I am dreaming of a white christmas

What a great weekend -- extra day on Friday to see the little miss at school, we then went for our appointment at the doctors - she had her needles and is all up to date. We then went out for a nice walk and enjoyed a little family hot chocolate time.

What a fantastic weekend we had, darling friend from Sudbury was here and we had a great successful visit with Santa on Saturday and a trip to the disney store to help write our letter! Dinner at the Johnny Rockets, where the wait staff performed a dance and song which our daughter loved, dinner and a show. Best onion rings I have had in years

A mini vacation is how the Thursday afternoon until Sunday time off felt. A bit of christmas shopping on Thursday and Sunday. A really great chat with my mom, and some deep breaths.. somtimes you just need the people you love to remind you that you are doing a good job, being a parent isn't easy all the time.. but sometimes it is about me just letting go and not trying to create perfection in a four year old ( how crazy is that?)  .. so this weekend was fun and I played too.

I took the advice of a great woman, bought some light reads, and tried to stop sweating the small stuff.. the result I began day dreaming about a white christmas :)

Live Laugh Love and BE

HOPE

And the count down begins.... Christmas Chaos is around the corner. Candy canes and popcorn, and all things stickey and yummy are waiting to be baked. I have never been one to bake, now my sister can makes a mean shortbread. Shortbread is a weakness of mine, some people like the bars, others like the little rounds.. me I like them all. Shortbread imported for Marks and Spencers... yummmy.. butter goodness.

I am a savory kind of girl, stuffing and turkey and anything with sage and cheese.. Bliss. I love christmas time, I love the busy stores, I love the lights and I love the hope that a New Year can bring. I have spent the last few months evaluating lots of personality traits about myself, some that I like some that I don't. I am working on them.

Learning to lighten up,  will be a new hope for me starting today.. it has been a rough couple of years for me.. I have been working towards this idea of creating a new me.. well its time to relax and enjoy life.. I have to stop rushing around and just enjoy the moments.

So as I egarly await dear friend from sudbury's arrival.. I will spend the day at my daughters school, have a coffee and a read, then after the doctors appointment I will play downtown with my little girl.

Live love laught .. RELAX

The purse junkie no more

Fit in to favourite Jeans!!!

Since before the summer I  had grown out of a pair of jeans that I bought a few years ago - my favourite Seven jeans in dark denium - today I thought what the heck??? so I did them up today , yeah.. now not wear worthy yet as they are bad muffin top jeans ( when the tummy sticks out and sides fall over the top of your too tight in the waist jeans) - but they are infact much closer to being back in my wardrobe!! I will know on Friday if I have lost any more weight ( have been good and not obsessed this week with the scale).. Feeling like I am getting back into the swing of things..Weight Watchers may not be for everyone, but it is definately something that works for me.

Prior to the quit smoking date of last year, January 04, 2009 -I had lost 20 pounds.. have since put 15 of  it back on, remained a non smoker (which is HUGE) so as I have re-started the weight loss journey again, I think it is rewarding to fit back into those pants. Can't imagine it is more then another 2lbs this week. Which would be about 5 in two weeks = great like losing a bag of potates worth of weight! Keep your fingers crossed for me.

So house is decluttered, purses are down to a manageable amount, have quit smoking and now on the weight loss train - Damn I am getting good at this whole create yourself  thing..

So all in all, kind of proud of myself ..

LIVE LOVE LAUGH

The purse junkie no more

Quiet mind

Usually my head has thousands of thoughts swirling around in it. Today my mind is quiet.. it is a good thing :)

Have a nice quiet day everyone!

Live love laugh ..enjoy

the purse junkie no more

All the world is a stage

Yesturday evening after a good nap, we went to the Danforth for a walk and a hot chocolate. Accross from Tim Hortons is a little city park, in the summer it has a fountain, in the winter beautiful lights. This year the lights are even nicer then usual, Twinkle lights in the thousands. If you get a chance you should see them.

In this little park is a stage, Emma likes to play on the stage. So we did a "show" dancing, and yoga and twirling in circles. We took turns - great fun. We ended up with a few on lookers and a couple of participants. Fun.

