Embrace Life

pmm | leader of the pack

Beyond proud.

Months of preparation culminated at the Oakville Centre with the All-School Musical: Leader of the Pack, the Ellie Greenwich Story, performance at the end of February. I knew nothing about this musical and I made every effort to not listen to the songs and preparation happening through my house since late autumn.

I'm so happy I did! At the performances I was BLOWN AWAY.

Leading up to the performance, there was a lot of off-stage drama: Chloé our "Chez Smooch Waitress" badly sprained her ankle a few weeks before the big night. Her part called for a lot of dancing and her "big scene" called for her to carry a tray full of drinks - impossible to do with crutches. With much credit to my girl, she dealt with her injury with great dignity and patience as she moved onto duties with the set crew bringing enthusiasm and understanding. Less than a week before the performances, Chloé was crutch-free. Much to the credit of the producer and director of the play, Chloé was re-assigned and back on stage!

I am always proud of Chloé, but more so knowing that she is able to maneuver herself through theatre challenges like the professional she is and might be in the future :)

Personal note: anyone who thinks playing a sport is the only collective group opportunity should spend some time as part of a theatrical or choir production to realize the real meaning of TEAM.

Cole? Oh, yeah, him, the male "lead" of the show. Yes. The word "lead" is in quotations as this show was not about one performer or another. It was simply amazing in that this show was highlighted by MANY performers. I think it was a wonderful choice. (I really wish there were more musicals that would be written to highlight many performers as opposed to a few "lead"s.)

Back to Cole ... he was remarkable. So confident and poised on stage! He researched his part of Jeff Barry for months, getting the attitude, haircut, speech and timing right. He was confident: movements and mannerisms smooth, lines delivered with confidence, singing voice modulated well, dancing strong (no counting!) and everyone in the audience could tell he was having fun on stage. Of course, as his mama, I was in the audience (taking forbidden photos, below) holding my breath!

Chloé and Caden were both so incredibly dedicated and wonderful, as were all of the performers!

Beyond proud.

Though there were kids with their agents and coaches in the seats, this was a performance done by a number of kids who don't have theatre in their future. Most of these kids are going off to university for anything but arts and performing. Their dedication and enthusiasm is incredible. Beyond any elite sport my kids have performed, the dedication of these kids (along with parents, faculty and other support) is remarkable and inspiring.

SHOUT OUT: Special thanks to our family guests for attending and to our friends for their kind accolades - especially those who don't have to attend student performances.

real right now | cole is 17

I had a conversation with my dad recently and he confirmed for me that time does indeed go into fast-forward the older you get. Blink. Cole is 17 today!

(click on image to enlarge)

This year, I decided to create a page I could include in my Project Life to celebrate Cole's birthday. In the process, I learned many things, but one thing stands out - Cole is not home enough! I had to go back to September to find a decent photo of him. I must remedy this for his next birthday.

CREDITS: Cathy Zielske Layered Template No. 77

pmm | cole earns optimates

Cole is a very tough critic and demands a lot of himself. I love that he keeps his standards high. This past academic year he catapulted himself over so many distractions and excelled in each of his courses. That focused effort resulted in tremendous marks. Happily he continues to work hard and knows very well that this year and next are the ones that "count". Last year was just practice.

I'm so very proud of him.

(Photo converted to B&W because the dining hall at school is painted a unfortunate colour of yellow.)

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.

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 :)

pmm | cole is perchik

When the All School play was announced earlier in the year, I was a bit hesitant about how Fiddler on the Roof would be received by the school community. It's an "old" Broadway musical about a poor Jewish milkman, father of five daughters, who is struggling with the changes in pre-revolutionary Russia. I have always loved the music and the story, but would the kids find it relevant? (Some people actually thought it was literally about a fiddler - on a roof.) It was as opposite Grease as I could imagine!

The minute it was announced Cole, of course, focused on landing the role of Perchik, the young revolutionary who falls in love with one of the daughters. Once he got the part, lines were memorized and songs were perfected. His dancing? Well, he had fun!

He, and the rest of the 70+ kids who participated - on stage, back stage and in the pit - were wonderful!

I enjoyed both performances immensely!

It looks like Fiddler on the Roof must be relevant as it's on the slate of offerings at Stratford this summer. Though I don't know that we'll go, I'm glad an "old" show with concerns about changing traditions and pushing limits is still being seen and enjoyed.

things we do | semi formal

A little while back both Claire and Cole went to the Semi Formal dinner and dance at their school. I love that they want to participate in the social events offered to the students. I love even more that they still want to attend even without dates. The lack of social pressure they put on themselves is really a testament to their confidence in themselves and I'm very proud of them both. Even moreso that they were willing to go together and supported each other.

This photo was taken as they left the house:

The other day the "official" photos were all uploaded! Both kids sent me their favourites:

Taking a look at some of the dresses I wonder what is considered formal! These ladies look so fancy and grown up.

Claire and her friend, Jess, were definitely having a great time!

THIS is an eclectic group. I love, love, love this photo.

Yeah. That's my kid - Mr. Photo Bomb. Goof.

He can't seem to help himself.

Fun for them! Where is Cole? Find the big group of girls and he'll be in the middle :)

All of the party photos were taken by http://www.streeterstevens.com.

