Family photos

I've decided to write a blog about gearing up for family photos! On Friday my busy little family of 5 went in to Saskatoon to get photos done with an amazing photographer that we have used in the past. I wanted a family photo for our Christmas card and a few shots of the kids! We got photos done with another amazing photographer when Henry was 7 days old but since then he has changed so much. Anyways, getting family photos is not always such a pleasant experience. Don't get me wrong - the photographer is fabulous and good company but I sort of feel for her. I mean we barge into her studio and its carseats, wardrobe changes, diaper changes, baby puke, baby crying and snacks for bribing kids to smile.
That morning I got up earlier than everyone else and tried to get myself ready. I had a shower and actually "did" my hair which means blow drying it and curling it...long process! I did my make up and chose an outfit (which I did not actually put on til 5 minutes before leaving the house - thanks to a pukey baby!) Once I was looking half decent I gave my hubby his outfit, picked out all the clothes for the kids and got them ready. This meant taming down Jacks cowlicks in his hair, managing Rory's crazy curls and not putting Henry in his picture clothes (once again - pukey baby!)
Once everything and everyone is ready we quickly fly out of the house with NO minutes to spare. Fortunately the weather cooperated and we didn't have to worry about crappy roads. We got to the studio about 5 minutes late (better than I expected!) Once we got in there, Henry was still asleep in his carseat to the photographer, Megan, suggested taking a few photos of Rory and Jack separately til he was awake and ready. Kurtis and I agreed and Rory was more than ready to get her pose on! 
So she snapped a couple photos and Henry woke up. He instantly started crying (he tends to be a home body!) So I took him out of his carseat and changed him into his "photo clothes"! Once he settled down we quickly got our family of 5 shots done. Now, praise Megan because she got us organized and snapped these shots quickly and effectively! But, here is crazy sounds and noise makers trying to get everyones attention. Baby finally looks at camera and not his toes, Jack gets bored and starts looking at ceiling. Oops we got Jack to look and baby starts sqwauking! The boys look and Rory gets distracted - Kurtis and I have sore cheeks from holding the perma-smile! Ok - family pictures completed! Pwef! 
Next - Rory! Ok, she is totally the thing that makes family pictures FUN! She loves the camera. She loves to change outfits and try different poses. She wrinkles her nose and smiles beautifully! She gives sass and cuteness! DIVALICIOUS! Then - there is Jack. My handsome SCOWLER! Thank goodness for fruit snacks because I did a lot of "If you go and smile nice on that red chair you will get a fruit snack" or "If you put on Daddy's shoes and show your muscles for Megan then you'll get a fruit snack!" and THANK GOD Megan has a treasure box and spoiled my kids with treasures!
Then we moved onto Henry who wasn't sure about any change of positions. He wasn't overly stoked to be there but she managed to get a few good shots and he was definitely cooing and talking to Megan which was good for a laugh! 
So in the end, I am confident in Megan and her amazing photography abilities. I know I will love every single photo and the chaos is WELL worth it. Last fall we had a photo shoot with her and it is my FAVORITE pictures. She captured so many moments and Jack was NOT cooperating. I remember her saying after that session that she wasn't sure if she got any of Jack smiling and that we could come to her studio at a later date to get his pictures done in hopes he would be more smiley. But when I got the photos back I was beyond happy! She did get some great smiling pictures but she also captured Jack's scowl and that is what I love best! He has had that scowl since the day he was born and thats him and now I have it captured forever. 
I know some people think its too much work or too much money or whatever for pictures. We go for professional photos at least once a year. I LOVE pictures. I still sit down and look at kids albums or our wedding photos, etc. They capture memories that we can so quickly forget about. I know that as CrAzY as a photo session can be with kids  - the end results are completely worth it. I can't wait to see what Megan caught this time around. 

Here is a peek of our last session last year - scowl and all:
The Diva:

The SCOWL

The Best!

My then family

To my 16 year old self

aJust the other day my husband and I were talking about when our kids are teenagers - what we think they will be like, how we'll deal with certain situations that are bound to happen, what we were like as teenagers and what we wish we would have known then. All of this has led me to today's blog! I decided to write a letter to my 16 year old self (which in turn is sort of my hopes for my daughter and son's).

