For the last 3 weeks or so, and for about 3 more, my parents are vacationing in Hawaii. My Mom had been once before, but in something like 1981 and my Dad had never been so this was a long overdue trip for them considering it was always at the top of my Mom's list of places to see.
Words cannot express how happy I am that they are where they are right now. For one, no one NEEDS to experience the cold and wind that we have been experiencing since they left (it actually got cold that same day they took off). But much more importantly, I am just glad that they are together and enjoying their time as a couple in what I can only imagine is paradise.
For the past year or so, my Mom has had some very serious health concerns, ones that resulted in surgery and chemotherapy and although she never let it get the best of her and remained positive and energetic all year, it elates me to know that that is all behind her and she is now living a healthy, happy life once again. After 40 years of marriage, I can not begin to explain how blessed and overjoyed I am to have parents who not only are still married, but actually love spending time together, even after all those stressful years of money crunching, teenager raising, and workaholic-ness - I only take the blame for 2 of those 3 issues :).
Bottom line is this - I could not be happier for them. I MISS them terribly, but in away, that makes me even happier. I feel so silly to think that at almost 30 years old, I miss my parents when I can't see them multiple times a week and talk to them almost every day, but again, that is what makes me so lucky to have them. As they are just that - parents that you MISS.
They will be in paradise for another couple of weeks and I smile each and every time I think of them on their walks, watching whales, or eating at a new place on the beach.
Love you Mom & Dad!
For anyone interested in seeing pictures of their trip so far, visit:
www.canadiandreams.blogspot.com
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Play.
I am not a huge resolution maker and I am even less of a resolution keeper, but this one is worth it. If there is one thing that I want to do this year, and more importantly for the next 4.5 months at least is to plan less and play more. Anyone that knows me knows that I am huge planner and there is nothing that challenges my patience more than plans changing unexpectedly. If I have a to do list, I complete it and very little can usually sway me otherwise. This year, I think, that needs to change from time to time. I remember a long time ago my sister telling me that her and Cole were on their way for groceries on a nice day when they passed a playground and Cole commented how fun it looked. Right then and there she decided that the an hour at the playground was far more important than groceries so she pulled the car over and put play before the plan. I remember thinking that I wasn't sure if I could ever really do that due to my usual inability to put plans and checklists aside but now more than ever, somebody around here needs me to.
The fact of the matter is that now I have a little man who wants nothing more than to simply play and I need to respect and honor that....just as he has respected and honored (well for the most part at least), my plans and to do lists over the past 15 months. In the past month or so, Colin has really started to play. He pretends with his toys, makes car noises as he drives them all over the couch, and loves to dress up Mr Potato Head over and over again. For the next 4.5 months or so, at least a few days a week, I have a choice - I can either play or I can plan. So here is my resolution...I plan to play. As long as it is just him and I, I will choose play every chance I get as soon he will need to compromise his needs for the needs of a much smaller, more needy person. We will obviously still run errands, get groceries and do housework but I swear I will make each and every one of those chores as fun and full of play as possible. If nothing else, it is worth it just to hear this laugh...
The fact of the matter is that now I have a little man who wants nothing more than to simply play and I need to respect and honor that....just as he has respected and honored (well for the most part at least), my plans and to do lists over the past 15 months. In the past month or so, Colin has really started to play. He pretends with his toys, makes car noises as he drives them all over the couch, and loves to dress up Mr Potato Head over and over again. For the next 4.5 months or so, at least a few days a week, I have a choice - I can either play or I can plan. So here is my resolution...I plan to play. As long as it is just him and I, I will choose play every chance I get as soon he will need to compromise his needs for the needs of a much smaller, more needy person. We will obviously still run errands, get groceries and do housework but I swear I will make each and every one of those chores as fun and full of play as possible. If nothing else, it is worth it just to hear this laugh...
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Christmas Cupboards and Counters
Having parents who were both teachers, I have always enjoyed the holiday break that comes with Christmas. This year, since Christmas was at the very beginning of the break, it has allowed Jason and I lots of time to get some nagging jobs done on the house. In the past 3 days, we have tackled the final kitchen cupboard doors, as well as the main bathroom vanity doors as well and the installation of the mudroom countertop.
