Quality Meat Packers Has Finally Closed It's Doors!

Quality Meat Packers has shut it's doors! Quality Meat Packers has been around since 1914 and handled one quarter of Ontario's pork production killing 6000 pigs each day. This closure is a victory for any of us who have stood in the hot melting sun, the pouring rain and the cold snow in support of the Toronto and Hamilton/Burlington Pig Save groups at Maple Leaf/Fearmans slaughterhouse in Burlington or Quality Meat Packers in Toronto creating awareness surrounding the cruelties of Factory Farming while the pigs endure those same harsh elements. Our reason for being present is to bring peace to the animals in the horrible transporting conditions in which they await their death. For the first time in their lives they are given a sense of what love is before they are murdered for someone's meal.

To all of the volunteers who would meet many of the thirty trucks that would pull in there daily to give water and words of compassion to the pigs and who looked them directly in their innocent eyes, I say there is a sense of peace in the air for all those beings in knowing that there's one local slaughterhouse down. What we do, we do out of compassion. And what we do does matter.

The First Day Of Our New Vegan Life

I grew up following a Vegetarian diet. I've written before on this blog about how I believe I was destined to be a veg head but I've never gone completely Vegan. I don't eat eggs, I don't drink milk, I don't wear leather or any animal skins for that mater, I only use Vegan cosmetics ..but I've never given up cheese or products containing dairy. I've been talking about doing it for a long time, but have never made the leap.
My son has eczema. A few weeks ago it was at it's worst and at first sight of seeing it so raw I made an appointment with a Naturopathic Doctor. She did some blood work which came back showing a very high sensitivity to dairy and to eggs. So the result is he must go Vegan for at least three months to test the impact that these foods truly have on his system. This was the push I needed. I'll follow his dietary restrictions with him for support and I'm confident this will change our lives in good ways! Day One.. here we go!

The Goodness Of An All Crust Sandwich

My boys take lunches to school big enough to fill grown men. Sometimes they come home with a few things left over, sometimes they give things away ..and sometimes they just eat it all. This morning, I told the kids to start getting their lunches together and that I'll be downstairs soon to help them pack it up when they are done. When I did my mommy inspection (they know there are certain musts like minimum two fresh fruits before I give their lunch the ok!) I was surprised to find what I did. In Carter's bag I saw an all crust sandwich. A sandwich made with the two end slices of the bread. This was a new loaf meaning he had to dig his way through my bread to get the other end slice. I picked the sad looking sandwich up to see it was simply jam inside. My kids don't take jam sandwiches. They have a thermos so they can take a hot lunch but if they did want a sandwich there are all kinds of cheeses in the fridge, Tofurky slices, lettuce, tomatoes ..he could even have made himself just a bagel with cream cheese. I called him into the kitchen and asked him about it. He told me very confidently 'it's just what I want for today' however my youngest interrupted and said 'It's because of his friend!' I immediately jumped on Carter about the dangers of doing things just because another kid tells you too. I began to lecture him, telling him I'm trying to raise him in such a way that he doesn't participate in that sort of drama ..but I could see him welling up. I had to stop when I saw the tears rolling down his face as he shook his head back and forth. And this is what he told me:

"No, Mom, it's because my friend Jordan brings an all crust sandwich to school ..a lot. And this boy Dawson makes fun of him every time he does. And yesterday, this mean boy Dawson told Jordan that he's just like the two end slices of bread on his sandwich; the part that no one likes"

My heart sank. I knew where he was going with this. 

"I can tell it makes Jordan feel embarrassed. So today I'm taking an all crust sandwich so he doesn't feel bad and Dawson will see that someone does like Jordan. And that it's not a big deal to have that kind of sandwich. It's not to be a follower or make fun of him. It's to make Jordan feel better!"

At this point I'm welling up with guilt, pride and love. I hugged him, told him I couldn't be any more proud of him and of course I apologized for misunderstanding the situation. I'm wowed that he came up with this tactic on his own and that it's a bright solution to old school lunch room teasing.

