Works well with others.........

What does it mean to work well with others? Seriously? Everyone put it on their resume and it is such a token comment in any interview. It is something that children are graded on in school even. I'm looking at the world and wondering what does it really mean "works well with others"?

Honestly in my opinion the expectations of today's society there is a major change in the wording needed, to explain what is expected. Works well for others! This is what is really wanted in most situations. Some one who is compliant and does what they are told with no resistance. This makes me sad, especially for children. Adults have more choice in the matter. If they don't like the situation they are allowed to change it, children not so much.

Now when I think of a good team scenario I think of people who compliment each other, all having different strengths and weaknesses and corroborating together. This far too often isn't what really happens in many situations, sure in some but really in most it isn't. You have your boss and they tell you what to do.

I personally find it more and more that "works well with others" really is meaning I listen well and do as I'm told. Very rarely are people wanting someone with drive and ambition, who are wanting to move forwards and makes changes where they need to be made. What is wanted is someone who will put their head down and work, won't cause confrontation or problems. Just simply do as wanted.

Is that who you want your child to be? Is that who you want to be? If you do then great, but I don't. I want to work with others. I want to be free to make choices and decisions  I would like people to be open to new ideas, not just what corporate wants. I do not want to be a drone and I don't want my children to be forced into becoming one. I want them to love life and enjoy.

2012 What a year!

What a year :) So much has happened in our little family is the last year.

Thinking back and reflecting on 2012. Lil Squish celebrated his first birthday and has learned so many things. He can walk, talk use a spoon, fork and a cup. He is so full of fun and it has been an amazing time, 

In April a series of events lead Hubby to getting surgery on his ankle for a bone infection, that I guess he has had for years. We are so lucky that it was finally diagnosed and the issue has been solved. So happy that he has been pain free since then, which hopefully means no more flare ups.

Home Learning was really in full swing this year. We have gone on amazing field trips, met some amazing people and looking forward to continuing on this path for us. Bug Joined beavers late last year but really has gotten into it this year. I have joined on as a colony leader who who knows how long? ;)

This summer was truly amazing  it started off with the Stampede and the 100 year celebration. Bug got to ride in the parade with Great Grandpa. We also got to go to the Ponoka Stampeded with Grandpa, the boys had so much fun with that.  We we on rides, played some games and had a blast. Nothing quite like partying cowboy style!

 After a few weeks with family in Alberta we headed home to prepare for the Epic Extravaganza. What else could you call a 17 day road trip with three children across Canada and the upper USA! 4 provinces and I think 13 states we crossed while driving. We started off the trip with Hubby and mine 10 year high school reunion, and some fun on the lake. .  Saw my sisters, they both live far away from me, and their kids. Saw Hubby's Dad & his little family,stayed with them for a few days.We went to Niagara Falls, one of my bucket list places, we even took a ride on the maid of the mist 

 We stopped to see Mount Rushmore, or the "Mountain Men" as I called the last time I saw them ( I was 4 I think) Next to Yellowstone, where we got to see Old Faithful, and buffalo. At both National parks the boys worked towards their Junior Ranger badges, and still talk about them to this day. 

Then we stopped in Salt Lake city  for the night to see the temple, So thrilled to be able to have been there as a member this time. Hopefully next time we go we can spend more time. We camped along the way with the children and yes the baby stayed in his cloth diapers for the trek. ( I have that many and with the stops at family I was able to do laundry )

Then fall came, back to reality..... and packing. You see before we left on the Epic Extravaganza we found a new home, A place that was going to meet our need more fully

I celebrated my birthday.I harvested my first successful garden. :)Then the move, I thankfully went off without a hitch. Next came the Bug and BoBo's birthdays, wow 6 & 4 I can barely believe it. November then December and I can barely believe it is over again. We have done so much this year but it still feels like 2012 just started.

I'm looking forward to 2013, I'm sure it will be amazing. We have plans and goals, I hope it works out for the best :)

Mamavation Monday- Pledge post

This is my first of hopefully many Mamavation posts.

This will be my pledge post.

