They're crazy! And I love it!

Sunday afternoon it POURED rain here. Like white out poured! Right before it started the boys were out riding their bikes and quickly took shelter in the garage when it started. When it slowed down a bit (and I mean a bit) they asked if they could go back out. Every muscle in my body tightened up...I had a million thoughts run through my head 'ugh the gravel will be every where...ugh you'll get so wet....uuughhh the wetness ending up in the house. Every part of me was screaming no. But I'm working on embracing the yes this year. So with hesitation in my voice I said sure. I was worried they would lose traction and fall and seriously hurt themselves. But they survived! They loved it. And I loved watching them.

Sh*t my kid says!

Does someone in your life ever say something that leaves you feeling more confused than when you started? This defines my like with M. He is always saying or song something that he thinks is super funny. The rest of us might not see the humor in it but he does. For example, last night he was in the tub, I told him to lay down so I could wash his hair (yes he's 6 years old and I still wash his hair. If left to him it would never happen). He carefully laid down so he wouldn't get water on his face, but must have been watching himself 'below the belt' and says hey look what's sticking out girls! I died. Right there and then. Done. Dead. This is my little baby. Where he got that from....no CLUE! But he thought it was great!
Earlier this week he was snuggled up for what he calls a chair snuggle as we watched the Blue Jays game. There's a paint commercial that's always on during the games, it opens up with a women laying on her side on the ground using a thigh master and a couple sitting on the couch watching her. The wife looks at the husband and says we need to get this room out of 1991. So we're watching the game, and on comes this commercial. M looks up at me as serious as anything and says 'can you please get me one of those?' I asked a thigh master? Without missing a beat he says 'yes, can you please get me one of those?' What 6 year old wants a thigh master?

Happy Birthday!

As mentioned in my last post, M had a birthday party. It was a really fun afternoon. He only wanted 4 friends, which was perfect. It was 3 hours, which was just a little too long for him. He was ready to be done after 2 hours, which is very typical for him. He's never been able to handle too much stimulation. This was actually his first friends birthday party for this exact reason. I told M that he could put the balloons any where he wanted and just to let me know if he needed any help. He did a fantastic job! We planned what games he wanted to play, after all these are his friends and he knows them better then I do. He decided on statues, musical chairs (which we used pieces of construction paper), duck, duck goose, twister and playing with the overhead projector. I thought the kids would enjoy decorating cupcakes more than a cake, which also took up time ;) He wanted to have hot dogs and ketchup chips, mama added a fruit try and water to that healthy line up. While I was cooking hot dogs (because remember I was single parenting it) I gave them foam stickers and markers to decorate their treat bags. They all did a great job.
M had fun despite being done. If you ever want to have a relaxing kid party, let them plan it!

Sunday Funday

Gosh does this ever have a different meaning when you're an adult! I spent the majority of my Sunday working on a school project, planning for the upcoming week at work, meal planning, making my weekly lists, and paying bills. Oh and did I mention...parenting! Would you believe this was my restful day of the week!
M turned 6 on April 1. My plan was to have his friends party on the 2nd and family over for dinner on the 3rd. We had to change plans as we had my father-in-law's celebration of life on the 3rd. There was no way we would emotionally be able to handle all that in one weekend. The third needed to be about closure for my husband, and my children. So with a quick change of plans family came for dinner on the 2nd and friends came yesterday! My husband was away for work last week so I was single parenting it. I spent my Friday off running around getting everything together for the party and then running kids to after school programs. Waiting until they were asleep to clean, because we all know cleaning with kids is like sweeping times square on new years eve! 
Yesterday M had 4 friends over for a play date birthday party. They were a fun group of kids. M picked out all the games, decorating was left up to him. It was so child directed and stress free! I'll post about this another day.
Anyways I'm rambling! Happy Sunday. Hopefully yours was better than mine ;)

The end of an innocence

If I would have known the significance of this picture, I would have taken the time to make sure it was better lit, not blurry, and included both boys.

This picture was taken at 7:35pm Friday March 4, 2016. It was a typical Friday night. We were watching a replay of the Blue Jays game from earlier in the day (one of our favourite things to do as a family) and the boys wanted to make snow ice cream. This was probably our last chance to make this treat as the weather was expected to warm up in the coming days. So I quickly snapped this picture of M stirring up the icy snow. I had no idea what we were in for.

At 7:40pm we got a phone call from my husband's uncle, a phone call that would change our lives forever. A phone call that instantly made us feel like 'grown ups'. My father-in-law passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly. It was like being punched in the stomach and having the rug pulled out from under you all at the same time.

This past month has probably been the longest month of my life. Between the roller-coaster of personal emotions, being the support that my husband needs and helping my kids understand and process these emotions they're feeling. There are days that are generally difficult  (mainly Fridays) and then there are days that are going good and then something small brings you right down. Grief is a very raw and unpredictable emotion.

Take the time to tell your loved ones how you feel. Hug them, take the extra time to not just talk to, but genuinely listen to what they have to say. You never know when it might be your last chance.

Getting hammered on a Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday the boys and I went into the dollar store, they were both drawn to the tool section. They thought it was cool that there were tools their size and both asked for a hammer. I'm trying to create a yes environment, and they were only $3 each! M was super excited about his. He held it in the car the whole way home and even slept with it under his pillow last night (which is something my late grandmother did, but that's a story for another day). This afternoon I set up an invitation for them to use their hammers. I found a small 2x4 piece of wood that we had around the house and some old roofing nails. I opened up B's hammer and started hammering in the nails. Within seconds M was right there with me. B, who is always more reserved with things sat back and watched for a few minutes before asking for his hammer. You guys, they got along and worked together hammering for 30 minutes! I was able to quickly snap this picture of M hammering his little heart out. Proof that sometimes it's the simple things in life that bring the mose enjoyment to children.

Your love is the sweetest thing

Now, seeing as its the day after valentine's day, you're probably thinking that this is about my husband. While his love is pretty sweet, it's not the love a child has for their parent and vice versa. When you fall in love with another person, it's a process. Your love grows, you feel it as it happens. But the love a child has for their parents is truly amazing. They are born loving you. In every little action they do they love you. If you stop and thi k about it, it's pretty powerful. As is the love a parent has for their children. It's instant, it's powerful, it really could move mountains. I remember finding out I was pregnant a d immediately loving these little people I had never met but I already knew.

It was something simple that reminded me of this this morning. B asked if I could blow up a balloon for him (he and M were playing balloon basketball in the basement). He offered to make me a coffee while I helped him out,we have a Keurig so it's pretty simple/safe task for little hands, so I of course took him up on the offer. When he came back he had wrote me a note on his BoogieBoard. Five simple words that reminded me of the power and sweetness the love between parent and child is.