I called the school and explained that Carter would be crushed if he knew I was calling but I wanted the lunch teacher to be aware and eavesdrop on that conversation when it goes down; just in case it gets heated. I'm the mommy. And as proud as I am of my boy, I still have a need to protect my little protector as he quietly fulfills his peer lessons of acceptance and empathy ;) 

Happy Fathers Day, Chris!

My boys couldn't dream of a more amazing Daddy

He is their superman :)

Dear Diary:

So, I've posted less and less it seems in recent months. I feel like a little bit of my passion was crushed for awhile after I had asked a friend if he'd ever read this blog. He admitted he had, and asked if it was "a blog or a diary"... As embarrassed as I was of his opinion I looked back at some of my posts only to realize that my style is sorta that. An honest layout of my thoughts shared online. To the world. And when someone such as myself does this, I expose myself in a way that paves way for critics, opposing views and even mocking. I had started a few posts since then but left them in draft form because they fell into that 'diary' kind of category which I was trying to steer away from. If he, a friend thinks that of my blog, what must others think?? So I stopped posting for awhile. At least posts that involved my inner thoughts and feelings.

Then this morning happened. I was upstairs getting ready and could hear my kids talking downstairs. My older son told the younger son to not tell anyone where they got their new bow & arrows from (the Dollar Store) because their friends will make fun of them and say they are stupid and the toys are fake.. My younger son responded by saying if his friend Ryan asks him and he doesn't tell him, he won't be friends with him anymore. ....I had to intervene. I gave them a talking to about not being ashamed of their things, their thoughts, their interests and being judged. We went over the implications of threatening and feeling threatened by friendships and how to handle those situations. And as I spoke those words it occurred to me that I don't always practice what I preach..

And thats how this post came to be! This friend of mine, who I love and respect made a comment that I didn't know how to react to. And so I stopped doing what I do, stopped doing what interests me, and that isn't right. I know he won't be the only one in the world who comes across this blog and mocks it; it's one of the reasons I don't allow comments on it! But from the odd email I get here and there or Twitter DM from the people who do connect with what I say, I say it's worth putting myself out there. I overthink most things and this blog offers me an outlet to get some of those thoughts out of my head and clear up some space in my mind. It's not a diary. It's a tool; for myself and for anyone else who can relate to what I think and say on certain matters. I'm not ashamed (although I thought I was for awhile) of this blog. I'm grateful for what it offers me. It's a part of who I am and I realize what I choose to expose will be judged both in positive and negative forms. I learned a little something in the lesson I gave to my kids this morning, ..and it turns out I can handle the feedback after all ;)

Summer Days, Drifting Away

We've all seen the Back To School commercials where the parents are overjoyed to be sending their kids back to the classroom, we've all heard people thank god they're going back soon and we've all heard someone somewhere at sometime tell us how they go about celebrating once the kids are back in school. I don't get it.
Time off with my kids is spent living. Really living. We try to do something fun everyday and not everything has a huge price associated with it. Picnics are a big thing for my kids, skipping stones at the beach, swimming, summer festivals, camping; that kind of stuff. Why would I ever want those sort of days to be over? I work part time so not everyday was full of time and freedom but we definitely made the most of the summer. To celebrate the fact that they're stuck back in a stuffy classroom, surrounded by expectation, social demands upon them, absorbing an overload of information all day everyday makes me sad for them in comparison to what we've just spent the summer doing ...Living. And learning as we go; it seems far more natural that way.

