Patience is sometimes hard to come by. It is something I am working on. But honestly! When I've asked five times for my one daughter to get her coat on I see red! But, as I said, it is something I am working on, and somedays are better than others. I think that is something we can say for most things.
The more I live (or try to live) my simple life values, the more I realize how much being patient plays a role. This is not the life for instant gratification. You can't plant your tomato plants one day and expect to find fully ripened tomatoes the next. We need to be patient, nurturing and learning individuals. Our gratification comes from hard work: keeping and maintaining our home, raising children, gardening, baking, cooking, keeping on budget, making items ourselves learning new skills... All essential, all hard work, all require patience.
This was brought home to me as I was tracking our spending and making sure we were on track with some of our financial goals. When my husband and I made our budget we chose a few household projects to accomplish this year and figured out how much money would be needed to be set aside for them. That's great. Look at us being all adulty and responsible. But, the waiting game starts. We know we have a plan, unfortunately the plan takes time and I want to get going right now! I want all the money saved up now. I want other projects to be happening now. I know I need to just stick to the plan and everything will work out, but, it is hard to fight off this sense of urgency. I guess I need to shut off that part of my brain somehow. I need to know I have a plan, feel confident in my plan and wait for everything to work out.
There will always be a to-do list, a repair list, a renovation list, a things to save for list. And, as much as it would be nice to get all those things done at once, it is an impossibility. We need to be patient, prudent and prioritizing. All our dreams can come true with patience and hard work. I guess the simple life isn't always so simple. But, it is worth it.
Thursday 27 February 2014
Thursday 20 February 2014
February Blahs
I don't know what is happening, but I think it is safe to say that I have the case of the February blahs. I am just not feeling as excited about things as I normally am. Even the Olympics, which I love, are becoming a bit, meh to me. It's not that I feel really depressed or anything, but, just, blah.
Perhaps it is because I'm tired of the extreme cold we have been having her in the 'loo lately. It is way below seasonal and that wears you down after awhile. Although, this morning it was such a nice warm temperature, well, warm for winter standards. I chatted with some of the moms after school drop off for about 30 minutes. Maybe things are going to start looking up.
I am definitely tired of the bundling up routine we have going in the mornings. First I put on my boots and then my jacket. Then I have to get a squirmy 11 month old into her snow suit. Put her hat on, which she promptly tries to take off, and sometimes succeeds. Then I have to finagle her mittens on. I then put on my Boba 3G carrier. (It is the best baby carrier ever. I love it! Ergo Smergo. Bobas are where it is at.) Then I have to put in said squirmy baby into the carrier. I put the house key in my pocket. Put my hat and mittens on, and then I'm set. The whole time I am getting myself and the baby ready I am searching for lost mittens, helping with stuck zippers and in generally trying to urge along the other two, who would much rather be playing then getting ready for school. So, all of that for a 5 minute walk to school. Gak!
February is also the month where we are trying hard to stick to our austere budget, when really we would much rather be having fun doing other things. It is tough to balance what the kids want to do and what we want to do for our kids, with the reality of budget constraints and knowing what they actually need. But it is also nice to have a plan and financial goals. You know you are going someplace and are not depriving yourself for now reason. It is the whole appreciating the simple things, the things that really matter.
Having the February blahs seems to magnifies everything you are not exactly content with in your life and makes it a bigger issue than what it really is. Example, daughters socks not getting into the laundry hamper. Usually not a big deal, though it would be nice for the socks to be together in the hamper than separated on the floor. This month it is the world greatest catastrophe, well, at least to me.
I guess this is just part of the ebbs and flows of life. Seasons will change. The gray icky snow will soon melt and bring beautiful daffodils and tulips. And already I am starting to get some of my usual cheerfulness back and getting out of my meh drudgery.
What do you do to get out of your February blahs?
Perhaps it is because I'm tired of the extreme cold we have been having her in the 'loo lately. It is way below seasonal and that wears you down after awhile. Although, this morning it was such a nice warm temperature, well, warm for winter standards. I chatted with some of the moms after school drop off for about 30 minutes. Maybe things are going to start looking up.
