Posted at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Today I think about my sister, Ailsa. I love her with everything that I have. She is one of the strongest women I know. She has lived through so many set-backs she could write not just a novel, but a series of them. I admire her gumption, her stick-to-it-iveness, and her optimism. I want nothing but great things for her, and wish I could swipe away all of her troubles. When good things happen to her, or for her, I am jubilant. When bad things happen to her, I want to fix them. In good times and in bad, I want to be there for her. To share in those moments with her, to laugh with her, cry with her, celebrate with her and mourn with her. I am blessed to have grown up behind her, to have learned from her, to be loved by her.
Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. ~Amy Li
Today, I honour my sister, please honour yours. WIthout Ailsa, my life would not be full enough. I love you Ailsa, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Thanks for listening. I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Well, it's official. I must be old. The other day I was driving home from work, listening to the radio, and they played a new song called Rude Boy by Rihanna. As the song played, my jaw started dropping lower and lower. I was gobsmacked. They are actually playing this song on the radio?!?!? Now, before you jump to conclusions, please note: I AM NOT A PRUDE! In fact, I am far from it. I'm probably one of the most in-your-face, blunt, forthcoming, sexually aware people you will meet. So why was I gobsmacked? Because I know my 10 yr old daughter loves music. I know she loves to sing along with all of the songs she hears on the radio, and I know she'll know what the lyrics to this song will mean. Here are the lyrics (copy & pasted from http://www.elyrics.net/read/r/rihanna-lyrics/rude-boy-lyrics.html )
Rude Boy lyrics
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Tonight I'm a let you be the captain
Tonight I'm a let you do your thing, yeah
Tonight I'm a let you be a rider
Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up babe
Tonight I'm a let it be fire
Tonight I'm a let you take me higher
Tonight baby, we can get it on
Yeah, we can get it on yeah
Do you like it boy?
I wa-wa-want
What you wa-wa-want
Give it to me, baby
Like boom boom boom
What I wa-wa-want
Is what you wa-wa-want
Na na ah
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Tonight I'm a give it to you harder
Tonight I'm a turn your body out
Relax, let me do it how I wanna
If you got it, I need it and I'm a put it down
Buckle up, I'm a give it to you stronger
Hands up, we can go a little longer
Tonight I'm a get a little crazy
Get a little crazy, baby
Do you like it boy?
I wa-wa-want
What you wa-wa-want
Give it to me, baby
Like boom boom boom
What I wa-wa-want
Is what you wa-wa-want
Na na ah
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
I like the way you touch me there
I like the way you pull my hair
Baby, if I don't feel it
I ain’t faking, no no
I like when you tell me kiss it here
I like when you tell me move it there
So giddy up
Time to get it up
You say you a rude boy
Show me what you got now
Come here right now
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Come here, rude boy boy
Can you get it up?
Come here, rude boy boy
Is you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Love me, love me
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me
Do you see why my jaw dropped now? I don't want my 10 yr old daughter singing this! What do I do? Do I ban her from the radio? Do I block Muchmusic from my tv? No, of course I won't. What I WILL do is sit down and talk to her. Listen to the song with her. Find out if she understands what this song is saying. And explain to her why I think it's inappropriate. Will that be enough? I hope so.
Thanks for listening.
I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
On Sunday night, as my husband slept blissfully, I was reflecting on my weekend and was overcome with a feeling of full satiation. It occurred to me that I was thinking about what a fabulous weekend it was, instead of thinking, UGH! the weekend is over already, where did it go?
What a great feeling that was! I replayed the entire weekend in my head, and let me tell you, it was a full weekend of activity!
Friday night I left work at 5pm, and instead of heading home, went to pick up my oldest daughter Mary from her friend's house, on to the grocery store and back home for a yummy dinner cooked up by my husband :)
After dinner, I greeted some 12 year old guests as they arrived at our house for my youngest son, Cameron's 12th birthday celebration. His actual birthday was the previous weekend, but Friday was "the party". He invited 2 boys and 3 girls "to make it even" and had decided they were just going to "play video games, maybe shoot some pool, and just chill and eat pizza". All of a sudden he's cool??? When did that happen? And one of the girls is his girlfriend??? When did THAT happen??? Of course I know when that happened, sometime before Hallowe'en, and I only know this because he needed extra money to buy her ticket to the Hallowe'en dance at school, because, "Mom, I asked her out, I'm supposed to pay for her ticket!" (Which apparently really meant, "Mom, I asked her out, now YOU have to buy BOTH of our tickets").
Saturday, I purposefully spent a lazy day, saving my energy up for a night out on the town. We joined some friends for dinner at Riley's Olde Towne Pub and after dinner joined more friends for an evening of drinkies and pool. Good times were had by all. I caught up with some old friends, and met some new friends and I was so caught up in the positive energy of the evening, even my husband was surprised at how great a mood I was in. (Not that I am miserable all the time, but I was in SUCH a good mood, I was literally bouncing out of my boots!). We finished the night having a night cap (ok, night capS, as in several more) at our friends' place before heading home.
