Life as a Domestic Goddess with three little munchkins. We take what works and roll with it. Homeschooling, advocacy supporter, activism, outspoken, simple life desiring family living in suburbia.
So cliche isn't it? I'm thankful for my kids, it is such an easy one to come up with. It is an easy go to when counting your blessings.
But why?
Why am I thankful for my boys?
Let me tell you why.
They bring me joy even in the darkest moments.
They love me always and unconditionally
Their smiles lights up my world
They help me realize who I should be
They are wonderful examples
They are helpful
They are honest
They have fulfilled my dreams in so many ways
Weightloss is no easy feat. It is hard work, lots of hard work. it is something you have to commit to. Every day you need to make an honest effort to stick to a proper diet, and exercise even when you see all the ymumy things you could be eating.
Right now is the season of excess and gorging. So many people eat way more food then they should at fancy parties and get togethers. They drink way too much as well! Did you know that alcohol can contribute to weight gain and well and stalling a weightloss? Yes it is a sad truth for some who are on this journey to be brush with extra challenges, but you need to push through.
For those who have hit their goals and gotten to where they want to be. Now is not the time to lose it! Keep going don't get lax. Often people will put on 5- 10 or more pounds through the holiday season. To some that may not seem like a lot but to someone who has been struggling with weightloss it can seem like a ton.
For me it seems so hard to get anywhere. When I'm at a party and there is yummy amazing food, yes I want to eat it. I get to eat real food without having to share. I get a dessert for ME! It is really easy to quickly go to far.
There is good news though!
Keep up or start your shakes. Shake it up with Vi this holiday season. One or two shakes a day gives your body nutrition it needs and leaves a bit of wiggle room calorie wise. Now still don't go gorging at the parties. But you may be able to have a small treat, or a drink.
Keeping you healthy in thins time of excess is very important. It can lead to less sicknesses which means not having to miss out. :)
Check out the Vi store and get yourself stocked up for winter. ;)
Most of the developed world knows about Justin Bieber. His fans are crazy for him and would do just about anything to get the 18 year pop star to acknowledge them. I have never been into the crazy fan like behaviour. I just don't feel idolizing people to the point where you freak out if you see them really benefits anyone.
That aside I have heard a few of his songs, nothing all that bad. I commend the kids on his rise to success. He put himself out there and he actually has talent. I never really had an issue with him, the point was mute. Unitl today. Now he bugs me. Now he is a little twit that lacks class. Just yesterday he had the privileged to meet with our Prime Minister Stephen Harper and receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Apparently he is one of 60,000 youth who receive this medal this year, for: "significant contributions and achievements by Canadians". I know some people even scoff at the medal but hey he's a pop star we do all sorts of things for popstars. Also I think he has definitely had a major achievement, considering he was singing on YouTube just a few short years ago. What I do have an issue with is how he showed up to the meeting.
This is just disgraceful. I don't care who you are, this is a complete lack of class and disrespectful. I am sad that this is how a youth, who has major influence over the youth of our country, would show up to meet the leader of their country. Now I'm sure he isn't stupid and knows that this was in bad taste, actually I'm pretty sure he knew it was considering a tweet he posted.( I don't follow him, I just read the news) You can read all about the twitter stuff here.
Now why am I all up in arms about this, it's just some clothes and he is just meeting some guy to get a pretty shinny medal, right? No this is about Respect. No matter how much one ( ahem, me) may feel about politics, ( particularly a certain Prime Minister ) there is still this little thing called respect. This medal was to celebrate the Queen and comes from the Governor General. This was a ceremony held by one of the highest held positions in our country. Respect is owed, this choice of outfit show no respect, no class and no dignity. This is bad taste plain and simple.
Oh Black Friday is here again. Living in Canada we don't get as much hype of it but it is around and people get into it. I know of people who have hopped the border to go get some awesome deal for something that they are sure they need. Now I am all for a good deal. I love getting things on sale or second hand. I go to thrift shops and online classifieds, when I'm looking for something. I really try to avoid excess. I strive for a simpler life for us. Yes we have things in our house that are not necessary for survival, they are luxuries and convinces, but they are not fancy and many of them are older.
This time of year makes me really sad for our society in so many ways. During the holiday season, we speak of good tidings to our fellow man, love and charity. These seem to be only sentiments though as from today onwards, any time you set foot in a big box store it is maddness. Crowds of people, wanting wanting wanting. The thing that scares me most though is so many people are confusing want with need.
