Welcome 2012!

Here it is...the last blog entry of Adventure Mommy for 2011...

Well, this year has been an adventure all right.  I had this imaginary deadline in my mind that by December 31, 2011, I would be back to my old self.  Except that that hasn't happened.  What has happened instead is that I'm onto my new self.  Happier?  Check.  A little lighter in spirit?  Check.  Accepting?  Check.  Forgiving?  Check.  Still a little crazy?  You bet!  All this is what makes me who I am.  I have learned what I do like, and want from life.  At least at this point in my life...because you know what?  That may change again - and that's okay!  And the yes man is always reminding me that life is all about the journey...not the destination.  Well said - and better practiced.
Happy, healthy, lovely New Year to you all!  Can't wait to see what 2012 brings with it!
Keep smiling!

Karma Strikes Again

Funny how things happen.  Good things, I mean.  Take today.  My friend Steph and I went to Walmart.  On her agenda was to scan a Christmas photo of her kids (she didn't make enough the first time around - let me tell you, she made 100 the first time...) On my agenda was to grocery shop (I love our Walmart grocery section).  There was a small lineup in the photo shop and Steph was waiting.  There was an older lady in front of us who was having difficulty working the computer and getting what she wanted from it.  So she let Steph and I go ahead. I helped Steph with her order an in under 5 minutes we were done.  I looked behind us and there was the lady.  She was going to try again.  I offered to help her out (I'm fairly savvy with technology and people).  We scanned her photo, enlarged it and ordered it.  Voila!  She looked at me and said thank you and that I have really done my good deed for today!  I looked at it as sharing my expertise - and hey!  I enjoy it.
My story goes on...
So now I'm shopping around the store - grocery cart full.  Oops!  Forgot that I was looking for the Polar Express DVD for Steph - her's crapped out after watching it too many times.  The staff at the store said they hadn't seen Polar Express in the racks this year.  There was another customer listening in - and we started talking about how great a movie that was.   I carried on slightly disappointed.
In line, I had just paid and was loading up the cart to leave when this same customer found me in line and handed me...Polar Express!  He had dug through the racks and found it!  If that's not karma then I don't know what is!!!  He went through the entire store looking for me!!!  Well, Steph's kids have their Polar Express and I wished that man a very Merry Christmas!
And a very Merry Christmas to all of you!

Keep smiling :o)

Thank you to that man...

Beautiful

Smile.  You are beautiful.  Powerful words!  Love this one!  Sometimes the most profound quotes are the simplest.  I hope that you are smiling today.  I think about all the lovely ladies in my life when I see this.  May you smile and have a wonderful day too!

Yes. I like this quote.  My voice has been shaky a few times in my life.  Once I had so many words in my mouth that I was afraid to talk.  That the words would tumble out all on their own.  And they did.  And it was okay.  This is why I am able to smile.  For real.

Contagious

A smile is so contagious.  When I'm wandering through the mall, I smile at the people I'm passing.  Guess what?  Most of them smile back.  And know what else?  They seem surprised.  At what?  Are we so caught up in being caught up with each other that we have forgotten how to interact in person?  How to connect with one another?  Try it yourself.  Make it a mission to smile and say hello to everyone that you pass.  You may even have a little conversation with someone that is in one of those long Christmas shopping lines.  Have fun with it.  It may even make that long line a little more bearable.  Who knows?  That one act of kindness may change someones perspective today.  Maybe it will ripple through one, ten, a hundred other people...imagine that!

Keep smiling!

Not Perfect - Yup! That's Me!

This seemed like a perfect fit for today!  It is okay to not be perfect.  It's too hard trying to be perfect (which, by the way, is impossible to achieve - and not much fun in it either!)  Just try and enjoy what you have.  Be thankful for friendships, family, quiet time, a hot cup of coffee...whatever you have in your life.  I'm working on that everyday.  I remind myself everyday.  Because when I try to be perfect, guess what?  It doesn't work out so perfectly...just the opposite!

