I Want To Give a Shout Out....

As you may or may not know (oh, come on, you all read my blog religiously, don't you?!), our son is having issues with his speech and behaviour (although he's come a very long way in a few short months). 

Just about the time that our first speech therapy appointment happened, and some other issues were suggested to us, a sweet gal by the name of Becca started up a blog.  Becca is a pediatric speech-language pathologist, who very obviously cares about what she does and the people she works with.  Her blog, Child Talk, is an amazing resource for parents who are in the thick of dealing with these and other issues with their kids, or parents who are just entering the scary and uncertain world that faces them and their children.

I just wanted to spread the word about the amazing blog that Becca has started, she welcomes questions through her website and had been more than helpful to me when I sent her a freaked out email in March.  She talked me down to just mild hysteria (kidding!). 

I see the work and caring that she puts into her blog, so if you yourself can't use the information, but know someone who can, please pass her blog address along!!

Thanks Becca!!!

It Starts This Early??

I remember elementary school.  I even remember kindergarten to some extent.  I remember playing with all of the kids, making new friends and the exciting feeling of being on my own, if even for just a morning every day.  I remember forging a new with friendship a girl, someone with whom I would be best friends with for the next 8 years.

I also remember being in grade 4 or 5, having our petty, typical girly spats, being friends with someone one day, and fighting with them the next.  I get that kids (especially girls) are like that, and that it's the norm.  I also know that kids are cruel, remembering that I was cruel to a kid or two along the way and remembering kids that were bullies to everyone on the playground.  I get that all of that is a part of growing up, learning how to treat people, learning how to develop relationships and learning lessons from the way you yourself are treated.

But.  My daughter is 4.  She is a very personable little girl, not a shy bone in her body.  We are new to this city, and when I took them to the park, I figured it might be a good chance to meet some other little girls in our area.  When we first got there, there was a girl, probably a year or two older than  mine, whom Jayda invited to play.  (It's actually pretty cute, she'll walk up to any little strange girl and say, "Hi, my name is Jayda, do you want to play?")  They played really well, and then the little girl had to go home.

It was then that another couple of little girls arrived, and Jayda approached them to play.  The first little girl (we'll call her Ring Leader) said, "No, I don't know you and haven't seen you before" and then walked away, ignoring Jayda when she introduced herself again.  I resisted the urge to do anything about the situation, especially when Jayda's face turned sad and she walked over the bench to sulk for a few minutes.  And this wasn't a pouty sulk, this was a hurt sulk.

I get that kids can be mean and discluding, but the kicker here is that RL's Mom was standing right there.  Maybe I'm way out of line, or what they call a "helicopter parent" or whatever, but if it were my kid doing that to someone, I would be stepping in and correcting the behaviour.  I get that I'm not going to be choosing my kids' friends as they get older, but is there anything wrong with guiding them to try and make the right choices in the way they treat others? 

I left there feeling hurt for my daughter and feeling like the other parent dropped the ball on this one.  As I was discussing this with my husband after we got home, I lamented that if I ever caught one of my kids treating someone else that way, they would be corrected even as they were doing it. 

Or, something like that.  But with harsher words.

In the end, I explained to her that even thought that girl left her out, the important thing was that she was friendly with the girls and invited them to play.  The important thing is how you treat others, and if they don't treat you nicely back, you go and find someone else who will, ignoring the meanness.

Easier said than done. 

This is going to be a long 15 years, probably more so for me than for her.

Now excuse me while I go trim my Mama Bear claws....

Royally Amazing!

So, we met Will and Kate today.  No.  Really.  We met Will and Kate.  The famous ones.  The royal ones.

 I still really can't believe it. 

And, I can't believe how much of a royal bandwaggoner I've become.  Just a couple of days ago, I was lamenting to my husband how incredibly unfair it was that 2 people like that have it totally made in the shade, while I have sudsy dishwater dripping off of my elbows. 

You see, they are visiting our city (the one we just moved to 3 weeks ago - good timing, huh?!).  My hubby is on security detail for their royal highnesses.  Long days, a lot of heat and mosquitoes made him a little cranky about it.  We talked about how, for no reason other than bloodline and some sexy lingerie* did these two folks fall into "one of the richest and most famous and most beautiful therefore most happy" people in the world.

*

                                                                     courtesy of google images

No envy here.  None.  Just dishpan hands.

