Embrace Life

#HouseRules

Inspired by a recent IKEA ad, it got me thinking about our own house rules. Things are so different now in a house of teens rather than a house of toddlers. Some of the rules have stayed the same and some of the rules have changed along the way.

I thought I had just two simple rules in my house: treat people the way you want to be treated; and, give me 24-hours notice of plans.

My kids corrected me! It turns out there are a few more:

Don't impose your bad mood on others. A good mood? Impose!

Put glassware away in the cupboard upside down.

Don't leave the house without letting someone know where you're going - and when you plan to return.

Wood spoons and white spatulas go with wood spoons and white spatulas, all other kitchen utensils go with all other kitchen utensils. There is no reason to mix them all up.

Always answer your phone if the caller is someone related to you. (Unless you're in the shower or sleeping. Then call back as soon as you can.)

Show up. Own it. Look for good. Only good.

Let me repeat: what others think of you is none of your business.

Toilet paper comes over the top and the roll must be replaced in the same manner when empty.

If you can't live your life as though your actions and words were to be printed on the front page of the newspaper, perhaps you should reconsider those actions and words.

Put the driver's seat back to position #1 and turn down the music when you return the truck.

When empty (only drops left = empty) replace the milk bag in the fridge. Do not leave the container empty on the counter. And throw the little plastic triangles in the garbage when a new bag is opened.

Secrets are toxic. No whispering.

Get yourself up in the morning. You don't like to hear yelling in the morning only half as much as I don't like yelling.

Intollerance will not be tolerated. (Yes, I understand the hypocricy.)

Make sure you have everything with you that you need for school. With rare exception will it be delivered to you. That includes homework, gym clothes and food.

Do not delete shows from the DVR if they were not recorded for your own personal enjoyment.

When out of the house or off school property, do not use data on your phone!

When going to Fortino's, check to make sure we have the basics: bread & milk etc. before you go. And then buy what's missing.

This too shall pass - the bad times and the good times.

Who you choose to be your boyfriend/girlfriend is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. Your family will tell you the truth. Listen. We love you.

The toilet seat is always to be in the down position. Unless in use, of course.

Tell mama first. I do not want to hear from someone else's mum that you did *gasp* at an event. Best to own it and let me know first so I am prepared for the well-meaning - or pot-stirring - "friend" and her "news".

From a place of pure joy and trust, you all sing in the shower. We all suffer through every note - no one can complain about the other! :D

Clothes on your floor do not get washed. And still-folded clothes returned to the laundry room do not get washed either.

Teddy was right: comparison is the thief of joy.

Bickering over provable nonsense is exhausting. If you're going to argue please determine an idea to ease world hunger, devise a plan to stop all wars, find a cure for ebola and other terrible diseases. Nonsense? Ugh.

Check the COZI, if there is nothing, the answer is probably "yes". (Even with the 24-hour rule in place!)

Homework first.

If someone - anyone is talking trash about anyone in your family, defend first and get the facts later.

If in doubt: breathe. In-two-three. Out-two-three. Then speak.

And with that, we're done! What "rules" do you have in your house? How many have changed along the way? 

the current | forty-two

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 9:17pm on 22 september 2014
weather outside: a cool 12C - feeling crisp
mood inside: quiet with just me and chloé at home

drinking a glass of perrier, no ice

eating a bowl of berries: black and blue

embracing the feeling that this house is starting to feel like home

enjoying the delivery of new couches from crate & barrel, delivered this morning

cooking minimally. with just two of us at home there is a lot of winging it!

trying to keep up with my supplement and medication schedule. an overhelming 37 pills a day!

missing claire at university, cole in boarding and caden in temagami.

feeling like i'm on the edge of something new and exciting.

listening to my intuition, and finally giving myself permission to pay attention and act on what it is telling me.

watching "the voice" is on in the background. i love this time of year, the start of the new tv season. i wonder which will survive? almost a guarantee it is not the one i fall in love with watching!

reading jan karon's new book "somewhere safe with somebody good" - it is so nice to be back in mitford, north carolina again!

wearing my new oversized olive-drab sweater. my sister will be horrified! :D

packing a box of school books for consignment. the forms have been filled. i just have to put it in the truck and head off to the store.

planning to sell the suburban. i think. i'm vascilating. not good. just one more project.

stopping all of the second guessing and negative self talk. it's time to leave all the f***ing drama to those creating it and not engage.

wanting a massage. oh, and a foot rub!

needing to find a way to make the "foundation formula" - am and pm versions and customized "amino acid" powder taste better. seriously. in their current state they are completely unpalatable! if i won't take it because it tastes like caca then it does no good for me, right?

wishing for my kids to make good choices.

waiting for the townhouse to sell so i can finally move all of our belongings into the new house and settle in completely. tired of having moved all of the contents and not the containers. living in clutter city!

thinking how incredibly fortunate to live the life i have.

enjoying always having something to do.

paying attention to all of the crazy wildlife around here. huge black squirrels hoarding small acorns and tiny red squirrels hoarding huge nuts of some kind. and the raccoons - very busy beasts.

encouraging all of my kids to make authentic choices - courses, friends, parties, activities and so many more challenges. choose what resonates with them and do it.

celebrating the change of season. i know most people think summer was just cold and wet and autumn is simply an extension of the same, but this season makes me joyful. time to use the new camera!

cultivating a new start, a foundation on which i plan to build my future.

marveling at match.com and the cesspool of crazy it contains. though, on a different level, it is great fodder for story characters!

anticipating more change, more kindness, more challenge, more frustration, more embracing, more learning, more love. yeah, that. more love.

and tada, a photo from my week:

anticipation | autumn

We are just rolling into autumn like summer never happened. The leaves started to change before the kids headed back to school, so I anticipate things will be pretty cold pretty quickly around here. They've already had measurable snow out west. At my age and stage, I'm happy for the cooler weather no matter the season!

We are adjusting to some big changes around here: Claire is back in Kingston, Cole is in his boarding year, Chloé elected to stay and is finding her footing and Caden has started high school! We almost totally settled in a new house, with new spaces, new chores, new routines. Lots of lessons being learned.

With the arrival of autumn we are looking forward to:

• Volleyball training for Caden. He's made it onto the school team and hopefully he will make it onto a town team, but he's all signed up for training through the year.
• Cole and Chloé are back at vocal lessons with Greg. They are not going to perform in the festivals this year, but they do plan on attending the Conservatory Exams.
• Even I got in on things and am all signed up for My Pop Choir. Our first song is Ain't No Mountain High Enough.
• Caden is leaving for the Upper One trip to Temagami - it still fills me with dread. I will hold my breath the whole time he is away.
• Homecoming is coming up and I'm looking forward to it, especially since Claire is expected to come home for it! It'll be nice to have all four in the house even if it is for just one day.
• I've put together a meal plan and look forward to more stews and hearty fare in keeping with the season.
• I've even put together a whole "let's create" plan and look forward to new projects to complete.
• The new television season: The Good Wife, Elementary, The Blacklist, Scandal and Once Upon A Time will watched for sure, as well as the new Tea Leone show, Madame Secretary and Viola Davis in How to Get Away with Murder.
• Derek Jeter retires from baseball on September 28th in Boston for his last game in a Yankees uniform. We'll all be watching.
• Fingers crossed the townhouse is sold and we can finally move all of the furniture and be completely settled in our new space.
• Cole will be sending out his University applications! Blink. It all goes by so fast.
• The Ryder Cup is much anticipated - by me, anyway!
• More plumbers, electricians, heat & air, landscapers and now to find a carpenter.
• I'm taking a virtual Desire Map Workshop and am greatly looking forward to it.
• Thanksgiving should be lovely. Not sure what the plans are, but I know it will include good food, good wine and lots of family.
• Thunderstorms, a roaring fireplace, a cup of tea, a good book and a big blanket set the stage for me to get comfortable atop the new Crate & Barrel couch. I hope to have a chance to do this - a lot!
• Kundalini yoga continues on Friday mornings.
• I'm changing up my coaching to include some more energy and metaphysical aspects. I anticipate it will be fascinating.
• The Worldwide Photo Walk is being held on October 11. I'll probably make a trek somewhere, just not sure where, yet.
• We're looking forward to going into Toronto for a matinée of Wicked. I've read the book, know the soundtrack, but have never seen the musical. I can't wait!
• Writing classes start again in Burlington. Lots of my life happens in Burlington.
• Hallowe'en will be much different in this neighbourhood as it is LOADED with kids. I may just have to carve some pumpkins and put out some decorations. It'll be a nice change after enjoying a couple of years hiatus.
• Mercury will be in retrograde again. Time for me to get lots done!
• Judging from the multitude of signs around town, it looks like we have an election coming up. Since I recognize almost all of the names and most of the signs say "re-elect" I suppose it's just more of the same-old-same-old.
• I'm heading out to The Possible Life event in Burlington which is being headed by a couple of friends of mine. I'm looking forward to it!
• Late in October is Week In The Life time again. I looked at my calendar and put it in. I realized how much of my memory keeping projects revolve around autumn. I think I'm going to have to shuffle a few things in the future!
• Daylight savings - how depressing.
• The TreadClimber will be getting a workout - and so will the new studio!
• In a couple of short months the kids will be writing exams! (Shh. I won't tell them. There's enough pressure!)
• I will continue with my crazy meds and supplement schedule - and IV treatments every Wednesday until they tell me I'm healthy again. Gotta tell you, it better be before Christmas :)

The kids are in key years at school so around here it's all about focus-focus-focus, with a bit of fun and distraction thrown in to help maintain their sense of humour! I realized there is no travel in our plans for the next few months. I must remedy that. Maybe a quick day trip somewhere?

Happy autumn :)

read | books for autumn

I am a collector of books - many books! I put so many books on shelves in our new house - and we had to purchase even more bookshelves for the overflow. I have read most of them, but in some cases I can't tell you any of the specifics found in them, except for a few absolute favourites. Most often I choose books to read by author, there are some authors who are, to me, "must read" and happily some of them have books being released in the next few months!

I am hoping to put the magazines away and pick up my Kindle. When the kids get back to school and I spend more time in parking lots waiting for them finish up with their day, with their lessons, with their practices, it will be nice to have company in the truck. Kindle? I am starting to read more and more on my e-reader as it is so much more portable and it collects far less dust than those on the shelves. All of the books contained within are works of fiction. If it's a book I don't expect to have to make notes, it's on the Kindle.

Jan Karon: Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good. Even if I weren't a huge fan of Jan Karon's Mitford Years series, doesn't that title just sound wonderful? I so enjoy the setting and characters of her books. I cannot wait to return to Mitford, I've been too long away!

Randall Munroe: What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. So this got my attention - who can pass by "serious" and "absurd" in the same title?

Anna Quindlen: Still Life with Bread Crumbs. With many of the reviews comparing this novel with "comfort food." I felt it was perfect to add to my collection of sweater weather reads.

Oprah Winfrey: What I Know For Sure. I know Oprah has her detractors - loud ones, but I'm not one of them. She has exposed me to more concepts and ideas than any other person I know. You go girl!

Anne Lamott: Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments Of Grace. I need a bit of wise mixed with irreverant right now. This should do the trick - but I have to wait until mid-November!

Graeme Simsion: The Rosie Effect. Oh how I loved reading The Rosie Project - and gave it to my sisters for Christmas last year. I am thrilled to see this follow-up to the first book. It comes out in late-September.

Reza Aslan: Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. I've read the reviews and the idea of reading more than just the parables and stories learned by rote as a child is appealing.

Editors of Martha Stewart Living: One Pot. I enjoy flavourful recipes that make both prep and clean-up easy. I've set up "experiment night" for Saturdays!

Pam Grout: E-Cubed: Nine More Energy Experiments. The experiments in E-Squared worked last summer and I've gotten away from my habit of being midfully observant. Time to do this again :)

Barbara Erskine: The Darkest Hour. I have been a fan of Barbara Erskine since I read Lady of Hay years ago while living and working in Buffalo, NY - it was a nice escape! I have read all of her books and am looking forward to this new page-turner.

Deborah Harkness: A Discovery of Witches: A Novel. Recommended when I was ordering, I read the reviews and figured it was worth the read. We'll see :)

I know that in order to write what I like to read, I have to read more of what I like. Over the course of autumn, I'm deliberately setting aside time to focus on guilt-free reading. Right now I'm a super slow reader (and always have been) but maybe with more pages turned I'll get quicker and this daunting collection of 10 books won't look so intimidating!

What are you reading?

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.

4 Simple Goals | 08-14

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.

4 Simple Goals | 07-14

list | 09 places

52 LISTS | Week Nine | list the places you want to go

Graduations of all of my children from university - or learning institution of their choice . pottery classes to experiment with making the art that lives in my head . to Newfoundland - with my camera - to watch icebergs float by and eat fresh seafood and listen to the lilt of the Newfie voices enthralled in storytelling . to restaurants - new and old - to review for fun . for a walk, every day, at least 10,000 steps . on a photo-safari to South Africa . on quick weekend get-aways with friends . back to Scotland to visit castles, golf courses and fields of purple and yellow . the delivery room for the birth of all my grandchildren . to listen to Brené Brown and Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin and Pema Chödrön and Dalai Lama and Sir Ken Robinson and Daniel Pink and Tony Robbins and Oprah and Ken Follett and Dan Gilbert and Susan Cain and Whoopie Goldberg speak, live . to walk through the Distillery District, with my camera - and to Queen's Quay, the Beaches, Union Station and Kensington Market and the BSS art room and other highlights in Toronto . to NYC for Broadway shows and great food . to reformer Pilates class at least 3x each week . regularly, to a patio for lunch to people-watch through the summer . to Canyon Ranch in Tucson with my sister every Spring . to my back deck to meditate every morning . to a publishing house, completed manuscript in hand . to a creative retreat to learn from others . walk through our new house for a final inspection . back to the Cloister's, this time with kids . to the Greenbriar, too . to the spa for a regular mani/pedi . through the car wash as often as possible . back to Cape Cod, every summer, forever . a happy place in my head and heart, every day .

What about you? What are the places you want to go?

And this week, there is a CHALLENGE: this week I will go ...

for a photo-walk through the campus of Appleby College

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

4 Simple Goals | 06-14

the current | thirty-eight

the current | thirty-seven

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 8:42pm on 28 may 2014
weather outside: a lovely 20C, it's about time!
mood inside: contemplative and positive

drinking a bottle of very cold perrier.

eating lots of almonds, greek yogurt, bananas, sliced turkey, pumpkin seeds - plenty of fresh and healthy eats :)

embracing change. the minute i settle into any sense of comfort change comes knocking on my door! (and then the door changes.)

enjoying making plans with friends for the summer ahead. a bit of cottaging. a bit of golf. a bit of travel. a bit of nesting. all things that make summer, summer.

cooking on the bbq. loving the bbq.

trying to organize my days to manage my homework!

missing a couple of days this month due to some flu. bad timing!

feeling grateful. quite literally vibrating with the need to express and revel in it.

listening to the unending noise outside my window all night long. it's been going on for a while. i'm thinking i should get up one night to walk over and find out what is making that awful noise!

watching the stanley cup finals. 'tis the season! i do love the sport of hockey. i am equally happy my sons no longer play the game.

reading the new books for summer reading: the ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman and the things they carried by tim o'brien.

wearing shorts and tanks - work clothes and work-out clothes.

packing many many many boxes!we've been to u-haul and purchased two 25-pack bundles of boxes. i know we'll be back to buy more!

planning the logistics of a big move & working out the finishing touches on summer camps and holidays.

stopping briefly to take it all in.

wanting to get to the point where i can simply slow down and take it all in - with joy, appreciation and relief!

needing to settle into a slower pace. i suppose i will when i find the time!

wishing love and joy and peace and acceptance to everyone.

waiting for good news to come from outstanding projects: chloé's school applications, cole's visa applications, kids' identity change requests, the house to close/sell, the new litter to be born, exams/ascent/pol to be complete, so much going on!

thinking this has been a CRAZY FULL (to the point of busy) MONTH!

enjoying the rare quiet moments in my life.

paying mindful attention to what i want. what i really want. and then letting that be enough without interference from others idea of what i should have.

encouraging caden to play golf this summer. and claire, cole and chloé too!

celebrating every opportunity to watch my kids on the ball diamond and enjoying time at the volleyball pit.

cultivating the life i want. the life my kids want.

marveling over my kids no longer being children. when did that happen? they are growing into such incredible people :)

anticipating a few exhaustive emotional melt downs as the evaluation period (exams, ascent, pol) comes for it's annual two weeks of slow torture.

and tada, a photo from my week:

Caden played King Triton in the Middle School Musical Little Mermaid. He, as all the kids, rocked it!

list | 08 favourite albums

52 LISTS | Week Eight | list your favourite albums

Hotel California & Greatest Hits (Eagles) . Tapestry (Carol King) . Chicago V (Chicago) . Speak for Yourself & Ellipse (Imogen Heap) . Foiled & Approaching Normal (Blue October) . Nick of Time (Bonnie Rait) . Jonathan Livingston Seagull & all others (Neil Diamond) . Thank You Happy Birthday (Cage the Elephant) . Reflektor (Arcade Fire). Rumours & Tango in the Night (Fleetwood Mac) . ABBA & The Album (ABBA) . Coming Around Again  (Carly Simon) . Minute by Minute (Doobie Brothers) . News of the World & Night at the Opera (Queen) . Corinne Bailey Rae (Corinne Bailey Rae) . Sweet Baby James, James Taylor, October Road, JT (James Taylor) . Linger & Everybody Else is Doing It (Cranberries) . Like a Prayer & Madonna (Madonna) . So & Peter Gabriel (Peter Gabriel) . Tea for the Tillerman & Greatest Hits (Cat Stevens) No Angel & Life for Rent (Dido) . Bad, Thriller & Off the Wall (Michael Jackson) . The Essential Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) . Some Nights (fun.) . Famous Blue Raincoat (Jennifer Warnes) . Chase This Light (Jimmy Eat World) . Heavier Things (John Mayer) . Hopes & Fears (Keane) . Eye to the Telescope & Drastic Fantastic (KT Tunstall) . Masterpiece Theatre (Marianas Trench) . And Then There WEre Three, Abacab & Duke (Genesis) . Sigh No More (Mumford & Sons) . My Head is an Animal (Of Monsters and Men) . Songs About Jane & It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Maroon 5) . Ultimate Santana (Santana) . Train & Drops of Jupiter (Train) . Bat out of Hell (Meatloaf) . Crime of the Century & Breakfast in America (Supertramp) . Only by the NIght & Come Around Sundown (Kings of Leon) . Hot Fuss, Bones & Battle Born (Killers) . A Rush of Blood to the Head, Viva la Vida & Mylo Xyloto (Coldplay) . Happiness & Disaster (Stabilo) . Harvest (Neil Young) . Purple Rain & 1999 (Prince) | Born to Run & Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) . The Joshua Tree, Beautiful Game, Achtung Baby & War (U2) .

What about you? What are your favourite albums?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

Fluff & Nonsense | As Yet Unshared

As always, I'm inspired by Susannah Conway! I enjoy these "emotional mining" kind of posts. It reminds me of where I was and how far I've come in all the small details which are regularly overlooked. I've managed to cram an awful lot in! You'd think the information would be finite, but indeed, there is always more to share :)

1. I am not a particularly good gardener though I do love my bright and overflowing container plants through spring and summer.
2. I appreciate yellow for some things but it is not my favourite colour.
3. Perhaps it's because I struggle with my yellow chakra (self-worth, judgment)?
4. Yes, I am learning a ton of metaphysical and spiritual concepts.
5. The first albums I ever owned were The Eagles "Hotel California"; Billy Joel "Stranger"; Fleetwood Mac "Rumours", and Meatloaf "Bat Out of Hell" all purchased at Sam the Record Man on Yonge Street on the same day in 1977.
6. I enjoy folding laundry; I dislike cleaning up the dinner dishes.
7. I believe secrets are the most distructive force in the universe.
8. Though I owned a baseball training facility, I have no clue how to throw a ball.
9. I am early for everything. Late drives me bonkers.
10. Though I will not go in any water where I cannot see the bottom, I love being close to the ocean - the sound of the waves, the breeze, the heavy salty air.
11. I do not celebrate or encourage "Hallmark" holidays.
12. I graduated high school as valedictorian and had my choice of universities to attend.
13. I did not gratuate from university. That fact used to bother me terribly. It does not bother me any more.
14. My first name is Jennifer. I am not a Jennifer.
15. I am an abstainer, not a modifier. I can't just have a bite of cake, I have to have a whole slice (especially carrot cake!); I can't just watch one episode, I have to watch them all; I can't drink a glass of wine "only on weekends", the restriction makes me antsy, so I have no restriction and then manage to drink only on weekend.
16. I have recently learned that I am violently allergic to eggs. This makes me very sad as my most favourite meal on a lazy weekend morning is poached eggs on toast.
17. I used to have panic attacks when driving on the highway. The worst one was while driving through Pennsylvania with my daughter, Claire, to Arlington, VA to visit my sister 11 years ago.
18. I won a grade 6 spelling contest by spelling Pennsylvania properly.
19. I am addicted to oracle cards.
20. There is only one person from my past I'd like to find: Stacy - the boy best-friend of David, with the girl name; while in contrast I was the girl best-friend of David with the boy name :)
21. I am constantly washing my hands - and countertops. I hate sticky!
22. I do not like going to the movies as the theatre itself freaks out my germaphobic tendencies. I blame an Oprah show from years ago that covered the topic!
23. I love seafood, especially lobster. Women in my family tend to become highly intollerant of seafood, anaphylaxic, so I eat as much as I can when I have the opportunity! Until I can't.
24. My greatest wish is to be a size 14 again.
25. I can manage to "play" extrovert for only short periods at a time - and then it takes me double that time to recover.

 Wow! I had forgotten a lot of that stuff! What about YOU? What do people not know about you?

Challenge | "I" Statements

Ages ago, Becky Higgins posted a list of "I" statements and challenged those who read her blog to do the same, so here it goes :)

I WAS … recently reveling in how much I enjoy my life, now. Even with all of the drama and chaos of raising four kids alone, it is challenging, rewarding and fulfilling. I am present and engaged, every day.

I AM … delighted to have learned how to put me on the list and discovered things I enjoy that keep me centred and challenged: meditation, pilates and new courses including writing and art.

I THINK … this summer is going to be greatly enjoyed after suffering so long through four solid months of ice and snow on the ground.

I WONDER … what's next. Because, as we all know, it won't be on any plan :)

I WISH … there was a permanent cure for eczema and psoriasis - and thyroid disease, too.

I SAVE … all of my errands and shopping to do all in one day. The idea of having to run around and shop more than once a week is too much for me to bear.

I ALWAYS … cringe when my kids make bad food choices: refined sugar is terrible. Sweet poison.

I CAN'T IMAGINE … not going to Cape Cod for at least a little bit of every summer. It is such an integral part of our family experience. I'm glad the tradition will continue in a few short months.

I BELIEVE … if you treat people the way you would like to be treated a lot of misunderstandings and unkind behaviour can be avoided. It is, for me, the key to a drama-reduced existence!