Dear Janna:
First and foremost - being a teenager sucks. I will never tell any teenager that it doesn't. Highschool is hard (not necessarily the school work - although math isn't fun either), teenage emotions suck, other teenagers suck. Plain and simple, it sucks. Don't get me wrong, you'll have fun. There will be great times and fun had by all but there will be many days when you feel overwhelmed with hormones and emotions and it will SUCK. But thats when you need to talk to people who really care - don't go and pretend like everything is fine by the boy you have a crush on. Don't go and talk to the girl you think is "super cool" because she probably has just as many f'ed up teenage emotions as you and well...teenage girls SUCK and aren't very nice. Go and talk to your Mom. If you're having a shitty day and your friends are being jerks and the boy you're crushing on is totally being a dink and you failed a math test and you got your period - talk to your Mom. Even if you think she is totally "uncool" she has probably been through all of those emotions before and is probably way more chill than you think. Mom's get it - but they don't really get that kind of credit. 

Second, when you fall in love with that older boy and you give him your everything and then eventually you find out that he cheated, or he dumps you  and you feel like your entire world is about to fall apart and you can't go on - guess what? You can. One day you'll look back and laugh that that was such a big concern in your life. It will one day seem so little and unimportant in comparison to where you are now. We need to have heartbreak and date losers to find out who really deserves us for the long haul. You've gotta weed out the bad, and Janna, you're gonna have some bad ones.

Third, parties, friends, boys, beer. Those are going to be high priorities. But, instead of consuming your time with those three things make time for your parents. Make time for the few friends you've neglected because you think you're too cool for them. Don't give up on doing things you really love - like figure skating, reading, walking with your Mom. When you get a curfew and your other friends don't - realize that your parents aren't doing that to be royal jerks. They are doing it because they love you. Follow that curfew. Be honest. Parents know EVERYTHING. Even if you think you're the sneakiest girl around - your parents will find out and when they find out from someone else, you're in deep shit. So be honest. Its better for everyone in the end. 
Fourth, one day you'll regret causing your Mom so much heart ache and sleepless nights. Trust me, Janna, you'll one day be an adult (maybe with kids of your own) and you'll get a knot in your stomach when you think about how you hurt your Mom as a teenager. I'm a firm believer in NO REGRETS but if I could change anything about my past, its causing my Mother grief. No one in the world loves me like my Mother and I treated her poorly. Don't make that mistake.

Fifth, don't worry what everyone else thinks. As a teenager this is the HARDEST thing. You just want to fit in because if you don't, it sucks worse than it already does. But, if you have a shirt that you absolutely love and its not the in thing, wear it anyways. Stick up for those who need it. You don't want to be remembered as the "mean girl". Be nice. It will get you farther in life and if someone makes fun of you for being nice, then you probably don't need that person in your life anyways. Even if they are considered the popular ones. 
Lastly, don't sweat it. Highschool sucks and it seems like the most important time in your life until the day after your graduate from grade 12. Then you will realize that highschool means nothing. Graduating from post secondary education is WAY bigger, surviving University is more important, your first "real" job is more important, living on your own is more important, your first real love (thats not highschool love) is more important, marriage, kids, your first home - all WAY more important. Eventually highschool will seem like a very minor detail in your life. So keep your chin up - when the going gets rough remember that one day this moment at age 16 is not that important. Bigger and better things are on their way for you.
Love, 
Your 28 year old self

One of the best!

