Sundays with family

I come from a fairly big family. I have 4 sisters, 25 aunts and uncles (11 still living), and 47 1st cousins (46 still living)...after that I have no idea what the count is (I think there are about 64 children of my 1st cousins though and then about 30 of their children??? Something like that.).

I am not too close to the family on my dad's side but I am really close to the family on my mom's side. Today I spent the day with 9 members of my family. We just hung out; watched the football game, and played the Wii. Overall it was a good day. I am grateful I have the opportunity to spend time with my family like this.

treasure hunts

It is not so much the hunt but what it represents....

Today I created a treasure hunt for some family members under the age of 9. The part I liked the most was creating the hunt and then watching them do it. I was out at the farm so I had the opportunity to have to go from the barn, to the swing set, to the chicken coop, etc.

There is nothing better than watching little kids enjoying themselves!!

days off

I am very fortunate in that I have every 2nd Friday off with my job. Not very many people have that privilege and I need to appreciate that fact!!!

So today is one of my days off! I find that these days are wonderful days to run errands, catch up on housework or just hang around with family. They definitely keep me sane!! If I did not have them, I am not sure what I would be doing right now....(okay, I know I would be at work...lol)

my car

On the way home from work today I noticed the gas prices!!! Gas has gone up AGAIN!!! It started me thinking...is there going to be a time when most people cannot afford to drive a car? Perhaps by the time todays' pre-schoolers are 16 they will not be able to get their license because their family cannot afford a car!! Who knows? Perhaps cars will be something only the rich people have...

It just really makes me appreciate the fact that I have a car and (right now) I can afford it...

my sister's place

Tonight I chaired a meeting with 10 teenage girls and their parents. It was a looooonnnnngggg meeting!! It was chaotic and confusing but eventually it was over...lol.

Fortunately it was held at my sister's house. She is brave enough (and nice enough) to let me have meetings at her house!!!! I am very lucky to have a sister like that!!!

my job

Today I realize that I am very lucky to have a job and I should not take it for granted. Sometimes things happen that you do not expect. People do get fired and I should be aware of this and always work to the best of my ability.

Also, not everyone has a job. Some people may have the skills to have a job but are unable to keep a job. I am fortunate that I have a job and appreciate that fact!

34 degrees

Today was a warm day in the city. It reached 34 degress Celcius. I am not a huge fan of hot weather, especially when it is humid and intolerable. However, I did not find today that bad. In fact, I did not turn on my air conditioning even though I live on the 2nd floor. I find that the evenings are usually cool enough that I can open a window and the place cools down quite a bit. So I try to avoid turning on my air conditioning when I can stand the heat! (Note: I think it is a good thing I live alone as I tend to live in a hot environment in the summer and a cool environment in the winter. I usally have my air conditioning set at 27 degrees in the summer and my furnace set at 17 degrees in the winter. Not only is it good for the environment :- ) but I am also very cheap...)

It is on days like this that I have to remember winter days and appreciate the heat.

fresh vegetables from the garden

Every once in a while my sister invites us over to her house (the family that is still here in the city). Tonight we went over to her house and had Cedar-Plank Salmon, fresh vegetable stir fry (from my mom's garden), fresh potatos, and corn on the cob. We even had dessert!! We had a blueberry crumble (the blueberries were from the store though). It was delicious!!

I grew up getting vegetables from the garden and never realized other people don't have the opportunity to grow their own vegetables. I do not want to take this for granted.

guts!

If you had asked me a few years ago (or even a few days ago), I never would have thought I would have the guts to commit to a blog. But 3 days ago I started this blog! Amazing!

I find it really hard to read what I have written. I sound so stupid!! I guess I have to learn to relax and enjoy this blog and appreciate the fact I had the guts to start it....

Rainy days!!

I woke up this morning at about 4 or so except I wasn't quite awake...I was still in the groggy state when things happen that don't make any sense. I thought I heard something hitting against my wall and I thought it was bugs!!! (I have no idea why I thought it was bugs!) I thought to myself, 'why are there bugs hitting my wall? Maybe I should clean my room tomorrow'. I promptly went back to sleep. I woke up again around 6 and realized it was rain I heard and not bugs. (Rain makes a lot more sense.)

I remember when my sister and I were still in University we were both at home and it was raining (a torrential downpour). So we decided to put on our rain pants, our rain jackets and our rain boots and go play in the rain. I must admit, I felt incredibly silly playing in the rain but it sure was fun!!

I appreciate the rainy days! They can make you feel young again!!

In the beginning...

Believe it or not, I am a first time blogger! (Hard to believe, I know.)

There are so many people in this world with struggles...some are mental struggles, some are physical struggles, and some are emotional struggles.

When I was growing up I sucked at vocabulary in school. I remember in elementary school I kept getting Fs in vocabulary. I was so discouraged and I did not want to fail so for the next test, I made sure I studied!! I studied all night every night for at least a week. After the test I kept thinking...'I hope I get at least 50%, I hope I get at least 50%'. (As 50% is passing where I come from.) When we got our tests back a few days later, I jumped for joy!!! I got 50% (exactly)!! I still consider that to be one of my greatest accomplishments. (Okay, I have had a sad life...lol) I am proud to say though that although vocabulary is still something I struggle with every day, I have earned my BA.

I am grateful and appreciate the fact that I have the ability to express how I feel. I may not be the most articulate, but I can still tell people what I feel and why I feel it. Sadly, not everyone in the world has this ability.