: Rite of Passage :

I talk about the "rite of passage" often.

It comes in different forms at different times in our lives.


Here are some of the ones I've experienced...

I can remember when I was 18 working full time downtown while living in the valley, dating Mr. L, I remember having "NO" time & being "SO" busy and I had "NO" money {HA!} but I didn't really have any expenses either...figure that out! That is a rite of passage - I was a girlfriend.

Mr. L & I got engaged and I thought it was going to be this dreamy lovely delightful time, IT WAS NOT! It was a short amount of time crammed with decisions, expectations and frustrations. At one point during our engagement I even threw my ring at Mr. L in the street...yeah, dreamy hey!?! That is a rite of passage - I was engaged.

We got married and I thought we would have so much time, I would be Mrs. homemaker and I could do things my way -- it was MY house. Um, yeah..not so much. My new husband and I had our first fight over the fact that I was taking control of everything and our home was NOT my bedroom in my parents home. It was OUR home and the way I was running it was not giving him space to enjoy it. OY! That is a rite of passage - I was a wife.

Then we get pregnant with our first bebe and again there are expectations and unexpected changes that nobody tells you about. Yes, it's a joy, yes it's one of the greatest things in life if not the greatest thing. But that greatest thing doesn't come without HUGE sacrifice. That is a rite of passage - I was pregnant.

You raise those kids and send them off to school prepared with what you hope are ground rules for life to find out that your kid {you know one of the greatest gifts, that one} punched another person in school. Nice. That is yet another rite of passage - I was a mom.

Remember those days when you were "SO BUSY & SO TIRED" they don't even compare to the type of exhaustion you feel once your a parent responsible for teaching your kids the right way, teaching them about God and living through Him, feeding them in every way {spiritually, physically, emotionally}, helping them turn tough lessons in life into learning experiences, feeding their bodies not just their tummies...the list goes on forever it seems. I laugh at the time I stayed home all day with my little guys, sure it was hard but the demand of having kids in school is so much more exhausting - it's a constant juggle of time vs. chores...I don't even know how moms that work do all of it! This is all a rite of passage - I am a washed up mother.

I now watch my parents and my in-laws running around trying to assist their kids {us} with taking care of their grandchildren, in between having a life for themselves and dealing with ailing parents..I have yet to experience this rite of passage but I know it's sure to come.

You can't write a book with all the "rites of passage" for life that's why they are "RITES OF PASSAGE" You have to walk through it yourself -- just remember that whatever place in time you are at, someone has come through it and has survived it; you can too!

Of course all of these moments in time and rites of passage obviously had their joys, major joys and most of the time that is what I remember. But life isn't perfect, change hurts and rites of passage are just that, CHANGE!

Try enjoy the moment you're in -- you may be in a time where everything you have known is changing think back to all the other "rites of passage" that you have gone through thus far and just know that it's going to level out and you'll have overcome another rite of passage. After all isn't that what life is all about!?!?

That's all that's on my mind for today Lovelies -- I'm off for coffee with a friend and a day at home, should be a good day!

{XoXo}

: What I LOVE Wednesday :

I don't have too many things on my "what I LOVE" list this week, but the few I have ROCK!!!

This one I got in my most recent order from Avon :: It's a tinted moisturizer and it's amazing! It gives a nice dewy glow to my skin so if I'm just having a day at home I just add bronzer, my eyebrows {HA} and some mascara. LOVE it! And I think it was on sale for a steal --- like, $5!
I also picked up a new cleanser from Avon that is a gel based cleanser with toner beads right in the gel. I love that my skin feels clean after but not stripped of all the good stuff...just the junk ;) Again it was on sale and such a deal!
I've got a busy busy Spring but I love it -- one of the things I LOVE is planning a party and what a better excuse then adding a new family member!?! My friend and I are in full time planning mode over here -- let the ideas roll!
I LOVE that I have a girlfriend coming over for a long overdue coffee date tomorrow morning and that we have a beautiful blue sky outside today {which is also LONG overdue ;) }

That's it for me today...I've got a messy house that NEEDS to be fixed as it's been put on the back burner due to the toe injury but I'll get it done so once we return from school we can get our play on outside and maybe some gardening - oh joy!

Happy Wednesday Lovelies!
{XoXo}

: LOVE Day Feast :

On Valentines day since it was a week night and just the same 'ol normal routine the only thing I could think of doing as a special treat was making a "Love Feast of Roast Beast".

