Happy Canada Day

Halfway through 2014

Leave a comment June 24, 2014 drworobec

Yes, it’s true. When the end of June comes, the year will be half over. Think back to six months ago….. January 1st, 2014….. did you make any resolutions? Goals? Promises? I did, and I’m not usually the resolution type. But with Summer approaching and school’s end upon us, I thought I’d take a look at my 2014 report card:

Resolution #1: Floss nightly.

Sounds simple, right? But for some reason, I cannot seem to remember to add in this two-minute undertaking every night. I can remember two children’s bath/book/bed routines, my myriad of supplements, and every other household organizational task, but flossing takes a backseat in my brain. However, I am doing much better, and now I probably remember more often than I forget.
Grade: B-

Resolution #2: Meal plan weekly.

I make a plan on Fridays and my husband grocery shops on Saturdays. Boom, done. The grease board on our fridge has become our weekly menu, which is far different than the almost-daily trips to the grocery store that we used to make. Not only has this saved money, but it’s also saved time and stopped the what’s-for-dinner stress. This has been a game-changer.
Grade: A+

Resolution #3: Follow this ’52 Week Money Challenge’:

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The concept is simple- make a small weekly cash deposit and end up with $1378 at the end of the year. The only downfall for me is that I rarely carry cash, so many weeks I don’t have the physical cash on me to contribute to this goal, and I end up making a lump-sum deposit once I remember. Now, I suppose I could set this up online so that money is e-transferred into a ’52-week savings jar’, but it’s more fun to see a little jar of cash on the bookshelf. Ironically, it’s cash that I end up borrowing from when I don’t have any cash on hand…
Grade: B+

Overall, I’m not doing too bad. I’m not on the New-Year’s-Resolution Honours list, but I’ve improved. And isn’t that the whole point? What were your resolutions?

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Bravo.

Leave a comment June 17, 2014 drworobec

I am all about community and coming together. I’m it-takes-a-village-to-raise-a-child. I’m many-hands-make-light-work. I’m about belonging and friendships and comfort and safety. So when I had a chance to be involved at Assumption Catholic Secondary School’s “Cut for a Cure” last week, I jumped at the chance. Assumption is a big part of my family’s life, as that’s where my husband has been a teacher for the last 12 years, and it’s also where my children hang out whenever my husband is coaching after school and I’m at work. It’s our everybody-knows-us place, our this-is-good-for-our-kids place, our let’s-build-our-community-roots place.

“Cut for a Cure” has become an annual Spring event, after the resounding success of last year’s inaugural fundraiser. This year, it was combined with a Spring sports pep rally. Picture a school gymnasium packed to the rafters with high school kids. Add in loud music, my energetic (read: loud) husband as emcee, and sports teams filling the floor seats. Then add in a long row of chairs and dozens of go-ahead-and-shave-my-head volunteers paired with hairdressers. And as the volunteers marched in, their hair prepped for wig-making donations, the excitement in the room grew exponentially. The volunteers were overwhelmingly male. Some were teachers, some were students, one was my five-year-old son proudly sporting his mohawk. But some were female. Some were grade 12 girls, the day before their graduation ceremony, willing to shave off their hair to make a donation. To make a statement. To make a difference.

I can only assume that these girls were like I was in grade 12. At seventeen or eighteen, confidence can often run low and insecurity can run high. Appearance is important. Acceptance is important. And let’s face it: society says that long hair is beautiful. Our hair can be our security blanket, our hide-behind, our defining characteristic, and our self-esteem all rolled into one. So to these girls, I say bravo. Bravo for seeing the big picture. Bravo for being mature and wise beyond your years. Bravo for standing up for what you believe in.

And to my five-year-old son, who bravely got his mohawk shaved in front of hundreds of people, I say bravo to you as well. As your hair fell to the floor, so did my tears of pride. You get it, buddy. And you made a difference.