My Lips Are Waxed

I've never thought of myself as being old.  I don't have grey hair, I still think of myself as 25 and I got carded yesterday.  Yes, that's right - a 38 year old got carded!  Waa Hoo!!!

However, I've finally decided to acknowledge a problem I know that I've had for some time.  My upper lip was starting to look like the testosterone was taking over a little too much.  In asking my sister if it looked like it was darker, she said that it looked fine (bless her heart, she didn't want my wrath).  In light of our upcoming trip, I decided to do something about it.

Let me back up a little.  The last time we were in Vegas, I was walking through a casino, and 2 drunk guys stumbled by me.  One of them said something to me, something that sounded like "nice moustache".  I'm sure that's not what he said, he probably said something like "I need cash", but then again, I'm pretty sure he didn't.

So the wheels started turning.  You know how when you stare in the mirror at your eyebrows, and pretty soon they are big and black and bushy, and it's all you can see?  Well, that's what my upper lip looked like.  Couple that to the fact that I'm sure I grew a mini beard when I had my kids (that my hubby made sure I knew about, just in case I couldn't see it myself), I have a complex about facial hair.

So, yesterday I took the bull by the horns.  I did an at home wax kit - sorry, not paying $35 to have my brows and 'stache waxed when I can do it myself for $5.  I am pretty sure it worked, although it's still a little too pink to tell for sure, but hey, it couldn't be worse, right?

I am coming to the realization that bad things happen as we age.  Facial hair, sagging body parts, memory loss....

courtesy Google Images

Now....what was I saying?
                                                             

My heart melts!

So much has been going on with the big girl starting school, today is show and tell (my bet is there will be at least 78 barbies...) and there are new friendships being made every day.  My daughter is, shall we say, a loud, unabashed free spirit.  She has the biggest heart and the best intentions but isn't quite in the know about socially acceptable behaviour yet (as I'm sure all kids her age aren't to some extent).  She makes her teacher laugh daily, and was called a "silly monkey" by said teacher last week (or so she says - she also has the biggest imagination).

Well, she has found her twin.  Yep, there really is another kid out there as, well, out there as Jayda.  It is the funniest thing to watch them meet on the playground every morning - with screams and hugs as if they hadn't seen each other in years.  That just melts my heart.  One of the things we want for our kids is to have wonderful, meaningful relationships with their friends, and I definitely see a long friendship between these two kids.  So awesome!

It's only been 2 weeks since school has started...wouldn't that be something if she found her true BFF 2 weeks into kindergarten? 

Letting Go...

I am a type "A" personality.  Just ask my husband, who is driven crazy by my 'I want everything done my way' ways.  In my defense, I like to think I'm pretty darned organized and even headed about it.  Except when we live out of a laundry basket full of unfolded clothes for a few days, but I like to think of it as having my priorities straight.

But I digress...

Anyhow, being this type of person, I also tend to let things get to me, creating a little gnawing feeling in my stomach.  I worry about the little things, wanting to do something about them right. now.  Last night I had a bit of an epiphany - I vowed that when things start to get to me, I am to immediately do something self-gratifying.  Whether that is eating ice cream, folding the aforementioned laundry, going for a walk - whatever gives me a boost at that moment.  The trick to this is,  when I do one of these things, I have to slowly let go of whatever is bothering me. 

And last night, it worked. 

I tend to make things complicated, when really, most things are quite simple.  Easy to say, hard to remember. 

And, I think it makes me easier to live with.

Now excuse me while I go fold my laundry....

Nose To The Grindstone!

Well, fall is here and it's time to get back down to it!  Jayda has started kindergarten (full days, every day!)  and Cash starts playschool in 2 days, so I am putting my nose to the grindstone.

My days are now filled with working my business.  I love this business, I believe in the products and love the freedom and flexibility it gives me!  Heck, I took the summer off and don't regret it for a second!!  Being new to this city, it is providing me with the opportunity to meet new people, and share exciting products that I love! 

Previous to moving to the north, I was a contact lens technician and optician.  The business I got my roots in is a high end boutique type of store, with awesome quality frames, lenses, everything!  I quickly realized that there is a definite benefit to buying for quality, not just for price.  I'm not a name brand snob, but I do appreciate high quality products.  I think that is why I love this business so much - it's not the same as other businesses - the research and ingredients that go into these products is absolutely incredible - and the proof is in the putting.

If you'd like to check out what I'm so excited about, and working so hard toward being a success in my endeavour, check it out!!  The new holiday line is out, and I'm just about jumping out of my skin at how much I love the yumminess of these products!!!

I so appreciate all of my clients, friends and family that are understanding what the fuss is all about here!  It truly is an awesome business to "work" for! 

FORWARD MARCH!!!

So Giddy I Could Spit...

Okay, I wouldn't spit ('cause that's just gross), but I am just so darn smitten with all that's been going on lately...

First off, a parental visit from my parents a couple of weeks ago - my kids were thrilled, as was I - my Mom is the cooker, cleaner and all around house lady that gives me a major break from my life while they are here.  Needed that break!!!  We had such a great visit, and look forward to their next visit (more on that in a bit...)

Secondly, my sister and her other half were here last week....what a great time we had!!!!  They are total foodies, so we ate like kings - my thighs will confirm that!!  We also had a fantastic time with them, and can't wait for them to come back!

Thirdly (is that a word?) my mother in law is due to fly in tomorrow for 8 days....it should be a really good visit as well, the kids will wonder why no one is coming to visit after she goes home!!  We used up all of our visitor cards within one month!

Jayda is starting kindergarten next week - so thrilled for her (and for me! ha).  She is so excited!  Should be a nice change of pace around here, as I will have more time to take the little man to speech therapy at will and not have the constraints of having to lug 2 kids around everywhere.

My Mom and Dad are coming back at the end of September to watch the kids for a week while Dan and I jet off to Vegas for our 15th anniversary!!  Dan doesn't know we are going, I'm hoping to hold off telling him until Mom and Dad are on our doorstep - if you know me, it's been really hard to keep this trap shut, but so far so good!!

And, finally.........Arbonne has launched their holiday line - I'm so flippin' excited - this stuff is awesome!!!!!!!!  I promptly placed my order this morning so I can share all that is yummy Arbonne holiday goodness with all of my peeps here - and now I'm just waiting for the mailman to come and deliver the goods!!  Check the line out - get some Christmas shopping out of the way now, you'll be glad you did later!!! (Just don't use it all up yourself before you wrap them! ha!)  www.clairedonison.myarbonne.ca 

Hope you had a great summer everyone!!!

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....