Happy Daddy's Day

My husband is so much more than just the 'father' of my children. He's a Daddy. He takes pride in his family and is a super Dad. He's hard working; he provides a very full and enriching lifestyle for us and doesn't often complain. He puts up with a lot but handles it all in a masculine laid back sort of way. I can't really describe him , he's like no one else I've ever met. He's the Dad who goes to every Swim Lesson, Soccer, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball Game and helps out with the team where needed. He knows all of the kids by name.
He cooks, he does laundry, empties the dishwasher and occasionally will even mop the floor. He is a mentor to our children and shares what fascinating facts on nature he knows. (and he knows a lot!) He's the Dad who does homework with the boys at the kitchen table while dinner is cooking and helps them to better understand the complexities of mathematics and science that I could never begin to teach them. His mind amazes me; he's a smart cookie.
He's creative too. He's the Dad who helps the boys to build castles out of cardboard boxes and paints them for school projects. He encourages them to add more detail in their drawings and gives them tips on learning to draw; again, something else I myself could not teach my children! He kicks my ass at Draw Something every time.
He takes us on family vacations, camping trips, bike rides, movies, batting cages, mini putting, waterparks, and so much more. He has dreams for what we'll do and where we'll go in the future.
He makes sure that we are all well taken care of. Today with it being Father's Day, you'd think he'd take the day off and sit back but so far thats not the case. He made my morning coffee, wants to take us out for breakfast and then is coming home to get dinner ready for his own father.
He's a good man, this Charlie Brown of mine! <3 Happy Daddy's Day, Christopher <3
"Anyone can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a Daddy" ~Proverb

Mom, We KNOW!

It's a weekday morning ritual. Most days it's up to me to get my boys and my two nieces on the school bus. The girls come over just as my boys have finished packing their belongings & brushing teeth. They sit and watch TV and as soon as Pokemon is over, they know they need to hustle and get out the door. When I heard the show was over this morning I said as I always do "C'mon Kids, let's get going!" and Carter responded with such certainty "Mom, we KNOW that when Pokemon is done we need to go, you don't always have to tell us!!" In that moment I realized that they are that independent, that they don't need that cue call anymore ..they understand routine and time lines. For years it has been my job to keep things in order and without even realizing it, I've trained my successors. I took a minute to think about other small things that they do on their own and felt a sense of Mommy accomplishment; a sense of Mom pride for the things you don't intentionally teach them but by setting a good example, they learn. Those things.
As I stood there internalizing all of this Carter called me out of my trance and says "Coming Mom?!" Oh, right! The school bus! With my usual pottery mug full of coffee in hand we did our usual walk to the stop, waved to the same usual neighbours and met up with the other Moms and Kids as we always do. I like this routine but wonder how much longer it too will last as they all go and grow up on me. As the bus approaches all four of them gather around me, their lips pursed for smooches and one by one I get to kiss them them all goodbye for the day, thanking my lucky stars they are not so grown up that they want to give that up just yet. It makes me smile inside and out.
And as for the next day I get them on the bus, I'm just going to stand back with my coffee and watch them finish their TV show, get their things together on their own without telling them what needs to be done and wait for my "Coming Mom?!" cue.

RIP MCA ..Love Carter

I was at work last night when I heard the news about the death of MCA. My kids were asleep when I got home but my husband told me he had mentioned it to the Boys. Carter was kind of weirded out by his death when he brought it up to me this morning.. and said it was really odd that I didn't leave him a Star Wars Shirt out to wear yesterday.
I know why. I always leave my kids clothes out for the week and the outfits reflect the type of activities they will be involved in for the day as well as coordinate with what the weather forecast has predicted. (yes, I'm that damned organized) May 4th was Star Wars Day. My kids have a few different character shirts I could have laid out for them but for some reason at the time of sorting their laundry, Star Wars Day had slipped my mind. Instead I had left Carter's loved, well worn Beastie Boys Shirt out for that morning..
When Carter mentioned this coincidence to me today I could see his heart through his eyes and I understand that he gets what I get. He feels that sense of connectedness and notices that even small coincidences should not go unnoticed. It's not about him relating in any way to this band personally; it's about realizing the awareness that we are all connected in some way or another. He was born with these instincts but is just beginning to recognize the wonder behind them all. It's pretty awesome to watch and see.

