Thursday, August 15, 2013

Facebook Scroll Troll

In my house everyone knows what my 'vice' is, the thing I can scarcely function without, it gives me anxiety when I can't find it and I am constantly checking my pockets to make sure I have tabs on it. My addiction is my phone!

Years ago, Seth was on this mission to get me off Facebook. He would say things like "If you stay off Facebook for a week, I will stay off my DS for a week!" or "Lets have a competition and see if you can stay off Facebook for 5 days while I don't eat junk food for 5 days."  And this is before I had the ease of checking other people's status updates from anywhere and everywhere, when I just had a regular old cell phone and I had to open up my laptop and enter the web address to get to Facebook.

To this day it still irritates Seth. We will be watching a really good movie together (Sidenote: Jack the Giant Slayer was such a cool movie for a pre-teen boy, and his mother) and I will be really intrigued and suddenly out pops my phone and I quickly check if I have a text, an email, or a Facebook notification.  It's getting worse because now I can also take a quick glance at Intsagram and see if any of my friends have posted something recently and if I'm really desperate a quick look on Pinterest happens as well.

It's a full blown addiction. I'm not afraid to admit it.  It takes me between 10 seconds and 2 minutes to catch up depending on how many people have posted something recently or how long its been since I checked.

Facebook is my connection to the outside world. As a 'daycare mom' my connection with adults is limited. So Facebook is where I hear about the news, it's where I read blog posts, it's where I watch viral videos and it's where I read those little feel good articles from Upworthy.

Yup, thats what my phone looks like 90% of the time.

AND, don't think that this post means I will be stopping. Oh no, I won't be stopping. I will continue to scroll and scroll and see what you've posted, what you've been up to, and pictures of your most recent holiday and of your kids. Facebook kinda allows the creepy stalker in all of us to be let out, and almost makes it acceptable... almost. 

The one thing I do hate about it is this; I have friends who I rarely talk to except when we suddenly decide to get together and catch up.  Catching up has changed.

Now catching up goes something  like this:
"I took a camping trip out to the East Coast this summer!"
"I know, I saw it on Facebook.  I went the the Blue Jays game last week!"
"I know, I saw it on Facebook.  Lucy is finally potty trained! No more diapers!"
"I know, I saw it on Facebook."
and then - Silence.

What the heck are we supposed to talk about?

As usual with my posts, I have gotten off track here. It has been quite a while since my last post (like 500 years) so why not restart in true Kathryn Fashion?

So why am I constantly checking my phone? Why do I feel the need to be connected with people, some of whom I barely know? What is it I am searching for?

I think I know. I'm searching for human contact, like an alien from Mars. I'm searching for something that will make me laugh, or something that will make me cry. I want something that will make me feel connected to someone, somewhere, something that will make me feel something.

Thing is, I'm really looking in the wrong place.  As I said, I won't be stopping. I know I won't, but perhaps if I can find something that makes me feel something outside of Facebook, I won't feel the need to peruse so frequently.

I have a 'Good Book', and that's where I am going to start.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Chaos!

Last week I learned...

That March Break is likely the busiest time of the year for any day care mom!!  I barely had time to breathe during the days, let alone eat, or sit down!  6 kids all day, every day.  Mind you I think if they were all my own kids, things would have been different, not sure if it would have been better or worse though.

Friday, March 08, 2013

Hair!

Today I learned...

The 'Barbie' Merida's hair takes as long to dry as the real Merida's Hair!  2 days and counting!

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Today I learned...

to expect the unexpected, and not be disappointed when it does or doesn't go the way you expected.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Say WHAT!?

Today I learned...

That you should never say something unless you are 100% certain that if it was repeated you wouldn't sound like a pompous jerk.  As a general rule, your children will repeat it at some point, someone will hear it and you will have to explain - leaving you looking like even more of a jerk.

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

I love being a Turtle

Today I learned...

I freaking LOVE  the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...


They are so smart.

Monday, March 04, 2013

Ikea - the inspiration!



On Friday night we took a trip to Ikea.
After walking around and around and around, my son found his bed in a room. There was a nice little sitting room underneath it, which inspired him to clean his room.
We bought fabric for new curtains (he was living with Batman ones) and I made some of his old t-shirts into pillows.

Seth's first tie died shirt, 2 shirts from Eric's travels, the Bull from Spain and obviously the NY from New York.
And he received the other t-shirt when his drawing  was published in a magazine when he was in grade 2.

He moved his beanbag chair up from the basement, rearranged the TV and VOILA!


Here is Seth, thoroughly enjoying his room! He says he can't until he is sick and is forced to spend the whole day in there!







