Thanksgiving in Autumn

Autumn.

This might just be my favourite time of the year.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE summer but, there's something about Autumn that beats it by a hair. 

Maybe it's the crisp breeze in the warm sun. 

Or the colours. 

Or quite possibly the cozy sweaters I can finally take out of the closet. 

Either way, I find myself slowing down during this season. Breathing a little deeper and slower. 

Thanksgiving is also one of the reasons I enjoy the Autumn months. It brings family and friends together in a way no other holiday does. And this Thanksgiving was truly one for the books. 

This thanksgiving I'm thankfull for:

HEALTH. Because without it I wouldn't be able to enjoy the blessings God has given me over the year

PAUL. Without his love and support I would be lost in the hustle and bustle of life

PAULY and RILEY. Who each hold a piece of my heart. I live for them.  And only hope that over the years I will have left them with loving memories to last their lifetime. 

OPERTUNITY for the future. Over the last two years I have grown in an outstanding way. I am grateful for the knowledge and trust people have placed in me. 

TOMORROW. As I close one door and open another I know my family and friends will be there to catch me if I stumble, and watch as I work towards a better future.

So right now I'm going to say good bye to the busy days of summer. 

Good bye to the backyard BBQ's and drive-ins.

I'll see it all again next year. 

It's The End of the Summer...

Dear Blogosphere,

I know I have been absent for quite some time now.  I'm sorry for that.  

I have been a busy mom enjoying the summer with my family.  I know you'll understand when I say that sitting in front of a computer ends up being the last thing I have time for, even though I do enjoy sharing with you all.

As I sit here and try to remember all the sensational events that came about this summer, my mind begins to wander.  I start thinking about what I want to do before the days get shorter, nights longer, and the winter chill cripples my sense of outdoor adventure.

Carpe Diem.  Not always easy to accomplish but in the process of trying, I've definitely become more self aware and appreciative (you can read my posts about it here and here).

So, when I'm tired and it seems like the day will never be done, I try to remember what the poet Horace writes in his famous ode:

Ask not - we cannot know - what ends the gods have set.

How much better to endure whatever comes, 

wether Jupiter grants us additional winters

or wether this is our last.

Be wise, and since life is brief,

Seize the day! putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow.

So here's some of what my family and I did this summer... in no particular order:

-went to the drive-in

-saw our first "Movies in the Park"

-checked out the Halton Radial Railway

-went swimming at the beach

-went apple picking

-visited the Science Centre

-ate lots of ice cream

-went for walks and bike rides

-had a great time at Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park

-celebrated birthdays

-watched the Canada Day fireworks

-cooled off in the splash pad

-visited the Acton Fall Fair

And although many of you have already seen pics of our fabulous adventures, here's a few more that I just can't keep to myself.

Thanks for sticking with me,

Sandra

 

 

 

Home Improvement

Awhile back I wrote about our bathroom reno. Since then we've done some more work to it and I thought it might be time for a quick update.

When I left you last we had a working toilet, a tub frame and some drywall on the walls.

We now have a fully dry walled bathroom. Complete with primer and paint. Wall and floor tiles are done (and I LOVE them). The tub is fully functional even though we don't have a shower curtain yet. Paul built our custom vanity. It's painted and there is a working sink. The pot lights are done and there's a light fixture over the vanity too!  My built ins have shelves but still need doors.

I'm so excited to see it almost done. Here's what's left to do:
- Possibly pick different paint (neither of us are thrilled with the current colour)
- Install doors for the built-in
- Find an awesome shower curtain
- Find an awesome mirror
- Trim
- Add necessary accessories (toilet paper holder, towel rack etc.)

It's a short and tedious list but I can see the finish line :)

Pictures to follow...eventually. 

On The Outside Looking In

When Riley was born, Pauly was only 15 months old.  A mere baby some would say.  But at the time I didn't think "baby" was the best word to describe him.  He'd always been fascinated by little children and when Riley showed up, his attitude never changed.  He was never jealous or unkind towards her.  It was exactly the opposite.  He loved his little sister to bits and would want her to "play" with him even though she lacked the skills to do so.

