Tag Archives: parenting

happiness

Kid-knees and whoopee cushions 

Tonight we celebrated the February birthdays in the family – my nephew (today) and my sister (tomorrow). After having missed years of these family celebrations I am continuously thankful that we are here now to participate. Having this extended family around us is so incredibly important in helping guide us and give us that sense of grounding and support 

  
While the entire evening of the family gathering together was my happiness moment, I had a couple of events stick out as especially funny ones. 

The first happened as I was reading a book with my niece about the different parts of your body. We were on the heart page which she was convinced was the kidney. Once she realized it was not (after her mommy confirmed that for her, because she’s still at the age where mommy knows best) we continued searching until we found it. Once we were on the correct kidney page, my niece put her bent  leg up towards me, pointed and said see auntie Melissa? Here’s my kid-knee. Priceless

Next, I walked in the room to find my nephew (who turned two today) jumping up and down on the whoopie cushion yelling fart fart fart over and over. 

There’s nothing like kids to being unexpected and delightful laughter. What a blessing that we have all these cousins around to enjoy. 

In a sentimental moment, I heard my uncle playing with my nephew, and the noises my uncle was making were exactly the sounds my dad made. For a minute I stopped and my heart thought dad was here. But my uncle is like another dad to me – in fact we call uncle dad – and it was so fitting that the laughter and joy were coming from those two. 

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Less anger, more laughter 

The kids and I stopped for a cup of tea today while doing our errands in town. Our cups came with these life lessons on them: 
There’s a lot about the situation we are in right now that we can’t change. But a lot of these tips for good health are totally within our control. We decided to focus on the last one less anger, more laughter. 

We realized that we needed more laughter to help pull us into a better place. With that in mind we got in the car and began our drive home. We had a couple of stops, so it took us about an hour. During that time we told jokes, acted silly, and laughed until our tummies hurt. You can’t be angry and laugh at the same time. 

I am so impressed by these two. They are brave and strong and so full of love. Silly laughter, a blessed happiness moment. 

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Light it up 

My kids have a very special bond. Actually, the three of us are an extremely tight unit and I consider that one of my greatest blessings. We have been through a lot and it has drawn us together in a very unique, but strong way. 

They may at times be each other’s worst enemy, but they are also best friends and have each other’s back no matter what. I am so happy for them that they will go through life with such a friend. 

Jenna came from school today with an assignment. They had to create something that lit up and moves. She decided to build a tree of lothlorien from Lord of the Rings. Because that’s in Jacob’s wheelhouse she told me she was going to ask him for advice on how to build it. 

We came into the coffee shop to wait for her lesson and the two of them sat down and brainstormed. It is amazing to listen to them as they’re planning or building something (I sometimes hear this when they are playing minecraft together). 

They’ve figured out how to light it up and are still figuring out the movement. 

Everyone needs a good friend who knows exactly who you are and loves you for it. I’m so happy that these two have that. We are such a blessed little family. A lovely happiness moment.  

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My little Italian boy 

I had Jacob in at the doctor again today – fortunately this time just for a follow up from the visit last week about his ribs (Lord knows we can’t handle any new issues). As he was sitting on the table he started talking about how he a) wasn’t feeling all that well and b) needed some pizza.

I told him that if he wasn’t feeling well that he shouldn’t be eating pizza.

He responded with “what – do you think Italians don’t go eat pizza for lunch when they’re sick? No they go have pizza and gelato and then go sit by the beach”.

So I quoted that and sent it to the Italian part of the family who completely agreed with him. This led to a lovely discussion in chat with us remembering being sick and cared for as children, and how being a sick adult isn’t the same at all.

On our way home we decided to stop at Mercato’s and have a little pasta therapy. The entire time this kid ate all he could do was groan in pleasure as he described how amazing the food tasted going into his belly. Then he took a picture of the menu so we could go get the ingredients and recreate it at home later.

To truly enjoy your meal and to sit in the moment and appreciate with gratitude not only the food, but the people who prepared it – that’s a real joy.  My happiness moment, sharing a meal with my boy.

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Afternoon skate 

Jenna was born trying to keep up with those around her. The moment she entered this world her eyes were wide open and she was eagerly taking in the sights around her.

Being a younger sibling, she has spent a lifetime running after the older kids.  I think she was probably born with a lot of stubbornness and sticktoitiveness, but she’s had more than her fair share of chances to enhance those traits. They’re just some of the things I really love about her. When she decides she’s going to do something nothing gets in the way of her accomplishing her goal.

I have to admit, I was kind of happy that my kids had always picked warm, indoor sports. I have friends who are hockey moms and I’m always reading updates about how they’re freezing at the rink. I have memories of my parents sitting in the freezing cold at various horse lessons and shows watching me ride. I was so happy we were doing sports like karate and swimming.

And then…a few weeks ago Jenna decided she wanted to skate. We found a beginner class and signed her up. She loves it, so I’m learning to love being a rink mom. Seeing her discover a new passion trumps even my desire to stay warm. I love that she’s discovered a new thing that she enjoys.

