Mantra of the moment

Wisdom.

I think society has confused busy with successful.  They do not mean the same thing.  Over programmed living can put a stop to doing the things that truly matter most.  Eating meals together at the table.  Spending time in discussion.  Self care.  Seeing and being with those we truly care about.  My mantra - focus - bigger than the "one" word - mindset for 2013... Does this busy maker add value to my life?  If not, I'm not doing it.

Book: Into the Silence

I'm reading a fabulous book by Canadian Author, Anthropologist and Explorer, Wade Davis called Into the Silence. I usually blast through books but I must admit this one is taking me awhile. This book appealed to me right away, as I have a bit of a fascination with Everest and the adventures of those who have climbed the worlds highest mountain, or attempted to...so that is the reason I pulled it off the shelf to begin with.  On a side-note  I will often skim as I read, but not with this book, I don't want to miss a sentence.  I read that it took Mr. Davis 12 years to write this book, researching every available recorded letter, journal, military document, and more.  Time well spent, because you feel as though you are being led, masterfully, down a dark trail; I felt immersed in the historical data of the great war, and kinda wished I had a teacher like Wade Davis when I was in school...he definitely brings history to life.  I don't want to provide an overview...merely a recommendation. Check out the link, and if you have a chance to explore this book through your library or through a purchase, I don't think you will regret it.

Rooperts Christmas

Yup...we had a white Christmas for sure this year!  I worked Christmas Eve so we decided to have a low key quiet Christmas at home - just the three of us.  Which usually means Pajama`s for 2 solid days, some crazy hair and complete comfort.  All of which I adore.  Roopert was pretty funny this year and I thought I`d share why. 

When we pulled the stockings out of storage - Roopy got pretty excited.  I think on some level he recognizes this giant sock that delivers new doggy toys and cookies on an annual basis and was pretty keen to have it magically deliver these items to him again.

When he came across his stocking and all the sniffs it contained, he would not leave it`s side.  This is why good little boys and girls should be in bed when Santa arrives.

Look, another stocking added and even some Santa gifts now there, still Roo will not move and is staring at Russ, trying to use his Jedi mind tricks to communicate his great need to get into that red sock bearing his name.  Off to bed he reluctantly went - but in the early morning (Kiki had us up at 6:00am) I think his excitement rivalled hers as his tail was going a mile a minute and he was practically sitting on his sock in anticipation. 

Finally he was able to get his stocking goodies out - I have a video of it, but I am so not tech savvy enough to upload it for you.  But then he sat like a dragon on his gold guarding it for the first part of the morning.  Followed quickly by chewing on every thing he possibly could for the greater part of the day. 

Merry Christmas to all!!!  Hope it was worth the wait!

CNN and arm chair politicians

What a strange world we live in.

A world where everything is liked and disliked in an instant.  Where we can sit in the safety of our house while watching havoc being reigned down on others, drawing opinions from the scraps we are fed, pulled along into controversies created by companies competing not for the truth but for the most eyes watching.

Knowing 27 people were gunned down by a someone determined to destroy, and then knowing that these individuals were mostly little children, it's heartbreaking.  Some 2000 miles away from me and I watch with such sadness, from the safety of my dark little room.  I see only snippets of what has been produced for me to see.  Yet now with social media I also get to see the responses to these images by other basement arm chair politicians like myself. Ready to solve the world's issues with conjecture knowing we have none of the power or responsibility to put our plans into action.

How can we be so plugged in...and lack so much compassion towards our fellow man.  Why are we trying to string someone up?  Why are we mocking the way others mourn?  Why are we begrudging a grieving father the chance to have a smile?  Must mourning always appear sober and aloof?  I hope we can at least give others the gift to mourn, how they may...

Lots of questions...no answers from my office chair.  Some tears, lots of sighs, and some long thoughtful car rides to come as I personally explore my own reactions to such an event.

On the 12 days of Christmas

Not to worry I'm not really looking to be exact in this little quest, just realizing the humor in the work behind the scenes.  So ixnay to the partridge in a pear tree. I am just trying to add a little fun and focus to our lives.  I appreciate little gestures and acts of love and service more than gifts - a realization I made when reading that darn book about love languages.  But knowing this - it packs a project like this one - to provide 12 days of Christmas to my husband - with a bit more scope and expectation, all of which I have put on myself.

