The ultimate afternoon date!

About a month ago Jim and I snuck away on a Saturday afternoon, intending to just do recycling and a couple of errands. A random comment about the baked brie appy at the Shinglemill had us heading there for what was supposed to be a late lunch "snack". I got the brie and he got onion rings and a beer and we sat on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful May afternoon. 

THEN while eating those appies we started talking about our dinner at Monk's on Marine two weeks before and the next thing I knew we were heading there for a big lunch, complete with a super yummy steak sandwich (my favorite in town!) for me and the dry ribs and a salad for Jim. 

Turned out to be just the afternoon that we needed. Quality time together is never a waste of time or money. Investing in our relationship is important, even if it's rare that we make the time to do it!

After our big delicious lunch we went home and forced our electronics attached children into some good old fashioned FFF (forced family fun) with a walk through the Penticton trails. Overall it was just such a great 6 hours we spent together on a very rare quiet May weekend day. After the craziness of the 8 months long hockey season it was wonderful to get out and enjoy time as a family where we weren't rushing off to the next thing we had to do. 

 

She grew something...

She definitely didn't get a green thumb from me. I kill every living thing I get...except for my kids (those I've managed to keep alive 13 years already!)

Our neighbours are the BEST people and last summer they came over and together with Kennedy they weeded the raised garden bed and threw some seeds into it and hoped for the best. We got one small head of lettuce last year that was attacked by a slug and some deer and that was it, our season was done. Not a single thing they planted actually survived to be eaten.  Hahahahaha....right about par for my growing abilities!!

Fast forward to about a month ago and I look out and see the girls gardening once again in the back yard. There was one small head of lettuce started so they weeded the rest of the bed and got to planting once more...and again we hope for the best! 

Last night they came over to check the garden and told Kennedy it was time to pick this GIANT head of lettuce that had grown in the past few weeks. 

She was so proud of herself...and now the plans are starting for a big veggie garden next year. 

Peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, berries...we'll see if we can actually pull it off!

But for now, she's just thrilled with this victory!

Another day…another dog post!

Yes, I’ve turned into the crazy lady who loves her dog maybe more than her kids. 😉

This dog is just too cute and the bond he has with these kids just makes all the barking and dog hair absolutely worth it, even on the days he drives me crazy. I still get excited when I see him when we get home and he's so happy that he howls uncontrollably until every person has given him his pets. I love that he waits for me to go to bed, falling asleep behind my chair at my desk in the den. He has the best doggy smile and loves being anywhere with us that he can. He loves to be in the car going for a drive, at the ball park watching the game, or just being outside in the yard while we jump on the trampoline. 

Loving the story I'm living now

My blog popped into my head today and I knew I hadn't done a post in a long time, but I had no idea how long it had been. To say the last 6 months was crazy for us would be an understatement. 

Within days of my last post back in May we decided to list our house to sell it, we moved, boys had a busy baseball season, we camped a bunch, we worked a ton, we paddle boarded and swam the summer away, then came the fall with way more sports than we expected and a last minute decision to quit my job and move into something new.

It has been absolutely insanely busy and at times overwhelming, but also so filled with love and memories that I wouldn't change for the world.

My favorite memory of March

A random Saturday afternoon snuggle that turned into a nap for my sweet girl. I was laying in bed just relaxing watching a show and she asked if she could snuggle with me. Next thing I knew her dress was off and she was snuggled up so comfy and cozy and I knew what was about to happen. I knew she'd likely be up late that night because of it, but in that moment I just didn't care at all. I took ALL the 3 year old snuggly snuggles I could get. 

It's rare that she naps these days (maybe once a month or so) but those of us that get to be part of it are very lucky. Last month she was at Nana and Papa's one day and she crawled up into Papa's arms and they both fell fast asleep. I wasn't there and Nana didn't capture a photo of it but when I got there later they were both very happy about their little snuggle. It won't be long  now before these moments are just parts of our memories of the toddler days. I am hanging on tight for this next year until she's officially a big kid and off to school. I'm gonna take ALL the snuggles I can get while she still so willingly wants to give them!

Photo Friday - a new me

I have not stepped foot in a gym since before I had kids but I knew it was something I wanted to try and see what I thought. 