Today I read a blog about happy people and what they do to make themselves happy! It was filled with things like "Be Considerate", "Choose Friends Wisely", "Appreciate Life", "Invest in relationships", "Enjoy life", "Gratitude", Mind their own business"...
I have met many happy, bubbly people in my life. I have met people who just being near them puts a smile on your face. Those people who are genuinely happy that give off a "happy vibe". But when I think of happy people or good people - like people who truly care about people I think of one person in particular. That one person is my Aunty Faye. Unfortunately Aunty Faye passed away 7 years ago (in July), but let me tell you about this remarkable woman. She was this woman who everyone loved. She never thought much of herself. She always considered herself as "unimportant". In fact she told people that when she died she didn't need a eulogy because there was nothing special to say about her. Let me tell you, she couldn't of been more wrong. My Aunty Faye had the biggest heart. She loved unconditionally. She had 4 grandsons and they were her world. I remember visiting her every single day when she was in the hospital. When she got the news that it was only a matter of time before she passed away I was sitting on her hospital bed with her and I asked "Are you scared?" and she said "I'm not scared but I'm sad that I am going to miss out on what my grandsons do." I think she always knew they would be remarkable but she wanted to be there to see just how remarkable they really are.
Aunty Faye was the lady I visited every week (several times a week) . Growing up I would have sleepovers with her and I would comb her hair and tell her stories. She was an amazing cook and would often cook lunch or supper for me if my parents had to work. She never missed a birthday and every Christmas morning I called her to wish her a Merry Christmas and tell her what Santa brought me. Still after 7 years I usually cry at some point Christmas morning wishing I could call her.I can still hear her voice.
Aunty always saw the good in everyone. She never held a grudge or showed anger. When someone once stole from her she still allowed that person in her home, cooked him supper and once said "he obviously needed that more than me". She is a person that I thrive to be like. A dear friend of mine once said that I am like my Aunty Faye and even though I don't believe it, it was the biggest compliment I have ever received to this date.
Aunty died a year before my wedding. When I got engaged and went dress shopping and found "the dress" I had my Mom take a photo so that I could bring it to Aunty who was very sick at the time. I wanted her to see me in my dress. When I gave birth to my daughter I knew her middle name had to be "Faye". I wanted so badly for Aunty Faye to hold her. She was amazing with babies. Every baby in the world was content when Aunty Faye held them and every baby that she held was loved with all of Aunty's heart. I talk about Aunty Faye to my kids often. I tell them about the things I did with her and what she was like. I show them photos and explain how much she would have loved to meet them. We visit her grave and speak to her. There was something magical about that woman. Something unexplainable. Maybe she wasn't "special" like she said - she is something more than that. She was extraordinary.
I was lucky enough to have Aunty Faye in my life for 21 years. I wish I would of had her in my life for 21 more. I miss her everyday but am so grateful for the time I had with her. If you ever meet someone who knew her, ask about her, get them to tell you a story about her. Everyone who ever met her was struck by her. She was pure magic and never knew it. She was humble and beautiful. She loved everyone and had no judgment. I often wondered why God had to take someone so perfect off this planet but I like to think he needed that angel back in heaven.
I hope she is looking down and is proud of what she sees. I hope she is watching her 4 grandsons grow into the magical human beings that they are. I hope she sees her son and her daughter. I hope she is watching over me - guiding me in my journey as a wife and mother. I hope she is smiling. I hope she is sewing and cooking and spending time with Grandma Honey. I hope she now sees how extraordinary she is.

Is it too early for wine?

You know its going to be a GREAT day (insert sarcasm here) when your day begins at 7:45am and by 8:55am you already feel the need to pour a giant glass of wine, scream into a pillow or go back to bed with earplugs!

7:40am - almost 3 year old son crawls into my bed with his pillow, blanket and stuffed animal (looks to me like he is planning to stay awhile!)
7:45am - baby is awake.
8:00am - wake up daughter for school..."Rory time to wake up, you have school today". Then I watch her roll over and go back to sleep. Sigh...
8:05am - my son is playing angry birds on tablet "Hey Mom, I peed my pants!" I reply with "What? No you didn't, did you?" and he said "Yeah, its all wet!" I swear under my breath and say "Why did you pee your pants?" He looks at me "I was playing angry birds?" (Like I'm the idiot for asking why my completely potty trained son suddenly chose this morning to whiz in his pants!) Guess who doesn't get to play angry birds on the pad for the rest of the day? Yup, that kid!
Start cleaning up pee clothes and lysol wipe the couch (AND pad) and then Henry wants to eat.
8:15am - attach baby to my boob and yell from couch towards Rory's room "You're going to be late for school!"
8:16am - The diva saunters out of her room and gets dressed (she needed her leopard print tights today!)
I finish feeding Henry, he falls asleep in bouncy chair (pwef! One down.)
8:25 - Do Rory's hair for school to have her freak out about it. (Wine comes to mind!)
Settle her down and decide a clip of blue and yellow hair will fix the "do"! (Thinking about screaming into pillow at this point!) I take deep cleansing breaths.
8:30 - Give Rory breakfast and get her lunch and school bag all packed for the day.
8:40 - Dad comes home to take her to school (Thank GAD!)
8:45 - Walk into living room just in time to see him spilling hot chocolate ALL over the ottoman and area rug (Why did he sweet talk me into letting him have that in the living room? Damnit, not a good decision, Mom!)
8:46 - Start cleaning up mess. (Eye begins twitching)
8:55 - walk into kitchen and look at wine rack...debates cracking a bottle. Decides green tea super fruit tea would be a wiser (more responsible) decision.
Whooo, bring on the day...
*twitch twitch twitch*

