little fishes.

September 25, 2012 by mama lola

bear started swimming lessons last week and it was a huge hit!

i have wanted to get him signed up for a long time, but wanted him to be old enough so that he could be independently in the pool. having a little brother, meant things got a little delayed, as i was never keen on leaving lion in the childminding at the local YMCA. so, this september was it. we signed him up and bear was thrilled. he never expressed any fear or apprehension, instead he has always sounded very proud at the idea of going swimming. to make the lessons more fun, his bestie is going with him.

last week was the first lesson. i was very surprised at bear’s enthusiasm, as we have had such struggles in the past with him participating alone in camps or other activities. his anxiety surrounding separation and transitions is difficult to predict, and as he gets older some things are becoming easier for him.

he goes swimming on a weekday morning, while his peers are at school. it’s a perfect way to fill the morning, without going to school. lion and i get to sit on the benches on the side and watch. we clap and cheer as the boys splash their way though the water.

mrT and bear are the only two kids in the group, so it’s as though their having private lessons. the direct attention from their instructor is priceless, as she swims with them in the pool, directing them into the deep end, catching them as they jump in and giving them all the guidance and confidence they need.

here’s hoping this weeks morning lesson goes as smoothly as last weeks, as these two adorable fishies are so fortunate to have these lessons without any other kids in the group.

we headed north.

September 24, 2012 by mama lola

i’ve been away for a few days in a place that lacks easy access to the internet. we were up north, at the cottage with friends enjoying the fall weather. fall is one of my favourite times of year up there, with the leaves changing colour, the cooler temperatures that mean you have to have the fire going all day and all night. this weekend was pretty wet, but the falling rain that echoed on the steal roof was such beautiful sound, nobody complained about the rain.

the kids loved being outside. we went for a nice hike up to the lookout point, which we discovered was also the perfect place to build a fairy hut. back at the cottage, we put them to work in the damp air. food always tastes so much better outside. so does beer. especially after filling the woodshed with fresh chopped logs. thanks for your hard work everyone!

dear hubby and i have been following the tv show “so you think you can dance”, but because we don’t have cable at home, we have always been a little behind on the competition. on saturday, before dinner we watched the show on dear hubby’s laptop and saw the highly anticipated finale. it was such a thrilling show; we cried and laughed and then as the winners were announced, my screaming and excited clapping took off. i felt such joy and relief when my faves won the competition!!! cheers!

the kids always play so well together. we didn’t bring too many toys up, but the kids found lots to do regardless. they ran around all over the place, read stories, collected countless sticks for all sorts reasons and made some pretty amazing mud!

hope you had a great weekend.

happy monday everyone!

the MAMA’s photoshoot.

September 16, 2012 by mama lola

today, i was so confused by bear and his outrageous, unexpected anxiety.

it was our 5th annual baby group photoshoot. this is the group that came together when i was first time mum, trying desperately to figure out this whole mothering thing. the first year, the first generation of kids (bear’s age) were all about 6-8 months (except for one 6 week old) and now, the first gen’s are all over 4 years old! there are now the second generation kids, who are all about lion’s age and some MAMA’s have even had or are baking their third!!!

it’s such a fun time, but it does get quite chaotic. luckily, the photographers are mama’s too and really great with the kids. they work as a team, separating the group until it’s time for the dreaded group pic. oh boy, this year, well, bear wasn’t in the pics again and lion stood there crying. some of the other kids sat there so nicely, smiling with their sibling next to them. but not my kids. no, no…

check out the kid wearing the red pants… oh, lion…

bears tears started long before we even left the house. then as we pulled into the parking lot the screaming started, and luckily dear hubby just stayed with him there. it confuses me that bear’s behaviour was so extreme, for something so simple. a photoshoot with friends. with his parents there. and his brother.

[ bear is auditioning for the beastie boys; he’s got the moves.]

i will post some of the goodies from the real deal photographers. all of these pics were taken with a phone.

family party!

