Embrace Life

hello monday | 147

hello wordpress! i am so flipping excited :D please join me in my next chapter. click here and sign up to be on the new mailing list! yep. legit :D

hello tears. i asked some clients, teachers and friends to provide me with testimonials for my new site. what they sent blew me away. i am blessed.

hello hand reading. did you know you could change the lines on the palms of your hand? neither did i. fascinating stuff.

hello exam season. study notes are being written and study plans are being made. one of the great things about our school is that they really teach the kids great study habits. even better? the kids pay attention and implement those lessons.

hello networking meetup. jumping in with both feet!

hello reading week plans. it looks like i'm beach bound after all. i'm looking forward to a few days with my girl, claire! now to organize that it doesn't put me in the poor house.

hello reflexologist. i have marble sized balls of pain on the underside of both feet. no medical professional has been able to provide any insight - or relief. let's hope the reflexologist can help!

hello carol services. the christmas season has officially begun. i already feel like i'm way too far behind!

hello staying open to new things. love it.

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.

hello monday | 146

with much thanks to liz lamoreaux, my core desired feelings (connect, trust, expansive, allow and grace) can be worn every day.

hello snow. and it's sticking :( too early.

hello wordpress tutorial. lets hope i can learn (and retain) all the lessons that kenda will teach me today!

hello exam schedule. blink. this term has flown by quickly.

hello last class. my latest creative writing course ends this week. luckily brian is teaching more and i'll be signing up again.

hello fame rehearsals. after a late start it sounds like all is going well. lots of dancing, singing and acting being practiced regularly.

hello volleyball. after a couple of weeks off due to injury, caden is back on the court practicing. i'm looking forward to seeing him in action.

hello ladies lunch. i'm delighted to host a lunch for the upper one mums. this grade has a good group of kids and i am looking forward to meeting anyone i don't know yet.

hello friends. lunch with some, dinners with others. i have a pretty full calendar this week. and very little cooking!

hello blood tests. hopefully all continues to be well. improved, even.

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.

hello monday | 145

hello another day off school. it's a holiday today. the kids are sleeping in. yay! that means i got some extra zzz's, too.

hello orthodontist. which teeth stay or go?

hello mindfulness. through my b-school message group i found a fabulous app that i am really enjoying. for $1.99 it's better than a prescription! i enjoy the pauses through my day.

hello cut & colour. yet another form of meditation.

hello movers. it's time for the kids to have their bedrooms moved over. mine will have to wait until the townhouse sells - sooner rather than later!

hello lunch. nothing beats jonathan's for lunch (or dinner). i'm looking forward to the company and conversation with my dad! this'll be fun.

hello new website. slowly taking shape. so exiting!

hello desire map materials. the box has arrived and now i have all of the materials needed for the first and second classes. this is going to be great :D

hello dress shopping. though we have not yet received the list of restrictions for this year, my girls are already shopping for their christmas party dresses. fingers crossed we don't have to replace them!

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.

hello monday | 144

hello nanowrimo. already behind!

hello bullies. every once in a while, to keep the peace, you have to concede to the bully. the problem with that is the bully thinks s/he has won. and sometimes it feels that way, too. i feel slimed.

hello week in the life. now the real creativity begins!

hello carpet. three rooms, two hallways. i'm afraid to wonder what is next!

hello party fallout. bad kid behaviour is a guarantee of bad parental behaviour in response. amazing how many kids are not held accountable for their choices. what does the parent want - the phone call or the secret?

hello snow. off and on. too early!

hello bruise. after a very hard landing, caden earned a massive cantaloupe sized lump on his right hip. nasty ugly stuff. at least the x-rays showed no break.

hello parent teacher interviews. all of my kids are encouraging me to go. they are either confident or crazy :)

hello long weekend. didn't we just have one of these?

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.

hello monday | 143

hello week in the life. it starts today!

hello pool table. caden had the first break and then chloé beat him. a great start!

hello ping pong attachment. even better? the ping pong table overlay. and the schock on cole's face when he realized his mama can play :)

hello cc-40. some battles are just not worth waging.

hello hallowe'en. a big deal in this house with costumes being purchased, parties being planned and candy being negotiated. we even got a fog machine!

hello pulmonary function test. asthma is a chronic thing in our family. it's time to rule it in or out - or in -  for caden.

hello elementary. i have missed this show!

hello letting go. mercury has (finally) packed up it's time of short tempers and  miscommunication and moved out. at least until january 21, 2015.

hello new conversations. after the tragic and disgusting violence of last week, with the death of two men in canadian armed forces uniforms, we have had many new conversations with diverse fears and insight. it reopened the conversation with cole asking to get a maple leaf tattoo. 

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.

hello monday | 142

hello air. i spent a very full weekend buried in all things desire map and the future planning of my life as a clarity coach. such exciting stuff! time to come up for air.

hello name changes. it's offical.

hello bully. you would think at my age i wouldn't run into that many but the fact is mean girls grow up to be mean women. with this one i will no longer engage.

hello consistency. someone asked me the other day how my kids are "so well adjusted". my answer? consistency. they always know exactly what to expect from me. it made me a good executive, too.

hello pool table. i ordered one for the basement - with the ping-pong tabletop option. it's being delivered this week. i can't wait to play again - if my kids give me a chance!

hello volleyball. lots going on this week - playing and watching.

hello writing with style workshop. i learn so much at these occasional day-long writing sessions. this should get me all geared up for nanowrimo!

hello week in the life project. i so enjoy this project and don't miss it. though, with autumn being so very busy, i think i'd prefer it in the winter/spring. maybe february when i'm looking for things to do! at any rate, it's next week and i have my kit - and got one for my sister too!

hello treadclimber. pooped, but worth it.

hello nutcrackers in the house. it's been decided: christmas is on this year. nutcrackers are the theme.

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.

hello monday | 141

life skills lesson: uncle jamie teaching caden how to carve.

hello thanksgiving. happy to celebrate on the sunday with family so we can enjoy a far more relaxed monday with take-out from red chillie, as is our tradition.

hello family. reflecting on our thanksgiving dinner with my sister and family in toronto - always lovely to spend time with them and missing those who couldn't be with us.

hello urban outfitters. especially fun when all of the girlies can head down to the urban outfitters and collect some goodies!

hello serious school planning. now that thanksgiving is over serious attention is being turned to university selection for next year. he seems to have been contemplating this particular chapter since he was about 3 years of age! though, i think he wants to be something other than a power ranger at this point.

hello desire map virtual program. i missed the call yesterday, but am all caught up now. such great insight and challenge and opportunity!

hello rabbit in shop. hopefully it's nothing serious and we can retrieve it and bring it in to andrew soon! happy claire got a last minute spot on the train.

hello choices. nice to see some really good ones being made by all of my kids.

hello hallowe'en party plans. i do hope i don't live to regret this :)

hello carrot cake. and coffee for breakfast. it's totally decadent, but the indulgence only happens once each year!

hello grateful. for my life and all who occupy a spot in it.