I have been working on trying to get fit and get healthy for years now. I have tried some fad diets. I have tried committing to a work out routine. You know what though, I keep failing at the follow through. Very very sad.

exercise can be a family thing

I actually like working out as silly as it sounds. I like running, I like working with the heavy bag. I like being outside. I suck at commitment though, at least where my health is concerned. I have no trouble finding an excuse why I can't do it. Right now it's the weather. Though it's silly because I like being outside and I don't mind it once I'm out it's just getting out. My kids are another excuse I use far too often. They, thought are my reason for needing to get into shape.  Really it boils down to being lazy. I really have no other push then the push inside me and it like to rest as well.


Alas exercise is only part of the issue

Beef &artichoke, sweet potatos & avacado

Food, what glorious food. I love to cook and I love to bake. This past year I have been on a quest of making healthier choices. It is working I am getting better. My food choices are much more aware of what I am eating. We are have real food! I don't do pre packaged foods. I don't do fake " low fat" "fat free" processed stuff. The problem is treats, snacks and desserts. I love them. I like to eat them, they taste yummy. I keep them to a lower number then before, the problem is WHEN it eat them. I eat them once all the children have gone to bed and I remember that there are goodies in the cupboard and I want to eat them.  I have a problem I have an addiction to sugar I know I need to stop, but I feel crazy sometimes.
I wonder if I knew I was actually accountable to someone other then myself if I could kick the sugar bug.

I will really push harder to keep my commitments. This is a new year about to start. While I can't recreate where i have been I can start now and change the ending!


I'm hoping the Sistahood can help me keep on track. I'm motivated to getting healthy and helping others along their way. Go 2013!!!

Does post Christmas get you down?

The presents are opened. Thank yous are exchanged. The turkey dinner is done. The friends and family have gone home There should be a feeling of peace and happiness from everyone. Tis the season of good tiddings and all!


          But there isn't     :(


The phenomenon that I have heard referred to as  "The Christmas Letdown"

There is so much build up to Christmas months of prep hours shopping. Time spent decorating and planning, all leading up to one day. The when it is done..... now what?

Often I heard people say "never again". Though the reality is we are creatures of habit, we'll do it again just like last year and the year before.

Why do we have this desire to have one day of the year filled with presents and glitz and so much stuff? Does it make us happier? Maybe for the day but how long does it last? Far too many people have stuff of Christmas day then run out boxing day and buy more stuff. Or exchange what you didn't like to get something better.


Then you have stuff. Does the stuff make you happy? Does it fill you life with joy? Maybe it does for for now but in a week will it still be the best thing ever?

Small and simple Christmas

We really worked hard on decreasing the stuff this year. We didn't make a big deal over Christmas stuff we focused on what was important, FAMILY. It may have been just us but it was one of the best days we have had in awhile. I didn't stress over a fancy dinner, we had meatloaf.

We kept gifts to a minimum and they were mostly useful gifts, books, watches, blankets, PJ's and a few small toys. Honestly unwrapping was done in like 45 minutes. The kids were happy they got what they had wanted. I suppose I'm lucky that they didn't want much. ( definitely an advantage to no TV and homeschooling :) )
We are fortunate that our families are very understanding about our desire to keep the stuff to a minimum. They understand our desire for memories and quality over quantity. :)

Do I feel a sadness that Christmas is over? No. Why not? Because other then a few extra presents, snow and Christmas carols, and a tree we didn't do really anything major. Christmas will come again and I will continue to keep it stress free.

Time spent together is better then money spent on each other

Maybe next year there will be a big dinner but I don't get stressed about having people over either. I enjoy good tidings and fun.

Avoid the Christmas let down by keeping things normal and keep your focus on what is important. The stuff isn't, the people and memories are!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~~ Lil Squish & Pots

Wordless Wednesday ~~~~ The wonders of Science

The Rights of a Child

Today is National Child Day. Today we celebrate the rights of children.

Canada's national "Child Day" is held November 20th each year as enacted in Bill C-371, otherwise known as the  Child Day Act, by the Parliament of Canada in 1993.

It commemorates the United Nations adoption of two landmark documents concerned with the human rights of all children and youths.

On "Child Day", Canadians honour our children and The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of The Child  on November 20th, 1959, and the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child  on November 20th, 1989.

The Convention spells out the basic human rights to which children (under the age of 18) everywhere are entitled.

The purpose of Child Day is to promote awareness about the Convention to Canadians .

