sickness.

November 25, 2013 by mama lola

sickness has entered our home. it is stubborn, unrelenting and refusing to leave.

last monday night bear developed a fever. it kept creeping upwards, it hit +39.4c and plateaued. my 5yo was lethargic and listless, without any other typical sick symptoms’ no runny nose, no belly ache, no cough, no nothing. just a fever. then finally the fever started to creep back down, and bear began eating more and playing again. he missed so much school last week. luckily he is only in SK so it’s not as though he will fall behind.

today to my dismay, a cough and drippy nose has bravely presented itself in bear’s head. he is coughing chronically, consistently and it is driving us all bit mad. his eyes look red from the tired that sickness brings. his behaviour is just plain obnoxious, as he is trying to keep up with the day playing and interacting with his family. all his body wants to do is rest.

a morning bath, while his little brother was at preschool.

as his mama, it’s hard to find that balance with rest and play, especially because so much of last week was spent vegging, watching tv and sleeping. we had a busy weekend planned, but had to pull back and stay closer to home. i wanted bear as recharged for school, as possible. i did send him to school today, because he and i need space. plus, i think he was healthy enough.

(knock on wood!)

my lion has been stuck at home, by default. luckily, he has been happy to play and lounge in his pj’s!

the rest of us see fine and not showing any signs of illness, but i’m not holding my breath. i am sure with time, we too will get knocked down. sickness will kick our butts sooner rather than later.

such is life.

this moment.

November 22, 2013 by mama lola

as inspired by souleMama; one photo from our week, no words, only an image to sum up our time as a family. one that captures a moment in time and is a visual reminder of where we were at this time in our lives.

(i’m cheating a little and adding two pictures!)

please leave link to your this moment from this week.

fancy festive bow ties!

November 19, 2013 by mama lola

my boys have their own sense of style and love to look fancy.

they love to look handsome for birthday parties, weddings and christmas festivities are no different. so, this season i am again sewing new bow ties for my wee trend setters, which they will discover one december morning in their advent calender! see previous tutorial HERE.

this is such a quick n’ easy sewing project.

SUPPLIES:

* festive fabric of your choice

* scissors

* thread, needle

* iron

* elastic

INSTRUCTIONS:

* cut two rectangles, one bigger than the other.

* fold fabric in half with the patterns sides facing each other, sew around the edges, leaving an unstiched opening at the end.

* sew all the way around your rectangle, except for a small opening at the end. you need this opening to get your fabric right side out.

* cut the corners and then turn the rectangles right side out. mine look wrinkly, because it’s a tight squeeze through the small opening! a quick iron will that!

* sew up the openings by hand.

* this time i used a small scrap piece to cinch up the two rectangles to create the bow tie shape. before, i’ve sewn specific pieces for the centre for cinching. you can find those instructions HERE.

* cut and measure elastic band. loop through the back of the bow tie and then sew the wends together.

here are some examples of other bow ties i have sewn for the boys. the top one is from bear’s 4th birthday. instead of making loot bags all the guests received a bow tie! the one on the middles is another x-mas bow tie and the purple one at the bottom is from a wedding the kids were in. now, my kids wear bow ties all the time; school pictures, just because or for looking fancy!

and don’t forget, bow ties are not just for boys!

christmas bucket list!

November 18, 2013 by mama lola

christmas is a very fun n’ busy time of year. the boys, especially bear, keeps asking when december will get here, because that is when we start our holiday festivities at our house.

we hang up the large advent calender i made a couple of years ago, DH battles with the lights outside and gets them up on our front porch, and within the first week of december we get our christmas tree purchased and decorated.

to make sure we get everything done this season, i made this bucket list. i couldn’t fit everything on there that happens, as christmas is a very busy season!

what’s on your christmas bucket list this year? anything new?

what are your x-mas traditions?

preschool is fun or is it?!

November 11, 2013 by mama lola

my lion began preschool in september. he goes for three hours, twice a week. he started the year with great enthusiasm, excitement and joy, but that honeymoon period seems have come to an abrupt end.
i kinda thought it might.

lion is still eager to go, but it’s what i hear from his teachers that has me a tiny bit worried. apparently, he doesn’t talk very much and is very quiet, even with his peers. which, for a 3 year old isn’t unusual, but lion is a pretty chatty guy with the people he interacts with regularly. also, he is apparently sitting back a lot from activities, choosing to watch rather than participate. again, not really a big deal considering his age, but he says he feels sad and that’s why he’s not participating.
that kinda breaks my heart.

