Casey says...

I was looking for something to write with in my bedroom this morning. I didn't find a pen or a pencil, but I did find a note I scribbled almost four years ago. It was dated August 17, 2006, and it was about a sweet moment with Casey when he had just turned three. The note reads, "Casey was sitting in his pj's at the table eating breakfast. All of a sudden he stood up on his chair and said, "I have to go pee!", so I said, "Okay!", lifted him down, took off his nighttime pull-up and followed him to the bathroom. That's when he said in his sweet, gentle way - "You're a helpful little mommy!"

Finding a note like this is like coming across treasure - Casey's words from when he had just turned three. He was younger then than Cody is now. In fact, I was newly pregnant with Cody. Such sweet memories!

For Today - Saturday, July 17, 2010

Outside my window...my yard, my garden - a perfect balance of kid-friendly and mom-friendly!

I am thinking...about what paint colours I need to pick up when I'm in Vancouver today. Is there a teacher's supply store out this way? I'll have to look into it.

I am thankful...for my husband, my hero - working hard to give me yet another special day for my birthday.

From the kitchen...Steve's BBQ menu - ribs, chicken wings, smokies, veggies and dip, chips and salsa, potato salad...the list goes on!

I am wearing...my pajamas. It's been a loungy morning, but I've got to get cracking...

I am reading...stacks of magazines from the library - Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, House and Home, Canadian Gardening, Ladies Home Journal, etc.

I am hoping...for a cancellation to come up at with the Neurologist - I don't want to wait until October to start figuring out what the heck is going on with this chronic numbness and tingling in my arms!

I am going...to finish this post, hit the shower, and head out to pick up some dirt, some mulch, some paint, and my mother!

I am creating...not much these days, and I am missing it.

I am hearing...Saturday morning in the summer sounds...neighbours talking outside, the back gate opening and closing, little boys at play.

Around the house...I've pulled a few areas together a pleasing way, but it's a work in progress. Thankfully, I feel satisfaction in the process instead of frustration. Slowly but surely...

One of my favorite things...my own, homemade, better-than-Starbucks iced coffee.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a (hopefully) perfect combination of home time and park/beach time.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you:
TWO pictures today - a couple of favorites from the week...

Multitude Monday - Round 9

151. Getting outside

152. Walking

153. Riding my bike with my kids

154. Coming across fun new arts and crafts ideas

155. A new composter

156. My rain barrel

157. Playing Scrabble with my husband out on our patio at night

158. An unplanned and very fun transit trip to S.F.U. with Casey and Cody

159. A husband who is easygoing and accommodating

160. A fun kids party for Casey

{this moment}, Take 2...

Joining in..."{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Multitude Monday - Round 8

It has been quite awhile since I joined in on Multitude Mondays. I had been posting 20 things that I was grateful for every Monday, but then between one thing and another, I got away from it. It is interesting for me to note that, the less time I spent thinking about and acknowledging the little, everyday things I am thankful for, the harder it has been to think of them and even come up with 20 after all this time! I'm 'out of the habit', so to speak, and I think that this is a perfect example of why it is important to be mindful of the little things every day, because if you are not, you notice them less. And by 'you', I mean me! What do you think?

Today, I am listing ten things that I am thankful for. I hope to be able to get back to my weekly twenty (on my way to one thousand) by next Monday.

141. A night out with two good friends whom I've known since childhood

142. Wet, sloppy, unsolicited kisses from my sweet little boys

143. Being able to sit back and watch my little 3 y.o.'s imagination at play

144. A yard/garden that always has sunny spots

145. A great new neighbourhood where my kids have already made a ton of friends

146. An abundance of windows

147. Hosting family at OUR house for a change!

148. The first day of summer!

149. Getting perspective on my life by hearing about the lives of others

150. Feeling my body respond more easily now to walking 10 km.

Casey's snake...

Joining in..."{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Wordless Wednesday...

Should Be Reading...

"I found your telephone number on an ID tag, buried with a dog. I was curious about the circumstances.", from U is for Undertow, by Sue Grafton.

"Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!"

7 Quick Takes Friday - Round 6

1. Today at the Inspired Scrapper, two new designers have been announced and a great new Etsy inspired challenge is posted. If you are into scrapbooking/paper crafting, go have a look!

2. As a general rule/challenge to myself, I try to see the positive side of things. For example, when it's raining, raining, raining, and people are lamenting, complaining, boo-hooing, I have been known to say things like, "Think of how happy the trees are right now!", ,or - "Well, it's good to know my rain catcher is keeping full!". However, I am now officially done with the rain. It's June. Time for sun. Time for summer. Yes, I know it's not actually summer on the calendar, but frankly - I don't care. June rolls around, I expect sunshine - at least 90% of the time. I don't want to jinx myself into a drought situation (NOT that I'm superstitious or anything!) but...enough is enough. Please and thank you.

3. Casey has now been in his new school for three full weeks. He has been exhibiting all the signs of a little boy who has made the transition flawlessly - he comes bounding out of school at the end of each day with his big smile on, racing to the playground to play with new friends. He loves his new teacher, says she is really nice (and I wholeheartedly agree!), he's gotten his first 'new school' birthday party invitation, I hear kids calling, "Hi Casey!" and "Bye Casey!" whenever I pick him up and drop him off...it all makes this Mommy's heart very happy. I never really doubted that he would transition well, but it is great to see such obvious signs. I spoke to his teacher after school today just to check in and hear from her how he is doing, and she said that you would think that Casey had been here from the very beginning of the school year the way he has assimilated into the classroom. This is pleasing to no end!

4. We've only been in our new house for three week. I can't believe it - it feels like we've been here for so much longer...this house feels so much like our home, I really never give thought to our old place at all. There are people in our old neighbourhood that I would like to keep in touch with (though not as many as you'd think after so many years there!), but I don't miss Champlain Heights or Vancouver at all! I really thought I would have a bit of a pang in my heart about it, but...nada! Our new neighbourhood really does feel like 'coming home'. One of our neighbours said, "We have an unusually close neighbourhood, and you fit right in!" - and I can feel that, and I'm loving it!

5. I am also loving my yard, my garden. It's so rewarding, so enjoyable. Between walking Casey to school and back every day (which, until the pedestrian overpass is completed, is 2.6 km. ONE way, meaning I am walking that distance 2 to 4 times a day, 5 days a week!)and doing some pretty heavy duty yard and garden work (hauling rocks and bricks, moving plants in and out, etc.) - I am ingesting a fair amount of Ibuprofen! BUT - I'm not complaining. It's a very gratifying kind of achey feeling at the end of the day! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the yard and garden change and evolve throughout the seasons and from year to year. Note to self - start a garden journal, complete with photos!!

6. I really want to get a composter. I have never had one before, but just thinking about composting gets me all silly with excitement! (Yes, this is the type of thing that excites me! Who would have thought?!) Google 'composting' and you will find that there is no end of titillating information about it at your fingertips! Why does it excite me so? I have been trying to find ways of articulating it, but I can't. I think there is just some primal satisfaction for me in it. I found a composting unit at Home Depot for forty bucks. Not a bad deal at all! I have a feeling that somebody in my life might be planning on buying me a composter for my birthday (does this not sound 'birthday present' worthy to you? To me, it is equal to a gift of jewellry. I am a such simple soul...) My dilemma is - do I wait for another month and find out if indeed my birthday hunch is right, or - do I go ahead and get myself one NOW because waiting is very difficult for me and I've wanted one for so long already...I suspect I will end up making a run back to Home Depot within a week's time! That's ok, though, because there are plenty of other gift ideas that can be provided to anybody who is thinking about my birthday...like, a fancy hose reel, or a skookum nozzle for the hose, or an electric hedge trimmer, ...Can you pick up on a theme here? Anything yard or garden related, and I am one happy girl!

