Monday 28 October 2013

My Sad Heart

It has a been a tough day. After watching our 12 year old dog Stewart struggle for days with congestive heart failure, we made the decision to put him down.  I really didn't image taking it this hard.  As you may have learned from my previous post Food, fun and Stewart, it was bitter sweet having a pet.  However, as I reflect upon my relationship with "Stewey", I can say he was the most faithful and loving dog I have ever had.  As my husband so wonderfully put to the vet,

"When you have a dog and no kids that dog is your kid; they get all the attention and love you have.  When the first child comes, the dog moves down the totem pole a bit and then when the next child comes a little lower and then when the third comes, the dog becomes the annoyance and frustrating task to deal with. Stewart took that role humbly and he did his best with it.  He loved those kids even when they were the ones who took his place."
He was a great dog, full of humility and courage.


The question has been, "will you get another dog?" Maybe one day.  Right now we have these boys to raise.  We wish that we would have had more time and love to give Stewart in our busyness and so I think we will take that as our lesson. 
We had prepared the boys for Stewart's death and so one night while Munch and I were raking leaves he says, "I really love Stewey, Mommy."  I reply, "I know honey, you are so good to him. When he's gone, why don't you take that love you have for Stewey and use it to care for the other dogs in our neighbourhood? You could play with Sarabi next door or maybe take Cola for a walk."  He thought that was a great idea and began suggesting ways he could help our neighbours with their dogs.  So, that's how we will fill our Stewart shaped hole in our hearts for now.  And perhaps, we will get a gold fish...people don't generally cry over dead goldfish, right?

Until next time,

Angela







Friday 18 October 2013

Flu season

This last week has been one of many guests in our home...but not the welcome kind.  We have had puke (minimal), fevers, headaches, body aches, stomach aches, stinky gas, stinky diapers and exhaustion.  Strangely enough, I have enjoyed the cuddles and extra naps but nothing is greater when your littles are up and playing again.  The kids are now almost 100 % and Ryan and I are trying to get by, both feeling yucky at the same time. My favorite remedy for the body aches and chills is The Hot Toddy.  Ryan reluctantly takes it but I chug back, bundle up and sweat it out! 

Here is a simple recipe:

2 Tbsp rum
1 Tbsp honey 
1 slice of lemon and one 
1 cinnamon stick 
Boiling water

Mix all ingredients into boiling water. Once mixture is at a tolerable drinking temperature, drink quickly.  Bundle up and get to bed. 

Hope this finds your home healthy and happy. 

-Angela

Sunday 13 October 2013

Your Mother Dresses You Funny


He loves everything that makes me cringe...and not to drive me crazy,  he just really genuinely loves the mismatched, very colourful, completely cheesy clothing that triggers something deep inside of me causing me to turn red in the face and hold my breath, only to let out the largest defeated sigh possible.  Now, I am no fashionista, I know that.  (I do really, really...REALLY appreciate things that match though; like strangely, however, that's not the point.)  The point is that when my dear son wears his turquoise, yellow and red Iron Man socks with a green and grey t-shirt and orange sweat pants, I cringe.  

The other day the question came to me, "Why do you cringe?"
  

 I cringe because I don't want other 
people to think I chose that for him  

 "Why is that"? 
(Here is where I get honest, like really honest)
  • I believe that how I look to others is important
  • What people think of me really matters    
This is not healthy thinking.  What my son thinks is healthy.  He does not care what people think about his clothes because he is simply expressing who is without apology.  He is not worried about brand names or colour trends. He likes what he likes and he wants to enjoy that in his clothing. I do not want to rob him of that.  I do not want to begin teaching him that he must change who is or pretend he is something he is not to impress people.  I appreciate that he is colourful. I hope he stays colourful.  I don't want him feeling pressure to dress a certain way to make friends. I certainly do not want him to wear his pants halfway down his arse (God help us all!) to fit in with people who don't care about who he really is.
 I appreciate what his individuality is doing to my insecurity issues.   As much my as his purple tie-dye dinosaur hat drive me up the wall, I am grateful for it.

