Things to do for Halloween & Fall

It's been a few months since I've posted on here.  We haven't really done anything new and exciting, except Ryan started junior kindergarten in September.  I can't believe how much he loves it!  He can't wait to go each day and loves his teachers, all three of them.  His teacher's name is Mrs. Johnston, who has a helper named Mrs. Farr, and there is a teacher named Mrs. Rowe that comes in several times a week to do music and games with the kids.  He has been learning prayers, songs, stories, and has come home with a smiley face "WOW" stamp on his hand more than once.  

Halloween will be here in a few short weeks.  Ryan already picked out his costume and he will be Luigi from Super Mario Brothers.  Halloween is not my favourite holiday.  I don't like kids being inundated with scary witches, skeletons, and all things that represent death.  I much prefer Christmas and Easter.  However, while I try and limit Ryan's exposure to the more morbid aspects of Halloween, I still want him to experience the fun parts.  We'll decorate with spiders and pumpkins instead of skulls and witches.  I will not allow him to dress up as some evil monster but will stick to animals, fun characters, and cute costumes, at least till he is older.  So far he would not want to be a monster anyway!  Hopefully he won't in the future too.  

We usually have a few favourite things we like to incorporate into our fall schedule.  I have made a list of the ten top things I recommend to do with kids around this time of year.  These are mostly in Milton - I haven't been able to find as many events in Mississauga or Brampton this year.

1.  Harvest Festival at Springridge Farms in Milton - every weekend in Oct - I have not been to this festival but if you are one who likes or needs to go places on weekends, this may be a good option for you.  It is $10 a person ages 2-92 and includes a professional puppet show, wagon ride, boo barn, spiderweb climber, pipe slides, animal barn, sandbox, milking cow, corn mazes, straw bale jumping and pyramids, with pony rides an extra $3 per child.

2.  Heritage Fall Harvest Celebration - Oct 13 & 14 only.  We went to the teddy bear picnic at this place (Milton Heritage Farms) and it was awesome.  So if I could I would go and check this out.  Adults are $8 and children 5 and under are free.  It includes a visit to a pumpkin patch, a wagon ride, attend and early 1900's school, corn maze, farm animals, historical buildings and displays, fun games and rides.

3. Fall Fairs (Brampton, Milton, Georgetown, etc...).  We were planning on going to the Brampton Fall far but the weather didn't work out.  We went to the Milton Fair though and it was great!  It was expensive, especially the rides at an average of $3 each.  Though if the children required adult accompaniment adults had to pay too ($6 for the ride).  We didn't do too many of those.  The fair had an animal area (called a petting zoo but you couldn't really pet the animals though they did have some unique animals such as a kangaroo).  There was also a craft area which was really great (better than Brampton which we visited last year) - there was stamping with paints, puzzles, marble races, a clown with balloons, face painting, popsicle stick craft, coloring, painting derby cars and more.  You could spend at least a few hours doing the stuff included in the $8 adult admission (plus $5 parking).

4. Halloween on the rails - Oct 20 and 27th at 6:30pm - At the Halton County Radial Railway - All ages event! Walk through the haunted car barn and travel in the old, creaky streetcars along the mainline and enjoy some hot apple cider & scary snacks. If you’re a Halloween fan this is definitely a spooky experience not to be missed! Costumes encouraged. Reservations not required. Tickets sold at the door.  $10.25 per person.

5. Milton Mallo'ween Spooktacular - Sat Oct 29th from 10am to noon.  I'm thinking of bringing Ryan to this this year, mostly because of the magic show.  He loves magic right now.  It depends on the weather (because if it is nice we will probably do something outside instead).  The mall is a small one we rarely visit , but this event includes pumpkin carving, crafts,  a costume parade and loot bags for free.  Bring the kids to Milton Mall to enjoy pumpkin carving and spooky crafts they can take home along with their loot bag. There will also be a musical concert at 11 am and a magic show at 11:30.

6. Tiny Tots on Parade - Downtown Milton on Saturday Oct 29 from 10am-Noon, and in Downtown Oakville on Mon Oct 31 at 10am.  Children 5 and under can go trick or treating at participating businesses.  Costumes encouraged.  Free.  Also a possibility for us for this morning.

7.  Camp Spooky at Canada's Wonderland - We are planning on going next Saturday if the weather is decent.  I have been wanting to take Ryan one last time for the year, but the weather on Saturdays has not been co-operating.  There is a scavenger hunt where the kids can go around collecting candy and halloween treats.  There are also special hallo'ween mazes set up along with all the usual fun rides we enjoy.  

8.  Farm fun at Chudleigh's in Milton - In past years we made a trip here for apple picking but there is not much apple picking happening this year due to the weather we had in the spring ruining the apple crops.  However, chudleigh's is still a fun farm to visit at this time of year with mazes, sand play, slides, a petting zoo, and ready picked apples for sale.  The cost this year was just a little high for me to take Ryan though at $8 a person (4 and up) from tues-thurs and $11 a person (4 and up) from fri-mon.

9.  Spooktacular at Vic Johnston Arena at Streetsville's Memorial Park in Mississauga - from 10am to 2pm, for kids age 2 to 10.  Wear your halloween costume.  Activities include crafts, coloring, games, scary tales, face painting and loot bags to the first 350 kids.

10.  Pumpkin Fest at Downey's Farm in North Brampton / Caledon - We went here yesterday and it was great!  There is a lot to do for the kids.  It was $6.75 each yesterday but goes up to $12 each on the weekends (though on the weekends there is face painting, a puppet show, and other entertainment happening that does not happen in the week).  There were bikes to ride, a duck race, bouncy cows to ride, a pirate ship to climb and explore with a slide, a truck to climb and slide down, a huge pipe slide (where we spent most of our time), a petting zoo that kids could actually enter, a hay bounce which was like a huge trampoline covered in hay (lots of fun and Ryan looked like a scarecrow by the end after all that jumping), a big pumpkin patch for pictures (and Ryan just enjoyed walking through it), a scary boo barn (we only got a few feet in and had to turn around as Ryan was scared), a wagon ride, and a big hay maze I didn't feel up to doing (chasing Ryan through it).  We were there for 2.5 hours and Ryan cried when we had to leave.  It was lots of fun.  

Hope everyone has a safe and happy hallo'ween.

