update

Well I had some goals a while back. They really didn't go too well. Life happens I guess. My goals were to cut meat from my diet and to be able to run for 30 min and also, to have finances in order. I would have to re-read to remember my specific money goal.

I started by cutting beef and pork from my diet, and it went well except that I would forget sometimes and also, I felt like such a pain telling people who were feeding me that I don't eat what they cook. It was hard and I did end up quitting. I eat everything now. I got pregnant and thought maybe it wasn't a great time for change. I now wonder if it was still a good thing, cuz I have been eating horribly since then!

I still have an ultimate goal of being vegan or something closer to it eventually, but how will I deal with telling people who cook for me, etc. I guess that is a bridge I will cross when I come to it!

My running goal did not work out because of my pregnancy... I can walk but running probably isn't in my near future. I still hope to accomplish that goal at some point!

Financially, things are going a lot better than they were, we are paying down debt.. we have a clear budget, but there is work to be done. I really want to figure out how to pay the debt down faster! I also have a hard time with the fact that our income changes month to month, year to year... so it is really hard to know what we can safely spend and put on our debt each month! Sometimes our income could be seriously low and we need money put away to make up for that. I really wonder what Gail Vaz-Oxlade would have us do with our financial situation. I recently ordered her book, Debt free forever, and I am really hoping she will get down to detail on how we can figure out the best path to being debt free and financially free! I really like that she is Canadian, so there won't be a lot of US jargon that doesn't apply to me! I have a lot of financial books, but I don't think any of them are Canadian... so that is exciting to me, to know she is so close and understands Canada! I won't have to wonder if what they are talking about only applies in the US :)

So, on to more current goals, I really want to be a better self, wife and mother. I am finding all of this really challenging lately and I just desperately want things to run more smoothly and for the house to be more clean and organized.

Self- I really want to take better care of my body. I want to eat more healthy things and less unhealthy. I have practically been living off poutine since I got pregnant and feel so guilty about that! I also want to take better of my emotional/spiritual self. I have recently found myself depressed, anxious and angry. That is not the person I want to be, and I think it is a direct result of me not tending to my needs in these areas.

Wife- My man does so much for me and our family every single day. Rarely does he take a day off. In fact, I'm not sure he ever does, between work and responsibilities around the house... even when we go camping, he is still doing everything he can to make us all very comfortable! I love this about him. That being said, all he asks for in return is healthy and happy children and a reasonably clean house. I could really be doing better for him and in fact I would give myself a great big 'F' sometimes! This relates to the next part:

Mother- I have the goal of reaching Clint's expectations in this area, and hopefully exceeding them. I really want to do more school, crafts and other fun things with the kids, and I want to keep their environment clean, tidy, uncluttered and organized. I also really want to get better at discipline, since I have been really inconsistent lately.

Wish me luck!

More fun and activities

We made some green jello for st. Pat's day :)



Raenen and Ky made a cake :)




I got to have a hot drink with some other homeschool moms while the kids did a project in another room :) This month it was "painting rocks"

Raenen's:




Ky's:




and Kota's:




Then we decorated the "rainbow" cake :)






It is almost gone now!!

We also made green milkshake!!




and finally, we cut out shamrock's and wrote on them things that make us feel lucky :)





Ky chose: money, cookies and bacon lol





Dakota chose our cats, his family and brownies :)




Here are the 3 of ours together :)

Here is what we have been doing lately

Clint and the kids playing hockey in the car port :)






Raenen saved up half the money for a new electric piano, and we paid the rest... She is LOVING it and does not want to stop playing!!




The kids LOVE to have "slumber parties" :)... This is Ky's new bed, finally a nice sized bed that she doesn't fall out of every night (or EVER)!!




My girls



This is what we have been up to today! Lot's of St. Patrick's day fun!

Here is my shamrock, made of hearts:




The kids, first of all, practicing how to draw a heart:









and here are their final master pieces:






and on to some word searches and mazes:















and that is what we have been up to!! :)

Wow, again, it's been a while!!

I always intend on writing more on my blog... but generally feel a bit blocked on what to write about! I will start this post by saying, We are having another baby!! How exciting! I am also blessed with a very neat due date... my birthday! July 21st :)



Since just before my last post, each of my kids have had a bday... one year older for the kids... time sure goes by fast!






I haven't been all that well lately. The pregnancy has made me sick and exhausted, more than any other pregnancy. My oldest daughter is so behind in school that it makes me feel overwhelmed and exhausted... definitely considering going traditional next year!




My son is still doing amazingly well academically, considering he has never been formally taught. He learned to read well and has now moved on to an interest in math :) I am always so proud of him!





My youngest daughter is soooo interested in learning, but it isn't coming as quickly and easily as it did for her big brother. So far she doesn't seem too discouraged, but I can tell it bothers her a bit sometimes.