Now? The search is on for the perfect prom dress. The fun never stops :)

Cole at Sixteen

Template: Cathy Zielske
Digi Paper: Maplebrook Studios Finer Things Red
Element: Karla Dudley

 

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.

hello monday | 35

love me a boy who will dance in the rain!

hello christmas plans. underway! who knew july was late?

hello olympics. truly my most favourite TV viewing every couple of years!

hello mailslot. i prefer it to a box. it is the little things that matter.

hello more theatre camp. she's happy on stage, that's for sure.

hello rescheduled pedicure. the flood at the spa? ick.

hello favourite plumber. water has always been an issue.

hello bachelor pad premiere. let bad behaviour reign!

hello naturopath. lets get things back on track.

hello creative energy. so glad to have it back!

hello laundry. does it ever end?

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.

Cole | Always Learning

Cole is one of those kids who needs a constant challenge. It used to be sports: baseball, hockey, lacrosse, rugby; but, since a concussion sidelined him he's had to choose other outlets for his competitive and creative spirit.

Always comfortable in front of a crowd, Cole has been taking acting lessons since the new year. He was asked to join in a play that took place this week:

He played the "hunk" groundskeeper - complete with a Scottish accent - in a play his instructors wrote and directed. It was so good! That they could go from nothing to a full blown production on the Oakville Centre stage in three weeks is amazing! It was made even more funny when he and his "love interest" realized that she is in her second year of university and he's just a minor-niner. Ah, the lessons in acting!

Those lessons include:

1. Quick deadlines encourages focus and team spirit

2. What we see on stage has no relation to reality

3. You can be whatever you want - it's all about attitude

I can't wait to see what other adventures - and lessons - hold await him. This has been a particularly stressful year for my boy and I'm very happy that he's found a place that is comfortable for him with people who are kind and supportive and fun.

Dragonboat Festival 2012

There have been a number of lovely experiences over the years, as part of the larger Appleby community a highlight has to be our time participating on the Dragonboat teams. Claire started as a member way back when she was just a little fresh-faced kid in Middle One. This season she's been joined by her not-so-fresh-faced brother, Cole. The team is made up of students, alumni and faculty with ages ranging from 14 through over 50. It is such a fun, kind, enthusiastic and inclusive group. Me? I take photos, so far. It has been a joy to watch my kids broaden the circle of people in their lives and watch them be so welcome.

After weeks of training each Sunday morning, the day had finally come for the Festival! We arrived at the Don Rowing Club in Port Credit early, by 7:45AM, which was not early enough to get a parking spot - well, not one close! I walked back to be there for the first race, after all, our two teams were going head-to-head. It was the only race that would matter ... unless they made it into the finals together :)

(Above) Claire heads to her boat with members of the OnFire team.

(Below) Cole heads to his boat with members of the H2O Tested team.

Siblings are separated to take advantage of their competitive natures. Shrewd decision!

(Above) Rich steers his team (with Cole) to the start.

(Below) Sheila makes sure everyone is sitting straight and paddles up! I love the broad smile on Claire's face. Testament to her joy!

H2O Tested wins by a dragon's head!

Between heats, time is spent socializing and studying.

In the end, Cole and his H2O Tested crew won Bronze in the A final; Claire and her OnFire crew won Gold in the B final. A pretty good day, I'd say!

A welcome break from the grind of exam study - but now they're back in the thick of it all.

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 :)

Project Life | 05

PROJECT LIFE | 05
29 January - 04 February, 2012
Big Events: Cole turns 15 | Caden has a tournament

Close Up:

INSERT ONE: Birthday Note from Mama

Template: Cathy Zielske | Digital Papers: Karla Dudley

INSERT TWO: Q&A

(A quick note: I thought I had misplaced Cole's original answers and asked him answer the same questions - in March. He was in such a different head space later. Winter for Cole was really quite brutal on many levels. I'll post the more Cole-like responses with some insight, later.)

 

Template: Cathy Zielske | Digital Papers: Karen Lewis

And with that, Week 5 is complete!

Come back tomorrow to see what Week 6 looked like :)

Cole | Headshots

My Cole has always been a performer - never afraid to get up in front of a crowd to give a presentation, sing a song alone or in a group, always participating in life in some outgoing and expressive way. Since his recent success as Teen Angel in Grease he has expressed an interest (aka, been relentless in his pursuit) of acting lessons. As it happens, one of the men on Caden's hockey coaching staff has a brother who teaches acting for a living. And, bonus, he's local!

Cole went to his first class and it was a tremendous success. He was asked to go out immediately and get a set of head shots. Nothing was more immediate than the next day!

This is what we came up with:

Thank goodness he was still on Spring Break and the weather was so wonderful. We headed over to the school campus and had him simply do what he does wearing what he likes. At least it's a start! 

Tell me, do you have a favourite? A combination? What do you think?

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.

PMM | Cole Performs Beauty School Dropout

Last night Cole performed in his school production of Grease. He has just turned 15 and I have to admit I was very nervous for him. There's been a lot going on and I was afraid the pressure would be too much for him. I love it when he proves me wrong!

So, my latest Proud Mama Moment:

 

Enjoy!

Happy Leap Day!

I am spending my bonus day doing what I normally do on Wednesday. That means I'm busy running errands and organizing "stuff". I actually have a lot to look forward to as Cole is on stage tonight in his school musical "Grease". He is playing a Thunderbird as well as "Teen Angel". I can't wait to see him!

