Laurier, Guelph, Waterloo, even UBC)
5. Meet some of my favourite authors, such as John Green, Cassandra Clare, Suzanne Collins, etc.
6. Fall in love, get married and make sure it lasts a long time. (What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic!)

COLE:

1. Travel the world
2. Bungee jump
3. Go to space
4. Get good enough at singing/acting that I can make a profit out of it, big or small doesn’t matter
5. Get a university degree

CHLOE:

1. Audition for a Broadway musical
2. Travel the World
3. Go whale watching in Hawaii or Australia
4. Spend a day baking
5. Learn to play the drums

CADEN:

1. Make the best video game ever :)
2. Get paid to make YouTube videos
3. Have a Guinness world record
4. Travel the world
5. Have 2 cats, 1 dog, and 3 guinea pigs(When I have my own house)

I often laugh to my friends that my children are "four points on a compass" but these lists confirm it! I find it pretty interesting to read that they all want to travel the world (and beyond) - and what they'd like to do. I have a vague recollection of similar ideas.

I'm inspired.

ME:

1. Get off Auto
2. Have my home be exactly what I want it to be, every inch of it
3. Sing, again
4. Travel the world (the part without wars - or highly contageous disease)
5. Lose all of the weight (then get it tucked)

I know, still a bit too goal-oriented rather than dream-oriented, but it is still a stretch for me at the moment.

[A note to Jenny: I have to thank you for your honesty and creativity. You give me the courage to be more true to myself and permission to tackle topics, openly, from which I might naturally shy away. Now I won't. Your blog resonates within me, every day.]

Sweet Words

What are some of the sweetest words a mama can hear from her boy?

"Bring your camera and take pictures of me, please?"

My older three run from the camera, but Caden loves having his photo taken, especially when he's doing what he loves. Since I can't take photos of his playing on the Wii the next best thing is hockey! I got myself a lovely new lens for my birthday last month and it's only been tested a couple of times. THIS was a perfect opportunity! Low light, fast action, quite a test:

Caden's Predator team tied the game against the Blues team, 3-3. I took photos, chatted with mums, took more photos, cheered when they scored, and then looked around for guidance when penalties were called and ejections were made. It was a pretty interesting game. It was also a good test of the lens, and the photographer.

Return of Routine | Part 1

After a wild summer of unexpected change and much upheaval, we are welcoming the return of routine.

Caden headed back to school today. This is the first time he has been in school without a sibling to look out for him, tease him, walk with him, pass him in the hallway or wave to him on the playground. He can't wait! On the other hand, I'm nervous for him and hope he has a start to a wonderful final year of elementary school. Grade Six. When did that happen?

He and I (with sibling support) spent last evening getting everything prepared:

his outfit laid out
school supplies organized
an early-ish bedtime of 9PM
alarms set
napsack checked and packed
school lunch prepped

Then there was the obligatory back to school photo at the front door and the playground photo with his buddies. Both of which are done to completely embarrass my boy - or so he thinks!

I wonder what adventures the next nine months hold in store?

Toot: Simple Aussie Girls

Have you been over to the Simple Aussie Girls blog? It is a relatively new collaborative effort of a group of Australian mums who decided to start a blog to share clean and simple pages. Pages that make the journalling the most important feature. Count me a fan! The design and the photos are wonderful too, but I love the focus on the stories.

A while back, my friend-in-the-computer Amy, contacted me about submitting a couple of layouts.

I was flattered! I am flattered!

My layouts were featured a few days ago. I received a couple of comments on the SAG blog as well as on FaceBook, so here are the layouts including materials list and a blurb about each:

(click image to enlarge)

MATERIALS: Cardstock: Bazzill | Printed Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle | Stickers: Basic Grey, Heidi Swapp |
Font: VT Portable Remington

I always find "white space" to be a bit of a challenge. To keep it all cohesive and balanced is not always easy. I think this layout works. My pages are all very representative of our everyday life as opposed to the big occasions. The longer I scrapbook the less photos I use on each page. One photo represents the story or the mood and the journaling puts it all together.

(click image to enlarge)

MATERIALS: Cathy Zelske template - retired (from Design Your Life course) | Papers: All old, all free and all before I figured out how to save properly: lynng-crisp-2, PinkPeacock_Talkative_Paper1 | Fonts: Dymo, Agnes.

I want my scrapbook albums to be authentic and honest. Raising children is hard. I don't want, when they look back at their stories, to give the illusion that life growing up was easy or perfect. That would set my kids up with unrealistic expectations when it's time for them to be parents themselves. At the same time, I want to relay to them that humour is key. So, with humour and love, I make real pages.

It was so nice to "meet" the ladies over at the Simple Aussie Girls blog. I wish them all the success in the world! I love everything they represent :) If you haven't been over, be sure to give them a visit.

the simple things | 18

I haven't participated since April! I must slow down a bit and get back to honouring those simple things in my life that make it so fulfilling.

board games

i have always been a fan of board games and i appreciate that my kids enjoy them too. while at the beach they always drag out the game of sorry: the game of sweet revenge. my boys invited me to play with them which is always such a thrill to still be on the guest list for fun! the rules have been long lost so it's interesting to watch them try to figure things out and their idea of fair and equitable. it is even more fun watching cole allow caden to be in charge.

Caden @ 11

(He made me wait until the SECOND he was born to snap his pic today. Funny boy!)

How can my baby be growing up so fast? I blinked and a decade went by! A great decade, we are all better for him being here.

1. He is insatiably curious.
2. He is funny even when he doesn't try. Especially.
3. He is always covered in a film of little boy dirt.
4. He is naturally kind and gentle.
5. He is smart, and that always comes as a delightful surprise.
6. He loves food. Cooking and eating.
7. He is utterly obsessed with hockey stats.
8. He has taken over the use of the iPad.
9. He is a patient little brother, tollerant of being teased and tickled. 
10. He is fascinated with the trappings of church.
11. He is a loyal and protective friend.

I wish I could keep Caden a little boy forever, though he'd have to stop growing for that! Many changes are coming up with his best friend moving to the States at the end of the school year (a month from now) and his sister leaving for a new school in September. He will deal with these changes with the bright eyed enthusiasm he's always looked at life. I could just squeeze him forever.

