MOTHERS DAY....AND I'M BEING SELFISH! BUGGER OFF!!

It's the day before Mothers Day WEEKEND...that's right, I take the WHOLE weekend!! Whats wrong with taking a WEEKEND out of the YEAR!? NOTHING!! I get to relax...OK, not all the times..lets face it, our Mother radar doesn't shut off!! I constantly jump to whatever demand this army asks! I'd rather do things than having them do it! Cause in the end...I'm cleaning up what they started and couldn't finish. AND come Monday...when things are back to normal(sigh)...the HOUSE has to be put back together! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my BRATS...just sometimes its more work for me, once the day/weekend is over!

I hear/read about Moms planning or suggesting what they would like on their day! Cards, flowers, dinners out, spa days etc etc...I've also seen surveys on what MOMS want!! There was one, and only 8% wanted a bottle of WINE!! What the hell is that about....8%!?

YEAH YEAH...every MOM is different, I get that!! But seriously....!? 

For the previous Mother's Days, we have gone to my favourite restaurant for BRUNCH...Milestones!! YUM!

Then I am allowed to BROWSE, ALONE...at the Antique Market! AND chose a gift!! Then, we end the day with me making Bruschetta(which I love doing....I am my happiest in the kitchen)...munching on olives and sipping WINE!! That is PERFECTION!!

Until this year.....

This year...Hubby is giving me the GREATEST GIFT EVER...he is taking OUR KIDS to the COTTAGE for the WEEKEND!! I will be alone and will LOVE it!! This weekend I can chat with myself, garden, write, read and drink WINE!! How PERFECT is that!!! For me...to be a BETTER Mom, means having ALONE time!! So take the kids away...bugger off!!!

I can tell you...when Hubby comes that home night..BOOM CHICKA BOOM BOOM!!

Happy WIFE(errr....MOM).....Happy LIFE!

JUST as I am finishing typing  this up...my 7yo daughter came to me and pleaded to stay home!!

She says she won't bug me at all...unless she needs something!! She also says that she wants to write too...!!

Hmmm...there might be a leak in my economy size bottle of wine......!!

Putting together a SHED from a BOX tests RELATIONSHIPS!

Snow has melted, days are warmer and brighter...its time to venture outside! Pasty white legs and toes peek outside the doorway, like a timid mouse, and seek the sun...its SPRING in Canada.
Flowers long ago forgotten, are starting again...its time for us all to start anew.
Its time for outdoor renovations!! UP GRADES!!

This year we bought a shed!! And a storage bench!! They were both in a BOX!! A BOX!!
YES...that means we have to get along like good little children and build!! I truly believe that every couple, before marriage..should be given a BOX of something....and told to build it!! If you can get along enough to build a shed and a storage bench...you will live a long life!! Perhaps too, that couple should be given a few kids...you know, to HELP in the process of building!!

There were a few slight hiccups along the way for the shed...for one, how we were going to get the HUGE BOX home!! Thanks to a friend with a pick up truck....we were back on track!! I strongly believe, that certain BIG BOX STORES should offer free delivery...especially if you are spending close to $1000!! Now this store also offered "installation" but they charge too much per hour...and I SOOO wanted somebody else to put it together!! I saw neighbours last year constructing a similar shed....let's just say, they had a few drinks that night!

Hiccup two....while constructing the frame, Hubby found out that "his" Son fried his phone....and after being on a help chatline for some time, the phone had to be reset...everything was gone!! Overall...it tested our relationship and I STRONGLY believe, it is safe!!

The SHED that can sleep 2, comfortably!

The following week...it was the storage bench! You would think, something smaller would be easier!!
I'm trying to think how to type this and still save my marriage.....it took Hubby, I think(?) 3 tries to complete it!! Let's just say "leave me alone and don't talk to me" were used a few times!!
So I did leave him alone.... and took 2 kids shoe shopping!! BUT I still believe...one shouldn't have eaten at a Buffet for lunch, then attempt to BUILD THE BENCH!