7. World Cup 2010 has kicked off in South Africa. I have to admit, with having had the TV tuned into the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics on an almost full-time basis for the entire length of the Games, and with the Canucks taking to the golfing greens so early (again!) this year, it's great to have such a huge and global sporting event to get excited about! I've always been a solid soccer fan, but mostly as a player(and most recently as a coach), at a local, grassroots level. I have never followed the international scene all that closely, but it is not hard at all to get swept up in the World Cup fever, especially in the Metro Vancouver area where we have such a diverse population of people. I can only imagine the scene on Commercial Drive right now! Having played soccer for several years, watching players compete at the very highest level is quite exhilarating and gets my nerve fibers twitching! Because I have a very basic familiarity and 'feel' for their movements, to see the amazing athleticism, prowess, and grace that these athletes exhibit is stunning and gives me such a breathtaking respect for their abilities...the level of performance that athletes can command their bodies to is absolutely awe inspiring! The World Cup is scheduled to conclude on July 11th...just one more sweet reason for loving summer this year!

For Today - Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Outside my window...sunshine! A rarity recently. Blue sky with fluffy white clouds. A happy scene!

I am thinking...that I *should* eliminate the word 'should' from my vocabulary.

I am thankful...that the weekend has arrived.

From the kitchen...nuthin'! Since moving, I haven't quite picked up the pace. I'd *like* to make some chocolate chip banana muffins, but won't guarantee I get to it today!

I am wearing...Black capris. Black tshirt. Black fleece pullover. So predictable!

I am reading...'Ruby and Iris', by Rosie Thomas

I am hoping...to get caught up on my R&R this weekend!

I am going...to Ikea for three more dining room chairs.

I am creating...not much lately. Need a mojo boost!

I am hearing...birds chirping, dogs barking, lawnmowers whirring, cars passing...

Around the house...unpacked boxes. Still.

One of my favorite things...going to the library, and now that we've moved, I've got new library branches to explore!! Whee!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...I really don't want to think that far ahead at this point!

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you:
Cody with his new little neighbourhood buddy. Not only is she close to Cody's age, but she is as cute as a little button!

Insomnia...

It has been a loooong time since I've been able to say this, thankfully - but now...I think I've got a touch of the insomnia!! It's been creeping up on me for maybe two weeks - one night here, one night there...at approximately 3 a.m. I wake up. And - I'm awake. Tired, but awake. And I can't get back to sleep. So, after lying in bed for awhile, trying to get back to sleep without thinking too hard about it, I get up because I know that I am not going to be successful this way - i.e. the whole 'trying not to think about going to sleep or about not going to sleep while being unable to sleep' thing. Ugh. So, I get up and come downstairs, and inevitably - end up on the computer. Funny thing about my insomnia (well, NOT funny, but you know what I mean...) is that I'm tired, but I can't sleep, but I'm too tired to do anything useful or productive, so although I'm no longer lying in bed, unable to sleep and frustrated, I'm lying on the couch, unable to sleep and frustrated. And, I already know that in the morning, and throughout the day, I will be tired and wanting to nap, and if given the opportunity, would be able to nap. So why can't I just 'nap' right now?! Argh!

This current bout of insomnia comes during an exciting/stressful/overwhelming/ time in our household, which may or may not be a factor in my sleeplessness. We have purchased our first home and have been packing/purging/preparing like maniacs for the big move, which officially happened this past Saturday. Another factor in my insomnia, which is also related to our big move, is that my handy dandy reading light that clips to my book and provides wonderful light for reading but doesn't disturb anybody else in a dark room in the middle of the night (i.e. my husband) has gone missing! While not in use, my clip-on light is clipped to the cord on my bedside lamp. What I should have done in preparation for moving is taken my clip-on light and stuck it in my purse for safekeeping/convenience. What I did do is wrap some packing tape around the lamp stand/cord/clip-on light so that it would all stay together and tidy for the movers. Problem is, when my bedside lamp arrived in our new house, my clip-on light did not! Ack! I don't know what happened to it, but it does not seem to have made the move after all. So now, one of my most sure-fire methods of getting myself back to sleep after having woken up in the middle of the night - reading - is no longer a convenient, easy, non-disturbing-to-husband, etc. option. So...now what?! I think I'll try giving the old-fashioned and traditional method of falling asleep (you know the one - lying down and closing eyes?) another try. Wish me luck!

