Best of the Best 2014

It's time for my annual post of my best moments from the past year. It's actually hard to sit back and remember what happened over the entire year so I wouldn't be surprised if I read this list later and realize I missed something.

Best Volunteer Moment:

This is always a tough one but I think I'd have to say wrapping daffodils for the Canadian Cancer Society. What I loved about this event is that we were able to have 6 kids come and help out with the wrapping and they all loved it!

My Two Goofballs

Best Mr. Cole (AKA Ham) Moment:

Hands down it was when he decided to participate in the Hair MassaCure  and raise funds for children with life-threatening illnesses.  We had to dye his hair probably 3 times over that month but he gladly sat through it each time and wore his hair with pride. I almost cried when they shaved his head just because I was so proud of my little man!

He looked so little in that chair! 

Best Miss. Jocelyn (AKA Turkey) Moment:

This little girl had many moments where she made me proud but most of them were in the way she handled herself so there's no photos of those moments! Instead I'll add two photos of her proud sports moments when she obtained her Green level in swimming and came 24th out of 200 kids in her track race.



















Best Moment Spent With Hubs: 

This year I think it was when went to New York and went to a Yankees game. It was my first time at a Major League Baseball game and it was a perfect day for it; super hot with a cold beer and pretzel in hand. Great way to spend some time together! Second best moment was on the same trip when we took a 4th of July cruise to watch the fireworks. It was our first time experiencing 4th of July in the States and what a memorable way to do it.

Yankees! 

Top 10 Books I Read (in no particular order):

1. Man - Kim Thuy
2. The Opposite of Loneliness - Marina Keegan
3. The Rosie Project/The Rosie Effect - Graeme Simsion
4. An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth - Chris Hadfield
5. The Giver - Lois Lowry
6. Dead Lions - Mich Herron
7. Stardust - Neil Gaiman
8. The Queen of Tearling - Erika Johansen
9. Come Barbarians - Todd Babiak
10. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott


Best Trip I Took:

I think the trip I enjoyed the most was going to Jasper with Kari, my friend of 33 years. It was such a great chance to catch up, hit the spa, and enjoy some wine in front of the giant fireplace. The best family trip was to Pickerel Lake in Ontario where Hub's family has a cabin. It was wonderful to spend some time with our extended family and for the kids to experience the joys of the lake (tubing, kayaking, and fireworks on the beach).

 

Perfect spot for a picture!

Best Nerdy Moment:

Too hard to pick. At Calgary Expo we got to meet Sigourney Weaver (she's beautiful!), some hobbits and dwarves, and Tiggy and Bobby from Sons of Anarchy. All were super memorable and may have led to a little squealing. I'll add the photo of the 3 that made me laugh the most though...the dwarves!

They made my sides hurt from laughing!

Best Concert I Saw:

Looking at the concert schedule early in the year I would have guessed that it would be Arcade Fire but surprisingly it wasn't! I had a lot of fun dressing up for the concert and they put on an amazing show. I finally got to check them off my MUST SEE list but they didn't steal the show for me like Jack White did. I was so blown away by his concert I'm not sure I could put it into words. Closest I can come is to say that I felt like I was in the presence of a rock God. 

Loved his all-blue set!

Best New Restaurant I Tried:

I'm going to have to go with Woodwork on this. Any restaurant that came make me drool over brussel sprouts has to be a winner. Pretty small place so you need reservations but check them out, everything we had that night was delicious. 

Best Time I Spent With Friends:

Has to be my birthday! I had so much fun eating at Phoenicia (soooo sad it has since shut down) and when the DJ came on we had the entire dance floor, and basically restaurant, to ourselves. Everyone took a turn dancing with the belly dancer and cutting a rug on the dance floor. It was such a fun night. *Don't worry friends, I won't post the pictures of everyone belly dancing!*

Best Personal Moment:

I think my favourite moment for myself was being a part of the last FIERCE Awards. Mainly it was the actual meeting of the nominees that reminded me of how many people are out there doing great things that we would never have known about if it wasn't for Tamara pulling this event together. Many of their stories touched me and gave me a little kick in the pants to keep going with my own work.


That's about it for 2014. Looking forward to a great 2015, spent with family, friends, and my favourite non-profits! 