We went to the rink today thinking she had a class, but they are cancelled for the week. As we were walking by one of the rinks, Jenna looked in and saw a couple of her friends from school. She ran into the change room, got all ready and headed out to spend some time on the ice with her friends.

I was so glad that she has settled enough into her school that she now has this group of buddies. I love that she sees familiar faces when we are out now and that she is confident enough to go and join them in their activities. These girls were pretty confident skaters, so Jenna had to draw back on her years of running after her older brother and cousins to get the strength to head out there and keep up with them.

I was amazed at how much her skills improved even just in the space of this afternoon. I was humbled by her courage and determination as she managed to keep herself upright as she pushed herself to stay with her friends. I was thrilled that she kept on looking over at me to make sure I was watching her success. I love this kid so much, being her mother is an incredible honour and I am so thankful for her. What a great happiness moment.

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Family day in Alberta (2016)

I love that Family Day backed onto Valentine’s Day this year. It let us focus on the huge amount of love that we share in our family and community. This is the first Family Day we have celebrated since we moved away in 2005, and the last one before that Jenna was 1 month old – therefore the first one that my kids remember.

We actually took full advantage of it and spent the day with family, doing all the important things that must be done on days like this – like playing in ice-puddles

and playing hockey on a teeny strip of ice in the field. With a golf ball as the puck. It was not for the faint of heart.

My niece and I took on the two bigger girls. We had to cheat a lot just to stay in the game. But we declared as Team Claire (we share the middle name) that we had the magical power to change the rules. The big girls were having none of that, so it ended up mostly just being a silly, laughter filled, weirdly competitive, game of strange hockey. 

It was an afternoon filled with happiness moments as we shared company with some of the people we love most in the world. What a blessing that we are all able to come together like this again and enjoy life as a family.

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It’s all part of the same family

Tonight we had a wonderful happiness moment in the form of a family supper. Jacob and I came late to the party as we wee back in urgent care getting his ribs checked (again). Arriving tired, emotional, and hungry, it was so heart warming to come into the house and see it full of family. 

That house has always been a multi generational home in my heart. As far as my memory goes back there have been grandparents, parents, kids, siblings, and cousins running around the place. The people may have aged and the generations shifted, but there we are all the same. 

Tonight once again there was laughter filled in the dining room by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, and everything in between. Keeping these roots that help me grow strong is so important. 

As we were leaving, Jacob looked down the driveway and said there’s three different families all sitting here waiting for us to pull out (we had parked everyone in). And I replied and yet we are all the same family. 

Having those bonds with the ones I love is priceless. This is what being home is all about and I’m so thankful I can provide this kind of grounding and security for the kids. 

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He chose me

Today was a pretty special day as far as days go. I mean it’s Friday so right away it’s a little bit better just because of that. But, what made it even more fantastic was the fact that my 14 year old asked me to go to a movie with him. Like, he had the option to go with friends and still wanted to go with me. He said we hardly ever get any time together that’s just us and he wanted to do something special. 

It was a great happiness moment sitting in the theatre belly laughing with my kid. As an added bonus, I used my Scene points and we got to go for free. Life is pretty good. 

  

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Girls in the barn 

  
This old barn holds so many magical memories. Generations of my family have worked and played inside it. My grandfather handpicked all the logs and then built it about a hundred years ago. It is one of those special places that holds my heart. 

This afternoon Jenna had a friend over to play and the first thing they did was run up to the barn to play. They ran around looking for cats, and then just enjoyed playing outside in the corral. 

I love that I can look out my kitchen window and see this building that holds such fond memories of my youth. I spent countless hours either playing in the loft or grooming my pony inside while looking out towards the mountains. 

It was a great happiness moment to see my child enjoying an earthy, blissful moment in beautifully grounding and stable (haha get it) place. 

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Masterchef Jr Marathon

We had so many plans for the day. We were going to get up bright and early and head off to church, then come home and clean house, then maybe go for a nice afternoon drive. Best laid plans and all…. What ended up happening was that I slept for 10 hours (Jenna a little longer), we missed church, and ended up spending the day in our PJ’s on the couch binge watching Masterchef JR (and one Beethoven movie).

I had no idea how tired we were until we stopped and rested. I am so incredibly glad that we have a few days off pretty soon where everyone can just slow down a little bit and recharge their batteries.

Even though I spend a lot of time with the kids, we are often rushing here and there, going to school or various activities. I love quiet, lazy time spent with them as well. It was so nice to cuddle up with my girl on the couch and watch those little kids cook some pretty amazing meals.

Jenna used to cook all the time. When she turned 5 we were living in Rhode Island and she decided she wanted lobster bisque for her birthday. I chopped and turned on the stove, but she did all the rest of the cooking. We also used to make naan bread together all the time. Obviously it’s time to get motivated and get us both back in the kitchen. It was a great way of bonding for the two of us.

It was a great, slow, lazy happiness moment spent hanging with one of my favourite people in the world. I am so grateful that it is my job to nurture my amazing humans, watching them grow, learn, love and laugh.

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