Tradition

I love tradition! My family had different traditions as we grew up and so did my husband and now as a family of 5 we have created our very own traditions! I notice traditions mostly during holidays - like now with the Christmas season underway! But we do have daily traditions like always kissing the kids goodnight, and when possible, we all sit together at the supper table and seat as a family. Even Henry gets put in his bouncy chair and pulled up beside the table. We read books before bed. To me, those are everyday traditions! Now with Christmas only 36 days away (yes, we're doing a countdown) we are busy doing more holiday traditions! For example, I'm a CrAzY Christmas Lady. I LOVE decorations. I love being festive! Yesterday when Rory got home from school we went downstairs and hauled out my bins and bins (and bins!) of decorations and starting getting busy...but tradition #1 we can't decorate the tree unless the whole family is able to help! So, the tree did not get decorated til after supper when Kurtis was home as well. Even Henry, who was bright eyed staring at the lights, was pulled beside the tree and watched as we decorated. Tradition #2, Boney M must be playing while decorating and I will be singing "Mary's Boy Child" on the top of my lungs. Tradition #3 - the kids need to hang their special ornaments themselves. Each kid has a "baby's first christmas" ornament and a few other ornaments they have accumulated over the years and its important for them to hang them! Why? I don't know why? It just seems like they should and its my tradition, damnit! Hahaha! Don't mess with the crazy Christmas lady! 
Now the decorating part of Christmas is not our only tradition. Since we had kids we have started creating a few traditions. For example, I make gingerbread men and christmas sugar cookies every year and Kurtis and the kids decorate them with me every year. We are all high off icing, food coloring and sprinkles by the end! (Nothing says Christmas like being high!? Haha!)  Christmas Eve we go to mass in Bruno at 7:30pm. Rory has been in the Christmas pageant at Church the past 2 years. Jack will be able to join this year if he so desires. The church is always packed and everyone is dressed in their prettiest clothes. We listen to the word of God and sing Christmas carols on the top of our lungs. After mass we hug and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and go home. Once we get home we allow the kids to choose 1 gift to open before bed. Then we have appetizers and drinks and the kids set out cookies and milk. When the kids go to bed Kurtis and I play Santa and I'm worse than a little kid! I can barely fall asleep and last year I woke both Rory and Jack up because it was almost 9 and they were still sleeping! C'mon kids, YOUR MOM IS THE CRAZY CHRISTMAS LADY! Christmas morning we like to be in our house with our kids. We want our kids to wake up and have Santa at their house. I want them to remember this tradition and be excited. When I grew up, and when my husband grew up, we slept in our own beds on Christmas Eve and we woke up Christmas morning with our family. Even when I was young and my Mom worked Christmas we sometimes had Santa come while we were at Christmas Eve mass and we did Christmas then. But regardless, we were a family in our own home! We love tradition! And this Crazy Lady LOVES Christmas! 
Whatever your traditions may be, enjoy them! Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season! Be safe and I hope you're with the ones you love the most! 

Is age just a number?

Age has never been an issue to me. I never became concerned that I was becoming another year older. I always sort of felt that if I wasn't getting another year older then I was probably dead. I would rather be older than dead! I always laughed when people turning 30 would say they are forever 29 or someone turning 40 is forever 39! I always felt that was a fun way to make light of being older!

When I met my now husband we never really discussed age. He is three years older than me and that was that! But when my husband turned 25 he really struggled and I couldn't believe being 25 bothered him! So I threw him a big surprise bash at the Crazy Cactus and we all got drunk and felt much older than 25 the next day when we had headaches! Now my husband is 31 years old and still does not love the fact that he is "that old". I always say "You're only as old as you feel" or "Age is just a number". I'm not sure any of those really help but he usually nods in agreement (probably grumbling at my positivity!)

I am now 28 years old and have not had issues with getting older! I really don't. I have many quirks and things definitely can bother me but age does not! In fact, I am excited for my 30th because I plan to be Vegas bound with my husband, my best friend (who also turns 30 the same year as me) and her husband! I look forward to my 30's! My kids will be older, we will be busier with their activities, we can hopefully travel a bit more and we will start new adventures!

To me, every year, we enter a new stage which brings on so many new exciting things! Every stage will be busy but in different ways and it will bring new excitement! I look forward to another year older...I hope my husband does too! Let's be like kids - the day after their birthday they are counting down til they get to be another year older! Its just a number right?

