I’m Thankful My Mom is My Mom

I have an awesome Mom. I know that many people have awesome moms but I really only know mine and I am so thankful for her. Luckily I live close to my parents and either of them is there in a flash if I need them. And yesterday I needed I needed my mom.

Sunday night my hubby made us hamburgers for dinner and I finished about 2/3 of mine. I gave the rest to Milo (just the patty not any of the bun or fixings). Cut to Monday morning and as Milo lay on our bed while I got ready to go to work, his tummy was making some crazy sounds. Loud indigestion type sounds. But he seemed ok, he was doing his usual lazy morning routine, waiting until I go downstairs which he knows is the cue for food, meaning I basically trip over him as he races me to the kitchen.

But yesterday when I was read to head downstairs, he followed me and went straight to his bed in the living room. This was not normal. I put out Jinx’s food and expected Milo to jump up as I approached his dish but he just watched me put down his doggie meatloaf. And stayed in his bed. I literally don’t think this has ever happened before.

I was worried. I had to go to work. Hubby had to go to work and although he is normally home between 2-3pm, had a long day and wouldn’t be home until after 4pm. Had Milo seemed ill I would have taken him to the vet but he was acting normal, he just didn’t want to eat and his tummy was making the sounds. Basically I knew that he was going to need to go outside at some point to feel better and making him wait until 4pm (or later!) seemed very cruel.

So I called my mom.

I called and asked if she could stop by and let Milo out in a couple hours, check on him to see if he was still doing ok and if he finally ate his breakfast. (I guess I am also thankful that my mom is retired, although she seems a lot busier these days!). My mom went to our house and as soon as she walked in the door Milo went crazy – my mom walks him every Wednesday afternoon with one of her girlfriends – and he assumed he was going out with her. And he seemed fine so she took him out to one of his favourite dog parks and let him run around for an hour.

She took him home and he ran in and gobbled up his breakfast.

And then she called me to let me know that my little guy was ok.

Things like that is just one of the many reasons I am so thankful that my mom is my mom.

 

 

 

Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

     

5 on Friday: My Mom

Why hello Friday, thanks for showing up so quickly.  Part of me is jumping for joy but part of me is sad.  Not because it's Friday but because something horrible happened to someone in my "new" family.  
One of my sister-in-laws lost her mother yesterday.  They found out she was very sick only a few weeks ago and in what seems like the blink of an eye, she is gone.  I have only seen my SIL twice since she found out and it was heartbreaking to see how devastated she already was. The youngest and only daughter of 6 kids, she is... I guess now was... so close to her mom. I can't even imagine the pain she is going through and it sucks knowing I can't do anything to make it even a tiny bit better.  None of us can.  
So today in my link-up with the 5 on Friday ladies, darci, april, christina & natasha, I am going to talk about 5 reasons I am thankful for my mom.  
1) My mom is the strongest person I know. Basically putting her grief aside, she packed up my little sister and what was left of our life after my dad died in Peru and moved home.  Home to where my older sister and I were waiting for her.  And we built a new life.  

2) She makes the best shepherd's pie ever... it's my ultimate comfort food.

 

3) She is always there to help me when I need her.  Always.

4) My mom made my wedding cake.  My mom had never made a wedding cake and she practiced with fondant for two months.

My wedding cake

5) My mom loves me and that hasn’t always been the easiest thing.

And the next time I see her I am going to hug her a little bit harder and a little bit longer.

Weekend Recap: Exercising my Green Thumb

Cheers to a great weekend come and gone!  We didn't really have any plans which was nice because I've been working a bit later these last few days and I was really looking forward to a lazy weekend.  Friday night was fairly uneventful, we went to buy a few plants to replace the seedlings I lost: lettuce, spinach and kale... here's hoping I can keep actual plants alive.  On our way home we picked up dinner and relaxed in front of the TV for a couple hours before turning in.  
Saturday was a good day.  I slept in uninterrupted and then enjoyed a couple leisurely cups of coffee while watching the Parenthood season finale (please tell me that Julia and Joel will get back together?!) before taking Milo out for a good long walk on a trail beside a nearby river/creek thing.  I love watching Milo when he's off leash on a trail wandering all over the place, he's so carefree and happy.  He does try to hump almost every dog he comes in contact with but thankfully most of them snap at him to show who is boss.  It's still embarrassing, thank goodness he's cute!

Saturday morning in the trails

When we got back home I finally gave into the weeds overtaking the front garden and ripped them out.  This was actually quite necessary because we bought plants 3 weeks ago for the garden and they have been left to (somewhat) survive on the porch since they came home.  he downside of owning your own home is the upkeep outside... hubby mows the lawn but for some reason the gardens fall to me and non-existent green thumbs.  
Before...

