All posts in The Pet

‘Scrub’ Sports

by admin on April 13, 2012 in Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings, People In My Heart, The Pet with No comments
(Photo’s from summer past, a rough version of soccer on Papa and Nanny’s lawn.)

Had my first game of ‘scrub baseball’ with the kids.  Riddick, the family dog, was tied to a tree so he would stop breaking up the game.  He has a nutty streak that just wants to destroy every ball he sees.

My youngest, being only three, spent most of his time bursting in and out of the game… apparently he was a little confused as to which game we where playing.  I would be just about to pitch the ball to the child at bat when someone would yell, ‘Baby boy, playing through!’, on cue a boy and his yellow soccer ball would madly run in and out of our way.

The older two figured the game out in no time.  Hit the ball with bat, put bat down, run to big tree and back to home before being tagged.  We had the expected attempts to nail the runner by throwing the ball AT them as hard as possible, the occasional stomping of feet when one didn’t make it back to home before being tagged, and one person got hit with the ball… that was Mom, of course.  I knew no good could come from being the first person to teach my oldest boy to pitch… he got me in the back and then I taught him, with excellent patience and grace I might add, to aim over the plate and not AT the batter.

My five year old daughter did a great job at running to the little person’s base and back (had a shorter run for the shorter kids) but forgot to put the bat down and that sure slowed her down… considering it’s almost as big as her.

The older two really liked getting Mom out and thought it was fun to try to block me on my way back to home base.  The required, but rare, scrub baseball tackle entered the game at this point.  “Mama will knock you down”, I grinned between wheezing for breath, as I picked my 8 year old up off the ground.  Dusted him off and we both laughed about it.  Of course he pulled it again in hopes of another wrestling match with Mom… ah boys…

So we didn’t completely stick to baseball, but it was a good first lesson!

My parents introduced us to pretty much every game under the sun, the ‘scrub’ version that is… less rules, rotating teams, no counting score and just fun…  I will always cherish the times my Grandma Smith got involved and wowed all us grand-kids.  She was such a sportsman!  I hope to encourage my children to JUST ENJOY it like she did.  I figure, like my parents must have, introduce the kids to enough sports in your own back yard and you help encourage them toward an active lifestyle.  We learned quickly it was about fun and activity.  That it didn’t matter much how amazing we where if we where hearty of spirit and ready to play!

TTFN

Kathy

by admin on February 28, 2012 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Feeling It (Thankful), Little Things, People In My Heart, The Pet with 1 Comment

Been going to a series of conferences for the last while, on my own.  In general I appreciate getting time alone.  The plus to this time of learning alone has been plenty of head space to take it all in.  The downer has been it is often nice to have someone to bounce off that new and expanded info.

The Lord sends encouragers at the simplest of times.  I sat down to eat at the lunch provided and a lady I had only recently met made sure to come over and sit with me so I wasn’t alone.  We found we had a connection in the church we attend and I was enjoying getting to know her bit by bit.

More people filled up the table and as we chatted I realised I was siting with neighbors!  On my left sat a couple that lives on the same crescent as us.  We had been getting along so well talking about gardening, organic eating and dogs.  We connected over Riddick (this isn’t the first time he has made my family recognisable).  They indeed knew my dog and recognised my eldest children that trailed around after him daily.  They too felt this was a real blessing to connect at such an unforeseen location and numbers where exchanged, plans for tea put in motion.

I now stood at the entrance to the conferences lecture hall, if you will, the sanctuary of a west side church.  Most people had come with someone and had spread out making little room for those of us who where flying solo.  Out of the blue Kathy, whom I would learn was her name, asked if I was looking for a seat.  She lead me to her spot and pointed out the available space next to her.  We chatted and found many a point of connection in why we where at the conference.  Both of us where finding great joy in learning as older women who have done the family thing for years.  A friendship seed was indeed planted as we ended up doing the courses practical application with one another; as we worked on our prayer ministry tools, together, a connection of the Spirit in us was lit.

I smiled to myself because I had just started to feel down about going to all of these lectures on my own when the Lord expanded my social circle so easily.  If I had decided to be uncomfortable and withdrawn, which in the past I was pron to do at such events, I would have missed out on a blessing.  It really drives home the point that there are people all around us to bless and be blessed by in the simplest way possible, sharing a little conversation and kindness.