The kitchen saw the last of its doors finally installed and the final corner was closed off for good. It's nice to have the garbage put away at least so that we don't continue to find toys/cups/kitchen items dumped in there by a certain someone.
The main bathroom vanity, after 2 additional drawers were built was also closed off. This first picture is very old, even before we had faucets, however it was the only one I had...I guess I wasn't big on taking pictures of the bathroom?
It is so nice to complete these projects and cross them off the list. They have definitely dragged and it seems like a long time that they have been near the top of our list. What makes it even nicer, is to us, currently, they cost zero dollars to complete since the materials have long been paid for. It was simply a matter of finding the time and thankfully, this week, we had plenty.
The 3rd job that was finally completed was the installation of the countertop in the mudroom. This job, unlike any other in the entire process of building this house, dragged. We originally ordered the countertop in November of 2010. After a very lengthy process of our order being lost, our order not being submitted, and not being notified that our order was complete and ready to be picked up, we finally had the countertop for about March 2011. For the next 4 months of so, the countertop sat in our basement, wrapped in cardboard, as we tended to other projects that needed tending. Finally, we decided enough was enough and planned a day to install. After all the tools were brought out, the countertop was unwrapped only to find that it was in fact damaged and would need to be sent back. We then started the same process all over again, and even went through many of the same issues that we did with the original countertop through the ordering process. Finally, in October 2011, the countertop was delivered and resumed its spot in the basement (after a close inspection to ensure it was not damaged, of course) until today when it finally made a trip up the stairs and into position. From no counter to counter!
It makes such a difference to the room and I am so glad we chose the one we did. I suppose it was worth the wait, however I will maintain that it would have been very nice to not have to deal with everything we did.
These 3 projects have been the first that Jason and I have attempted to complete since Colin started walking and the difference now versus when he was somewhat stationary is drastic. Not only is he everywhere, he wants to get right in there, touch everything he shouldn't and basically just get in the way as much as possible. I remember when we hung the first of our kitchen cupboard doors, he just sat on his play mat for most of the time a few feet away and enjoyed the view from the cheap seats. I guess his taste has changed as no further than front row pleases this boy now. Thankfully, my parents took him for New Year's night and kept him for New Year's day, therefore allowing us to get the countertop done. I cannot imagine how we would have done that with him here considering the gate to the basement needed to be open the whole time and it was definitely a lengthy, two person job. I love the little man, however his curiosity, combined with the fact that we are down to one nap a day does not equal Jason and I getting much done if we are both needed.
Our baby is definitely not a baby anymore and it constantly amazes me to look at pictures from even a few months ago as he has changed and grown up so much. Besides the thinning out that he has done (thank goodness), he is now a talking, running, climbing, communicating little person who grows up a little more every day. Yesterday, my pregnancy marked its 20th week which means we are officially half way to welcoming the next of our little people. If how much Colin has grown up in the last 5 months is any indication of how much he will in the next 5, I think we will be just fine when everything is shaken up and life changes forever once again. I am glad that we still have some time together where it is just the 3 of us, and glad that his communication and listening skills still have time to improve as I am going to need them both once I have a new person needing me as much as new people tend to need their mama's. At this point in it all, I have no idea how Colin will take to the baby or what kind of reaction he will have, but I am sure that no matter what, after some time, everything will seem normal again and we will have a hard time remembering what life was like before the new baby.
The kitchen saw the last of its doors finally installed and the final corner was closed off for good. It's nice to have the garbage put away at least so that we don't continue to find toys/cups/kitchen items dumped in there by a certain someone.
The main bathroom vanity, after 2 additional drawers were built was also closed off. This first picture is very old, even before we had faucets, however it was the only one I had...I guess I wasn't big on taking pictures of the bathroom?
It is so nice to complete these projects and cross them off the list. They have definitely dragged and it seems like a long time that they have been near the top of our list. What makes it even nicer, is to us, currently, they cost zero dollars to complete since the materials have long been paid for. It was simply a matter of finding the time and thankfully, this week, we had plenty.
