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Explore: Life in Pictures, Vol. 4

May 2, 2013 by Farewell Stranger ·

Alternatively titled: How to Make a Thursday Feel Like a Saturday

We had an adventure last week. The exploring kind. More for me, I guess, since we went somewhere I hadn’t been before that Rich had (and he has the scar to remember it by). It was somewhere I’ve wanted to go since we moved here and now that we’ve been I have no idea why we didn’t go sooner. It’s a town not all that far from here that’s best known for its dinosaurs. The real kind, and, as it turns out, the kind people put on signs to make the most of the millions-of-years-old tourist attraction dinosaurs create.

I figured it would be fun to go, and a dinosaur-themed day was sure to be a hit with Connor. Rich suggested a couple of other stops along the way and, like any good explorer, I was game.

And, oh, was it a good day.

Here, then, is how to make a Thursday feel like a Saturday. It’s really not hard at all.

1. Put your kids in the car and drive for an hour and a half until the landscape looks like something from another planet.

2. Climb up high.

3. Take the opportunity to admire the view and get some perspective.

4. (If you do it on the day your baby gets his first tooth, you end up with a sad little dinosaur.)

5. But he’s a good sport about it, so play with him anyway.

5. Find the world’s largest dinosaur.

5. Climb into its mouth. (Resist the urge to add to your four-year-old’s terror over the situation by making loud roaring noises.)

5. Decide to see what happens if you take the aforementioned scaredy-cat child to a museum with actual dinosaurs.

6. Clarify that the dinosaurs aren’t really real, because the four-year-old thinks real means alive and he seems convinced that the Tyrannosaurus is going to eat him. (Secretly think he’s lucky he’s behaving well that day, otherwise you might have been tempted to see if T-Rex wanted a nibble.) Then measure him next to a dinosaur’s foot (but don’t point out that the dinosaur could crush with one toe any small boys who throw things at their little brothers).

7. Watch your boys draw. Smile.

8. Then get up close and personal with a wooly mammoth (without the wool).

9. Head back out and find some dirt to play in.

10. Ponder life and the elements and the meaning of time in the context of evidence of the millennia that created amazing things.

11. Be grateful you live in a place that offers such diversions close enough to do them as day trips with your kids.

12. Finish exploring and hit the highway so you’re home in time for dinner.

But stop for ice cream first.

Filed Under: Happy things · Tagged With: family, favourite activities, gratitude, living life, One word, photos

Explore: Life in Pictures, Vol. 3

March 24, 2013 by Farewell Stranger ·

I’m not sure if I can honestly say I’ve been cognizant of pursuing my one word this last month. I think it’s almost been ingrained in me though. Get out there. Do stuff. See what happens. Just try it.

It’s kind of nice.

I’ve been spending less time on the computer and more time on the floor with Connor (who is refusing to let me take his picture lately).

I decided it was time to stop being lazy and actually take both boys out one afternoon while Rich was working. We went to the zoo, and while it wasn’t the most successful trip ever (don’t ask) we did have fun and enjoyed some time in the sunshine. Plus, I really dig this dude’s hair.

We’ve still had snow here – a few big late-winter snowfalls and one near-blizzard. I’m a little sick of the snow-warm-melt-freeze-icy-sidewalk pattern we’ve got going on, but I definitely still appreciate the snow. It makes me want to go outside and really look at stuff. What can I say? I just like winter. Besides, it’s so photogenic.

We did some Ukrainian Easter eggs this weekend. I remember doing these as a kid, though evidently then I was less worried about how (not) artistic I am. Still, it was fun, and the colourful dye begs to be made into art.

Even the little guy has been getting in on the exploratory action. I suppose he’s inevitably going to be obsessed with LEGO.

We’ve just started him on solids too, but first we gave him some time in his high chair and let him play with a spoon. He definitely looked at the spoon like there was supposed to be something on it (and the next day when there was some cereal on it he was a big fan).

I’ve continued reading and am really enjoying it. (One thing, though – I’m reading a book right now and I think I’ve read it before but I’m not sure. Does this ever happen to you? I’m finding it odd, but I keep reading in hopes of remembering something other than a vague familiar feeling.)

