Happy Birthday (one more time)

And for the final time this year I would like to say Happy Birthday to some one special.

Happy 12th Birthday Daniel

Birthday lunch at Montana`s

Nice horns.

My bithday boy....

The guys on the way to the fire works...hey b-day boy!

Love these lights....

The light show.

The fire works were great!


And Happy New Year to the rest of you `special` people in my life.

All the best to you in 2010.

May your hopes, your dreams and your wishes be fulfilled.

it was pretty cold out tonight!

I love you Terry.

Silver

And what a tournament it was.

Congratulations Devils on some well played games.

Just look at that silver go.......

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas....

Well look at that, dreams do come true.

Outside my office window

Our house last night after an hour of shoveling

I shoveled like crazy last night and the night before.

I started in the back of the house on the deck working my way up the driveway to the front walk. Standing upright finally to take in my efforts and give myself a bit of an 'Atta Girl' pat on my back and I notice that it had been snowing the whole time (I was quite focused on my task) and all my beautifully cleared driveway was covered in white again. Only one thing to do at that point....shovel my way back.

The deck was covered again quite nicely.

It's kind of hard to tell in this shot, you'll have to trust me.

Good news in the forecast for Christmas and boxing day, above 0 degrees, tobogganing time!!!

Done are the days...

Finally!



What a sad pathetic site this is....no one really wanted to be there but it seems Nathan felt a need to do what is the 'norm' during this festive time...




He left completely unsatisfied and a little disappointed in his experience, and Tayler just may be scarred for life.

Notice how drone and bored Santa stares forward towards the professional photographer waiting for that all familiar jingling of bells for the kids attention and the ever blinding flash of the camera...not this time Santa.

We're done.

It's the most wonderful time....!

what else am I forgetting...?

With this nasty frigid weather we have had for the past week it occured to me that although I feel like I have said the same things thousands of times over and over again for Tayler and Daniel regarding self care and dangers in cold weather, such as skin freezing and why it's important to cover up....I realized that I have one more child who still needs to hear all this stuff a few hundred more times.

I just kind of fell out of saying the 'be carefuls' and the 'please remembers...'

It may have to be due to the fact that although he is only 8 years old he tends to take better care of his things and of keeping track of stuff than his older siblings...he is pretty self sufficient.


We were watching one of my favorite Christmas movies 'A Christmas Story' and the part came along with the dare.." I tripple dog dare ya" you know the part...will his tounge actually stick to the pole?

Well it certainly did didn't it!? Nathan was quite amazed by that little feet....I could see his 8 year old eyes change as he was thinking about this so I had to act quickly and interrupt this thought process he was in. I was afraid it wasn't good. I went on about the pain and the damage it could do..blah blah mommy talk. I think I got through on this one. Phew.

I just can't believe I never thought to tell him this...what else haven't I told him that we just know?

As the older two are now at vehicle starting stage it occurred to me to talk to Daniel about the dangers of starting a vehicle in a closed garage...I was met with a "Really? You could die?"

I am pretty sure I have told him about the yellow snow...!?

My Bear!

Happy 37th Terry!!

I hope you had a good birthday despite it being the coldest day of the year....! bbrrrr

good thing the kids were able to stay warm roasting mini marshmallows....

Customer service, where are you?

The following is a conversation I had with the jewelry store soldering my rings together.


*ring ring* (old school phone ring all in my head)


Jewelry store-Hello S****e Diamonds, how can I help you?


Me- Good Morning, I was phoning to check the status of my rings we dropped off to be soldered last Friday.


Jewelry store- We will call you when they come in.


long pause


Me- Oh. We dropped them off last Friday and they said they would be done in a week and its been longer than a week.


Jewelry store-*sigh* whats the last name.....and the first name?


Me- Gamble, Terry.....yes with a 'y'


Jewelry store-There here.


another pause


Me- Oh? when did they come in?



Jewelry store-Dec 3, last Thursday.



Me- I thought you said they would call when they came in?



Jewelry store- We don't call on the weekends, we're to busy.



Me- (with tongue bit between teeth) Thank you, we will be in when we can.



Jewelry store-.........dial tone.



Is it just me? I have been so anxious to get those precious rings so special to me back on my finger...the store is all the way in the west end and we could have made it there over the week end..now I wait another week to go get them.


I think someone needs a Merry Christmas when I get there.

8 is Great

My little man turn 8 years old yesterday.

Boy was he ever excited. I think it was my easiest kids birthday to date. He was so full of hapiness and energy and excitment right from the alarm clock at 6am to the 30 minutes pasts his bed time that he was aloud to stay up for.





He was so positive and ready to make sure everyone was going to have fun and be happy on his day. He even wrapped up a book for his teacher that he found and thought she would like and made her a card presenting it to her on his birthday...brought in timbits for not only his class to enjoy but to make sure that his teachers all got some.