The 3rd job that was finally completed was the installation of the countertop in the mudroom. This job, unlike any other in the entire process of building this house, dragged. We originally ordered the countertop in November of 2010. After a very lengthy process of our order being lost, our order not being submitted, and not being notified that our order was complete and ready to be picked up, we finally had the countertop for about March 2011. For the next 4 months of so, the countertop sat in our basement, wrapped in cardboard, as we tended to other projects that needed tending. Finally, we decided enough was enough and planned a day to install. After all the tools were brought out, the countertop was unwrapped only to find that it was in fact damaged and would need to be sent back. We then started the same process all over again, and even went through many of the same issues that we did with the original countertop through the ordering process. Finally, in October 2011, the countertop was delivered and resumed its spot in the basement (after a close inspection to ensure it was not damaged, of course) until today when it finally made a trip up the stairs and into position. From no counter to counter!
It makes such a difference to the room and I am so glad we chose the one we did. I suppose it was worth the wait, however I will maintain that it would have been very nice to not have to deal with everything we did.
These 3 projects have been the first that Jason and I have attempted to complete since Colin started walking and the difference now versus when he was somewhat stationary is drastic. Not only is he everywhere, he wants to get right in there, touch everything he shouldn't and basically just get in the way as much as possible. I remember when we hung the first of our kitchen cupboard doors, he just sat on his play mat for most of the time a few feet away and enjoyed the view from the cheap seats. I guess his taste has changed as no further than front row pleases this boy now. Thankfully, my parents took him for New Year's night and kept him for New Year's day, therefore allowing us to get the countertop done. I cannot imagine how we would have done that with him here considering the gate to the basement needed to be open the whole time and it was definitely a lengthy, two person job. I love the little man, however his curiosity, combined with the fact that we are down to one nap a day does not equal Jason and I getting much done if we are both needed.
Our baby is definitely not a baby anymore and it constantly amazes me to look at pictures from even a few months ago as he has changed and grown up so much. Besides the thinning out that he has done (thank goodness), he is now a talking, running, climbing, communicating little person who grows up a little more every day. Yesterday, my pregnancy marked its 20th week which means we are officially half way to welcoming the next of our little people. If how much Colin has grown up in the last 5 months is any indication of how much he will in the next 5, I think we will be just fine when everything is shaken up and life changes forever once again. I am glad that we still have some time together where it is just the 3 of us, and glad that his communication and listening skills still have time to improve as I am going to need them both once I have a new person needing me as much as new people tend to need their mama's. At this point in it all, I have no idea how Colin will take to the baby or what kind of reaction he will have, but I am sure that no matter what, after some time, everything will seem normal again and we will have a hard time remembering what life was like before the new baby. 
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Colin's Christmas Thank You
Another Christmas has come and gone, and once again, it was full of everything I love...topping the list being time spent with family and friends. It always amazes me how many gatherings we can pack in to only a few weeks, however am so thankful that we have so many wonderful people to celebrate with. Our stomachs are full (at least now that Jason and I are over the flu...ugh), some wonderful presents have been given and received and my new Christmas card clothes pin wreath (seen here) is overflowing with the faces of those who we are fortunate enough to know and love.
Colin was, not surprisingly, thoroughly spoiled this Christmas by our friends and family and he is loving his new toys. I, am loving his new clothes as well as some very special gifts that were under the tree just for me this year. It was pretty neat to watch him open each and every gift - equally excited and wanting to play with each one immediately. I can only imagine just how much more fun next year with him will be once he understands a little more and can really get into the Christmas spirit.
We are so grateful for all the amazingness that this year brought and if nothing else, want all our family and friends to know just how much we, and Colin appreciate every single one of them. Colin truly loves you all and therefore, sends his love and his thanks in his own, baby sign language way...
Colin was, not surprisingly, thoroughly spoiled this Christmas by our friends and family and he is loving his new toys. I, am loving his new clothes as well as some very special gifts that were under the tree just for me this year. It was pretty neat to watch him open each and every gift - equally excited and wanting to play with each one immediately. I can only imagine just how much more fun next year with him will be once he understands a little more and can really get into the Christmas spirit.
We are so grateful for all the amazingness that this year brought and if nothing else, want all our family and friends to know just how much we, and Colin appreciate every single one of them. Colin truly loves you all and therefore, sends his love and his thanks in his own, baby sign language way...
