The 6AM Club

Day 1
When they say smell is the strongest sense tied to memory, I believe it.  At 6AM in this town, I expected to see more people out and about; I expected to be dodging automatic sprinklers. But the sky was clear, the air carried the scent of morning dew on grass and I instantly remembered back to my days as a new army recruit ready for the morning run. I was half my age then! Today, I hit the ground running... or more like walking. Just as before I went  to sleep in my workout clothes and beat the alarm by atleast 10 minutes!!!! (I did end up going to bed at midnight, nearly 2 hours earlier than my regular routine) All I had to do was throw on a pair of running shoes and a hoodie and I was out the door without any tiny pitter-patter's of tiny feet to ask me where I was going!

The constellations were still out, the only one I could recognize jumped out at me. Still an hour to go till sunrise. Tonight though I will show my kids the rare blood-red lunar eclipse. I ran under the canopy of tall neighborhood trees, the light of the street lamps like moon rays casting a neat shadow of the digital format camo pattern on the pavement.

It was a short run today, but I wanted to be back in 20 minutes, have a quick stretch and a glass of water and recharge myself for the day.

flashback post. Photo credit: http://blog.hmns.org/2015/09/once-in-a-red-supermoon-watch-sundays-rare-lunar-eclipse-at-the-george-observatory/

Calm is my Superpower

Good morning! Happy Mothers Day. I'm a mom of four kids. I'm pretty excited because I get to the come to stage and look for my kids and wave!!!

Well last week, the speaker talked about "the cup of coffee before it gets cold". That is exactly the opposite of me trying to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. First of all, as a mom, there is no sitting down; and second of all, there's no way that cup of coffee will stay hot! By the time I get to it, it's so cold enough to make ice coffee. Just add ice! But by the time, I'm done doing mom things each morning, that cup of ice coffee will be completely melted!! But why?

I think we are rushing are children here and there and doing too many activities, or maybe that's just me. I'm always saying, hurry up and eat your breakfast, hurry up and brush your teeth, hurry up and get your shoes on... Sometimes my youngest will say to me, I'm already putting my shoes on. If you tell me to hurry up, it doesn't make me put on my shoes on faster!! OK?! (mad face emoji) And then she moves slower and time seems to freeze and we move in slow motion, running to catch the bus. (Don’t worry, we’ve never missed the bus)

And the only thing keeping me from getting mad, and losing my cool, is that I've been mad before and regretted it, so it is better to engage my superpowers and stay CALM. I saw a mom with a motto on her Instagram page, "Calm is My Superpower" and I thought, wow she is my new Superhero.

But there is yet a better source of power. You all know what I’m going to say!! There’s a hymn I know, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” I’m not going to sing it for you. All the dishes, all the chores, all the messy toys, they’ll just disappear. Right? Not. But I know that it is important pray. Sometimes I forget to pray, but my sons pray every night, even when the night time routine is running late. The older one will say Thank You to God for every small thing or big thing that happens that day. The younger one will ask me to sing the Lord’s Prayer, either the classical Charlotte Church way or the Stephen Curtis Chapman tune. We’re in a hurry, but they always pray.

But that's just it, what's the big hurry. From my perspective, each day seems to repeat itself, over and over again - the wakeup, getting ready for school, work, going out for sports, coming back home, chores, falling asleep again, and doing the same thing again, everyday, just trying to be BETTER or FASTER each day. I think there's a movie about that. It's called the Edge of Tomorrow, by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. You should watch it, then you'll know what I mean, except that their movie is about fighting aliens and saving the world. Live, Die, Repeat. My movie would be like - Cold coffee, #MomLife, Sleep very late, Repeat...

Is that what motherhood is all about? Hopefully not. I only feel this way because the days are long, but the years are short.

My oldest just turned 12. She planned her own birthday party with her best friend! I just had to show up, at my own house, with pizza and fruits and vegetables and chips! 16 girls - they played foozball and piano; they made slime and squishy toys, dared each other to eat yucky jellybeans, and cartwheels on the grass. But I still remember it like yesterday, the day she was born, she was only this big (show: wrist to elbow length)... then her clothes kept shrinking and shrinking in the wash, and now she wears my clothes now, sometimes, because my clothes keep shrinking, and shrinking... I used to sing her lullabies. Now she can play them on the piano! They grow up so fast! lm driving her to all her hair appointments and parties, someday she'll be driving me!

But in all seriousness, there are times when my children want to talk to me, but I'm just too busy doing this and that to just slow down and listen. They want to show me this random piece of art or this worksheet from school that they're so proud of (but them I secretly throw them in to the paper recycling). Well I kept alot of them actually. My oldest used to give me lots of I love you notes and drawings everyday; the sons would draw robots and plants vs zombies too. But I have noticed, as they get older they draw less and less. My youngest baby is still little and she draws flowers, and princesses, and castles and houses and maps... But when she shows me things or tells me things, I know that I need to listen. I need to model good listening, if I want them to listen to me.

I have found a good quote that I can only aspire to achieve, to be the mom that God meant me to be.

Here's one that my friend Dori wrote, who's also a mom and professional artist - Children Need Love, Patience and Time. When guided by Love, it is easier to be Patient. When Patient it is easier to give your Time.

