BB In The Bucket

Sometimes I just do stuff, you guys.

True story.

It happens.

I don’t always share the stuff I do.

My kids get most of me, you know?

Oh sure! I share a lot of stuff online – here, there, and everywhere – but I don’t share everything.

I think this is worth sharing for two reasons.

1) It’s easily adaptable and anyone can do it.

2) It’s my way of celebrating what I love, without dissing something I dislike.

Ready?

Okay!

Ta daa!

BB in the Bucket

It’s December 4th and look who is here!

It’s BB! But wait. What’s this I hear?

She’s wearing a hat with a sparkly ball

There’s a sparkly scarf too, but that is not all!

BB’s so festive, she’s ready to play

So you’ll have to find her everyday.

There’s only one rule, you must not forget it

Don’t skip it or shun it or you might regret it!

When you spot BB you give her a HUG

You squeeze her and keep her as snug as a bug in a rug.

Yes, Christmastime is the Season of Hope

It’s certainly no time to pout and to mope.

Imagine, you finding such a cute thing

and having to wait and just look at the bling.

Yeesh! That would be awful and terribly bad.

I just can’t believe in something so sad.

So people can keep their elf on the shelf

I’d rather have BB, her wonderful self.

Wouldn’t you?

So, there you have it!

Rumour has it that BB will have a sparkly red hat with a white glittery pompom this year.

No one knows for sure though.

We’ll just have to wait and see because as I said these things just happen.

How do you celebrate Advent?

Do you have a special ritual?

Do your kids enjoy the countdown to Christmas?

How do you spend the days leading up to the Holidays?

*I cleared this with the Things before posting it here. It’s late in the game, now, but this is something you could do at any time of year just for fun. Make stuff up, guys! It’s rad!

The More We Get Together The Happier We’ll Be

We are not at home this weekend, but we are together and that makes me …

We are spending our weekend in Moncton, NB to celebrate a birthday and since it is pretty chilly outside we are making an effort to thoroughly enjoy …

We made an effort to get out for a bit today and wound up at one of our favourite places – Chapters!

With a new Star Wars movie merely weeks away from being released into theatres, the merchandising is at its peak. Chapters has a tonne of fun new things for Star Wars fans – young and old – and a really cool selection of Star Wars themed books. There is even an adult colouring book! I mean really. How awesome is this?

We found what we wanted and needed. Then we bought what we needed and left the Millenium Falcon Bluetooth speaker and somehow bid the two foot tall talking Yoda adieu.

Daddy-O took our purchases to the car (along with Thing 1’s hoodie and my fleece jacket, because it was a thousand degrees in this particular Chapters today) and we went to find a spot where we could sit inside the very crowded Starbucks.

We walked to the back of the store to where Starbucks is located and we all agreed it was very strange to see the windows which used to gaze upon Crystal Palace – and a whole lot of natural light – completely blackened by the walls of the gigantic retailer that now occupies the space. That’s going to have to be fixed because holy darkness! It didn’t help that there were also a couple of lights out.

We found a table and asked our table neighbours if they could spare a chair. They were happy to oblige and we were very thankful. So we sat and waited for Daddy-O to return.

As soon as he was back we ordered two for one hot chocolates for the kiddos and two for one Praline Chesnut lattes for the parents. The hot chocolate was a hit as usual and we liked the lattes which we were trying for the first time. Yum!

This was supposed to be a coffee date. Just the adults. An hour or so alone with decadent Christmassy coffees. Solving the problems of the world. Making plans. Just the two of us.

You know what they say about plans …

Oh well.

After recent world events (that I definitely cannot solve alone) I could instantly think of about eighty-seven things worse than our date turning into a family affair.

One coffee was all I needed.

Two made it a date.

Four made it family fun.

Who am I to argue with that Math?

How was your Saturday?

25 Things That Made Me Smile Today

Please allow me to get right to the point (a rare treat for those who know me, I am sure!).

I give you a succinct, if random, list of 25 things that made me smile today.

