Friendship and Honours

What a wonderful birthday surprise from my very talented cyber friend Shirley! I have not met Shirley in real lfe (maybe one day!) but I feel like I have known her forever. I enjoy reading her stories and seeing her brilliant photography on her blog. There is so much I am learning from Shirley. She has inspired me on many levels. Be sure to check out her beautiful life. You can find Shirley's blog Here.  

Thank you so much Shirley!!

For this award, I am to tell 8 things about myself and then pass the award on to 8 more people whose blogs I adore.
8 things about me -

1. I have to sleep listening to my ipod playing a thunderstorm.
2. I have a ridiculous fear of spiders. I can sense when they are in a room and I will find it. If I find a spider in my room, I will sleep on the couch, even if it has been smooshed.
3. I have always wanted to go skydiving, but I am too afraid to get into the plane. I have no fear of jumping out of it mind you.
4. I cannot do anything creative if my feet are bare. 
5. When I filled out my corporate profile, I listed "Roller Coaster Tester" as my dream job.
6. I have 5 tattoos and I don't regret a one. 
7. I CANNOT live without my tv. Love my tv shows. 
8. I cannot say the word NAPKIN properly. I pronounce it NAP-I-KIN. I just can't blend the letters "P" and "K" together. Same with PUMPKIN.

Now, to pass this along to 8 more people. I wouldn't be surprised if it has already been awarded to these ladies.

Kyla
Vikki
Barb
Pen
Monica
Martha
Sherry
Kari Ann

Another Year Older

That is exactly how I feel....in a good way! Today is my birthday and you see, darling hubby of mine actually had me convinced....CONVINCED....that I was turning 39.

I am not 39.

I am not even 38.

Yep, I am 37.

In all honesty, other than my 31st, birthdays never really bothered me. Why get upset? It's not going to change anything. And it is the perfect excuse to indulge in cake!! But when I thought I was 39, I felt like I had missed something. Well hello. I did. Two years apparently!! It just made it even more clear to me that every day, every word, every moment needs to count. Never have regrets. Continue to discover.

Today I will be celebrating my birthday with my family - truly the best way to celebrate. We are all going to a lunch buffet. YUM!  

Another year older - Whatever!

For Today

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ... the sun is shining bright and reflecting off the newly fallen blanket of snow. Although I am not a fan of driving in it, I think snow is wonderfully beautiful.

I AM THINKING ...that I need to make lists. Better lists. And act on them. To do lists, meal plans, grocery lists. Need to get better organized.

WE ARE LEARNING … how to make things fit in a smaller house. This means purging. A lot of purging. And you know what? It kinda feels good!

I AM THANKFUL FOR ... my son. I still look at him in amazement, full of pride and love. I can't imagine my life without him, even on the days he drives me nuts. Given that I was told children could never be for me, I will take the nutty days!

FROM THE KITCHEN ... it is a stew kind-of-day. I love my crockpot and often wonder what I would do without it - especially since I work full time.

I AM WEARING ... grey track pants and a warm sweater.

I AM GOING ... to be 37 on Sunday. The number isn't bothering me because a week or so ago my darling husband had me convinced that I was going to be 39! Isn't he a peach?

I AM READING ... The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am just in the early stages of it, but have been warned by more than one person that this is a dark read and I should not read it before bed. Unfortunately, that is when I do my reading!!

I AM CREATING ... nada. My scrapbook room is still filled with boxes. We have just had too much on the go for me to be able to focus on that one very important room! It is driving me nuts!!

I AM HOPING ... that my elbow holds out until my surgery date. The screw is often protruding from my skin and now my hand is numb almost everyday. This cold weather does not help! I have a month to go and I just hope I can make it and not end up in the emergency room.

I AM HEARING ... the sounds - good and horribly bad - from the American Idol try-outs that I taped. I am pleasantly surprised with the new judges. Steven Tyler is hysterical and Jennie from the Block is not as bitchy as I had assumed. Now if they would just get rid of "The Dawg" I would be happy.

AROUND THE HOUSE ... is piles of laundry that seriously need to be tended to. Finally a clean kitchen, messy front doorway but things are coming together and I am loving our home. All in due time is what I keep telling myself.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS ... my beloved tea. I could drink it all day. And I have. Which is why I sometimes have the shakes. Totally worth it.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ... PA for Jonah on Friday, a birthday pedicure, tobagganing birthday party for Jonah, my birthday on Sunday - Mandarin for lunch! YUMMY!

A PICTURE TO SHARE...my Monster Jam boy, complete with a Grave Digger foam hat!

Art Award!

Jonah's school has a monthly award program called "The Five A's" - Athletics, Arts, Attitude, Academics and one other one that escapes my brain right now.

Jonah was very excited to hear that he was receiving the Arts award! The school hosted an assembly and invited the parents to see the kids receive their awards. Jonah was so very proud. WE were so very proud.