I'll say it again, because there might be some moments in a seemingly repetitive life, that you need to hear this again.

Children Need Love, Patience and Time. When guided by Love, it is easier to be Patient. When Patient it is easier to give your Time.

*If I had more time, I would’ve added this here*

Anyway when you start feeling that the days are too long, Moms use your Superpowers to stay calm; don't hurry so much because the years go by way too fast. May you always remember to pray, and that your children will pray for you too. Thank you.


*I’d like to include a few wise words my mom shared with me before I moved away from home, all the way from my hometown to Ontario. First of all, my mom loves plants, she has dozens of houses plants, some are even older than my sister. Second of all, she’s really good at transplanting them into bigger pots, that’s why she has so many of them! But that’s the secret, she told me that a plant has to be planted into a bigger pot to grow bigger. She told me that I wasn’t just moving away to do my masters or to start a new job, I was being transplanted into a bigger pot so I could keep growing. Sure, growing as in personal growth, or upwards in my career (or sideways too!) I miss my mom, because I only see her once a year, and she’s always travelling and going on trips with my dad. I want to talk sometimes, but they’re kinda too busy to listen… see!

Lego Gummies

My friend is a DIY superstar. She made these and gave out a big bag of them to my kids.

Scupting mode lego template from here


The page I brought you to is for Sorta-Clear 37 Pint Kit 2Lb. There are two other kinds (18 and 40). Each pack contains two jars of goop that you mix together, but 18 and 40 require measuring/weighing the right amounts to mix together. The 37 variety mixes equal parts of both goop which eliminates the need to do any measuring. Best of all, this is the 2lb quantity, which is enough to make 2 moulds (thus speeding up your gummy-making process). Once you've made this mould though, you'll never need to do it again, so I find the extra effort was worth it.

Do it a bit at a time. I first starting building the mould FOR the mould using Lego blocks. The next day I mixed the silicon and poured it in (easy peezy). Day later I trimmed off the thing layers of silicon that squeezed through the Lego blocks. After that, i just made one flavour of gummies per night until I got six in total.

Talk to Your Kids

An important discussion popped up during dinner time conversation; a tough talk that I was hoping to postpone to the future.  That dreadful talk about drugs! Bring it up sooner when they are still willing to listen!  We were able to get the point across but in a humorous and serious way.  We basically flat out said, hey kids don't do drugs. What?

I had already warned them in the past, don't take candies from strangers, and I had used the same example before about not accepting "things that look like candies" from anybody. My kids are still young but not too young to be aware of the dangers; warning them to be strong in the face of a decision point. We talked about how drugs can be addictive, make someone do crazy things, make someone waste all their money, mess up their face, lose their friends and family....

On a quiet bus ride home this evening from the downtown core, I overheard a conversation between two young men. One guy told his friend that he would like to try Ecstasy, the friend just said, "Don't do it man, it's bad for you, you don't know who you're getting it from or if it's the real thing. If you want to have fun, just have a beer, but don't drink too much..." They chatted some more and the guy had to get off the bus.  I really couldn't help but commend the young friend for counselling his buddy to stay away from drugs. We chatted about things, including the conversation I had with my kids, and how important it is to talk about it, and even be that friend who is strong enough to say no, please don't do it.

Oatmeal bars for brekky

I should really use my Epicure mini-bars silicone baking sheet

Baked Oatmeal To Go

Ingredients 1 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cups applesauce, unsweetened 1/2 banana, mashed 3 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 3/4 teaspoons stevia powder or use ¼ cup honey 2.5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats 1/8 cup flaxseed meal 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1.5 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 3/8 cups milk Cran & Apple cinnamon cheeseball seasoning mix Summer berry dip mix

Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and Stevia together in a bowl. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients. Finally pour in milk and combine. Spray petites pan tin with cooking spray. Pour mixture evenly into compartments. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter. Top with either Cran & Apple or Summber berry dip mix. Bake 25 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

Where do humans come from?

A man walks into a bar (ouch!) and adamantly declares that. "Man came from monkeys. it's called evolution"

Actually it happened more like this... A man of science and business with two masters degrees, holding up the newest edition of National Geographic with a neanderthal like image on the cover boldly told my daughter that man came from monkeys. I was quite speechless, but my daughter just looked up, blinked and went back to her music game on the ipad. Not quite a disaster and I don't quite feel the need to quote scripture and start thumping my bible and saying what I know is true, that God created the heavens, and earth and space, and plants and animals and man blah blah blah. We're not having an argument about that but I just feel the need to rant a bit about people who just boldly declare that monkeys turned into man, but they don't have the facts or knowledge to back that up! Nor anything else to expand on that.

Image source: Amazon

It is clearly a simplistic view because I tried to ask him what he meant by that, but I was really the only one talking for five whole minutes and I'm not even a real scientist or an anthropologist, but I have a heart and I have words!

It's not a simple jump from monkey to man; well which monkey? There are so many species of them. And which man or stage of man? Lucy? Ice man? Homo erectus? Hominids? Homo sapiens? O by the way did you even know that humans as we know them today are called homo sapien.