Rockwood conservation, Niagara Falls, and Park Royal Family Fun Center

Ryan and I have had three incredibly fun and busy days in a row.  On thursday, a friend invited me to join her and her family at Rockwood conservation area.  It is about half an hour away from me, but a nice drive and there is no traffic coming home even during rush hour, so it beats the distance to professors lake.  I had never heard of this place before, and now can not wait to go back again!

We arrived at about 1pm and decided to eat first thing.  Our friends were hungry and though I had ate before we left, Ryan still had half his lunch to finish, and of course I packed a cooler full of (mostly) healthy snacks.  I was pleasantly surprised when I saw lots of empty picnic tables under a large shelter overlooking the lake.  We were able to eat our lunch in peace, with very few wasps around our food, with lots of space.  Our kids of course could not sit still at the table for long, but they had a lot of space to run around there which was mostly contained, except for two entrances.  After lunch we head down a large set of stairs (with a ramp for strollers) to the beach.  It was a small beach but just perfect for us.  The sand was soft and the water was warm.  The water was shallow at the beginning and about chest deep (on me) at the buoy lines, which is the perfect depth in which I am able to swim around but be able to stand and make sure Ryan is safe and close by as well.  We spent hours in the water.  Ryan loved spinning around in his tube, and started a game of swim tag with our friends, which led to tickle tag.  Him and his friend also were playing a game of sink the watering can and try to be the first to spot it when it rose up to the top of the water again, until the time it never resurfaced!  Fortunately for the watering can, later someone else found it at the bottom of the lake.  We also had a bit of sand time when Ryan buried his feet in the sand and dug some trenches.  He much prefers being in the water to playing in the sand though.

Although I dont know if we had our fill of the water, after several hours of water play we decided to go for a hike.  We knew that there were caves somewhere in Rockwood conservation area and Ryan was really excited to see them.  I was unable to find them on the map, but was told to follow pot hole trail, which we did.  It was a beautiful scenic and fun walk.  The boys mostly walked on their own and explored the rocks, bridges, and scenic views along the way.  At the end of the trail was a mill ruin - Ryan gasped and was so excited we found something at the end of our journey.  They spent about 10 minutes running around the ruin exploring every inch of it and Ryan was collecting all the rocks he could find (which I put back before leaving even though he wanted to bring all of them home).  It was 6pm at that point and I wanted to get home for dinner and Ryans bedtime was fast approaching, so we were going to go back the same way we came (the short route) even though our friends were continuing on the long route.  But Ryan was begging me to go the long way with our friends so I gave in.  We quickly discovered on the map that if we continued on, there were caves ahead, but at that point if we continued to the caves it would probably be getting dark on our way back, the mosquitoes would be out in full force, and dinner would have been really late pushing bedtime back even further.  So we told Ryan who really wanted to see the caves that we would come back again and definitely see the caves next time.  The trail back was not as scenic as the way there.  There were more uphill inclines.  And by half way back I started getting really tired.  I was so done with walking.  Ryan as well was tired and spent most of the walk back in his stroller.  Wanting to get back quickly we separated from our friends who wanted to walk at a more leisurely pace.  I speed walked most of the way back... a long way back, and was so happy to get back to that van.  I had been walking for at least 1.5 hours, in the heat, with lots of hills and am not used to it.  I can not wait to do it again, but next time will not take the second way back but stick to the more scenic shorter route.  As it was we did not get home till 7pm.

Sean took friday off as a vacation day and wanted to take us to Niagara Falls.  We dont go out to these type of places a lot so we were excited to spend the day doing something fun as a family.  Niagara Falls is great and there is tons to do ... that is, if you have the money.  It is also very expensive because there is just so much and if you add it all up and do everything it would cost hundreds of dollars!  We havent been there in years and didnt know where to park, so we ended up parking close to the falls, which was a big mistake.  It cost $20 in parking and when walking around we found lots of other parking lots as low as $3 or $4 for the day.  If you just want to see the falls, and dont want to walk up any big hills, paying $20 to park closer may be worth it.  But for us, who were walking up the hill anyway, it was not.  We started by looking at the falls and browing in the table rock store which we found to be very expensive and left empty handed.  We were not really there to shop anyway.  Ryan was excited to see the falls at first and oohed and ahhed but when we got closer he just wanted to move on.  He did not want the mist to go in his eyes.  Silly.  We walked up a huge hill, and made Ryan walk even though he complained a bit about his feet being tired (it is hard to push a stroller up a steep hill with a 40+ pound preschooler sitting in it).  We took a rest break half way up and at the top Ryan got in the stroller for a bit of a break.  Cant blame him - it was probably 40 degrees and the sweat was pouring off all of us.  We took a LONG lunch break at TGI Fridays.  I was excited to go here as I love TGI Fridays in the States... they have the best tostados and pecan salad there.  I was disappointed that the Canadian menu is different than the American one, but the food, though expensive, was still delicious.  I had the strawberry fields salad which was covered in caramelized pecans and strawberries.  Yum!  There are so many attractions on Clifton Hill you could do if you had the money and desire.  Ryan really would have loved to do the ferris wheel (maybe next time), and there were 3 mini golf courses he wanted to try (maybe not dinosaur themed, but we could and did do mini golf closer to home).  There were some haunted houses (too scary for a preschooler), and a neat looking glow in the dark bowling place.  There was a big lego workshop, a dave & busters, and a bunch of arcades.  We chose to do the mid-way because I knew Ryan would love it and Sean and I could enjoy it as well.  Ryan was so excited he did not know where to go first.  We used a coupon so that we spent $20 but got $25 worth of tokens.  It was more than enough as it lasted us at least 2 hours.  Ryan went on 3 kiddie rides, and played a lot of games (similar to chuckie cheese).  He played air hockey with daddy, but his favourite was the roller coaster simulator ride that blows air in your face and moves side to side, bumps, and vibrates to make you feel like your in the screen.  He went on it twice.  He cashed in all his tickets from the games for a spiderman ball, a airplane glider, a spinning top and some other toy that is broken already.   There was a bigger rollercoaster simulator ride in the midway that I would love to do another time with him as well as a laser ghost ride.  Ryan saw the fun house when we left and wanted to do it so badly.  But it was already 7pm, and it would have cost $20 for just him and I to go in.  It did not make sense.  Instead we told him we would try and stop at a park on the way home so he could play for a few minutes.  We walked all the way back to our car (didnt get there till close to 8pm) and ended up stopping at a McDonalds playland so we could let him play while we had dinner, changed him into his PJs, and he ate his dinner in the car on the way home, before falling asleep around 9:30 in the car.  We got home just after 10.