I had plans to create a list of 29 Things I love (right now) and then make a lovely layout to share. Um. Sorry about that, no layout, but here is my list in no particular order:

My kids
Gray paired with anything
Photos + Words
Asparagus
Galaxy 314, Adult Alternative music station
Barbecued rib eye steak with oodles of mushrooms
When common sense is used
Sleep
Cape Cod in the Summer
Our new house - our new life
Listening to & laughing with my kids
Writing my blog - and reading others
Learning new things
The cold side of the pillow
Tutto Fungi pizza from Fortino's on Sunday afternoon
"Once Upon A Time"
Silence
Lunch with friends
Sauvignon Blanc
Recipes EVERYONE likes
Being with those who bring out the best in me
Clean bathrooms
Hell, clean every room
Things to look forward to - and finished "to do" lists
Canyon Ranch, Tucson in Spring
Sushi
Engaging books with solid endings
Walking in the rain
Cultivating a good life

And, in honour of the LEAP part of the day, here is my frogs mini album.

I took a quick flip through and realized there is some updating to do. New life. New frogs.

Enjoy your bonus day! What do you have planned?

 

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.]

Return of Routine | Part 2

Delayed Post: I couldn't find the back-to-school photo!
Originally intended to post on Monday, September 12.

. . .

Caden has now had a week of school under his belt and he's loving it - having the same teacher as last year has really made it an easy transition in a time when nothing is easy. I am grateful.

It is now turn for the rest of the kids to head back!

CLAIRE is entering Senior 1 (Grade 11) and she is looking forward to a busy year. Her schedule has changed a few times with the flip flop between taking or not taking Physics. We decided three science courses would be too much and she's now settled on taking Drama instead. I think that is a good choice. She has gone back to the original plan to take kinesiology at University and that's how she chose her classes. Mid-term update: French was dropped and Media English is being studied instead. There is a plan to take French over the summer. We'll see how that goes! Claire seems to have settled in and is far more comfortable in the environment than she has been in a long time. She chose to be in music - singing in Appleby Rocks - for her first term elective and she was fantastic! Now she spends her weekends studying and practicing for the upcoming varsity volleyball season.

COLE is entering Upper 1 (Grade 9) and he is looking forward to his first year in high school. He doesn't have a lot of choice in his courses but he did make on interesting choice in his language elective: Mandarin. Um, okay. He never makes anything easy on himself. As of today the plan is to focus on engineering, though no one knows what discipline. No doubt that will change a few times in the next couple of years. Mid-term update: Cole is involved in two of the choirs and has just auditioned for the school play: Grease. Just today I received his first test mark for Mandarin ... 93%. He did manage to get hypothermia while in Temagami and within 24-hours decided to run instead of walk, the 21K walkathon, with no preparation. Sigh. I think this will be an interesting year for Cole as he figures out where he wants to fit in and the areas he wants to focus on.

CHLOE is starting her first year, Middle 1 (Grade 7) and she seems to be looking forward to this, her first day in a new environment. A uniform (she gets her tie at a ceremony today), a cafeteria - with hot meals, e-school (classes on computer), early starts and late days, 70+ new kids to get to know ... there will be a ton of adjustment. Chloé is a smart and engaging girl and I'm sure she'll find a great group of kids to hang out with. I know Claire and Cole will look out for her! Mid-term update: Chloé is settling into the long days and new routine with very little upset. She has a great group of friends and is very supportive of them and their endeavours. She played on the middle school basketball team and managed to walk the whole walkathon - in about four hours! The new community seems to suit my girl perfectly and I know she will thrive.

This is the first time in a long time, two years, I've had three kids in one school. Our mornings will prove busy as the olders head to school for first class at 8AM, Caden's first class is 8:45AM and I want to walk or swim every morning before my day starts. I'm also scheduled to volunteer at both schools which is a nice, and unexpected, change.

So though we are returning to routine in our days, our days have changed with new challenges and adventures ahead. I know the kids are looking forward to it, and so am I.

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.

Still thawing out ...

Well, I am.

Yesterday afternoon was spent on the wet and windy rugby field where I was witness to plenty of this:

And smiles when it was all over, with a win.

Love seeing my boy happy and confident.

It was so worth standing around, taking 600+ photos, to see Cole emerge as a hard-playing, hard-working, leader by example. The only warmth found in the day was watching the whole team interact with each other, and with the classmates who chose to sit in the rain and cold to support them. Tremendous group of kids.

We made a quick trip home to have him warm up in a hot shower, send some of the mud down the drain, then left to take him to rugby practice up at the Crusader's Park. After which he came back home, caked in more mud, and took another shower.

Still with a smile on his face.

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.

{easy like a} Sunday Morning ...

is the title of a new photo challenge, and I definitely have the song imbedded in my head!

My talented cyber-friend, Jack, is back! I've missed her greatly and am thrilled to be able to visit with her on a more regular basis. She has come up with a new weekly photography challenge:

Here is the scoop:

+ Wake up
+ Have your camera handy (doesn't need to be a fancy camera; a point and shoot or even your phone camera will do)
+ Wait for that perfect moment
+ And shoot, shoot, shoot away!
+ Post your Sunday morning shot on your site and tell us about it
+ Visit my Sunday morning post to add your link located at the bottom of my post

Simple.  Right?

I love that this challenge is starting now. My Sunday mornings in the summer are so very different from my Sunday mornings in the winter - with only the watching of CBS Sunday Morning in common - and I'm looking forward to participating in this challenge!

What shots am I looking forward to taking?