7 Quick Takes Friday - Round 5

Another '7 Quick Takes Friday' brought to you with the help of The Conversion Diary...

1. Fridays mean new challenges at The Inspired Scrapper. This Friday features an 'All Things Animal' challenge - go have a visit!

2. Last week I took a drive out to our new city/neighbourhood to register my son for school. Since I was out that way, I decided to take a drive around to get 'the lay of the land'. I drove past a building with a mural painted on it and a sign announcing it as the 'Cloverdale Seniors Centre'. "Wow!", I thought, "That's great! A big gathering centre just for seniors! How nice!". There was an outdoor announcement sign beside the building that said, "Offers programs and services for seniors age 55 and over, including performing arts, visual arts, sports, games, fitness, crafts, special events, and more!". "Lovely", I thought, "Maybe I can find out if there is anything going on there that I can bring my mom out for". For whatever reason, I felt the need to verify in my head the age of my mother and that she would indeed qualify (she's 69). Then, from some strange and forbidden place inside my brain, a voice went on to announce that, not only did my mother qualify as a senior at the age of 69, but in 17 more years, I will qualify as a senior at age 55. Oh my goodness, I practically rear-ended the car stopped in front of me at a red light outside of the centre. In only 17 years, I will be a senior citizen?! That blew my mind!! How can that be?! I'm only 38! How can 17 more years make me an official old person?! 17 years just seems WAY too close for that kind of nonsense!! This whole aging process really is some kind of heavy trip!

3. I read recently in "The 24" that St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver plans to open a 24-hour drop-off room where women can abandon their newborn children anonymously. My initial reaction to reading this was shock - general shock, about the whole topic. I'm not an ostrich with my head in the sand, I know that things like mothers abandoning their babies happen - it just caught me off guard reading about such a...what's the word I'm searching for...blunt (?!maybe?!) solution. I went on to read that 'Safe Haven' policies exist in all US states as well as several other countries, like Britain and Japan. Now, having read that, it surprises me that Canada has not yet got anything like this in place; however, the anonymity of the St. Paul's service will be a first in North America. The article says that hospital officials do not think this service will be used very frequently, and that they hope that it won't be used at all. Wow. This really gets me thinking about a lot of things. Makes me want to hug my children. Makes me want to hug the next teenage mom I see (not to imply that it's only and always teenagers who go this route), and makes me very, very thankful that I have been lucky enough to be able to conceive and carry three pregnancies to term and have them result in three healthy children. Never mind the piles of laundry, the messy floors, the daunting utilities bills, the petty annoyances/grievances with your neighbours or your co-workers or your spouse, etc. - gotta find a reason to stop each day and be thankful. "There but for the grace of God go I".

4. I have been reminded once again of how horribly dependent I am on caffeine to get me going in the morning. I had to have some blood work done this week which required fasting and let me tell you, I was one irritable, groggy mama the morning of my test! I have quit caffeine in the past - mostly just to prove to myself that I can, and after the initial withdrawal (headaches, irritability, fatigue), I definitely notice that I am more 'even' throughout the day, in mood and in energy. Guilty confession? Even knowing this, I am not currently interested in or motivated to give up my caffeinated beverages right now. I enjoy my strong black tea with milk throughout the day, and - with warmer days upon us, I am also beginning to make my own homemade, better-than-Starbucks cafe con leche's - AKA iced coffee with milk. Yes, I know that I can opt for the decaf option but honestly - if tea or coffee doesn't come with caffeine, I'd rather just drink water. In fact, I would classify water as my favorite drink - but tea and coffee are tied for a close second!

