What the Furb am I thinking?

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Ok. So the holidays are quickly approaching, and my kids have one toy on their minds. FURBY BOOM. Last year, the must have toy of the season was the reinvented Hasbro Furby. This year apparently, it’s the upgraded Furby Boom. K-aos was delighted when she received her hot pink Furby for Christmas last year and she instantly fell in love with the little plush robot. She carried it everywhere, tucked it in at night and bawled every time its LED eyes went black, a sign that the batteries were about to die.

We became a “Furby Family” and K-aos even insisted that she have a Furby birthday party. Our little guy loves Furby as well, and there is a constant battle between my two kids over the Furbster. Thank goodness for durability, because he (or is it she?) has hit the floor quite a few times mid battle.

Now, as a parent, we all have to endure toys that get on our nerves. When K-aos received her little Sesame Street piano at age 3, there was lots of times I was thankful when the batteries died. She was also too little to notice when it went missing for days on end. Tickle-me Elmo was another one.

But nothing nags at my sanity like the constant chitter chatter of Furby. Sure, they may look sweet and innocent, but the schizophrenic little “Dr.Jeckyl-Mr.Hyde's", never ever seem to shut up. You know what it’s like, when a tap drips all night when you’re trying to sleep? Or a mosquito flies over you and you hide under your sheets? Well they are that F-urbing annoying! When the kids forget about Furby or we “conveniently” don’t have any more battery replacements … I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Wait. Do you hear that? It’s the sound of silence. F#$* yeah! J Now, I don’t know about anyone else, but our Furby has only acted cute and sweet twice. Ours is Dr.Evil, howling at the moon, more often than not. Furby’s manic behaviour and outbursts are enough to drive anyone to drink. Having a husband who howls every time there’s a full moon is enough to cope with. J

So I posed this question to K-aos, “Why in the world would you need another Furby?”

She looks at me like I’m stupid and replies, “So they can talk to each other and Furby Boom is so much cooler!”

If you haven’t seen the commercial for the new Furby Boom, they have upgraded Furby so that they are more interactive. (Do you remember Nano-pets? For some reason that’s how I conceptualize a virtual Furbling.) Although I haven’t seen one used yet, from what I’ve read, as you play with and care for your FURBY BOOM they will earn colourful virtual eggs that in time will each hatch and become a FURBLING virtual friend. The kids can feed their virtual Furbling, and even watch it go to the bathroom. You will be able to collect over 50 eggs within the FURBY BOOM app and eventually build a FURBY BOOM city. I don’t know what anyone else thinks of this, but the idea of a Furby city scares the crap out of me!

Now, when K-aos’s stepsister came to visit, she showed her how to go on Dad’s phone and upload Furby Boom videos on YouTube. Surprise, surprise, K-aos’s new favorite past time is to go online and watch what these colorful little monsters can do. If you ask Little J if he likes Furby, he points at your phone and says “Boom!”

So, what’s a mom to do? The letters to Santa are complete, and the number one thing is F.B. I will neither confirm nor deny, if Santa will be bringing a Boom for Christmas, the same as I can neither confirm nor deny that I have ever screamed, “Shut that Furby up, or I will shut it up forever!!!”

See my predicament? I am trying to raise grateful children, and we’ve had many discussions about not always being able to have everything we want. I’m sure my kids would be fine if Furby Boom wasn’t under the tree Christmas morning, sure they might be a bit disappointed, but they would get over it. The fact is though, I want my kids to be happy Christmas morning, and it’s the ONE thing they’ve asked for….

Gulp…..what the Furb am I getting myself into?

All I can say is, Santa better be compassionate and bring me a really good set of headphones, or a gift-card for a day trip to the spa, for my moments of Furby-induced insanity.

Good luck to all the parents out there, who will have a Furby/Furbling, or some other obnoxious toy joining their family this holiday.

Season’s Greetings,

Amy :)

A soul searching for a little country….