Have you even read the Origin of Species? How many times was the word "evolution" actually used by Darwin? Totally a trick question. Yes there is enviromental adaptation and the observation of the survival of the fittest, and diversity. This cannot be disputed, you see this in bacteria with genes mutated to be immune to the strongest antibiotic known to mankind.

The whole point of this rant is not about monkeys morphing into humans, like over millions and millions of years, which in fact isn't even the measurable age of the earth. Modern Man or Prehistoric man? There is the matter of Anthropology - the study of man or the origins of man (mankind for those who prefer this word). Where did the first "man" come from? Was she a man or woman? Did they eat a paleo diet? (do you even know what is a paleo diet, then why are you telling me about cavemen. And are you talking about monkeys or cavemen? Big diff here!) Are you talking about the first common ancestor in Africa, who moved to different regions of the earth by migration by land or sea to settle independently? What form of transportation did they use? Is he the final iteration of man as homo sapien or the model before us?

And after this monkey-man evolved into a human, did he learn to grow crops? Did he learn to form a community or a government? Nomadic or agricultural farmers? What did he eat? Did he learn to build empires and colonize uncharted lands?

On the topic of plants, is there any other species on earth that grows crops, nurtures plants? That is by definition, colonization,  when you grow plants on the new soil. Just like in the movie Mars, about the astronaut accidently left behind on Mars and managed to grow plants on Mars. Humans on Mars, and humans meeting Martians. Will there be battles, war? Who is more evil, what is evil?

What defines evil? What makes someone feel bad or feel bad about doing something bad or feel bad about doing something bad to someone? Can empathy be measured or observed? Why, because we have a soul? What is a soul, how long does it last? Does it live on? Where did it come from?


Is a soul connected to a body, if yes how long does the soul last after the body dies? What happens to a body, after a proper burial, whether it's cremation or after decomposition... we are returned to atoms and dirt. Ashes to Ashes, what does that actually mean?

I wasn't made from a monkey, I was indeed made from cells and protein and carbon. You can't just tell a child that Man came from Monkeys,

Open Up Battleship Periodic Table Style

Whether you played the game as a kid, like an armchair Admiral or you watched the recent movie that makes Art of War seem like a good book (well it is!); well here is a really new twist on this game to learn the Periodic Table at the same time!

Image Source

Get the rules here:
http://laughingsquid.com/periodic-table-battleship-a-scientific-twist-on-the-classic-game-to-teach-kids-about-the-elements/

Get your printable Periodic table here:
http://sciencenotes.org/printable-periodic-table/

Now head to your local stationary store to buy the file folders, wipe-clean markers and do your lamination on the spot. But if you just want to see the beloved Periodic Table everywhere...

You wont have to walk far for a nice hot shower...

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Or a nice ride home from the Science lab...

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How Do You Say Happy Birthday?

Just going through my boxes of old mail and random birthday cards while preparing to pack for a big move! I found a few diaries which I quickly tossed in the garbage or recycle bin, cuz who wants to read old diaries anyway (well not my life anyway). The journal with the most attractive cover of Pablo Picasso Irises caught my eye and I happened to open it up the page about some old friends setting up a surprise birthday party for me!

Coincidentally, tonight is the night before my old friend's birthday who had passed away suddenly on Christmas Eve about five years ago. I don't have too many good friends who have passed away; there are many I've lost touch with. Memories are precious, I feel bad sometimes that I've moved on or life happens and you just forget about something neat that happened, like staring at an old photograph. I just want to remember about him a little bit longer, a friend who helped me pack boxes and move, or listen to me ramble about bad dates or breakups, introduced me to the music of Bon Jovi and the sport of hockey (watching hockey games that is) and hockey pools. A friend who wrote a software program to analyze the players stats from the regular season and choose a purely statistical estimation just for me because I didn`t official watch hockey and I really didn`t know who was who, but I just wanted to be in the hockey pool with the others at work. A friend and mentor who guided me through my first step into a career in the public service in the aerospace industry which I'm not longer a part of, but it lead me to a path I never thought of before. A friend who planned a fantastic surprise birthday party for me, and I wish that I could just do the same for him, or just to say Happy Birthday to him, again.

On a lighter note, here is my entry, word for word because it's fun to play "truth or dare" and read from any page in your dairy!!

dated 8 April
"Trevor and JF threw me a surprise birthday party! They're so smart. They just invited Anny and Alex and I for Chinese food. Trevor had a big box in his hand when I went to pick him up.  Well after we took a few detours to get to the right bridge, we finally found our way. Thx to Anny and Trevor!  JF listens to some pretty serious Rock & Roll.  He's got the ugly Iron Maiden posters everywhere.  Takeout Chinese food was ok.  Hey it was their treat! We watched Women's International Hockey, Canada vs. USA.  Well Canada kicks ass 3 - 2.

And when they brought out the cake, I was so surprised. 24 candles on a black forest cake! Wow. I was so happy!  How did they guess that was my favorite? haha. " happy face icon.

