"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day, I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return." - Mary Jean Irons
I just love this poem. There is such a depth of truth in it. The poet has so obviously lived this - I want to live by this! Most of my days are, indeed, normal. One day they may not be. I want to treasure these normal ones, with all their frustrations and pressures and annoyances and be thankful for them.
Sometimes there is a rare and perfect tomorrow, but hoping for one in place of enjoying today is not a good use of my time and energy and passion.
Life is normal and good, and I'm thankful.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Memories of Green Bay
Whoever said that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth obviously hasn't been to Green Bay, Wisconsin! Perhaps I've arrived at this conclusion with a somewhat biased point of view, seeing as how Green Bay is home to my favorite team, the Packers. Feel free to keep that in mind while I tell you why this diehard Packers fan was in her happy place this past weekend.
For my 37th (gasp - late thirties!) birthday, my husband surprised me with a hotel reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I actually don't know any other person that would be pleased to receive that as a gift, but I was ecstatic, as in heart racing, butterflies in my stomach ecstatic, with a small scream or two thrown in for good measure. Hotel rooms in Green Bay are notoriously hard to come by during the NFL season; in fact, our room was the last room available at this hotel - and this was almost 6 months ago.
We left Toronto early Friday morning. We drove away from our house with our daughter's weeping face pressed against the window, her mournful cries lingering in our ears, and with our youngest son's tears only recently dried. As cruel as we felt leaving them behind (they were staying with their grandparents, not alone or anything callous like that), we were giddy with freedom and anticipation!
Because there is no such thing as a direct flight to Green Bay from Toronto, we made a two hour stop in Detroit. With all that time to kill, we did some terminal hopping to find the only Starbucks in the whole airport. The coffee was good (of course) but the bagel was average (no toaster) and the chocolate muffin was thoroughly awful. But we were hungry... After another quick flight and another full plane (we didn't even get to sit together this time), we landed in our happy place.
Now, everyone has a very different idea of what their happy place is. You might have more than one happy place, or it might change over time. I think it's important to have a happy place or two. I have a photo taken of me several years ago. I'm sitting in a rented Mustang convertible, top down, of course (the car, not me), parked across the street from the beach in San Diego, with a Starbucks cup in hand. The caption reads "My happy place."
Well, I've discovered a new happy place and it's called Green Bay, Wisconsin, or perhaps more specifically, Lambeau Field. We took a Stadium tour the morning after we arrived and got to see parts of Lambeau that people never get to see on game day. We stood on the ground next to the playing field (we were explicitly directed by our tour guides not to stand on, touch, or lick the grass - actions they've had to deal with in the past) and I looked up at 73000 empty seats and heard the roar of the fighter jets as they practiced their game day flyover and I was in my happy place.
*As a side note, I've always thought that the Packers were named after cheese packers. Turns out the original players were a bunch of guys from a meat packing factory who had a habit of soundly defeating every team they played.
On Friday afternoon, we wandered past a fenced off parking area where a handful of fans were waiting. This is the area where the players and coaches come out after practice and it's a golden opportunity to score an autograph. It's hit and miss whether the players will stop for an autograph, but I did manage to score one from cornerback Tramon Williams. The players parking lot was a shining array of tricked-out, pimped-up, black-tinted Chevy Escalades, Land Rovers and Suburbans. Big shiny vehicles for big shiny football players.
It's game day...
Sitting in the lobby of our hotel, looking out the window to my right, I can see the top of the stadium, not even a ten minute walk away. Everywhere I look outside, there are people dressed in ridiculous green and yellow get-ups (but who's judging) and there are cars and RVs pulling into parking lots, setting up hibachis for a day of tailgating. The lobby is buzzing with excitement and I can't find even one person, myself included, who is not sporting team colors. There are a couple guys wearing visiting team colors who stand out like sore thumbs. I have yet to see an age or gender demographic not represented in the crowd, although there seem to be a disproportionate number of beer-bellied thirty and forty-something guys. Packer fans transcend these sorts of divisions.
It's a perfect day here in Green Bay - the sky is cloudless and a brilliant October blue. The grass is still a vibrant green, in keeping with team spirit. The leaves are just starting to turn, but green still dominates.
The tailgaters have arrived in full force and no effort has been spared. The smell of charcoal permeates the fall air along with the aromas of beer and chili, and it's not even lunch time. Walking past tables laden with every kind of snack food you can imagine is a feast for the eyes. Fans and their vehicles are completely decked out in every imaginable combination of green and yellow, and even some you didn't imagine. It's like the merchandise at the Pro Shop - if you can color it green and yellow and put the Packers G on it, they probably have. (In fact, they claim to have over 2000 unique emblemmed items). They call the Pro Shop Packer fan nirvana, and I have to agree. Some items, such as the Packer-themed crib mobile, the shower curtain and the ladies logo-ed underwear, are borderline silly. You could even buy a tiny glass enclosure housing a few actual blades of grass from their recent Superbowl win - maybe those wanting to lick the grass could just break the glass and have a go?... Some of my favorite items? The football chandelier, the chess/checkers game using miniature team helmets and all the variations on the famous cheesehead.
Time to head to the stadium for the main reason we've come to Green Bay - to watch the Packers hammer out a win on their home turf. The parties are still in full swing as we get closer to the stadium and it feels like a pilgrimage of sorts for us. Not all these fans have tickets to the game. Many are still trying to get a ticket as the minutes count down to kick-off, but no one is selling. We experience our first and only annoyance of the weekend as we join a tightly packed throng of bodies trying to get into the stadium. We've all got our precious tickets, but first we must get through our security scan, conducted by no more than half a dozen Green Bay police officers. Just to clarify - that's about 6 officers for the entire crowd, not per person. Needless to say, it took a long time to get in, but we found our seats with plenty of time to spare before kick-off.
We had fantastic seats, just a few rows up from the field on the goal line, on the visitors side of the field. For the first two hours of the game we had the sun shining directly in our faces, keeping us plenty warm. Part of the magic of Lambeau Field is their well-deserved, hard-earned nickname Frozen Tundra - it's a huge advantage over teams visiting from less-hardy parts of the country. We were thankful to come to a game at this time of year, when all we needed was a t-shirt and sunglasses, not parkas and thermal underwear.
I'm not going to give you a play-by-play of the game, partly because I couldn't do it justice, and partly because that's old news already (and this post is really, really long). There were numerous times throughout the game when I turned to Stefan and gushed, "I can't believe we're actually HERE!" Whether it was seeing the glint of the sun off the players' helmets, or watching Greg Jennings catch yet another touchdown pass, or cheering as Aaron Rodgers came just a few yards away from breaking Brett Favre's passing record, or feeling the roar of the crowd as we chanted, as one, "GO PACK GO!" - each experience defined this magical day.