Early morning snuggles with Thing 2.
My first cup of coffee.
Braiding Thing 2’s beautiful hair so she would be fancier than her normal Hermione Granger for her school’s Remembrance Day ceremony, today, where she would be singing with her school mates.
The fact that last Christmas’ Poinsettia is still alive and well .
The thought that I might actually be able to get it to bloom in time for December.
Thing 1 practicing his trumpet this evening for his school’s Remembrance Day ceremony tomorrow.
CrockPot turkey stock.
Finally making a yummy, flavourful, batch of turkey soup.
Calling it thoup.
Remembering my beautiful niece and her utterly adorable developmental lisp.
Remembering how Thing 2, who reminds me so much of her, also had an extremely similar lisp for a few years.
Being told by someone whose opinion I value, that they appreciate what I do.
My enormous, yellow, Fall Mums which are still very much in bloom.
The idea that my red SIGG water bottle is my health potion.
The brilliant idea to buy a second SIGG bottle in blue so I will not only have my health, but also mana.
My magical glasses which after all this time still make me happy every single day because they are awesome.
Thing 1’s awesome hair.
Thing 1’s school photos, wherein he decided to *not* cut off his hair for school photo day and wore his “Wookie Expressions” T-shirt with exactly zero irony.
The word rutabaga.
The fact that we call it turnip (and always will!) even though we know the difference between rutabaga and turnip.
A weird elevator ride with Daddy-O this morning as we were leaving for the commute where the elevator seemed to have a mind of its own, went up instead of down, and picked up a neighbour who then, presumably, assumed we just really like elevator rides.
Parting ways with my husband while he took out the recycling and continuing to walk right alongside the elevator neighbour (who is mostly silent) who parks near me in the garage and not being able to stop myself from saying, “I feel like we are competing in the world’s slowest race.”
Savoury.
Crowdsourcing recipe advice via Facebook.
Being married to a Computer Elf.

C’est tout!

It really is the little things.

What about you?

What made you smile today?

Source

We Will Be Invincible

I choose to focus on the future and the potential of a world filled with people who are problem solvers.

In our family it is important for us to teach our children not to live in what we call the “Problem Domain”.

Yes. Life can be difficult.

Yes. The news of the world can bring you to your knees.

Yes. Sometimes you will feel scared.

Yes. Sometimes you will feel lonely.

Yes. Sometimes you will not know what you are supposed to do.

It is at precisely these times that you must dig deep, listen to your little voice, and figure out what you should do.

Know that you do have what it takes to get out of your particular situation.

Know that you are loved.

Know that you are trusted.

Know that you have people pulling for you.

Know that whatever the absolute worst thing in the world is (to you) right now, that it will not be forever.

When you bring a problem to someone, believe there is a solution.

Maybe have a few in mind, if and when you feel that is appropriate.

Move beyond that problem domain and realize that the more you begin to move your mind outside of the problem, the more you will actually begin to feel like maybe it isn’t so insurmountable, after all.

You are smart.

You are curious.

You are loved.

You are caring.

You are kind.

Whether or not you happen know it right now.

You are invincible.

Source.

Everyone Needs To Know

Sorry Shania.

It’s been a long time and the whole “no one needs to know” thing worked for nearly 20 years, but the time has come.

The jig is up.

Everyone needs to know what a sweetheart my husband is.

EVERYONE!

We have weathered a number of storms and we even had a few close calls with actual tornadoes when we lived in Austin, Texas (Stay weird, y’all! It’s so beautiful on you.), but we have been together for almost 20 years and even though we both would like to change approximately one million things about each other on a daily basis (as every married couple will NOT tell you – Hah! Hi! Have you met me? We tell the truth ’round here. All you have to do is ask or not ask, as it were.) we wouldn’t change a single thing.

On our first date we went to the movies to see “Twister”. Yup.

I own a copy on Blu-ray. OH YES I DO!

You want proof?

No problem.

Ta daa!

See? (Also, please look at that gorgeous blue sky! That is happening in real life right now in Bedford, Nova Scotia. I am so thankful. We were beginning to forget what blue sky looked like ’round here. Hopefully this is the start of summer v. 2.0 because v. 1.0 has been a doozie thus far. Time to upgrade!)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes! First dates. This was ours and though to some people it might seem like a really bad omen to go to a disaster movie about a divorcing couple on a first date – and furthermore to move to a city in a state where actual tornadoes happen – clearly we fear nothing, because it’s been great!

Twister will always have a very special place in my heart.

Consider this song. We did almost nothing in it in the traditional sense of having the “whole darn thing”, but we have a little girl, a little boy, a tall, dark (haired), handsome man and we are all still busy making big plans. We have thus far survived the storms of life – though we almost never go chasing them on purpose – and we are happy.

What more could we possibly want?

