2012 – Page 11 – a hippie with a minivan

Writer's block

What a better topic to write about when you are right in the middle of it. I seriously sit down to write and nothing comes up and because nothing comes, I get discouraged and then just started ignoring the blog altogether and that is not something that I want to do.

I love blogging, I love putting my thoughts down and sharing them with people. I love being able to look back and see who I was just a few years ago and how things have changed. But in the last few weeks, each time I sit down to actually write, my mind just goes blank. I am seriously forcing myself to write this right now!

I think that a big part of it is that I feel like we are at such a stand-still with our plans and I had a few weeks that I was feeling very down and depressed. I was not wanting to do anything and when I look back everything feels like a blur. It is not the head space that I want to be in at any time.

think a part of it is that we are still waiting for the house to sell. We are selling “by owner” and at first I was quite aggressive at getting the word out and advertising, and we did have quite a few visits but as time went by the visits dwindled and instead of fighting back with more advertising, I got discouraged and started to hide under the figurative rock. I had not planned on still being here by summer, so when Summer arrived it felt like we were failing at our plans. Though I knew that it could take time, I hadn’t thought that it would be taking this much time. So, we got the pool ready, started a small garden and the kids started summer camp and life went on and I just felt more and more down. So up to about 2 weeks ago, I felt I was in a daze.

Finally I snapped out of it and though I am not completely myself yet, I am feeling a lot better and more optimistic. I have started advertising the house again a bit more and we are thinking of perhaps finding a way we can get it listed on a larger site or with MLS but not exactly going with an agent. We really don’t have enough equity for that 6% commission and having a bit for ourselves and with Simon quitting his job when we move, we really need that money.

I have also started changing my diet a bit more and really want to start losing weight again and hopefully by doing so I will start regaining a bit of energy and feeling less sluggish.

One of the things that I have been taking pleasure in again is having a cup of tea.

Simon bought me a beautiful hand blown glass teapot for my birthday with 4 small double cups that keep the tea hot and your hands cool.

This flower tea was an amazing treat to the eye and the palette.

I am going to be making an effort to get back to blogging.. I truly have so much to write about… we went to the cabin and say a few special creatures, I went to Quebec city all by myself! made a doll carrier, made new dehydrated treats and so much more…

Ten!

Wow… I am really late on this post.
On July 16th my first born, my oldest son, turned ten. TEN! I have a kid in the double digits now!

Ten years ago I was a brand new mom, just getting used to breastfeeding and having this little baby to take care of.

(Here he is at 20 hours old… wow! feels like a lifetime ago)

He loves video games, bounce parties on the trampoline, swimming, biking and being a big brother.

Like every year, we went out for his birthday and he chose his gifts. We had a last-minute change of plans because the hospital had scheduled an ultra-sound and check-up for Wilhelmina so we had to head to Montreal bright and early. While I was at the hospital with Willa (we got good news and everything is looking great), the boys and Simon went out for breakfast and then met up with us after. Xavier had already gotten a new watch and a book and then chose two Halo Mega Blocks sets as his gifts and then we went out for a late lunch and headed back home and had cake.
His choice this year was my White (Butter Cookie) Cake with Vanilla bean buttercream frosting and strawberries on top.

Happy Birthday Xavier… You are growing up into an amazing little man…

It's July!

And it is 6 days into it at that!

If you know me, you know that slow down my writing int the summer… so I thought I should write a catch up post to just share what has been happening. The boys started summer camp two weeks ago. It is the second year that they go but the first time that Khéna has gone. It is a century old summer camp that is about 7 minutes drive from our house and the kids are in the basic program which is 3 days a week from 9-3 and the counsellors are great. It think that the hardest thing is getting lunches ready everyday. I have to say, it is not something that I enjoy all that much. Though I do love surprising them with treats…

Sandwich, juice, carrot sticks, a pear, fishes and marshmallows.

I got these amazing lunch boxes last year and they have held up so well. They are from Goodbyn and they come with fun stickers to personalize. I love that there is no hassle, nothing can get lost and there is nothing to throw out. The kids love them too…

Because of their ages, they are all in different groups. I think they find it strange to be apart but good at the same time and they love to see each other when they finish the day. Colin and Khéna may be the younger of the two, but they have no problem jumping in and talking to everyone and being part of all the activities. Xavier though is the guy who needs to observe and stay back without being pushed, and then will jump in when he is ready. The counsellors are very respectful of the kids and from what I observed he was able to be himself and observe and then participate just as much as he was comfortable with, and then yesterday he finally jumped in.

They look so tired at the end of the day which is great! And looking at this picture, I need to give the middle one a haircut and isn’t amazing how big Xavier is now! He will be 10 in just 10 days!

While they are at camp, Wilhelmina and I hang around together, go in the pool, go to the park and just do stuff around the house. I have to say that having one kid is sometimes much more challenging than having four. When the boys are here, she is always with them but When we are alone, she is looking for things to do and she gets into so much mischief. The boys were energetic and loud when they were little but wow, she is into everything. Did I just forget what about what having a toddler is like? I do know one thing, the boys never changed their clothes every few minutes in the day.

See this dress? It is one of her favourites. I had never shared it, though I had meant to. I made the pattern and sewed it around Easter with the matching doll dress…

On the days that the boys are home we hang out in the yard and pool, drink many smoothies and just relax in the heat…

What is summer without drinking from the sprinkler?

or doing handstand on the lawn…

How is your summer? If you blog… so you have a normal slowing down period too?

Beach, Fireworks and Stars…

It was the long weekend here and we spent the day at the Cabin again…

My uncle has owned his property in Sainte-Emelie-de-L’Énergie for nearly 40 years and when I was a child I spent many summers there. It is a place where everyone knows each other and is a place that many come to hang out while camping. The beach in the town used to be run by the city but now it is up to the people to take care of it and watch out for their own.

The kids have a blast when we go there and are exploring more and more..

Colin and Xavier even crossed the river a few times… (can you see them?) It might look scary but the water is shallow and though they swam they could have walked across 🙂

(here is Colin on the other side)

Khéna can swim even underwater now so he was having fun showing off his new skills in the River…

Wilhelmina kept Simon on his feet running back and forth to the playground and played happily on the edge of the water in the sand…

Since it was the long weekend and “La Fête Nationale” which is the provincial equivalent to Canada Day (or the 4th of July) and celebrated as intently, there was of course a big party, live music and fireworks…

and the new moon disappeared as darkness set in leaving the sky aglow with stars…

The cabin at night…

The Big Dipper

I could spend hours looking at the stars…

a little update…

Willa’s fever is gone and has been since last night! yay!!!

Her urologist sent an order for a urine sample to the local hospital and I brought in a sample in the afternoon. The results will be sent directly to him, so if it was an infection we will know one way or another.

Today was good though, it felt so good to see her be in a good mood and getting into her normal mischief, even though her normal mischief completely drives me crazy!

ahh… little ones… pieces of our heart are truly walking around in each of our children. We are so vulnerable when it comes to them.

what a sigh of relief…