How I have finally experienced inner peace. Photo by Nitish Meena on Unsplash It's taken me a few tries to write this post. I will be vulnerable, which is always a bit scary. But I have been thinking other women may have similar struggles and so I thought I'd share my own journey in case it helps a friend or two. ...
Happy New Year! I can't believe it's been exactly one year since I last blogged. Life must have been crazy. It's definitely been an emotionally challenging year, the reasons which I hope to share one day, once the dust has settled (does it ever settle in family life?). It has also been a year filled with changes, the major one being that I'm no longer homeschooling. Yup, you heard that right. After 14 years, we have made the difficult but hopefully right decision to send all the kids to school. ...
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash When I was younger, I used to have mixed feelings about therapy. Growing up, there was certainly a stigma and even skepticism surrounding mental health, with psychology and psychiatry considered the "soft" sciences. Basically, the way out of a bad mental health spell was to keep busy and use that willpower and all would be well. ...
Whenever life gets a little crazy and stressful, and even when it isn't, my escapist pastime is to read. During the pandemic I read a lot a lot a lot. There were definitely perks to being very pregnant and having nowhere to go. But even now that we're in the full swing of life with five kids, I always manage to make time for reading. You could say that it's a vital part of my self-care routine. ...
What's better than reading? Reading with a latte and a pastry or two. Photo by Jordan Christian on Unsplash Reading is my passion and my comfort. Especially in these times of anxiety and uncertainty, I love to escape with a good book. If you, like me, are always looking for the next great read, check out my list of favorite books. I hope you find one or two gems here! ...
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash It's been a rough couple of weeks. One of my kids and I are currently engaged in a brutal game of who-can-push-the-other's-buttons-the-most. Super fun. Another kid has major disobedience/tantrum/sloth-like issues. I feel like I'm constantly running against the clock, wrangling the offspring to convey them to the next scheduled activity. As a result, I've got a bad case of the grumpies, which doesn't make anything easy on the home front. Sigh sigh sigh. While I figure out how to sort out this period of chaos and intense emotions, I'm reminded that one of the best ways to get out of a grumpy mood is to laugh. I also need a reminder that while family life sometimes makes me cry, it also has its hilarious moments. No one illustrates this better than a good comedian. Have you heard of Michael McIntyre, Jim Gaffigan, Jason Manford and Sindhu Vee? They are amazing stand up comedians who have had me in stitches over the realities of marriage and parenting. The fact that three out of the four hail from Britain only points to my obsession with all things British. ...
This scrumptious Almond Cranberry Cake is definitely one of my favorite things. From a Taste of Home. Starting the Homeschooling Year on the Right Foot Have you heard of homeschooling burnout? Many moms experience it in the bleak month of February when the weather is frigid, noses are forever runny and it's just been too many days of nonstop math and spelling. But not me! I actually burn out the second week of September. We haven't even cracked open all the books and I already want to quit. I've thought a lot about why this happens to me. I've realized that I get incredibly ambitious and excited about our new academic goals, only to feel deflated and defeated when my offspring don't share in either my ambitions or enthusiasm. Huh. ...
A rare selfie (wefie?) of me and the hubby. I meant to publish this post back in July. But then things got crazy and here were are, two months later. Better late than never! My husband and I just returned from a quick getaway to gorgeous Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was a much-needed break after a hectic school year and before we embark on a three-week family vacation. Which, by the way, we're super excited about -- we're heading to Quebec and Prince Edward Island! Nevertheless, we will be driving many, many, many hours with children of all ages, stages and temperaments. As Yoda might say, relaxing will not it be. One of my amazing sisters had our two oldest boys for the week, and my other amazing sister offered to care for our two little ones. I found a great hotel deal (thank you Travelzoo), we loaded the bikes, and off we went. ...
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash I love foreign films. I love their originality, their honesty, their non-Hollywood budgets, and their normal-looking actors. If the film includes food, then even better. I present to you my current list of favorite foreign films. Some of the trailers are a little cheesy - it's amazing how the quality of trailers has dramatically improved in the last decade. Enjoy! ...
This is the third and last post honoring British entertainment (check out my favorite novels and TV series). Without further ado, I humbly present to you my favorite British films. ...