Week 7 of 52

September 23-29, 2018

Started the week with lunch at friend J's house. When the Bible says "children are a blessing" it means so many things to me. One of the ways my children have been a blessing in my life is through the friends I've made because of them. My friend "J" was expecting a son at the same time I was expecting DS2, they were born a couple of weeks apart. We were able to help each other out by trading childcare and her role in that helped me tremendously as I worked on my Masters degree. I moved a lot growing up so having a friend who has been in my life for more than a decade is a big deal to me!







Attended my first high school parent council meeting on Monday night. The principal gave us a thorough update, which I really appreciated. I like her passion and vision for the school, it gives me great hope.

Coffee with friend "R" on Tuesday morning. This friendship was forged when we realized we both have children with exceptionalities. 


A visit with my mom on Tuesday afternoon -- she's treating her kids to a "Western Mediterranean" (Spain, Italy, France) cruise in October and DH and I are paying his way. She and I are the most detail-oriented of the group and are enjoying planning out the sight-seeing in port.



Tuesday night I attended a session to learn more about the Ontario Autism Program. Learned a few new things, like that when I finally get "the call" I'll have to know whether I want the Direct Funding or Direct Service option. The best thing I learned (not that it's good news, rather that getting this info can be elusive) is that people on the wait list from January 2017 are getting calls now. So another 10 months for us... :-(


Thursday morning DH and I attended a workshop with DS1 at his school. It was to help us help him break down assignments in a practical way.


In the afternoon I went with my friend "C" and gave blood! The last time I had donated was 16 years ago and I was glad to be able to do so again. Let me encourage anyone reading this to please donate blood if you're able to. I felt tired that day and the next but am back to my normal self now.  

"More than half of Canadians will need blood at some point in their lifetime. Cancer patients, transplant recipients, accident victims. For these people and so many more, a timely transfusion of blood can be the lifesaving difference. The need is constant." (blood.ca)


The last stop on Thursday was the open house at my younger kids' school I was proud to see what DS3 had written in his journal entry: He wrote about our summer trip to my mom's cottage at a Christian camp and ended with: "But the best thing was we got to learn about God."

Kids... blessings from God!

"Children are a blessing

and a gift from the Lord."

Psalm 127:3

[Contemporary English Version (CEV)]

Week 6 of 52

September 16-22, 2018

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

You know the story about putting the big rocks in the container first? In case you don't, here it is (Dr. Stephen R. Covey, First Things First):

One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I’m sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you’ll never forget it either.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all."

What are the big rocks in your life? A project that you want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these Big Rocks in first or you’ll never get them in at all.

Having gone through Carrie Lindsey's book last week, I had made my list of priorities and decided to write them down on "big rocks" to remind me. My "big rocks" for the next 12 months or so are Family, Spiritual, Home, Health, and Friends.

Using the "Make Anything Happen" book I also created my vision board. Among my goals is getting to my healthy weight by my birthday next year - doable at 1 pound per week if I watch my eating and add in some exercise. One of my strategies will be to get back into the Trim Healthy Mama recipes as they have worked for me in the past.


This week I enjoyed a coffee with a mom I've been wanting to sit down with. In spite of our cultural and religious differences we have much in common as we navigate parenthood and life with a "large" family - we each have four children.

Mid-week church programs started up for the kids and I oversaw the check-in and check-out process for 100 kids, making sure they were safely matched up to the correct guardian at the end of the night. The evening consists of a large group activity with a Bible lesson, followed by going off to the various electives - my kids chose the Athletics (DD) and Adventure (DS3) electives. 

My Coordinated Service Planner and I had a check-in meeting with the Head of Special Education and the Instructional Program Leader, Special Education at DS1's high school. I was relieved to hear that DS1 is doing well socially and academically. He is participating in group work, mostly staying on task, and turning in most of his work.Another HUGE relief was hearing from the Instructional Program Leader (who is on the Autism Spectrum herself) that DS1 doesn't require the 30+ hours of ABA I thought he did. According to her 2-4 hours a week would be appropriate for him. 

Week 5 of 52

September 9-15, 2018

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

This week we enjoyed a Laser Tag game as a family. The handles chosen were:
Myself = 4Mom
DH = Dad
DS1 = Mr.Bones
DS2 = Loading...
DD = Psycocat
DS4 = Flatulence

#1 spot went to DS2, #3 to DS1. DS3 and DH made it into the top 10, while DD and I didn't fare as well... we stuck together and accidentally shot each other a few times!

Piano lessons started back up for DS2, DD, and DS3. They sarted with the Music For Little Mozarts books and are now in the Alfred's Basic Piano books. DS1 is following DH's footsteps and will "play" the radio. The 3 younger kids also started back at AWANA, which we find to be a great program for them to learn God's Word while enjoying crafts, physical activity, and building friendships.

