Thankful Thursday

Well, what a transition this year is! Now every morning we head out as a family of six to go to work and school. Our toddler goes to daycare, Nya is in primary, the two boys are in middle and then Gary and I are at a high school. A whole lot of preparation goes into it the night before to make sure we can get out of the door by 7:30 AM.  What am I thankful for today?

Could You Do a Year of Less?

Do you often buy a specialty coffee on work days? Get a manicure as a pick-me-up? Purchase new clothes because you're going to a wedding? I recently read The Year of Less by Cait Flanders in which she not only purged and decluttered over 50% of her household items but she decided not to buy anything new for an entire year unless it was consumable or on the "approved list" such as one new sweatshirt because she didn't have one. I've written about decluttering several times before specifically after reading Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This book gives some food for thought and here are some of mine...

Rolley Lake Camping Trip

We had one last trip planned this summer: Rolley Lake Provincial Campground. Unfortunately due to the wildfires in B.C. the air quality was the worst we have ever experienced and it was advised to avoid strenuous activities and stay indoors. We visited the Stave Falls Powerhouse for an indoor activity but the rest was all outdoors. We decided to end our trip early and packed in as much of the camping experience as we could into those 24 hours.

Stave Falls Dam and Powerhouse

I've lived in B.C. my whole life yet had not visited the 100-year-old Stave Falls Powerhouse Facility in Mission, B.C. We were camping at Rolley Lake which is five minutes away and decided to check it out. I can see why various movies and TV series have been filmed there as it is quite a unique and historical site! The powerhouse was once B.C.'s largest hydroelectric source and was completed in 1912.

Five Important Lessons I Have Learned in My 40 Years

Here I sit wanting to make an impactful "What I know about life at 40" kind of post but I'm hesitant. Why? I look at what I wrote ten years ago and shudder at what I thought was wisdom. I was so naive and life, parenting and marriage have kept me humble and have been great teachers over the past ten years. To spin this positively, I could say that at 40 I know that the next ten years should be filled with growth and more wisdom which is a gift as I then approach 50.

What are some of the major lessons I've learned in 40 years of life?

Thankful Thursday

I spoke too soon when I said the heat wave was over. I don't do so well over 30C. But, no one wants to hear me complaining about the weather so here we go. What am I thankful for this week?

I am thankful for:

Thankful Thursday

The heat wave is over in the Lower Mainland – yeehaw! I'm fine with sun on holidays when there's a pool or lake but when you're sweating it out in your home with a million kids it's not as enjoyable. Every single one of these photos is from my phone and I'm just going to be cool with that. I sort of can't believe that July is over which sort of scares me because I'm going to work in three weeks but at the same time I'm thankful for the trips we've taken and all that we've gotten done over the past month. 

Here are a few things I am thankful for this week:

Five Places to Visit in Kelowna with Kids

We recently visited Kelowna in the southern interior of B.C. which is located just 3.5 hours from the Lower Mainland and right on the Okanagan Lake. Our reason for planning a family vacation to Kelowna was threefold: a short road trip, numerous outdoor activities available and a beach vacation vibe. We ended up staying in West Kelowna as it was a bit more affordable which allowed us to do more activities each day. We were there for three days and I'd love to share the activities that were recommended to us that we enjoyed.

What are the five things I recommend doing with kids while visiting Kelowna?

Jug Island Trail at Belcarra Regional Park

Jug Island Trail is located at Belcarra Regional Park in Port Moody, B.C. and is a beautiful moderate hike for those who want something in the two-hour range. It winds through the forest until the end when it opens up to Indian Arm. You can then walk along the ocean shore and look for crabs and fish and I recommend going at low tide if possible.

Thankful Thursday

Hey team! So, this week Nya went to a play date where she asked her friend (in the car full of their family) whether her mom yelled. Her friend said "no" and Nya said she was lucky because her mom was the opposite. At first I laughed when I heard it and then I was slightly mortified and then I felt frustrated. To be clear, I have yelled at Nya maybe twice in her life because she is so sensitive. If I raise my voice she feels like I'm yelling. Do I yell at my boys? Yes, they are ridiculous and I am human. If you feel like I shouldn't yell, I hear you, it's not my first choice but then I also dare you to parent my crew.  All this to say I've felt a bit down about the exhaustion of parenting. I've never doubted my ability as a parent (weird, right?) but wow is it ever tiring and I feel like me giving 100% is never enough. What will they remember about me after all is said and done?

All I can do is my best and take this time to work on my patience. I am with my kids a lot. Like, a lot. I know I need some time away and a whiny toddler does not add patience to the mix ;) Sorry, this is not very Thankful Thursday-ish so let's get to it...

This week I am thankful for: