Category Archives: Family

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.

Book, Boys, Family, psychology

Be Conscious of Your Children’s Brain

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Whew, I got hit over the head this morning. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

We are pretty conscious of what we allow our children to see and read. We got rid of the television when our oldest son was six months old mostly due to advertising and my addiction to reality tv. We also limit our boys computer time and tend to stick to shows in the two to four year old category on Netflix. We also stopped watching Treehouse because of the advertisements that portrayed beautifully perfect unrealistic women.

Here is the story my oldest, JC “wrote” this morning:Image

Here is a book that we got from the library last week:

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We cannot underestimate a child’s brain, the things they take in, the things they remember and what they will do with it.

From a library book, to remembering it one week later and now a story today, my son is a perfect exam.

Now how about those computer games, constant television watching or this book my boys were reading with daddy this morning:

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Book, Boys, Christianity, Family, Flexibility

Be A Declutterer

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I read in the Four Hour Work Week that we only use twenty percent of the things that we have.  Actually Tim Ferriss has an interesting perspective on the 80 20 rule.  Check him out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_4-Hour_Workweek

The last three weeks, I have spent decluttering and going through our stuff so that we can put our house up for sale.

Here are the results:

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These are the main “kid” areas of our house and they were overflowing with toys.  There were toys on top of shelves, stuffed into corners.  Now everything has a place to go.  We had a great morning of playing and it was amazing to see my boys putting things back into their places (without being asked)!

All this decluttering makes me thinking of the verse in Matthew 16:19 where Jesus says: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  

I want to hold loosely to my stuff on earth because it is only “stuff”.

It is the people in my life that truly matter.  JC running into my arms after Kindergarten with a huge smile.  CC giving me his little smirk as he tells me a joke and baby OC’s squawk as he yells from the top of the bunkbed. Sexy Necks presence as he holds us all together!

Beautiful moments.

 

P.S. Don’t ask me to show you our parents basement where alot of this “stuff” has gone.  I am thinking we should just have a garage sale instead of moving it.  Cann boys, what do you think?

Boys, Family

Be A “B” Watcher

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February 1st, 2012

YEAH, we made it to the start of Winter Carnival!   Whew, the very busy  stretch between Christmas and spring has hit its mid-point.

My middle boy, CC, started screaming after we dropped off his oldest brother at school.  We had to knock on a neighbours door to tell her to come outside to see them.

Our oldest son even got to watch them float on by his window at school.

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The hot air balloons were so close we could hear them!  CC loved the blue one and JC loved the black and orange one.

We all loved standing and watching.  YEAH Carnival is here.

The Queen is crowned and the hot air balloons are flying by.

Added bonus: This year’s the theme is pReHiStOrIc!