I’m back! I know it’s been quite the hiatus, but a lot has changed in my life in the last several months since I did my last post. One of the goals of this blog, was to work on my “Happiness Project,” which really required myself to evaluate my life, and the things in it that make me happy and those that don’t. Being able to have an outlet to express my thoughts and evaluating my life on paper, pushed me to figure out exactly what was missing in my life. In July the opportunity arose, for us to move from our townhouse we had been living in for almost 4 years and make the big leap to move to an acreage outside the city. Although, it was a big change and I was skeptical at first (especially when I’m used to being a minute from all amenities, grocery stores, and SHOPPING), I knew it was the right decision.

Growing up a country girl, I often thought about what my children were missing out on, that I really appreciated about my childhood. Being able to run and play, climb trees, make forts, dig in the dirt, go for hikes, have campfires, garden and just get dirty, are things that I want my children to experience every day. In our townhouse, I was constantly worried about the kids whenever they left my sight. I never wanted to take me eyes off them for fear that they’d get hit by a car, or kidnapped or worse. I know I probably shouldn’t have worried as much as I did, but city living sometimes has its draw backs. For me I feel it’s so important to let kids be kids, and I felt like I was failing in this department, when I was being such a “worry wart.”

Being able to offer my children a childhood and environment like I had growing up, means the world to me and brings me so much happiness.

This fall, the kids were outside playing house with old pots and pans, stirring in anything they could find in the yard to make “soup” and I couldn’t help but smile. I can still smell the concoctions, my sisters and I would come up with, when we made “soup” in the old pots in our sandbox. We’d mix in rotten tomatoes, rhubarb seeds, moldy cucumbers, basically anything rotten in mom’s vegetable garden. It was foul smelling, but we’d stay outside for hours making our gourmet specialties. It’s the little things like this that make me so grateful for where I am right now.

When expressing how much happier I am since we moved, my sister said to me, “That’s because country living is good for the soul.” I thought about it and I totally agree. The longer I live here, the happier I seem to get. Did you know that living in the country can add up to 2 years to your life? Not surprising really. It’s funny how mundane chores, are even enjoyable. Mowing the lawn, composting, raking; I appreciate it all after not having any yard for years. Even cutting firewood and hauling wheelbarrow loads in the house, (which drove me nuts as a kid) is enjoyable….nothing beats wood heat! When stacking the rows of wood, I can hear my dad’s voice telling me how to stack it just so, to ensure that the rows will be sturdy.  

I know I’m sounding a little nostalgic and sentimental, but this move for us, is proof that changing one thing in your life, can have a monumental impact on all other areas of your life. I am happier, hubby’s happier, and the kids are happy. I can’t ask for anything more than that. Making changes in your life can be overwhelming, and challenging trying to figure out where to start. But, I am slowly learning that taking baby steps and changing one thing at a time, might just have the most profound results. Although, my happiness project is still a work in progress, it turns out for me, that happiness is wide open spaces and a little dirt under my nails.

Now I’m off to shovel the snow from my driveway, which I’m going to do with a smile on my face! (I don’t know how long I will be saying that for!)

Xo Ames

Let me know if you too have experienced a move that was good for your soul!

Savvy Steals and Frugal Finds: Canada Day Weekend Addition!

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Over the Canada Day long weekend, our family went camping with friends at a lake near St.Paul, Alberta. Just leaving the city was exciting and it turned out to be one of the best weekends we’ve ever had as a family! Today though, we are back to reality, thoroughly exhausted and are stuck tackling the mounds of laundry :S!

 

On our way out of the city, we stumbled upon this treasure trove on the side of the highway, just east of Elk Island National Park. As seen in the picture there were lots of little buildings, trading posts, or buildings setup for yard-sales, and collectibles. There was so much great stuff to look at (and great prices too!) that we could have stayed the whole day, sifting through the treasures!

 

In the first little trading post we went in, the walls were covered in paintings by an artist of the name J.G Lewis, who is no longer with us. He had done paintings of all the places he visited in his life, areas in Alberta, places in Hawaii etc. Although the paintings were not overly skillful, they had a lot of folky-charm. We bought this painting, which was suitably of “Mount Robson, Alberta” (see why we had to have it?) for the amazing price of $5.00! Each of the paintings on the wall told a story, and Mr. Lewis had put a lot of work into them, we couldn’t turn down a piece of $5.00 art! So, the painting travelled to camp with us amongst our tent, air mattresses and kit bags! I think a new frame will do it wonders!

