I'm still trying to figure out how I can post to my blog using my Blackberry. If I could figure that out, then I would most certainly be posting more often.
Having said that, I had the most incredible weekend with my boys. Sam is getting so big and I have to be honest, I can't believe his vocabulary at 2.5 years old.
I know it's wrong to compare my kid to other kids, and I know that every child does things at their own pace, but I seriously know that my kid is a genious. I can actually sit and have a full conversation with my son and he can read books back to me. Granted, he loves to make up stories, but that just confirms that he's a genious because he has the greatest imagination for his age.
Plus, I think he has superior athletic ability. He can pick up any ball and we just have to show him once what to do (well, he will only let us show him once) and then he can do it himself. You should see his basketball skills. Maybe I should get him an agent...
Do you think your child is gifted as well?
Monday, 16 April 2012
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Thoughts
It has been FOREVER since I've had time to sit down and write a blog. Having a 2.5 year old boy, a family and 3 jobs doesn't leave time for much. Therefore, my blog is going to turn into more of an interactive comment piece. I will try to post updates, thoughts, curiosities and the like, and feel free to comment back (nicely of course).
Tonight's comment: After Sam had a "sensitivity" to amoxicillin last week, which resulted in a head to toe rash, fever and 24 hours of painful diarrhea, we've had to get back to sleep training. Mommy finally hit her breaking point last night and needed a good night sleep. Sam cried for a full 30 minutes and then was out like a light until 4am. We had a little "battle" until about 4:45am and I won that round again. Tonight he cried for a full 5 minutes. Yup, 5 minutes. Why was I so worried that he would never sleep well again? Hopefully he will sleep through the night tonight. Fingers Crossed!!!
Tonight's comment: After Sam had a "sensitivity" to amoxicillin last week, which resulted in a head to toe rash, fever and 24 hours of painful diarrhea, we've had to get back to sleep training. Mommy finally hit her breaking point last night and needed a good night sleep. Sam cried for a full 30 minutes and then was out like a light until 4am. We had a little "battle" until about 4:45am and I won that round again. Tonight he cried for a full 5 minutes. Yup, 5 minutes. Why was I so worried that he would never sleep well again? Hopefully he will sleep through the night tonight. Fingers Crossed!!!
Sunday, 27 November 2011
40 and Fabulous... well, fabulous in the making!
I recently turned 40. Yup, 40. I am not your typical person in that I was actually looking forward to my 40th birthday. Just like every year, I consider my birthday the only day on the calendar when I can be 100% selfish and say, without a doubt, IT IS ALL ABOUT ME TODAY! My birthday! Twenty-four fun hours of ME! ME! ME! I love my birthday, I always have and I always will. My theory is that your birthday is going to happen whether you like it not, so you might as well enjoy it! Every year, I enjoy it! This year was going to be no different... or so I originally thought when I was planning it.
I decided that this year, instead of a traditional birthday party at home, I wanted to do something different. Because 40 is a bit of a "milestone", and frankly, I have everything I need, I decided to host a 40th Birthday Fundraiser with the Canadian Cancer Society's "Girls Night In" program, which supports all Women's Cancers. I chose Under the Volcano, a delicious Mexican restaurant in downtown London, which is owned by a friend of mine. Great location, awesome food, a fun atmosphere and fantastic staff (Special shout out to Alejandro & my Dad who sang to me and Alejandro made me blush).
I can not begin to tell you how nervous I was. I was not only nervous to host a birthday party and invite more than just my family and a few close friends, but nervous that I wouldn't get a decent amount of money raised. When I was originally planning this event, I was 150% positive that it was a great idea, but the moment I hit 'SEND' on my invitation email, I felt like I wanted to throw up. Why you ask? Well, for starters, I've always feared that no one will show up to my parties. Sounds silly, I know. I have a great friend, Monika, who throws killer parties. I'm talking fun decorations, lots of food, great music and TONS of people. A packed house every time! I love that about her, everyone loves Monika, but my parties are never quite like that. My parties are much more low key, just a few people, mostly family, and everyone tends leaves early. And I'm ok with that. For some reason, the thought of trying to throw a big party, well, it makes me feel weird. Insecure maybe? Perhaps. More than likely. I'm truly afraid that no one will show up to my party. That's why I don't even try. I'm a party chicken.
I've noticed that since I've started selling Arbonne, more and more people stop replying to my emails, invitations, etc. It's the curse of the business and I understand that, but it really made me insecure about hosting this fundraiser. I normally don't stray too far out of my "invitation comfort zone". Those include my family, of course, who always support me. They are forever my biggest fans and cheerleaders. This includes Paul's family. I am so lucky and blessed to have married into a family whom I love and they love me back equally. My mother and my sister-in-law have turned into my "plus 1's". Always my date to functions and parties (especially anything Arbonne related), but also when my husband can't make it or needs to stay home to look after Sam. I also have a few key friends that I can count on to show up, given enough notice.