Finally, today, Sean suggested going to Putting Edge to give Ryan the mini golf experience he wanted yesterday at Niagara, but I was not so keen on spending close to $30 just for one round of mini golf.  So I found a different place where we paid the same $30 but got much more out of it.  We played a round of 5 pin bowling (Ryan was just as good if not better than us at it), an 18 hole round of glow in the dark mini golf, and unlimited time in the bouncy castle, slide, and play area.  The place is called Park Royal Family Fun Center in South Mississauga.  After going today, I recommend it to anyone looking for mini golf or bowling with kids.  The bowling alley had gutter guards and there were ramps available for the toddlers and kids (Ryan used it half the time and half the time did not - he was just as good without it as with it).  The mini golf was not as elaborate and big as putting edge, but it was decorated nicely, still glowed in the dark, and had some nice moving parts on some of the holes, like turning windmills, bowling pins, a loop de loop track, etc...    And if you just do mini golf it is half the price of putting edge ($5 per player).  There is also a deal where in the summer if you register your child, they get free bowling games when you go.  The place was pretty empty and it was Saturday.  There was a birthday party going on but the golf course was empty when we were on it, the bowling alley was just us and one other family, and the play area was sometimes empty as well.  Ryan had the bouncy castle to himself most times.  What a great couple days!   It feels like we had a mini vacation right here at home.  :)

Ryan has found a new application on his pet pals game for the leap pad.  He can record his voice (up to 1 or 2 minutes I believe) and play it back.  All the way to Rockwood, home from Rockwood, most of the way to Niagara, and even part of the way to Park Royal he has been making up songs one after the other and playing them back.  He makes up the funniest and sometimes sweetest lyrics.  I love listening to him.  I recorded one, but it is not the best.  Some of his lyrics I liked most went something like this:  I love mommy soo much.  I love mommy to all the planets and back.  I love everyone in the whole world, even all my friends who live on different streets.  Fall turns to winter and then its spring.  We are going to the beach today.  God made everyone.  God made me.  I love my leap pad and yoshi too...    Sometimes he fills in his improvised songs with silly nonsense words as well when he cant think of what to sing right away.  

Fear

Do you watch or read the news daily?  The world can be a very scary place to live.  You just never know.  Anything can happen.  You can get into a car crash, get stung by a mosquito and contract west nile disease, you can go out into the sun and get skin cancer years later, or go see a movie and get killed by some crazy person.  Who would have thought?  It`s really sad to think about those people who were killed - what could have been had they not been there that day and the shattered lives of those they left behind.  I was talking to someone who said they heard that some people have reacted by going out and purchasing a gun to protect themselves.  They reasoned that had the people sitting in the movie theatre been armed, perhaps not so many people would have died.  To me, that makes no sense at all.  First of all the gun man was protected by armor, but secondly inviting more guns into public places could only make things worse.  You can let the awful things that happen in the world consume you, scare you, and terrify you into never seeing a midnight screening of a movie,  never going to crowded places, or buying a gun.  You can live in fear of mosquitoes, never to go camping or go out in dusk again.  There are hundreds, no, thousands of things you can be afraid of - but I think the number 1 thing we should be most afraid of is to live a life completely covered in fear.  We need to live with hope, faith, love and joy.  We can`t let the bad things overtake all the good things.  We need to focus on the good and have hope in the humanity and goodness in most people.  Otherwise, what kind of life are we living?  One of despair, fear, worry, hatred of others, and segregation.  Living a life like that will only make things worse.  We could lose our lives tomorrow, but what good will worrying about it do?  No, I choose to live with hope, faith, and love.  Faith that no matter what happens my life is in God`s hands and even death is not the end.  Hope that no matter what comes my way I will make the most of it and find the strength to overcome.  Love so whenever I die, hopefully at the end of a long and full life, I leave behind something good and enjoy all the time I have.


Personally, I don`t read or watch the news every single day.  I don`t spend hours researching the wars going on overseas, or all the thousands of problems my neighbors and fellow citizens of the world are dealing with.  It`s not that I don`t care.  I do.  It`s not that I don`t want to help.  Deep down, I do.  We need to focus on the positive things and act on God`s lead in order to do that.  Instead of reading for hours and feeling bad for people, guilty about not doing anything, hopeless that things will change, making excuses and worrying about our own problems, we need to take a step forward in doing something good for someone else.  It could be our own children, our neighbors, our co-workers, that person behind us in line, or a compliment to a friend.  If we all stopped worrying about the bad and starting acting on the good, a lot more people would be helped, fed, and more emotionally stable.  I feel I have a long way to go to get to the point I feel like I`m doing all I can and to be all I can be.  But it really doesn`t matter how much you help and how many you help as long as you are acting on whatever you feel called to do - whatever is good, loving, and kind.  One step at a time we will make a difference as long as we keep moving in a positive action filled direction.  ``Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.`` Martin Luther King, Jr. 


I don`t think we can ever erase fear all together, nor is it healthy.  We need to be aware enough to do what we can to protect our family and to not be naive to what is going on.  However we can`t let it consume us.  We can`t let it rule our thoughts, our lives, our hopes and our dreams.  We need to let go of it enough to love others, help others, and serve others whatever the cost.  We need to live with faith.  Faith is the opposite of fear because with it we can achieve and conquer absolutely anything.

GTA Beaches

We have been enjoying an extended extremely hot summer and have been loving every minute of it!  I wish the weather was so hot (and even humid) 365 days a year.  Of course, if I had no air conditioning or if I had to work without it, that would not be the case!  My air conditioning runs through the night as I have such a hard time sleeping when it is warm.  We pay the price but it`s worth it, to me.  We tend to save trips to wonderland for the milder temperature days that are below 30 degrees.  Even though there is a nice big water park there, it`s crowded and a long walk to get to the water.  We`ve been spending a lot of time at the beach this year.  We`ve been to Kelso three times so far, with plans to go twice more before the summer is up.  We went to Wasaga once with plans to go one or two more times this summer, and we`ve been to Professor`s Lake beach with plans to go back one or two more times as well.  Ryan and I both LOVE the water - swimming and splashing around in it.  Most kids we go with spend a lot of time in the sand building sand castles and digging trenches.  Ryan prefers to spend most of the time in the water swimming around with his swim ring on and though I am over protective about him in the water, wanting him to be at knee level water or with me right by his side, I love having a water baby as there is no other place I`d rather be.

