Maybe what inspires me, might inspire you or at least make you pause for a second. I like to share things, from ideas to experiences to discoveries. I've always been resourceful as it has been labeled and I like to think of it as a gift, that I should share. It can be a take it or leave it kind of approach.
I've been called a Rebel (all bark and no bite), out of the box thinker, eclectic, or maybe is was eccentric, sort of the same thing isn't it? If you've ever had a conversation with me you know that I have a habit of digressing, which I think is another one of my endearing qualities. I can't help wanting to share all this stuff. So to make these journal entries easier to follow (at least easier than one of my verbal conversations, unless you are highly trained) the different "SoMe" tabs on the side will sort my thoughts. I hope that they help inspire, motivate, add reflection and maybe a chuckle to your day.
I am a closet sewer..yes I will confess that I have a closet full...very full of patterns and material that have all been purchased with good intentions...But finally the guilt has over come me and finally on Friday night I did it. I sewed something to wear to my Oma's birthday shin dig.
I have this shirt that I love so I just used that for the pattern, set it out on the pool table, snip, snip...some sewing, ripping when I discovered that I had the good side of the material on the inside...ripping some more...a few choice words and then some more sewing. One fitting to make sure I could get it over my head and voila! Here it is.
Today I attended the birthday party for my oma who turned 90! It was nice to see family who I haven't seen in a while...like 5 years. The time that passed showed the most through the kids...how they have all grown. We all did the usual catching up and chatting about what is new and what has happened. It's was during these conversations that a trend started to show itself. The glass is half full or half empty view, and it is amazing how most glasses are half empty. So many wonderful things happening in everyone's lives I spoke to but I had to dig it out of them, but anything negative and unwanted was right there to share. I guess you can look at life like a tree. You can see the beauty, the protection it gives, the life it offers through the air it provides, the sounds it weaves, the power and will to reach and grow...or you can see all the gnarly roots it has that hinders gardening, the shade that doesn't allow grass to grow, the mess of leaves in the fall...it's all about prospective I guess. It's a gift to be able to see life through a glass that's half full. I have an amazing girlfriend who through everything that is happening in her life has this amazing capacity to see "the good, the positive". It's a beautiful gift you have B, and I so admire you for your courage and strength and your guidance in viewing life this way. I have learned so much by watching and listening to you. You inspire so many of us to grow. My oma said she didn't want anything for her birthday, but since my love language is "gifts", that I just couldn't do. So I made her this necklace, called Tree of Life. Happy Birthday Oma.
It's June the first today!!! How crazy is that. May being as crazy busy as it was just flew by and now it's time to start planning our summer fun, summer camp for the kids. So here is the post for all of you to suggest some themes that we can run once a week. What day still has to be decided. Some of the suggestions have been, G.O. tracking, Fun and Field Day, Market Day, Splash Pad/Park day, Fun House Poetry Slam, Lets go Fly a Kite (design a kite)...so here you go let's add to the list and then we'll pick 8 and a few in the back pocket that will work for rain days. So remember to write down your suggestions as a comment and we'll work out the details from there.
It has been awhile since I've entered something in this neck of the woods but here I am, with something fun. For Easter I got creative with the dessert. Something simple like mini cupcakes with a little flare can become something Speggtacular!!! Nice :)
This fun idea came out of a very inspiring book called "What's New Cupcake" by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. If your looking for a WOW factor at a Birthday party or gathering you'll find something in this book or their other book called "Hello, Cupcake". It's edible art.
 |
| art from healing arts journaling |
A thought, a song, a ticket, or maybe a gum wrapper, they all tell a story, about a moment in our life.
I invite you to watch this very fun inspiring video that a girlfriend told me about, free form journaling, then go out and pick up a book that will work for you, or maybe you have something floating around the house and start journaling.
Once a week I am going to do a specific theme that will touch on things that would maybe not come up in everyday conversation with my kids. Hopefully this will become a keepsake, or memoir, perhaps a best seller...just joking around... or the kids might think it's the alter ego of their mom, but either way it will give them a little glimpse of the person they will hopefully get to know when they realize that there's a little more than one dimension.
The topics will range from anything to a first date, to what was a favourite Halloween costume, to what the kids might be when they get older, to what happiness is. As you will see in the video it's a free and fun for all in putting these journals together. So if you have some topics that you think would be fun to journal please send them this way and I'll add them to the list. I'll be putting a tab for the journal on this page and keep adding to it. Here is the video, enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmaWY7Wk0qA
I found this site featured in the May 2008 issue of the magazine Parenting.
http://kidsoffthecouch.blogspot.com/Kids Off the Couch is an amazing resource for parents to get the family out and about. Even though alot of the destinations are located in the States or more specifically L.A. and New York, the ideas and adventures are doable anywhere. There are over 200 free archived adventures to pick from and the great thing about this site is they create a cultural experience by suggesting books and films to compliment the adventure your about to take. We've done the chocolate adventure where the kids went to a chocolate shop and picked out a few morsels and then had to critique and sort which was their favourite. We watched Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and even made our own chocolate suckers and fudge. A memorable experience that they still talk about. Check it out... Just in time for March break.
Tonight is date night but instead of going out we are going to try something a little different. We are going to pour ourselves a glass of wine or two, sit down by the fireplace and upload an audio episode of the talk show "The Debaters" from CBC Radio One. If you go on itunes you can listen to snippets of each episode and for $11.99 you can download one of their seasons which as approximately 31 episodes running about 30 minutes each. That's like 15 hours of entertainment for...get ready for it...this will be cheapest date ever..$0.39, plus the bottle of wine. So enjoy an evening of Canadian Comedians facing off on current events using a combination of fact and funny. The topics range from customer service to cosmetic surgery. Our episode tonight is tackling vegetarianism and the middle-aged white man.
Off to get the wine. Cheers.