September 3, 2012 by mama lola

yesterday we had a family party, with friends. there were fancy summer drinks made by papa-A and some tasty soda similar to this DRY Botanical Bubbly, the summer breeze, we ordered pizza from the local place down the street, the kids ran through this awesome sprinkler ball thing, and the laughs just kept on coming.

it was such a great evening and a perfect way to round out the last nights of summer. the big kids are starting school soon and it really is the beginning of something new, not just a new season with the leaves changing colour, but a new stage in all of our lives. a new stage in mothering, in growing up, and in finding new routines as a family.

so for now, i am soaking it all up, enjoying these last few days of freedom to their fullest with my big bear, my lion, my family and my friends.

we’re off to a school party this afternoon. a neighbourhood mama is hosting a party for some of the JK kids and their families to meet before school officially starts. i am excited to expand my community and my village.

how are you spending your long-weekend?

greenbelt harvest picnic.

September 2, 2012 by mama lola

what a day we had yesterday at the music festival.
we arrived in the heat of the day, with sweat dripping as we made our way from the parking, through security and finally to our friends. once we got settled dear hubby went and got us a few necessary beers to cool our faces and nerves.
all of the kids got into some fast chasing game, and then they convinced a couple of the dads to throw them up in the air! what fun!

the music was amazing! gord downie from the hip sung with the sadies and he was great. i didn’t really get to watch him, but i did listen closely, as we were trying to have some smashed potatoes, tomato salad and sweet potato burrito for dinner. but the highlight for the day was mix master mike, for sure. dear hubby and i danced as though we were twenty again! some of the kids joined in and busted a move too, and some parents too, it was such fun.

too many pics to individually post…

listening to to the mix master mike’s samples confirmed for me that i will never see the beastie boys in concert again. adam yauch’s recent passing really hit home and i got sad. but, i kept dancing, even though i felt tired and old! he was awesome! then we headed to the pond for a quick dip to cool down. after that the kids sat in the chariot, ate pretzels, while we walked around checking out some vendors.
the kids ran around with glow sticks, as emmy lou harris sang beautifully. it was such a lovely evening! i strolled over and watched the incredible artistry on the silks.

hamilton aerial group- HAG

before the final act, feist, came on we said bye to our friends and cozied up the kids back into the chariot and walked. they feel asleep quickly, as the temperature dropped and the dew settled on the grass. i was feeling cold and tired, so dear hubby got us some fancy grilled cheeses, which were incredible! we only heard feist play two songs, and then we decided it was time for us to head home. i was cold, i had a headache, and we were so, so tired.

our day was so great, and our lovely friends are all talking about doing it all over again next year and i can’t wait!

(if anyone is interested, CBC radio did a complete recording of the festival. if i find a link i will post it)

i am fortunate.

August 31, 2012 by mama lola

i am feeling rather happy in this moment right now.
i often whine and complain, and bitch and vent about the kids and life on here, but today i want to do the complete opposite. i want to send out some love and gratitude to my village.

when bear was a baby, dear hubby was a full-time student and i was new mama, and we were broke. so broke, that it kinda surprises me that we even survived! my in-laws gave us a house to live in, and we managed to get some geico homeowners insurance for it, but it was not in our own city, so we moved half-an hour away. the house was big and happened to be the house dear hubby grew up in, but it was converted into a rental property for students. I can understand why people decide to invest in rental properties as people are always in need of them, especially students. I think if I was to invest in a property, I would make sure that it was a turnkey real estate as that means all you’d have to do is “turn the key” to your property as it will be ready for your residents to move into. How easy? Anyway, we lived (without the students) there for almost two years. and although i am forever grateful to my in-laws for letting us live there so cheaply, i was very unhappy there. i had no community of my own there. i left my MAMA friends and that village of support behind, in order to survive financially. sure, i drove in sometimes to see people, but that was tricky and time consuming.

this is where my g-town lovin’ started!