So, we had a good Sunday, dancing like snowflakes.. all the world is a stage, people watch no matter what the show.. so we gave them a good one. a mom, a dad and a little girl.. dancing in the park among thousands of twinkle lights.

Live Love LAUGH AND DANCE

The purse junkie no more


PS - Just got off the phone with a friend at work who told me her little Angel once held her breath in a store until she passed out -- she wanted to try on more shoes. Thank for the chat... it is all about perspective isn't it :)

Mall melt downs... and we survived!

Wow, change the rules and boy do you get an interesting response! So, I have in the past allowed my daughter to get a "treat" from the shops after spending a day shopping with me. I know not a good thing, but I did it. I know I am not the only one, because I see it everytime I go out. Well, yesturday was the day..no, treat. HUGE melt down. Screaming yelling, banging her feet. Yup, my beautiful little girl...became an "I want a Barbie" monster right in front of my eyes, and to my embarassment ( I hate public humiliation - do not single me out because of bad stuff ever, I loose it) ,... Oh and on a side note here, to all those people who think making comments like " Major meltdown there" are at all helpful .. SHUT UP either offer some words of support or go away. (Such as the lady in the elevator in who said - is she four? it gets better my grandaughter did the same thing) We handled it the best we could, we didn't back down. We left the store ( Dad went and  paid for everything - please note - no Barbie and the two videos that had been in the cart she didn't know about , also went back on the shelf.)

So on Saturday, we experienced what my  all friends would call the behaviour increase, the light at the end of the tunnel is on it's way.. it usually gets worse before it gets better is the saying written by behaviour therapists I am convinced. Well that was the worse I have ever seen my little four year old Angel behave, by far. Made me hate the mall, get mad at Jay and me and her all at once.

Homeward bound, an exhausted little miss, dad and mom pretty much did not say a single thing on the subway ride. Off to nap once home , then mom and dad talked it out.. We are not perfect parents.. but we are trying. She is a good kid, fighting to figure out what control she has, and why the rules to everything seemed to have changed.

Strange how one conversation with a teacher can lead to a chain of events that result in not only her learning lessons but us too.

So I take a big breath, and say thank you for my lessons. Saturday was tough, but it is now an experience we survived .. Chalk one up for the parents

Live love laugh

The purse junkie no more

Finding Happiness... it is REALLY all up to you

I was thinking about "Happiness" today and in doing so was wondering what does it truely mean to be happy. I think because so many people chase after hapiness in their lives they sometimes forget to experience it while they are smack dab in the middle of it!

Take for example the panic and fear of judgement I experienced this week with my daughter, i know that she is a great girl. I know that she can behave when she needs to.. I also know that I cannot control every moment I am not with her.. so having said all that I find happiness in my parenting moments.. like the weekend snuggles, playing princess domino's or even playing snap and go fish ( all new games she is enjoying) .. just checked in with her teacher - she is doing better.. but she still needs to work on the "NO" to her teacher. This is good - we have noticed a change at home as well, baby steps :)  I can at times focus on the bad stuff and get caught up in upset.. but I am trying REALLY Hard not to. - Lets be clear I do have to try to be in a good mood sometimes, I have to try to like my days ..

I think when you place "being" happy on a pedestal like so many people do - and it is often paired with having money, owning a house, haveing a family or stuff. You can forget that hapiness is infact a state of mind you can choose to have. ( Please note -- not talking about people who suffer from depression or anxiety related disorders here. )  Without sadness there is no happiness in  life so a balance of both is good.

Me -- when happy , sad or indifferent - like to eat -- so I am an all around emotional eater - but i do eat less when stressed, and more when content and good with the world. Backwards to most people I know!  Which brings me to my accountablity check in.. 3lbs officially lost this week ( was four but was not on the offcial weigh in day so doesn't count) staying with point range most days as adjusting to healthy eating comes into play more regularily.

So in my ramble today.. happiness is what we all seek, maybe we just have to all stop looking and realize happiness is a gift we can choose to give ourselves? 

LIVE LOVE LAUGH ... BE HAPPY

The purse junkie no more

Tired.. so 430am tired

Hey all,

I was up at 430 this morning, coughing and congested. With some meds was able to make it into work ( no fever here) but I am so bone tired.. if I close my eyes I will be out for the count. So what is a mom to do.. made plans with hubby that he and the little lady will go get her mug shot for her passport done, and I will have a few minutes rest after work..

