completion of bathroom renovation

Thanksgiving

It has been a beautiful thanksgiving weekend here in Ontario. I am surrounded by golden leaves and acres of farmland. My kids have been jumping outside on the trampoline and playing in their fort for most of the day. I made apple crisp this morning and plan on making ham with homemade cranberry sauce for dinner. Brian and Justin spent the last two days scuba diving up in Barrie enjoying each other's company and learning to trust each other 30 feet deep in the lake..hand signals and gestures are key to a successful dive. Jamie worked on some of his homework today for his upcoming election role at school to coincide with this semesters politics and government unit. His team known as the JLB party( Jamie, Lucas and Brandon) otherwise known as the Jellybean party will be passing out rulers with the slogan "we rule" and bags of jellybeans which should guarantee some votes... and since Katie has the best printing in the house ..she happily volunteered to write JLB's slogan on 30 rulers!!! As of late I have found myself involved in volunteering for organizations and giving my time such as helping Maddie in her political campaign for ward six councillor, signing up for parent council at Villanova and working on getting a Halloween spook a thon this year for middle school. I have also focused on helping the kids in Costa Rica by sending school supplies and Christmas gifts. I continue to volunteer at Katie's school and will be in the grade 4 classroom this year trying my best to conduct science experiments and help with core reading. I have also promised myself to finish my last two courses of my BA to prove to my kids that completing something you have started is important!! It is true I have a lot on my plate but as I ponder what thanksgiving means to me on this weekend I reflect back on the past month including my time at the hospital with my nana and realize that what I have been doing is exactly what thanksgiving is about.... being truly compassionate about others each and everyday....and being thankful that I can help!!!...Happy thanksgiving!!!

Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling

Family Trip to Costa Rica 2010

Costa Rica trip from justanotherstayathomemom on Vimeo.

my baby boy in NY

Yep......he is 1000 miles away from home but still keeps in touch with his I-phone. They grow up so so so fast. Letting go is so hard! He really has a personally that is easily missed when he is gone. I better get used to it....2 1/2 years and he gone to university....:(

Vacation time....

With all the taxes, RRSP's, private tuition fees and mortgage payments bogging us down... we decided this year to just bite the bullet and go away for spring break. I am tired of paying everyone else...and yes that means that our main bathroom will probably not be renovated till later in the year...but we only live once...and with Justin on his way to university in less than 3 years...we don't have much more family vacation time left. We have decided to go to COSTA RICA...since we have already taken the kids to Mexico and Jamaica...we wanted somewhere new and exotic but more importantly...HOT!. It's a bit risky because Central America is not the norm for spring breakers but with some brand new all inclusive resorts opening up in the last year it seems to becoming the new down south spot to experience. My family likes adventure...me personally I prefer to lie my fat arse on the beach and read all day while lifting my hand once in awhile to sip my pina colada but one must compromise so I said I will do 2 or 3 excursions off the resort including horseback riding in the jungle and visiting the active volcano. I am looking forward to creating some wonderful memories and to get the heck away from this SNOW! Stay tuned for updates after our return...just hope I don't get eaten by a BOA CONSTRICTOR!!

Valentine's Day isn't just for couples...

I woke up early this morning so Katie and I could drive down to Toronto to take my Nana to church on this Valentine's Day. We don't go to church often these days although all three of my kids attend mass regularly at their Catholic schools. Going to church was something I only ever did with my mom and Nana....a deep memory from my childhood.....my mother trying her best to sing the choir songs while my Nana listened attentively to the sermon...me always fidgeting in the pew trying to relieve my boredom by spying on people and counting how many coughs I heard during the service....anticipating the moment when we could step out of the church but only after Father had walked to the back of the church. Today I stood with my Nana once again as I had done so many times before in childhood taking in the faint smells of candles and listening to the songs of praise...but this time I looked around at the parishioners wondering what life they had that brought them to mass....most in wheelchairs, all veterans as my Nana insists on going to mass at the hospital where Grandpa lived during his Alzheimer years. I think about how quickly time has passed and feel a sense of sadness when I see my Nana with her walker, out of breath and trying to drag her leg with each step. She is an amazing woman who lost her mother as a child but somehow knew how to love her children and grandchildren. This time at mass I am not wanting the time to end but to stand still......looking down at my daughter with my hands on her shoulders just as my mother had gestured to me in church...I realize that she is now playing my childhood role probably hoping that she too can get out quickly and wondering why her mother drags her to mass. Well my darling I am doing so to teach you about love. Love that my Nana showed me all those times she took me to church. Church is a place to remember those in your life, to teach you to be a better person and live each day with kindness. So when my Nana is no longer on this earth...we can go to Church to remember and thank her for giving us such a wonderful gift.