A New Era | Rugby

It's cold, damp and early. Not a good combination for my boy! He is very excited to start his new persuit: rugby. I don't know that he's too crazy about the idea that he'll not just be battling the other team, but more often than not, he'll also be battling Mother Nature.

It's good for him.

Builds character.

Not everything can be in a controlled environment like a gym or hockey rink.

Lucky for us, he's easily distracted. In this case, by a new pair of cleats:

Bright, eh? They may not make him a superstar, but he'll feel like one!

Digi Distraction

Last week, I was cleaning up my desktop and ran across a Word Document with some interviews I had conducted with my kids at the end of last summer. They were so fun I didn't want to just file them away, they had to be saved right away and not forgotten ... again! I went through my templates and couldn't find anything I wanted for this specific purpose, but I did find a perfect template from Cathy Zielske's Design Your Life course I had taken a couple of years ago at Big Picture Classes:

MATERIALS: Template: Cathy Zielske; Papers: Ali Edwards Transitions; Embellishments: Karla Dudley Digi Essentials 2, Digi-Stash; Fonts: Verdana, American Typewriter

I was so glad to get this little bit of our "life in 2011" recorded for posterity! Then I resumed my template search and headed over to Designer Digitals to find the perfect template for the interviews at hand. Now, if you've ever been over to Designer Digitals you'll know how distracting it can be! I got more than a little off course. Sigh. No suprise, I found it - and a few others!

Evidence:

MATERIALS: Template: XX Things Template (Cathy Zielske); Papers: For Humanity Kit: Japan (Girls); dy-springbreeze-pp2 (aka unknown stash) (Boys); Fonts: Arial, Amelie, American Typewriter

It was so much fun to go back and look at the photos taken last summer - so many stories! Reading the little interviews and noticing all of the subtle and bigger changes in my kids in a few short months. It is days like this, putting memories together in the form of stories, in this case, an interview in the words of my kids, that remind me why I love this hobby which is so much more than a simple past-time.

Sunday Morning | 002 Getting Ready

Sunday Morning | 002 Getting Ready

After a big night at the ACC with his dad, decked out in his Montreal Canadiens gear and temporary tattoos, it was time for a very sleepy Caden to get ready for church. By getting ready I mean tattoo removal! A bit of rubbing alcohol on some paper towel, press on the tattoo and wait 30 seconds and voila ... tattoo is removed. I love the internet - you can find anything. After about a minute he's all set to get ready.

This was the view last night:

Be sure to join in.

This challenge will probably be often filled with photos of Caden. He's the only one of my four kids who is up before noon, if they have their way, on a Sunday! I'll have to use other challenges to take pics of the other kids :)

the simple things | 17

gifted

can i tell you what joy this boy brings to our home? when caden walked into the kitchen and pasted an old gift bow on his forehead and said, "look mama, i'm a gifted child!" i almost spit out my coffee. he may not be, in the technical sense - tested or recommended - but he sure is a gift to us!

Team Up Thursday: Favourites

Shirley and I combined our favourite colours this week:

Isn't it vivid?

Love it.

On Thursdays, Shirley LeMay and I create a diptych based on a theme. You can view the other great diptychs at the Team Up Thursday Flickr group. Or, if you just want to see ours, they are all here. Grab a partner and join in!

Thankful Thought | Series 02

I am blessed beyond measure to have a curious and energetic 10-year-old who drags me here there and everywhere when he finds things that interest him. Even better? I'm thankful that often those things that interest him also interest me. In this case it was the old Battery grounds where the St. Lawrence River meets the Rideau Canal. We read all of the plaques and maps and discussed how "we" were often at war with our American neighbours in the early days of settlement in North America. He asked great questions and I hope I gave him equally great answers!

So thankful for curiosity.

. . . . .

I'm also thankful for Ali Edwards and her ideas. On her blog, she is starting this new "occasional series". Not only that, but each time she posts a Thankful Thought it will include a free numbered overlay download. BONUS: Included in her first post is a rounded-corner photo mask.

. . . . .

DON'T FORGET: You are still able to qualify to win YOUR copy of the new Ella e-book Scrapbooking the Everyday, click over here and leave a comment! Draw to take place on 23 April (today) at 6PM Eastern. Good luck!

Cleans Up Well

Not only does he look scruffy, he looks unhappy. NOT a good combination.

Then Stephanie took out her magic tools ...

A bit of a cut, a bit of a shave, some gel and voila:

He's ready to take on the world!

Enjoy your Saturday :)

Thankful Thought | Series

Ali Edwards has started a new series over on her blog. Thankful Thought.

I'm in!

Often when I speak with my friends about the relationships their kids have with each other, it makes me sad. I am more and more thankful for the kind and generous relationship shared by my kids. In this case, Caden was struggling with some math homework and Cole offered to help. OFFERED. Then they spent the next hour going through the questions and discussing the concepts. Cole was patient through Caden's frustration, once they stopped tickling and giggling and got down to work.

They are not perfect, but I'm thankful that, most of the time, they like each other.

. . . . .

I'm also thankful for Ali Edwards and her ideas. On her blog, she is starting this new "occasional series". Not only that, but each time she posts a Thankful Thought it will include a free numbered overlay download. BONUS: Included in her first post is a rounded-corner photo mask.

the simple things | 15

 

slinky

i am amazed at how such a simple toy can bring so much entertainment. typical of caden, he hooked the ends of this colourful slinky on his ears and wore it around like a beard. i don't know that he does these things to consciously give us all a giggle, but i have to admit he is a character - one of the funniest kids i've ever met. so lucky are we to have him here to entertain us every day!

Family Day: Amazing Layouts

Last week I immersed myself in many digi projects. Most taking the form of selecting, purging and organizing what is left to do in iPhoto that I didn't get to during my Digital Detox. To give myself a break, I made a few layouts and finished up Claire and Caden's - on Family Day. The irony? My kids were busy elsewhere!

I enjoyed making the conversations layouts earlier, here, here and here - where my kids answered questions about themselves. These "amazing" layouts give me a chance to offer observations I've made about each of my kids - recently. This is a great project to slip into their scrapbooks (when I get them back from the printer once I find/decide where to send them - 8 1/2 x 11 is not a normal size in these parts!). Years ago I got bogged down with making four similar yet different layouts for each of the kids to include in their books and stopped due to utter ovewhelm. I think I may just have twigged on the thing that will make their books a bit more complete!

