Creation Station ... homemade gifts

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  No ... seriously.  Even Matthew wants to put the tree up soon.  Next week is the start of December ... along with this comes the planning, lists and organizing.  For JJ and I, that means crafts!  For Matthew that means some vacation time coming up.  For Tee that means more things she can touch.  Oh blessed little lamb.

We started JJ's teacher's gifts awhile ago.  We wanted to make something to avoid the obvious duplicates. It was so fun!  Of course, fortune cookies are Chinese which is right up JJ's alley these days.  So we started our creation station ....

First, we asked all the students, the principal and a few mom's what they liked about each teacher.  This was easy since I get one on one time with each child out in the hall every week..

Second, we typed up each response and cut them into strips.

Third, we made paper fortune cookies and put one thought in each one ....

The finished product ...

 

I guess it's sort of a teacher's advent calendar filled with reasons why they are loved.  Every day they can open one and know that they are making such a difference in so many little lives.  Teachers are awesome.  If you are a teacher, thank you!

Genius

Have you ever had one of those .... "wow, that's genius ... wish I knew that a long time ago" moments?  Sometimes I have those moments ... something hits me and I say, "Genius!"  Sometimes people will share something with me and I say, "Genius!"

For example, it wasn't until JJ was 5 and I was in the store with my friend that she pointed out that I could simply pull the front of the cart out and JJ could climb in.  Seriously!  I NEVER thought of that.  All the times I struggled to get her in and it could have been that simple!  Genius!


Then there is less obvious stuff like adding cottage cheese to your skeds.  The kids don't know it's there and for some reason the sauce doesn't stain their clothes/faces as much ... and added nutrients they don't get in their regular diet.  Simple.  Or using washed out playdoh containers to put snacks in their lunch.  Simple. Or typing the girls "stories" right on the computer instead of writing it in their journal and then typing it out later.  Seriously a lot easier and I just thought of this a little while ago.  I don't think it's that I'm "unsmart" ... it's just that it never dawned on me before.  Or as I would say as a child, "donged on me".


Simple little tricks ... stuff I wish I had known for a long time and can't believe I never thought of before.  

Know what you can do when your daughter's pants are too short?  Sew lace on the bottom of the legs.  Super easy, super cute and super economical.  Did you know that if you put a pack of wipes in every room you have a pack of wipes in every room!  Genius.   Or that if you keep "just in case" clothes and accessories in the car you don't have to carry stuff around and you're always prepared.


Here's my favorite.  After weeks of my friend telling me about price matching it finally hit me!  I can go through the flyers, write on the top what I want at that sale price and do all my shopping at one place! No more running around to hit the door crashers.  Simple.  Genius.

If you put soap and water in a spray bottle, your child will clean your entire house and be convinced you are a fun mom.   Put some cider vinegar in a cup with a few drops of dish soap and your fruit flies will be gone in one day.   You can substitute half your oil in a recipe with unsweetened applesauce.  Rinsing with peroxide is safe and really helps when your gums hurt or feel "full".  And in my case, if you say something is Chinese, JJ will eat it.  "Yes my dear ... shepherd's pie is Chinese food".  Don't judge, Chinese people eat shepherd's pie too.


And so I invite you to enlighten me.  Tricks to save time, money, energy and sanity.  No trick too simple.  Make me say, "Wow, you're a Genius!"

And the winner is ....

After reading through all the family Christmas traditions, Matthew and I knew right away which one was for our family.

And the winner of the Family Christmas Traditions contest is ....

Drum roll ....

Lisa H.

We love the idea of getting a family game every year and playing it as a family.  The game can change as our family grows and develops.  Hopefully we won't start any bad traditions with it.  I have a friend who is actually not allowed to play scrabble with her family anymore because she gets too worked up.  We will start with a game that will get Tee's attention and it will allow us some normal family time.   We even have a gift card for toysrus and I look forward to going with Matthew to pick it out.  We need something that would get Tee's attention, but also be fun for JJ.  Any suggestions??

Lisa, your ornament will be waiting for you.