He just seemed so....grown up.



When he spoke these words in the car on the way home from dinner, I felt so accomplished right in that moment. "I am so happy" ..that is what I hope for everyone in my life.

What a good day to turn 8.

Olympic torch

A neat-o moment for Dan.

When things come into perspective,..

....I am not qualified for the job.



I went to Tayler's parent/teacher/student interveiws last night. Grade 10.

Boy was I nervous. I didn't know what to say, what to ask. I had no comments or concerns on how Tayler was doing in school. She gets grades in the high 70's and 80's, she loves all her classes, she has great friends, is a super star in musical theater, and even oppted to do summer school this year just so she could fit more courses in....and...SHE IS STILL IN SCHOOL.



Just months after leaving grade 10 myself I decided I had enough of that and moved back to WPG, on my own. Got my self a job at an auto body shop and signed up to be an apprentice painter. Away I went on some crazy road to adulthood full of very bad decisions and poor choices all the way. I got my drivers license using the auto body shops courtesy car for pete sake.



Who am I to go to my kids high school and judge how she is doing when I couldn't even do it myself?



Yes, she is turning out pretty good despite my lack of parental abilities, but going to that school last night was inwardly embarrasing for me.



I'm just going to wing it from here.

Well Cold Snowy Weather...!

Did you enjoy your unscheduled trip to China?

I hope they let you know how rude it was of you to show up out of the blue like that and ruin their crops and homes.



Just because you made a bad judgement call and went to the wrong place at the wrong time, don't think you can come back here and make us all suffer for your mistakes.



Let's take it slow and easy now. We can work this out and ease into this nicely.



No need to get crazy. Take your time coming back, calm down and we will all be happy.

Post game updates....

I snapped pictures like crazy thinking I would have a couple of each childs event to share only to find I have yet to master the art of taking pictures through arena netting so I have this picture of Nathan listen to his coach at half time....

Proud to say he scored his first goal of the year during this game...now that would have made a great picture! Nathan is on the right.

And I have this dark faced picture of Tayler (she's on the right) taken just before being knocked out of the semi finals to Edmonton..what a dramatic weekend of ringette that was. Intense games, fun to watch.

But then, I have these pictures of Daniel before,during and after winning a GOLD medal in sparring in his belt and weight class at his Tiger Tournament weekend! Way to go Dan!

Before!
During! (Daniel in red)

The End...!

In all it was a successful weekend for everyone involved. We all made it to our commitments on time, no one was seriously injured and each came out a little better and more developed for the involvement.

Next!

Let the games begin.

Tonight kicks off the start of a very busy but fun filled weekend for all of us.
Ringette tournaments, Taekwan Do tournaments and soccer games and practices. Throw in a little 'mandatory' parent volunteer time and one pretty intense swim class and we've got ourselves a weekend.

Our schedules are jammed pack filled with game times and practice times, but surprisingly we have some hours of free time. One of us is even going to a b-day party for a friend.

Skates are freshly sharp, jerseys are all washed and smell good.
Water bottles cleaned and on stand by. Mouth guards brushed and sterilized.
Gas tanks full. Bags filled with drinks and snacks. Camera batteries charged. Memory cards cleared. Every one well aware of who drives who where and pick up who else when.
*fingers crossed*

I think we're ready.

Am I missing any thing? Did I forget someone? Oh my gosh..where is my travel coffee mug?
Oh yeah and my big giant clappy hand...bwaa hahaha...I love that thing. I think its just me.

LET's GO DARK DEVILS ---Nathan soccer
LET's GO TIGER TEAM---Daniel TKD
LET's GO RIOT---Tayler ringette

The phone call.....

There I was sitting at my desk lost somewhere between day dreams of sandy beaches and the reality of warranty's on diesel engines when the phone rang.

It was the principle of Daniel's junior high school snapping me instantly into the responsibilities of being a parent.

"I just wanted to inform you that your son has received a two day in school suspension for punching another boy in the face and causing him to bleed"
SNAP!

For those of you who know Dan, you will know that he is a sweet, simple little boy in a big boys body who literally wouldn't hurt a fly. (he gets upset at us when we kill flies and spiders in the house instead of trying to catch them and put them outside) The principle and I had a good long talk, he listened silently as I explained the good natured side of my son. As I was doing this however, all I could think was 'I wonder if all the parents he has to call give him the same story?' But my story is true! Really.



After all was said between us we both agreed Daniel did the crime and will serve his time and we would look forward to a positive restart not letting this situation define Daniel at school. I know the other boy involved in this incident, I know what took place.

We knew what happened, we knew the story and the way things went down. Why I was so shocked when I received this phone call is beyond me. What did I expect would happen? I guess it was a wake up call for all of us.

The little boy innocence of elementary school goofing around on the play ground, now turned into pre teen awkwardness and young boy turning into man all mixed up in one pot, this equals one life lesson on the road to many many more.

Ready or not, it's time for us to grow up...

..I'm not ready.

I'm here

I'm at work but I'm not present.



I find myself enthralled with photography blogs. I love looking at the photos people have captured. How do they do it? How do they see that shot?



The cameras, lens, and light.

The terminology used to describe how this shot was possible. I find it fascinating. None of it sinks in of course. I find my self with a longing to capture such beautiful photos. I don't even know how to load pictures onto the computer. I just haven't made my self learn, haven't allowed my self the time and dedication that it will take. I am not interested in starting something I can't finish, again. Not interested in getting involved in something that will use up so much of my time and money and focus that has no practicality, no purpose. It would be selfish of me really.

What will I do with it? Will I be good at it?



Does it matter if I am good at it, or if it has any purpose, if it takes up some of my time? Will it matter to any one if I tried and failed?



I think I just talked myself into something.



I am so busy with work and kids school and sports and social lives what better thing to learn and grow into and practice on then taking pictures of my family doing what they love, what makes them happy. Terry's ongoing DIY and vehicle projects.



I think I have some research to do.



Thanks for walking through this with me.

Double Lollies

How I love you.

You taste so yummy.









I shouldn't like you so much anymore, I am a grown up now.









Just one more.

I buy you by the tub and you didn't even get to see Halloween...

Oh Double Lollies....

I can't even make you last, a couple of bites and your gone.

Just one more.

tub.

Know your weekness...

....a brief conversation took place Saturday at my house.

Me: Hey Ter, after we clean up the dinner dishes we should head down stairs and watch the rest of the (hockey) game on HD.

Terry: Ah, nah, lets just stay up stairs and watch it here tonight.

Me: ??? Wha..? Really? Why, its so much nicer watching it in HD?

Terry: Ok, well, your puzzle is down there (its on the coffee table in front of the t.v.) and I know I will get sucked into it and not be able to watch the game with you. Lets just hang out up here tonight.

Me: Wow, ok.


I guess better get that puzzle done soon.
The man knows his weaknesses.

*It's a puzzle of the Beatles on Abby Rd.

Missing..one teenage daughter

Last seen heading off to grade 10.

Has been spotted occasionally on the ice at ringette and running out of the house to the next coolest thing...EVER!

Evidence has been found indicating she has been at home. Dirty laundry on bedroom floor and a permission slip on left on the table to be signed.

She is tall with short dark hair and usually has a smile ten feet wide on her face.

If you spot her could you please tell her that her Mom misses her and that clothes don't actually wash themselves.

Caution should be used when approaching...she may need money.

Luck or Fate

I have been hearing the word 'luck' allot lately. Sometimes when you hear something over and over again you start to question what it really means or is. At least I do anyway.

As I ponder the word luck, the word 'fate' comes to mind. Are they the same? Do good things, or bad, happen to people by luck or fate?
From what I have been reading it really comes down do a matter of mindset.

A couple of things stood out to me regarding luck. I read Singmund Frued felt that luck was more to do with Locus of control in a person's life which takes away their personal resopnsibility for what happens to them.

The other one that caught me was from the NIV (Ecclesiastes 9:11) which read "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all"

I see the same reacurring words in all the examples of luck...fate and chance.

Luck to me is an attitude..good attitude=good luck, bad attitude=bad luck.
I have heard the term "Power of Positive Thinking" many times, in books and speeches and so on....its every where! If good things happen to us more than once we are on a string of good luck, bring in one dinger however and your luck has changed for the worse.

Another definition I read about luck is in Shikhism "Luck is, but lack of self confidence and fruit of idleness."

(All this found via google of course.)

What about people who can't bring them selves to take a risk of any kind with out their lucky shirt, or rabbit foot or hat? Forget their lucky trinket just once and they believe they have set them selves up for ultimate doom and failure...once again bringing me back to attitude.

So what is it...?
Fate?
Karma?
Probability?
Luck?

What brings you good luck? Do you have any 'pre game' rituals? Any must do's before stepping on the stage, or venturing out on your next road trip?

Or do you just leave it all to chance?

Let it snow!

Woke up this morning to a skiff of snow outside.

As we left for work/school we were full of excitement about the snowmen and the snow balls and the forts that lay ahead of us....not today,just a skiff last night, soon.

Nathan was loving the foot prints he was making and the sound of wet snow squishing under his feet, being the first to leave his foot print.

I love the silence of the morning that fresh fallen snow brings.

