All posts in Adventure and Me

Winter Wonderland Maquerade Tea

by admin on November 27, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with 1 Comment

Trying something knew and having a winter tea was an adventure for me, especially when I decided to have my first masquerade party. After seeing so many pretty masks in October I was looking for an excuse to wear some. My summer tea this year was a grand affair but many important ladies where not able to attend and so I decided to throw a winter-y event.

Most of the evening I wore a lovely brown fur cape I have that has the prettiest satin bow paired with my pink dress gloves, but it got a little warm. My youngest daughter managed to keep her furry red scarf on all night, with her feathered mask, and she must have drank tea all night long. My oldest put on her cat mask and looked adorable in a hand made pink collar that my mother had found. Icing on the cake was finding out last minute that my Mom was going to be able to attend. She was so much help and such a great conversationalist.
It was grand fun to see what everyone picked to wear and all the creativity and uniqueness my circle of women have. One talented friend came in a costume dress she herself had made. Another had made her own lovely blue mask. A third had her daughter make hers in true sweet heart of a mother style. We had a lady who looked the princess in her gown of soft blue and ladies in more modern attire that suited their sophisticated taste.As usual everyone contributed to our snacks and we had a beautiful spread. It was so pleasant to see a collection of modern women drinking from my pretty collection of ‘real’ tea cups and all in all it was a sweet evening.You just don’t fine two women completely alike and they are so fabulous to get to know, each and every one!

TTFN

Autumn Whimsy

by admin on October 19, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Life Keeps Changing, Mama Heart Mushings, People In My Heart with 1 Comment

As I work hard at living in the moment, seizing the day if you will, I feel an improvement in my mothering. More patient, more attentive and especially more involved with my kids worlds.

Children find the whimsy in just about everything. By playing with them more outdoors I am becoming better at seeing each seasons whimsy. Autumn’s is not very difficult to spot, even for the most serious adults. Spring has only started to be delightful for me now that I invested in pock-a-dot rubber boots and get into the muck and water willingly with my kids. Winter takes effort, but once you are out and looking there is a very intense whimsy to be found. Sitting in snow banks silently, slide down hills screaming my head off and skating under the stars, all inspired by my children’s heart desires for winter fun, make the whimsy impossible to ignore. Summer has water, swimming! Summer’s whimsy is vibrant and requires sunglasses and sun screen to take without burning but it too is worth embracing like a child.

Back to autumn, for that is the season that is my NOW. The gold and red trees are warm romance to my eyes. The sun is kind and happy. The wind in nippy in only a playful way and we all get to wear scarves, little mittens and cozy but not too puffy jackets of leather and wool.

Two days ago I felt the urge to do window shopping on one of my cities old school streets that is crammed full of vehicles and people. It is a tight little street and with no indoor mall centers, so you must be a hearty sort to shop it in the winter months.

My littlest fellow and I picked up his Grandma and found our way to this street and into one of its sweet flower shops. After my sister and her daughter meet us we followed our noses to one of the oldest bakeries in the city. Meringues and cinnamon twists where devoured by all in the friendly fall sun, on a red city bench. We chatted, we ate, we people watched and then we moved on. There was hat shopping and dress gazing and mostly just looking. We where more tickled with our own little group then with the ‘stuff’ we looked at… it was about being with one another.

Down one side of the street we went till we where stopped by a cafe and their warm frothy espresso drinks. A seat by the window was perfect for our morning and its dedication to fall. Before our morning was done we found a jewelry store to explore. As I walked in I spotted two Victorian chairs that where oozing gentle fall inspiration. As I walked out I carried one of them and my sister, Mirelle, had the other chair. No jewelry for me, but, a taste of fall and Victorian times for my sitting room. We where more then chipper as we drove home with my van a little overly snug, thanks to the gold leaf cover chairs. Rosy cheeked little ones waved farewell to their Grandma as she was dropped off. Mirelle, the children and I headed home for tea time, a perfectly suited way to wrap up a fall walk.

I am so thankful for sunny fall days, for family time, for provision. I am so thankful for the maker of the seasons and the maker of all whimsy. Thank you Christ for all that my children teach me… reminding me of what I new when I was little like them.

TTFN

Me the Usher!

by admin on October 8, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, People In My Heart with 1 Comment


And I can now add usher to my resume (wink)! Being behind the scenes at a musical was a fun experience. Thanks to my sister I had an in to this cultured world! She was one of the nuns in this theatre groups last play, ‘The Sound Of Music’.