New Ink!

Well last weekend my hubby and I went to The Ink Buttle in Wakaw and got new tattoos! Kurtis got Henry's foot print added by Rory and Jack's. He now has all three kids foot prints (and names) on his ribs. They look amazing and beautiful and watching him get tattooed in one of the most painful places is sheer bliss for me after having pushed out three kids! I sat back, cracked a palm bay and watched as his forehead was beading with sweat and he had his jaw and fists clenched! I know, I know, I sound like a heartless wife but at one point during his tattoo he said "This has to be just as painful as childbirth". Now ladies, enjoy in my sheer bliss of watching him suffer too! Even the tattoo artist said "Oh boy, you're asking for it!"

I got Henry's name added onto my back where I have a butterfly, some designs, my maiden name, Rory and Jack's name and the saying "So precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine". I also got a dandelion going to seed on my forearm, below my "Love More Worry Less" saying. I absolutely love it! Everyone asks "Does it have meaning?" and normally I just say "Not really, I just think they are pretty". But, in reality, thats not true. When Rory was one years old we would go for walks and find dandelions. She would pick me bouquets of yellow dandelions and we would find dandelions that had gone to seed, pick them, blow all the seeds off and watch them float away in the wind. It sort of became tradition and now even that she is 5, we still do that. When Jack was old enough to pick dandelions we did the same thing and my first bouquet from him was a hand picked bouquet of dandelions and he still likes to blow the seeds off the ones that have gone to seed. I look forward to doing this with Henry as well! So, even though I do in fact think that the tattoo is beautiful art, it also reminds me of my kids every time I see it.

Tattoos are like chips! You cannot just get one! I'm already thinking of what to get next! I'm sure it will be awhile before I get one (I have to be very sure of what I'm tattooing on my body!) But, I do love every tattoo I have on my body! I think they are amazing pieces of art that represents me! I also love my husbands foot prints on his ribs. Its a strange thing - after I had Henry I wanted his name tattooed on me instantly. I said to my husband on the drive home from Wakaw that I felt "relieved" to have his name permanently on me with the other kids. He knew exactly what I meant.

The ugly!

This week has been one CrAzY week! Its been filled with unexpected doctors appointments, a fussy baby which equals sleepless nights, trip to Saskatoon on snowy, icy roads, a cranky wife and cranky husband! This is exactly why I started this blog, to sit down and put into perspective my days or weeks. Today was a prime example of the "ugly" of The good, the bad and the ugly.

Lastnight, my 2 month old son went to bed at 10:30pm. I decided to stay up til 11pm to finish watching The Voice (my guilty pleasure!) I crawled into bed and was woken up at 3:30 to hungry Henry (pretty typical). I went into his room, fed him, and put him back to bed. I walked, sleepily, back to bed and was woken up 15 minutes later to a fussy baby...go back in, burp him, clean up the baby puke, burp him again, swaddle, rock, put him to bed. Go back to bed and am woken up an hour later to do the same thing. Then again another hour later (at this point I wake up my husband and make him do the rocking but I lay in bed listening to it all on the monitor...damn motherly instincts!). He comes back to bed, we fall asleep and Henry wakes up at 7 needing to eat again. I nurse him, burp him, wipe up puke, change his diaper, rock him, put him to bed. Go back to bed, 8:30 am my almost 3 year old son walks in "MOMMY, its morning time!" and so begins our day!

Now, let me explain to you what lack of sleep can do to me...I either become delirious and laugh at everything, I either become a raging b*tch or I become overly emotional and cry at everything! Today was actually a lovely mixture of all 3! But in that moment of sleeplessness in the middle of the night you find yourself rocking your baby and thinking of all the people who have said to you "sleep is overrated" and you get the bitter taste of anger in your mouth. Or as I am walking out of the bedroom for the 19th time of the night and I see my husband, sound asleep I feel the urge to throw a pillow at his sweet, precious, sleeping face! And how fitting that tonight I read a blog which was a test for people who think they want to have kids! It was written with humor and made me laugh out loud and also say "Amen to that!" Here is one example which was fitting for me today:

Test 3: Nights

To discover how the nights will feel:

1. Walk around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 4 - 6kg, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.

2. At 10pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.

3. Get up at 11pm and walk the bag around the living room until 1am.

4. Set the alarm for 3am.

5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2am and make a cup of tea.