Leaving Lambeau Field was bittersweet - the dream realized, but now over. I found myself turning my head often for one last look as we walked away from the stadium, easier said than done while walking through crowds of (mostly drunk) people. To know and have experienced the history and legend that are the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field is truly special. To have shared it all with someone who appreciates it as much as I do made the weekend perfect.
For my 37th (gasp - late thirties!) birthday, my husband surprised me with a hotel reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I actually don't know any other person that would be pleased to receive that as a gift, but I was ecstatic, as in heart racing, butterflies in my stomach ecstatic, with a small scream or two thrown in for good measure. Hotel rooms in Green Bay are notoriously hard to come by during the NFL season; in fact, our room was the last room available at this hotel - and this was almost 6 months ago.
We left Toronto early Friday morning. We drove away from our house with our daughter's weeping face pressed against the window, her mournful cries lingering in our ears, and with our youngest son's tears only recently dried. As cruel as we felt leaving them behind (they were staying with their grandparents, not alone or anything callous like that), we were giddy with freedom and anticipation!
Because there is no such thing as a direct flight to Green Bay from Toronto, we made a two hour stop in Detroit. With all that time to kill, we did some terminal hopping to find the only Starbucks in the whole airport. The coffee was good (of course) but the bagel was average (no toaster) and the chocolate muffin was thoroughly awful. But we were hungry... After another quick flight and another full plane (we didn't even get to sit together this time), we landed in our happy place.
Now, everyone has a very different idea of what their happy place is. You might have more than one happy place, or it might change over time. I think it's important to have a happy place or two. I have a photo taken of me several years ago. I'm sitting in a rented Mustang convertible, top down, of course (the car, not me), parked across the street from the beach in San Diego, with a Starbucks cup in hand. The caption reads "My happy place."
Well, I've discovered a new happy place and it's called Green Bay, Wisconsin, or perhaps more specifically, Lambeau Field. We took a Stadium tour the morning after we arrived and got to see parts of Lambeau that people never get to see on game day. We stood on the ground next to the playing field (we were explicitly directed by our tour guides not to stand on, touch, or lick the grass - actions they've had to deal with in the past) and I looked up at 73000 empty seats and heard the roar of the fighter jets as they practiced their game day flyover and I was in my happy place.
*As a side note, I've always thought that the Packers were named after cheese packers. Turns out the original players were a bunch of guys from a meat packing factory who had a habit of soundly defeating every team they played.
On Friday afternoon, we wandered past a fenced off parking area where a handful of fans were waiting. This is the area where the players and coaches come out after practice and it's a golden opportunity to score an autograph. It's hit and miss whether the players will stop for an autograph, but I did manage to score one from cornerback Tramon Williams. The players parking lot was a shining array of tricked-out, pimped-up, black-tinted Chevy Escalades, Land Rovers and Suburbans. Big shiny vehicles for big shiny football players.
It's game day...
Sitting in the lobby of our hotel, looking out the window to my right, I can see the top of the stadium, not even a ten minute walk away. Everywhere I look outside, there are people dressed in ridiculous green and yellow get-ups (but who's judging) and there are cars and RVs pulling into parking lots, setting up hibachis for a day of tailgating. The lobby is buzzing with excitement and I can't find even one person, myself included, who is not sporting team colors. There are a couple guys wearing visiting team colors who stand out like sore thumbs. I have yet to see an age or gender demographic not represented in the crowd, although there seem to be a disproportionate number of beer-bellied thirty and forty-something guys. Packer fans transcend these sorts of divisions.
It's a perfect day here in Green Bay - the sky is cloudless and a brilliant October blue. The grass is still a vibrant green, in keeping with team spirit. The leaves are just starting to turn, but green still dominates.
The tailgaters have arrived in full force and no effort has been spared. The smell of charcoal permeates the fall air along with the aromas of beer and chili, and it's not even lunch time. Walking past tables laden with every kind of snack food you can imagine is a feast for the eyes. Fans and their vehicles are completely decked out in every imaginable combination of green and yellow, and even some you didn't imagine. It's like the merchandise at the Pro Shop - if you can color it green and yellow and put the Packers G on it, they probably have. (In fact, they claim to have over 2000 unique emblemmed items). They call the Pro Shop Packer fan nirvana, and I have to agree. Some items, such as the Packer-themed crib mobile, the shower curtain and the ladies logo-ed underwear, are borderline silly. You could even buy a tiny glass enclosure housing a few actual blades of grass from their recent Superbowl win - maybe those wanting to lick the grass could just break the glass and have a go?... Some of my favorite items? The football chandelier, the chess/checkers game using miniature team helmets and all the variations on the famous cheesehead.
Time to head to the stadium for the main reason we've come to Green Bay - to watch the Packers hammer out a win on their home turf. The parties are still in full swing as we get closer to the stadium and it feels like a pilgrimage of sorts for us. Not all these fans have tickets to the game. Many are still trying to get a ticket as the minutes count down to kick-off, but no one is selling. We experience our first and only annoyance of the weekend as we join a tightly packed throng of bodies trying to get into the stadium. We've all got our precious tickets, but first we must get through our security scan, conducted by no more than half a dozen Green Bay police officers. Just to clarify - that's about 6 officers for the entire crowd, not per person. Needless to say, it took a long time to get in, but we found our seats with plenty of time to spare before kick-off.
We had fantastic seats, just a few rows up from the field on the goal line, on the visitors side of the field. For the first two hours of the game we had the sun shining directly in our faces, keeping us plenty warm. Part of the magic of Lambeau Field is their well-deserved, hard-earned nickname Frozen Tundra - it's a huge advantage over teams visiting from less-hardy parts of the country. We were thankful to come to a game at this time of year, when all we needed was a t-shirt and sunglasses, not parkas and thermal underwear.
I'm not going to give you a play-by-play of the game, partly because I couldn't do it justice, and partly because that's old news already (and this post is really, really long). There were numerous times throughout the game when I turned to Stefan and gushed, "I can't believe we're actually HERE!" Whether it was seeing the glint of the sun off the players' helmets, or watching Greg Jennings catch yet another touchdown pass, or cheering as Aaron Rodgers came just a few yards away from breaking Brett Favre's passing record, or feeling the roar of the crowd as we chanted, as one, "GO PACK GO!" - each experience defined this magical day.
Leaving Lambeau Field was bittersweet - the dream realized, but now over. I found myself turning my head often for one last look as we walked away from the stadium, easier said than done while walking through crowds of (mostly drunk) people. To know and have experienced the history and legend that are the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field is truly special. To have shared it all with someone who appreciates it as much as I do made the weekend perfect.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Various States of Chaos
This title basically sums up life over the last month or so, although I guess it all began to some degree when we decided to move, back in February. I remember a calm moment in early February - the Packers had just won the Superbowl (amazing how I can find ways to sneak that into just about any conversation), and we were getting ready to go to the Bon Jovi concert. I was thinking that life was moving along smoothly, and surely it couldn't last. (cue ominous music...) We had a lot going on, but life was generally calm and predictable. It was definitely exciting, based on the above two events.
