Well, here it is, the my last post for the October blogging challenge, #31. I did it! I've enjoyed reflecting on so many things over the past month, and coming up with different things to blog about. I've also enjoyed connecting with other bloggers and seeing what people write about from one day to the next. I've worked on some other challenges. I was successful with some for the whole month, some for about half the month, and some not so well. However, I am proud of those that I completed, and will work on some others in the next month.
For today's little things, I had a lovely day. It was Halloween. I carved pumpkins with my oldest boy, and we laid out the seeds to attempt to grow our own next year. He and I also created his ninja costume, which was a last minute switch this morning from his cow costume. We went trick or treating with my sister's family, and had lots of fun, even with all the rain we got tonight. My Tinkerbell, ninja, elephant and duck (who ended up being a sleeping candy cane in his red & white striped sleeper, as described by my niece) were cute and lots of fun. When I got home, they all fell into bed, and I enjoyed checking out the costumes of friends and family on Facebook for a bit.
I have enjoyed this challenge! I will be posting again soon, just not daily for awhile. :)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
ABCs all about me
A is for Airplane - I have flown to Europe three times, to California twice, to Cuba, and to Mexico.
B is for Babies - I have four!
C is for Christian - I believe in the Bible and that Jesus died for my sins.
D is for Dad - My dad is 6'5", and has encouraged me so much throughout my life. My father-in-law has a calm, strong nature, and has been a blessing in many ways.
E is for Earth - I love the earth and it's beauty, nature is so much a part of my life and what keeps me grounded.
F is for Family - I have 4 siblings, and my husband has 7. Between us, we have over 40 aunts and uncles and many many cousins and great-cousins! We are blessed with wonderful families!
G is for Gifts - I have lots of different gifts, but sometimes forget that that is what they are. I love to lead things and organize things and network with people.
H is for Husband - We have been married for almost 13 years. When we said, "I do", we meant through everything and forever. We have been blessed in so many ways, through hard times and good times.
I is for Ice cream - I love ice cream, what can I say!
J is for Joy - There are many things in life that bring me joy, right now it's hearing my kids giggle and laugh, especially together and with my husband and I.
K is for Kettle - I love my kettle because I love to have tea! Nothing like sitting down with a cup of tea and a sweet treat, and chillaxing for a bit.
L is for Leaves - I love that we live in a climate where the leaves start out as tiny buds in the spring, then become full and green and lush in the summer, then become beautiful colours in the autumn and fall off the trees, leaving brown barren branches that cover beautifully with snow or ice or frost in the winter.
M is for Mom - My mom is wonderful and crazy, and I love her for her willingness to be there in a heartbeat when we need her. My mother-in-law is an amazing woman who raised 8 wonderful children. They are both so different, and both very good to their grandchildren.
N is for Novels - I love reading, and have always loved it!
O is for October - A great month! My birthday, completing challenges this month, and doing a blog a day for this whole month this year.
P is for Princess - That's the meaning of my name, and I have always been proud of it!
Q is for Questions - I enjoy asking people questions, and learning more about them, some might call it nosey, but I think of it as being interested.
R is for Redhead - I have been a redhead since I was born. I really didn't like it as a kid, but have come to appreciate it an embrace it.
S is for Southpaw - I am a lefty and proud of it! God made a few perfect people, and the rest are right-handed. ;)
T is for Teacher - I wanted to be a teacher already as a little girl, often playing teacher with my younger siblings. I love what I do, and have been blessed to work great colleagues at all the schools where I have worked.
U is for University - I completed 5 years of University, finished with a major in French, a minor in English, and a Teaching Degree.
V is for Van - I was one of those people who never wanted to drive a minivan, but as my mom often says, "Never say never!" I now drive a minivan, and I do love it, especially with 4 kids.
W is for Water - I love the water, and I love swimming. It's one of my favourite active activities, and so far all my kids love it too!
X is for X-ray - I have once in my life had an x-ray, and it was the summer before I started high school when I broke my arm.
