All posts by Be Enough

Boys, Family, health & fitness, Parenting

Be A Smoothie Maker

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One day our five year old decided he didn’t like bananas anymore, another day it was meat.  Now it is hit or miss if he will eat the meal put in front of him.

Our youngest will eat anything that you put on his plate, as long as it isn’t a vegetable.  The vegetables get thrown on the floor for the dog.  Seriously, baby OC has quite an arm!

Our middle guy, he only eats fruits and veggies, pasta “naaaah”, meat “sometimes”.   He is the easiest to cook for at the moment as I think he is growing and hungry.

The one never fail snack that I can put in front of everyone is a smoothie.  Today it was a can of coconut milk, banana, frozen local blueberries and peaches.  That’s it, that’s all.  And you throw in a cool twisting straw and they are all slurped up! Vit C, D, B and all!

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Now I just have to get up the guts to throw some kale in there.  Would they know?

Boys, Family, health & fitness, Parenting

Be Driving By McD’s

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Here’s a conversation from the car today as we did a few errands:

JC, our almost six year old yells from the back of the van: “Mom, look! What is that giant M?”

Me: “Sorry Hon, I didn’t see it!”

JC: “Mom, it had a giant playhouse in it!”

Me: “Oh?”

JC: “Mom, I want to go there, it looks cool.”

Me: “Hmmmm… I don’t know son. I am going to have to think about it.”

Ok folks, here is my quandary: I have never taken my children to the cultural icon, McDonald’s. I just can’t do it.

After watching Supersize Me many eons ago, I can’t get over what their food did to his body. I don’t trust this food chain for their food nor the cleanliness of their play areas.

Is the unhealthy image of this ‘playhouse’ truth, urban legend or a figment of my imagination?

Me: “Sorry Son, I am going with my gut and keep driving right by that giant M. You will have to decide this one for yourself, when you are old enough. You may even have to wait til you can drive there yourself!” 🙂

Family, Parenting, Self-help

Be Surviving While Your Hubby’s Away – Part II

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I had to share another email from my great friend and wise woman, D!  She has been surviving and thriving as her husband has started his new job in a new town.

If you didn’t catch her first hilarious email, here is the link:  https://beenough.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/be-surviving-w…our-hubbs-away/

Before you read her email, I have to say how does she have time to write such witting things and be so self-reflective while being so busy!  We are still house hunting, my husband is on holidays (thus home to help ALL day!) and I am barely keeping all four walls standing.

Here is D’s email:

well… 12 days and nights in now… here’s my tips for how to survive 3 children under 6 without a husband!!
 
1) practice regular desensitization to neck stiffness, headaches, and even skin pain caused from overtiredness (make sure car has carrots – the crunch can keep you awake while driving)
2) feed children toaster waffles and apple juice, not necessarily together (but each a great novelty when never or rarely before been seen!)
3) forget any intention to sweep/mop entire house and just aim for the occasional kitchen sweep
4) drop children at great friend’s place for dinner and go to yoga… the yoga high can carry you for days after!
5) don’t grocery shop. children really can survive on raisins, apples, cheese and the generous donations of friends
6) take your bike in for a tune up. just BEING in the bike shop and feeling your freshly tune ride is a high (even if you might not get a chance to ride until next month…)
7) SING. SING a lot. SING loundly. Same reverberations as screaming, but a lot more pleasant for the children.
8) it’s okay for your 15 month old to say “all done” 15 times in his highchair before you respond. this is particularly true if he woke up before 5, unless he is going to run off and play happily (this tactic can save your neck back and or legs from his 29 lb bug a lug clutches)
9) CHOCOLATE. enuf said.
10) when all goes sideways (meaning kids’ emotions and interactions going downhill), just say loudly “I THINK TODAY IS GOING TO BE AN AMAZING DAY!!” as genuinely as possible. Their shock and surprise will make them forget their lil troubles and move things forward!
 
and my last tip…
 
11) call your husband at 6 am. claim the baby wanted to talk to him. then take the opportunity (while baby enjoys pressing all the beeping buttons) to catch 40 more winks!!