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
One, Two, Three.
Today, is Jason and my three year wedding anniversary. I know people say this all the time, and that I will probably be saying this after our 20th, 30th and 40th, but the past 3 years have flown by.
Jason and I met in the spring of 2007 and very quickly decided that we would spend our lives together. The timing of our meeting, I truly believe, was planned from the start. We had many opportunities where we could have met earlier, being that we have many mutual friends, however for one reason or another, it wasn't until a friends 30th birthday that our paths finally crossed. A few days after the party, came an invitation from Jason for a drink, which would now go down as our first official date. From that day, it took about 2 weeks for me to fall in love with him. It took about 2 weeks after that to decide that this was it for me. To be completely honest, I would have married him right then and there, 4 weeks after our first meeting. Instead we waited a little while, but not too long before sealing the deal and making our promises to each other in front of all our friends and family.
Timing has always had a way with us. The paths we took leading up to that first meeting took us many places, however I ultimately believe that they were all preparing us for each other. This year, for our anniversary, I decided to get Jason (and us, really), a bus roll graphic design piece highlighting the paths that our lives have taken which have ultimately led us here - to Clarence Rd. A local artist and graphic designer that I have really grown quite fond of, came up with the idea and sells them here. I sent her the list of places - streets, apartments, etc and she came up with this...
I am truly in love with it. I love the way it looks, especially in the spot we chose in our home, however even more so, I love what it represents. I love that we can look back and remember all the experiences we had individually, before we met and joined forces. I also love that although Clarence Rd is our squatting ground for now, something inside tells me that we won't be here forever and because of that, I am so excited to see what we can one day add to this list. At the end of the day, it just makes my heart happy to know that from Clarence Rd on, all the places we live will be together - and all the memories and experiences of this life of ours will be shared with my love and all the little loves that we are lucky enough to welcome into our family.
It has been a wonderful three years. Busy, but wonderful - just the way I like it.
Love you, J - you are my best friend and my whole world begins and end with you.
Jason and I met in the spring of 2007 and very quickly decided that we would spend our lives together. The timing of our meeting, I truly believe, was planned from the start. We had many opportunities where we could have met earlier, being that we have many mutual friends, however for one reason or another, it wasn't until a friends 30th birthday that our paths finally crossed. A few days after the party, came an invitation from Jason for a drink, which would now go down as our first official date. From that day, it took about 2 weeks for me to fall in love with him. It took about 2 weeks after that to decide that this was it for me. To be completely honest, I would have married him right then and there, 4 weeks after our first meeting. Instead we waited a little while, but not too long before sealing the deal and making our promises to each other in front of all our friends and family.
Timing has always had a way with us. The paths we took leading up to that first meeting took us many places, however I ultimately believe that they were all preparing us for each other. This year, for our anniversary, I decided to get Jason (and us, really), a bus roll graphic design piece highlighting the paths that our lives have taken which have ultimately led us here - to Clarence Rd. A local artist and graphic designer that I have really grown quite fond of, came up with the idea and sells them here. I sent her the list of places - streets, apartments, etc and she came up with this...
I am truly in love with it. I love the way it looks, especially in the spot we chose in our home, however even more so, I love what it represents. I love that we can look back and remember all the experiences we had individually, before we met and joined forces. I also love that although Clarence Rd is our squatting ground for now, something inside tells me that we won't be here forever and because of that, I am so excited to see what we can one day add to this list. At the end of the day, it just makes my heart happy to know that from Clarence Rd on, all the places we live will be together - and all the memories and experiences of this life of ours will be shared with my love and all the little loves that we are lucky enough to welcome into our family.
It has been a wonderful three years. Busy, but wonderful - just the way I like it.
Love you, J - you are my best friend and my whole world begins and end with you.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The wreaths of Clarence Rd
Ever since my Pinterest obsession started, an equal obsession with wreaths began as well and there is no better time than Christmas to start trying out some of the wreaths that I have been pinning over the course of the last few months.
I started with an extremely easy one...
This wreath now lives on the inside of the garage door and consists of a $3.99 wooden twig wreath I actually bought last year at Micheal's. After a quick spray with some white spray paint, and a bright red ribbon, it is simple, yet festive in its own way.