We also bought this great cowboy hat that we all enjoyed wearing while we were tenting on the weekend. It made for lots of laughs, as we each practiced our cowboy impressions and was also great for keeping those darn mosquitos off and the smouldering 30+ temperatures!

K-aos found this tiny dancer! She just had to have it of course, to display her earrings on. The elderly lady at the sale, gave it to her for nothing!

 

…and just because I think it’s pretty, I acquired this little jadeite set for myself. How much did I pay? $6.00!

On the side of the road we met Betty Newman, when she waved us over to see her artwork and her home-printed novels. The novels were true stories about a little girl and her horses. Her artwork and homemade cards were mostly of Alberta wildlife and bison in the area of where she lived. These were $5.00! So we purchased a painted card for $5.00, how could I refuse? Anyone that's willing to stand there all day by herself in the heat, with no chair, had me sold! Betty was wearing a great big floppy hat, which just added to her kooky character, but she wanted to take it off when I asked if I could take her picture for my blog. Her reasoning was that she had a new haircut! :) We loved Betty Newman!

Painting of bison in Elk Island Park, by Betty Newman

Betty Newman without her floppy hat! She was so fun to talk to!

 

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend, and had a blast searching for treasures. Although, it was the last thing on my mind when I left for the lake; you just never know when you will stumble upon new acquaintances, fun art, or a new prized possession.

 

xo Amy!

 

 

Finding My Motivation Again!

So, as promised previously, here comes the ‘Mommy Fitness’ section of my blog! I have been procrastinating in getting this started because once I start blogging about it I’ll have to be accountable! That’s not a bad thing though, it should help keep me motivated and maybe I will stick to my workouts better! Because I run a day-home, I am always busy watching my kids and other people’s kids from 7 am till 7 pm sometimes! After they leave, I have to get my kids ready for bed, clean my house, (which is usually destroyed) and try to get some ME time in after that. Sometimes this seems impossible! In addition to my day-home, I’ve also been helping my hubby start a business from the ground up, which has been proving to be a lot of work. My challenge lately, is trying to make the time to work out, when I am physically and mentally exhausted! But I am going to try!

Ummm, sometimes i'm not so sure that is possible!

So, here’s my fitness story! I have always enjoyed being active, I played soccer for years as a kid and then in university I started doing gym workouts. I love to work out, eat healthy, and feel the extra energy that comes from living a physically active lifestyle. After having 2 kids, I had to really work to get back into pre-baby shape. With K-aos I gained 70lbs, as a result of eating so many double cheeseburgers from McDonalds, (extra pickles no onions) and cereal bowls full of ice cream. I hadn’t intended to gain so much weight, but by the end of my pregnancy I was gaining 10lbs a week. My family doctor kept asking, “What are you eating? You have to stop drinking so much juice!” blah blah blah! I did what many women do during their first pregnancy and ate whatever I wanted. I have always been a “skinny bitch” as my momma calls me (she is just joking around) so I wasn’t worried about it! I actually lost the 70lbs relatively quick after K-aos was born; she was after all an 8lb baby. When I was prego with Little J, I gained 55lbs. I ate a lot healthier for that pregnancy, but despite my healthier efforts I still gained a lot of weight! He was a 9.5 lb. baby. Thank goodness for C-sections! J After Little J’s birth, I struggled much more to lose the baby weight this time. I was crazy busy with my 2 kids; however, the belly bulge just above the C-section scar remained. So, it was time to do something about it! For my New Year’s resolution (2012), I resolved to get in good shape. I started off by cutting out all the junk, white bread (Only wholegrain bread), and Pepsi (this one was hard!). I also started doing Turbo Jam again. I am such an advocate for this one! Turbo jam first caught my attention on a silly infomercial, but I was sold! I did the ‘Ab Jam’ dvd everyday (it’s a 20 minute workout) and the ‘20 minute’ workout dvd. Occasionally, I did the Cardio Party dvd; however, not as often because of all the kicks involved (I have wonky knees!). I also did some weight training in our home gym, but nothing crazy. After 2 weeks, I was addicted to working out again, and at my strongest I was doing and insane amount of ab work everyday, 300 jumping jacks, 40 pushups(in a row) and a lot more bodyweight workouts (check out body rock too)!