Other than that, I do not normally stray too far from this list. Why? Because that would be crazy! That, my friends, would be setting myself up for disappointment. And I do that... a lot. I come from a family of big expectations. We're Italian (mostly) and I'm the "baby". They expect of lot of me and I do the same of them. So, I tend to get disappointed when other's don't follow that same line of expectation. Needless to say, I tried hard not to set my expectations too high for this party, so I wouldn't be disappointed.
Back to the "SEND" button. I hit it, felt nauseous, and then waited... staring longingly at my computer screen. Nothing. A few minutes later... still nothing. An hour later... still nothing. I felt the turn of my stomach and the disappointment looming so I shut off the computer and tried not to think about it. When I checked my replies the next day I was so elated to have 4 or 5 replies! One from my mother, of course, and the rest were from a mix of people, friends & family, and I was so pleased. I actually smiled... a big smile. Yay! People, other than my "comfort zone's", were coming to my party! It wasn't going to be a "Monika" party, but people were coming! I was so excited!!
Over the course of the next few of days, I received a various on-line donations, which is awesome, and a few no's. And then that was it. Nothing. No more activity. And then guess what happend? It showed up. Disappointment. It was rising up from the pit of my stomach, the back of my brain and the depths of my heart. NOOO!! Stop it Michelle! Just stop it!
Why is it we (I) feel disappointed when we (I) have so many wonderful things to be thankful for? People were coming to my party! People were donating! People were apologizing for not being able to come! But why was I fixated on the 40+ people that didn't bother to reply instead of the people that DID reply? Are we all wired that way or is it just me? If someone invites me to something, whether it be by phone, email, regular mail, even text message, I ALWAYS reply. Whether I can attend or not, I reply. Again with the big expectations of other people. Just because I was taught to reply, why do I expect other people do to the same. What was my problem??? Me, I'm the problem and my own worst enemy.
The day of my party, I really had to sit back and give myself a HUGE mental and emotional adjustment. I was extremely happy with the people I knew were coming to my party and I was very excited to see them and spend time with them all. Maybe it's the spoiled part of me that was feeling unsatisfied? Or maybe it was the insecure part of me that wants everyone to love me and to be there every time I say "be there"! Wow, talk about unrealistic expectations. I came to the conclusion that it's all of the above.
Even my son was trying to throw a wrench into my day. He had gotten the croup again this year and it had reared it's ugly sounding cough the day before my party. However, I wasn't going to let that ruin my night. It was my night, my party, my friends and my fundraiser. Now it was all about having fun and making some money for a good cause. That is where I needed to put my focus & my energy. I knew I was leaving my son in good, capable hands, but he sure wasn't going to make it easy on me.
I managed to put all of my fears and insecurities aside and enjoy my party. And I really did enjoy it. It was great to see my Mom and Dad, Alicia & Uncle Frank, Uncle Wayne, Terri & Bruno, Evona & Mark, Leanne & Jayson, Paul & Shirley, my bff Pat, my friend Monika (yes, THE Monika) who I have known for 30 years, my sister-in-law Susete and my neice Julia, my friend Nancy and her two daughters and a surprise from a very special guest. My brother Guy, drove all the way up from Battavia, Illinois to surprise me, and boy was I surprised. I started bawling right on the spot. Unfortunately no one got a picture of the moment, but here is the moments after.
It was a truly wonderful evening. There are so many positive things about that evening, that when I re-read this post and read about how I was feeling in the days prior, I feel... silly. We raised just over $400 and proceeds went to the Girls Night In fundraising program. The only "wrinkle" in the evening was my husband getting called home early to look after our little man who wasn't feeling well.
And guess what I have learned from this experience? I've learned that yes, I am spoiled... but I'm learning to be more grateful and appreciative of what I do have. Yes, I am insecure... but I'm learning to put more trust in myself and faith in the people I love. Yes, I have high expectations... but I'm learning to accept people as they are. Yes, I am unrealistic some times... but I am learning to love myself for my short-comings. It's all a part of growing up I guess. I'm learning that turning 40 is not such a bad thing when you come out the other side a better person.
Thank you to everyone who came out that night, everyone who donated, and for all the people who sent me birthday wishes by phone, mail, email & facebook.
A Special thank you to the following people:
My husband Paul - While I am disappointed that you had to leave early, thank you for going home so that I could stay with my guests and so that I could relax knowing that Sam was being well cared for in the comfort of our home. Thank you so much for always supporting me, trusting in me and being my best friend and partner through life... my crazy life. I love you so much!
Under the Volcano - Melanie, Dagmar, Alejandro and our server/bartender for helping me accomplish such a wonderful evening. http://iloveunderthevolcano.onpage1hosting.com/
Girls Night In - Canadian Cancer Society - for making this fundraising idea really easy for me.
http://convio.cancer.ca/site/PageNavigator/Ontario/Girls%20Night%20In/IFE_ON_GirlsNightIn_home
Manon Dion from Sweet Tooth Cakes for the amazing cupcakes that were decorated with the yellow cancer flower and the pink cancer ribbon. https://www.facebook.com/groups/209354645784456/
Thank you to the following people who donated items for the raffle draws which helped contribute greatly to our fundraising total:
Cheryl Lalande - Evolution Fitness - http://evolutionfit.ca/
Lona Quenneville - Tupperware
Alisha Gleiser - Stella & Dot Jewellery - https://www.facebook.com/groups/209354645784456/#!/groups/138369952888373/
Fran Prout Vail - Epicure Solutions
And of course, Arbonne!
