Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY - June 29th ...

Outside my window... It is warm and sunny. My wash is hanging out on the line, and the birds are singing. I'm enjoying the beautiful weather now because the rain is moving in and will be staying for several days.

I am thinking... that I don't want to spend a lot of time on my computer today.

I am thankful for... a lot of things today. Mostly, I am thankful for a great weekend spent in my happy place with my guys.

From the scrapbook room... I haven't been in there to play in a couple of weeks. Today I'm going to spend the afternoon in there.

From the kitchen... hey, my kitchen is clean! Yay! Tonight I am trying a new recipe ... oriental beef skewers. Sounds yummy doesn't it?

I am wearing... jeans and a tee shirt. I should really have shorts on because it's getting very warm.

I am creating... my menu for the week and a shopping list.

I am going... to have to go to the grocery store to pick up stuff for supper tonight.

I am reading... I just finished reading The Lost Boy, by David Pelzer

I am hoping... That it's not raining on Canada Day

I am hearing... the birds singing in the backyard.

Around the house... it's quiet because two teenagers are still asleep. Oh how I wish I could sleep in like them sometimes.

One of my favorite things... waking up in the trailer and being the first one up.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

-hopefully go up to the trailer tomorrow afternoon and spend Canada Day there

-take Matt to Seneca College for his four day transition programme

-attend a couple of parent seminars at the transition programme

Here is picture thought I am sharing.. I forgot to share this layout here. I did this one after our girls' weekend in Syracuse, New York.

To participate in this meme go here: Simple Woman's Daybook

Have you tried this?

You gotta try this stuff. My girl, Joy, got me addicted to it. Thanks Joy! Really! Run, don't walk, to Bed Bath and Beyond and pick up a few bags (because one just won't be enough!) It's a perfect mix of salty and sweet. YUMMY!

It's official!

I am the mother of a high school graduate!

Matt's grad was last night. I'm not a sentimental kind of person, and I don't get emotional very often, but as the grads were entering the gym to Pomp and Circumstance I found myself a little wet around the eyes. I had so many mixed emotions. I was both looking back over all the years that it took to get to that moment, and excited as I look ahead. He's at the threshold of a whole new exciting world.

As I watched him last night I was so proud. He's had to overcome so much in the last 19 years and for the first time in his life I breathed a sigh of relief. He's going to be just fine. (I know that the all the mothers of special needs kids will totally understand what I am saying.) He will still have stuggles (and lots of anxiety) but he's going to be successful. Call it mother's intuition, I don't know, but I just know that he's going to be just fine.

I'm so proud of him and who he is. I'm so excited for where he's going and what lies ahead of him.

As John said last night, Phase one is complete.

Life at the moment

What a busy few weeks this has been. Wow. School is almost over and I'm looking forward to a more relaxed pace of life. I haven't been blogging as much lately as I just haven't been able to find a few moments. So, since I have a moment now, but not much energy, here is another random list of things on my mind right now:

-Matt's High School career is now over. His exams are done. All that's left to do is to walk across the stage, shake a few hands, grab his diploma, and smile for the camera.

-I think I will walk with him and share in the collection of that diploma since it seems I have worked just as hard to get him there, LOL!

-grad is on Thursday night, I wonder if I will be emotional

-Matt turned 19 on Sunday!!! 19!!!! We went out on Saturday night for dinner and surprised him with an ipod touch (combined birthday and graduation gift). It was so funny. We hid it under his serviette when he had left the table. When he returned he grabbed the serviette and just sat staring at it. Then he gave me the biggest hug. I love that kid!

-we heard from Seneca college and Matt has been accepted into the summer transition programme. That's great news! I know it will be really great for him and help him transition into college life.

-college life! Did I just say that? I'm going to have a kid in college!

-we have some family visiting with us for a few days. They came on Sunday and we spent a wonderful Father's Day with them, relaxing and visiting. It's been wonderful to spend time with them

-the summer weather has finally arrived! I'm so happy.

-with the arrival of the nicer weather, I've been line drying our clothes. We used to do this all the time when we lived in Barbados. I love line-dried clothes.

