No Thoughts, turn into deep thoughts!

I haven’t had a lot of thoughts on my mind of late. Things here have been busy. I’ve worked a lot of days and spent the weekend being busier then I’d like. What are some things you like to do on weekends? I’d rather spend my weekends at home being lazy, but some members of my family would rather go out, so a lot of times we go out. This weekend was no exception! We spent most of the weekend out between family, church and then a date day. Which was so nice, but was still out. I’m 97% introverted according to a test I took, which just means I need more time to recharge then even  other introverts do. This becomes hard when a couple members of my family are extroverted and want to be out a lot of the time, plus with 3 kids lives makes life very busy. Thankfully unlike some introverts I am able to recharge at home with my family, I don’t need to be completely alone. Are you introverted or extroverted? Do you need to spend time alone or would you rather be out with other people? I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last few months. I took a personality test that splits people into 16 different personality types and although I was skeptical at first after I finished the test I couldn’t believe how accurate it was. It classified me as an ISFJ. The ‘I’ stands for Introverted, ‘S’ for Sensing, ‘F’ for Feeling and ‘J’ for Judging.

      Here’s a break down for all the different combinations:  

Extraverted (E) vs. Introverted (I),

their preference of one of the two functions of perception:

      Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N),

and their preference of one of the two functions of judging:

      Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

The three areas of preferences introduced by Jung are dichotomies (i.e. bipolar dimensions where each pole represents a different preference). Jung also proposed that in a person one of the four functions above is dominant – either a function of perception or a function of judging. Isabel Briggs Myers, a researcher and practitioner of Jung’s theory, proposed to see the judging-perceiving relationship as a fourth dichotomy influencing personality type [Briggs Myers, 1980]:

      Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

The first criterion, Extraversion – Introversion, signifies the source and direction of a person’s energy expression. An extravert’s source and direction of energy expression is mainly in the external world, while an introvert has a source of energy mainly in their own internal world.

The second criterion, Sensing – Intuition, represents the method by which someone perceives information. Sensing means that a person mainly believes information he or she receives directly from the external world. Intuition means that a person believes mainly information he or she receives from the internal or imaginative world.

The third criterion, Thinking – Feeling, represents how a person processes information. Thinking means that a person makes a decision mainly through logic. Feeling means that, as a rule, he or she makes a decision based on emotion, i.e. based on what they feel they should do.

The fourth criterion, Judging – Perceiving, reflects how a person implements the information he or she has processed. Judging means that a person organizes all of his life events and, as a rule, sticks to his plans. Perceiving means that he or she is inclined to improvise and explore alternative options.

A glimpse of all 16 different personality types

All possible permutations of preferences in the 4 dichotomies above yield 16 different combinations, or personality types, representing which of the two poles in each of the four dichotomies dominates in a person, thus defining 16 different personality types. Each personality type can be assigned a 4 letter acronym of corresponding combination of preferences: Reference Link

Are you interested which type you are? From reading the descriptions do you already have an idea? Here's a link to take the test free. It only takes about 12 minutes. MBTI Test 

Some fun random facts about my personality type:

Celebrities who share this type with me: From history we have a few, but these 3 stood out to me the most, Mother Teresa, George W. Bush, Rosa Parks. More current famous ISFJ's are, Bruce Willis, Halle Berry, Kate Middleton, just to name a few. 

ISFJ's as a whole we are shy and reserved. We generally take life to seriously. We are very loyal and devoted. It's said we are the behind-the-scene "glue" for organizations and groups. We are knowns for remembering specifics, names and faces. We are caring, sympathetic and want to help but do not need the kudos. We may even be suspicious of those who try to confer compliments on us. 

Did you take the test? If you did comment with what type you are. This has become a great interest for me and I've learned many things about myself through the exploration of my type and would love to know more about the types of people who read my blog. 

Mom with ADHD?

Today as I drink my morning coffee I think once again about myself. There has been a lot of self-reflection lately. This morning’s thoughts are about my intelligence. I’ve never thought I was very smart, in fact most of my life I thought I was downright stupid. Not because I was told that, just because that’s how I felt. I was average in school, but I struggled. I had a hard time concentrating on what my teacher’s said and an even harder time during tests. I found I could only concentrate for no more than 20 minutes or so during a test. This is why I felt stupid. I presumed that because I just wasn’t smart enough to concentrate like other people did, or like I was supposed too. 

It wasn’t until a couple of years ago when doing research on ADHD did I realize that I very likely had trouble in school and in work because I had this condition. What, You say? Isn't ADHD some kids have? Isn’t ADHD those kids in school who are bouncing off the walls? Yes it is, but it’s also a lot of other things! So to explain these other things first I need to explain what ADHD is exactly. So simply ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. So the kids who were bouncing off the walls in school that’s the hyperactivity part of the disorder. But there are so many other elements to it. Here is what wedmd has to say about ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children. Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses. Or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors interfere with school and home life. It’s more common in boys than in girls. It’s usually discovered during the early school years, when a child begins to have problems paying attention. Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, being organized, setting goals, and holding down a job. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addiction. Reference Link

So the most common symptom of ADHD is the hyperactivity, those are the kids in school who couldn’t sit still and were bouncing off the walls. Those are the kids most likely to get diagnosed. The second most common symptom is Inattention. This means a child is easily distracted, can’t follow directions or makes mistakes, lose things and tends to daydream, just to name a few. The next symptom is impulsivity, which means a child has trouble waiting for his or her turn, interrupts or blurts things out. Now this simply is the most common symptoms and usually this shows up in boys. Girls with ADHD display their symptoms much differently.