If I am forgetting anyone who supported me in any way, please know that I am forever grateful. Every little touch was sincerely appreciated. Hopefully I don't have to worry about it again for another 10 years.
Enjoy some pictures!
I decided that this year, instead of a traditional birthday party at home, I wanted to do something different. Because 40 is a bit of a "milestone", and frankly, I have everything I need, I decided to host a 40th Birthday Fundraiser with the Canadian Cancer Society's "Girls Night In" program, which supports all Women's Cancers. I chose Under the Volcano, a delicious Mexican restaurant in downtown London, which is owned by a friend of mine. Great location, awesome food, a fun atmosphere and fantastic staff (Special shout out to Alejandro & my Dad who sang to me and Alejandro made me blush).
I can not begin to tell you how nervous I was. I was not only nervous to host a birthday party and invite more than just my family and a few close friends, but nervous that I wouldn't get a decent amount of money raised. When I was originally planning this event, I was 150% positive that it was a great idea, but the moment I hit 'SEND' on my invitation email, I felt like I wanted to throw up. Why you ask? Well, for starters, I've always feared that no one will show up to my parties. Sounds silly, I know. I have a great friend, Monika, who throws killer parties. I'm talking fun decorations, lots of food, great music and TONS of people. A packed house every time! I love that about her, everyone loves Monika, but my parties are never quite like that. My parties are much more low key, just a few people, mostly family, and everyone tends leaves early. And I'm ok with that. For some reason, the thought of trying to throw a big party, well, it makes me feel weird. Insecure maybe? Perhaps. More than likely. I'm truly afraid that no one will show up to my party. That's why I don't even try. I'm a party chicken.
I've noticed that since I've started selling Arbonne, more and more people stop replying to my emails, invitations, etc. It's the curse of the business and I understand that, but it really made me insecure about hosting this fundraiser. I normally don't stray too far out of my "invitation comfort zone". Those include my family, of course, who always support me. They are forever my biggest fans and cheerleaders. This includes Paul's family. I am so lucky and blessed to have married into a family whom I love and they love me back equally. My mother and my sister-in-law have turned into my "plus 1's". Always my date to functions and parties (especially anything Arbonne related), but also when my husband can't make it or needs to stay home to look after Sam. I also have a few key friends that I can count on to show up, given enough notice.
Other than that, I do not normally stray too far from this list. Why? Because that would be crazy! That, my friends, would be setting myself up for disappointment. And I do that... a lot. I come from a family of big expectations. We're Italian (mostly) and I'm the "baby". They expect of lot of me and I do the same of them. So, I tend to get disappointed when other's don't follow that same line of expectation. Needless to say, I tried hard not to set my expectations too high for this party, so I wouldn't be disappointed.
Back to the "SEND" button. I hit it, felt nauseous, and then waited... staring longingly at my computer screen. Nothing. A few minutes later... still nothing. An hour later... still nothing. I felt the turn of my stomach and the disappointment looming so I shut off the computer and tried not to think about it. When I checked my replies the next day I was so elated to have 4 or 5 replies! One from my mother, of course, and the rest were from a mix of people, friends & family, and I was so pleased. I actually smiled... a big smile. Yay! People, other than my "comfort zone's", were coming to my party! It wasn't going to be a "Monika" party, but people were coming! I was so excited!!
Over the course of the next few of days, I received a various on-line donations, which is awesome, and a few no's. And then that was it. Nothing. No more activity. And then guess what happend? It showed up. Disappointment. It was rising up from the pit of my stomach, the back of my brain and the depths of my heart. NOOO!! Stop it Michelle! Just stop it!
Why is it we (I) feel disappointed when we (I) have so many wonderful things to be thankful for? People were coming to my party! People were donating! People were apologizing for not being able to come! But why was I fixated on the 40+ people that didn't bother to reply instead of the people that DID reply? Are we all wired that way or is it just me? If someone invites me to something, whether it be by phone, email, regular mail, even text message, I ALWAYS reply. Whether I can attend or not, I reply. Again with the big expectations of other people. Just because I was taught to reply, why do I expect other people do to the same. What was my problem??? Me, I'm the problem and my own worst enemy.
The day of my party, I really had to sit back and give myself a HUGE mental and emotional adjustment. I was extremely happy with the people I knew were coming to my party and I was very excited to see them and spend time with them all. Maybe it's the spoiled part of me that was feeling unsatisfied? Or maybe it was the insecure part of me that wants everyone to love me and to be there every time I say "be there"! Wow, talk about unrealistic expectations. I came to the conclusion that it's all of the above.
Even my son was trying to throw a wrench into my day. He had gotten the croup again this year and it had reared it's ugly sounding cough the day before my party. However, I wasn't going to let that ruin my night. It was my night, my party, my friends and my fundraiser. Now it was all about having fun and making some money for a good cause. That is where I needed to put my focus & my energy. I knew I was leaving my son in good, capable hands, but he sure wasn't going to make it easy on me.