Have a wonderful, not perfect day!

Keep smiling!

Funny how connected we are.  I don't mean connected through all the latest techno gadgets...I mean really connected to one another just as humans.  Like when the phone rings and it's someone that has been on your mind that day and you answer and say "I was just thinking about you"!  Those types of moments.  See?  We are connected!  Here's another one: someone really totally wonderful just sent me the best quotes.  The thing is, just before I checked my email today, I was thinking that before the year ends, I want to put some great quotes on my blog.  You know, the ones that really make you go "ah-haaa".  I opened my email and there they were!  Hmmmmm...

So, for the rest of December, I am going to put up some of the quotes that really hit home with me...here's the first.

Keep smiling and watch for the next great quote!  Maybe you'll have an ah-haaa moment too!

Hello Dears

Well the 3 mouse-ke-teers made it back from Rochester with a load of gifts!  Not as many as Santa has in his sack, but it was a close second!
We started off our trip with a stop at Honey's (just over the border in Buffalo) and had the best pizza ever.  Angie was hesitant to add this into our jam packed itinerary, but Carrie and I threatened mutiny if she didn't!  We all agreed that it was worth the change and we have decided that Honey's will be added to our plan for next year.
Driving from Buffalo to Rochester, we passed the time talking, singing to some crazy songs which I won't name and planning our shopping strategies.  Along the highway there were the usual road signs, among them, "deer crossing" signs.  This reminded me of a story from years ago which I shared with the girls.  Nana and I were driving along the highway up at the cottage and we passed the "deer crossing" sign.  Nana wondered "How do the deer know to cross here?"  I knew what nana meant - and also that the signs are for the safety of the drivers, not the deer.
Well, didn't we check into the hotel, head up to our room and look what we saw at our door:

We looked at each other!  Wow!!!  We all were thinking the same thing.  Nana's with us!  We each touched the deer and said hi to Nana.  I should also add that every room had a sign unique to it - there was not another deer crossing!  Wonderful!


Keep smiling!

Rochester, Here We Come!

Adventure mommy and company are heading to Rochester, NY to take full advantage of Black Friday shopping.  Our itinerary is jam packed - a repeat from the last two years - and full of fun fun fun.  We have shopping, dining, entertainment (the track!) and lots of laughs.

But we always make sure to tell our husbands how much work it is fighting off the 3am crowds, balancing our purchases in one hand and our lattes - I mean our list - in the other!

A great big thank you to Angie who plans, books and chauffeurs Carrie and I around in style.

Last year, Carrie and I had our photo taken in the parking lot of Eastview Mall - and we almost made it into the local paper.  We'll try again this year - and Ang, stick with us!  We want all 3 of us on the front page!

Keep smiling!

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who follows my blog!  Not only do my family and friends check out Adventure Mommy - but I now even have people in Finland and Russia that are checking it out!!
I'll be sure to keep adding new stuff often...
Keep smiling!

Kids say and do the funniest things.  Last night my daughter was dancing around the family room (aka the Naomi Show was on) to some Christmas music (yes, we have the Christmas tunes on already!) and she stubbed her toe.  She's frantically calling out and laughing at the same time "Fill in for me, mom! Hurry up!"  Hilarious!  So I did just that.  I filled in for her on the dance floor - and that lasted for about 30 seconds.  Naomi quickly recognized that I was maybe not the best choice for a last minute change to the playbill and got up and said "Ok - you're off the dance floor mom - I'm back in!"  Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet - that's what keeps us young.  And kids love to see adults having fun.

We had a PA Day yesterday from school and the kids came with me to volunteer at the seniors home.  It was manicure Friday at the home - and my daughter loves loves loves anything glam.  The glammier the better in her eyes.  Her big job was drying the ladies freshly painted nails with the power dryer (Dollarama is great isn't it?).  Well, Naomi was proud to be helping out - and the best thing was seeing her giving back.  It's so good for kids to be involved in life.  My son Ben joined us also - he was busy creating art and keeping fairly close to mom.  The ladies seemed to really love having the kids there - in fact, the Rec Director thanked Naomi and Ben personally for coming out and helping.  And yes, they are invited back over the Christmas break for more manicures and fun!

