This weak week. Some Vents. Some thanks. Some prayers.

WOW!  What a day.  So far this week:

• I did our Monday donation to goodwill.  I handed the big blue bag to my DH and suggested he put it in a black bag so kids would not look.  Next thing I know he's pulling stuff out.  Seriously!  Gotta be more careful next time!  It is getting harder and harder to do.
• I totally dislike the time change.  I understand why we used to do it... do we still need to?  My 8 year old daughter is still wide awake at - what!!!  it's almost 11 pm!!!!
• I am quite addicted to other people's blogs.  I wish more of my friends did it.  I just read strange random women's  blogs.  Mostly other mothers.  Thank you random strangers for sharing!
• Extremely stressful week at kids school with the parent volunteers for the school dance.  UN-BEE-LEE-VA-BULL!!!  Most everyone - thanks for your time, but:  Way to suck my enthusiasm guy.  GRRR.  You robbed me of time with my kids and instead I spent it stressing about you.  Never again!
• I am proud when I confronted individual mentioned in above point I did not lose my cool, I did not yell and I did not CRY!!!!  Yeah, my eyes teared at the very end of our "talk" but nay a tear rolled down!  THIS IS NEWS FOR ME PEOPLE!!!!
• ahhhh VICKS.  I love you.  As I sit here and lose my voice... I love you.
• Cannot wait for this warm next few days.  Oh Sweet Spring - I need you!
• Cleaned out the van today.  WAAAAAAAY too hard to carry extra stuff in at minus 4o C when you have 3 kids.
• I have tried black coffee 2 times this week - secretly.  Not bad.  Might consider it.  Might.
• I have amazing friends and neighbours.  Everyone volunteered to drive extra when it was uber cold so babe and I could stay home.  I am so very blessed.
• A dear old friend had surgery today.  BC.  I am praying for her and her family.  I do not think anyone knows.  I will respect that.
• Another dear friend's mama has been in hospital for very long while... I am praying for her and her family.
• The Island reef job has some scandal I think with an applicant. Porn or something.   More to come I bet.  Shoulda picked me!
• Got some work done this week for the business.  Feel better about that.
• got 1/4 of new pictures into album!!!  I am on a roll!
• cleaned all the bathrooms, and got new laundry hampers for laundry room ( 3 to sort in) and that REALLY makes me excited and grateful!  Kids like it too.
• I really appreciate the amazing neighbours I have - hope they never move!

We saw a women at the store Tuesday night.  It was almost 10 and she had 5 little girls with her at check out.  (foster kids maybe? - ages were all really close, but not impossible I guess)  Anyways, one kids was fullout temper tantrumming (totally not a word - I know!) on the floor and eveything for half an hour.  this women was so calm and kind.  She did not cave, she kept her cool and patience.  I was quite impressed.  All the while she respected this little girl and allowed her dignity.  It was so well handled, I actually went up and told her.  Let's all cheer each other on!

Scrambling

Yep I am scrambling.

Scrambling to get caught up with my pictures... get them printed and into albums.  I had intended to accomplish this more regularly, as well as get the last - oh I don't know - 20 years worth of pics into albums as well.  All before this sweet baby turns one.  Well times is running out!!!  I ordered last summer's pictures on line, and need to pick them up now.  I ordered the Christmas ones already through iphoto on the computer, but it took 2 weeks to receive them.  I am simply not that patient.  Mind you, they came right to the door and it may very well take me that long to go pick these up.  And yes they were lovely prints, nice quality.  Price works out the same too.  Found a fun bee and sunflower picture, and boy am I ready for the spring!  It just got colder this week... and the snow... and the wind... and the ice...   arghhh!   Anyways, I seriously doubt I'll get caught up on all the old photos... I can barely keep the dishes clean.  But I do enjoy my days! 

monday again... let the donations continue

Monday kind of snuck up on me this week... on account of "the flu" that was found lurking in the shadows...  and pounced on us all.  On the road to recovery but it sure has been hard getting the motivation in place to achieve much.  As you may or may not know, Monday is donation day.  When my daughter is at piano lessons we take a minimum of one large bag to goodwill.  I challenged myself to do this for a New Years Resolution.  So far, not a week missed.  Admittedly it is getting harder and harder to fill that bag.  This is good stuff we're putting in there!  Sometimes I think about ebay or a summer garage sale, but that seems very far away when it's -14 degrees C like today.  That temperature also makes it hard to search the vast array of boxes in the garage for stuff.  That'll make the summer much easier to purge.  Problem is when I find hotspots like that, I tend to take a van full at once instead of s t r e  t c h i n g it out.  Then I end up scrambling. Anyways, it's been 8 times to goodwill so far, and I gave a bunch to Terra (young moms) and you cannot even tell anything is MISSING!!!  I wish we had a scale, and I could have weighed the amount of pounds my house is losing.  maybe I'll check the goodwill stores and see if I can buy one!  haha!  If we know someone personally that could use the "goods" I give it (clothes etc.) otherwise goodwill.  My daughter has come up with things she wants to send, like her Polly Pockets - hundreds of dollars worth.  So do I just let her throw them in there cause she is ready to part with them?  when I see $$$$$ ?  She wants to "do something nice" for people that need it.  Just stuff I guess.