I enjoy Cathy Zielske's layered templates and will make more, for sure. I have, of course, downloaded a bunch of other templates and I've spent some time trying to manipulate those I already have to make them more functional in other projects. I'm stuck on a few things, but that's part of the fun. The fear is almost all gone - whoot! The intimidation and not wanting my layouts to look like CZs is almost all gone too. I love her work and it is distinctly her work - I think I've found a way to incorporate the best that is CZ with what I consider to be the best of me.

A lot of my new found comfort is the discovery of digi-paper I like. I'm thrilled to have discovered Michelle Martin over at Designer Digitals as she has some lovely papers; as well as Ashalee Wall at Design Pink Ink with her gorgeous paper collections. I'm far more a photo + story + paper scrapbooker than I am a bling and dimension scrapbooker - even digitally, so it was a thrill to find simple and sophisticated patterns and colours.

The only thing left to conquer are brushes and overlays. Working on it!

Early morning creativity

I woke this morning and after the coffee was made and the kids lunches were packed, I parked myself in front of my computer to go through the 80+ posts waiting for me in my Google Reader. I didn't get far! The always inspiring Cathy Zielske had an interview with her Cole posted as a hybrid project on her blog today.

There is a big sale on over at Designer Digitals and I had purchased many layered templates, so rather than waiting, and since my own Cole is out of town, I followed Cathy's lead, as I so often do, and interviewed Caden while he was eating his breakfast:

Template: Story Guide Layered Template No. 01 (CZDesign at Designer Digitals); Patterned Paper: Envy (Ashalee Wall at Digital Pink Ink); Font: Myriad Pro

I am thrilled that I could sit here on my computer across from my boy eating his breakfast and get a page done - and approved - before he left for the bus! I chose the full-digi route, but could easily have made this a hybrid effort. And I may, next time ;)

There is still a ton for me to learn about this whole digi thing, but the portability and speed of it all is really appealing. Do you digi scrap? 100% or part of the time?

Me? I'm off to finish reading the posts waiting in my reader which has now increased to triple digits. It may take all day if I keep stopping and giving in to my immediate inspiration!

Enjoy your Tuesday :)

the simple things | 12

Tigey

When Caden left Sick Kids Hospital in May 2003 he was given his choice of stuffed toy. He chose Tigey. This little guy has been with my little guy every night - and most days - since. He's been washed only a few times and has suffered a few rips and some stuffing is missing in parts. To Caden, Tigey is the most wonderful toy ever, his constant companion; his confidant; his greatest cheerleader. Caden kisses him in the morning when he wakes up. He kisses him goodnight before he goes to bed. He hugs him tight all night long. I will go into his room during the day and he has Tigey tucked in nice and tight so he is left safe when off to school. Caden is so gentle, caring and thoughtful with his little talisman.

Team Up Thursday: Sign

I enjoy these Team Up Thursday challenges and it has been great fun to join my friend and wonderful photographer, Shirley LeMay each week combining our interpretation of a theme. I'm always delighted to open my mail to see the final diptych. Check out many more on the Flickr group: Team Up Thursday.

This week the theme was SIGN and this his how we both captured it:

My SIGN: Caden snuck into my bed at some point during the night. This is usually a sign that he is coming down with something or he needs to talk. This particular morning my little boy simply wanted a bit of mama time. Thank goodness it wasn't followed up with a cold - worse, it was the flu!

Shirley's SIGN: Frost on the inside of the windows definitely signals that it is cold as the dickens outside. When I took the picture, it was 0 degF or -18 degC. That was on Monday and it hasn't warmed up much since. Another "good sign" from the picture - it's no longer dark when I get downstairs to the kitchen at 6:45. The days are getting longer, so warmer days will be here soon.

I have to agree with Shirley. I am greatly enjoying the longer days. For me the realization came at the other end of the day. Claire and Cole are usually collected from school around 5PM and I realized yesterday that I was driving in daylight. Warmer days! Oh, I'm so looking forward to their inevitable arrival. I hope it is sooner rather than later. This year I feel chilled to the bone.

Ella: Rocking the Double Pages!

Have you seen the last couple of posts up over at Ella Publishing? The ladies are rocking the Double Page Spreads! I was thrilled to participate and submitted this layout:

CARDSTOCK: Bazzill
STICKERS: American Crafts, Making Memories
BRADS: Bo Bunny
FONT: American Typewriter

Recently Caden participated in a tournament up in Nottawasaga and it is one of the few events for which I had nine photos! Between that what I consider to be a lack of boy representation in layouts lately - on the www, not in my collection - I thought this worked well! It has been a very long time since I created a 2-page spread and to think I used to make them exclusively only two years ago.

I never would have been able to make it without a sketch from the new Ella e-book:

This e-book is FANTASTIC. Filled with ideas, and I have plans to make many more double page layouts in the future - and maybe delete less when I'm filing my events in iPhoto!

What about you? What is your favourite way to scrapbook. Do you have a go-to formula or are you experimenting?

[Don't forget to enter to win some pewter magnets - click here and tell me what you save for "special" use.]

the simple things | 08

between games

caden played in his second tournament of the season this weekend. the frank sabatino memorial tournament is one which is held here in oakville - 8 of our oakville "red" level teams take on 8 teams from other centres. instead of spending all of our time at the rink, caden elected to come home between games on the first day - he refueled and relaxed playing on his nintendo ds. discovered in his "loot" bag was a hockey stick hat. he hasn't taken it off all weekend. funny kid!

(sadly, his hound dog team lost to the vikings 4-1 in the semi final game. go dogs!)

Around here today

The Bug is a-bed with a bug of his own. Poor buddy. When he's sick he's s.i.c.k.; otherwise he's going 100km/h all over the place. He's so obviously unhappy right now - but the fever broke sometime last night, so the end is near.

And with that, I'm off to make some chicken broth and rice. Have a wonderful day!

Hound Dog Happiness

Caden plays hockey too.