RIP MCA

Double Digits

My son will be turning ten soon and entering the double digits of life. I know it sounds cliche but it really does only seem like yesterday that he was a newborn baby in his little glass hospital bed and completely dependent on me. Every decision in his life was made by us; his parents. He's growing up on me way too fast! As a Mom, it's crazy when you realize that every minute of everyday that you've spent with your child has made an impression on them. Everything you've said, done and decided will have had an impact on how they are living their lives and how they treat others.
Tomorrow this son of mine, my first born is going to his 'girlfriends' birthday party. I took him out this evening to pick out a gift and was amazed at the thought he put onto this present. As I watched him pick out her card and the heart necklace (heart necklace!!) I wondered to myself how much longer I can still consider him a child; before long he'll be making all decisions on his own. All I can do is hope that we as his parents have influenced him in such a way that he will make the ones that will make us proud. ..And so far so good.


- Posted from Jennifer's iPhone

Marks The Spots

I got out my Magic Cleaning Eraser today and scrubbed my walls; I have two boys and my house is usually full of children so it doesn't take long for the walls to get grungy. In doing so I see all of the many dents and dings there are in my foyer and along the hallway. They're permanent marks that look like an eyesore and anyone else would probably have patched them up by now.

One dent I recognize from when the kids were small enough to be in a double stroller. I parked it in the same spot near my front door and the indent in my wall shows where it used to sit. Those baby years are so over for us.  Another few I know are from Callum running into the house in full goalie gear to use the bathroom. The hockey stick bashes all along the hallway as he hurries down it to go pee before the others begin the game again without him. He has such passion about him. The little nicks above the shoe rack are from where the kids leave their helmets and the ones near the baseboards marks the spots where the remote control trucks that have crashed along many times over the years. Some were even created accidentally by my husband, who is a child at heart and has been caught golfing down that hall on occasion. It's also been used as a bowling alley, a soccer field and race track for Hot Wheels cars and a railroad track for Thomas The Train. We've had trikes and bikes and scooters and sleds journey down that corridor as well. (And our guitars have left an indent or two when leaned against it!)

I of course don't know how every wall bash happened or who the paint destroyer was. From the chaotic life we live it's no wonder that hall looks the way it does; esthetically it's hideous. But at every glance some memory or another sweeps through my mind and evokes that emotion of gratitude for having a house that is so full of life and love and busyness and happiness. It's a place of comfort and warmth; where children want to play and be. If a few walls get dented in the process then we'll just put it on the repair list, .....but way way down on the list. I'm not ready for the memories they represent to disappear just yet!

I'm Thankful For This Life I'm Living And For Every Soul Who Has A Part In It

Today is Thanksgiving Day. It's the time of year when I tend to take a closer look at where I'm at in my journey of life and appreciate all that has made me fortunate enough to be where I am on the path. I have a beautiful family and carry on a lifestyle that reflects who I really am inside....who could ask for anything more? My dreams are my reality. I'm thankful for this life I'm living and for every soul who has a part in it.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Animal Free Circuses Puhleeeeeze

The circus in my opinion is the cruelest form of family entertainment and people are still so oblivious to the torture that surrounds such horrific events. Read below to learn some basic facts surrounding the circus and join us Tuesday July 19th in Hamilton. The following is a Facebook event, ....search it for more info or email me.

COME OUT ON JULY 19TH TO COPPS COLISEUM AND TELL THE SHRINE CIRCUS THAT ANIMALS DIE IN CAPTIVITY and THEY ARE NOT WELCOME IN HAMILTON ANY LONGER.

The time has come to make Hamilton a ' Compassionate Circus Free' Town. Hamilton is ready !!

Facts about Animals in the Circus:

Trained by pain

• Circuses force animals to perform tricks
• Animals are injured while performing
• Training animals to achieve acts that are painful and unnatural requires whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods
• Elephants are trained by an ankus - a wooden stick with a sharp, pointed hook at the end. It is embedded into the elephants' most sensitive areas: feet, ears, chin, mouth, face. It is used to smash them across the face as well
• Circuses assert they use "positive reinforcement" to get animals to do tricks. If this were true, the trainers would be carrying bags of food treats, not metal weapons