I am definitely tired of the bundling up routine we have going in the mornings. First I put on my boots and then my jacket. Then I have to get a squirmy 11 month old into her snow suit. Put her hat on, which she promptly tries to take off, and sometimes succeeds. Then I have to finagle her mittens on. I then put on my Boba 3G carrier. (It is the best baby carrier ever. I love it! Ergo Smergo. Bobas are where it is at.) Then I have to put in said squirmy baby into the carrier. I put the house key in my pocket. Put my hat and mittens on, and then I'm set. The whole time I am getting myself and the baby ready I am searching for lost mittens, helping with stuck zippers and in generally trying to urge along the other two, who would much rather be playing then getting ready for school. So, all of that for a 5 minute walk to school. Gak!
February is also the month where we are trying hard to stick to our austere budget, when really we would much rather be having fun doing other things. It is tough to balance what the kids want to do and what we want to do for our kids, with the reality of budget constraints and knowing what they actually need. But it is also nice to have a plan and financial goals. You know you are going someplace and are not depriving yourself for now reason. It is the whole appreciating the simple things, the things that really matter.
Having the February blahs seems to magnifies everything you are not exactly content with in your life and makes it a bigger issue than what it really is. Example, daughters socks not getting into the laundry hamper. Usually not a big deal, though it would be nice for the socks to be together in the hamper than separated on the floor. This month it is the world greatest catastrophe, well, at least to me.
I guess this is just part of the ebbs and flows of life. Seasons will change. The gray icky snow will soon melt and bring beautiful daffodils and tulips. And already I am starting to get some of my usual cheerfulness back and getting out of my meh drudgery.
What do you do to get out of your February blahs?
Thursday 13 February 2014
Olympics! Yay!
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| from flags.net |
I don't know why, because I am not the most athletic person in the world, but I love the Olympics, specifically the winter Olympics. I love watching the skiing and the skating and the luge and the bobsleigh. I love seeing nations coming together, putting aside differences and competing. Of course there is always controversy. It wouldn't be life without it. But there is something about the Olympics that gives it an almost mystical quality.
As you can see, Olympic fever is running through our house. Since we don't have cable t.v. we watch the events we want online. CBC is doing a superb job broadcasting here in Canada. I am so glad they got the rights back. The great thing about watching online is I don't have to watch hockey if I don't want to. I know Canada is supposed to be this hockey nation, but I don't get it personally. I would much rather watch the finesse of a perfectly thrown curling stone, than see a hockey player hack away at the puck. It is just not that exciting for me. And, as the stations usually broadcast hockey games, making me miss other events, I can just skip all that and watch the events that I like. Isn't it great that we live in a time of such a technological marvel?
Even the dentist office is in Olympic spirits. I went to get my teeth cleaned today and they had a t.v. with the Olympics on. So much for reading my book. All the staff were in their Canada gear and there were flags everywhere. It was so neat to see.
I think that is what is so special about the Olympics. Whether you are athletic or not. It binds us together. Our nation, no matter how divisive we are during the rest of the year, comes together in support of something that is greater than ourselves. We look outside ourselves and we send our collective support to people we don't even know. Other nations, who are smaller or less well off than our own, we cheer and celebrate them, wanting them to do well. I guess what I am trying to say is the Olympics helps us remember that we are more the same than we are different. That we all want love and support and worthy goals.
So enjoy the Olympic season. Cheer for your nation. Cheer for competing nations. Cheer for being part of this amazing global village!
Thursday 6 February 2014
Kids Making Meals Check In
So it has been four weeks now since the kids have been taking turns to make one meal a week. And so far it is going really well. At first I thought that it would just be my oldest two alternating weeks. But, my husband has decided it was time to add some well balanced meals to his cooking arsenal and asked to be added to the rotation. I am very excited about that!
Week one was fun. I took my middle daughter to the grocery store with me. This is a bit of a sacrifice for me because I loved having my alone time at the grocery store. It was a chance for me to just relax and be by myself. But, this is one sacrifice I do not mind making. It is fun teaching them about what tomatoes to choose or teaching them the lessons between buying cheap and buying quality. The meal that this daughter chose was hot dogs with watermelon and a mashed banana dip. Yummers! I let her pick out her own hot dog buns (cheaper the better), and wieners (quality is nice). She chose the no preservative natural wieners and I was very cool with that.
When it was time for her to prepare the meal I fully expected to be in the kitchen helping her. But, to my great surprise my wonderful husband helped her instead. So I got to sit back and relax. It was very nice.