I know it's hard to believe with all of the focus on Cole and his activities. It is representative, proportionately, on the time spent with each boy persuing his interest in the sport. Caden's team routine is a bit less intense but no less meaningful. They practice on Wednesday evenings, they play on Saturday mornings and there is the occasional extra ice on Monday and Off Ice training in a local gym on the occasional Tuesday.

The Atom Hound Dogs are also signed up for three tournaments this season. They just participated in their first and they won!

THAT is a happy group of 10 year old boys! And a happy foursome of older boys, too :)

It was such a fun weekend we almost didn't want to come home.

The best part of the weekend away:

Lee getting to know the parents, what a lovely group
Chloe the water slide and taking care of the little kids
Caden playing hockey, winning the tournament and the morning breakfast buffet

Caden continues to wear his championship medal and will likely sleep with it. As for the rest of us? A few days rest and then we're off to Cole's tournament in another direction!

the simple things | 01

On my blog journey this morning, the lovely Valerie over at Paper & Cookies posted about a photo challenge she is participating in. The oh so inspiring Rebecca Cooper is hosting:

The idea is to take a photo each week of something simple that makes you happy; a little thing that brings you joy, something that makes you smile. Simple, right?

I participate in a number of photographic challenges. I am trying to train my eyes to see what I'm looking at and focus on that which is right in front of me. I have noticed that though almost all of the challenges are in celebration of "every day" I am not focusing enough on the PEOPLE in my life. I tend to take photos of places and things. Mostly because they don't move or give me the stink eye when I'm trying to catch them in action!

This challenge appeals to me, because it's not really a challenge at all, it is a reminder to appreciate the small, the ordinary, the simple of my life. I'm going to use it to focus on the simple things people around me do that brings a smile.

Like this morning, I had taken Claire to her timekeeping job and came home to see that Caden had managed to occupy himself with a bowl of Honeycomb cereal and my iPad where he has discovered We Rule Quest:

Gotta love a guy who is happy to be happy. And can feed himself!

What about you? Do you take the time to record the things that bring you simple joy? This is something I'm definitely going to enjoy. Join me?

Just one good photo, please?

Our boys were given tickets to the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings game tonight. Earlier in the week when the tickets arrived, I asked them to pose for a nice photo so I could send a thank you note with their smiling, grateful faces.

They (read: Cole, hmm) were not terribly cooperative.

We started with this:

Which lead to this:

And then to this:

And finally this:

As grateful as I am to have received these tickets, I have to admit it's crazy trying to find a time and date for an event that "works" in the logistics of our life, so we settle for what kinda-might-maybe-be-managed. Today, Louis will take Caden and a buddy into Toronto in plenty of time for the puck drop at 7PM - with maybe a stop at the Hockey Hall of Fame and dinner before the game. In the meantime, I will take Cole to his own hockey game in Guelph. GUELPH! From there he will shower and change at the rink and then I'll drive him to downtown Toronto and drop him off at the entrance to the ACC and (fingers crossed) hope he makes it to his seat. I hope I remember to pack some food for him - or just give in and let him have a rink dog, or ten.

(For those of you who don't know, Guelph is located about an hour west of us in Oakville. From there, Toronto is located about 75 minutes east of Guelph. Oakville is then located 45 minutes west of Toronto. I'll be making a 3 hour circle.)

As for the pro game, no, I will not attend. One hockey game a day is plenty for me! I'm thinking I'll head home and put a fire on, pour a glass of wine and open one of books in my growing pile of "must reads".

Louis will then bring the boys home on the GO train to further the adventure of their day.

Oh, before I forget, my favourite "out take" of the day:

I love shots: at the front of my house and on wet stone steps. Perfect :) Love the difference in leg length! It won't be long and Caden will catch up!

70 Days of Summer: OVER

I am always torn at the beginning of the school year. I know I'll miss my kids, I also know they've missed their friends. Ten weeks is A LONG TIME to be away from routine, order and control. For all of us.

I started my day waking them up "oh so early" at 7AM, feeding them breakfast, getting their lunches (started last night) finished, gathering up gym clothes, pencil cases and posing for the obligatory First Day of School photos:

And with that, our 70 Days of Summer has ended.

Later today there will be forms to fill out and agendas to review and sign. I expect much chatter about who is in which class; who moved away over the summer and about all of the new kids. They are also coming home via school bus, our new mode of transportation.

Lots of change. Also lots of familiar - and missed - routine.

This process will be repeated next Monday when the olders head back - after 90+ days of holiday!

The {Back to School} List

I find it amazing how many people on the www have kids who have already headed back to school. I've always lived in the mid-west and north-east and never started school before Labour Day. Today is number 50 of our 70 days of summer. Still much free time to enjoy.

As a result of all of the posts I'm reading, I have a niggling need to make a list! This one is for the younger two kids.

(Let me start by saying, I think I'm the only person in the world immune to the back-to-school ads on television. I have no burning need to run to either Old Navy or Staples - though I do have appreciation for "the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ... " jingle.)

CLOTHES: There is no need to buy "back to school" clothes since all of the kids will return to school in shorts and t-shirts. No need for autumn clothes until autumn. Or, if this summer is any indication, we may not need warmer clothes until winter! I'm happy to wait for the late-September sales to buy jeans and long sleeved shirts.

SHOES: Considering the kids have been either barefoot or in flip flops all summer, I'm sure their feet have had a chance to grow. They each need two pairs: indoor shoes and outdoor shoes. For the first couple of months, until boot season starts, that means two pairs of sneakers.

SUPPLIES: There is no need to buy new math sets, binders or knapsacks. Ours are still clean and in good working order. I know it's traditional for many to buy new EVERYTHING, but really, why?

SNACKS: I spent all summer getting my kids used to eating food that has been treated as toxic at best and deadly at worst: peanut butter. Now we go back into the no peanut zone. We're also completely garbage free at school, so my challenge this year is to send them to school with no packaging so none comes home!

This is how they looked last year:

Okay, to the list:

1. Go through all clothes and determine if anything needs repair, cleaning or ironing.
2. Consider buying crocs as the outdoor shoes this year, wonder if the rule is the same for them?
3. Launder everything and bag up anything outgrown for give-away; take the give-away bag and deposit in the proper receptical - do not let it sit outside the laundry door for months, this year, ahem.
4. Find math sets, binders and knapsacks; make sure everything is in working order and clean what needs cleaning
5. Go "shopping" in mama's studio for pencils, erasers, glue sticks and notebooks.
6. Bring in the obligatory box of tissue
7. Take a trip to Chapters and buy one book for DEAR for the first term
8. Load up the now-empty drawer with school friendly snacks 
9. Wash out lunch bags
10. Start sleep/wake routine to avoid the first week of school grumpies.

In the meantime they are enjoying their summertime not in the least bit worried about lists or supplies or laundry:

As for the olders? They wear uniforms, use laptops and eat at school. Pretty boring list. Though, I do have a hefty, and expensive, book list for each of them. I do hope they'll find their blazers and ties in time for school to start ... September 13th!

What do you prepare for the start of school? Do you have any funky rules that have to be followed?

If I'm a Good Mother

I was inspired by this post and thought I'd give it a try.

If I'm a good mother it is only because of ...

Chicken Fingers
Equipment trees
Established routines
Perrier
Cyber & IRL friends
Laundry love
Sauvignon Blanc
Singing in the car
Lists
Flip Flops
Canon 40D
Grilled salmon
Clean bathrooms
Lemon anything
Family support
Jamie Oliver
Crafty projects
Eucerin Cream
Oodles of activities
Books
Cool basement
Mechanical Pencils
Blackberry
Pub Night
Popcorn
Reactine
Hugs
Bubbles & Sidewalk Chalk
Lake views
Daily walks
Always having something to do

At the end of it all, if I'm a good mother it is only because I have four spectacular kids.

July In Review

The kids were funny at the beach. This is their attempt at spelling LOVE for me :)

I have to say July was wonderful but I might be the only person on earth complaining about the heat. I really don't deal with it well. The thing that saved me is my igloo (aka, my basement studio) and the stand up fan in the kitchen.

It was a bit of a struggle to keep from blogging. I did make a few slips here and there, but for the most part, I recharged and I think without the self-imposed pressure of blogging daily, I had the time to better absorb some of the brilliance out there on the www. Wow, it's amazing. I've bookmarked a number of entries and hope to share them sometime soon.

What else did I do when I wasn't here on the www?

• July 1st was celebrated: Claire and Chloe was with Alex and family at RibFest in Etobicoke; Cole went with friends to Bronte Harbour and Louis let off sparklers for Caden in the back yard while watching the fireworks at the harbour. Me? I stayed clear of the bugs and read inside.
• There were two "not miss" shows this month:  Jillian Michael's "Losing It" and "The Bachelorette" Our family is Team Chris all the way. How can we not be? He is from our town in Cape Cod! Lots of lessons learned on each show.
• One of the young ('95) hockey players at BTNL, in town from Nova Scotia, needed a place to hang out one day so I voluntold my kids that they were going to hang out with him. He was tall and handsome which was great for Claire, and he was a very talented defenseman, which was great for Cole, and he was lovely. I'm glad we could help out.
• We enjoyed both Wimbledon and the British Open. It was so nice to have shows to watch in the morning, live from overseas!
• I participated in the Mondo Beyondo Dream Lab and on Angie Warren's Project Photography. Going away for a while with no internet was not helpful with keeping up, but I learned a lot at any rate!
• The kids are reading like crazy! Books consumed so far include: City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare; Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan; The Fallen Part 1 by Thomas E. Sniegoski; the Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins; Chosen, Untamed, Hunted, Tempted and Burned all by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast; Graceling by Kristin Cashore; The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton; The A List, A Novel, by Zoey Dean; Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (series of 7 books) by Michelle Paver. Claire and Cole are sharing many books, Cole is passing some down to Caden. Chloe is reading a ton of Archie comics. Sometimes she really is me. I hope it's a "phase" for her as it was for me!
• New computers are in the house! Cole and Claire both attended their roll-outs and got the new hardware loaded with new software. I quite like how they look and they seem sturdier than the Dell's.
• After a huge mail delay, and perhaps bad timing, my Scrapbook Sussies kits finally arrived and I was able to submit my designs. Better late than never. Though, I have to say, a 2-day turn around for me is miraculous! :)
• I was invited to participate in a creative project with a friend and I can't wait to show off what I created!
• Claire and Cole spent a lot of time hanging out with their friends. So did Chloe and Caden. It is a joy to watch them be so social and active. They are still plagued with bouts of insecurity, but that is natural for kids who have a built-in social system with a big family. We're working on it!
• Emmy noms came out! My favourite The Good Wife with the brilliant Julianna Margulies got a nod or two. I'm also thrilled for the recognition, finally, for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton of Friday Night Lights.
• I arrived home one day to a big puffy envelope with Ali Edward's Life Artist inside. Whoot. Thanks to my lovely cyber-friend, Susan from Georgia. Another puffy envelope arrived while we were on holiday with my Sketchbook Project book. I love mail!
• Caden arrived home one day with a new iPod, he bought it with his birthday money. The other thing he brought home? A new iPad for me! I immediately loaded up iBook and Shazam and all is great in the world.
• Movies watched by some combination of children: Toy Story 3; Knight & Day; Get Him to the Greek; Twilight: Eclipse ...
• Caden had a wonderful 3on3 hockey season. I think maybe, just maybe, he's getting it. Well, except for being kicked out of the final game for "interference". Hmm.
• I really wish Cape Cod was closer, but then again, if it were, everyone we know would be there ... that would be like having a place in Muskoka! Anyway, we enjoyed another holiday in the Cape. We were able to fit in a mere four full days of holiday - with travel time there and back. It was too short, but it was, in Cole's words: "One day is better than none. I'm glad we had four." I'm glad all four of mine agreed. It was a long 20+ hours in the car, but worth every kilometre!
• The Berkshires are beautiful and next year we're going back to Lenox, MA to explore a bit more.
• I do not know who discovered lobster, but THANK YOU!
• Mel Gibson has lost his mind. Absolutely bi-polar or manic depression, but wow buddy, shut up!
• Cole may not be happy about being Corner Back rather than Linebacker, but he's good at it. As the "last guy" he's pretty good at bringing them down.
• Camps! Outrigger Canoe. Robotics. Theater. Day camp is the best. They are exposed to so many things they don't normally do. How fun!
• I love technology. Seriously. It has so much good. It brings things I'd never experience in person (the Louvre, Wikipedia, pick a library) directly into my home. How wondrous. How amazing! Given all of that, I have to say I'm tired of the cyber-bully-bullshit. I'm thrilled my kids include me in the "drama" at least to let me know. This month it was formspring - for which I have an account. But really? I can't even repeat here any (deleted) question asked of my 14-year-old daughter this last month. Disgusting.
• Have I mentioned how much I admire Cathy Zielske? Or totally tickled I am to be included with my friend Barb Wong in our mutual admiration?
• It appears the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has been capped. That took a crazy amount of time and it's heart-wrenching to think of the damage done.
• My step mum is really interested in Caden being tested at the Arrowsmith School in Toronto. He seems fine to me, but since his near-drowning and resulting coma in 2003, we might as well check him out completely.
• Re-entry is a bitch. Hello allergies! I need to buy a lifetime supply of kleenex. Argh. This summer sucks. Really. Bad.
• I'm already missing the routine and order of the school year. It must be the heat getting to me.
• And then, when I'm suffering the most, I get notification that a lovely someone - who is also an important someone - reads my blog, and recommended it. Specifically the Monthly Review Posts! Thanks Wendy!
• In keeping with my newfound confidence, I applied to be a contributor at a collective of creative women I really enjoy. Fingers crossed! (Note: I wasn't chosen, but who knows? I'm still confident!)
• I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that Claire is dating Alex and Cole is dating Nicole and as prepared as I thought I was for this eventuality, I'm not.
• Along with Caden, I met with my friend Barb Wong and her family in Markham while she was in town to visit with other internet friends. Our plans didn't quite work out, but we're flexible. It was just so nice to see her again!
• Chloe has announced she wants to play hockey again this winter. My friend Lindy took her, with Olivia, to the rink just to confirm her resolve.
• Though disappointed the Titans didn't advance any further than the regular season, Cole had a great time learning how to play football. Whatever will I do on Tuesday and Thursday evening with no practices? :)
• The basement projects are well underway. Even the garage has been purged!
• We're still waiting for our tree removal guys to get back so we can tidy up the property and make plans for replacement (read: live) plants and trees.
• We went for our last meal at The Big Smoke. What a disappointment. The food was dreadful and the staff was far too busy pounding shots at the bar than actually taking care of the paying clients waiting at their tables. Sad.
• Cole has kept up with his hockey: a bit of BTNL, Strong Hockey has opened in Oakville, lessons in Mississauga and shinny. Not too much, but more than nothing after all, Training Camp starts at the end of August! One day he had Outrigger Canoe Camp from 8 to 3, Strong Hockey training from 4 to 5:30 and Football Practice from 6:30 to 8. He LOVED it. Not all days were that intense - or diverse, but there were a few doozies this month.
• Lots of time spent chatting with sisters Andrea and Beth. Love catching up!
• I have become the project queen with many albums and mini's on the go. One thing leads to another and it is so wonderful. I've shared a few and look forward to sharing more!