I managed to put all of my fears and insecurities aside and enjoy my party. And I really did enjoy it. It was great to see my Mom and Dad, Alicia & Uncle Frank, Uncle Wayne, Terri & Bruno, Evona & Mark, Leanne & Jayson, Paul & Shirley, my bff Pat, my friend Monika (yes, THE Monika) who I have known for 30 years, my sister-in-law Susete and my neice Julia, my friend Nancy and her two daughters and a surprise from a very special guest. My brother Guy, drove all the way up from Battavia, Illinois to surprise me, and boy was I surprised. I started bawling right on the spot. Unfortunately no one got a picture of the moment, but here is the moments after.
It was a truly wonderful evening. There are so many positive things about that evening, that when I re-read this post and read about how I was feeling in the days prior, I feel... silly. We raised just over $400 and proceeds went to the Girls Night In fundraising program. The only "wrinkle" in the evening was my husband getting called home early to look after our little man who wasn't feeling well.
And guess what I have learned from this experience? I've learned that yes, I am spoiled... but I'm learning to be more grateful and appreciative of what I do have. Yes, I am insecure... but I'm learning to put more trust in myself and faith in the people I love. Yes, I have high expectations... but I'm learning to accept people as they are. Yes, I am unrealistic some times... but I am learning to love myself for my short-comings. It's all a part of growing up I guess. I'm learning that turning 40 is not such a bad thing when you come out the other side a better person.
Thank you to everyone who came out that night, everyone who donated, and for all the people who sent me birthday wishes by phone, mail, email & facebook.
A Special thank you to the following people:
My husband Paul - While I am disappointed that you had to leave early, thank you for going home so that I could stay with my guests and so that I could relax knowing that Sam was being well cared for in the comfort of our home. Thank you so much for always supporting me, trusting in me and being my best friend and partner through life... my crazy life. I love you so much!
Under the Volcano - Melanie, Dagmar, Alejandro and our server/bartender for helping me accomplish such a wonderful evening. http://iloveunderthevolcano.onpage1hosting.com/
Girls Night In - Canadian Cancer Society - for making this fundraising idea really easy for me.
http://convio.cancer.ca/site/PageNavigator/Ontario/Girls%20Night%20In/IFE_ON_GirlsNightIn_home
Manon Dion from Sweet Tooth Cakes for the amazing cupcakes that were decorated with the yellow cancer flower and the pink cancer ribbon. https://www.facebook.com/groups/209354645784456/
Thank you to the following people who donated items for the raffle draws which helped contribute greatly to our fundraising total:
Cheryl Lalande - Evolution Fitness - http://evolutionfit.ca/
Lona Quenneville - Tupperware
Alisha Gleiser - Stella & Dot Jewellery - https://www.facebook.com/groups/209354645784456/#!/groups/138369952888373/
Fran Prout Vail - Epicure Solutions
And of course, Arbonne!
If I am forgetting anyone who supported me in any way, please know that I am forever grateful. Every little touch was sincerely appreciated. Hopefully I don't have to worry about it again for another 10 years.
Enjoy some pictures!
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Remember to Breathe
Today something happened that made my heart stop. Actually, two things. Do you know the feeling? That feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when your insides clench and makes your breath catch in your throat. It happens to me every once in a while, but normally I know when it's coming. For example: when the plane is taking off, it's the exact moment that the wheels leave the tarmac. Or when the plane is landing, it's the exact moment when the wheels hit the tarmac. Or that moment just as I am pushing open the stall door to the public washroom because I'm not sure what's waiting for me on the other side. Or every time Sam attempts to climb down our very steep staircase all by himself.
But today was different. Today it was unexpected. Today, my stepdaughter was asked to guest play for the U12 Boys team because they were short players. The coach for the boys emailed my husband and asked specifically for Emily and another girl. I have to admit, I was really proud when Paul forwarded me the email... and I was also surprised that Emily said yes. This was a game that I was not going to miss and since Sam spent the night at Nonna's, I was good to go!
So off we went. Paul, Emily, her mom, and I, and of course we were all giving Emily various pep talks the entire drive to London. "Just play hard." "Don't worry to much." "Just get in there and show those boys what you've got." We were saying all these things believing she wasn't going to get much time on the pitch. We could also tell that Emily was really nervous. Nervous to play with the boys, nervous because we were watching, but most of all, nervous because there's a boy (for the purposes of this story we will refer to him as "the boy") that she has had a crush on since Kindergarten, who plays on this particular team. She wanted to ensure that she impressed not only us, but the coach, and of course "the boy".
So the boys start playing and Emily and the other girl are on the bench. Emily is biting her nails. Our boys started winning right away, so about 10 minutes into the game the coach put our girls on the field. And that's when it happend... that feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't believe how much I wanted Emily to succeed. I wanted her to put her insecurites aside and play well. I wanted it so badly that it made me catch my breath. I wanted it for her. I wanted it for her dad. I wanted it for her mom. And I wanted it for me too! I wanted it so badly that I didn't even realize I was holding my breath. And guess what? She did it! She played well. She made some nice stops, nice tackles, nice passes, nice kicks. She even tackled some poor boy from the other team and he fell into the nets (it was all she would talk about on the way home).
