Blessed 'n Stressed

Lower Your Stress…Send Your Kids Away for College!

I have a confession to make. It’s a big one. Having a child away at university is not all bad. There!  I said it!  (and naturally, I feel totally guilty, but I’m callin’ a spade a spade!) In September, our first born left my well guarded and much cherished nest to start the next chapter of his life – to start school at St.F.X University.  I was, in true “me” form, pretty torn up about it.  I…

End of Summertime Blues – Can it really be over?

My Facebook page is flooded with pictures of children heading off to school this week. Our children do not return to school until tomorrow, and I am seriously not ready for summer vacation to end. We had a remarkable summer. We went on a road trip to Ottawa. Travelling with school age kids, is AWESOME! We had a fantastic time. While there, my tween and I went to see Taylor Swift. It was her first…

Taking a vacation without the kids – Dealing with the Mom Guilt

It took me 8 years to take a break from parenting and go away for a weekend with my husband. The first time we went away my husband’s mom came out to stay with the kids while we reconnected, relaxed and got away from it all. Except I kinda didn’t, I was stressed and sad and felt remorse for going. I felt guilty that I wanted to get away from my kids. Since that first time, my husband and I try to…

Blessing My Kids with That ’70s Summer (and Getting Through my Summer Reading List!)

Last week, I read this awesome post by Scary Mommy: 10 Ways to Give your Kids a 1970’s Kind of Summer and I was laughing out loud by the end of the third paragraph because I am THAT mom…that mom that spends the few weeks before the start of summer, wracking my brain to come up with ways I can make sure my kids have the best summer yet!  I have to say…it’s freaking exhausting!! I’m stay at home…

Often Stressed, but Ever Blessed

“I call shotgun!” “No way!  I was here first!” “Mom said you’re not allowed to call it” (Me) “Just get in…you’re getting out first…let him get in the front” “Mom!  That’s not fair!” This was the conversation as they left this morning.  One would think this might be the conversation of little kiddos, or at the very least, my 10 and 12 year olds.  Nope, it was my 15 and 17 year olds.  I’m at the…

It is time to prepare for summer!!

The talk on the playground is that nearly everyone is ready for summer to begin. Perhaps it was the harsh winter we had, however I am so totally ready for summer break. Breaking free from some of the routines, not having to walk to school and back, scheduling absolutely everything and getting out and exploring. I find it harder and harder to get the kids in bed on time, we are all longing for…

Now that the kids are all in school – Remaining a stay at home mom

Now that all three of my children are in school, I have been asked a lot when I am returning to work. I have considered it, I even seriously looked at getting a graduate degree in my field. Ultimately, we have decided that I will remain a stay at home mom for now.

This is the first year that my youngest has gone to school. I somehow imagined it to be different than what it has become. It has been…

5 Important Nutrients to Supplement in a Vegetarian Diet

A few weeks ago, Raechelle wrote this postabout her oldest daughter deciding she wanted to be a vegetarian.  It must have been something in the snow this winter because my oldest daughter decided the same thing shortly after Christmas.  I was completely shocked at first because she’s always enjoyed meat and I couldn’t imagine her passing up a nice steak or yummy roast beef, but the choice made…

Seriously Decluttering Your Digital Life

I am at constant odds with myself, wanting to be organized and ultimately being a free spirit. Honestly, the time spent to be truly organized, I tend to think is better spent out in nature, at the gym, painting, creating, reading or writing. Yet being organized is good for my emotional well-being and I want to teach my children that there can be a balance between being creative and being…

They Like Each Other…They Really Like Each Other!

 I was starting to think it would never happen, but they’re coming around!

Our oldest two children are very different people.  So much so that sometimes, it’s hard to imagine they came from the same two parents.  He’s the rule follower, careful, people pleaser, while she’s more of a bull in the china shop, throw caution to the wind, and get ‘er done person. In spite of their differences, they…

Free Comic Book Day – 2015 #Halifax

Although we are not like hard core comic book fans, my kids do enjoy comic books and graphic novels. I too enjoy a well written graphic novel and throughly enjoyed the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. There is something very nostalgic when one reads a comic book. As a child I adored the Archie comics and MAD Magazine. Of course there was the Sunday comics in the newspaper that was always a joy to…

Help the Halifax Boys Honour Choir get to MusicFest Canada in Toronto!

The Halifax Boys Honour Choir (HBHC) is having a fundraiser to help raise money for their upcoming trip to MusicFest Canada, a “by invitation only” Canadian music festival, in Toronto.  The choir won their invite after receiving Gold Standings at the Rotary Music Festival, in Newfoundland, in 2013 and are very excited to have the opportunity to compete at this prestigious festival with top…

Perhaps it was because we moved around a lot when my children were younger that I used to find it so difficult to find women to have a deep friendship with. However, talking to other moms over the years it seems to be a common theme and is often compared to dating. Ugh. I hated dating. I wasn’t good at it at all, I was awkward,shy and found it difficult to be open.

Now I am very fortunate to…

The Showdown is Over!

We’re usually a very tight-knit family, but when it comes to the playoffs, all bets are off!

The race for an NHL playoff spot might be over, but it’s been a very intense two weeks in our house! The Bruins and Senators found themselves in a neck-and-neck race for a playoff spot and with each of my boys equally devoted to their teams, tensions were running high.

The loyalties of each of my sons to…

I’m Letting Go….and it might just kill me!

At some point in time, every parent (especially the mom) is forced to start practicing the art of letting go. I’m at that point and I have to say, I never thought it would be so painful!

I’ve written a few posts about letting go, in different contexts, but this one isn’t just about letting my kids start to do things on their own. This one is about truly letting go of them.  I have to face…

She wants to be a vegetarian …

We are a family that has been working really hard to change our lifestyle and eating habits. It has been a slow, rewarding process that I am quite proud of. The other day, our daughter (10 years old), approached her Dad about becoming a vegetarian/vegan. His first reaction was “No”, then he told me later about the conversation.

My reaction was quite different that his, I felt a mixture of pride…

Springing into Spring Decorating

While the weather outside is still a little frightful in our parts, (we received even more snow), my thoughts are on springtime. Despite the late winter snow storms, time has flown by and Easter is right around the corner (ack this weekend). I really should be considering some spring cleaning, instead I made some quick and easy changes in decor to lighten it up and welcome spring and Easter. I…