Denis Doodles

Congratulations Miga

2011-01-28T11:57:00.003-06:00

Miga will graduate from puppy school next week and we are so proud of her. She is surprisingly calm for a Standard Schnauzer and is wonderful with the kids. She really only gets excited when she sees a dog walk by our home, which makes Cyril absolutely crazy. Miga is a dog after all, she can't help but bark her fool head off. The classes were great and I recommend Kayt from PetSmart. She was wonderful!

Sci-Fi Camps at U of S

2010-08-16T13:12:00.000-06:00

Alex's week long camp video from Sci-Fi Camp at the U of S. He was in Compton-2 class and there are some pictures of him. They had a busy week building with Lego MindStorm, creating four science projects and participating in the theme days like Haywire Hair Day, SuperHero Day, Crazy Hat Day, and Tropical Day. Here is a video of all of the campers.

Sci-Fi Week 7 Saskatoon Camps

Boys and Baseball

2010-04-27T13:31:00.012-06:00

So what is it with boys and baseball. Look at the smile on that boy's face. Startling resemblance to the photo taken below don't you think... after the birth of our first born son Alex!!

I knew that this was something that was going to be a huge deal to Cyril on our trip. He hasn't ever seen a MLB game and from the moment we purchased our tickets online from StubHub.com he was thrilled with excitement. The tickets posted up on our cork board for the weeks leading up to the trip were a daily reminder for him of all that he would see at the ball park in Seattle. Cyril is in love with baseball. He follows players and knows ridiculous statistics about home run heroes and pitching no-hitters. It all seems like wasted knowledge to me and I am lucky if I can remember all of the Mariners players names after just seeing them(twice) last weekend.
For Cyril, baseball is more than just a game to sit back and watch. It is about ERA statistics, strikeouts, RBI's and player history and who is going to rise to the occasion. It is about who deserves to start pitching and who will follow when the shoulder girdle can't bring the heat. It is about the potential of witnessing a cycle by Ichiro Suzuki only to watch him take a walk on his 4th time up to the plate. There was so much to see at the game but I think seeing my husband in his glory was the ultimate.

The first game we saw was an evening game on the Saturday we were there and there was a tribute to all the American military. It was cool and rainy so the retractable roof was closed, though the stadium still seemed huge! It was amazing to see such pride for all of the men and women there and at one point they asked everyone in the crowd to stand if they are serving or have served in the military/ navel force/ army, etc. and I was floored how many people stood up. And the support that they received that night must have felt so good to them. I think that patriotism is something that we Canadians take for granted or it is something that gets forgotten about(unless of course we are presently hosting the Olympics). Sadly they don't really sing their anthem aloud... I really wanted to belt it out but Cyril recommended I just don't. I sang quietly instead.... I like the tune, what can I say.

Someone said that we should try garlic fries at the game so of course we did.... so good and why didn't I ever think of sprinkling fried minced garlic on my fries? We shelled peanuts and stayed alert, we sat in prime foul ball territory, 12th row behind first base line. Cyril had a permanent grin the entire time and just couldn't believe it was happening before his eyes. We drank a ton and took pictures galore. Mariners won!!! It was so much fun that before we left we bought tickets to the next days afternoon game... just hours prior to our romantic dinner and Norah Jones concert!!

*** I have to mention here that Jason Verlander said 'Good Morning' to me in our hotel elevator on Sunday morning. He is the pitcher for Detroit that we had seen start pitching at the evening game the day prior. Let's just say he was fine. (This is where Cyril would spit out how much he makes each year and this would justify the tailored suit with his initials embroidered into the cuffs of shirt!). Like I said...he was fine. ***

The Sunday matinee was a completely different experience. It was sunny and hot so the roof was open and we had identical seats but behind the 3rd base line instead of the first. It was 'KIDS DAY' at the park and the atmosphere was a lot more relaxed. We took a far less amount of pictures and drank equal amounts of beer. The sun was so hot I burned that tops of my knees and forearms and my face was glowing pink. The Mariners ended up losing that game but we had so much fun cheering along with the tens of thousands of fans. It was awesome and Cyril loved every minute of it!!

Seattle 2010- City Highlights

2010-04-27T12:26:00.010-06:00

Enjoy our pictures. We had so much fun checking out Seattle together.

This was the Link that we used to get from the airport to our hotel downtown and to and from the baseball games that we saw. It was quick and cheap!!

Best fresh organic fruit smoothie that I have ever had!!

Fresh cut flowers filled the market. The thing we will remember the most about Seattle were the smells. Each step through Pike Place Market took you into another scent, whether it was fresh fish and seafood vendors, flowers, spices, Russian pastries incense, or used books.... it all was wonderful.

Heading down into one part of the market... it seemed to go on forever.

Lowell's for breakfast down at the market. Great views of the shipping yard to the south. Yummy cinnamon buns too.

One of my favorite pictures.... totally sums up the feeling we got while being down at the market.

This was an instrument that one of the street performers used and I found it perched on a foot... cute hey.

Making cheese.... yum.

The sign says it all. The green ones to the left are big for our standards. They were delicious too.

This Gum Wall is in Post Alley behind the market. Gum of every color and size lines the brick wall outside the market theater. So gross and so awesome!!
Can you spot the Canada flag?

My hair is coming out!!!

2010-04-23T17:23:00.002-06:00

What do you do with people in your life that take and take and take and have little to no potential of really giving you anything at all in return? The 9th and 10th commandments are really being put to the test these days!! I need patience and rum... almost daily. Okay I don't drink rum daily but I do think about it when I am at the end of my rope these days.

So wish I could get into details about this one!!!!
Come on celebrity talk show host... score me some tickets cause I have a baboon on my back!!

People are crazy.

Jeep Goodness

2010-04-13T18:30:00.003-06:00

Okay, Cyril came home and made me sit down and read this ad he found posted on Kijiji. Let's hope he was searching Kijiji for a vehicle and not MC Hammer pants.

Enjoy!!

Date Listed 13-Apr-10
Price $9,950.00
Address Saskatoon, SK, Canada
View map
For Sale By Owner
Make Jeep
Model Liberty
Trim limited
Year 2005
Kilometers 142000
Colour Teal
Transmission Automatic
Fuel Type Gasoline
Drivetrain 4 x 4

OK, let me start off by saying this jeep is only available for purchase by the manliest of men (or women). My friend, if it was possible for a vehicle to sprout chest hair and a five o'clock shadow, this jeep would look like Tom Selleck. It is just that manly.

It was never intended to drive to the mall so you can pick up that adorable shirt at Abercrombie & Fitch that you had your eye on. It wasn't meant to transport you to yoga class or Linens & Things. No, that's what your Prius is for. If that's the kind of car you're looking for, then just do us all a favor and stop reading right now. I mean it. Just stop.

