Less AND More

It's that wonderful time of year when we make resolutions and I'll be honest, this is not a tradition I have honoured.  I've rebelled.  Why set myself up to fail, right?  Can't fail if I don't try.

This year is different.  Is it that I am maturing or because the number 40 is looming closer by the day? Regardless, I have been thinking about the impending year for quite some time.  2012. Year 39.  It's a big year, no doubt.

I am going to leave the obvious off of this list: be a better child of God, wife, mom etc, as I must dedicate my resolve to those goals daily.

I often say "Less is More" and I hope that rings true for the upcoming year...

LESS:
Stuff. I am mid-purge and I am not done. May I never be done.
Food. Why am I eating?  I am a cellulite hoarder and my thighs need an intervention.
Procrastination.  This is a tough one.  It enables me and I rely heavily upon it.  It defines me and I welcome it. THIS is a sick relationship.

However, while less is good, there are areas that need improvement: So, please Sir, I want some MORE.

MORE:
Personal Motivation. I have been lacking in this aspect of my life as long as I can remember. Easily inspired by another's cause, my own is rarely even recognized.
Accountability.  I have plans already in motion: exercise and menu planning, this one gives me hope!
Activity. The older I get, the younger 40 seems.  What if....what if I could make 40 look good?  I don't think it's a pipe dream.  I'm always going to be "big boned" (who created that label, seriously?)  and I am not looking for the fountain of youth by any means, but aging gracefully certainly does have it's appeal!  Time to get off of my keister and DO more, challenge myself, experience life and create memories.


I know I should feel COMPLETELY overwhelmed right now.  I'm talking *curl up in the fetal position rocking back and forth, sucking my thumb* overwhelmed.  However, I don't and I am so excited!  I cannot wait to see what this year brings: wishing you all the "good" (hold the bad and the ugly please) in 2012...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What personality are YOU?

I am stealing this from @girlwithsometho's blog: A place of my own.
http://girlwithsomethoughts.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-temperament-are-you.html

check out this website!http://keirsey.com/4temps/champion.asp I am a Guardian personality. what type are you! I would love to hear. DO IT! It helps me to learn more about YOU!

That Friend.

Think of "that" friend you have...you know the one that you can go months, YEARS without seeing but the second you are in the same space together it's as if time stood still, there is no awkwardness, conversation is as easy as ever...you know, THAT friend.

I have been blessed over the years with a couple of these friends.  I remember the PHS class of '92 10 year reunion, how in no time we were phoning up a classmate who could not attend in a fit of giggles, much like we would have done 10 years prior. It wasn't that we failed to mature, (it wasn't, back off! lol) just that we were safe and we knew it.  A friend from Saskatoon who now lives in Edmonton, same thing.

 In recent years I was blessed with another such friend.  As all too often happens in Three Hills, connections are made as people are on their way out.  Hard enough on those who leave, but my friend and her family...they are always left.  They make our transition easier and then we say goodbye. 

When we sold the farm it was AFTER our flocks were ordered...thus the hubs left for the big city for work for a whole year, coming home on the weekends to help with the 20,000 turkeys we'd have in our barns.  Having the pressure of single parenting, the farm and the health of the flocks would have been overwhelming had it not been for Erin and her family.  Whether it was a mid week meal, bowling game, taking the kids skiing, going for endless walks filled with amazing conversation, or helping in the barns...they did it.  

Erin and Brad placing the day-old poults: a hot, taxing job that must be done fast.

EVERYTHING is more fun with Erin.  Even trick or treating while I was sick with H1N1 was a hoot. 

All of this to say....I got to spend time with Erin and her kidlets the other day and it was lovely. The end. 

I JEST!!! Here are some photos...

Chillin' at Discovery Canyon

The geeky white boys.  No worries, they are aware of this charming nickname and embrace it with their white geekiness and we LOVES them for it:)

This is what it's all about...

The Beauty.

The adventure.

The Conversation.

The Activity.

The Water...was cold...apparently.

The Friends.

Holding onto summer just a little longer...

The only downfall to this day: it wasn't enough.

Pretty

So in a conversation I had recently with friends regarding mismatched couples (one is super hot, the other…not so much, yet they seem very happy just the same), I blurted out that I know I am pretty.  Weird.  So very weird.  I don’t think I have said that out loud before and I have since wanted to apologize for it.  Weirder still.  I don’t like to make open-ended comments that leave room for forced compliments…so I decided to leave well enough alone.  I got to thinking….I don’t remember ever truly feeling ugly.  FAT, yes, and always room for improvement, but ugly, not so much.   Also, I smell good, just sayin’.

