Wordless Wednesday: Newest member of our family

 

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End of the week ramble{Because I need to vent}

Into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I am always confounded by the frenzy that is associated with the Christmas holiday. These last few weeks I have been like a sponge, soaking up a lot of the negative energy from other people around me. Everywhere I go, the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas are in the air. I wish people would just slow down just a little and enjoy the holiday season.

This past week flew by, as we prepared for our own holiday time at our house. David and I are hosting this years work party this weekend, either I'm frantically cleaning the house or trying to keep it clean, or baking and preparing a menu for the party. The tree is all decorated with hundreds of glittering white lights and the only the prettiest adornments and raffia bows that hang delicately from every odd branch. I think it is breathtakingly beautiful (but I am just a tad biased).

As we move farther into this holiday season, my only hope is that I will be able to keep my cool and not cave under all the pressure, and to keep a smile on my face even when times get the most hectic.

One other thing happened earlier this week that put us all in a tizzy. My Father-in-law fell ill having a minor stroke and scaring all of us to tears. He is feeling better and stronger every day, but now the life he knows will have to drastically change if he wishes to live the rest of his life healthy and happy --and we want him around for many more years to come-- we are blessed to have him with us. It's times like this I feel blessed to have my friends, my family, this life. There are many twists and turns life tends to throw our way which we must deal with whether we like it or not. We must keep on your toes and be aware of our surrounding because you never know what little surprise life has in store for you.

Are you ready to take on anything? Are you thankful for everyday you have on this earth?
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On this perfect October day

Hubby and I decided we needed to grab a coffee before we headed out to my parents for Thanksgiving dinner. We just had enough time to take the scenic route home which turns the regular 5 minute drive into a 30 minute drive. The weather today was beautiful, we rolled the sunroof back, opened the car windows wide, pulled out of the Tims parking lot with Frankie Valli's "Oh What A Night" cranked way up on the stereo, then we hit the road. The wind blew our hair wildly about as we sang our hearts out (we may have gotten a strange look or two from people on the street). What? They don't drive around blasting Frankie Valli???

I don't think people understand what music is about anymore. I think most youngsters are hyper stimulated when it comes to music; it doesn't touch their heart and soul like it did to my generation. But I digress...(another post, for another time)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with the family. I'm so thankful to have my husband and children with me on this wonderful day. I'm also thankful for loving family and friends and for this life I cherish. Oh, and music. I am thankful for music and a voice to sing out as loud as I want.

Happy Thanksgiving, Columbus Day, Indigenous People's Day, Día de la Raza, Farmer's Day.  Heck... Happy Monday to everyone!

{Some weekend photos}

1. Turtle Cheesecake, 2. White Chocolate Lemon Tartlets, 3. Thanksgiving desserts, 

4. Bluejay, 5. Autumn Colours, 6. Thanksgiving Twilight

Weekend update - SIL's Wedding

Greetings, salutations and happy Monday! I hope you all had a grand weekend. Mine was pretty good despite being very busy with my SIL's wedding... Feeling a little tired still today, but happy the wedding ceremony and reception went perfect :) I think hubby and myself both looked smashing and our kids were beautiful as well.

Some photos of the day

{click image to enlarge}

In other related news, the Spanx I purchased to wear under my dress did exactly what the advertisement promised they would do; suck it all in and lift in all the essential places. I was beaming with all the wonderful compliments I was getting throughout the evening.  I recommend them to anyone who wishes to give their physique a little more curves and shape.  I also would like to recommend  Airbrush Legs by Sally Hansen for any gals who haven't had time to tan and wish to go bare legged.  It went on smooth and streak-less and lasted the entire day and night -- I used "Light Glow" because I am fairly fair skinned.

Baby Sis turns the big 40

Today is my baby sister's 40th birthday.

We celebrated the milestone with her Friday by throwing
a smashing birthday bash at a hotel in downtown Halifax.

If your wondering why we are all dressed so weird fabulous, 

it's because the party was 80's theme.