This car was engineered by 3rd degree ninja super-warriors in the highest mountains of Japan to serve the needs of the man that cheats death on a daily basis. They didn't even consider superfluous nancy boy amenities like navigation systems (real men don't get lost), heated leather seats (a real man doesn't let anything warm his butt), or On Star (real men don't even know what the hell On Star is).

No, this brute comes with the things us testosterone-fueled super action junkies need. It's got special blood/gore resistant upholstery. It even has a first-aid kit in the back. You know what the first aid kit has in it? A pint of whiskey, a stitch-your-own-wound kit and a hunk of leather to bite down on when you're operating on yourself. The jeep also has an automatic transmission so if you're being chased by Libyan terrorists, you'll still be able to shoot your machine gun out the window and drive at the same time. It's saved my bacon more than once.

It has room for you and the four hotties you picked up on the way to the gym to blast your pecs and hammer your glutes. There's a tow hitch to pull your 50 caliber anti-Taliban, self cooling machine gun. I also just put in a new windshield to replace the one that got shot out by The Man.

My price on this bad boy is an incredibly low $9950, but I'll entertain reasonable offers. And by reasonable, I mean don't walk up and tell me you'll give me $5,000 for it. That's liable to earn you a Burmese-roundhouse-sphincter-kick with a follow up three fingered eye-jab. Would it hurt? Hell yeah. Let's just say you won't be the prettiest guy at the Coldplay concert anymore.

There's only 142000 on this four-wheeled hellcat from Planet Kickass. Trust me, it will outlive you and the offspring that will carry your name. It will live on as a monument to your machismo.

Now, go look in the mirror and tell me what you see. If it's a rugged, no holds barred, super brute he-man macho Chuck Norris stunt double, then contact me. I might be out hang-gliding or BASE jumping or just chilling with my ladies, but I'll get back to you. And when I do, we'll talk about a price over a nice glass of Schmidt while we listen to Johnny Cash.

To sweeten the deal a little, I'm throwing in this pair of MC Hammer pants for the man with rippling quads that can't fit into regular pants. Yeah, you heard me. FREE MC Hammer pants.

Rock on.

Where's the TV?

2010-03-23T07:17:00.002-06:00

So last night I watched one of those 'my house is better than your house' shows on HGTV. You've seen them. The shows where homeowners re-re-re-make a space to look just perfect, adding convenient shelving, wacky furniture and art with just the right amount of mood lighting to accent the room. I am sure that half the time these people don't even live in their creations because that would just mess it up. And if they are so obsessed about keeping everything pristine and sterile then what kind of drugs would they need to take to control their panic attack brought on by a child's nose bleed in the living room or lego structures resting on the kitchen island. And why don't they ever ask the people how long it took to prepare the home for the TV cameras? I know that is something that I would be interested in knowing. Would they mind giving us a shot of the cleaning supplies pantry please.... THAT, I may find a little more helpful.

Anyway, home esthetics is not the issue here. The show last night was called something like 'Biggest Bang for Your Buck' where they critique three homes that have been renovated with $120,000( and I am sure that everyone stuck to their puny budget) and some fancy designers determined which home would receive the biggest return on their spending. The conclusion of the show revealed that the home that didn't offer a whopping flat screen television in the great room would not be favored by potential buyers and therefore was proclaimed the 'loser' of the show, receiving under 50% return. This particular homeowner was pretty disappointed that his masterpiece was dismissed for practicality because his 'living' room didn't double as a theater. How sad it is that we 'have lost the art of conversation'. I didn't care for his collage of mismatched chairs, randomly placed all over the huge room. The designer critic noted that the placement of the chairs may make more sense if there were area rugs to make definite distinction of each conversation area. Clearly the owner didn't own a vacuum because he doesn't have any rugs!!

So should every great room offer a television for times when the conversation gets stale... even if it is discreetly hidden behind a teak wall panel to the right of a secret wine closet? After shutting off the television proudly utilized on my bedroom dresser, for times when 'you know what' gets stale( or is getting to bed early cause he is going to attempt a morning workout at gym prior to heading to the office), I slept like a rock and today thought this may be the perfect conversation piece.... to post on my blog.

Happy conversing.... not.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

2010-02-09T09:02:00.004-06:00

Hey Mom... I know you can't read this cause you are doing your civic duty as a juror but I hope you have a wonderful day. It may be a day of bloody evidence, witness testimonies, hard core facts, surveillance video, time lines, paper trails, mistaken identity, and the repetitive slamming of the wooden gavel...' You're in contempt!!!'

I double dare you to stand up and yell at the accused 'You can't handle the truth!'

Birthdays can't always be rainbows and butterflies( especially in February) but today I hope amongst all the legal rambling you can find some happiness. Remember that you are loved and respected by so many. Thanks for all that you do for our family and those scavenger ministers and their entourage. Your work is a big part of who you are and it shows by the amount of appreciation people have for you. Happy Birthday MOM.

We love you!!
Now get your butt to the courthouse!!!

Love Sherri

Valentine's Day Horror

2010-02-08T09:08:00.002-06:00

I love my husband. I do. But Valentine's Day really brings out the worst in him. He feels this overwhelming pressure to show me some lovin'. Like he's under a microscope on this one particular day and being graded on how well he does. He hates all the fuss and propaganda surrounding this day.... 'It's just a marketing money maker!' he states every single year.
It's like he's being forced to show emotion, God forbid. And I don't want to portray my Cyril as a cold-hearted beast or something cause he is far from it. We have an amazing trust and unspoken respect for one another. I can say that our marriage has just gotten more connected and our friendship has grown more and more over the years.
I think Valentine's Day would be the perfect opportunity to remember just how great we are together... but Cyril just feels Scrooge-Like. The biggest cop-out comes as it did this morning...' So what do you want for Valentine's Day?' he grumbles. I told him to get me the Dog Whisperer book. Ha. I honestly would like to book. As a Valentine's present, not really... but I'll take it. I do love my dog after all. I remind him that a love letter is still on my list, eight years in a row. He acts like I'm asking for the moon or something. Sheesh. Doesn't he remember how easy it was last year? He helped the kids make me breakfast in bed... complete with a menu and sleep-in. It was wonderful!!
Anyway... I spent a half hour searching for the perfect Hallmark on Saturday. Hopefully I can come up with the loving, sincere, heart felt words to go inside of it. I have to dream up something else to top the four minute birthday iMovie that I made for him last week! It is a good thing that I am the hopeless romantic in this relationship. Maybe my gift to him has to include some perks for me too! I better get creative this year!!
If you have any ideas you can post them on my blog... he doesn't read it.