Then we drive to work.
I will call it a crawl to work. The cars and trucks in the ditch, the cars and trucks on the side of the road with missing pieces of fenders and shattered bumpers. We actually saw a truck seemingly fly off the bridge deck into the ditch finally coming to rest partially on a guard rail after hitting the van that had just minutes before this slid down the same path. Question...if this happened to you, would you get out of your vehicle to "check for damage"?
I couldn't watch anymore as we crawled by. I didn't want to see the next 'driving way to fast for the road conditions' vehicle making a sandwich.

Slow down everyone...just slow down.

The first snow fall, way more fun when you are in elementary school.

Drive safe.

Should I stay or should I go?

For sometime now I have felt the urge/need to move on from my current job.
Jump ship.
Go down the other fork in the road.
Check out the grass on the other side.
Find my feet.
Pull the plug.
You get the drift....When I mention this to people I get the same question presented. "But what will you do?" or :What do you want to do instead?" To which I respond with out hesitation..." UUUmmmmmm, I don't know."

I have no real desires to pursue a respected career such as a doctor or lawyer. I have no talents that I have been sitting on like painting or photography. I don't want to take care of or teach other people's children or go back to school at all to earn a degree of any type.

Nope. I am pretty lazy actually and not really interested in having any real big responsibilities at a job.
When I roll it around and around in my head about what I would like to do, what would make me happy, my mind always settles on things like an auto body shop. I don't know what I would do there, I just love the sounds and smells associated with auto body shops. I think about waitressing, not in a bar or a family restaurant, more of a cafe or higher end place. I think allot about working in a book store or at a magazine...again, not sure what I would do at these places exactly but I wonder.....

Things that stop me from breaking free from the corporate grip...medical insurance and the fact that Daniel now needs braces. The hours, Monday to Friday 7:30 to 4:30 is pretty easy to plan around. Car pooling, I LOVE driving to and from work every day with my man, we get work talk out of the way and unwind together so our home time is free of our days B.S. And I would miss our daily lunches most of all.
The big one, M.O.N.E.Y. Kids sports, school, extra activities, trips to Banff, Mexico, hockey games, renovations, clothes, house full of food with out worries and bills and credit cards all paid up.

Terry is of course fully supportive in what ever decision I make regarding jobs and altering our lives. He's pretty darn cool that way.

But what if......?

Captain *Riot

Well she did it...eight years into her ringette career (hee hee) and Tayler has been named Captain.

The thrill in her eyes as she told me damn near brought me to tears.

She stood before me so proud so grown up, as I pick her up after practice and she loads her equipment into the car she tries oh so hard to be casual about her latest ice time...then she bursts like a dam at its brink. With squeals and jumping up and down with arms waving around, a quick glance around first to ensure none of her teammates were seeing their newly named Captain behaving like a lunatic, she tells me her good news. We hug, we rejoice, we talk over each other quickly about the up and coming responsibilities and duties involved...

Then she's off, friends waiting, a kiss on the cheek, a wave good-bye, a promise to call me later.

Back home I go with what has to be the stinkiest equipment in the world. alone in the car thankful for these moments.

*Riot-The team name name of the latest Sherwood Park Junior B ringette team!

This n' That

-October. I simply love October. Fires, in the fire place/pit. Cozy under blankets watching movies. Long walks in the crisp air. Peaking out the window every morning wondering if this is the day we wake up to our first snow fall. Our annual weekend trip to Banff to hike up to the tea house at Lake Louise and just be there! Meeting all the parents and possibly new friends on the children's latest sport teams. Going to Value Village to spend hours putting together Halloween costumes and accessories.Pumpkin carving....last year I even tried and was successful at making pumpkin pies from scratch..from a real pumpkin! Never in my wildest dreams (or the dreams of anyone who knows me) would I have thought I would do that.

-Renovations. We (mostly Terry) have been in constant renovation. We decided to take it nice a slow so that we never feel rushed to finish a project or over extend our budget. Do one thing at a time, pay it off, complete it before moving on to the next thing..Bwa hahahaha...that was a thought.
We tried but it seems that things come up and life gets in the way and all we end up doing is stressing over how that one thing (there are a few of those 'one' things) isn't quite finished yet. It's always there, calling out our name, never ever letting you feel quite at rest at home. Then we start something else due to a deal in product or necessity at the time. We just bought and started the process of laying down laminate flooring upstairs in our house. It will look and feel sooo good and clean and fresh. Terry is such a hard worker and very meticulous so I know it will look fantastic. You can see though he is getting tired of always having to work at something at home and never relax and enjoy it. Once this laminate is down that is it. Renovation hiatus. But you know, that laminate looks so good it makes our kitchen look old and worn out...just kidding Ter...just kidding. (just a little)

-Slow Down. This whole slow down thing that I have been focusing on in my world seems to be working. It does still have a waaaays to go but I can feel the effects already, little reminders go off in my head when i feel like i am rushing. Why are you rushing? I can't believe how effective that is. I am just about halfway through my book but I find that I am latching on the little things in in such as looking around when I am driving. Sounds scary that I am just realizing that huh?! LOL I mean REALLY looking around. I have slowed down and am less stressed getting places...AND...I am still getting there with plenty of time!

