Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours.  Take the time to enjoy family & friends, make new memories and remember the joyful years of Christmases past. Thanks to Jennifer Dodd Photography for the amazing picture!

One Year

I woke up this morning and fully intended to feel horrible.  To be hit with a feeling of “today’s the day” - a kind of overwhelming sadness that has come in waves over the last months.  It’s been one year since my mom died.  Grief is an unpredictable thing, and I was surprised to wake up feeling the same as I felt yesterday, sad but not depressed.  Lonely, but not alone.

I suppose I’m lucky that I had the chance to say goodbye to my mom, but I also had to watch her die.  As time has gone by, the months she was sick have slipped further into the recesses of my brain, a coping mechanism I am sure, but there are some things you never forget.  I have chosen not to think about the moment we stood by her bed and watched her take her last breathe, but today I can’t seem to stop thinking about that moment in time.  Standing with my dad and my aunt, desperately calling down the hallway to my brother “If you want to be here for….this…..you need to come now.”  I can remember every second of those few minutes as if they were their own lifetime.

Throughout the last year I have wondered often when things will get back to normal.  When I’ll feel entirely like myself again, and life will resume its peaceful if monotonous routines.  The last few weeks have brought some major changes in our family dynamic, changes that I have no control over, and I realize that we all have to find our own new normal.  My mom was the glue that kept my family together. She was the caretaker, the sister, the wife, the mother and the best friend.  These holes in our lives will never be filled, but I am learning how to fill the emptiness with happy memories.  Focusing on giving my kids what my mom gave to me - a confidence in myself, in my abilities, and the feeling that I was always safe and loved, no matter what.

Today, in memory of my mom, I ask you to do me a favour….or three.  Tell the people you love how you feel about them, forgive - especially when you think something is unforgivable, and live your life every single day.

Summer without a giant pile of books to read it like……well…….it’s like…..not summer.  Every year I make a list of books I plan to tackle while the sun’s shining and hours of my life are spent sitting in the yard or lounging at the beach.
My taste in books varies.  Sometimes I want to read a cheesy chicklit novel, or the next book in a series I’ve been reading for years, other times a really good story is all that I’m looking for. 
I’m currently reading “The Help”, after everyone at work told me I just HAD to read it.  I read the jacket and wasn’t particularly interested, but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.  SO glad I did.  I’ll do a quick little review when it’s all done, but definitely worth picking up if you have the chance.

For the record, I borrowed all of these pictures from Chapter.Indigo.ca – apparently now’s a good time to buy this book – 45% off  

This summer’s list if short and sweet.  Ten books that appeal to me in one way or another.
1. Bossy Pants – because Tina Fey is my idol.

 

Apparently this is also a good time to buy this one  

2. 10th Anniversary. I told you some of these are cheesy! I’ve read the rest of the Women’s Murder Club series, and really enjoy them.  Definitely a good beach reading series.

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.  Apparently if you like Clara Callan, you’ll like this book. I’ve heard amazing things, so I’m giving it a try.

4. Sing You Home.  When I read the back of this book, I knew I had to read it.  I have always said that my life has a soundtrack. Every important moment has a song that reminds me of it.  This line from the description had me sold: “For better or for worse, music is the language of memory.”

5. Then Came You.  Jennifer Weiner has a way of making you laugh, cry and nod your head in agreement in every book that she writes.   I can’t wait until this one comes out in July.

6. Fly Away Home. Also by Jennifer Weiner.  Need I say more?

7-9 The Sookie Stackhouse Novels.  Don’t judge. I started reading these last summer, and put them down never to pick them up again.  This is the time to read and enjoy them.  You’ll notice this is 7-9, though there are far more than 3 of them…

10. Okay, it’s not a book. But it’s from Chapters, and I want it. Isn’t it the perfect summer beach tote?

What’s one YOUR summer reading list?

Headboard Love

It’s been months since I promised you all a post showing off my Craigslist find that I turned into a headboard.  From the looks of things it was, at one point, part of a bedframe….I think? But either way, I loved the curves and knew that a little bit of spray paint would make this the headboard I’ve been dreaming about forever.

Okay, maybe more than a little bit of spray paint.  Sanded it, primed it, and THEN spray painted it.

Took about 2 hours to actually get to the spray painting part of things…

White. Because I want to paint everything in my house white right now. 

I’m SERIOUSLY in love with this! It’s exactly what I pictured!  You’ll notice I still haven’t painted my nightstands…whoops! They’re going white, too.

While I had the spray paint out, I thought I’d paint my $5 outside owl.

I’ve been looking for an owl (I know, I’m a weirdo) for the TV cabinet for a while now, and finally found one I liked the look of, but the colour was terrible.

He loves his new home.

Next up on my painting list:

Dining room chairs. I’m not sure what colour just yet, but I had to say goodbye to my bring green chairs since two of them were falling apart, and one of them had a giant crack. So I’m starting fresh.

I did like the style of them better though….

*****

It’s a long weekend here in Canada and it’s so nice to actually have nothing that has to be done.  Life has been, quite frankly, overwhelming lately, so three day to relax and do small projects around the house is just what the doctor ordered.

Yummy Monday

Summer Reading List

Summer without a giant pile of books to read it like……well…….it’s like…..not summer.  Every year I make a list of books I plan to tackle while the sun’s shining and hours of my life are spent sitting in the yard or lounging at the beach.

My taste in books varies.  Sometimes I want to read a cheesy chicklit novel, or the next book in a series I’ve been reading for years, other times a really good story is all that I’m looking for. 

I’m currently reading “The Help”, after everyone at work told me I just HAD to read it.  I read the jacket and wasn’t particularly interested, but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.  SO glad I did.  I’ll do a quick little review when it’s all done, but definitely worth picking up if you have the chance.

For the record, I borrowed all of these pictures from Chapter.Indigo.ca – apparently now’s a good time to buy this book – 45% off  

This summer’s list if short and sweet.  Ten books that appeal to me in one way or another.

1. Bossy Pants – because Tina Fey is my idol.

 

Apparently this is also a good time to buy this one  

2. 10th Anniversary. I told you some of these are cheesy! I’ve read the rest of the Women’s Murder Club series, and really enjoy them.  Definitely a good beach reading series.

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.  Apparently if you like Clara Callan, you’ll like this book. I’ve heard amazing things, so I’m giving it a try.

4. Sing You Home.  When I read the back of this book, I knew I had to read it.  I have always said that my life has a soundtrack. Every important moment has a song that reminds me of it.  This line from the description had me sold: “For better or for worse, music is the language of memory.”

5. Then Came You.  Jennifer Weiner has a way of making you laugh, cry and nod your head in agreement in every book that she writes.   I can’t wait until this one comes out in July.

6. Fly Away Home. Also by Jennifer Weiner.  Need I say more?

7-9 The Sookie Stackhouse Novels.  Don’t judge. I started reading these last summer, and put them down never to pick them up again.  This is the time to read and enjoy them.  You’ll notice this is 7-9, though there are far more than 3 of them…

10. Okay, it’s not a book. But it’s from Chapters, and I want it. Isn’t it the perfect summer beach tote?

 

What’s one YOUR summer reading list?

Long Weekend Love

My weekend was full of strawberries and herbs, flower and fields, family and fun.

This week has to be full of exercise and meal plans, gardening and organizing, and getting things around here figured out and back on track.

Love to you all!!

P.S. I’m up and running on PriorFatGirl.com – you can check me out by clicking on “Other PriorFatGirls” and selecting “Ali”.