For having no real plans we seem to be staying pretty busy!

We're just shy of halfway through summer and I think everyone has enjoyed the flexible schedule, hanging out with friends, reading tons of books, posing for and taking photos, eating barbeque and watermelon, having sleep-overs, joining friends for dinner, attending movies and, and, and ... I expect August to be more of the same, less one child as Cole is off to overnight camp for two of the weeks. As for me, I'm done with the heat and we haven't even entered the hot part of summer!

Stories of Summer: My Submissions

When Ali Edwards asked for projects and layouts to be submitted for her Stories of Summer series, I realized a few things:

• My kids need to be equally represented, so I submitted 4 + 1
• I don't have many layouts with all four in them together
• I have not made any mini-albums about our summers
• I make way too many assignment-based projects and not enough for the simple joy of scrapbooking

I was sceptical about having any submission accepted as I was already honoured with my Week in the Life project hilighted on Ali's blog earlier this year. But another thing I've realized? You have zero chance of having your work seen if you don't submit!

These are the layouts I sent in:

What did you submit?

I don't know about you but I thoroughly enjoyed the Stories of Summer series. There is so much talent out there! I'm so inspired to capture more moments in photos and words. My enthusiasm is always there but sometimes my creativity is lagging behind. I'm more creative if I'm consistent.

You know how energy breeds energy? Well, I believe creativity breeds creativity. If you stop, you have to wind yourself up all over again. Certainly I have bursts of more creative periods than not, and that's what I was facing earlier this spring. Then I got it in gear. I started with A Week in the Life, then joined in LOAD in May, participated in Sketchapalooza over at Feeling Scrappy and it kind of snowballed from there. I've been creating in a steady hum for a while and it feels great. 

How do you create? What works best for you, do you have a process or is is stop and go?

Ahem, back to unplugging :)

June in Review

A whirlwind month! When I sat to type out our events in June it felt like YEARS had gone past not just a mere 30 days. I cannot believe how much stuff was crammed into each day, though, I have to say that all the lovely weather makes busy far more bearable.