The BENCH that nearly ended it for us!

But we made it....the property is looking great and he is PROUD of what he accomplished! And he should be! I am PROUD that we are still married!! And talking to each other!!

NEXT WEEK WE MIGHT BUILD A BBQ!!
I'll keep you posted.....!

From SWEET DREAMS to REALITY......!

This was a recent morning, most of it happened before school started! Now not all mornings are like this, but like the saying says "when it rains, it pours!" There comes a point where you just have to laugh at everything that is happening!! And then wonder...why is this ALL happening to me?  IN ONE DAY!? What did I do? It started off with the KIDS fighting....Alex got punched in the face...by Katie(why, cause she says he is annoying)....to 6 kids making SNOWFLAKES in my kitchen and me having to sweep up all the bits of paper. And I swear, these kids were cutting just for the sake of cutting!!

Then as we started to go to school, the kids were running on the snow covered ice(regardless of my yelling "don't run, there is ice there")...to which Katie falls and then declares she will not go to school....to me finally bribing her to go, cause if you can't go to school then you can't go to a birthday party tomorrow! She decides to try school and since we don't have any tissues on hand, I use my red mitten and clear the snot off her face.

When I finally arrive home, sweep the floor from all the sand off their boots, put away all the PS3 equipment, I noticed cat puke in the corner!! While cleaning that up, my headache, which I have had since waking up, is intensifying and I wish that I could go back to my dream....BUT no, in the fridge I notice that a bag of milk has been leaking for about a week, and NO there wasn't any sour milk smell.

Finally cleaning and organizing things, to a point where I thought I could breathe....the phone rings....it's the SCHOOL!! Katie is too sore and is crying to go home! In the back of my mind...I was thinking about my DREAM!

My DREAM...cause it most certainly was a dream...I was being PAID to go to PARIS and WRITE!
I was travelling to the EIFFEL TOWER! I was just starting to walk up the stairs when I woke up......!

And you wonder why I like to have the occasional glass of wine!!?

After a Twitter Party, I still #ChooseAverage and thats OK!

Last night I partook in my first Twitter party...it was on the recent release of the Dove commerical........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DdM-4siaQw.

After reading tweets, favourites, retweets and commenting here and there...I left the party and thought about what was written as I laid in bed...it was hard to fall asleep. Sentences were forming in my head! Comments I should have said but the 140 word character was crippling my expressions.

I would have walked through the average door...that's what I feel...I have always felt average! But now that I am approaching 40(gulp), I am more comfortable with my average self...slightly! I am average on the outside! On the inside, I #ChooseBeautiful! I have a huge heart that is full of kindness and laughter....it oozes out of me! Isnt' that more important?

Beauty comes from within. And lets face...most outer beauty, in today's society, is fake. Make up and plastic surgery haunt our every move...we see it daily...hourly....through ads, magazines, tv and even hear about it on the radio.  It is fed to us, subconsciously...maybe we really don't hear what is being said...but deep down we HEAR and SEE it! Women and men, are competing...who is thinnest, smartest, prettiest, handsomest, sexiest and wealthiest. Those that are suckered into this are influencing their children...and so the cycle continues. Its scary! I have to admit...I am guilty!

I want rid of my grey hairs, flabby tummy and flapping arms. I read about various exercises and tried things out....only to quit after a few weeks...and partake in the once in a while regime. Slowly I am realizing I have that flabby tummy cause I gave birth to 3 huge, beautiful children. Flapping arms...well, I was slightly bigger years ago(and I should rejoice and celebrate that I am no longer that older self). So I am a work in progress! I realize THOSE ads are GARBAGE! But what about our younger, vulnerable generation? Perhaps Dove is targeted towards those(of all ages and gender) with self esteem issues? For those that are easily swayed by society ....Dove wants to encourage strength and #ChooseBeautiful.