Let me give you an example. Today we needed winter tires for our van. Where we live it is a need. If I don't have good tires on my van when it snows I will be going no where, it wouldn't be safe. Now this is something we need, but we don't need the fanciest best brand name tires. What we need are good quality tires that will get the job done, at a reasonable price. That is what we got, no bells and whistles just what we need.
Too many people think they needs the newest fanciest gadgets on the block, and some of them are willing to wait in the cold to get some deal. I usually get any tech devices once they are no longer the fanciest things. I don't bother with the fancy stuff because I know I would go broke trying to keep up. There is always something newer and fancier.
So why am I against consumerism and Black Friday nonsense? Quite simply because 20% of the worlds population consume 80% of the resources. we are a wasteful greedy society that takes and takes. Wants and wants. It is never enough for some people. People go into huge amounts of debt every single Christmas. Why is this? Because we live in a world where we love possessions more then people. We show love by buying gifts for one another. It seems that the days of service and hand made goods are falling away. We we can take it back. You can choose to not buy everything you see. You can choose to say no!
I am thankful for my beliefs and values. They make me who I am. They shape my family and pass on down to my children.
My values make me stronger, they give me strength when nothing else does. I know who I am!
Through accepting my beliefs and values I have accepted me. I am who I am. Sometimes it isn't always easy to be forging your own road, One that is different from those around you , but I know what I stand for and I can't change who I am.
I love you for you. Please love me for me.
I don't do the things in my life to be against you. I do them for that is what I believe is right for me.
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.
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.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it's true. I think it also takes a village to uphold a woman. We are not alone in this world, we need to remember that. Women have more power then they give themselves. They have a divine nature that is amazing and wonderful.
I am thankful for all of the women in my life. They are all close to my heart, and I think about all of you often. While we may not always be in close contact I wish my thoughts could be transferred directly to you so you would know how often I think of you. Each one of you have contributed a special part of who I am and where I'm going in my life. Each of you have touched my life in your own special way that you have forever changed me with our relationship. I love you all, I love your fiercely, and I always will. Without you I wouldn't be who I am. I just want you to know whether we talk often, or barely at all. If we have lost touch over the years, I am thankful for you!
Friendship is a very important aspect of society. It is a bond formed between people that can forge storms and delight in triumphs. A friendship is a building block of any relationship. Friendships can go for years, through many of life's events. A true friendship can be a wonderful and special thing.
What are a few problem I personally see with the trend of the friend?
The "Me" issue
Unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder to find friendships that are genuine. Friendship is becoming conditional. A "what can I get out of this?" situation. In a day and age of Me, Me, Me, good true friendships seem to be a thing of the past. So often once you achieve what you need things fall away. We are treating people like they are disposable, something that can come and go. We need to change out attitude towards people from " what can you do for me?" to "what can I do for you?"
Lasting the test of life
I look at my grandparents and they have friends they have had all their adult lives. Sure they have had troubles, but they stick it through, work things out. Really it goes for most of the elder generations relationships, they fixed things and didn't just throw them away. Just because some issue happened, big or small, sometimes a friendship is worth working it out. Sometimes it isn't but work at life don't just expect everything to come up roses.
Lack of unstructured play
This goes for all ages. Everything is scheduled to extremes. Gone are the just dropping by for anything and visiting with people. There is always something to do something more important. There are so few moments in anyone's life that isn't structured down to the moment. Spontaneity is gone from our lives and our play.
Lack of Communication
Never have there been so many ways to communicate. There are options everywhere, call, text, Facebook, IM, Facetime, Skype. But with all these options we are actually communicating less. Sure we text back and forth and leave messages on Facebook, but the person to person talking seems to be becoming a lost art. People today seem so reliant on electronic text forms of communication. Gone are letters, gone are hours of chatting on the phone.
I'm thinking we need to step away from our isolation practices of today and go back to basics. get back to the friend.
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?
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!
In honour of my Thankful Challenge every Thursday in November I am going to post what I have been most thankful for this past week.
I am so thankful for my husband. He takes care of me and our children so well. He is super helpful, responsible and dedicated. He helps me in ways no one else has ever helped me. He has been with me through thick and thin. three pregnancies and their subsequent births. I have not a doubt in my mind that he will always be there for me as a wonderful support system. Together we are a team, together we are stronger.
I am thankful for my maternal grandparents. They are amazing wonderful supportive people who have been there for me and have always loved me. They have NEVER stopped loving me or fighting for me. I will be forever grateful to have them in my life.
