True Love Tuesday

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have Crohn's disease. I've been very fortunate for the past several years that it has stayed mostly at bay, with just some random days/weeks where I feel kinda crappy, but overall no big flare ups since the year I got pregnant with Kennedy. I had a bowel resection surgery a few months after James was born so just over 9 years ago and I always said if it kept it away for 20 years I'd be happy, so we're half way there. 

Anyways, all that to say that these are some photos I came across while doing the basement clean out. The first one was when we first got together, and the second was three years later when I was deep into a flare of Crohn's and had been on prednisone for months. It's funny because when I looked like that Jim said he never even noticed it, I guess because he saw me every day, but wow, what a difference a few years can make. That's why the post is called True Love, because it's gotta be true love to not notice that your wife to be looks like a swollen balloon. I'll never forget the look on my dad's face when I walked off the ferry a few months before that photo was taken and he was shocked to see me (remember back when there was no FB, digital photos or things like Facetime, so my parents would go months between visits with no idea what I looked like!)

2003 vs 2006

Then here I was not quite 1 year later...after a lot of walking and eating healthy, and stopping the prednisone, losing the water weight and getting medications straightened out that helped my Crohn's finally. I think I went down almost 25 lbs from August 2006 when the photo was taken until August 200 when we got married. 

Then and Now - The James and Mom edition

I love FB memories for these kinds of photos. He was so little and didn't even have his glasses yet. This was taken just a few months before he got them actually. He wasn't quite 4 yet and I can't believe how fast the years have gone.

He's not in nearly as many photos these days because he's just so much more independent and he also moves so darn much that he's often blurry in them when I do snap them! Hahahaha

Had to go back to Ugly Sweater day at the school in mid-December to find our most recent selfie.

I'm so lucky to have an almost 10 year old boy that still loves me and will hug me in public at his school and doesn't give a damn who sees it. 

And one more throwback just cause it's so adorable...here he is at 18 months old. 

Sunday Self-Reflection

 I attended my first Yoga Nidra workshop on Friday night and I felt like I really connected with it. The amazing instructor Kelly talked about sankalpa and what it means and how to live it in your life. It spoke to me as I’m trying hard to make some positive changes in my life and without making actual resolutions (as those never seem to work for me), I'm just trying to open myself up to trying harder than I have in previous years, at things that seem really hard for me (for a variety of bullshit reasons).

One of the biggest changes I'm hoping to make this year is just becoming more active, with both yoga and just simply moving more. Whether that's walking, or swimming or skating with the kids. Just doing more than sitting on my butt.

Last week was the start for me and I did 2 hot yoga classes, and then a friend mentioned she was doing the workshop so at the last minute I decided to join it too. I figured if Jim was home and was able to be with the kids then I'd take the chance and do it...and I'm so glad I did.

So my simple Sankalpa is just this - take more time for me. 

I have to realize that that comes in various different things, whether that's going upstairs to have a bath alone, go for a short walk around the block, or taking the hour to go and do the yoga class. I have to start realizing that I matter too and I am hoping once I get more familiar with being okay with not always being last then maybe the tides will shift for me in a lot of different areas of my life.

Saturday smiles - randoms from the week!

It was a busy week with lots of extra kids and getting back to normal with work and sports and daycare! Overall a really great week and this next upcoming one is set to be crazy with the basement Reno taking on a whole new level by deciding to recarpet the whole space! That means cleaning out EVERYTHING and moving all the furniture up to the main floor. I expect a lot of LONG days and sleepless nights but I think it will all be worth it.

Anyways, here's some cute pictures from the past week!

Favourite Photo Friday - The best of Christmas 2019

Because I'm a bit ridiculous and have 36,600 photos and videos on my phone from the past 2 years...this one should be pretty easy to pull off! I wanted to share photos on here more last year but just didn't get to it. I'm committed to it for 2020 and my 1000th post is in sight so I'm powering through!

For the most part these are in order but not totally...and I'm fine with it! Hahahahaha

Starting off with a trip to the city for me and Kennedy. She loved these two Christmas trees on the ferry!