My daughters are in a performing arts school and here are some pics of them getting ready for their recital (my oldest was a boy for the play lol)











I really want to get my home organized... maybe it is the spring fever setting in, but i just want everything clean, clear and organized! I feel this chaos is affecting my moods and motivation!! Now if only I could find the energy...

Being overweight is making pregnancy especially hard... I felt 9 months pregnant before I was pregnant at all, so the pressure on my lungs and stomach is making breathing and eating a miserable task!





I am thinking of re-starting "One year to an organized life" and combining that with flylady's encouragement and wisdom, and getting myself and my life back on track. This should be combined with the wisdom and tools of one of my all-time favorite books "The Solution: 6 Winning Ways to Permanent Weight Loss". I know that SOUNDS like a weight loss book, but it is really sooo much more. The first time I read it, 12 years ago, it truly changed my life forever. I have fallen back into the old pattern of ignoring my needs, back into the patterns of addiction and habit... and I would really like to go back to listening to my inner guidance on a regular basis.

The way I am living now is making me miserable... and almost like I am purposely punishing myself by not living a full life.

Long time, no blog!

Well it has been a long time since I blogged, and no creative pursuits... or fun outings that I can really think of which have a picture to go with...

So I will just write...

Yesterday I got a really nasty letter from someone, it was very hurtful and judgmental. I feel I have been a victim of adult bullying. What a mean lady.

On the positive note, isn't it times like these that remind us how much support we really have? My friends and family helped me feel soo much better! They reminded me of how far I have come and that the message was cruel and untrue. Even if there does happen to be some truth in it, which I will decide on my own... without help from mean people... it isn't any of her business as a complete stranger.

There is a way to say something when you are concerned and a way not to. There was no reason for her to be cruel in order to express this concern.

It reminds me of my very favorite bible quote: <sup>(Luke 6:41-42)

41</sup> “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

I try to live with empathy, understanding and kindness. I really try to keep an open mind and let God be the judge of right and wrong for others in their lives. I do acknowledge that it isn't easy... at all, but I can't imagine EVER writing an e-mail to a complete stranger and pointing out everything I think they are doing wrong in their life... That is a horrible and hurtful thing to do to someone. I honestly can't wrap my head around how people can be so mean.

So, Tons of love to all my friends who supported me yesterday when I was feeling like dirt on the bottom of this lady's shoe. You removed me from her shoe, and put me back in the garden where I will feel nourished and continue to grow... on my own and with the help of friends! No bullies allowed!

Love, Michelle

Scrubbing Bubbles^® Extend-A-Clean^™ Power Sprayer

I am a bzzagent. This allows me to test new products. The most recent campaign I have been invited to is the scrubbing bubbles extend a clean power sprayer campaign. I received a bottle of this product to try out and some coupons to give away (let me know if you want one)!

It has a very cool sprayer that you just hold in and it sprays continuously. That was definitely my favorite feature, although it sprayed on quite heavily.

Although it claims to make the job easier, I really didn't find this to be so. I found the only thing that made it easier was the power sprayer. Everything else was the same as a regular foamy bathroom cleaner.

This product also claims to continue cleaning for 4 days after use. Since I only clean the bathroom once a week maximum.. this really wasn't a good reason for me to buy the stuff. I found it left a film on the wall that is very difficult to get off. I am still trying to get it off, a week and a half after use! It also took half a bottle just to clean my small bathroom once. Maybe I sprayed it too liberally?

Another thing about the product that bothered me is that it suggests using it in a well ventilated area (which I don't have... small fan, no window) and the smell was very nice... but not when all I could think of was that I was inhaling strong, potentially harmful chemicals....

It claims to make cleaning easier... but I have found way easier ways to keep my bathroom clean over the years, and this just seemed like a hassle to use!

Our calendar :)

I bought this great calendar from one of our local education stores engaging minds. It is such a fantastic store!!! Anyway, the lady who was working suggested I cut slits and use paper clips because the lame slots they have cut for you make it just about impossible to use from the front only without pushing from behind the poster. So, I decided to take pictures of my journey of getting the calendar ready for use :)

Here are some of the supplies I used:



It took a little while to get the positioning of the hole right!!




But I got into a good groove :)


and here is what it looks like, it is so easy to slide the number in under the paper clip!!!




If you look closely, in the bottom corners of each squares, you can see the tiny slots you are supposed to use... ugh... that was not fun!!




Here it is all set up for the day I did it!! (I meant to blog end of August as shown here, but my computer broke and needed to go to the store for repairs for 2 weeks)!!




Now for the weather wheel :)




I needed to put in a little brad so we could use the arrows to point to the appropriate weather each day :) Here is my cute little brad:




and the finished product!! Eeek... lame I know, but I am soooo proud!! haha :)





Here is the finished wall :)