Sweet Bugger All

It's 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Do you know what I or rather we have done today?....Sweet bugger all! and it was  WONDERFUL!

We got hockey practice out of the way early this morning, we were home by 11 and I was back into my comfy pants by 11:05. KJ hasn't even gotten out of her PJs yet. Lula had to work for a few hours but then she is off to catch up with Friends over the new Walking Dead something or other. Mike's been laid up on the couch all afternoon with a bad back and the classic "Easy Rider." E-man and Cooper are on round 68 of wrestle mania Dog vs. Boy. Life is Good.

I didn't get laundry done today or groceries. I didn't clean the bathroom or wash the floors. I watched crappy old movies, made a big pot of stew, helped KJ with a batch of peanut butter sandwich cookies, I cleaned up after her and ate some cookies too! I didn't step on the elliptical or do my hair or put on my face.

Our greatest accomplishment might in fact be these peanut butter sandwich cookies.  I have a feeling though that an accomplishment greater still is that we did NOTHING and we did it without guilt. Life is so busy that we very rarely have unplanned time to do nothing. We try every Sunday to have a decompression day, a day to catch up, prepare for the week ahead and relax. This we WE DID IT!!!

Tonight I am celebrating with my feet up a cup of tea and a cookie. Sure I'll need another 20 minutes on the elliptical tomorrow but tonight I'm grateful.



Gratitude, Hope and Smile are meant to be shared.
Michelle

An Openish Letter of Explaination & Apology to the Twitterverse

I try really hard as a parent to keep current. The radio in my van is tuned to the top 40 station, I Facebook, and watch YouTube videos that get jammed in my face or land in my inbox. My texting skills are pretty ok for a person who has to hold her phone at arm’s length to read the screen. Relating to my kids I find, is easier with more common ground and more common knowledge. Granted I have to keep an urban dictionary bookmarked and I am never totally sure if a status update is actually a song lyric or a reason to panic. Perhaps I am missing the mark but one thing is certain; if I am not trading information equally with my kids at the very least my lameness gives them something to laugh at. 

Regardless of my prowess I muck along and to be quite truthful I really enjoy the electronic age and it’s social network sites.

I have a Facebook social circle that exists separately and parallel to my intention of creeping my children’s pages. I am partially ‘Linked-in’ and I don’t just send text messages, I receive them as well. I have not one but two Blogs, that’s pretty 2012!

A few months back, in an effort to expand and update my pulse on social networking, I joined up with Twitter. That took some getting used to, just the act of ‘Tweeting’, ‘following’, ‘Re-Tweeting’ and ‘Replying’. To date I have amassed 2000 tweets; messages that have flown out into the social atmosphere for everyone or no one to read, as the case may be. At first I was intimidated and I am sure I broke a lot of ‘rules’. Then I got comfortable and I’m sure I broke even more ‘rules’. I am still trying to figure out how to choose who one follows and how to break those followers into manageable lists. Lists I am sure are why most of my tweets gratefully fly under the radar, because I’m not on lists (public ones anyway) So I’ve not lost much sleep worrying about who might be watching me bumble around and figure this whole thing out.

Then I started seeing big players tweet about personal branding, selling your social presence, and personal mission positioning. WOW! A moment to rethink this twitter thing please, have I jumped into the wrong sandbox again? I thought we were all just having fun. I didn’t know that I should be tracking my Klout and delivering only valuable information. I should have done some research. Now I’m finding out that there are deadly social mistakes you can make that will kill your social networking reputation and damage your feed. Frig, I just wanted to bitch cleverly about my pet peeves, share a laugh with others in the throng of everyday and spread some positive perspective. More and more I’m learning however that there is this other side to a social network life.

So for clarification, just in case someone wants an expanded Bio…I’m offering this as an overview of my tweeting position.

My Brand is whatever happens to be on sale.

My Goal is happiness – my own. Fortunately for my friends and family they get to come along for the ride because my road to happiness is solely dependent on helping others achieve peace and their dreams.

What I’m flogging; hope mostly, because I am usually hoping like hell that people care enough about something to change their world.

The message I’m sharing; be grateful that you are on the green side of the sod.

What I tweet; the upside, the glass half full and the occasional personal reflection on how my children, pets and husband are systematically investing in my future emotional instability. I pass on good deed info and appeals for help. Oh and if I think I know the answer I will stick up my hand and blurt it out.