Yesterday when the boys were doing skateboarding at the complex I booked in for the gym for an hour and I loved it! I did the bike and the treadmill and really enjoyed my quiet time with my music blaring and time to think. I see many more hours in my future spent there and looking forward to feeling my best self. I really don't give a damn about the number on the scale anymore, I care way more about how it makes me feel, and that's a hell of a long way for me to have come over the last decade. 

Slow and steady for this girl. I'm not out to win a race or anything, just out to get my body moving more consistently.

5/5/5 Challenge

I saw a version of this on Coast Fitness's IG page and it inspired me to do a new blog post. I love when I see something that inspires me to write and express myself and hopefully jump starts my creative juices into some new blog posts. 

What I Love to Do
1) Document my life. My kids always ask why I take so many pictures, and man I hope one day they appreciate having them and don't look back and think I missed out on things because I was too busy taking pictures instead of living in the moments with them. This last year I've worked hard at putting my phone down and being in the moment more and realized how much I enjoyed it. I still take a ridiculous amount of photos, but in the last year I've done more than I ever did before! 

Here I am, participating rather than documenting. This was a fun idea of a new way for Jordie to practice his spelling words for the week. He LOVED this time with me and I loved the time with him too. Make the time to do silly stuff that makes them happy and makes them smile. Those are the moments they will remember.

Big truth moment here. I deleted this photo several times before deciding to share it. It's not a flattering picture of me and for a split second I thought that someone might look at it and think "ew, why would she put that up there" but I did what I tell my kids to do...forget what others think and do what makes you happy. So I'm sharing the photo of my back fat covered in my son's spelling words for the week, and my daughters scribbles, because I'm hopeful years down the road they will read this post and be proud that I shared it, because I am proud of me for fighting the demons inside that tell me I shouldn't. This photo to me holds memories of laughter and a fun moment with my kids, and THAT is what REALLY matters! 

2) Be social and talk to people. Covid has been hard on the extrovert that I can be. I love connecting with people (over a cup of tea is my favorite way) through shared experiences and conversations about our lives. I so miss those moments and I really hope that one day that will again be a big part of my life. I can't wait for this pandemic to be under control and we can all go back to our (new) normal lives that will include not wearing masks and finally walking in stores and being able to see smiling faces again! 

3) Enjoy quiet alone time. This is a new thing for me over the past 10 years. Becoming a mother changed me in so many ways! 10 years ago I would have never wanted to be alone for 24 whole hours, now I crave even 24 MINUTES of quiet alone time. 

4) Yoga. I started in the fall of 2019 and it has truly changed my life. I am stronger physically and my body doesn't hurt in the same ways that it did before. It brings me peace and calm and happiness. I find myself having the urge to move my body in ways that I never would have before, and the feeling of being stretched out and relaxed has helped so much with my mental health. 

I don't look overly happy in the second photo but the truth is I was the most content and relaxed that I had been in a long time. These photos were taken on the deck of the tiny home where I escaped for a weekend after my birthday. It was at times a sad weekend for me filled with some hard thoughts and some deep regrets for some things that had recently happened, but also a real shift for me in trying to figure out what the next part of my life was going to look like and how I was going to make me happy.

5) Hugging and snuggling. I've always been very affectionate, and thankfully my hubby and kids are all that way as well so if I ever want someone to fill that need for me, there are always willing participants for a couch or bed snuggle! I didn't realize how much I liked hugging those around me until the world told me I couldn't do it. Once in awhile I sneak in a hug when I can with those that also feel comfortable connecting these days in that way. 

Exciting Desires of Mine
1) Become flexible enough to comfortably touch my toes. This popped into my head tonight at yoga and while I proudly acknowledge how far I have come in the last year, I know I have a long way still to go to reach what I now know in my heart is a realistic goal! It might a 5 year goal, but it is realistic and it can be done and I am determined to make it happen.

2) Get back into reading for pleasure. That would mean way less screen time and social media...and a considerable amount of willpower to actually put the book down and go to sleep. It's a big reason why I stopped reading years ago, once I pick up a book and start reading I just can't stop!

3) To be able to comfortably walk long distances. I am more in shape than I have been in years but have a really long way to go. The 13km walk around Inland Lake is my 2021 goal. 