It felt strangely unreal for me as I sat stuffing programs. I realised I can romanticise just about anything! Here I was at the ground level of theatre culture and I had been swept into it so easily and unexpectedly. The offer came up and I grabbed it. The evenings work began and I seized the moment! I ate up every menial task! Starving artists remember their stuffing programs days, do they not? Not that I am a starving artist but I was peckish after stuffing and standing most of the evening.

The ushers leader was a feisty older woman who had a knack for being tough and hilarious all at once. I instantly liked her. When she handed me the flashlight and an usher name tag it all felt so official. I shall for ever look at ushers in a new light.

Perhaps a tad over zealously I threw myself into handing out the programs. A few times I offered the same people a second one and when I offered the stage manager one I almost laughed aloud. He looked so unimpressed with me and even huffed! His reaction make me giddy and I couldn’t help contemplating doing it again just to mess with him… but, after all, I thought better of it, I am not that brazen, I am a think and laugh at the thought kinda girl.

Seated at the back when the curtain went up, we ushers where removed in more ways then one from the actual audience. I felt set apart but also important, people asked me questions! We observed the play and the audience from a servants position.

At half time… oh theatre biz calls it intermission, my sister and I where placed at the main doors to do some bouncing… more correctly, to act as bouncers. No food or drink was to make its way in for the second act. We may have not been on stage last night but this was our opportunity to do a little acting. I don’t believe either of us are really bouncer types.

Even picking up bits of trash after the show was fun for me. This affirms I may have been over board with my enthusiasm. Above all else I felt very thrifty! It has been a goal of my sister and I, of late, to seek out clever thriftiness in life. To get into a show (we enjoy going to plays and musicals) for free by volunteering to usher was indeed cleverly thrifty!

Here’s to theatre! Here’s to being cleverly thrifty and here’s to new experiences!

TTFN

A Plot Of Veggies

by admin on September 6, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with No comments

We have been eating very very well off of our little plot at the community garden. I was so prompt about posting pictures of this spot, while it was still dirt, I thought I had better show you the lovely luscious life that is now abundant.

Here are some pictures from a harvesting trip we did as a family this past long weekend.

(South side of the garden is seen above and below is a picture of the north side.)
(Not from our plot but I had to show you these sunflowers and the prairie water melons that someone successfully grew!)
(Here is our plot, half cleaned out already but still full of veggies!)(Herbs, hanging to dry in our basement, grown in our garden.)

I had more pictures of our produce but have misplaced them so I hope to find them and share them soon.

Gardening is hard work. It took some help from family, to water and watch over our plot when we where away this summer. It took many many night walks over to water it during the dry days. It took days of me and my girls, hands and knees in the dirt, going after weeds. It took nights of me walking over with my oldest boy to pick something fresh for supper. It took more then that too but it gave so much more then just produce back. The garden added family time and quality outdoor time to our summer.

P.S. Check out THIS POST and THIS ONE TOO to see the humble beginnings of our community garden adventure!

TTFN

SUMMER TIME!

by admin on July 21, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality with 2 Comments


Can you believe it? I hardly can! I have given myself time off the blog and I am traveling in the real world, he he he, not just blog world! This will be a summer to remember!

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!

TTFN

Withdrawal

by admin on July 6, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, Little Things, The Jogger Within?, The Pet with 1 Comment
(A RELATED THOUGHT… or perhaps not… but wanted to share…
Everyday as I head outside I see these daisies… and many many more… all over my front lawn… SO IS LIFE, they seem to say to me… they are unplanned for and not socially acceptable all over my lawn… but… sorry neighbors they are the very reason I mow my front lawn infrequently. I far prefer these hearty and lovely little flowers to the sad brown grass that tries to survive under my glorious trees. I didn’t plan for my lawn to be any different from the neighbors but these little beauties are all that survives well and they are much prettier then what I would have controlled into being.)

Wow do I need to write!! I feel like all the fabulous moments my kids and I are experiencing are fading into oblivion without my having the ability to record and think them through on the family blog. Thankfully I haven’t needed a lot of de-stress blogging so I have been okay with letting this public blog lie… letting the sleeping blog lie… hmmmm, I like that… anyhow.

I need to be okay with the risk of memory lose as I have no personal computer to update so frequently. I need to just grab this summer by the… heat waves…. ??… and GO WITH IT! This is where life is right now! No computer for me and so I must cope with the blogging withdrawal and continue on.SUMMER, by the way, has been absolutely fabulous so far! The big kids are at camp and I am spoiling the smaller two. Garnet and I are getting lots of alone time and the dog is getting fun in the sun with an even more active me. I am not letting the specialist appointments slow me down. We, meaning Riddick THE DOG and I, are back to short jogs each morning and enjoying the energy boost that that provides.