Saturday night was another chill one, we ordered in some dinner and watched the hockey playoffs (I was actually re-watching Orange is the New Black on my iPad) while enjoying a few drinks.  Hubby fell asleep on the couch at 9:30pm and decided to head off to bed which gave me another chance to watch some of my shows... I only have about 6 more episodes of Bones before I'm all caught up!
On Sunday we woke up to light rain with the promise that it would get harder so I finished weeding and got everything planted.  I think we need to add some more flowers but it's a good start.  As soon as I finished up outside the rain started coming down hard so I ran a hot bath and settled in with a hot cup of coffee.  It was so ugly out all day that we stayed in and watched movies, ate some tasty snacks, took a family nap... the perfect lazy Sunday!
After!

It wasn't even that hard to get ready for Monday because we were looking forward to Milo's birthday.  I realize that he had no idea what going on but we knew it was a special day and had lots of fun with him all day, gave him (too many) treats and a special dinner.

And in addition to his new bed and stuffies, I got him a fish.  And named him Otis.

 

Our newest family member, Otis

Only 4 more sleeps until another Friday!
And for the first time in a long time I am linking up with the lovely Weekend Recap hostesses Showered with Design  and Dateless in Dallas.

Happy Birthday Milo!

Our youngest fur baby is 5 today.  Wow, how time flies... We brought Milo home in September 2009, after being together barely 5 months and when we were still unofficially living together (which happened barely two months in)... a few people thought we were crazy but it was one of the best days of my life.
Growing up we always had pets - including a duck and tortoise at one point - but as much as I may have thought they were "mine", my mom fed, walked, took care of them all.  Milo is the first dog in my life who depends on me (and hubby when I'm out of town).  The love I have for this little guy is unlike any I have ever known and I look forward to enjoying life with him for many more years to come.

The week we first brought Milo home

1) Milo with his cousin/BFF Zoe

2) Milo and his brother Jinx (that's the bottom half of my side btw)

1) Another selfie fail

2) The only one of the 40+ dogs on the trail who needed to jump right in the mud

1) Normally shy and very skittish, Milo was beside us throughout the wedding ceremony and reception, including joining us for our first dance.  I love this photo.

2) One of the best moments of my day - every afternoon he watches for me at the window and then runs to the door as I come up the walk

What's a birthday without presents?  Milo got a new bed and toy (that has lasted over 2 hours!)

 Happy Birthday Milo!

(Almost Picture-less) Weekend Recap (Sorry!)

Our weekend started with a bang on Friday and I have to admit it - I was one lucky lady!  I could have been shut in Saturday-Sunday and it still would have been amazing (but thankfully I wasn't).  
I left work on Friday and met up with my hubby to get me golf clubs.  Why the sudden need for golf clubs?  Well it started last weekend when we were out at one of the local pubs having a couple beers and watching the hockey playoffs and we decided we need a husband/wife sport hobby.  My husband is smart enough to know that any sport I partake in on the weekends would have to involve alcohol and he is quite a fan of golf.  Golf and booze go really well together so it was kind of a no-brainer.  I mentioned that a friend of ours had her set for sale on Facebook so we inquired and made a deal.  When I saw them on Friday I noticed the purple accents right away - can you say meant to be? After picking up my new clubs we went and bought my new laptop.  It's awesome.  It's definitely a learning curve!
Saturday was a big day - hubby's grandma turned 95! The whole family got together and we surprised her for lunch at one of her favourite restaurants.  I admit that I was nervous - a surprise party at 95? - but she loved it.  The look on her face was adorable!

Surprise!  Isn't Grandma the cutest??

My husband with his brothers

Hubby and me with the birthday girl

After the birthday celebrations we headed to the driving range to try our new hobby and my bag has the perfect pocket for road pops.  We had a blast and are even thinking of taking lessons.  And I guess I get to start collecting a golf wardrobe, hello shopping, my other favorite sport ;)  We stopped for dinner and drinks and then headed back to carry on at home.

Since the weather was so nice I took Milo out to a park near the water, funny think about our pooch is that he gets really excited and runs straight into the water... and stops when he gets 3-4 inches in and won't dare go any further.  He will never be a swimmer.  

I downloaded a couple more photos from the driving range and my walk with Milo but I have no idea where I put them.  Definitely a learning curve on this new toy of mine!  I promise to figure it out soon :-)

Celebrating My Mom(s)

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, Mom #2 (my MIL), my sister and sister-in-laws who are moms as well as all the moms to be!  And furbaby moms!  When I was planning our Mother's Day lunch, my mom's only request was to go somewhere near the water, and seeing as we live in a huge port one would think that would be easy.  Not so much.  There are plenty of restaurants with water views, but only two that get you really close to the water. One has a huge amazing patio but the worst service (because of their patio they are always really busy and always have been) but the other restaurant has been open a year and is fabulous.  We lucked out with amazing weather and sat right on the outside edge of the patio with a view of the water.  It was perfect.