Over the past month I've made a real effort to get out as often as I can, even if it's just for 20 minutes on my lunch break. The seawall is a new favorite spot for me and with views like this I see many more walks there in the coming months. Fun fact - for YEARS we never walked down there. We always chose the beach trail instead but this past 2 months has changed that. It's minutes from our house and is seriously one of the most beautiful areas of PR!

4) Become a more engaged mom - more reading and playing, less screens for all of us! 

5) To truly realize my worth. I want to spend quality time with and energy on people who really want me in their lives. I've had a lot of friends in my life, but few that have stuck around through the hard times to get through to the good times! I feel like 40 is going to be my best year yet, because I am determined to live my life in a more positive and happy way than I ever have before. 

Things I'm Grateful For
1) My relationship with Jim. We've fought very hard to get to where we are and I am more proud of us than I've ever been. We walked through hell to get to the place we are now and I am grateful for the work we've both put in to really make our marriage work.

2) The love and devotion of my kids. Those 3 love me for ALL of me. The good mom and the bad mom moments. There is no shortage of hugs and kisses and couch snuggles in my world. I am proud of the humans they are growing into and I can't wait to see the bonds that I have with them when they are adults.

3) The ability to laugh - at myself and at others too. I have a great sense of humour and am surrounded by funny humans. We laugh a whole lot in our house, about random stuff and tough real life stuff too. You can't take life too seriously! 

It's stuff like this that I love that I capture in my funny world with my funny humans! Here are my two silly brown eyed boys connecting via a FaceTime chat while dad was stuck one night on Texada recently. It shows their similarities in looks and personality, it shows a dad's love in that he never misses a chance to call and connect with them, and it shows the sometimes mundane parts of life made fun!
I think I'll love this photo forever 💕

4) My moms and dads. I am very lucky to have 4 parents that love me and my crazy crew unconditionally. Always there to support us and listen, and help out however they can with raising our kids.

5) My health. My early and mid 20's were full of sickness and a Crohn's disease diagnosis that rocked me (and Jim) into a whole new world of medications and hospitalizations. I am grateful that for the most part over the past decade that my disease is relatively mild and doesn't cause me daily grief. I hope that with my decision at 30 to have surgery was the right one and that the disease stays largely in remission for many more years to come. I am working hard at exercising little bits every day and am very hopeful that it will help with my long term overall health.

** These kinds of post make my heart happy, both to write and to go back to and read down the road. Thanks to you if you made it through the whole thing **

Favorite February Photos

So many photos taken, and almost none shared on IG/FB/blog. I take at least 20x more photos than I share and I'm not sure why I feel awkward about it. Today I decided to just not be weird about it and share them anyways because I love the people that are in them with all of my heart and I want to be able to look back down the road and be proud that I shared them :) 

The boys were off for student led conference afternoon and we decided to take a rainy walk down the seawall while Kennedy was at school and I was on my lunch break from work! 

Snuggled up on the couch under a blanket which is rare for this always warm little guy!

Just a little tiny bedtime snack - YIKES! And no I didn't eat all of this...but most of it I did :) Hahahaha

Beautiful sunset from the Coast Fitness parking lot about to head into yoga class

Hometown Hockey Saturday night - super fun experience! Kids got to participate in a zoom call where we got to ask Kirk McLean a question about being a goalie!

These two love to snuggle

I have fallen in love with the beach on sunny winter days

Just a little snack for my healthy girl

Another sunny day and another lunch break spent at the beach with my loves

The puzzle she just had to do, and then abandoned Daddy

Jordie's legs look so long in this picture. I think this kid is gonna be a beast!

Making Mama's tea

ooohhhh who is gonna win it?!

Another beach afternoon. Clearly a bit colder and less sunny but still fun and relaxing.

Late afternoon snuggles with mom and dad

A new favorite game on my iPad

This kid is a dork and wore this "hat" for 2 days around the house. Hahahaha

Yummy homemade poutine for dinner one night

Evening snuggles and hand massages from my love

And then the snow arrived :( 

I hate the snow but did go out one day with my family and ended up being attacked by almost all of them...and then they wonder why I hate it?! :) 

Snowman making at Nana and Papa's

Nana makes the best hot chocolate! 