Torch Time

2010-01-28T22:54:00.004-06:00

So Tao and I stopped by the riverbank to take in the festivities for the Olympic Torch coming to our part of the world. I brought the chariot because I knew traffic would be crazy and I'd have to haul a bundled up 3 year old 10 blocks to see what we came to see then another 10 blocks to get back to the van. I also had a sneaky suspicion that she may need a power nap after her first gymnastics class.... totally the cutest little girl on a trampoline!!
Anyway we get to the site where the main stage area is set up and there are thousands of people... it was pretty exciting. I found a place at the back of the pack where they had randomly placed hay bales for people to stand on to catch a glimpse over top of the crowd. Turns out I am standing directly in front of the protesters that showed up to fight for their cause. Yikes.. I felt pretty uncomfortable until I saw all the police standing around, then I just felt the need to move. So a few yards ahead I planted myself on another hay bale and got cozy beside some guy that was cheering, with the crowd instead of against, so I knew Tao and I would be okay!!
The show was full of energy and heavy advertising for RBC and Coke. We really were 'parked' quite far from where the torch was going to pass through but I spotted it over a crowd of people and watched as it made its way to the cauldron. After the torchbearer told her story and all the dignitaries spoke it was time for us to head home. Tao was sleeping by this time and everyone was starting to leave so I tried to get closer to get some better pictures.

We had to walk around the back of a church to get back on track to the van and on our way we came across this young torchbearer with his torch. He was from Rosetown but we missed his name. He was so generous to take a picture with sleeping Tao, my future Olympic gymnast, twice( first shot didn't work so I changed my batteries in record time). It was really neat to be a part of history in a super small way. Just to see that flame that brings so many people together every few years, may never see it again. Hopefully Tao will enjoy seeing this picture when she is older!

Resolutions

2010-01-11T08:31:00.002-06:00

So it's what... the 11th of January and I fulfilling my new years resolution of posting more on my blog. Looks like I should have committed to procrastinating less!!
Anyhow, I do love to share with anyone who wants to read so I promise to just take the time and write more frequently. My posts will be smaller and more random.... but that is sometimes how my thoughts are and that is how time permits.

Today... I am off to enjoy. Pictures of the torch and Tao's first gymnastics class to come. Take more pictures.... that would have been another good resolution.

Miga

2009-12-29T09:26:00.003-06:00

This is Miga. She is a 6 month Standard Schnauzer that we got at the end of November. She is the absolute best dog!! She still obviously has her 'puppy' moments but she is calm and gentle, and so caring for the kids. They just love her to bits. Alex is getting really good at 'handling' her when she gets a bit rambunctious. Treats are always giving out by Tao... she gets her to sit and shake a paw before handing over the milk bone. Manny always races to the kennel to let her out after we get home.

Cyril says we had to 'work on him' for 6 months to break him down to the idea of getting a dog.... but he is so in 'woof' with her. It is so cute to see him talking with her and showing her some love. I love it!!

Happy Birthday Tao!!!

2009-12-14T10:49:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Tao!! I cannot believe it has been 3 years since we were blessed with our sweet girl. xoxoxox

I Got The Call....

2009-11-16T18:03:00.006-06:00

So it is probably most parents fear to receive a call from the school telling you that your seven year old just got into an altercation with another student. You get this pit in the middle of your stomach and a lump in your throat. What happened? With who? Who started it? When did this happen? Is he hurt? On route to the University Hospital Emergency? Bleeding from the head? What's broken?
It just doesn't sit well until you find out that your child is back in class without a scratch.

Then after a brief feeling of relief you wonder about the other kid..... is he broken? Oh my goodness was the fight with a girl?

No, no. Just listen to the vice principal tell you that your son was "sobbing to the point that (he) couldn't understand what he was saying", "scared of what is no going to happen to him". Poor kid. He has never, ever been in trouble at school, he's never seen the inside of the principal's office and I don't even think he has had to sit in the hall for mischief!
According to the VP, Alex claims the other kid(who turned out to be boy, thank goodness) just came over to his posse of friends and asked who wants to fight. So Alex "presented himself" and they went at it. After talking to Alex, he claims he was defending his friends and just sticking up for himself....but really, I think he just wanted to drop the gloves, and rumble.
So did he just forget about the flashy, neon construction vests out supervising the playground? Did he know that the stricter Principal had left hours earlier to go home, sick?
Honestly, I don't know what was going through his mind when he made the decision to fight. All I can do is hope that he makes better choices when he feels angry like he did today. It's just so out of character.... kids are strange.

I love fall... when I can forget what follows it

2009-11-09T13:37:00.006-06:00

Today I just have to write about how gorgeous it is out there. It's about 5 degrees C and there is the warmest sun filling my kitchen.

Yesterday we all went to the river to bask in this warmth and everyone agreed that it was an awesome afternoon... something we just need to go out and do more often. This really was an odd year for September/ October weather.... with freezing cold and snow coming sooner than usually and gypping us of all the fall colors and beauty. The leaves went into shock up there, waiting for the cool air to transform them. Instead we are left with dark green dead leaves hanging on with all they have left. So I completely missed taking the wonderful pictures in my backyard of the kids rolling in the yellow, orange, and red leaves.
Now that Halloween is over the flyers that litter my mailbox are filled with Christmas gift ideas, holiday decorations, and there is red and green everywhere. I am getting excited for the Christmas madness but not for snow and cold. Today is just perfect.... and I am not going to spoil it by thinking about wind chills.

Christian Upliftment School- Kampala,Uganda

2009-10-22T08:40:00.005-06:00

More pictures of Sydla in Uganda. This school is trying to raise funds to buy land adjacent to the school so that housing can be built for those children who have lost their families. Please help if you can.

When somethin' is itchy... scratch it.

2009-08-08T00:10:00.008-06:00

There is one thing that I learned early about parenting and that is no matter what you do in the naming, nurturing, feeding, bathing, holding, medicating, dressing, safety measuring, financial investing, soothing, etc, your child, there will always be many, many people who have a big problem with the way you're doing it all. Along the way Cyril and I have figured out what really works for our family without thinking too much about how we may be perceived. After all, we know our kids more than anyone else.

This brings me to the point of this mess of a story.
Day 1 of our last vacation up to Anglin Lake- Horseflies and mosquitoes are fierce, downright mean, picking on our poor skinny Manny. Don't they know that he swells up like crazy after being bit and refuses to kill anything!! Even ruthless insects!! We slather him up with sun screen and bug spray and get him out in the tube behind the boat. He's a great sport.
Day 2- Manny seems to have been attacked in the night. The spots are everywhere. By midday he is laying on the couch, under a blanket, cause he's got the chills. Tired and itchy. Starting to be a bite suspicious why Manny has so many more bug bites then everyone else.... Hmmmmm.
Day 3- Manny's spots are blistering, he is running a fever and we are well stocked with calamine, Tylenol, and colloidal oatmeal bath powder.... the chicken pox are even worse the bugs. Can't sleep..... too itchy. Too bitchy. Did I mention that by this time Tao is noticing some itchy spots all over her cute body too? Must be bugs bites, think happy thoughts.
Day 4,5,6- Tao and Manny were such troopers. Manny and I stopped counting at 256 spots( not including his butt, scalp, inside his mouth, and back of the legs). Tao wasn't hit as bad but every time Manny needed relief, Tao did too.
Day 7 through 11- much, much less itchy. Much, much less bitchy. And Manny celebrated a big fifth birthday! Off to Emma Lake we go.