So this is where it could get a little rambly…

I think about this a lot. We have these great kids to raise, and we need them to have that confidence.  To know they are secure in their knowledge that God created them in his image, that we have instilled the self esteem they require…I want them to feel like they are enough regardless of what media or those around them are saying.  

Being enough. 

Enough to have the confidence to be kind, and have a passion for giving back.

Enough to know that the perceived beauty in billboard sized images is not a reflection of how they should look…or act.

Being enough doesn’t mean we have arrived, but it does mean that there is a peace in the knowledge that there is room to grow. 

Enough to never believe any person who tells them otherwise.

There have been years wasted in insecurity and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.  So much inward focus…it’s exhausting.  I know we can’t skip any steps for our kids, they will have their own path, but I do pray that they know they ARE enough, step back, see the beauty in and around them…and hopefully, make better use of their time.

It's the Best Day EVER!

So, having a hard time keeping up with the many modes of social media...Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Flickr, Google+, Pinterest...probably time for an intervention.  I love to share and be shared with...what can I say?

Last thursday we flew to Toronto, The Hubs had work to do, then off to my family reunion, more about that tomorrow!  Friday was spent in Toronto...finally, a "few months long" dream was fulfilled for my children:  THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME!

The Hockey Hall of Fame is part of a beautiful old building.

In the replica Montreal Dressing Room.  Yes I let them in there, despite the strong Hab influence.

The Hub's still got it after all these years.

We were very surprised to see the Stanley Cup, figured it would be with a Boston player, and in fact it was the very next day.  The boy points out the most important win...THE FLAMES!

Did I mention that the building is beautiful...this is the ceiling above the Cup.

My kids: for the win!

After a brief break, we were toured about by friends, who took us for supper and showed us the harbor sights and sounds.  With the Caribana Festival in town, there was much to see AND hear!

Toronto was pretty all lit up.

Thanks you two, fantastic hosts...taking us past the Roger's Centre as the game let out, Much Music, Marilyn Denis studio, walking us almost all the way back to our hotel, great fun! 

As is typical with kids these days, they are never fully satisfied, disappointed that we did not make it to the CN Tower...guess it just means we have to go back...next reunion???  Hubs??  Better give him a few days;)

On the Side of the Highway

Finally arrived home yesterday!  Oh Joy! Oh Bliss!  Oh man we have a lot of mowing to do...

and of course it poured most of today.  I did not complain, sleeping in my bed instead of mowing seemed like a much better use of my time:)

Got into Lethbridge in time to see the Air Show finale, even from a far, it was a sight to behold!

I can't help but hold my breath as I witness this.

Cannot stay in the Lethbridge Lodge without a photo on the big rock.

Suckers for punishment, Dad dunks them again and they keep coming back for more!

Our last night on the road was great, but I was so ready for home.  

Of course, since I was desperate to be home, we had one little glitch near Elnora, not bad considering we drove 7,500 km.  Why is it every time a man in my life changes a tire, they make it into a demonstration?   Dear, we have AMA for a reason, right.  Lugnuts: pffffffft!

As for our family, I have adopted a few Alcatraz rules, here is one:

The girl was up most of last night, I guess she is not accustomed to having a room to herself after two weeks in hotel rooms with the rest of us.  Which reminds me, I too was up with her, NITE!

On the Home Stretch

I have a hankerin’ for fresh produce.   I can deal with noisy hotels, uncomfortable beds, and the daily State changes, but I sure miss wholesome food.  I plan on handling this issue better in the future, a cooler for road trips.   It would be a pain to haul it into a different hotel every day, but so worth it!

In all honesty, I wish this trip would last longer.  The family time has been invaluable, the sights spectacular and experiences memorable.  Going home means: yard work, house work, complaints of boredom, and giving the hubs back over to his career.  The very Career that made this trip possible.   So I will hand him over with the anticipation of the next great adventure. 

We round out our trip with a visit to Yellowstone National Park, stopping first in Idaho Falls.

The Hubs ate at this Smitty's when he was young on the way to Yellowstone.
By far the best meal of our trip.

 Idaho Falls

This was cool...so I made the kids be cool with it:)

The REAL reason we are here!

Not gonna lie, Old Faithful is getting less faithful over the years, but well worth the wait!

What do you do after a long day of driving...throw rocks at each other.  That's what you do, right? It's not just us?!?

This, we could not resist.  Over priced and very much like a CARA Rodeo, we still enjoyed the evening. Sadly for the Hubs, no bulldoggin'.  

This kid was a cutie...entertaining us many times throughout the events.

Coffee: Rodeo Style.

Focused on the Task at Hand.

So I kind of messed with the plans yesterday.  We had a casual driving day with only 5 hours to Cedar City.  As we leave The Grand Canyon I SNAP, I LOSE it.  No...not quite, but I gently ask the hubs why we are in a rush to get to our next destination, must we power through, what's in Cedar City anyway?  Here we are at the GRAND CANYON, yet leaving in a reckless rush.  I MUST set my eyes upon it once more.  He very patiently looks at me and says, "if you want to see it again, let's see it again."  This is why I love him:)  Of course the man was merely focused on the goal.

Mostly we needed to return so he would actually smile for a photo this time.

This was not posed, their formation and stature was stellar though!

The folks decided to head back with us, we were all happy to return.

We followed the folks out of Arizona, they headed East in Utah, us: North

On our way they spotted the Watch Tower and pulled over.  An astounding view of the Grand Canyon.

AMEN.

Cannot believe how big our boy is getting...

The menfolk discuss the best route.  No one asks me what I think, probably for the best.

Stone Sheep

Driving through Zion National Park was amazing and after coming out of Arizona, it was refreshing.  This is a place we will return to one day.

Next up:  Idaho

I'm gonna find me a potato.

I Miss Cooking and Doing Laundry.

So here is what I would like.  Instead of "free" internet and breakfast, could we please have the following:
1-Crockpot
1-Rib Roast.  Alberta beef of course.
Potatoes, veggies, ingredients for yorkshire pudding and horse radish.
Eating on the road is getting old.

What I am finding is that Free internet is akin to dial up unless you can't sleep and chose to blog at 3:19am. So here goes:

On Tuesday we pulled into Vegas just in time to clean up, order the kids pizza and have a quick date before the show.  We chose Mystere by Cirque Du Soleil, it was excellent! http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/mystere/default.aspx

Our date was comical on so many fronts.  We basically had an hour and twenty minutes so we chose a Steak House in our hotel.  Prices and even decor would indicate that we had chosen well.  Instantly we are asked to have our photo taken.  Ya ya, make it snappy! (hilarious, I know).  Well, 3 poses and 6 photos later the woman leaves.  Settle in to order and it turns out our waiter likes to chat up his clients.  I mean, he had it down to a tee, coming back when he could afford the time to continue the tale in not one but two languages, ironically to show us how he thinks everyone should have perfect english before coming to America.  Food arrives, OH JOY!  As does the woman with our photos.  The food and photos were equally poor.  Pass on photos.  Eat our meal that is perhaps one step up from cafeteria food, pay an insane bill and get the kids and head to the show.  Date night fail.  Thank goodness for Cirque!

Our stay is short lived in Vegas, kid's view of it beyond our hotel.  

I am going to say, I don't love Vegas.  Yes, somewhat related to the bombardment of hussy photos in every direction, but also for the same reason I don't like any overly crowded and loud place.  I am a very social being, but this is not my style.  

Back on the road.  The Hubs likes to bend the snot out of our maps, use them and pass them back to me to  return them to their natural state. 

We didn't take Route 66, but of course I had to have a photo of a sign.

Arrived in Grand Canyon Wednesday afternoon, rooms weren't ready so we headed right out to view it! This is us trying to get started on the 3 mile walking path.  I can see why we had difficulty locating the canyon as it's only 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep. http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm 
The Hub's folks met us for this stop and we could not take in enough of the spectacular view!

He SWEARS he is smiling.

This is a reunion tour for the inlaws, they took the Hubs on a road trip to the Grand Canyon when he was young.  Apparently he sat on the floor of the car and said he would never come back.  Ha!

Dodged that bullet.

Well that is it.  I did laundry tonight and it was glorious.  Except the whole spending 2.5 hours in sauna like conditions waiting for it to be done.  Up in a few hours for breakfast and we hit the road once more.  Good times, great memories, slow internet.