and, the fact that the teachers are bringing it up, worries me.
i’ve tried chatting casually with lion about preschool. i have tried asking specific questions, but it is impossible to get any clear answers from him. he contradicts himself in a sincere way that only a small child can.

a couple of weeks ago dear hubby and i spent a small portion of the morning at the preschool playing with the kids and chatting with the teachers. lion was happy to have us, as he showed us all sorts of wonderful toys he gets to play with.

as his mama, i want to do what’s best for him, without pushing him too much. finding that balance, knowing when to push and when not to, is such a tricky dance i seem to be doing all the time with the kids. as a mama, i want my kids to feel challenged, but supported. it’s ok for them to feel apprehensive about new situations and people, i just don’t want them to feel debilitated by those feelings of fear or anxiety causing them to choose not to participate in activities.

to help him feel more grounded, dear hubby has been sleeping on the bottom bunk with him for a couple of weeks. sometimes i think the kids need indirect support, care and love, which co-sleeping allows us to do. i remember going through phases in my childhood, where i would curl into my parents bed.

sometimes these things are phases, and sometimes these things are personality traits. either way, i just hope my lion feels supported at home.
i have such love and pride for him.

welcome, november.

November 3, 2013 by mama lola

a view up at the trees and the sky from my backyard.

we are shockingly now into the eleventh month of this year.
a year filled with so much change but also sameness, a year with new habits, but with the old ones still clinging on.
it has been a year of re-connection, of resurfacing.

i have been feeling a little retrospective, nostalgic and sentimental as of late. last november was a particularly difficult time for me and my family (i will not get into any details). i know there are people around us who are holding their breath to see how we fare as we reach this new unremarkable, but painful anniversary.

and for anyone who might be wondering…
we are just fine. better than fine, in fact.
DH and i are splendid. just recently he brought home a lovely bouquet of fall flowers; a small token from his big, loving heart. sure, we have our ups and downs like all couples, but nothing we cannot handle.
our boys are better than splendid. they are growing and learning so much; all i want to do is push the pause button so i can drink up more of their childhood before it’s too late.
time moves so quickly.

but, i welcome november with strong, open arms.
bring it on, i say.
i’m ready.

am i taken for granted? a mama vent.

October 27, 2013 by mama lola

as a stay-at-home-mum, i do a lot of stuff for other people. my days start early with thoughts of getting kids to school, what to make for dinner, how to dress my boys, remembering their vitamins and signing whatever form school sent home.

then, at school i kiss my eldest for the day and depending on if it’s monday or tuesday or wednesday or… well, you get the idea, i go grocery shopping, drop my youngest off at preschool, organize playdates, do laundry, wash floors, mend torn pants, make halloween costumes, or i think in detail what any of us may need depending on the season in regards to winter clothing, summer clothing, i book dental appointments, optometrist appointments, doctors appointments.

just a little humour from pinterest!

and, where do i fit into all of this?
who takes care of me? who reminds me of my appointments, who asks me if i need new winter boots and then buys the for me?

there are days when i feel as though i am empty. as though i have given the last morsel of myself to my family. and, i don’t actually mind feeling empty and exhausted from giving, because i have chosen this role for myself. but, i am hurt by the lack of acknowledgement, gratitude and attention my continue efforts are rewarded. i am not asking for a parade, or gifts, but i do expect a simple thank-you, a hug or a nod in my direction. the thank-you’s and hugs are what re-charge my batteries and inspire me to do more. but, when i am continually what feels like ignored, i become filled with resentment.

clearly, i am feeling taken for granted as i write this.
i know my family isn’t hurting me on purpose.
i know they love me with all of their hearts. they just forget to mention that they appreciate their dinners made from scratch, clean n’ fresh undies and my undivided attention.
i have not lost perspective.
i just need to vent.

source

thanks for listening.

bear’s mental health day from school.

October 24, 2013 by mama lola

today i kept my eldest, my 5 year old bear home from school.

i did this for a couple of reasons. first, he’s a bit of a sensitive guy, who gets overwhelmed easily. when he’s tired from the routine of school his behaviour at home becomes less than ideal. he starts to antagonize his little brother, he says mean things to all of us and he just becomes unpleasant to be around. Stress and anxiety can often build up and contribute to a negative state of mental health which nobody wants. Places like Honey Lake Clinic could provide the Bible-based services to help people on the path back to mental wellness, with Christianity acting as a foundation for the treatment.
another reason i kept him home, last night when DH and i headed for bed i found bear sleeping in our bed. my heart kinda melted. he goes through phases where he wants to sleep with us, and i think it’s when he’s feeling overwhelmed, tired and slightly stressed. by sleeping with us, i feel like we are all re-connecting with each other. i’m hoping he feels supported, loved and grounded by cuddling in with us.