I have found a few great little websites that have amazing suggestions for such a plot as this.  Thought I'd share a few: 

Passionate Homemaking Blog - lots of inexpensive and creative ideas

The Romantic Vineyard  - geared towards husbands - but some cute ideas here. 

A Yahoo Open Question - lots of good answers here

But what about the kidlet? 

Our tradition of doing Christmas activities will still remain.  A little letter is delivered everyday with either a little goodie or an activity that will help us stay focused on the holiday season.  It's usually something simple, like bake cookies and deliver a box to a friend, go buy a present for someone in the family, watch a favorite Christmas movie together...I really look forward to each one of our letters because I know it will result in a great Christmas season full of all the memories that matter.  

My True Love Gave to Me

The Twelve Days of Christmas.

We all know the song, right?  Well if you don't, someone had the bright idea of giving their true love a little something on the twelve days of Christmas.  Sometime in early December I thought, "why have I not done this?" I mean I have a true love, how hard could it be to find a partridge?  Pretty bloody hard, let me tell you and pear trees are not in season up here.  So I am rethinking my plan.  Updates to follow.

It's beginning....

It's beginning to feel a lot like...

• I'm working all the time...ALL the time.  
• Suppers suck...this week it was soup one night, baked potatoes another, jerk chicken followed by McDonalds.  Ugh. 
• I'm getting old.  Last winter in my 30's and it feels like I'm in my early 50's...my aching bones. 
• I need to go to the gym more regularly.
• I'm not taking my church calling seriously enough.
• I have a smelly dog.
• I'm almost done Christmas shopping.
• I want for nothing.
• We are so blessed this year.  
• I have the best 13 year old daughter. EVER.
• Christmas. 
• Bring it. 

Distance makes the heart...

Back from a very busy week of travel and exploration.  Days spent in BC at Fairmont Hot Springs with Kia and then the entire family enjoying some R&R in Jasper together.  Made me realize we need to get away more.  Get out of our box and into the world together.  I have more photos to share from the trip later this week...but housework next after my first day back to work.  Yay?

Bonne Chance

What has been happening with the Workman's?

I've been working for 8 months.  Just beginning to feel fully capable in my job - like the training is finished, I'm not constantly asking questions or searching for resources to reference...I'm good to go.  Good thing it wasn't a 6 month placement, eh?  Being new to the world of oil and chemical refinery the learning curve was steep...add onto that different capacities of focus like maintenance, turn around, projects and engineering, new software to learn and the process of contracting and procurement with little forays into inventory...it has not been a boring 8 months.

Balance has not been something I have made that many wins with...if life were a tetter totter I would best be described as the girl stuck in the air, while the weight would be any number of things: my work, my calling, my responsibilities as a Mom and/or my role as a wife.  I have done more things badly, just like I said I would and I have tried to be okay with it.  At the end of the day, I would say I've learned that I can't be good at everything and I was really lucky when I had the time to be so amazing in my other roles, because those days are a memory...for now.

Kia has stepped up the most.  I imagine from her perspective the changes over the past year have been the most foreign and hard to understand.  She was used to a SAHM.  Rides home from school, me at her beck and call.  She has a lot more responsibility and has handled it better than I could have expected. We all try to keep the focus on family first, but sometimes the agenda is challenged on what that looks like from everyones perspective.

The big guy seems to be quite content in his new role and has made some great wins thus far, though it's safe to say he is not as challenged as he would like to be and yearns for a more dynamic workload.  Pushing through and giving it some time...and grateful everyday that we can both work and provide for the needs of our little family.

I've been enjoying long weekends with Kia.  Five days off last weekend, four days off this weekend.  Where we sleep late, slather jam on toast for breakfast, get paint on our clothes, bike through lonely tree lined streets, eat gelato and thrift shop the afternoon away (some good finds today:  a sweet quilt, candy striped pj pants and a vintage Canadian cookbook).  Summer days like today are what I live for and I appreciate every sweet little memory they have to offer.

Russ and I enjoyed a feast of Indian food and a quiet night lounging in front of the fan in the front room as we await Kia's return from an instrument band she is joining for the summer.  Life is good.  We are blessed.

Love,

N