And my amazing Auntie Carol too! One of my favorite human beings in my life.

Christmas tree decorating and new pajamas for the holiday season. I'm glad we gave them to them this night rather than on Christmas Eve. So much more opportunity to wear them all together!

I LOVE this photo of me and my kids so much and I'm glad I got Jim to take it

Annual ladies Christmas sock and baking exchange. Another fantastic evening spent with some of my favorite friends!

Here's the run down of who they all are and how I know them :)

Back Row: Tyanna (my niece), Debbie (daycare and baseball), Melissa (neighbour and strata), Alicia (The Peak), Ali (school and PAC). Front Row: Alena (long time family friend), Katya (kids school), Me (and Owyn-cutie little great nephew), Theresa (childhood friend), Jill (kids sports), Dena (kids preschool and karate), Rachele (high school friend), Kelly (kids school). Sitting: Jemma (kids school), Ashleigh (bestie) and Kennedy (crazy kid)

Back to early December when we took the kids to the theatre in Comox to watch Frozen 2. We all LOVED it so much!

PJ and Pancake breakfast day at the school. The whole Barrows crew was in our matching jammies but it was a busy morning so we didn't get a photo of all of us!

Did get one of me and James though!

And YES me and Jim are THOSE people that actually wore our jammies to the Winter Wonderland skating with the boys. Surprisingly they both didn't care at all and loved it. 

PJ day snuggles at Nana's house waiting to see Uncle Ben and Tracy!

I LOVE this photo of these two! Out for Chinese food lunch with Tracy's whole family when they came over to meet us all.

Making puzzles with my Jordie boy

Christmas Eve milk and cookies and stockings all laid out

Christmas morning fun

I longed for the day a child would love stickers as much as I did as a kid!

Beautiful weather on Christmas Day so we headed off to the school to play for awhile. The fresh air was awesome and we all had so much fun!

Showing off his new hoodie!

And yes, some of us didn't bother to get dressed before we went!

Trying out James's new skateboatd

Playing in the sandbox!

And some soccer too of course!

Playground time!

An hour later we were all dressed up and fancy for dinner!

I did her braid and Daddy did mine so we could be matching!

Sharing her snack with Ninwaya

Typical Christmas Day photos in front of the Christmas tree before dinner

The whole gang (a MUCH smaller dinner than normal...but the perfect people to share our Christmas dinner with!)

These two were so cute together!

Grandma and Ninwaya snuggles

All tired out from photos and just wanted to lay under the tree.

Chilling out after supper!

Miriam was very excited when Kennedy asked her to paint her fingernails

After dinner we took a little detour to see the awesome lights display at the Vizzutti's house a few blocks over from us! The kids loved it!

Christmas night snuggles in our matching jammies from last year!

 

THIS is how we spent the following 3 days...on the couch doing nothing but watching movies (for them). I watched 2.5 seasons of The Good Doctor on the iPad with the headphones. We were all sick and just really needed the rest.

Yes she's rubbing my feet :)

We had these little beauties for a day and they were cool to do nothing too so that's what we did!


They did leave the couch long enough to play some stickers though with KJ

Not sure when this was taken but I do love this smile of hers

On the 29th we finally ventured out of the house for the last day of Winter Wonderland skating. It was her first time on skates and she had a great time. 

All ready to give it a whirl, and here comes Daddy with her bar

Attempting some time without the bar...hahaha I couldn't do this because I'm not a good enough skater and would have fallen on my ass!

Some sled rides too of course!

 

She had a blast and can't wait to learn to skate...and play hockey apparently.

My one photo with her!

A quick shot with Jordie for the lap that he held my hand and skated around. He thinks it's funny that he's a much faster skater now than I am :)

We got off earlier than the boys and just hung out with the Minions

Fort building fun on our quiet days

BUSTED....wrestling....which they know they aren't supposed to do...and if they do and there are tears then don't bother to tell me about it!

Off to see Frozen 2 again!

 

The theatre was PACKED for the matinee show on the 31st!

One last photo of this little lady. This was taken on New Years Day at the playground just before the Polar Bear Swim started!