*Our menu*
Roast Beast {as our family calls it}
Potatoes
Carrots
Fresh butter buns
Salad
Pink velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing {for the boys}
Flourless chocolate cake {for the adults}


Daddy had given the boys little Valentine chocolates in the morning and at dinner we placed chocolates on their plates as well as a card and a shared gift of a movie.

Mr. L had gifted himself some new ski's 2 days prior to Vday -- bad timing Mr. L --- but they were a deal he couldn't pass up! So I gifted him a little card, 1 pound of French hazelnut chocolate & the key to my heart. Sweet, simple and to the point {and not expensive either!}
We went around the table after dinner and said 4 things that we love. Some of the things our boys said were so typically "boy" --- for example; trains, chocolate, cars, rocket ships...you know, VERY deep things ;) but it was cute and made them reflect on all we have and what we're so thankful for!
I've just returned from my normal bi-weekly run to the states and so now I've got to unpack the car load of goodies I picked up! Have a great rest of your Tuesday Lovelies! Tomorrow I'll be back for my "What I LOVE Wednesday"

PS. the toe is feeling SO much better today, I'm sure I'll pay for the busy day I had today but all in all I think I'm well on my way to running again! Thanks for your caring comments and emails!

{XoXo}

: Monday Monday Monday :

What a great weekend -- sorry I haven't been around these parts explanation is I had a surprise visit from my SIL from the Island on Thursday night. She was here to stay until Saturday so we squeezed everything we could out of the time we had together.My girlfriend had planned a night out at the movies to watch "The Vow" so I went to zumba on Thursday for 5.30pm so I could make it to the movie by 7.20pm -- when I walked into the theater to meet my friend who had printed my ticket off for me {thanks to C for the free ticket!} she was her normal self and said come this way, I've been waiting..so we walk towards the entrance to the theater and out from the arcade walks Christy. I stop, pause and think "no, it's not my birthday" and then I cried. I miss having Christy here in the lower mainland to visit with and do everyday with so seeing her just reminded me that if she were here {or I were there} we would be able to do things like girls movie night as a normal event...not just surprise visits or special occasions!

It couldn't have been more perfect, the boys had a pro-D day on Friday and I didn't have any plans except to do laundry and get a few invites out...so I postponed doing the laundry and fit in writing out the invites over tea with my SIL. Sounds like a fair trade to me!

We had a few birthday parties for Jacob to attend so his social calendar was full&fun, plus an all day play date with cousins Denay & Paisley that ended in tears cause they didn't want them to go - so sweet!

Friday night the Mr. was out with friends celebrating an upcoming wedding so I was at home watching girlie shows while he partied it up ;)

Saturday was more of the same, another birthday party working on projects around the house etc. Twas a great day. That was until I broke my toe getting out of the hot tub. We have a rod iron umbrella stand beside our hot tub and upon getting out of the hot tub I jammed my middle toe {next to my big toe} into the thing that holds the pole...didn't think I had done much damage until I got into the house and noticed the nail was completely pushed back and the knuckle was bent in the wrong direction. To say the least I was kinda out of commission for the remainder of the weekend!

At least I got to catch up on one of the most amazing funerals I've ever whitnessed - get it "Whit"nessed! Bottom line people, we are mortal - God is eternal. Make it right with Him; you'll be glad you did! On Sunday afternoon I took a break from my position on the couch to go to the insurance agents office with Mr.L so we could sell our beloved van. We were totally shocked to have sold it yesterday...we hadn't had any response from our Craigslist ad except one lady and boom, I guess that's all it takes, so they showed up with cash in hand ready to take it away. We have been so blessed by that van and pray that it's a super great vehicle for their family too.

After being delayed from selling the van my Mom came to pick up the boys for a sleep over and Mr. L & I headed out to Supper Club. It's a great night of fellowship and food...seriously can't get any better except it's all adult conversation - hello, what a treat! Thanks C&T for hosting this month!

Last week I missed doing my installment of "52 weeks of Blessing" -- and I don't have any photos to show of the "gift" but we did do it. We gave a blessing of money to someone who could use it more than us. We don't have excess cash just lying around, so this of course is going to cause some discomfort for us financially until next pay day, but really it's all about blessing someone and knowing that He will continue to provide for us.
Oh, and in my last post I told you about our breakfast muffins, they are easy-peasy to make. You take one box of Oat Bran muffins, cut up one peeled apple, 1 cup raisins or nuts {or both} and add it to the original directions to make the muffins {add one cup water..they are stupid easy!}, add a sprinkling of brown sugar on top and that's it!