Confession: This winter I lost it! :( I indulged in far too much delivery pizza and chicken wings. I still ate healthy for the most part, but those late night cravings for delivery won me over. I have slowly stopped doing my dvds, and have barely gone to hot yoga. So it’s time to kick it in to high gear again. I CAN DO THIS! :S

This time I have more specific goals that I want to put into place:

Let’s start with some ‘naggy tasks’, that I have been intending on doing for a long time, and just haven’t bothered doing.

Naggy task 1: Although I am pretty skinny; I like to be strong and slim. I have a hard time putting muscle on my legs because of my knees (my knees turn in). So, one of those ‘naggy tasks’ that I have been meaning to do for a long time (but I keep putting off), is to meet with an orthopedist. I am positive that with the right orthotics that I can start fixing this wonky knee issue and have more success with running and putting some meat on my legs J

Naggy task 2: I have had some stomach issues basically my whole life, IBS runs in my family, and many things can cause my stomach to ache and bloat (bell peppers, milk, onions etc.). I would really like to pinpoint what is causing all my crazy stomach bloat. I can go from having a really flat tummy one minute and then look like I am 6 months pregnant within a matter of minutes. Last year, when I was working out like crazy, I was taking Iso-Sensations natural flavored protein. I noticed that my stomach was bloating all the time. After buying several buckets of that protein, I decided to switch it up (even though the Iso-Sensations one was $30.00 cheaper). The only difference between the new protein I bought and the old one, was that it’s lacking a gluten based glutamine peptide product, which can cause celiac symptoms. The IsoFlex protein, I can use with relatively no bloat. So, I am thinking maybe I have a gluten sensitivity, which I have been worried about for a while. So, it’s time to meet with a nutritionist or a doctor to have a gluten allergy test done. I am almost 30 years old, so it’s about time that I got my digestive issues figured out!

Besides my ‘naggy tasks’ that I need to do: here are some other fitness goals and things I would like to do, that will aid me in getting into my best shape yet!

·         Do more yoga: (I love hot yoga, but I have slacked off! I find it’s great for my stress and for my flexibility, so hot yoga here I come!)

·         Bike more: I have a great bike that I haven’t used yet this spring, simply because it has 2 flats. Apparently I need a “chuck” or whatever that is. So, I am going to figure this out!

·         Buy new sneakers: I would love to have a new pair of trainers and a pair of runners, mine are in brutal shape. I guess I will wait until I see an orthopedist before I take on this one though.

·         Start a reward program for myself: For example, if I get ‘X’ number of good workouts in, maybe I will splurge and get some new workout clothes. You know it’s true what they say, if you look good and feel good about yourself when you are working out, then you tend to give better workouts. I am pretty sure Oprah said this at one point. Haha

Where I was last year this time, and where i want to be again!

Well there you have it! I’m ready to start getting into shape again, and this time I am going to tackle the challenges I was facing before. I am going to do posts about my progress and my struggles. You may find that I post things about healthy eating as well! We’ll see! I hope that I can make the time to do it.. Please feel free to leave comments on my posts and share your fitness challenges and stories as well! I am always looking for pointers so please feel free to share! If you have advice on making more time to work out, I could use that too!!!    

xo Amy

Magic Eyes (One Of My Favorite Parenting Ploys)

As a kid, I was always amazed when my mom could tell if I was up to something, even when she was in another room. I have cleverly inherited this genetic, and have magic eyes as well. J The magic  eyes kick into high gear, the moment my house gets quiet. A little TOO quiet!

Me: “K-aos! What are you doing?”

K-aos: “Nothing!”

I’ve learned that Nothing usually means Something.