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.

hello monday | 140

hello new schedule. chloé was taking three grade 11 courses (one year up) and had a full academic schedule with no lighter or fun breaks in intensity though the day. something had to give. german was swapped out and this week is her first week of dance - ever!

hello desire map workshop. i'm all signed up and have been waiting to participate for weeks! yesterday was the first of six virtual workshops. this is going to be great - well worth waiting for this workshop.

hello ultrasound. ugh. not my favourite.

hello good friends. so i could attend chloé's optimates dinner, friends are taking caden to the mandatory volleyball agm. funny how i need more help now that i have less kids!

hello vitamin iv drip. things must be working, i no longer have the constant taste of vitamins in my mouth!

hello psychic reading. following a hunch, i have a reading this week.

hello back to see my life coach. this sesson includes all things metaphysical and i'm enjoying learning so much wonderful stuff! pendulum. cards. crystals.

hello plans. so much is going on. workshops. photo walks. i'm focusing on getting back to my creative pursuits.

hello wicked. everyone is heading into toronto to see the show!

hello thanksgiving long weekend. claire is coming home from university. cole will be out of boarding. chloé and caden have open schedules. even with all of that free potential family time, i know they'll be very excited to simply sleep the whole time home! they'll be able to do a lot of that, but really, it'll be time spent with family -  here and in toronto.

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.

hello monday | 139

hello health centre. dealing with bronchitis and thrush for one. cramps and nausea for another. and warts, possible asthma and feet issues for the last. the last month has not been kind and gentle to my children.

hello kundalini yoga. now on wednesdays, too! i am so happy i will be able to attend twice each week and not feel so guilty if i'm unable to make one - there will always be the other. this has been such a good practice for me.

hello maintenance. this week is time for another cut & colour, waxing and a pedicure. yay! 

hello sleep pod. with the weather getting cooler it's time to get back into the pod. this time 'round will be sleep, i'll hit the super-hot metabolism program when the snow flies and it's super-cold outside!

hello plumber. the replacement parts are in!

hello volleyball season. it starts this week. i know caden is almost as excited to play as I am to watch him and his school team!

hello good choices that come from a position of self-love. the people we choose to spend time with are a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. there is a lot of self-love happening around here and it is wonderful to experience!

hello mercury in retrograde. here we go again!

hello desire map virtual program. i am so very excited to get started on this workshop. the desire map is the foundation upon which i plan to build my future and it starts this week!

hello writing. lots and lots of writing!

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.

hello monday | 138

dropping off one child at school in the morning is just weird!

hello recipe book. i have kept putting off plans to make a recipe book. you know. waiting for perfect: the perfect template, the perfect amount of time, the perfect selection of perfect recipes. well, claire has called from school and has asked for a selection of foods that i make. so i guess i've started!

hello temagami. i am sitting nervously awaiting his return.

hello patience. as far as labels go, i would call myself impatient. until i realized that is no longer true. i have managed to overcome my biggest personal flaw. (oh, don't worry, there are plenty more!) i realized it and then this article arrived in my feed to confirm it.

hello sick child. i wish i didn't have to send him back into boarding. not one to overreact, i really think we should make sure it's not pneumonia!

hello new couches. i am beyond happy that they are to arrive on monday between 10:15am and 1:15pm. really. that's the time frame they gave me.

hello email. it is possible, using that aforementioned patience, to figure out what is wrong with multiple gmail accounts in your apple mail going out on one account and not the multiple accounts set up for different purposes. months of frustration eliminated with 7+ hours of stop. start. shut down. log in. log out. fingers crossed.

hello wordpress. if i can figure out email, i can figure out wordpress.

hello show premieres. this is going to be a fun week!

hello homecoming. one of my favourite events at the school. and bonus? claire will be home - for a few hours - but home nonetheless.

hello bombshells. doing my best to be casual when my kids ask very specific questions about sex, drugs, bullying, inappropriate party attire and a whole bunch of other questionable behaviour. i don't want to scare them but i don't want them to participate. i'm taking deep breaths. i'm walking on eggshells. doing the best i can to answer and engage in the most honest way possible!

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.

hello monday | 137

hello desire map workshop. throughout the book club gatherings we had a book, a workbook and a brilliant idea. that idea is now broken down into still brilliant bite-sized pieces and i am so excited to get started. in my minds eye, this is the foundation upon which i plan to build my future.

hello volleyball tryouts. the town tryouts continue this week - in the meantime caden has made it onto the school jv team! i can only hope the town coach is more interesting in winning than whining.

hello cough. it really is past time to say goodbye!

hello my pop choir. i'm looking forward to this experience! now if only the cough and hoarse would go away so i can enjoy the process and get back to what i love to do. sing.

hello intuition. i have to trust it. pigs & grunts. seriously. i really have to trust that people do show you who they are and i need to believe them the first time. and, to top it off, remember that the universe always sends a test. this is a test. got it.

hello iv treatment. other than tasting weird sweet-ish breath, the vitamin treatments have been going well. though, i have to admit, i'm a bit exhausted with these regulated supplements and meds. i'm keeping my eye on the prize!

hello pendulum. i've just taken the first steps in a long metaphysical learning process. fascinating!

hello temagami. beyond the mean of it all, this camping trip is the scariest experience of the upper one year. hell, of the whole high school experience! well, maybe the middle-of-freaking-winter-with-ice-and-snow camping trip is worse. oh hell, it all makes me jittery!

hello party. this week brings the first big party of the year. holding on tight!

hello upcoming projects. this one. this one. and this one.

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.

hello (back to school) monday | 136

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

hello monday | 135

 

hello tiff. i may not actually go sit in a theatre, but i enjoy movies and thoroughly enjoy the early reviews that come from tiff! i think we'll pop some corn and spend tiff (september 4 - 14) watching the people's choice winning films from the past. 

hello traffic. i know if i need to head to toronto for anything in the next couple of weeks i'll be taking public transit.

hello birthday lunch. i'm looking forward to lunch with my dad.

hello treadclimber. i've been thinking of buying this for a couple of years and had no space. now i have space. if this winter is like last winter (all ice, all the time) i will have no excuses!

hello knee. after a summer of no pain (er, minimal activity) my knee is reminding me of its now-swollen presence. i'm going to grind through the pain and just keep working on getting strong and fit.

hello routine. it's almost all mapped out from now through december. the only question is caden's volleyball. where and when will he play and practice?

hello baseball championships. this should be fun!

hello last week of holiday. claire and cole are already back at their schools. chloé and caden have another week home with me. i'm torn! i love them home, but i love more when they have something consistent to do every day.

hello smile. i have been a fan of sandra boynton for a very long time and my children were raised on her books. every day i get a happy glimpse back to those happy times by following her facebook feed.

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.

hello monday | 133

hello leap of faith. i joined the beautiful writers group. i have enjoyed everything about danielle laporte so i don't expect this experience to disappoint.

hello softball. time to make up for all of rain outs with three games this week!

hello summer weather. i'm happy for the heat, let's hope the humidity stays away.

hello digital projects. i've started a few albums: recipe, wishcasting, #augustbreak2014, #100happydays and playing catch up with project life 2104.

hello volleyball camp. back to a second week of pakmen for caden. he is learning so much in spite of the pain in his feet and thighs! we're packing for madawaska. i love that he loves this sport!

hello freshen-up. i have been going to natalie at euphoria for years and always like how I look when I leave her salon (and our time to catch up). time for more red this week :)

hello lunch out. i am looking forward to going to august 8 with my friend robin. even with our boys on the same baseball team this summer we don't have a chance to catch up with our conflicting schedules - and the rain. this will be fun!

hello ikea. we don't need a lot, but it's time for bookshelves and a desk for claire to bring to school - next week!

hello final creative writing class. the course went by so quickly! i met some wonderful women, heard some amazing stoires and learned a ton. i'm looking forward to starting up again in the fall.