I also read a book about writing for mothers and ohmygosh was it ever good. Presuming I can get over that whole is-it-good-enough thing I’ll share some of the writing I’ve done in response to the book’s exercises.

And finally, one of the things I did as part of choosing my word for the year was make a list of goals. And then I started exploring opportunities. Writing for Huffington Post was on that list. (I need to write over there again – ahem.) And so was blogging for a parenting site. And I can cross that one off now too!

I’ve just started as a blogger for Yummy Mummy Club. My YMC blog is called Meant to Be and I’d love it if you’d come and follow along over there too. (There’s also an RSS feed if you’d like to follow that way.)

How is your year going so far?

Linking this one word update with our monthly check-in on Just.Be.Enough as well as:

Filed Under: Happy things · Tagged With: favourite activities, One word, photos

Explore: Life in Pictures, Vol. 2

February 14, 2013 by Farewell Stranger ·

In volume one of this series sharing pictures of stuff I’m doing in pursuit of my one word for this year, I gave you an update on the things we’d been doing and places I’ve explored just for the joy of it. This one is different. This is the Connor edition.

When I introduced my word I mentioned that it wasn’t just about going places, though certainly that’s part of why I chose the word “explore.” It was also about exploring other things, and one of those things is my relationship with Connor.

I’ve mentioned before that I struggle with him a bit, and I think it’s because in some ways we’re so alike while in others we’re so different. He pushes my buttons. Sometimes it’s because of who he is – he’s high energy, and he’s four. Frustration comes easily to me when I’m tired, which I am most of the time these days. And I tip into sensory overload really fast, and he seems to like to exploit that.

But a lot of the time it’s because he doesn’t get what he needs from me. So I’m trying to fix that.

I went to his preschool last week when he was special helper, and got to see him doing all the special-helper jobs and doing show-and-share with his class. He was so cute sitting in the special helper chair showing his LEGO dinosaur and answering his classmates’ questions, and in that space and time I was a mom with a preschooler talking about something he loves. It was a good reminder.

Connor still loves his baby brother. He loves to play with him and hold him and talk to him. His generous nature prevents him from lashing out because the baby gets more of my attention than he does these days. I’ve been encouraging him to help with Ethan and getting down on the floor with them and trying to remember that Connor was my baby at one time too.

I’ve been trying hard to join him when he plays LEGO, though it’s not my strong suit. But what I am really good at is appreciating the stuff he builds (because, seriously, he does amazing stuff) and taking pictures of him with his creations (even when he has a dopey smile and needs his hair cut).

And we’ve been doing things. Going to the library and then reading the books.

Today I was starting to do a Jillian Michaels’ yoga meltdown workout while he was supposed to be in quiet time. He quietly opened the door and came in with his LEGO, his drink and his snack, and said he was lonely in quiet time. Normally I would have shooed him out, but instead I thought, “Why not?” I asked him if he wanted to do yoga with me and he gamely joined in, standing in a small spot next to me. So I opened up my space and my heart and moved over to give him his own yoga mat right next to me. As I moved I saw him watching me and then copying my moves.

Like mother, like son.

It’s been good.

***
I’ve got a new post at Huffington Post that shares a little bit more about our move last year. Would love it if you would come and read!

Filed Under: Motherhood · Tagged With: family, moments, One word, photos

Explore 2013: The First Month

January 29, 2013 by Farewell Stranger ·

My one word for 2013 doesn’t require me to draw hard on my will power. It doesn’t ask me to break out of comfort zones (much) or give up anything. It just pushes me to get out there and to try new things. So that’s what I’m doing.

See

One of the things that drew me to my word for 2012 was that we had just moved to a new city (and a new province) and I wanted to see some of the amazing things this area offers. We did a little bit of it, but not as much because, as mentioned in my post reflecting on 2012, I was experiencing the “vibrancy” of morning sickness for the better part of the year, which didn’t make me feel like doing much of anything. That hankering has carried over into 2013 and I’m going to explore, even if I have to drag myself (and my family) out there.