20 Possible Signs of ADHD in Girls

1. Difficulty maintaining focus, easily distracted 
2. Shifting focus from one activity to another difficult one
3. Disorganized and messy (in her appearance and physical space)
4. Forgetful 
5. Problems completing tasks 
6. Daydreaming and in a world of her own 
7. Takes time to process information and directions (It may even appear that she doesn't hear you) 
8. Looks to be making "careless" mistakes
9. Often late (poor time management) 
10. Hyper-talkative (Always has lots to say but is not good at listening)
11. Hyperactivity
12. Verbally impulsive; blurts out and interrupts others
13. Seems to get easily upset 
14. Highly  sensitive to noise, fabrics, and emotions
15. Doesn’t seem motivated
16. Doesn’t appear to be trying 
17. Seems shy
18. Appears withdrawn
19. Cries easily
20. Might often slam her doors shut (Reference Link)  I feel that added to this list should be feeling of inadequacy and self doubt

So as I read this list I think about how I was in school. Many of these items apply to me then and now still. So what does this mean? Well first of all it means I’m not actually as dumb as I thought. It also means that I may have to change try different things in order to accomplish what a ‘normal’ person can do. I read a great article about how to cope with ADHD, the article was called secrets of your ADHD brain. Reference Link In the article she explains that in her research she discovered that people with ADHD have a unique and special creation that regulates attention and emotions in different ways than the nervous system in those with the condition. She explains that because of this people with ADHD need to figure out what does motivate them and then try and apply it to the areas of their lives that are lacking motivation. For me I’m motivated by what I feel is required of me. So I only clean my house when company comes over because I think that’s what they expect. In a job situation I’m motivated by a boss who appreciates my job and lets me know. I’m also motivated by a job that is activates my brain. She also said that people with ADHD have been found to have a higher IQ on average. So that led me to look for an IQ test. Like I said before in school I thought I was stupid, now that I know that’s not the case, I was curious what my IQ was actually. So that led me to find a short IQ test to see where I actually fall. I couldn’t believe my results. According to this test I took I have an IQ of 124, which means I’m gifted. This was a huge shock. I don’t feel smart still, but maybe that’s the self-doubt of having to deal with ADHD most of my life has instilled in my brain. Free IQ Test

I have learned more about myself in my 32 year of life then in all the other 31 years combined. It’s crazy what a little research will find, and when you think you’re just broken actually might be that there’s a medical reason for all of it.

Mom Guilt!

Mom Guilt! It's an awful feeling. Have you ever experienced mom guilt? If so how did you get over it? Read my post below to understand about my Mom guilt! 

We had an incident in our house the other day and it left me feeling like the worst mom ever. One of our children got

left behind, completely unintentionally. The worst part was that we didn’t even realize that she wasn’t with the rest of us for far too long. Has anything like this happened to you before? It was the worst feeling in the world realizing that my child had been gone and I didn’t notice. Now I feel awful and I was to give her anything she asks for! I don’t want to let her out of my sight, not even for a second. I feel so guilty! My child seems relatively unaffected by the incident, yes she was scared, but seems ok now. I keep telling myself this but I still feel guilty. I’ve always been a highly sensitive person and always take things to heart more then I should. But I don’t know how to get over this feeling. I wish I could go back and change it so she was never left in the first place but I can’t. I know I can’t! I also know that what’s done is done and there’s no changing it, and if I give in to her every wish because of this incident that I’m not going to be able to remain strong with her sisters.  What have you done in the past as a parent that you’ve regretted? How did you get over feeling like you were the worst parent that ever lived? I suppose time is probably the best medicine in this case but at the moment it’s still very fresh still. My child has forgiven me, and now I just have to figure out how to forgive myself.

Today’s verse is about guilt:

Generous in love-God, give grace! Huge in mercy-wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry; my sins are staring me down. Psalm 51: 1-3

Spiritual Gifts!

Summer Fun!

Summer days! I love summer. I love the fact that we have no set schedule. Waking up late. Letting the girls play or read without having to go anywhere or do anything. These are my favourite days. Yes there are still things that we need to get done every day, but the schedule is much more relaxed then during the school year. In the summer the girls have chores to do in the morning which helps take a few things off my list every day. But once chores are done we are free. The girls tend to spend most afternoons in the pool these days. Today they didn’t even get out of their swim suits. While they splash I enjoy working in my garden or sitting next to the pool with a good book. Maybe I finally found the secret to less laundry. I also love summer evenings, often we do something as a family. Tonight we went to the library and out for ice-cream. I love that we can do these things together. I know many moms who don’t enjoy summer vacation because they can’t keep their children busy during the summer days. Maybe I got lucky, that my children are happy to play, or maybe I just enjoy my kids. For this I’m very thankful for. I enjoy these days. I also know that these days are numbered, before long my kids won’t want to spend time as a family. They don’t stay young for long. I can’t wait till tomorrow so we can do this all over again. My family is awesome and I love them.

