Turning 14...

My oldest daughter turned 14 on Tuesday.

14!
Fourteen!!
The ol' one-four!!!
Not just a teenager, but a teenager with one whole year of teenage-dom under her belt.

I just don't know how this happened. I mean, I just gave birth to her yesterday or was it the day before? And seriously, didn't she just start walking? And say her first words? And give me her first open mouth kiss?

Didn't we just talk last week about her picking up her toys? Putting her Barbies away? Didn't we just argue about whether her hair was going to be braided or just put in ponies? Wasn't I recently telling her to stop spending all her allowance on WebKins?

Didn't she just start school? Wasn't it just last week that I drove away from her Kindergarten class with #3 and #4, looked in the rear view mirror, saw her car seat was empty and slammed on the brakes! WHERE WAS SHE??? Oh yah, at school! Or was that the week before?

Wasn't it last month that I dried her tears when one of her very best friends in the whole wide world moved away? Didn't I just have to help her understand what triplets were and what it meant to have them in her class? Wasn't it just last week that I had to explain to her tear-stained face that it was up to her to decide if she still wanted to be friends with a friend who lied about her? And didn't I just have to cover her eyes last night when there was a scary part in the movie we were watching, cuddled together on the couch?

Didn't she just try gymnastics? And then move on to try figure skating, then soccer? Wasn't it just a few days ago that she just started playing the piano with NO lessons? And shortly thereafter started playing the piano with both hands, still NO lessons? Didn't she just try the flute and break all of our eardrums in the process?

When did she stop being my little girl?
When did she start being a young woman?
Who is this 14 year old young woman living in my home?
Where has the time gone?



In December it came to our attention that there was a BOY with whom she shared mutual affection. A boy, with hands for holding and lips for kissing and other body parts that shall not be named... They even went on a "date" - ice skating with a group of friends. I chose not to meet this young man for fear that his personal well-being and safety would be jeopardized and I may be arrested.

I am SO not ready for this. I'm not. I know I'm not even close to being ready for this. Doesn't she know that boys have cooties? And they smell? And spit? And scratch themselves? Boys are yucky!!



Yet, she's growing up. I can't stop it, not that I've tried, but I am pretty sure child services would be paying me a visit if I did.

Recently, another mother at our elementary school asked me what our family policy was regarding dating. I told her that we didn't really have a policy, but that we want our kids to be honest with us. We feel that if we "ban" them from dating until a certain age, they are probably going to do it anyways, just hide it from us. Our conversation ended with both of us agreeing that our kids could date when we are dead because that is the ONLY time we are going to be okay with our kids going out on a date!!

Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet, beautiful, wonderful and cherished daughter!! Thank you for being who you are, putting up with who I am and being SO very patient with me as I watch you grow up. I love you Sweetheart!!

Spending with Intention - Part 1

Part of my theme for 2012 (Live With Intention) is to Spend with Intention.

Part 1 of Spend with Intention is to spend our money in OUR country in stores that are Canadian owned and operated.



I feel very strongly that we should not shop in other countries and especially in the US. Living close to the border to the US, many of my friends spend a great deal of time shopping in the States.

I hate that they are supporting another country's economy.

For me, the worst part of watching my friends spend their hard-earned Canadian dollars in the US is that if the roles were reversed and US residents were coming up here to work, my Canadian friends would not have jobs. By shopping in the US, their money is creating jobs in the US.

And I understand that prices are cheaper in the US. I get that. Still, is saving money that important? Really? And how much are you actually saving? It takes time to drive down to the US. And of course there are the border line ups you have to wait in. And now you need a passport to go into the US, even if you are just driving across... And then there is the expense of the gas you burn to go down there. Is it REALLY worth it?


A while ago, I went for coffee with a wonderful friend of mine. As we were catching up, the conversation turned to using coupons to assist with the family grocery bill.

She said, "Have you ever shopped in the States?"

I said, "Well, I have a 'thing' about spending my money in my own country."

Just then a man at another table leaned over and said, "Thank you for saying that!"

He went on to explain that he sells tractors locally. He has found that many of his customers are now shopping in the US where the prices are cheaper. This means that he, a hard-working Canadian, is losing out on income made from commission. So his family is doing without because he is not making as much as he used to.

And THAT is why I believe we need to keep OUR money in OUR country supporting OUR people and OUR economy.