The minute we decided upon a move, was the minute the chaos, to some degree, began. Between decluttering and cleaning the entire house, putting it up for sale, keeping it clean for showings and an open house, all while thinking in the back of my mind that I really should be packing - well, I always felt just a wee bit frantic. Actually, there were times where it was full blown, but I won't tell you about all my bad moments! Thankfully my children have relatively short memories about certain things, in addition to be being very forgiving, so we'll just move on.
There was a lull in the chaos once the house was sold and before the packing had to begin in earnest. But I still always felt that I should really be doing something more. Thankfully my mother-in-law came out to help us move at the end of June, and brought with her so much peace of mind and a really helpful level of calm. But before we could move anything into our new place, there were some renos to be done - the (really ugly, black-grouted, terra-cotta) tile on the main floor was ripped out (that is no small endeavor), and then some kitchen cabinets and countertops were installed. We got through the move itself, my mother-in-law went home, the kids finished school, our relatives came to visit from Calgary on their cross-Canada vacation, and then it felt like we should be settled.
But July has been busier than I was thinking it would be. There are swimming lessons twice a week, vbs for the kids, Connor at summer camp, my shifts at work, and a never-ending stream of friends coming over for a swim! Now I really am not complaining about this, because I am thrilled with how much use the kids are getting out of our pool. The summer has been non-stop hot, so I am forced to sit out on the deck and supervise the kids in the pool. It really isn't such a bad gig. The only problem is that stuff isn't getting done in the house, which leads to my various states of chaos. Sure, I can start the laundry and even put it in the dryer, but folding it? That can take days to happen, and by then it's a wrinkled heap and I might as well start over.
So, there are all these little pockets of "chaos" throughout my house (closets and drawers and desks and a garage to organize, heaps of things to sell, toss or recycle, paperwork to deal with) and I am making myself not worry about them. I regularly remind myself that I can deal with them in winter (not sure the laundry can wait that long, but you get the idea). I don't want to waste precious moments of summer sorting through miscellaneous boxes whose contents don't yet have a home. Summer is much too short. I will attempt to embrace the chaos and if I can't embrace it, then I will ignore it. Ignoring it won't make it go away, I know, but I'm hoping it will seem less chaotic when I finally decide to tackle it.
The minute we decided upon a move, was the minute the chaos, to some degree, began. Between decluttering and cleaning the entire house, putting it up for sale, keeping it clean for showings and an open house, all while thinking in the back of my mind that I really should be packing - well, I always felt just a wee bit frantic. Actually, there were times where it was full blown, but I won't tell you about all my bad moments! Thankfully my children have relatively short memories about certain things, in addition to be being very forgiving, so we'll just move on.
There was a lull in the chaos once the house was sold and before the packing had to begin in earnest. But I still always felt that I should really be doing something more. Thankfully my mother-in-law came out to help us move at the end of June, and brought with her so much peace of mind and a really helpful level of calm. But before we could move anything into our new place, there were some renos to be done - the (really ugly, black-grouted, terra-cotta) tile on the main floor was ripped out (that is no small endeavor), and then some kitchen cabinets and countertops were installed. We got through the move itself, my mother-in-law went home, the kids finished school, our relatives came to visit from Calgary on their cross-Canada vacation, and then it felt like we should be settled.
But July has been busier than I was thinking it would be. There are swimming lessons twice a week, vbs for the kids, Connor at summer camp, my shifts at work, and a never-ending stream of friends coming over for a swim! Now I really am not complaining about this, because I am thrilled with how much use the kids are getting out of our pool. The summer has been non-stop hot, so I am forced to sit out on the deck and supervise the kids in the pool. It really isn't such a bad gig. The only problem is that stuff isn't getting done in the house, which leads to my various states of chaos. Sure, I can start the laundry and even put it in the dryer, but folding it? That can take days to happen, and by then it's a wrinkled heap and I might as well start over.
So, there are all these little pockets of "chaos" throughout my house (closets and drawers and desks and a garage to organize, heaps of things to sell, toss or recycle, paperwork to deal with) and I am making myself not worry about them. I regularly remind myself that I can deal with them in winter (not sure the laundry can wait that long, but you get the idea). I don't want to waste precious moments of summer sorting through miscellaneous boxes whose contents don't yet have a home. Summer is much too short. I will attempt to embrace the chaos and if I can't embrace it, then I will ignore it. Ignoring it won't make it go away, I know, but I'm hoping it will seem less chaotic when I finally decide to tackle it.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Stealing Kisses
Now doesn't that sound like a risque title? Sorry to disappoint, but there's nothing risque about this post!
Ben Harper sings a song called "Steal my Kisses" that I've always loved. It's a cute, catchy little song - you can listen to it on Youtube, I'm sure. Lately I've been singing this song in my head a lot, as "stealing kisses" is what I sometimes have to do with my kids! There are a few ways this is done...
When Connor was much younger (I can't remember what age we started this) he went through a phase where he really wasn't into getting kisses from his mommy. So I would plead, beg even, with him for just...insert any number here. It turned into a game where I gave him 20 kisses, and then I had to be done. He loved counting them, so of course I'd always sneak in a few extra to see if he'd notice, which he did. But he grew to love the game and grew out of his aversion to kisses. This was my attempt at stealing as many kisses as I could, while he still let me. We had a lot of fun with this for several years and it became our bedtime ritual, although it does happen more infrequently now. However, I'm grateful for each of those stolen kisses! He'll still ask for those kisses on occasion, but I know this won't last forever.
Then it was Logan's turn to have an aversion to kisses (thankfully Taya hasn't had that), and he would immediately and frantically wipe off any kisses that I managed to land on his face. But the kid is just so darn smoochable, that something had to be done. I need to give that boy kisses! Lots and lots of kisses. I talked him into giving me a couple kisses once after a meal, but I pointed to spots on my face where he had to plant the kisses. Then at just the right moment, I planted a kiss right on his lips, which totally surprised him. But he thought it was hilarious, and now it's the best game ever. We take turns giving each other kisses and surprising each other with the stolen kiss, which of course makes us shriek with laughter. The best part is that now all 3 kids want to play the game (not with each other), so while it lasts, I plan to savour each one of those sweet kisses.
So perhaps I'm stealing kisses, but there's no guilt involved in this theft! I won't even tell you about all the stolen kisses while they are fast asleep...
Ben Harper sings a song called "Steal my Kisses" that I've always loved. It's a cute, catchy little song - you can listen to it on Youtube, I'm sure. Lately I've been singing this song in my head a lot, as "stealing kisses" is what I sometimes have to do with my kids! There are a few ways this is done...