• Sipping coffee while out on the deck
• The view of the lake at dawn
• Sun streaming in bedroom windows
• Sleeping children
• Read newspapers scattered on the floor
• Kids out on kayaks
• Walking to Bronte
• Over in the park - swings, slides, monkey bars
• Raindrops on windows
• Heading to church
• In the rink
• Welcome relief from Pub Night
• On the road
• Making brunch

What about you? Any specific Sunday Morning photos you want to capture?

Here is mine, for today:

SUNDAY MORNING | 001 Sticks

Today was Cole's final practice with his current hockey team. Since September his sticks have been lined up by our front door so he has easy access to them: game stick, back up stick, road hockey stick, stick handling stick, tester stick, a stick for every possible purpose and more. Even though he doesn't stop hockey for the summer, he doesn't need as easy access so by the end of the day this sight will be gone and moved down to it's summer home, in the basement - or better - the garage!

. . . . .

Have some fun and be sure to join in!

Team Up Thursday: Human Body

Cole is growing up. I find the process fascinating having never been an adolescent boy, myself! He is going through many changes - the most obvious being his evolving muscles.

Coupled with that, Shirley has included a photo of her holding her brand new nephew. A study in contrasts to be sure!

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!

 

Jungian Personalities

About a year ago, I went through a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to find out what it would reveal about me. More specifically, I was in a place of discomfort and misdirection and needed to get myself back on track. I found it fascinating - the test and the results. I was recently reading about Carl Jung for something else and stumbled on another version of the same test. This time I took it and, not surprising, I got the exact same results.

[source]

I am ISTJ (Introverted sensing with thinking): These are dependable pillars of strength. They often try to reform their mates and other people. They make good bank examiners, auditors, accountants, tax examiners, supervisors in libraries and hospitals, business, home ec., and phys. ed. teachers, and boy or girl scouts!

I have to say I was a bit disappointed to have nothing "creative" on my list, it all looks a bit dry and boring, but I have to say, the people who make me laugh the most are accountants. I know, weird! And, at the moment, I'm feeling far more like an ancient and crumbly pillar! I've been taking this, and similar tests, for over a decade, at least I'm consistent. I don't remember ever receiving a different result.

Then I was curious and sent the test to my older kids. I know they do not yet have fully formed personalities, but I really can't see them changing in any fundamental way:

Claire is both ENFP and INFP (I'm sure the I and E will get sorted out over time).

ENFP (Extroverted intuiting with feeling): These people love novelty and surprises. They are big on emotions and expression. They are susceptible to muscle tension and tend to be hyperalert. they tend to feel self-conscious. They are good at sales, advertising, politics, and acting.

INFP (Introverted feeling with intuiting): These people are idealistic, self-sacrificing, and somewhat cool or reserved. They are very family and home oriented, but don't relax well. You find them in psychology, architecture, and religion, but never in business.

Her response: "I like that one (INFP)! I’m just a combo of both then! :D I’m awesome."

Yes, yes you are, Claire.

Cole is a conundrum! The only area in which he is overwhelming anything is INTROVERT which may be surprising to those who don't know him well. As far as I can tell, as his mama, he is one of either:

INTJ (Introverted intuiting with thinking): These are the most independent of all types. They love logic and ideas and are drawn to scientific research. They can be rather single-minded, though.

INTP (Introverted thinking with intuiting): Faithful, preoccupied, and forgetful, these are the bookworms. They tend to be very precise in their use of language. They are good at logic and math and make good philosophers and theoretical scientists, but not writers or salespeople.

I find the study of people really fascinating - which is part of my journey into the Jung research. Early in the research process last week I ran across this article which lead me to this test.

Have you taken the test or something similar? What are you? Any surprises?

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.

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!

Glimpse: Sigh

As just about everyone knows, my Cole plays hockey. He spends a crazy amount of time in rinks, travelling to and from games, training, eating mindfully, hydrating and obsessively researching equipment. A while back he came bounding in from a morning at the training facility and tossed what looked like a white puck at me:

He got this from one of the facility employees. A year ago I would have been more than a little indignant over the lack of appropriateness of giving something like this to my new-teen boy. Now? I roll my eyes, sometimes sigh, and maintain my fingers in a hopeful crossed position in silent prayer that he's been raised well enough (so far) and do my best to hold my tongue. He's growing up whether I want him to or not!

My new mantra: Pick Your Battles. So, with an arched eyebrow and a shake of my head, I grabbed it to take a photo.

(On the flip side, a couple of weeks ago, when he tossed me a condom - given to him by a teammate - I had a similar reaction: but higher arch, more vehement shake and no photo. Oh, and a stern talk since that was a battle I was willing to wage.)

This too shall pass. I wonder what the next stage will bring? I will resume more finger crossing that I will be prepared! And even more finger crossing that I manage to handle it with humour :)

Last conversation ...

I have to say it is with great relief my boy is home from his 4-Day school trip. It was a strange sensation writing up three of these conversations and having a blank page for Cole. Well, maybe not so blank because I was able to fill in a few things: I know his favourite colour is red, it has been since he was very little; I know his favourite season is fall and that he can eat Granny Smith Apples all day long ...

I had no idea he still disliked McDonald's french fries or hasn't had time to read a book, for fun, since summer. 

I'm thrilled to bits that the coolest person both Cole and Chloe know is their little brother, Caden. This has been a wonderful process - very enlightening. Even though waiting a couple of extra days to add Cole's responses to the collection was a bit painful for someone as impatient as I tend to be ... hmm.