My Value; I am a smart ass know it all with a propensity for sticking my nose into conversations it wasn’t invited to. I don’t grasp social convention fully or care about mistakes – mostly because I am alive to enjoy myself and mistakes (or trying to correct them) have lead me to some of my greatest joys and accomplishments.

Follow me – I might follow back. Although, I hate to disappoint you; I’m not here to impress anyone or impress upon anyone. I am only here to have fun, survive the adolescence of my children and participate in the occasional good deed.  I can’t even pretend to know what I’m doing. It’s highly unlikely that following me will increase your Klout and I can’t promise that I won’t irritate you with positive comments, blog post sharing or pictures of my dog. But my lameness is at the very least, good for a laugh – Just ask my kids.

The handle you want to warn your friends about is @micheskitchen oh, and if I have pushed your follow button and you have no patience for lameness, feel free to block my view. I probably won’t know the difference.

Gratitude today that I don’t have a clue how to market myself, I never have to worry about breaking my brand or about forgetting who I am.

Gratitude, Hope and Smiles should never be kept to yourself,

Michelle 

Sing It...or Something Like It

On Monday, I starred out at the lake and thought "I'd love to capture this in a sketch." Just as quickly I dismissed the thought. Ordinary life does not allow for indulgence, It's likely been about 18 years since I picked up a pencil and allowed myself some freedom of expression.

On Tuesday, I starred out at the lake and thought "I'd love to capture this in a sketch." This time I picked up Lula's sketch pad and her pouch of pencils and plopped myself down in a lawn chair, with a plan to sketch just until my coffee went cold and the kids crawled out of bed.

On Wednesday I starred out at the lake and thought "I'm not sure I captured it in this sketch." Immediately I began singing that song from Sesame Street....you know the one 'Sing, sing a song,... sing it loud, sing it strong. It really doesn't matter if it's not good enough... for anyone else to hear... just sing...sing your song....nahnahnahanahananahahannahahanan' (you're singing it aren't you?)

The point was not the final product really, it was the act of indulging a whim, singing my song and being grateful with granting myself permission to indulge a long suppressed creative energy.  It felt great, I should be good for another 18 years.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Lakeside Gratitude from the Laundry Room

I've been away, 10 days unplugged and off-line. This morning I am incredibly grateful for my own bed; you never really appreciate your own bed quite as much as that very first night back in it...aaahhhhh!

We had some fabulous adventure and while I may have been off-line, I was still writing. This week, while I'm washing all of our worldly possessions, I'm going to share those posts; written lakeside from my lawn chair. Enjoy!

Day 1

On an ordinary day I wake up in paradise. The alarm clock rings and I find myself once again immersed in making coffee, lunches and beds, keeping my children happy and my husband content. I juggle schedules and meet commitments usually with a smile on my face and a song in my heart (sometimes the song is “Take this job and Shove it!” but there is a song.)

Yesterday I woke up, made coffee and lunch, made the bed and kept my children relatively happy, while I prodded them at the break of dawn, into our cram packed van in time to depart only 1 hour behind schedule (a personal best!)  I tried to do it all and still keep my husband content enough to handle the 5 hours of open road ahead of us.

In 5 hours with 3 kids in a highly confined space, there will be 2 stops to pee, 1 stop for gas, 4 radio station changes, 12 arguments, a bag of chips, 3 coffees, a rolling picnic, and a stop at the bank. My family tries to squeeze it all in before we reach the on ramp to the highway, 18 minutes from our front door. I can hardly impress upon you how glad I am that our youngest has out grown his car sickness.

If I had to choose my favourite part of any road trip it has to be those first 18 minutes. They remind me that despite our ever increasing time away from one another, we are, and still remain, a family. Those 18 minutes are the ones that tune everyone back into their roles. For the remaining 4 hours and 42 minutes the kids can attempt to over throw one another while Michael and I fake oblivion.

As the minutes and the Kilometers fall behind us we shed the burdens of everyday as well. Travel time, a mental decompression chamber.

It all gets us here…

Heaven (or the very closest a person can get without actually departing their container).

For 10 days we will soak in the scenery, swim in the water, terrorize the wildlife, fish and the balance of nature. We will toast marshmallows, squabble, play games, ‘partake’ and complain. These 10 days when Paradise meets heaven are my favourite of all the year, submersed in gratitude.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Food-Day Tuesday...Leftover Confessions

I heard something unbelievable the other day. I was chatting with a friend about food, dinner to be exact and she was whining a little bit because she has to cook something new everyday and there is always too much and she ends up throwing it in the trash.