When Connor was much younger (I can't remember what age we started this) he went through a phase where he really wasn't into getting kisses from his mommy. So I would plead, beg even, with him for just...insert any number here. It turned into a game where I gave him 20 kisses, and then I had to be done. He loved counting them, so of course I'd always sneak in a few extra to see if he'd notice, which he did. But he grew to love the game and grew out of his aversion to kisses. This was my attempt at stealing as many kisses as I could, while he still let me. We had a lot of fun with this for several years and it became our bedtime ritual, although it does happen more infrequently now. However, I'm grateful for each of those stolen kisses! He'll still ask for those kisses on occasion, but I know this won't last forever.
Then it was Logan's turn to have an aversion to kisses (thankfully Taya hasn't had that), and he would immediately and frantically wipe off any kisses that I managed to land on his face. But the kid is just so darn smoochable, that something had to be done. I need to give that boy kisses! Lots and lots of kisses. I talked him into giving me a couple kisses once after a meal, but I pointed to spots on my face where he had to plant the kisses. Then at just the right moment, I planted a kiss right on his lips, which totally surprised him. But he thought it was hilarious, and now it's the best game ever. We take turns giving each other kisses and surprising each other with the stolen kiss, which of course makes us shriek with laughter. The best part is that now all 3 kids want to play the game (not with each other), so while it lasts, I plan to savour each one of those sweet kisses.
So perhaps I'm stealing kisses, but there's no guilt involved in this theft! I won't even tell you about all the stolen kisses while they are fast asleep...
Monday, May 23, 2011
May Musings
As usual, late April and May are very busy times in our family. Starting with Connor's birthday, then moving on to Mother's Day, our anniversary, my birthday and Taya's birthday and throw in a whole bunch of other stuff like kids' activities, volunteering, piano recitals and visitors, and there are few minutes to spare. Spring has finally arrived, a few weeks later than usual, but now everything is green and full and beautiful.
We are gearing up to move next month, as well. We're staying in our neighborhood - moving about 200 yards up the road. It all came about very suddenly, but it became obvious that moving was going to be a very prudent decision. In addition to needing to replace our roof this summer and restain the whole deck, we were also wanting to put in a pool, travel, and start saving for me to go back to school. Well, since money does not grow on the trees in our particular forest, we chose to downsize. The bonus is that even though we'll end up with a smaller house and yard, we gain a finished basement and a backyard pool! Those were definite selling features for the kids.
It really all happened so fast - one minute we were discussing plans for the future, the next we were putting an offer on a house. It just so happened that a near-perfect-for-us house had just been listed, and we had to take advantage quickly. We knew we didn't want to leave our neighborhood, where the kids have lots of friends within walking distance, and very few houses come up for sale in this neighborhood. It all seemed meant to be. While I'm not looking forward to the actual move, and we will most definitely miss this yard, we're looking forward to the pool, to much smaller utility bills, to lower property tax, and to the freedom that comes with knowing you've made a wise, albeit difficult, decision. All the purging and decluttering is an added bonus. It feels really, really good to get rid of so much extra stuff that we were only keeping because we had so much extra space. I am a firm believer that stuff literally and figuratively weighs a person down.
On another note, I've reached the milestone of "late thirties." I can no longer say I'm in my mid-thirties. Birthdays always bring mixed feelings, because I always feel that the actual number is in no way representative of how old I feel (maybe 22), but I'm also incredibly thankful for each birthday, that I am blessed to turn older. And, just for me perhaps, the world did not end before I could turn 37. It was a great day of relaxation, family, gifts, dinner and a movie with friends. Stefan surprised me with a hotel reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the end of September. Assuming that there is a football season this fall (they're on strike currently), we will be spending 3 nights in Green Bay, and I will get to experience Lambeau Field in person. I am ridiculously excited about this and just keeping my fingers crossed that the strike ends in time.
It's a busy week ahead as we get ready to celebrate our little/big girl turning 7! Hard to believe she is so grown up already. She is a spark of fun in our family - she keeps us laughing and can sneak up on anyone and give them a big scare. She is very creative - never stops coloring and drawing and dancing. We sure love our Taya!
And now I need to get the kids to bed, so I can watch a movie with a friend. Ciao!
We are gearing up to move next month, as well. We're staying in our neighborhood - moving about 200 yards up the road. It all came about very suddenly, but it became obvious that moving was going to be a very prudent decision. In addition to needing to replace our roof this summer and restain the whole deck, we were also wanting to put in a pool, travel, and start saving for me to go back to school. Well, since money does not grow on the trees in our particular forest, we chose to downsize. The bonus is that even though we'll end up with a smaller house and yard, we gain a finished basement and a backyard pool! Those were definite selling features for the kids.
It really all happened so fast - one minute we were discussing plans for the future, the next we were putting an offer on a house. It just so happened that a near-perfect-for-us house had just been listed, and we had to take advantage quickly. We knew we didn't want to leave our neighborhood, where the kids have lots of friends within walking distance, and very few houses come up for sale in this neighborhood. It all seemed meant to be. While I'm not looking forward to the actual move, and we will most definitely miss this yard, we're looking forward to the pool, to much smaller utility bills, to lower property tax, and to the freedom that comes with knowing you've made a wise, albeit difficult, decision. All the purging and decluttering is an added bonus. It feels really, really good to get rid of so much extra stuff that we were only keeping because we had so much extra space. I am a firm believer that stuff literally and figuratively weighs a person down.
On another note, I've reached the milestone of "late thirties." I can no longer say I'm in my mid-thirties. Birthdays always bring mixed feelings, because I always feel that the actual number is in no way representative of how old I feel (maybe 22), but I'm also incredibly thankful for each birthday, that I am blessed to turn older. And, just for me perhaps, the world did not end before I could turn 37. It was a great day of relaxation, family, gifts, dinner and a movie with friends. Stefan surprised me with a hotel reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the end of September. Assuming that there is a football season this fall (they're on strike currently), we will be spending 3 nights in Green Bay, and I will get to experience Lambeau Field in person. I am ridiculously excited about this and just keeping my fingers crossed that the strike ends in time.
It's a busy week ahead as we get ready to celebrate our little/big girl turning 7! Hard to believe she is so grown up already. She is a spark of fun in our family - she keeps us laughing and can sneak up on anyone and give them a big scare. She is very creative - never stops coloring and drawing and dancing. We sure love our Taya!
And now I need to get the kids to bed, so I can watch a movie with a friend. Ciao!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Post without a Title
One thing I'm really religious about is making sure my family has their yearly check-ups at the doctor. It was an easy habit to start with the kids, as there were so many required appointments after they were born. Before they were born, too, for that matter. Once we stopped being prompted to come in for regular vaccines and to check growth, I made a point of making appointments for them close to their birthdays. We are fortunate that we don't have to go to the doctor very often between their yearly visits, and also fortunate that we have such a good doctor. I hope that I am instilling in them a sense of responsibility for their own, health. I think it's an important lesson to learn as you get older - you are in charge of your body and you shouldn't wait for or expect someone else to do it for you. (sidenote: I am not including my hubby when I mention my kids - he is responsible for his own appointments and rather than nagging, I try to keep to occasional gentle reminders. He seems to do just fine without my interference, thankfully!)
