Craziness

I usually have something I want to share when I hit "new post". Not so tonight. So you will get some of my crazy randomness. Including the random picture of Lanelle post-bath.

I am enjoying being up late in the quiet house. I have every night this week. And I'm getting very tired, but don't want to give in. I'm excited about life and enjoy being awake too much. About what in my life, you ask? Everything and anything. My job, people I meet, another fun cooking class, quality time with the kids, feeling like there's way more balance in my life than I expected (maybe its even the harmony I've wanted), my new Big Shot (you'll have to guess what that is), organizing all the tax papers, cleaning up the kids toys, even laundry... So I know life must be good. The only thing that would be better, is if I had more time for the things I've been enjoying.

Kellen has been saying lots of funny things lately. One that has really stuck with me was after I had told Ian with a crazy look on my face "I could use some Mommy time." A couple of minutes later, Kellen came to me and said "I need some Kellen time." Hmm...what would that look like? Not much different than every minute of his life. It makes me laugh everytime I think about it.

I must be tired, because as I sat here (I was watching Flashpoint online) folding laundry I was wishing I had some socks since its rather cool in the basement. But, didn't feel like going upstairs to my sock drawer. I would be embarrased to admit how many pairs of socks I folded before realizing I didn't have to have cold feet or go upstairs to get socks. Sometimes I'm not sure about myself... My only defense - I was kind of on auto-pilot as I was watching and folding.

I had a REALLY good time at Ladies Retreat last weekend. Perhaps that is why I'm feeling pretty relaxed about life. The theme was Live, Laugh, Love. I have felt inspired to do more of just that. Then there is no room for Worry, Complain, Grouch.

Lanelle has had a very bad rash. I finally took her to the doctor and was told its an allergic reaction. I sure wish I knew to what. It's spreading now and I really wish I knew how to stop it. I did buy some different laundry detergent. Same stuff I used when she was a babybaby. I hope its that simple. It is only under her shirt and pant area so far, so maybe...

Congrats to Pella and Brad on the arrival of baby! I would love to just drive up to Saskatoon.

I am going to a Traditional Parenting/Moss bag making workshop this week. I think it will be very cool. I'm kind of looking forward to going away (I am taking Lanelle) but am also feeling badly about leaving the boys on their own.

I am so thankful I'm feeling so blessed and not overwhelmed in the craziness of life. Very much I believe that God is good and that good things are happening. Not just in my life. I seem to see it all around me lately. I hope you do too.

Birthday Boy

Dear Kellen, You are 3! You know that and are able to communicate that clearly. You are so much a boy and so not a toddler anymore. You know what is exciting stuff and everyone else around you does too! You love Lightening, Mack, Bob, Scoop, big trucks... I love your enthusiasm for things that excite you! You have loved Whistling Gypsy, or Daddy's song, as you call it, for most of the last year. Now you are moving on to Life is a Highway, otherwise known to us as Mack's song. You listen to it 30 times in a row and love it as much the 30th time as the first. You make me laugh. You like me to play cars with you. You always tell me to "be this guy" and make me crawl on my knees with you. I love it, even though my knees on my favorite jeans are getting more worn than they should. Someday I know I will wish for the days when you so badly wanted me to play with you.

I love to watch you learn. You are learning so fast! You use new words all the time. You know how to ask me what a word means when you don't know it. You are getting good at puzzles. You are starting to color a picture and not just scribble all over the page. You are learning to share. You were so excited that you shared you cars with Carsen and Kyle and told me that Betty was proud of you. I am proud of you too. I always will be.

You had a great birthday party. You were so excited for your friends to come and for your fire truck cake. You requested hamburgers, which is your favorite food these days. It was a great birthday and I know this next year will be great. You are going to learn so much more and you are going to teach me so much more. I love you, Mom.

Birthday Girl

Lanelle turned 1 on the 8th. She loved her shopping cart most of all and with all the practice behind it, she has now moved on to walking without it. She changing so fast, I'm starting to feel that I can hardly remember her as a baby. She is really good at demanding what she wants and gets her point across strongly. Her sitter always comments on what an independent little girl she is. She seems like such a strong little character. She and Kellen have been playing together more lately and she doesn't let him push her around at all. They giggle playing silly games of peek-a-boo or chasing. Kellen is understanding how to play at her level more. Mostly she is easy going (unless I'm trying to keep her away from the toliet, her latest obsession). I love watching her observe things around her. She seems to take new things with interest and ease. She is good at giving cuddles that make me melt. We are all so thankful for her and we love her so much!