Today was another wonderful summer day, we had a busy day of sun. We went to the spray park with a group of friends and their children. It was a great time. We talked, and laughed and watched our children play together. It made me think that I’ve spent more time with my friends already this summer then I did all last summer. Not that last summer was bad, we were just busy, busy camping. We were gone every weekend for the whole summer. We decided that we wouldn’t do as much this year and although it feels like we are wasting our trailer, I am enjoying spending the extra time with my friends. I miss my friends and although when we are busy I don’t have the energy to spend time around other people I do miss them. So I’ve enjoyed this first week of summer. I’m looking forward to many more days like today.

ME! Sometimes I worry about me.

Today’s thoughts waiver to myself. I have a meet and greet with a new doctor tomorrow. Meeting a new doctor makes me nervous. There are several reasons that doctors make me nervous. First it’s because I’m not an ‘averagely’ built person. I’m short and a little wide, although I’ve been trying my hardest to change the latter. On top of that I have large bones for a person of my size, and they are dense, I also have more muscle then most women. Half of my body weight is muscle and bones. Not all doctors can see this. Most look at my BMI and say you need to lose weight, work harder. The next thing I’m nervous about is the fact that I have PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome), this is an unfortunate thing that makes my body to not work very well. My hormones are all out of whack, which messes with everything, my insulin doesn’t do what it’s supposed to which makes my body react as if I have diabetes. Also this causes my body to have a hard time losing weight, which doesn’t help the wide issue I mentioned earlier.  The last thing I’m nervous about is that a year ago I lost the best doctor that I have ever had. Not only did she listen to me but she did everything she could to help me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. The doctor that I got after her wasn’t even close to as good, she looked at my BMI and called me obese. Although according to my BMI that is exactly what I am, I don’t feel I look obese nor do I feel obese. But she couldn’t see pass it. So tomorrow I meet this new doctor and I hope she’s as open minded and willing to help me as my previous doctor. These are the thoughts that cloud my head tonight.

 The next day.......

So I had my doctor’s appointment this afternoon and let me tell you I had no reason to worry. I think I might have hit the doctor’s jackpot once again. She was so kind. She never once mentioned my weight, except to congratulate me on the amount that has disappeared over the last year. I told her I hadn't lost much in the last few months and she said that I was a busy mom and not to fret. She said that I was a mom of 3 and that in itself was enough and she understood that its not easy when you have younger children. She told me many times that I was young and things were good. She also told me not to worry about something my previous doctor was worried about.  She said that she didn’t want to waste government money with unneeded appointments, so to only bring my kids in when they needed to see her. She asked me if I saw a doctor for yearly checkups when I was little. I said no. She replied, and you’re still alive! I laughed, so simple. She said you’ll know when something is wrong and then I’ll be more than happy to take care of whatever it is you need. The thing that she said that made me the happiest is that you can’t treat a patient just by what’s on paper but you have to consider the person themselves when giving a diagnosis. Since my biggest concern was the fact that I don’t fit into a lot of what the medical sees as normal this statement made me feel reassured that she was going to be a good fit for me and my family.

This verse seems very fitting for today:

Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up! Proverbs 12:25

Being 4 forever!

Being a 4 year old. As I sit here and watch my daughter play I wish that I could remember what it was like to be 4. She seems to have so much fun. She lives in this fantasy world that involves changing her outfit every 5 minutes. One minute she’s Queen Elsa, the next she’s Belle, or Ariel and then the next she will be Darth Vader or Spiderman. I love watching her imagination at work. I also love the fact that she doesn’t feel that she needs to stick to the princesses. She loves to pretend to use the force just as much as she does to freeze the world like Elsa. I also love the commitment that she gives to each role. When she comes up in her pink princess dress she walks like a princess, talks like a princess and acts like a princess. Because in her mind she is now a princess. This makes me think about her future, and what this means for her. Is she destined to be an actress or maybe a model? Although I don’t think as a parent we should limit our children when they are learning and planning what they’d like to be when they grow up, but at the same time I want them to be routed in some reality and I know that being either and actor or model isn’t something that many people actually achieve. Plus the life isn’t for everyone. Though she does enjoy being in charge and bossing people around so maybe she’d enjoy that type of life.

Back to being 4. I love the way she carelessly goes about her day. She’s so happy to sit and play with her toys for hours and hours. It makes me miss the simpler life. She loves the days when her sisters are at school and she gets the toys all to herself, yet when they come home she is happy to follow them around the house and play whatever they’d like her too. She constantly is wishing she could be bigger so she could go to school and be more like her big sisters, and I wish I could make time stand still so she never has to grow up.

I’m loving her being 4, she’s just independent enough that she can do things for herself, most recently she learned how to do up the buckles of her car seat, but yet she’s still little enough that she wants me to cuddle her every morning after her sister’s leave for school. Since she is my baby I’m trying to cherish each stage she’s in, trying to keep her little for as long as possible. No matter how much she wants to be big, I want her to stay little. God was kind enough to help grant me this, as she is tiny. Although she’s 4 ½ she still barely weighs over 30lbs. I love that my baby is my tiniest child it helps be keep her little.