I PROMISE … to keep learning new things and stretch my understanding of concepts, ideas, opportunities and people around me.

I LOVE … my children, with all of my heart, every day. Even on those days when they drive me crazy.

I SCRAP … because I believe everyone has a story worth telling, mine is just a picture book rather than a novel, for now.

Becky even went so far as to have her children do the same. I loved that idea and hope to add "I" statements from each of my kids for our Project Life album.

What about you? What are your "I" statements?

Lift | Mighty List 2

Since I wrote out my first Mighty List in April 2012 I managed to accomplish a lot, I also managed to forget about the list while life had me focus on other things. It's time to regroup and figure out a new list, one that serves me better and takes into consideration all that I've learned in the past two years. 

Nowhere on my original list was "take private reformer Pilates classes" or "take kids on a Caribbean cruise" or "file every spec of paper in the house" - things I've done that have greatly enriched my life. I'm revisiting this project as I like the idea of a brain dump of things to accomplish before I am unable to accomplish anything else. Real big dream-to-goal things, not just a simple laundry list of chores. A true MIGHTY list.

On that same note, it's okay to LET GO of some things. Transcend from a bucket list format of catching every half formed thought or idea and embrace exactly who I am and what I want to do to enrich my mind, body and soul. To do that, truly honour who and what I am it was necessary to face some truths and my list reflects those realizations.

Some things remain, some things have changed - some things were actually accomplished from the original list. In no particular order, this is my new version:

1. Take a painting class - watercolours first - then oil and acrylic
2. Keep my Project Life up-to-date
3. Take a trip with stops in Morocco, Turkey and Italy for sure
4. Write - and publish - a novel
5. Choose my favourite blog posts and put them into book form
6. Find the root of the weight issue then lose it, enough to feel good again
7. Fix and cull all of the categories on my blog
8. Find a companion, a man who brings out the best in me, and me him
9. Submit 10 articles for publication - then have them published
10. Watch the opera - MET showings - at Silvercity
11. Take golf lessons - then golf as often as possible
12. Write a cookbook for my kids of all our favourite meals
13. Clear out the storage locker
14. Continue to model the behaviour I want to see in my children
15. Then model better
16. Take a creative writing course
17. Go indoor skydiving
18. Put together a library of all the creative courses I've taken - and finish the projects that still resonate
19. Feel rested and 100% well
20. The biggest "unattainable" dream in my life, ever: have an article published by Vanity Fair magazine
21. Read ALL of the books on my bookshelf
22. Purchase the exact outdoor couch I have pictured in my head (and not freak out about the ridiculous price)
23. Write a children's book - then write some more
24. Leave the house more and connect with people, even if it's just to sit in a restaurant and observe
25. Forgive myself for the ache my children suffer at the neglect of their father
26. Clear all of the clutter from each and every room in my home
27. Meditate and move daily
28. Buy a home on the Canyon Ranch Tucson property
29. Replace my entire wardrobe with clothes that fit properly and make me feel good
30. Take regular "photo walks" to someplace new and creatively evocative
31. Then compile a big coffee table book of photos and experiences
32. Organize ALL of the files on my computer
33. Go on one soul-filling retreat each month - writing, photography, quiet, creative
34. Take a trip to the UK and visit all of the places that resonate within me
35. Buy the Canon EOS 1-DX camera
36. Go snowshoeing
37. Watch Downton Abbey, Veronica Mars, The Good Wife, Breaking Bad, Suits, Friday Night Lights, Mad  Men, Six Feet Under, Freaks & Geeks
38. Turn my townhouse into a real honest-to-goodness townhouse with heavy doors, crown moulding and high baseboards
39. Find an accountant to get all of my finances in order and open The Next Chapter Studio
40. Learn to make "relief" pottery - then make a lot of it!

This list-in-progress reflects exactly who I am and what I want to include in my life.

What is on your Mighty List?

list | 07 feel healthy

52 LISTS | Week Seven | list the things that make you feel healthy (mind, body & soul) 

My new practice of daily meditation . drinking at least 4 litres of water each day . realizing I am worthy of being at the top of my list . practicing kindness . deep cleansing breaths . my power fruit smoothie in the morning . daily affirmations . clean eating . reformer pilates classes with Jackie and Jill . days at the ocean . recognizing (and then the mindful ridding myself of) anything that is not good for me . learning and practicing patience . getting 8+ hours of sleep each night . turning off the computer for one full day each week . taking my meds daily . trusting my personal compass . celebrating every day without a cigarette - I've reached day 4683 . choosing to walk rather than drive . clean laundry . surrounding myself with people I like and a few who challenge me . music that makes me happy . clearing clutter . eating when I'm hungry and sleeping when I'm tired . getting myself lost in novels . leaning into resistence and sore muscles . cool and sunny days, with a hint of a breeze . pushing past my limits . big hugs . a return trip to Canyon Ranch

What about you? What makes you feel healthy?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

 

 

list | 06 show love

52 LISTS | Week Six | List the ways in which you can love others

Show up, every day . Listen . Treat others the way I want to be treated . Be honest - with others as well as myself . Fold laundry . Provide for my family . Put myself on the list . Honour my desires and dreams . Provide healthy meals for my kids . Make the best choices based on the circumstances at the time . Give voice to genuine complements . Remember that others have their own point of view . Camouflage broccoli . Encourage the dreams of my children in every way possible . Support the choices of my friends . Stand up for my beliefs . Practice patience . Share ideas and plans for the future . Count to ten . Smile and say "hello" to strangers . Stay open to new concepts and ideas . Bathe regularly . Model the best behaviour possible at all times - live the example . Embrace silence . Ask questions and then wait for the answer . Be generous with my time . Look on the bright side . Nurture connection . Keep in touch with friends, old and new . Hug like you mean it . Foster an atmosphere of kindness and consideration . Say "I love you, too" .

What about you? How do you show love?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 05 grateful

52 LISTS | Week Five | List what you are grateful for

(Not much has changed, this list starts with pretty much a repeat of my list from last year, but I've added so much more to the end!)

The start of every new day and that I'm here to make of it whatever I want . the love, trust and respect of my children . my inquisitive nature and insatiable need to learn . my home and those with whom I share it . always having something to do . freedom of choice . my dad . the forgiving nature of my children . a good eye - the photos I take look good . thyroid medication . girlfriends . the opportunity to take the time to plan my future . resilience . laughter . conversations with my sister Beth - enjoying the bond of shared past . technology: Google, my blog, Pinterest, Facebook, CBS Sunday Morning, Netflix, mac, SiriusXM, iEverything, Photoshop Elements . good eating habits . life at a nice pace . returning to the person I am . constant change: weather, people, opportunities, situations . longer days . sauvignon blanc . the beach house in Cape Cod . Brené Brown, Danielle LaPorte, Cathy Zielske, Oprah, Susannah Conway, Patti Digh, Ali Edwards . late baseball games in the heat of summer . a cleaning team every Monday . long tops that cover my butt . dimmer switches . amethyst geodes . Chloé, giver of the best hugs . watching football with Caden . weekly Skype and FaceTime calls with Claire . Cole calling to check on me . white peonies . well written novels . honest conversations . gas fireplaces when it hits -15C and colder outside . Eileen Fisher . annual visits to Canyon Ranch . candlelight . my "Desire Map" ladies . newfound confidence . opportunities available to me and my kids . affirmations . reformer Pilates . meditation . salt rooms . my initiation to old practices . Staples, Curry's and Deserres for my paint, paper and pencil fix . rib eye steaks . Glaxal Base lotion . cashmere . pedicures . sleep .

What about you? For what are you most grateful?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 04 goals & dreams

52 LISTS | Week Four | List your current & future goals & dreams

(To me a goal is simply a dream with a deadline. Something tangeable I can really wrap my head around. Though, recently, I have become more open to the idea of dreams as a new way to look at my reality. It's been fascinating.)

To live a life with no physical pain so I can walk as far as I want as often as I want.

To find an accountant - one to help me with organizing and filing my taxes and one to set up my business.

To have everything in my home 100% organized, all at one time. Every cupboard used efficiently and labelled - filled only with things loved or that are used regularly.

To open the online business I am planning and then move into a brick & mortar location close enough that I can walk to it every day.

To never stop creating.

To stay in consistent contact with those I've chosen to be in my life.

To make the blog what I want it to be - with consistently good content - and then make it something more.

To execute my plans to write regular reviews and have them published regularly to great acclaim - and change.

To attend my children's graduations from high school and university.

To become a grandmother - but not too soon!

To continue to create healthy eating and moving habits.

To travel to The Bahamas, to Bora Bora, to Scotland & Ireland, to St. Petersburg & Northern Europe, to Greece, to Turkey, to Morocco, to South Africa, to Eastern Europe.

To have a personal chef.

To continue to say "yes" when opportunities resonate positively with my beliefs and values.

To own a Canon EOS 1DX camera - and the ability to use it to it's fullest potential.

To build the wardrobe I want for the size I am now. To rebuild as necessary.

To attend a TED conference.

To buy a second home on the Canyon Ranch property in Tucson.

To create the stories, photo books, pottery, stationery, metal art, paintings, I have in my head into tangeable objects.

To keep the bar high. To settle is tempting - don't do it.

To always stay open and learn new things.

To always have something to do.

To find someone to love, who will love me.
 

What about you? What are your goals and dreams?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

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.

notes to the universe | february

I am content.

Comfortable (most days) in my own skin, I don't want for much as I don't feel anything lacking in my life. I do not live with a sense of scarcity, angst or anxiety - at least not in any way that I dwell or consider a distraction during my days.

I am often asked what I want and it takes me a lot of time and effort to consider what they might be.

Of course, there are always a few things in my life that need to be addressed and improved. After all, like most of us, I am a work in progress. My wants are more internal than external. I found a little meme and liked the format. A fun way to put things into perspective and gather my thoughts together.

A bad habit I'm going to break is waiting for conditions to be "perfect" before I dive in

A destination I'd like to visit is Bora Bora or Atlantis in the Bahamas

I'm going to work harder at keeping my home clutter-free and organized

A project I'd like to finish is Project Life 2013, and print it in book form, too

A class I'd like to take would be pottery or painting - something messy

I'd like to spend more time doing things that feed my soul: read, write, photograph

A food I want to eat more is vegetables, dark green and flavourful

I want to wear more cashmere and colour, maybe a combination of the two :)

There it is, my wants sent out to the universe.

What do you want?

list | 03 proud

52 LISTS | Week Three | List the things you should be proud of

I show up. For me. For my kids. For my friends. For my family. Every day.

I started a practice of meditation and movement in September. I am still going twice a week. This is so good for me!

I faced my past and moved on.

I foster a home filled with communication, tolerance and love. Some days are better than others, but I wouldn't trade one day, even a bad one.

I am leaning into resistance - and fear - and saying "yes" to many scare-the-crap-out-of-my-introvert-self opportunities.

I gave myself permission to feel again.

I embraced a bit of "woo hoo" and am now a proud owner of many oracle card sets and a pendulum, or two ;)

I have opened my heart and my home to people I have come to trust and enjoy in my life. Connection is a wonderful thing.

I listen more.

I am building a positive life in alignment with my values and beliefs.

I have set boundaries. I recognize situations that do not serve me and extricate myself as quickly as possible. I am not interested in hurting the feelings of anyone, but I am no longer making others happy at my expense.

I reserve judgment while looking for the best in everyone and every situation.

I have released the need for perfection in exchange for excellence.

Self-doubt is no longer my default.

I have (finally) realized that I am worthy of acceptance and love.