I've learned a lot about my kids, their changing interests and enjoyed every minute of their interaction with each other while they answered the questions at the kitchen table. The good-natured bantering back and forth is exactly what I had hoped for when I decided to have a crazy number of children in a ridiculously short time-frame ;) They still drive me a bit crazy, but they are all turning into such wonderful, complex and enjoyable people.

It took me less than a minute to download the template from Designer Digitals. It took about 10 minutes per interview. It took about 10 minutes per template to add colour and background. In total 81 minutes invested in getting to know my kids - something completely priceless. Cheap at twice the price!

What are you waiting for? This is what it's all about! Right?

Time to Represent

Every day my kids are given the opportunity to represent themselves and our family. I'm happy (and relieved) to say that they do that well, almost all the time.

Occasionally they have earned the right, through academics and sport, to represent their school, our town and our province.

Rarely will they ever have the opportunity to represent their country.

This weekend marks one of those rare occasions.

Cole and his hockey team are representing Canada at the Nations Cup being held in Stratford, Ontario (about a 90 minute drive West), with five other Canadian teams. They will be facing six teams representing the United States. In hockey terms, and life terms, this is a big deal.

This may never happen again.

So excuse my absense. I have hockey to cheer. And photograph.

But I will leave you with a little video which, if you don't watch hockey, will either explain why my boy (and, indeed, whole family) love it so much, or leave you simply shaking your head:

Rest assured, all evidence of Cole's concussion has cleared and we babied him for an extra week just to be sure. He's back on the ice and I'm thankful - he was going stir crazy and driving us all to distraction! If you are curious about how things are going, head on over to the sidebar and click In the Rinks >>> and follow the links. Otherwise, I'm sure to update upon our return ;)

Go Rangers! Go Canada!

Team Up Thursday: Hats

I have teamed up with my friend, and wonderful photographer, Shirley LeMay, to participate in Team Up Thursday. I enjoy these challenges and am always surprised when I open my mail to see the final diptych.

This week the theme was HATS and this his how we both captured it (click to enlarge):

Check out the other diptychs over on the Team Up Thursday Flickr Group. Grab a friend and join in!

the simple things | 03

the re-wrap

for years i've been watching cole wrap his stick. a few times each week. it is an art and he has mastered it. he takes this quiet routine time to reflect on his game and focus on what he needs to work on to be the best player he can be. a lot of good talks have happened while sitting there in the kitchen watching him methodically remove the old tape, check for damage, re-wrap and wax his stick.

like when this photo was taken.

That's All Folks!

For the last six weeks, Claire and a group of fellow students at school have been working hard on the Upper School Play. This is not a high-profile event and I was impressed that these kids chose this activity as it is not as popular - or prestigeous - as the whole school performance at the end of the year. As it was explained to me, there is not much turnout for this play because it is not a musical. This theory may also answer why most of the actors were boys :)

This term, Claire and her best friend, Marley, joined a bunch of their guy buddies, and not deterred by their small number, they put on a FANTASTIC performance.

(I have to admit, I was dreading the idea of sitting through yet another school production. The lesson learned: If nothing else, kids growing up means the school productions improve. A lot.)

Combining their efforts, over the past while, they all colaborated to write and perform what was, in essence, three sketches. Three sketches at 15-minutes each. Forty-five minutes of adolescent brilliance. I was so impressed by each and every one of them. Talking with the parents after, we were all taken with the fact that none of them, not one, broke character once. Not even a little. Very impressive for a group of 14 and 15 year old kids. None of whom do this performing thing for anything but fun.

Full story: When we realized the date of the performances conflicted with the "big tournament", Claire told me to go to Chicago, to Cole's hockey tournament, and not watch her perform. She was quite insistent. So much so, I had organized care for her and for the youngers. I am so glad I honoured my instinct and ignored her. I think she's glad too.

Earlier in the day, over dinner, I was sitting with the youngers waiting for the game tweets. One of the first ones through:

Though it was a losing effort, the Rangers lost to the Russians by a score of 4-2, it turns out both of my kids had good days.

I often marvel at the audacity of all of them. All four of my kids are completely unphased by doing what they want to do. I'm so very proud of them. I'm especially inspired when they do things that I would never consider even attempting.

After all, I'm lazy. I don't want to have to look too far for my inspiration :)

Team Spirit (+ a colourful no-sew tutorial)

I am a cheerleader. I've always been one. I enjoy going to my kids activities and encouraging them, along with their teammates, in all the games they persue. From football, to baseball, to hockey, to rugby, to basketball and everything in between, I've always been there making plenty of noise and finding the good even when things mess up.

Cole and his hockey team are doing very well this season, coming out victorious with tight, low-scoring, nailbiter games! This season our regular games are very quiet. As this is a new team, I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but Cole has mentioned that things are too quiet on the ice. He and his teammates would like some noise. After being at a few Maple Leafs games lately, I know for sure that even a (traditionally) losing team has plenty of positive noise coming from the stands so why not our boys? After all, they're effort is incredible, that's something to cheer, right?

Cole and his team are off to the Bauer Tournament in Chicago a bit later today. I have to miss it, but I'll be there in spirit. How? The next best thing - I've sent along some cheer. If I can't be there, I can send along the means to make a lot of noise! At least my boy will know the team is being encouraged from the stands.