When I was a new mother many years ago I was always wishing my oldest daughter would get bigger and be able to do more things and then I realized before you know it she’s half grown up and you don’t actually enjoy it. So I’ve learned from that mistake again and plan to keep my baby, my baby for as long as she’ll let me. I will cuddle her as much as she needs and I will hold her when she cried. I will let her sleep with me when she has a bad dream or when she’s sick. These are the moments I’ll hold onto when she does inevitably grows up. I will not tell her to grow up or stop acting like a baby, because I now know that it will happen with or without me wanting it too no matter what.

Dear child, if you become wise, I’ll be one happy parent. My heart will dance and sing to the tuneful truth you’ll speak. Proverbs 23 15-16

PROUD CANADIAN MOM!!

We are having a #Canada150 party this weekend which makes me think of things that make me feel proud to be Canadian. For me ,the biggest thing that makes me feel proud to be a Canadian is the fact that Canadian’s are known all over the world for being polite. I take being polite very seriously, which I didn’t even realize until my second daughter was barely talking but knew she needed to say thank you when given something.  I believe it’s something that is so simple to do but so easily overlooked. When someone brings you a drink at a restaurant you should say thank you, when you ask someone for something you should use please in the sentence. I also feel it’s very important to pass this ‘Canadian’ trait onto our children. A please and thank you go a long way in my books.

I’m proud to be Canadian because even though we are a vast country we stick together. When one part of our country is in need the whole country pitches in and sends aid as they are able. This isn’t just limited to our own country either, we pitch in and send aid where ever the need is. I believe it is important to give as much as you are able.

I’m proud to be Canadian because of our farmers. Having being raised on a farm and still live in a farming community, I know and understand how important these people are. Without farmers we wouldn’t have fresh meat, eggs, milk and many other things that we need to live. I love that Canada still has a large percentage of land that is used for agriculture. I love driving through that prairies during summer and fall and admiring the crops that I know the farmers have worked so hard to produce.

I’m proud to be Canadian because we 'strong and free'. I sometimes take for granted how free we are. We have freedom to do whatever we want. Whether it is with our speech, or our religion we are free to do as we want. As a Christian this is very important to me, because I hear of many places where people are still persecuted for following Christ. I’m so thankful that I don’t live in one of these places and that my children are free to follow Christ as well.

I am proud that in Canada we have free health care and that all children get an education. I feel that these two things are very important and need to be available for everyone. Education is so very important and it gives people better opportunities for the future. I also feel it’s very important to have access to health care no matter what. I can’t imagine living in a place where you need to calculate if you can afford to take your child to the ER or even just to the clinic. Where if you don’t have insurance hospitals can turn you away and if they do let you stay they can leave you with a bill so large that you might have to remortgage your house to pay for it.

As I type I realize I am VERY PROUD TO BE CANADIAN!!!!

Now onto the lighter stuff, what do I feel Canadians are known for!

Roll up the Rim for Canada's 

150th Birthday!

Thank you

Tim Hortons

Coffee is number one on my list. Especially Tim Hortons coffee, but just coffee itself. Did you know that Canada has more donut shops aka Tim Hortons per capita than any other country in the world.

Secondly our unique money. No pennies, Loonies and Toonies and our colourful bills. After spending 3 weeks in the United States it was one of the things that I missed about most about Canada, only second to Tim Hortons coffee.

Third would be hockey. Canadians are crazy about their hockey. When the Edmonton Oilers made it into the second round of the play offs this year I think half of Canada started watching. I know whenever Edmonton isn’t in the playoffs we always cheer for whatever Canadian team is left and once all the Canadian teams are done we really don’t care much anymore. It’s not just the NHL hockey teams that Canadians are crazy for, they go just as crazy for pretty much any type of hockey, doesn't matter the level or age of people playing.

Fourth would be our clean environment. There are many movies like Canadian Bacon that have made fun of the fact that Canada is so clean but it’s just an awesome thing to be known for. I love when we are out and about and my girls see some litter on the ground and they are just astonished that someone would have the audacity to litter. It not only makes be proud as a mother but also as a Canadian.

Are you Canadian? What makes you proud to be a Canadian? What do you feel is the most represents Canada?

I AM PROUD TO BE CANADIAN!!! HAPPY 150^th BIRTHDAY CANADA!

Normally I end my posts with a bible verse but this post I'm going to end it with my favourite line from our National Anthem. 

"God keep our Land"

This is my prayer for our country not just today, or tomorrow but for all days to come. 

Family Time! A thing of the past?