• Auntie Andrea with Uncle Steve and their little people moved to Oakville! We were so happy they joined us at Cole's performance as Chad in High School Musical. I was so thrilled to have them willingly attend! Cole was awesome as were all the other students.
• Chloe had her re-audition for the Oakville Children's Choir and she can't wait to get started again in September. Claire will also be auditioning to join the senior choir next year since she has no room in her school schedule to take music.
• Right after Cole "blew" his french exam, his word, we received a note from the school suggesting that he be evaluated to go into another class - the advanced course, for next year. I hope he blew all of his exams like that!
• I received an invitation to participate someplace wonderful. But it's a secret. I'll let you know all about it as soon as I'm allowed!
• Claire went to Lake Tamagami with a group of classmates. A week of wet, bugs and having to "pee in a hole" - judging from her photos on Facebook she had a wonderful time. She shared lots of stories and I have no doubt the best ones will be those we never hear :)
• Creativity Boot Camp was a wonderful experience. It was two intense weeks of virtually-meeting new people and learning new things. My brain is spinning with possibilities! Love me a good creative kick in the pants.
• Chloe had her last recording session at the Appleby College chapel - guess what everyone is getting next Christmas? :)
• Cole and his BTNL team played in the Ronald McDonald tournament in Toronto. So wonderful the experience of the boys playing with other elite teams. A joy to watch all of the boys.
• Caden had a project to do. Dugongs. What is with my kids and their love of marine mammals? He really wanted to do his project on Narwals but Ryan "stole" his idea.
• Claire and Cole really enjoy their new kayaks and I really enjoy watching them teach Chloe and Caden how to be comfortable in them on the water. It is so nice to know they can get along!
• I am enjoying a whole new hockey experience. Cole is thriving and learning. That's all I ever wanted.
• People who create jealous and petty children are really dangerous, not just to their kids, but to mine as well. Just give your head a shake, stop and grow up. Set a better example for your children.
• Cole is enjoying football. I'm just enjoying that his schedule has been reduced now that there is no rugby or play rehearsal through June. He is making the rounds - linebacker to half back to corner back. He misses being a linebacker - too much running and not enough hitting at corner!
• Chloe turned 11 mid-month. I still can't believe it.
• We finally celebrated Caden's birthday, better late than never! The original plan was to go to Marineland, but we didn't want to risk the weather, so we took the kids to Cora's for breakfast then on to the movies. Karate Kid for the youngers and the A Team for the olders.
• Louis accompanied Cole and the Titan team to Sarnia on a wet and windy day - well, wet and windy here, not there, thank goodness! Our team was "schooled" and lost a painful 55-14 trounce.
• Chloe enjoyed a full day at Canada's Wonderland with her forever friend Olivia. Olivia was celebrating her birthday and asked Chloe along. It was the day after Chloe's birthday and she was delighted to go. It turns out she is a roller coaster girl, a real daredevil, and loves the Behemoth!
• Marianas Trench is a favourite band in this house. Claire and her friends took themselves off to the Sound of Music Festival in Burlington where Cole met up with them after his football practice. A wonderful night.
• The commencement ceremony at Appleby was long and hot and fruitful. Claire finally earned her Optimates (honours) after much hard work and dedication; Cole didn't just win the Athletics award but the Arts award as well. We are so very proud of them both.
• Alex Corrance was a minor hockey player who died of a heart problem while on the ice at the age of 17, this was in 2006. BTNL sponsors a ball hockey tournament held in the parking lot at Ice Sports in support of his memorial fund. Cole and members of his hockey team participated this year. Cole's group was knocked out in the semi finals. All of the boys followed up the tournament with a pot luck and swim party at the Song's house. The perfect end to a wonderful day!
• I really do not like gossips, they really are unkind. 
• Our friends opened their shop in downtown Oakville. Gorgeous stuff!
• Father's Day was spent with Louis taking Cole to hockey lessons then off to watch Cole in Barrie playing football, I stayed in Oakville taking Caden to 3on3 and Claire to rugby. We then joined friends at the pub for a Father's Day dinner, fun!
• Claire played host to a number of friends at a Slip 'n' Slide party in our back yard. The kids were great and it was a fun afternoon with lots of water, lots of music, lots of voices and laughter ... oh and pizza, freezies and ice cream! And rain, but you know, wet is wet.
• Claire enjoyed her first rugby game, a total departure from playing baseball.
• We posted the "House Rules" after some negotiation. I finished reading "35 Things Your Teen Won't Tell You, So I Will" by Ellen Pober Rittberg. Scary stuff! With fingers crossed I hope I'm on the right path.
• Our gorgeous 3-storey blue spruce which was dead the top 10-12 feet was removed, and stumped. According to Chloe, who counted the rings, it was 28 years old. The thing with removing one problem is that it creates a whole new set of issues. We had the tree guy come in and they're going through the whole property to remove and prune. We'll see what's left in the fall!
• The G8 and the G20 were held in the GTA and area. It was a tense and distressing few days. I'm happy for anyone able to get themselves out of town and relieved that we have no reason to go to Toronto or cottage country.
• Report cards came through and the kids are all doing well with very strong marks. We are so proud of all of them. They really do represent four points on a compass and I'm always feeling like I'm going in different directions. They just choose different routes to their As and Bs.
• It was so nice to have Wimbledon tennis on during the day. And the US Open Golf at Pebble Beach? The best!
• Claire closed off the month taking care of Nicholas for 3 days. He is a lovely autistic boy, a child of a friend of ours who needs some help while she's a way and her husband is in charge.
• Louis spent his 48th birthday at a MOHA meeting where he raised his hand and is now the senior convener for Minor and Major PeeWee divisions. He has 2 years left on the board and he's already got it jam packed with stuff to do!
• As for me? Pick a project! Between Dream Lab, Project Photography, Frogs, Red Strings and 70-Days, my creative life has not slowed down. Indeed, it has picked up steam!

As I mentioned in this post a couple of days ago, I'll be slowing down the blog a bit in order to spend some time with the kids, and turn our massive "to do" into a big "ta da"! I'll pop in now and again when the mood - and time - strikes. In essence, the blog will slow, but life will not!

Creativity Boot Camp: Day 12

Journal Prompt

It can be scary to think about dreams; really scary. I’m sure there are a few of you who are put off thinking about dreams right now…assuring yourself that you are happy right where you are. But today, I’d like you to stretch and think about one or two dreams that you have for your future. They can be about a place you’d like to travel, a job you’d like to have, a business you’d like to own…but don’t feel restricted by reality. Try and see if you can stretch more, believing that anything is possible, what would you wish for?

Now, as you think of these dreams {big or small} what might be some small baby steps you could start taking right now to begin clearing the path towards those dreams?

I am firmly entrenched in the world of teens and pre-teens. My dreams are currently taking a new direction: focused on supporting the dreams of my children. I have learned that dreams require patience. You can't have it all, all the time, when you want it. Immediate gratification often has a far heavier cost than taking the slow and more steady road to fulfilment. Taking a break to focus on more important things, my kids, gives me time to have my ideas percolate and form fully before I expend time, energy and often expense only to have them fall apart. My creative dreams today are not necessarily my creative dreams of 2, 5, 10 years ago. The great thing is they grow as you grow, change as you change.