I placed an order and a box arrived:

In it were a bunch of tambourines, pompoms and cowbells (yes, cowbells):

In team colours: red, white and blue, of course. Cole's teammates were happy to receive their cheer packages and anxious to give to their fans! I had grand plans to send along some more gear, but I ran out of time. I did manage to make colourful no-sew scarf:

Start by choosing the colours:

Then gather all of your (minimal) materials:

9 pieces of felt (3 of each colour) mine measure 12" x 9" each
1 pair of very sharp scissors
1 ruler
1 marker

Measure out your cuts. In my case they are 2" cuts spaced 1/4" apart:

Cut all of your felt:

Tie your first knot:

Top over bottom, bottom over top - top to bottom, bottom to top, doesn't matter.

They all have to be the same:

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And, after nine pieces are tied together, you get a spirit scarf:

This was done using cheap $0.49 felt pieces from Michael's. I'm sure a far more plush product would be created by going to a fabric store and getting a few pieces of polar fleece. I may do that next time around, after I'm finished with our spirit scarves for Caden's Hound Dog team and Claire and/or Cole's school teams:

This was a GREAT project. My kids enjoyed piecing together the fabric and loved the idea of showing team spirit by sporting the colours of the teams their sibs represent.

Lessons learned: my fingers are not as nimble as they once were, my eyes are not as sharp either, but I love the colourful result.

In the end, the scarf measures about 72" x 9". Even better? It cost a grand total of $4.98 in material plus taxes. Perfect for sporting at any (winter season) event!

I've given the scarf to Louis to wear - I will cheer our boys vicariously through him :)

Go RANGERS Go!

Wellness Wednesday: Run for the Cure

One of the mums, Christine, (who we have not yet met) from the Oakville Ranger '97 group is in the midst of treatment for breast cancer. The entire Ranger group, four teams in total, representing our Oakville Rep Hockey program were encouraged to participate in the annual Run for the Cure.

It was a wet and cold morning. The boys didn't let it dampen their spirits!

They even got on stage and lead the crowd - over 6,000 participants - in cheers and the pre-race warm up. Some of us found it funny that the boys from Oakville were leading the participants in Burlington (the town next to us) on stage. Our boys enjoy the spotlight!

Poor Heather was cold and her sneakers were soaked through. As I'm sure was the case for many of the participants and spectators. We had a few good giggles while waiting for our team to come through the finish line!

Cole enjoyed the run and took it at a steady pace - no need to out-do anyone on his team. He ran with his buddy Kohler through most of the race and they made the most of 5km in the rain, joking and horsing around most of the way! (If you look really close at Cole's bib you'll see he was running for Christine and for my friend Elaine, who has also had a recent battle with breast cancer.)

It is such a worthy cause.

This just in, the photo that will be sent off to our local paper (thank goodness someone brought a camera with a wide angle - I'd give photo credit, but I don't know who took it):

 

As a family we are very fortunate [furiously knocking wood!] to not have been touched by this wrenching disease. Though Louis is a survivor of adrenal cancer in 1998 it is a record in my kids health files, not part of their every day. It is an uncomfortable conversation for most, but my kids are not afraid because they know their dad survived and my good friend Elaine has survived. I know we are very fortunate and I hope that message is being driven home when we discuss it with our kids.

Not everyone survives.

That is the reason for the run.

Wet and cold we called for Louis to drive in from Oakville to collect us (me, Cole, Heather, Matt and Ollie). It was actually a pretty smooth event with lots of laughs and lots of love.

Life is good. And as long as it's good we'll give back 100% when we can.

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!

Rink Update

Cole and I are back to the rink this morning. I'm letting him sleep as long as possible! Here is a bit of an update from yesterday:

• If you want to follow a play-by-play of the games, you can follow our team on Twitter.
• The new uniforms are hard for me to read. Good thing I know the team name! I'll post a photo when I take one!
• No, I took none! Chesswood Arena STINKS for vantage points and there are no photographer cut-outs in the plexiglass.
• Yes, I'll bring the little camera today and maybe get a quick shot or two of our boys. Okay, I just re-read that and leaving my camera would be the same as leaving my right arm. I'll bring it. I may not use it, but I know if I left it there would be an opporunity and I'd miss it!
• Results are not being updated on the Red Wings site. Very disappointing. So, for you Guy (my father in law) the games looked like this: we lost a tight game 2-1 to a strong Vaughn Knights team and followed up by winning a penalty-heavy (us) game 7-2 vs Barrie Colts which we had beaten previously this pre-season at the Nottawasaga "friendly" event.
• Further proof that I know *uck all about hockey: I wasn't sure about Cole's play the first game and expressed that to a couple of the mums and to Louis. Cole comes out of the change room and tosses me a t-shirt. Game MVP.
• If you ever have a chance to invite another boy to come along with your boy for the day, do it! You will be delighted and surprised. Boys are really the best. I love this age. Not quite men but think they might be then the ideas scares them. Charming :)
• I had forgotten how LONG the days are at tournaments. Today I'm better prepared and I'll spend more time sitting on the grass with my laptop than in the parking lot chatting!
• It is always so nice to see friends, and meet new ones, and congratulate them on the success of their children on their new and old teams. Catching up on the stories makes for the time to go faster.
• So nice to return back to Oakville and have a glass of wine and lovely company ready to chat about everything and nothing.
• Louis took all 17 pairs of skates we were no longer using to the Skate Sale. I feel good that some purging was done.