Our team was up 8-0 and I was relaxed and enjoying the game and I could tell Emily was too. And then, to my surprise, it happend again. About 10 minutes before the game ended our club's U13 girls started showing up for their game which was next on the schedule. All of a sudden I heard one of the girls say loudly "Hey (Nameless)! Your boyfriend is here!!" And that's when it happened again... "the boy" has a girlfriend and she had shown up to watch the girls play. My heart stopped, and my breath caught in my throat. I looked over at Emily who was only a few feet away on the bench, hoping she hadn't heard. I didn't want anything to divert her attention from the game because she was doing well. Again, I didn't realize I was holding my breath. Thankfully she hadn't heard this exchange and I could breathe easily again. I saw the sadness in her eyes when the game was over and she noticed "the girlfriend". However, "the boy" didn't seem to pay much attention so Emily was able to enjoy her moment and their win.
This parenting and step-parenting thing is much more difficult than I ever thought. My desire for Emily and Sam to be happy and well adjusted sometimes keeps me up at night. Are we doing right by them? Will they be ok? Will they have good friends? Will they succeed in whichever path they choose? Are we preparing them for the tough times they will have to go through? Are we helping them enjoy the present? Are we giving good advice? Are we being too hard on them? Are we being too lenient? I have to remember to just breathe, go with my gut, do my best and everything will work out as it should.
But today was different. Today it was unexpected. Today, my stepdaughter was asked to guest play for the U12 Boys team because they were short players. The coach for the boys emailed my husband and asked specifically for Emily and another girl. I have to admit, I was really proud when Paul forwarded me the email... and I was also surprised that Emily said yes. This was a game that I was not going to miss and since Sam spent the night at Nonna's, I was good to go!
So off we went. Paul, Emily, her mom, and I, and of course we were all giving Emily various pep talks the entire drive to London. "Just play hard." "Don't worry to much." "Just get in there and show those boys what you've got." We were saying all these things believing she wasn't going to get much time on the pitch. We could also tell that Emily was really nervous. Nervous to play with the boys, nervous because we were watching, but most of all, nervous because there's a boy (for the purposes of this story we will refer to him as "the boy") that she has had a crush on since Kindergarten, who plays on this particular team. She wanted to ensure that she impressed not only us, but the coach, and of course "the boy".
So the boys start playing and Emily and the other girl are on the bench. Emily is biting her nails. Our boys started winning right away, so about 10 minutes into the game the coach put our girls on the field. And that's when it happend... that feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't believe how much I wanted Emily to succeed. I wanted her to put her insecurites aside and play well. I wanted it so badly that it made me catch my breath. I wanted it for her. I wanted it for her dad. I wanted it for her mom. And I wanted it for me too! I wanted it so badly that I didn't even realize I was holding my breath. And guess what? She did it! She played well. She made some nice stops, nice tackles, nice passes, nice kicks. She even tackled some poor boy from the other team and he fell into the nets (it was all she would talk about on the way home).
Our team was up 8-0 and I was relaxed and enjoying the game and I could tell Emily was too. And then, to my surprise, it happend again. About 10 minutes before the game ended our club's U13 girls started showing up for their game which was next on the schedule. All of a sudden I heard one of the girls say loudly "Hey (Nameless)! Your boyfriend is here!!" And that's when it happened again... "the boy" has a girlfriend and she had shown up to watch the girls play. My heart stopped, and my breath caught in my throat. I looked over at Emily who was only a few feet away on the bench, hoping she hadn't heard. I didn't want anything to divert her attention from the game because she was doing well. Again, I didn't realize I was holding my breath. Thankfully she hadn't heard this exchange and I could breathe easily again. I saw the sadness in her eyes when the game was over and she noticed "the girlfriend". However, "the boy" didn't seem to pay much attention so Emily was able to enjoy her moment and their win.
This parenting and step-parenting thing is much more difficult than I ever thought. My desire for Emily and Sam to be happy and well adjusted sometimes keeps me up at night. Are we doing right by them? Will they be ok? Will they have good friends? Will they succeed in whichever path they choose? Are we preparing them for the tough times they will have to go through? Are we helping them enjoy the present? Are we giving good advice? Are we being too hard on them? Are we being too lenient? I have to remember to just breathe, go with my gut, do my best and everything will work out as it should.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
To Keep or Not to Keep?
My son Sam had his 2nd birthday on October 11 and it was so much fun! Sam is the only "baby" in our family at the moment (the next one closest to him in age is my stepdaughter Emily, and she's 11), so Sam really gets doted on...who am I kidding, we spoil him rotten.
Anyway, after a couple of weeks, the dust has settled and the multitude of new toys have found their place in various spots around the hous, The new clothes have been untagged, washed and put away, and even though Elmo still hangs on the wall and the Sesame Street balloons are still floating through my living room, our house has somewhat returned to it's pre-birthday party state.
