Tag Archives: boys

Boys, Christianity, Family, health & fitness

Be ‘Moving’ Backwards to go Forward

October 3, 2013 Be Enough Leave a comment

My counsellor has been working with me to let go of the Western ideal that we move from point A to point B never to return to ‘old stuff’.

When I continue to go over this old ground in my mind, I feel like a failure, I feel shame and I feel mad.

My inner dialogue goes something like this:
“What this again? Seriously Joanna. Are you really going to have this same conversation again? Are we really going down this path? How could this happen again?”

Thanks to my counsellor, I have shifted this A to B mentally to be more of a deepening spiral. Like a tornado funnel.

Oh I like this analogy because sometimes I have me some wind blowing around me!

Yes, I am going to go over the same road again but I am going to be in a different place on my path, a deeper place. (I am almost 40 you know!).

Last night, was a huge mental shift downward into my deepening spiral.

For weeks I have looked for a once per week hockey program that we could do in Ktown. Do you think I could find one? Nope! Minor hockey, that wants to devour families lives with their three times per week practices/games, is the show in this town.

Sooo….
We decided to take JC out of Grade One forty-five minutes early and drive the boys sixty kilometres back to the town we just moved from so that the boys could play hockey.

They are back at the rink they know.

CC has the same coach he had last year.
Papa was on the ice with CC.
JC got to move up a level.
He gets his own jersey this year.
I get to see old friends each week.
AND THE VERY BEST PART, NANA CAME TO WATCH. Can you see me up and jumping around?

It was amazing night of going backwards. JC’s teacher was supportive of our idea, dad laced up his skates and even went for a morning skate to get ready, lastly mom looked me square in the eyes and said, “I am really glad that you are coming here for hockey!”

Anything for you Mama! Now if only I could meet your request for a new body!

JC waiting to give his brother a high five before his turn on the ice.

Papa and CC working together.

OC watching the action.

Nana is on the right in the toque.

Sometimes you need to go backwards to move forward. Lesson learned. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Deeper. Deeper. Deeper.

Boys

Be a Newspaper Robot Maker

October 2, 2013 Be Enough Leave a comment

Our ‘Angel A’ friend drove over ten hours last week to help out during mom’s post chemo recovery.

‘A’ soared through a rushed trip to the hospital, moment-by-moment decisions and tearful prayer times. We are grateful that she could spend time away from her family to help our family.

One of the best moments she had with our wee boys was during an impromptu craft session using the newspaper sitting on the table, glue, foil and a piece of paper.

The big one on the left is JC, bottom right is CC and top right is OC.

Can anyone tell we have been doing a lot of snorkelling in the pool?

#bestcraftever

Boys, Family, Parenting

Be Buying Your Teacher Shoes?

September 30, 2013 Be Enough Leave a comment

Sunday afternoon, JC and I went to do a few errands for Nana and Papa here in the big city.

I find these one-on-one times with the boys are incredibly insightful and lead me down paths that sometimes I don’t understand.

Here is our story from Sunday:

JC and I were walking through a store looking at the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations. We were talking about thanksgiving, then being thankful, next was school then we moved on to his teacher. We finished the conversation by trying to think of some way we could show his teacher we are thankful.

JC emphatically answered, “Shoes! Mom, we need to get her some shoes!”

In my mind I started rolling through the options – does she talk a lot about shoes, does she wear different shoes everyday (my high school VP wore a different tie every day), does she wear ‘funny’ shoes or ? I was confused.

He insisted we buy his teacher shoes, but we started talking about how much we wanted to spend or was there something we could do instead. We settled on a sweet treat and a note where I told his teacher the story of the shoes.

I just received an email from his teacher and here was her response:

I may know why Jackson wanted to buy me shoes!! I have several single shoes at school for an up-coming lesson on selecting ‘good fit’ books. The idea of the lesson is that choosing a book is like choosing shoes to buy: they need to be the right size AND they need to fit your purpose. For example, you wouldn’t wear heels to go hiking. This is just like not choosing a story book about frogs if you want to learn about frogs. All this to say that I have many single shoes at school, and I have not yet explained why. Might he have thought that my shoes don’t have mates? Or is he insinuating that my gym runners are out of style!?!