5. I saw a person in a Smart Car driving stupid, and it made me think that if I sold a product called 'Smart' anything, I'd want to ensure that the interested consumer actually qualified as 'smart' first in order to maintain the integrity of my product once they were turned loose with it!

6. Upon his return from daycare one day this week, Cody came marching into the house with the strap of his lunchbox slung over his shoulder and announced, "Look, Mommy! I'm 'tarrying' my lunchbox like Daddy 'tarries' his purse!". Daddy prefers to call to his purse his briefcase.

7. Another cute Cody moment happened yesterday. Out of the blue (where so many cute kid things seem to come from!), Cody proclaimed - "Mama lucky!". I said, "Yes, I am lucky! Why do you think I'm lucky?", to which Cody replied, "Love!". Short, sweet, to the point, and very accurate. My Cody is one smart little guy!

A New Tuesday Meme...

Hello, and Happy Tuesday! I've just come across a new-to-me meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Here is the description/explanation from the blog of how to join:

"Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!"

I thought it sounded pretty fun, so here's my "teaser", from So Much For That, by Lionel Shriver:

"So your answer is to make our children ashamed of themselves, which doesn't improve their math skills one bit."

Carol's whisk-whisk motions were her only giveaway that she was furious.

Are you intrigued? Do you want to run out and find this book? Will you add it to your 'Must Read' list? This is the first book I've ever read of Lionel Shriver's. I've only just started it - so far it seems promising, if perhaps a bit slow right now...

What have you read lately that you would recommend?

Cards for The Inspired Scrapper's Colour Challenge...

Hello, and Happy Monday! I've got a couple of cards to share today, in response to this week's challenge over at The Inspired Scrapper. This is the inspiration piece:

and these are my cards:



I'm going to use these cards for Mother's Day - I'll stamp an appropriate sentiment inside.

The Inspired Scrapper challenge is open until 9 pm PST Thursday, May 6th and is good for any scrapbooking related project, not just cards. Don't keep your creativity under wraps - join in and share with us!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Yay! A 'holiday' just for us scrappers!! How exciting is that?! Here in Vancouver, it's a damp, overcast day that could turn out brilliantly by the afternoon, or else it could be very, very wet. Either way, it's a perfect day for scrapbooking! It's a typical busy busy Saturday at our house - we've got packing to get through, a kids birthday party, and of course - Hockey Night In Canada tonight where the Canucks take on Chicago in the first game of the second round playoffs (Go Canucks Go!!!), but I know I'll be able to sneak in some scrap time! In fact, I'm in my scrap space right now. I've got my tea, my music, and my fabulous lighting - I'm good to go!

With National Scrapbooking Day comes The Inspired Scrapper's new Blogger-based blog launch. There are some opportunities to win some prizes,a Design Team Call, a colour challenge - lots of goodness!! Go have a look!!

Happy Crafting, Happy HNIC, and Happy Saturday to all my friends!

The Great Outdoor Challenge

Have you heard of the Great Outdoor Challenge? It's hosted by Lisa over at 5 Orange Potatoes. Check it out and join in - it's super do-able!

This is Casey enjoying our favorite park. It's a perfect place to visit after school as it's on our way home. The first picture is of Casey standing on the root system of a toppled tree, stick in hand of course. The second picture is Casey pulling apart some rotting wood, looking for bugs - specifically, sow bugs. I've also heard them called potatoe bugs, wood bugs, and Casey calls them 'piddle bugs'. The third picture is of Casey's very grubby knees. This is how Casey usually looks at the end of any given day, which just affirms to me that it has been a day well spent! At about this time of the year, every year, Casey's pants are all becoming a wee bit short at the ankles, and/or worn through at the knee. It's perfect timing since we are well into spring - as Casey's pants wear out, he just moves into shorts and I don't spend any more money on long pants until back to school shopping.