Travel can be torture

• In circuses animals are kept in cages with barely enough room to turn around during travel and between shows
• Elephants are shackled in chains by their front and back legs so that they can't take a step forward or backward. They are required to eat, sleep, and defecate in the same trailers they are kept in
• The animals are forced to wait inside of the railroad cars for hours, even in extreme temperatures, sometimes up to 72 hours

Life in captivity

• In the wild, animals have relationships with their own kind and live in social groups or families
• Baby elephants stay with their mothers for years. Yet in circuses, they are ripped from their mothers because they are cute and reap profit
• Constant confinement forces animals into a state of psychosis. Elephants in circuses constantly sway back and forth in their chains, tigers pace in their cages, symptoms of deep psychological distress due to being deprived of fulfilling natural instincts
• Animals self-mutilate from lack of psychological stimulation.

Anti-Educational

• Opposite to what circuses say and the rationalization of educators who take students to circuses, seeing animals in circuses does not provide a pragmatic, educational tool because the animals are forced to perform tricks and live in conditions that are not natural for them
• The animals are in an environment that is radically different from the wild and their spirits are broken from cruel training. They are unable to fulfill their most basic needs and instincts.

It's unnatural. Think about, then help make a change. My kids will be there, bring yours too and maybe we'll influence other families in the community to support a more compassionate lifestyle, beginning with boycotting animal circus events.

Proud Proud Mama!

My kids have brought home awards before but never have I been as proud as I was yesterday when I learned they BOTH won the 'Citizenship Award' for their grade levels. It means they show respect, are deemed as being trustworthy and show concern for the well being of others. Carter was absolutely glowing as he told me that his teacher did a speech at the School Assembly (my god, I'm welling up just typing this!) about Carter being a good citizen globally, how he is a member of PETA and gave examples on how he and his family live a compassionate lifestyle. Callum's teacher spoke of him showing sympathy towards his peers and told the school he is a friend who can be counted on. This is so wonderful for me as a mother because as different as my boys are in personality, appearance & interests, it goes to show that what values you foster and instill in children will mean something and will make a difference in the type of people they are in this world. Celine Dion once said on an episode of Oprah, "it's not what you give them, it's how you raise them" and this rings true for me as a parent who admits to being guilty of materialistically giving far too much to my kids. It goes to show that them 'having' stuff doesn't mean they 'lack' goodwill. They are not spoiled brats, they are learning to pay forward with both sharing possessions & doing things for people with heart & soul in their efforts.
Callum struggles with reading and Carter is easily frustrated with mathematics (he comes by that honestly) but overall my children get fairly good grades. Had they brought home an award of any kind, academically or for participation, I would have showered them with congratulations for their efforts. This particular award however speaks to our core values as a family, .... I am absolutely beaming with pride. I am very thankful to those special teachers who have brought awareness of these traits forth and made my sons shine!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My Whole Life

