tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364058102024-03-13T00:55:49.404-03:00Semi-urban Mom... mom, wife, and career girl, somewhere between the city and the country ...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.comBlogger328125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-61289457407353081612016-07-11T11:05:00.002-03:002016-07-11T11:05:42.647-03:00A New 'High' and Back to Day 1Welp, after all my hard work to train for a 10K, I let it all slide, as you do. I had the best intentions, of course -- I even signed up for two more races to keep me 'going'. But, life being as it is, I fell so far off the wagon that I couldn't even find the wagon anymore.
I got to a point, very recently, where I was eating a chocolate bar for lunch. And sometimes breakfast. No exercise Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-27841990045390443762016-02-02T11:43:00.003-04:002016-02-02T11:43:53.208-04:00My Baby is FreeToday, Baby Girl, you turned free. Free years old! I can hardly belibe it.
Three years ago you came bursting into our lives, like the star of a play bursting onto stage, smiling and singing -- and you've managed to shine in your own spotlight ever since. Despite making us wait for your big entrance, we enthusiastically cheered your arrival on stage.
You are the missing piece that we didn't Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-73190418452486501092016-01-07T22:56:00.000-04:002016-01-08T11:36:24.856-04:00Countdown to 10K: Fear the Pit of DespairAs many of you know I signed up to run a 10K this year. Next month, in fact.
Why? Why?? What would possess me to do such a thing? I have never in my life run more than 5K. Ever. I'm not a runner. I don't exercise. The whole thing is so laughable!
But, peer pressure -- and the promise of an EPIC meetup with some amazing ladies who I have known online for over 9 years but have never met -- led Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-73387506722996847212015-10-05T22:08:00.000-03:002015-10-06T10:09:05.721-03:00An Unexpected Slap in the FaceI recently had the pleasure of visiting an art studio with my daughter, who was invited to a birthday party there. It was your typical little storefront art studio: walls crowded with completed works of art, paint splatters on the concrete floors, the smell of tempera and modelling clay in the air.
It was enough to make me want to puke.
It's not because I didn't like it in there, or Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-89682534658027122152015-10-04T21:30:00.000-03:002015-10-05T09:45:06.163-03:00The Great Clothing Purge 2015Anyone who knows me knows I rant and rail against laundry on an almost daily basis. WHY do we have so much clothing?? WHY??
With that in mind, and given that the kids' drawers were literally teeming with clothing, we set out to do a giant purge. I really like the idea of Spring Cleaning, but for me, Fall is when I want to get RID of stuff.
We set aside 2 hours and got to work... dumping out Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-31409974225399723612015-09-30T14:41:00.002-03:002015-09-30T14:41:05.711-03:00Blog Lovin'!Follow my blog with BloglovinAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-20040329380656167292015-09-10T11:58:00.000-03:002015-09-14T11:12:35.402-03:00Anti-Bullying Day is a Crock of ShitToday, as we do every September, I dressed my kids in pink and sent them to school to stand with their peers and recite a pledge not to be a bully, not to stand by while others get bullied, to care for one another and generally not be little assholes to each other. Aww. Nice right?
It's all good, in theory. And I'm sure the warm fuzzy feelings that float among their pink-clad selves will last atAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-54175421313546358182015-08-11T22:40:00.000-03:002015-08-12T11:43:27.098-03:00My Version of "Training" for a 10KIf there's one thing I've learned about myself it's that I like to do research before doing *anything*. I study park maps, read up on planned activities, view places on Google street view before I go there. I like to know what I'm in for.
Training for a 10K is no different, it turns out. I've read about what shoes to buy, what route the course will (should) take, what clothes I should wear, and Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-47913389229763502082015-07-28T22:38:00.000-03:002015-07-29T13:43:01.874-03:00Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs: A Freaking 10K?Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a runner, or an exerciser. Not by choice anyway (if a wasp crosses my path, watch out, I'm a runnin!)... But I've always said I hate running. I don't know why anyone would want to run. Ever. I have never had a "runner's high", and the whole idea just seemed stupid to me. Like, you just put on sneakers and... run away and back again? WHY?