Just waiting for th end of day meeting, and then once done I am out of here.... I can feel my pillow already

Live Love laugh ... SLEEP

The purse junkie no more

We did it... 2 nights down and going strong!

Wow, we have a little girl who followed the rules today, did not get upset when we said no - and when we said good job - she showed she was proud! YEAH ... now we must maintain it ourselves! She even helped cook dinner tonight ( no TV means other things have to happen with mommy and daddy) which means she ate her dinner too!

Baby steps but happy - she had a good day at school, I talked to the teacher, and called the daycare - everyone is GREEN, YELLOW and RED = her saying I want to stay green mommy! One thing about our daughter -she is a fast learner - she questions the rules to find out the reason as well, when she does not understand.

So yup, feeling good. On the food front, feeling good, staying in point range eating a little better and keeping on top of my own stuff.. today has been a good day.

LIVE LOVE and Laugh

The pirse junkie no more

It's going to be a GREEN day

It is funny how someone who works around, with and for children and adults with behaviour issues, missed some behaviour issues in her own child! And boy did I take it hard.. now in no way am I comparing my childs behaviour to that of a child who has ASD or am I saying they are at all similar in coping methods.. I am saying -- wow I reinforced some defiant behaviour. Now it is my job as mom and Jay's job as Dad - to turn it around!

So just turned four and full of spunk, knows her mind and is not afraid to tell you so are qualities I LIKE about my little girl. What I don't like is not listening, and hitting when she doesn't get her way., and apparently she screams NO once in awhile.  So expectations need to be made clear. We are following the schools GREEN = Good YELLOW= Warning and RED = Time out ( the whole supernanny thing) we of course will focus on praising the Green behaviours, providing choice during yellow behaviours and following through if we reach RED behaviours.

Mommy and Daddy had a good talk, we are on the same page and my mommy listened while I felt like a failure, so thank you mom! .. but in true me fashion, new page today and change of behavior plan now underway.. she stayed in the green this morning, rehersed about hands to ourselves and off she went. Fingers crossed today is a good day! I will be calling the teacher today to double check.

So tell me parent out there... how was four years old for you?? Did you get an attack of the "NO!" at your house?

Live LOVE Laugh .. PARENT

The purse junkie no more

PS - weigh in 3 days -- but checked on myself 4 pounds gone since re: commitment to myself!

4 Princesses and one spider man

What a great day for my beautiful little lady, she had all her dearest friends ( new and ones since birth) , she had so much fun , today was the "dress up" brithday party. We dressed up, we played and we ate ( Fruit Kabobs were a hit! banana,strawberry,grapes and marshmellows and a skewer.) Pizza was not a hit, the pink roll ups were a huge success - so much so - that half of the sandwiches has at least one bite out of each.

I am tired. I am happy.. my little girl is fast asleep... what a great day of pink and white , princess and SPIDERMAN bliss..

Fashionable friend from Irelands two boys called dressed up like stormtroopers, they had a skype party, and during the party.. darling friend from Sudbury called in for her birthday wishes.

Nothing feels better then knowing, your child is happy, loved and has good friends.

live, love, laugh PLAY

The purse junkie no more

First step back on track

So as I mentioned I have been moving toward the healthier version of me.. so today I rejoined weight watchers on line. I need the accountability of checking in, doing the graphs reading the results...hmmm sounds oddly familiar to an old job I had.. ah yes that would be because weight watchers is based on the principles of ABA ( the study of behaviour.. really is way more then that but in a nut shell) .. must be why it works!
So .. to look at what I do know about my eating habits.. I like food, I like salty crunchy food.. makes me feel comforted, I am an emotional eater - I am also a subsitute behaviour eater -- so no smoking = weight back on that I had loss. However instead of the usual fall back to lose the weight ( going back to smoking) I am taking a new challenge, and giving myself the one to two pounds a week weight loss goal.

So promises to me.. I will not hate myself when I eat something not so good for me.. I will track what goes in my mouth ( inluding the coffee's I have routinely not counted previously).

I will not turn to food when bored.. but in the event I do .. popcorn or crunchy vegetables.