And Sunday...Sunday was busy, and yet incredible. I dropped my youngest daughter, Helen off at the gym for her cheerleading practice, and went for breakfast with my good friend Jill. ( I know, I am Jill, and I am friends with Gill and Jill). We were able to get caught up with each other and get back to pick up our daughters from practice in the nick of time. Back home for an hour and back out...this time to take both of my daughters to their 1-hour tumbling class. I dropped them off, and wait for it, had my weekend making moment! I went to the car wash and...THERE WAS NO LINE UP!!! That made my day! I had driven past the car wash 3 times already that day, and saw cars upon cars lined up. I was expecting to have to wait in line for a good hour. I even told my girls I might be late picking them up from tumbling if the line up was too long. But NOOOOOO! I was able to hit the Timmies drive-thru for a coffee, hit the car wash, hit Home Outfitters for new bedsheets, AND get back to the gym to watch the last half hour of their class!! Seriously! The best day ever because of that car wash! (And yes, I know...small things amuse small minds lol)
I was still glowing from my weekend yesterday morning. Still grateful for everyone I shared it with, and loving that I was only five days away from my next one...which is going to include a purse party!!
Tonight, though, a happy Tuesday evening to be spent with some of my favourite ladies at a sushi restaurant. I'm looking forward to it so much, I wish I was already there :)
And how was YOUR weekend? Let me know, and I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Saturday morning, drinking my coffee, and I can feel the energy of the day. It feels good. Tonight I am joining friends at a local establishment for drinks, laughs and good times. I'm looking forward to it. I can already feel that it's going to be wonderful. My incredible friend Gillian is hosting the event. She oozes positivity out of her every pore. This is why I know it's going to be a great night. When she is involved, one can't help but enjoy themselves. She inspires me to be better. To be a better mom, a better wife, a better friend, a better me. I love her for that.
So now, I lift my coffee cup in a toast. Here's to you Gillian. For all that you do, and all that you are. Thank you. I love you. Can't wait to see you tonight. xoxo
This photo was taken many moons ago, when we were 17 & 18, in my parents' front yard. I love it. It looks like we are toasting to the world.
Take today to toast someone in YOUR world. It will make you feel good, and make them feel great.
That's all for now. I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Hoo! Haa! It's HUMP DAY!
Hump Day, the nickname for Wednesday. The middle of the week, or the peak of the hill as you head towards the weekend. It's a glorious day. It's "you're halfway there". And it's a day to savour.
It's a cuddle in your jammies and share a joke time. It's a making plans for the coming weekend time. It's a celebrate you made it this far time. It's the day before payday.
And seriously, why not take the day literally, and get humped on Hump Day? Who says you can't? Throw caution to the wind and seduce your significant other. There's no rule that says you can only hump on the weekends.
Why not savour your Wednesday? Go get humped!
Have fun, take care, and I'll be back here soon (I'm off to get humped! <wink>)
xoxo
Posted at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Oh what it takes to be a woman! Here I sit at my computer, head full of hair dye, trying to "wash that grey right outta my hair". I'm using a boxed dye from the drug store. Why? Because I have very little time to indulge in a few hours at the salon, and because it's certainly much more cost-effective to do it myself. Nothing fancy, just dark brown. :)
My oldest daughter, M, recently had her hair dyed too. She had low-lights put in to get rid of most of the blonde streaks she's been getting since she was 12 and a half. She decided in the fall that there are too many blondes at her school and she wanted to go back to her natural brunette colour. I must say, her hairdresser Arlene, did an amazing job! She looks stunning!
So, between hair colouring, and eyebrow plucking, and leg shaving, and make-up, and skin care regiments, and nail polish, and mustache removal, and on, and on, and on....being a woman is a lot of work!!!
Who do we do it for? Do we do it for ourselves because it boosts our self esteem? Do we do it for our men so they can be proud to have us on their arm? Do we do it to fit in with our peers? For me, I think it's a combination of it all. I do feel grand when I think I look good! YAY ME! I also love when my man thinks I look good, and getting complimented on my hair, or my outfit, at work, well that just makes my day!
Who do you do it for?
That's all from me for now.
Take care, I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Happy Monday!
I know, many, many of us tend to dread Monday as it means the weekend is over and we are back to our schedules of work, or school, but today I decided to embrace Monday. Instead of looking at it as the end of the weekend, I thought I'd look for the positive side of Monday.
Today is Monday, the beginning of a brand new week. Beginnings are an endless supply of opportunity and hope. Much like January 1st is the beginning of a brand new year, where people make promises of change through resolutions, and wishes of good things for the coming year, let's choose Mondays as the beginning of a brand new week, with promises of all things good and hopeful.
I'm choosing to look forward to my busy week of working, and running around with my kids to their sports; to be thankful that I have work to go to and sports that keep my kids healthy, social, and out of trouble. I'm hoping that focussing of the good, I will end each day happier, and more satisfied.
Wish me well, as I wish for you, all things good.