And sure enough, if I go into the room where she’s hiding out, she’ll be doing something that she probably shouldn’t be doing.

 I have convinced her over the last couple of years, that I have magic eyes in the back of my head, hiding underneath my hair. She’s amazed that I can see her doing things, even when I’m not looking in her direction! Quite often, she asks to see them, but I have explained to her, that if I show them to her, they won’t work anymore. Now that she’s 5, she’s doubted the factualness of my enchanting eyes…

Last week, I told her to go upstairs, get her jammies on and go pee before bed. She was super-fast so I KNOW that she hadn’t gone to the washroom. I said, “Remember! I have magic eyes! I know you didn’t go!” So she goes to the bathroom again, and once more was a little too fast. She yells, “Ok I peed!”

I knew what was going on right away; she was testing me to see if my magic eyes were real! So, I say “K-aos!  Do you really think my magic eyes would let me down? You can’t trick them!” She gasps in amazement! “How did you know?”

What can I say? You can’t pull the wool over these eyes! Good ol' mother's intuition!

Let Them Be Little

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Speaking of Colourful Confessions, this one I just have to share! Recently when one of my day-home moms dropped off her 2 kids for the day, she laughed “You would not believe what E. did while I was in the shower! I was only 2 minutes I swear!”  When she came out she discovered That Princess E. had coloured her younger brother, from head to toe in blue marker.

Later that day when I was changing Captain C’s diaper, I discovered that he still had some blue marker on him. His sister had literally coloured EVERYTHING, including his genitals and anus with the blue marker! Bahaha! (Seriously what goes through kids’ minds sometimes?)

Later when their mom came to pick them up, I chuckled “Even his bum was blue!”

Then she looked at me and declared, “Kids can be so dumb!"

Unexpectedly, we both looked at each other and power laughed! A “Mom Power Laugh!” Like it was the most hilarious thing we’d ever heard! NOT because we actually believe kids are dumb (kids surprise me every day with just how smart they actually are), but because we shared a mutual understanding of what she meant by it. You just never know what these crazy little creatures are going to do next on their quest for knowledge and understanding. Sometimes they turn the ‘normalest’ of activities into something ridiculous and funny!

This is what makes parenting so much fun. Sharing in our children’s journeys of discovery and letting kids be kids. As hard as it is sometimes to let go of our “inner control freak,” letting them be little, and learn in their own way is so important. Eating the play dough, dumping out all the toys, jumping  in mud puddles, getting dirty and climbing on the table, are all just ways that kids learn about this crazy world we live in. Sometimes cheap fun (where we don’t have to go out and spend a small fortune) can be the MOST fun!

Anyways, I could ramble all day! But, this is a perfect example of a story that they better hope we forget about,by the time they’re teenagers! :D

My Little Camera Rebel

(And I am not talking about my ‘Canon Rebel’ either!)

Well I hope everyone had a terrific Father’s day weekend! A big thumbs up to all the amazing Fathers out there (HI DAD! I love you!). My weekend was pretty uneventful except for that I wiped out on our front steps in wet flip-flops, skinned my knee and ripped a hole in my favorite jeans! Besides that, I spent most of the weekend stressing out over our family pictures! We booked a time slot with Belle Photography and Design, who was doing a family mini marathon photo day on Sunday. This means, I got a 1 hour time slot and a cd with all the pictures that she took. I hadn’t had pictures taken of Little-J since he was really little, and he’s almost 2! Our daughter, K-aos had pictures taken twice by the time she was that old! It’s the whole second child syndrome!

 Little J’s first professional pictures I had taken when he was a newborn.  I have always loved those beautiful sleeping newborn pictures, where the babies look so innocent and angelic! Curled up in little furry blankets or wearing cute little angel wings! I thought it would be easy! I made sure he was fed and napping when the photographer got here; however, he woke up shortly thereafter and cried basically the whole time. Not only that, they had brought the cutest little knit hammock and diaper cover, which he proceeded to poop in, pee in, and throw up on. He showed me just how much he liked pictures! It was madness!  Why me?