 

What about you? Of what in your life are you most proud?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

photography | bucket list

I have oodles of very creative friends - I enjoy their company in person as well as by the virtual magic of the internet. One of those people is my friend Kyla Hunzinger who posted a link to a photography bucket list. Yes! This is what I need to do! I've missed taking mindful photos, as opposed to Project Life-influenced snapshots. Though I have dreams of owning and using a Canon 1DX DSLR camera, I realize I haven't focused enough on my old Canon 40D in a while to make the leap! Maybe this will help.

This is my Photography Bucket List

1. A covered bridge - or series of them
2. An apple orchard in full spring bloom
3. A snow covered forest with sun glowing through the trees
4. Jellyfish in an aquarium
5. Small child running away with Batman hood and cape flowing behind
6. All four of my kids - all at once, enjoying themselves
7. Weather-worn faces of those who work outdoors, with their equipment: farmer in front of tractor, fisherman in front of boat/traps, logger in front of truck, etc.
8. Grandparent and child holding hands
9. A farmhouse/barn in the distance of a snow covered field
10. Caden's reaction when he wins a point at volleyball - so intense and joyful
11. Kids on a train tressle with old-fashioned suitcases in hand - maybe as a graduation photo
12. Family photo posed on an elegant couch in the middle of a field/orchard
13. My dad reading
14. A field of wildflowers after a rain and the sun is just coming out
15. "Stock" photos of all the weird things I think of and can never find on line in real "stock" photo sites
16. Claire's hands wrapped around a cup of hot apple cider
17. White peonies - with water droplets
18. High flying kites mid-day
19. Hot air balloons at sunset
20. The back of two red Muskoka chairs looking out toward fog rolling in off the lake
21. Fireworks
22. Colourful buoys leaned against a shack
23. Newborn bits & pieces: fingers, toes, lips, eyelids
24. Volleyball action shots - by the net
25. A child up in a treehouse
26. A snowball fight
27. Getting ready for a hockey game: taping sticks, stone to the blade, tying up laces, change rooms, listening to the coach, benches, water bottles, camaraderie of players
28. The hands of an elderly woman knitting
29. Underwater shots of kids playing in a pool
30. Lobster boats on a foggy morning
31. Stone staircases
32. Architectural details of old buildings
33. Faces on the subway
34. A circle of friends roasting marshmallows
35. Snowcovered rolling hills and covered pine trees with bright blue skies and sunshine - the day after a blizzard
36. Looking up to the tops of the trees in a thick forest
37. A field of freshly rolled hay
38. Georgian Bay, a view of the land from the water
39. Artists cottages on the way to Provincetown
40. Macro capture of a snowflake
41. Blowing beach grass and whitewashed boardwalks in South Carolina/Georgia
42. Photo essays capturing the "flavour" of a town
43. Street photography
44. A silhouette of a person standing in a large archway
45. A shot, looking upward, of a child holding a huge number of balloons
46. A stack of books next to a big comfortable reading chair - an invitation
47. Butterflies, backlit by sunshine, in a field of flowers
48. An African safari - all the details (and creatures) big and small
49. An outdoor farmers market
50. A field covered in hoar frost
51. Maybe even an overflowing bucket of water - under an old fashioned spigot?

And yes, there are more to add ...

My plan? For the month of February I will have the batteries charged and the memory cards cleared and spend the month reacquainting myself with the feel of my "big" camera. I may not take one of those on my bucket list, but I will remember what it's like to take mindful photos. More than half the battle!

What is on your photography bucket list?

the current | thirty-four

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 11:22pm on 22 january 2014
weather outside: sleet and -14C
mood inside: tired from a long drive back from kingston to visit claire for the day

drinking a glass of very cold sauvignon blanc.

eating greek 0% yogurt, usually strawberry, each morning with a dozen almonds. delish!

embracing my choices - they are in complete alignment with how i want to feel. wow. what a wonderful difference to be in such a gentle and mindful place.

enjoying the potential of a new creative idea i've been cooking up with my friend, robin.

cooking remarkably few 'from scratch' meals. winter is my favourite cooking season but spending much time in the truck is not condusive to the recipes we like. time to bring out the crock pot!

trying to get things done - not just thought.

missing my girl even though i just left her!

feeling fatigued. my full schedule is starting to catch up to me. that and i really do not enjoy driving at night, but it is preferable to sitting in traffic.

listening to the television. i am so very tired of rob ford leading off the newscast. he's hopeless.

watching the overflowing sink filled with dirty dishes. there was clearly not much got done around the house when i was away today!

reading and catching up on emails, facebook and the many texts missed while driving.

wearing pajamas. thinking it's time to get a new set.

packing project boxes. time to get all of these creative ideas organized. and then started. oh, and completed, too!

planning summer camps and holiday travel for this summer. the kids get 11 weeks of vacation and i'd like them to have plans for at least half of that time. the rest they can relax, play, daydream - and maybe read a few books.

stopping to be appreciative of all the changes i've made in my life. now is the time to really enjoy the improvements - big and small.

wanting to make the best of what has historically been the most challenging time of the school year for me and the kids. the bitter cold of the last few weeks is not helping matters. not one bit!

needing to be more focused on my nutrition and eating more - better - foods.

wishing for wonder.

waiting for warmer weather. at least the last few days have brought sunshine and for that i am immensely grateful.

thinking of adult "field trip" ideas. pottery. painting. dreamboards. retreat.

enjoying leaning in to resistance. nothing too challenging. the lesson? it's true - on the other side of fear is just what i need.

paying for another project - pot lights. as much as i love my townhouse, it can be a bit dark. it's time to shed some light around here! thanks to meg, i have an electrician arriving this week.

encouraging myself to keep saying "yes" to opportunities.

celebrating the incredible gift that is my "desire map book club". every tuesday evening is a joy. i'm enjoying knowing my veteran friends in a whole new way as well as meeting new women. all of us sharing a similar mind-set. it has been indescribably positive.

cultivating an attitude of calm and patience. this is not a natural state for me, but every once in a while there is a glimpse and it's lovely.

marveling at the weather. i know, i know, canadians are always talking about weather but this winter (after a crazy hot summer) has been simply brittle.

anticipating longer days ahead. my joy when i realized the other day that i was not waiting in the parking lot to pick up the kids from school in the dark!

and tada, a photo from my week:

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.

list | 02 greatest comforts

* I have been asked to explain the significance of the lemons. Well, it's simply a reminder that life is full of lemons and it's better to just choose to make lemonade!

Last year I participated in the 52 Lists Project at Moorea Seal and really enjoyed it through the 20 weeks it lasted. The project has been resurrected this year and I am happy to repeat the prompts. Not only will it be a nice guage to see how far I've come - it'll let me know how far I have yet to go!

52 LISTS | Week Two | List your greatest comforts

my children are healthy, happy and kind . a clean house - top to bottom . bamboo sheets . my music collection . quiet evenings . answering the phone to the voice of a friend on the other end . cashmere . cheesy, ooey, gooey, comfort food . overhead fans . my living room lined with bookshelves overflowing with journals, books, photos and scrapbooks . displays of love .  lemonade . when my kids check-in after a night out . always having something to do . water views . folding laundry . real molasses cookies, heated . the first cup of coffee in the morning . hugs . walks along the perimeter of the school campus - in any season . reading a book by a roaring fire . lists . a happy and welcoming entrance to my home . big pieces of wood furniture . the sun rising every morning and setting each evening . the sound of the ocean when visiting cape cod . sauvignon blanc . burning muscles after a reformer pilates session . large bouquets of like coloured flowers . my big dslr camera in my hands . thick white bath sheets . meditation . medium-rare rib eye steak with sautéed mushrooms . fog rolling off the lake . twinkling lights . eileen fisher tops . flats . sleeping in my bed with the window cracked and the ceiling fan on . when i press "send" and a week later a finished project arrives in the mail . hardwood floors covered with plush area rugs . the expression of genuine happiness at my unexpected presence . books . deep resonant voices . quiet time .

What about you? What are your greatest comforts?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 52 lists redux

* I have been asked to explain the significance of the lemons. Well, it's simply a reminder that life is full of lemons and it's better to just choose to make lemonade!

Last year I participated in the 52 Lists Project at Moorea Seal and really enjoyed it through the 20 weeks it lasted. The project has been resurrected this year and I am happy to repeat the prompts. Not only will it be a nice guage to see how far I've come - it'll let me know how far I have yet to go!

52 LISTS | Week One | List the words that touch your soul

family . claire, cole, chloé, caden . genuine . stretch . gratitude . courtesy. friend . curiosity . routine . solitude . lithe . sunset . breezy . cashmere . order . melody . books . candlelight . shutter . natural . self-care . respect . affirmation . focus . list . generosity . ocean air . succulent . palms . lemons . open . meditation . waterfall . create . effervescent . purpose . incandescent . crustacean . lavender . share . pendulum . myriad . lilt . supple . calm . resonant . learn . serendipitous . tranquil . snowflakes . abundant . kind . calendar . leaves . acceptance . project . communication . alchemy . include . breathe . caribbean . lean-in . colour . refined . explore . flow . grace

What about you? Are there certain words that touch your soul?

* * * * *

Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

The 2014 collection:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

around the house | january cure

One thing about living in a house with four kids, even with one away at university, there is always something to do. Something is out of place. Something needs to be done. Laundry. Dishes. Dusting. Cleaning. I'm forever living in a state of irritation with unfinished projects and clutter. To make my frustration worse, the only domestic chore I truly enjoy is folding laundry, it makes for wonderful meditation time. The rest? I clean, organize, purge and decorate in fits and starts through my days.

This year? With the help of Apartment Therapy I'm hoping to to construct a plan to increase my peace. It's taken a long time to realize, but more than anything my inner peace can be found only in an outer space of cleanliness and order.

Last week I pulled my cards for the New Year. My reading held within it a few really interesting insights. One of which was "decorate" which, after reading the full definition, made it clear that "clear the clutter" was the message. I spent 2013 clearing a lot of head and heart clutter. This year I think it's time for me to clear the physical clutter around me. This might be tougher than the work done last year! I have a number of habits that add to clutter: books, craft/art supplies, journals and projects.

THE FIRST STEP: Create a Project List

According to the site: The key is to not jump in and start doing, but to write a complete list of everything - big and small - needed to be fixed or improved within the house. This is just an initial assessment and not to be overwhelming. Just a list. Not one that has to be completed immediately.

Though I'm a bit late starting, I figured better late than never! I spent Sunday morning writing my list, from the top floor of my townhouse - where the boys reside (read: scary) - and made it all the way down to the basement and the garage. As for my back yard, which is not really a yard but a back deck, I just looked out the window and tried to remember what is located under the snow!

It took a little over an hour to complete the full 4-floors and 2500 square feet of home. I made what turns out to be a (surprisingly) not-too-overwhelming list of things that need to be completed to make me feel complete calm.

Three typed out pages.

Totally do-able. All sheets are now analyzed a bit closer and I've used my highlighters to prioritize the projects.

As much as I look forward to my kids all being home I often believe that while they're around they'll "help" me accomplish projects around the house. This holiday proved that they just want to sleep. I don't blame them! They work hard. So, it's really up to me to handle all but their spaces. Earlier this week all of the kids returned to school, and we all returned to routine.

Time for me to get busy completing the chores on my list!

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.

Year in Review '13

Last year I wrote up a "year in review" post. I enjoyed it enough that I'm doing it again! Even with a full reflect and manifest project, it's fun to do a quick summary.