Happy times! Well among the many interesting things we used to talk about, Trevor told me about the Cayman Islands being the place where rich people go because there were no taxes and such. He told me about Lear Jets and navigation and all that.  In fact we completed one year of flight training together because of the nature of our work. All of these are unrelated facts to the uninteresting career of Geomatics Engineers lol. Anyway, that Christmas five years ago when I saw his photo splashed on the news that he was missing, my first thought was that he finally did it! He finally decided to disappear. We had previously read books and randomly talked about how people can disappear... I mean back in the day before the Internet was such a permanent digital record. I really felt deep in my heart, a bit of wishful thinking that he had just slipped away on a private jet, left the world behind and was enjoying an ice cold coffee on the beach somewhere on the other side of the world... But that`s not where they found him.  Regardless, it`s not about how somebody died but how they lived, and the moments with friends that your friends may still remember.  Even the children`s book he gave my baby girl was about the planet earth and navigation and where we are.

I don`t know where you are, but I know you`re in a safe place now, in the arms of Jesus. I creeped your facebook page again like most of your friends might every September or December. I just wanted to let you know that I still remember it`s  your birthday, Happy Birthday Sept 21.

Mission Trip to Guatemala 2015

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I'm going on a mission trip to Guatemala in November this year, in support of the Hogar Luz De Maria orphanage in Antigua, Guatemala. The team will be delivering bunk beds to families in the area and also providing toys (50 dolls, 50 superheroes), books, personal care products, and 100 backpacks filled with school supplies and materials for arts and crafts for the children.
Each of us has committed to personally raising money to fund the programs at the orphanage for this trip and beyond. As well, I have personally committed to bringing 10 of each filled backpacks, dolls and superheros, if you would like to donate for the purchase of these itemsl! Any amount you give from your heart would be so appreciated. Thank you!


COPY, PASTE & SHARE: http://www.gofundme.com/6p7fm56py4


The organization is called "For the Love of Mateo" and you can find information about the project at www.fortheloveofmateo.com


I feel so blessed to be part of one woman's dream to go back and make this happen for the children in the poorest region where she adopted her son.

Dr Brainy's Spring Break Mission 2015

Once again, the long awaited Spring Break puzzle game at McDonald's! I managed to bring the kids to the Play Place location in time to catch the clues and pick up this year's game board - a playbook! I am immortalizing these posters online because I picked up extra copies of the game and my oldest still has not completed the quest yet. Voila!

YOUR MISSION:

Travel to space with Dr. Brainy to help him and his sister decode the message.

Clue #1 Match the Aliens

You've just landed at Commander Brenda Brainy's space lab. Travel to planet Limeturn and solve the puzzle for clue#1 then write the answer below.

hint: six letters

Clue#2 Space Maze

Put on your spacesuit and head over to planet Swirlto and solve the puzzle for clue #2, then write the answer below.

hint: five letters

Clue #3 Connect the Stars

Talk about star power. Hop over to planet Blupitor and solve the puzzle for clue #3. Then write the answer below.

hint: two letters

Clue#4 Milky Way Maze

You've almost solved it! Head over to planet Pars and solve the final puzzle for clue #4, then write the answer below. 

hint: six letters

Now it's time to complete the secret phrase! Arrange the words by clue number below to decode the alien message. 

__ __ __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __ __   __ __   __ __ __ __ __ __ 

MISSION COMPLETION!

Looking for more space-based ideas for Brainy parents? These were printed on the game card.

* Search for the stars with a homemade telescope made out of a paper towel roll

* Create your own galaxy mobile from painted styrofoam balls, a paper plate and strings

* Create an alien hat

* Play a space name game. Start a word with the last letter of the previous word, making sure every word is space related. Like Mars -> Star... 

"We're not Chinese kids we're English!"

Twelve years of my childhood were invested in weekly Saturday Chinese School lessons. I missed all the Saturday morning cartoons and whatever normal kids do on a Saturday morning - sleep in. At age 17 at the height of my maximum knowledge of written Chinese vocabulary, I could read the newspaper in Chinese (very slowly), read the Bible and write a lengthy note or birthday greeting to my Grandma and maybe even a short story or essay with some clever puns. Two years after that, I think I still retained most of the reading but the writing was fading fast. Gradually after 10 years, I can still sing the hymns at church, read the menu at a Chinese Restuarant and write out the order, as in copy the words by hand, write a christmas card, birthday card and thank you note in Chinese. But today, 20 years later, it shocked me that I had to think really hard about writing my own name in Chinese!! Do I want the same fate for my children?

My son doesn't quite believe that he is a Chinese person (though made in Canada eh?) and would call himself English or French. In fact, when I speak to him in Chinese he usually responds in French.  We have alot of languages in our household given that my husband and I are both fluent at the same level in Cantonese and English, but he is officially bilingual in French and English to federal standards. The kids go to a full time French School and I have to admit that while my daughter reads in both language, I'm sensing that French is the more dominant phonics when it comes to reading and writing.

We inadvertently decided it would be more important for them to be completely bilingual in French and English, that I almost let Chinese completely slip away. But miraculously, it has not. They can watch the Disney, Barbie and Batman movies in Chinese (official editions on DVD or VCD).  As well, then can ask for food and drinks and things related to cooking and transportation, or even how the moon goes around the earth, and the earth around the sun - in Chinese. However when it comes to matters of the heart or more complex scientific explanation or math, we slowly shift to English. I'm ok with that!