I guess that wasn't the real point but a point none the less. The real point is that back in the beginning of July our Alex had a bit of a rash on his neck, below his TMJ. It started out looking like a patch of eczema but over the course of 3 days had developed blisters on top of blisters. And of course you don't rush to the doctor when your oldest of three gets a small rash below his ear. So on the 4th day we go, only to be told that it is poison ivy.......or........ shingles. In either case we can do nothing.... but if it is shingles and you had come in the first 72 hours we could have treated it and it would vanish. Dammit.
So we skip the last day of Vacation Bible School and take the weekend to re-cooperate. All is well. Pledge as unfortunate family vacation and chalk it up to a inconvenient part of their youth.

BUT........ why is my 7 year old developing shingles, and why does he worry so much? Why does he grind his teeth so loudly that it wakes me up from down the hall and why does he flail and have arguments in his dreams? He thinks long and hard about everything but gets distressed if he doesn't have an answer. He tries to control every situation he is in and has even mentioned that he supervises the kids at school during recess to just make sure they are playing safely. Why? He thinks and thinks, and thinks. Is Alex going to be prone to developing shingles when he is under a lot of stress? What was he so stressed out about, he's on summer vacation after all?
So here I have a little boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders and I don't know how I have let this happen, or what to do for him, or how to stop it from happening to the other two.

Is there ever a time in a parents life that they realize that they may be doing things all wrong? Like freaking out about germs, or bike helmet safety, or the nutritional content of every meal digested. And being overprotective and paranoid about coaches, teachers, neighbors, and God knows who. Has anyone ever had that moment where they know that parenting really just isn't working out? Seriously. Despite all the care and love and discipline that you invest in these little people, things can just go terribly wrong.

I post this question only because I am wondering, not cause I'm ready to throw in the towel. Nope, not me. I'm going to stick this one out and see.

Ahhhhhh, I feel itchy just thinking about it.

Playing For Change

2009-06-11T08:56:00.007-06:00

My girlfriend Karen just sent me a video that she found and I just love it. It stops after about five and a half minutes so take time to watch it all the way through. With every new country comes another shiver down my spine.
First go to the bottom of this page and pause my playlist( big green pause button).

Thanks Karen!!!

The typical 4 year old asks over 400 questions a day!

2009-05-02T07:41:00.006-06:00

We cannot believe that another school year is nearly finished and summer holidays are shaping up to include some great camping trips, vacation bible school, a wedding, a french festival, a few birthday parties, and hopefully some heat!!!
With spring in the air, all this talk of the summer agenda reminds my children that 'We have to go get the trailer from the storage barn!', 'When are we going to get the trailer?', 'Where is the trailer?', 'Is it summer or spring?', 'Can we pack our bunk beds in the trailer?', 'Don't forget to pack our bikes in the trailer!', 'Where do our bikes go in the trailer?, 'Can we get a dog so we can take it camping?', 'Don't forget our Webkinz and blankets in the trailer..... and our swim suits, life jackets, kleenex, and marshmallows. And when are we going to get the trailer anyways?'. (NOTE: This is just a sample of the daily questions I get about the trailer!!!) Manny and Tao remind me of all the things that I need to pack and what cannot be left behind. In fact Tao thought that the computer desk chair that I am sitting on should go too.
I must say that I am looking forward to waking up in the morning and not having to scramble to get lunches organized, homework packed, or to remind Alex a dozen times to 'eat', 'hurry up', 'brush your teeth', 'get your shoes on', 'GO...your bus is coming!!!'. It will be so nice to eat our breakfast on the deck and take the morning in instead of cruise past its glory.... until the questions start once more!

He picked me....

2009-04-21T09:22:00.005-06:00

So you just have to love when all is right in your marriage with the man that asked you for forever. I'm feeling all gushy and happy inside cause on Monday Cyril and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. It seems like we have been in this thang called love for so much longer then that.... mostly because we have been neck deep in the parenting role and haven't realized that eight full calendars have been flipped in the process. I am just loving that there is hockey to entertain my hubby right now because I am so busy with my indoor coordinator stuff and school committee.... plus we are renovating our third level to make Alex a new bedroom. It just feels really good to be rolling along together.... and we wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Oh The Places I'll Go....

2009-03-21T20:01:00.007-06:00

Though I am a woman –
I am smarter than you give me credit for.
I read, I write and I listen.
I observe and contemplate.
I research and dig for truth.
I am opinionated and bold.
I am informed.
I am aware.
Though I am a woman.

Though I am thin –
I am obsessed with my body.
I study myself and critique my imperfections.
I wonder if I’ll ever be satisfied.
I hide myself in baggy clothes that feel safe.
I obsess with what I have and haven’t eaten.
I can never run or work-out enough.
I fight the demons in my mind and memory.
I wish my body were different.
I wish I were stronger.
I wish I could find peace.
Though I am thin.

Though I am a mother –
I have a mind that is engaged.
I see a world beyond my four walls.
I am made up of layers that you have never seen.
I hold onto dreams that are not fulfilled.
I want to believe in my value and worth.
I work hard and am creative.
I know I am often wrong.
I fear I am failing.
I fear I am not enough.
I fear the future.
Though I am a mother.

Though I follow God –
I am not a right-wing fundamentalist.
I can see the world through someone elses eyes.
I don’t always know what I believe.
I have ideas that don’t always fit.
I color outside the lines.
I believe that faith can exist outside the church.
I respect the thoughts of others.
I want to live like Jesus.
I think that doubt is not the enemy.
I embrace ritual, tradition, and story.
I choose to love my neighbor.
I choose to keep walking.
I choose to have hope.
As I follow God.

This amazing poem was written by a lady named Karla for a lady named Joyce. It was written perhaps to cheer up the lady named Joyce, but what, in fact, it did was forced a lady named Sherri, that's moi, to reflect on the bigger picture of what it is to be a Mom.
The facets of every woman's lives are immeasurable and each one has its merit. Throughout my life I have taken different roles, some by choice, others by chance, and I want to think that I am handling them all the best I can. With each role comes responsibility and commitment, expectation and opinion, from myself, those I love and those I haven't come to know.

Parenting is a priority... and how could it not. I adore that I have been blessed with great, healthy kids. They are my everything. I will be the first to admit that my role as a Mom has really overshadowed my thoughts about how my other roles work into the equation. Being a stay-at-home Mom hasn't got me engaged in corporate public relations or coffee break chats. I miss being an employee with non- child related responsibilities, 40 hour a week schedules and deadlines that have you working in your sleep. I remember being a dedicated employee, I had good work ethic, I was great to work for and with, and I paid attention to detail( I am a Virgo after all). Sometimes it feels like something is missing.