Dateline: Oakville, Ontario on Monday, December 30, 2013 at 7:23PM

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

I started to put me at the top of the list. The safety of my children was put first and Caden was pulled out of football - and I didn't give in when he begged to go back this spring. I went to, and enjoyed, guided meditation. I recognized old patterns and course corrected, immediately. I encouraged my kids to test themselves and face their fears. Reformer Pilates classes are a cornerstone of my new practice - a "skinny bitch" activity I never thought I'd enjoy but have to admit I love! When you appreciate someone, tell them; better, when you love someone, tell them. My home is smudged - what an incredible difference happy energy makes! Don't keep your positive and constructive comments to yourself! Share the good stuff - get comfortable in the goo.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

For a long time now, I have elected to choose a word to guide my year rather than making resolutions. I'd rather set myself up for success than deal with the inevitable failure found in a list of resolutions I'd never keep. Goals are always set, but they are often within the framework of my "one little word". This year I chose "grace".

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My step-sister had a baby boy! In my family that makes him grandchild #12. Wow.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Fortunately, no, no one close to me. Though, my children lost their paternal grandfather. The hard part? They had virtually no relationship with him and we had to navigate their feelings of abandonment, antipathy and longing. It was a difficult time. My step-sisters also lost their father. It was a very sad time and my heart hurt for them.

5. What countries did you visit?

United States - Arizona, Florida, New York and Massachusettes. Bahamas. St. Thomas. St. Maarten.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

This has not changed one syllable from my answer from last year: A more organized home, focused exercise, engagement with other people, fewer but better clothes, a book outline, adult male companionship.

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

When Claire made the decision to change all of her plans and re-apply to universitites to go for an Arts degree rather than Kin. The day my sister decided to move back home. Receiving the official paperwork confirming that I am sole custodian of my four children - legally as well as obviously. Watching Claire grow up with poise and grace: graduate from Appleby, head to prom and the drop-off and first term at Queen's. Cole on stage, both as Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof" and when he recently earned his music scholarship. Listening to Deepak Chopra - and actually understanding much of what he had to say, certainly not all! Chloé having a blast on stage as The Genie in "Aladdin" and enjoyed a first summer of softball. Caden as fierce rugby player - even without glasses on the middle school team and now as fierce volleyball player. The day I had to cancel a much anticipated trip to attend something frivilous. Being chosen to lead the Desire Map Book Club here in my town. The start of our Dad & Daughter lunches. The official seal on my final divorce papers.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I reinstated long abandoned boundaries and a belief system that serves me and my highest good; one that does not destroy or sabotage me. Within that context I remembered my sense of humour, to trust my intuition and instincts, and rediscover my imagination which had been so long away. Sticking to and practicing meditation and pilates and still going strong. Finalizing my divorce. There is not one single achievement other than simply coming back to myself which was made up of many small victories.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not keeping on top of Project Life, again. Not always staying true to myself to accomodate the feelings of others - or maybe it was simply my not willing to deal with the fight or guilt.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I overdid the 10,000 steps a day and, as a result of compensating, hurt my foot and my hip - on opposite sides! Sigh. After weeks of going to the osteopath with short-term results each time, I was super frustrated. Jill got me to go to reformer Pilates and I discovered relief through stretching. I've decided that until we can figure out the chemical reasons for my weight issue, I'd rather be fat and flexible than just fat - so though I still suffer illness and injury, I've changed my attitude toward it and will do the best I can with what I have, now.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A new mattress for my bed - and bamboo sheets! Bliss. That "best thing" is closely followed by my Life Coach sessions, weekly meditation and private reformer Pilates classes.

12. Where did most of your money go?

This was a second year of unsexy spending - and the kids are not cheap!

13. What did you get really excited about?

I was excited to witness Claire start her life. I was excited to join the Oakville Club. I was excited to become more proficient at Photoshop Elements. I was excited to discover Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map. I was excited to take cooking class to realize all I need are my Barefoot Contessa cook books. I was excited to organize and host parent gatherings for the middle and upper schools. I was excited for all of my kids to explore their independence by traveling to downtown Toronto via GO train - without me. I was excited for Claire to get her G2 and for Cole to get his G1 - and motorcycle permit, too! I was excited for a trouble- and drama-free U1 trip for Chloé to Temagami. I was excited for Cole to discover NYC - THREE times! I was excited to receive my new "Cape Cod" inspired living room rug. I was excited to make my very first dream board. I was excited for Caden to challenge himself by joining the school swim team. I was excited for Chloé to get her braces. I was excited to watch Cole perform as Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof". I was excited to take the kids on their first cruise - maybe the last for some! I was excited for Claire to go to see her much loved JT with her friends. I was excited and grateful to be back in Arizona at Canyon Ranch. I was excited to share time with many girlfriends over lunches and dinners and walks and coffee. I was excited to watch my dogwood bloom for the first time. I was excited to watch all of my kids participate and learn new things. I was excited to have a new bathroom installed - no more leaks! I was excited to visit Claire in Kingston. I was excited for Caden to make the volleyball team - town and school. I was excited to host Thanksgiving for many! I was excited to attend Optimates dinners - plural! I was excited to make my first book of my own creating. I was excited to experience meditation and life coaching and all that came with it through the year. I was excited to have a big party at my home to thank all of the women who have been supportive of my kids and me over the last couple of years - it was a blast! I was excited to have a weekly format to foster smart investing. I was excited to get a functioning range before Christmas. I was excited to smudge my home and purchase my first pendulums. I was excited to develop my first product for sale in my new shop, opening soon! I was excited to have all of my kids at home for our low-key Christmas holidays.

14. What song(s) will always remind you of 2013?

Hold On To Your Heart | Man Man
Royals & Team | Lorde
Same Love | Makelmore & Ryan Lewis
Temple & Wait for Me | Kings of Leon
Babel, I Will Wait & Lover of the Night | Mumford & Sons
Best Day Of My Life | American Authors
Unbelievers & Diane Young | Vampire Weekend
Let It Go & Sweater Weather | The Neighbourhood
Pompeii & Bad Blood | Bastille
Hurricane | MS MR
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards & Elephant | Tame Impala
You, The City & Chocolate | The 1975
Come A Little Closer & Ain't No Rest For The Wicked | Cage The Elephant
The Wire | Haim
The Mother We Share | Churches
Little Talks, King and Lionheart & Dirty Paws | Of Monsters And Men
All I Want | Kodaline

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? Happier. So much happier.
– thinner or fatter? Exactly the same :(
– richer or poorer? Richer - in spirit!

Seems to be the status quo as my responses were the same last year :)

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Slept. Paced myself. Took more "artsy" photos.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Lose my patience.

18. How did you spend Christmas?

We have our big family dinner in Toronto with the Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents. We've been doing this since my kids were in high chairs. It is a wonderful tradition. To me, that is our big Christmas. The morning of the 25th is simply a nice lazy day spent with the kids. This year we changed it up a bit by being hit with an ice storm which made things a bit wonky. We followed thorugh with our plans to go to Toronto for Christmas Eve dinner and in the process forgot to pick up our dinner for the next day. No traditional roast - we had pasta instead!

19. What was your favorite TV program?

I am enjoying Hostages and The Blacklist and even though they have both been on for years, I've started watching and really enjoying Person of Interest and Scandal. I haven't been watching much of the others, though the DVR is filled with episodes of The Good Wife, Elementary and Grimm just waiting to be watched. I keep thinking I'll watch them during the day, but I never do! I'm considering just watching via Netflix a season at a time. The kids and I just finished binge-watching Chuck. Fantastic!

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

I enjoyed "The Desire Map" by Danielle LaPorte. While on the cruise I caught up on all of my unread Barbara Erskine books - too heavy to carry so I had them on my Kindle. By far and away the best book I read was "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion - I smiled through every page. As always, I didn't read anywhere near as many books as I'd have liked to - but managed to collect a bunch!

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

I am a fan of alternative rock - which I find is a fun mix of folk and edge. I did find it distracting during the day when I was creating and writing so I discovered on Cogeco Galaxy, Channel 327 "The Spa" which is all melodic instrumental with the occasional ocean waves or thunderstorm. One Sunday in early December, while the kids were studying for exams, they each commented separately on how they enjoyed it and we left it on.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?

I have to admit, as much as I thought it might be possible, I did not go to one movie - in a theatre - this year! I have a list, though. I'll have to catch up over the holidays - or while I'm in Cape Cod this summer.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

We had a full house - of kids! Pizza and vanilla cake :) It was my favourite kind of birthday, filled with friends and laughter.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A bit less teenage angst and attitude would have been lovely. Other than that, I can't say anything could have made my year much better than it was. I'm happy for all of the connections and lessons it contained.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Laura Plus sale rack. I need new clothes and (until recently) I refused to buy anything at full price until I have a body that can wear it well. My recent purchases included a dress for Christmas - yes, a dress! And a couple of Eileen Fisher tops that are fabulous!

26. What kept you sane?

As always, my sanity depends on: My children. Photos + Words. My sister, Beth. Music. TED talks. My friends. Wine. My Life Coach. Trips to Cape Cod. Walks. Lunches with friends. PC Power Fruit Blend Smoothies. Meditation. Reformer Pilates classes with Jill and Jackie. Always having something to do.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

Never settle - keep your personal standards high.

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.

 

 

the current | thirty-three

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 9:31pm on november 20, 2013
weather outside: winter is on it's way!
mood inside: frazzled and a bit out-of-sorts

drinking perrier with a slice of lemon. in a wine glass. today has been a long, lovely, day!

eating steel cut oats every morning, i prefer it with raisins and walnuts. yum. thinking about adding in some cranberries, too.

embracing new ideas. this is exciting!

enjoying the challenge involved with dreaming up a new business and plan.

cooking lots in the crock pot and bbq while waiting for delivery of the new double oven range.

trying to stay focused and avoiding the temptation to go down the technology or pinterest rabbit hole.

missing what happened to 2013. blink. it's almost gone!

feeling proud of myself for attending regular (2x) weekly reformer pilates classes. i can really feel the difference. it's great!

listening to the silence of my house. my kids are studying or sleeping.

watching our local news. oh rob ford - put the city of toronto first you narcissistic buffoon! what a nauseating display.

reading about all that is required of me as a leader of danielle laporte's desire map book club: the biggest book club ever. i can't wait to get started! what are you doing on january 7th? join in here.

wearing layers. always layers. my body is currently going through some wonky temperature fluctuations! hormones, phewy.

packing scrapers, blankets and emergency supplies into the truck. it's that time of year, for sure!

planning how to decorate for christmas this year. i'm thinking it's time to change things up a bit and have a more "grown up" feel to the house. including pretty breakables! pottery barn? crate & barrel? restoration hardware? inside? outside? big? small? whole house? living room/dining room only? i might be talking myself out of it altogether!

feeling relaxed and calm. i'm finally in a groove. just in time for the end of term! it figures. just in time for things to change up again!

stopping the habit of busy. some of the meanest people i know describe themselves as "busy". i do not want to be that.

wanting to have a fun conversation with an adult - preferably one with a deep, masculine voice who enjoys football :) caden's crackly baritone is enjoyable, but a change might be nice ;)

needing to be a bit more patient with myself on so many levels.

wishing for healthy, active and engaged days ahead.

waiting is not something i'm very good at doing. but i am trying hard to be patient and use my time constructively :)

thinking of going away with claire in february for her reading week - someplace hot and quiet. now where should we go? ideas?

enjoying learning how to use my new pendulums. this is becoming a fascinating journey and i'm learning so much!

paying for too many years sitting at a desk. i've been moving and stretching but have to realize it took years to get this creaky. it's going to take some effort to make everything move like it should!

encouraging my kids to be calm as they prepare for their upcoming exams. breathe in - 2 - 3 - out - 2 - 3 and again. and again.

celebrating how uncomplicated our lives have become. wonderful.

cultivating a practice of self-care and meditation. daily. my priorities are shifting and it's a good thing.

marveling at how quickly time flies and how my kids are growing into lovely and thoughtful young adults with lives of their own.