If you have never struggled with your weight .. and I don't actually know many people who would say they haven't (to thin, to fat, to anything) you know that the real reasons for weight gain involve many factors, genetics, food choices, lack of exercise etc. In the end.. it is something we either choose to control or not. Once out of control, it is much harder to pull yourself out of the vicious yo-yo cycle.. but it can be done, I have done it before, and I am now ready to do it again!

Food de-cluttering, not a new concept really. I think like with anything else their is a balance that each person needs to find. For example - I have no desire to be a mini version of myself - I just want to be a healthier version of me.. mind body and spirt..so for today I stayed within my point range.

Live Love Laugh -- EAT

The purse junkie no more

The leaves are gone and the trees are bare, waiting for snowflakes

Today on my streetcar ride in I noticed the leaves of many of the tree's are now gone. While some people do not like the way the trees look at this point - I really do.  A bare tree covered in snow is even better .. I love snow .. I am a true Canadian girl that way.. but my favourite view of snow is when it gathers on tree branches and a "snow shadow" developes around the tree.

Four years ago on November 14th my daughter was born, the weather was much like it is right now.. not to cold, sunshine bursting through the skyscrapers.. but a few weeks later.. snow covered trees.
So as we prepare for the winter ahead.. dream of your vacations in the sun if you want. I can't wait to hear the crunch of snow under my little ones feet , snow angels with grandma and my beautiful neice.  Bring it on Canada!

I am a proud Canadian, and while I have a a passion for the sights of the world.. when all is said and done, I will always be RED and WHITE. So, please remeber those that have fallen to protect what we so often take for granted.

Live Love Laugh  REMEMBER WHY

The purse junkie no more

Dancing and Fairy Wings

Today I had a breakfast date with my environmental friend, we had a yummy breakfast and a nice coffee with a chat.. great way to start the day! Just before meeting her I stopped at the dollar store for some Fairy Wings for the dress up birthday party my little lady is having on Saturday. I think I am excited more then she is.


I hope the girls have so much fun! I like this dress up thing ... such fun .. she will often put on fashion shows and twirl and dance. She is in many ways very much a fashionable girl.. 4 years old on Saturday... I know that because I like bags, and scarves and necklaces she too is doing this to mimic me, but really isn't that one of the joys of childhood. Pretending to be whatever you want to be. She has been a Knight, who saves the prince - thank you Enchanted! ( yes she has the shield the mask and the sword too) a Vet ( this is what she currently wants to be when she grows up) She often pretends to be a mommy ( who goes to work -- Love it!) she has also been a monkey, a dog and a cat, a spider princess ( yup - black and orange princess spider costume with spider crown)

I think because I really didn't find a passion for clothes and fashionable stuff unitl my late twenties - I still get joy from the whole thing -- but if I could dress up and be anything in the world .. I would put on khaki's , an indian jones hat , and pretend to be an Anthropolgist, and search the world to discover paintings, a drawings of times long ago.. what would you dress up to be???


Live, Love , Laugh and IMAGINE
The purse junkie no more

Today I want you to read one of the blogs on my page

http://itsgonnabealovelyday.blogspot.com/

Please read what she wrote about asking for help..  also check out a very touching read from last thursday

Live LOVE laugh and SEEK

The purse junkie no more

Quick hello

Hi all,

just a quick not, life has been a little crazy with H1N1 vacinations, and making sure the party next weekend has all the bits and pieces we need for success.

so I have not stopped writting, just a little busy is all :)

hope all of you in TO are loving th 18 degrees, make sure to get out and pretend it is a cool summer day!

the purse junkie

coming out of th Fog

Alright, so starting to feel better. headache is finally gone - 3 days of aches and pains, slight cough and chills. feelining more human. On Wednesday my little lady was not feeling well either, it is rare when she says " I need to rest mommy" , so when she does I take her at her word. So we were couch potatoes on wednesday - she had a super long nap, and so did I ! the exhaustion I have felt over the last few days has been extreme. At around 8pm Wednesday night she has seemed to get her pep back. Me , well I was slightly better but still very tired. Yesturday I stayed home, at the advice of work - seems it was a good idea. I got the hot cold chills again, and literally just sat, like a bumb on a log (in this case the couch) and really did nothing all day. I called a couple people for work.