-Spencer is done with his braces now. Can you believe it? He only started in January. He had the invisalign orthodontics (clear liners that he removed for eating only). They are much faster than traditional braces. Wow! 6 months compared to 18 months he would have had the traditional ones on for. Now he's sporting a brand new smile.

-I'm looking forward to heading up to the trailer for the weekend. We'll go up Friday morning. The boys don't know it yet, but there is a deck staining party in their future. (if it doesn't rain)

-I haven't been doing much in the scrapping department, other than doing some shopping. Maybe next week.

-I think I'm addicted to Home Sense!

Thursday Thirteen

Since Father's Day in on Sunday, this TT is all about my Dad.

13 Things about my Dad

1. My Dad is a very spiritual man. He has a very strong faith and lives that faith every moment of his life. He has been a big inspiration to me.

2. He is a man of great integrety.

3. My Dad has always been very hard working. He worked really hard and worked his way up in his job and earned a lot of respect from everyone around him.

4. Outside of work he did a lot at the Church and on various committees.

5. He is a great leader.

6. My Dad loves his family. He enjoys being around family and takes great pride in his children and grandchildren.

7. For my Dad, music and Banding was always a big part of his life. He enjoyed it and passed that love onto his children. As a result of his love for music, all his children, and all his grandchildren are musical and can play an instument.

8. For many years Dad was a Bandmaster. He lead the Salvation Army Band, and well as the Junior Band, teaching children how to play.

9. After having five of his own children, My Dad (and my mom of course) opened their home to many, many foster children. For years there were babies and toddlers coming and going. Of those many children, two became permanent members of our family.

10.My Dad sacrificed so much to raise those 7 children ... and did so without complaining.

11. My Dad is a sensitive man who was never afraid to show emotion.

12. My Dad is wise. Growing up, no matter what difficulties came into my life, he always seemed to know the answer, or at least how best to handle it. Of course, I didn't always listen, but now as an adult, I really appreciate his wisdom.

13. My Dad has been one of the most influencial people on my life. I thank God that I was so blessed to have him as my Dad.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

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Ten On Tuesday

10 Things I would take on a deserted Island:

1. A tent - a big tent.
2. Tools such as an axe, a knife, etc.
3. water
4. lighter
5. sleeping bag
6. bug spray
7. flashlight
8. My Camera
9. John
10. clothes

Do you want to play along? go HERE

My Day at Canada's Wonderland

On Friday I went to Canda's Wonderland with Cameron's school band. They went there to participate in a music festival where they played in front of an adjudicator, got some feed back, and then got to spend the rest of the day riding the rides. Sweet deal!

I volunteered to go, telling Cameron to tell his teacher that if there were a lot of other parents wanting to go, then I would be happy to step aside (as I've been able to go on a few of the band trips.) I figured I was pretty safe, as last year, they had enough other parents, that I didn't need to go.

I got an email from the teacher the night before saying that yes, he needed me to go because he had no other parents volunteer. Wow! Really?

So, we were up early on Friday, and after a quick trip through the drive-thru at Tim's, arrived at school by 7:30. Cameron and I had already had several conversations about he not wanting me to tag along with him and his friends, and me, threatening to follow him around all day with my camera.

We arrived, they played. (they sounded really good!)



As soon as they finished, changed, put their instruments back on the bus, and got some last minute instructions from the teacher, they all took off running ... Cameron at the front of the pack! Sheesh! He ditched me!

After chatting with Mr. M. for a while, he went off to listen to some of the other schools play and I went off to see if I couldn hunt the boy down. (I really wouldn't have cared, except he had no money for lunch ... ok, and I just wanted to get a couple of pictures.)

I knew it was a safe bet to check around the closest roller coaster.

Ha! I was right! (doesn't he look so happy that I found them and made them pose for a picture? LOL! ...actually, his friend was the one who asked me to take a picture of them on his camera so I grabbed the opportunity)



After giving over some money, I spent the rest of the day walking around, taking some pictures of nothing, really. I ran into the boys a few times. They said they would eat lunch with me, but I knew that Cameron would really rather not.