I believe our Whole Being looks something like a pie shape and is made up of many different pieces, created by our passions. I think some people try too hard to find themselves in order to feel as though they "fit in" to a specific category or type of person and I kinda think they've got it all wrong. We're naturally drawn to certain people, music and other things in life.. When we focus on the things we love, we flourish and it contributes to the person we are as a whole. If we continually add positivemess into our lives, the negativeness will be easier to digest when it comes our way. It's all about balance.
Some of my greatest passions in my life are my family, my children. They fill me with light and absolutely amaze me each and everyday. I couldn't ask for a better husband or father to my boys than Chris. He keeps them in line while tolerating all that a good Daddy should tolerate. He loves us with all his heart.... and it shows. When I think about my kids or look at them, I'm amazed that we contributed in creating such beauty in this lifetime already. If I raise them right, they will do good things for our world.... the possibilities of what they can accomplish are limitless. I'm not sure if I can even describe in wordes how that makes me feel. But it's another piece that fills my pie proudly!
I like most people. Not all people, but most. There are strangers and aquintences who pass through my life who make my day right through conversation, gestures or vibes, but I have friends who have the capability to actually make my soul smile. When people intentionally or unintentionally drain energy from me I have an awareness about it and so I can handle it before it gets too low. All of these people, negative or positive, play a part in making me whole.
I'm drawn and facinated by things that other people may never aknowledge. These things lift my spirit, clear my mind and give me the piece of the pie that I'd say is driven by desire. It's an appreciation for a deep breath of fresh air on a warm sunny day knowing I need to contribute in everyway I can to save this planet so our future generations can experience that too. It's the joy I feel in watching someone play the guitar and know that I am capable of learning it too. It's the sense of willingness I experience when I think about people who are less fortunate in this world and knowing I have it in me to make a difference for them somehow, someway in this lifetime. It's knowing how to get a little crazy and have fun but with style and grace. There is always a desire to stay classy in all that I do. Doesn't mean I actually do this all the time, just means it's what I strive for. It's also about standing up for what I know is right and doing all I can to stop what is wrong such as child/slave labour, animal cruelty and so very much more, but in a way that I can be taken seriously. There is negetivity that can surround desire as well and so through my experiences I've learned ways to deal with it.
This wholeness as I know today will expand as I grow but the lessons within the pieces won't change. Everything I do, everyone I've encountered, every place I've been to, have all contributed to where I am at right now....And I really like where I'm at right now. I love my Whole Life.

Just My Boy & Me

Like most families, we had a chaotic weekend of working, grocery shopping, kids hockey, kids parties etc etc. My youngest, Callum had to make a hard decision on Saturday on whether he was going to the birthday party of a very close friend or his year end hockey team party. He chose the hockey party with the promise to make it up to his buddy and missed out on all the fun that goes along with birthdays and movie theatres. His older brother went and saw Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2 and for two days had been rubbing it in Callum's face. On Tuesday night, Carter was invited to yet another birthday party meaning I had the opportunity to take Callum to the theatre to see the movie he missed and so desperately wanted to see. It was a typical mad rush to get Carter to the Lazer Tag place and time getting to the show but we made it and even had time to spare surprisingly. I didn't really think through ahead of time what this time with Callum would look like but as I sat there with him waiting for the film to begin, it occurred to me I don't think I had done something like this, one on one time with him in a really really long time.  We get so caught up in the everyday chaos that I seldom get an opportunity to do something with just one of my boys at a time. I spend a lot of time with my kids, but it's usually with them plus a half dozen other children we take along with us, or the two of them together. All of this was flooding through my head as I watched his little face beside me talking away about another movie he had seen on March Break, and about another movie he wants to see that is coming out. He eyes were so big and wide with excitement, his laughter came straight from the toes and his energy was infectious. I could feel myself light up as this all dawned on me. He was super cuddly during the movie and I definitely let him away with acting a bit babyish, but he is my baby. In that moment of time I realized I need to experience that one on one time more often with each of my kids, for all of our sakes.

Art In Heaven

My son's class is going to a Pioneer Village on a field trip next week. A permission form was sent home asking parents to sign off on allowing the kids to participate in Opening Ceremonies while they are there.  Our public school stands for O'Canada every morning and I have taught my children why we show respect for the playing of the National Anthem.  The Opening Ceremonies on this field trip however includes reciting the Lord's Prayer and singing God Save The King.

I hesitated at signing off on it but did after much thought, still indicating I'd leave it up to Carter to decide that day. Just because we do not practise religion in our home doesn't mean I can't expose my children to what others celebrate and recognize. We live in a very diverse community for a reason.... we moved here on purpose with diversity in mind and so there are religions and traditions that go along with various cultures here. I explained to Carter that some of his friends will know the words to these exercises and asked if he had ever heard about God before. He said he had but didn't really understand what it was. I told him that his Dad and I believe that a common thread in most religions is Spirituality, Love and Good Nature. Because we embrace those things within our family, we've never found it necessary to take part in any one particular religion that defines a who or a what you're supposed to believe in. Instead, we believe what we feel and that it's ok to feel differently from one another.