So at my latest physical I had all the usuals, including bloodwork and my once-a-decade tetanus shot. (who knew?) I barely felt the needle piercing my skin, but my arm hurt like crazy for the rest of the week. Glad that's done with. Just two days later, I received a call from the doctor's office, asking me to come in for some results. They always say they'll call if there's anything unusual, but they never call, because there's never anything unusual! The lady on the phone assured me that it was nothing urgent, and in spite of my badgering her to tell me what it was about, she remained cryptic, as they are supposed to. She said I could wait a few days to come in...but still. I admit I was feeling kind of nervous, wondering what sort of strange conditions they may have unearthed in my blood that were presenting me no symptoms or concerns, that wasn't urgent, but still required follow-up. Me and my over-active imagination.
As I soon discovered, there was indeed nothing to worry about. Two issues had been flagged in my bloodwork, however. One, my good cholesterol was a little on the low side. The solution? Get exercising! I confess that I've been really slacking with my running this winter, so this is excellent incentive to lace up my runners and hit the road.
The second issue is that I have low levels of vitamin B12. I've been reading a lof about B12 lately and wondered if I should be taking a supplement. Turns out, I should be. There are very few good food sources of this vitamin (sorry, but I'm not about to start eating liver, which is incidentally the food with the highest source of B12 and also my most hated food. Ever.) You can also get B12 from other red meats, but I'm trying to cut that out of my diet, not eat more of it. So, a supplement it is. B12 deficiency gets more serious as we get older and can take a long time to become a serious problem, I understand, so it's important to have healthy levels of this vitamin as you get older. One early symptom can be tiredness and lack of energy. Hmmmm. Most people I know struggle with those! I'd assumed a lack of sleep and 3 children will do that to a person. And they will. I can get more sleep, but not much I can do about the kids - I'm keeping all 3! Apparently the vitamins work pretty much immediately, so the doctor said I should notice a boost in energy. I went for a run that evening, my first run in a long while, and I kid you not, I felt like I was flying! Self-fulfilling prophecy maybe? Possibly, but I'll take it!
So, I'm feeling fine today. I wrote this blog sitting on a comfy high-backed chair in the lobby of the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto, and on the train on the way back home, after a fun lunch date with my fabulous hubby. We ate at the brand new earls downtown where I bumped into a girl I used to waitress with at earls in Winnipeg - she now manages this location. I seriously bump into people everywhere! With this connection, I managed to score a spot on her "insiders list" for my hubby when he needs a last minute lunch reservation! Hope he appreciates it!
I've got Bon Jovi cranked on my ipod (what else), I'm sipping my tea, and I'm going to sit back and enjoy the train ride home.
So at my latest physical I had all the usuals, including bloodwork and my once-a-decade tetanus shot. (who knew?) I barely felt the needle piercing my skin, but my arm hurt like crazy for the rest of the week. Glad that's done with. Just two days later, I received a call from the doctor's office, asking me to come in for some results. They always say they'll call if there's anything unusual, but they never call, because there's never anything unusual! The lady on the phone assured me that it was nothing urgent, and in spite of my badgering her to tell me what it was about, she remained cryptic, as they are supposed to. She said I could wait a few days to come in...but still. I admit I was feeling kind of nervous, wondering what sort of strange conditions they may have unearthed in my blood that were presenting me no symptoms or concerns, that wasn't urgent, but still required follow-up. Me and my over-active imagination.
As I soon discovered, there was indeed nothing to worry about. Two issues had been flagged in my bloodwork, however. One, my good cholesterol was a little on the low side. The solution? Get exercising! I confess that I've been really slacking with my running this winter, so this is excellent incentive to lace up my runners and hit the road.
The second issue is that I have low levels of vitamin B12. I've been reading a lof about B12 lately and wondered if I should be taking a supplement. Turns out, I should be. There are very few good food sources of this vitamin (sorry, but I'm not about to start eating liver, which is incidentally the food with the highest source of B12 and also my most hated food. Ever.) You can also get B12 from other red meats, but I'm trying to cut that out of my diet, not eat more of it. So, a supplement it is. B12 deficiency gets more serious as we get older and can take a long time to become a serious problem, I understand, so it's important to have healthy levels of this vitamin as you get older. One early symptom can be tiredness and lack of energy. Hmmmm. Most people I know struggle with those! I'd assumed a lack of sleep and 3 children will do that to a person. And they will. I can get more sleep, but not much I can do about the kids - I'm keeping all 3! Apparently the vitamins work pretty much immediately, so the doctor said I should notice a boost in energy. I went for a run that evening, my first run in a long while, and I kid you not, I felt like I was flying! Self-fulfilling prophecy maybe? Possibly, but I'll take it!
So, I'm feeling fine today. I wrote this blog sitting on a comfy high-backed chair in the lobby of the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto, and on the train on the way back home, after a fun lunch date with my fabulous hubby. We ate at the brand new earls downtown where I bumped into a girl I used to waitress with at earls in Winnipeg - she now manages this location. I seriously bump into people everywhere! With this connection, I managed to score a spot on her "insiders list" for my hubby when he needs a last minute lunch reservation! Hope he appreciates it!
I've got Bon Jovi cranked on my ipod (what else), I'm sipping my tea, and I'm going to sit back and enjoy the train ride home.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Beauty of Advertising...
I was driving through town with my kids yesterday, when, about 5 minutes from home, my 9 year old points at a Holiday Inn we were passing and said he wanted to stay the night there sometime. Odd, I thought - are my kids getting that desperate for a vacation that the local Holiday Inn looks appealing? I asked him why he wanted to stay there and he said it was because it advertised a pool on the sign. And I, ever the burster of bubbles, mentioned that the pool was probably really small, and not very nice, and therefore not a good place to go. But maybe they have a waterpark, Mom? Not likely, since it doesn't say anything about it on the sign. But he still wasn't totally convinced, thinking that the pool must be nice at a HOLIDAY Inn.
Which got me to thinking, once again, about just how misleading advertising can be, and how easy it is to be fooled by titles and descriptions. Now, I am not accusing the Holiday Inn of being misleading, because they're not. However, it's easy to see how a 9 year old boy, feeling like he could use a little holiday, could think what he thought when he read what he read. Shouldn't a Holiday Inn, by definition, have a fun pool? I actually did go to their website, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with their pool, it looks as average as just about every other hotel pool I've seen. I can think of better places to take a holiday...