As I'm writing this, the kids just presented me with an early Christmas present...a homemade photo book call "All About Ben".  It's a collection of photos that the kids picked especially for me.  It's a beauty.  Life is good.

Keep smiling!

I can handle this

Last week my son had an appointment at Sick Kids Hospital.  He had to have a genetic test done to confirm a diagnosis of OCA that we had received earlier in the year.  Ben has OCA - oculocutaneous albinism.


Ocular Albinism

What is albinism?

Albinism (say: AL-buh-niz-um) is a name used for genetic conditions that cause a person to have no pigment or less pigment than usual. Pigment is what gives our eyes, skin and hair their colour.

There are two types of albinism:

When the skin, hair, and eyes are involved, it is called oculocutaneous (say: ock-you-lo-kyoo- TAY-nee-us) albinism (OCA). When the eyes are involved, but skin and hair colouring are normal, it is called ocular albinism (OA).

Both types of albinism will cause your child to have poor eyesight. Each child’s vision will be affected in a different way. Albinism does not usually cause other medical problems or cause your child to have poor health.

We met with 6 different doctors and technicians - all were amazing with Ben.  This was a very positive experience that we both had.  The last person that we met with was the genetic counsellor - her name was Megan and she was very compassionate.  Ben and I had a final meeting with her and she went over all the details of the information that we learned that day.  I broke down crying when I asked her if Ben will have a normal, productive adult life.  And that I didn't want him to be centered out at school, or made fun of for being different. Megan assured me that he will lead a totally productive and normal life - his abilities haven't changed.  And he may be able to drive.  Our job is to protect his retinas from any further damage - like UV rays.  So we can do all this.  I can handle this (that's been my mantra over the past few days).  


Ben has also been registered with the CNIB - Canadian National Institute for the Blind.  This will be a great benefit to Ben in the future.  And yes Kim, you are right!  He is our big, beautiful Ben. 


Through all this, Ben is unchanged.  It is daily life for him - what he sees today is the same that it has always been for him.  It is no better or worse.  He can still play hockey, construct with Lego, draw awesome pictures - hug his mom.  I'm smiling now thinking about that hug.  And he bakes the best banana bread.  


Keep smiling!

TGIF

I love Friday!  Friday has a feeling of "anything is possible".  It is the end of the week that leads into lots of family time, hanging out with friends and just general relaxation.  Chillaxin' time as Dad says.

I have been volunteering at a seniors residence and my regular day is Friday. We get together and give manicures to the resident ladies.  Sometimes we have 8 or so ladies come down, but today we had only 4.  I love working on these hands...they are beautiful.  And I find myself wondering about these hands, these ladies, these lives.  They probably have some wonderful stories to tell and I look forward to hearing them.  How these ladies look forward to our manicure days (me too).

When I was a kid, my friend Lisa and I had our own beauty salon at the back of nana's house.  We would charge a quarter for various services: hair brushing, curlers (back when curlers were prickly and you had to use a pin to keep them in), and of course, makeup.  This was our favourite thing!  Nana would come into our salon, pay her quarter and sit down on.  She would always smile and say how much she liked having her hair done.  And, on days when we did her makeup, she loved that too!   Sometimes we'd get other clients - like Lisa's big brother or the neighborhood kids, but the only repeat customer we had was nana!  LOL!

I also volunteer at my kids school for hot lunch Friday.  If I think I'll be in my son's grade 1 class, I bring a game along with me.  This usually keeps the kids occupied for the 15 or so minutes between eating and going out for lunch recess.  Most of these games are just made up...they love it!  And I love it too!  Today when I went into Ben's class and said "Hi everyone", Ben called out " Mommmmmmmy!"  That is something that I will remember.  Nothing like having your mom come into your school to help out...that is, unless you're in grade 6 or up!  Then it's "oh gross, my mommmmm is here"!  LOL!