As Riley got older and learned to sit, crawl and finally walk, their interactions became more involved.  It sometimes resulted in tears because one had swiped a toy from the other but this was always quickly resolved.  Pauly had learned (with constant reminders from mom and dad) that if he was going to take a toy, he had to give one back.

Fast forward to now.  Pauly is just over 2.5 years old and Riley is 17 months old.  

Pauly has learned to share even when he really doesn't want to.

Riley knows that if she takes without asking she will have to give it back - and she does!

They both have learned to say I'm sorry, please and thank you.

They feed off each other but also rely on each other.

When one is sleeping, the other wants to wake them up.

When one is hurt, the other offers a hug.

If one needs help, the other is there to lend a hand.

They talk to each other and laugh with each other.

It's amazing to watch.  

I'm not sure if it's because they are so close in age or because they have great personalities.

Either way, I often find myself observing them.  Listening in on their conversation.

It fills my heart with the kind of unconditional love that only a parent can feel.

A love that aches and makes your eyes water.

Sheer joy in that moment - and there are lots of them.

A friend once told me that there is no greater love in life than children.

He was right.

Thank you God for Blessing me.

For these once in a lifetime moments.

Thank you for making me a mom.

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

It's been a while since I've tuned into myself and my thoughts. Since being back to work I find the days passing me by without a hint of slowing down. There's just not enough hours in the day to achieve all I would like (which truly is no surprise).

So as I make time for myself, I find my thoughts racing in every direction. Work, home and the never ending to do list. Each bringing emotions that are sometimes overwhelming.

The biggest hurdle in this chapter has been adjusting to my new job.  This has definitely not been easy. Almost every part of it has been unchartered territory and I've never had such a big learning curve to overcome. The fact that I didn't receive proper training was also a contributor to that sinking feeling. To be brutally honest - there were days when I just wanted to crawl under my desk and wait for it all to be over.
Sad, I know. It took a lot of self motivation and persistence to gain my confidence back. But the good news is... I did it. I've still got a lot to learn but I'm well on my way. The confusion that plagued me has turned into confidence and that's such a good feeling.

Home life has also done a 360. My nights include a 75 minute drive home, picking up the kids from daycare, feeding them and myself, 30 minutes of play and then we start the bedtime routine.  Once the kiddies are snuggly tucked in I start the clean up process.  Dishes, the table and chairs, toys all over the place.  After that, I can pack my lunch for the next day and finally take a shower.

Then it all starts over again the next day.  Monday to Friday.

But there is hope.  And it comes in the form of a weekend.  This two day "vacation" from work can sometimes be hard to navigate.  I find myself looking for the balance between what needs to get done and what really needs to get done.
There's always chores to do but my children need me more than I need to scrub the toilettes. But then again, how long is too long when pushing aside my domestic duties?  So I've come up with a plan and started putting it into action.  I get the kids to help.

Now, I know this is going to take a while before it really catches on, but I can see it taking shape.  This past weekend I was in real need of vacuuming.  The kids were not making this easy for me as they kept bringing out more toys as I was trying to clear a path for the vacuum.  The solution was for me to "plow" through it all.  And Pauly did not like this.  I think maybe he was unsure if his toys were going to get sucked up and be lost forever.  So I asked him nicely to move them all before the vacuum got too hungry.  Eurika!  He was helping me clean.  Then when it came time to mop, I made exaggerated movements with sound effects.  Yet agin he found this to look like fun so, I offered him the mop.  And he used it!
So for the last few days I've been trying to come up with chores for him.  Small, non essential things that could possibly set up the basis for accomplishing helpful tasks.  He is distracted easily, doesn't always listen and proclaims NO quite often.  But sometimes I do get "Pauly do it."

Hurray!