Now here's Cody. This first picture is classic - this little boy loves peeing outside! If he needs to go, he'll find a spot and whip his little pants down so quickly I barely have time to protest, and then he's 'watering the plants'. Oh, the joy of being a boy! In the second picture, Cody is measuring how deep the pond is using a stick. This is something that he decided to do all on his own which I find interesting - the things children figure out all on their own, without prompting or input from adults. The third picture is Cody on his wonderful little wooden bike. This bike, without a doubt, is the single best thing I could have ever gotten this little boy. I plan on keeping this little bike forever - one day I hope to have grandchildren who can ride it!

Card Collections

Hello! Happy Tuesday! A quick post today - I created three collages of some cards that I've made recently. I'm in a card making frenzy, and it's a happy kind of frenzy! I plan on giving the moms in my family card sets as gifts for Mother's Day, which means that I'll need seven sets of cards, six cards per set. Also, I will be giving some sets as good-bye gifts - Casey's teacher, Cody's daycare providers, etc., plus - I will be giving thank you cards/good-bye cards/change of address cards to various people over the next few weeks. I've got my work cut out for me, although I've already got a lot done, plus - I sure don't mind carving time out each day to put a few together. It's one of my favorite ways of relaxing. There is also a Design Team call requiring a card submission - wish me luck! Cards, cards, cards...it's all about the cards these days!

Multitude Monday - Round 7

121. Happy noise from my boys

122. A fridge and pantry full of good food

123. A glass of wine

124. Bird song outside my windows

125. Sunny spring days

126. Getting my sleeping patterns sorted out

127. A brand spankin' new library card

128. A house with open doors and windows to let the warm spring air flow through

129. A husband who knows pressure points for migraine relief

130. Casey sticking up for his little brother while outside playing

131. Decluttering

132. A long, middle of the night, lying in bed conversation with my husband about everything and nothing

133. Friday night movie nights with the kids

134. Homemade broccoli soup - can't get enough!!

135. Super helpful parents-in-law

136. Dental plan coverage

137. Having the opportunity to be a mom to three beautiful, amazing children

138. Good books on hand to choose from

139. My Grandpa's hostas thriving after I transplanted them

140. Our approaching moving day

7 Quick Takes Friday - Round 4

1. Challenge Day at The Inspired Scrapper - this week brings us an always excellent sketch by Becky Fleck at Page Maps along with two versions of the sketch by two oh-so-creative and delightful designers, Cari Locken and Virginia Wong - go take a look!











2. I have found another fun challenge blog to participate in - it's The Great Outdoor Challenge at 5 Orange Potatoes. Here is my photo for today:

Yet another photo of my child(ren) at Everett Crowley Park. We absolutely love it there!! I'm going to miss it so much when we move next month. Cody loves this creek - he becomes mesmerized. It is so satisfying to me to just watch him become so transfixed and peaceful...I feel like I can check "provide my children with a great day" off my daily list of things to do when we spend time like this somewhere.



3. GO CANUCKS GO!!! !.
We are huge hockey fans in this house! The Vancouver Canucks are playing against the L.A. Kings tonight, back on home ice, game 5 of the first-round playoffs, with the series tied at two apiece! There are all kinds of great factoids and statistics available in the world of sport, and my two favorites pertaining to the Canucks right now are: 1.) Two Canadian cities - Montreal and Toronto - hosted the Winter Olympics and then went on to win the Stanley Cup the same year. So, given that Vancouver just hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics...well, you know where I'm going with this! 2.) This year's Canucks team is the best team of Canucks we've ever had, meaning that our chances of going to the finals are, on paper at least, pretty good! I remember well both of the Canucks previous runs, first in 1982 and then again in 1994. It's 2010 now, and - it's time