Funny how your kids perception of you changes over the years.   The benefit of being on the parent side is that you know eventually they will come to see how wise we parents really are.  

And, Auntie Jan, Happy Birthday to you!  I'm sending you a big hug!  Love you!

Keep smiling!

Pay it Forward

A few years ago, I was in the drive thru line at Tim Hortons.  I placed my order and when I got up to the window to pay, the cashier told me that the person in front of me had already paid for me.  Was I surprised!  What a treat!  Who was it?  She said it was a man and that he just said I'll pay for the car behind me.  Wow!!  Did that ever make my day (I had one kid still home full time so you know how desperate you are for that first cup of coffee - not to mention, paid for by someone else)!  And, why me?  Was I looking especially cute that day in his rearview mirror?  I did a quick check in my mirror - looking good.  I looked at the car but did not recognize it.  It did, however, have a sticker in the window of a local karate / martial arts gym.

I did some research when I got home and was able to track down my free coffee guy.  Well, wouldn't you know it?  After that day, I started running into this guy all over!  I'd see him at the coffee shop (surprise!), and at other local places - the mall, restaurants etc.  He was a very friendly man.  The first time I ran into him (I recognized him from his photo on his website) I thanked him for the free coffee that day in the drive thru.  Turns out, this guy does this all the time.  That little act of kindness rippled through my universe.  And so forward it went.  I like to tell that story.  This man changed my outlook that day and I hope that I was able to pass it along.

Keep smiling!

Building Blocks

My son, Ben, built a structure for me out of Jenga blocks.  We were actually playing the game of Jenga (build it up and don't let it fall!) when, it fell.  Ben thought it would be better to build his own creation and not let the game dictate.  Good!

By the way, did I mention that Ben has his "M Lego" - that's "Master of Lego" builder. Albeit he is only 6 years old, but that doesn't matter.  He is super creative when it comes to Lego...I'll post some of his creations soon.  He loves to challenge me to create something wonderful - but I usually end up with these kind words from him "mommmmmm, what's that supposed to be?"  LOL!

Something to think about...while they are busy building blocks, we are building memories.

Keep smiling!

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for.  Family.  Friends.  Love.  We spent Thanksgiving weekend with family.  It was a family-full weekend and I totally enjoyed it.  The kids had a blast being kids.  And I got to spend time with my favourite people.  I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

What are you thankful for?  Take some time out of your day and really think about it.  Write it down.  Make it meaningful.  Sometimes life gets so busy, so overwhelming that we forget to be thankful.  Thankful for waking up and being alive to enjoy another day, thankful for being loved and being able to love in return.

I have been working through some big stuff over the past while.  Some days I wonder why?  Why me?  Why now?  So right now, even though it may be inconvenient timing, I'm working on me.  And I'm going to be great.  I have thoughts about my life - my destiny, my road.  I was on a road, a particular path.  Then things happened and I took a detour for awhile.  And I found my way back to my road.  I am here.  X marks the spot on my map.  I made it back to me.  Thankfully.  I believe I am right where I am meant to be.  Strong. Wonderful.  I matter.  We all do.

"You Are Here" 

You know what they say about "Nothing worthwhile is ever easy - so I must be pretty awesome!"  I'm going to put that on a t-shirt!!!  I bet I could sell millions - well, a couple anyway!

Keep smiling!

Go Cart Go and Other Interesting Tid-Bits

I really should write down all the funny things my kids say to me.  Some of the things they come up with are really quite deep - and other things are just plain old hilarious.
Ben was playing with the Play Doh a few weeks ago (which hasn't been off the shelf for about a year) and made me a wonderful "spaghetti" dinner.  He brought it over to me (he was very proud) and I took a deep sniff of it. Play Doh still has the same smell it did when I was a kid. Mmmmmm - yummmm.  He was staring at me waiting to say something about this lovely dinner.  I said "breathe deeply my friend - that is the smell of childhood".  He replied "Are you serious?"  I laughed and laughed at that.  I'm laughing right now as I'm typing this.  Kids are great therapy.

The yes man (aka Brad) has been working on a go-cart for the kids.  I think it was really for him though.  Well, Ben hounded and hounded me for a week to help with the go-cart building - however, mommy doesn't know how to work all the big power tools.  The go-cart was finally ready for a test run and it was spectacular.  Mommy even had a go on the go-cart.  What a hoot!  The kids loved to see me riding and laughing on this cool contraption.  Yeah!  That was an adventure all right!  Now we just have to agree on the decorating details...do I get a say in that?  LOL!

The yes man really knows what is important - I think he learned that when he was a kid.  Good for him, good for me and good for us as a family.

Keep smiling!

So What Now?

Okay - so what now?  The kids are in full time at school - isn't this what I've been waiting for?  So how come I'm not jumping up and down and doing cartwheels?  I know this is a deep question for the Adventure Mommy blog...but maybe I will get some insight from writing it down, seeing it live on paper.  I know I need to do something but what?  I have some prospects...volunteering at the school and volunteering at our local retirement home.  I know I would enjoy that.  Yes.  I will call and get some more information on that.  Keep you posted.
Now, isn't being the CEO enough?  I run the house and enjoy it - maybe I'm just too good at it.  I do want my brain to keep going, learning new things.  It's just that some of the old ways haven't completely worked themselves out yet.  For some reason I have a fear of driving - or rather, the fear is that I won't be able to get home.  What's up with that?  That's one of those things that I'm working on.  I keep telling myself that its odd, yes, but that's okay.  Sometimes life is odd.  Isn't that what I tell my kids?  That we aren't perfect and it's too hard on everyone else if we try to be.  Just go with the flow.  Dorie from Nemo kept reminding Marlin to "just keep swimming" as he ventured down into the dark water.  And you know what?  He got back just fine.

Shangri-La(undry)

So I'm back from my summer holiday at the trailer...and into piles of laundry.  My husband, who has a great take on everything, you know the type, says think of it as Shangri-Laundry.  Pretty funny, actually!  He has a way of making me smile and laugh and I'm going to take every opportunity to laugh.

My friend Anna and I are back into our weekly walks.  We laughed tons during our walk this week - I had to ask her to take it easy (you know what happens to the bladder after 40 - sorry if that thought scares any of my younger readers).

Both of our kids are in full time now.  Ben gave me a thumbs up after the first day of grade one.  He's loving it.  Who wouldn't?  Activities, recess, lunch with friends, time at the park...sounds like my life (that's what my husband would say) LOL!

Keep smiling!

Summer Memories

As summer vacation comes to an end I find myself thinking about the things I enjoyed the most.  Summer memories.  Here they are although in no particular order... campfires, the sun shining on the lake, ice cream, friends, laughter, the flag blowing in the breeze, country music (we only get 2 stations up here), lego, the giant sand pile, bike rides, Alloro Pizza in Buckhorn, summer birthday parties, bingo night and the Chocolate Rabbit in Lakefield.

I know there are probably some things I've forgotten - oh yeah, Friday night.  Brad comes up Friday night and we have supper together and usually a campfire. Although I should tell you that usually by 9:32pm Brad is asleep by the fire.  In fact, our first summer up here he earned the name "Puppy Chow" from some of the other fellas...he still hasn't been able to live it down!  Oh Brad - you must stop bragging about your partying ability...sigh.

So, if you follow my blog you'll remember I quoted a line from a song - "when you lose yourself you find the key to paradise" just so happens that it is a Jimmy Buffet song - so I think of my cousin Ang everytime I hear it now as she and her husband are huge fans.