Y is for Yard - I have the ultimate backyard because we live on a farm. I grew up on a farm, and loved it, and I am thankful that our kids have the opportunity to live on a farm as well. They love it too!
Z is for Zumba - I have actually only done it a few times, and I have loved it. I love dancing, and Zumba is something I hope to do more of in the future!
B is for Babies - I have four!
C is for Christian - I believe in the Bible and that Jesus died for my sins.
D is for Dad - My dad is 6'5", and has encouraged me so much throughout my life. My father-in-law has a calm, strong nature, and has been a blessing in many ways.
E is for Earth - I love the earth and it's beauty, nature is so much a part of my life and what keeps me grounded.
F is for Family - I have 4 siblings, and my husband has 7. Between us, we have over 40 aunts and uncles and many many cousins and great-cousins! We are blessed with wonderful families!
G is for Gifts - I have lots of different gifts, but sometimes forget that that is what they are. I love to lead things and organize things and network with people.
H is for Husband - We have been married for almost 13 years. When we said, "I do", we meant through everything and forever. We have been blessed in so many ways, through hard times and good times.
I is for Ice cream - I love ice cream, what can I say!
J is for Joy - There are many things in life that bring me joy, right now it's hearing my kids giggle and laugh, especially together and with my husband and I.
K is for Kettle - I love my kettle because I love to have tea! Nothing like sitting down with a cup of tea and a sweet treat, and chillaxing for a bit.
L is for Leaves - I love that we live in a climate where the leaves start out as tiny buds in the spring, then become full and green and lush in the summer, then become beautiful colours in the autumn and fall off the trees, leaving brown barren branches that cover beautifully with snow or ice or frost in the winter.
M is for Mom - My mom is wonderful and crazy, and I love her for her willingness to be there in a heartbeat when we need her. My mother-in-law is an amazing woman who raised 8 wonderful children. They are both so different, and both very good to their grandchildren.
N is for Novels - I love reading, and have always loved it!
O is for October - A great month! My birthday, completing challenges this month, and doing a blog a day for this whole month this year.
P is for Princess - That's the meaning of my name, and I have always been proud of it!
Q is for Questions - I enjoy asking people questions, and learning more about them, some might call it nosey, but I think of it as being interested.
R is for Redhead - I have been a redhead since I was born. I really didn't like it as a kid, but have come to appreciate it an embrace it.
S is for Southpaw - I am a lefty and proud of it! God made a few perfect people, and the rest are right-handed. ;)
T is for Teacher - I wanted to be a teacher already as a little girl, often playing teacher with my younger siblings. I love what I do, and have been blessed to work great colleagues at all the schools where I have worked.
U is for University - I completed 5 years of University, finished with a major in French, a minor in English, and a Teaching Degree.
V is for Van - I was one of those people who never wanted to drive a minivan, but as my mom often says, "Never say never!" I now drive a minivan, and I do love it, especially with 4 kids.
W is for Water - I love the water, and I love swimming. It's one of my favourite active activities, and so far all my kids love it too!
X is for X-ray - I have once in my life had an x-ray, and it was the summer before I started high school when I broke my arm.
Y is for Yard - I have the ultimate backyard because we live on a farm. I grew up on a farm, and loved it, and I am thankful that our kids have the opportunity to live on a farm as well. They love it too!
Z is for Zumba - I have actually only done it a few times, and I have loved it. I love dancing, and Zumba is something I hope to do more of in the future!
My Birthday
Yesterday, I turned 35. I decided to invite people over to share the day with me, and it was wonderful! In the morning, I had lots of friends and cousins come over, with some of their kids who weren't in school for the day. It was lovely. We chatted, drank coffee, had yummy treats and even had some healthy treats. My idea of a great time! I am thankful that they could come out, and share my day with me. Their presence was my present! Although, my 5 year old thought that was pretty lousy! ;) Some shared lunch with us, and I fed them some leftover squash soup which I thought tasted great, along with some sandwiches and buns.