Until the Spring of Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-56239821360585519672015-05-26T10:10:00.002-03:002015-07-31T09:01:05.848-03:00Today you are EIGHTWell kiddo, eight short years ago your arrival made me a mommy, and for that I will be eternally grateful. You've brought me more joy, laughter, aggravation, fun, intrigue and love than I ever could have imagined.
You are goofy, funny, caring, inquisitive. The love you show for your family makes my heart burst. The questions you ask make my head explode (sometimes!) -- both because of how smart Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-15099878738006683102015-05-20T22:13:00.000-03:002015-05-21T15:16:59.039-03:00LONG Overdue Garden UpdateOkay! I suck! I know!
Now that I've got that straightened out... I'm here to bring you the most overdue garden post ever. But hey... I'm here.
Back at the end of April, when I really wasn't sure if we'd ever see the ground for all the snow we still had, I started planting seeds in trays under lights, hoping beyond hope that we might get the chance to plant them outside someday. Never mind the Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-66528731303123927432015-05-02T16:32:00.000-03:002015-05-21T14:30:49.164-03:00Oh, it's ON.It's Spring in the Maritimes, which means SUN! And warm! Flowers! And Gardening!!
Orrrrr.... it means maybe, just maybe the snow will melt enough by June to be able to dig our Christmas decorations out. I really wish I was kidding...
Our yard, April 25, 2015. THIS IS NO JOKE.
Well a big ole Eff You to nature, because I'm busy in my furnace room once again getting little green things to grow.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-47425964953326297822015-03-12T09:35:00.000-03:002015-03-12T09:39:21.311-03:00My Kids' Tooth Fairy SucksAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-80453619844895164082015-03-03T21:22:00.000-04:002015-03-04T16:32:12.241-04:00Not YOU... You're the Good One!NO no no.
The "good" one has started to act up.
No, this can't be. She's our rule-follower. Our middle child, our quiet one. The pleaser. Sure she has her moments, her fits of crying, times when she's immobilized by shyness. But, she's our good girl!
But lately, I've seen a little flash in her eye, as she swears up and down and inside out that what she's saying is TRUE! It's TRUE Mommy, I Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-71994991174937950112015-03-02T22:12:00.000-04:002015-03-04T16:25:17.890-04:00What really terrifies me, as a parentAs a parent in today's world, there are certainly a lot of things to be scared of. Kids getting hurt, contracting an incurable disease, the threat of the ever-ubiquitous Boogeyman, the worry that kids will grow up to be ax-murderers, or worse: garage band drop-outs. All things that will keep anxious parents up at night.
But what really terrifies me is none of those things. Maybe because they areAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-388376189608440172015-02-23T22:22:00.000-04:002015-02-24T10:33:29.535-04:00Life Without Facebook: Take 2So, last year on a whim I took the plunge and gave up Facebook for a month. It was fabulous.
Although I missed out on a lot of posts about The Bachelor and pictures of various babies and puppies and whatnot, the benefits far outweighed those costs: I looked at my phone less (once I gave up Google+ too), I didn't get caught up in whatever online drama was happening that day, I was more focused Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-5263455565124160042015-01-22T06:54:00.000-04:002015-02-24T10:34:00.253-04:00Karma's a Bitch, But She's Got a PointI've had a few run-ins with Karma lately, and it's making me realize you really just need to stop and listen sometimes.