So yesterday, we attempted professional pics with him once again (2 years later). It was quite surprising that we arrived only 20 minutes late for our appointment! Why does it seem so impossible sometimes to get everyone dressed and out of the house on time? (This time wasn’t even really our fault either; we were stuck in some really awful road construction.) It had been raining all weekend, but it let up just before our pictures. Whoo hoo!  So things were looking pretty good, and I was optimistic that things were going to go well.  I must say, Little-J looked pretty darn cute in his new threads and his fresh hair cut! He looked like such a little man!

So what do you think? Did the pictures go well? Was my little monkey perfectly poised?

Ummm not quite! Little-J would NOT sit still, he refused to sit on any of the props for more than 15 seconds, and he wouldn’t smile or look at the camera! The photographer (who was great, and very patient) even had a cute little Elmo that wrapped around her camera lens, but that didn’t work either. He knew exactly what he was doing and wanted nothing to do with the camera! The little rascal! K-aos on the other hand, was a perfect little model! She loved the attention. We could have taken her picture all day long. Oh well. Maybe next year!  I’m sure our photographer captured some good shots; I just hope there is one where Little-J is smiling a little bit! J If anyone has any tips for getting an almost 2-year old to sit and have his picture taken, fire away!  I guess the old saying is true “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and we were at least able to capture the true spirit of a toddler! Which is rebellion! Why do 2 year olds have to be so darn difficult? I guess I should just be grateful that he didn’t puke on anyone this time!

 

A Storm’s Brewing! Let’s Recharge!

Thunderstorm over Edmonton from www.flickr.com

 

The afternoon has been hot, muggy, sticky, and as I wipe off the last of the orange Creamsicle from Little J’s hands and face, the winds begin to pick up, the trees start swaying and I see in the west the menacing apocalyptic clouds moving in. Within minutes, the first large drops of rain begin to fall, and as predicted, I hear a clap of thunder…

One of the things I look forward to the most about summers here in the prairies, are the almost nightly electrical storms that move in. Just as all the stress and tension of the day builds up, one storm can seem to relieve all the stress and tension both from life and in the unstable atmosphere. The deafening booms of thunder, and the blinding illuminated sky, are exciting and exactly what I need to make me feel alive after a day of the mundane.

 It’s almost a guarantee that every other evening here in the prairies that we’ll get a refreshing thunderstorm to break up the mugginess. I love to sit with the windows open, feeling the wind blow thru and listen to the storm. The kids too, have developed my love of a good storm, and press their little faces up to the windows to watch the rain and flashes of lightening. If my husband is home, he often says, “Get those kids away from the windows!” and “Shut the doors!” Growing up it seemed that I was never frightened of these storms, nor did I feel the need to be. It seems like older generations are more apt to be cautious when the thunder roars. I’ve never really given it a second thought.

Last summer my sister was at a wedding rehearsal at Celtic Lodge on Cape Breton Island, (check it out, it’s so nice! http://www.kelticlodge.ca/) when a thunder storm blew in. She was leaning against a deck railing on a cottage when there was a HUGE clap of thunder and lightning struck about 10 feet behind her. She leapt across the deck, her heart pounding in her throat. The lightning strike was close enough that the alarms went off in the cottage and she felt charged the whole night. Although this makes for quite the story, it had to be frightening none the less!

So, now I’ve decided that maybe it wouldn’t hurt to do a little research, on what one should Really do when there is a thunderstorm warning. Maybe I should actually teach my kids, that pressing their faces up to the window screens might not be a great idea.

                                           kiddos watching a storm summer 2012 :S

"If you can see it, flee it; If you can hear it, clear it."

Ok. So there it is. A one sentence rule of thumb to follow! I was actually quite surprised by some of the information I came across with the CCOHS (Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety).

Did you know?

·    Lightning kills six to twelve people every year in Canada, and seriously injures another sixty or seventy people

·    A lightning bolt is a million times more powerful than household current, carrying up to 100 million volts of electricity. When someone is struck by lightning, an electrical shock occurs that can cause burns and even stop the person's breathing.