Jonah with his award

All students who received the Arts award
Jonah with his principal Mr. Island

New Tree Topper

Jonah has been very inspiring this Christmas season.
Helped his Momma thru her tree meltdown.
Proudly participated in Christmas Shoebox thru our church.
Used his allowance to buy a pig for a family in need.
He has been amazing.

Jonah asked me the other night why we have an angel on our tree (who was really not working well and looking pretty ragged) and not a star. I told him it was what Daddy and I bought when we got married. Jonah told me he thought we should get a new topper. He wanted to go to the store and get a Christmas star. His reason - "Because Jesus is the reason Mommy! He had a Christmas Star and so should we."

Inspiring boy.

Christmas Tree Meltdown

Christmas is my most favourite time of year. Everyone who knows me well knows that. I love everything about it.

Especially the Christmas trees.

We have a beautiful, big, bushy colourful tree. I love it. It was expensive when we bought it, but so worth it.

Sigh.....

Moving into a smaller house means things have to be sacrificed. I knew that moving here. But I never imagined it would be my beloved tree that I would have to sacrifice.

It didn't fit!! No where. Unless I removed furniture, which I seriously considered doing.

I was upset (hence no pictures) but that wasn't the worst of it.

We went out to buy a "slim" style tree - which no offense to anyone who has one, but they just don't make me happy.

I went with Martha Stewart - can't go wrong with her can I??

YES I CAN!

Commence meltdown!

This tree was terrible. I wanted to launch it out the back door! It was worse than a Charlie Brown Tree.

Martha should be ashamed to put her name on that piece of crap.

I cried. Jonah saw me cry and I felt bad.

I went out, had to just leave the decorating because I couldn't deal with any other mishaps. While I was out, Sean and Jonah bought another tree and put it up.

When I came home, my sweet boy said to me "Mommy, it doesn't matter what the tree looks like, as long as we put a lot of love in it, it will be beautiful!"

I cried again. And honestly, the tree isn't that bad.

Meltdown over.

Smoochrellas all around for my men. They certainly know how to make me happy.

New Ink

I love tattoos.

On both guys and gals.

I especially love tattoos that have meaning.

Yesterday, I got another tattoo.

This is tattoo number FIVE.

That may seem like a lot to some....cough, cough, my parents......but they are in places that are not always shown.

Wrist, foot, lower back, right hip and now........

......my left side.

Like all of my tats, this has meaning.

It holds the name of my boy, his birthdate and his birth flower - a violet.

I love my new ink.

I already have number six planned!

Shhhh, don't tell my mom.

Christmas Shoebox

I love my church. I really do.

The messages are always clear and uplifting.

I have never been to a service where I haven't laughed or cried.

Brooklin Village does many wonderful things to help those in need.

One of those wonderful things is Operation Christmas Shoebox.

Everyone is asked to take one, two, ten boxes to fill.

The requested items are things we often take for granted.

Combs, toothbrushes, a small stuffy.

Jonah was proud to stuff four boxes.

Something so simple. A box of needs for those in need.

At the service, the children all carry the boxes to the front so we as a congregation can see the good that is being done.

It was a beautiful sight!

A few pics from service:

Jonah with Pastor Peter and 2 of his boxes.

Jonah being silly with Pastor Dean - or quite possibly, the other way around.

The kids lined up in front of all the boxes.

It's Friday!

1. Three things I must have on my Thanksgiving table: Turkey! Pumpkin pie and homemade applesauce.

2. There are many days where my body feels it would be better off sacked out on the couch.

3. This is my most favourite time of year – Christmas is coming!

4. One of my most favourite things to do is to decorate our Christmas tree with all our special ornaments.

5. Oh, man, thankfully it's Friday! This has been a brutal week.

6. I wish I had the time to perfect the art of scrapbooking or cooking.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the Brooklin tree lighting, tomorrow my plans include taking Jonah to see his fave hockey player Cole and have a long overdue visit with Lee, then the Santa Claus Parade and Sunday, I want to hop into the hot tub at Great Wolf Lodge!

Do you participate in Friday Fill Ins? Leave me a link so I can check it out!

Overwhelmed

This is me........

.....at least this is how I feel.

Stressed
Overwhelmed
At wits end

We have been in the new house two months and we are still trying to get things "settled" in. We are certainly living in "livable" conditions, but we are still figuring out where things are to go.

Now we are adding in Christmas decor!!

Problem is that we moved at our most busiest time of the year.
Fall always brings weekend plans - every weekend. That leaves no time to work on the house.
Working all day, then having committments in the evenings, by 9pm I am ready to crash!

I know it will get better.
I am just overwhelmed and I hate the feeling.

If I take any more deep breaths, I will be hyper-ventilating.

Tell me......how do you handle your stress or feeling of being overwhelmed??


Picture Credit: Google Images - here