Today, not as tired, stomach does not hurt as much,and no longer feel completely drained.


Not my peppy self - can't imagine how bad I would have felt if I still smoked! I imagine the slight cough I have would have been a hacking one by now.

So here is to all those sicky's out there.. as Fiaza said "sending you chicken noodle thoughts" (love that by the way),

Hoping to be 100% soon.

Live, Love, Laugh .. REST

The purse junkie no more

Sick

No entries the last couple of days as I am not well.. check back  later n the week.

Be well, all take care of yourselves -- take your Vitamin C!

Run Through the leaves

Before everyone sweeps up all  the leaves, find some and run through them -- this is how I ran to the bus today.. it was great fun, and a little burst of exercise too!

I don't know if you will remember but in September I told you about the group of people who meet to do what looks like Tai Chi by Bridgepoint health Centre on Broadview.. well their group was large today, and the best part, they were all bundled up in their fall jackets and mitts. I love that this group meets, with no obvious leader and exercises together.. Community, that is what that moment says to me!

Slowly easing into the new healthier ways ( again) but I know me, and I know what will work .. and getting my head in the right space for life changes takes about a month! Seriously, I am not kidding - I have to have the time to commit - then boom done! Committed with will power ..

So what did I do today to CREATE a new part of me? I had a half hour massage ( perk at work) and then completly emptied the brain -- Bliss - time for me, time to relax without thoughts about anything else.. working towards the balance!

Live, Love, Laugh and CREATE

The purse junkie no more

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself (George Bernard Shaw)

I have reached a plateau with my purse de-clutter. This weekend with the help of  Darling Friend From Sudbury, I did it, I sorted, I choose and I concured that last hurdle -- 15 bags went to Addiction and Mental Health Bin. I even loaded them up myself in my bundle buggy and walked the fiften minutes to the bin - and dumped the lot of them! I felt carrying the "load" that I used to subsitute dealing with life issues, was a very satifisying way to purge it all at once! Let me tell you it was.. I made it down to 15 bags ( this inclueds all my remaining coach bags, and my overnight bag).  I may in the future post one here and there, but for now, this is where I am at. Needless to say my hubby is happy!

In addition to my bag dump, my husband and I attacked the basement again - bye bye chairs no one sat in ( off to a place I can sit in when I visit), bedding we don't like and baby clothes I never knew why I kept! Bye bye also to a table, a christmas tree, and crib ( I could not donate this as it's safety date is expired)  and to a very large piece of glass from the last owners. We also said so long, to extra DVD's and Baby movies, books are all gone as well. I have a collection of the little ladies things and a some beautiful handknitted outfits to put away.. but that is it.. because I have learned life and memories are not in the things.. they are in my everyday , every moment with her.

Hello to new bedframe ( LOVE IT) , good nights sleep with proper support and feeling like the "stuff" that smothers me is fading away.. now on to the next inspiration.. Creating Me... loving the space we are in, making a life full of "clutter free living" - can I tell you how much it amazes me we had so much stuff and never used any of it?!? - crazy really - and do not think for one minute I don't have a house full of stuff that I use - I am not sitting on a floor with nothing - I have all I need - and some that can still go out! ( I know really how much can 1200 square feet hold!)

The rules I have learned to help me declutter and the ones I now follow ..( well at least the best I can)

1. Do I love it? ( if yes keep it, if no - donate, or toss depending on what it is)
2. Does someone else like it better? ( for example - a bag I liked, but didn't love went to a friend who did love it!)
3. Does it collect dust? ( if yes, toss it )
4. For Bits and Decorative pieces - Does it remind me of happiness? if yes keep it, if not toss it.
5. School Daycare ART - Keep the one I love the best , put it in a place of honour and praise the little lady ( I have her first two paintings framed)

Raise your coffee to us..
 here is to -- all the good deeds the bags have done, and will do.. Here is to all of you :)

Now the  question I have for you, are you ready to explore what comes next with me?? Are you ready to see what fun and laughter awaits.. because here it is.. I am going to start the next phase... off with the extra pounds!!  This is gonna be fun..

Live, Laugh, Love and CREATE

The Purse Junie NO MORE!

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