Luck Perspective

No wonder I am tired by 10:00 am.  Another typical start to the day...

After rushing around to find clean...ish clothes for the kids and create edible lunches out of mysterious things from the fridge, we hurry to the car to get them to school early for a thing.

O: Look mom!  A bird has pooped on our car!
L: Eewwwww!  (slight gagging sound emerges)
Me:  Oh well, they do that sometimes....  (Auto-response has kicked in.  I have not had enough coffee.)
O: It kinda looks like a face... a sad face actually... 
Me: (Attempting to divert)  Some people believe it is lucky to have birds poop on the car...
L:  I think 4-leaf clovers are luckier. (Still a bit gaggy.)
O: Did you know that the number 13 is lucky to some people but not from Britain... blah, blah,  (insert two minute random rant on luck facts and semi-facts... then silence.)
O:  I think it is lucky to have a bird poop on your car but not your forehead.

So true, my dear, so very true.

March Surprise

You would think I would be used to it by now.  Yet the little miracles still take me by surprise. 

We have had a record breaking warm March week. It is like May and the earth is waking up.    I ignored the calendar and was raking our lawn this morning.  This is what greeted me.

Unexpected tulips popping up from the thick lavender that usually takes over the garden.  The thing is that I didn't plant these tulips.  We have been in this house for four years so they must have been planted by the former owners or, perhaps, some very organized squirrels.  Each "normal" spring the lavender grows dense quickly and the tulips just don't appear.  It is their time this year. They were just waiting for the right conditions to thrive.

I am not a religious person but I do have strong faith.  It seems to me to be a reminder that whatever is meant to happen, will happen, all in good time.  I like that idea.  I don't have to have it all figured out. Sure I can schedule, plot and plan all I like but some things unexpected will happen.  That's alright.  It may turn out to be a beautiful surprise. 

Roller Coaster That Is Life

Hello dear blog.  I have not forgotten you.  It's just, you know, life that keeps getting in the way.  What sorts of things?  Well, let's see what the blur of the past few weeks has been.



Laura on skis for the first time. 

Husband returns from his travels with a man-cold.  So I take the two kids skiing on a perfect Family Day weekend solo, Laura's first time, and it was awesome!   The joy I get out of having them enjoy something new is fantastic. 

Back to the week of getting stuff done.  Visiting a chiropractor to see if I can fix a stupid numbness thing in my arm.  Meh! It is not really working.  Maybe time will heal it.  Well, that and vodka. 

Climb back up for an ultimate amazing weekend with friends I adore.  They have the power to rejuvenate with fun, laughter, tears and a ton of caring.  I loved just being myself for the few days - not a mom, wife, taxi driver and all the other things I do for others.  Awesome.

Plummet back to earth again.  DH still sick, Owen has it too. Ugh. It's alright though.  I am still coasting on my weekend buzz.  While DH is away the next weekend, Laura gets the nasty cold too.  *sigh*  I can handle this with my supermom powers. 

Then we dive lower yet. Lice has entered the building.  Aaaagggghhhhhh!!  I was about to take my dearest to see the doctor about her cough when, gulp, I saw them.  But, being amazing, I handled it all brilliantly.  I just look at it as a very long process.  There is lots of laundry being done, house has never been cleaner actually, and my kids too.  Baths galore and many hours of hair-combing.  We are surviving.

Then dive again.  My MIL is taken to hospital with stomach issues.  DH is stressed again and I must pull on my reserved again. 

It is now March Break.  We have a "stay-cation" booked which is perfectly fine with me.  MIL is healing, lice is departing, colds are disappearing and I took a nap today. 

This, too, shall pass.  Roller coasters are not my favourite ride but I will gladly take on the lows when the highs are there too.  It sure makes for an exciting journey, whether I want it or not.