anticipating a lot of hard decisions ahead. on the lighter side, what creative projects will i choose? #reverb14? one little word? still life photography? desire map for life? project life 2014? week in the life? revive 12 of 12? the biggest book club, ever? keep up with the blog? join the circle of fire?

and tada, a photo from my week:

 

the current | thirty-two

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 8:22pm on october 30, 2013
weather outside: overcast and unseasonably chilly - waiting for rain
mood inside: hopeful - the boston red sox could win it tonight (update: and they did!)

drinking cranberry tea in my oversized "skype with claire" mug

eating a babybel round of cheese and a few apple slices

enjoying the crisp autumn days that come with october

cooking comfort food, one of the best parts of these cooler days. today we had shepherd's pie. delicious!

trying to live in the moment and take each day as it comes

missing my girl still away at university. sometimes 3 hours away seems just way too far away

feeling fantastic as there is no more (or comparatively little) pain left in my hip or foot - now it's my knee and back. sigh.

listening to chloé fill me in on the minutea of all things social at school

watching and really enjoying james spader in "the blacklist"

reading my latest copy of kinfolk

wearing my new gaiam sticky-soled socks, yoga pants and a sweater

packing away all of the summer clothes and shoes

planning my creative calendar for the next few months

feeling content, really mellow and calm. it's lovely

stopping any habit that does not serve me and my higher purpose. if it doesn't bring out the best in me it's toast!

wanting to feel completely rested, 100%

needing to spend some focused time going through and file all of the memorabilia, photos and lumpy-bumpy ephemera collected for my kids. it needs to be in some kind of order!

wishing to be caught up so i can focus on other stuff

waiting for a few ducks to get in their row

thinking i have to re-visit the idea of supplements - at least some omega3, and D, and some C too, given the season

enjoying reformer pilates. it never in a million years would have occured to me to try it. i'm learning to lean in to resistance

paying attention to little things because some day they might be big things and i'd like to be prepared

encouraging my kids, and anyone who asks, to put their passions first and foremost. i'm learning to take my own advice :)

celebrating the friendship and support the kids and i receive regularly from a lovely community of people we've allowed into our little family

cultivating a kernel of a business plan and - deep breath - i think it's going to work!

marveling at how wonderful my life has become with the more i allow myself to become me

anticipating a low-key, rain filled and creatively full november ahead

and tada, a photo from my week:

nothing beats having a solid group of girlfriends - i am so very fortunate!

hello monday | 86

last week i went to my first meditation class. i plan on returning this week!

hello chloé and welcome home! tonight marks her return from a week away at the northern campus. i've missed her so much and look forward to hearing the stories of her adventures. well, the one's she is willing to share. i hope she had a blast!

hello photo walk. i'm joining in on the 2013 clickin'walk. i'm looking forward to bringing out the big camera for a change. i enjoyed this write up on approaching a photo walk. it was the reminder i needed that i really miss these adventures.

hello shero's school for revolutionaries. with jennifer louden for the whole week! this is something i plan to enjoy.

hello facebook purge. it all became too much - i couldn't maintain authentic relationships with over 400 "friends" on facebook! after reconsidering my own personal criteria, i went from 418 to 242 "friends". purged were anyone i should "follow" rather than "friend" as doing both is redundant; i purged anyone who does not provide me with positive energy and inspiration, i purged anyone who i have not interacted with in the last six months. i can't even tell you how blessed i feel to have such an incredible group of people who bring joy to my life every day.

hello sore back. the culinary class is fabulous - but wow, four hours of standing is tough! i think i have to set up some massage therapy on fridays for the next 11 weeks!

hello cleaning ladies. after a couple of weeks of drywall dust and painting i am looking forward to my house sparkling again. i love bernice and her team. they make the start of my week so calm and pulled together.

hello suburban. and goodbye ford whatever-it-is. i have definitely missed my big truck even though it's tough to park in the garage, it's a great thing to drive.

hello fresh paint. no more electric green or slaughterhouse red! our rooms are filled with soothing grays and blues. now the real work begins with deciding what stays and what goes. now. what else needs painting?

hello new television season. it looks like it's starting this week. hmm.

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.

the current | thirty

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 8:17pm on september 18, 2013
weather: cool and clear. lovely.
mood inside: quiet and cozy. just waiting for duck dynasty :)

drinking a mug of steamy hot earl grey tea.

cooking has always been more of a burden than a joy. i'm hoping to change and have a better relationship with food preparation by enrolling in a 12-week culinary program. i can only hope my attitude improves. i'm exhausted after years of "ick" to anything green - or *gasp* healthy - and my kids former preference for chicken nuggets and kraft dinner. as their tastes change (thank goodness!) it's time for me to remind myself how to enjoy the process and results of mindful cooking.

listening to the boys banter with each other. love it! things are so different around our home when the girls are away.

watching: survivor: blood vs water. i haven't watched the show in a while. thought it would be a fun thing to catch. so far, so good - fun concept this year, well, fun until it implodes.

reading the new "oprah" and "real simple" magazines i picked up on my visit to fortino's earlier today.

wearing a long gray sweater over black yoga pants and sneakers. i love comfy clothes!

packing up a "care package" to send out to claire at university. i've been collecting goodies all month. can't wait for her to open it up!

planning on installing pot lights througout the first floor. very exciting stuff :) we won't live in such dreary darkness this winter.

feeling energised. i know i'm on the right path. i'm taking it all in.

wanting the painter to finish up already so that i can have less disruption in my house. i'd like to put claire, cole and chloé's rooms back together!

needing to find someone to come with me to the sensory deprivation tank place in toronto! this is definitely something i want to try.

wishing i could be more content with the amount of stuff i do manage to accomplish than all the rest of the stuff left to do on my list. i'm too much of a project magpie!

waiting for chloé to return from temagami. she's only just left for a week up at the northern campus. in this case no news is good news, i'm sure she's having a grand time.

thinking the best phrase i've heard in a long time is one from my friend, robin: "like nailing jello to the wall". oh my goodness. those words so appropriately summed up last week and i greatly appreciated the laugh they provided.

enjoying having the kids rooms re-painted. lots of blues and grays - very soothing tones. all but caden's room because he chose "waterfall" by benjamin moore and it is still perfect for him.

paying close attention to the things that are happening around me. fascinating.

encouraging myself to escape my comfort zone and try new things. scary and fun. i'm trying to focus on the fun.

celebrating the big and the little things around me.

cultivating some wonderful new (and old) relationships. i am blessed to have my life populated by such warm, kind, open, honest, layered and smart people.

marveling at how much dust lands in my house in one day!

anticipating learning a whole slew of new and wonderful things in the very near future. time to start ticking off all those things on the list - one thing at a time. so much to look forward to!

and tada, a portrait of moi (for those who haven't seen it on facebook):

Hello 49

Me. Here. Now.

Today I've begun the last year of my fourth decade on this earth and it is both energising and exhausting to consider - but mostly, I can't wait to see what the future holds!

I've read plenty of articles sharing numerical lists of lessons learned as a celebration of birthdays. When I started this article I was skeptical of my reaching 49. Well, guess what? I did!

1. Treat people the way you yourself want to be treated. And, if you can't, remove yourself and be silent.
2. Show up. Be fully present and engaged. Life happens only when you show up.
3. Feel, fully. All of it. The good and the bad. Do not numb yourself with work or with distractions. Avoid the comfort of "busy".
4. The world is filled with introverts. It's okay to be one. Lean in.
5. Trust your gut. Every time. Your head may rationalize and tell you you're right or wrong. Your heart may honour walls of protection and tell you you're right or wrong. Your gut will always be true to you, your authentic self. Trust it.
6. Own it. Your actions, your words, your choices, all of it - all the time.
7. Learn the lessons from your past, do not dwell there. Though you might need to re-visit a few times.
8. Brush your teeth.
9. Your intelligence is not defined by the school you attend or the degree you earn. Sometimes the most intelligent people you will ever meet in your life never spent a minute in "higher education". 
10. Life is the best teacher. Stand your ground and stay open even when you want to run and hide.
11. Let the person in "shotgun" choose the music.
12. Make smaller, doable lists. Not those endless and-the-kitchen-sink-lists that defeat you before you start. In the morning write down 5 things you want to accomplish by the end of the day. Then do them. And celebrate your accomplishment at the end of the day - the things you did, not the things you did not do.
13. Smile, even when you don't want to. Especially when you don't want to!
14. Do not end sentences in a preposition ^ if you can help it.
15. Indulgences do not have to be expensive or time consuming. Honour your need to spoil yourself with simple things: a walk in the park, an hour reading, write in your journal, call a friend, go for a swim or run. Nourish your soul with the things that make you happy.
16. Sleep at least 7 hours every night. Aim for 9.
17. A handful of friends who will be there through a near drowning, a divorce, a move, and raising a few teenagers is way better than a few handfuls of friends who bail at the first sign of discomfort or conflict.
18. Those who live vicariously through their children are to be avoided. Really. Run the other way.
19. Do not smoke.
20. A paraphrase of the great William Morris quote: Surround yourself only with those things you find beautiful or of use to you. (His quote is: "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.")
21. Do not settle. Ever.
22. Always be yourself. Do not conform to the expectation of others. After all, it's better to be liked or disliked for who you are and not for who you pretend to be. Right?
23. Being right has absolutely nothing to do with being in the majority.
24. When you change your mind it means you're listening and learning. Change is a good thing. Evidence that you are aware and flexible not rigid and stubborn.
25. Say "yes" as often as you can. Often someone else says "no" and you don't have to be the bad guy. And, by saying "yes" you may just have a really good - unexpected - experience.
26. Don't wait for the perfect time. It will not come.
27. Parenting has everything to do with accountability. If you can't be accountable, please do not be a parent.
28. Learn all that you can. Everywhere you can. Personal experiences. Stories from others. Formal education. Informal education. Books. Internet. Newspapers. Take it ALL in and make up your own mind about what you know, what you don't know and who can go screw themselves
29. If you have something nice to say, say it.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business. Really. (THIS was a liberating concept.)
31. The greatest parenting practice I've implemented in my home is my "24 Hour Rule". If it's not in the calendar with 24 hours notice you may have to make other plans.
32. Sing in the car. Hell, sing everywhere!
33. Sometimes you will be surprised by the support given by a stranger and the abandonment of a friend. Learn to live with the delight and disappointment.
34. Fill your life with people who do not agree with you all the time. Indeed, have a few who disagree with you most of the time. It keeps you humble. And informed.
35. On a medical form, the answer to SEX is Yes or No, not Male or Female.
36. I believe I am raising my children to make good choices. They may not be my choices. I have accept their free will and trust that they were raised well.
37. Laugh. Often.
38. If someone labels something or someone as "hard" or "difficult" remember that it is by their own experience that they measure. Something difficult for one person may not be difficult for you. Certainly take into consideration another experience, but evaluate based on your own.
39. Fair does not mean equal.
40. There really has to be an "I forget where I put the _____" gene.
41. Believe them when people show/tell you who they are - the first time. Okay, maybe give them a second chance, in case it was a bad day. But only one chance! Essentially? Trust your second impression, not the first.
42. Non-catastrophic mistakes are a part of growing up. They are expected. Make some. By that token, non-catastrophic mistakes are a part of being a grown-up. A chance to learn a few extra lessons.
43. There are bad people in the world.
44. In all things look for value. Cost means little.
45. The universe does not tolerate a vacuum. Be careful what door or window you open.
46. Find your meditation and practice it as often as you can. Mine? Folding laundry. Long Drives. Photo Walks.
47. Nurture a curious nature - yours and others.
48. Give up the need for control. Let things happen as they happen. If you try to control an outcome you are limiting your own opportunity for true joy. Your imagination is so much smaller than what the universe has available to you.
49. You can do hard things.