With that being said here is a list of things I want to work on:
  1.  I no longer want to be annoyed by my sons' love for slippy pants, rubber boots and Thomas the Train t-shirts...I want to enjoy them because they are KIDS AND THEY LOVE RUBBER BOOTS AND THOMAS THE TRAIN!!!
  2. I want to let them pick out their own clothes on most days (I say "most" because realistically there are days where they need help according to the event, weather, etc). 
  3. I want to stop criticizing their choices under my breath, joke or complain to others.  
  4. I will "try" to stop using the "FYI, his father dressed him," comment (but sometimes, they just gotta know, right?"  
 
Is it just me or does some of this resonate with you?

Have you ever asked yourself why you insist your kids wear or not wear certain things?  
What is your reasoning for why your littles need to where Tommy Hilfiger when they don't even know or care who he is?  

It is an interesting thing to ponder. For me, it is a difficult thing to ponder.  Going to those honest, ugly places is not fun and as much as I will try to do the list above, I know the deep "whys" will take much longer to work on and will require much prayer, surrendering to the Lord and renewing of my mind.  Until then, I want to protect my minchkins from the same way of thinking and encourage them to be who they are without apology.  



Be blessed this week!  
-Angela 









Sunday 6 October 2013

Pumpkins-Pinterest best

When I was little I thought pumpkin pie was disgusting.  Now that my taste has matured passed French fries and noodles I LOVE pumpkin everything (heard about the pumpkin spice M&Ms? What?!)
This week's Pinterest Best is in recognition of ....

 




























Our kids LOVE to finger paint. They can enjoy this...


While we enjoy this....




Have a great week!
-Angela

Tuesday 1 October 2013

At the risk of sounding cliche...Just Do It!


See that woman with a double stroller chasing after the two kids on bikes in the picture? Rather, do you see the bigger dark spot behind the two smaller dark spots on that path (Ryan took the picture from the deck with the iPhone).  That bigger darker spot, which is a a woman chasing after the two kids is me....me jogging...me attempting to jog.  Of course, I chose one of the windiest days of the week but here is my point.
When you get the urge to be active, just do it! Do it before you come up with a hundred excuses why you shouldn't and then don't and then regret it and then give up and then don't do it for so long that you might as well not ever do it because where do you even start.  What am I saying?...Just Do It (Nike really had something there.)
Do it even though you need better shoes and are waiting for a really good sale on a not-so neon pair of 'jogging' shoes.  (Note: I ran in a pair of 8 year old hand-me-down runners from my mother-in-law)
Do it even if you don't have the fancy running stroller you have been coveting from the avid mom joggers in your neighbourhood (who, I am sure, also sport those fancy running coats with the reflective V-stripe on the backside).  I ran with that ridiculous double stroller with the front wheels' turning lock on...sure made for some real muscle around the corners!
Do it even if you have three kids, two kids, one kid, fifteen kids.  Tell them you are going to chase them and if you catch them they are going to get the whoopin of their life or make them chase you and if they catch you, you have to buy them a tub of ice cream.  I opted for having the boys race around the creek and try to beat their best time.  The first time, they had to stop to look at every leaf on the ground and how the wind blew the water so I tried doing squats while they meandered. Second time around (yes, that 's all we did...it was freakin' cold!), we made half our time.  There was much to celebrate.
Do it even if you know it may be the only day you do it this week...or ever do it.  You will just feel good doing it.  I hear those new marathon running moms out there say, "It gets easier and easier until one day you crave running."  I personally do not get that and doubt I ever will be someone who says that phrase but hey, let's trust them.  Give it a try.
Do it even if you know you are only going to run, like, 5 metres.  Next time it may be 8 and then 15...
Do it even if its cold out. You will warm up.
Do it because you know it is good for you and you will love yourself for it...and you can eat that cookie later and not feel quite so bad.
 
Last week I tried to get the boys to ride their bikes while I ran to the park.  Well, Bubblegum's sandals fell off a gazillion times and the two boys got in a few pushing matches over who was in front but I made the most of it and did some pilates on the grass at the park (and some mean squats, step-ups and push-ups on the playground;which I learned from the wonderful Courtney Cassidy of FitMom).  

With kids in tow, it probably won't be perfect but a little is better than nothing. Am I right or am I right?
So, Mom, if you are looking for that kick in the butt to get active...this is it! No excuses! Just do it!

Please tell me some stories of ways you got out there and did it!  This is a great way to encourage and challenge one another.  I would love to hear from you.

Have a great rest of your week!