Nap?

This weekend I learned...

It is NEVER alright to skip nap time... no exceptions....

and I learned this on Saturday, but then I learned it again on Sunday - today she is having a nap.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Filter!??!

Today I learned...

4 year-olds have literally no filter between their brain and their mouth.  And although their thoughts are mostly innocent, they can sound really inappropriate to an adult...

I wonder if my filter has changed much since I was 4.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

The things I want to give my children

Things are changing... and that makes me sound old.  I recall many adults saying those same words when I was a child.

WE (and I say we because I think the majority of people who read this are around my age, if your not - I am referring to people approx. 20-30 years old) are being considered the 'jobless generation'
To read more on that - click here

We went to a post secondary school, studied hard (or kinda hard) and graduated assuming that we would  actually work in the field that we studied.

It wasn't that simple.

Either way, we all work hard now to make ends meet and with a pile of debt from years of school, it is pretty difficult. And then we have kids. And I would be a hypocrite to tell that that having children is a bad idea.  In fact I think having children was my BEST idea - ever!  But, they do make it a little more challenging to stick to a budget.

So now I have an *almost* 11 year-old boy.  We live in a nice little town, with nice people, most of whom commute to Toronto for better paying jobs to make ends meet.  Most of them are older than I am - but that's not really important.

Seth's friends have their own iPads, they live in HUGE houses with a pool in the backyard and they have their own TV's in their room, with a PVR, Netflix, Xbox, and a PS3 connected to it.  They play hockey, karate, swimming lessons, indoor and outdoor soccer, and take some sort of music lesson.

Seth wants to know why we don't live in a big house, why we don't have a pool, why he only has a Nintendo hooked up to the tv in his room, and why my old iPod, that I gave him, doesn't have a camera. (Yes, I gave him my old iPod touch when I got an iPhone because I don't need both, and yes, somedays I regret my decision to give it to him -  especially since he figured out how to iMessage people and I have this new obstacle in the hallway.)



What I am trying to say is that I do not feel like it is my responsibility to give my kids these things.  I am responsible for the obvious, food and shelter, but on top of those things this is a list of things I feel like my kids should have....


What I want to give my kids


- Creativity, I want my kids to express themselves, to have a fun way to showcase their thoughts, ideas and dreams. Whether it is art, dance, cooking, card making, scrapbooking, whittling, or puppets, kids (and adults) need to express themselves,


- My time, I don't want my kids growing up and saying they were raised by a nanny so that I could work hard to give them a plethora of things they did not need. (don't take this is wrong way, I have no problem with families who have a nanny, and I totally understand how it could be a necessary option for a lot of families, I mean, that when I am not working, I want to be fully present with my children and I don't want to be working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week)


- Self confidence, by showing my children that I have a desire to spend time with them it will help them to believe that other people might also want to spend time with them. By listening to their thoughts, ideas and crazy stories, they will believe that there are other people who also want to hear those things.



Imagination, I want my kids to be able to turn the boring and mundane into something fun and exciting.  A trip to the grocery store sometimes turns into a treasure hunt, or a walk to school when we've left late can turn into the race of the century.



- A sense of Responsibility, nothing in this world comes for free.  They need to earn their allowance, and pay for some of the things that we can't (or don't want to) purchase for them.  Childhood is a time of freedom, no bills to pay, so all their money can be saved.  This past summer Seth bought his own plane ticket to visit his Aunt and Uncle in Edmonton.  It took him a year to save, but ask him -  it was worth every penny! (and every toy he resisted buying throughout the year)


- Unconditional Love, my kids may do some of the stupidest things, but they are my kids, I loved them since the moment I heard their heart beat, and nothing Nothing, will change that!
What's better than a hug
from your sister?


- Sibling Love, I guess it is not really me who gives this to them, but I can teach them to love each other, respect each others differences and preferences and in turn, also teaches them how to be a friend.



-Big Dreams, my kids are amazing, talented, wonderful little people (and I'm sure yours are too) and they can be ANYTHING they want to be. Astronaut, Prime Minister, Hollywood Director, Doctor, Ballerina, or Grocery Clerk, Burger Flipper, Maid, Mommy (which kind of involves the last 3), if thats what they want to be, and that's whats going to make them happy, then that's what they should be!


- Cookies, every kid needs good, homemade cookies.  As a mommy, I kinda get to decide what goes into my kids stomachs (sometimes - they have, on occasion, eaten things they shouldn't have, like crayons)  So if they want delicious cookies, I'm going to give them delicious cookies.... in moderation.






weekend to relax

Today I learned...