-House hunting. We have decided to look at houses for sale. Ever see that show Love it or List it? Yeah...that's where we are. ( we neeed to get on that show) but in doing this, in looking at other houses and how they have been renovated (or usually a lack of) we find that coming home,our house is pretty great...it just needs....*sigh* you heard it already. But seriously, we are looking within our city, but this house has to have it all, has to be move in ready, HAS to give us what we want with out to much effort. I cannot believe how much they want for some of these house!! Blah...In the mean time, we will keep updating our house.

-Banff. So our annual Banff weekend get away this year (the wedding doesn't count!) will be Thanks giving weekend. Words cannot express my excitement for this. We have pre purchased tickets to go see Leela Gilday at Banff Center. We are going to check out the tea house...not the one we usually do but the other one. I can't remember the names but they are cool. And we plan on hiking up sulfur mountain which is one of the most popular mountains for tourist around Banff, its the one with the gondolas, and we have never been. We always end up off on some crazy hike in the deep woods where you expect the bears are all hanging out having their picnics. So this hike should be nice and relaxing.
We will find some cozy restaurant who will be serving up a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the fixins and treat our selves to some good eats and wine. The drive home will be slow and with stops along the way to take in new places and experiences.

-Children. I don't think I have enough time or words for this subject. With them spending their time between two homes and us not having 100% input or influence on how they are being raised and the morals they are being taught and feeling in complete control of the environment in which they are living I am in constant worry about them and what their future holds...the kind of worry that keeps you awake allot of nights. Its kind of painful actually, that may be the best way to describe it..painful. When they are with us we try so hard to instill a balance of respect for one self, their property and others, we try to teach them empathy and and compassion and goodness. The importance of expressing thought and emotion. We try to allow them to experience life away from the house as well as give them the gift of being home. safe and relaxed to get acquainted with imagination and down time. Terry and I are on the path of learning and discovering all this ourselves so we are hoping that we are teaching by example in life , love, health. All this and more condensed into one week intervals every second week. Painful.


I could go on and on right now....but I will spare you (that is if you are still reading this after that long long blabber)

Hot enough for ya?

Why yes...yes it was.

Sept 23.09 and it was +34. How incredible.

I wish I could continue on this blog with an amazing story of how I spent this freak of nature hot day...
...instead I will tell you that it was nice to look at through the window and hear how others were enjoying it through the radio waves in my cold, the air conditioner is on high speed, cubical.

I wore a nice summer dress so I could enjoy this last hot day of the year only to be huddled with a sweater, my coffe and space heater for most of the day. The hotter it is out side the colder the office is.
Saving grace...lunch with my wonderful man in the park. 20 sweet moments on a blanket laying in the sun next to Terry....aaahhhhh.

Back to work....bbbrrrrrrr

Later when Terry comes to pick me up to go home (we car pool) I get to sit in the passenger seat with the windows down and the air (imagine a blow dryer directly in your face) blowing in my face. I close my eyes for most of the ride home (sometimes I open them to peak at Terry, so cute) once we pick up our little guy at after school care we are back on the rode, eyes closed imagining a tropical paridise,warm breeze, relaxed and laughter in the air....again..ahhhh. I open my eyes and instead of my tropical paradise vanishing with that I see home. We are still in the warm relaxed breeze, we are still hearing laughter (Nathan sometimes goes on and on) and we are happy, this all happining in our own paradise right in our back yard.
Lucky us.

Okay, now in the house, we have dinner to make, laundry to catch up on and lunches to get ready for tomorrow! Who has to go where tonight? what time? Who has home work tonight? Wait....*deep breath in* aahhhh.... Life is good.

Sleeping with my eyes in...

Well that was a first.

I fell asleep last night with my contacts in. They aren't the contacts you can take out to clean and soak for the next time you want them, they are one day disposable contacts that you can feel really need to come out and be tossed away at the end of the day.

What was I thinking? That I could miraculously see all of a sudden?

I was so worried I would have to go to the doctor to have them scrape out fragments of old, half dissolved contact lens out of my eyes, but they were still in place. Not dissolved at all, although my eyes were pretty crusty when I woke up, my body in obvious distaste over having left foreign objects lodged in it.

After my initial realization, then shock, then self embarrassment passed my next thoughts were "hhmmm, what would it be like to wake up and see properly every morning?...laser eyes surgery!"

So this has got me thinking about laser eye surgery. I was pretty irresponsible leaving in my contacts when I went to bed, maybe I can use that as justification to myself that its probably whats best for me, you know, so I don't hurt my self in the future with my ailing memory.

I am going to roll that one around in my head for awhile, see how it fits.

Today is the day.....