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.

hello monday | 132

my morning ritual.

hello volleyball camp. driving boys to the pakmen advantage camp this week. they're going to have a blast - and learn a lot.

hello routine. maybe this week i can manage to get to things i've missed the last few weeks: yoga, meditation, pilates, writing workshop, baseball ...

hello artwork. now that the house is all painted it's time to place art. i don't have a lot, but what i have i love and can't wait to see it all displayed again!

hello kitchen table. now that it's been bug out of storage, cleaned and de-glittered, our old kitchen table - which then became our craft table - is now in our new kitchen as our new kitchen table!

hello acorns. i no longer jump out of my skin in the morning while enjoying coffee and listen to them drop on the back deck. they sound like gunshots each time they land!

hello #augustbreak2014. i've enjoyed this photography project.

hello oprah & deepak. expanding your happiness 21-day meditation starts today. this will be good preparation for the upcoming changes around here.

hello calendar. we're starting to get information from schools - move-in dates, field trip dates, tryout dates. it's time to get it all recorded so we don't miss anything and have a brilliant start to the year ahead!

hello molds. just one step closer to chloé getting her braces off. she is one excited girl this week.

hello home list. now that we're almost all moved in, it's time to walk through the house - with all of the kids - and put together the big list of all things that are needed to make this home 100% functional. it won't get done right away, but at least we'll have a starting point.

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.

hello monday | 131

 

Not my favourite flower, but certainly prolific this time of year. A sign of summer!

hello "big brother". originally discovered years ago during our summer holiday and still enjoyed. lots of life and social lessons to be had!

hello pong. the olders are teaching the youngers the finer points of this drinking game - with water and ginger ale. i'm not much of a fan of pop, but i suppose it's better than what they'll be drinking at university! i'm convincing myself it's a necessary skill. i can't complain about all the laughter :D

hello laugh. i love that all of my kids have a great genuine laugh. well, except when cole puts on his high pitched woody woodpecker cackle! eek.

hello rain. it must be my maritime blood, i love the rain.

hello break. i realized with some surprise that we are half-way through our summer holiday. and, if chloé is able to attend her prep school, we're actually well past mid-way. my mind wanders wondering about the year ahead.

hello notes. i have been receiving a number of lovely notes - completely out of the blue. they have been lovely! i encourage the universe to keep sending them. please.

hello deadline. i'm facing a deadline for an assignment. good thing i'm better under pressure. it'll be interesting as it's also while i'm on the road :)

hello old movies. just watched "the great gatsby" - from 1974. so haunting, so very good.

hello project life. wow. i've managed to organize 30+ weeks of photos and made digital pages of 14 weeks! almost halfway through. it has been my holiday project.

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.

hello monday | 130

enjoying our first sunset of the holiday. photo courtesy of chloé.

hello world. things have truly gone mad. this is the perfect week to escape the crazy of russia, the middle east, of all of it and just listen to the waves and soak up the sun.

hello massachusetts. it is a long drive from home to here, but the 90+ minute wait at the queenston/lewiston bridge is well worth it when we arrived 9 hours later.

hello sleep. the ocean air is wonderful for many things. i've shut off my alarm. so far i've managed to sleep a full 12-hours each night since our arrival. wow. i must have been way more tired than i thought! 

hello freedom. the kids are now of an age to go wherever they want, whenever they want. i can drop them off at the mall or golf course or just let them go to the beach.

hello salem. cole has asked to go to salem, so we've got in on the "to do" list.

hello zappos & amazon. love online shopping!

hello constant activity. tennis racquets. volleyballs. rugby balls. frizbees. fishing poles. all manner of outdoor sport. the wind makes things a bit more challenging.

hello camera. my "big" canon 40d has been in it's case for far too long. i'm looking forward to reacquainting myself with it.

hello food experiments. in the last couple of years i've used this time away to discover new recipes. i find much of the food in the states to be over-processed so we buy a lot from the local market and cook from scratch. some years are better than others. let's hope this is a good one!

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.

hello monday | 129

hello boys. after weeks away my boys are home!

hello girls. with less absense, the girls too :)

hello final exams. grade 12 world history for cole - written in helsinki! grade 10 math for chloé - written in a far less exotic locale.

hello baseball. miraculously we are here for a baseball game or two! i double-checked the calendar and it's true :)

hello "the good wife". i'm almost caught up - mid-way through season 4! i am so happy i decided against becoming a lawyer.

hello market. if anyone knows of anyone looking for a lovely freehold townhouse within walking distance to everything in town, let them know mine will be available this week!

hello autumn plans. vocal classes? volleyball training? musical theatre productions? so many options. it's time to figure it all out and get registration underway!

hello garbage day. we get garbage pick up only every two weeks. every-other-tuesday and it is limited to two bags! it is always so nice on monday evenings when everything clears out of the garage: recycling, compost, yard waste and those two big black bags of garbage. it feels so good to get rid of it all!

hello early morning yoga. at home. i've purchased some blocks, a bolster and a mat. i'm using my training from celina and spending my mornings with sun salutations - and more.

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.

hello monday | 128

hello wait list. so my girl has been accepted at the school she loves. we are collectively holding our breath for someone to drop out so we can get packing and moving!

hello pigs and grunts. the people least likely to change/evolve/learn lessons are often the ones most indignant when you suggest that possibility to them.

hello honey do boys. holy smokes are austin and cody fabulous! my new front garden looks lovely - and loved. they have done a ton of work and WOW the transformation has been remarkable.

hello cozi. i know, i know, google calendar is fabulous - except when it's not. the cozi application is so incredibly easy and is working well to keep our lives on track - with colour coding, reminders and ease.

hello writing group. gulp. going for it. i suppose this means i have to start writing more regularly!

hello world cup final. by chance cole was in berlin for this game. so much fun! memories for a lifetime :)

hello sorting and organizing and purging and sorting again. this really is the best part of moving. expecially moving to a larger place. now to remember to spread - not to fill in!

hello upworthy. always inspirational, but i really do love this message. and even more examples of owning and being okay with who we are can be found here.

hello logistics. europe. orillia. kingston. cape cod. toronto. so many moving parts this week! yes, i did check cozi to make sure i got it all right :)

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.

hello (online discovery) monday | 127

I am forever reading and researching online. I get regular notifications from some of my favourite sites. This week seemed to have more than the usual number of good things, so I thought I'd share them. That and the holidays are in full swing so there really is not an awful lot going on around here! The photo? Just about the only spot in my new yard with no weeds! Click on the photo to get to the Honey Do Boys (Austin & Cody) who will be here for a few days putting things in order!

hello reasons why i still "scrapbook". this is a very good article. a reminder why i should make more time to do what i love to do.

hello happy. yes. all of this.

hello happy children playing. joy. universal. connection. love.

hello new startups. i wonder which will be around next year. which will catch fire? which will die away? this is the kind of stuff i find fascinating. what is the next best thing? where is the tipping point?

hello grateful. yes. all of this.

hello hemingway. writing can be tedius. fun. challenging. frustrating. enlightening. and sometimes error filled. this app might just be a quick help!

hello efax. grampy and nanna have a fax machine instead of a computer. i have a computer instead of a fax machine. i discovered a service that will convert computer files to be fax-friendly. brilliant!

hello next year. i will have to remember to celebrate like this next july 3. very funny. and this flag infographic i found fascinating.

hello fitness. one of these apps holds the key. now to figure out which one will work best for me?

hello off switch. after years of hoping, can it be true? do people have an off switch?