Week two was my oldest daughter's turn. She chose to make macaroni and cheese. But, not the homemade kind with the grating and the white sauce and the baked goodness that comes out of your oven. Nope. Macaroni and cheese from a box, with the weird cheese powder that is so fluorescent you wonder how it is even food. One the plus side she picked the store brand box so it was $0.50 instead of $1 or more.
Once again I was fully expecting to be helping in the kitchen. But, my husband stepped in and helped her too! I must say I am feeling pretty spoiled.
I know that the meals that they chose were not the most healthy, or complex, but, my kids are four and six. I think it is just great that they are cooking and that they are excited about this. And, as this is their first meal, simple is good.
Week three was my husbands turn. Now I love my husband, but I was a bit apprehensive when he was making his selection. He is notorious for loving and wanting the blandest food known to man. Pasta with grated cheddar, or perogies, that are just boiled and that's it. I need sauce, or onions or something with a little bit of flavour. At first he was going to have penne with grated cheese. Something that he already knew how to make. With a little bit of persuasion I was able to convince him to branch out a bit more. Keep the penne but add a new element. He loves sausage and pepper penne from East Side Mario's so that is what he decided to make. He found the recipe himself told me what to buy and then he did it himself. He only asked me one question. And man was it delish! I think I will have to put it into my regular menu.
Week four was back to the middle daughter. This week she chose tacos! As already said before in a previous post, I love tacos! I was very excited. She put the meat in the pan but I cooked it, she then grated the cheese herself, prepared the lettuce, made the seasoning mix, but the shells on the cookie tray and put everything on the table. Pretty good for a four year old!
All of them, even my husband, felt so proud of their accomplishments. The girls loved helping and contributing to their family. So if you have young kids, or young at heart ones, I encourage you to give this a try. It is so fun to see their smiles and looks of pride when they know they have made a delicious meal for their family. Mommy having a break from cooking once a week doesn't hurt either!
Week one was fun. I took my middle daughter to the grocery store with me. This is a bit of a sacrifice for me because I loved having my alone time at the grocery store. It was a chance for me to just relax and be by myself. But, this is one sacrifice I do not mind making. It is fun teaching them about what tomatoes to choose or teaching them the lessons between buying cheap and buying quality. The meal that this daughter chose was hot dogs with watermelon and a mashed banana dip. Yummers! I let her pick out her own hot dog buns (cheaper the better), and wieners (quality is nice). She chose the no preservative natural wieners and I was very cool with that.
When it was time for her to prepare the meal I fully expected to be in the kitchen helping her. But, to my great surprise my wonderful husband helped her instead. So I got to sit back and relax. It was very nice.
Week two was my oldest daughter's turn. She chose to make macaroni and cheese. But, not the homemade kind with the grating and the white sauce and the baked goodness that comes out of your oven. Nope. Macaroni and cheese from a box, with the weird cheese powder that is so fluorescent you wonder how it is even food. One the plus side she picked the store brand box so it was $0.50 instead of $1 or more.
Once again I was fully expecting to be helping in the kitchen. But, my husband stepped in and helped her too! I must say I am feeling pretty spoiled.
I know that the meals that they chose were not the most healthy, or complex, but, my kids are four and six. I think it is just great that they are cooking and that they are excited about this. And, as this is their first meal, simple is good.
Week three was my husbands turn. Now I love my husband, but I was a bit apprehensive when he was making his selection. He is notorious for loving and wanting the blandest food known to man. Pasta with grated cheddar, or perogies, that are just boiled and that's it. I need sauce, or onions or something with a little bit of flavour. At first he was going to have penne with grated cheese. Something that he already knew how to make. With a little bit of persuasion I was able to convince him to branch out a bit more. Keep the penne but add a new element. He loves sausage and pepper penne from East Side Mario's so that is what he decided to make. He found the recipe himself told me what to buy and then he did it himself. He only asked me one question. And man was it delish! I think I will have to put it into my regular menu.
Week four was back to the middle daughter. This week she chose tacos! As already said before in a previous post, I love tacos! I was very excited. She put the meat in the pan but I cooked it, she then grated the cheese herself, prepared the lettuce, made the seasoning mix, but the shells on the cookie tray and put everything on the table. Pretty good for a four year old!
All of them, even my husband, felt so proud of their accomplishments. The girls loved helping and contributing to their family. So if you have young kids, or young at heart ones, I encourage you to give this a try. It is so fun to see their smiles and looks of pride when they know they have made a delicious meal for their family. Mommy having a break from cooking once a week doesn't hurt either!
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