So, tonight I sat down to write my thank you cards. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the small things and I've turned into a big believer in hand-written thank you cards... cards in general actually. I get this from my mother who sends cards to everyone for every occassion (she sends out her Christmas cards in November!). The truth is, we all love to receive mail that isn't bills. Even though my 69 year old mother is on Facebook and has her own email account, snail mail is her forte and frankly, I'm enjoying carrying on this particular tradition.
I have a horrible memory (just ask my husband) so when receiving gifts I like to write the gift received in the card that it (normally) comes with. This task accomplishes many things for me. First, I love re-reading all the cards after everyone is gone so I can concentrate on the thoughtfulness of the card. Some people put a lot of thought and effort into choosing the right card (I am one of those people), so I feel the need to give the card my full attention. Second, sometimes the gift opening happens so fast that I tend to miss a lot of what happened, who gave what, etc. Third, sometimes gifts get misplaced amid the chaos, so it's a good way to keep things organized until I can sort it all out at a later time (especially gift cards or gifts of money). The last reason, and most important reason for me, is so I can personalize the thank you cards.
The question is, now what do I do with the birthday cards? I've read them twice, used them to write the thank you notes, and now what? Do I keep them? Do I throw them out? This is an ongoing dilemma for me... the problem of "keepsakes". What is worth keeping for Sam and what isn't? I'm not into keeping many things, except maybe pictures. I believe my mom has one bin of my "stuff" from growning up, but I think I threw out everything else. Do I regret not keeping some of my old things like my high school cheerleading uniform? Some days yes, but most days no. However, I'm feeling very conflicted on what to do with Sam's stuff. Will he hate me when he's 40 and he realizes that I didn't keep every single card he ever received? I don't think so, but what if...? When he's gone away to college, will I regret not having these things to look back on? I just don't know.
I have kept a few things of his. For example, I kept his baby blanket from the hospital and the hair they had to shave off his head in the NICU when they put the tubes in. I've kept his Baptism outfit, the first picture Emily drew for Sam, and the first picture Sam painted in nursery school. I have also kept all the cards from his 1st Birthday. But do I really need to keep the cards from every birthday?? I had to make make a decision and ultimately they went in the trash. Let the guilt set in...
Anyway, after a couple of weeks, the dust has settled and the multitude of new toys have found their place in various spots around the hous, The new clothes have been untagged, washed and put away, and even though Elmo still hangs on the wall and the Sesame Street balloons are still floating through my living room, our house has somewhat returned to it's pre-birthday party state.
So, tonight I sat down to write my thank you cards. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the small things and I've turned into a big believer in hand-written thank you cards... cards in general actually. I get this from my mother who sends cards to everyone for every occassion (she sends out her Christmas cards in November!). The truth is, we all love to receive mail that isn't bills. Even though my 69 year old mother is on Facebook and has her own email account, snail mail is her forte and frankly, I'm enjoying carrying on this particular tradition.
I have a horrible memory (just ask my husband) so when receiving gifts I like to write the gift received in the card that it (normally) comes with. This task accomplishes many things for me. First, I love re-reading all the cards after everyone is gone so I can concentrate on the thoughtfulness of the card. Some people put a lot of thought and effort into choosing the right card (I am one of those people), so I feel the need to give the card my full attention. Second, sometimes the gift opening happens so fast that I tend to miss a lot of what happened, who gave what, etc. Third, sometimes gifts get misplaced amid the chaos, so it's a good way to keep things organized until I can sort it all out at a later time (especially gift cards or gifts of money). The last reason, and most important reason for me, is so I can personalize the thank you cards.
The question is, now what do I do with the birthday cards? I've read them twice, used them to write the thank you notes, and now what? Do I keep them? Do I throw them out? This is an ongoing dilemma for me... the problem of "keepsakes". What is worth keeping for Sam and what isn't? I'm not into keeping many things, except maybe pictures. I believe my mom has one bin of my "stuff" from growning up, but I think I threw out everything else. Do I regret not keeping some of my old things like my high school cheerleading uniform? Some days yes, but most days no. However, I'm feeling very conflicted on what to do with Sam's stuff. Will he hate me when he's 40 and he realizes that I didn't keep every single card he ever received? I don't think so, but what if...? When he's gone away to college, will I regret not having these things to look back on? I just don't know.
I have kept a few things of his. For example, I kept his baby blanket from the hospital and the hair they had to shave off his head in the NICU when they put the tubes in. I've kept his Baptism outfit, the first picture Emily drew for Sam, and the first picture Sam painted in nursery school. I have also kept all the cards from his 1st Birthday. But do I really need to keep the cards from every birthday?? I had to make make a decision and ultimately they went in the trash. Let the guilt set in...
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
BabySteps - Living Life One Day at a Time: Family, Friends & Fundraising = Happiness
BabySteps - Living Life One Day at a Time: Family, Friends & Fundraising = Happiness: Wow! I can not even tell you what an AMAZING weekend I had... actually I can tell you, and I will tell you, but first a little bit of backg...
Monday, 24 October 2011
Family, Friends & Fundraising = Happiness
Wow! I can not even tell you what an AMAZING weekend I had... actually I can tell you, and I will tell you, but first a little bit of background.