[ this is my baby group. we would take over a cafe on thursday mornings for much needed coffee and support! look at all the strollers! oh my! so much has changed since this picture was taken. families have moved away, siblings added, various health struggles have come to light, more tattoos have been inked, hair colours changed and some of us have formed tighter friendships within the larger group. but a group we are, and we still hold a bit of a reputation in town, which i discovered last night! lucky ladies! ]

when we bought our house (after a friend had so much luck getting theirs through UpNest) and moved back to our beloved city, i worked hard to re-create and expand my village and community here. now, i have lots of mama friends who expand beyond the baby group. mama’s i’ve scooped up into my network via activities the kids have been involved in.with kids at similar ages of development, who i can turn to for support in times of need. my kids have friends to play with and we have lots of other families to do various fun things with. as a SAHM i find the adult interaction vital to my sanity, and having different people to visit and see is such an important part of our lives.
we are so fortunate to have a village to help raise our boys.
we are so fortunate to be involved in a wonderful community.
especially since bear is starting school in a few weeks, and the transition is going to be tough for this mama!

i want to send a sincere and heartfelt hug to you all.

source

that being said, i do want to also send a shout out to my out-of-town supports as well. you are just as important and necessary to us.
we have enough love for everyone.

sunday, and a weekend update.

August 27, 2012 by mama lola

on saturday dear hubby and i went on a spontaneous trip to the art gallery in the big city. my folks watched the kids, while we toured the gallery admiring the works of pablo picasso. man, that guy really was a genius! it was so enjoyable to see the art, even though we were joined by hundred of other art lovers who were all squeezing in some saturday morning art on the second last day of the exhibit! because, the boys weren’t with us we were able to go at a slow pace and take our time. we even held hands and that never happens with the kids around!

then we walked down to the hustle and bustle of queen street west, where we checked out some shops, ate veggie dogs for lunch and then hopped on the street car. dear hubby fell asleep along the ride, but i enjoyed the people watching and felt a twinge in my heart; in these quiet moments i miss toronto. so much. i spent a huge chunk of time there, growing up really, trying to figure out who i was. watching the city and it’s people i truly felt like an outsider looking in, as someone who had once belonged, but didn’t anymore.
i belong somewhere else. so it’s ok.

but, it was confirmed for me as well on this streetcar ride, that i am not ready to move back to the big city. there is always talk of it. but, at this time i am satisfied living an hour outside the noise and busyness, in our small city among the community we are a part of. honestly though, i do see us moving back, possibly when the kids are older and can ride the subway alone.
(sorry sunshine).

this morning we visited dear hubby’s sister and her mister, and their sweetest little gal. we swam in the pool, chatted and had a really nice time. the kids played and took turns holding their six month old cousin, who didn’t seem to mind the game of musical laps until her papa walked in the room! missyM was so intrigued by her busy cousins, and the three of them together is so cute! even though we haven’t seen as much of them as we would have liked (summer got super busy), it is nice to know they are so close. especially since in a few months they are packing up and moving to south aftrica for at least a year! this fall we are going to take advantage of their close proximity while we can and visit lots!

these three pictures crack me up! oh, kids!

and to end the day, tonight, dear hubby made pizza for dinner. yum.
the kids are upin bed. bear told me countless times what a wonderful time he had with his grandparents one day and his wee cousin the other. lion, well, he’s just been grumpy this evening as the two year molars that are coming through are really hurting.

great weekend.
saw lots of people we love. saw some incredible art.

it’s an honour just to be nominated!

August 24, 2012 by mama lola

i had some exciting news waiting for in my inbox the other day. this little thing that we call the internet, that has enabled me to blog away here at bear & lion, has opened up a whole new world of cyber-connections and cyber-friendships. boy-o-boy am i proud and excited to announce that i have been nominated for my first blogging award, all thanks to always generous and kind, dilovely. she’s become one those a fore mentioned cyber-friends, whose blog is always so interesting to read; she writes about movies, her family, kids, politics, being a teacher… it’s all there!

so, here’s how this whole thing works, the rules to follow are…

Display the Nomination logo on your blog
Link back to the person who nominated you
State 7 things about yourself
Nominate 15 others and link to them
Notify those bloggers of the nominations & award requirement

so, let’s see, logo posted (check), linked back to the person who nominated me (check) i am now on rule #3; i will list 7 things about myself.

