Beautiful people....

So, everyone has been asking me how I’m enjoying my time off work.   It’s been GREAT SO FAR!  The kids seem to be doing amazing with their new routine, and I’ve been having fun compiling oodles of art activities to tackle with them.  Today we covered cardboard with aluminum foil, and then I let them smear Vaseline all over it.   Next, I had a bunch of little shapes cut out of foam that they stuck to the Vaseline.   Janna enjoyed putting things on and pulling them off, then piling them up.   Jesse was satisfied to simply stick his shapes on, and then did some cutting of foam to create his own pieces  to add to his masterpiece.   Thank-you some random lady on Google for that idea.  The kids loved it!   

As fun as it can be to stay at home with kids all day- it can be exhausting and lonely and very challenging.  I almost find it easier to work part time.  When I am working there is less TIME in the day to tackle house things, and so I am more physically tired and my time is more tied up.  But being in a work environment and having other goals and interaction can sometimes be a much easier day that dealing with the same munchkins day in and out.    Also- with naps to work around and not always having a vehicle, it can feel lonely some days.   Not having family in the area can be especially hard for a mom.  Family are often those people who you can just call or drop in at any time just to hang with.   I have been lucky to develop some wonderful friends in the Ottawa area, and today I just felt very thankful for friendship.  Three things that happened....

ANOTHER PACKAGE!  A friend I grew up with on the cheerleading team for 6 years (her mom also coached) sent my family the greatest parcel in the mail.  This was so special because we don’t keep in super close touch or anything... She lives in the area I grew up... but if I’m spending any time at all in Hartland over a vacation, this is one of those families I’d call to try and stop in to see.   There is also good old facebook and the email here and there that keep us connected.  But she is now a mom, and there is something very unifying about that.  Anyways! She sent this great package with a little something for everyone.  She reads my blog, and everything was perfectly suited for each member of the family.  Jesse was OVER THE MOON excited for the card she sent him with 3 loonies and a note for him to take us to the mall to spend them on dollar rides.  He put the loonies in his piggy bank to take care of them, and has been cuddling the card all day- asking when we can go to the mall.   The best part of the gift was an encouraging, cursive, handwritten letter on loose leaf!   It was so strange to get a letter on looseleaf!  I have not received a note or written one like it in a long long time.   But, I probably wrote 3 million letters on loose leaf during my middle and high school years, and received a handful from this particular girl as well.  It brought a flood of sentiment I was not expecting, and I just loved it.  If you are reading this, Thank you Natasha!!!  

Second great thing about today was the chance to have a play date with the Potters.  It is really hard to fit these in when you are working as there is so much to get done on your days off.   It was so nice to spend the morning with Rebekah and her 3 kids.  Rebekah is one of those people in Ottawa I can ask for favors, or call to invite myself over, and I am thankful for her friendship.  I really wanted to take pictures of our play date today.  I even took my camera...but with 5 kids under the age of 3.... I wasn’t quite on the ball.     

Third thing was getting a call from Gracie to see if she and her new baby, Gavin,  could come spend the afternoon with us.   Grace is a close friend from university who moved here not too long ago with her husband Tavis.   Grace is awesome because she is one of those people who will stop in to say hi and drop off ice-cream if she hears your day is going poorly.  She plays with my kids, and they just LOVE HER.  She also will just call and ask to come over.  I find that there aren’t too many spontaneous people .... or maybe that this sort of “stopping by” isn’t as acceptable in our busy fast paced city.  But it’s always a blessing to have her company.   Jesse was so excited to awake from his nap to “gracie and Cabin.”  I think his words were, “Thank you for coming to bisit me Gracie. We love you and Cabin so much.”  It was actually the first time Jesse met him, but he just loved him and wanted to hold him and pat him, and take care of him.  I also felt very encouraged by Janna today.   We spent the morning with baby Gideon (who is 6 months old) and then newborn Gavin this afternoon, and she was really excited about both of the babies!  She just kept pointing and smiling and making little cute noises at them.  She watched them very closely and when offered to tickle their toes or hug them, was VERY pleased and  interested and extremely gentle and calm.  It gave me hope that she won’t beat up and yell at her new sister (as I have been secretly fearing).

Anyways, a good day, today.   Feeling thankful for great friends and looking forward to survivor with Katie Vance!  It starts in 2 minutes , so that’s all for now.  Thanks for reading! I’m out.