Ever since Arbonne found me almost a year ago, I have done a lot of soul searching and thankfully a lot of growing. With much thanks to Arbonne and their love of "bettering yourself to be a better leader", I've read some wonderful books, taken part in many inspiring workshops and even attended my first Canadian National Training Conference in Calgary this past September with Keynote Speaker John Maxwell.
Now, I have always known (and fully admitted) that I am spoiled rotten. I am the youngest in my family (by 9 years... can you say "oops!") and therefore, I was pretty much handed anything I've ever wanted. I get spoiled in so many ways, that most of the time I don't even recognize it.
So, when I was finally able to quit my full-time sales job in the travel industry this past summer, I knew that I wanted to devote more time to thinking less about me and more about giving. Please understand that this is not an easy task when you've been spoiled. My former sales job took me out of town, out of province and out of the country often and I LOVED IT...when I was single. But having a husband and a toddler changes one's perspective. I really want to be home... and I want to stay home. Don't get me wrong, I still want to travel, but I want to do so with my family, not for my job.
Back to giving... I truly want to be a better person and this is one of the things I love about Arbonne. They also want you to be the best person you can be. Now, I'm not a bad person by any means. I believe it would be difficult to find someone who thinks I am a truly horrible person, but we spoiled folk tend to be naive when it comes to giving and being sincere. And we desperately want to be liked... by everyone. I will be 40 soon and I still have a desire to be liked... but most importanly I wanted to be respected AND liked. I want words like "fun, giving, engaging, funny, smart, caring & sincere" to be attached to my name. "Yes, I know Michelle, she's a truly wonderful person". Hmmm, maybe people don't really speak like that, but wouldn't it be nice for people to at least think it when they hear my name? I would really like that... but more importantly I would like it to be true. I certainly have many moments of "sincerity", but a lot of the time the selfish part of me asks: What's in it for me? Will being sincere and doing things to make other people happy push aside my own selfishness? Will it still help me achieve my goals for me and family? How will it benefit ME??
The answer is simple: Happiness. I have found that when I do something for other people it makes me happy... truly, sincerely, crazy happy.
This weekend was the perfect example and the bonus is it was so much fun! On Friday night my son stayed at my parents and my husband and I went out for dinner with his sister and brother-in-law (date night!). Then I got to spend some quality time with my man, talking, laughing, catching up together on our recorded tv shows from the week. We both did work around the house on Saturday, and then on Saturday night I left my husband and son to do some manly bonding and I went out. I went out for a cause... a great cause!
My BFF Pat and I, along with two other amazing Arbonne sisters, Evona & Diane, attended Dressfest. Dressfest is a new charity fundraiser in London that supports the London Regional Cancer Centre Patient Assistance Program. We, as Arbonne Consultants, sponsored this event and offered to do makeup and touchups for donations. Why would we do makeup for a charity fundraiser you ask? Well, the catch to this fundraiser is you have to come in your wedding dress. Well yours, or borrowed, rented, or bought, etc. So, armed with wedding dressess and makeup cases in hand, we were able to showcase our product to approximately 100 ladies and we helped a charity that is very near and dear to my heart.
Dressfest is only in it's second year and it is growing by leaps and bounds. The host this year was Q97.5 and they had a silent auction room with so many goodies I'm surprised I didn't go home completely broke, a free wine bar sponsored by Harrison Pensa, fun raffle prizes & draws, a delicious appetizer bar, and music and dancing. It was so much fun to meet all these amazing women and see a room full of beautiful wedding dresses. Some dresses brought back fun memories from weddings in the 80's & 90's with the huge puffed sleeves and hats with veils. They even had prizes for the oldest dress, etc. I believe one winner had on her dress from her marriage back in 1971. Let me tell you, after 5 hours of non-stop talking, socializing, applying makeup and chit chat, I was exhausted. But I felt elated on my drive home because we did something good for people in need. I forgot my camera (duh) so I apologize for the grainy pictures taken from my cellphone. I will be better prepared next year!! www.dressfest.ca
My fantastic mood carried over into Sunday where my mom and I hosted an Arbonne Holiday party/fundraiser at my mom's house for the same charity. I had cash and carry Arbonne items available plus I am raffling off the Arbonne Vanilla Amber Holiday gift set and all proceeds will be going to the Patient Assistance Program charity. We didn't have a huge turnout, but I still made $50 for the charity and my good mood has continued to last me into a gloomy, rainy Monday morning.
I am proud to say that this past weekend was my third charity fundraiser this year. The first was the Yard Sale for the Cure back in May in which we raised over $800 for Breast Cancer Research. I had the help of family and friends and raffle baskets donated.
The second was the CIBC Run for the Cure in September. My husband, son and I raised almost $400 and walked together as a family. We met lots of family & friends who were also walking for this cause. My husband and I decided that next year we are going to put in our own team and my husband really wants me to Run, not walk. My new goal for the spring is to start training so I can run the 5k with my hubby.