CLAIRE has just finished her first year of high school. She is a sweet and responsible girl ... with edge. She is social, smart, hard working and sure. No push over, my girl. She has a great sense of self. It was the one thing I dreamed for her and she has worked hard, against many obstacles, to attain a strong spirit and great confidence and humour. She started on a new athletic journey abandoning baseball after 8 or 9 years and now plays rugby, canoeing and I'm hoping by the end of the summer, golf! She understands the importance of her studies and is focused on getting good marks and picking a good university as she wants to be a Chiropractor/Sports Therapist. I am doing all I can to make sure her dream is reached - I'm supportive and happy to sign her up for anything that will further her ambitions. I am a sounding board always open and available to encourage her to be all that which she is capable. 

COLE has just finished his first year of middle school. He is a kind, intense and mature guy ... with enough self doubt to keep him from being too cocky. This year he saw evidence that hard work pays off as he was chosen to join the AAA hockey team after two dreadful seasons of toil. His response? Work harder. He is the poster child for focus. He is also very social and becoming very comfortable in the man he is becoming: well read, opinionated and thoughtful. He's also very active: he canoes/kayaks, plays rugby, runs cross country, plays football and goofs off with his younger brother. He has already decided that he is going to further his studies at McGill and pursue a career as a lawyer. I am doing all I can as his greatest cheerleader to provide him with sound council and encouragement. My greatest dream for Cole would be to forget about perfection and focus his considerable energy on attaining excellence. I have no doubt he will.

CHLOE is finishing up grade 5 and enjoyed her stint as Prime Minister of her class, honour student and playground organizer. Her siblings call her bossy, I call her organized :) Chloe discovered a love for volleyball which will be perused with gusto next season. She also quite enjoyed being a member of the Oakville Children's Choir this past season. She wants for so many things! A dreamer this one is! Right now she wants to be a marine biologist; a singer/actress; a teacher and a mum. Right now, the only dream I have for Chloe is happiness. She is such a force she doesn't always see how her actions effect others. Resilience is not the same as happiness. Oh, and I also hope she will finally turn off the television and embrace the books she's currently enjoying!

CADEN will forever be my "thank god he's alive" child. We almost lost him in 2003 to a drowning incident which left him in a coma for over a week. He is a continual marvel. When we left the hospital we were told to keep our expectations low, that among other things, he would never be able to use a Gameboy. I bought him one on the way home, not only does he play, he's mastered it and ever helps his big brother when he gets stuck on levels. Every time I have a dream for him, albeit a cautious one, he moves beyond it and I have to come up with something else. He's a big, funny, goofy comedian who loves to make people laugh and loathes being laughed at, ah, performer indeed. He's a stats freak and just when you think "it can't be", you google for an answer and realize he's right. My dream for Caden is that he finds joy in whatever he does.

Why a big entry about my children?

Simple.

They are my dream.

When I was growing up and had no dreams left, the only thing I wanted was a family of my own.

For you who are suspicious that I'm avoiding the practical question of what is my dream, here is my current, long-term list:

• Write a book, or series of books
• Drag out my watercolours and see where that goes
• Maybe combine the two?
• Lose 100 pounds
• Get published in Canadian Scrapbooker magazine
• Put together that notebook/card idea I had a couple of years ago
• Play tennis and golf again
• Multi media canvases, hmm
• That stationery store idea is always niggling at the back of my head - maybe Etsy makes more sense?
• Create an on-line class a la Susannah Conway? Ali Edwards? Share what I've learned, teach something altogether new? Be content to realize I'm not a teacher?
• Take a photo tour of Europe
• The poster quotes is another niggling plan
• What ever happened to that ceramic idea? Etching plans? Glass painting?

And from there it goes on ... and on.

Random Word Prompt

Smooth

Scotch? Marble? Jazz? Glass? Transition? So many choices!

Then I remembered all of the gorgeous smooth and flat rocks at the cove where the kids launch their kayaks. So indicative of our life here in Bronte. Whiling away hours skipping the lake rocks throughout the summer.

What was your interpretation of "smooth"?

Mmmm, cake and coupons

Caden has been making "googlie eyes" over one particular cake in the Fortino's Bakery for months now. As a surprise, we went and got him the Oreo cake as his birthday cake. He was thrilled. Not only that but he devoured two huge pieces!

His favourite gift? His sister Chloe made him a coupon book. The booklet included 2 coupons for each of the following:

• 1 Day of annoying me (Chloe)
• 1 Day of me (Chloe) as your servant
• 1 Day of me (Chloe) doing anything you want
• 1 Day to play any sport/game with you
• 1 10-minute massage
• 2 hours to play video games without me interrupting
• 1 Day of me (Chloe) not talking to you
• 1 hour of me (Chloe) staying outside only in good weather
• 1 Day of watching whatever movies you want

DISCLAIMER: Spend your coupons well. They expire on November 24th. Remember that you can only use the coupons on me (Chloe) and I can say "no" or "not today". Happy Birthday.

The coupons certainly give some insight to their relationship! I'm thinking I want a coupon book from each of my children :)

We're all dragging it a bit today. It's always hard to reengage after a long weekend. I drove Claire to school early for her first exam; came home and picked up Cole who is (frustratingly) becoming habitually late (grr, so disrespectful); I passed Chloe and Caden on their bikes headed to school while I was heading home. Fingers crossed that they finished their breakfast and managed to pack a well-balanced lunch. Have to offset that sugar hangover they must be suffering from this morning.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Two hands full

Five years ago my little man, with a black mask around his eyes, had a "Dash" birthday cake with five candles and "a handful" written on the side. Why? Because Caden was a handful.

Now?

Caden is two hands full! Dirty ones, at that.

My baby is now double-digit. I have no more littles in the house.

For the next twenty days I have two ten year olds to manage. They have always loved this time of year when they are both the same age and are able to pal around and call each other "twins" - Irish, of course. It gives them both such a giggle.

Years ago when I had my four kids in five years, it was a busy time. I really thought all I had to do was manage to survive the eight consecutive years of diapers, bottles, soothers, sippy cups, playgroups, preschools ... and I did.

Now I realize the fun has only just begun!