Today I had a proud moment though, when little Lincoln saw me writing a Christmas card in Chinese  that he started making some individual squarish spiny fishbone sketches and boasted that he was writing Chinese!!  He even asked me to teach him! I showed him how to write man or person, and he drew... you guessed it, Elsa in a dress. Well it's the same basic shape! Alot of my friends who are just like me, born and raised in Canada, who may or may not have attended Chinese school have sent their kids to Chinese school on Saturdays too! One friend's son the same age as Lincoln can recognize about 70 Chinese characters even though he only knows about 7 alphabets!! That just blows my mind, but it is indeed true that kids are capable of absorbing and retaining so much information if you teach them.

I also believe that they can also choose to learn to read and write Chinese at the university level in a three or four years' time just as easy as the other university students who might choose Chinese for a foreign language course or art credit. I've see this with my own eyes, a Westerner writing an essay or short answers on a Final Exam. I suppose it is the same way I learned Beginners and Intermediant Russian as a non-Science credit during my Engineering studies.

But most importantly I just want my kids to know that they are Chinese. A few years ago, when kids at a McDonald's play place approached Maggie and AJ to point out that they're Chinese, Maggie was furious! All night she kept telling me, "We're not Chinese kids, we're English! Someone should tell them that ok?"

In a way it's good that "race" is not an issue to them. Lincoln (he's four) just pointed out to me the other day that my hair is too black so I'm not like Elsa.... regardless, I just want them to know about being Chinese and be comfortable enough about being Chinese and Canadian at the same time.  I bought him the book published by Usborne Books "100 First Words in Chinese" Can't wait to read that with him.

Our Top Stories in 2014

Just a recap on the big things that happened this year, and to say "Merry Christmas 2014"

1. Indoor Snowball Fight

One of the "Reindeer Games" we played at Mary's birthday party.  12 kids lobbed giant-marshmallows through two Christmas wreathes. Highest record was 26 marshmallows, lowest number was 3. Kids got hit in the face but nobody cried. 30 giant marshmallows were consumed within 5 minutes of the game completion.

2. Blade number one

Daddy came back from work one day with a shocking new haircut, bald to the bone which shocked the kids so much that Lincoln had to ask, "You're still the same daddy right?" While the older kids pointed and laughed, Mary ran away screaming in terror and fear.

Reminds me of the time Lincoln's hair got shaved during a heated discussion between two parents about which blade to use, caught on video "Well it's too late now!"

3. Star Wars Duet

Finally recorded live in front of a captive audience (baby sister), AJ and I played the Star Wars theme as a duet on two pianos. We've played it for months since the summer, flawlessly but it was the first ever recorded. I've always dreamed of playing a duet with my kids

5. To Walk in Fields of Lavender...

A great navigational feat for me, to find my way through wine country and sandy beaches without GPS (I have onboard GPS but no map data in this whole region). We also discovered the largest annual gathering of asians outside of Toronto, at the annual Lavendar Festival in Prince Edward County. (This is a noteworthy fact to me because it is not often that I see too many asians here if any) The kids loved running free in fields of purple, while seeing infinity in a wildflower... o wait here's the real quote

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
― William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

5. All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth
Maggie finally lost her fourth tooth shortly after Halloween. The weather got too foggy for two nights it seems, for the Tooth Fairy (to remember) to come to collect it. Good thing she never lost faith in the magic of the Tooth Fairy. The third tooth was lost right before school photos, while fishing at the docks of Rice Lake (or while chewing a BLT sandwich). The first two teeth were lost months earlier around Valentines day. However, the first tooth was actually lost down the drain while brushing her teeth, but was recovered quickly by Daddy taking apart the sink!

6. Great Wolf Lodge

A most memorable and action packed 24 hours of campfire stories, wave pool, arcade games, bowling, and bunk beds. The kids got to view Niagara Falls right at the side of the falls but not being able to see it... because of nippy cold frost and ice in April.

Other "big" trips this year include - four days in NYC, another overnight shopping trip to Syracuse and my own three day business trip to Montreal kid free!

7. Two Wheelin' 

In June, both Maggie and AJ successfully learned to ride their two wheeler bikes in under 20 minutes first time trying. I understand they are much older than the other kids learning to ride, but it is still a noteworthy childhood milestone and accomplishment. They've been biking non-stop since that day. Oddly ever since the big snowfall last month (before it melted away) they've been playing outside in the snow for much longer than any other day this summer.

8. Pleased with Cheese

It took nearly 7 years but Maggie finally started eating cheese! You know in the baby books, when they talk about introducing a new food and sometimes needing to offer it 22 before they'll even try it? Try 2000 times! Probably it's a bit of peer pressure, seeing little Mary tear part those cheese strings!

9. Superman Drawings

Lincoln draws about a hundred Elsa's, Ana's, mermaids and fairies a day or quite possibly per hour! I especially like the drawings in colour with eyelashes or extra makeup on the girls. This is an amazing feat considering at the start of the school year, I actually asked his kindergarten teacher if that is a problem that my son can trace mazes, but does not draw or write anything!. She told me not to worry because they would be starting "Handwriting without tears" Then, just weeks in he started drawing Elsa with her ice-powers and splti in her blue dress, or Ana with a cape, and Olaf made with a high stack of snowballs. After nearly 2,000 Elsas, he finally drew one Superman and Green Lantern for once, which made me very happy.

10. Double Double

During the entire month of March I gave up coffee, treats, gluten, dairy, soy etc lost over 5 pounds and many inches as part of the detox bootcamp and clean eating program with my company. That was the same month I also (got) promoted to the first level of management in my home business. From May till October I doubled the size of my team, including independent consultants and preferred clients

I've cut down from three or four cups of "double-double" to one Fizz Tab energy drink per day. I've been so energized that I decided to launch a second home business to promote reading and French books for my kids, and to fuel my own personal addiction to books!

11. Magic of Christmas

The legend of the Elf on the Shelf lives on despite the skeptism and "truth" revealed by the other kids at school who probably don't have an Elf on the Shelf. Each morning at breakfast, the kids discuss if the Elf is real or not; every night they warn me not to sleep too late so that the Elf can leave on time to get to the North Pole and back.

They met Mrs Claus at Conon Nurseries and were very convinced she was the real deal. They've been writing to Santa Claus and Maggie just received her letter from H0H 0H0 yesterday!

Here's wishing you all a very happy Merry Christmas and the best for the holiday season; good times with your family and friends.

A New Chapter

MY JOURNEY

I was first introduced to the amazing Arbonne products by a new friend in the Summer of 2013. When I hosted my first Spa Party, I realized how fun and simple it was to run my own home business and work alongside some amazing women!  The biggest push for me was knowing that Arbonne operates in four countries worldwide - Canada, US, Australia and the UK and soon Poland and Taiwan! I have to admit that I took a slower start than most people. However when the seasons changed and I put my heart into it, I recruited a few business partners who really motivated me and helped me see the possibilities that my leaders were telling me all along. I reached my promotion to District Manager in early 2014 and I'm still learning as I go! A big thank you to my friends, customers and Preferred Clients who have made this possible.

WHY ARBONNE

The whole reason I got into beauty and cosmetics is that being so busy in my life with the four kids, I needed something more in my life. Something that even my very supportive husband and lovely children could not give me.  I had already achieved a measure of financial success and independence when I was a working mom with a full time job as an Engineer. However we decided as a family that I would not return to work after the fourth kid for an indeterminant length of time.  Yet I needed something to take care of myself and have high quality Swiss vitamins and skinare products. I don't have bags under my eyes yet, but it's never too early to start thinking about anti-aging! Arbonne has the BEST vegan-certified, swiss formulated, botanically based products, made in the USA and sold exclusively by passionate Independent Consultants. We have what people are looking for with over 450 items in our catalog from skincare, bath and body, baby care to vegan protein shakes and vitamins and even shaving products for men! I LOVE to tell people about Arbonne because we are pure, safe and beneficial - no parabens, no SLS and no mineral oil.  Feel great and look great when you join my team! 

WHO AM I

I'm an Engineer with a Masters Degree in Physics and a music background, but I am a woman and I choose to buy the best and most prestigious products for myself and my kids. Sometimes people take a double take, like wow you're a rocket scientist, so why are you selling lipstick? Well that's exactly it, I DECIDED to take time away from my work regular work to be with my family and this is the perfect home business I can do on my own terms. It's like bring your kids to work day everyday!

The perks, wow imagine a job where I can claim my beauty products as business expenses and get a good discount. I also do mobile spa presentations, trade shows, online sales, deliveries and business meetings and recruitment interviews. About The Industry

My kids love the products too. They know that food coloring and food dye is bad. They only want to use Arbonne products! Change your life one body care product at a time. Make smart choices and start shopping today at  www.deborahtang.myarbonne.ca

Photo Book

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Yummy Summer Printable Worksheets

My kids LOVE doing homework, though I'm guessing they've become motivated by collecting the a prize from the "tenth math prize" bin for every tenth page of homework. I had to upsize the requirement to a "twenthieth" but that just meant more worksheet or workbooks to purchase. As well, my oldest two just keep making it a competition, go figure. However, this guy in the photo our #3 has given up on homework altogether and prefers to spend the after school hours belting out the Frozen tunes and spinning around the room with a hooded towel acting out storylines from the movie, but I digress..

My friend recommended this free writing printable site, which will get them away from Math for a while, and think more about delicious food while practising their  writing skills!

Looking for a daily worksheet to expand vocabulary while thinking about healthy food? Try this Nourish Interactive website, amazing finds!

And to create your own, try http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/

March Break Mission Clues from McDonald's

Little Detective AJ loves a good puzzle or mystery to solve. Two Happy Meals this spring break at McDonald's from Dr Brainy's chemistry lab and I finally clued in that the clues for the Red Lab Book and red Crayola crayon, are posted throughout the McDonald's Restaurant's walls! I didn't want to go back with all the kids for a third Happy Meal, so I did what a reasonable momma would do and went to McDonald's for a decaf coffee black, and took photos of the clues to bring home for my son!

Posting them here in my blog so he can see them in one click of a mouse. If you are looking for a red lab book, I have an extra one I could send you. Enjoy!

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #1

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #2

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #3

McDonald's March Break Mission Clue #4

Here is a scan of the red note book, all created by McDonald's. Enjoy your March Break Mission. I imagine today Friday is the last day!