TTFN

My Fine Hound

by admin on February 23, 2012 in The Pet with 1 Comment

Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.  ~Franklin P. Jones

IT is as if the author of the above quote has meet Riddick!   I have quickly noticed that non dog lovers find him very tiresome.  This boy will stick to you like glue, rub up against you and paw your lap if you have made even the slightest move to give him a scratch.  

He adores a good rub down and so is very patient with bath time.  He has even fallen over in the tub because he leans into my hand as I am scratching and rubbing him clean. 

It took no time at all for the kids to find his ‘sweet spot’.  Auntie Karla (a long time dog owner) filled us in on the fact that most dogs have a ‘spot’ that brings them great joy when you find and give it a good scratch.  A little to the side, just under his collar, closer to his back and voila you have a happy little man that will turn his head to the side, lean in toward you and thump, yes thump.  He looks just like Thumper from the Bambi film when you find and scratch his ‘spot’ just right.

So if you don’t like dogs much beware, he will wear out his welcome and has little sense of personal space.  He will let you rub and pat and scratch till your arm falls off.  Don’t TOUCH him if you can’t love him:)  AND that leads right into my next quote:

 Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.  ~Corey Ford

(Now there’s a dog’s best friend!)

TTFN

And Down To One Fish

by admin on February 23, 2012 in Adventure and Me, Dem Kids Sayed WHAT?, Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Life Keeps Changing, The Pet with No comments

 Well you never can tell with fish.  Yellow-whisker just didn’t seems as healthy from the get go.  The day before she died I was starting to warn the kids she seemed ill. 

We are now down to just Nia.  Sure didn’t take long for the first experience with a pets death to happen thanks to our new fish adventure.

The kids handled it well, although all differently.  Youngest two seem very unaware.  My eldest is just hoping we get a new fish; maybe a fancier one like a Beta next time.

My oldest boy, however, was the one who found her…  belly up… He looked so ash colored as he came and told me.  I took one  look at her and confirmed his suspicions.  He then looked really solemn.  I asked if he was okay and he shook his head ‘no’.  I said it was okay to be upset and when he started to cry I grabbed him in a big hug.  I assured him it is always a hard lesson in life to learn… that life ends.

After we hugged for a while he asked if he could go be alone in his room.  He then asked the sweetest question, so honest, “Is it okay if I am not okay for a while?  I still feel sad”.

“Absolutely okay my boy”, I assured him.

For now Nia is very healthy looking so we will stick with her and when she goes we will debate trying ONE Beta or just two new goldfish again.

TTFN

Nya and Yellow Whisker

by admin on January 19, 2012 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, Little Things, The Pet with No comments

 The kids where hanging off of the railings at the fish pond (in Market Mall) once again. Garnet and I where waiting. Myself more patiently then him. The kids can stair at the koi forever! I mentioned perhaps we should get a coffee and just let them stair while we talk.

Somehow we started talking about getting fish. I have never really been into this type of pet, mostly because they lack a lot of actual pet like advantaged… like touch and affection. Well Garnet dared me to get set up with fish for under 20 dollars because I had said it would have to be kept simple, no big tank, no more then two fish, no adding to it later. Well I marched into Zellers with his bet on my mind. Got a tank with the gravel, plant, food and conditioner for 11 dollars. Marched over to a pet shop and got two fish for 60 cents a piece. Done, only about 12 bucks!

For less money then a lot of their barely enjoyed toys cost we had a new pet. The kids where ecstatic. I don’t think having their own fish had ever entered their minds before. The whole affair took up most of the day and that was intentional. We had no plans (something rare on a weekend) and so this was turned into a grand family adventure.

After we picked the fish up we went home to choose names. Everyone, even our three year old, have very very strong opinions on a name for each fish. So we decided to draw the names out of a hat. My eldest’s warrior cat name ‘Yellow Whisker’ and then my oldest boy’s Lego Ninja name ‘Nya’ won. I was very disappointed that my suggestions ‘Jane Eyre’ or ‘Eeyore’ didn’t make it. Garnet was clever and picked spaghetti as a name and I thought meat ball would be perfect for the other in that case. No one but me liked ‘tweedle dee and tweedle dum’. My five year old daughter was heart broken that her names ‘cute and cutie’ didn’t get picked so she is refusing to stop calling them by her names. The youngest, our three year old, picked Bob the Builder and Diego… I am sure we all know where he got those ideas…

My olds daughter was sure everyone would be coming over JUST to meet our new fish. The littlest two spend a lot of time staring at them and talking about how CUTE they are. My biggest boy is hoping to teach Nya (the bigger of the two) how to do kungfu or spin-gitzu.