As I am writing this I see that perhaps not a lot has changed. I still possess these magnificent qualities... I have had to adapt them to being at home with my kids however. And I won't be home forever. As soon as Tao is in school I'll be looking for work!! Oh the places I'll go.....
I am a woman. I have multiple roles that don't define me. I am valued in each role but my value as a woman doesn't change as my roles change. This poem isn't strictly about motherhood but for me... this is the place that I am concentrated right now.

Nice.... isn't it. What does it do for you?

Apac School in Uganda

2009-03-21T17:10:00.007-06:00

We are so thrilled to be sponsoring a little girl named Sydla Agono in Uganda( she is the cutie in the pink shirt). Now she will have the opportunity to go to school, own some supplies for school and a uniform to wear. She is 5 years old and lives with her hard working mother and 4 siblings. Her mom works in a stone quarry but cannot afford to put all of her children in school. She appears to be the youngest of her siblings so I can't wait to hear how happy her family will be for her. I wonder if the older kids have gone to school.

This is the best $35 I have ever spent!!! Sydla will get to go to school for a year on only $35. I bet if every person skipped the McDonald's drive-thru and sponsored one child for a year on the $35 that they would spend getting clotted arteries..... the Apac and CU Schools would be packed.

If you are reading this and are just a tiny bit curious about the Christian Upliftment School in Kampala, Uganda you can check our the website:

http://www.christianupliftmentschool.com/index

The Apac School is a sister school that has been built in the village Apac, just north of Kampala, and they are adding classrooms as funds permit. Their website is:

http://www.apacschool.com/

So we have made some school and hygiene kits and I inquired as to where I should send these and the Coordinator for Canada lives in Montreal and is traveling to Uganda in July and has offered to take them with us. BONUS!!! Now I know that they will actually make it there and Kate is going to take photos and video of Sydla when she receives our gifts and letters!! I can't wait!!!

My 80 year old self

2009-03-05T16:52:00.003-06:00

"My back is pooched" I hear my four year old holler from the bedroom. I wonder where he got that from??? Yes that has sneaked out of my mouth a few time in the last oohh, say seven years or so.
Pregnancy did a number on my low back and pelvis, particularly the last pregnancy with Tao. I had to wear a wide strap around my pelvis just to keep it from splitting apart. Anyhow... the decision to not have any more children seemed like a logical choice. So I have been going to gym for nearly two months now under the direction of my chiropractor and exercise therapist. I figured that losing a good 10-15 pounds would do the trick but I am sort of thinkin' that it is going to take some more fine tuning. My back really never feels 'great'. I have trouble lifting my kids, esp. Tao on and off the potty 37 times a day.... and a roaster out of the oven for that matter.

So I have been taking Tao( and sometimes Manny) to the gym in the mornings and they visit the daycare, which we refer to as 'playschool'. Tao is absolutely in love with the place and talks about going just about every minute that she isn't actually there. I think I am liking that part the best. I feel really good about leaving her with the great women who run the place and get a good workout in at the same time. My back is feeling a bit better though I think I have a ways to go. In the meantime I think I'm going to shop online for a nice solid cane!!

Valentine Lovin'

2009-02-17T16:00:00.011-06:00

Valentine's Day! You either hate it or you love it. You either feel it or you don't. I am usually into feeling it but after hearing my husband complain year after year of how overdone and materialized it is... I tend to lose my inspiration. This year, just days before Valentine's Day, Cyril starts to complain that there is 'soooo much pressure' on Valentine's Day, there is just not enough time, and he just isn't coming up with anything 'good'. I try to keep my cool but inside he has really hit a nerve! I simply tell him that the only 'pressure' surrounding Valentine's Day is the 'pressure' that he puts on himself, and it's not like this is the first EVER Valentine's Day. I mean it is clearly stated exactly 2 weeks into February on every calendar ever printed! Please don't try to say that this day has 'snuck up' on you. So, I say, you can either figure out a way to tell me how wonderful I am or don't bother; but what you can't say is that you didn't have time, or money, or lack of ideas, or blah, blah, blah. Like I said-- you either feel it or you don't.

I should start out by saying that I have never been the kind of wife that expects (overpriced)flowers and chocolates and fancy dinners and all the frills and stuff. I think one of the best things that Cyril has done for me on V-Day is write little messages on post-it notes and put them all over the house for me to find after he had left for work. Note: I was pregnant with Alex.... first born... over 6 years ago!
In Cyrils' defence I must say that he does buy me flowers when I am sick, or before my first triathalon, or for no reason what-so-ever. I can't make him out to be totally unromantic and cold. He really does show his love and commitment to me in other ways... but Valentine's Day is his chance to just lay it all out there!

Soooo...... I hear Cyril wake up with the kids sometime around 7:30 on Saturday morning so I naturally roll over in hopes to catch a few more zzzz's. Then just after 9 am my lovely family wakes me quietly and pass me the menu featuring the Valentine's Day breakfast items for me to check off. Then they all leave and tell me to stay in bed and they would return in a half hour. They all file in after working hard to make my breakfast together, the kids were just so excited to do this for me and Cyril had a big happy smile on his face. This is what it is all about!! We took the kids swimming that afternoon and I made Alex his favorite supper, shrimp stir fry. Cyril wanted to have a chocolate fondue with me after the kids went to bed but we decided to introduce the kids to fondue..... they loved it!!! What a great Valentine's Day!!

Importance of Time

2009-02-08T22:14:00.004-06:00

So lately I have been completely entangled in the careful planning and execution of an elementary school dance, crafts, concession and silent auction. It is over and the night went off without a hitch... just I had prayed for and lost sleep over. The children had fun(from what I could tell) and the parents seemed happy with our parent council's efforts.

This is my first year working with fellow parents to better the environment of our loving kids. We have a great school with fabulous teachers and our council has some strong spirits.... me included. Why you ask?
A new personal goal became clear to me last year after attending a Discovery Workshop with World Vision. The workshop was designed to make us reflect on our time and the availability for volunteering. It was there that I had an 'AHA' moment. The WV coordinator was discussing how stress can affect our time and the symptoms of unhealthy stress. An example that was used was that if you are given a task by your boss at work but not given a deadline to complete the task you will more than likely put off doing it. If your boss gives you a deadline to complete the task, there is a healthy stress added( the deadline) so you will be more apt to complete it.
I realized that because I am a stay at home Mom and have been for nearly 5 years, that I haven't had that healthy stress of a deadline or a commitment(outside of the home/ kids stuff). I have to add that after getting home from the World Vision workshop and revealing this revelation to my husband he states, " So do you want me to tell you that the floors need to be mopped by Friday?".
My answer was of course "No".

What I realized was that with being home full time I had stress- stress of school schedules, busing issues, shuttling, lunches, fundraising, grocery shopping, cleaning, homework, cooking, laundry, yard work, shoveling crappy snow, food and drug safety, WHMIS, etc. There was/is never a deadline. This is just the stuff that I prioritize and re-prioritize over and over throughout a typical work week. It all just needs to get done. Have I worked into getting around to cleaning the caked- on dust off of my bathroom fan? Nope, just haven't gotten around to it ( and so NOT a priority).

