Thankful Thursday

What a week! Beyond the regular activities we also had two extra kids for five days which was fun but a bit busier than normal. This week I am thankful for:

Thankful Thursday

Anyone else feel like June is a busy month? We have sports wrapping up, school field trips and end of the year parties and so many birthday invitations! All that said, I now have time and energy to spare so I'm all good with it. This week I am thankful for:

What Do You Want Your Life to Look Like?

I am well aware of the fact that life is short. You might say I am pessimistic but I say realistic. My mom was a healthy and fit woman until she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 48 years of age and passed away at 53. I am turning 39 in just a few short months. If I were to live as long as her then I have less than 15 years left. I don't live my life as though I'm dying soon but I understand that it is a possibility as both of my parents have had cancer (with a heart attack thrown in there).  I want to live the life I have well; I don't want to just get through my days or wait for Gary to retire.

So if I have 15 years left, what do I want them to look like? 

Summer Activities on Grouse Mountain

Earlier this year we bought an annual pass to Grouse Mountain. Gary and I have had two snowshoeing dates and we also did the Peak of Christmas with the kids. Today we decided to head on up to celebrate Father's Day enjoying the "summer" activities. I say "summer" because it was still quite chilly!  What sort of activities can you enjoy at this time of year?

Peace and Quiet at the Scandinave Spa in Whistler

We have had a few exhausting seasons in our family over the past year and so I knew that as soon as I had a free day I wanted to treat myself with a day of rest and relaxation. I had never been to the Scandinave Spa and heard wonderful things about it, besides, it is in Whistler which is one of my favourite places to visit! I had twelve hours to myself and this is what I did...

Thankful Thursday

I spent the whole day in Whistler yesterday (yeehaw!) and then realized that today was Thursday so let's see what I can quickly whip up for a Thankful Thursday post alongside the obvious–Whistler getaway!

This week I am thankful for:

Parenting Tips Based on Birth Order

As the firstborn in a family of five girls, I've always been aware of how my role has shaped me into who I am today. There are many firstborn characteristics that I have because I had my parents sole attention for 18 months and then had to help with four younger sisters as they grew up. Words like: perfectionist, reliable, list maker, organized, driven, leader, critical, and unspontaneous match my personality well. I recently read The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Lehman and learned how birth order can affect marriages and parenting as well.

Our 2017 Summer Road Trip Plans

Growing up we spent the majority of our summer on road trips. Over the years our family drove across Canada in our truck and camper (all the way to Newfoundland!) down to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, Oregon Coast and did a lot of exploring on Vancouver Island as well. As a kid I didn't always love it (my mom almost sent me home on a bus from Ontario because of my attitude) but I am thankful for the opportunity to see as much as I did! 

Last summer we took a week to do the Lake and Circles Route in BC and I was in awe of all the beauty that is just a drive away. This summer we have the freedom to do two different road trips. I hope I won't regret this decision as that is a whole lot of family time in the minivan. Here is our plan:

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

Resetting

Have you ever had a stage of fight or flight? I feel like I've been running on adrenaline, coffee and prayer for three months and now I can exhale and breathe. Along with the regular hustle and bustle of two boys in a busy ball hockey season (five nights a week between them), we added two extra kids to our crew as an emergency placement. As of this weekend, these two kids in care now have a long-term loving home (which was a daily prayer for us–so thankful) and we can get back to resting and recovering and preparing for summer.

What is my current plan for the next few weeks?

Thankful Thursday

Every week I take 20 minutes to reflect on all I'm grateful for. Well, I do this throughout the week but intentionally here. Every time I think "Oh, this Thankful Thursday business is getting old, who even reads it?", someone sends me a message telling me what they appreciate about it so I will continue! I guess if no one reads it is still healthy for me to carry on with it.

This Thursday I am thankful for: