The Big K

No I am not talking about myself, I am talking about Kindergarten........I nearly died when I realized that registration starts on the 1st of February.....my heart sunk while I read about Kindergarten details on the School District website....I am having severe Kindergarten anxieties....I am confident Noah will have a great time, do well with the all day class, and no doubt make some friends. I don't feel sad that he will be away for the day, I actually think it will be healthy for me, a way to possibly regain some patience...I am finding it hard to believe that now he will be part of the public school system, the counting of the grades will start, and I know that before I know it, I will be at his high school graduation....I can't help but feel a bit sick when thinking about the types of friendships he will make, and not make, will he be nice, will kids be nice to him.....kids can be mean...I really hope its not my kid. My sisters and I had a terrible time with being bullied, and I really hope Noah doesn't have to go through what we did, and I hope to god he doesn't inflict pain like that on another person. I hope he falls into the right crowd......remembers his manners, to be polite and courteous to those who are older than him, treats girls with respect....my mind goes crazy thinking of things I hope I have taught him, I hold my breath hoping that he really is listening when I drill him on "what would you do" scenarios and asking him is that a "bad decision" or a "good decision" the thing is, its a shit show when they walk through those school doors....school can be the most amazing experience, or the most painful. You could not pay me enough money to go back to high school....

I hope he will walk in the hallways, eat his lunch and be thankful for a full lunch box, be nice to the monitors and supervisors (like myself).....be respectful and safe. Be curious and kind. Acknowledge others feelings as well as his own. I hope he skips to his own beat, and doesn't follow a crowd. I hope he makes the right choices, the majority of the time, I know he will make bad choices, we all do.....

I hope he is allowed to be a kid.

K

kristen's telling details...

I just bought the February issue of Chatelaine, I am certain there will be more blog posts coming from this magazine, but let me start here.....I was intrigued by these questions and answers...from an interview with Natalie Frenkel, a photographer from Toronto. I thought I would post my answers, ask yourself these same questions, pretend someone is interviewing you...

my proudest moment is...

moments..the births of my children

I define downtime as...

surfing the net with a glass of wine

I wish I was better at...

public speaking

My favorite moment of the day is...

when my kids say good morning to each other

The biggest mistake I ever made was...

being so shy, and letting it hold me back from doing things

I'm currently reading...

February issue of Chatelaine magazine :-)

My guiltiest pleasure is...

eating a whole bag of sea salt and malt vinegar chips and a chocolate bar

K

Gingery Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

I remember reading this recipe before the holidays...it got shoved behind all the Christmas baking...I re-visited this magazine yesterday, found the recipe again, and gave them a go! These cookies are so yummy and chewy!! Certainly a healthy back to school treat! I got it from the Winter 2012 issue of Canadian Family. They are telling me these are good for my family...oats are high in fibre and great for cholesterol, cinnamon helps control blood sugar and lower blood pressure (thank goodness), ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, and that oats, cinnamon, ginger and molasses are all very high in magnesium which helps muscles relax (hallelujah).

Great to enjoy with a glass of milk or a cup of creamy earl grey tea (Secret Garden's Creamy Earl Grey).

Gingery Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup butter softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup molasses

2 cups rolled oats

1. preheat oven to 375

2. combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt, stir with a fork until combined, set aside

3. beat butter and white and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, add egg until combined, then molasses, mix well. Add the flour mixture, combine, then add the oats.

4. chill dough for 15 minutes until slightly firm

5. scoop out heaping tablespoons of cookie dough and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 12-13 minutes, or until cookies are browned on the edges and puffed, but still soft in the middle. Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 20 cookies

Something delicious to make on a disgustingly rainy day like today!

Enjoy!

K

welcome 2012

I have been waiting for you...I have high hopes. Hoping for some changes, some different challenges, adventures...this year, I want to try and not sweat the small stuff. For the last while, I haven't felt like a very nice person...I will try and fix what I am not happy with, and move on from there...if everything and everyone cooperates. I am hoping for career changes, mothering changes, marriage changes...I am hoping to smile more, laugh more, love easier...I am hoping to find more of myself, love myself, treat myself better. Be nice to my body, be nicer to my kids, be nicer to my husband. Exercise more, if not a vigorous workout, a walk in the park, to breathe fresh air, get my heart pumping...clear out the clutter in my head, the over thinking, the trying to make others happy.....I want to spend less, but do more. Take in more of our city, the islands, take my kids on the ferry....visit my grandmother...I want to feel more passion..this is a great life, and I want to make the most of it in 2012!!