We acted like Valentine's Day didn't exist this year because all of the kids were home sick for most of the week before so we missed all the cards and parties and such. Jim gave me a few little things though which was really sweet.

My little devil lady

He was so proud of this and wants to frame it and put it on his wall

This kid and her love of fruits and veggies. This is what she brought me to make her lunch one day

That's a dinner size plate and she ate all buy 4 slices of the apple

Again with the "hat" and his favorite kind of sandwich...yes that's a cheez whiz and winier sandwich! 

Yummy....chicken pot pie night!

She was SO good at the dentist and everyone there said she was so cute and so polite and did so amazing with getting her teeth cleaned and checked. I was in at the same time so wasn't even there with her. She just climbed up and sat back and did it. She's a dentist ROCKSTAR

This was her outfit to go and get Daddy from the ferry. She's wearing my boots and can barely walk in them.

Hahaahahaha of course he thought she looked awesome and when she asked if she could go in with him he of course said yes so off they went.

This kid has fallen in love with reading again and is into big graphic novels well above his reading level. 

Another sunny day meant a beach hour after work!

Hahahahaha, her smile says it all!

We got these books out of the library for James, and Jordie said he wanted to read them too. He read this first book in just one day!

Hahahahah my randomest photo of the month. Intentional smiley face or total fluke?

One day after finishing the first book he finished the second one in the set!

Jim's been working day shift since he went back to work and I've been lucky enough to get my tea in bed most mornings which has been amazingly sweet of him!

Adorable little lady with her favorite crimpy hair pigtails

Daddy bedtime stories are her favorite

Yes I know I have a problem. I think I've decided to sell the two on the left to get one more special ordered one in a color that I love.

I LOVE my new purple one and am so glad I ordered it and it was definitely worth the two month wait! 

A little PJ afternoon walk around the school!

Yes it's February and that stupid book is still being read. She loves this thing and Jim and I just need to hide it for another 10 months!

KJ's beautiful long hair!

Another beautiful walk on my lunch break!

I love my bluetooth headphones that Jimmy got me for Christmas! 

This made me smile. We got pizza from Paparazzi one night for dinner and all of our boxes came with our names on them. We love Lolly and Carmen and their staff!

Long Monday working both jobs and I came home ready to visit with my hubby but apparently he was really tired too and was out cold on the couch...at 9:10pm! The kids said he was struggling to stay awake while they were eating dinner just after 7:00!

Oops...checked the weather app and it showed sun all day. I told him to take a hoodie but he refused.

10 minutes later...SNOWING HUGE FLAKES. Felt like a horrible mom...but an hour later the sun was out again and it was a beautiful (but still very cold) day!

Disney+ put out a new channel and this is gonna be my first movie I watch!

A late dinner after yoga class. Sat on my bed and ate while Jim read KJ her bedtime stories.

Pink Shirt Day!

Very happy James with his new hoodies from Swap and Shop! 

I couldn't wait to go for a walk while Jordie was in dance class. This one decided she wanted to come with me so off we went.

Very excited Jordie ready for after school skateboarding session

PJ day at Busy Bee's - had to have a matching Elsa braid

He had fun!

She loves climbing on this thing at the bike park...and yes she left the PJ's on to go to the bike park after school.

After skateboarding he wanted to go over to the school to practice.

A beautiful sunset on my walk

A beautiful lunch time walk on the seawall. It was so sunny but so cold and windy too!

Mini sticks!

Hahahahaha like father like son! These two on Facetime when Daddy got stuck on Texada overnight.

7am goalie development practice.

Worked an extra shift at the Complex this weekend and Jim let me wear his franken pollen. So comfy and the perfect size! I don't love the colors of it on me but I know the size I'm going to get for my next one! 

Another night of munchies...this time I overdid it though and ended up with a wicked tummy ache! 

Sunday afternoon I escaped the circus and took a beach trail walk alone. It was grey and drizzly but surprisingly comfortably warm and just the time and space I needed to do some great thinking! 

Another month of memories shared on the blog! Yay to even just one blog post for the month. Always hopeful I'll get more active on here and share more but then life gets busy and it falls off my priority list. Maybe March will bring some more posts :)