This weekend I have seen our future and I’m not sure I liked what I saw. Family time is something that’s always been very important to me. It’s something that I really enjoy and value. Spending time together as a family so far has been easy, as when you have little children they pretty much only do what you do. So most weekends we spend a lot of time together, well that wasn’t the case this weekend. Friday started with a date night for Keith and me, which was lovely, and the girls stayed over at their grandparents place. Keith and I enjoyed our time together including some shopping and an amazing supper out. Saturday morning we went and fetched the girls and brought them home. Saturday morning is always chore time at our house. Keith was outside busy building me a new patio, while the girls and I were inside getting the house clean. In the afternoon Becca had a birthday party and Emily was picked up to go to a sleepover with a friend. Once Keith was done his job we took Livy to the park since she was sad to be left behind. Sunday morning Keith was off to an xwing tournament and Emily was still at her friend’s house. As I sat and drank my coffee that morning I realized that yesterday morning was the only time our family was together all weekend and we didn’t spend any of that time actually together. I’m afraid as our children get older this will become a more regular occurrence on weekends. This is why I’m not looking forward to the future I want to always be able to spend time together on weekends but it may become harder and harder as the girls become more independent. Although this is the first weekend that this has happened and I’m sure we will have many more weekends together in the future I can’t help but think about the future of our family looks like. When the girls are teenagers are they still going to want to spend time with us? Will we still be able to sit together and have a family game night or a movie night together? I’m don’t enjoy the unknown and have a hard time with change and although I know that the girls growing up is ignitable it still makes me apprehensive for the future. I guess all I can really do is enjoy the time we still have together, make the most of it and pray that we’ve instilled strong family values into them and that when they are busy with their own lives they will still want to hang out with their parents.

The whole reason for my thoughts about our lack of time together as a family. The need to take this picture. 

How do you make sure you get enough family time?

I leave you with this verse:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Mathew 6:34

Thoughts over Coffee

This morning as I drink my coffee and the girls are getting ready for school. I think about the past year. Our girls have both worked hard this year. Becca has come a long way in grade one. I couldn’t be prouder of her achievements this year. She went into grade one with nearly no confidence in herself, but she’s learned that she is smart and she is capable of doing lots of things including reading and writing. Though we still struggle with her getting things done in a timely manner at home, but at school she does very well. I’m looking forward to what grade two holds for her. I also think about Emily she’s in grade 4 and although this year has been a struggle socially for her, as she has had some conflicts with a couple of students in her class and so it’s made it a daily struggle for her. She’s also struggled more intellectually then she has in the past years. Grade 4 was harder as it should be, but this year it caught up to her. But she’s also has friends, this is new for her as well. She’s had a friend or two in the past but this year she has a good core group of friends that she plays with every day. This is a huge things for her and makes me so happy as her mother. Although I still wish and pray for some Christian friends for her I’m thankful that she has found people who enjoy her company and she enjoys there’s. Emily mainly likes being with herself and so having friends isn’t always easy and I’m thankful for the ones she’s found.

As I sit here waiting for the girls to be ready for school this morning I think about summer. I think about what fun we are going to have this summer and the things we are going to do. Summer is my favourite time of year for many reasons. First, I enjoy my kids being home. I also enjoy sleeping in, summer is the time when we get to have time together as a family. I also enjoy watching my kids play together and become more then sisters but friends. It’s something I never had as kid, because my sisters were so much older than me they were never my friends. It wasn’t until we all became adults that we were able to start a friendship. My girls get more because they are friends already. I know they won’t always be this close but I think it’s very important that kids learn that their family are there friends. Because in life friends come and go, but family is always there. This summer I look forward to sitting on my deck drinking coffee and listening to my girls play together. I also look forward to the girls helping me with the house chores. Every year they get a little older and a little more helpful. Although I enjoy small children I’m really enjoying this new stage of maturity and helpfulness. Emily is now able to watch her sisters for a bit if I need to run out. She is also capable of taking some of the load off of me in regards to cleaning. I’m looking forward to her being able to help cook as well, but we aren’t there yet. Becca is also becoming more helpful, she does a good job with bathroom cleaning. I think it’s a good job for her because it’s a small room so it’s not as overwhelming as some of the other jobs. I know I haven’t talked much about my baby, but as the only child at home our day to day struggles are smaller. She’s a sweet child with soft personality until she’s unhappy and then she’s loud and stubborn.

Well Becca just came upstairs and told me that Emily is still in her pjs, did I mention that they need to leave in 5 minutes for school. Ugh………after all that about how great my kids are, they do still frustrate me. Emily is completely capable to getting ready for school very quickly but only if she wants too. Since school is done in 5 days she’s more than ready for summer, which means more struggles getting her to get herself ready in a timely manner in the morning. Although I completely understand it still makes me very frustrated. Why can’t she just get ready and then she gets some free time before school, this morning she went back to sleep, I guess. Which bring a whole new issue to light. School in June is so hard because the sun stays out so much later in the evening that it’s hard to get them to sleep on time, which means it’s harder to get them up in the morning.  

Well now the girls have left for school and once again I’m sitting her listening to Olivia do her device. She’s currently watching something on you tube for kids. My mornings are very quiet once the big girls go off to school, that will change at the end of next week.

What are you looking the most forward to this summer?

Today’s verse: Be patient, then brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sister, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door. Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 5:7-11

What keeps me awake at night!