I'm looking forward to learning at least another 49 things this year!

 

real right now | letting go

Today is the traditional first day of school for just about everyone. My kids don't start classes until NEXT Monday - the 9th. I'm still reflecting and anticipating ...

Entering any new stage of parenting is a challenge. When these opportunitites for growth arrive, I often wonder if I'm up for it and feel like I muddle through rather than ease my way to the next stage.

This week I'm letting go in order for Claire to embrace her life.

Letting go means a fresh new start for my girl. New place. New people.

Letting go means driving to Kingston, Ontario, three hours away from home, a couple of days early so the sibs can be comfortable with Claire's new surroundings. Their approval and support is a key component to her comfort level.

Letting go means driving to Kingston, Ontario, three hours away from home, a couple of days early so Claire - my "anxiety" girl - can be comfortable with her new surroundings :)

Letting go means putting my boys on the VIA train so all of Claire's belongings could fit into the Suburban. It was a wonderful adventure for them!

Letting go means giving Claire a strict budget from now through Thanksgiving. Then through Christmas. Then through February reading week. Then through exams. Then we'll start all over again.

Letting go means someone else will have to be trained in the position of "shotgun". Claire rocks at "shotgun". I wonder who will be my new co-pilot? In this instance birth order counts for nothing!

Letting go means allowing for non-catastrophic mistakes to be made. Fingers crossed and notes to the Universe that any mistake made will build her character and create a firm foundation for learning. Fingers crossed and notes to the Universe that I remember that mistakes are to be expected!

Letting go means remembering frosh orientation week at University only happens once in a lifetime and it can be more fun than anything else up to this point in her life.

Letting go means worrying if she is eating okay, taking her medication/supplements, the condition of her eczema, her level of anxiety, her waking in time in the morning to make it to class on time, her making new friends, her enjoying classes and professors, her new sheets don't itch. Realizing and embracing that I have no control over any of it and she'll let me know if and when I can help.

Letting go means finally having the truck back to myself. Well, until I have to start teaching Cole who has just completed his DriveWise in-class course. His first in-car lesson is on this coming Thursday.

Letting go means I can curate and mail out some kick-ass awesome care packages.

Letting go means I have to learn Skype, SnapChat and FaceTime. Claire and I have just purchased identical mugs for soup and tea which will be part of the whole touch-base ritual. Now we just have to settle in and choose a regular time that will work in both of our schedules. I'm looking forward to hearing from her.

Letting go means it's time to have another baby - just not one in human form!

Letting go means I don't have to give voice my differing opinions. I am allowed to think whatever I want, but don't necessarily have to express my concerns. Breathe.

Letting go means I have to find someone else to go with me to Yame Sushi and Chapters.

Letting go means I am trusting that my girl has been raised well and knows how to make good choices. Good choices for her.

As a parent I don't often have opportunity for feedback since creating a full-fledged adult is years in the making. Even though she was in boarding last year, Claire was still with all of her siblings in a school less than a kilometre away from home. This year? THIS is my report card.

MORE important, this year is the time my girl will figure out who she is and who she wants to be. I'm so very proud of her and can't wait to hear all of her stories and discoveries! Well. Those she's willing to share ;)

the current | twenty-nine

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 9:43pm on august 21, 2013
weather outside: hot, sticky and yuck.
mood inside: reflective. this has been a very full summer. learning from the many lessons provided.

drinking gasoline. not really, it's sauvignon blanc.

cooking many recipes out of the most recent fine cooking "cook fresh" magazine. delicious. and very healthy, too. happy to have found this publication. it really mixes things up around here.

listening to cole being teased and him not too happy about it!

watching duck dynasty. we are all seriously addicted. no one is more surprised (and delighted) than me.

reading the fault is in our stars by john green. better late than never.

wearing a new black sweater! not as wonderful and long as my last one, but certainly far more presentable.

packing in preparation for claire to head to university. exciting stuff!

planning on the many projects which will keep me busy in the next few months. some things will stay the same. some things need a bit of a shake up.

feeling a bit hesitant and somewhat exposed. my healing period is over and i just joined match.com. right now i'm just looking around. it's time to take this tentative step. until it's not :) (so yes, all of you who have offered up brothers, co-workers and friends, i'm now more open to the idea.)

wanting the thunderstorms in the forecast to arrive and take this oppressive hot weather away. i love me a big storm!

needing to get my act together and prepare for guests!

wishing i could just wiggle my nose (a la samantha in bewitched) and have everything all tidied up around here. amazing how disorder reigns some, er, most days.

waiting for the school year - officially my new year - to begin. only a few more days!

thinking chloé will be surprised in the morning when she sees her sister and little brother picking her up from camp!

enjoying visiting with my sister and her family, newly returned to canada after 20-years in the states.

paying the plumber, again. leak in the kitchen fixed. dripping toilet fixed. i'm afraid to know what will be next. water and i do not have a great relationship :(

encouraging the kids to choose fun and different sports for the next school year. this is the time in their lives to try everything they can!

celebrating the reward of hard work. the shift to living mindfully in the present. aware of the past, aware of the future, but realizing that showing up right now matters more than anything else.

cultivating friendships - old and new.

marveling at how hot wasabi is when it gets too close in my "chef sampler a". yowza!

anticipating a very full few weeks ahead!

and tada, a self portrait:

the current | twenty-eight

dateline: oakville, ontario, canada @ 9:14pm on june 26, 2013
weather outside: the week started at 30C and 100% humidity. still here! ugh.
mood inside: mellow and reflective.

drinking water. on my fifth litre of the day.

eating a ton of protein. balanced with some carbs and fat.

cooking a lot of roasted veggies. especially broccoli and asparagus with lots of garlic. yum.

listening to the three kids who are home - excited that "big brother" started tonight - and dissecting the first episode. it was dvr'd for cole.

watching master chef. it's not pretty. their anxiety really affects me!

reading z, a novel of zelda fitzgerald. fascinating.

wearing t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

packing well, unpacking from a trip to bancroft, ontario and reviewing the packing list for chloé's trip to oelc camp.

planning for a visit with claire by bobby this weekend. tickets and trip to a concert with friends in niagara falls are planned!

feeling reflective, calm and content.

stopping any and all forms of self-sabotage. now.

wanting to get so many things in priority order so a plan can not just be made, but executed, properly. prepare for success, right?

needing to take some time and chill out, just a bit.

wishing only good things. for everyone. really. everyone.

waiting for the dryer to ding to let me know i can start folding. though, i'm seriously considering ignoring it ;)

thinking too much. my head is hurting :)

enjoying my new meditation and the now-empty, calm, space in my head.

paying close attention to things that are said, and how they are said. then trusting my response.

encouraging claire to enjoy her very last worry-free summer. no work. no obligations. just fun - now through august.

celebrating how far i've come in the last few months. this has been one hell of a learning curve.

cultivating new relationships with people i've known a long time. this is so much fun. leveling up our experience!

marveling at the abrupt change in weather. crazy. typical summer!

anticipating a wonderful, challenging, uplifting 10 weeks ahead!

and tada, my favourite photo this week:

list | 21 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Twenty-One | LIST YOUR FAVOURITE SONG

“Say a Little Prayer” by Dionne Warwick | “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel |“Gloria” & “Self Control” by Laura Branigan | “If I Ain’t Got You” & “Girl on Fire” Alicia Keys | “Drops of Jupiter”, “Calling All Angels” & “Hey, Soul Sister” Train | “Take On Me” A Ha | “On a Clear Day”, “Someone to Watch Over Me” & “People” by Barbra Streisand | “Chasing Pavements” “Rumour Has It” & “Skyfall” by Adele | “Glass, Concrete & Stone” by David Byrne | “Solsbury Hill” & “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel | “Where is the Love?” by The Black Eyed Peas | “Like a Star” & “Trouble Sleeping” by Corinne Bailey Rae | “O Holy Night”, “O Come All Ye Faithful” & “Once In Royal David’s City” means Christmas | “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve | “And When I Die”, “Spinning Wheel” & “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” by Blood, Sweat & Tears | “Breathless” by The Corrs | “Into the Ocean”, “Hate Me” & “Calling You” by Blue October | “Heart of Gold” & “Old Man” by Neil Young | “White Flag”, “Life for Rent” & “I’m No Angel” by Dido | “Sound of Silence”, “Scarborough Fair”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” & “Cecilia” by Simon & Garfunkle | “I Who Have Nothing” and “Where Do I Begin” by Shirley Bassey | “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls | “The Long Way Around” by Dixie Chicks | “Landslide” by Stevie Nicks (and Dixie Chicks, too!) |“Lose Yourself” by Eminem | “The Riddle” & “100 Years” by Five for Fighting | “Windmills of Your Mind” by Sting | “Something in the Way She Moves”, “Shower the People” and “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor | “My Wish” & “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts | “Invisible Touch”, “Deep in the Motherlode”, “Mama”, “Follow You Follow Me” & the whole “Duke” album with the Story of Albert one of the best concerts ever (Toronto, 24 June 1980) by Genesis | “Close to You”, “We’ve Only Just Begun” & “Yesterday Once More” by The Carpenters | “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” & “Careless Whisper” by WHAM | “Killing Me Softly With His Song” The Fugees | "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers | “Do You Believe In Love” & “If This Is It” by Huey Lewis & The News | “Hide and Seek”, “First Train Home” & “Goodnight and Go” by Imogen Heap | “Father and Son”, “Moonshadow” & The First Cut is the Deepest” by Cat Stevens | “Halleluja” & “Constant Craving” by k.d. lang | “Carry On Wayward Son” & “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas | “Walk on By” & “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” composed by Burt Bacharach sung by anyone! | "I Can't Tell You Why", "Take It Easy" & Peaceful Easy Feeling" by The Eagles | “Other Side of the World” & “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall | “Crime of the Century” & “Dreamer” by Supertramp | “She Will be Loved”, “Must Get Out” & “Sunday Mornings” by Maroon 5 | "Night Moves", "Like A Rock" & "We've Got Tonight" by Bob Seger | “Unanswered Prayers” & “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks | “Unwritten” Natasha Bedingfield | “Damned If I Do” The Alan Parsons Project | “Castles in the Sand” by The Philosopher Kings | “Man in the Mirror”, “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson | “It’s Too Late”, “So Far Away” & “A Natural Woman” by Carole King | “Time” & “Money” by Pink Floyd | "The Load Out/Stay & Doctor My Eyes" by Jackson Browne | “Under Pressure” (with David Bowie), “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” & “Fat Bottom Girls” by Queen | “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” Roberta Flack | “Yesterday Man” by Roz Bell | “Anna Sun” by Walk the Moon | "Every Breath You Take", "Message In A Bottle" & "Walking The Moon" | “Your Body’s a Wonderland”, “Daughters” and “Gravity” by John Mayer | “Nobody Does It Better”, “That’s the Way I Always Heard”, “You Belong to Me” and “Coming Around Again” by Carly Simon | “I Miss You” by Blink-182 | “I’m Feeling You” (with Michelle Branch), “Smooth” (with Rob Thomas) & “Just Feel Better” (with Steve Tyler) by Santana | “Rosanna” & “Africa” by Toto | “Hope & Ruin” by The Trews | “New Soul” by Yael Naim | “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”, by Aerosmith “If You’re Gone”, “3AM”, “How Far We’ve Come” & “Unwell” by Matchbox 20 | “Good Vibrations”, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” & “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys | “Carry On” by fun. | "Sara Smile", "Rich Girl" & "She's Gone" by Hall & Oates | “The Pretender” & “Walk” by Foo Fighters | “Linger” by The Cranberries | “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, Mad World” & “Shout” by Tears for Fears | “Fast Car” & “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman | “I Can’t Make You Love Me” & “Something to Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt | “Born to Run” & “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen | “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell | “Be”, “Song Sung Blue” & “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond | “Clocks”, “Yellow” and “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” by Coldplay | “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance | “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Night and The Pips | “Nine in the Afternoon” & “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic at the Disco | & MORE!