·    Although thunder and lightning can occur occasionally during a snowstorm, April to October are the prime thunderstorm months in Canada. Thunderstorms occur most often in late afternoon or evening, and around sunrise.

·    Because light travels faster than sound, you will see lightning before you hear the thunder. Each second between the flash and the thunderclap represents about 300 meters. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance.

What to do during a storm:

·         The number one thing to do during a storm is to go to a safe location in a large permanent building or metal vehicle is best. Please note that tractors, golf carts, and topless or soft-top vehicles are NOT safe! Unsafe places are near metal or water; under trees; on hills; near electrical equipment.

·         When inside a vehicle during a lightning storm, roll up the windows and sit with your hands on your lap and wait out the storm. Don’t touch and part of the metal frame or any wired device in the vehicle (including the steering wheel or plugged-in cell phone). A direct strike to your car will flow through the frame of the vehicle and usually jump over or through the tires to reach the ground.

·         If you are with a group of people in the open, spread out several meters apart from one another.

·          If you get caught in a level field, far from shelter, crouch down on the balls of your feet immediately, with feet together, place your arms around your knees and bend forward. Be the smallest target possible, and at the same time, minimize your contact with the ground. Don’t lie flat!

·         If you are in a building, stay away from doors, windows and fireplaces.

So there you have it! Some do’s and don’t do’s for your next powerful summer thunderstorm! The kids and I are about to do a unit on weather, so I think it will be fun to incorporate a “What to do during a thunderstorm” activity! Better safe than sorry!

Xo Amy

(Not so sure I can change my ways though!)

 

Savvy Steals and Frugal Finds

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          As mentioned in my happiness project blog, one of my steps to happiness includes pursuing passions and making time for fun. Gretchen Rubin, of The Happiness Project, suggests that “a collection provides a mission, a reason to visit new places, the excitement of the chase…and often, a bond with other people.” Sounds fun right? I love decorating, collecting and pretty things, (including vintage items) and I enjoy the thrill of the hunt; whether, it is surfing on kijiji, visiting antique stores or going to garage sales. I am lucky because this is something my husband enjoys as well. He loves a fun repurposing project!

As a child, my parents used to drag us to yard-sales on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the Annapolis Valley. Unlike here in the city, the yard-sales were usually far and few between. This meant long drives and 3 of us crammed in the backseat. God forbid I was the unfortunate one stuck in the middle. My father liked to stop at the sales with lots of tools or farm equipment, which was very dull, for my twin sisters and I tagging along in the hot car.

          Now as an adult, I have come to enjoy yard-sales, and it’s a favorite pastime on the weekends for my family and I (we’re such geeks I know!). Here on the outskirts of the city there are so many! You don’t have to plan a route or scope out the night before where you might head. There are brightly colored signs on every corner and every turn. Each one competing with one another, to see who can make the best sign. They add streamers, balloons, even stick them on 10’ high posts… you get my drift. Sometimes it’s fun just to talk to the people at the sales! We met the cutest elderly couple on the weekend, who we probably could have talked to forever! Maybe it’s like I mentioned before, we don’t get out enough! J

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        I love treasure hunting, and you just never know when you are going to stumble upon a gem! So I thought it might be fun to show off some of my frugal finds over the summer, both from garage sales and kijiji, which we are also addicted to checking out! (I should mention that although I have a more modern sense of home décor, I like to integrate some older pieces as well… is that shabby chic?)

Please feel free to share with me your bargain finds and comment when you feel I got ripped off! (or just bought JUNK) Trust me I don’t mind! 

This past weekend, I found this little gem at the yard-sale with the elderly couple I mentioned previously. It sits about 8 inches tall from the bottom of the nut to the tip of the tail. It opens up, and can be used as a candy dish etc. I think it will be adorable for fall décor. I plan on placing it on a table with some small pumpkins or gourds and adding some fall foliage! I think it will be really cute! I asked the elderly lady if there was any story behind it, but she said “Nope, no story, just that my sister made it in a ceramics class.” Umm… I am not so sure I believe that! But anyways…. how do you like my nut?

Keep Calm and Corn On!

Finally summer is just around the bend, the farm markets and grocery stores are full of fresh summer produce, and there’s lots of opportunity to getting working on some good ol’ clean eating! No more cheesy comfort foods for this chicky! Yesterday, as K-aos and I were walking into our local grocers, I offered to buy her a treat. The first thing she sees when she walks in is a large wooden bin of corn. She shakes my arm, “Mommy! That’s what I want as my treat! Corn on the cob!!! Please? Please? Please?” Well, how can I say no to that one? It’s healthy, 5 for $1.95 and won’t give her a three hour sugar buzz!

            As we start to select our ears, K-aos says, “Mommy, do you remember when…”

She doesn’t have to finish her query… I know exactly what she’s going to say before she verbalizes it. Selecting the corn brings back that “not so fond” memory, of our corny incident from last summer.

I was standing in the kitchen, removing an ear of peaches and cream corn from the steaming pot, when I hear a scream from the dining room. K-aos is screaming bloody murder, and flailing around like a fish at the table, “Help me! Help me! It hurts!” She is thrashing about and screaming at such a high pitch, that I wonder if I need to call an ambulance.

The other kids at the table have to shriek, “K.aos put a corn up her nose!!!”

 Oh dear. A parent’s nightmare! We’ve all heard the trauma stories about the kid who stuck a marble up his nose, or a pencil eraser, or a piece of Lego. Well, it finally happened to me! I try my best to explain to her, “K-aos! You have to calm down. The more you freak out, the more likely you are to sniff the kernel further up your nose! You have to let me see.” It takes a lot of convincing, but she finally holds still long enough for me to get a look. There It Is. A great big corn kernel 'cork', lodged in her nostril. As it was my first experience dislodging a foreign object from a nose, I first suggest, “Let’s try blowing it out.” I grab a tissue and encourage her to blow, but that doesn’t work. She starts panicking again, and I can feel my blood pressure rising as I realize that this might be more difficult than I initially thought. I scream “K. you have to calm down. You are going to snuff it into your brain!!!!” Probably not something I should have said; however, she composed herself, and lets me sneak another look. I go get a set of tweezers and within several attempts, I am able to capture the culprit and extract it. Pheww!!!!!!!! I did it! Supermom saves the day! I hold up the piece of corn high in the air and wave it in triumph! I breathe a sigh of relief. This was followed by a lecture to all the kids never to stick anything in their noses!

So, did I go about the whole ordeal properly? Was I able to maintain my composure? Not 100%. It was pretty dramatic. So, I’ve done my research for the next time I may become a proboscis medic. For anyone who might ever be around kids, there is always a chance that you may someday have to go through the same ordeal as I. Here is a link with advice for what to do when this happens to you. Stay calm. http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/grooming/stuck-in-nose.aspx#

Love,

         Amy

(oh the things you learn!)

 

Yay! A Blog Is Born!

Welcome to Colorful Confessions and My Crazy Life Amongst The Crayons! I am the proud mom of two beautiful children and work from home. I run a dayhome, where I often watch up to 6 children on a daily basis! I love children and find them extremely entertaining; however, sometimes I feel like I am in the middle of a colorful Kalaeidocscope of crayons, toys, sippy cups, diapers and fruitsnacks.

My Aha! moment happened on Monday, when I finally decided that it was time to start my blog. I had cleaned my entire house the day before and I left the dining room for all of 40 seconds. Upon returning, I quickly realized that a box of crayons had clearly detonated! A rainbow of Crayolas were sprawlled across the floor, crayon wrappers were littered across the table, one child was chewing an atomic tangerine crayon and another was hastily scribbling in indigo blue, on my recently painted walls.

                                     BREATHE!

My days can be hectic, crazy, and I never seem to have enough time to get anything accomplished. I just have to remind myself that “The days are long, and the years are short.” Time goes so quickly now, and before I know it, these rambunctious kids of mine will be teenagers and I will wish that I had slowed down, took more deep breaths and cherished every moment with them. I am hoping that with this blog, I can share my stories, have a little more adult conversation, and form a treasure house of memoires that I can always cherish.  

Love,

        Amy R.