Kids Kindness Advent Calendar

 
Several years ago I purchased this wooden Advent Calendar we use to count down the days until Christmas. Each year I fill it with small pieces of candy, cool rocks, or small toys.The kids love opening the doors to find out what little treasure is inside that day and I like that I can customize it to what their interest currently are.

This year I decided to things a little differently. Today when they opened door #1 they found a treat along with an Act of Kindness challenge to complete. 

For the next 24 days I've selected several easy, and a few more difficult ways for the kids to celebrate Christmas through acts of giving and kindness.

I've given the kids challenges such as: Tell two people what makes them special, make a card/craft and give it to the shy kid in your classroom, pick up garbage you see around your school, pick 10 books you don't read anymore and donate them to charity, and call a relative you haven't spoken to in a while. 

At the end of Christmas I'll post a note letting you know how it goes. By the end of the 24 days I'm hoping the kids will want to continue on with these actions as they do not need to end when Christmas arrives, instead they can be practiced daily as a way of life. 

Happy Holidays! 
 

It Hurt

Yes, I saw that eye roll. Yes, it hurt.

We were standing on the field watching the other parents refuse to step up and help when the coach wasn't able to make it to the game. It hurt to have to say no, it hurt even more to see your eye roll when I gave the reason why.

Many people think osteoarthritis is just a few aches. That eye roll told me you are one of them.

It's not just a few aches, it's really not. If you knew me and knew how athletic I am, or I guess how athletic I used to be, you'd understand how much it kills me to have to say no. It breaks my heart to stand on the sidelines. Even as an adult I played basketball, ultimate frisbee, soccer (indoor and outdoor), and flag football. Even after having kids I ran, I took zumba classes, went to bootcamp, and took yoga. All of those things are no more and it hurts.

My osteoarthritis is in my ankles and my neck. Two very uncommon locations and it's happening in my 30's which is also very uncommon. I struck out twice.

The eye roll you gave me is because you don't understand that every single step I take hurts. Not just a little, it hurts like two bones grinding together with all my weight on top of it, because that's exactly what's happening. My right hurts more than my left, it hurts even when I'm not standing on it. It's my right ankle that gets 'stuck' and makes me walk like I have a cast on. I have lost so much mobility in it that I can't rotate it, balance on it, or sit cross legged. I can no longer wear any of the heels I have in my closet because trying to put my ankle in the position needed to stand in a heel makes me feel like I'm standing on a broken ankle. About twice a year I will attempt to wear a heel for a special occasion. Every moment is torture and I'm usually full of prescription drugs to get through it.

Your eye roll also tells me you have no idea how the osteoarthritis in my neck affects my health more than my ankles do. I have 10 appointments a month with various health practitioners, all of which are trying to help solely with my neck issues. My osteoarthritis in my neck causes disc problems and leads to headaches. Sometimes they are dull throbbing headaches and sometimes they make me want to throw up, or lay down and pass out. I can't function. I'll take 6-12 extra strength Tylenol plus 2-3 anti-inflammatories to get through the day. These days depress me more than I can say. It's one thing to have to say no to running up and down a for an hour, it's another when you're unsure if you can drive to pick your kids up from school because holding your head upright makes you want to cry and vomit at the same time.

All my life I was known as a feisty tomboy, aggressive in sports, athletic, and as someone who would push through the pain. That is no longer the case. I can't push through the pain because now it leads to more pain, more complications and more depression. I have an 'old person' disease that started about 6 years ago and I ignored because it didn't fit my lifestyle. It's a mental struggle and your eye roll (or the one person that called me a princess) does nothing to help my mental state.

I'm sorry. I really am sorry that I can't run up and down a lumpy, grassy field. I would give pretty much anything to be able to do that, and to be that person again. Maybe next time you can just seek to learn why before you judge because it hurt, it really hurt.

Start Them Young

One year we were getting ready to hand out birthday invitations and someone asked what my son would like for his birthday. I had to stop and really think about it. Christmas had just been over a month away and I had already purchased him the 2 or 3 things he had wanted for his birthday. In all honesty, he didn't really NEED anything. It was a stretch coming up with ideas for his aunts, uncles, grandparents and other extended family members.

We're lucky. Not everyone has such a large family who want to help celebrate these special occasions. It also means they get royally spoiled!