At one point, I was walking past a garbage can, and look what I saw! Out in the broad daylight! With lots of people around. He was having a really good lunch!

At the end of the day I managed to get Cameron to pose for a couple of pictures.

He had such a good day. I was bored to tears, and spent a lot of time texting John and Milena and whining to them about how bored I was.

...still, I'm glad I went ... and I know that Cameron was too, even if he wanted no part of me while we were there.

So? How did I do?

Yesterday I was unplugged for the whole day. I chose a good day because I was and Wonderland for most of the day with Cameron and his school band.

First thing in the morning I had forgotten, and I turned on the weather network (as is my usual routine) and that played in the background as I got ready for the day. Oops.

While I was at Wonderland, I texted with Milena and John all day long. Milena reminded me early on that I was supposed to be unplugged, but as I was alone much of the day (more on that later) I allowed myself that one luxury to maintain my sanity (or what little of it I have left, LOL) Anyway, texting with Milena was far more entertaining that Wonderland. Thanks, Milena. I owe you another one. (I hope you're keeping tabs). Ooops

I took along my itouch, but I didn't turn it on. Score one for me.

When I got home at 7:30 I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was crash on the couch in front of the TV. I fought the urge and went outside to putter in the garden for a while. Score again.

When John got home from baseball, he and I went out for a very long walk around the neighbourhood and then sat outside in the backyard chatting for a while.

So, I did OK in the unplugging department, not great, but OK. In the future, the phone won't be on the list of things to unplug. My reasoning is that I don't talk a lot on the phone, but I still need to be able to communicate with people, so that doesn't count.

In the "connecting with people" department, I did OK too. I connected with Milena ... a lot ... all day. I connected a little with Cameron, but he really just wanted to be with his friends, which I totally understood. (more on that later). The best part was the two hours of chatting with John, without interuption.

Today I am unplugged.

10 on Tuesday

OK, I'm trying to mix it up a little.

Here's a fun meme I just found called 10 on Tuesday. They give you a topic and you do a list of 10.

10 Favourite things to do with "me" time:

1. I know this will shock you all, but the top of my list is scrapbooking. I know, I know. Who knew? Well, it's true. I love to scrapbook.
2. Go for lunch with a friend.
3. Watch TV.
4. Surf the internet ... especially blogs
5. flip through scrapbook magazines ... because this is different than actual scrapbooking
6. read. I have discovered reading in the last year ... but they have to be certain books. I don't really enjoy fiction. Weird, I know.
7. enjoy a hot cup of tea ... and the beauty of this one is that it can be combined with everything on my list.
8. organize things
9. putter out in the garden (when I can just putter and not have to do heavy work)
10. browse home decorating stores

Where do I find one of these?

We are in desperate need of one of these right now!
Matt has been managing his anxiety fairly well over the last year, but over the last few weeks it has sky-rocketted ... especially the past several days.

Anyone know where I could find one of these ... or maybe one for every room of the house?

A Free Day

Yesterday we ended up with a free day. Don't ya love it when that happens? We had a pool party that we were supposed to go to in the afternoon but it had to be cancelled.

So, we decided to spend the day at the African Lion Safari. The weather was perfect for it. It was sunny, but too hot so the animals were fairly active. Our favourite parts of the Lion Safari is always the Lions and the Baboons. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time there watching them.

On our second time through we saw this lion cub. Isn't he gorgeous? He was very entertaining to watch as he tried to get all the other lions to play with him.

Check out these pictures. I was trying to get a picture of me with each of the boys. Can you see a common theme? Are they brothers or what?

Even in a group picture one of them has to make a face!

Sheesh! Boys! What's a mother to do??

Yesterday was a sad day for 18 kids. It was the final performance for the Halton Junior Jazz band for this year. They did a full day of school tours, travelling to 4 different schools. They played really well, and it was obvious that they were really enjoying themselves.

At the end of the day, they had a pool party at the home of one of the students. Before leaving the party, they all got out their instruments for a jam session in the driveway for all the parents and neighbours. So much fun!