Joy is not in things, it is in US!

The flu is here... well not the real flu the health folks warn you about and want you to get the shot, but the puking "and more" flu. 

Saw this coming... lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.  So many of the kids friends and some extended family have been ill.  Can't believe it got us!  Gotta be thankful as always though.  Thankful everyone got sick

 at home, not school or the mall or someone else's house.  Everyone made it to the loo or bucket in time.  THANK YOU KIDS!!!  I am worried it'll be me next, so I am madly trying to get laundry caught up.  I am super germaphobe with vomit so new bedding all around, needed or not. 

 And I use these wonderful NORWEX cloths for cleaning instead of chemicals... really they are the best!  Best for your family and environment.. you need some too!   So anyways, gotta wash the cloths.  Back to how madly I am doing laundry... I have four baskets to put away, yet here I am typing away... lying by me sweet sick girl.  And a pile at the machines.  But we all know it can keep.

Went shopping to The Mall last night.. All the young punks... loved it!!!  I actually am not a fan of the mall, but I had my 8 year old daughter along (and sister in law) and we had some great conversations about how all the teens were presenting themselves.  It was interesting listening to what my daughter thought of all their clothes and hair.  I am pretty sure she will have bright crayola coloured hair one day, but on the flip side I am equally sure she will not show her bare belly or thong with low jeans.  (alleluia!)

It was fun to shop with her.  I was quite sure she was getting sick though as she was just not her 100% fun self, even though we had a great time together.  The mall was uber hot too, guess they had the hot heat still pumping in, even though it was warmer outside.  I guess it's not quite spring yet... wishful thinking!  But we did make our reservations for beach camping this week!!  Got me looking through the pics from last year!  I ma quite excited, and we are going with a great group of people again.  (unless I am at the reef!!! )

Threw in some pictures to get you thinking about summer... bike rides... kayaking... can't wait!

Snow like Diamonds

Today, St.Valentine's Day.  The snow looked like diamonds.  It was so pretty really.  And it's been 10 years.  Yes, ten whole years. 

Ten years ago on Valentine's Day my dad died.  We were very close.  Our whole family is very close.  I think he would be extremely proud of all of us, and all we have become.

And he would have thought the snow pretty.

10 years

Flower Pictures

Thought I'd add a few pics of flowers I took in June.
(okay, okay, they were in a bouquet, not my garden, but they were very real!)
Oh I miss flowers and the garden and even the bugs!
Maybe tomorrow I'll add the snowman pictures!
Enjoy!

Time

Time.
It is flying.
Oh I know everyone says that... off the cuff, but I am different.
I really realize it.
I really mean it.
This wee baby, now not so wee... almost 8 months old. Trying to crawl. Sitting up. Shaking his head "no.no.no.". Always amazing me... amazing everyone. He is as amazing as the other 2 kids.
Oh I know every parent thinks that of their kids, but I am different.

I know it.
As sure as the snow will go, as sure as the night will come. I know.

They are all a gift.
A blessing.
Joy

I am thankful. And I try to be a mother with patience. A mother like my mother. I only remember patience. Surely she lost her cool too. I do not remember that though. Perhaps my kids won't remember me loosing my cool either. Perhaps.

Dreaming about Australia has been a gift. Oh I know the chance is so very slim we would go - but a chance none the less. I fantasized about the lifestyle, about relaxing and living. About taking the time.

The time.
There is time here.
Take it now.

So I am trying. We are playing ball on the floor, the baby and me. The three kids and me. We are building snowmen. We are baking cookies the kids and me. We are doing chores together. My husband and daughter are emptying the dishwasher. We are cooking as a family.

We are a family. Taking the time. Making the time. Having dinner together. Often breakfast and lunch together too. This they say is unusual. (who's they? you know... THEY...) It is important, and brings joy. So we do it.
We will continue to do it.

I am thankful.
We are blessed.