In the afternoon, my in-laws came over, and my sister-in-law and her boyfriend, and they all stayed for a "fancy" meal of hot dogs. I thought I'd keep it simple since it was my birthday. We enjoyed yummy ice cream cake from our local ice cream restaurant with everyone throughout the day.
The day ended with a glass of wine and good conversation with my sister and another cousin. A lovely day all in all!
I was blessed by everyone who came!
Of course, this morning, I felt a bit sad because it was all over, and today was a "normal" day. Nevertheless, I think I will be making more of an effort to spend quality time with people who are near and dear to me. Today was also Coffee Break, and as I got in the van to head out for the morning, it wouldn't start. Go figure! I got there, late, but enjoyed the company of some great women, and some more great conversation.
In the afternoon, my in-laws came over, and my sister-in-law and her boyfriend, and they all stayed for a "fancy" meal of hot dogs. I thought I'd keep it simple since it was my birthday. We enjoyed yummy ice cream cake from our local ice cream restaurant with everyone throughout the day.
The day ended with a glass of wine and good conversation with my sister and another cousin. A lovely day all in all!
I was blessed by everyone who came!
Of course, this morning, I felt a bit sad because it was all over, and today was a "normal" day. Nevertheless, I think I will be making more of an effort to spend quality time with people who are near and dear to me. Today was also Coffee Break, and as I got in the van to head out for the morning, it wouldn't start. Go figure! I got there, late, but enjoyed the company of some great women, and some more great conversation.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Kids and the R-word
Responsibility. It's a big word. My oldest now knows what it's about. Poor kid. She was upset the other day because of the things she has to do to help out, and how it isn't fair! I proceeded to tell her that the older you are, the more responsibility you get. I'm not sure she really liked the idea of getting older as much as she did prior to this conversation.
My two oldest children are 7 years old (8 in a month) and 5 years old. They are young, but it is neat to see that they are becoming more willing to take on more responsibility around our home. Don't worry, they are normal kids who generally don't want to do the tasks I ask them to do, but they do have to do them. However, lately I have noticed that they are more willing to take on age-appropriate tasks around the house. I have realized, though, that I also need to give them a task, and give them a time frame for completion. Usually I want them to do something right that second, and they are in the middle of something. So I am working on that because I know I'm the same. You know, the whole, "Mommy, I need you!" to which I often reply, "I'll be there in a second!" (or 5 minutes...)
Both of my oldest children really like when they have a chance to help with their younger brothers. It is neat to see how proud they are when they have done something helpful, and when we acknowledge how much we appreciate it. They are both generally willing to help with chores in the barn, probably more so than in the house (yes, I can relate! I feel the same way!). However, they are taking on more household chores, and are able to take care of their own things by putting them away, and tidying up around the house. I think sometimes I underestimate them and what they can do. Of course, I don't want to push them and force them to grow up too quickly, but I do want them to be responsible kids who grow into responsible adults.
We're working on finding a balance, and I have to think about when I was younger and what was expected of me. I am the oldest of five siblings, and I remember my dad often saying to me, "You are the oldest, and you need to be a good example." I did my best, and I am pretty sure I will be saying these same words to my own older children...
My two oldest children are 7 years old (8 in a month) and 5 years old. They are young, but it is neat to see that they are becoming more willing to take on more responsibility around our home. Don't worry, they are normal kids who generally don't want to do the tasks I ask them to do, but they do have to do them. However, lately I have noticed that they are more willing to take on age-appropriate tasks around the house. I have realized, though, that I also need to give them a task, and give them a time frame for completion. Usually I want them to do something right that second, and they are in the middle of something. So I am working on that because I know I'm the same. You know, the whole, "Mommy, I need you!" to which I often reply, "I'll be there in a second!" (or 5 minutes...)
Both of my oldest children really like when they have a chance to help with their younger brothers. It is neat to see how proud they are when they have done something helpful, and when we acknowledge how much we appreciate it. They are both generally willing to help with chores in the barn, probably more so than in the house (yes, I can relate! I feel the same way!). However, they are taking on more household chores, and are able to take care of their own things by putting them away, and tidying up around the house. I think sometimes I underestimate them and what they can do. Of course, I don't want to push them and force them to grow up too quickly, but I do want them to be responsible kids who grow into responsible adults.