Enjoy your Monday :)
I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 08:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Oh, how I loved waking up to see the bright yellow sun! As a person who suffers from S.A.D. (seasonal affected disorder) my favourite winter days are always the sunny ones. It doesn't matter how cold it is outside when it's sunny. Just seeing that happy yellowness cheers me up :)
Tomorrow is the happy birthday of our youngest son (youngest son, but not youngest child). He will be 12. Oh the stories surrounding his birth have become family legends :). Let me share my own rendition of that happy day:
My first two births were happy events in themselves, with my water broken by the lovely nurses at the hospital and the roly-poly babies arriving a short four hours later. Both of them weighing exactly the same as each other, one boy (in 1992), and one girl (in 1995).
My youngest son, Cameron, was different.
I awoke at 4:15am that day (Saturday, January 10, 1998), stood up out of bed, and realized my water had broken. My husband had set his alarm clock for 4:30am, as he had plans to go to work. (he was a drywall installer at the time). I shook hubby's shoulder and said "wake up honey, my water broke". He opened one eye, looked at me and said "how do you know?". In retrospect, of course, that question is very funny.
I insisted he just get up and phone his mother who had volunteered to come over and stay with our other two children when this new baby came. As I listened to him on the phone, I distinctly heard him say "take your time".
In my head I panicked. I thought "Take your time?!?!?! This baby is going to come out at home if she takes her time!!!", but I didn't say it. Instead I rushed about, getting dressed, while returning to the bathroom several times to change, as the water didn't seem to want to stop flowing.. An hour later (which felt like far longer, I must say), my wonderful Mother-In-Law arrived to stay with our other two babies (A was 6, and M was 3), I placed a big folded towel on the front passenger seat of our car and sat down. Hubby, obviously was drivng, because at this point, my contractions had arrived in full force, every minute. We pull out of our driveway (the hospital is a 6 minute drive from our house) and my darling husband turns to me and says "I need a coffee for this" and does not drive towards the hospital, but takes us through the Tim Horton's Drive-Thru instead!!!
I was too focussed on my breathing and pains to complain. He gets to the window, and I am literally gripping the door handle of the car until my knuckles are white, to help me get through another contraction while he orders his coffee. He looks at me and says "do you want anything?" Pretty sure I punched him in the arm.
We arrive at the hospital, my sister was there (did I call her? I can't remember, I must have). They swoop me into a room, take all my details and rush me into another room to get my hospital gown on and "hop onto the bed". (Poor choice of words, I must say...these wonderful Labour & Delivery nurses have got to know that no woman in labour is going to "hop" onto a bed, and yet, that's what she told me to do lol).
I asked for an epidural. Not because the pains were so horrific, I mean, they were, but I was managing, it was because I wanted (needed?) to experience it. I went without for my first two babies.The nurse had things to do first, take my blood pressure, listen to my heart, listen to the baby, etc. I asked again. She had to check my dilation first. She checked. Too late! I was already 8.5 cms! It was only 6:15am! She offered me "the gas".
"The gas" was a little mask I was supposed to hold over my mouth and nose and breathe in deeply from, every time I had a contraction, and remove the mask to breathe it out. I did what I was told. I contracted, I breathed in deeply. Too deeply? So deeply that the mask was suctioned to my face! I didn't really need to even hold it there! HAHA! So there I was, sucking in the gas, and breathing it out all over my excited, and anxious husband.
So there we re, my husband, my sister and myself, along with an L&D nurse, while I beathed in all of this gas. Because of the gas, some of my memories get a little foggy here, but I do remember, at one point, pulling the mask away from my face and stating quite loudly (louder than it should have been, I'm sure), "I feel like I'm in The Exorcist!" I did! It did! That gas made me feel like I was going through labour, and watching myself go through labour at the same time. Like I was two people in that room instead of one!
Not long after that, my family doctor arrived and out came my wonderous baby boy. Cameron Kenneth, born at 8:05am on Saturday January 10th, 1998, weighing 8lbs,6oz. My smallest baby. ( I know, he was not small, just MY smallest lol). As they do, the doctor asked my husband if he would like to cut the cord. Of course he wanted to do that. The Doctor shows him where to cut and he places the snips in the right spot and cuts...and then it happened.
We suppose the Doctor had just not clamped the cord properly, because when hubby cut it, tiny blood droplets flew EVERYWHERE. The room was instantly covered in freckles of blood. They were on the ceiling, the blinds, the floor, the Doctor, myself, my sister, EVERYWHERE, except on hubby! He had one teensy-weensy droplet on the shoulder of his shirt. I felt bad for Housekeeping. What a job they would have to clean up that room for the next patient!
And there he was, our angel. Our quiet, happy-go-lucky little angel, who had not a care in the world. I was elated, hubby was thrilled, my sister shed a tear.
Thank you for letting me share this joyful moment with you. I'm sure you have your own joyful moments, I wish you more of them. :)
Enjoy your Saturday.
I'll be back here soon.
xoxo
Posted at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Well, here I am. I've been inspired by my wonderful friend Gillian to start my own blog. I have no theme or expertise to define my blog, I just intend to post my current thoughts, rants and joyful announcements to anyone who happens to stop by and take the time to read them:)
Now, to figure out how this typepad stuff works. Expect this blog to look better and better as I learn.
Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll be back here soon. :)
xoxo
Posted at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)