Today thoughts: As I sit her listening to my daughter watching a show I think about life. It’s so much simpler when you are a child. Last night I couldn’t fall asleep, first of all because I was planning a sanitary bag for my 10 yr. old. It makes me sad that I have to think about these things when she’s still so little. It makes me even sadder that she will soon have to think about these things as well. It seems unfair that although she won’t have any purpose for her cycle for probably 10 more years she will have to live with it anyways. So as I lay in bed I decided that I need to make this transition as easy as possible, hence the sanitary bag that I’m going to sew her. This way whenever it comes she’ll be as prepared as possible. I was 11 when I got mine so not much older then she will be but it still seems more unfair for her.

Another thought that kept me awake was that I have a lot of thoughts in my head, many which never go anywhere. These are thoughts I want to share, but don’t really have an avenue. So I decided to at least write them down. So here I am writing my first journal entry, maybe I’ll post it on my blog, but for now it’s just for me. Some of my thoughts that I had yesterday was that I want to help find a new pastor for our church and as hard as it will be to see pastor go I’m excited to see what this next phase of our church will look like. Our Pastor has done so much for us over the last 11 years but God has called him to move on and that’s OK. Although change is never easy at the same time change is necessary for life. As our building gets build we are already in a time of change so the timing is right, as Gods timing is never wrong. The other thing I think about is Dean’s family this new position will give him the ability to spend more time with them, and they deserve that. It’s definitely going to be hard to see him go and to not be able to text him every time I have need something but this is good for him and good for the church.

As I think about Dean leaving I think: Do I look at the world differently than other people. Or does everyone see the world in this way? I’ve always had this ability to see things from other people’s perspective and although I don’t always enjoy that part of myself, it’s a useful ability when change is forced upon you. Our thoughts unique I don’t know, are they important I think so.

Yesterday as I advocated for Becca at a doctor’s office I thought about all sorts of different things. First I thought about how much I love Rebecca and how special she is. She looks at the world in a unique way also. She loves with her whole heart and she loved everything and everyone. But at the same time I find all her emotions very hard to deal with. She still cries on a regular basis over the cats that we have lost in the past. We still can’t even mention their names without her getting upset and crying. I also think about how hard she is to handle sometimes and I think about how her family is the only ones that she shows this side of herself too. Everyone else gets her best, they get all her focus and attention. They think she’s the sweetest, more caring, adorable and cooperative child ever, and she is to a point. But when she’s done being all those things for everyone else she has nothing left for her family and so we get the Becca who take 5 tries to put her backpack away and the Becca who can’t do her chores without me constantly reminding her what she’s supposed to be doing and we get the Becca who is distracted by everything and anything. As I sit at the doctor’s office trying to explain this to him, it makes me frustrated because if she’d show the other side of herself to other people we could start getting the help she needs. The help I wish I had when I was in school.

Being a parent is hard, we all want the best for our children but sometimes no matter how hard we try we can’t prevent things from happening. I cannot prevent Emily from getting her period all I can do is help her and be there for her when it does come. I cannot change the system for Becca and so until life becomes harder she will not get any help no matter how much I advocate for her. As a parent all we can do is prepare our children the best we can and pray. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have prayer. So many times I get frustrated with life or other things and all I can do is pray and know that God has a plan beyond what I can see. I don’t know what parents who don’t know Him do when things get out of their control.

I end this post with this:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Philippians 4:6

Journey

Well things haven't really changed much in our world, but I've been thinking that I have a lot of ideas and thoughts in my head and I wondered if anyone else out there feels the same. Sooooo.......with that in mind I'm going to try and write those thoughts down. Mainly for myself but also maybe someone out there will read it and find some insight in one of the crazy thoughts that go on inside my brain. So from here on out it will be me. Purely unfiltered and unedited which isn't something many people get to see. Please read with care and know that everything that I write is just what things I've been thinking about.

Potty Training Frustrations

Well as many of you moms have been through the trials and tribulations of potty training I'm going to post about the experience we've been having with Olivia. We officially started potty training just after Christmas when she started asking to pee on the potty. We used the age of reward system and everything seemed to be going very well for Olivia. She could even stay dry after a whole day of outings. I was so thrilled. Potty training can be such a nightmare I was so thankful that she was doing well. Then something changed last week. She now cries when you put her on the potty and has been refusing to pee. On Wednesday we had a very rough morning, she had three accidents and I was getting very frustrated. What happened to my sweet girl who always used the potty. So I persisted, started taking her every 30minutes and finally just after supper I was rewarded with a successful pee. Everyone made a big deal and I gave her a toy that we had bought previously and tucked away for when we would need it. The next day she was better we didn't have any accidents and I thought well now's she's back to being the well trained little girl I raised. But today we are back to crying and not wanting to pee again. In anticipation of this I bought a couple more clearance toys to bribe her with, since candy wasn't working anymore, and we've had it sitting on the counter just waiting for her to have a success, but instead she pees on the floor. I'm starting to feel like we are going backwards. What makes a child who was almost completely potty trained revert back? I don't know! Do you? I will keep persevering and hope that we get back to wear we were soon, but in the meantime I will lean on the words from Psalm 46 GOD is our refuse and strength and ever-present help in trouble. I will leave you with this image!

