I am thankful

As we are in the midst of Thanksgiving weekend I find no better time than the present to write about what this holiday means to me.

Thanksgiving has always been my favourite holiday. It was never about getting presents or spending money. It was simply about getting together with family and taking a moment to be thankful for what we have.

When this holiday approaches I always start to take a mental inventory of all that I'm thankful for. It may be some of the smallest things or gestures but at the end of the day those mean the most. I think its so important to take a step back and look at your life and take a minute to be grateful for all the amazing blessings you have.

I feel so blessed to be where I am today. I have been blessed with a healthy, gorgeous, smart and hilariously funny daughter who enriches my life everyday and makes me strive to be a better human being. She is crazy silly like her mama and a little sassy like her aunt Bee. She makes my heart smile and I would never trade this life with her for anything. I may never have thought I'd be a mom but I am so glad that I am. It's an honour to be along side M for her journey through life.

I am thankful for my family. My mom is my strength when I don't think I can handle what life throws at me. She keeps me grounded and has helped me grow into the woman I am today. She calms my irrational fears and loves me unconditionally. She loves my soul, my outgoing personality and my every accomplishment. My dad, even though he isn’t here with me anymore I am thankful that he shared his life with my mom and I am a product of their love. I am blessed to have shared 6 years of my life with him and that for those 6 years he worked hard to give his little girl the best life possible. My sister reminds me that I am setting an example, even as we get older, she looks up to me and therefore my every move is being closely watched. This may seems like a drawback and something that I would dread instead of considering it a blessing. However, knowing she is watching me makes me strive to be the best big sister I can be, the best person I can be. I am thankful to have someone who knows me like no other and always has my back. I am thankful for my second mom and cousin, Cheryl.  I am thankful that she made the decision, so many years ago, to help my mom raise my sister and I. She put her life on hold for us and I don't think I would be where I am now if it wasn't for her encouragement and guidance. Even though in the heat of the moment I never think to follow her advice I usually end up coming back to her, sometimes years later, and saying 'You were right'. She gives guidance and advice even when it might seem like it goes in one ear and out the other but her words leave marks on my heart and I carry them with me through life.

I am thankful for my boyfriend, Jamie. He loves me like I've never been loved before. . I am thankful that I was able to find love again and that this love is like no other. I am thankful that he is a hardworking man who puts his family first. He would do anything for M and I. He respects me and loves all of my quirky idiosyncrasies. I am thankful for how he makes me feel and for everything he is.

I am thankful for my cousin Benjamin. He was, is and always will be my little buddy. He is in the military and it breaks my heart that he could have to go fight for our country one day. However, he makes me feel so proud to be part of his family and part of this country.

I am thankful for my beautiful friends. I think at this point in my life I have the most perfect selection of good, true friends. They are amazing people and all so very different from one another. Each one of them offers something to our friendship that is special. I may not say it all the often but to each and every one of you who read this I am so thankful and blessed to be your friend. We have laughed til we cried, cried until we had no choice but to laugh, been silly, drank too much wine, and dropped everything and just be there for each other. We have gone months without talking and when we see each other it is like no time has past. I love you all with everything I have. You are what recharges me and keeps me going. Thank you!

I am thankful for everything that has to do with my job. I don't feel like I have just a job but rather a career. I love what I do. I love the law. I believe it is the fundamentals of society. I love the dynamic of people I work with. My boss is such a smart and knowledgeable lawyer that I feel honoured to be working with him and learning from him. I am so blessed to have a job in the field I went to school for. I am blessed that I am executing everything I learnt in school. I am grateful that I had wonderful teachers who, while putting up with me is no small feat, they were always there to help and guide my work in the right direction.  I strongly believe that I wouldn't be able to do my job without my teachers extra support. I am thankful when I get the late evening return phone call from Mrs. B that calms my fears and reassures me. I am thankful when I call Mrs. S at school I know she has no problem helping me figure out a small claims blunder. They are amazing women and I will never forget them and all they did for us crazy, loud and eager Law Clerk students.

I am thankful for my home. I may not have the most extravagant and flashy home but it's comfy and cozy, warm and strong and I couldn't ask for much more. It comforts me when I'm sad and lifts me up when the world had kicked the crap out of me and I need to refocus and regenerate. I am blessed to live where I live.

For my extended family. We are all a little quirky and I could probably write a book about our crazy dynamic and make a small fortune from it but I wouldn't trade them for anything!

For my grandparents. Over 50 years ago their love brought them to Canada and started a family, our family. Their courage and strength is the reason why I am here today and have the quality of life I have now.

 I am thankful for the food I put on the table every night for my family.

For Keeping up with the Kardashians, yes I am thankful for this. It is my escape from reality and reminds me that no matter how much money you have you can still have your fair share of problems.

For The Notebook, it is always there for me when I need a good cry (p.s I watched this last night and balled like a baby)

I am thankful for country music (and music in general). It speaks to every scenario I have ever been in. It gives me peace and joy and truly makes me happy. Music can get you pumped up for the day ahead or whind you down for the night. It can make you cry and laugh, dance and be silly. It can ignite your soul and breathe life into you.

I am thankful for Education and for the people who dedicate their lives to teaching.

For literature, while I don’t read books on the regular I am grateful that people have poured their entire being into writing just to bring some kind of emotion out in us. Whether it's fiction or not, people took the time to put a pen to paper and share their story with us. Books bring us information we never knew and build our character. It’s magical and something I think we take for granted.