I`m thinking of putting him in swim lessons this fall as he really wants to take them.  I took swimming lessons for years but ended up learning how to swim on my own - self taught at Kelso day camp.  The lessons when I was younger were mostly a big waste of time.  That is the reason I have been hesitating putting Ryan in swim lessons till now.  It`s not like we have extra money floating around to put him in lots of extra curricular activities.  He is already very comfortable in the water, blows bubbles, is able to swim on his own in a life jacket or swim ring, has no fear at all, he has put his face in the water briefly a couple times, etc...   I would love for him to learn how to float and swim without a life jacket on but wonder if the lessons at his age would help at all with this or if it will mostly just come with practice and age.

The three beaches I mentioned are all really different from one another.  The closest to us is Kelso.  It`s most convenient for us, with no worries about traffic coming home at 4 or 5 in the middle of rush hour.  The farthest is obviously Wasaga, however, it`s only about a 20-25 minute drive away from my parents so it`s a great thing to do when we are visiting them.  In order to get to Kelso beach you have to either walk down a very steep hill, walk down a large set of stairs, or walk a very long time along the boardwalk from the entrance.  We usually take a stroller in order to carry all our stuff (picnic, sand toys, swim ring, towels, change of clothes for Ryan, drinks, sun screen, etc...) and I usually opt for the steep hill as it is quickest.  Going down is the easy part, and I`m not as hot (wet from the water) for the walk back up - I figure I need the exercise anyway, and if it`s bad I stop and take breaks. :)    The sand at Kelso is very pebbly and rough on my feet.  I much prefer the sand at Professors Lake and Wasaga.  Kelso has a nice snack bar where you can buy hamburgers, popsicles, ice cream treats, etc... for reasonable prices in July and August.  There are LOTS of picnic tables and you can usually find one in the shade no matter what time you arrive (on a week day anyway).  The beach is rigged with little wires above it to prevent birds from flying on to the beach or in the water.  The water is very shallow and Ryan is able to touch the bottom even at the divider rope that he is not allowed to go past with life jackets or swim rings on.  Professors Lake got deeper which I kind of like as it is hard for me to swim in water that is less than waist deep.  The sand was soft and ideal for sand castle building and walking on without pain.  There is a large water slide for anyone 39.5 inches or taller.  Ryan was SOOO excited to go on it.  It was the first thing he did.  Unfortunately he lost his balance and ended up on his back instead of sitting up and he said he hit his head somehow on the way down which scared him so much he would not try it again even after watching his friends and myself go down numerous times.  Of course he wanted to spend the whole time in the water.  There weren`t as many picnic tables at Professor`s lake, esp shaded ones.  Next time I will eat lunch BEFORE going.  There were a lot of bees and wasps there and I didn`t see as many at Kelso or Wasaga.  I am terrified of bees so eating at Professor`s lake is a bit of a challenge for me.  We also tried paddle boating with a friend for the first time ever.  I was a little nervous being in the middle of a lake with Ryan in his own seat without a seat belt trying to help us pedal but it was a good experience.  We had a whistle in case of an emergency and the kids sat in front of us so we could see them all the time.  We all had life jackets on.  It was a good price at $2.15 per person (4 of us were on the boat).  The cost of Kelso and Professor`s Lake is basically the same (approx. $6.50 for both myself and Ryan).  Wasaga is more expensive - $16 per vehicle.  Wasaga is very shallow for a very long time.  But if you go too far you risk the undertow of the currents.  A boy just drowned there this week.  He drowned in beach area 1 which is the most dangerous beach to swim at due to the currents.  We normally go to beach area 4 or 5 which are more family oriented and safer.  Beach area 4 had a playground right next to our picnic table which was probably a mistake as the kids wanted to play on it constantly and there were some really high ladders and edges to fall over.  We saw several kids fall on their heads on one of the slides which we told our kids not to go down.  The beach is HUGE and the nice thing about wasaga is the waves which are so much fun to ride over on floats.  The sand is beautiful and the picnic area is shaded though MUCH farther back from the beach (lots of walking back and forth).  There are washrooms at all 3 beaches.  Professors Lake had a snack bar as well with drinks, popsicles and I believe some sort of hot dog or pizza as well.  It was very reasonably priced - we got a slush puppy for $1.  Wasaga does not have a snack bar - at least at beaches 3-6.   All three beaches are good.  I think if you live in Brampton your best bet is Professor`s Lake, especially if you don`t mind wasps.

There is my long review of the three beaches we have visited this summer.  Happy summer!  :)

Pride vs. Equality

This week has been filled with a lot of pride - Canadian Pride, Gay Pride, and also American Pride.  It has been leading me to think about whether pride is a good thing or not.  Clearly our society thinks it is a good thing to be proud - proud of your Country, proud of your sexuality, proud of your achievements, education, and of YOU.   It's all a little self serving isn't it?  Shouldn't we instead be focusing on others - including others in our plans, lifting one another up, uniting and loving instead of showing off how great we are?  I think the world would be a much better place if everyone was a little less proud and a little more accepting of others.  I think we should strive for equality instead of pride.  Pride often divides instead of unites.  Though it may not be the intent, when you display pride it infers whatever you are proud of is better than others.  Proud to be Canadian ... rather than some poor other soul that was born in another Country?  Yes, we have much to be thankful about here in Canada.  I love Canada.  I think my grandparents made a good choice by coming here when the war made them flee their home land.  Canada offers freedoms that many other Countries don't.  Celebrate the great things our Country has to offer and be thankful to God for your freedom, but don't be proud.  Being Canadian, American, Gay, Straight, White, Black, or talented in singing or cooking or whatever other talent God gave you doesn't mean you are automatically a better person than someone who is different, and you probably had very little to do with your ability or nationality or sexuality to begin with.   


The bible says "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16).  