DJ rocked the house and 

we danced 'till the wee hours of the morning.

 

Happy 40th Sis!

A few of my favourite things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

The Sound of Music was always a Holiday tradition when the kids were little. The kids and myself would gather in the living room, all decked out in our comfy-est jammies, hot chocolate and cookies handy, excited to watch the movie. The kids would curl up and watch the movie while hubby and I decorated the tree. I'm not sure why The Sound of Music was classified as a "Christmas movie", but for some reason it was always on TV during the holidays and a seasonal favourite nonetheless.
I miss those days...

This year we all gathered at home to decorate the tree but "The Sound of Music" wasn't what the kids chose to watch, it was "A Hunting in Connecticut". A big -Bah-Humbug- to them!!

{Christmas 2009 Tree}

Today I was thinking about how much I miss some of the little holday tradition from when the kids were younger. So I compiled a list of my favourites from Holidays past.

1. Christmas Concerts
2. Christmas light watching
3. Kids homemade gifts
4. Letters to Santa
5. Listening for Elves or Reindeer
6. Making tree ornaments
7. Baking 10 different kinds of cookies
8. Making the gingerbread house
9. Singing Christmas carols
10. Holiday Movies ( The Grinch, Frosty, Rudolf - The Island of Misfit Toys, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, It's A Wonderful Life, Sound of Music,  )

What are some of your favourite Holiday traditions or favourite traditions from your past?

Birthday Week x 3

This week is what is referred to in our house as, "Birthday Week". My two girls and myself all have a birthday a day apart. My youngest daughter's birth date is the 19th, my oldest birth date is the 20th and mine is the 21st... how about that for a busy birthday week! Just imagine how hectic birthday week was when the girls were younger and wanted birthday parties... Now the girls are older, they just pick a day to celebrate our birthdays all together. This year we are celebrating our 17th, 22nd and *whisper* 42nd, with a brunch at our house on Sunday with our closest family members and friends - Can't wait!

In honor of our birthdays, I'm giving away one of my favourite gifts I like to get as well as give.  It's a little goodie package of my favourite bath products from Lush.  Also, who can enjoy a luxurious bath without some delicious smelling candles from Clair de Lune.

If you want a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you like to celebrate your birthday. All followers of Slightly Off-Center will get a second entry  (just be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry).  I will randomly choose a winner one week from today on November 25th.  Good luck everyone and can't wait to read through all your comments!

(No global restrictions. Must be 18 years or older. Contest winner will be chosen using BuzzMyBlog Contest Winner Picker)

» Read the small print «

* Please make sure your blog profile has your email address enabled or leave your email (like ghettojack [at] gmail [dot] com) or blogs address in the comments or you can send me your email addie if you would prefer not to have it published.

* You must be 18 or older to enter.

* No global restrictions apply. If you have a mailing address you are eligible to enter.

* Winner will be contacted via email to get their address.

* Entering the contest grants permission to post your blog address, State/Provence/Territory of where you are from. If you don't have a blog, your first name and your State/Provence/Territory of where you are from will be posted.

* Winner will have 48 hours from the date the winner is announced on this blog (I will send the winner notification via email) to claim your prize by emailing me with your mailing address or I will have to choose another winner.

* Winner is chosen using the BuzzMyBlog Contest Winner Picker.

* I am not responsible for any lost or misdirected mail.

* By entering this contests you are agreeing to all of the above.

Contest is Closed

Bonding Moments (craft night)

Saturday night bonding time with my two girls... lucky me!

This is what we made:

Instruction for DIY Coasters

Ps.  This was my oldest daughters idea.  She called on Friday night to ask if we could spend Saturday evening together making a craft.  love Love LOVE ♥

C'est la vie!