We’ve done a few things already this year, including a favourite event that we did get to last year before I started feeling icky. The Ice Magic Festival in Lake Louise makes for a perfect day in the Canadian Rockies and Connor was much better behaved this year, so I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ice sculptures are incredible and the scenery is breathtaking. Many of the photos in this post are from our day out there on Saturday.

This one, however, isn’t.

Do you ever come across a view or a sight that makes you pause, except you don’t actually pause? I’m trying very hard not to make this a blog in which I spend all my time gushing about how beautiful it is here, but it is and I definitely appreciate it. Every once in a while I come across something that asks to be captured, but often I’m rushing around trying to take a kid somewhere or get some things done before the little one needs feeding again. On Saturday as I was going to pick up my dad before going to the festival I caught a glimpse of a stunning view. And despite the fact that we were leaving the house almost an hour later than planned, I pulled off the highway and took a side road, not knowing where it would lead. Well, it led here.

It’s a bit tough to tell (because this was taken with my phone and I used a filter that blurs it a little bit) but the mountains were crystal clear that day. I didn’t know this little barn was here, but it just looked so cool from where I was, so I stopped to take a picture before returning to the highway. Totally worth it.

Do

To me, “explore” isn’t just about physically going places. It’s also about doing things I might not otherwise have chosen to do – or have even known I want to.

One of those is my challenge to myself to exercise for 30 days straight. It was a weird, random thing that I put on my life list and when a friend suggested we do it I figured there was no reason not to. Today is day 29, thank goodness, and I’ll share some thoughts next week about how it’s been. (I have caught some incredible sunsets, for one thing.)

Another thing I’m doing is taking an online course called Create 2013, which is about trying to guide your intentions for the coming year. It has brought about some interesting insights, the most profound of which relates to doodling. (More on that later too.)

Try

And finally, exploring is about trying new things. Like saying, “Hey, I want to write for Huffington Post” and making that happen.

And teaching my biggest boy how to skate.

So yes, I’ve been exploring. And so far it’s been good.

Linking up with Just.Be.Enough. Do you have one word or some goals for 2013? Come share your update with us.

Filed Under: Happy things · Tagged With: #30DaysStraight, family, favourite activities, living life, One word, photos

Explore: Life in Pictures, Vol. 1

January 7, 2013 by Farewell Stranger ·

I wrote a post just about exactly one year ago about all the things I wanted to do in 2012. It was part of wanting to live in a vibrant way and I was totally excited. And then about a week later I got pregnant. And I spent about, oh, 8 1/2 months feeling like crap. So we didn’t do all the things I wanted to do, which was okay because we did some of them and the rest are there waiting.

Some people might think we’re crazy for moving to a place with the fabled Canadian winter, but I love it. I love snow, and we get a lot of sun, and it’s not as cold as you might think and when it is we just dress for it.

It’s exhilarating.

Lately we’ve been driving around doing things and I keep thinking, “I’m so glad we moved here. I belong here.” And I feel so lucky and grateful.

This year I want to revisit that list of things I want to do. I want to EXPLORE.

We’ve started already.

One day it was a visit to a tower that I’ve had a fondness for since I was a child.

Looking up.

We looked way out past the buildings, past the river, past the houses to the mountains. And we looked down. Way down.

Looking down.

I’m going strong on my latest life list quest — exercising for 30 days straight — and have been treated to some wonderous things in the process.

Winter sunset

And we’ve ventured a little farther from home as well. To the mountains, of course.

In Banff

Just out of the frame on the left were some elk. Big ones, with big antlers (just far away enough that I couldn’t get a decent picture with my iPhone). And my husband smiled at me and said, “I love that you get so excited about seeing stuff like this.”

I do get excited about things like this and I’m not afraid to admit it. Choosing to get excited about seeing elk at the side of a frozen river is just one of the things that makes life interesting, don’t you think?

But sometimes the things I get excited about are right there on my very own couch, and I feel so lucky and grateful for that too.