i love to make lists. i make to-do lists, vacation packing lists, grocery lists, lists for dear hubby… i make lists for most occasions as it helps keep me on track.
i am a mover and a shaker. after living in one location for a year or so, i start to feel antsy and want to move somewhere new. it all started with a childhood filled with moves within a community, but also several international moves. and as an adult, i have kept up that trend of moving, moving moving from city to city and country to country!
i have pea sized extra bones in my feet, just above my arches. when i was growing and dancing as a kid they caused a lot pain and there was discussion of removing them surgically, but that never happened, so they’re still there. luckily they have not been an issue in a long time.
growing up i always knew i wanted to be a mother to boys and here i am today! what the odds of ones dream coming true! not sure if we should mess with the dream and try for third…
i am vegetarian and have been for years. it is purely for ethical reasons and sometimes i still crave red meat, even after ten years! what i wouldn’t do for some good, salty salami!
i am always looking for a deal, which goes hand-in-hand with my habit always looking for gifts for people. my eyes are always peeled for christmas gifts, birthday gifts, various upcoming events, and so i buy things when i see them, even if it’s 6 months in advance!
i have an enormous sweet tooth. i love chocolate, ice cream, baked goods and if they’re all in one bowl, all the better! i have passed this onto my youngest, my wee lion!

and, here are my list of nominations… you will notice a quick trend with the blogs that i read.

whatever: i have been reading meg’s blog for a couple of years now. she’s a crafting queen in kansas, with five kids! reading her blog is always very positive; she uses beautiful colours and photograph’s to share her stories and projects.
corner blog: i discovered tiffany’s blog about 6 months ago and have been faithfully reading it since. she is a mama from san-francisco, a part-time burlesque dancer, mother of two, and crafty lady with various projects on the go. her pictures are lovely and her “out of the box” ideas are fun to try at home… i have!
zach aboard: is another family blog, but this time it’s about a family of four living full-time on a sailing boat! how fantastic! cindy is a homeschooling, homesteading kinda mama of two, but because they live aboard, some of their daily routines are so different from ours, the land dwellers, so her entries are so interesting to read. cindy also takes beautiful photo’s capturing their aboard the catamaran they call home so perfectly.
bebe suisse: i stumbled upon this blog a few months ago via the NaBloPoMo’s we both participated in at BlogHer. elizabeth shares her struggles with infertility through her writing; her honesty is humbling and inspiring. her sense of humour is silly at times, as she explores some of the most mundane or adventurous aspects of her life, while living it up in switzerland.
lone home ranger: another mama blog about a mommy trying to do it all. justine is a self-proclaimed foodie and shares all sorts of yummy recipes on her blog. she also shares ways to eat locally, seasonally and how live more simply.
maine momma: i have been a fan of kristin’s blog for a while. her entries tend to be short, but they are beautifully written and always inspiring. kristin is a photographer and her pictures are real joy to look at, and also kinda intimidating. her eye is incredible.
my so called life and other lies: this blog comes straight from the UK, written by a mama who is trying to homeschool and homestead, among other things. debbie captures her life with beautiful photographs and blog posts describing recent family events and numerous sewing projects. this mama is a whiz with her needle and thread!
attack of the redneck mommy: this is an awesome canadian blog, written by tanis. she writes about the day to day stuff, but her story really pulls on the heartstrings. her sweet “bug”, her son, passed away and the pain that she struggles with in her life is very real. tanis is very funny and honest about her life, her pain, her kids and herself– no holds barred!
helmen talo: here is delightful finnish mama blog i follow. it’s about a family living in a small apartment in helsinki, finland. the pictures are lovely and depict finnish family life quite accurately, in my opinion.
loulou downtown: i want to quickly mention this IS NOT A MAMA BLOG. lou lou’s blog is like a diary capturing her life in toronto through written word and photography. i love looking at her photo’s and trying to guess where she’s been! her blog also makes me a little nostalgic for the city i used to call home.

ok, i am feeling a bit sad that i can’t come up with 15 blogs, but honestly, i don’t have the time to read and follow that many interesting lives. the blogs i do read, i do so faithfully and with loyalty.

that being said, i am thrilled to have been nominated and i hope you take the time to check out some of the blogs i listed above. i love to read about other people and how they live, or parent or whatever.

a summer wedding.

