Piles of Peas!

Between trips to 3 different towns today, groceries, work, piles of laundry, and just everything else....Ben and I managed to spend a couple hours out in the garden. Lucky we did! 4 huge buckets were piled high with peas ready to shell.

And that's what we did for the REST of the day! :)

GIVING

The other I day something not so great happened with one of my kids...and I discouragingly thought to myself- does anything ever make an impact on them? Does anything I try to teach them get thru their heads?? Sometimes I feel all I do actually DOES go in one ear and out the other....... A Flower my oldest son picked for me from alongside the road- biking home from work.

I had to stop and think for a bit ...(I often get caught up in thoughts that lead me down a negative road of thinking....especially when I dwell on an idea for too long!)

What HAVE they learned? Do they pick up on anything I speak? (Besides grumpy moments...:)

Giving has always been an important thing with me....and it is one thing I have continually tried teaching my kids. And when I was wondering about what- if anything- they've picked up from my humble- not so perfect AT ALL- journey as a mother...I realized that they are growing up...and in alot of positive ways...including Giving.

An old photo album (previously used for a great collection of hockey cards) that my youngest gave to me because he knows I love to scrapbook.

A "night cap" that Corben sewed (unknown to me while he was at it!) for me after we had finished one of The Little House on the Prairie books. (Remember how Laura used to wear a nightcap to bed??) Note: This cap looks much more smashing on the bear:)

And then there was last night....when I went to bed and on my nightstand was an encouraging and sweet note from my daughter. After she must have listened to one of my "concerns" yesterday while I was talking to a friend...she wrote to tell me how much she Does love me, and left a verse at the bottom of the note..."Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

A maple sugar sucker that Adam "sneakily" went and bought - one for each of us- on our camping trip.

I'm not writing all this proudly to brag about my kids or what I've taught them....I think it was just all an eye-opener to realize that what we do or say or teach- whether we know it or not- does have an impact. I DID feel discouraged when i thought they weren't taking a positive thing in....but they are. Somewhere amongst my jumbled up stumblings as a mother...they are picking something up that's positive.

Go "teach" something today....who knows who will pick it up:)

What I miss from the good ol' days....

A very good friend of mine just picked up an "antique" phone the other day...you know the kind where you have to put your finger in the hole and turn the dial in order to "punch in" the right number? The type of phone that makes an annoying click as it continues on in a circle and takes 20 minutes to literally dial a number?
She showed the phone to her kids and told them this was the type of phone she had when she was little. They spent a few minutes trying to figure it out...she sat and watched while they pushed down on the numbers thru the holes- not knowing how to dial. It sounded kind of cute when she described it all to me.
Later on that day my kids started asking me funny questions- like; if I had TV when I was little? - if we had flush toilets? - what kind of cars did we drive? And then I had to tell them about all the "neat" things we DID have....remember when there were drive-in movies, and "drive-in up to a speaker with waitresses on rollerblades A&W's"? And gas was only in the .20/litre range? And the milkman delivered milk to your house in plastic bags thru a little cubbyhole in the wall of your house? And when you went to the library you actualy had to SIGN a book out but only after you found the book using the alphabetical index card method:)
I remember things like that when I was little....and I started thinking I was Way too young to be reminiscing about "when I was a kid" things! I thought that's what grandparents did!!

There is something I really really miss from when I was little. Letter Writing. I miss sitting down with a new sheet of stationary and my favorite pen, seeing how neat I could write every word, picturing the person on the other end getting my letter. I miss walking to the post office and finding a letter addressed with my very own name on it, opening it up like a chocolate bar and devouring every word written back in response to my lettter, having something tangible to hold from a very special person in another part of the world - even if it was only a city away.

I MISS letter writing. I think the last real letter I wrote was a few years ago. I don't even know if I own pretty stationary anymore. In fact- I can't remember the last time I bought stamps for something other than sending a cheque for something I thought I needed....and even that I can do on-line now.
Rotary dial phones can be left back in the old days....but I think letter writing needs to come back for me. I'm going to go write a letter........

Grow....then Bloom

I think most of you who I've talked to about where I live, know that I LOVE my home, love the location of where it is- but I'm having extreme difficulty adjusting to "THE FARM" way of life. I despise it. And when I try to think of why- I think I do have a few valid reasons! Some people may shake their heads in disbelief at the fact that farming is such a thorn with me- most people say it's the best way of life- great for the kids- amazing experiences...and yes- it is all that. But being married to a farmboy, I get to see the other side of it. It doesn't really matter what all the negative is...I may sit here and write about it a little too long....but the fact is- I do live here. And I am surrounded by The Farm. And I'm placed here now for this time for some reason. So........

As of today I have decided to not only Grow where I've been planted- I really do want to Bloom! And I know it would make it alot easier- not only for me but for those around me!!! I'm almost dreading this thought...about trying so hard to embrace this farm life, but I am more tired of trying to fight it.

From the trips we've taken in the last couple weeks, I've basked in the worlds around me- and realized that the most wonderful creations grow in the most crazy of places. Why can't that be me?

More Camping....

It's so nice to go camping with kids that are "older"! One night we were up listening to parents try to calm their baby down....every 3 hours on schedule! Now...I get to watch while THEY make the breakfast:)...and other things!?!

Skateboard Races down mountain roads...don't know how Safe it was...but too fun!

River Rock picking......

To The Mountains.....

One of the bonuses to having kids in sports, is all the planning that the group does to get you "out there". One of the trips Adam's Rowing Club planned was to the mountains for Row Camp. We all get to tag along whether we row or not. Me....I'm bringing my canoe:)

We're off for the rest of the week to climb, row, and to enjoy more sleepless nights in the tent. At least there are no snakes.....