And the last task is the help Dr Brainy finish the drawing of his pie-making machine. And a big thank you to McDonald's for putting this together. I suppose I could print clues and hide them on the walls around the  house too!

Art inspired by Dr Brainy

Like Plants vs Zombies??

Tips for Picky Eaters and Tasty Textures

Before Little Mary grew her chompers, she was a good eater. I couldn't keep enough baby cereal in stock, nor could I have enough home made pureed food ready or defrosted so I would have to run out and buy jars of baby food to keep up with the consumption!

However at Mary's one year doctor's appointment, the weight and height measurements seemed to indicate she had fallen off the growth chart to 0% and the doctor had to explain to me the diagnosis she gave for "failure to thrive". She reassured me that it was a medical terminology but she was not having trouble breathing or anything like that. I almost cried (but I didn't) just cuz it sounded so bad. She referred us to a pediatrician but the appointment would be weeks away.

Then shortly before Christmas, Mary was already one years old with four or five teeth, but the next two were coming in and she didn't eat for days, just surviving on breast and cheerios for sure. From that point, I noticed the food strikes with a day of good eating here and there. At the start of February Mary caught an ear infection and a chest cold and around the same time she stopped eating too, except for cheerios and junk crackers and sometimes raisin bread and fruit smoothies with goji berries and kale. And we offered any  Finally the appointment with the Pediatrician came up. Mary was evaluated but there were no physical or developmental issues for her lack of interest in eating. The doctor referred Mary to a Dietician at the hospital who observed my notes on Mary's diet over five days. She analyzed the volume of formula Mary was taking (20 to 24 oz) and all the junk calories I was giving her and she explained to me it was about the food texture!

The babies have teeth to chew but it is only an up and down motion so the rotary chewing has not fully developed so whatever they can't chew well enough to swallow- apple slices, thick bread, meat they will spit out. As well because of the transition period of infant cereal and bottled formula to table foods there is a time of weaning when  it will appear they are not eating. She suggested foods of uniform texture and cutting out the junk calories that come from goldfish crackers.

1. Foods with Uniform Texture
- salmon patties
- french toast
- pancakes
- hamburger patties but not extra lean ground beef; add more egg and bread crumbs for a smoother texture
- shredded cheese

2. Offer a new food up to 15 times

3. Let them explore the food and and get messy

4. Offer foods with richer calories
Cheese, high fat yoghurt like the Liberte 6% or 9%

5. Establish good eating habits, sit at the table
Try to keep a schedule to avoid random snacking  in between meals

The period of transition being tough for the baby brings up an interesting tidbit I read on National Geographic about the analysis of teeth and bone skeletons of early humans that the impact of the lower nutritional intake at the time of weaning was observable in the teeth.

I just want her to eat more and grow taller

Mundane Disturbances on the Homefront as War Rages On Overseas

Taking a moment to reflect on the past and present struggles of being a military spouse of a deployed member and months later, the return of the deployed spouse. It's been in the news lately, the more serious topic of PTSD. People change when they return home from the war; as well the people at home change too. Here are some things that I never expected to happen to us, but taking a lighter approach as I analyze what's happened between us.

TOP 5 THINGS I never expected as a military wife

1) Reunion Stress.

I read about this in the brochures from the military family resource center but I didn't really grasp the gravity of the scenarios that some people go through. Fortunately it was not too bad for me, really. Considering us being apart for 10 months; daddy overseas and momma at home with a toddler and newborn (with the help of a super-nanny mind you). I never cried once that I missed him, though I know I did miss him lots. I never felt sad that Valentines Day and my birthday day we were apart, because he mailed me lots of letters and handmade cards (free blank ones created by Stampin' Up consultants).  Not even missing the wedding anniversary bothered me. It was the first week he came home and it was like... man what I do cook for dinner? I haven't cooked seriously for 10 months! Sharing the bed again with someone other than a toddler and a baby!

On the flip side, I can only think about what it must be like for him. Imagine being on high alert for months,and having huge operational responsibilities all day at work, making life and death calls.... and suddenly having to come home and your baby cries alot, your wife talks too much, or the children quarrel over pieces of Lego... how annoying would that be for the man!


2) Some men don`t take Parental Leave

Nope, not this one. Not even a single day! Whereas I have taken the full year and more for each of the four kids. Pretty sweet deal for me! But the greatest sacrifice I never expected to make was to leave my Engineering career of 12 years (well I suppose four of those on mat leave LOL) and move the family. But not counting what I lost, I count only what I have gained, more time with my children. Hence the reason I suppose he never took any parental leave... time away from the annoying kids!

3) Learning to Iron and Sew

What did I learn in high school Home Ec class? O whatever. I am very lucky I married a military man who felt that it was his own pleasant duty to manage his own uniform upkeep and ironing. Thank God, because I don't iron my own shirts and I send my own work clothes and shirts to be dry cleaned just for the purpose of the free pressing.

He decided, long before we got married that he would like to iron his own shirts and pants cuz that was what he did throughout all the years before he met me He even said, "One man one kit" but he would still often agree to iron my shirts for me if I had them on hangers along with his. Wow, sweet deal for me!  HOWEVER on that note, I have a friend who is on the opposite end with the excellent Home Ec skills. She bought a top notch sewing machine and learned to hem pants.. all of the military uniform pants and non-uniform pants for her husband.