A relaxing weekend of doing nothing leaves enough 'catch-up' work to keep you busy until the next relaxing weekend.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Genetics

Today I learned...
All my kids are crazy - yes, all 3 of them.

Somehow that makes me think it might be genetic....

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Ranger cookies

I broke up with sugar.  We cut the ties last week.  It was hard but it had to be done.

So why not take this opportunity to blog about my favourite cookies! (smart thinking, Kathryn)

These cookies are simply delicious because they are crunchy and soft and chew all at the same time. 
With these cookies you can have it ALL! (but I can't even have one) So enjoy!




Ranger Cookies

preheat oven to 350


1 cup shortening (I use butter - softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups quick rolled oats
2 cups rice kripies (I sometimes use some cornflakes if I have them around too)
1 cup flaked coconut.

You know the drill - 

Cream shortening and sugars til fluffy, add eggs and vanilla.
In an other bowl combine dry ingredients and gradually mix together.

drop by tablespoon onto baking sheets and bake for 7-9 minutes.



Sugar

It is really really REALLY hard to stay away from sugary treats.  And actually - I learned this earlier this week, but it seems I have been re-taught this again today... and likely again tomorrow I will be reminded of this challenge, hopefully for months to come.

Does anyone have a cookie?

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

We're all in this together!

Remember that perception you had of motherhood....  the one you had before you had kids.
Cuddling, napping together, making fun crafts, baking, playing at the park... they look so good in my mind.

Moments of fun... sweet faces.

Patience and walking hand in hand.

It's easy to forget about those 'Other' mommy moments...  Because as I type, I have an *almost* 4 year-old begging me to make Jell-o for the 100th time this week, and then getting stuck between the couch and the wall (seriously, there is not enough room back there for a child, and I have no idea how she got back there!)  

Moments like these - 

Screaming while doing something fun!

Screaming while visiting family

BLESS YOU!

I hope that window was clean!

Nothing like a little nose picking while you are getting a family photo taken!

are easy to forget... unless you are like me and you take pictures of those moments!

Back to my point - motherhood is not really like I thought it was going to be.  I don't think many mothers could honestly say that it is.  
There are times, when things are going perfect, when I sit down and say to myself "I had an awesome day with my awesome kids!" 
There are also those days where I feel like I have just removed a child from behind the couch 20 times, I have cleaned up spilled milk 10 times, I have already fed them and where did that marker come from?, how come there is crayon all over the wall?, how did the photos fall off the wall on their own?, you want Jell-o again??  take your finger out of your nose, share your toys, if you need to pee, go to the toilet, get your hands out of the flour bin, yes, I can make Jell-o, paint?  you want to paint?  I just cleaned crayon off the wall and marker off the carpet and now you want me to take paint out?....  

You know those days... we all do.  And I think I just realized this the other day!

I know a lady, she is an amazing lady.  I constantly wonder how she has so much patience and think of what a good mother she is - she seems like she has it all together, all the time.  And she asked ME, what I was making for dinner, because she had no ideas.  No big deal, I know, but even those 'perfect' mothers need help sometimes.

I heard story of an other wonderful mother, who had a child who could read the clock and knew when time was bedtime.  7:30, on the dot, and the child would not go to bed any sooner.  So this mother would turn the clock forward on a bad day and get her kids to bed earlier so she could have some peace.

I heard that and thought "That is a fantastic idea!"

So when I visualize those moms who do everything, I visualize a clean house, dinner cooking and mommy playing with the kids, but I am pretty sure that is completely IMPOSSIBLE!!  
A clean house - maybe for a few minutes.  
Dinner cooking - absolutely.  
Mommy playing with the kids - heck yes!  
but all three at the same time - there is no way!

So rest assured mom's out there in the interweb - you are not alone.  As my daughter now beckons for more two-bite brownies, I must go.  My dishes are half done, at least one room in my house is clean, and I need to make more jell-o.




Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: It's been a while!

I have been dying to get back into regular routine again.  Wake up, work out, eat breakfast, have daycare kids, blog while kids are napping.... but somehow it hasn't been working out...
This is me, kicking myself in the butt.  GO, KATHRYN, GO!!

So a nice slow start, Wordless Wednesday! Just a couple pictures of my family over the holidays.


Lucy opening presents with Daddy!

Im kidding!  This is NOT a real headlock!

Seth on a float for his grandparents church

My girls visiting with Santa Claus!


 Seth recently won a video contest.  He also got a lot of equipment for making more videos for christmas, so I thought I would share his most recent one!  Thanks for Watching!