This also got me thinking of how food advertising most definitely IS misleading at worst, and requires very diligent label-reading at best. Maybe you heard about the lady in California recently who was suing Nutella over their not-so-healthy chocolate spread? You've probably heard of buyer-beware, a very applicable term in this situation. There's the school of thought which basically says that if a product has to tell you how healthy it is, it probably isn't. Apples and broccoli don't come with labels, after all.
The following is a list of some of the more outrageous food advertising that I've seen or heard recently:
Kraft Dinner - Enriched with BOLD (is bold supposed to be healthy? how is a food enriched with bold anyway?)
Cheez Whiz - Adds Personality (since when does our food need personality? don't people have personality? and is cheez whiz really food?)
Coke - Pour Some Happiness/ Brings moms and families together (how does one pour happiness? can a family not be brought together by pouring something that doesn't have so many teaspoons of sugar, such as water?)
Ranch Dressing - No artificial flavors (so you're telling me that xanthan gum, polysorbate 60 and silicon dioxide, among others, are what, natural?)
Pop Tarts - Life should be sprinkled with happiness, frosted with possibilities and filled with fun....so you can feel good about sharing the fun of pop tarts with your kids (really...so that's the key to happiness!)
Froot Loops - fortified with 11 essential vitamins and minerals, low in fat, now provides fiber. (I'll keep this is mind the next time I'm craving something healthy)
Honey Nut Cheerios - according to the ads on TV, they just might prevent a heart attack! (good to know, isn't it?)
And, last but not least, make sure to get your money's worth at McDonalds! After all, their chicken nuggets are a symbol of JOY (the O is a nugget). (Don't get me started on this one!)
This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but isn't it easy to see how people might be fooled into thinking something is either healthy to eat or will bring them some sort of happiness if they eat it? Especially if that person is young or uneducated. Or maybe gullible. I am definitely not immune to these types of advertising, although I tend to make much more informed choices these days. (True story - as of about 12 years ago, I'd never had a filet of fish at McDonalds. It just never appealed to me. Then one day, while watching TV, an ad came on showing someone eating one, and I immediately was hungry for one and went out THAT HOUR and bought myself one.) This is actually embarrassing to admit, as I am usually not that easily influenced. But I just wanted you to know how easy it is to be sucked in to the beauty of advertising.
Can you think of any food advertising that is particularly misleading that I haven't mentioned?
Which got me to thinking, once again, about just how misleading advertising can be, and how easy it is to be fooled by titles and descriptions. Now, I am not accusing the Holiday Inn of being misleading, because they're not. However, it's easy to see how a 9 year old boy, feeling like he could use a little holiday, could think what he thought when he read what he read. Shouldn't a Holiday Inn, by definition, have a fun pool? I actually did go to their website, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with their pool, it looks as average as just about every other hotel pool I've seen. I can think of better places to take a holiday...
This also got me thinking of how food advertising most definitely IS misleading at worst, and requires very diligent label-reading at best. Maybe you heard about the lady in California recently who was suing Nutella over their not-so-healthy chocolate spread? You've probably heard of buyer-beware, a very applicable term in this situation. There's the school of thought which basically says that if a product has to tell you how healthy it is, it probably isn't. Apples and broccoli don't come with labels, after all.
The following is a list of some of the more outrageous food advertising that I've seen or heard recently:
Kraft Dinner - Enriched with BOLD (is bold supposed to be healthy? how is a food enriched with bold anyway?)
Cheez Whiz - Adds Personality (since when does our food need personality? don't people have personality? and is cheez whiz really food?)
Coke - Pour Some Happiness/ Brings moms and families together (how does one pour happiness? can a family not be brought together by pouring something that doesn't have so many teaspoons of sugar, such as water?)
Ranch Dressing - No artificial flavors (so you're telling me that xanthan gum, polysorbate 60 and silicon dioxide, among others, are what, natural?)
Pop Tarts - Life should be sprinkled with happiness, frosted with possibilities and filled with fun....so you can feel good about sharing the fun of pop tarts with your kids (really...so that's the key to happiness!)
Froot Loops - fortified with 11 essential vitamins and minerals, low in fat, now provides fiber. (I'll keep this is mind the next time I'm craving something healthy)
Honey Nut Cheerios - according to the ads on TV, they just might prevent a heart attack! (good to know, isn't it?)
And, last but not least, make sure to get your money's worth at McDonalds! After all, their chicken nuggets are a symbol of JOY (the O is a nugget). (Don't get me started on this one!)
This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but isn't it easy to see how people might be fooled into thinking something is either healthy to eat or will bring them some sort of happiness if they eat it? Especially if that person is young or uneducated. Or maybe gullible. I am definitely not immune to these types of advertising, although I tend to make much more informed choices these days. (True story - as of about 12 years ago, I'd never had a filet of fish at McDonalds. It just never appealed to me. Then one day, while watching TV, an ad came on showing someone eating one, and I immediately was hungry for one and went out THAT HOUR and bought myself one.) This is actually embarrassing to admit, as I am usually not that easily influenced. But I just wanted you to know how easy it is to be sucked in to the beauty of advertising.
Can you think of any food advertising that is particularly misleading that I haven't mentioned?
Monday, March 28, 2011
I Don't Know!
I've been learning lately how very little I actually know. It seems to me that my kids are helping me learn this at an almost-daily pace. Here they are, looking at me to answer their (many, unceasing) questions, and half the time I don't even know the answer! It was so much easier when I kind of just "knew", but when it comes time to explain these things in simple terms, I am so often at a loss. For example, I really don't know why the frogs in the pond died. That didn't stop us from having an impromptu funeral service for them, complete with gravestones and singing, but I don't know why they died, and the kids want to know. (I actually want to know too). Was it from natural causes, or perhaps the winter was too cold? Aren't they designed to survive the winter? Or did the heat lamp we used to create a hole in the ice for our fish create some sort of unnatural event for the frogs which caused them to....well....croak? Maybe we'll never know.
I also don't know what caused the Black Plague way back in medieval times, although my 9 year old has learned that it was caused by fleas, which then spread to people. Truly horrible. But if you'd asked me anything about the Plague previously, I'd have had no idea. Maybe I don't need to know about this for my day-to-day life, but shouldn't I have learned this at some point? Did I miss that day of school?
It's true that I also don't know if the kids can have Alphabits for breakfast (they asked tonight, preemptively, I suppose), what's for supper tomorrow, or when am I going to bake cinnamon buns again? I know I'm supposed to be the grown-up here and have an answer to all these questions, but I'm sorry that I just don't.
Another thing I don't know (but was asked about at suppertime) is why the kids' school spent so much time and effort fundraising for the people of Haiti after the earthquake, and why no one is talking about Japan anymore at school (I assume this is not just happening at our school). Have we been so inundated with disaster coverage that we now block it out? Have we given all we want to give? Do we not care anymore? Do we think someone else is doing it? Have we decided that perhaps Japan has enough of its own resources, whereas Haiti did not? What happens when another disaster strikes? We can't have already forgotten about the floods in Australia and the earthquake in New Zealand, but each new disaster seems to cause us to forget about the previous ones. Is this the answer to the question?