It got me thinking about the 10 kids we were about to invite over for his party and I realized he just didn't need another 10 gifts on top of all the gifts he would get from his family. So we sat down and talked to both kids about how fortunate they were to have such a large loving family and to already have a pretty full toybox. We decided to pick 2 charities and see which one spoke to the kids more. That year they both picked the Humane Society and the Food Bank as the charities they would like to support.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an easy conversation. There were a few tears at first because they didn't understand why they give gifts at parties and didn't get any back. Understandable, they were very young. It took many assurances that they would still have new toys and clothes, just not as much.

Since then we have asked parents to make a donation, or bring a donation in lieu of birthday presents. In the 3 years we've been doing this we have supported the Humane Society, Santas Anonymous, The Food Bank and Ronald McDonald House.  Each place we have supported has made my children feel incredibly special for their donations.

This year when we dropped off the donations to the Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta we were given a tour of the facilities. My son was quite shy and I wasn't sure how much of it he was taking all in. But later when we picked up his sister from school I had tears in my eyes when I heard him recount his experience to her. He told her all about how the kids get to pick a blankie (actually a handmade quilt) when they arrive at the house. He told her about how if the kids are really sick and having a bad day, or if they are leaving the house after treatment they get to take a special gift out of the magic room. He was also quite excited to tell her about the playroom that you can be really loud in and how many kitchens they have in the house.

It stuck! He actually got at least a part of what we were doing and why.

Someone once told me that the earlier you can start a child in volunteering and charitable acts the more it will become a second nature for them.

There are many ways you can teach your child to give back. You can get them to help you shovel the walk of an elderly neighbour, you can collect spare change for a local charity, or they can pack up old games and books to donate.  Most important is to just start them young so they can carry on making a difference as they grow and hopefully they will do the same with their own children one day.

Just a Few Hours

Just a few hours. Really, it's a drop in the bucket of time. Just 2 hours of your life and yet they are 2 hours you will not forget anytime soon.

I regularly try to encourage people to give up just 2 hours of their life to come and volunteer with me. In the span of a year, which holds approximately 8,760 hours, does 2 seem like that much? Nope. It's almost nothing.

Yet each and every time people give up 2 hours to join me I am elated. It's hard to describe what it means to me but I sincerely appreciate your 2 hours (or 4, or 6, or however many you end up giving). Time is precious. We all know that but sometimes I just want to remind people that I acknowledge you gave up this precious commodity to make a difference in someone's life.

In December I took a group of folks to the Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta and I was so happy to see both returning faces as well as several new volunteers. In just 2 short hours we were able to make hundreds and hundreds of Christmas cookies for the guests at the House. And for those that had not been there before they were able to take a tour of the House and see all the amazing work they do there.

Yep. In 2 hours our volunteers made a different to dozens of people staying at the House. You helped make their temporary home a little more comforting. Even better you came and learned. What better way to see what is being done to help others, that to be there and do it yourself.

To everyone who has joined me at the Food Bank, Mustard Seed, Basically Babies, Ronald McDonald House, Kids Kottage, etc, etc, etc, I want to thank you for your time. In just those few hours you made a difference in my life, to those we helped, and hopefully to your own life as well.

Best of the Best 2013

It's my favourite post of the year...my Best of the Best list! This is where I get to reflect back to what has made the past year special to me.

Best Volunteer Moment:

Always a tough one to pick because I get the opportunity to volunteer at so many wonderful organizations. I actually have to go back through my calendar to remember where I'd all been! This year I think I'd have to say my Best Volunteer Moment was taking all these diapers, wipes, formula, etc., to the Edmonton Food Bank. For about 3 weeks I drove around the city collecting these items from fantastic folks so had asked for diapers instead of birthday gifts, or formula instead of hostess gifts. What amazing people! I'll likely host this again in 2014, so watch for updates if you'd like to help out!



Best Mr. Cole (AKA HAM) Moment:

My favourite moment with Mr. Cole was his first day of Kindergarten. He was excited and confident to finally be going to the same school as his big sister. He quickly became a favourite amongst the girls as he's willing to play house, puppy, and do crafts with them as well as play blocks with the boys. It makes this mama pretty proud to see him carve his own path.




Best Miss Jocelyn (AKA Turkey) Moment:

I think one of the happiest moments I experienced with Miss. Jocelyn was when she joined the race club at school. We've watched her do many sports and activities but for some reason this one really struck home, maybe because it was her first club to belong to at school. Oh she's growing up so fast!! I love watching her run and cheering her, and her teammates, on!