The Websters dictionary says pride is conceit, self-respect, distain, and "the best".  A few quotes I found online:  "Pride is an admission of weakness; it secretly fears all competition and dreads all rivals"  (Fulton J. Sheen), and "Pride is the perpetual weakness of the natural man which seeks satisfaction in ascending above others."

Self respect is a good thing but let's focus on respecting others first and once we all do this we will all be happier with who we are and respectful of ourselves as well.  I am not saying I do not have pride.  I struggle with it as much as anyone.  I am proud of my child, my church, my home, some of my talents, my intelligence, etc...   But I don't want to be.  I want to be humble and I want to be a servant of God - allowing Him to take credit for anything positive that I have, do and say.  I want to acknowledge myself as I am - equal to every other human on earth - not better, not worse.  Anything which I am better at or have more of than another has come from God anyway - so it is not I that should be proud.   

Inspiration

I have been searching for inspiration and motivation to get back into writing here in this blog.  I have yet to find it.  I love to write, but sometimes it is hard to come up with a topic.  One that is interesting and positive that does not sound like I'm complaining about this or that, but at the same time does not sound like I'm boasting about how great my life is either.  I value genuineness and always want to be that way with others without worrying about how people will feel.  But words can hurt others.  They can make others feel jealous, angry, or bothered without the intent to do so.  They can leave people feeling left out, unwanted, judged, or unloved.  While I want to be genuine, I also want my words to be encouraging, uplifting, motivating, inspiring, and make people feel good about themselves.  So I'm searching for a way to do what I love (writing) in a way that will honor others best (more).  

In the meantime, I leave you with some poems I wrote 10+ years ago when I still had lots of inspiration to write. :)

I never knew

I shared this poem written for Sean with him on the day we first told each other "I love you"

I never knew what true love was

Or why I had to wait

I couldn't wait for it to start

So I went on many dates

I never knew I could be treated

With so much tenderness

Your touch, your gaze & your embrace

Make all else meaningless

I never thought about a life

Without a love that's true

But I never knew i'd meet someone

As wonderful as you

I was always pretty modest

And quiet as could be

I always wished but doubted

A guy would fall for me

I never understood love that's right

Or what makes love so true

Because I've never had a love so right

As when I am with you

I've been in love before

And cried when it was through

But I never knew what it meant

For that love to be so true




In my life
Of childhood memories I have of the past
I hope they’re never forgotten; forever they’ll last
The first time I flew down a snow covered ski hill
Not able to stop – scary at first, but what a thrill
I sailed upon water and flew over land
Saw beauty so splendid, I’ve seen white and black sand
I picked shells at dawn, I’ve been in oceans and caves
Seen Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Hawaiian waves
I have learned to dance, and to sing, and to drive
I made friends. I found God. I’ve felt so alive
I played piano, guitar, tennis, and ball
Been to concerts and plays, a ballet and the mall
I’ve been camping and I’ve learned how to swim
And in just a few months I will marry “him”
I’ve been on roller coasters over 10 stories high
I am glad in my life that my mom let me try
Life is too short to give up or give in
Give all you can to this world and you’ll win
I have no regrets if I should die tonight
My life has been full, I hope my future’s as bright 

Softly he whispers
Softly he whispers, in her tender ear
‘I want you to stay here, and always be near’
He has shown no emotion, he has not shed a tear
Until her sweet love, devotion, and care
He looks up with hope as he gets down on one knee
He has enough courage to ask her finally
She has opened his eyes to a new way of life
So today he asks her ‘will you be my wife?’
She looks at him smiling, she’s been waiting for weeks
‘Yes!’ she exclaims as she kisses his cheek
‘I’ll stay with you forever, till my dying day’
He gives her a ring, without a delay
A token of love, a promise to stay
‘I’ll love you forever, through blue skies or gray.
I will never leave you, I’ll stand by your side
I just can not wait to make you my bride’
The rings on her finger, they hold each other tight
They’ll never forget this wonderful night
His tears fall down freely, his joy is made clear
And softly he whispers ‘I love you my dear’




Freedom
Searching for me, do I live?
All alone, by myself, there is nothing left to give
I want to reach to the stars in the heavens above
I want to hold them in my hands and explode full of love
I want to sing in my heart like the birds full of joy
And fly to the sky like an eagle way up high
So light like a feather I would glide down to earth
Feeling the wind in my hair as I soar through the air
So free, falling, with no fear and landing by the sea
Where am I? Looking up at the clouds, white as snow
They are here, they are there, they surround me
The ocean crashes on the shore, how can I go?
I am sinking, feeling heavy, going back to where I started
I want to stay out by the water, in the freedom of the unknown
It’s getting darker, the light is fading, into nothing
Nothing but the silence of my empty heart that’s longing
For the release of my heart singing and dancing
Giving to the world - beautiful like butterflies of many vibrant colors
Thousands, millions, all coming from my soul
But here I am, back beside me, all alone - with nothing but hope




Silence
Written about my mom being up at a friends cottage by herself when we were in between homes many years ago


Tick tock, Drip drop
She sleeps but awakens to the sound of the clock
Going Tick tock, and the drops falling down like a rock
Drip drop, Tick tock
As she looks out the window she feels more awake
Just outside are the trees, and the birds, and the lake
All she can hear is the sound of the clock
And the water dripping down – tick tock, drip drop
In rhythm they beat like the sound of her heart
She is waiting. For movement, for laughter, for something to start
Everything is still but the wind in the trees
She opens the door to feel the gentle breeze
And now she can hear the birds singing sweet melodies
She longs for her family, she wants to be free
Day after day, this is all she can see
As she closes the door, once more all she hears
Is the sound of the clock and drops falling like tears
Tick tock goes the clock, Drip drop like a knock
Tick tock, Drip drop, Tick tock, Drip drop




She waits
Waiting for Sean to come home one late, late evening


She waits
It’s late
Not a sound is heard
She hasn’t heard a word
She waits
At a quarter past eight
He was supposed to be home
Why didn’t he phone?
She waits
He’s late
It’s eleven o’clock
Back and forth she walks
Back and forth she walks
She cries
She thinks he has died
Something must be wrong
For him to be so long
She cries
And tears fill her eyes
She looks out at the sky
She prays
She thinks of all the ways
She would change in future days
If only he would come home
Or pick up the phone
Just pick up the phone
And call
Why doesn’t he call?
It rings. A sound
Is it him? Is he found?
She picks up the phone
Just to hear a dial tone
She frowns
And sits back down
She waits
And waits




Think Back
Think about back when you had your first kiss
Did you miss, was it sweet, was it pure bliss?
Who was your first love, what was their name?
Losing your innocence - you’re no longer the same
Where did you go on your first date?
Did you ever get home really really late?
Have you ever been star struck, a crazy fan
Met someone famous, or been in a rock band?
What is the prettiest thing that you’ve seen?
Where is the best place that you’ve ever been?
Have you ever cried over love that was lost
Or felt like giving up, like it’s not worth the cost?
How have you grown, and what have you learned?
Have you been turned away, have you ever been burned?
Did you play on a team, did you win anything?
Have you danced in the moonlight, have you worn someones ring?
Think back. What do you remember most in your life?
The good times and laughter or hardship and strife?