My list-of-things-I-don't-know is growing every day, and I suppose I should be thanking my kids for giving me more opportunities to learn, instead of worrying about how very little I really do know!
I also don't know what caused the Black Plague way back in medieval times, although my 9 year old has learned that it was caused by fleas, which then spread to people. Truly horrible. But if you'd asked me anything about the Plague previously, I'd have had no idea. Maybe I don't need to know about this for my day-to-day life, but shouldn't I have learned this at some point? Did I miss that day of school?
It's true that I also don't know if the kids can have Alphabits for breakfast (they asked tonight, preemptively, I suppose), what's for supper tomorrow, or when am I going to bake cinnamon buns again? I know I'm supposed to be the grown-up here and have an answer to all these questions, but I'm sorry that I just don't.
Another thing I don't know (but was asked about at suppertime) is why the kids' school spent so much time and effort fundraising for the people of Haiti after the earthquake, and why no one is talking about Japan anymore at school (I assume this is not just happening at our school). Have we been so inundated with disaster coverage that we now block it out? Have we given all we want to give? Do we not care anymore? Do we think someone else is doing it? Have we decided that perhaps Japan has enough of its own resources, whereas Haiti did not? What happens when another disaster strikes? We can't have already forgotten about the floods in Australia and the earthquake in New Zealand, but each new disaster seems to cause us to forget about the previous ones. Is this the answer to the question?
My list-of-things-I-don't-know is growing every day, and I suppose I should be thanking my kids for giving me more opportunities to learn, instead of worrying about how very little I really do know!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Why I Love Football
I'm sitting in my office, drinking coffee, and scowling out the window at a blustery January day. The only problem is, it's not January! It's March!! Someone (ahem, Mother Nature) didn't get the memo about March arriving and March break being just around the corner. Last year we had bathing suit/picnic weather for March break - I don't think we'll be so lucky this year. I don't like to be a complainer, especially when there's nothing I can do about the situation, so please consider the above sentences to be a mere reporting-of-the-facts.
I've been thinking about football lately. Of course, you all know that the Green Bay Packers won the Superbowl last month, a source of much happiness at our house. However, many people (and to clarify, I mean girls) just don't understand what you might call my "football obsession." I prefer to call it a passion, but that's neither here nor there. I decided it was time to explain, hence the above title. I may not sway you to becoming a fellow football fanatic, but perhaps you'll begin to understand...
Confession number one: I'm a drama queen. Maybe not in the true sense of the expression ("a person given to often excessively emotional performances or reactions", which conjures up a tantrum-throwing schoolgirl who doesn't get her way, although I'm sure there are those who might disagree). What I mean is that I love drama. I need excitement and action and suspense. (And since I've been consulting Webster, drama is defined as "a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces"). Doesn't the definition of drama seem to be written for a sports context?
I thoroughly enjoy watching sports. I'll watch just about anything, at least once in a while, with the exception of curling. I'm sorry, I just can't do it. Every sport has an element of drama (I'm sure even curling does, but I just don't get it) which is why there are entire networks on TV devoted to sports coverage.
But when it comes right down to it, the only sport with enough drama and suspense to hold and keep my attention for an entire game and season, is football. (I do need to differentiate here between Canadian and American football - while I will watch the CFL, it's the NFL that is the recipient of my devotion). Football is truly a game of seconds and inches. An entire game of football can be determined by just a few seconds, or by just a few inches. A team who is losing may need those few precious seconds to either even the score or pull into the lead for the win. Or the game may be decided by inches - a team may come up short of a touchdown by mere inches, or a player may catch a touchdown pass with mere inches to spare, toes hovering on the sideline. I have spent many a Sunday afternoon or Monday evening literally on the edge of my seat, as the outcome of a game is decided by seconds and inches. Heart pounding, palms sweating, eyes glued to the TV, I am riveted, and have been known to either collapse in a heap on the couch or to jump jubilantly to my feet with whoops of joy (just ask my kids).
When you consider (and you really should) that the NFL season only lasts 5 months (including one month of playoffs) and that the teams only play once each week, you will (hopefully) understand the importance of each and every game. The drama and suspense build each week and culminate in true excitement as each game unfolds. There's none of this "8 games back" business that you might see in hockey as a team fights for its playoff life - that's half a season in football, my friends!
Emotions run the gamut - from a high as the quarterback executes a perfect pass - a bullet - to his receiver who runs the ball into the endzone for a touchdown, to a low as the quarterback is sacked, fumbles the ball and the opposing team recovers it for a touchdown. Are you starting to understand just how much drama is contained in one game of football?
I always feel a void when the season ends each year, especially if my team had a less-than-successful season. The wait until preseason begins feels much too long, but it is one thing to look forward to as summer comes to an end. However, this year was different - the end of the season brought with it much joy and celebration as our team (the Green Bay Packers) became Superbowl Champions, a feat they hadn't accomplished in 14 years. As the proud owner of a large, bright orange foam cheesehead, and the displayer of a pair of fuzzy green and yellow dice in my van (a symbol of recognition for the neighbors), I was one pleased and proud Packers fan this year. Winning or losing are not the criteria for how loyal I am to my team, but a Superbowl win just makes everything that much more sweet.
My love of football does not mean I understand every aspect of the game (although I'd like to). I'm often slow to understand why a flag was thrown for a penalty, or how a certain play was executed. But this doesn't take away from the beauty of the game: the bullet passes, the impossible catches by one hand or by the fingertips, the agility of the running back as he dodges yet another defender, the sprint from one end of the field to the other as a kick-off is returned for a touchdown, the games played in any kind of weather and watched by die-hard fans,
or the game-changing play made by a surprisingly agile 350 pound player. My love of football has nothing to do with men in tights - one could just as easily go to the ballet for that - but rather a love of the drama and beauty of the game.
This drama queen can hardly wait for the season to begin!
I've been thinking about football lately. Of course, you all know that the Green Bay Packers won the Superbowl last month, a source of much happiness at our house. However, many people (and to clarify, I mean girls) just don't understand what you might call my "football obsession." I prefer to call it a passion, but that's neither here nor there. I decided it was time to explain, hence the above title. I may not sway you to becoming a fellow football fanatic, but perhaps you'll begin to understand...
Confession number one: I'm a drama queen. Maybe not in the true sense of the expression ("a person given to often excessively emotional performances or reactions", which conjures up a tantrum-throwing schoolgirl who doesn't get her way, although I'm sure there are those who might disagree). What I mean is that I love drama. I need excitement and action and suspense. (And since I've been consulting Webster, drama is defined as "a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces"). Doesn't the definition of drama seem to be written for a sports context?