4. While out at a park today with my two youngest, a patch of clover amid the grass brought back a wonderful memory of my Grandma. Every year on my birthday, my Grandma would mail me a birthday card. It always arrived on time, and it always contained a cheque for twenty dollars. The best part, though, is that every year, there would be a four-leaf clover taped to the inside of my card. My Grandma said that she just had a knack for spotting four-leaf clovers among the patches of clover in the grass in her yard. She said that she would just look down, and there one would be. She'd pick it, press it inside one of the big, heavy books on the bookcase in her front room sewing area, and save it for a select few special occasions, one of them being my birthday. I always saved the cards and letters from my Grandma, but not in an organized or deliberate way, and so over the years, they've become lost. Of course, now, as an adult, this saddens me and I would do things very differently if I was able to go back in time. There's a hopeful little part of me though that thinks that if I sort through the boxes of my poorly organized papers and pictures collected over the years, I might be lucky enough to come across at least one of these misplaced treasures. I may actually get around to digging in to some of those boxes this weekend while organizing for our upcoming move - one of my goals for preparing for this move is to finally sort and store keepsakes properly, so my fingers are crossed that I will come across some long-lost goodies. I have never in my life found a four-leaf clover, and I have spent a few idle moments trying (my Grandma's words, "I just looked down, and there it was!" going through my head). Maybe this weekend, I'll find one that has been found once before!

5. Today's Question of the Day at Dictionary.com today is: Why is it called a flea market?

Answer: This is a jocular term for an open-air or street market for mainly secondhand merchandise, which would be the type of items that might be infested with fleas. The first flea markets were in Paris and they were called marché aux puces which translates to 'market with fleas'. Flea market first appeared in English in 1922 as a translation of the French market's name. Flea is of Germanic origin (fleah) and was not spelled flea until after 1550. A synonym is flea fair.

I think I could have made a fairly accurate guess as to the 'flea' part of the term, but nevertheless, it's interesting and fun to get the full explanation, don't you think?!

6. I love being a mom, and I am well aware of how quickly time passes and how precious simple, everyday moments are. I am thankful everyday for my three healthy, beautiful children. Now having said that, there are some things that I won't be sorry to see my children outgrow. I am looking forward to the day when there are no more little bums to wipe. I'll appreciate the day where we can all climb into our car/van, strap on our seatbelts, and take off, i.e. no more carseats. And, it has always been a happy day when one of my children has graduated from having me push them on the swings to them being able to pump for themselves, i.e. Mom can now sit on the park bench or the grass, write in her notebook or flip through a magazine, take a few pictures, and smile and wave.

7. "When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity." - Albert Einstein.

I feel like this quote applies to my life right now in relation to purchasing our first home and our upcoming move. The time we spend purging and packing doesn't seem to make much impact, passes quickly, and still leaves us wanting. Waiting for May 15th, however, the day we take possession and can start moving, is taking forever and the waiting is becoming harder and harder to bear!

For Today, Sunday April 18th, 2010...

Outside my window...the green glow of enthusiastic sunshine filtering down through new leaves.

I am thinking...that life is good.

I am thankful...for sleep patterns that are finally settling down, and this time I'm not talking about the kids - I mean my own!

From the kitchen...Good old-fashioned Sunny Boy cereal, with lots of brown sugar. Mmmm mmmm...

I am wearing...if you've ever read my 'For Today' posts before, you'll know the answer to this...my at-home 'sloppy slops' - yoga pants, oversized turquoise t-shirt, hoodie...

I am reading...'The Night Birds', by Thomas Maltman.

I am hoping...that my daughter feels better soon, and that I don't catch what she's got even though I can feel it starting in my nose and throat...

I am going...to mega-dose on Vitamin C and my various other elixirs.

I am creating...co-ordinated card sets as thank-you gifts to give to some wonderful people when we move.

I am hearing...'hee hoo...hee hoo...' - seemingly ever-present, persistent, and very welcome black-capped chickadees.

Around the house...Lots of boxes and rubbermaid containers - four weeks until we move into our new home!

One of my favorite things...having the doors and windows wide open to let in the fresh, warm spring air.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Mail a package of cards to Operation Write Home, complete some more gift sets of hand made cards, and more purging/packing around the house.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you...Casey and Cody climbing an enbankment at Everett Crowley Park. Check out The Great Outdoor Challenge at www.5orangepotatoes.com - it's a really fun idea and this is my official first day of joining in!