Thursday, September 28, 2017

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

What a whirlwind of a week! We had a lot of stress with the installation of a hot water tank and subsequent gas leak. Followed that by the addition of a little girl and it's been busy. What am I thankful for this week?

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Stanley Park Hallowe'en Ghost Train: Alien Invasion {Giveaway}

October is just around the corner and with that comes fall activities and Halloween. Several years ago I took the boys on Stanley Park's Ghost Train and they had a fun time! This year's theme is Alien Invasion which is running from October 13-31st. If you think the evening hours would be too scary for your little ones, there are matinees on Friday the 13th until Sunday the 15th without live performers (and a discounted price).

Stanley Park Ghost Train

Monday, September 25, 2017

Why I Can Say Goodbye to My Foster Child

{As a foster parent I try to share the reality so that you may consider it as an option for yourself. Gary and I never thought we would be foster parents until about four years ago when someone planted the seed in our hearts and minds. The thoughts I have on fostering are my own and I cannot speak for all of the foster parents out there. I also cannot share the personal stories and facts about the children but hope that there is enough information to give you an idea of what fostering is all about and why I can say goodbye time after time.}

What is the number one comment that foster parents receive? "I wish I could foster but it would be too hard for me to say goodbye". I want to address this. I get it. I fully understand what you are saying and why. Who would invite a break-up into their lives? Who would want to go into a situation knowing ahead of time that their heart would be broken? I am an emotional woman. I cry happy and sad tears frequently. I lost my mom to cancer when I was just 26 so I understand loss and fear it. Is saying goodbye hard? Yes, but it doesn't stop me from getting attached and it can be filled with hope and happiness.

How can you say "goodbye" when fostering?

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

You never know what a week will bring and this one is bringing us a new child. The plan is for her to join our home tomorrow so this will be brief. With three months of doing relief in foster care which was so needed, we have said "yes" to a short term placement so we'll see how it goes. In the meantime I better read up on my tips for the first week of fostering again! This week I am thankful for:

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

How to Make Your Child's Birthday Extra Special with Netflix

I remember when I was younger calling the news station to ask them to wish my mom a happy birthday. They would often announce special birthdays at the end of the newscast and although hers wasn't a special one (100th or above!) it was such a delight to hear it announced on TV. Over the years we have also submitted photos to our local TV station for our own kids as they would do birthday announcements with the addition of a photo. Now alongside your annual tradition of the birthday bumps (do you do them? Our kids LOVE it) you can get your kid's favourite characters singing to them for their birthday using Netflix...

Netflix Happy Birthday

Friday, September 15, 2017

Flying in the Fraser Valley

Today was a special day for Nya as it was her first flight with my dad! It was very last minute so I wasn't sure how she would feel when I picked her up from school and told her we were going flying. She was so excited! It may have had something to do with the fact that I said we were going to a fancy restaurant and she asked if she could use her fancy voice. Yes, she could use her fancy voice.
We met my dad at the Langley airport and off we went!

Flying in the Cessna 172

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Thankful Thursday


Hey team! Along with the fresh start that September brings, I have this sense of blah. There's some small problems in our home this week. Our new flooring isn't doing what it's supposed to (lay flat) so we've followed up with the manufacturer. Our hot water tank stopped working on Tuesday night so we had to throw a whole bunch of money towards a new one last night. Not a super exciting purchase as it's hidden away in a closet in the basement. Then there's the bigger issues that we are hearing about each day. The hurricanes that have hit the south are just heart-breaking. Every place we visited in March (Puerto Rico, Florida, St. Kitts, St. Martin, Grand Turk) has been greatly affected. Waterton Lakes National Park, which we visited in August, is experiencing a major wildfire which has caused so much destruction and loss. I can't even think of all the animals there.

So, in order to take a moment to focus on the positives, here are ten things I am thankful for today:

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Simplifying, Decluttering and Organizing Your Life

Anyone else in cleaning mode and looking to simplify, declutter and organize? I've summarized some great tips on these topics that I've shared over the years and I hope you find it helpful! Without further ado, here are some great techniques for making life easier, just click on titles:


Saturday, September 09, 2017

Simple and Delicious Tomato Salad

Are you wanting a simple and nutritious salad for dinner tonight? Maybe you have an event you're going to and you need to bring a fruit or vegetable dish. If you were you coming here for exact measurements, I apologize, but salads are flexible. You like cheese, go wild. You like balsamic vinegar the most, have fun! This is a versatile salad and such a crowd-pleaser using just six ingredients.

Tomato and cheese Salad

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Thankful Thursday


I'm pretty sure that we just had the best summer holidays of our life. It wasn't "fancy" or expensive, it was two road trips with our family of five. We are in a big transition week as the kids are headed back to school and Nya is going for her first time! This means that I am having to figure out what life will look like–maybe not all that different as she's part-time and I'll just continue working one day a week. 

Every week I write ten things that I am thankful for. This week I am grateful for:

Monday, September 04, 2017

The End of Summer and Pondering What is Ahead

We had a beautiful day at the beach today and it was just what we needed. This summer we returned to being a family of five, had two big road trips, adjusted to being home again and then finished with renovations. It feels so good to be back to normal, well, until we start transitioning back to school tomorrow. I feel like Gary and I are in a mid-life crisis of sorts completely connected to fostering; it's this huge inner struggle between doing what we know can to make a difference in the lives of others and at the same time recognizing that we need to weigh the effect of that on our mental/emotional/physical health and well-being.