Party...End of Summer is near

The end of summer is near, there is no denying it (Believe me - I have tried!).  I am faced with the growth both physically and psychologically of my children - taller, smarter, more independent, wiser in many ways.  They are growing up - those beautiful, amazing girls.  School will start very soon (you can count it in number of sleeps now!) and time is marching on.  I was very aware of this as I watched both of them at a birthday party this weekend (don't you enjoy the Mexican Fiesta theme!).  They are their own person. 

The end of summer means Mommy has to move forward to, with some anxiety about the changes and unknowns ahead.  Embrace it (I heard myself whisper - it is okay to be anxious, and okay to have anticpiation).  So I am grateful for the summer and all that it has taught me.

What has this summer meant to you???

A last love letter

And finally, to all Canadians:

 Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. . .  Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton

Laugh out loud

"Laugh as much as you breathe and love and long as you live"

Summer vacation feels as though it is winding down here....oh I do not like writing that...I am actually starting to lose sleep as the start of school fast approaches and the return to schedules begin.  This weekend was one of the last weekends in a while that we did not have something planned.  The kiddies seemed to need to get out and let loose and have some good, scream outside, laugh big, be with just mom and dad, on our own schedule, kind of fun.

Although the weather looked like it wanted to rain, we decided to go to a local landmark, which also houses a family friendly amusement park.  Both girls rode the rollercoaster for the the very first time!!!! My oldest darling loved it, and quickly proclaimed that she wanted to ride it on her own - on her own!!!  I was excited and sad all at the same time (without mom!).  She did great - even threw her hands in the air as the rollercoaster went down the small hill.  The excitement rubbed off on her sister and she also decided to get on the rides (she was initally scared and unsure).  The littlest one rode the flying elephants, laughed and smiled on the roller coaster, and drove the boats with Daddy.  We stayed until the park closed.

Wow how things change fast....our first roller coaster, staying till the park closes, very little upsetness, and my favaourite part of the day...a young girl tried to get ahead of the line by 'budding in'.  My oldest daughter, in her most polite voice, asked her to please move to the back and wait her turn - yeah!!! Maybe she is ready for school after all....

Go out into the world and have some fun today!

Running

Let me share with you something else that I have been up to this summer....I took up...running.  Okay, not mindblowing, yet consider this, I have tried many times in my life to be a runner, it never really took.  I could not find my groove with it, there was no flow, it felt hard, and hurt my knees.  I could never really run for me than a few minutes without my mind screaming at me to stop.

I have always in some way wanted to be able to run.  I would watch other runners and some part of me would think how awesome it was, and how I wish I could do it.  After some trying, and it not really working, my mind would automatically begin to look at runners, and become negative...that does not look like fun, how boring, they are going to need knee surgery..and on and on (you could call it protective mode).

Yet, for some reason this summer, looking to get more fit, and becoming really bored (I mean really bored of the treadmill and walking indoors), I decided to try again. It was one of those wonderful things that was not overly thought through  - this can be wonderful and warm and good for me personally. I purchased a running app, meant to take you from being a non-runner to after 9 weeks, being able to run 5 km.  So, I started running at 30 second intervals at the beginning of the summer - this was hard for me.  In the last week I have run over 10 km in total and can know run  20 minutes without stopping - this is quite an accomplisment for me!!!!! 

To motivate me, I registered for a local fun run, a 5km run that is taking place in the next month, and asked a friend to join me.  Again, this was not something that occurred to me, and not thought through until I saw an advertisement at the local sports store.  My husband and kids are also in on the fun, and they have been biking beside me while I run - this is so much fun to be doing this together and all getting some exercise!  I learned that I need to be outside, and I need a goal - I am goal oriented that way - it helps me to stay motivated (along with an everchanging playlist of music).   I have learned that the goal can not be - to be healthy, it has to be something concrete that I can achieve that I did not think I could - like running 5 km!!!  I like thinking of myself as someone who can run - it makes me feel good and sometimes strong - I especially like that about 7 weeks ago, I could not run more that 30 seconds without being out of breath.  I like that we are doing it as a family, and that I am outside!!!!

I am grateful for my body, my mind, my family and my chance to achieve and run....Here is to keeping pace and catching your stride!

More Summer Fun

I thought the pictures would do the talking today....here is more of what we have been up to...enjoying and loving each other the best we can.  Taking it slow and exploring much....Love is all you need...

Those Summer Days

These pictures give you a sense of what we have been up to lately...swimming, sightseeing, loving the outdoors, exploring our world, spending time with each other, being thankful for the sun and lazy summer days.  Summer is so awesome and we are thankful.  We are very thankful for each other and kind generous friends to share the days with!

I am wanting to freeze this time and not think about school beginning and time marching on.  Can't we just stay in this moment - forever!