(‘gasp’ a jogging photo… kinda… me right after a run, looking good cuz I took down my sweaty pony tail before picture was snapped, he he he)

There have been gallons of iced tea drank already, plenty of patio time, fun stops at parks, pools and more. The garden is doing super well in spite of the water ban. What else can I add? Going north to the grand folks with my crew next week and hope to put some deliciously northern snap shots on here soon enough and the fun continues after that trip with tea parties, camp for me and my two babies, a tenting weekend and swimming lessons.How will I cope with school starting again?

TTFN

Beginner Jogger

by admin on June 15, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Life Keeps Changing, The Jogger Within?, The Pet with 1 Comment

I have avoided calling myself a “jogger” for a long time… I kept saying I am just getting into it… just trying to be active, nothing more… but the fact is I can honestly say I now LIKE IT! I really do! It took the whole winter but I feel confident enough to call myself a jogger… or at least to be open to telling people I jog.

Steps to Jogging Confidence
(these are my steps… you know, what was in my head when I set out to master jogging… going from HATING IT to ENJOYING IT)

1) Proving to yourself that you are disciplined, that it isn’t just a fad and that you are not a fraud…

Joggers have a reputation. They are strong, disciplined and really passionate. I didn’t wanna be a joke and jump into calling myself a jogger too quickly, so this is why proving I had the discipline to keep it up was important to me. Started jogging shortly after getting our dog, Riddick, to keep him well exercised. When I started to see benefits in my health it became something for me too. I got up almost daily and jogged with my dog before the kids awoke (around six). I managed to maintain this for the whole winter. The discipline it took alone to getting up and out there made me feel pretty good about myself.

2) Being willing to be spotted jogging.

Long before jogging myself, I always spotted them. I followed their form and wondered about their style of run and their outfits… So going from early, and dark, morning jogs to doing it during the light of day was stressful for me. Thankfully I was able to start into this stage while still in my frumpy winter gear. I didn’t want to be spotted doing a shot-y job of what is called jogging. What if my running form looks like the funky chicken and I just don’t know?! Daylight brought out self confidence issues in the jogger me, but the harder step was letting the bulky winter wear go and dawning the work out gear for warmer weather

3) Buying and wearing those tight work out outfits.

I like mary janes (a type of shoe, flats) and dresses, big flow-y dresses… not a sporty girl… sooooo the sporty gear sure was intimating and felt so foreign when I started wearing it. I just had to tell myself over and over to stand up straight and suck it in baby!

It was also really hard for me to invest the cash on shoes that weren’t super cute. My very sporty biking husband informed the clerk “DON’T let her pick based on how they look!” The clerk informed him she had a lot of colorful types that no one else wanted and was more then thrilled to pawn them off on someone like me. This made me grin. They are as cute as sneakers can get, I assume, COLORFUL and very comfortable. (Pssst! Did I mention they match the little jogging skirt I had picked up just before the shoe clinic visit?! Don’t tell my husband!)

4) Jogging socially!

I have no idea why I put this off to last?!! Jogging with girl friends has turned out to be one of THE BEST parts of jogging! We have a beautiful river side city to enjoy and company really helps you go longer without getting side tracked. Is this why people get ipods and listen to inspiring music as they jog? I haven’t tried that yet, but since I am not a highly competitive sort I will often cut jogs short, when I am alone, because I get bored or my mind leads me on to other things and pretty soon I feel drawn away from my work out. Anyhow, the girls inspire me. I really look forward to our weekend jogs together! We have a beautiful route along the river and over a couple of the bridges. It doesn’t hurt that this route just happens to lead us to an award winning coffee shop at the end.

(The coffee!)

Well this is all I have for now. Ramblings of everything that has been bobbing around in my head since I started this adventure. I am a happy person in my body and all the more as I continue to exercise regularly.

P.s. Sorry, no jogging pictures of myself or my jogging pals… speaking of confidence… I don’t know about them but I don’t think I am ready for a jogging self photo on my blog yet:)

TTFN

2 Days Ago We Celebrated

by admin on June 12, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Life Keeps Changing, My Romance with No comments

Two days ago we celebrated our eleventh year of marriage. Just last year we had a big tenth vow renewal ceremony in a sweet little church with our children and our close family all around us. Perhaps it has kicked something off in our lives? Before last years anniversary Garnet and I usually found our anniversary a very uneventful day, due to being in the thick of the baby and toddler years. I feel like we have shook off those years with last years celebration. I was finally able to see the good side to baby years being memories and started to get excited about all the freedoms coming our way, as we let our children grow and teach them to be more independent of us.