WHHAAAAA! I think my eyes must of darn near dropped on the floor "Why do you throw it out? Why don't you enjoy it for lunch the next day? or re-invent it for dinner some way? or, at the very least, freeze individual portions to feed those ever starving teenagers that live in your house? Goodness knows a microwaved portion of leftover lasagna beats a Pizza Pocket any day of the week!

Her answer was "My family won't eat leftovers." Secretly I thought 'maybe they don't like the original either' "Seriously?" I inquired "They won't even turn last night's ham into a fabulous sandwich on a crusty roll with fresh greens, grainy mustard, soft cheese and onions?" (excuse me...I'm just nipping off for a snack...back in a minute.)

"nope!" was the reply I got.

I couldn't believe it. I started to ask around and was astounded by the number of people who do not eat leftovers! I really can't believe it!

In our home I cook with 'leftover intention' that is to say that I plan meals and dishes with leftovers in mind. Sunday's roasted chicken becomes Tuesday's potpie. Thursday's fish becomes a fabulous addition to a spring salad lunch on Friday. Spaghetti from Monday makes a nutritious hot lunch for Tuesday. Those pancakes made at home heat up just like toaster pastries without the chemicals. If I make enough Dinner on Friday...well when people are winging in and out of the house on Saturday, there is something quick and healthy when they have time for dinner.

Beyond the glorious culinary possibilities of leftovers, there is the senseless waste of food. I can't believe that so much really good food is hitting the trash bin. Just in my small circle I know families who are struggling to put good nutritious food on the table. I feel guilty for tossing 2 tablespoons of mixed veg that gets shuffled to the rear of the fridge unnoticed until grocery day. I can't imagine disposing of what remains from an entire meal. I'm feeling the guilt for my friends.

If guilt alone is not enough to convert a leftover phobic. Think dollars and cents. If you are pitching 1/4 of what you make every day that amounts to an entire weeks worth of groceries over a month. How much do you spend on groceries a week.

I spend about $200/week on groceries for our family of 5 (sometimes 8 or 9)

Quick math... $200 a month in the bin x 12 months of waste = a pretty nice family getaway!

(I'll be back in a minute...I'm mentally escaping to spending $2,400.00)

Okay, so today has been a bit more of a rant than a rah-rah but seriously I can't bend my head around this. If you simply can't bring yourself to eat leftovers (and I feel immense sadness for what you are depriving yourself of) buy less, cook less, half the recipe. If you can't do the math at least send something over to the neighbour's...save them the trouble of cooking.

Am I the only one shocked by this? What's your take on leftovers? Got a leftover solution to die for? Please help me save my leftover phobic friend!

Gratitude today that Food-Day Tuesday just helped me rationalize my plastic food storage container illness, kitchen experimentation and a really great thing to spend money on!

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.


Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Really, I Don't Mind

Could there be a finer thing than a hobby? A passionate endeavor that provides escape from the "have to's" and the "I need's" of daily life?

 A hobby demands nothing of you except whatever time you have to indulge it and thanks you with serenity, purpose and relaxation. Yes, a hobby is an exquisite thing...the only thing finer is the hobby that keeps your husband occupied...without which, for your hobbies... there would be no time.

Gratitude today for the NHL Playoffs that are affording me many guilt free hours of writing

Super Mario's Got Nothing on Me



MARIO



ME















 







vs.

Completely unfair I know, to chose a video game legend as a basis of comparison. It has been a long week however, my self esteem could use a boost, hence the opponent of questionable strength.

I'm still a little sceptical, that I'll come out on top, but I'm game for the challenge... so lets compare.

1.
MARIO:  He walks, runs, climbs, rides a yoshi, swims, spins down drainpipes. All cool moves to get him where he needs to go.

ME:  I walk, run, climb as required, swim if necessary, I also drive...that means I can get there faster and less dizzy. I win.

2.
MARIO:  He has the amazing ability to change size. He can go from small to big to large and back again.

ME:  I have the same amazing ability, however I do not need to consume magic mushrooms or get stomped on by turtles to make it happen. I win.

3.
MARIO:  He has Luigi. Luigi follows him around, helps out occasionally, eats his mushrooms and lets Mario be the hero.