Dreams
How much have you done in the life that you live
Do you have some regrets? Did you take? Did you give?
Is there something you have always wanted to do
But haven’t just because it was new?
What are your dreams for the days still to come?
They may be thrills or peace in the place you come from
Perhaps you will travel far from your home
To Egypt or Paris, and Sydney and Rome
Or perhaps you’ll have children running around
You’ll raise them the best way that you have found
Follow your dreams – because they can come true
Never give up; believe in them; pray for them too 



The Commencement
Listening to the waves crash along the shore
Feeling warm emotions that make my heart soar
Gazing at the water with him by my side
Wondering if he feels the same way inside

Does he feel shivers running down his spine?
And does he wish that he could stop the movement of time?
I think that we were brought together by God's design
But if he really likes me, then please give me a sign

Longing for his hand to reach out and touch mine
Wishing we could stay together for the rest of time
Knowing that he's just what I've been longing for
Thinking that with him I could spend forever more

Is he the answer to my prayers? I should not speak too fast
The way I feel is so strong though that it just might last
A soft warm kiss upon my cheek ends an enchanting night
And dreams of him will keep me warm until the morning light


I Love You
I love you for the way you care
I love you for your breathless stares
I love you for your warm smile
I love you and you drive me wild

The way you look into my eyes
I know your not like other guys
It's magic when I kiss your lips
And heaven when my heart does flips

I love you for the way you bring
Joy to me and everything
I love you for your hopes and dreams
I love you for all that love means

Seize the day

Sitting here listening to silence... just the clock ticking and the sound of the keyboard clicking.  Life can be noisy and it is so nice to remain still and quiet sometimes.  I've been really busy the past few months.  We went to Florida for a two week holiday and then it was my son's 4th birthday.  We painted his room and decorated it in a solar system / space theme.  He loved it.  I also threw him a space themed birthday party for his best friends and a few family members.  I still have some decorations hanging.  My little boy is growing up so quickly and it saddens me to think I will only have a preschooler for another 3 months.  Everyone needs to grow up I guess but I don't want to miss a moment.  Once he starts school, it doesn't stop, and after school comes work, and marriage, and...  okay, I know I am getting way ahead of myself.  He is still a little boy who loves to cuddle and play with his mommy and have tickle fights.  He still shouts "I love you Mommy" in the middle of a crowd.  He blows kisses and tells me to make sure to catch them and put them in my heart.  He asks to sit on my lap because it's more comfy.  He needs me for things still... like helping him get dressed, making him lunch and brushing his teeth, although lately there are more and more things he doesn't need me for anymore like going to the washroom and being tall enough to turn on and off all the lights on his own.  I like feeling needed.  I am going to miss having him home with me 24 hours a day.  Sigh...  I need another baby.  

I have shared so many happy, precious moments with Ryan.  His smile lights up the room and when he is happy I am happy.  He is happy a lot. :)   Sure, there are moments of frustration too and times of anger.  But I only remember the happy times which far outweigh the bad anyway.  Last friday we went to wonderland for the first time this season.  Wonderland is Ryan's "favourite place on earth".  It is one of mine as well.  I've always loved wonderland, which is probably why my first job was working there as a ride operator for 3 years.  At times when I'm standing in line with Ryan especially for a ride that I used to work at, I am reminded of that time in my life that I was young and single and just starting to form my own identity and find out who I am.  Those memories are like ones of a movie I watched ... very distant, and though those times helped form who I am, the person I was then is completely different from the person I am now, not only because of the people in my life but my personality is different.  I am much more confident and know who I am and who I am not.  I am also less naive and also a little more hardened.  I think I was a much softer person back then and have guarded myself off since in some ways.  I would love to regain that softer side but keep my confidence and self-awareness.  Thinking of how my life then was a completely different life to my life now, makes me reflect on how my life in another 15-20 years will again be completely different than now.  I love my life right now and it saddens me to think of how in the future I will be thinking back to these days longing to be here again laughing and playing with my little boy.  All I can do is seize the day.  I can't promise I won't have regrets, but I do know that I am consciously making a point to enjoy it while it lasts.  

My mom used to play this song for my sister and I when we were kids and it always made me remember that life goes on.  Even though it is about a little girl, I feel the lyrics sentiments about my little boy.

Slipping through my fingers by ABBA

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that Im losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think Im close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when shes gone theres that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I cant deny

What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go
(slipping through my fingers all the time)
Well, some of that we did but most we didnt
And why I just dont know

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think Im close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Schoolbag in hand she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile...

Easter

We had a great Easter. It started at church on friday morning. The service was really thought provoking for me, and included communion which reminded me of my Catholic days where communion is a weekly ritual. Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection and Good Friday is the day that we remember Jesus' death. I always try to keep this in mind when planning for Easter. If possible I would go to church and have a quiet day at home this day, without any real fun activities. It should be a day of reflection and a more somber day instead of a happy one. However, because my family wants to celebrate on Easter Sunday and my mother in law works on Saturday, Friday is the only day we have to do Easter with his family. At least it is a family gathering over a more secular event, a party or a gathering of friends.