So after nearly no thought, the answer was clear. I needed to get out of my house and have some responsibility for something other than my family..... though I can't let it overshadow my family.
I quickly became a WV Special Events volunteer and more extensively became the social committee chair for my son's school parent council. The latter is a huge commitment and most importantly, has deadlines!! I think that it has been really good for me to lose sleep over something other than how my son got slashed in face with hockey stick at school last week while watching some students play shinny outside his bootroom!! Good times.
My next goal... get to bed earlier. All these deadlines are keeping me up too late!!

Soap in my mouth....blah!

2009-01-24T20:36:00.005-06:00

'Hate' is one of those words that I try to teach my children to use wisely. I try to give them many other options like, for example, " My brother is driving me crazy so I am going upstairs for some alone time" or "I don't care for these pants because the button is too hard to fasten and I prefer snap closure so I don't pee myself ".... okay that is a bit much but you get the drift. It doesn't sound too polite when you hear some 4 year old rant about how he 'hates soggy cereal', 'hates the crusty boogers that get stuck up his nose', 'hate the way his Lego creations keep falling apart', 'hate how it is too windy outside', and on and on it could go. My kids are very good at "using their words" and they try to describe how they feel instead of just muttering a 'hate' phrase.

So all of this rambling gets me to why HATE came up in the first place.

I HATE WINTER!!!

There is not one thing that I like about it. I don't care for the constant chill I have in my back. I don't appreciate having to dress in 4 layers of clothing and having to start the vehicle 10 minutes before I want to go to the store for milk. The sound of my chapped hands touching my cozy yoga pants is as bad as finger nails on a chalkboard. I find it a hassle to have to remember each and every school day ' Does Alex have his ski pants, toque, gloves, and should I attach the shitty ass hood that snaps half ass to his winter parka.... and should he have a sweatshirt on under his jacket, what is the wind chill, should I wrap a scarf around his head four times? And is the damn bus going to even run today?". I don't enjoy walking or jogging or snowmobiling or snow shoeing or dog sledding. I have zero desire to ice fish or snowboard or ski. I don't even really feel good about making a snow angel in a fresh blanket of snow because I know that when I stand up there will be a little bit of snow that falls down the back of my neck and runs down my shirt... ruining the entire experience. I find it insane that we paid $240.91 in the month of December to heat our home during the longest cold snap in over 50 years. I am about to go squirrely!!
And don't get me started on all the people who have just returned from their hot winter vacation down south near the equator. Even worse are the people who got in on some smokin' deal and are getting ready to escape in the next few weeks. I would rather not know about it.... thank you and have a pleasant holiday.
The bitterness of this cold weather is taking its toll on my perspective... I am usually pretty cosure about the extreme temps. I laugh at those stories about how ignorant foreigners think that Canadians plug in their igloos. Like really.... it's not that bad!! Yes it is... and I don't like it one bit.
So I am sorry, children, for using the very word that I don't want you to use. Spring will come..it always does.

I have been tagged!

2009-01-16T15:13:00.003-06:00

I'm IT. Here are '16 Things About Me'. If you read this and wanna share please leave a comment so I can learn more about you too. If not, well I still wanna know something!!

1. Geocaching is my new favorite sport( if you consider walking around aimlessly following the coordinates on a GPS a sport). We learned about it in Cypress Hills last summer and plan to leave a few caches this summer. The only downfall.... it's a bit tricky in the winter!

2. My kettle is boiling as we speak. It's tea time! I am a true English limey. I take after my Nana and Mom. Red Rose Tea is always fully stocked in my pantry. I don't drink coffee... ever.

3. I used to be a welder at Flexicoil. It was one of the best jobs I ever had. I love to work with my hands and working with tools is an absolute high for me. I built everything from centre sections, hitches, wheel standards and pins( all parts of a cultivator). I loved that job!!

4. My second son was nearly born in a tent, while on a camping trip. My water broke in the middle of the night while camping north of P.A. He came 2 weeks early and was delivered by a couple of nurses. Needless to say we were unprepared! I owe my husband and Mom !big! for cleaning the sleeping bag and air mattress.

5. I love word puzzles, sudoku, scrabble.... anything that prolongs the onset of my dementia!

6. Although my teaching days are over... I really miss instructing Massage theory and practical. Adult education was a really unique and challenging opportunity. So different from being around kids all day. Reminds me.... I need to book a massage!!

7. I love music and love to dance even more. I have tunes in my head all day long. I am so glad that my kitchen doesn't have windows that face my neighbors because they would think I have lost my mind... I 'cut the rug' when I cook just about every meal.
I have fond memories of playing my Mom's old records as a kid. I used to beg my Mom to stay home on Saturday morning to watch Casey Kasem's American Top 10 instead of hustling off to league bowling. Seriously... I had a bowling coach when I was 11.

8. I am fearful of dogs. My in laws vicious beast attacked me a couple years ago and I have been so scared ever since. My husband reminds me that they sense fear... but I can't be assertive around them. I just turtle if I hear growling and see massive canine teeth.

9. It's my dream to write and illustrate a children's book. I don't know when... but one day.

10. My husband and I have 3 Godchildren. Maeve in Alberta, Mathieu in Tennessee and Charlie in Saskatchewan. We are so blessed to have these kids in our lives... they are very special to us and we don't take this role lightly.

11. If my house was on fire and I had to get one possession out( besides my family) it would be.... all the old photo albums I could carry, as well as my laptop full of photos.

12. I don't want this to come out wrong. I like to walk in the evening when people have their lights on but haven't closed their blinds for the night. I don't stop and peep or anything, I just like to see the layout of their home and see how their home is decorated. I love interior design more then snooping on peoples evening habits!

13. My deepest regret in my life is that I didn't travel to a poor country to offer humanitarian aid before I got married. I do hope that I am able to do this when my kids are older. I really have a longing in my heart for this goal.

14. 14 is my favorite number. It was my number on my jersey when I played senior basketball through high school. Go Crusaders!!!!

15. On a hot summer day my favorite thing to eat is nachos and homemade fresh salsa and drink beer. I can't wait for summer!!

16. The most influential and memorable person from my past was my Gramps. I was beside him when he died and closed his eyes for him after he took his last breath. And even though he has been gone for over a decade, I think often of his impact on me as a kid. He used to play with my long hair by twirling it around his huge chubby fingers... I could have sat in front of his big brown chair all day. He just did things in stride instead of rushing through life without thought or focus.
My Gramps had his own repair shop and had a motto that he 'could fix anything, even a broken heart'. He would putz around in his little shop every weekday.... he made loads of house calls to desperate folks who's washing machines wouldn't spin. He was brilliant for only having a grade 7 education and honored our family more than anything. I try to live a life that he would be proud of.... I miss him dearly.