And on that note, one last great memory from this summer - beergarita.  Beer-gar-i-ta!  If you haven't tried it, email me for the recipe!!

Well, hope this finds you smiling - and keep on smiling!

Counting Down...

Only two more weeks of summer vacation left!  My son will start grade one and my daughter will start her junior year of elementary school (aka grade four).  The kids are having a blast up here at the trailer.

I picked up some art from our annual craft sale - it said "There's no place like home except the trailer".  How true!  I always find myself counting down the days until the first of May so that we can head on up.  I have a ritual of saying hello to the lake when we first arrive.  And then on our last day here in the fall, I say goodbye.  I feel connected to nature when I do this.  It is a moment just for me.  And I cherish it.

An interesting thought...Marion reminded me the other day that "You are entitled to a good life."  It was such a powerful statement that I wrote it down and I keep it in my kitchen so that I see it everytime I am in there.  Yes.  Me.  I am entitled to that.  We all are, aren't we?

Sometimes I have these profound thoughts and I think "I'd better write that one down and put it on my blog".  Then I get distracted.  Enough said.

I'm still working on adding more laughter to my life.  Too much seriousness is far too serious :o)

Keep on smiling!

Sisters

I spent the weekend with my cousins Angie and Carrie (and husbands and kids) up at Ang's cottage.  This is family.  This is sisterhood.  We three have been together forever.  Oh sure, we may drift occasionally - Angie moved around a bit during University and then her career took her to Montreal.  But she found her way back.  Carrie and family have moved to a small town a little north of Toronto.  We always have each other's back no matter where we are geographically.  The past few months have been tough for me - emotionally.  But these girls, these women, my sisters, have gently guided me up up up and to see the best in me and the best in all that surrounds me.  This past weekend we laughed, cried and shared ourselves.  I have many sisters in my family.  And each and everyone has something to share, some story to contribute,  a hug like no other.  A reminder that I'm not alone.
I know that I want more laughter in my life.  Laughing is fantastic and it can charge you up like nothing else!  I want to be more easy going.  I heard a song this morning and the words went like this: You may only go around this one time as far as I can tell - it's the time of your life so live it well.  Those Disney movie soundtracks really get it right, don't they?  These little morals that we learn from them aren't just for kids!
Something else that has stuck with me.  I read "The Help" and the main character is a live in nanny who, at bedtime every night, reminds her kids that "You are smart, you are kind, you matter".  Wow.  Powerful stuff.  Everyone needs to hear those words - even adults.  My daughter wrote those words out for me in her artistic style and I have it posted on the fridge where we can all see it everyday.  We matter.

Remembering Nana

My friend Sue thinks that my daughter looks just like my nana.  I like that.  I loved my nana and miss her a lot.  I loved talking to her and she always made the time to listen.  Her name was Alice and it suited her so perfectly.  Alice - say it out loud.  It is a calm breath on the wind.  And that was Nana.  I really wish that she was here now - she had the best hugs and the right words.  Oh Lea Anne she'd say - it's alright.
I came across this picture of her and I - I think I was about 5.  Her smile says it all.
During the funeral arrangements, I discovered that Nana loved butterflies.  I didn't remember that.  I knew that purple was her favourite colour.  My friend Anna gave me a sympathy card that had a purple butterfly on the front.  Anna had no idea how symbolic that was.
Nana leaves behind children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  And a beautiful legacy of kindness, compassion and generous spirit.
Love you and miss you Nana.

Just another day in Paradise

Today is my daughter's 9th birthday.  9 years old...it seems as if just yesterday she was 8!  We celebrated today with 25 other kids up at our park - everyone sang "Happy Birthday" with a few added cha cha chas for kicks.  Chocolate cup cakes for everyone kept the crowd happy.

It was a beautiful day up here - the lake had white capped waves and the breeze was blowing (hard).  It cleared out my cobwebs for sure!

I heard an interesting quote the other day - it was a line from a song on the local country station.  It went like this: "When you lose yourself you find the key to paradise".  Well I sure felt like I lost myself these past few months...so hopefully paradise is just around the corner.  I know it is.

And someone very wise reminded me to take it one day at a time.  So be it.

It's Summertime! Being a "yes" Mom!

Well!  We finally made it - summer is officially here :o)  We're at the trailer (we love it here!) and are totally chillaxin' as grampa would say.  Even the dog is chillaxin' too.

We had a campfire the first night we were up and the stars in the sky were absolutely beautiful.  It is so peaceful up here - even when it's busy.  Then on Sunday night the park slowly empties and it gets quiet.  And that is amazing too.

My ambition this summer?  Have fun fun fun!  And more fun!  I decided a few years back (well, I think it was last year really) to be more of a "yes" mommy.  As opposed to a "no" mommy.  And you know what?  It was a great summer.  The kids were happy and so was I.  My husband is totally a yes kind of guy - sometimes to the point of being annoying - you know the type.  Everyone loves him and everything comes so easily and naturally to him.  Hmmph.

I have some time to myself right now - usually my daughter has her friend hanging around for most of the day but they are out tubing with the yes man (aka daddy).  And our son is on the boat too.  These quiet moments are sometimes hard to find.  This is an ahh-haa moment :o)

I'm looking forward to bingo night - it's kids bingo actually - and it's a hoot!  This summer promises lots of action packed days and campfire nights.

Keep smiling!

Graduation (aka "Bring the Kleenex")

Today our youngest graduates from senior kindergarten.  For the past couple of weeks I have been coming to terms with a)my last child is growing up and b)my last child is growing up.  Lots of tears over this.  As he grows up, it cements the fact that the child bearing years of my life are officially done.  There will not be any more babies in the house.  Of course, we did decide this 6 years ago after Ben was born.  But now it seems so...final.  I am in fact, aging.  I didn't want to admit it.  My husband struggled with turning 40 last year but I happily did not.  40 was fabulous!  41 however, is a different story. I am now officially launched into my forties...not just at the edge of them!  I asked my kids yesterday if they would consider staying the age they are - not growing up.  They both agreed that that was not possible - they are in fact growing up.  So I felt it necessary to remind my daughter that she wasn't allowed to date until she is 30!  Keep on laughing!  

Dinner with the Ladies

Our annual ladies dinner - what a great night!  The women in my family are truly amazing.  We are a pillar of strength - and we lean on each other.  Really.  This isn't just lip service.  I am in awe when we are together - we laugh, sometimes we cry, we hug alot and we listen.  We share ideas.  We talk.  We love each other.  Thank you to all you wonderful ladies - I love you all.

An Ahh-Haa Moment

I met a friend yesterday for coffee.  It was your typical coffee chit-chat - until my friend was talking about a great book she had read.  It was a parenting book and she told me that she doesn't talk about this one to too many mommies as it is a bit "heavy".  One of the main ideas that she took away from this book is to live in the moment.  You know how we all are so busy in our lives, and we are living in the next moment instead of enjoying this one that were currently in?  That is why we are so surprised when all of a sudden our children are 1, then 10, then bam-o, they are adults with their own lives, children, spouses, houses.  How does this happen?  Live in the moment.  Love in the moment.  Laugh in the moment.  Cry in the moment.  Ahh-haa.  That was a moment for me.

This morning while walking the kids to school, I practised not looking ahead to the next thing on my to-do list.  I held my son's hand and really felt it.  Warm, strong, small - wonderful.  I am wonder-filled.

Here I Am!

I've been thinking about starting a blog for awhile now...I imagine that I will be great at it.  That my stories will make people laugh or cry - but really, I'm blogging for me.  Daily events that I would like to record, maybe someone will read them or maybe not.  Maybe I'll have an "ah-hahh" moment - like the ones  Oprah is always talking about.  This is going to be great!  Welcome to Adventure Mommy!