I’ll be Home for Christmas

Yes, it’s true!  It’s an Alberta Christmas for us this year.  We alternate Christmases between Sundre, Alberta and Burlington, Ontario; Alberta Christmases always make me feel peaceful and nostalgic.  I hope the holiday season is safe and happy for you as well, and filled with memory-making with your loved ones.  Merry Christmas!

AshleyW0004

Family photo is courtesy of Sarah Martin Photography.

I’ll be Home for Christmas

I’ll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams.

I am Thankful for the Start.

***This post was originally written as a Guest Blog post for Momstown.ca.***

“Would you be able to write a short and sweet story about being grateful, thankful, or what Thanksgiving means to your kids”?  This email popped into my Inbox from Momstown’s Director of Marketing and Media last week, and I’ve been thinking about it all weekend.

The part that’s been stumping me is where to start.  There is no doubt that I am over-the-top thankful for all of the things that I have in my life, and I do pause each day to consciously reflect on my gratitude and give thanks.  Believe me, I don’t take it for granted.  But, again, where do I start?  I guess I start at the start.

I am thankful that I finished my degree at the University of Calgary and still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.

I am thankful that I got a receptionist job at a sports-based chiropractic clinic and found the path to my future.

I am thankful that I applied to Chiropractic College in Toronto, and moved my life across the country the following year.

I am thankful that I said yes to a classmate’s offer to set me up on a blind date.

I am thankful that I knew from the very first night that I met him, that he was “the one”.

I am thankful for choices and coincidences, fate and luck, and right-time-right-place moments.

I am thankful for my husband, because he’s the start.  He’s where it all began.  He’s the one who gave me my incredible children and helped me build this wonderful life we are lucky enough to share today.

I am thankful for the start.

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60 Adventures in 60 Days

With September upon us, and back-to-school in full swing, I took a look at the fun-filled Summer I had with my family.  Because my husband is a teacher and I work part-time, we are lucky to have lots of family time in July and August.  And this year we’ve been in ‘puppy training bootcamp’, so we stuck relatively close to home.

We managed to pack in 60 adventures in 60 days.

Here’s what we did, in random order:

The Canada Day celebrations at Spencer Smith Park.

1)  The Canada Day celebrations at Spencer Smith Park.

2)  Casey learned to walk!

Taking the GO Train to see the Toronto Blue Jays play!

3)  The GO Train to a Toronto Blue Jays game.

4)  Frequent trips to the driving range.

5.  Hand-feeding giraffes at Safari Niagara.

5)  Hand-feeding giraffes at Safari Niagara.

6)  Visiting the Pet Store to buy dog treats and say hello to the animals.

9.  Cruising through the Burlington Mall in one of the mall's double strollers.

7)  Cruising through the Burlington Mall in one of the mall’s double strollers.

8)  We took my 4-yr-old to his first (and second) movie in the theatre.

9)  Got a balloon animal from Halaloo the Clown at Tansley Woods Rec Centre- this was through a great program offered by the Burlington Public Library.

10.  The Canadian Open golf tournament at Glen Abbey.

10)  The Canadian Open golf tournament at Glen Abbey.

11)  Mini-SNAP camp at Brant Hills two afternoons/week.

Exploring the creek that runs behind our house.

12)  Exploring the creek that runs behind our house.

13)  The ‘Biggest Little Night’ carnival, put on by the City of Burlington’s Parks & Rec Department.

14)  Thursday night soccer with DASH Sports.

12.  My half-marathon row.

15)  My half-marathon row.

16)  Climbing trees.

17)  Drew learned to ride his bike without training wheels.

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18)  Skating lessons at Centre Ice with Coach Tommy.

19)  ‘Small Oneders’ library program at BPL’s Central Branch.

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20) Raspberry picking at Hutchinson’s Farm.

21)  Backyard BBQ’s with our neighbors.

22)  ‘Creep, Crawl, and Toddle’ at the Ontario Early Year’s Centre.

23)  Weekly Monday night dinners (minus myself, as I work Monday evenings!) with cousins and grandparents.

Valens Conservation Area.

24)  Valens Conservation Area.

25)  Playing baseball at Emerson Park.

26) My friend Dale, whom I haven't seen in 13 years, came to visit from Bristol, England.

26) My friend Dale, whom I haven’t seen in 13 years, came to visit from Bristol, England.

27)  Burlington Centaur's Rugby match.

27)  We watched him play in a Burlington Centaur’s Rugby match.

28)  Lil’ Monkeys indoor playground and Tansley Woods indoor Treehouse.

29)  A family reunion with my mother-in-law’s extended family.

My cousin Lindsay (from Edmonton) came for a visit, and met Casey for the first time!

30)  My cousin Lindsay (from Edmonton) came for a visit- we toured ‘Fielding Estates’ winery in Beamsville.

31)  Mountainside outdoor pool and splashpad.

32)  Nelson outdoor pool and splashpad.

32)  Nelson outdoor pool and splashpad.

33)  Valleyridge splashpad in Oakville.

34)  Bronte Park outdoor pool.

34)  Bronte Park outdoor pool.

35)  Bike rides with the double bike trailer attached.

The Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls.

36)  The Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls.

37)  The Niagara Skywheel in Clifton Hill.

37)  Walks through the Orchard trail system, ending up at the duck pond.

38)  Walks through the Orchard trail system, ending up at the duck pond.

39)  A Hamilton TigerCats game at the University of Guelph.

39)  Wasaga Beach.

40)  Wasaga Beach.

41)  Blue Mountain Village.

41)  Blue Mountain Village.

42)  Hosting friends for backyard lunchtime playdates.

43)  August long weekend cottage time.

43)  August long weekend cottage time.

44)  Regular swims in my sister-in-law’s and in-law’s backyard pools.

45)  Neighborhood ice cream truck visits and snow-cone stands.

47)  Centre Island.

46)  Centre Island.

47)  LaSalle Park wading pool.

48)  Burlington Children’s Festival at Beachway Park.

49)  Fishing at my sister-in-law's cottage.

49)  Fishing at my sister-in-law’s cottage.

50)  The Burlington Farmer’s Market.

51)  Going to my husband’s weekly Touch Football games to cheer him on.

52)  Hand-feeding chipmunks at the LaSalle marina.

52)  Hand-feeding chipmunks at the LaSalle marina.

53.  Paddleboarding at Burlington Beach.

54)  Visiting the animals at Bronte Park.

54)  Visiting the animals at Bronte Park.

55)  Assumption Crusaders football camp.

56)  Brantford Zoo.

56)  Brantford Twin Valley Zoo.

57)  Competing in the 'Day/Night Challenge' at Crossfit Altitude.

57)  Competing in the ‘Day/Night Challenge’ at Crossfit Altitude.

58)  Ribfest.

59)  An overnight getaway with friends in downtown Toronto.

60)  Grandma and Grandpa visited from Sundre, Alberta.

60)  Grandma and Grandpa visited from Sundre, Alberta.

“One must maintain a little bit of Summer, even in the middle of Winter.”

~Henry David Thoreau