We're working on finding a balance, and I have to think about when I was younger and what was expected of me. I am the oldest of five siblings, and I remember my dad often saying to me, "You are the oldest, and you need to be a good example." I did my best, and I am pretty sure I will be saying these same words to my own older children...
Early birthday gift
This morning my oldest son was not too pleased to have to go to school - he is in Kindergarten. So I told him, well tomorrow, you get to be home with mommy, and it's her birthday! His response was to lay on the floor and start crying. Oh boy! I asked him what the problem was, and he said, "But mommy, I don't have a present for you!!" What a guy! I told him that it was okay, and that maybe he could make a card for me at school... That seemed to appease him, and off he went for the day.
Fast forward to this evening. I brought my daughter to dance lessons after supper, and when I came home, he decided he needed to vacuum his bedroom. So he did, and then proceeded to vacuum the entire main floor of the house. Okay, our house is not huge, but for a five year old, at 8:00pm... Wow! He is normally in bed around 7:00pm, but kept telling me he had to keep working until he had finished all the rooms on the main floor. Well, happy early birthday to me! I have guests coming tomorrow, and the house is vacuumed! Son, you can give me the gift of vacuuming every year!
This story is one of those little things I want to have a record of for future reference... :)
Fast forward to this evening. I brought my daughter to dance lessons after supper, and when I came home, he decided he needed to vacuum his bedroom. So he did, and then proceeded to vacuum the entire main floor of the house. Okay, our house is not huge, but for a five year old, at 8:00pm... Wow! He is normally in bed around 7:00pm, but kept telling me he had to keep working until he had finished all the rooms on the main floor. Well, happy early birthday to me! I have guests coming tomorrow, and the house is vacuumed! Son, you can give me the gift of vacuuming every year!
This story is one of those little things I want to have a record of for future reference... :)
Running
On Saturday I ran 5 km. It was cold and wet and rainy and snowy and slushy, but I did it. I was going to run in an actual run, but couldn't get there, so decided I was going to do 5 km on my own. I finished, and even did it under 40 minutes, which I am proud of too. It wasn't my best time ever, but I wasn't going for that. I had been running a bit lately trying to get back into shape after having baby #4 in May - 5 months ago, in case you're wondering. ;)
The last time I ran a full 5 km was about a year and a half ago. I also did 10 km right around that time. The 10 km was hard. I did it to say I did it, but I really don't want to do it again. I thought about it as I was running my last kilometre today. I thought to myself, "Come on! You have ran 10 km before, this is only 5, you only have 1 km left!" That was partly what got me through the last kilometre, considering my clothes had taken on a fair bit of water, and it was getting harder and harder to run.
Why do I run? I ask myself this question sometimes, and I know some people that think it's craziness. I was one of those people at one time! I don't consider myself very athletic, and I never really liked track & tield or cross country or most sports as a kid. However, I run now, and here are some of my reasons:
1. I like running. I don't love it, but I do like it.
2. It's a workout I can do from home, and it starts and ends in a good amount of time as I usually go out for about 30 minutes.
3. It's refreshing. When I came back on Saturday, I was exhausted, but later in the day, I had a huge burst of energy, and got a bunch of things done around the house.
4. It's good for me. I know exercise is good for me, and it's hard to get out there and get going a lot of the time, but it is good for me and I know it. I also want to be a good example to my kids.
5. I get to enjoy creation. I love looking around the countryside, especially because our seasons change so vividly here. I love seeing how God changes things from one season to the next, how the sky can look so different, and how we have so many plants and animals right around me. Amazing!
The last time I ran a full 5 km was about a year and a half ago. I also did 10 km right around that time. The 10 km was hard. I did it to say I did it, but I really don't want to do it again. I thought about it as I was running my last kilometre today. I thought to myself, "Come on! You have ran 10 km before, this is only 5, you only have 1 km left!" That was partly what got me through the last kilometre, considering my clothes had taken on a fair bit of water, and it was getting harder and harder to run.