Cole's up and showered so after his bowl - or two - of Vector cereal, we'll be heading to the wilds of North Toronto. We play a team from Rochester (they lost to the Barrie Colts and beat the Mississauga Senators) in the morning and then the Mississauga Senators in the afternoon (they lost both games yesterday).

Fingers crossed we play on Sunday!

Toronto Red Wing Tournament

Today?

I'm ...

I'm heading about an hour and a bit away from home to North Toronto - Chesswood Arena - to enjoy the next couple of days watching our boys play in their first tournament of the season.

Click on over to the "In The Rinks" button over there >>> to the right. The link has been added so you can see how the '97 Rangers fare.

For me? I just know I'm in the car, with a child watered and fed, to pick up another child watered and fed to be at the rink for 8AM. At the end of two games - sometime around 5:30PM I'll head home with both boys. The process will start again on Saturday, and, depending on the outcome of four games, again on Sunday.

Louis will, unfortunately, miss the fun. This time.

He will enjoy some fun of his own: conducting the Atom Draft! And many more MOHA House League obligations.

Things have been a bit silly here the last couple of weeks. Louis has volunteering in his blood. His dad, Guy, is an uber-volunteer with dedication to service and community in his blood. A bit ago, our Minor Oaks Hockey Association had a bit of a crisis, the VP of House League resigned. A team of dedicated volunteers stepped in and are wading through the many issues and participants and parents in an effort to start the season for an association of more than 3,000 kids, really closer to 4,000. Louis has taken this crisis to heart. Endless hours have been spent trying to get things on track. The former VP has been very helpful and things are, for the most part, are running smoothly.

Smooth takes a lot of time.

A lot of dedicated focus and energy.

Without volunteers like my husband, and the other dedicated voluteers, there is a real chance that 3 to 4 THOUSAND kids in town would be playing something ... just not organized hockey.

For that he will miss three days of a hockey tournament.

A small price to pay for all those kids. It still stinks.

Thank goodness for BlackBerry Messenger!

Cole channels Brando

I found it shocking when I was folding laundry and Claire asked, in an innocent inquisitive voice, "where did Cole get the wife-beater shirt?" WHAT? As it turns out, that is the accepted vernacular for a sleeveless undershirt - you know, the kind made famous in the mid-40s, or when Marlon Brando made Stanley Kowalski's character in the brilliant Tennessee William's A Streetcar Named Desire, famous.

Famous to me, and maybe to you.

Cole was clueless.

Which really bothered me.

I am failing my children, at least cinematically. I remember spending many a Saturday watching old black and white movies on television. Do you remember Elwy Yost? He certainly provided context with stories of what was going on in the world at the time the movie was filmed, what the studios were doing to drive the casting, all of the backstory for all the movies. It really drove my early interest. I wish there were shows like that on television for my kids.

Anyway ...

Then I remembered, I first saw Marlon Brando as the creepy colonel in Apocalypse Now, he was not someone I was interested in getting to know. He was old ... and creepy. Then, a little while later I realized that this same person was Stanley Kowalski and Terry Malloy in On The Waterfront, for which he won an Academy Award. It's all in the context.

So, I've rented for Cole three great movies to watch: A Streetcar Named Desire; On The Waterfront and Guys and Dolls in which Brando played Sky Masterson. I will have to be Elwy Yost for my kids :)

And, because no entry is complete without a photo, here is proof of the channelling:

I really hope he enjoys the old movies and maybe find a love of cinema.

SOOC Saturday: Feels Official

SOOC or otherwise, this is by no means the best photo I've ever taken (I chalk it up to sleep in my eyes, and Claire absconding with my 50mm lens) but it may be the most meaningful. I made Cole take off his new 97AAA warm-up jacket in order to eat - and not chance a spill on it. He received the coveted jacket earlier this week and slept with it on the first night. This is the next morning, eating his Vector cereal, getting ready to head back out to the rink. 

This morning he leaves for a week of training camp at Olympia Sports Camp with his new teammates. He's anxious to go, especially since they found out it is "cheerleading camp" week, too. Oh, the stories he'll have upon his return!

What is your favourite SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) shot today? You can join in: here! 

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.

Back from OELC

I have to say the week Cole was up at OELC (Ontario Educational Leadership Centre) it was strange around here. It was just so quiet. And tidy. He left on Sunday morning and Louis collected him the following Saturday. By Tuesday, each of the remaining three kids mentioned how much they missed him. I was so happy to hear them. I missed him too!

This was the scene upon his return on Saturday:

And he unpacked his bag to find the poster that hung in his cabin was a bit wet, but he loves it. I had him pose with it while it dried:

Nice neon t-shirt, eh? Makes him look VERY tanned. Well, maybe that's because he is very tanned.

The poster says:

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. - Gandhi

RISK

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is the risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self

To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd, is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, has nothing, and is nothing

I find it interesting that of all the motivational and inspirational posters and quotes on the walls of the cabin, this is the one Cole requested of his Teacher Facilitator. It really lets me know exactly where his head is right now, in this moment. I think I'm going to like this boy-man who has returned to us!