The second wreath was a bit more time consuming, yet much more functional at this time of year...
This wreath is made from a wire hanger (molded into a circle), wooden beads and plain old clothes pins - all sprayed white. Every year we are so lucky to have so many friends and family send us beuatiful cards with their beautiful faces. I always want to display them, however our fridge is stainless steal and therefore non-magnetic and our mantel is not quite installed yet. When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew it would be perfect and it really is! If anybody is intersted in making their own, a few suggestions:
- cut the hook part of the hanger off before trying to mold the hanger. I used a grinder and it did the trick quite easily.
- I couldn't find any beads that were big enough with holes already through the middle so I just bought plain wood beads from Micheal's and sprayed them.
- I sprayed all the pieces individually but realized after that it would have been easier to assemble everything and spray it once it was all set up. Would have been easier to ensure that it got a good coat everywhere.
The last wreath was an extremely easy, very quick craft that I put together this morning in about 10 minutes. Technically it is not a wreath per say, however it has the same feel.
I already had the pine cones from past years (in the past I just displayed them in a vase) however was looking for a new way to use them this year. Once again, Pinterest was the inspiration. I simply used the yarn that I had already purchased for gift wrapping this year and used my hot glue gun to attach the yarn to one end of the cone. This craft now hangs on the outside of our main bathroom door and adds the pop of red I was looking for in that hallway.
Now that our tree has been purchased and decorated, and all our Christmas things are out, I am getting increasingly excited for the holidays. Colin is so much more interested this year than last and his tree etiquette is improving slowly. When you love your family, friends and extended family as much as we do around here, Christmas really is the best time of year as it combines all our favorite people with good food, great celebrations and ultimately what is most important - time together.
I started with an extremely easy one...
This wreath now lives on the inside of the garage door and consists of a $3.99 wooden twig wreath I actually bought last year at Micheal's. After a quick spray with some white spray paint, and a bright red ribbon, it is simple, yet festive in its own way. The second wreath was a bit more time consuming, yet much more functional at this time of year...
This wreath is made from a wire hanger (molded into a circle), wooden beads and plain old clothes pins - all sprayed white. Every year we are so lucky to have so many friends and family send us beuatiful cards with their beautiful faces. I always want to display them, however our fridge is stainless steal and therefore non-magnetic and our mantel is not quite installed yet. When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew it would be perfect and it really is! If anybody is intersted in making their own, a few suggestions:
- cut the hook part of the hanger off before trying to mold the hanger. I used a grinder and it did the trick quite easily.
- I couldn't find any beads that were big enough with holes already through the middle so I just bought plain wood beads from Micheal's and sprayed them.
- I sprayed all the pieces individually but realized after that it would have been easier to assemble everything and spray it once it was all set up. Would have been easier to ensure that it got a good coat everywhere.
The last wreath was an extremely easy, very quick craft that I put together this morning in about 10 minutes. Technically it is not a wreath per say, however it has the same feel.
I already had the pine cones from past years (in the past I just displayed them in a vase) however was looking for a new way to use them this year. Once again, Pinterest was the inspiration. I simply used the yarn that I had already purchased for gift wrapping this year and used my hot glue gun to attach the yarn to one end of the cone. This craft now hangs on the outside of our main bathroom door and adds the pop of red I was looking for in that hallway.Now that our tree has been purchased and decorated, and all our Christmas things are out, I am getting increasingly excited for the holidays. Colin is so much more interested this year than last and his tree etiquette is improving slowly. When you love your family, friends and extended family as much as we do around here, Christmas really is the best time of year as it combines all our favorite people with good food, great celebrations and ultimately what is most important - time together.
Monday, December 5, 2011
2 Years Today.
It has been two years since we said goodbye to my wonderful Grandpa. It seems like just yesterday, but in the same respect, feels like way too long since I heard his laugh, or got one of his tight hugs. My sister and I were talking about him yesterday when her four year old son asked who we were talking about. We told him that we were talking about Grandpa's Daddy. He asked what he was like and the best words I could use to explain Grandpa to a four year old was "he was a lot of fun". He was. I miss him everyday but love that he and my Grandma are together again - just as they always were and were always meant to be.
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