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.

hello monday | 126

 

hello skype. it was so nice to hear from cole calling-in from poland! i'm looking forward to his next call - from czech republic (prague).

hello typography challenge. i have oodles of fonts with fun swishes and swirls and absolutely no idea how to use/get to them! i'm hoping this tutorial will help.

hello grade 10 math. chloé starts her summer course this week.

hello backyard volleyball. my kids don't often ask for much, but when they all show interest in something i'm happy to get it. in this instance it is an outdoor volleyball court. i expect it will get much use!

hello essential movies. this list is directed at the under-13 set, but i think i may watch a few to get in the spirit of summer.

hello provincials. hoping for good weather and great play in windsor.

hello design trick. given that i'm in the midst of room design and furniture arranging, this trick will definitely come in handy!

hello pro sports. another full week ahead! wimbledon and fifa world cup. so nice to have something live to have in the background of my days!

hello recent television binge. over the regular season we recorded "the blacklist" and it is fabulous! we watched the whole season over the weekend. so good! 

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.

hello monday | 123

after a long drive she was ready and eager for her early morning interview!

hello exams. cole has seven exams in three days. crazy. he's been studying like mad. two down over the weekend.

hello presentation of learning. in lieu of exams, the middle school will be doing some kind of new testing of ability. who knows! the process changes every single year. at least it's only two days and then caden is d.o.n.e.

hello ascent. another non-exam form of testing which teams up the kids in upper school. i suppose all i can do is cross my fingers that chloé gets into a good group for each subject!

hello lots of studying around here. no matter what form the testing takes there will be lots of hitting the books around here this week. my job? simple: do my very best to keep everyone in a low-anxiety and belly-full condition. 

hello conscious booksmith. so looking forward to starting this course. today!

hello even more writing. i have signed up for another workshop over at the library on the weekend.

hello proofreading. since i'm doing so much writing it's a good idea to keep in mind some of these rules before publishing - self or otherwise!

hello buddhist practice. though some days i slip they are becoming fewer and fewer as i implement all twenty of these practices into my daily life. i am mindful of all of my choices and that is more than half the challenge!

hello freshly minted 15-year-old. chloé has had a lot to navigate the past couple of years and I'm so very relieved and happy with her pluck and resilience!

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.

hello monday | 122

the weather has improved so much it's patio weather!

hello blog. i've been absent for a couple of reasons: troubles with typepad and trouble finding the time. i miss it and plan on making it a priority once things settle a bit. for now it'll be more "hello monday" posts.

hello june. hard to believe half of 2014 has been lived! wow. staying active every day certainly has time pass quickly!

hello last week of school. blink.

hello exam review days. time to stock the fridge, change all social media passwords and remember to count to 10 since everyone will be very stressed!

hello bare. i really enjoy the idea of this project. so brave. so bare.

hello timehop. i like apps though sometimes i am not good at remembering which ones i have! this one will give me a glimpse at what happened on the day the year before. good to know how far i've come to keep on track where i'm going!

hello massachusetts. it'll be a long drive down and back, but hopefully we get what we're looking for when we get there.

hello baseball tournament. i'm hoping the weather holds out so we can all attend the tournament over the weekend.

hello early father's day. coordinating schedules can be tough, and over the years we've realized (as a huge extended family) exact dates are less important than getting our families together. so we've created our own day to celebrate. yay!

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.

hello monday | 121

it's been a pretty wet softball season, so far.

hello little mermaid. i cannot wait to see the middle school musical this year. king triton promises to be a hoot :)

hello final art therapy class. i am going to miss this class. miss the projects. miss the teacher. miss my fellow students. i won't miss everything i've learned as it has really opened up a part of me i never intend to close off again. what a wonderful experience!

hello art prints. i need to buy some of these. seriously awesome. but which ones? holy smokes, i love them all!

hello healthy ideas. i love the idea of a treadmill desk and have been considering purchasing one for some time. hmm. still at the top of my wish list. well, that and a canon eos 1d x! oh and my own reformer pilates machine.

hello french open. i am a huge tennis fan. love the open season!

hello music. we all love music and had a lot of fun discussing which bands we would book if we had a spare few grand just lying around. and, who would we invite?

hello commencement season. 'tis the season of brilliant commencement speeches. i enjoy hearing them from time to time, and i found a collection considered to be 'the best' and i have to agree!

hello tile. seriously considering getting one or two of these things. though, i'm concerned that i'll most likely lose my iphone rendering it useless to me! :) great idea for those who regularly misplace things, or mysteriously have things moved around as happens in a home with four teens.

hello paperwork. notarized. guaranteed. compiled. notified. submitted. five major projects completed!

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.

hello monday | 120

after a tremendous effort the varsity boys rugby team beat st. mikes by 2 points. unfortunately another team did not lose their match so our boys are not in the final touranment. they played so well!

hello applications and ssat test. they're all completed. now the waiting begins.

hello softball, baseball and volleyball. we were completely rained out of all sports with all fields closed last week. i'm hoping this week we get a few games in - the schedule is full!

hello side mirror. while parking our suburban in our very tight underground garage, the side mirror was cracked. the part has been found and secured. this week the truck will be back to 100%. until next time!

hello fun list. 54 things everyone needs to know. i know how to do 36 of them which is both good and worrisome. more things to learn!

hello good stuff. i enjoy all things marie forleo and this week caught up on how to keep coming up with ideas for content (clearly this is a must read for me!) and how do i figure out what i want.

hello science. i enjoyed this little clip from pbs: the odds of finding life and love.

hello steak. around here we enjoy steak once a month, or so. bar none, the most consistent way to cook it perfectly is not out on our barbeque, but in the cast iron skillet in the oven. with today being a holiday, it's time to have some steak - and maybe some potatoes, or roasted asparagus.

hello birthday. at the end of the week, my baby will turn 14!

hello killer margarita. my friend meg had a few ladies over and made her famous drink. i was the one who had never been exposed to them and they came with quite a (well earned) reputation!  meg posted the recipe on facebook "I'll put it here, because it's simple and probably all these others are wondering what did all the damage:) 3/4 c tequila; 1/2 c Grand Marnier; 1/2 c Cointreau; 1/2 c lime juice; 1/4 c sugar. Serves 2. So if you multiply it 5 times like we did last night, that's serves 10. But oh wait, there were only 4 of us...."

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.

hello monday | 119

cutest thing ever - while waiting for chloé i spied these two teenagers caring for two young sisters. dandilion picking, hair braiding and then hair decorating. so sweet.

hello teenagers. every once in a while there is something i find that just makes me laugh. especially in the land of emotional, hormonal and unpredictable teens. i saw this video, it made me laugh and made me remember.

hello lunches. a big week of lunches with girlfriends. every day! yay!

hello fun idea. i am all about fun ideas and wish I had seen this when my kids were smaller and would have enjoyed drawings on their walls - i'm creative but i cannot draw, well, i cannot replicate. hmm. who knows what I might do.

hello unitasking. i have been a happy unitasker forever. well, as much as any full time mum can focus on one task at a time can be! if i needed proof, this test removed all doubt.

hello flying. i have always wanted to skydive - the problem is that i don't want to jump out of a plane. opening this week is an indoor sky diving place here in town. i'm going over for sure!

hello writing. in addition to my weekly writing class (i'm enjoying it and am already half way through) i'm exploring additional ideas.

hello full circle. more than a few years ago, when i discovered so many smart women on the internet, christine mason miller was always found at the top of my "inspiration" list. so glad to have rediscovered her :)

hello cleveland. as part of the music curriculum, some of the kids were offered an opportunity to go to cleveland to the rock & roll hall of fame, house of blues, cleveland zoo and a stop at cedar point. fun!

hello prefect interviews. i am hesitant, and a bit anxious given claire's experience a couple of years ago, but hey, this is a new kid, new faculty, new experience. i hope!