New Routines

So, its been 2 weeks and we have found our new routine amazingly quickly, well, and smoothly. The first week was well organized, the second not so much. However, I think that is part of our life now. Learning how to get through some weeks that will be disorganized and messy, especially after a busy weekend. Making the most of the time with kids and not worrying too much about the mess. Still doing things we like. X-country skiing a little, preschool gym night, the Stampin Up club... That feels good, cause I thought I might not make time for other things.

Now I have a four day weekend to get organized for the next few weeks. Today is Indian Goverment Day. We get a few extra holidays at the tribal council. Very nice.

I'm heading to the laundry room (you wouldn't believe the pile there, yikes.) Thanks to those who have prayed for us during our adjusting time. I know people have.

Community Shared Agriculture

Would you like an alternative to the commercialized food distribution system? Would you like to know where your meat and vegetables come from, how they were grown, and treated? Organic vegetables? Tastier, fresher food? If you don't care, you can stop reading now.

Still reading? The farmers name is Keith Neu and the farm is the Etomami Community Organic Farm at Hudson Bay, SK. Deliveries are made to Regina and Saskatoon once a month year round (twice a month during the fresh produce months). Members receive garden produce (fresh and frozen), beef, chicken, eggs... You can sign up for what you want and how much you want. Except for specifics of the garden produce. Everyone gets the same share.

He had a trial year, then year 1 was 2008, and he is now heading into year 2 and is taking more members. I'm joining. I attended the information meeting and potluck last weekend. It was the best potluck I have ever been a part of. It was obviously a group of people that care about good food. I am excited to be a part of this project because it is going to grow and thrive. Keith has great vision and ideas for expansion.

From his brochure:

Our food supply is being increasingly threatened by globalization of
agriculture, the primary purpose of which is to provide profit for the
agricultural corporations and their investors. The needs of conusmers for
healthy affordable food, and the needs of farmers and their families to make a
viable living are not part of the corporate equation...Finally, people's needs
for community and for connection the the land are completely ignored by the
processed food industry.

Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) restores the connection between people
and their food source. It reduces shipping costs and storage waste because
food production is relatively close to its consumers and the food is fresh and
healthy. Alternatives to CSA, such as direct farm sales or farmers'
markets, do not give the farmer the benefit of guaranteed income from year
to year, and require more time spent in sales. Nor do they invite
participation in the operation of the farm.

Empower yourself and support your community. Get involved with
CSA.

Interested? I'll happily pass along more info. I'll email the contract/order form. Think about and email me - janetmuirhead@hotmail.com. Current members seem very satisfied and say you'll be surprised by how much better things taste.

Start Buttons

The start buttons in my life have begun to make me feel like there is a theme I'm suppose to pay attention to. When we moved into the new house, the stove here has a start button. Not hard to use. Push it after you set the temperature. Except on my old oven there was no such button, I just had to set the temperature and it knew what to do. I quit counting the number of times I went to put something in the oven and found it still cold. It made me so mad. Mostly at myself, I mean, really, how hard is it to remember?! We had to replace the dishwasher. It died on us at the beginning of December and we found enough self-control to wait until last weekend to replace it. Kind of a going back to work present. We LOVE having one again. Of course, this one has a start button. Which I can't seem to remember to press. Shouldn't the dishwasher just know to go ahead and start after I press normal cycle!? Although not exactly the start button issue, I had a similar problem with my washer. The laundry in this house is hidden in a corner of the basement instead of pretty much in my kitchen at the old house. So, after I added the soap and turned around to put it in the cupboard I kept walking away without putting the lid down and I didn't notice until I'd come back to put it in the dryer. Sounds really stupid, I know. But I did it like 25 times before I finally was able to break the habit.

So, I think I'm suppose to learn something. I think I have a lot of good intentions and even get prepared to do things, but then never follow all the way through with things. Like, I actually came down here to sort through and file the pile of papers and bills on top of the filing box. But, here I am writing instead. I made of list of things I would like to do before I went back to work and thought about how to accomplish some of them. But, they are definately not all going to get done now. I made a list of things I would like to get for the sitter to put in a nice basket for her, just to say thanks, let her know how happy I am to have her taking care of my kids, and to start off on the right foot. But, I'm I actually going to go shopping and put it together this afternoon?

I'm going to try harder to follow through. So, here I go to file and to go shopping. Maybe if I learn the lesson well, I'll be released from my issue with start buttons? Ha, not likely...

Update: Gift bag ready and delivered this a.m. Good start on the paper pile. Good feelings carried over into work today and I found myself doing things immediately instead of filing into to-do piles. AND I remembered to push the start button on the dishwasher tonight. AND I remembered to push the start button on the oven (I was making cookies tonight - I was so hungry all day today). Things feel great and it was fantastic to be back at work today. Loved it.