For this blog. It started out as something completely different from what it is now. I am grateful that I have somewhere to pour my heart out and know that it is appreciated on some level. When I don't have the desire to talk about my thoughts, I take to writing. It keeps me sane and as I've said before it is like therapy to me. I am thankful I have the means to write and that it's something I will always have in my life.

I am thankful for my health and that I can wake up every day and breathe!

For aviation. Yes, this is a strange thing to be thankful for but it brings me my dearest family from B.C to Ontario and their presence brings me so much happiness and comfort. It connects miss M to her grandmother in Nova Scotia and it can take us to places beyond our wildest dreams. One day when I get to Paris and am standing at the top of the Eiffel tower and I will toast the Wright brothers because without them I would never get to live out my dreams of going to that magical city.

Needless to say I am thankful for a lot. I love my life and every person and thing in it. This Thanksgiving I will bow my head and close my eyes and thank God for all that is good in my life. From the simplest and silliest things to the most important and crucial parts of my day to day life. I will be thankful because I am truly blessed by Him.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

XO
Amber

Family Fun This Fall

I'll let you in on a little secret.... I'm obsessed with Fall!

I love everything this season has to offer. From the fashion to the falling leaves to the crisp cool air. I love it all!

It also has me feeling anxious to make the best of the few months that I have with this love of mine!

I am always trying to find fun and fairly cheap things to do any season but this fall I feel even more motivated to get out and enjoy every weekend. I will be the first to admit that entertaining a 5 year old is no small feat, especially entertaining her on a budget. SO, I've been doing some research online and brainstorming how to make the most of our weekends together this fall. I'm sharing this list of family fun activities because I know there are other mamas out there wanting to join hands with their little ones and make some memories.

1) Pumpkin Patch

This is an obvious one. Usually when I think pumpkin patch my wallet starts to weep uncontrollably. It can get quite expensive, especially if you have more than one child. Most of you who have attended Howell's Pumpkin Patch know this to be true. For years now I have been searching for a pumpkin patch that I used to visit as a child. I finally stumbled upon it on the world wide web and am so thankful I did. Bry-anne Farms is located in Fenwick, ON. I have so many fond memories from my trips there. I called them up and was eager to get details about their pumpkin season. The lady on the phone explained that their pumpkin patch is open October 1st. There is a fee of $6.00 to enter and that includes all the activities they have to offer such as: hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin putt and the straw play zone. No extra tickets to buy, no long waits, and the bonus.... you can re-use your ticket to come back another time for free! If you are

For directions and more info, click here!

2) White Meadow Farms

This is another fond memory of mine. Come February you can take a tour and see the maple production in full swing but until then there is PANCAKE WEEKENDS! The menu is a variety of maple infused treats and of course pancakes. It is great place to bring your kids because you can literally order just one pancake at a time for those tiny tummies and picky eaters out there. The best part is the fresh-from-the-tree maple syrup!

For the full menu and more info. click here!

3) Nature Walk/Scavenger Hunt

Like I said earlier one of the best parts of fall is the weather. It is really the perfect time of year for hiking and being outdoors. One way to make this more engaging for your children is to make a simple scavenger hunt. Make a list of things you'd find in nature. It could be season specific or more geared towards sensory development such as " Find something rough" or "Find a smooth rock". If you have a few children then make it a race and the winner gets a prize or gets to pick what movie to watch when you get home!

Check out Pinterest for scavenger hunt list ideas!

4) Crafts

I am a Pinterest nut! I mean I know there are a lot of people with more pins than myself but I do spend a significant amount of time browsing this website. I typed in fall activities for kids and a whole lot of craft ideas popped up.

This one particularly struck my fancy. It's a great way to get your kids making Halloween crafts but with a sentimental value that will keep you mamas happy!

For more fall craft ideas click here ---> A Little Craft in Your Day (Blog)

5) Leaf piles

This one is a good one because it is so fun for kids and helps get the yard tidied up which makes us adults happy. When I think of good old fashioned fun this activity definitely comes to mind. Who knew the possible memories that could be made from simply raking leaves in a pile and jumping into them?

6) Baking

Fall is the best season for baking because turning on the oven in the fall and winter months is less of a burden due to the cooler weather. You won't be melting in your house while you bake up a storm.

I love baking, I prefer it over cooking any day. I am also a lover of cupcake creations. I've made a few great holiday themed cupcakes in the past years and the fall season is so fun for this activity. M is always eager to help make cupcakes and decorate them. Again if you Pinterest 'fall cupcake ideas' you will more than likely end up with a lot of pumpkin flavoured treats. However, if pumpkin isn't your thing then think caramel or maple flavor. Either way when a rainy fall day comes your way take to the kitchen to whip up a fun treat with your little ones. While the goodies bake, pick out a movie for the family and snuggle up while you wait to taste heaven. Pick up some Halloween candy like my fave, Candy Corn, and go to town decorating.

For this cupcake I used chocolate frosting and dipped the cupcake into Oreo baking crumbs to make this spider look fuzzy.
Legs: I then took broken pieces of Twizzlers and stuck them in the cupcake for the spiders legs.
Fangs: I used candy corn and cut them in half to make the spiders fangs.
Eyes: Two dots of red gel icing.

Hope you make the most of this fun fall season!

 

XO

Amber