The first run-in was over the holidays. I had a great idea that I should really minimize in the year 2015 -- get rid of anything we don't NEED in our lives. As I was packing up all the Christmas crap stuff, I decided I was just going to do it: I would toss or donate Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-78068539570682599082015-01-14T22:27:00.000-04:002015-01-21T15:57:51.039-04:00Fridge Oatmeal -- OMG You Guys.So, I know I am going to come across as sounding a little kooky here, but I think I have found my new love, in a mason jar. I've been a bit of a Fridge Oatmeal Evangelist lately, I admit. I just can't stop sharing this with everyone around me, so naturally it was time for a Fridge Oatmeal blog post :)
Now I know oatmeal in a jar doesn't sound all that exciting, but it has been a complete game Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-69978737384136692332015-01-08T21:36:00.000-04:002015-01-15T10:33:09.527-04:00All the Posts I Haven't WrittenPost-holiday Hangover has finally subsided, and I've managed to bust through the haze to bring you this entry. I survived another year and so did you! Go US!
However... this is admittedly a half-baked post. I mean -- I needed to start somewhere. It seems lately I have this bad habit of only writing posts in my head... I know every blogger composes posts in their head, constantly, like a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-90044921396311457382014-11-18T22:05:00.000-04:002014-11-19T13:09:04.433-04:00DIY: An Easy, Fun, Meaningful Family GiftIt can be hard to come up with gifts for grandparents who seemingly have everything, and really just want a piece of the grandkids anyway.
With this in mind, we recently made this canvas for the Nonna in our life (hi!) and I think it turned out great! The bonus was that we were all able to participate, and in years to come it will server as a reminder of how small (and messy!) the kids hands Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-6927319575135833422014-11-17T22:46:00.000-04:002015-03-09T09:33:26.961-03:00Digging in the Frozen DirtI've said it before and I'll say it again: there's something about pulling fresh produce out of your garden in mid-November that just feels like cheating :) Cheating what, I don't know... mother nature?
Having all-but-forgotten my garden by this point, I'd been curious as to how the last few bits and bobs were doing out there. As the nighttime temps started to dip and frost descended upon us, I Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-89633488393389987272014-11-06T22:57:00.000-04:002014-11-18T10:49:39.203-04:00Finding my Voice (and Learning to Shut Up)When I was younger... much younger (back in the olden days, before the internet) I was a reserved, introverted, quiet loner of a kid. I know... you are all shocked to learn this (haha). Although, even those who knew me back then, and knew I was 'a bit shy', may be surprised to learn just how much it affected me growing up. I think I was pretty good at acting the part, even though internally I wasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-42058338582382131362014-08-01T22:15:00.000-03:002014-11-18T12:25:58.680-04:00Mini Midsummer Garden UpdateMini garden update... We have carrots, peas, green onions and beans coming in. Tomatoes just starting to ripen, peppers and cukes inching along, leeks doing their thing to the side. Just planted more romaine and carrots for a fall harvest. Woop! Love summer!!!
Dirty carrots, and fingernails (and a couple of Sungolds)
Cali Wonder pepper... yum!
Tiny Tims... oh how I love these
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-79104485159040115572014-07-08T22:09:00.000-03:002015-01-23T12:39:45.964-04:00A Few Things I Have Learned About Myself (As I Get Older)It's funny to think about all the times in my 20's and early-30's I'd heard women say things about how they couldn't do certain things anymore, which things upset their stomach, "I can't lay on the floor or I'll never get up" etc.
I found it odd and couldn't relate, because nothing seemed to bother my stomach, give me black circles under my eyes, throw my back out... nothing was 'off limits' (Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405810.post-82682973037112476572014-07-03T21:24:00.000-03:002014-07-04T10:01:25.911-03:00Garden Update! Terrified of what's headed our way...There was a point where I thought this year's garden was going to be a 'no go'. Almost all of the transplanted dudes were looking sad, limp, and pathetic. The seeds I sowed didn't' seem to be doing much of anything. I sighed and started thinking about heading to the garden centre and starting over from scratch.
But then... time, heat, sun and water (and a little bit of picking off bugs, pruning Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10575059993295434569noreply@blogger.com0