Hello friends. How was your week? Hope it was wonderful.
It's been pretty quiet around here at Slightly Off-Center headquarters these days. Life has been a tad unpredictable for me as of late and I'm finding it difficult to keep up with my little spot here in cyberspace. So, after some careful thought and consideration, I have come to the decision to give my blog a little rest. Oh, I'm not giving it up completely, just putting it to bed for the time being - there are some matters that I need to give my full attention. I need some time to gather my thoughts, reflect, and spend time enjoying my beautiful family. I hope to be back soon, and possibly be able to share some of life's happenings with you all when the time is right.

Thank you all for your support and devotion to Slightly Off-Center, and for your welcome, heartfelt comments, email and messages - you know, they do truly make me smile :)

Sending love, luck and happiness your way,

Beach Day

Happy Anniversary Babe!

We are very proud to be celebrating our 21st anniversary today.

A Sunny Saturday

Finally some sun here on the East Coast!
We took full advantage of it by taking a drive up the South Shore of Nova Scotia, stopping at various places here and there to enjoy the scenery and some tasty treats.

How did you spend your weekend?

So Far My Summer...

hasn't been going as planned

I'm really trying to keep my chin up here folks but the weight of everything going on here is falling on me bringing me way down.

These first few weeks of summer have not quite gone the way I planned. First my son got terribly ill with a virus, then we (hubby and myself) hit a big road block while trying to purchase a house, and the icing of the cake would have to be my oldest daughter becoming very ill with meningitis and finding out today that she needs her wisdom teeth removed asap. UGH!!!

Here in Halifax we are going on three weeks of cloud, fog, rain, thunder & lightning, with only a few hours of sun here and there. I think I'm suffering from a lack vitamin D that I usually get from enjoying outdoor activities in the sun, and this is just exasperating my state of mind - My family call it "Eeyore Syndrome" (hehe). I m really looking forward to putting the past four weeks behind me and getting on with my summer plans - be it a slightly edited version.

Hubby and I are waiting for some news early this week, so I hope I will have something good to share soon, instead of all this doom and gloom. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Photos of the things have made me smile this past week

Bad JuJu Unleashed

There are few superstitions we have in our family. One- we don't open umbrellas in our house. Two- we never say the name of an unwelcome visitor, because as soon as the person's name is spoken, he/she shows up at the door (Beatle Juice! Beatle Juice! Beatle Juice!). Three- and most importantly... we never talk about how long it has been since anyone of us has had to visit the emergency room.

Now lets flash back to last Sunday.
Remember this post when I mentioned that everyone was home for a family dinner? Well, that's when all the bad JuJu was released. We were all chatting about scars we had gotten and from what, when my oldest daughter blurted out...
"Hey, it's been a while since one of us had to go to the hospital!"

As soon as it was out of her mouth, all eyes turned to her and there was silence followed by a furious knocking three times on the wooden table (that would have been me). My son said something like "Ooooo, now you've done it!" and we all quickly changed the subject to something more pleasant.

Ok. I know some of you are thinking...
"Silly girl! There is no such thing as bad JuJu, karma, jinxed, or being cursed". But I tell you - it's true, we are cursed with bad luck whenever anyone of us talks about how long it's been since we've been to the hospital. On many occasions that our conversation turned toward ER visits or injuries, within the week someone ends up hurt or sick and has to be rushed to the ER. We're cursed I tell ya! CURSED! (hehe)