Help MOMMY's having a bad day! Call 1-800-grandma

Family of 4 doesn't suit anymore

Well it's been a few years since I updated my blog. Many things have changed. Emily is now almost 8, and Rebecca who we call Becca is 5 and in preschool, we've added a third child to our family. Olivia was born over 2 yrs ago.

Here's an updated picture of our beautiful family.

 

In the past year many things have changed.

For Emily: Emily started grade 2 this year and although she doesn't love school she is still doing really well. Emily also started her 5th year of skating this fall. She's now in junior star skate and is learning new jumps all the time. Last week she learned how to do the sow cow. I love to watch her glide around the ice. She's currently practicing to complete her first test, which will happen sometime in febuary. She's been practicing very hard and is getting tired of doing the same thing all the time, but if she passes her test I believe that will be reward enough. She also has developed psoriasis this fall, which has been a learning process for us all.

 

For Rebecca: Rebecca turned 5 in December and is full of life and character. She has been attending Pebbles preschool since October and loves going to school. She also started her second year of ballet in the fall, she hasn't been enjoying her ballet as much as she did last year. In January we moved her into a more advanced class in hoped that being more challenged would help her keep her focus, so far it seems to be working some. Rebecca has decided she wants to marry her preschool teachers son, because she wants her teacher to her her mom. Some Mother's might find that offensive, but I don't. I love how much love Becca has to give and the way she adores her teacher couldn't be any cuter. Rebecca is looking forward to joining Emily in Chestor Ronning school next year as she will be starting kindergarten.

 

For Olivia: Olivia turned two this past November and has more personality then any other little girl I know. She loves her sisters and is always willing to give hugs and kisses. Olivia is they shyest of all our children, she doesn't like strangers and won't go to anyone like the other girls would, but once she warms up to you, she will reward you with many cuddles and hugs. We had a few struggles in the last year with Olivia. It started last February when she started to refuse to eat. It took many months and lots of stress to finally figure out that she can't eat gluten. Now that we've been off of gluten for a while she's doing much better and looking and acting like herself again.

 

 

Keith and I: I have been learning lots of new things since Olivia can't have gluten. I bake more then ever before, and try new recipes on a weekly basis. Some turn out well and others not a good. I enjoy staying home with Olivia and Becca now.

 

In the summer we added a dog named Sadie to our family. She's a great companion and love nothing more then playing fetch and chasing the cats. All of the girls love Sadie.

 

Keith has been doing snow removal and lawn care. The summers are nice and relaxing and we enjoy spending many weekends in our trailer. This winter has been a bit strange for Keith. We haven't got a lot of snow, but he spent many days pouring ice melt on the sidewalks and it was very mild this January.

 

Well there's an update from me to you. I'm hoping to post more often about our daily journey. The struggles and the blesses of raising my family.

 

 

Poll: Cutie Patootie Contest - Voting

Poll: Cutie Patootie Contest - Voting

Everyone, I've entered Becca into this Cutie-Patootie Contest, so please go to the link above and vote for Becca. Only one vote per household, voting ends May 3. Go to Bellas Bowtique fan page to see all the pictures. There's a link to the fan page on the blog site.

xoxo
Kate

Becca rolling over!

Well I haven't had much to post lately, but a few days ago Becca overcame a milestone. It's been so nice to not have to worry about her going anywhere, but that is no longer true, as this week she learned to roll from her tummy on to back. She was so happy about being on her back that when I put her on her tummy again she didn't even wait long enough for me to turn the camera on before she was back onto her back again. I was so proud.

Sometimes I wonder are things less exciting with your second child then the first. Because you've already seen it before, but there i was laying on the floor trying to get her to do it again so that I could get it on video to show to everyone, because I was so proud of her. I am still very thankful that she's not as active as Emily was and am looking forward to not having her mobile for a while, but on the same token I can't wait to watch her learn new things to feel the pride and love I feel when I see her growing up.

There are some things that are different with your second child at least for me. I found with Emily I was always wishing she could do more things. Like when she learned to roll over I then wanted her to be able to move around. When she learned to wiggle her way around I then wanted her to be able to crawl, and once she was crawling then it was walking. I'm thankful that I got that out of my system and am able to enjoy Becca being little and I don't in any way want her to be able to do more than she already can. It seems unbelievable that she's already able to roll over and she loves sitting up, so i know it's won't be to long that she'll be sitting on her own, but secretly I'm hoping she takes her time, because this portion of her life is so short and I wasn't it to last as long as possible.

xoxo Kate

ps. If you want to see a video of Becca rollig over go to my facebook profile page, since I can't seem to get the video to upload here.

Holiday

Well on February 7th at 4:30 am, Keith and I started on the 8 hour journey to Regina to visit our best friends, Caren, Jordan and Penny Gray. We decided to start early because we wanted the girls to sleep most of the way, and Rebecca usually got up around that time to eat. The plan worked for Rebecca, I woke her up at 4am and fed her, and then changed her put her in her car seat and she slept until we got to Biggar, SK. Emily on the other hand didn't sleep at much as we would have liked. She woke up when Keith put her in the car and was awake most of the way. She did have a couple of small naps in the car, but I think she was just simply to excited to sleep anymore. So we drove straight though, except for lunch and gas in Saskatoon, getting us to Regina around 2pm.