ME:  I have Michael. Michael follows my around, eats mushrooms if I cook them and lets me be the hero. He also does laundry and pays half the bills. I win.

4.
MARIO:  He faces seemingly insurmountable challenges in varying worlds

ME:  I conquer seemingly insurmountable challenges in varying worlds but I get paid to do it. I win.

5.
MARIO: He gets to go back to the beginning and try again when he screws up.

ME:  I have to travel back the way I came, through the mess left in my wake to get back to the beginning where I will try again. Mario only gets 3 tries. I can keep going back until I get it right. I win.

6.
MARIO:  He can entertain my husband and children for hours.

ME: I can entertain my husband and children for hours. I can also drive them to the mall, wash their clothes and cook them food. I win.

6 for 6.  to  ME!!!

Clearly I have an edge over the plumber in blue. I've proven without doubt that Mario got nothing on Me.

One area still leaves me perplexed however. Even with my unquestionable edge over Mario and my super ability to multitask. (Never question my ability to Multitask...I promise you, I can text a teenager, mentally balance the bank account and call in a doctors appointment all while scrapping unidentifiable gunk from the groove in the edge of the table. Show me a mother who can't)



Why even with all this going for me can I not last 3 minutes in his world? 

This is why my kids are grateful they have dad around for player 2.



Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle

Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

A Rest is as Good as a Change

What a glorious morning! For some unknown (but much appreciated) reason I found myself home this morning. No work, no errands, no appointments, no commitments. The best recollection of the last such event was E-man's H1N1 stint in the fall of '09, I had alot of time on my hands that week.

I was so excited I could hardly sleep last night. No worries, a morning off presents the lovely option of returning to bed for a nap. There is also the option of housework, which is perpetual and undeserving of my precious few hours of downtime. I did fold what laundry was cluttering my bedroom, I walked E-man and his infamous bridge to school. I made coffee, loaded the dishwasher and yakked with my father in-law. I answered the phone 2 or 3 times (answering machines deserve a holiday too) imagine my callers surprise to reach an actual person!

I also dedicated some time to my mental health. A change is as good as a rest they say...and well, since I was resting anyway I figured some change couldn't hurt either.

So I gave The Space Between Raindrops a makeover. What do you think? Go ahead be as honest as you like, I've had the morning off after all and I'm in pretty good humor (this may be your only shot.)

It goes without saying that today my gratitude lies with the scheduler at work, the coffee pot at home and the people who have kept my family occupied while I indulge my mental goodness.

Your Turn. What are you grateful for today?

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle

Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Drive Time

It takes 18 minutes for me to drive to work. In those minutes I am oblivious to the world beyond my comfort class seating. I crank the radio, I sing as if no one's watching, I belt out the hits like I can carry a tune. I talk back to the radio, I answer the DJ's rhetorical questions. I tap my fingers on the steering wheel with gusto and throw my head back for the high notes. I laugh from my belly. Occasionally I blurt obscenities at the top of my lungs at idiotic drivers and shout instructions to the vehicularily challenged.

Inside my sound proof booth on wheels I let it all out. No one can hear me, no one knows what I'm saying (unless they can lip read at 60km/hr)

Today I wondered what I must look like to those just beyond my factory tint windows. I know that I must look incredibly foolish. If there were in fact a camera recording my 18 minute mental health break it would be first class, grade 'A' YouTube viral material. I realize it, I just don't care. Those 18  minutes do more for me than hours of therapy ever could achieve and well, if in the process, I provide a stoplight's worth of humor and entertainment for some other frantic soul that's just a bonus.

I must express my gratitude for street level therapy. For the record, I also appreciate and am grateful beyond measure that there are no recording devices in my vehicle.

Reviving the Comfort of Home

Well, we are back. Having spent 4 days in Ottawa for some family downtime and battery charging. Travelling with the kids is always fun. We spent 6 hours discussing the merits of personal space, debating the musical virtue of Lady Gaga vs. Aerosmith and ironing out hotel sleeping assignments.

All in all we did a pretty great job of travelling to Ottawa. We managed to leave our driveway 90 minutes behind schedule which in actual fact was only 45 minutes behind the family adjusted departure time Mike calculates and holds secretly in mind until we are on the road. One stop for gas, a run into the grocery store, a stop at the bank. 2 washroom breaks and a detour to follow a truck off the highway to an apple pie factory that boasts "home of the BIG APPLE" (it was very big and the pies were very big and the candy apples were apparently very delicious.) 1 stop for coffee, sandwiches and a winning scratch ticket. We arrived right on time!