Cake is a 4-letter word

So, as I noted yesterday, the school had its annual cake raffle.  It involves teaching kids a valuable lesson on probability and dealing with disappointment while they toss in raffle tickets in favour of cakes that are much better than they would ever receive at home.  (Any normal home anyway. ) 

As usual, I try to prime my children on this "tough luck kid" life lesson thing before they go to school to avoid a meltdown in public.  As usual, my daughter has her stupid run of luck and wins, again, like she did here and like our son did here.  (Sheesh!  How the hell am I supposed to teach her to not play the lottery if she wins all the time!  No, wait... "Honey, can you please come to the casino with mommy?" Anyway, here is her winning cake.

Yay, we have a winner!  Except it is not all sunshine and lollipops.  The cake is Chocolate.   Owen can't do chocolate due to this.  So.... being awesome, I commit to making another cake.  Except the kids are wising up and being more demanding.   I raised the bar.  What was I thinking?!  Here is what I created.

I rock.  I am still committed to not making a cake for the raffle next year.    I know I will already be making one at home and I just do not need the extra stress.

The Upside of 40-something

Whoever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks must have just meant it literally.  People learn all the time.  Call is wisdom, been-there-done-that or just a constant search to make life easier, I've noticed some things have got better over time.


• Parallel parking - I can do it now!  First time, I swivel right into the spot without dinging the BMW or knocking down a pedestrian on the sidewalk.  I am amazed.  I have no idea why this is happening now.  Maybe I have just lost the fear and I have no need to impress a date.  Back in my youth I purposely took my driver's licence in January so that I wouldn't have to demonstrate the parallel parking thing due to snowbanks.  Now I grab a street side spot without hesitation. 



One of the cakes I did NOT make


• I say "no" when I want to say it.  For example, I love the school cake raffle.  The parents make gorgeous cakes and send them in.  I did it a couple of times and I know there was lots of swearing involved.  Baking is not my forte.  So, no, I love to help with lots of things but this isn't one that works for me.
• I say "yes" to more things, just because I want to, not to please anyone else.  The past decade has been so devoted to making life wonderful for my family, that I have often felt my needs and wants slipping to the back of the line.  There are times that I had no idea of who I was and what I wanted out of life.  I am taking "me" back.  I deserve it.  When opportunities present themselves, I say yes so much more often.  That feels pretty damn good.
• If I drive the car, I pick the music.  As head chauffeur of this place, I have the joy of driving my kids all over the place.  Out have gone boppy kids tunes to make way for my stuff.  I am a much happier driver if I can sing along to something that doesn't make me want to whack a fuzzy muppet.  Road trip anyone?

I'm sure there are a few dozen more things I could add to this list, but I can't think of them right now.  Another bonus to being more mature is that any need to be perfect has evaporated.  I am happier not stressing over whether this is the perfect post or not.  It isn't and I just want to blog it anyway. 

Maybe the old dogs are actually just getting wiser, having watched too many cats in their happy self-centered worlds.  Forget the new tricks, dude.  Fetch the damn ball yourself, this sunbeam is really comfy!

Wordless Wednesday: Shovel Collection

You know you live in Ottawa when you have a fine collection of shovels.  They all have their purposes and get used regularly.  I think I need to save up for a snowblower. 

Hitting the slopes

I am one proud mama yet again.  Owen has accomplished another first - skiing. 

The school has a ski club where they go to a local ski resort and ski for four weeks.  Lessons, rentals and transportation are included.  Owen wanted to try it, maybe because he likes watching the sport on TV or perhaps because he would get out of class for a few afternoons.  I wanted him to do it because as good Canadians, we have to embrace winter and participating in sports is a great way to do it.  Plus I could volunteer with the school and have some ski fun too.  He did very well!  His eyes shone with his accomplishment and he chattered on about it all the way home. 

The reason it was such as success was the awesome instructors and volunteers at Packenham.  This guy stayed with him for an hour and a half, full of patience and encouragement as he negotiated the skiing thing.  Wow!  There was lots of attention to detail from all the staff at the resort.  They understood his needs and worked with him.  That doesn't always happen with kids with special needs.  We are so lucky. 

Seeing the thrill in the eyes of your child as he conquers something new is priceless.