Well I guess I'm pretty good at keeping the combats' colours sharp. Either way, I know as a woman, standing beside our man in uniform, everything we have to do, to keep that uniform looking sharp and safe; not over faded in the dryer or the sun. And no two-toning for the combat shirt and pants.

4) I break it, I fix it

I never knew that I could break down my front door with my own two shoulders! The story goes, I was supposed to stay home and watch the the baby and the toddler (only two kids at the time) while my husband went to Home Depot to pick up some mechanical parts to fix the lock mechanism for the front door lock that was catching. He had just returned home from Afghanistan on his first HLTA, and that was among the first task of things to fix around the house. For whatever reason, I decided it would be OK to sneak outside of my house and leave the two babies inside while I walked 100m to the end of the street to get the mail!

I had done this many times while he was away cuz why would I drag two kids out into the street with me just to get the mail? For all the hundred times I had been doing that, nothing bad ever happened until this time and I got locked out! My house (at the time) is an impenetrable fortress because we are the middle unit in a row of five townhomes. There is only a front entrance and a back patio entrance, no windows to climb through. O wait, there is a third entrance through the garage which can be opened by a remote control garage door opener, which was of course was in the car with my husband at Home Depot.

I locked myself out on this cold day.  I knocked frantically but there was just no way a two year old was ready to open the childproof lock on the front door. I banged my fists on the window, she banged her fists on the door. She cried and cried, and eventually gave up and ran back up to the living room and fell asleep on her play mat beside her blanket. Her little baby brother cried himself to sleep too, it wasn't that long really but it felt like I was crying for along time too. As soon as she moved away from the door, I knew I had to make that door open no matter what. I hit the door with my right shoulder as if I were king kong knocking down a ton of bricks, probably did that like 10 times; the door did not budge. I sat down the porch and cried some more. I switched sides and the door with my other shoulder about 20 times. I could feel something cracking; the latch plate on the door was coming undone and my front door was just about to swing open... when I heard the sound of the garage door opening and my husband's car approaching...

I had a lot of explaining to do, especially why I couldn't just wait for him to be back before leaving the house in the first place. He even told me it would've been easier to fix to just throw a rock in the window than to fix the whole crack in the door frame. Well now I know, this momma bear can indeed kick down a front door to reach her two sleeping babies who were already perfectly safe. doh!

5) Retirement Planning

The earliest age he can retire is age 39 but I really hope he is definitely planning for something alot later. I just don't think I could handle coming home from work and dinner is all cooked and the house is all cleaned; or how about having the kids all back from their after school activities. That would really freak me out. I would rather have us both retire at 65 I think. I've dedicated a whole rant on that subject of daddy daycare.

The Sexy Pizza Costume

What did you wear for Halloween? I didn't see the Sexy Pizza costume first or I would've bought that online! I ended up wearing every kind of animal print in my closet - snow leopard velvet top, cougar pants, leopard print scarf and pink and black fake ponytail. Not necessarily sexy, perhaps a little bit too scary!

Image Source

On the topic of pizzas that men would love to eat (awh.... cheesy!), I think the Angry Bird Pizza would be a big hit. My sister in law found this on Pinterest and took the kids to shop for the pizza toppings. (See the original design on her iphone!)

Something fun to do with the kids and have dinner made by teeny tiny chefs in training at the same time!

What's Your Excuse?

Maria Kang image source

The "What's Your Excuse" hot mamma fitness instructor Maria Kang posted a recent Facebook profile picture that has riled up fat mamma's and skinny mamma's alike. Well my question is, why does she even have abs; wouldn't she and her husband be pregnant with number 4, 5, 6 and 80? Plus if she's a professional fitness trainer, than it would be her job to look and keep fit, nuff said.

As for me, my excuse for not having wash board abs is because, Number 1 - I have four kids age 6, 5, 3 and 10 months. O wait that's the whole of point of this discussion, that is not an excuse!

Number 2, It's my own fault that I eat bags of chips at night, chocolate cookies and cake at all hours of the day, and the odd protein shake and vitamins to make up for any nutrients I'm missing because I hate eating fruits and vegetables. My kids on the other hand have much better eating habits from the four food groups

Number 3, I don't exercise, other than running to pickup the kids from the bus stop or carrying loads of laundry up and down the stairs. I used to pull three kids in a wagon and carry one on my shoulder in a sling... but they're all walking now. My kids do more exercise than me, because I'm the one driving them to karate and swimming classes.

Number 4, I don't sleep. I choose to do all kinds of chores after 9pm when the kids are asleep.  Then I spend about an hour online just catching up, and another hour (or 5 minutes) to play piano. By the time I go through with my own night routine is half past midnight. But why bother going to sleep, the baby might wake up at 1am or 3am or the worst at 5am because then it's the morning, and nobody goes back to sleep!

But the bottom line, these are the choices I have made in my life. If you go to her facebook page, that's the underlying theme... it's all about choices. You choose to be happy, healthy, strong, busy, productive. I am not at all "annoyed" by Maria Kang's Facebook profile picture. People are mean to write some means things about her. They are probably just upset they don't see the same results in their own life, but that might be because of their own choices.