Parliment Hill

The weather in Ottawa was unusually warm for February which put a bit of a chink in our plan to enjoy Winterlude and skate on the Rideau Canal. (activities which were the logic behind choosing Ottawa for a midwinter escape.)

Fortunately The Delta was a good choice of hotel despite the scary aspect of picking up our room on Expidia for less than half price. I secretly had visions of a bedbug infested 4 star that couldn't fill it's suites since word got out but it was actually very nice, clean and attentive. I had a moment of horror on Sunday morning when Lula woke up covered in an itchy rash. I was greatly relived once we realized that it was an allergic reaction to an over chlorinated pool not my worst hotel fear come to life.

BT's!

We really did get lucky with the hotel. It was central to the world. We parked our van in underground on Friday evening and left it there. We were within a 10 minute walk to everywhere.

Poutine!

KJ & LULA

Michael & E-man take on the ice slide

While we waited for the canal to freeze we toured the Parliment Buildings, The Byward Market, The Mint, The National Gallery, Confederation Park, Gatineau Quebec, Jacques Cartier Park and The War Memorial. We ate Beaver Tails and drank hot cocoa, E-man drank Root beer in the pub from a brown bottle and KJ salivated over the best burger in the world. We talked about the Confederation Flame, protesters, freedom and security, national pride, civic responsibility as well as the usual talk of bodily functions, personal space, idiosyncrasies, and peeves. A note to my Dad and Sister...We ate poutine from a shack in Quebec made by a little french lady... yes it was great and yes I concede defeat.

Lula, Michael, KJ & E-man were at Winterlude...me too, I'm just always on the other side of the lens.

The temperatures took a dip while we were busy and by Sunday a portion of the canal had been re-opened for skating. Mike, E-man and KJ speed skated the entire 4.5 open kilometers while Lula and I leisurely traversed half the distance. The ice may have been open but it wasn't easily skateable. Lula opted for boots and pointed out rough patches for me to avoid. We missed the steel drum party awaiting the rest of our skating party and others who made it to the end of the route but we enjoyed some long overdue conversation.

Monday was a travel day. We packed our bags. I always wonder why we have less room in the van on the way home from somewhere.  Do miniature shampoos, soaps, body lotions and hotel pens take up that much room? Travel coffee in hand we departed 30 minutes behind schedule (according to Michael's adjusted departure estimate) A quick drive past the Priminister's address and a stop at the ByTown market for a departing BT (beaver tail as nicknamed by E-man) We successfully navigated our way through the maze of downtown one way streets back out to the highway and towards home.

One stop for gas, a washroom break and a winning scratch ticket. Two more washroom breaks, lunch and a detour for ice cream from the Colburg Dairy which happened to be closed but fortunately close to Dairy Queen. We spent 6 hours talking about reality and future adventures. We refrained from the music debate in favour of making up our own lyrics to popular songs. We discussed the merits of personal space. We arrived home right on schedule.

Back to normal

We unloaded suitcases to the laundry room for washing and within minutes resumed ordinary life. Tuned in, logged on, plugged in and dealing with illness. In the span of a car ride E-than developed a fever, sore throat and stuffed up nose.

Getaways are fantastic for changing the pace and the scenery. They provide great memories to relive over Beaver Tails made at home and allow us to catch up with the growth of the individuals in our family. Getaways provide alot to be grateful for. Perhaps the greatest gratitude is heard in the comfortable collective sigh as we pull into the driveway of home.

Hippies Believe in S-E-X

This is why I love American Idol.

On a day like today, when co-workers have been childish and children have been difficult. On a day when a man tells you his wife has cancer. On a day like today when patience are low and emotions are high its comforting to know that lunacy still exists. Call me cruel but I love to laugh and there is no shortage of material on this show. I realise that most of it is manufactured in a pitch for ratings but I don't care. A guy in period costume explaining the belief system of a hippie as S-E-X, followed by a brutal singer certain she's declined a ticket because of her dress size...that's comedy. Well not really but it's funny enough to make me forget my troubles for 60 minutes. I'm grateful for that.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/01/26/american-idol-milwaukee-auditions-nathaniel-jones-goes-to-ido/

My position on the Simon issue...I miss him.