The Blissdom Canada conference is quickly approaching and I'm not gonna lie....I'm all Gahhhhhhh because I'm socially awkward and never remember anyone's names. It also doesn't help when someone uses a logo for their avatar because I'm a visual person and seeing a face helps me remember a name....so the logo thing throws me for a loop. I'm pretty it's some sort of twitter avatar learning disability.
Anyone who knows me knows I like wine. There’s just something about sitting on my front porch on a summer evening drinking a cold glass of chardonnay or a shared glass with friends. That's called "truth".
This summer I discovered a nice little wine called STLTO and by discovered I mean they emailed me and asked if they could send me a couple of bottles to try.
It's no secret that back to school has been a bit FUBAR in our house with me dropping the ball, or at least my eyes, at the most inopportune moment in the history of inopportune moments.
But finally, we've had success. Not "this is all completely fixed" success, but a "baby steps with gripping hugs and tears in the eyes but not spilling over the cheeks" success.
I try to be the mom that feeds her kids good food all the time but the truth is, I’m somewhere in between being organically, fresh food obsessed and holy shit I’m running late yet again what the hell are we going to have for dinner.
Some weeks I plan meals, other weeks I’m all willy nilly. I buy fresh fruit and vegetables with the best of intentions only to find a rotted cucumber at the bottom of my vegetable drawer in the fridge. Food wastage drives me insane and yet my kids don’t like leftovers.
It's been a particularly tough start to the school year at Casa DeVellis. I know it's going to get better, this is all an adjustment process - but in the interim I think we're in for a couple of rough weeks with Son No. 2.
That's pretty much been my parenting tagline since day one. You get pregnant and carry this life around inside you for nine months (arguably, ten) and by the end you're tired and just want the baby the hell out of your body so you can bend at the waist again. Only it's when the baby comes out you realize the hard part has just begun.
There was a storm last night which means the chances that a child would make their way into my bed at some point was high. Sure enough, around 4:00 a.m. as the thunder started to rock and roll, I felt the gentle tap, tap, tap of Son No. 1 trying to wake me up as gently as possible. Sometimes too gently. He once stood beside his dad tapping him for 1/2 an hour.
He climbed into bed fully loaded with stuffed animals and cuddling pillows and after about an hour, fell asleep.
Fourteen years ago, my mom died suddenly leaving a gaping hole in the lives of everyone who loved her.
Even though it's been over a decade, I still can't believe she's gone, that she never met my sons - her grandsons - that she's just no longer here on this earth.
I spoke to my mom on the phone the night before she passed away, my last words to her were 'I love you'. Knowing we ended our last conversation with love was a saving grace in my life, a life preserver I held onto when I thought I would drown in my grief.
I feel his palm warm against my skin, a slight movement of his fingers as his hand finally settles. Tired, I only want to sleep, impatient and silently praying for him to eat quickly so I can go back to bed. The memory is now barely there, the act of his hand grabbing onto my arm as I feed him lost, unappreciated in its simplicity.
It pains me to look back at the moments I let go by without a second glance not understanding how the passing of time is a mirage with seemingly no end in sight.
It's sometimes hard finding an activity the whole family can enjoy, especially when there is a big age difference between the kids. While I had never been to Wild Water Kingdom before, my husband used to hang out there as a teenager which meant not only would we have fun as a family, he had the added bonus that he could share all of his "when I was a kid" stories.
I found this little gem thanks to @optimom. After tweeting out I was in desperate need for something to do with the boys she recommended Dundurn Castle. Located in Hamilton, the castle is the restored home of Sir Allan Napier MacNab, who was apparently really rich, because the house is huge. Built in 1835 the house has something like 73 rooms.
Summer is a fun and busy time for us. For the most part we play at parks and splash pads, swim at the public school or my kids simply play with other kids in the neighbourhood. But we try to do day trips as well. If you live in and around the GTA, I have three places to take your kids that they'll love.
It was my birthday on Monday and as always, my husband kids were spectacular, spoiling me rotten with thoughtful gifts and homemade cards. Son No. 1 and Son No. 2 have the amazing ability to pick out the perfect gift for someone. Both Paul and I have come to depend on them for gift ideas because *that's* how good they are. It was Son No. 1 and Son No. 2 who came up with the idea to get Paul a bike for his birthday so we could go on family rides together. And it was Son No.
Today's blog is not so much a blog as it is a question. Over the past year or so, I've read many articles on how bloggers aren't considered 'real' writers. How anyone can throw up a blog using a template and start putting words out into the internety world.
I've read that bloggers write, but not really. They aren't necessarily paid. They didn't go to school to learn their craft. So how can they legitimately call themselves writers?
I am a control freak who’s deathly afraid of heights and quite frankly, not too fond of elevators. So when Erica sent me an email asking if I wanted to do the CN Tower Edge Walk, I’m not sure who was more surprised that I said yes – her or me.
But I did say yes, which is how I found myself, this past Tuesday, doing this.
A few weeks ago I went on vacation with my family. For nine days I was completely unplugged and did nothing besides lounge, swim, read, play and relax. Normally I’m a go-get-em type of gal, this is the first time I’ve ever been this inactive on a vacay. I’ve learned two things from the experience.
1) Being sloth-like is much easier and more enjoyable than I ever anticipated. 2) I should have entered the Magnum Heir contest when I had the chance.
This past weekend I ran a race called the Warrior Dash, along with a whole bunch of other cool moms like Lisa – our resident Party Mummy, Laura, Jo-Anne, Deb,