Monday the boy is feeling a little under the weather; nothing major, a little pain in his belly and some nausea. Tuesday he was worse; vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramps. Tuesday evening I found him curled up into a ball collapsed beside the bathroom floor. At this point, hubby and I are thinking food poisoning or appendicitis so we get him up and dressed and head into the ER. The triage paramedics take his blood pressure (80/50), low blood sugar, temperature and rush him back into a bed where a nurse immediately comes in and puts an IV into his arm and starts IV fluids and anti-nausea meds. They take blood, and urine samples, x-rays and shortly a doc comes in poking and prodding, asking lots of question, and tells us he will be back in after the all the tests come back. A couple bags of IV fluids (4 hours) later he comes back and tells us everything came back good; his x-ray looks fine, urine is good and blood work all ok except for an elevated white count, but that could be because he is battling a little infection. He tells the boy it's a bug and he will start to feel better now that he's hydrated and rested. Wednesday comes and the boy is worse so it's back to the ER where the exact same procedure is followed. BP (too low), blood sugar (too low), IV fluids, pain meds, blood work then sent home with assurance that this is a bug and he will be feeling a lot better now. Thursday morning he so weak and is having severe muscle cramping from dehydration. Hubby and I pack the boy into the car and head back down to the ER. They take him in right away but this time place him in an isolation room (at this point I've got H1N1 virus running through my head). They give him more IV fluids, take blood, x-ray, urine and again all comes back fine - we are told flu or possible food poisoning. Today (Friday), the boy is feeling a little bit better but still can't keep any food down but is able to keep hydrated by eating ice chips and sipping ice water. I suspect he will be up and around in a day or two (hopefully).

Goodness! This was one BAD BUG that took up residence inside him and all thanks to the bad JuJu my daughter unleashed as she spoke the unspeakable on Sunday.

I'm looking for some ideas and tips for warding off the BAD JuJu the next time someone slips up and speaks the unspeakable... A dance, chant or talisman (hehe)?

There is no place like home!

Just a quick note to let you know we are home tonight safe and sound. Our house was spared but there were many who were not so lucky... my thoughts go out to the other people who are still evacuated to shelters and those who have lost their homes and possessions.

Around 12PM this afternoon, my family and I were standing on a cemetery hill top when the the heavens opened up and the rain poured down, drenching the earth and dousing the remaining fires that still were burning strong. What a surreal experience!

I would like to thank you all for all your wonderful, thoughtful, kind and loving words and prayers. I am so very grateful to be part of such a carrying community -- thank you, thank you all!

Now I am off to bed. I will catch up on all I have missed on your blogs this week just as soon as I get some Zzzzzz's.

r.i.p grandmother

"Cup a Tea", "Cup a Tea"
When I think of my fraternal grandmother, that phrase is what immediately pops into my head. On the rare occasion she would visit, she would come into the house chanting and demanding a "Cup'aTea"...

We weren't close to my fathers mother. She pretty much abandoned him as a baby, he was left to the care of his grandparents and he grew up knowing his mother as his sister. When I was younger, we would visit now and again and she would come to see us from time to time but there was never any type of relationship developed. There were no hugs or kisses, words of love or encouragement; she always gave off this "KEEP AWAY!" vibe which made me and my siblings keep our distance. As I got older, I would see less and less of her despite attempts to keep her in our lives -- invitations to wedding, christenings, birthdays, etc, all turned down -- eventually she just cut herself off entirely from the family. Occasionally I would think of her and as time when on and she aged, I would often think of how I would feel about her death. Would I feel any sort of grief or sadness? On Monday afternoon I got the call that my grandmother had passed away from kidney failure.

Feelings...
Sadness. That was mostly how I felt. Sad that she never really got to know what a great man her son (my father) really was. Sad that she never really cared to know who we were or got to know any of her great grandchildren. Sad that I never made more of an effort to get to know her. And sad because she could have had a loving family to lean on for all those years she was ill but choose to have very little contact with our us. Why? Why would anyone want to live the life she choose? I wonder if it was guilt that kept her away for all those years or was it that she simply didn't care? I guess that is something I will never know.

Pensive...
This week I have been doing a lot of contemplating; mostly about my life, and how it has measured up to my expectations and the expectation of my family. I've been thinking about my goals and what I hope to accomplish before my own demise. I have thought about all the bridges I have burned, all the missed opportunities and regrets I have.

Wondering...
How my family might react when I die. How will I be remembered? What legacy will I leave behind? What will be the story that was my life?

I guess pondering such things gives me a renewed appreciation for life.