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.

hello monday | 118

hello reading lists. i'm doing my best to consume fewer books, but this blog makes it hard! thinking i should read this article first and maybe my reading will improve :)

hello retreat. wouldn't this trip be wonderful?

hello clean 15. i am being more mindful of pesticides. though i've always been a perimeter shopper and rarely buy pre-packaged plastic food i recognize not all fresh is created equal. time to clean up my choices.

hello inner wisdom. thinking this article holds some great ideas to explore. 

hello puppy. after years of swearing i'd never get another dog, i've been worn down and it looks like we're in the market for a havanese - or two.

hello online courses. i love this idea. i love that they're free even more!

hello habits. it's time for a bit of reshaping around here.

hello abundance. i think it's beyond time to include the kids in my belief system. these games/ideas should make that process easier.

hello "right" responses. i am often stuck when it comes to writing the most simple note. these templates are sure to come in use around here.

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.

hello monday | 117

 

hello meditation lodge. this makes me happy.

hello limits. i am a firm believer that it is within the confines of structure you find your creative self. i really enjoyed reading this article, especially as i enter week 2 of my "memoir" course.

hello research. reading tons of articles focused on my next stage. the one article that resonated with the creative self, business self and scared self was this one on entrepreneurship. it fits in with so many other aspects of my life right now.

hello summer job. claire is delivering her resumé here, there and everywhere. there is much hope that she will land something and settle into a routine soon. in the meantime, i have a few plans brewing that should bring in some extra $$$ for the girl, but i'm not sure she'll be thrilled with them!

hello stanley cup playoffs. lots of hockey being watched around here. one canadian team in the mix. i might gag a little, but "go habs".

hello mornings. my sleep routine is a mess. it's been great to get back into the practice of dreaming. every night i enjoy a deep and satisfying slumber. the problem now? i don't know if i'm a morning person or a night owl. i seem to be neither! time to make a decision and i'd prefer to be a morning person. it seems to be more optimistic and productive.

hello barbell. what a briliant idea! jeans built specifically for athletic bodies.

hello new car. well, new to us. we have inherited my brother-in-law's vw rabbit. i think i'm the most excited as i've desperately missed driving a stick shift!

hello mindful. a couple of years ago i thought i knew what mindful meant, but a couple of years in, i realize i was totally clueless. joining in mindful in may and hope be outside for most of it!

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.

hello monday | 116

hello game of thrones. i am a bit late to this particular party but one vanity fair article lead to a question asked of cole which lead to watching an episode - in season 4. i'm about to start from the beginning!

hello anniversary of horror. a year ago we were glued to the television watching the aftermath of the boston marathon bombing. the dark: a terrible time. the light: a testament to the human spirit.

hello open space. while i was away in arizona the cumbersome columns were removed from the first floor of our townhouse. wow. what a difference!

hello full house. so happy to have claire home again. blink and her first year at university is over! even better, we have a bonus child with one of caden's friends spending a few days with us.

hello oprah & deepak. enjoying meditation round 3.

hello major league baseball. we have tickets to watch the blue jays play our much beloved red sox. yay!

hello little league baseball. both claire and caden are playing this season. we are all looking forward to the many games ahead. really? i'm looking forward to getting and then plugging in the schedules so i can figure out how to handle our life between games! then i'll enjoy watching my kids play this game they love!

hello beach volleyball. now this is going to be fun this summer. the boys are all registered for beach volleyball at coronation park. what a wonderful opportunity!

hello full fridge and pantry. we live almost next door to a wonderful supermarket. logically i thought i could use it's proximity as my "pantry" never worrying about running out of anything. really? it may be close but the hours stink. i'm now stocking up the fridge with oodles of yummy, fresh, prepared and ready-to-be-eaten snacks and meals. so far, so good.

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.

hello monday | 115

hello home. oh how i love the desert, but it's always nice to come home.

hello mess. holy smokes was my house a disaster! slowly putting everything back together again. laundry is all caught up. fridge is full. recycling in the garage. still a way to go, but there's progress.

hello canada. i love trivia and this is a great collection of canadian factoids.

hello apps. i'm not much of an app person, but these two may convert me. perhaps my most favourite thing ever is a good list - especially one that is completed. i found this app: checkmark 2 and i look forward to implementing it! the other is 5 minute journal which i'm enjoying - which is the whole idea!

hello project. i really must have a few of my most favourite photos printed for more prominent display around the house.

hello costco. there are a few things we go through a lot of: perrier, toilet paper, dryer sheets - dry goods. time to head to costco and get the big packs! i guess that means i have to organize better space for all of it, too!

hello enneagram blogging. i really want to explore this idea further. i am an eight and found this fascinating.

hello do lectures. in addition to the famous ted talks, i'm enjoying these, too.

hello gratitude. i am so very.

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.

hello monday | 114

 

hello life above zero. we've enjoyed consistenly above zero temperatures. that doesn't mean we won't get snow again, but this little bit of spring has been a welcome change.

hello baseball season. it's finally here!

hello preparation. as much as i don't want cole to apply to be a prefect at school, he is determined to take a leadership role next year. applications are being completed and essays written.

hello creative routines. i found this infographic fascinating. especially the amount of down-time enjoyed by those i find particularly creative.

hello healthy reboot. dark berry smoothies. 10,000 steps daily. charged fitbit. over 4 litres of water daily. 7+ hours of sleep each night. more pilates classes. meditation practice. a whole new comprehensive plan has been put together again. life changes and routine has to change with it.

hello equipment check. new cleats. new mouthguards. new water bottles. at least this year there are no more big purchases - just a matter of maintenance.

hello calendar. this term is shaping up with plenty of sports, exams, meetings, field trips, parties, holidays and all manner of special events all keyed into the calendar through the end of june and beyond. lots of juggling and reworking to make it flow as smoothly as possible. i've even scheduled time to do nothing!

hello open space. goodbye decorative columns. finally!

hello release. i am so happy my life has taken the direction of love, purpose, meaning and joy. any residual anger and resentment have made way for many wonderful things.

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.

hello monday | 113

hello super soul sunday. finally we can watch own programmed shows on the oprah channel here in canada. crazy but true. her interview with gary zukov? so good. lessons: lean in to living an authentic life - to use your personality to serve your soul. profoundly brilliant.

hello lunch with friends. love!

hello reading week. crunch time for claire! the end is near.

hello b-school. we're at the midway point. what a turbulent and challenging exercise! the minute i think i know something, i don't. i am not enjoying the process but i am learning a ton and that i like.

hello april. i'm hoping for warmer temperatures ahead!

hello volleyball championships. off to waterloo with caden and his team. go thunder!

hello peel music festival. both cole and chloé are competing this year. such a great experience.

hello blurb. 2013 of the blog has been "slurped" and i'm enjoying the process. my own personal memoir/scrapbook.

hello hiatus. my upcoming schedule is crammed on fridays. looks like i'll be missing pilates and meditation at igita for the next while - until june!