For now I am in charge of feeding them and we are all learning to not torment them. It they want to shake or touch something go find the dog. Eventually we hope to have the big kids feeding them too.

I am in no rush though. I find it very relaxing to feed them and watch them do their thing. Bonus is how smashing their pretty purple bowl looks in my sitting room.

Here is to new pets!

P.S. I want to put in writing though, that I draw the line at birds and rodents. I have a lot of reasons if you would like to know.

TTFN

-45 Confirms Our Weird Fall is Gone

by admin on January 18, 2012 in Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, The Pet with No comments
 

Well, our prolonged fall is gone.  It was historical in its oddness and I feel also in its end.  One day we are in the plus and the next we are in the -30s, and lower, with a few feet of heavy snow!  I spent three and a half hours clearing our walk ways.  We have a nasty big driveway (note to self, next house must have short driveway).

Yesterday the school bus didn’t make it, -40 will do that to a school bus.  This morning the thermometer read -45 so I hollered at my man to not get the kids up and rolled back under the covers.  SNOW DAY!  No bus, no school, no schedule!

(Introducing ‘Yellow Whisker’ and ‘Nya’)

I mozied out of bed at 10 and had a deliciously slow breakfast.  Made coffee to go with my Greek yogurt and homemade bread with jam.  Poured the remainder of the coffee over a roast, slow cooker supper.  Mixed up my weekly bread batch and finally got dressed around one.  The kids found a variety of games and insanity to entertain themselves as I puttered. Kitchen got clean and toys put away.

Lunch for the fish was followed by lunch for the crew.  Popcorn, hot chocolate, carrots and cake on the menu, a menu that at least contributed to the lack of a single complainer in the bunch (please note, fish DID get fish food)!

Riddick is in full winter rebellion gear again.  He looks at me like I am joking when I encourage him to go out for a run about and a wizz.  “Come on boy, you can’t cross your legs for ever,” I insist as I give him a gentle boot out.  Once back in doors we got the broom out and played broom ball dog style.  I run around with the broom and he tries to catch and destroy it.  After he was warn out the floor got washed and soon doggy gets a bath too.

So what kind of a post is this?  Well this is an itinerary to a mozie day.  I know you regulars are wondering where the long romantic descriptions of tea drinking and snuggle up time with chocolate are… no worries done that a few times today.


Excuse me while I continue to seize the day and take a nap.

TTFN

Autumn Walks and Bearded Dragons

by admin on September 30, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Bits Of My Personality, Dem Kids Sayed WHAT?, Little Things, Mama Heart Mushings, The Pet with No comments
(Yes this is a picture from last fall… with no camera I have to try to enjoy my favourite season without picture taking and so I have been looking through last years collection.)


Baby Boy, Riddick and I walked the big kids to the bus. As the bus pulled up my littlest guy yelled ‘LOOK a clue!’… he had been watching “Blue’s Clues” just this morning so I suppose he was still hunting down clues. It was so lovely that we walked slowly home kicking at leaves and talking about the wind… Baby Boy doesn’t like the wind… “Iz nice out Mama. Iz windy dow.”

We had to kick around at home for a while before going for our walk. We had decided to go to ‘Tumble Weed’, a thrift store just down our street, but it wouldn’t be open till ten and we where home by 8:30. When we did head out Riddick had to stay home so we could shop. My boy lead the way and so we took it very very very slow. I was such a well behaved Mama today and even pointed out possible distractions for him. “Look honey a big bunch of leaves! Throw them at me!”
Some how we still arrived at Sherbrook half an hour before the store was going to open!