Thanks for sharing again D!  You are inspiring… and how you make me laugh.

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D and I playing a game at her husband’s surprise party. 

Family, Goals, Parenting, psychology

Be Aware

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As a strong, determined woman in the 21st Century, I used to “think” that I should be able to have it all!

The feminist movement in the sixties was incredible for women’s ability to vote,  having choice about birth control and other incredible liberating things.  It has taken us to a place where we can be:

  • the sexiest wife
  • Mary Poppinish mother
  • Martha Stewart in the Kitchen
  • CEO of a Fortune 500 company
  • PLUS have a house that looks like tags on Pinterest

Whew, I feel my anxiety rising, how about you? 

My dear sister (and men who know women!) we CANNOT have it all.  If you choose to work, go for it.  If you choose to stay at home, just do it!  If you choose to do both, make it work for YOU!  But something has to give.  We cannot be the BEST at everything.

The Dalai Lama visited Vancouver, BC, Canada in 2010.  He was of the opinion that Western women will save the world.  If you are reading this blog, I bet you are a Western woman or know one!

Let’s stop trying to be the best at everything.  Could we agree to be the best at one thing? RELATIONSHIPS – PARTNERS – ELDERLY – CHILDREN – TEENAGERS – WIDOWS

Here is the epiphany that I had today, whether we stay at home or work, let’s be aware of those around us.  Let’s stop making lunch when one of our children wants to show us a drawing.  Let’s look up from our computer when someone at the office needs a five minute pep talk.  Let’s really see the people around us, that God has placed in our lives.  What a gift they are – even the annoying ones!   It’s all about the relationship friends!

In this age of our time on earth, where we can have it all.  Let’s not try to have it ALL, but let’s try to be enough to those around us!

Boys, Construction, Family, Parenting

Be A Reuser

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After an autumn of yard cleaning

(remember this post: https://beenough.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/be-a-leaf-gatherer/)

and a winter of decluttering, our trailer is full!  It is ready to go to the garbage dump.

Our eldest was looking in our trailer, that cost us two bottles of wine, the other day, eyeing up our Christmas tree, the old laundry sink and a few other treasures.

Suddenly, he reached in and pulled out an old tire.  He asked his dad for some rope and he was off.  With a bit of cajoling from dad, they worked together to create this:

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JC, you are incredibly thoughtful and full of ideas.  Your brothers and friends have had an incredible time on our new tire swing!  CC, thanks for helping your brother and for enjoying the ride.

Boys, Family, Parenting

Be A Snow Lover

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Hahahaha… I laughed out loud this morning when I looked out the window.

Last night at 6pm, we have friends over to play in the backyard in the sandbox and tree fort(sans mitts, snow pants, boots…).

Twelve hours later we have this:

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Hmmm, time to get the snow shovels out again.

God, I love you. Snow is an incredibly powerful, purifying symbol. Thanks for the reminder (and the laughs!)

Off to play in the snow (and encourage some very depressed neighbours!)

Here’s what we ended up making today:

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Boys, Family, Parenting

Be A Ski Racer

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Bright, glorious sunshine welcomed us to the cross country ski hill this morning.

It was our last Saturday of lessons.  Every year the age group called “Bunny Rabbits” or “Bunnies” has a little race they call the Hoppet Loppet.  The real Loppet happens tomorrow for the older kids and adults.

The Hoppet Loppet was a “race” that involved going as fast as you can from the bridge to the finish line.

Our three year old skied almost as quickly as it took him to eat his cookie medal that he received at the finish line.

AWE!  I have never seen CC feeling more proud of himself.  AWESOME!

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CC is the one wearing the bib with #12!  

Gotta love having the whole family being together, even my parents got out for a ski before the race and met CC at the finish line.