Okay. Okay. Maybe, if you are pressing, we would all love a little Benji (or Lassie, or Corky, or WishBone, or Murray) to call LeRoy, but on that point, no one needs to know right now.

No One Needs To Know Right Now

Happy Valentine’s Day, Lovey!

This one is for you.

❤

Peady

As long as I live and breathe this song will remind me of you.

Our first date. A disaster. The movie! Not the date. Twister. We were tempting fate, apparently, and not to get all overconfident or anything, but so far, so good.

I can’t really explain this one. Do you even know? *swoons*

So mellow. So indulgent. I haven’t heard this in a long, long time.

I sincerely don’t think there is another human on this planet (Are there humans on other planets? Wait. Not the point. Sorry, sorry.) who could tolerate my ugly cry like you. Thanks for that. You never make me feel crazier than anyone else. I appreciate that so much.

“The Object of My Affection”. The little kiddos singing at the end. I was done. Holy ugly cry. That was pretty intense and as I recall went on for quite some time. I am pretty sure you have been there for all my really great ugly cries of the last 18 years. Wait. That sounds wrong. What I mean is that when I really need to let out the stress of the world or a self-inflicted sadness (Watching “Step Mom” on Christmas Day when we were very far away from home, comes to mind. Hoo boy! There was another doozie of an ugly cry.), you are always there.

Thank you.

I love you.

Source: http://www.misterdecal.com/magento/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/I/f/ifmusicbe1_560.jpg

But Who’s Ted?

Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.

— Will Ferrell

Here is something that I watched (and thoroughly enjoyed) with Daddy-O today.

Let me know what you think!

Did you agree? Did you laugh? Please tell me you laughed!

Are you happy?

Are you married?

Are you happily married?

What do you think makes a marriage last?

They Love Me Anyway

For as long as I have been making school lunches, I have been leaving little notes in the Things’ lunch boxes.

Long before they were the avid readers they are now, I would print simple messages of love and encouragement on sticky notes. I am a believer in environmental print*. Kids are smart. They don’t need all the rules memorized before they put theory into practice. A little heart shaped slip of paper speaks volumes. A speedily scrawled smiley face on a paper napkin can make a kid’s day – especially a day that is in dire need of levity. You remember those days, right? We all have them.

Sometimes it’s a silly doodle. Sometimes it’s a riddle. Sometimes it’s a hint about a special after school activity.

Other times it’s a reminder, cleverly disguised in witty prose.

Here are today’s notes.

And they love me anyway.

Do you write notes?

Do you leave notes in your children’s (or partner’s) lunch boxes?

Are you a poet (and totally know it!)?

Are you a writer or a printer?

When is the last time you wrote a letter or a note on actual paper for someone else to read?

Do you value the skill of cursive writing?

Or are you all g2g lol and ttyl 24/7?

Why not leave me a note in the comments! *wink*

*Don’t believe me about the environmental print? Try this experiment with a teeny kiddo** who is not yet reading in the traditional sense: Show them a favourite item (National Brand cookies or the cover of a familiar book, for example.) with writing or a logo on it and see if they recognize it. They will. That’s *reading* when you are not yet a reader in the traditional sense. Kids are awesome!

**Umm… not just any kiddo, to be clear. Make sure the kiddo is yours or you might totally freak the kid and his/her parent/guardian out!

***The Things don’t call me “Ma”, but I called my Ma, “Ma”, when I was little. Also, we are still working our way through the entire “Little House on the Prairie” series and well, it’s just fun to sign some notes that way!

A Guest Appearance

A guest never forgets the host who has treated him kindly.

~ Homer

Today, I have the exciting honour of being a guest blogger at Mommy Miracles, where Laura O’Rourke is featuring a series on marriage called “Writing Vows“.

I would be doubly honoured if you took the time to read my post here.

And while I can’t be 100% certain, I am pretty sure this is what happened when Laura asked people to write for Mommy Miracles.

Who would ever dream of saying no?

I Find it Hard to Take

I simply cannot get this song out of my head.

I am sharing the original.

The Donnie Darko version (Michael Andrews & Gary Jules) is amazing, but it made me cry so I am going with Curt & Roland.

Yup.

Tears for Fears, indeed.

	Tanya on We Will Be Invincible
	SharonDV on One Day or Day One?
	Peady on One Day or Day One?
	bibliomama2 on One Day or Day One?
	Peady on Set It Up Sunday: Short &…

Tempered with Kindness

Words, like chocolate, are best …

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