I thoroughly enjoy watching sports. I'll watch just about anything, at least once in a while, with the exception of curling. I'm sorry, I just can't do it. Every sport has an element of drama (I'm sure even curling does, but I just don't get it) which is why there are entire networks on TV devoted to sports coverage.
But when it comes right down to it, the only sport with enough drama and suspense to hold and keep my attention for an entire game and season, is football. (I do need to differentiate here between Canadian and American football - while I will watch the CFL, it's the NFL that is the recipient of my devotion). Football is truly a game of seconds and inches. An entire game of football can be determined by just a few seconds, or by just a few inches. A team who is losing may need those few precious seconds to either even the score or pull into the lead for the win. Or the game may be decided by inches - a team may come up short of a touchdown by mere inches, or a player may catch a touchdown pass with mere inches to spare, toes hovering on the sideline. I have spent many a Sunday afternoon or Monday evening literally on the edge of my seat, as the outcome of a game is decided by seconds and inches. Heart pounding, palms sweating, eyes glued to the TV, I am riveted, and have been known to either collapse in a heap on the couch or to jump jubilantly to my feet with whoops of joy (just ask my kids).
When you consider (and you really should) that the NFL season only lasts 5 months (including one month of playoffs) and that the teams only play once each week, you will (hopefully) understand the importance of each and every game. The drama and suspense build each week and culminate in true excitement as each game unfolds. There's none of this "8 games back" business that you might see in hockey as a team fights for its playoff life - that's half a season in football, my friends!
Emotions run the gamut - from a high as the quarterback executes a perfect pass - a bullet - to his receiver who runs the ball into the endzone for a touchdown, to a low as the quarterback is sacked, fumbles the ball and the opposing team recovers it for a touchdown. Are you starting to understand just how much drama is contained in one game of football?
I always feel a void when the season ends each year, especially if my team had a less-than-successful season. The wait until preseason begins feels much too long, but it is one thing to look forward to as summer comes to an end. However, this year was different - the end of the season brought with it much joy and celebration as our team (the Green Bay Packers) became Superbowl Champions, a feat they hadn't accomplished in 14 years. As the proud owner of a large, bright orange foam cheesehead, and the displayer of a pair of fuzzy green and yellow dice in my van (a symbol of recognition for the neighbors), I was one pleased and proud Packers fan this year. Winning or losing are not the criteria for how loyal I am to my team, but a Superbowl win just makes everything that much more sweet.
My love of football does not mean I understand every aspect of the game (although I'd like to). I'm often slow to understand why a flag was thrown for a penalty, or how a certain play was executed. But this doesn't take away from the beauty of the game: the bullet passes, the impossible catches by one hand or by the fingertips, the agility of the running back as he dodges yet another defender, the sprint from one end of the field to the other as a kick-off is returned for a touchdown, the games played in any kind of weather and watched by die-hard fans,
or the game-changing play made by a surprisingly agile 350 pound player. My love of football has nothing to do with men in tights - one could just as easily go to the ballet for that - but rather a love of the drama and beauty of the game.
This drama queen can hardly wait for the season to begin!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Fabulous February!
In the midst of what feels like a long, cold winter, when the kids have occasional minor illnesses, it still seems to get dark a little too early, and summer still feels so very far away, it's nice to have a little something to look forward to. January can typically be a depressing month, especially with the Christmas excitement over. However, in our house, January was actually very exciting this year. Why, you ask?? Well, NFL playoffs, of course! Playoffs are always something we eagerly anticipate, but this year was definitely an exception, as our favorite team (the Green Bay Packers, for those of you not in the know) were slowly but surely marching towards the Superbowl. They seemed like unlikely heroes, having left themselves several must-win games at the end of the season. But each Sunday, we watched in nervous anticipation as they beat yet another "better" team, in yet another away game.
For those of you who don't know, I have loved football since highschool, and picked the Packers as my team probably in about grade 11. What can I say, I liked the color green! Fast forward to Sunday, February 6, 2011, and my/our team is actually in the Superbowl for the first time in about 13 years! It's hard to describe the joy we felt when they actually won the coveted trophy. I know it's "just football", but their win kept me smiling for days! I'm actually still smiling about it!
But there's more...
For Christmas this year I received, much to my surprise and delight, tickets to see Bon Jovi in concert. Again, for those of you who don't know, Bon Jovi has been my favorite band since highschool. They've been making music for about 27 years (!!!) and I'm still loving it! The concert was February 15, and Stefan and I made a date out of it. We got a babysitter, and I took the train downtown to meet him for dinner before the concert. I don't have a lot of concert experience to compare this one to, but suffice it to say that it was AMAZING! They put on such a great show and I was reminded just how many big hits they've had over the years. I would not hesitate to go see them live again. The icing on the cake was the opening song, where Jon sang from a platform just in front of our seats. Needless to say, I've had a pretty big smile on my face ever since.
Now, if I could just get spring to show up...
For those of you who don't know, I have loved football since highschool, and picked the Packers as my team probably in about grade 11. What can I say, I liked the color green! Fast forward to Sunday, February 6, 2011, and my/our team is actually in the Superbowl for the first time in about 13 years! It's hard to describe the joy we felt when they actually won the coveted trophy. I know it's "just football", but their win kept me smiling for days! I'm actually still smiling about it!
But there's more...
For Christmas this year I received, much to my surprise and delight, tickets to see Bon Jovi in concert. Again, for those of you who don't know, Bon Jovi has been my favorite band since highschool. They've been making music for about 27 years (!!!) and I'm still loving it! The concert was February 15, and Stefan and I made a date out of it. We got a babysitter, and I took the train downtown to meet him for dinner before the concert. I don't have a lot of concert experience to compare this one to, but suffice it to say that it was AMAZING! They put on such a great show and I was reminded just how many big hits they've had over the years. I would not hesitate to go see them live again. The icing on the cake was the opening song, where Jon sang from a platform just in front of our seats. Needless to say, I've had a pretty big smile on my face ever since.
Now, if I could just get spring to show up...
Thursday, February 3, 2011
AFTER PHOTOS!!
Here, finally, are the AFTER photos of our renovation. I am sorry for the lack of order with these photos. Somehow, I have lost my ability to rearrange uploaded photos as I want them. I have searched all over, and cannot figure out how to do this like I used to. Sadly, it is probably something ridiculously simple, but in the meantime - here are the photos! The one of the office shows the wall before it was painted, but you get the idea. Our wall color of choice for the mudroom was called Celestial Blue. Sounds peaceful and calming, doesn't it? The last 3 photos show the completed lockers. We ordered them online from the States, and after a LOT of researching, and almost settling on something not-quite-right, we found these. The kids got to choose the color they wanted, and I think they look pretty good together. I have my own locker, for my purse, gloves, scarves, etc. These lockers are fantastic - especially in the winter when everyone has so much more gear! We are really loving all the extra space and organization. Money well spent!
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