....I am going to my first Oilers game of the year!
Jersey cleaned and ready for another season....check!
It's a pre season game mind you, its also against the Florida Panthers but I DO NOT CARE!

I love going to the games. I must be about 10 years old when my butt hits those to close together seats where your knees are in your arm pits like a giant on a tricycle. Way high up in the cheap (cheap?) seats where all the really loud yellers sit. Well you have to be that loud if the players are going to hear you calling the plays from way up there.....its a fun crowd, they mean well.

But not tonight.....

Sorry loud obnoxious way to friendly by the third period comrads...we are heading down to the gold seats tonight. waaaayyy down behind the penatly box (free tickets tonight yah!!)Where we can hear every word said on the ice, every dig of the blade into the ice, every cut, every hard hit...and the sweat,we may even smell and possibley be sprayed by blood and sweat!

I am soooo excited.....

LET'S GO OILERS!!

Love Thursday-Kindness

If you follow the link from my post title you will read a list of 24 things we can do in the next 24 hours to spread love....Kindness works for me..I don't want to be just handing out my love too freely. ~:o)

I am very proud to say that I have actually done a few of these in the past week and some quite regularly. Simple. Simple, simple, simple stuff. We can all do this, we SHOULD all be doing simple acts of kindness.

I believe that doing one simple act of kindness for some one will not only make the recipient of that act feel a little tingle of happiness, but you as well.

Go ahead,let that grumpy face in the car next to you into your lane of traffic..even if you don't get that immediate "thank you" wave that we all enjoy, rest assured that person will unconciously spread the kindness.
Just believe. It feels good.

Happy Love Thursday Everyone!

Love Thursday-Sweet Escapes

Today is Love Thursday as found here at chookooloonks blog site.
This will be my first Love Thursday post. Being a fresh newly wed how could I possibley pass up being involved in something about love?

My first love Thursday post is a simple one...about the love of walking. Not just any walking, a love of walking almost every lunch hour for the past 2.5 yrs with my wonderful Terry.

Since I moved into this office about 5 blocks from Terry's office, he has come to have lunch with me for 97% of our lunches in that time. I bring both of our lunches to work from home, I heat them up in the microwave and we eat together at my desk. We then go for a walk through the many businesses around here, or duck into one of the older neighborhoods and stroll through the peace of their quiet tree lined streets.

Sometimes we take our lunch and drive to a park near by and lay in the sun for 20 glorious minutes away from the realities of busy work days.

How lucky am I?

I wonder how I used to spend my lunches. I can't even remember.

Redirection

I have finally managed to crack open my recent book "In Praise of Slow"..even before finally opening it I found myself questioning more and more why I need to be so frantic to get things done? To get to places faster? To BE some where? I am ready for this redirection....I have a feeling it will be a bit of a process to get myself there, after all, the old saying goes "old habits die hard".
I am ready for this book, this next step in my redirection, for many reasons...I was just recently reading a book I loved, I was really enjoying it too, but I could never find time to sit and read it, I kept saying out loud "man, this book is taking me forever to get through". So what? What was I in a hurry for? I got to the end of the book this week and I asked my self why I wanted to be in such a hurry for something so good to end? Funny... I picked up my daughter from ringette practice last night, it was a wonderful sunny evening, she was in a good mood after practice, I felt relaxed thinking of the night ahead of slowly prepping for our back to school/work day the next day...no hurry, everything great. Then what do I do? I get a photo radar flash in my rearveiw mirror leaving the arena. Was I in a hurry? Not at all. This one will be a doosey too..I was going about 50kms in a 30kms zone...yikes. There goes the new pair of fall boots I was hoping for, all because I couldn't slow down.
Well that's it, today I am really focusing on the slow down. Yes, I know there will still be hic ups of "gotta get some where quickly" with the kids schedules (I will focus on that next) this may not always be helped, but I will always have in the back of my mind, my little voice telling me to just slow down.
Sorry day job, that means you too.

A Poem for Parents

This is a poem I resently read....these are words I wish my childrens father could follow. Let them become who they will be by their own merit.

On Children
Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Welcome September

The best time of year...September to October.

The crisp air, the beautiful colours, the cozy clothes. Kids are back to school and their busy sports lives and routines are kickcing in.
People seem to be smiling more. Is it just me??

There is no major holiday upon us. We can all relax and pull on our comfortable sweaters. Will we wake up to snow or will we wear shorts tomorrow? Its not a crazy question.

I love September. I love that Oilers hockey is back on! woo hoo! I love that while I am at work every day my kids are not at home sittin in front of the t.v.
I love the activity that comes with this time of year. It's not quite fall yet, but you can feel it. It's in the air......

Go for a walk, take a nice long deep breath and embrace the season.

Was that a skunk?