Yesterday, he came home from school with his music duo tang in hand, absolutely furious. He slammed it down on the stairs and asked me why I had signed off on that form if I knew what Opening Ceremonies meant. It turns out they are learning them in music class before the trip. I asked why he was so angry about it and my not-quite-nine-year-old son said to me "Why would you want me to learn a song about Gods and Kings thinking they are better than anyone else when our family treats all people the same. Who do those people think they are??" He had a point. He hasn't figured out Hierarchy just yet....! I raise my kids to live a compassionate lifestyle and that involves but is not limited to treating the human race, all animals and the universe with respect. How could I possibly have thought he wouldn't pick up on the Hierarchy so evident in these religious ceremonies? I am fully aware that God Save The King was once Canada's National Anthem and so because it was at one time a representation of our country, it is the only reason I struggle with him not having respect for it.... however, I "get" what he is saying and admire him for noticing that. I told him I can support him there and if he doesn't feel comfortable singing about that he doesn't have to. I asked him if he had any thoughts on the Lord's Prayer. He responded, "What, that poem about Art In Heaven? I think it must just mean the author is talking about the shapes the clouds make in the sky. Us humans can see them from here on Earth on the one side of them, so even though we all look at the same thing we can all see it a bit differently, so it doesn't really matter who you are or where you live, on Earth or in Heaven, you can still see the art....just differently"

His take on hierarchy and this analogy he came up with floored me. Religion is like an Art, of which we all interpret in different ways. I get it. And I'm very proud of and wowed by this baby boy of mine.

Another Year Almost Over And A New One Is Near ~Goodbye & Thank You 2010

Like in John Lennon's song Happy Christmas, another year is almost over and a new one is near. Reflecting back to where I was when 2010 first arrived, I see that all I had set out for myself was accomplished. We made those trips, we celebrated those milestones and grew up a little bit more together both as a family and as individuals.

Chris and I have always been very in sync. As in any relationship, there are sometimes bumps in the road but they result in proving the power of our love, patience and gratitude for each other. He gives me the world, my world that I thought out and created in my head as a kid, and has helped me work into to making it a reality. He has taught me dreams do come true. I let things get too hectic sometimes in 2010 and he called me out on a few occasions where we seemed distant. Amidst the chaos of our lives, we re-connect, ignite the flame and carry on. I love him more than ever.

Carter has gone and grown up on me this year. He knows things about iPods and music and life and the planet that I didn't teach him. He's absorbed and learned because he's found his own interests and sourced out the answers. He's developed his own opinions about things and I literally glow inside when I hear him speak of his findings.  

Callum still needs me for a lot of things that Carter does not however he has become more independent than ever before. He doesn't hold back when expressing his emotions and this is obvious from the stories he tells me about school friend relationships. He made my heart melt when he told me the lunch monitors laughed at him when he dropped his lunch bag on the floor and everything spilled out, but I was beaming with pride when he told me how he handled the situation. "I told them thats not very respectful and you should be helping me pick this up and if you were nice lunch monitors you'd do that and show respectfulness to me" Ahhhh.... thatta boy!!

Then there's me. I've most definitely grown as an individual this year. I've had more opportunities to engage in my passions of making the world a better place. The little bit that I contribute amongst my duties of being who I am to everyone else in my life, makes me feel whole. In reflecting all that I've experienced this year I've started creating my Twenty-Eleven New Years Resolutions List. Last year I had said I wanted to take Ballroom Dance Lessons.... CHECK! Did it and loved them. I also said I wanted to do more in the spirit of animal rights issues and share my knowledge in good and appropriate ways.... CHECK! Did that and will carry that over to my 2011 list as well. One resolution I didn't do well at keeping was that I planned to say "no" more often to people. I get asked a lot of favours and I have a natural tendency to just say yes then figure out how I'm gonna do it after I've opened my mouth. I can't say "yes" to everyone and feel good about it all the time because sometimes my commitments are intrusive to my family and cause upset amongst us. I need to concentrate more on who really needs me to do things for them in comparison to those who just want me to do things for them. For those who need me, need me because I make a difference in their lives and so I am swayed to do things for them out of love. If I'm not feelin' the love or the true need vibe, then I'll make my decisions accordingly. Once I really differentiate the two, I'll do better at yes and no's.  