Why do I run? I ask myself this question sometimes, and I know some people that think it's craziness. I was one of those people at one time! I don't consider myself very athletic, and I never really liked track & tield or cross country or most sports as a kid. However, I run now, and here are some of my reasons:
1. I like running. I don't love it, but I do like it.
2. It's a workout I can do from home, and it starts and ends in a good amount of time as I usually go out for about 30 minutes.
3. It's refreshing. When I came back on Saturday, I was exhausted, but later in the day, I had a huge burst of energy, and got a bunch of things done around the house.
4. It's good for me. I know exercise is good for me, and it's hard to get out there and get going a lot of the time, but it is good for me and I know it. I also want to be a good example to my kids.
5. I get to enjoy creation. I love looking around the countryside, especially because our seasons change so vividly here. I love seeing how God changes things from one season to the next, how the sky can look so different, and how we have so many plants and animals right around me. Amazing!
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Today
Today was a busy day, but good busy:
- Started with viewing snow outside (too early, even for a winter-loving Canadian like myself!)
- Went to the local rec centre for swimming lessons for the girl, and hockey for the oldest boy
- Then picked up some coffee at Tim Horton's
- Made grilled cheese for lunch
- Home for the afternoon
- Ran 5 km
- Made pumpkin craft with the kids
- Cleaned house with oldest boy (he just loves to vacuum!) & the girl (she's great for tidying when she's into it)
- Dance party with the boys
- Had supper of leftovers
- Went with our fun four kids to watch daddy play hockey, a little bit crazy, but good crazy, and even managed to get a few snippets of adult conversation
My kids have had a four day weekend, and it has been cold and rainy and snowy and wet and cold and wet and cold and, well, you get the idea. But they have been great. They have played and entertained themselves so well. We have watched a bit of tv, but not as much as I thought we might. They played with their cousins all day Thursday, and kept each other entertained after that. I had my own moment of cabin fever, but a little drive through the countryside with a Tim Horton's coffee helped that out, thanks to the husband!
They have played "dogs" and "house" and "hockey" and "farm", and they have coloured and coloured. This afternoon my oldest and middle boy had a dance party - so fun and I just love their moves! I joined in for a bit too! Tomorrow we celebrate a belated Thanksgiving dinner with my side of the family, so that will be fun for a change of pace, especially because there is no place like Grandma's house!
Lots of great little things going on this weekend! :)
- Started with viewing snow outside (too early, even for a winter-loving Canadian like myself!)
- Went to the local rec centre for swimming lessons for the girl, and hockey for the oldest boy
- Then picked up some coffee at Tim Horton's
- Made grilled cheese for lunch
- Home for the afternoon
- Ran 5 km
- Made pumpkin craft with the kids
- Cleaned house with oldest boy (he just loves to vacuum!) & the girl (she's great for tidying when she's into it)
- Dance party with the boys
- Had supper of leftovers
- Went with our fun four kids to watch daddy play hockey, a little bit crazy, but good crazy, and even managed to get a few snippets of adult conversation
My kids have had a four day weekend, and it has been cold and rainy and snowy and wet and cold and wet and cold and, well, you get the idea. But they have been great. They have played and entertained themselves so well. We have watched a bit of tv, but not as much as I thought we might. They played with their cousins all day Thursday, and kept each other entertained after that. I had my own moment of cabin fever, but a little drive through the countryside with a Tim Horton's coffee helped that out, thanks to the husband!
They have played "dogs" and "house" and "hockey" and "farm", and they have coloured and coloured. This afternoon my oldest and middle boy had a dance party - so fun and I just love their moves! I joined in for a bit too! Tomorrow we celebrate a belated Thanksgiving dinner with my side of the family, so that will be fun for a change of pace, especially because there is no place like Grandma's house!
Lots of great little things going on this weekend! :)
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