Tag Archives: car

Boys, Teaching, Wordsmith

Be Driving a Jeep for a Week

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Growing up, did you have a dream car? Please let me know because I am genuinely curious about you.

My dream car: I have always wanted a Jeep, until last week. At my high school, there was young man a few years older than me who had a Jeep YJ. I can still imagine it ripping into the parking lot with music blaring every morning as I walked up the path to D.P. Todd Secondary. 

Ever since, I always thought that Jeeps were a “really cool car”. I wanted to own one until my car got rear-ended a few weeks ago and the rental company gave me a Jeep.

Yes, it looks like a “really cool car”, but it was a rough ride and remarkably uncomfortable. It’s amazing how you can take something for a drive and suddenly your whole life perspective can shift. I will never be able to look at a Jeep in the same light again.

Sidenote: Anyone guess the topic that I am using my Jeep metaphor to now talk to my boys about? Don’t judge things from an external vantage point, especially when choosing a partner for life.

Happy Thursday amazing friends. Love what you do.

xoxo Joanna

Boys, cancer, Family, Parenting

Be Bike Riding in -10 degrees Celsuis

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We’ve had a few hurdles to overcome lately! Do you get that impression?

One of our barriers to jump over has been our cars. More than once in the last few months, I have left my interior light on which has cause my battery to die. Just over a month ago, right before my mom’s surgery in Vancouver, my husband was in a car accident.

This morning we woke up with my husband’s car leaking fluid, probably related to the accident. He then was planning on taking my car, but my car had a dead battery! With stealth speed and a positive attitude, he managed to maneuver his car into position, jump my car and then get to work! Whew!

This left me to first bike ride JC to school, then down the other way to CC’s preschool and now back home. We will do everything in reverse in about an hour.

We did it all with a smile on our faces in the -10° weather.

Here are the boys ready to go:

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Here I am on the path to CC’s preschool. CC and OC are in the chariot bike trailer.

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All I could thing about as I rode was mom’s words as she walked out of the hospital yesterday and she breathed in the cool crisp air: “ahhhh, that feels good!” I agree Mom!

Boys, Construction

Be A Home Depot Kid Constructor

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We went to the hardware store to look at toilets and we ended up with a great activity for the boys.

They got to participate in a FREE kids program constructing a car.  Not only did they get to hammer away, they got a free Home Depot apron, hard hat, ruler, pencil and a car that they had put together themselves.

Here are my proud boys.

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Afterwards, my oldest even showed the youngest how to put together his car.  Mommy couldn’t manage all three boys with hammers, so the two big boys made their cars while baby OC got lost in the ride’m lawn mower cage.  Yes, I did have my first screaming mommy with a lost child moment.

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Learning in action!  Hammer, hammer, hammer.

Happy Summer!

Family, Parenting

Be Brilliant with Bags

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Do you often look at an idea and wonder “Why didn’t I think of that!”

We have family visiting this weekend to celebrate our oldest sixth (yikes!) birthday as well as Sexy Neck’s brother’s birthday all on the same day.

Steve’s brother and his wife arrived with their two children, bikes and clothing. I didn’t know how they all fit!

Now I do! These two brilliant, creative people didn’t use suitcases.
Why not? They used flexible, compact, squishable grocery bags.

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Awesome! I am stealing this idea.

One bag per person and still room for the cheesies stashed up front.

Also, I have to say thanks to Sexy Neck for another amazing chalk birthday mural. Checkout one of my first posts called Be A Man on September 27th.

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