Driving to work this morning on the back of my new husbands motor cycle. Its a little cool due to last nights thunder storm but tolerable. It's actually crisp.

I enjoy being on the bike with him. I enjoy my arms wrapped tightly around him, I enjoy the peace of being alone in your thoughts, I enjoy the air. I love that he thinks I look so sexy taking off my helmet...*blush*

What I do not enjoy however is the fact that we take the bike because the day will be hot but we have to wear jeans on the bike, jeans in the office. I don't like that I have to wear my dorky rain jacket to help keep me warm in the wind, and still have to wear it home at the end of the day in the heat. I don't like that I have cold hands because when I am to scared to put my hands in his pockets at highway speeds. I get some wierd crazy feeling like I am going to fall off...I know I am not. Get us at lower speeds in the city and I am totally comfortable. funny.

Is it just me, or is the faint smell of skunk in the crisp morning air on a motor cycle at highway speeds not really that bad of a smell?

Becoming Mrs. Gamble

The perfect day.
It was magical.....the moment came and all I had to do was look into his eyes.

A dream come true, I became Mrs. Gamble.

The Next Adventure......

......off we go to Banff,AB.


08.21.09


This day
I will marry my friend,
the one I laugh with,
live for,dream with...
LOVE

It's Saturday?

Half way through Saturday and I wonder how many times I have said that to myself?

I took Friday off along with Terry to get a head start on some of our weekend before the wedding prep stuff. We have managed to pack so much into a day and a half already that its so hard to believe there is still another day away from the office after this! Fantastic.

I am off to get ready for my 'girls night'. looking forward to some laughs and fun times.

I am feeling a bit frantic still (thats the word I use to describe myself this weekend) I can't seem to finish a full thought before moving onto the next one. To top of my own inner crazy that I bring upon my self most times, my daughter Tayler just got her learners yesterday. It wasn't a surprise, I knew we were going to get it this summer and that she would pass, what I was surprised at was how my thoughts on this changed so instantly from being so excited and happy for her right to panick (incase you haven't picked up on it yet, panick & worry are my thing). "My little girl is going to be driving a vehicle?" you can't even talk to her when a t.v. is on in the same room with out the the word "wwhhaaat?" coming out of her mouth.
I let her drive a couple of times on back roads in town. Everytime she does I get worse, she gets more comfortable with the vehicle sure, but I get worse I say "Thank you God" every time she finally puts it into park....breath...I need to register for yoga.

One kid down, two to go.Boys are easier right??!

My Daniel

I feel so proud of him.

He just agreed to hall a whole lotta rocks from the front of a house up a hill to the back of a house....when he is done, he will earn $100.00!!

He got this job through his (future) Grandpa Gamble. It is a friend of his who just moved in up the road from them....Of course when this job was offered to Daniel he jumped at the chance to make some money with dollar signs reflected in his eyes.

He just started today, It will take a couple of days for him to get this job done. I am sure it will be harder work that he anticipated but I have no doubt he will not quit and finish the job.
He will get paid and feel so good about what he just accomplished....he's such a hard worker.

I have a feeling once he gets a taste of this cash in hand thing, he will become addicted and be off and running in his life's pursuit of the all mighty dollar.

What will you be when you grow up Daniel? I am so excited to watch you find out.

Time for Change

Good Change.....its here!!The moment we have all been waiting for. Its right now. Alway waiting, and looking forward. Well here it is,now. its our moment, our moment to be happy, our moment to worry less and live more.
Ok, baby steps. My baby steps have brought me here, right now.
Viva la Vida....I love that! Long Live Life Thank you Cold Play.


This article I found through another blog I love reading daily..
I have already put my oxygen mask on, I am now breathing deep.
Here is a portion of the blog I just read that really stood out to me:

So, therefore, it appears we each have a mission, should we choose to accept it: at some point today, let's all take some time to take care of ourselves. Do something that is good for you. I'll let you decide what that is. But just do it. Do it for yourself. Do it for the people you love.

Heck, do it for all of us.

I purchased a book last night based on the recomondation of a friend/cousin...In Praise of Slow by Carl Honore.
I can't wait to start reading it,I'll get to it as soon as I slow down a bit. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Lists

Today my thoughts feel like they are in a wind storm....I can't seem to grab on to one long enough to look at it before it blows away again.
My mind is spinning with lists and schedule and appt times.
This past weekend was also filled with many things to do and accomplish from THE LIST, I am happy to say that most got checked off.