Saying Goodbye

2009-01-05T21:45:00.007-06:00

I first have to sigh and take a big breathe as I want to get this right. I thought I was ready for this but clearly it is hitting me harder than I thought it would. Some of you will appreciate this more than others and I welcome you to leave a post if I drudge up any repressed feelings from your souls.
I have taken apart my babies crib for one final time. It happened yesterday while my husband was out, at my request, in -30 degree cold to purchase a mattress for a bed that we bought months earlier... knowing this day would come. I was very excited to get Tao into her new bed, to prepare the bedding and rearrange her pretty room. Then when I saw my little lovebug laying under her flannel sheet and cozy duvet in a bed 10 times her size... it saddened me. There is no going back.
Our family is now complete... and growing. And again I am reminded of how time just keeps ticking and no matter how much you live in the moment and try to reflect daily on your graces, time has its own agenda. We bought that crib new from Sears nearly 7 years ago for our first angel, Alex. He was 26 months when Manny was born and moved out of it into a big boy bed just in time. We didn't take it down during Manny's transition to the bottom bunk when he was 28 months either. So that crib has been a solid piece of our home for nearly as long as we have lived here. I am going to miss Tao calling for me to come and get her after a nap, standing in the corner of the crib all smiley and disheveled. Today she just walked out of her room and stood at the top of the stairs and smiled proudly saying in her cute Tao voice " Big Seep Mom!".
That crib was an expensive and hugely important purchase for us as new parents and now it is history. So my kids are growing up, and I am sad about that.

2008 Denis Family Pictures

2008-12-16T17:11:00.001-06:00

2008 Denis Family Pictures

My wish list....

2008-12-15T12:38:00.002-06:00

So lately I have seen all sorts of blogs by these crafty women(mostly) who are making a living by selling their creations on Etsy and elsewhere. Some of these artisans donate to charity and some provide for their family... regardless of what is done with the income- I am seeing the most treasured, beautiful handcrafted items, everything from quilts and knit toques, to beaded jewelry and ceramic dishes.
Jealousy is my first feeling.... where did everyone get these talents? Did their thirst for sewing come from their Grandma or did they just keep practicing after grade 9 Home Economics? Were they forced into stitching Christmas presents every year as children and the art of elaborate quilt making just stuck with them all these years? I sure wish I was born with this instinctive desire and ability to create something from nothing but a picture in my mind's eye.
The second feeling that comes to mind almost immediately is fear.... no maybe panic. Due to the lack of know-how I am down right fearful of my sewing machine. I want to use it, I really do. It is hiding from me in my basement and I know that it is as scared of me as I am of it. You see, my sewing machine was a great find at a garage sale about 5+ years ago. It was one of those gems that was probably given to a bride on her wedding day about 60 years ago. The lucky bride knew how to sew everything, more that likely, so it was well loved. It was the only sewing machine that she had until one day she decided to treat herslf to a newer deluxe sewing machine. She sold her old one to me, probably wishing better things for her old faithful.... but I had the money( and a car to haul it away). So she let it go.... and it has been in hiding ever since.
Please don't judge me.... I have a deep conscience about sewing. Every Mother is 'suppose' to know how to make a Halloween costume from scratch. I wish I was that Mother. Maybe if I had lived at home longer as a teen, or if I had my own Mother or Grandma to pushed me along the way it would be different. Did I not pay attention to their efforts? Maybe I don't have the time to learn.... no that is a poor excuse.
I just don't know what to say. One day.... one day.

Happy holidays to every woman who knows how to sew... you are my inspiration ( I say that with my teeth clenched)! ;<)

Sherri

Our 2008

2008-12-05T20:46:00.003-06:00

Happy Holidays from all of us here in the prairies. This has been a great year for our family. We have all stayed healthy and continue to be blessed in every way. Our prayers and thoughts encompass so many people everyday and I am happy to write that the graces of God and all of you are with us always. I have re-capped 2008 for you and hope that it has been blessed for you too.

Let me start at the top..... my wonderful husband.
Cyril is working hard and keeps very busy with the volatile markets and ever changing dollar. He speaks highly of the team that he works along side.... they really have fun times at the office. I am grateful that Cyril loves his job and is able to continue to support our decision to have me stay home with the kids during these younger preschool years. We pray that this decision pays off in the long run.... granted it doesn't make me insane first!! Cyril does his cycle of broom ball in the winter and slow-pitch in the summer. This fall he joined a floor hockey league and has the bruised shins to show for it.

This year I have tried to educate myself a bit more on two major issues that are affecting huge populations around the world: poverty and climate change. We are making more and more greener choices in our home and around our community. I am the newest indoor coordinator in our area and joined Alex's school parent council as well so hopefully I can be a strong voice in these groups. Recently my application was accepted for volunteering with World Vision which is so exciting for me because I am so moved by the stories that I hear about communities becoming self sustainable and fighting poverty first hand. I look forward to sharing my personal experience of child sponsorship(refer to older post for details) with others and hopefully I can represent World Vision's mission with pride.

Alex has grown up so much this year. He will be 7 in May and is loving grade one. He is in a 1/2 split class in a French Immersion program and enjoys teaching all of us how to speak and write in French. His favorite subjects are Math and Phys. Ed but he also loves to draw and spend time with friends at recess. Alex says that he wants to be a writer when he grows up. He just finished a level in swimming and will continue in the new year. Alex chose to participate in a evening floor hockey class and also enrol in Scouts this fall instead of picking ice hockey alone. We explained to him that hockey is a huge commitment and that he may not have time to do other activities that he really wanted so he chose the easy alternative. We think that he made a great decision.

Manny,4, enjoyed a preschool multi-sport class this fall and is also doing well in his swimming lessons. He is in a French Immersion preschool class three mornings a week. He loves his teacher and has grown in leaps and bounds with colouring and drawing. Manny is our little 'live wire' but is an absolute angel at school.... I have had so many compliments on how well behaved and polite he is...... I sometimes question if they have the right Manny. We were so excited the other day to see that a drawing that he had sent to our local newspaper, illustrating how we are going to make our Christmas 'green' this year, was published!! He had to take the section of the newspaper for 'show and tell' today.... so cute!! Manny says he wants to be a surfer and a construction worker when he grows up.

Tao was such a wonderful addition to our family. Sometimes I still cannot believe that I was blessed with a girl! She'll be 2 soon and we see bits of that 'terribleness' coming out in her. She has to be in the middle of everything, whether she is invited or not. The boys have lots of patience with her and also know how to get her giggling. They really are best friends and show so much love for each other every day. Tao will start swimming lessons in January.