DD went for fillings and enjoyed some "sleepy juice" for the procedure. She was feistier than anticipated so only 2 of the fillings got done this time and we'll go back to get more done in November. While she spent the day recovering I worked on decluttering and tidying up her room.

I attended a Union executive meeting and sent out communication to the membership about the annual public library postcard campaign where we hand out postcards to customers reminding them we're behind the great programs and services they enjoy at the library.

My big read this week was Make Anything Happen: A Creative Guide to Vision Boards, Goal Setting, and Achieving the Life of Your Dreams, by Carrie Lindsey. This beautifully illustrated book spoke to me about creating a vision board, and making all the lists I want to! Books to read, places I want to go, cleaning tasks, holiday plans... go ahead and make your lists! I'll show you snippets of my vision board in next week's blog post. You can find Carrie Lindsey's blog at carrieelle.com and help yourself to her printables and downloads.

On Saturday we enjoyed a family outing to the Ontario Science Centre. We hadn't been there in many years and enjoyed it as much as ever. If we lived closer we'd likely buy a membership again as we made good use of it when we had one.

Week 4 of 52

September 2 - 8, 2018

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Back to school week! DS1 started Grade 9, DS2 started Grade 7, DD started Grade 4, and DS3 started Grade 2. I was probably more nervous than they were, especially for the start of high school! DS1 did amazing navigating his very large school of over 1,000 students. DS2 started in the French immersion program and is happy for the extra stimulation.



We're reading through the Bible in our morning devotionals and have just finished Leviticus. Exodus and Leviticus have some challenging content so I borrowed The Eerdmans Companion to the Bible from the public library. It's broken down by each book in the Bible and included an explanation of one or two chapters and their theme. My kids are ages 14, 11, 8, and 7 and they are all able to understand this book. I read it before we read the chapter that morning and it gives us context.

This week included a visit to my mom where I was able to view a portion of the 500 photos she took on her trip to India in July. Having been there with DH in 2003, I was able to exchange some stories with her about our experiences. We also looked through older (ok, much older) pictures from my baby years and she lamented that there was only one newborn picture of me. "Back in the nineteens," as my kids call them, we had to buy film and hope for the best when we paid to develop them into print format.

I read seven (wow!) gardening books this year but the two easiest gardening things that happened were surprise tomatoes that no one planted, and these potatoes that we did plant.

Two of my favourite gardening books this year were (affiliate links):

Beginner's Garden: A Practical Guide to Growing Vegetables & Fruit Without Getting Your Hands Too Dirty
by Alex Mitchell

Extraordinary Ornamental Edibles: 100 Perennials, Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Canadian Gardens
by Mike Lascelle


This week also included an annual physical for DD, a dentist appointment for DS3, and a union Labour-Management meeting.

Week 3 of 52

August 26-September 1, 2018

Sunday afternoon I paid a visit to my grandparents' and my brother-in-laws graves and left some flowers from my garden.

At night I attended my monthly meeting with the union executive plus one non-executive member who form our Labour Management team. We meet monthly to prepare for our upcoming meeting with Management. We discuss issues such as violations of the Collective Agreement, Grievances needing to be filed or escalated, adherence to the Employment Standards Act, Health and Safety, workplace concerns, and more. Through this process we represent our members to Management and ensure that they are able to enjoy the benefits of being members of a union.

DS1 had two ABA video sessions this week. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday he had his final 3 two hour Executive Functioning sessions. Unfortunately the agency has changed their hours and we won't be able to attend during the school year. 

DH and I spent almost 2 hours at DS1's high school meeting with the special education teacher to do our best to give him a strong start at school. That was followed by a 45 walk-through of the school with DS1 so that he can find his way from class to class. The school is being renovated and I don't know how they're going to pull off having it set up for next week! I feel good about high school for him but am also anxious about how the first day and week will go. 

The kids did a bit of swimming at a few of the local pools, however DS3 and DD will be repeating their swimming level for the 3rd (or is it 4th?) time in the Fall.

Friday I visited my work location and attended their staff meeting/potluck. One of my team members is retiring, one is starting maternity leave very soon, one celebrated his 10th anniversary in the library system, and one got temporarily promoted to fill in for the other's maternity leave! I was thankful to be included and to see everyone. I don't miss the work but I do miss my co-workers.

Saturday the whole family (minus the 2 oldest nieces) had an Indian themed get together at my sister's house as my mom had spent a couple of weeks in India this summer, including her 70th birthday! We each contributed something towards the Indian meal, then watched my mom's picture presentation before the kids enjoyed the pool.