It is also a day to support Canadian children's rights by voicing your concerns about Canadian children's rights violations to the politicians of Canada and to educate our children about their rights and responsibilities.

All children have rights. More then just basic rights of food, water and shelter. Children have  the right to being cared for in a loving and understanding home, whether that be with the parents or another designated home. They have the right to social security, to grow and develop in health. I love that there are so many rights put out for our children to keep them safe and equal human beings in this world.

I feel that there are a few things more for me personally that children have rights to!

I believe all children have the right to the best food for their health, even in infancy. Yes I mean human milk, if you can't produce it there are other ways. I believe that a child owns their body, all of it even from the time they are born, they have a right to not have their bodies modified, unless truly medically necessary  I believe children have a right to be equal with all other human beings, they are not less because they are little. I believe that children have the right to be children. That means they can play, laugh, climb trees and snuggle. They have the right to learn their emotions, it is a big job and they need your loving kindness. 

Children are wonderful little gifts.  They are innocent precious souls. How you treat them will form how the new generation will be. While you must fill their rights laid out by the UN, remember to fill their rights are a person, as you expect your right to be filled.

  

Thankful Thursday~~~~ Canada Rocks

Okay this week I am thankful for my country, Canada.

I'm sick and we have a health care system that yes I pay for monthly but it is not some ridiculous amount. ( but those who make less money don't have to pay as much or pay nothing at all) I can go to any Doctor I wish and get treated. I love not having to stress over whether or not I can afford to take myself or any member of my family to see a physician. I also have the choice to take their advice or leave it. While not every Doctor agrees with how I choose to keep our family healthy there isn't anything really that they can do about it.

Oh and I also love how amazingly beautiful it is up here. The seasons the mountains, the valley's,  the prairies  the lakes. I love fall and I love the beauty of it all. How lucky am I?

on web

Wordless Wednesday ~~~~ Fall fun with a good friend

Keep it local

I love to do my grocery shopping at small local places. I like to look for things that are grown locally and are from our environment  Now yes I am aware bananas are not from around here but my kids love them and we will buy them but we still buy from the small farmer shop for our veggies.

Why do I buy local?

•  Well I know it is fresh and not something that has been sitting in a cold fridge for who knows how long.
•  It helps sustain our local farmers. If we don't help the little guy, the man will crush him. If we want our food healthy and local we need to support local
• It's good for the children to know where their food actually come from. Yes we can  talk and talk about farmers and such but seeing them and meeting them is much more important. Helps foster the younger generations knowledge in how food is supposed to be made
• In many cases I find it cheaper, when I go directly to the farm.
• Tastes better. Honestly carrots for one taste so much different in the big stores then they do from the farm. Try it you may just be surprised

You can keep it local with so many more things then food. Support mom's in business. Even if it is just that party company that every body is doing. She is trying to make a living, put her kids in sports, or even put food on their table.

Support small businesses, support home based businesses, Keep your dollars where you are, keep it local!

Wordless Wednesday~~~~~ This is Hallowe'en lalalala

Learning to be Thankful ~~~~ A Challenge

Are you truly thankful for what you have in this life? Do you show gratitude in all that you do? Are you an example for others in your gratitude?

Living your life full of gratitude is a great way to be happier with your life. Unfortunately in this day and age of Me Me Me! It is hard and harder to do. We are constantly bombarded with new fancier gadgets, and trinkets. The commercialism in everyday life is overwhelming. As adults we have more of a choice in the matter, but the children fall most greatly to all this pressure. I often see one of two situations, children asking and getting or children asking and getting yelled at. Neither of these methods tech children gratitude. Now a days children have just about no concept of money and how people go about getting it.

Now there are some people who say that children are ungrateful little mongrels, always whining and demanding. I simply don't believe this is the case, mainly because these behaviors are taught.  If we want our children to have an attitude of gratitude, then we need to have one ourselves.

I know for me sometimes it is hard. Some people seem to have an easier time just being thankful where they are in life. I always want something better. I'm not super materialistic, it's not stuff for me( all the time) but it's places and doing things with the kids. I know I am plagued at times with thoughts of  "if we had more money...." This is not good thoughts to have. You don't need more money, stuff or time. You need to be thankful for what you have. Yes we all need more money and time! But if we are thankful for what we have, the other stuff will come.