Thank goodness for Bonny and Clyde! They are the residents bearded dragons and are still little and very social. They where watching my little man just as much as he was watching them. The lady who takes care of them noticed how nice Baby Boy was being and so showed him how she gives them a bath. “It is more of a shower,” she explained as she sprayed them down with a little spritzer bottle. They obviously thought it was cold as she blinked at her and tried to get away from the spray. She then set out their morning salad and we enjoyed watching their sticky tongues pop out and snatch food. She then got them to jump for us, a cute trick of theirs and petted them and carried them cradled in her hand. You could tell they just loved her, for as soon as her hand was in the pen they ran and climbed up her, even rubbing at her wrist almost like a cat or dog would. One of the few lizards awake during the day and even friendly when wild I could see why they where a popular pet. We decided we will have to come visit them again.

We did a little shopping and my little man found a noisy 50 cent truck while I was tickled over the two pretty tea cups I got (only a buck each). As we left Baby Boy thanked the volunteer at the store and said good bye to everyone we passed. He is a very friendly guy to all the residents there and we will have to pop in more often.

Walking home was just as slow but also just as lovely. Crisp fall air, beautiful colors and me and my boy holding hands meant I was in no hurry to get home. By the way we where home before eleven and so still have so much more loveliness, in this day, yet to come.

TTFN

Withdrawal

by admin on July 6, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, Little Things, The Jogger Within?, The Pet with 1 Comment
(A RELATED THOUGHT… or perhaps not… but wanted to share…
Everyday as I head outside I see these daisies… and many many more… all over my front lawn… SO IS LIFE, they seem to say to me… they are unplanned for and not socially acceptable all over my lawn… but… sorry neighbors they are the very reason I mow my front lawn infrequently. I far prefer these hearty and lovely little flowers to the sad brown grass that tries to survive under my glorious trees. I didn’t plan for my lawn to be any different from the neighbors but these little beauties are all that survives well and they are much prettier then what I would have controlled into being.)

Wow do I need to write!! I feel like all the fabulous moments my kids and I are experiencing are fading into oblivion without my having the ability to record and think them through on the family blog. Thankfully I haven’t needed a lot of de-stress blogging so I have been okay with letting this public blog lie… letting the sleeping blog lie… hmmmm, I like that… anyhow.

I need to be okay with the risk of memory lose as I have no personal computer to update so frequently. I need to just grab this summer by the… heat waves…. ??… and GO WITH IT! This is where life is right now! No computer for me and so I must cope with the blogging withdrawal and continue on.SUMMER, by the way, has been absolutely fabulous so far! The big kids are at camp and I am spoiling the smaller two. Garnet and I are getting lots of alone time and the dog is getting fun in the sun with an even more active me. I am not letting the specialist appointments slow me down. We, meaning Riddick THE DOG and I, are back to short jogs each morning and enjoying the energy boost that that provides.

(‘gasp’ a jogging photo… kinda… me right after a run, looking good cuz I took down my sweaty pony tail before picture was snapped, he he he)

There have been gallons of iced tea drank already, plenty of patio time, fun stops at parks, pools and more. The garden is doing super well in spite of the water ban. What else can I add? Going north to the grand folks with my crew next week and hope to put some deliciously northern snap shots on here soon enough and the fun continues after that trip with tea parties, camp for me and my two babies, a tenting weekend and swimming lessons.How will I cope with school starting again?

TTFN

Beginner Jogger

by admin on June 15, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Life Keeps Changing, The Jogger Within?, The Pet with 1 Comment

I have avoided calling myself a “jogger” for a long time… I kept saying I am just getting into it… just trying to be active, nothing more… but the fact is I can honestly say I now LIKE IT! I really do! It took the whole winter but I feel confident enough to call myself a jogger… or at least to be open to telling people I jog.

Steps to Jogging Confidence
(these are my steps… you know, what was in my head when I set out to master jogging… going from HATING IT to ENJOYING IT)

1) Proving to yourself that you are disciplined, that it isn’t just a fad and that you are not a fraud…

Joggers have a reputation. They are strong, disciplined and really passionate. I didn’t wanna be a joke and jump into calling myself a jogger too quickly, so this is why proving I had the discipline to keep it up was important to me. Started jogging shortly after getting our dog, Riddick, to keep him well exercised. When I started to see benefits in my health it became something for me too. I got up almost daily and jogged with my dog before the kids awoke (around six). I managed to maintain this for the whole winter. The discipline it took alone to getting up and out there made me feel pretty good about myself.