K

4

Noah turned 4 on Monday. He wanted his Birthday at Koko's Play Centre. I told myself a while back I would never have my child's Birthday at a place like that...I had only been to Crash Crawleys..I shouldn't have judged, and I should know by now, never say never. It still is a germ pit, but the kids run wild, it seems reasonably clean (or cleaner than some), and the party packages allow you to mingle with your guests, and have a coffee or a simple conversation! The past 3 Birthdays of Noah's I have never been able to do that! I felt strange after, like I was forgetting something, I have NEVER hosted a party that was so simple, and I have hosted a lot of parties!

It was hard for me to cut his guest list....but I figured this was the year to start letting him decide who he wanted at his party. He has been with the same group in preschool for two years now, and he has buddies. They are a great group of friends, and a lovely bunch of parents to go along with them! It has gotten really cool to watch him interact with his friends. I noticed this year, the gifts and toys were at a total different level than any other year, we have entered into BOY toys :-)

I always get a little sad when his Birthday rolls around. Another year passed, years further and further away from when he was born. It was my little Noah that made me a mommy, I say this all the time, but really, I can remember every little detail of the time he was born.

He is developing such an attitude, I never thought I would use so much bribery as a parent. I have promised that if he pushes me to the limit, I will take all his toys away! I do not know where they will go, but I will follow through! He has adapted this form of "deal making", I think he got that from his uncle....he is starting to lie to get out of cleaning a mess, his mess, which he insists he did not make, and whines at everything, the sound of whining...drives me crazy! "I didn't do it" is coming from his mouth more regularly, even when I have just stood there and watched him do it....oh growing up....I get thats what it is, and I need to learn to not sweat the small stuff...however I will not give up the rule of jumping on the couch/furniture, and taking all the pillows off the couch, that I will stay stern on, even if daddy allows it, grrrrrrrr.

What a jumble....

Noah, you make me laugh, you make me smile, you really make my temper rage at times, you're silly, you are sweet, you are smart, you are conniving, curious and full of life, I adore you, treasure you, and love you beyond all measures, I would do anything for you, you are my son, my first born, hope you had a Happy 4th Birthday....even if you were a total grump by the end!

So what theme are we doing for next year!? HA HA!!

K

A little taste of HEAVEN!!

I am not sure if I believe in heaven, but let me tell you, I have read some things about how its supposed to be.....and this recipe, is surely a little bit of that, in your mouth!!!

Jillian Harris posted a recipe on her website for Food Friday yesterday...I went out and got the ingredients, it seemed simple enough to make for an addition at Noah's birthday party..so I tried them. They took a matter of 10 minutes (longer to set) quick and easy cleanup, one downfall, the recipe didn't make enough!!! There aren't very many left for the guests!

http://www.jillianharris.com/post/food-friday-coconut-cornflake-chews

I highly recommend these for the holidays!! The Mackintosh's Toffee was a bit hard to find in the bars, so I found the bags of bite size ones at Superstore....best thing, is these won't break the bank, the ingredients are inexpensive!

Enjoy a little bit heaven!! Thank you Jillian for sharing!

K

"mommy, who is charity?"

So another Charity Kris Kringle has come and gone, always a successful event, always a lot of fun! A chance to see everyone over the holidays, and a chance to donate to those in need. Our open house seemed to be successful, allowing people to come and go over the afternoon and into the evening.

Today was drop off day. I try my best to explain to Noah just what it is we are doing, and what we are collecting for, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself when he said to me, "mommy, who is charity?".....

This year we donated to a selection of charities, and groups within the community. The toys and gifts went to the Burnaby Christmas Bureau. With the cash donations, I purchased new socks for men, women and children for the "Sock It To Poverty" that the Me to We group at my school (Douglas Road Elementary) has put together, as well as Walmart gift cards that went to the Walden Safe House for teens.

Everyone who attended should feel very proud of themselves for being involved in such a great cause! Thank you to all that came, and made our Charity Kris Kringle 2011 a great success!!

K