Old post

It feels like our family hasn't taken a break from the day to day hustle for a while. So this weekend we planned to get away. A few weeks back we contacted some friends to see if they wanted to join us. When they agreed the planning started, first we decided in the HOJO in Grand Forks. Next... Nope that is it! We have the people we want to be with and the hotel has a pool, what more do we need.
Our kids had been saving their money so first stop was to the toy store. Xander got a remote control toy. Avery bought makeup as Willow bought a my little pony doll. So far everyone is happy.



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Our kids

The last few days we have had the opportunity to hang out in smaller family units. Either myself with Willow, Melissa with Willow, bit of us with Willow (seems to be a bit of a trend here) as well as individual time with Xander and me like this morning as well as individual time just with Avery. Here are the stories so far.



I am trying to remember what was going on this night. From what I can remember, Xander and Avery were not here and Willow and I spent a bit of time watching some of the Olympics together.





Mom was getting some studying done so naturally we had a dance party.


Then we played a game that required all if our imagination skills.
Xander thought of a game where we thought up a battle machine. Indicated of it was good or bad. Then physically build this's imaginary machine with our hands and place it in the store to be sold.


This is at the point where I was channeling my inner child so that I could be a player in this game.
Let me tell you, in terms of imaginary build and sell games I am in my prime.



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Gratefulness

I am doing a course right now. It talks about being grateful. The issue for me is that some times I am either not grateful or the things I am grateful for are things in the past. Things that I used to have and want again.
This is not a good game to play. It doesn't lead anywhere healthy and only continues to keep me in a place longing for the other!
I find that it is hard to look back on things with a genuine appreciation for what they were without feeling a sense of loss and longing.
I want to change this, I want to experience my past and my memories with fondness and appreciation for the awesomeness that they were not for what I don't have now, not with longing and sadness.

So here I go.
I am grateful for my wife. She lis amazing, she is creative in a way that seems so broad she and most other people have a hard time nailing down anything specific. She can decorate an empty space for a party on a non-existent budget and make it into some of the best party memories I have and do it effortlessly. She plays music and it is some of the most beautiful I have ever heard!
She is also the mother if my three beautiful children and they hold everything that is beautiful about her with in them. I love you Melissa!
I am grateful for the Opportunities I am receiving where I work and the compliments on the job that I am doing.
I am grateful for our house that is in an area we can afford and allows out children to go to a great school.
I am grateful that my children are healthy.
I am grateful that my children are whiling to talk to us and express their emotions.
I am grateful for having five wonderful years in Altona and the friends I made there.
And I am grateful for what the future holds in the unknown!

Good luck to day as you search for something to be grateful for.

Perspective

My youngest daughter today taught me something about perspective. When we don't feel well emotionally sometimes all we need to do is change our vantage point, change our perspective and see what we are missing! Willow proved to me that by kneeling down I would see that there was a rainbow in our house. Children see more than we know and we as adults need to listen more than we think. Thank you for the rainbow today Willow!



What would happen if we changed our perspective more often? I think we would see the beauty in our world more. If we were lucky, we might see it as our children do.



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Self compassion

I haven't been on here for a while and feel like I need to do some updating. Melissa and I are doing a Brene Brown course and find ourselves doing it with our kids close at hand.
When we started the course Avery was sitting with us. One of the first things we were asked to do was to write "I'm imperfect and I'm enough" on our hands them take a selfie. We did this then Avery asked us what we were doing. After and extensive conversation, Avery wrote the statement on a paper and we took a picture.






Just a little while ago some sort of accident happened or mess was made and she looked at Melissa and "it's ok right mom, I'm imperfect and I'm enough."
After hearing this we felt confident that if our kids join us on this journey of learning to love ourselves we will be happy to do it with them.

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Sisterly love

Yesterday afternoon just before we took Avery to school there was a very special moment between our girls. Some how all of the love that they have been feeling for years but not expressing toward each other came out like a flood.




Willow- " Avery you'll always be my sister, I love you."




Avery- " I live you too Willow."
All of this happened while they where giving each other hugs.
It was an amazing little send off for Avery and there kind and courteous affection was beautiful.



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Movie night

Nothing is more awesome than a surprise movie night.
There is a cold that is kicking our buts. Everyone has a cough, runny nose and two of our kids now are in antibiotics.
With all of this in mind we decided to sit our selves down in front of the TV, eat some pizza and watch a movie.
My son got to pick and he chose "Inspector Gadget," I didn't realize they had made a movie of this. Anyways the kids enjoyed Gadgets goofiness and Melissa and I enjoyed reminiscing and watching their faces as Gadget continually blows up Chief Quimby.
Good times had by all!

Random pics:










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Hockey no more

This morning we chose to end Xander's hockey season. It is amazing what comes out of your kids mouths when you teach them to express their emotions.
"I don't like hockey because I feel alone."
Wow, this was hard to take because after more talking he mentioned that he misses his friends in Altona and this hockey was just too difficult to get to know anyone.

We realize that if this move is going to work we need to make a new community here.
So here we go!


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Far too long

Well back at it again. We now live in Winnipeg as are working our way through the first year of adjusting. Never an easy task when you have three children that are watching your every move and sigh.
Right now Xander is in grade one and doing well except for a cold. Avery is in her first year of French immersion in kindergarten and has a cold and Willow is hanging out with mom and dad at home with all of our colds.
It feels good to be back!




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