Like his sister before him, Cole was selected to attend OELC by his school, specifically his Physical Education teacher, to attend Intermediate Athletics. Judging from his Facebook page, he made a ton of friends while he was up there. He is filled with stories and experiences. After a few of them, I've had to tell him there are some stories and jokes his mama just doesn't need to hear. Teenage bathroom humour is beyond my patience threshold! Though I do like that he was chosen to give the final day speech - and he did, by winging it :)

Once we got his laundry started he handed me the bit I was excited about. The report package:

Cole's evaluation form included a section for his own goal setting and a section for evaluation by the professionals at the camp. (The Teacher Facilitator is a real honest to goodness teacher who donates part of their summer to guide youngsters in areas of communication, initiative, organization, group work and goal setting.) On Cole's teacher evaluation the only area he needs to improve is no surprise to me: organization. Though it says he got a 3 out of 4, I know he was ineffective in that particular area, judging from his room and the number of times he leaves things at home he needs for school and activities! Certainly an area to improve. But he knows it and is starting to have a sense of humour about it. Last year he even gave me a study about how kids with high IQ tend to be "forgetful". In turn I showed him how to use a calendar and write a list ;)

The most interesting part of this exercise was the Goal Identification he wrote on his arrival at camp:

Skill: Initiative
Goal: Don't be afraid of being wrong or failing
Strategy: Just go for it. Don't be afraid. Let loose and be myself

and the follow-up Goal Reflection he wrote upon his departure from camp:

Achievement: Yes, I achieved my goal
Obstacles: Getting past that mental block that held me back from past opportunities
Next Steps: Continue expanding my social horizons

Mama comment: social horizons? What in the world does that mean? Never mind. He's 13, I don't think I want to know :) The part I love though is that there is an accountability factor. Cole had to be aware and not just go through the motions and have fun. It is the ultimate experience of LEARN THROUGH PLAY. My preferred method for my kids to learn.

The final word from the Teacher Facilitator was that: Cole should take more initiative from the perspective of self-direction. Cole is encouraged to become the chair person of the intra-mural committee for next year and has been told to approach the principal the first week of school and communicate this challenge. He is to take charge and see it through.

OELC really does a wonderful job. All aspects of learning are incorporated into an entire weeks worth of activities. The kids eat, drink, play and sleep the principles we most want them to learn in order to be current and future leaders. Some of the activities over the week included:

Trust Activities
Yoga
Ultimate Frisbee
CIRA Games
Sportsball
Cunkin
Tchoukball
And more!

This was the first time Cole went to overnight camp without a sibling! I was nervous, he was excited. If Claire's experience is anything to go by, Cole has just made long-standing friendships with those he met at camp and solidified relationships with those friends he knew before attending - and there were a ton of them! If you ever have an opportunity to send your child to such a wonderful place, or even OELC itself, do so! It is a life changing experience. 

For him. And me.

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: (Last) Day 13

I have really enjoyed the last two weeks participating in the Creativity Boot Camp. Huge thanks go to Meagan for developing and nurturing this project. I've "met" a number of lovely ladies, and certainly many creative folk, all of us artists! I'm not sad to see it end, as for me it is part of a continuing process, one of the many sources I can draw upon when I feel my creative spark extinguishing.

This project dovetailed nicely with my current thoughts regarding me and my approach to and expectation of my creativity. I've been thinking much of my process, my projects, my progress and what will stay and what will go. The last two weeks provided great clarity. 

JOURNAL PROMPT

I want you to think of some concrete actions that you can begin taking tomorrow to continue nurturing you creative soul. I want you to make some promises to yourself

I promise to spend at least an hour each day creating. 
The amount of time was left blank - for us to fill in. I figured one hour should work, even on days when I'm less productive! I am very fortunate to have chosen a pretty portable method of creativity. I'm thinking I might find myself something a bit more tactile and messy - something for which I have to dedicate time and focus.

I promise to talk about my creativity with others.
Well, more than likely not real life others. When people ask what I do, because I don't have a body of work I can easily share or oodles of samples, I proudly state I'm a mum. I conveniently forget to mention what I do with the time my kids are in school!

I promise to continue to challenge myself creatively because that is how I get better.
I have the list, now I just have to execute. Who knows. I might find something there!

I promise to be kind to my creative spirit.
I have to admit, it is becoming easier.

I promise to applaud my achievements.
Keep reading the blog, I promise to share any of the achievements bestowed upon me!

I promise to cultivate relationships with people who share my creative interests.
I don't know that I'm familiar with too many local people who share my creative interests, that may just mean I have to get in the car! If you're local, let me know! We can have coffee ... a chat ... wine! I will continue to cultivate my cyber relationships through blogs, courses and collectives.

I promise to call myself an artist.

Quietly, to myself right now. I actually do have a goal in mind - that thing I will achieve that will then qualify me to call myself an artist. It has more to do with a wall, a coffee table, a place than it does anything monetary or celebratory.

Random Word Prompt

Smile

Today was the Closing Ceremonies for Claire and Cole who survived, with enthusiasm, grade 9 and 7 respectively.

And, a better shot (once we got home and it sunk in a little bit!!)

What's next? Glad you asked! Directly from the Creativity Boot Camp blog:

In an effort to help you keep your creative fires burning and to foster the relationships and the community that we’ve all developed here at CBC, I’m going to be starting a new series over at my personal blog, Life Set to Words. Each Sunday, I will be giving a weekly creative prompt along with a weekly post where we can all link our work. I will post the week’s theme on Sunday morning and you can link up through the entire week. The themes will start next Sunday, June 27th. You may take a button, spread the word, and let us all see together where this journey will take us!

Will you join in? I hope to see you there :)

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"?