I buy these muffin mixes on sale for aprox $1.50 and keep them on hand just to switch up the breakfast routine. Easy, healthy and cheap - my kinda breakfast!

That's it for me today, I'm going to hobble over to the kitchen pop dinner in the oven, then hobble over to the dryer and pull out a load of laundry, re-load the dryer then head to the couch --- good night all and Happy Monday!

{XoXo}

: Working it :: School Style :

I don't know about you other Mama's out there, but sometimes school mornings are HECTIC!

We've got homework that needs to be taken back to school plus the other random items that are required for the day {insert 100 day}, then the lunch kit with the well rounded meal and a good snack.

Let alone a full {half decent} dressed self and children, teeth brushed, breakfast eaten, bed made, hair done...the list seems never ending!

And that's only with one child going to school full time!!! Honestly I don't know how you Mama's with more than 2 kids do it?!?!?

Last year I was driving back and forth from preschool 5x's per week but school didn't start until 9 am so from 7 am - 8.45 am we could make it out the door as a loving family...this year feels like a different thing! It's been a HUGE learning curve and I hate leaving a disheveled home to return to so something had to change!

Jacob needs to be dropped off between 8.20 & 8.30 am -- some mornings we try to walk which means we're all out of the house by 8.10 am but as I need to get Cole to school for 9 am 3x a week we often end up driving, which means we're out of the house at 8.15 am.

Some mornings a week Mr. L is home but there is not really any help coming from him, sometimes it's more of a pain cause he get's in the way of our groove and then we all end up frustrated!

So in my need to get more of a grip on what is happening in our home {in the pm & am} I've made some changes and I can't believe how much of a difference they have made in our routine!

Here's the after school/evening routine that we have going:
Backpack is unpacked at kitchen table, notices&homework is left on the little desk in the kitchen.
lunch kit is emptied and put in cupboard {kids cupboard}
Backpack is hung on the hook in the laundry roomHomework is completed during snack time
Lunch for next day prepared

Now to the evening routine, when we're tucking the boys in bed I will be laying out their new clothes for the next day on the end of their beds. I used to have them downstairs waiting for them but then it was on my plate to get them dressed. This way they get themselves dressed when they wake up. They know what to where and there is no arguing {even boys can be VERY picky with what they wear}. It has easily given me back 15 minutes of my morning routine!

The morning routine is the same every school day:
Get up
Make bed {Jacob helps Cole}
Get dressed
Get breakfast {Jacob can do this for both of them if I leave a bowl out or leave a muffin in a ziplock bag on their plate}
These are our favorite {healthy&easy} breakfast muffins ~ recipe to come..Brush teeth, comb hair, wash face w/ wet wipe {all in the powder room on the main floor, if they end up going upstairs, they get sucked into the toy room...NO GOOD!}I get the lunches/snacks together and place their bags at the foot of the stairs, if they forget their bag - tough beans! They know it's their responsibility and they have to take it to school {obviously if I see it still hanging there I will remind them}.

As for my routine, I don't get out of bed until I've already thought up what I'm going to wear...I find nothing more frustrating then going into the black hole that is our closet and humming&hawing over what to wear. So while I'm listening to the news on the radio and checking my email messages on my phone {this drives Mr. L nuts!} I also think up my outfit, most days it's nothing special but it's clean and so am I ;)

I usually eat a shake for breakfast and try to eat it while I'm getting ready, but some mornings {like Wednesday's} I'm heading out the door with it in hand, such is life!

All this organization helps me {& them} out SO much...it keeps the peace when getting out the door with 2 other littles {hats off to all the other women who do this with more kids and don't look like Cruella Deville!}

I would love to know your morning routine and what keeps your family ticking and running on love not frustration -- I'm sure I've got much to learn!

{XoXo}

: Happy Valentines Day :: Question for you :

Q: What do you do to celebrate, do you even celebrate Valentines day?A: As for us, we celebrate, in a very loose way. We try and get out for a date at least once a month and so during February we make out V-day celebration, but really it's not that big of a deal.

All I want for V-day {now that we have kids, home etc.} is some flowers and some cuddles from my boys..maybe some extra ahem, cuddles from Mr. L -- that's it, not a big deal in my eyes.I don't feel that Mr. L has to prove his love for me on this particular day, really we just feel it's a good reminder to take account of our love and how thankful we are that we have each other and our family.