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.

hello monday | 112

hello back to school. eighteen days of march break comes to an end. busy term ahead begins!

hello driving. our routine starts but with it a change. cole is doing the driving. kids to vocal lessons. kids to volleyball practice. drive. drive. drive. he's very good.

hello singing. sounds from the shower. sounds from the living room. sounds in the truck. though sounds from anywhere is evidence of joy. more evidence of a competition coming up! i love it when singing comes from my kids.

hello baseball. evaluations were held on the weekend. love the process! the season is almost here. so very happy, looking forward to hours at the diamond.

hello leadership workshop. i have no idea what it's all about but cole is off to appleby for a day of leadership training. 

hello volleyball. our last tournament before provincials! love this sport.

hello braces. the bottoms are being installed. the boy has to stop eating sticky stuff. i swear he didn't even eat taffy until they were put on!

hello summer plans. all done!

hello dinner with friends. out to a big event and i am a bit nervous! every time i have to face a room full of 'strangers' in a town i've lived for 17 years puts me on edge. i really have to get over it.

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.

hello monday | 111

art battle oakville was fabulous!

hello partial routine. all of the after-school activities start up but my kids aren't back to school yet. it's always weird when my kids have longer holidays than other students. free days and active evenings. my life is upside-down.

hello ikea. but the best part is we can go to ikea and not have swarms of people around.

hello caden. welcome home bug! its so nice to have everyone back in the nest at least for a little while.

hello scandal. all caught up from the beginning and ready to see the latest episode. amazing what i was missing. i wonder what other shows are "must see" fluff and nonsense? suggestions welcome :)

hello kingston. university town for st. patrick's day. holding on tight!

hello family visit. so wonderful to have my sister and her kids come out to oakville for a visit. so often we're in toronto. it's nice to share our little part of the gta world.

hello braces. the bottoms are being installed. the boy has to stop eating sticky stuff. i swear he didn't even eat taffy until they were put on!

hello summer plans. all done!

hello pod. never in my wildest dreams, er, nightmares, did i think i could lay down for 40+ minutes in 80*C and not completely melt away. i know something is happening. not sure what exactly, but it's feeling good.

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.

 

hello monday | 110

happy! hello new g2 driver :)

hello writing course. this is going to be fun. i have a handle on "memoir" and memory keeping, but i've never done it in a formal creative writing way. lots to learn!

hello florida! sun, sand, salt water. perfect.

hello relaxation. i have a good book. itunes is up to date. headphones have been found.

hello clothing purge. we have three piles per child: toss, give away, wash and put in another dresser. i find it funny that it's now time for my younger kids to pass along clothes to their older siblings. we're also creating a list of what we need to get for each. so very happy that those lists gets shorter each year.

hello spring clean. clothing is only the start of this process.

hello bschool. i can't wait to get started! i spent this past weekend getting all prepped and up to date.

hello sacred alone. i'm really interested in this idea. i wonder if, in the end, my preconceived notions will be cast aside or embraced? i've enjoyed all of susannah conway's courses, i'm sure i won't be disappointed in this one!

hello art battle 103. this should be a lot of fun.

hello wonky schedule. changing things up to suit everyone this week. the break has things all discombobulated and confused.

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.

hello monday | 109

hello new month ahead. i'm looking forward to what you have in store.

hello snow. it really is time to say goodbye.

hello quiet. this is the week when all of the school activities wind up. no more practices. no more rehearsals. i'm going to enjoy having a rare and simple (non-exception) schedule!

hello march break. just days away. the plan? complete relaxation.

hello big brother canada. holy lordy. it starts again. i wonder if it'll be as wild and quintessentially canadian as the first version - i hope so!

hello play. with all of cole's talk about going to rmc (royal military college) i got him tickets to see the two worlds of charlie f. wonderful timing.

hello book recommendations. i like the idea of recommendations based on what you know you like already.

hello writing on the train. this is such a wonderful idea! definitely an activity i'll be looking into in the near future.

hello young and the giant. i love that my kids enjoy going to concerts together. this is such a great band. often we share different tastes, but this music we all enjoy.

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.

hello monday | 108

looking up at the ceiling while walking through the casino at atlantis

hello all-school musical. we are all looking forward to the annual musical. this year it is "leader of the pack" with cole playing songwriter jeff barry. should be fun!

hello memories of sochi. what a wonderful couple of weeks!

hello new flow. i block my days based on time needed for family, creative, writing, projects, errands and household chores. sometimes it all has to be mixed up and then reassembled to flow better with old and new commitments. lets hope this new flow keeps things in better order, at least for a little while. 

hello scribd. does anyone use this service? reviews welcome!

hello bschool. after a few days of mulling - following a couple of years of considering - i signed up (via danielle laporte) for marie forleo's bschool program. i can't wait to learn new things, and maybe reinforce (or banish) some old ideas.

hello brave girl. after badly spraining her ankle, i am very proud of chloé for pushing her limits and putting down the crutches.

hello ice maker. we don't have an ice maker in our fridge, and no room for trays. this became a problem when chloé sprained her ankle and with my newfound love for margaritas on the rocks! the new ice maker has replaced the coffee maker on the counter.

hello social media manifesto. thought i should write one for myself but then realized it's already been done for me. brilliant!

hello good old days. i read this article with a smile and then a chuckle at the memory of it all. i am so grateful to have survived and that those days are well and trulyover! i am happy to realize that now we can pretty much book a trip and be ready to leave within 24-hours. and buy a glass of wine for the exhausted woman with her two kids beside her and husband in another row :)

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.

hello monday | 107

hello out. to me, the best part of this story was the reaction of my children. they all, collectively, wanted to know why this story was a "big deal". i am happy they are being raised to believe it is not. everyone is equal in their eyes.

hello sochi. i remember the days when my country did not win any medals. so very proud of how they have shown up this year. some incredibly wonderful stories!

hello kingston. claire came home (a bit early) for her justin timberlake concert. one problem. she forgot that she was also leaving for the bahamas and left her passport at school. frantic trip to kingston and back. just in time for the flight!

hello novel. i attended my very first writers workshop last weekend. so much is swirling around in my head right now! (self) permission to write complete fantasty is what i crave. time to just do it.

hello crunch time. the all school musical is next week. chloé is on crutches. cole is (clearly) anxious. lots of stress accompanies a big production!

hello b-school. over the last couple of years i've heard much about marie forleo's b-school. it is remarkably tempting. if anyone has any insight, please share!

hello endless winter. i am one of those people happy for a white christmas - really a slight dusting. it is freaking cold here in mid-february and the snow that arrived in mid-december is still here, just way down below the snow on top. enough already! thinking of a green christmas next year!

hello enneagram. interesting. i've learned i'm a 8w7 which makes so much sense. so totally who i am and, worts and all, i'm okay with it.

hello quiet. even with the sun rising earlier and setting later, i've found that i'm happy to find more time in my day. time for quiet and reflection. here. now.

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.

hello monday | 106

hello olympics. stop everything! it's olympic season around here and we're enjoying watching our canadians compete on the world stage. fingers crossed we're able to amass the same number of medals as were earned in vancouver! ah well, even if we don't it's been an amazing spectacle to watch.

hello pod. i'm using the "sleep" program and it's simply amazing. as a result i am enjoying my first lucid dreams in almost a decade. i don't know how it works, but it does! loving my zenbar studio experience.

hello yoga. i've never had a yoga class, i don't know a downward dog from an inverted cat :) so i had my first class yesterday and i've signed up for a few more!

hello enneagram course. i'm looking forward to this! i am a 2 but wondering if that is simply because of my role as mum for the last 18 years. what am i at my core? this should be interesting!

hello go daddy. i managed to buy new domains, transfer old domains, got rid of one provider, got a new provider and we're good to go! i'm looking forward to some interesting things happening around here!

hello long weekend. time for the family day holiday!

hello justin timberlake. claire is returning home to attend the concert. jt is her absolute favourite performer, a fan for years and she's had the tickets for months.

hello writing course. this should be very interesting, i'm looking forward to learning how to write a best seller over the weekend.

hello daily re. over on facebook i've been mindful of mercury being in retrograde and posted a daily re for each day, so far. it's been fun!