CHALLENGE: What do your favourite songs represent to you? 

ESCAPE

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list | 20 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Twenty | LIST YOUR SUMMER GOALS

• Celebrate Claire’s graduation from Appleby College
• Host a big lunch for her at Jonathan’s
• Buy and/or upload all of the summer reading books
• Get 10 hours of sleep EVERY night
• Walk 10,000 steps EVERY day
• Then add in some hills
• Ride my bike
• Attend ALL of the kids baseball and softball games
• Swim as often as possible
• Go to the club and meet people
• Read at least SIX fiction books
• Lay in the sun and soak up that vitamin D
• Get Claire organized and settled into Queen’s
• Send Cole off to Vancouver for his service trip
• Take the kids back to Stratford to see some plays
• Take Chloé up to OELC – twice!
• Help my sister, Beth, move home :)
• Take the kids to Cape Cod for our annual holiday at the seashore
• Put my business plan together
• Clean out the garage
• Donate all scrapbook supplies
• Put kids plans together for fall – volleyball, acting & vocal classes
• Learn all I can about e-business
• Develop a brand and digital identity
• Get Cole his scooter – if he holds up his end of the deal :)
• Breathe slowly every time Claire takes the truck!
• Map out and build a website
• Try at least ten new recipes – find at least two everyone likes
• Relax at every opportunity

CHALLENGE: This week, I will prep for summer by ....

Putting air in the tires of my bicycle

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My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 19 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Nineteen | List the things you want to be known for

• Providing for my children
• Making tough decisions
• Bring an active and engaged mama
• Loving well
• Saying “yes” more than “no”
• Modeling good behavior
• Being a good daughter, sister, friend
• Running a solid business
• Negotiating well
• Understanding my value and not settling
• Learning good lessons from negative experiences
• Writing great articles and books
• Telling and living in the truth
• Making good choices
• My unfailing optimism
• Having an authentic – and contagious – laugh
• Being open and fearless
• Trusting my instincts
• Playing well with others
• NOT being a doormat
• Producing very good photographs
• My voice – both in song and opinion
• Encouraging others to consider another perspective
• Raising responsible and kind children
• Trying just about anything – once
• Listening fully
• Inspiring others
• Cooking good and nutritious foods
• Showing up
• Doing something insanely wonderful with my life!

CHALLENGE: This week, I will feel solid in my identity by ....

Moving forward

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1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 18 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Eighteen | LIST THE WAYS YOU ARE ENERGIZED

• A blank page
• A clean house
• Good ideas
• Stimulating conversation with smart people
• Creating lists
• Silence
• Cooler days and brisk walks
• Happy movies and upbeat music
• Full engagement
• Books with a good ending
• Authenticity
• Pinterest
• The successes of my friends and family
• Genuine acts of kindness
• Watching my kids do what they love
• When I am appreciated
• Hugs from my kids
• Learning something new to me
• September
• Stationery stores
• Active listening
• Recipes
• TED Talks
• Thunderstorms
• Walking along the ocean edge
• Organizing – anything

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1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 17 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Seventeen | LIST THE PEOPLE YOU ADMIRE

I admire all of those who understand their truth and stand in it – every day

• My Dad
• My sister, Beth
• Each of my children for their tremendous kindness, determination, spirit and drive to be the best they can be – on their own terms
• My girlfriends: Elaine, Lorraine, Lindy, Lynne, Lise, Lisa, Helen, Jill, Marg, Cheryl & all those others I have the privilege to know and share lunch with occasionally!
• My online inspiration – so wonderful
• Anne McGrath, my brilliant lawyer :D
• Brené Brown, without her I’d never considered this journey
• Oprah, for all she has given to me and others
• Deepak Chopra, even when I don’t understand him!
• The Dalai Lama, the embodiment of grace and patience
• Matt Damon, actor, writer and activist
• Maya Angelou, what a wise woman
• Danielle LaPorte, what a go-getter!
• Annie Liebovitz, what an incredible talent
• Everyone who came to my rescue, and that of my children, in May 2011 – and continue to support us, without judgment

CHALLENGE: I will honour someone I admire by ...

Living my best life - NOW and every day

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

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My other lists:

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list | 16 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Sixteen | LIST YOUR FAVOURITE BOOKS

• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Pride & Prejudice, Emma & Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
• The Mitford Series by Jan Karon
• The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
• Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Outliers & Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• Pillars of the Earth & others by Ken Follett
• Lady of Hay & others by Barbara Erskine
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
• The Bourne Series & others by Robert Ludlum
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
• The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
• People Like Us by Dominic Dunne
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
• Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks by Ina Garten
• The Eight by Katherine Neville
• Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
• Ordinary Sparkling Moments by Christine Mason Miller
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
• Vanity Fair Portraits
• Practical Magic & others by Alice Hoffman
• The Peach Keeper & others by Sarah Addison Allen
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery
• Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
• Rich Man, Poor Man by Irwin Shaw
• Life is a Verb by Patti Digh
• A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
• The McNally Books by Lawrence Sanders

CHALLENGE: I will read ...

One book from one of the many stacks I have waiting to be read!

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

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My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 15 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Fifteen | LIST YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTES

Be so good they can’t ignore you. – Steve Martin | Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. – Steve Jobs | I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. – Maya Angelou | Be silly. Be honest. Be kind. – Ralph Waldo Emerson | Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. – Albert Einstein | The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said. – Peter F. Drucker | Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. – Mark Twain | The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things. – Henry Ward Beecher | I believe the key to happiness is: someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. – Elvis Presley | I can’t change the world but I can change the world in me. – Bono | Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. – Mark Twain | How people treat you is their karma. How you react is yours. – Wayne Dyer | Rudeness is the weak person’s imitation of strength. – Eric Hoffer | Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein | Time stands still best in moments that look suspiciously like ordinary life. – Brian Andreas | And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. – Friedrich Nietzche | You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do. – Eleanor Roosevelt | If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain. – Maya Angelou | Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer. – Barbara Kingsolver | Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. – Buddha | Promise me you will always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think – A.A. Milne “Winnie the Pooh” | Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. – Mark Twain | Dwell in possibility – Emily Dickinson | Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway. – Eleanor Roosevelt | I’ll take character over reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. – A.J. Perez | Around here we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things because we’re curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. – Walt Disney | Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid. – Albert Einstein ! A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up. – Mae West | What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail? – Eleanor Roosevelt | When people show you who they are believe them, the first time. – Maya Angelou | Love everyone. Trust few. Paddle your own canoe. – found via Danielle LaPorte 

CHALLENGE: I will live out one of my favourite quotes by:

Creating a printeable of my favourite quote, then frame and display it

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 14 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Fourteen | LIST YOUR CHILDHOOD AND CURRENT DREAM JOBS

Childhood Dream Jobs:

• Mother
• Nursery or Kindergarten Teacher
• Psychologist/Social Worker
• Lawyer
• Singer
• Model
• Party Planner
• Make Up Artist
• Stylist
• Fashion Designer
• Comedienne
• Curator
• Photojournalist
• Artist
• Pro Tennis Player
• Writer for Vanity Fair
• Olympic Swimmer
• Rock Star
• Archaeologist

Current Dream Jobs:

• Mother (gotta love that I'm living my top dream job choice!)
  
• Grandmother
• Photojournalist
• Online boutique owner
• Brick & Mortar Boutique Owner
• Writer/Editor
• Published Author (blog, articles and books)
• Artist
• Coffee Table Book Creator
• World Traveler
• Stationery/Post Card Maker
• Inspirational Writer and (maybe) Speaker
• Trophy Wife ;)
  

 

CHALLENGE: How can you integrate one of your dream jobs into your life right now?

Just do it.

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

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My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 13 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Thirteen | LIST THE THINGS YOU WANT TO MAKE

• Things with words: pottery, art, jewelry, printables
• Peace with my past: the decisions made and actions taken
• A difference
• Game plan(s) for a healthier and happier me!
• A book for Claire to take to Queen's in the fall
• A tidy - happy energy - bedroom
• Time for more writing
• Breakfast every morning
• A book - or series - outline. After all, with my marriage, minor hockey and middle school, I have plenty of fodder!
• A 5-year and 10-year plan for business and personal
• A future filled with love, respect and trust - all the things I did not have in my past
• A beautiful home
• Love
• A blurb book - a big coffee table book full of my photographs
• A website and brand for myself
• Cookies with my grandchildren
• An effort to get out and meet new people
• Conversation - stimulating, thoughtful and fun
• Consistently wonderful and varied meals for both me and my kids (they're killing me with demands for lemon chicken!)
• Mercury glass décor: ornaments, bowls and vases
• A book of all my better blog posts
• Another book of all my blog posts - as a pseudo diary of our everyday life
• A succulent garden
• A clean and tidy iPhoto file
• Big, thick, knitted blankets
• Plans to travel in the fall
• An extensive list for the handyman
• An appointment for a pedicure - time to pamper my feet!

CHALLENGE: This week I will make ...

Meals that do not include lemon chicken :)

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

* * * * *

My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52

list | 12 of 52

52 LISTS | Week Twelve | LIST THE THINGS THAT FEEL LIKE HOME

• My kids - wherever they are is home
• Music playing or singing, somewhere
• Bookshelves, crammed with books and framed photos
• Leather couches, glass tables, wood and stone floors
• Heavy chenille throws
• Ceiling fans
• Projects on the go
• Walks along the lake and through town
• Lots of hugs and laughter
• Never-ending laundry baskets, always full
• Oodles of pillows on my bed
• iMacs, iPhones, iPads, iPods
• Concert tickets on the fridge
• Dishwasher running
• Piles of plush white bath sheets
• Bags and bags of milk in the fridge
• Calendars, planners and journals always in use
• Shoes, cleats, flip flops, boots, all manner of shoes by the front door
• Recycling bins filled with Perrier bottles
• Open concept encouraging open communication
• Planters overflowing with ivy and bright flowers
• Plush area rugs
• Barbeques at every opportunity
• Mama always asking for things to be picked up
• Cole’s clothes on the dining room table
• Art – old and new
• City sounds
• The smell of lemon chicken baking
• Sharing the latest finds on “YouTube” or Pinterest
• Excitement over the mail arriving
• Misplaced keys, wallets, cameras, eyeglasses and ear buds
• Basket, filled to overflowing with mismatched socks

CHALLENGE: I will enjoy my home this week by ...

Finally getting the new bathroom vanity from Restoration Hardware!

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Do you want to join in? Head over to Moorea Seal and check out the 52 Lists.

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My other lists:

1 of 52 | 2 of 52 | 3 of 52 | 4 of 52 | 5 of 52 | 6 of 52 | 7 of 52 | 8 of 52 | 9 of 52 | 10 of 52 | 11 of 52 | 12 of 52 | 13 of 52 | 14 of 52 | 15 of 52 | 16 of 52 | 17 of 52 | 18 of 52 | 19 of 52 | 20 of 52 | 21 of 52 | 22 of 52 | 23 of 52 | 24 of 52 | 25 of 52 | 26 of 52 | 37 of 52 | 38 of 52 | 39 of 52 | 40 of 52 | 41 of 52 | 42 of 52 | 43 of 52 | 44 of 52 | 45 of 52 | 46 of 52 | 47 of 52 | 48 of 52 | 49 of 52 | 50 of 52 | 51 of 52 | 52 of 52