On Easter Saturday, Ryan had a rare chance to spend the day doing something fun with both mommy & daddy! It is not often his daddy is able to join us for things other than shopping trips and time at home. We went to the Easter Eggstravaganza at Springridge Farms. I wanted to take Ryan to Downey's Farm, however figured with the gas to get there it would run us $50, so opted for the cheaper and closer choice. There was a lot for him to do there and he had a great time! I still prefer Downey's. It is the same price and the egg hunt is done better. Downey's does an egg hunt at certain times of the day. They distribute all the eggs in a large field and the Easter bunny comes and blows a whistle and the kids are let loose to find and collect the eggs in their own basket. When there are no more eggs to be found, you trade in as many as you found for a little baggy of Easter goodies. everyone with a wrist band (who paid) gets a baggie. At Springridge there was no Easter Bunny. :( The egg hunt was done in a smaller farm house with hay in it. The kids were told upon entry "only take 2 eggs". I thought they were crazy - we paid $30 and he was only allowed to find 2 eggs? Luckily they did not enforce this rule as all the kids filled their baskets. Ryan enjoyed it, but at the end when we gave our eggs in he was rewarded with only 3 little chocolate eggs. Paying adults did not receive any. In comparison to Downey's this is a rip-off. We went on a wagon ride, Ryan rode some tractor tricycles that I had to push him around on as he did not have the strength to push the pedals on his own, there were multiple hay stacks Ryan loved climbing up and down, a few bumpy slides Ryan loved (but the bigger one had such a huge line up that was taking forever it was next to impossible to wait there for so long). There was a large sandbox that Ryan played in for a few minutes but it got boring without shovels and pails (only dump trucks). He enjoyed the mazes a lot, especially now that he really likes to do mazes on paper too. We missed the puppet show, but Downey's has pretty much everything Springridge does, plus a great magic show, easter crafts, and face painting. Springridge had a few small animals but Ryan had no interest in them, and they were supposed to have face painting but we could not find it anywhere. So next year, if we are able to go to an egg hunt I will pay the extra money for gas to go to Downey's.

Ryan was so excited for the Easter bunny to come and leave him chocolate eggs. He woke up on Sunday morning and asked first thing if we could go down to see what the Easter Bunny left him. It was fun for me too because it is such a joy to watch the excitement and to see his face beaming with happiness as he went around finding all the eggs. I would not want to miss it for an extra hour of sleep. He ate a few of his chocolates and we had breakfast and got ready to go to his aunties for Easter. It was also his cousin's 3rd birthday. We drove an hour and a half, and had a fabulous turkey dinner with sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes, beans, stuffing, and my moms home made cranberry sauce. My nephew opened his gifts and Ryan got spoiled with Easter goodies as well... some new shirts (angry birds and planet ones), solar system activities, chocolate, and so much more. A whole large bag full of toys and treats. The kids had birthday cake and the adults had a yummy pavlova that my mom made.

Speaking of angry birds, Ryan is somewhat addicted to this game now. When he gets the chance to play on his daddy's iPad, it is the first game he plays and he plays it longer than any of the other games. Sometimes it has been hard to get him to give it up after we think he's been playing too long. It's funny in a way, but I don't want him to be so addicted to video games when he is only 4 years old (not even). Think about when he is 12 and it isn't so easy to take the gaming system away. I want him to spend most of his time interacting with people especially his family, playing outside with friends, and reading or doing other activities he enjoys instead of in front of a screen so long. I guess I need to start setting a better example as well, as when we are at home, I admit I spend a lot of my time in front of a screen too - posting on meetup, writing emails, reviewing recipes, planning menus, online banking, budgetting, etc... Even the music I dance to for my workouts can be found on playlists I have created on my laptop. My whole life could practically be found on my computer. Most of it is beneficial in one way or the other to making my life meaningful, more organized, healthier, and running smoothly. But I want to teach Ryan we need to use it to help us live a better life but when it's all said and done, it's time to turn it off and live, laugh, and interact.

All for love

When I was a little girl I already knew what I thought the purpose of life is, at least for me. I like to think my being, my soul, brought with it a simple important message when I was born that somehow I was able to remember and hold with me my whole life. The message was a single word but encompasses so much of who I want to be and my purpose for being alive: Love. I'd like to think that knowing my purpose from the time I was a little girl, basically since I was born, would give me a head start in accomplishing this goal. But even though I know it, it is so difficult to fulfill it. I mean, it is easy to love some people, like my child and my husband, especially when they are loving me and bringing joy and happiness into my life. But the kind of love I'm talking about is an unselfish love that loves at all times, even when it's difficult. There are so many times that I put myself first. Even, at times, above the people I love the most. I believe that children ought to be a mother's (and father's) first priority. Obviously there are times when they are not the number one focus - I have needs and things I need to do daily that I'm paying more attention to at the moment. But on the whole, my child's health, safety, happiness, and well being comes before my social life, a car, a bigger house, and even a computer and other people should it come down to it. If helping a family member or a friend is going to put my child's life or safety, and possibly even growth and well being in danger, I can't help them.

A lot of people these days, including the government, are making work, career, friends, and other things more important than our children. Maybe not their safety and their life may not be at stake, but children need the attention of their parents. Children need to know that someone loves them and is willing to put them first, above anything else. Sometimes putting them first means putting aside your dream of staying at home with them in order to make ends meet. And, sometimes it means putting your career on hold to stay at home with your children. If you are working to make ends meet you are helping your children thrive and grow. And though it's likely more difficult for a working mom, you sacrifice relaxation after a long hard day to get down and play with them, cook them a healthy meal, and read them a bedtime story. If you are working for prestige, or conveniences like a second car, or yearly vacations, or things that you don't really need, I challenge you to consider that perhaps your children would be better off to have you as a full time care giver. Children grow up so fast and when they are older we will all be wishing they are young again. You can make your child feel like they are loved and your number one priority regardless if you are a working mom or a stay at home mom. Always tell them they are loved. Never let them feel you don't want them in your life. Tell them if it was simply up to you and you alone they would never leave your side. And make sacrifices for them - time, most importantly. Spend your time off with them. Get down on the floor and play with them whenever you can. When you walk through the front door give them a hug and your love before rushing to get dinner on and your things put away. If I'm not willing to sacrifice for my child, who am I willing to sacrifice for?

I want to sacrifice for not only my child, and my husband, but for all my family and friends. Even strangers. For the most part I don't. Hopefully I do when it really counts. Hopefully my life has impacted more lives for the better than for the worse. I usually sacrifice when it gives me some benefit. The one thing I do that sometimes has no benefit to myself is the time and energy towards organizing my mommy group. The group benefits me as a whole - it has given me a handful or two of precious friendships, lots of wonderful outings and memories, as well as a way for me to do something I am good at (organization) which is a reward in itself. But I do it for more than myself otherwise I would have kept the group for moms with children around the same age as my own. I only go to about half the events I post. I do it because I want as many mommies as possible to be sharing all these precious moments together and believe in the benefits of friendship, support, and connecting with others.