Christmas Traditions Contest

Looking out my front window I see a huge yellow maple that screams AUTUMN to me.  It also reminds me that we are going to have a lot of leaves to rake up soon.  I told Matthew we cannot have a repeat of the first year we lived here.  We were THOSE neighbours.  Thank you Bud and Julie for helping with that.  We have awesome neighbours, but that's another story for another time.

Hmmm.  Traditions can be interesting.  They can be good or bad.  Reading the story of Christ's birth around a fire place on Christmas Eve or saying you'll do stuff early this year, but still finding yourself running around doing errands last minute.  Or you could be a Dickey and have the tradition of staying up most of the night getting ready.  I do not have Dickey blood in me so I cannot keep up with that tradition.  Perhaps you make a donation to the food bank or promise that you won't eat too much at Christmas dinner.

Although my front window tells me that it's Autumn, visiting the store this morning told me that it's Christmas.  So, in keeping with the Spirit of Christmas that is fast approaching I am inviting you to take part in a Christmas Traditions Contest.  I am looking for Christmas ideas and traditions.  I'd love to hear about a tradition that you did as a family growing up or one that you have started as an adult.   If we decide to do your tradition as a family, you will receive a personalized tree ornament .  I am also hoping to hear some really cool/beautiful stories to get to know a little more about you.  

You can either write your tradition(s) on my blog or on my facebook.  I wanted to get started so I have time to make the ornament and get it to the winner before we are in the thick of the season.  So looking forward to hearing from you!

There has to be more out there

I have always believed in God.  For a good portion of my childhood I assumed everyone believed in God.  As my world expanded I was introduced to many different world views.  My core beliefs have not changed, but my faith has been altered as I have learned and experienced more.  This past year I have done a lot of thinking and I dare admit that I have asked the question, "what if there isn't a God?".  I mean, come on, there are so many different religions, faiths and even denominations within the same faith.  So many different views on certain topics .. even within the same church!  How could I possibly be the only one who has everything figured out?

Well, here's my big conclusion,

I don't have everything figured out.  I do not know the mind of God.

There are so many things that I could debate about or worry about.  I could argue until I am blue in the face about a certain view point.  That's not really me.  I do have certain things that I truly believe, but if I get to Heaven and find out I'm wrong, I'm not going to argue. What I do believe is that there has to be more out there than what we see.

There has to be more than what we see infront of our faces.  It's so easy to get caught up in daily living and be ignorant to a greater picture.  These few years on earth can't possibly be all there is.  What is the point?  Why are we here?  There have been some people in my life who have lost children over the past year.  Babies inside the womb, an eleven year old, a teen.  What was their existence for if it was just taken away?

There has to be more.  I see the earth or a video on how a child is created.  There has to be something greater than us.  A reason for the gratitude you feel when you look at the stars.  A bigger picture than what we can see from our view point.  Some greater story than the immediate pain we feel on earth.  Something bigger.  Reasons that we can't possibly understand from where we are.

I think we are living here as a flicker of time before eternity.  I believe those mothers will be reunited with their children one day.  I believe there are forces here on earth that we can't always see.  I believe I may have entertained angels and I have felt the force of Satan try to tear my family apart.

I remember after my Papa passed away I was sitting in his car in a parking lot as my mom took care of some of his business.  I can't remember all the details.  I think I was praying.  It was a sad time.  I remember suddenly feeling the car move as though a great weight had rested on it.  It felt as though a bunch of angels had landed on his car ....  I don't know.  I remember looking around kind of weirded out.  You may think I'm nuts, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.

I don't want what I see before me to be my only purpose in life.  However long I live for, I don't want this to be it.  Living day by day ... from high to high.  I suppose this is what they call hope.  Hope for something greater and bigger.

What do I know?  I know that God wants me to love him and to love others.  I know He wants me to look past the superficial.  He wants me to enjoy the wonderful gifts on earth, but to think eternally.  To know that He has a greater picture.  He was here before the world began.  Generations of people have come and gone.  That can't be the end.  There has to be more out there.

reflections

Well folks.  I am 32.  Not sure if I have any great wisdom to impart on you in my old age.  I have learned that if you are gassy, working out is really helpful and that one can have grey hair and acne at the same time.  Probably not words to live by.