August 19, 2012 by mama lola

our dear bubba and patty got married this weekend. it was one of the most beautiful weddings i have attended. the ceremony was held in a gorgeous church, steps away from the reception venue. the reception itself was beautiful, with flowers and candles, everything down to the last detail was perfect, they even had the most gorgeous linen for table cloths. The mood was so happy and it seemed as though nothing went wrong. as one of the co-MC’s, i knew from the start that things started a bit behind schedule, but hey, isn’t that kind of expected? whose ever been to a wedding that’s right on time?

here are some photo’s from a wedding weekend.
the wedding rehearsal on friday evening went great. the kids raced down the aisle when it was their turn to practice their walk, but at least they didn’t cry or scream!

bubba came to our house to get dressed with the kids. he brought with him a photographer that he found when he searched for wedding photography Virginia Beach companies that would later be the photographers for the whole day and actual wedding. considering the photographer unexpectedly came to my house, it made me feel very insecure about all the mess. oh well, so it goes. in the picture below, you can see bubba all dressed walking in the background. he looked so good!

our boys were the ring bearer’s and took the responsibility seriously. at the ceremony dear hubby walked down the aisle with them, but as we sat in the pews they were exceptionally quiet. this meant, dear hubby and i sat at the front able to witness the beautiful couple exchange vows. the ceremony was followed by communion, and that’s when we snuck out of the church to go have a bit of a picnic on the lawn.

unfortunately, i took no pictures of our family. no pictures of the bride and groom, my SIL and her family or my in-laws. there are no pictures of m co-MC and i. this is what happens when the family photographer is busy with other responsibilities! i’m hoping to collect some photo’s from other people and compile memories that way! They looked for a while to find the right photographer for their wedding, as they wanted their photos to look amazing with their own unique style, luckily they found someone who could deliver that. If you are stuck with finding a photographer, doing a quick google search can help you, an example of this, is typing in ‘wedding photographer Charlottesville‘ if you needed to find one in that general area, don’t despair you will find one!

it’s so fun to get dressed up sometimes, especially since it happens so rarely. the kids were such superstars and lasted late into the night. by 11:15pm, both kids were passed out so we hopped into a cab and came home. they slept through the night and even slept in a bit this morning, which was a first for the kids. with an early bedtime for all tonight, i think we’ll be as good as new to start our week tomorrow.

i will sign off this evening with my toast to the newly weds that got me all choked up last night:

“ i would like to make a toast. i feel honoured to be standing here in front all of you; the people dearest to patricia and blake. let us raise our glasses in celebration of this wonderful occasion… trish and blake i think i speak for everyone here when i say we wish you the very best in love, in life, together as husband and wife. to trish and blake…

time won’t give you time.

July 25, 2012 by mama lola

i am feeling a time crunch.
from a lot of sources.

we leave for our much anticipated family vacation in a handful of days and there are still things that need to happen before hand. things like, booking a possiblecamp site on cape breton in nova scotia, getting the car lightly cleaned on the inside, deciding if we need camping chairs, cancelling our mail delivery for the time we are gone, cancelling the newspaper delivery, laundry and so on and so on. aaahhhh!!!

when we return from our trip, we have a handful of days to prepare for the much anticipated wedding of bubba and patty. i am co-MC and hopefully my partner and i can get some ideas going before our trip. i also have some sewing to do; i am making bowties for the boys, but i am waiting for the fabric which i was supposed to get at the beginning of july and still have not received it. yikes! luckily bowties don’t take long. i also have to make a pillow for the boys to carry down the aisle at the ceremony as they are the ring bearer’s.

i also have some blogging i would like to get done before we leave. bear has been attending a summer camp and well, the drop off’s have been really difficult.

*******
we had a fantastic cottage weekend with our dear friends. there were nine of us, and all the meal planning and event planning us mama’s did before hand worked out so well. everyone was happy and fed (for the most part) and we had an awesome time.

we visited a small amusement park called santa’s village where the kids were given silly elf hats upon entry.

we played hard, riding all sorts of fun rides, had lunch and then basically left. bear started to head down melt down road, so we decided to boot it back to the cottage for some relaxation, swimming and a beautiful, colourful dinner.

the kids, all the kids were really into the water this summer. well, not lion really as he had a bit of a teething fever and was a bit dopey. but the three oldest kids were really working on their swimming. wearing life jackets or hanging around dad’s neck really boosted the kids’ confidence.

the cottage is such a wonderful place and we love going there with friends. not sure when we will get up there again. hopefully in september.

*******
time to go make some games for the kids for the road trip. making some exciting magnet boards, felt boards and other fun stuff. i will post about those tomorrow!