Cameron was so exhausted by the end of it all. It's been a busy week for him, spending three days away with his school at Camp Couchiching, and then the day yesterday playing.

Good memories!

Thirteen memories from my childhood

Thirteen toys that I remember from my childhood in the '60s.

What little girl didn't want one of these?

This was may favourite doll (no, this isn't the actual doll). My sister had Chatty Cathy and I had Chatty Baby. I played with her for many hours!


Betsy Wetsy. Remember her? I'm pretty sure one of my sisters had her.

Barrel of Monkeys. What fun!

I dreamed of getting this. I wanted it so badly. Sadly, it just wasn't meant to be so I had to envy all my friends who had one.

Another one of my favourite dolls. Baby Thumbelina. You pulled her string and she wiggled around.

Hours of creative fun with this toy!

I remember playing this many times at a friends house. It was so cool. I never won.

The Partridge Family. (sigh)

Remember this? I can't remember what it was actually called but it played records and played something on the screen.

Still a favourite today! My boys all got one in their stockings this year. Can you sing the commercial?

I only played this once ot twice because we never had it. John tells me it was his favourite growing up.

I loved my Spirograph. It was so cool and so much fun!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

A couple of Blog challenges

My brother, David issued a couple of blog challenges over on his blog.

The first one is rather simple. It is to set a goal of the number of posts you'd like to acheive over the course of the year. I don't know how many I've done so far this year, but I do know that this post will make 431 posts since I started my blog. (hmmmmm ... that doesn't seem that much considering I've been blogging since June of 2005.) So, my goal is that by the end of the year I would like to pass the 500 mark. I guess I'd better get chatting!

The second challenge isn't so easy for me.

"In looking back over the past year, note in a blog by 14 June what food you have
and would eat again that a) in your youth you would never have thought of
tasting, and/or b) that the family at large would not consider having on the
table at a family function/reunion, but you would gladly eat it if it was on the
table.

I'm not an adventerous eater at all. I don't like trying new foods. I was a very picky eater as a child. There are a few things that I eat now that I would never have eaten as a child, but there's nothing out of the ordinary. I'm a little more adventerous now, but not by much. Pretty boring, I know.

I saw this video on Joyce's/ blog. It really made me laugh. It is so much like Spencer! I know a lot of you know Spencer and so will understand what I mean. For those who don't, Spencer has always been a "stong, silent" type, very introspective and doesn't talk a lot. Now that he's a teenager, those one-word answers come in a mono-tone. Hahahahahaha! Too funny!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (June 1st)...

Outside my window... the skies are overcast and the temperature is chilly. Where is the warmer weather we're supposed to be getting this time of the year?

I am thinking... that it's going to be awfully strange this week. Cameron is off to Camp Couchiching with the grade 7s at school. I think I may need to clean the house and then be able to sit back and know that it will stay like that for a few days without my little make-work project running around.

I am thankful for... my little make-work project. He's just like Pig Pen from the Peanuts comics, but he's such a loving and fun child. It will be pretty quiet for a few days. I'm going to miss him terribly.

From the scrap room... with the extra time I should have on my hands for the next few days (the time that would normally be spent cleaning up Cameron messes, or monitoring Cameron experiments) I might get some scrapping done.

From the kitchen... it think we'll have fajitas tonight. Shhhhh! Don't tell Cameron.

I am wearing... not shorts and a tee shirt, that's for sure. Brrrrrr!

I am creating... a blog post.

I am going... to miss Cameron. Did I mention that already?

I am reading... nothing ... except a couple of new scrapbook magazines.

I am hearing... sweet silence!

Around the house... things are looking good. I got the gardening all done and then end result looks great. Now I get to sit back and enjoy it for the rest of the summer.

One of my favorite things... enjoying a cup of tea after the boys have left for school and the house is quiet after a hectic morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week: after a busy week last week, this one should be much quieter. Nothing too exciting on the agenda. Friday is the final school tours for the Halton Junior Jazz Band so I think I will tag along to at least a couple of schools to watch their final performances. I had hoped to get to the trailer Friday night, but I don't know if that is going to happen.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...