One of the most exciting parts of our summer was the upgrade from our tent trailer to a new expandable 23ft trailer. It was a decision that we knew was inevitable yet we kind of jumped in with both feet. It is glorious!!! We felt quite spoiled after spending a week in Cypress Hills with our dear friends, the Meiers. The heater really came in handy, as did the heated mattresses!!
Funny how Cyril remembers being a teenager, cramped in their family tent trailer with his brothers Rejean and Claude, travelling to the mountains. Our kids will have little, if any, memories of 'roughing it'. Tenting was so much fun when it was just Cyril and I. We spent our honeymoon tenting at Waterton National Park in Alberta nearly 8 years ago. After Alex came along.... well we took him tenting when he was 6 weeks old on Father's Day weekend. It wasn't soon after that that we bought a bigger tent to accommodate all of the 'stuff' that goes along with having a baby. We camped many times in that massive Costco special....we called it the Hilton.
Manny was a year old and not quite able to walk when we camped in the Hilton one last time at Green Water Provincial Park. After finishing up our dishes from a bacon and egg breakfast we hear news that a young black bear just wondered through the sites across the road from us. I'm not sure what put us over the top.....if it was the paranoid feeling of always wondering if the bear would return or if it was the downpour of rain that we got the entire morning of packing up a soggy tent, dining tent and tarps all the while listening to 2 screaming boys melt down in their car seats. Needless to say the tent trailer came shortly after getting back from that trip.
So camping is going to be so different next summer.... with heat, a freezer and a lou!!

I have to say that time just seems to go by whether you want it to or not. It is easy to lose track of time while you're in the hustle and bustle of life. I am thankful for the Christmas season because it is a time to reflect on the year passing and it makes me want to reconnect with so many people that are important to me. This was my purpose for blogging.... to share a bit of my world with you if you wish.
So from our family to yours, please remember to grip life by the horns and never let go, love like your honeymoon hasn't ended and take good care of yourselves cause when we see you next we want a big hug!! Merry Christmas to my dearest friends and family.... you know who you are.

Love from the heart,
Sherri, Cyril, Alex, Manny, and Tao
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Brain Food

2008-12-02T15:19:00.006-06:00

This is a site that is doing what it can to feed the hungry. Play everyday and you'll get smarter too. There are different subjects with a variety of levels for all those keeners out there; I am NOT a keener however. For every answer you get right, the sponsors of the site will donate twenty grains of rice to the UN World Food Program. Although I did allow over 6000 grains of rice to be donated today.... geography is my best subject, math.... not so much!
Over 52 BILLION grains of rice have been donated since the site originated just over a year ago. Now that is impressive! Who knew multiple choice questions could have this kind of impact.

Enjoy...

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

2008-12-02T13:06:00.003-06:00

Risk
(Author unknown)

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to others is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to do nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave, they forfeited their freedom.

Only the person who risks can be free

So I got this little bit from a post that I frequent and it just hit me that this awareness is becoming more and more evident in my life right now. 'Joyce', the ' bag lady' as I have come to know her, is really living this message. She makes a bag a day and sells it for Darfur. She is raising awareness and being charitable for people who struggle to survive. Her bags are designed and sewn from bits of material that she has collected.... it really is amazing to witness.

What's even more amazing is her heart. Now as you can tell I am not the best writer... my thought process could use a bit of work!! Or rest!! However, I love reading a good post that pushes me to think outside of my current 'self' and be a little risky.

So is sewing 'therapy' for Joyce, does she feel pressure to get a bag done every single day? How the hell does she sew a bag a day, and still have time to blog, feed herself and her family, plus the countless other things that go along with life? I wish that I could spend a day with this woman and have her rub off on me a little.

I'm getting there... but I have so much farther to go.

Christmas is coming... really... it is!!

2008-11-26T15:12:00.003-06:00

I can't believe the weather these days. There are four days left in November and the temperature is 3... plus 3. We had a mild Halloween (which always seems to be miserable). And now, less then a month till Christmas and I have a front lawn instead of a front snow bank.
I love it. However, there is a down-side! Advent starts this Sunday and we are suppose to get excited about Christmas yet the weather is so balmy and mild I am just not there yet! I need a good blizzard to bring on the festive cheer! Ho,Ho,Ho!

I just jinxed us!!

My heart aches...

2008-11-24T15:19:00.003-06:00

We sponsored a little boy from Dominican Republic through World Vision and he has changed my life. His name is Luiyi Orlando and he is 7 years old. His parents have been 'separated' from him for some time and we think that he is living with his Grandmother. We received our first letter from him a few weeks ago and it was hand written by his Aunt is Spanish and also hand written by a translator in English. She made no mention of his Grandmother or if he has any siblings so I hope to learn more if they write again. The letter included a drawing of 'mi casa' (Luiyi's house)that was colored with pencil crayons. It really made the whole process very real for me. Our kids speak of him daily and he and his community are in our prayers each and every night.

I have become so passionate about this charity and my heart aches when I see and hear of others experiences while doing missionary work in areas devastated by poverty. I am humbled by others acts of love and selflessness. I really value the relationship that our family will develop with Luiyi and my hope is to help our kids understand the consequences of poverty and the power of kindness. My husband and I thought that a $35 donation every month was such a huge commitment, but when I breeze over the MasterCard purchases on our bill statement I see that there are dozens of purchase made that are not a necessity( liquor store, department store, theatre, dollar store, even many grocery store purchases). The donation for 35 bucks just gets lost amongst the numbers. I'm sure that if I clipped coupons more frequently I could save that amount or more. We can do this... we have money sitting in a bank and kids like Luiyi are getting sick because they don't have water. Water!! Something as simple as a water pump, yet absolutely vital for life.

I seem to reflect a bunch these days on our lifestyle and our excessive consumption of just about everything. I feel honoured to have Luiyi in my life but helpless and frustrated that I am not doing more to help him and millions like him. I think I have just scratched the surface...

I'm feeling lucky!

2008-11-20T22:19:00.002-06:00

So a few weeks ago I stumbled onto a blog by a girl named Nikki. Her blog features many tales of the places she has been and how she is living her life as a humanitarian by sponsoring children and most importantly.... spreading the word. Nikki and her (boy)friend are planning to do more traveling to Ethiopia and Dominican Republic next year and help out in any way they can, I'm sure.

Anyway Nikki held a charity raffle with half of the proceeds going to World Vision, and the other half towards their upcoming trips. I bought tickets and WON!! How great is that! So Nikki also designs blogs and she has donated her services for her raffle and my blog is going to get help... I can't wait. I am also going to get an Ethiopia pouch in the mail 'cause I won twice!!

So am I lucky? Yes. I am learning more through Nikki's experiences and for that I am thankful!

2008-11-19T22:40:00.004-06:00

Here is the last family picture that we had done in September. We had a bunch of fun that day. It is always a challenge to get all of the kids smiling nicely at the camera. Photoshop works it magic every time!!
Thank you to Dani for the photos, she is wonderful.

It's official!!

2008-11-19T15:51:00.006-06:00

I'm a blogger!!! This is exciting stuff.

And just in time too!! It started snowing today and this means I'll have about four months to hibernate and blog myself silly. Brrrrrrr