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.

hello monday | 105

hello thermostat. holy smokes it's been cold in my home. it finally occured to me to look at the thermostat - it read "low battery" and 15C! new batteries and we have warmth.

hello temagami. cole has gone camping for the week and i'm relieved the forecast looks good! well, good for winter camping. crazy!

hello living my passion. and thank you to the beautiful voice and mind of mike rowe for this, his brilliant example of how and why.

hello paper inspiration. i love how we can all use "scrapbook" supplies and make it modern and brilliant. there has to be a better name - one that is recognizable but less "crafty" than scrapbooking.

hello distraction. it's always interesting the you tube videos my kids choose to show me. sometimes i don't know if i should be startled or proud.

hello choices. we all make them, every day. i measure mine - big and small - with great consideration. i can rest assured that they all come from a position of kindness and honesty. sometimes those two ideologies are in conflict. i have little problem dealing with the "elephant in the room" and become increasingly frustrated with those who err on the side of fake polite. a diplomat i am not! :D

hello handwriting font. i've been thinking about making one of my writing for a few years now. time to start doing rather than thinking :)

hello temporary beauty. this beach art is spectacular. i don't know that i could let it be washed away!

hello february. traditionally the month of chocolate and hearts. well, maybe not so much around here :) i believe this is more often the month of managing expectations.

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.

hello monday | 104

trucks were outside for a few hours. i wonder what was going on?

hello sleepovers. they're wonderful - especially when they're not in my house :)

hello evenings with friends. sometimes it's okay to take a break from being mama 24/7/365. good for me to go out with friends. good for the kids to go out with friends.

hello spacers. caden is getting prepared for braces.

hello maintenance. no, not the truck - me! this brittle cold has not been good for my skin. time to indulge in some pampering.

hello temptation. i love it when my friends know me so well and send me links to tempting retreats!

hello new moon goddess ceremony. i'm trying to stay open to new things - expecially when they feel like things i've known forever. sweet resonance.

hello business meetings. i hope i remember how to manage one of these!

hello electrician. maybe the fourth time is the charm? let's hope so! i'm tired of living in the dark, it's time to light things up around here :)

 hello newly minted seventeen year old. yep, this week. time flies!

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.

hello monday | 103

our boys played the #1 seed at the tournament - and won! they were so crazy proud of themselves and should have been. it was a tremendous tournament!

hello day with claire. and her friends. so much fun :)

hello mindfulness. with a couple of events last week, i suffered from a mindfullness hangover. i found myself drained in the most positive way possible. zero negative energy anywhere around me. what is mindfulness? i found a good article via lifehacker.

hello semi formal. before party. after party. semi-formal (aka, excuse for having a before- and after-party) in between. it was a fun event and i'm happy cole and chloé enjoyed their time.

hello goals with soul. it is so nice to see the concept i believe celebrated in other places with other consistent messages in unexpected places.

hello rabbit hole. i took a bit of a journey. i can't even remember where it started! i ended up (as i often do) at jennifer louden's site reading finding your way back to yourself and ended up signing up for her life organizer navigation course from 22 january through 26 march.

hello volleyball. tournaments have us in welland one weekend and london the next. they seem to be getting further and further away from home! i wonder what's next.

hello conversations. i love spending time catching up with my friends. in this case she is a woman i spend a lot of my summer with at the ball diamond but never talk to when the snow flies. a quick check in turned into a 75-minute catch up. yay!

hello creative block. it is inevitable. creative people get blocked. i've learned to quiet my mind when it goes 100 directions at once by just getting it all out - in the form of writing or creating - and then fall back into the inevitable exhaustion of it all. i'm now preparing for the upcoming block with less fear and more understanding.

hello lunch. there really isn't much better than going out to lunch with a girlfriend to discuss everything and nothing.

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.

hello monday | 102

one of the things that make me happy: lists

hello re-entry. as much as i like the company of my children 24/7, i've enjoyed getting back into my routine. this is my first full week with all of my kids back at school and all of the businesses and shops i need to visit are open regular hours. i love a productive week and look forward to the one ahead.

hello wellness challenges. given that this is the first full week of routine and to start it off right i'll be joining in this inspiring challenge to find my centre for the next 10 days. i'm delayed, but starting move more eat well jumpstart with cathy zielske. even though january 1 is as good a time as any to start anything, it is also really inconvenient. from now on i'm starting all january 1st activities on the 12th or beyond.

hello garage door. hoping to have it fixed today.

hello breath. i hold my breath when i'm feeling stress or fear. sometimes i don't even realize i'm doing it until i have to take in a large breath to recover. i have been trying to take 10 deep breaths as a regular practice and it has been wonderful. such a simple thing to do.

hello letter. this is a very interesting idea: send an email to my future self. i sent one to my self to open in early november - a reminder of all the things to do - and not to do - over the holidays 2014!

hello inspired photography. i was bemoaning the lack of inspiration for my photography and was rewarded with much to consider. this article was just the inspiring kick in the pants i needed!

hello science fair. this is my seventh consecutive year as a parent of a child in middle school. caden completed his science fair project over the weekend for presentation in february. the only thing left is crafting the board! this was the most entertaining of all experiments. just listening to him questioning the why of it all. maybe i have a scientist!

hello semi formal. oh the preparations!

hello desire map book club. i was thrilled to meet the ladies who managed to deal with the weather and join the group last week. i'm expecting a few more this week. so nice to find a group of like-minded supportive women focused on making a better life for themselves and those they love. good stuff.

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.

hello monday | 101

hello cold and ice. wow. here in the bubble things have been consistently chilly. i'm already thinking about escaping to warmer climes!

hello kingston. with the latest mega-storm being forecasted for days, we decided it was best for claire to head back to school by way of the train first thing this morning. by first thing i mean catching the 5:30 go train to toronto. it's going to be a long day for my girl. i'm thinking it's going to be a long day for me too!

hello desire map. i'm getting very excited about our first meeting! if you're interested in attending our local group, send me an e-mail to: desiremapoakville at gmail dot com or join the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216241078557214/ i'm ready to map my desires and set goals with soul!

hello 52 lists. let's try this again. hopefully this year will yield more than 20 prompts :)

hello detox cleanse. considering something like this, soon.

hello consolidation. i found some interesting infographics confirming what i already knew but it is still shocking to see the scope of it all.

hello writing. it's amazing to me the number of my friends who have, over the holidays, told me i should write a book. i have no idea what i would write about, but, um, okay. i'd better get my writing muscles toned up starting with this writing challenge.

hello questions. even after an exhaustive reverb13 project, i'm still finding provocative and interesting questions to answer.

hello photography projects. not sure if any of these ideas appeal to me. i want to get back behind the lens but not sure how. sounds ridiculous, but i'd like to find something to kick start my enthusiasm. ideas are welcome!

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.

hello monday | 100

hello ps4. a whole new world for all of us. this thing can play dvd's, blueray and we can watch netflix. now i just need the kids to show me which buttons to push so i can do all of this when they are at school!

hello binge watching. my kids often watch television shows a season at a time. that's how they watched "lost" and "dr. who" and a few others. now that we're half-way through the series "chuck" i totally get it.

hello functioning kitchen. now that it's completely retrofitted and i've had the drawers for a couple of weeks i have to say they are the best things ever! everything in it's place! order now reigns in my kitchen. now to start cooking :)

hello book club. i'm on deadline! a nice new challenge. reading we need new names by noviolet bulawayo and enjoying it, so far.

hello december daily. finally sitting down and getting it completed.

hello reformer pilates. i've surprised myself! since september i've been attending private and semi-private reformer pilates class twice a week. i think i've missed one? maybe two? this has turned into a most favourite activity - one that will continue through next year.

hello new routines. trying to decide what to keep and what to purge. january 1 is as good a time as any to use as a starting point! happy to use my new day planner to get organized and motivated.

hello looking forward. last year i had a "let's manifest what's next" party for some girlfriends. this week we're holding version 2. i'm really looking forward to it!

hello 2014. and a hearty goodbye to 2013. thanks for the lessons, but i need a break!

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.

hello monday | 99

(the view down our street sunday morning - ice and more ice everywhere! credit: claire ouellette)

hello last of double digit hello monday entries! albeit late this week.

hello ice storm. no power for 12+ hours leads to a long, dark and mostly quiet kind of day. all plans for the day were changed. we found power downtown and enjoyed a meal at the pub.

hello alarm beep-beep-beep. no cable meant the alarm kept wanting to tell me there was no connection. every 15 minutes for all 20+ hours it was out. i finally got to go to sleep at 5:45am. ugh! longest.day.ever.

hello download my board. this is a brilliant little application. so glad i found it!

hello mind, body, green. i enjoy learning from this site. i especially like that it aligns well with my current thoughts and beliefs without bias or any sense of competition.

hello things in a box. seriously the best game ever. i gave it to each of my brothers-in-law a couple of years ago and now it is my go-to staple for family friends. enjoyed introducing another family to it on sunday night during the black out.

hello non-seafood appetizers. we'll see how this goes! i'll have to depend on the barefoot contessa (as always) to help me out.

hello silence. i'm happy my kids are astute enough to realize that adult actions are where it's at. those in their lives who choose to be silent are making their choice loud and clear.

hello president. a favourite holiday card game. love that my kids chose to continue playing - by candlelight - when the power came back on.

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.

 

 

hello monday | 98

hello snow. holy smokes that was a big dumping of snow! we who dwell in the bubble of oakville are not accustomed to such a big storm - especially before christmas. it's beautiful, and treacherous.

hello daughter. fortunately plans were already made, just in case of bad weather, that claire would come home on sunday by way of via rail. such a good call. so nice to have her home for the next couple of weeks!

hello curiosity. i am all about learning new things. imagine my delight when i discovered skillshare - i've been pouring over the opportunities. love that their gift card says "the future belongs to the curious". i certainly hope so!

hello shopping. we're spending the day at either sherway gardens or mapleview to get all of our shopping started and finished - today.

hello root canal. the bright side is that i'll be able to enjoy christmas dinner!

hello kitchen reorganization. tomorrow brings with it a new gliding shelf solution in my kitchen. all of the cupboards are being fitted with drawers so i not only gain some space, but things will always have a proper home instead of being cluttered in a big box called a cupboard. whoot!

hello report cards. i really enjoy that my kids are excited to get their marks back each term. they've worked hard to earn them!

hello desire map. i am grateful for such a wonderful response to the upcoming book club! the reader guide is going to be released mid-week. yay!

hello overhaul. i'll be greeting the holidays with a new haircut and a new hair colour.

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.

hello monday | 97

 

hello exam week. turns out "hell week" (study/reading week) wasn't too bad though patience ran out and tempers did run high, let's hope we all survive exam week. claire and cole have already written a couple. now it's crunch time.

hello 37 days book club. i've always wanted to be part of a book club but never had an opportunity - wrong time, wrong people wrong choices. to the rescue comes patti digh. i'm looking forward to joining in and reading some fiction in 2014.

hello magic making. i've always been a fan of susannah conway, one of my favourite days the last couple of years is when her free "unravelling the year ahead" workbook comes out! mine is all printed out - and almost completed.

hello new range. after goemans dropped the ball, faulkners appliances came to the rescue! not only did i save bundle on the range, and bonus! the delivery and removal of the old stove were less than half. i am always happy when i'm not nickle-and-dimed! never thought i'd ever say it, but after weeks of meals-to-go and take out, i'm looking forward to cooking some "real" food.

hello spontaneity. just so we're all clear, i am not at all spontaneous. so. in a moment of silly, on the way back from caden's volleyball tournament in cambridge, we dropped off in guelph to visit a friend and her family. the wolly was wonderful! the company even better.

hello contacts. after chloé got a new phone to replace one that was smashed (ugh) the contacts from my icloud were on her phone - she then proceeded to delete most of them! i believe my address book is now rebuilt. all 478 cards!

hello 'wow' moments. just when you think you cannot be surprised by anything - good or bad, something happens that just stops you in your tracks. right now my mind is completely boggled (and shouldn't be) by the cruely, envy and mean inflicted on two of the people closest to me. pigs and grunts. i can only sit on the sidelines and completely support their future action or inaction, whatever they decide.

hello words to dream big. more inspiration to prepare for the new year ahead!

hello attitude of gratitude. i enjoy keeping a journal and have been asked many times about the process. this article is perfect! especially the part about dig deep - don't bother journaling if you're not going to get into the muck of it all! non muck journaling = calendar :)

hello social media marketing. i'm spending a lot of time learning all i can and while going down the research rabbit hole, i discovered this great interview.

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.

 

 

hello monday | 96

hello december. holy smokes! where does the time go?

hello exam study. lots of study notes are being written and plenty of reviewing being done. 

hello #reverb13. lots of reflecting and manifesting happening around here! i'm excited to get the book written, designed and printed. in the meantime, check out my supplemental blog.

hello new class. i'm looking forward to the new class with karla dudley in the new year over at scrapaneers. it looks fantastic!

hello tired. starting the week with a need to take a nap. this is not a good thing!

hello broken computer screen. hopefully it'll be fixed quickly so he can study!

hello super small lists. remarkable. my kids don't often want for much, but it's christmas! they must want something!

hello cold weather. you'd never know it was warm just a couple of weeks ago.

hello stove. putting good thoughts out to the universe that my new stove arrives this week!

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.

hello monday | 95

there will be lots of this view in my near future :)

hello holiday season. it's official. outdoor decorations are up. time to finish the rest!

hello restorative yoga. i'm looking forward to exploring this further. first kundalini meditation. then reformer pilates. it seems to fit my current pattern :)

hello carol services. we have a beautiful chapel on campus at the kids' school. the christmas services are always so lovely. we even have two in a row on saturday. cole will be singing at all five!

hello g12. a while back, in a fit of stupidity, my boys broke my camera and i replaced it with one that was reputed to be "better". now that i've used it for a couple of months - better is not, in fact, better. it's just not working. out of sheer frustration i've sourced and purchased a new out-of-date g12. yay! one of the kids will be happy with the g1x.

hello pc plus card. glad to finally have a loyalty card for the store we shop at most. it won't change how i shop, but i'll take advantage of anything i can to reduce our food costs!

hello reverb13. i'm looking forward to this project in december.

hello artifact uprising. there was a flaw in a book i had sent in to be printed. i sent a photo of the problem and with no muss or fuss a new book is being produced. i truly appreciate good customer service!

hello want, need and read. yes, three christmas gifts for each of my kids. one they want. one they need. and one to read. tick. tock. i can't believe how fast november has flown by. this week i will get christmas all done! well, all but the cooking, wrapping and enjoying :)

hello one of a kind show. this year i'll be looking a bit differently - as a curator more than a customer. this should be a lot of fun.

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.