Anyway, we both were thinking that it really wasn't that big of a deal that they were here, and I didn't have even an inkling to go see them (I'm not a crowd person, especially with 2 crabby kids).

Hubby happens to text this morning, saying that they are checking out of the hotel (I'm pretty sure this may or may not have been privileged information) and to get our butts down there in a very short amount of time.  I begin to daydream about Kate complimenting me on my pj bottoms, but flinching at the hole in my t shirt....

We end up getting the heck down there (I'm pretty sure if I'd been given more time to think about it, we wouldn't have gone - I was on autopilot) and wait.  There I stand with 2 kids - one looking pretty good, like the little princess she is (except she put her WINTER princess boots on with her dress - awesome), and the other kid with bedhead (this was the only day he's slept in for a year), a football shirt and a rip in the knee of his jeans (I swear I didn't know about the rip - I think it happened when he fell trying to pick dandelions on the way to see their royalnesses - don't ask about the stupid weeds...).

And, the kids start to get antsy.  As I look around at the other 5 or 6 kids, I realize it may have been a good idea to bring flowers, or wash my kids' faces or even run a comb through.  Ah well, we'll never see them again, and maybe if we look that bad, they'll consider making a donation towards our cause.  Or not.

Anyway, they finally come out and, well, wow.  What a stunning couple.  And, she's gorgeous (although my husband says I'm hotter - atta boy).  And the kids met them.  After shaking William's hand, my son proceeded to shake the hands of the security guys, prompting William, with a laugh, to say he was "curious".  (what does that mean in British speak?)  My daughter was taken with Kate and could only squeak out a "hi".

The first picture is my son shaking William's hand, and the second picture is my daughter (in the middle with the pink and green dress) staring in awe at Kate.  The pair was very gracious and took time to talk to the kids, I was impressed!

So, now I guess I am a fan.  Not a die hard, royal following fan, just a person who has a new found respect for the future King and Queen of England.

Pretty cool day.

The Rain Ain't Got Nothin' On This!!!

It's been raining here all day, and I wanna go outside and play!!!!  My kids are wrangy, I'm antsy to do something outdoorsy, and I'm hoping that the sun decides to come out to play tomorrow!

So, in the absence of something fun to do outside, I'm planning something fun for the summer - my sister has agreed to host an online Arbonne party - one that will include girlfriends from around the country and beyond - the only stipulation to you taking part is that you need to have glass of wine in hand (or the beverage of your choice), some me time at the computer, and have some fun browsing my website of fantastic Arbonne product!  We are launching the party in the next couple of days, but I want to let you know that we will be including a prize to one or more people that place orders.  If you would like to place an order, please do so by sending me an email - I'll be in contact with you to get your information, and place all of the orders together under this party.

I'd love to see people from everywhere take part, so kick back, relax and enjoy perusing the yumminess (is that a word??) that is Arbonne!! (My fav these days is the Seasource Detox Spa - heavenly!!!!)

Visit my website at www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca, let me know when you've had a look and I'll add you to our list of "party people"!!  If you have ANY questions about the products or would like some recommendations, please email me at clairedonison@live.ca - I loooooove to hear from you all!!!

I AM CANADIAN!!!

Happy Canada Day everyone!!  And yes, even if you're not Canadian, we are so darn hospitable and welcoming (and apparently not self centered in the least) , that we'll let you celebrate right along with us!!!

So, in honor of the birthday of this awesome country, here is a list of why I love Canada:

10.  We drink Vico, not chocolate milk (maybe just one for the prairies)

9.  We wear bunny hugs, not hoodies (pretty sure another one for the prairies)

8.  We can drive for miles and miles without seeing a town or city.

7.  We can step out in -40 C and declare that it's "refreshing".

6.  We do say "eh" and are proud of being able to be recognized right away as a Canadian because of it.

5.  Tim Horton's.  Enough said.

4.  Hockey.  And, the CFL - the best football league in the world - heck for that matter, the Riders aren't only the pride of Saskatchewan, they are the pride of the whole darn country!!

3.  Proudly being able to wear my flag in foreign countries.

2.  We have 4 distinct seasons, and they all show themselves with a vengeance.

1.  There is so much patriotic love for our country, sometimes just hearing a crowd sing our national anthem brings tears to my eyes.

So, Happy Canada Day my friends, and to our friends to the south, Happy Independence Day on Monday, have a wonderful, country-loving weekend!!!