Hubby and his mom

This celebration called for Prosecco!

The best woman I know, love you Mom

My man enjoying the view

We had a great time, lots of chatting and laughing, and enjoying the delicious food... I loved my eggs benny with cream cheese so much that I didn't even think about taking a photo, I just wanted it in my mouth!  So I didn't take a single food photo, sorry, but we are definitely going back so there will be another chance.

Hubby and I are both so lucky to have these amazing women in our lives, who love and support us always.  I feel especially lucky because not only do I have my mom, who I can never thank enough for all she has done for me and my sisters and the strength she had after my dad died, but I have also been blessed with a wonderful mother-in-law who welcomed me into the family with open arms.  I am thankful that were able to celebrate with our Moms on this special day.

I hope everyone had wonderful day as well! 

Happy Birthday Dad

Hey blog land, welcome to my brand spanking new blog! Isn't she amazing?  The fabulous Erin of Erin Elizabeth Designs AND one of my favorite daily reads Two Thirds Hazel (actually one of the first blogs I started following) took my thoughts, did some magic and produced what you see now. Incomparable to my previous (lack of) design, this new look makes me happier than finding $100 in the clearance aisle at Target!

I was racking my brain trying to figure out what my first post would be on my actual real-life grown up blog when I realized that tomorrow is my Dad's birthday.  But instead of buying him a funny card and helping him blow out candles on a cake, my only way to connect with him is through my thoughts so it seems fitting that I celebrate him here.

My dad was killed in a car accident 20 years ago.  20 years... Two decades... Basically a lifetime.  He has now been dead longer than I knew him alive.  It was a sudden, tragic death that rocked my family to the core.  My mom, my two sisters and I were surrounded by family and friends, supported in so many different ways by people who loved us.  It was hard but the four of us rallied together and started rebuilding our lives.

And now twenty years later, some days I don't think about him but some days my heart aches because I miss him, because I'm sad that I don't have him in my life and because I'm sad that he has missed so much of my life.  But if I had the chance to tell him, let him know how I am and who I have become, I would want tell him:

Mom taught me how to drive standard and I think I'm pretty damn good at it.

I didn't end up going to law school but I loved the school I did go to.

I now understand what you did as a mining engineer and I think it was pretty cool.

I married a man who really loves me and I am pretty sure you would really like him.

Every time I drink out of a crystal glass I try to make the rim sing like you did.

I haven't gone skiing since you died and I don't know if I ever will again.

I don't like cilantro either!

I wish I had traveled more when I was young (and single).

Your best friend still wears your watch every day.

Your brother was the most loved guest at my wedding (yes, he came all the way from Wales!).

I am too stubborn for my own good (I so get this one from you).

Mom made a heart out of your tshirt that I wore inside my wedding dress against my heart, my something old and something blue.

It breaks my heart that my children won't ever know you.

I miss you.

I love you.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Big Family Love

Not only do I think my family is pretty great but I am also extremely lucky to have been blessed with amazing in-laws who accepted me as part of the family from the first time they met me over four years ago.  Hubby’s family is actually quite big… both his parents are remarried and have amazing significant others, he has two brothers that are both married (to lovely women) and each have two kids, plus he has two stepsisters, one of which is married and has two little girls and the other one, K, has become one of my best friends.  I haven't even touched on the grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends!  And I love them all.

I am having a slight issue, no issue isn’t the right word… I don’t actually know what the right word is so I will just try to explain it… my mother-in-law (MIL) would like me to call her Mom and my father-in-law (FIL) would like me to call him Dad.  I need to clarify up front that I love them both and I actually feel (major cheesy moment coming, sorry!) honoured that WANT me to call them Mom and Dad.  My two sisters-in-law (SILs) both call them Mom and Dad but they have actually been around for about 18-20 years (my BILs both met these amazing women very young, have awesome relationships and I so hope that hubby and I are as lucky as them).  So again, I don’t not want to, I don’t mind it, but it feels kind of weird.

My FIL left me a message a couple days ago and had no problem saying, “Hi it’s Dad, give me call…” and my MIL left a similar message (and reminded me that my outgoing message still has my maiden name!) and I love that they think of me like that.  So why is it weird for me?  Does anyone else have that problem?  It feels awkward when I say it, but I’m not sure if they can tell.

I asked my sister about it because I have only ever heard her call her in-laws by their first names and she said she never would and in fact, couldn’t.

I guess it just takes time… and really, wouldn’t the problem be if they didn’t like me?  Trust me to complain about the opposite!

Like I told hubby yesterday: it’s better to a big family with too much lots of love than to have none at all.

Sxxo.