Recently, I was chatting with a lady about keeping our money in Canada. She said she agreed completely! But as she was walking away, she turned around and said, "But I do find I do most of my shopping in the US."

REALLY???



I also let my actions SHOW that I want to keep my money in my country. My children asked me to take them shopping in the States before Christmas and I said no. I told them they could ask their Dad if he would take them... But that I would be doing my Christmas buying and spending in Canada.

So, there it is... I hope this gives you something to think about, to ponder before you take your next trip down to the States to do some shopping - be it in your vehicle or on-line.

Living (and Spending) With Intention,
Nic

The "Theme" for 2012

Here it is!! A brand new year, full of possibilities...

I try very hard to learn from the past, but not dwell on it.
It happened.
It's over.
Time to learn from it and move on.

Last year at this same time, I decided not to make any New Year's Resolutions.

Life is good. In fact, it's very, very good. And although I AM making some resolutions for 2012, my "theme" for 2012 started back around Thanksgiving.

You see, I was shopping and I saw a calendar that said "Live With Intention." That's it. Those three small words - "Live With Intention" struck me to the core.

And so it began... It was nothing really at first. Just small changes. Spending more time with the people I love. And way, way less time in front of a computer screen. I stopped checking Facebook every day.

I stopped replying to e-mails instantly. BUT I started calling (yep, on the PHONE!!) friends who e-mailed me and needed an answer. Sometimes, I would even stop by to see them!!! No texting. No e-mailing. Not even a phone call! An actual face-to-face meeting!!

I also deleted e-mail subscriptions... No more Swarm Jam or Deal of the Day or Groupon e-mails. No more updates from local stores with their weekly amazing deals!

And I am trying desperately to STOP procratinating!! If I don't have time to do a good, thorough job though, I won't even start it. It will get done... I just need to have the time to do the job properly.

I've been trying to organize our home, declutter and unpack - from both the move here 4.5 years ago and from the flood in the fall of 2009. And although it drives my hot husbanno crazy, my answer is not to throw everything away! I now make weekly deposits of good, clean, used clothes and shoes in the charity donation bins located throughout our area.
After Hallowe'en, I sent a box of dress up clothes to my niece. She immediately dressed up as a fairy princess! I also sent a costume sewn by my step-Mom, worn by many of my brothers to one of my brothers for his son to wear. We always thought it was a green dinosaur, but once it was received by my brother, we found out it was actually a frog costume. Who knew? And yet another bag of costumes went to our great-nephew. I know all will be reused and loved! Way better than throwing them in the garbage! Or donating them to strangers!

There were a few items sent to the donation bins and unfortunately I did have to throw a couple of things away! :-( I really, really hate to throw ANYTHING away because I truly believe in reusing items; that someone out there could really use it and we have more than enough garbage in the world right now!! We don't need to create any more garbage!

And it continues... I am trying to use up all the extra "stuff" that what we have, get rid of what we don't use and organize what we are keeping - all at the same time. It's very gratifying! I am loving it! It's not easy; it's emotional sometimes. Like sending that homemade costume. I remember my children wearing that costume. I think the greatest moment was hearing the emotion in my brother's voice once he received it; as he remembered wearing that costume himself and thought of his son wearing it in the future.

Now I am attempting to do the same thing with Christmas - our ornaments, home decorations - inside and out, the Santa & Mrs. Clause who light up and move (that our children have outgrown, but we are all having a difficult time letting go of them...), the stocking that says "Tessa" from our dog that passed away in 2009, and on the list goes...

And I am procrastinating. :-( I know I shouldn't; I should just tackle this project. But I digress...

I have a friend who is trying to "Simplify" in 2012.
And another who is attempting to be more "Healthy" in 2012.

I am just going to stick with "Live With Intention". I can hear it, feel it in my very soul. And although, there are very few outward signs of change; there is a whole lot of change going on inside.

Here is the full poem by Mary Anne Radmacher:

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Play with abandon.
Practice wellness.
Laugh.
Risk love.
Fail with enthusiasm.
Continue to learn.
Appreciate your friends.
Choose with no regret.
Stand by your family.
Celebrate the holidays that make sense.
Lead, or follow a leader.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.


I feel each sentence, each line deserves a moment of our time.
A moment to contemplate.
A moment to think about how you can change your own life in order to "Live With Intention".

A very blessed 2012 to you all,
Nic