Stuff Not To Forget

I am having a hard time with this blog lately

After about 6-7 yrs I think of writing very consistently, I find my mind and heart are pulling me in other directions lately

For one in 2017 I want to write a book. My energy needs to go there . I spent 4 days alone at cottage planning the skeleton of my book and since have not been able to carve out another second to write it.:(

Secondly , I have taken on a whole new aspect to my career ( virtual leadership training around the world ) which is very demanding. In addition to my existing career and also writing a book. 

 All that to say doesn't leave much time to blog but I still want to keep it up for family records purposes mostly.

So may be alot less interesting for you to read :((( but will be wondeful for my family later on and for me to look back on . And i will try to not bore you too much but forgive me if i do ? Hopefully my new book will make up for it all .

Here are a few things about the last few months i want to remember :

Dinner out with these great friends at fave downtown resto that we introduced them to

 This fun skating day with Chase that was such a rarity to have him to myself for the afternoon

This great afternoon the three of us the next weekend. Wow we have been spoiled ! Since now Chase comes to cottage only maybe once a month we all make sure it is quality time 

And then Bear funny bday without his dad or didi but we had a great time anyways . Our fave part of Saturday nights at cottage are all going from table to couches and long chats ( no phones or ipads! ) our souls seem to crave it. Ps his real bday dinner will be a month later 

This girl in last 2 weeks has danced 48 hrs ! Workshop after workshop and competition etc. All wonderful but grades starting to suffer so need to work on that

Lots and lots of alone time for us at cottage in the snow as kids even when here working and very social with their own stuff. They really all have their own lives now . And their parents working on figuring our their own lives ! 

We got these guys on free snowmobile rides on the lake 

We had a great day and last minute sleepover at the cottage with this amazing family . Always so fun and truly feels like a second family to us . We are so close to their munchkins and them to ours . Guys go out together . Girls have cottage dates alone and lunch dates. We trade favors . Its the whole package deal and what i have always wanted in my life and now have ! We are blessed 

Mom had surgery and is recovering well but with big scar as expected. Its been nice spending more time with her and giving lots of tlc ( although hard on agenda well worth it ! )

All three kids busier than ever . Bear ski instructor and Beauty when not dancing assistant ski instructor . I hired Chase 6 -10 hrs a week  for the next month to do groceries and cook 2 meals and drive his sister all over town for dance. ( in addition to his expected regular non paid work around the house )

And all three huge social lives lately . Parties and events and celebrations. Its really hard to keep up ! And pick them up at 1am and then wait for other to get home at 3:30am ! 

Boys both don't have girlfriends anymore so some broken hearts around here lately ( with pretty quick recoveries as they are both popular with all the other girls in waiting ! )

Beauty has a valentine and we made a special exception that they went on a valentine date ( trying to wait for 16 yrs old for more official dating but hard ! )

We met him and he came  over for homework and then we drove them to the movies and a quick bite 

Was so adorable and they gave eachother the cutest gifts and so cute together:)

Beauty's fave bedtime things

Saw a new side of our daughter emerge in this night  and with her sweet beau . Some interesting times ahead ! Was cool to watch young love ...

A great weekend with Bear just the three of us . Bad weather kept him home from his ski job so we hang out. Some bonding at home for Chase and Beauty as he is now her personal hip hop chauffeur on dates we can't be there

Chase is the best haircutter now!

And the rest has been work work work work ! 

Forever

How Bear occurs to me at 17yrs old

Bear is 17!!! (ok.. so I am 2 weeks late!)

This is my " easy " child . Trust me if you meet him you may not think he is so easy at all ( very very hard headed and strong willed and debating all the time ) but to me .... He is a dreamboat 

At 17 bear occurs to me in the following ways 

• and unbelievable committed student . He is often found studying all day long and all evening long even in Saturday nights . Never ever ever do we push him in this way . This is just him . And his marks show it. He has an amazing average already and he continually strives to make it better and better which amazes us all 
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• I love looking at his desk and the way he organizes himself . Everything so perfect and lined up and tagged with his name and clean . When it comes to schoolwork there is no joking around for this kid 

• From the above you may assume he is the more brainy type with peers . Not at all . Athletic and involved and implicated and big social life 

• he is kind and gentle . He loves children and is amazing with all his little cousins . He is generous of spirit and always asks my mom if she needs help and what he can do for her etc 
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• he cares about his looks and is gorgeous . Dresses well and cares about style and his hair and his overall look is always pretty impeccable 

• he is totally eccentric . From day he was born makes strange sounds always and strange body movements and somehow everyone around him has come to expect it and just kinda ignores it . My mom adores it and joins in !

• his work ethic is  A plus . Always on top of his work as ski instructor and lifeguard and always on time and plans for future and totally independent 

• he is an athlete . Top of his class for sports program for 5 yrs now and good at anything physical . A natural team leader in sports 

• is an amazing guy to girls .So kind and sweet and considerate and loving and FUN . Whoever dates and one day Marries this guy one day is so so so so lucky . 

• he is so incredibly hard headed and a debater and in your face . It is almost a joke in our family . So many interactions with him feel like we are in court . For now funny as hardly any rules ! And it's not rules he disagree with but facts . He always has to be right under any circumstance . It's truly annoying 

• he is very often quite emotionally intelligent . He can have difficult conversations  and honest ones . He is sensitive to feelings and deals with anger and sadness and guilt etc in healthy ways 

• he walks out of the room for a break when discussions get heated between he and I and it drives me crazy ( but is the right thing to do ! ) 

• he loves his food . We went on a date the other night for burritos and caramel churros and all we speak about it how incredible the food is . We agree this is one of life's biggest pleasures . He eats anything and everything 

• When he says he will do something he does it . Has completely changed his body and religiously finds time for his workouts at the gym no matter what 

• he is growing up :( orders coffee now at Tim's  . Yikes !