This year, so many loved ones wished us well and encouraged us to really celebrate again. We where approached by many willing babysitters and a day of childless fun came together. We dined for breakfast, as that is our favorite meal, shopped where we can never normally go with four kids in tow (second hand book stores, hat stores, stores full of exotic breakable items) and then we gardened together. We talked, we fussed over one another and we felt so blessed to know our kids where happy and fine without us… thus we really relaxed and enjoyed the quiet, with only one anothers attention and touch.When my beautiful babies are babies no longer, far from my mothering reach, working on their own paths and life stories, I will have my husband still. I will hold to him, look at him, fuss over him with a bursting heart. It is a blessing to look into your mans eyes and still see your beau. He makes it easy for me; he hasn’t lost his sense of humor through all our hard times, he hasn’t lost that golden smile through the sad times and he hasn’t lost his love for me through my unlovable times.

I love you Garnet!

TTFN

Getting a Plot!

by admin on June 8, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Foodie Like Me, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, The Pet with 1 Comment
(A view of the community garden from the top of our parks sled hill.)

Due to feeling off I missed the official PLOT MEETING where they presented all the garden members with their little pieces of earth. I thought perhaps I had lost my chance to be part of the community garden then but I got an email that if I could find the time to come by for some info and advice they had my spot. It is a grand spot too, 10 by 20 and smack in the middle of the garden. They have water hooked up all around the garden, a shed full of tools for our use and paths around each of the plots that they plan to make clear with wood chips soon. It is so pretty and it is just dirt so far! Can’t wait till it fills out with green plants and FOOD!There where already gardeners filling their plots! Even last night there where gardeners hard at work while we followed our cheerful noses around.

I had a good look around, played in my dirt for a bit and let the kids climb the near by trees. Riddick made friends with some residents of Sherbrook (the building right near the garden, they helped get this all started) and we all had a good look around before letting energy out by running up and down the sled hill a few times. We must have been entertaining to watch.

(Yes those are the oldest three rolling down the hill and my littlest guy doing his best to run without falling head over heals after them.)


After the good run around on the hill we headed to the park as a reward for the kids letting me do my thing at the garden.

It felt good to be out and about in the evening. To be active in our community on a lovely spring evening. I look forward to getting the kids settled in the evenings this summer and running over to fuss with our plot.

Sure hope I have lots of chances to bring the kids and Riddick as well so they can be part of it. If they continue to enjoy the bushes so much I might actually be able to keep them content while I work… gotta try picnics near the garden too and perhaps I will be able to at least get the older three involved in the work. So much to think about… hope I have a chance to get some seeds or plants A.S.A.P.!!

(Riddick and I watching the crew at the park before we headed home for bed time.)

TTFN

And On A Lighter Note, ADVENTURE!

by admin on May 25, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, People In My Heart with No comments

Moose Jaw Saskatchewan is the cutest little city ever! My best pal Mirelle and I had another girls escape this past weekend, in honor of mothers day, and went to this sweet towns famous mineral spa.
Oh it was fabulous to float around in the warm waters every day! The only other main focus we had for the weekend was to eat well, coffee often, and shop.

(The best part is swimming out to the deck and sitting in the warm water while it was raining outside!)

Shopping went well, we found something for each of our kids and got the one item we both focused on for ourselves; wallet for Mirelle and spring/summer purse for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the leather bag I have had since I was 12 but it is a hot heavy tot and not the nicest in the warm weather. I was hoping for a vintage-esk bag in a pretty color with the clasp that opens the top WIDE… you know, kinda the style you used to see the oldest lady use on the show ‘golden girls’… anyhow, with a modern flare.

(FOUND IT! The purse that is, in one of our favorite coffee shops of all places!)

Oh I can’t tell you my favorite part but I was very thankful we continued our crepe tradition/obsession and found a place that made them fresh.

(We found our crepe fix at a wonderful formal tea house! We returned there the next morning too as we couldn’t imagine going for breakfast anywhere else after our first experience there.)

(My morning rooibos tea never looked so formal!)

I was too excited ordering room service for the first time ever; pizza and gingerale in bed while watching a girl-y film. Dressing up to have a drink, one of the nights, in the hotels beautiful and sophisticated lounge was a classy affair and I could go on! This posts pictures will share much of my favorite moments and more!As always, with Mirelle and I, it was a weekend of relaxation but plenty of good talks. I am still amazed at our ability to just flow with one another. Although I might not have been the best buddy this time round, being a little raw with everything going on in my real world, I found her as patient and trust worthy as ever.

(Dining out at HOPKINS, a big beautiful Victorian home, was a great way to start our weekend. It was amazing to dine in what appeared to be the houses old ball room!)

I am home now and more then happy to be here but I love to think about the fun we had and always will enjoy these kinds of breaks from mommy reality. Here’s to more adventures!TTFN

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