Our Favorite Read for this summer......

I love reading out loud to my kids...I have since as far back as I can remember. Of course, now that they're older...I get to read books that I enjoy too- not just Go Car Go and Green Eggs and Ham (although those are good too:)

Each year we try to read at least 5 chapter books together, and we usually all agree on what we want to read. Our ultimate favorite of late would have to be the Ralph Moody books....beginning with "Little Britches". I swear- every time I read one of his books I end up in tears. He's an author that can make you actually feel like you're one of the characters in the book. We've finished Little Britches, Man of the Family, and now get to begin Mary Emma and Company on our drive out to the mountains tomorrow.

I think I may sneak the next book along too....for my own private reading time:)

I'm Finished!

I'm tired....trying to keep eyes open...but I'm so happy I had to type it out! I'm Finished!! The apartments!

Guess I should explain....I have a very part time job, but as of late it hasn't been very part time. Okay...it's not very glamorous. At all. And when I give you my title you may just yawn and shut your computer down...but: I AM A CLEANER. Of new houses....and lately- an entire apartment complex. The apartment was just completed this spring and I got the contract to clean it.

First of all...I'm not embarrassed by my title of mere Cleaner. I find something very satisfying ...walking into a newly built home, seeing sawdust, drywall and paint all over the place, and a couple hours later walking out the door looking back at a spotless home ready for someone to take possession of it. I like cleaning! Love it actually:)

So when this Apartment Complex came up I jumped at the chance. I began back in April, and I am done- all 81,000 square feet as of July 20th, 2009. All 95 kitchens, 95 toilets, over 300 doors, a few hundred windows, countless cupboards......all CLEAN! I am very glad it's spotless now....and will never- ever- ever take on another apartment building again in my life:)

(And a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to my helper Jo:)) Staff Party is tomorrow:)

My favorite weekend moment.....

Seeing that my next 2 days are going to be spent at work...(my very last 2 days on the apartment suite- more on that later!)....I thought I better write this now. I think Mondays get a bad reputation- the start of a new week...and everybody seems to dread the day. So, I think on Mondays I'll just write on my favorite part of the weekend.

This weekend was wonderful. Alot happened, and I think it was all good. But one of the most perfect parts was Friday night. I've always had a dream that I would one day own a home where people I love could come and relax, visit, enjoy food and togetherness....together! Friday night was one of those nights. It was perfect out....weather calm and sunny, hardly any mosquitoes:), yummy BBQ, cheap but good wine:), homeade ice cream, but best of all.....people I love to share it with.

I am so very blessed.

Morning Bike

I just got in from biking my 14 year-old to work...and NOT because he needed me to! His actual comment was...."If you're getting up early to bike with me....can't you just DRIVE me?". He doesn't like to bike to work...I think because at the end of the day he's too tired to bike back...or maybe he's just a 14 year old who would rather drive then excercise? :) Anyway....we had a perfectly beautiful, and yes- fun- bike together.


On the way home I couldn't help thinking of how perfect the day was...and how blessed I am to live in this spot. The only "person" to stare at me as I biked with bed-head hair and no make-up/sunglasses....were the big old black cows. Everywhere I looked was color, and as much as that canola gives me sneezing attacks during the month of July....it IS beautiful.

No rain today...I feel like just dancing in the
sunshiney-ness of it all! :)

Molly's Back

Yay.....Molly is home!

My kids are blessed to have the perfect grandparents. It just so happened that the perfect grandma took my daughter on a girls' trip down to South Dakota for 10 days....they returned home today. And the stories she's already told me???? ....I am a little jealous I never went!!

I'm so glad she's home...it feels complete in the house once again:) Welcome Home!!! (All of you:)

Surrender to the Fact

My oldest son snapped a picture of my youngest and I, sitting on a bench together one day. It made me think about alot of things when I saw this...one of them being that I wish there were more pictures of me sitting on benches with the people I love...taking time out to be with those I take for granted. Making memories in my heart that I could look back on and feel that life was made up of more than just a schedule, lists to do, and running.

So.....I found a tip in my book of quotes and sayings that I try to write in on occassion....and this one seemed to fit:)

SURRENDER TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE TO DO

Half the time I'm just upset becasue there IS more to do. I think today I'm going to take a little more time to sit on benches with the ones important to me...and realize that there will be more to do...always will be things to do...but- later.

These are a few of my Favorite Things...

One of the reasons we came home early was because of the thunder, lightning, and gigantic pelting raindrops. As I unpack today....smelly bags of campfire laundry, coolers filled with melted ice....the gloomy sky stares in at me thru the windows.

I think I need to remind myself of some of my Favorite Things....

Camping....more than I expected

Well.....My first blog entry and I'm not quite sure how to begin. Luckily I just returned home from a few sunny days of camping with 3 of my kids....all the boys:) ....so with not quite knowing how to begin...I'll start by saying I truly love being in my own bed. And I truly know I do not like snakes in the least bit. I know now what a Rattlesnake looks and sounds like, and I also know I do not want to tent in hot, dry locations again. I prefer my mountains and bear growls:)
I've been saying lately that I think holidays are over-rated...and that it's alot of work to pack up and organize yet another get-away trip. But these past few days reminded me just how many moments I can miss by not sticking my foot out the door into unknown and "dangerous" places:) And I think I learned more about my 3 boys in the last few days, than I have in the past year I've spent with them running them to hockey. soccer, and music practices. Yay for the outdoors, flimsy tents, burnt marshmallows, and even rattles on the ends of snake tails!