• he is honest and tells it like it is to his parents and tells the Truth as much as we may not be ready for it 

• he is an incredible brother and just is so wonderful with his brother and sister and such a great role model too 

• he is affectionate and loving with his parents . In general so respectful of us ( I said in general !! ) and listens to our rules and lifestyle and when disagrees fights it out very loudly . He always has great points though and hard not to negotiate with him as such a logical and rational brain 

• he knows what he wants in life and does it . Since 5 yrs old always wanted to be an orthodontist or dentist . Now maybe a lawyer or in business or teacher . I have no worries this kid will find his way and do what he loves whatever that is . He is a driver 

• he is a great car driver and had had his permit for 9 months now and will get the real thing i. April hopefully 

Just overall an amazing wonderful teen that is the love of all our lives . He truly makes being a parent rewarding and wonderful and easy !!

Mommy is Safe

My Mama Bear is safely out of surgery a couple of hrs ago . I can breathe ....

Paratoid surgery to remove a growing Tumor . Something unexpected and completely unrelated to all of her other head , stomach and overall arthritis chronic pain conditions . I guess the universe felt she didn't have enough to handle ?

The important risk of this surgery was facial paralysis which can happen in up to 25 percent of patients either temporarily or even permanently . But this did not happen to her - thank goodness 

Surgery was delayed by almost 4 hrs . So lots of waiting and then me by myself did about 4 hrs waiting during surgery etc . I was calm - so was my mom too before surgery . A miracle for both of us 

When I heard " code blue " being called on a nearby operating room I lost it for a few mins but other than that was ok . And my mom was a trooper . I think lately we have had so much crisis to deal with - that it's all just building up a ton of resilience in us both . Like two cupcakes - calm and cool and collected Is it possible ?

Believe it or not, hubby and I switched at hospital three times today as I had to give two courses . One early morning and one at 8:30pm tonight . And then two early tomorrow morning . Surgery time was selected only two weeks ago and clearly not based on my work schedule !  Hubby and I and Beauty worked it out though and got it all covered . They are there now with my sweet mommy and just sent a pic that I won't dare post to the Internet as all face is bruised and huge scar and not looking yet like the mom we know . I love the pic personally, but she likely does not 

I am just so thankful that she can smile and use her mouth and her eyes!!! . I ran in intensive care for 5 mins by convincing a male nurse to let me in and he sneaked me in and told her he had a surprise for her . She was so happy to see me . And me see her ! Not much in this world makes me happier than seeing my mom ok 

No other news as about to give this training course now . The adrenaline pumping through my veins is pretty scary . I will get all the news in a couple of hrs when hubby and beauty get home . Right now they are talking to the nurses and stuff 

On days like this when we actually get good news ? Feels damn amazing to be honest . Lately I don't expect good news ... So when it happens I just feel like it's a sweet miracle 

Still a few weeks ahead of recovery as all of this is complicated by my mom's mild brain injury three years now - so right side of head is a bit of a mess  already ( a lot of a mess actually !) but we will take that . Just glad she is out of surgery . And glad that I can stay at her house for a bit and take care of my mama 

Although my work schedule around this has been a bit crazy - I am so thankful that I still have the type of work I have and can often be there and be flexible to take care of the ones I love through these turbulent times . And that my husband has that flexibility too . It's makes for a good team 

Yay mama bear !

And thanks to all the big group of people who were texting today for news . Makes all the difference in the world to us both to feel love and supported 

A Perfectly Imperfect Day

A perfect imperfect day 

It's Bears 17 bday today !!!

( will be writing his bday blog later this week when I have access to pictures )

So was kinda gonna be a not so perfect bday as has been a not so great overall month around here.  Also his dad can't be here this weekend as at a very important three day  training course that he could not miss . And his Didi was supposed to come for weekend here at cottage but she is having surgery Wednesday and not feeling the best so we decided not best timing to come .

So me and by three chickadees ! At the cottage 

Last night picked up beauty from hip hop and came here late and we all completely crashed . Some of us in beds and some on couches .

Got up early this morning and took my bday boy to breakfast and then drove him to his job as a ski monitor 

Then spent afternoon with Chase who has not been to cottage in 4 weeks ao that was a total treat . We skated together and went out for a yummy lunch and talked about my family history in my dads side and our famous artist aunt  ( his great aunt )

Then got bear and came home to beauty . On the way back chase stopped at drive thru and pretended to get himself something but was for Bear bday . I have never seen Bear as happy as when his big brother  handed him that box of tidbits . Sometimes it's the little gestures in life that make so much difference isn't it ?

And then we get home and Beauty is baking up a storm . We assume for bear bday but no a  such luck -cake in a cup just for her !! ( but I know there is a surprise she has thought up for later for her brother as she told me  )

Anyways so far a really wonderful day 

I am so incredibly grateful for weekends . They are like batteries to me where I recharge . So happy I love winter too as makes it so fun in the snow and something to look forward to on weekends 

While kids studied I fell asleep on the couch and read my book for a couple of hrs . Then we eat our yummy meal and beauty baked Tristan a huge humungous cookie so we had no room left for the chocolate fondue and fruits we bought so we will eat at lunch tomrorow after bears ski job

🎺(Sunday's at the cottage are the best as bear takes the 4 by 4 so I sleep in and then he is home usually minutes before I get out of bed at noon and so We always make a nice yummy lunch for us all and eat it at the counter by candlelight )

So a great day .By tonight I really felt my hubby and my mom not here though . Felt very off and odd and some sadness Despite  that we had a great celebration . More on my 17 yr old boy this week !