And Then It's Here....

Every year around the first week in October I start to think of the Christmas season.   I am not one that goes crazy with gifts in dollar amounts but I do enjoy giving gifts.  I often prepare homemade jam, squares, bread and other goodies to give out to friends, family and neighbors.  I enjoy the season for just that....harmony with others. A slow down enjoy family, remember traditions that are gone with loved ones that have passed on, and generally just slowing down time.  A break from school, hockey, work and many other things that just fill up our days.  I usually have all the gifts purchased early and usually online so I do not have to be in the stores during the rush.

Why today on the eve of December am I so darn cranky?  I love this season and the reason of why we celebrate.  Am I the only one that can cry listening to "O' Holy Night"?

Today as I grumbled putting up the decorations I put on Christmas music to get me in the mood.  That did not work so I read a beautiful story of Jesus's birth to the youngest three while we set up our nativity, and yet I still am a grump.  So disappointed in myself.

I have a busy weekend ahead and next week my husband is gone once again for training.  I LOVE that he is receiving this training, I LOVE that he loves his challenging job, I LOVE that he gets paid for the week BUT...I do miss his help and companionship when he is gone.

Maybe that's what it is..maybe it's because the sun has yet to shine this week...maybe I am PMS'ing.  I don't know.  What I do know is I need to suck it up and put a smile on this face and find some Christmas cheer.

Wordless Wednesday - Rescuing Bob

Gage thought Bob would love a dip in his cereal.

Linking up with 5 Minutes For Mom & Wordless Wednesday.

And They Were GREAT!

I am a full Pinterest addict....I will not even try to deny how much I enjoy surfing the website.  I tried Bagel Bites today and let me tell you..................

YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was super easy as well.  You can find the recipe and where the pin came from here. 

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - Escape The Cats!!!

{This was not a leisure walk with the pets...he was really angry they were following him}

Linking up with 5 Minutes For Mom and Wordless Wednesday.

Quotable Mondays

I feel as if my skin is the only thing keeping me

 from going everywhere at once.

 

-Prince Henry, Ever After: A Cinderella Story

I Can Be Annoying

I know myself enough to know these things...

1. I'm loud.

2. I like to talk, chit chat, shoot the breeze...you get the point.

3. I know I need to learn to shut up.

4. I am definitely not a loner.

5. I like to keep busy and the busier I am the more I get done.

6. I do not work well under pressure nor do I get any thrill from that feeling.

7. I adore people...

good people, people that do more for others than they do for themselves....

I simply adore hearing their stories or spending time with them.

I know many other things too but the points I made above are some qualities in myself that I know drive some other people bananas.  I am learning to come to terms with that.  Though I can learn to downgrade the chatter I truly could never quit being so talkative, it's who I am.

There is a point a person needs to embrace these qualities in themselves that maybe are not fully accepted by others and move on.  I am not there yet.  I'll leave a group gathering and be sooooo embarrassed by something I said or did.  That feeling just does not leave right away.  I usually get a little sad over it and worry that I offended someone or a certain individual doesn't care to spend anymore time within the space I may be occupying in the universe {might I say it's usually a happy place}.

But then....there are those times you go out on a limb and you know your supposed to open your mouth.  You know that you are supposed to go out there and say the words or be in that space.   It's never a comfortable feeling but instead your heart is beating faster and you just know....so you do it...you say what's on your mind. 

Many times there is no return from those words that you were scared to say BUT you end up seeing the blessings because you chose to speak directly from the heart.

Wordless Wednesday - Sights From The Farm

Linking up with 5 Minutes For Mom & Wordless Wednesday.

Quotable Mondays

The less people speak of their greatness,
the more we think of it.

Lord Francis Bacon

A Rant - Preschool & My Kids

I have two things I must get off my chest so if you are not into the venting posts I suggest you end your reading experience...here.

Number one....Why must people "tease" me of having four children.  I do not understand it.  Usually these comments happen when I am chasing the youngest or diffusing a battle with the twins.  A fellow parent will wink and say "Why not try for one more." one lady leaned over to her husband after witnessing me have an ugly moment and said "..and that is why I am glad we only had two kids."  That last comment stung for awhile.

Most of the time these comments come from parents who have three children and are older than my own.  Do they simple not remember those days of running after toddlers and preschoolers sick of sitting at their brothers hockey games or were their parenting skills just superior to my own?

These are the days I wish my Mom was here. She would have been right beside me at those rinks chasing after the kids alongside me....OR keeping them at her house, baking cookies or coloring or just sitting with them watching TV.  She also would have been encouraging me to forget these comments and assuring me I am a good parent.

When I feel anger and hurt from these comments I try to remember that and not "go there" with others.  We have no idea what people are battling in their lives.

Number two....I really need to stop trying to defend my reasons for sending my youngest to preschool at the age of three.  I sent all the kids at three years of age but I will admit Gage does seem immature compared to my other children.  I think he is right up there with development but his speech is lacking.  His vocabulary is growing everyday and now is speaking in sentences but we were worried for awhile. 

I think if you can afford preschool and are willing to make the effort to get them there then why not?  I see so many good things from my children attending.  Most of all the structure they receive, how to follow instructions, their creativity explodes {or so in my children}.  I can't say enough good things about it. They also get alot of practice following instructions in French.  He attends a total of 5 hours a week. 

I have been receiving much flack about this from friends and those who just like to comment on everything.  One lady gasped as if I had sent him off to boarding school. 

People {meaning those that think I am sending him to boarding school, not my kind readers}...listen up....I feel the preschool I send my child to will only benefit him.  Yes, I am a stay at home Mom but my child needs a break from me as much as I need a break from him.  I do not have a Mother to deposit him off to whenever I feel like or when I need to get something done.  I parent my children 24/7 and I am only human.

The teachers at the preschool compliment each other so wonderfully I cannot express how much I enjoy watching them.  The children adore them and when the time comes my child has a fit and states he will not attend then I will deal with it.

Until them I do hope I can bare more comments with a smile and a nod and stuff the anger back down.   This is my blog and I can cry if I want to so I am.

Thanks a bunch for reading.

Wordless Wednesday - We Must Never Forget

Remembrance Day is this Friday.  The kids are learning about peace at school and what the poppy stands for.  I wanted to talk with the kids more about the sacrifice Canadians made for us to have freedom.  I decided not to overdo the Poppy and we used our handprints to make Canadian Flags.  We had a great teaching lesson while painting.

A loss of life hits close to home for us.  My husband's cousin lost her fiance in Afghanistan three years ago...a few weeks before their son was born.  Please take time to remember those who have lost their lives fighting for what we live everyday.

Linking up with Wordless Wednesday over at 5 Minutes For Mom.

Life...

So.....I have been lazy when it comes to blogging.  Okay maybe not lazy but for sure not feeling compelled to type anything into blogger to publish.

Life is a whirlwind these days due to...well...LIFE.  I am a proud hockey mom and when you are willing to state this out loud be prepared to be run off your feet racing from rink to rink with kids in tow.  What made these last few days so exhausting is the fact my husband has been working alot.  My husband is very considerate when it comes to overtime shifts and considers family obligations.  This time around we agreed on many shifts for him to work but we did this before we received the hockey schedules.  This of course means Mama is dragging all four children to every hockey event for the next month or so.  Why I say "dragging"...not sure..these kids love playing hockey.  The only one that wants to go home half way through a game is the child that is too young too play.

Deep breath....

We have also been fighting some kind of flu bug.  Nothing serious but yet no one in the house is busting full of energy or appetite.  I'm sure we will get over it and until then I shall keep the Tylenol, chicken soup and juice stocked.  Which of course means another errand to run with kids...the grocery store.

I am excited for a few things on my calendar, a blank square on tomorrow's date means nothing is scheduled!!!  The same goes for Thursday but the kids are all home due to no school.  Saturday I am hosting a Stampin' Up workshop and am excited to spend the afternoon with others that enjoy paper crafts as much as I do.

In these times where I feel like I am always two steps behind I really need to remember that I am still a good Mom who loves and cares for her family.  Instead I usually feel inadequate...self esteem hits a low...you wonder how you would ever get a job outside the home when you can't handle what's happening inside the home.  All these thoughts race around my head.  I know they are not the truth...I know I do my best but a person has to wonder if they could do more.

What do you fill yourself with to help get out of a negative state of mind?

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn

Faithful petunias hanging on in the crisp November air....

Linking up with 5 Minutes For Mom and Wordless Wednesday.