1. a pretty successful Saturday afternoon b-day party for my 15 year old daughter,water fight included
2. school supply shopping completed for one out of three children including one new back to school outfit.
3. The start of back to school shopping for another of the three with the added bonus of an afternoon of hanging out just the two of us.
4. four is just for all those little tid bits of things I had to stop and pick up at various locations...check!
5. completed wedding favors (almost)

Funny, it doesn't look like much when I list it all like that.Either way, i think one of my favorite non listed things this weekend was a little drive way road hockey session with Nathan, I have always wanted to do that with one of my children but none have ever been interested, yesterday we did it. His suggestion (actually he suggested playing hockey on video game and I kind of nudge the other way)The game we played lasted all of 20 minutes but boy did we have fun...topped off with a visit from the ice cream truck he and his sister indulged in a Birthday ice cream.

With Daniel away for the weekend camping with a friend in a tent at their family cabin and Terry very busy moving forward building our back deck, our weekend was full but with much accomplished and shrinking list of things to do I think we can call the weekend successful. Still, not enough down time or friend time:
Happy Belated Birthday Michel...Hope it was a good day for you.

1980's

We're having a party....an 80's party to be exact. I don't think we are going to dress up for this party,the music and memories we are going to bring will be more than enough. Its my pre wedding party, a stagette if you will, but with out all the crazy usually associated with one. (I hope) We're grown 'mature' adults after all....right? I guess we'll soon find out.
I think I will look around a see what clothing I can throw on to accommodate the theme a little...here's the sad part, I just have to look as far as my (almost..two days to go) 15 year old daughter's closet. All of our fab. 80's attire has transformed itself into a new age for a new generation. I am sure all this stuff was just sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting for it's time to shine once again.....it's all soooooo tempting. I must confess, it wasn't to, to long ago that I finally put my teenage fashion mess behind me, a little sad I know. It was time, well beyond time. I recently tried on a pair of good old Reebok's high tops, you know the ones, just for kicks...my time in the 80's has long past I realised quickly.
So, as hard as it was seeing my old too tight pants and crazy color accessories,with bangs to long in the eyes walking past me in the now, I can now let it pass with out a twinge of regret that I had to let it go....look at me growing up! Really, what took me so long?! 80's, enjoy the..er..2000's. Bring back the 60's,again! Round three.

Pass It On!!

Hey Readers, here is a great musician who could your help!


Don Amero is from Winnipeg, Manitoba
You should check out his music and website at donameromusic.com
His latest CD called "Deepening" is up for some awards at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards in Winnipeg this year and he needs some votes!


If you have a couple of minutes today, you should go there and vote for him. You can go to his website and follow the links or you can go straight to the awards website at aboriginalpeopleschoice.com and cast your vote there! Once you sign up and log in, you can vote for him in these categories:


Entertainer of the Year
Songwriter of the Year
Best Album Cover Design
Best Folk/Acoustic CD
Best Pop CD
Best Producer/Engineer
Best Single of the Year
And...
After you're done, maybe you'd like to post the entire post you just read on your blog so that your readers can vote too. Please feel free! But the deadline for voting is August 16th, 2009..so don't delay-vote today!

Blog originated here.

rainy day

It's a cool rainy morning today, like a blanket.
It's a morning for long pants and sweaters. A good day to be at work,no,its a good day to be at home.
I have been thinking so much about that lately. Just being home. Organizing it, painting it, learning to cook new things in it. Just to be home, being a good Mom to my kids and soon, I will be a good Wife to my Man in that home.
I imagine I will sit here in my cubicle for the rest of today daydreaming about being at home. If I was at home, say as a stay at home Mom/Homemaker, would I be daydreaming about being here? In this cubicle? Nope.

discovery

I have found myself on a journey recently. Its a journey of me.
Several years ago I separated from my almost 10 year marraige. After all the figuring and settling and getting the kids into a routine schedule, I found myself looking at myself. I looked in the mirror and the words came to my head "who are you? Who are you when your home alone?"
It wasn't a question I could answer at that time, I may still not be able to answer that fully now, (fitful maybe?!) but I have to say, I have been loving the the journey of discovery.
Suddenly there I was...I could see me, I could see people. Were they always there? Yup,they were always there, it was me who wasn't....as my heart and eyes opened up I find myself four years later still on a journey of discovery and hope it never ends.
I am 16 days away from getting married to the most amazing man on earth in a place so wonderful and special to us. Its pretty magical, almost sureal. We are so great together. We embark on a new journey of discovery now, together .
I love who I am when I am with him.....a really great me.

Fitfully Defined

Fitful
Part of Speech: adjective

Definition: irregular, sporadic

Synonyms:
bits and pieces, broken, capricious, catchy*, changeable, desultory, disturbed, erratic, flickering, fluctuating, haphazard, herky-jerky, hit-or-miss, impulsive, inconstant, intermittent, interrupted, on-again-off-again, periodic, random, recurrent, restive, restless, shifting, spasmodic, spastic, spotty, unstable, variable

Antonyms:
constant, continuous, even, regular, undisturbed, unvarying

I find it amazing that both the synonyms and the antonyms describe me pefectly.
So begins my blogging journey....enjoy the ride.