6. Go to bed at 2.45am.

7. Get up again at 3am when the alarm goes off.

8. Sing songs in the dark until 4am.

9. Put the alarm on for 5am. Get up when it goes off.

10. Make breakfast.

Keep this up for 5 years. LOOK CHEERFUL.

Now don't get me wrong. Being a Mom is pretty great. It has a lot of wonderful things too. Even on a day like today (or a week like I just had) I found something awesome in everyday. Even last night when I was so tired and Henry was fussy there was a moment of looking down at his little face and getting a big, gummy grin and for a brief moment the exhaustion disappears you feel happy! Then you get tired again.

One thing I can say for sure is that boredom is a word of my past! I am NEVER bored. With a 5 year old daughter full of spunk and attitude, an almost 3 year old who loves to be a superhero or a pirate and climb and jump and "hi ya" me, and a 2 month old baby who demands attention like all little babies do, I am NEVER bored. My days blur together but fly by all at the same time.

I guess when it comes to the end of the day - its like any Mom (or Dad) will say. Parenting is the hardest job you will ever do but its also the most rewarding. Are you ready for this? Here comes the gushy part (no more pillows being thrown at someones face)! The big gummy grins from my baby, or hearing my daughter say to me as I tuck her in "Mom, you're the best Mom in the whole world" or my son holding my hand as I lay in bed with him and hear him whisper "Mom, I lub you!" those are the reasons I wake up everyday (that and the monitor beside my bed that has a crying baby in it or the toddler who is standing by my head saying "its morning time!") Seriously, those 3 little people that my husband and I created are the reasons for my insanity, my hemorrhoids, my stretch marks, the bags under my eyes, my huge smile and full heart! Everyone says that this is the busiest time of my life and you know what, its true. Its busy and crazy and I couldn't imagine it any other way!

Judgy Wudgy was a bear!

Today on Facebook someone shared a "daddy bloggers" blog about parenting. To put it in a nutshell he was talking about how everyone parents differently and that just because you parent a particular way and it works for you and your family it won't work for everyone. So, in the end it said "As far as I can tell, from my own .000000001 percent experience, there is only one “strategy” that absolutely every parent in the world ought to adopt: love your children. Love them. Strive to do what is best for them. This, this I will insist is the “right” way for all parents to parent. I’m not saying love is ALL your child needs. She probably needs some food, and water, and shelter, and a ride to field hockey practice, but give her all of these things in love. And whatever direction you go with the “controversial” parenting topics, go that way in love. Love your child. Love YOUR child, specifically. The opinions of the self-appointed jury don’t matter, because those people don’t love your kids. Not like you do. They also don’t know them. Not like you do. They speak in the abstract, based on their experience with their own children. But their own children aren’t your children, and the distinction is absolutely relevant. I don’t know anything. I’m not an expert in anything. I’m certainly not an expert in parenting. But I’m pretty sure about this part. Love your children. Love them, and everything else will fall into place.

Love your child. Then spank him if he needs it. Or don’t. It’s up to you."

This really hit home because as a Mother of 3, my husband and I have figured out some "tricks" that work for our family and how we raise our children. We do certain things and feel strongly about certain things that not all my parent friends believe in for their families. Does that make what we do wrong? Or what my friends do, wrong? No. Not at all. Are they going to have demon children while mine will be perfectly well behaved? Absolutely not! My husband, Kurtis, and I do what works for us. We learned things from our parents and look back at how we were raised and we do some of the same things. We also do some things that we learned on our own and find works for us.

Here are a few examples:
My husband and I believe in spanking (when necessary). We don't beat our children but when we feel that it is necessary, it happens.
We do not believe in co-sleeping. Our bed is for "us" as a couple. The only time our kids are in our bed is if they sneak in when they have had a bad dream and need a 5 minute cuddle, they are sick or in the morning when they wake up and crawl into our bed to wake us up for the day. Many people believe in co-sleeping, all the power to them. It won't happen here.
We allow our kids to have treats. We don't let them live off treats and they can't eat a chocolate bar or a fruit snack 10 minutes before supper but they are allowed to have them within reason. I was allowed treats. My husband was allowed treats. We aren't morbidly obese or treat crazed people now. We eat healthy and allow ourselves to have snacks too.
I breastfeed. My husband and I are both pro breast. I nurse in public. I own a "hooter hider" and in public will put it on, but I don't tuck myself into a private bathroom. If it disturbs you, don't look, but I'm feeding my child the same way a woman feeds her child with a bottle. If you come to my home, I may put on a hooter hider or I may feed my son on my couch. Once again, if you don't like it, don't look.