Memorials...
This morning while we were all preparing ourselves to attend the service for my grandmother, I ran through in my mind how the day will go. We will sit in a small chapel surrounded by family and friends; some I haven't seen in years, some I people I won't remember or know. Make small talk, accept condolences, exchange hugs. Then we will have to speak about her. What will I say? I wracked my brain all week thinking of something good to say, then it hit me. I will thank her for the legacy she has left behind... for giving life to a father who worked hard to provide and care for his family, a devoted husband, and a loving grandfather.

"What is well planted cannot be uprooted. What is well embraced cannot slip away. Your descendants will carry on the ancestral sacrifice for generations without end." ~The Tao Te Ching

r.i.p grandmother - 1926-2009

Spring Things

Today is such a beautifully sunny and warm(ish) spring day. I can feel the change. I am so looking forward to a fresh start and have been thinking about some lifestyle changes as well. Last May hubby and myself stopped smoking - still smoke free! This spring we have decided to see a nutritionist and join a gym, and I may even hire a trainer.

Here are a few other things I want to accomplish this spring/summer season:

1. Put in a small veggie garden.
   
2. Photography classes.
   
3. Find some vintage cameras.
4. Take lots of photos with them.
5. Weekend road trips.
6. Lots of family BBQ's and cookouts.
7. Camping.
   
8. A trip to Newfoundland to see Gros Morne National Park .
9. Try some Geocaching.
10. Treasure hunting.

How about you? What is on your "to do" list for this season?

Weekend Update

Happy Monday everyone! Did you all re-charge yourselves over the weekend? Are you ready to take on the week? I know I sure am.

This weekend was pretty relaxed and laid back for me. Mostly I spent time hanging out at home with the family, watching movies, reading, shopping, eating... Priss hung out with us for the majority of the weekend - which was nice!

Saturday:
We went shopping during the day on Saturday then came home, had dinner then watched "A Girl Interrupted" - one of Priss and Baby Girls favourite movies.

Sunday:
We had some lovely visitors to our yard. Four deer we spotted in the back yard munching on some young buds on the trees ( see, I told you the forest behind my house was enchanted). The afternoon was spent doing some clean up around the yard, taking full advantage of rising mercury which reached a whopping 12 degrees Celsius. We ended the weekend with a yummy roast dinner with some delicious strawberry shortcakes for dessert.

1.) New tulips (they were on sale on Saturday)

2.) A Girl Interrupted

3.) My visitors

4.) Strawberry Shortcake

What was your weekend like?

Mom of the Year!

I'm so very lucky for all the wonderfully creative people who visit my blog daily. Your comments are always welcome and you all inspire me to become more creative. I always appreciate the awards that are given to me too, they make me feel extra special.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to receive this award from a very busy mommy blogger who I admire very much, Amber over at Mommy Mania. Thank you Amber!!

Like most awards - there is a little extra assignment that go along with the lovely honor:

1) Admit that ONE thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are NO LONGER allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

2)To remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list SEVEN things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself of EVERY DAY that you rock!

3)Send this to FIVE other Moms of the Year that deserve forgiveness and a reminder that they, too, are the best moms they can be!!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you!"

My Answers:

1. Well my kids are older, 16, 19, 21 and are pretty independent now, but when I look back to when they were little I always felt bad when I had to discipline them by taking something they liked away for a period of time or sending them to their room. It didn't happen all that often, but it always made me feel horrible.

2.

• My kids are equally smart and talented
  
• I'm proud of them and think they make great choices every day
• I love when we can all be home for a family day/night
• I think they are proud of the way they were raised
  
• I'm proud of the young adults they have become
• They are considerate and compassionate
• They are very close and have an amazing respect for one another

3. I'm not going to single out recipients this time, so I would like to give this award to everyone who visits my blog who is a mom -- you are all special to me and all deserve this award. Feel free to take it and display it on your blog

Sometimes they do pay attention

I awoke to a bouquet of pink tulips, brewed tea and chocolate truffles. I love tulips in the winter, reminds my that spring is just around the corner.

Hubby must have remembered me saying this last week as we passed by the tulip display in the floral department -- awww, such a thoughtful guy my hubby!

{hugs to all my valentines out there}