so, i listened to my mama instincts and decided he needed some quiet time at home. his little brother, lion went to preschool, so that means we get to have some quality time together. it meant, he got to be at home and play without the disruption of his brother and enjoy some much needed peace for a change.

we played trains as soon as DH and lion left this morning. then we had a snack.
then he decided to write a book.

this is the kind of thing that really gets me as a mother; his thirst for learning and creating is incredible. everyday he works on various craft projects, writing and creating. it is amazing! at school his class is large, and although his teachers are wonderful, i’m sure it’s hard for bear to accomplish what he wants. and, the school days are long, so by the time we get home, eat snack, there is a small window for activities before it’s time for dinner.

today, after watching him, talking with him and just being with him, i know this was just what he needed. what i needed.

a simple day at home can really do wonders for one’s mental health. it doesn’t matter if one is a child or a working adult. “presenteeism” may impress the teachers or your boss but it is praise that goes nowhere fast when you are starting to suffer. many people try to shoulder their burdens instead of taking time off to seek help or taking something like Vibes CBD oil (https://vibescbd.co.uk) to help them recharge their mental batteries. i know people and children who have faked sick because they feel that they would die from the stress. some even become physically ill as a result of their stress (look up psychogenic fever, it’s real). all this is why its so important for us to accept that just one day off to relax and recharge.

because of these thoughts i recently started to do some research about mental health in which i stumbled across this article from Upskilled which explains why and how so many people decide to make the change in their career to work in this field instead. they make it look easy. but that’s when i came to the realization that what these people do is simply amazing. i felt a sense of accomplishment after doing it for one day, so i can’t imagine what it’s like to truly make a difference in people’s lives every day. but a nice and relaxing day at home is what we all need to have sometimes.

i am his mama and i know what’s best for him.

nature hikes and romps!

October 16, 2013 by mama lola

this passed friday bear didn’t have school so we joined a group of friends and headed for the hills. for a hike, that is. we packed a massive bag of sunflower seeds to feed to the birds, and snacks to share for the people.

the kids had such fun. they discovered all sorts of interesting natural phenomena like fungi of various sizes and colours, different kinds of lady bugs, all sorts of pine cones, spruce cones, leaves all sizes and shades of red.

all of the kids mostly ran for the two hour hike, although they did pause to enjoy the sounds of frogs and other natural elements occasionally. us mums, chatted, held the assortment of walking sticks, rocks and other teasures picked up along the way, and enjoyed the freedom the forest allows you to feel.

although, after the hike we were all tired, there was something wonderfully rejuvenating about the woods. the peace, the calm, are both so soothing to the mind. the kids went wild, but in the vast space among the trees, their loudness is drowned out, allowing the bird songs to be heard through the trees.
lovely.

this weekend was thanksgiving here in canada. we headed to the cottage with a few family members to close things up; bring in the docks, rake some of the various paths, chop wood and stock the logs for our visits this winter. the boys soaked up the fresh muskoka air, enjoying the company of their grandparents and auntR.

i love watching my kids outside. their senses kick into high gear as they frolic between the trees. they are filled with such curiosity and wonder, which is incredibly contagious, especially when in the natural world.

there is a marshy area a short walk from the cottage. the kids’ grandma found cranberries growing there and that is what lion is inspecting in the moss!

the sun was high and warm, hot even. we got all of the work done and ended another season at the family cottage. it is such a wonderful place.

(i was there too!)

i didn’t take any other pictures this year,which is quite unusual.
i was partly busy and distracted, but also completely exhausted and distracted.

have you spent some fun times in the woods lately?

apple picking is wholesome fall fun!

October 5, 2013 by mama lola

the weather this fall has been perfect. every day has been about +20c with sunny with bright days and stunning blue skies. we have played outside an enormous amount, trying to soak up as much vitamin D and warmth before the cold, dark winter blankets over us. and, that my friends will happen soon!

we went apple picking as a way to enjoy the sun. we had an awesome morning picking apples from the orchard, then going on a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch and choosing various gourds to represent each of us!

there’s nothing like biting into a fresh, crisp apple that is just ready for picking!
YUM!

now that we have a glorious variety of apples, it is time to try out some of the yummy apple recipes i included in my round-up a few weeks ago!

and, i will leave you with this picture of a tiny lady bug. there are gazillions of different kinds of lady bugs flying around right now, not sure why, but it kinda fun!