...that being said the one thing that I always love to get is flowers and Mr. L has a pretty great eye at putting together flowers so when I woke this am to these beauties I was pleasantly surprised!I'm hosting a ~LOVE FEAST~ tonight for my all my boys...and we have a few gifts for each of them, really it's just another reason to put priorities where they should be and that's in spending time with our family and each other...then after the "LOVE FEAST" I'm off to zumba and Mr. L will tuck the boys into bed....ahhh the life of a glamorous housewife ;)

Hope you all are feeling the love today and everyday!
{XoXo}

: New Post :

I wrote & published a post earlier today...once it was posted I re-read it and realized that it wasn't really making sense and was all over the place, so I deleted it.

If you read it; great --- if you missed it; don't worry you didn't miss much ;)

Happy Love Day tomorrow!{XoXo}

: Today :

Today has started off beautifully, we woke up to beautiful blue skies {when we were promised rain}

Enjoyed coffee with this little guy with the peace of the birds singing..that was until my three other guys decided to join me ;)Mr. L has to work today so he's off to Vancouver and I'm going to do my best to finish the office and get started on the other projects I need to get done!

This upcoming week is another really full week and I want to get some of these things checked off my list of to-do's...But first I'm off to build a couple train sets -- such is the life of a Mama to boys!

{XoXo}

: Foundation Friday :: 52 weeks of blessing :

I can't believe how quickly a week fills up and then flies by! And this week seemed unusually full and then proceeded to just whiz by!

So this week my challenge was to give an anonymous gift to someone I didn't know. This would be no. 50 of my 52 week challenge. So today along with purchasing my coffee -- I picked up the tab for the people behind me...such a simple pleasure that was. They don't know me; I don't know them. It was just a random act of kindness {this was the first time I have ever done this} and something I hope to do more often!

I'm up to my eyeballs in papers -- today is "sort through the office now Shawna or you'll never do it" kind of day. I love being organized and having a place for everything and everything in it's place but it's getting to that organized place that I don't really like! HA! Oh, and you'll be happy to know that I did find my little scrabble "loveyou" plaque for V-day --- it was in a box in our spare room closet, it's a good thing I went through that closet yesterday and organized it!This weekend we don't really have any big plans, we've got a few projects on the go at home that we need to tackle, I need to do a long walk today {from recovery of a very long run} as well as a run tomorrow -- we might have some friends over on Saturday night and then we'll be at church on Sunday and I think Mr. L may have invited some friends over for Sunday night and then we'll be back at Monday - phew!

I'm really hoping that tonight if I get my work out in and get the boys to bed at a decent hour I'll be able to take a chunk out of my digi-scrap project! Have a wonderful weekend Lovelies and here's to hoping Mr.Sun comes out for us!
{XoXo}

: BlaBla Thursday :

Thursdays are my "home days" I just have to go out for two things on Thursdays - dropoff&pickup of the biggest boy. No in and out of the house, no need for groceries or stopping off at the store for misc. items...all that was done on Tuesday, so today I get the joy of feeling like the Mama of little ones who doesn't live in her car being the "mom taxi" and I revel in it! I started my morning off enjoying fresh flowers {thanks to Auntie Joan}, coffee and time in the word..but I couldn't decide what I wanted to read {devotional/bible/themessage etc.} so kinda spattered a little between them all - HA, what a dork I am!

So today I'm trying to accomplish {finally} cleaning out under our ensuite sinks...not that they were not clean, they just were not organized. When we moved in all of our toiletries were in baskets which worked fine in the suite & our old house, but this house - not so much. So I've bought containers to help contain the unruly toiletries as nothing annoys me more than having random items all over the place, especially in the morning when all of us are trying to get ready!

Then that darn linen closet and spare bedroom closet are going to get the full flush out - I'm hoping to be finished that by the time I have to go pick up the biggest boy from school.

After all that, I have laundry to fold and put away - truly I never feel caught up on laundry and that is SO annoying to me; hey wait Auntie Joan is in town...she's good at keeping up on laundry, maybe she'll be able to come over and do it for me ;)

Ugh, the list never stops!

If all goes as planned {ha!} I'm going to sit down this afternoon and do some scrapbooking {digi-scrap} -- I have a bazillion photos to scrap, but one of my goals this year is to get our lives scrapbooked and in the beautiful albums I have...so here's to step one!

Later tonight I've got coffee with a friend and a nice long run {pray for me; my legs are wanting to fall off my body from Zumba on Tuesday night!} --- should be a great end to my day!

Here's to getting things checked off the list and earning my keep around here ;)

{XoXo}