Express appreciation to people when they help you. This is more than just a simple thank you, sometimes it is actively acknowledging what it is that you are thankful for. Look at people and smile when you express your thankfulness.

Try this. For one month take each day to really be thankful for something. Be specific and genuine. Follow through on your gratitude. If you are thankful for someone, let them know. People do like to know that they are appreciated for the hard work the do. You children will see this, they are surprisingly observant.

Now I'm not saying be dramatically thankful, be genuine. Give it a real effort and see what happens.

Are you up for the Challenge?

 .

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Happy Birthday Bug and Bobo

Wordless wednesday ~~~~ Fall Fun

Sharing the milk ~~ My story

Have you heard the saying " Sharing is Caring"? Most of us learned this saying at a very young age, usually even before we start school. While this lovely mantra has been ingrained into our brains, many use it now with a mocking tone. This is unfortunate but sharing something with someone is a wonderful way to show how you care. There are many thing we can share in this world, but what would you say if I said you could share a gift of amazing nutrition with another? Most people would jump at the opportunity to share nutrition with someone, even more so for a baby.  Would you be shocked if I told you that people simply don't do it. They don't share with the babies, at least not many. They used to, but with the medical system we have been scared out of it. I'm talking about breast milk, it is a life supporting freely flowing source that comes out of almost every women, to one extent or another. Some women produce large amounts, some produce less. I was very fortunate to be a women who produced excessive milk. So much milk I needed to pump off for comfort reasons. with my first two I saved the milk. We used some of it eventually, but alot just got old an went into the garbage. This saddened me but I had no idea what to use it for. It was never enough for milk banks, and I felt fundamentally opposed to the sale of my breast milk when I gave it to them for free. About two years ago, I heard about a wonderful Idea I hadn't ever though of, giving the milk to a mom in need!  That way I could give what I had and she could use it, no matter how much or how little I had. This made my heart fill with so much happiness. I at the time didn't have any milk to donate, due to being pregnant, but I loved watching the milky love flow.

Lil Squish at 16 days

After I had lil  Squish once again I had a surplus of milk. So I did what I had been doing with the previous two, I pumped. I didn't pump all that often but I still had a pretty good storage in my freezer.  When Squish was 15 days old my friend had a baby, he ended up being a very big surprise. R was born with Downs Syndrome, He was a tiny little guy that had a whole world to conquer. We soon found out that he had a heart issue and feeding at the breast was exhausting for him, it took too much work and was strenuous. My friend then planned on pumping but between R and his older brother there just never seemed to be enough hours in a day. I spoke with her and asked what their plans were, she expressed frustration to me that she felt like she had no options. They couldn't afford the milk bank but she wan't able to pump. She knew with all his health issue being on breast milk was going to be what would be best but it just seemed like it wouldn't work. I took a deep breathe and offered she all I could. I told her I would give R my milk if she would have it. I really wasn't sure what the response was going to be, we hadn't ever talked about milk sharing before, in any real depth. What was just a few short seconds felt like forever. She said sure, she wanted to clear it with her hubby first but she would be more than happy to accept my gift.I breathed a sigh of relief, because what I was offering was something very unusual to many people After that I also sourced donors for her using the Human Milk 4 Human Babies Facebook groups. 

milky brothers Left is R. right is Squish

Having breast milk turned out to be the greatest gift for R. after surgeries he has recovered much better then he did when he was having formula. His mom said she really noticed a difference in him when he is on breast milk or formula. He would gain weight and maintain better when he was having breastmilk, R would thrive with his momma milk. Time has passed and he is now reaching 18 months and my heart still smile thinking how we were able to help just one little guy. I know that he is doing better due to the nutrition I and several other moms were able to give. Not to mention the money we helped them save :)

This week is the 2nd Annual World MilkSharing Week. It is due to moms reaching out and helping on another that many many many babies have been able to have the nutrition they needed for their start in life. They were able to be fed from another mom when circumstances prevented their own mother from fully providing milk. With full disclosure and trust women are able to share this gift with others all around the world. I think this is truly amazing. There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, why not use the village to feed the child as well.

Wordless wednesday ~~~~~ recent crazy