These are just a few things - I'm sure if I really sat down and thought the list could go on and on and on. I'm not saying I'm parent of the year. I am far from it. I'm not saying that everything we do as parents is "correct" and that everyone else should follow us. I'm saying this works for us and if you ask me "hey what worked for you in this situation?" I will tell you but I won't say that it will 100% work for you. What worked for potty training my son, did not work as well for potty training my daughter and neither of those things may work for my newest son. Its a crap shoot! Every child is different and unique and special and so is every parent! Every parent is going through something crazy and beautiful! Parenting is hard and wonderful and a hell of a journey and too many people judge, judge, judge. Try supporting. Try listening to all the different ways to parent and in the end, just do what works for you and your family. I'm not perfect. I know I've judged. I know I will judge. But I'm working hard on doing that less and less and hopefully one day not at all. Parents need support not judgment. I know this because even as a parent of 3, I still question my abilities some days and want someone to say "You're doing a good job!" instead of "I can't believe you do this..., we do this!"

And finally, like the daddy blogger said - love your child. Raise him or her the way you need or want and at the end of the day, what it comes down to is LOVE. Our children, the children of this world need love...each and every one of them. My hope for Rory, Jack and Henry is that they grow up knowing til their very last breath that they were deeply loved by me all the days of their life.

Winter wonderland!

Yesterday was the first snowfall and today we have a snowfall warning! It is Saskatchewan and once it is this time of year and we have this much snow it is pretty safe to say that its here to stay for at least the next 5 months (more like 6). 
Its amusing to me to read all the facebook posts, tweets, etc from people who have lived in Saskatchewan ALL their lives. Its a shock to them to see snow on Nov 4! Yet last year we had it Oct 10th! The year before that probably around the same time! Every year we get snow some time in Oct or Nov! People forget how to drive in it and they complain about the cold and the winter gear! Yes, I do agree we have LONG winters. Last year was exceptionally bad and even I was a bit bitter come April with 6 ft of snow in my front yard - but we survived it and had a beautiful summer to follow. Then we had one of the most gorgeous falls I have ever seen and now its November and its snowing and I'm not surprised or upset! I will find winter much more enjoyable if I embrace it rather than grumble about it. 
Today my 2.5 year old son woke up, saw all the snow and said "Mommy, can we go outside?!" when the rest of the province was saying "F*ck it snowed!" After lunch my son said again "Mommy, can we go outside?" so I bundled up an went outside with him. He ate mounds of snow, ran in circles kicking up the snow, made snow angels, giggled and caught snowflakes on his tongue! Now, instead of being mad or cold I was laughing and doing all those same things and the snow didn't seem like some demon out to ruin my day but instead it seemed like a white, winter wonderland full of fun! 
I was trying to think of all the positives of winter - its very easy to say the bad stuff. Its easy to talk about the frigid weather, the bad roads, the constant shoveling, etc. But, lets think about some good things. Here is what I came up with so far:
1) Tea tastes so much better on a cold day!
2 Nothing beats cuddling up with a good book (or a baby) in front of the fireplace on a chilly day.
3) Everything looks so white and clean! 
4) My kids think winter is fun and beautiful. Their smiles make me smile.
5) A warm bed feels so nice at the end of a long winter day!
6) HOT CHOCOLATE with marshmallows! 
7) Skating!
8) Snowman building!
9) Going sledding! 
10) Shoveling may be a pain in the ass but its very good exercise and when a workout seems impossible, shoveling your way out of the house doesn't. 

11) Snow angels
12) Toques for bad hair days!
13) Cute scarves and boots! 

So instead of being bitter today! I'm thinking about Christmas and baking and spending cozy times with my family on the couch in front of my fireplace! I'm sipping tea and playing in the snow with my son! 

My first ever BLOG!

As a stay at home Mother of 3 I find I hit a thousand emotions a day - good, bad and ugly! I have always enjoyed writing and find it therapeutic so I decided writing a blog would not only help me on those "ugly" days but it may also help me capture some of my most treasured moments at home with my family. So, this is why I have become a blogger! I don't expect anyone to faithfully read my blog or even give a sh*t for that matter. Its strictly for my enjoyment an if anyone else decides to join in on my craziness - then all the power to them!