But for me...I know I am average...and I am OK with that!! I will never have that waist, that face, that hair, those arms....but I will have a beautiful heart which will outshine it all...and make you fall in love with me!
 I am teaching my kids....my Daughter and Sons... that they are beautiful on the inside...even when they don't think so! That we should love and respect ourselves(our true self)...perfection does not exist, there are flaws in everything...and that most of society, media, fashion and Hollywood(minus a few great actors/actresses that know the truth)are fake! Be you! Love you!

After I #ChooseAverage, this was part of the next screen, along with a kit to help me #ChooseBeautiful::

"Beauty is a choice available to all of us every day. However, it’s a simple truth that women all over the world don’t feel able to see themselves as beautiful.
Mindfulness is a way of helping us all think more positively about ourselves by learning to appreciate our own unique beauty."

Here come the TWEEN YEARS...first sign, "I'm running AWAY!"

As a parent you know most school mornings are a rush.....trying to get everything done and motivate your kids to, let's say, SHOWER!! Currently my 9yo dislikes SHOWERS and does a dance of frustration when it's his turn!! This happened yesterday...as a result a mini-battle ensued and he lost privileges to the PS3 for the rest of the week!! Any parent knows....you have the power when you threaten to take away the PS3! Quickly their attitude changes...it's their life line..(sadly)...and once you take it away...they become a puddle of mush on the floor! But after doing this, things change...the child actually does other things!! They go outside, they read, they draw...!! It's a miracle!! They're ALIVE!!

This morning he was back on the PS3...I reminded him about his punishment!! He thumped upstairs and I didn't see him for awhile! Getting the other kids ready for school, I walked past his door...he was dressed, poster down off the wall and he was bunching up his bed sheet! Curious...I asked what he was doing!

"I am running away, I am giving the poster to Alex...and the sheet is for the food that I am taking....I'm just gonna walk to school and sit on the curb and wait for the bell."

My reply, "What are you gonna do later? And you can't take my food. You use your OWN money to buy food. And you will need lots of money to survive. And if the police see you, they will bring you back to me or take you to foster care. You will live in a strangers house and most likely go to another school."

He thought for a bit...."Well, I'll get a job delivering and buy my own food. I just want a new life."

I listened to his speech and he seemed determined in his running away! I could only think of this, "Well food is really expensive now a days...delivering doesn't pay much...you are going to be eating a lot of pasta and you don't like pasta! Also...you want a new life? By doing this you WILL have a new life for sure! But you know what, you will leave THAT new life too, cause you didn't change. You need to change your thoughts, attitudes and perspective and life will be amazing...if you stay here and just change your attitudes and accept that you have to shower, DAILY...you will have an amazing life!! And you know what...if you don't shower..you are gonna be alone...cause you will be STINNNNNKY!! Life can and will be hard and it will be harder when you leave. If you stay here...you have Daddy and I to help you! We will always be here to help!"

We sat on the bed and decided to have a "redo"!! He is currently in school and his bed sheet is back on his bed!

The running away made me think of myself! When I was around his age...I ran away!! I didn't like how I was being treated...and that part is fuzzy....I can't remember WHAT triggered the running away...but I was determined!! My little Brother was standing by the tree...crying, cause he didn't want me to leave! I remember THAT vividly!!
I ran away....and returned shortly after!! Mom didn't even know that I was gone!! LOL!! I feel like I have come FULL CIRCLE!

I have 3 kids....it's just the beginning, isn't it!?

End of MARCH BREAK!! Return to SANITY! Time to CHILL WINE!

FRIDAY!!!!