We spent most of the week in a nice relaxing way. Keith got to go to work with Jordan almost every day, which meant they both got to spend more time together. Also, Keith really enjoys working at the Stripe Shop with Jordan, and even got offered a job. I spent a lot of time just hanging out with Caren and the girls. We did got out shopping both Monday and Tuesday mornings. We spent a lot of time chatting and drinking tea. Emily loved being with Penny, and most of the time they got along. Penny was very possessive of her stool, and so there was problems anytime Emily got her stool. Of course Becca just loved being there, she spent the whole time being held which she loved.

Thursday, Caren had to work from 9-1, so Keith stayed home with me and we went shopping. We went to Urban Planet and got Keith some very cheap clothes. Then we just drove around and looked around. We also went and got me a new winter coat for 50% off. This made me very excited, since I have not got a new coat since I was in early high school.

Friday morning a friend of Caren's came over with her children. I thought Emily would have loved playing with a girl more her age, but both her and Penny didn't much want to share the toys. They still enjoyed themselves.

Then Saturday, we stayed home while the boys went to see Avatar in 3D, they really enjoyed the movie. It was nice for them to be able to get out and doing something fun together, since up to this point they pretty much went to work and then came home and watched a little TV before bed. Then Saturday afternoon we went swimming. Emily really wanted to go swimming since we got there. Caren's mom, told us about a swimming pool that was good for younger children. It was great. Penny could touch in most of the pool and had fun playing with boats and making 'tea' for her parents. Emily of course had a blast like always. She could touch in the whole pool except the deep end, and loved it. There were 3 different slides and she went on them all. The largest slide was a little big for her, and she needed to be caught at the bottom, and even though a couple of time she almost didn't get caught she still loved it. Rebecca did very well also. She spent around an hour in the pool. Not really enjoying herself but not crying either. I did have to get out and feed her at the beginning and then an hour or so later she was tired and I got out her towel and just carried her around in the towel. She soon after that fell asleep.

Sunday was Valentines day. We started the day out by going to Celebration Church, where Caren's dad is the pastor. Due to the fact that it was love Sunday, they had a brunch set up, and tables and chairs in the sanctuary. It was a little distracting and I was a little sad that it was so hard to concentrate during the sermon. I always look forward to Pastor Brian's sermon's when we are visiting Caren and Jordan. In the afternoon Caren and I went to see Valentines Day. It was a pretty good movie we were a little disappointed that it was more romantic, it was a little sad. Though it was nice for Caren and I to get out without any children for once. Then in the evening Caren's parents Brian and Sharon Smith came over to babysit the children while we all went out for a romantic dinner. We went to very nice restaurant and enjoyed great food and company and then after supper went to Earls for dessert, before going back to the house. The girls all did very well with Caren's parents and everyone was asleep when we got back to the house. Rebecca also had a great evening, Caren's dad loves baby's and held her the whole time. She slept with him pretty much the whole time except for waking up once to eat and get her diaper changed, which was the only time did Brian lay her down. Brian made a comment about Becca that made me so happy. After we got home from our night out, Brian said that Rebecca was the gentlest souled baby he had ever met. Which is saying a lot since he's met a lot of baby's. If you know Emily, you will understand why this made me so happy.

Monday morning we went to the Saskatchewan Legislature building to get a tour from Caren's brother Troy. It was fun spending some time with Troy and learning a little bit more about Saskatchewan. After that we went out for lunch and then there was a very teary goodbye, before the long drive home.Saying goodbye is always hard for us. I keep thinking that the longer we live away from them the easier the goodbyes would get, but it seems that every time we see them the good-byes get harder, and this one was no exception. We made the drive home in record time. It only took us 7:30 to get home, and we only made quick stops, didn't even stop for supper just had snacks in the car.

Well that was what happened in our holiday. We can't wait to see our great friends again and home it won't be so long between visits.

xoxo
Kate

Rebecca 2 Months old!

Rebecca turned 2 months old yesterday and so today we had to go get her first set of shots. As a Mother going to get your child's shots has got to be one of the worst things there is. You must inflict pain upon your child. Yesterday also marked a week since she was to the doctor and put on formula. So I was very curious as to how much weight she has gained since we had her into the doctor's. It was amazing! Rebecca went from being 8lbs 12oz last Monday, to 9lbs and 15oz today. She gained over a point in a week. So my question of whether or not I should continue breastfeeding has been answered. There is no doubt in my mind that she is better off with formula. Don't worry I am still planning on nursing some, maybe once or twice a day, but I don't think that will last very long. Since she's been on formula she no longer really enjoys breastfeeding. She still will take it, but doesn't nurse for very long and still wants a bottle when she's done. It does make me sad to think that I will no longer be able to nurse her, but her being healthy is far more important than me nursing.

Here's the changes Rebecca has made in 2 months

Rebecca December 1st, the day she was born! Rebecca 1 week old, December December 7th!

Rebecca 24 day's old Christmas Day!
Rebecca 35 days old, January 9th!
Rebecca 2 months old January 31st!

Well that's all for now, hopefully she'll have no reactions to the shots, and well have a great week.

xoxo

Kate