2) Being willing to be spotted jogging.

Long before jogging myself, I always spotted them. I followed their form and wondered about their style of run and their outfits… So going from early, and dark, morning jogs to doing it during the light of day was stressful for me. Thankfully I was able to start into this stage while still in my frumpy winter gear. I didn’t want to be spotted doing a shot-y job of what is called jogging. What if my running form looks like the funky chicken and I just don’t know?! Daylight brought out self confidence issues in the jogger me, but the harder step was letting the bulky winter wear go and dawning the work out gear for warmer weather

3) Buying and wearing those tight work out outfits.

I like mary janes (a type of shoe, flats) and dresses, big flow-y dresses… not a sporty girl… sooooo the sporty gear sure was intimating and felt so foreign when I started wearing it. I just had to tell myself over and over to stand up straight and suck it in baby!

It was also really hard for me to invest the cash on shoes that weren’t super cute. My very sporty biking husband informed the clerk “DON’T let her pick based on how they look!” The clerk informed him she had a lot of colorful types that no one else wanted and was more then thrilled to pawn them off on someone like me. This made me grin. They are as cute as sneakers can get, I assume, COLORFUL and very comfortable. (Pssst! Did I mention they match the little jogging skirt I had picked up just before the shoe clinic visit?! Don’t tell my husband!)

4) Jogging socially!

I have no idea why I put this off to last?!! Jogging with girl friends has turned out to be one of THE BEST parts of jogging! We have a beautiful river side city to enjoy and company really helps you go longer without getting side tracked. Is this why people get ipods and listen to inspiring music as they jog? I haven’t tried that yet, but since I am not a highly competitive sort I will often cut jogs short, when I am alone, because I get bored or my mind leads me on to other things and pretty soon I feel drawn away from my work out. Anyhow, the girls inspire me. I really look forward to our weekend jogs together! We have a beautiful route along the river and over a couple of the bridges. It doesn’t hurt that this route just happens to lead us to an award winning coffee shop at the end.

(The coffee!)

Well this is all I have for now. Ramblings of everything that has been bobbing around in my head since I started this adventure. I am a happy person in my body and all the more as I continue to exercise regularly.

P.s. Sorry, no jogging pictures of myself or my jogging pals… speaking of confidence… I don’t know about them but I don’t think I am ready for a jogging self photo on my blog yet:)

TTFN

Getting a Plot!

by admin on June 8, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Foodie Like Me, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Life Keeps Changing, The Pet with 1 Comment
(A view of the community garden from the top of our parks sled hill.)

Due to feeling off I missed the official PLOT MEETING where they presented all the garden members with their little pieces of earth. I thought perhaps I had lost my chance to be part of the community garden then but I got an email that if I could find the time to come by for some info and advice they had my spot. It is a grand spot too, 10 by 20 and smack in the middle of the garden. They have water hooked up all around the garden, a shed full of tools for our use and paths around each of the plots that they plan to make clear with wood chips soon. It is so pretty and it is just dirt so far! Can’t wait till it fills out with green plants and FOOD!There where already gardeners filling their plots! Even last night there where gardeners hard at work while we followed our cheerful noses around.

I had a good look around, played in my dirt for a bit and let the kids climb the near by trees. Riddick made friends with some residents of Sherbrook (the building right near the garden, they helped get this all started) and we all had a good look around before letting energy out by running up and down the sled hill a few times. We must have been entertaining to watch.

(Yes those are the oldest three rolling down the hill and my littlest guy doing his best to run without falling head over heals after them.)


After the good run around on the hill we headed to the park as a reward for the kids letting me do my thing at the garden.

It felt good to be out and about in the evening. To be active in our community on a lovely spring evening. I look forward to getting the kids settled in the evenings this summer and running over to fuss with our plot.

Sure hope I have lots of chances to bring the kids and Riddick as well so they can be part of it. If they continue to enjoy the bushes so much I might actually be able to keep them content while I work… gotta try picnics near the garden too and perhaps I will be able to at least get the older three involved in the work. So much to think about… hope I have a chance to get some seeds or plants A.S.A.P.!!

(Riddick and I watching the crew at the park before we headed home for bed time.)

TTFN

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