House Work Should Be a 4 Letter Word!

Argggggggggggggggggggggg! I was never one to be overwhelmed. Never. My plate was always really full and I thrived on it.

Today, my doctor appointment was cancelled which meant I have 2 hours to come home and tackle this disaster zone. I am paralyzed with the inability to move. I keep looking at the clothes to fold, dishes to put away, floor that REALLY needs to be mopped, and it goes on.

So I come and sit at the computer. I hate housework. I hate the constant-ness of house work.

On the way to school, I grounded the boys off the computer till further notice.

There is no need for me to go off on a tangent of make your bed, pick up your clothes, tidy your room, put something back after you use it...

So, no computer. Hit them where it hurts to get results, isn't that what they say?

Then hockey begins with a vengeance.

5:30 p.m. my Max has his first game. So we are all going.

7:30 p.m. my Jordan has a practice... Sanj is coaching and Sammy is at the Pete's game.

(Don't forget Grey's is on...)

Tomorrow night... Jordan had his first game and Max has one too.

Of course this is after Sanj and Tyler's jiu jitsu .

Breathe.

This is only the beginning.

There is homework, spelling, MV, reading, a tree project to finish up...

I better cancel guitar tonight. Oh and Tyler is trying out for volleyball after school... Lord help me. Last year he had a major meltdown after it. Maybe volleyball is not his thing!

We shall see!

Ok...house... here I come!

When I Grow Up, I Want To Be...

I had an interesting conversation with my sister-in-law this weekend.

We were chatting about her job (she is an architect) and has been discontent with her job for a while. So we often chat about what she can do to cure her discontentment.

This leads to what we want to be when we grow up... conversations.

She loves research and would love to do something in this field... she actually said a librarian.

This made me gasp, as it was something I did to work my way through university. But things have changed since days of books and researching, pulling books off shelves, leaving them there for someone like me to come and put them back in their rightful place.

But my sister-in-law would love this as now-a-day things are different. There is all sorts of research needs out there.

This led me to what I want to be when I grow up... since I have blogged this before... it would be along the lines of writing and photograph.

What is interesting to me is as we looked back... I did this constantly. My university days are documented with 1000s of pictures I took with my little camera. I was always taking pictures yet never thought anything about it.

I also wrote all the time. I wrote about my day... I wrote in my journal for years... I wrote about my latest crush, where I saw him, if I passed him on the sidewalk, did we make eye contact... oye, it went on and on.

The point being I have always written.

I have always had these passions but never thought twice about it.

I suppose I never really gave it much thought as 20 years ago teachers, nurses, doctors, pastor, accountants, business were all the degrees that parents encouraged.

Especially coming from immigrant parents, they kind of stuck and encouraged the basics.

I started off with business... but my first accounting class almost put me in a coma from the boredom of it....

Ever since I was little I always thought I wanted to be a teacher. So, this is where I went naturally when business proved to be a bomb. I loved the classes and suddenly my GPA rose as my interest did.

But I think my teaching degree was a means to an end. I had to graduate with something. I had to have a career... but looking back... I was really more interested in my MRS degree. I wanted nothing more than to be mom. The career was a back-up.

Now? Who wouldn't love a job traveling around the world capturing life? A job with Life or National Geographic? Well it isn't the kind of job that can be meshed in nicely with being mommy.

Regrets? No. I just wish I saw my true passions so that I could have capitalized on them more while I have the chance.

This brings me to my boys. How do I guide them to find their true passions? When you are starting university, you are still so YOUNG to make that lifetime choice of your career!

I want my boys to be able to see outside the box if that is where their passion is.

Sammy would love to design... whether it is golf courses or cars... at this moment design is a love as is computers.

Tyler... I am not sure... still. He doesn't have a true love yet... I'll have to ask Sanj about what he sees here. He has passions... golf is his first love... but I think that changes with the season ... to hockey.

Jordan is the artist. I love watching him teach himself to draw. He loves drawing cars, super heros, action figures and people. Sponge Bob is one that he has mastered.

Max... he loves clothes... loves himself... I love watching him check himself out. Maybe he will be interested in modeling... lol

Zachary is a hard worker. He still maintains that he want to be a police man. He is mechanically savvy. He sees how things work and can fix something or explain a function that is lost to us.

Josh... he's 4. He is just mama's boy... for now.

I want to expose my children to various things so they get the opportunity to fiddle in areas that may be their thing... but they would never have know until they had a chance to dabble in it.