When a birthday comes around there are two things that I have learned
1) Make it a goal that the birthday person feels loved by the end of the day .. whatever works for that person.
2) The birthday person shares and reflects on the highlight of that year.

#1 was a success for me this year.  I certainly felt loved.  I got some lovely gifts from my mom that certainly reflect my personality.  I got two cakes ... not chocolate cakes with frosting with my name on top.  I got Lisa cakes.  I got a candy cake and a chocolate bar cake.  Two important people in my life thought, "what would Lisa like?".  I also got this super cool book

I don't feel loved because Matthew went out and bought me a present.  I feel loved because Matthew listened to me talk about cities, architecture and maps for hours and thought I would like this book even though it had never crossed my mind before.  I also feel loved because of a special little note I got.  JJ handed me a picture covered in hearts with 100 written on the top.  She said it's because "I love you 100".  Now that in itself is so sweet, but it was so sweet to me because it's something I say to Matthew.  There is a little person who copies me and was able to put into a picture, words that she has heard before.  It was so endearing.  I'm a so lucky to have a daughter who shares a piece of my heart.  And then there's Tee.  I can't help but love her solely on the fact that she sounds like a fax machine half the time.   All she has to do is be herself and I feel the love and blessing pour over our house.

Want to talk about feeling loved?

Waking up to all these faces holding pictures with birthday messages.  It would put a smile on a constipated polar bear with fleas.  I am not constipated.  Nor do I have fleas so you can imagine the smile on my face.  Thanks to everyone who took part.

Well, that takes care of #1.

#2  Reflections over the past year ....

In my old age I seem to have forgotten this past year.  My calendar says the year did happen. 

*Tee starting daycare.  That opened a world of possibilities for Tee and myself.
*Having a 5 year old.  JJ has really grown this year and it's really fun watching her discover things. 
*Volunteering in room 19.  It feels so good to be part of something again.
*Walking with Matthew and getting caught in the rain.  I couldn't run so we walked together ... one of us was screaming.  It was the perfect picture of Ohana.

I'll take my rose coloured goggles off for a second.

*Tee's diagnosis was pretty huge.  Changed our whole family dynamic and opened a whole world of new fears and challenges.
*I went through a season of personal challenges as I tried to figure out my life and faith

We still struggle as we try to define our family and faith, but the "hope" side is certainly winning now.  This is our time and this is our dance.   Now if you have seen us dance you may worry about us ... but don't worry.  We still have fun doing it.

Thanks for being part of my life.

Mind over matter

I think sometimes you have to step back from things to see the bigger picture.  Last weekend was rough for me.  My legs didn't want to walk and my workout was pretty bad.  Oh course I had my cheerleaders watching me, but it was discouraging and kind of painful.

It's easy to start to panic that things have progressed to the "next level".  Looking at those few days alone, it is pretty scary.  But then the next day comes.

We went to see our family Dr. on Wednesday.  Now you have to understand that we haven't seen her in awhile.  My guess would be 4-6 months since any of us have been in there.  You know what the first things she says to me is?? She said I looked so much better and that I looked like I was moving around so much easier.  I told her I had been working really hard and she said she could really tell.

Having been with myself every day I didn't notice how much I had changed.  I left feeling pretty good about myself.  I even noticed that when I was in JJ's class I wasn't as afraid of falling.  I have hardly even been using my cane!  I guess the extra workouts and trying new things has really helped.

Next month is my annual testing at McMaster and I'm kind of excited.  I get so discouraged when the numbers drop, but last year I was able to keep the numbers the same.  At first I was discouraged that my hard work hadn't done anything, but  I've recently discovered why they were so happy about it.  It meant for 1 year I stopped the progression of muscular dystrophy.  I should be proud of that!  I have lost my ability to do any stairs and so many things are limited now, but I can still cook and clean my house and walk.  I can still be a good mom and a good friend.    I have a team around me to make things happen, but I have to remember those good things on days like last weekend.

Come to think of it, the weather wasn't good and I had really pushed my body the few days before ... not to mention I also had a bug.  No wonder my legs wanted to sleep.  My whole body wanted to sleep. 

Anyways, thank you Dr. B for the encouragement .... now to figure out how to be as mobile when forced to wear shoes.