 Best Moment Spent With Hubs:

This one was easy to pick, it was renewing our wedding vows on a beach in Hawaii to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. I think each and every year of marriage should be celebrated but we wanted to do something special to mark the big TEN. It was a romantic ceremony (and I'm not a terribly romantic person) but watching the sun come up while standing on the beach was beautiful. Most beautiful were the words we exchanged in Hawaiian, so moving! Loved every minute of it and it was sweet to share the experience with several other couples; some had only been married a few weeks and others had been married for over 30 years.

Top 10 Books I Read in 2013 (In No Particular Order):

1.Ru - Kim Thuy
2. In The Shaddow of the Banyon - Vaddey Ratner
3.The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker
4.Power and Terror - Noam Chomsky
5. The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman
6. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
7. A Nation Worth Ranting About - Rick Mercer
8. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared -Jonas Jonasson
9.I am So the Boss of You - Kathy Buckworth
10.Gregor the Overlander: Book 1 - Suzanne Collins


Best Trip I Took:

I have to pick two! The best family trip was going to Disney World with the kids and their aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. The kids adored every minute of it and it was priceless to see their faces light up when the met new characters, or got to go on some pretty fun rides with their cousins.

For our 10 year wedding anniversary we left the kids with the grandparents (THANKS MOM AND DAD!) and journeyed to China, Hong Kong, and Hawaii. It was a life-long dream of ours to see the Great Wall and for me especially to see the terracotta warriors. We had a fantastic trip where we met many wonderful people and saw some pretty breathtaking sights. I LOVE having a husband who enjoys learning about the world and different cultures as much as I do.









Best Nerdy Moment:

Once again the best nerdy moment was brought to you by the Calgary Expo! This year we attended it VIP style with our my SIL Katie, my (at the time) almost 3 month old niece, Katie's mom and our friend Maria. We had a BLAST! One of the best moments though was when we all got to meet the cast of Walking Dead and finally meeting Nathan Fillion (input squealing little girl noises here)

Best Concert I Saw:


Muse. No two ways about it this was THE BEST concert  I saw all year. We went to a handful, not as many as in past years, but this one left me speechless. I still get a little misty thinking about how awesome it was!





Best New Restaurant We Went To:

My favourite this year is Phoenicia. It's a Lebanese restaurant that makes my mouth water just thinking of their food. The best deal is to go with the 8 or 10 course meal. We went 3 times in 5 months we enjoyed it that much and it simply isn't often enough for my tastes. I'd say my 2nd favourite was Corso 32. We had to book 2 months in advance just to get in there but the food was delicious!

Best Time Spent With Friends:

We had a fantastic time getting to know some of our neighbours better. They, like us, really enjoy trying new restaurants, doing wine tastings, and just hanging out in the backyard. Other memorable moments were having a huge BBQ for our friends and neighbours, hosting a Christmas party for the parents and kids from school, and celebrating my birthday at Guru. 

Best Personal Moment:

So many to choose from! I'd say my top 3 were: being nominated for a YMCA Peace Award, standing on the Great Wall of China, and my top moment would be completing the Walk to Fight Arthritis with my family. All meant a great deal to me and I will carry these moments with me into the new year.

It is always difficult to pick out my favourite moments from the year and I'm sure I'll think of even more after I post this. Hope you all had a wonderful year with special moments you can look back on fondly.

Make Kindness a Lifestyle

It's that time of year where you see many people going out of their way to spread a little kindness or Christmas cheer. It's a wonderful thing to see and definitely spreads the warm and fuzzies.

But after Christmas is done will people go back to their normal lives? Heads down and focusing on their immediate surroundings? Sadly the majority of people do but this shouldn't be the norm. Kindness should be a part of your lifestyle no matter what the season.

Some of my favourite people and charities are spreading much kindness which I hope to see carry on into the new year. For example The Deliberate Mom is raising money for the homeless by donating $1 every time she talks about the cold weather. You can follow and support this endeavour through the twitter hashtag  #cashforthecold .

And today the Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta is encouraging people to spread good will through random acts of kindness using the hashtag #RMNARAK . It's wonderful to see people do things like shovelling snow for neighbours, making goodies for the local fire station, and plugging meters for others on the street.

So let's try to keep all this goodness up throughout the entire year. MAKE kindness a lifestyle, not just a seasonal whimsy.