I also realize that what you want to be "when you grow up" is something that changes as you change. Not everyone has the chance to change careers but everyone can have a chance to find themselves in the life outside of work.

BZZZZZZZZZZZ...

The dogs are in training. Invisible Fencing Training.

They are smart. They got shocked once. That is all it took.

Hummmm... I wonder if I am on to something.

Collars... names on them... Sammy, Tyler, Jordan, Max, Zach and Josh...

Oops... Towels are left on the floor... BZZZZZZZZZZZ...

Oops... Clothes on the floor... BZZZZ BZZZZZZZ...

Dishes not picked up... BZZZZZZZZZZ...

Talking back??? BZZZZZZZ...

Wonder how long the training would take?

Maybe I could use it too... chocolate... bzzzz... bad carbs... bzzzz...

Ah... the potential!

Reality Check...

Today I dropped by the school to take care of a few things. As I was walking out of the office, I see Josh standing against the wall with his teacher talking to him.

He sees me. Darn. He is not behaving... he is waiting for his teacher to take off his boots, jacket etc., when he can do so himself.

He sees me and the tears come. How that broke my heart yet I knew to leave and let his teacher deal with him.

My stomach was churning. I never have left him crying. Maybe there in lies the problem.

As I was retelling the story to Sanj, he just looks at me.

"He is a spoiled brat, isn't he?" I ask.

My husband just nods and smiles.

This child is loved so much by his family. He is doted on by all. He knows he has everyone wrapped around his fingers.

But in the real world there are certain realities that he has to discover.

It is not all about him.

Sigh. I am still trying to learn that myself.

HD View of My Life..

I picked up my new glasses from Costco today. I put them on and suddenly saw the world in a different light.

My last pair of lenses were a mess as the coating was coming off and so seeing clearly was not an option.

I remember when Sanj bought our first HD TV. I was impressed with the difference.

WOW! As I put my new glasses on, I realized that I am now seeing the world in HD!

I decided to pay the extra $50 dollars for the higher density lens... simply worried about the thickness that may be there if I when with the medium lens.

Wow, definitely worth the $50.

I feel like a brand new person!

A Little Blurry... But Its Us!

Just Catching Up!

It was Turkey Day yesterday. Busy. Lots of cooking... family... cousins playing... catching up with my sister-in-law... reflecting on all there is to be thankful about.

This year as we went about the table doing the traditional "What are you grateful for..." I noticed that answered prayers was a theme that was present. I love it.

Thank you God, for making yourself so real!

My brother is coming for American Thanksgiving, so we get to do it all again! :) My kids love this! 2 Thanksgivings!

It was hard getting everyone back at it today. Everyone was tired after having too much fun!

We had gone to friend's house for supper, enjoyed the lovely fall by going on a walk and hanging it.

I was hoping for a Leaf Day (ya know, instead of a snow day... haha).

The younger 4 boys and I went off to the Norwood Fair yesterday morning. OK, it was cold.

Brrrr... but it was a lot of fun! This was Josh's first fair. He was pretty taken by the whole thing. When we were in the poultry barn, he walked around imitating one of his brothers... "I ate your cousin!" lol

I love going to the fair. I am fascinated by watching the Fair People. They are almost like Circus People. What a life they must lead.

Halloween is next! This year Sanj is gone to a conference. Who plans these things? And Hockey schedules? Honestly! Thankfully the church is having a Halloween Bash of sorts... so we can stay warm and be in one area.

Then Christmas! Our Fundraising committee (which I am a part of ... yah!) is having a FUNdraiser with a trip to Vaughn Mills Mall (a really mall in the Toronto area) and a stop at IKEA! If you are interested... $25 gets you a seat (Well, the first 55 shoppers with their money)!

So... here's to getting Christmas shopping almost done before December! I am so excited because I already know what I am getting Sanj! I can't tell you, of course, as he will likely read this ... and feel ripped off! lol

Did I mention I am going to learn to knit? lol OK... attempt... although I have seen very young kids knitting , especially at the hockey rinks. Sammy really wants a pair of knitted mitts. So... my friend, Marsha, is going to teach me. (Lord, please give her patience... lots of it).

OK... it is 5:51 p.m. and I am stalling. I went into the office today, so my house is a disaster zone, there is reading, memory work, spelling and baths. Sanj and the older 2 are at hockey practice.

So off I go... as I really had nothing much to say... but obviously plenty none the less!