I got up out of bed this morning with a SMILE upon my face...NO, get your mind out of the gutter....I was smiling cause its FRIDAY...the LAST DAY OF MARCH BREAK!! I am sure parents throughout the area are SMILING!! I hugged my nine year old as he came out his room and gleefully told him, "it's FRIDAY!!" Don't get me wrong...we had fun!! NO set ALARMS! A few trips, lunch out, Jammie Day, visit to a friend's cottage, movies and HOMEMADE PIZZA DAY! I even finished reading a book and started another!! It was a great week!! And today it's FRIDAY!! School on Monday!!

((The choir sings...HALLELUJAH......!!))

It was just those moments where siblings were battling...yelling, with veins in their neck bugling(mine included..at times), injuries to the face(bloodied wounds from one kid stepping on another's foot, I am assuming accidental...it was ruled accidental), Monopoly games gone wrong(cheating...not wanting to pay rent, and not rolling the dice properly), fighting over coloured pegs to a game I don't even know the name of....AND fighting over what MOVIE to chose for MOVIE DAY!! Then came the point where I threw them outside to play....I let them loose....they played WAR GAMES and KILLED each other with HOCKEY STICKS!! I didn't care...I had PEACE in the house!! Our cat came out of hiding from the basement...she squinted her eyes...she wasn't use to the SUNLIGHT!


No one told me...the more kids you had...the MORE FUN it is!!
No wonder I like to sit back and sip wine on the weekend!!! Seriously...I am becoming a wine snob....I easily get frustrated now if the CORK doesn't come out with one swift pull.....SCREW CAPS are EASIER and so much more appreciative!!! I am glad that there are studies....telling us that RED wine is beneficial to our health(almost at equal value as if one went to the gym)....friends and family know to give me gift cards to the local LCBO!! The more exploring I have wine, the more followers I get on Twitter!! Its a win-win situation!

So...I hope everyone had an EXCELLENT March Break! Today, PARENTS are wearing a smile!! Bottles of WINE are CHILLING throughout the city!! Monday is school!!

My apologies if you are a teacher...but you chose the profession!!

Putting cinnamon toast ahead of my Son!

I had a late lunch today...sometimes a Mom gets busy doing this and that and finally you realize it's two in the afternoon. Today, being Friday...I wanted something totally not healthy! I mean I had healthy grain bread with quinoa....it's all about balance, right!! But I had a hankering for toast...smothered in melting butter and cinnamon sugar!! Mmmmmm....can you smell and taste it...YUM!! So comforting.....

Waiting for the toast to pop, something else popped...my relationship with the buttery, sweet sensation....the SCHOOL CALLED!! This was the third time this week that they had called.....and being the AWESOME Mom that I am, I answered reluctantly.  My 9yo injured his leg, while playing at recess on the snow hill...on the same snow hill that I previously told him NOT to play on! He got injured earlier this week from the same hill!! But here he was, back on the hill!! Don't kids learn!? Do they not listen!? Am I wasting my breathe, preaching about safety on the snow hill with over 500 kids!?

The secretary told me that he hurt his leg on a branch, I wanted to ask her "is there blood, a bone poking through?" I am sorry, but back in my day...if you were "injured", you got ice and eventually made it back to class. At home time, you made your way hobbling down the road and lets face it, most times you were fine!!

I then spoke to my Son.  He said I NEEDED to come pick him up! Now...we live 10 minutes from the school and we walk! He told me that he couldn't walk alone, he NEEDED me! I was passed back to the secretary...during this time, I was starring at my buttery treat, it was starting to get cold....begrudgingly I told her that I would be there in 20 minutes(did you catch that...we live 10 minutes from the school)!

I hung up...sat down and ate my buttery, cinnamon toast...savouring it!! My Son could wait!!
After all....its not often that I get to enjoy a treat...alone!! Am I a mean Mom....NO!!

I did laugh to myself as I cleaned up the crumbs....I put cinnamon toast ahead of my Son's "injury"......!!

By the way....he is fine, maybe sore...but not a single mark on his leg!!
I think we as a society are getting soft!! No!?
Soft...like freshly made bread...YUM!! With a dab of butter!!