The best part is I spent the entire weekend with people I love the most. My family and good friends. I did some fundraising for charity and I feel truly great about myself. I feel... happy. Maybe there is hope for the spoiled me after all. :)
Ever since Arbonne found me almost a year ago, I have done a lot of soul searching and thankfully a lot of growing. With much thanks to Arbonne and their love of "bettering yourself to be a better leader", I've read some wonderful books, taken part in many inspiring workshops and even attended my first Canadian National Training Conference in Calgary this past September with Keynote Speaker John Maxwell.
Now, I have always known (and fully admitted) that I am spoiled rotten. I am the youngest in my family (by 9 years... can you say "oops!") and therefore, I was pretty much handed anything I've ever wanted. I get spoiled in so many ways, that most of the time I don't even recognize it.
So, when I was finally able to quit my full-time sales job in the travel industry this past summer, I knew that I wanted to devote more time to thinking less about me and more about giving. Please understand that this is not an easy task when you've been spoiled. My former sales job took me out of town, out of province and out of the country often and I LOVED IT...when I was single. But having a husband and a toddler changes one's perspective. I really want to be home... and I want to stay home. Don't get me wrong, I still want to travel, but I want to do so with my family, not for my job.
Back to giving... I truly want to be a better person and this is one of the things I love about Arbonne. They also want you to be the best person you can be. Now, I'm not a bad person by any means. I believe it would be difficult to find someone who thinks I am a truly horrible person, but we spoiled folk tend to be naive when it comes to giving and being sincere. And we desperately want to be liked... by everyone. I will be 40 soon and I still have a desire to be liked... but most importanly I wanted to be respected AND liked. I want words like "fun, giving, engaging, funny, smart, caring & sincere" to be attached to my name. "Yes, I know Michelle, she's a truly wonderful person". Hmmm, maybe people don't really speak like that, but wouldn't it be nice for people to at least think it when they hear my name? I would really like that... but more importantly I would like it to be true. I certainly have many moments of "sincerity", but a lot of the time the selfish part of me asks: What's in it for me? Will being sincere and doing things to make other people happy push aside my own selfishness? Will it still help me achieve my goals for me and family? How will it benefit ME??
The answer is simple: Happiness. I have found that when I do something for other people it makes me happy... truly, sincerely, crazy happy.
This weekend was the perfect example and the bonus is it was so much fun! On Friday night my son stayed at my parents and my husband and I went out for dinner with his sister and brother-in-law (date night!). Then I got to spend some quality time with my man, talking, laughing, catching up together on our recorded tv shows from the week. We both did work around the house on Saturday, and then on Saturday night I left my husband and son to do some manly bonding and I went out. I went out for a cause... a great cause!
My BFF Pat and I, along with two other amazing Arbonne sisters, Evona & Diane, attended Dressfest. Dressfest is a new charity fundraiser in London that supports the London Regional Cancer Centre Patient Assistance Program. We, as Arbonne Consultants, sponsored this event and offered to do makeup and touchups for donations. Why would we do makeup for a charity fundraiser you ask? Well, the catch to this fundraiser is you have to come in your wedding dress. Well yours, or borrowed, rented, or bought, etc. So, armed with wedding dressess and makeup cases in hand, we were able to showcase our product to approximately 100 ladies and we helped a charity that is very near and dear to my heart.
Dressfest is only in it's second year and it is growing by leaps and bounds. The host this year was Q97.5 and they had a silent auction room with so many goodies I'm surprised I didn't go home completely broke, a free wine bar sponsored by Harrison Pensa, fun raffle prizes & draws, a delicious appetizer bar, and music and dancing. It was so much fun to meet all these amazing women and see a room full of beautiful wedding dresses. Some dresses brought back fun memories from weddings in the 80's & 90's with the huge puffed sleeves and hats with veils. They even had prizes for the oldest dress, etc. I believe one winner had on her dress from her marriage back in 1971. Let me tell you, after 5 hours of non-stop talking, socializing, applying makeup and chit chat, I was exhausted. But I felt elated on my drive home because we did something good for people in need. I forgot my camera (duh) so I apologize for the grainy pictures taken from my cellphone. I will be better prepared next year!! www.dressfest.ca
My fantastic mood carried over into Sunday where my mom and I hosted an Arbonne Holiday party/fundraiser at my mom's house for the same charity. I had cash and carry Arbonne items available plus I am raffling off the Arbonne Vanilla Amber Holiday gift set and all proceeds will be going to the Patient Assistance Program charity. We didn't have a huge turnout, but I still made $50 for the charity and my good mood has continued to last me into a gloomy, rainy Monday morning.
I am proud to say that this past weekend was my third charity fundraiser this year. The first was the Yard Sale for the Cure back in May in which we raised over $800 for Breast Cancer Research. I had the help of family and friends and raffle baskets donated.
The second was the CIBC Run for the Cure in September. My husband, son and I raised almost $400 and walked together as a family. We met lots of family & friends who were also walking for this cause. My husband and I decided that next year we are going to put in our own team and my husband really wants me to Run, not walk. My new goal for the spring is to start training so I can run the 5k with my hubby.
The best part is I spent the entire weekend with people I love the most. My family and good friends. I did some fundraising for charity and I feel truly great about myself. I feel... happy. Maybe there is hope for the spoiled me after all. :)
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