I am always striving to do better, to love more, to love better - meaning to forgive, uplift people, complement them, listen to them, do nice things for them, applaud them, be courteous, patient, and kind. It's too easy to get caught up in self serving behavior and I need to constantly be reminding myself in order to love others consistently. All my life all I really wanted was a family including children, over a career or any material possession. I'm so thankful I am living that dream and can't imagine it any other way. My mom was a stay at home mom and we were always number 1 in her life. We knew it, and still do. At times we may even think she cares too much, does too much for us, and not enough for herself. But, you know what? She made us feel loved, secure, and like we were worth it! We were worth her giving up a better social life, a job, more money, a bigger house, or whatever else she possibly could have had if she focused more on herself. That confidence in knowing there was someone who wanted me and loved me and wanted to spend every moment she could beside me made me grow up very confident in who I am inside and into a very independent person who appreciates every minute of the time my mom spent with us, giving us the greatest gift a person could possibly give another being: a happy childhood and so many wonderful memories it would be impossible to write them all down. My parents never wanted to vacation alone. They wanted us with them. (They still do!) Whenever September rolled around and our Priest would start talking about how happy all the parents must be that the kids are going back to school and out of their hands, my mom made sure we knew that she did not feel that way. It always bothered me to think that my parents would be happy to get rid of me. I think if my mom never told me she really did want me despite what the rest of the world says, I would have grown up trying to please her and leaving home sooner, giving her what I thought she really wanted - being apart from me.

I hope that when my child(ren) look back on their childhood they too are blessed with a multitude of happy memories, know they are loved and have always been my number one priority. If that is all I am able to accomplish with my life, that is enough. Love is always enough.

The end of March already?!

Has it been over 2 weeks since my last post? Must be something about this crazy summer weather we've been having in March this year! We were at the park almost every day for almost 2 weeks straight! I absolutely LOVE it! This week the weather has turned cooler again, for the most part, but that is okay - it's still March, and I'm just happy to have enjoyed a 2 week summer break from winter without leaving home this year!










Lots of things have been going on. I started a weight loss challenge program with my mommy group last week, even though I started my "diet" weeks prior to that. I have not been with-holding things I really want from myself, although I do make sure I really want it and think it's worth all those calories before enjoying. I still eat chocolate, and chips, and whatever I want. But I have been logging and tracking everything. And if the day has gone way over my target, I aim to do better. And most days I do better, simply because I'm keeping track of it. I have also added some exercise, and find I am going to bed feeling a little hungry rather than going to bed feeling full. I used to fear that, thinking that if I feel too hungry when I eat in the morning my body will go into starvation mode and it would turn all my breakfast into fat. I don't think it works that way anymore. I think it means I've burned more calories than I've ate that day and I've lost 4.5 pounds in the month so it's obviously doing something good instead of something bad! I've been really watching my portions, measuring everything I eat so I can accurately keep track of it all. I'm very happy about my progress and hope to do even better next month. The meeting itself went really well, I thought. Everyone left motivated to do their best, and we shared lots of laughs, tips, and there were lots of nods of agreement when people were talking. I am looking forward to our regular meetings and even running a second session when the first is finished. Hopefully everyone will lose weight and feel they gained something from the session even if they don't win any money (only first, second and third place win money based on percentage of weight loss in 20 weeks).

We went to the maple syrup festival a few weeks ago (I went over on my calorie intake that day!). we went to the one at Bronte Provincial park. It cost $16 to get in, plus something like $7.50 for 3 pancakes, a juice box, and some bacon, plus some maple syrup and treats I picked up at the gift store. Personally I didn't find it to be worth the cost to jump on some hay stacks and see a few farm animals we could see for free at Chinguacousy Park in Brampton. The pancakes and wagon ride were great, but not worth $23.50. We will not be doing this again any time soon.

Last week we had a pajama pizza preschooler party at my house with puzzles and play doh and because it was such a beautiful day, park time. Everything started with the letter P. All the kids (and most mommies) came in their pajama's. We ate pizza, popcorn, pasta, pretzels, pentagon sandwiches, popcorn chicken and some baked zucchini sticks (the only thing that didn't start with p) for lunch. The park was the best part as the boys played for over an hour while I got to chat with a good friend (and power walk back to my home and back for a potty break).

Today I had to get another root canal done. I had a sharp pain in my head half the time they were working on my tooth but it wasn't that bad. The worst part is the anticipation. I get really anxious about going to the dentist and stress out. I am glad it is over, but I have to go back to the dentist next week for a permanent filling as well as a cavity in the tooth beside it. I also have a big cavity on the other side of my mouth to fill and a cavity underneath a crown that is going to cost me an additional $300 to get fixed. The root canal alone today was $1400. Thank God my husband got a bonus this month, but it is now all used up to pay off our line of credit debt and my root canal. Did not even see where that went! Thankfully we do get some of it back from his insurance, however last time it was only $500 so $700 is still an awful lot to pay for something that is so dreadful. My teeth are horrible... and I do take care of them - brushing, flossing, rinsing... It seems they are just not strong enough. They have been bad all my life, and that is probably why I hate going to the dentist as much as I do. I think I'll be the one with dentures when I'm old and gray... hopefully these teeth will last me that long, and I won't need to get dentures in like 10 years or something! :(

I have been enjoying spending more time cooking lately too, which is strange as I used to hate it! I can't figure out how to get photos up here today but I made a wonderful crispy chicken in which I coated the chicken with egg white, then cheddar cheese, and then a ritz cracker crumb mixture. It was topped with a cream of chicken soup mixed with some sour cream and butter. Oh, it was sooo good! I even made it with bone-in chicken that I de-boned myself! I also made a nice chili, a great quiche, homemade soup, burgers, baked zucchini sticks, delicious fruit beverages (low in calories and sooo tasty!) and on Friday I am going to make a family cabbage roll recipe (my late grandmothers recipe. I made them once before, but with a friends help). :)











I hope everyone got to enjoy the summer like weather while it lasted and hopefully we will get similar weather periods in April and May!