This is hilarious! My poor organized , empathetic first born noticed all these single shoes and wanted to correct the ‘problem’ for his teacher.

Hahahaha. This made my whole month. I love creative teachers.

Boys, cancer, Family

Be Playing Living Room Frisbee.

September 30, 2013 Be Enough Leave a comment

We enjoyed a wonderful hour with Nana and Papa today. Nana has started to eat and drink a bit. Papa enjoyed an afternoon with M working in the garden.

The big boys made a love message in a bottle for Nana. They were so excited to give them to her.

JC enjoyed showing Nana his schoolwork.

OC loved making his cow noises and laughing for Nana.

CC was very gentle and focused while playing living room frisbee with Nana. It was especially sweet when CC said to Nana, “Good one Nan!”

Boys, Christianity, Jesus Christ

Be Seeing Jesus’ Castle

September 25, 2013 Be Enough 1 Comment

Lately, I have an incredible appreciation for clouds. Their beauty, shapes and movement are awe inspiring and wondrous for me.

Tonight, we were driving to Sexy Necks bear school to watch some ‘old’ friends coach volleyball.

We saw these clouds.

JC exclaimed, “It looks like the entrance to Jesus’s castle!”

Apparently clouds are speaking to more than me these days.

Boys, Parenting

Be Enjoying French Toast Fridays

September 6, 2013 Be Enough 4 Comments

We already have Taco Tuesdays and Pizza Pie Day Fridays, so we decided to add a new meal party to the menu: French Toast Fridays.

As we structure to create a new “life” in the big city, we are finding challenges in not only the September start-up, an almost completed renovation, new neighbours and mom’s cancer, but also in the schedule of our new school.

They start school at 8:25, go out and play at 11:15, then eat lunch at 11:42 and then have recess at 1:45 before dismissal at 2:30. Last year, the kids had recess in the morning followed by a significant amount of snack time.

Anyways the gist of all these times thrown at you is that the kids only get a small eating break in the morning. Jackson is very hungry until lunchtime.

Today, we added French Toast Fridays to bulk up our usual porridge breakfast with some high protein eggs. Success!

But now I need a few more ideas for Monday thru Thursday. Anyone?

Bon Apetit.

Gotta love the pure maple syrup!

Boys, Family

Be Going to the Fall Fair

August 29, 2013 Be Enough 2 Comments

Yes, I know it’s still summer, but anytime our family goes to a fair involving rides, 4H and cotton candy we call it a Fall Fair. Growing up the fair was at the beginning of August, yet it was still called the Fall Fair.
How curious.

I am a sucker for babies and breast feeding moms.

Usually it’s my mom, Nana, that escorts us to the fall fair. She tells stories about life on the farm and her amazing days in 4H. The sights and smells bring out her already incredible retired Librarian storytelling abilities. Next year, Nana AND Papa are going to join us.

Today, Nana sent Papa to hangout with us. He is OC’s main man, so OC was a very happy little boy.

I even enjoyed the Ferris wheel with my boys this year. Yes, there are a lot of shifts happening for our family this summer.

I never splurge on face painting and horse rides. But I finally understand my parents philosophy of enjoying the special things that only happen once a year because they really do only happen once a year!

OC wasn’t too sure about the petting zoo. Can you tell by his death grip?

Life is precious my friends.
Treasure the day like a gift.
Unwrap it with your heart.

Boys, Family

Be Playing Chess

August 28, 2013 Be Enough 1 Comment

As we unpack boxes, we have unearthed treasures that we never even unpacked in our second house. (This is our third and hopefully our last move for a long time.)

JC found the chess board we bought in Budapest, Hungary in 2002. We agonized over the purchase because of the cost and the size. It was worth every Hungarian Forint.

Sexy Neck and I used to play chess, cards or backgammon every night after dinner while living overseas, unless there was something good on BBC.

JC has revitalized this after dinner tradition of game playing. CC likes to partner with me to help take JC’s pieces.

Game on!

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"Be" ENOUGH