So as 2010 was a year for growth & milestones in my family, I think 2011 will be a year for gratitude and enjoying the life we have. I plan to take life just a little bit slower this coming year and focus on the things that truly make my soul shine. Hopefully the reflection of that energy I create will bounce back to those I love so we can all live warm with gratitude for all that we have. As we approach the new year with a deep appreciation for the past one, I say Stay Grateful, Happy Holidays & Peace On Earth.

Stolen Time

It doesn't happen very often, but everyone (except me, fingers crossed!) in my house is sick and has been for three days now.  It's times like these that I really get to see how unbelievably chaotic our lives are. Once an illness sets in, everything comes to a stand still and it becomes so very obvious that we run ourselves ragged day to day when we're feeling well. The kids have missed school and all their extra curricular activities, my husband and I have both called in sick to work and we had to cancel a dentist appointment and a family commitment for today. That time has been replaced with watching TV in PJ's, playing a few video games, lying on the couch, reading and talking. Yes, talking. I've spoken more to my kids these last few days than I have since they started back at school in September. It's actually pretty fabulous in a way, .... this slow down of events we're experiencing is giving me a chance to re-charge myself. Everything has come to a halt and we actually have time to be a family. (a gross, pukey, germ infested family but I'll take what I can get) Because they're sick, there aren't any expectations that I'm going to take them anywhere, buy them anything or do anything "fun". They're content with my homemade soup, Gravol and snuggles on the sofa. I'm loving that part. The laundry, the whining, the sounds of them all throwing up and the need to constantly disinfect I could do without, but otherwise I'm in a way sort of grateful for the time we've managed to steal away from the rest of the world these last few days. It's taken the chaos of catering to my sick family to appreciate the need to slow life down as we eventually slide back into reality.

The Reality Of Our Kids Food

My kids will tell you they love tofu or seitan. They will tell you they like healthy foods such as broccoli and beans. They only people I find who are surprised when they say things like this are adults. I've actually heard someone in my family say "Little boys aren't supposed to like salad!" Whaaaat?? Other kids are curious to know what some of that stuff is, whereas the parents can't believe I would actually feed my kids these things and tell them what they are. "Your kids know it's soy and they still eat it?" This makes no sense to me. Why do we hide from our children the reality of food? (And when I say "WE" I definately don't mean "ME") Why aren't we honest about what we're feeding them? Do they not have a right to know? As a society we flat out lie to these kids. We want them to be sheltered from the knowledge of the mechanics of our food before it hits the table, so we hide it from them. To talk about the torture the innocent animals endure before being brutally slaughtered is just "not right" according to most. Instead, we serve up that scallded alive, pumped full of steroids chicken in fun spaceship shapes and sell dead cow that lived all her days as a dairy slave until being murdered for hamburger meat, in boxes labeled "Happy Meal". How ironic. Parents I know will try to get veggies into their kids diets by hiding it in foods they do like (I'm totally guilty of having done this once or twice) however they neglect to put a small amount of that food on the side of the plate so it's visable and use it as a teachable moment. If we don't do this the kids will never be able to identify with these foods going forward into adulthood in a healthy and positive way. We as parents don't trust that we can tell the kids the vegetable they just ate is called SQUASH because maybe they've heard others accosiate with it in a bad way at some point, scaring them from giving it a chance. I know parents who say "Shhhh....Don't tell her there is spinach in it, ...she won't eat it!" Its absurd. I'm not claiming my kids like every healthy food out there (and I certainly don't like it all either) but my boys know the truth about the foods they are offered. They have a want to eat the things they know have vitamins in them, that will make them big and strong. I'm not afraid to tell my kids what something is or whats in it and they've learned to make good food choices at very young ages as a result.... There's no reason to hide it from them in my opinion and there are benefits to sharing this knowledge with them, ....just sayin'.