So, Sow, Sew

Recently I have been trying to work on being happy. 

Here are some of the ingredients from my recipe:

So:
It's all about letting go and picking your fights.
If like me, you are an executive manager of your home/ family and a small business, you are going to have to say,' so' be it to many things. A lot can get done in 24 hours but not everything, everyday. So learning to let go and let GOD is important. This is something I need to remind myself of on a daily basis.

Sew:
When I am at my sewing machine I feel at home.
It happens every-time. If, for whatever reason I take a few days off from my craft, I mildly panic that I will either lose my passion for it and never want to re-enter my studio again or I will have somehow forgotten how to put pieces of fabric together with thread and love and make a purse!
But of course neither has happened!
When I sit at my machine a feeling floods over me…that comforting feeling of coming home.
Sewing is one of my childhood hobbies that has come flooding back to me in recent years.
Finding a creative outlet is vital.

my space; my work

Sow:
Very much like my sewing, the desire to get out in the garden and grow something has returned from my childhood. I am starting to recall having sowed and then reaping corn on the cob, peas and even a squash with my sisters when we were young girls.
Now, my 5 year old son is very interested in growing food and so I got this book and these seeds and we sowed these last week Saturday. The excitement of seeing them grow and change on a daily basis is so satisfying.
They do need to go outside soon so fingers crossed that Spring actually shows up in the next week or two.

the book

the seeds

tomatoes; corn-on-cob & lettuce

                     

A Spring in my Run

Oh, how sweet it will to be to start seeing glimpses of Spring. So while we wait patiently for that to happen, I've put a spring in my step, or should I say, my run.

I started running over a year ago, but recently took the leap from thread-mill to road.

Initially daunting but now, a mere 4 weeks and one official 1 mile run later, I don't know what I was afraid of! To put it simply, I am hooked!!! I used the app C25K to get me started on the thread-mill and using the same app outdoor. Love it!!

                        trainers, number, first medal ever and my bubble hat that kept my head from freezing



You see, it is on my bucket list. Running a 5k has been on it for a few years now and come June, I hope to check it off! I've even managed to rope in a few seasoned running friends. I keep asking myself why though, since I will either be left eating their dust or slowing them down. But it is Race For Life so it should be a great day out for a fantastic cause.

And talking about my bucket list, playing Mas in Trinidad has been checked off and will surely be repeated come Carnival 2014. I had The Best Time Ever and here are some photos to prove it.

Carnival Tuesday in costume

On a boat party

My younger sister who showed me the best time ever!!! Love her!

 Despite bulging in places I'd prefer not to, I felt great in my skin. And that calls for a certain amount of self-confidence when surrounded by slim, sexy women and men! I didn't feel too out of place.

But saying that, my sister and I have re-dedicated ourselves to working even harder to be healthy and in shape and we have made a pact to loss 52lbs in 52 weeks.

Very do-able I say!!

Ode to My Motherhood

Motherhood is hard
Motherhood is sweet
Motherhood is filled with guilt
And all sweet things in between

Coming from a childhood not full of men
To a household full of them
I try to teach and bring them up to be well rounded men
To have good manners, to be gentlemen

It is my duty as their mom, not to be their friend but to be an example and a good leader, to ready them for life

All this mom wants is a cuddle and a kiss
For them to say on their wedding day that their mom has brought them bliss.

Sweet Tooth

A couple of  weeks ago the tooth fairy visited our household for the first time.  My 5 year old lost his two front teeth in the space of 2 weeks and apparently 5 years old is early. Little does he  know that one interesting fact about his mummy dearest is that I was born with 2 teeth myself! Yes, you read right! Born with front teeth! Imaigine the fright on my mother's face. I think I lost them when I was months old, so 5 years is nothing!!

I must say that I was very impressed with John's very matter of fact attitude to losing his teeth especially because no one was aware that they were loose! 

After my initial 'baby teeth' feel out and the normal milk ones came through, losing them always seemed like such a traumatic affair and I have several bad memories:

1. My sister and I were fighting for a towel and I stuffed its end into my mouth. She yanked it out along with two of my teeth.
2. Same sister and I were playing hide and seek. I decide to hide behind a door. She changed directions and opened the door onto my grinning mouth. Out comes another tooth. 
3. The others all seemed to come out at the weekends and my dad seemed to find some sadistic joy in pulled them out by putting a piece for thread around them then yanking. 
I did say it was traumatic!!

But I think John was so cool, calm and collected because he is aware of what happens when one loses a tooth! He promptly placed it under his pillow and giggled at the thought of the tooth fairy's visit! And so I was excited for him as well. Although it was tramatic for me,I see losing a tooth as a rite of passage for a child. 

As soon as he feel asleep I exchange the tooth with a two pound piece. And this is where things get iffy. John was delighted  when he woke in the morning. But then again, if I had placed a 2 pence piece he would have been non the wiser and as happy. 

In my defence, I dipped my hand into the coin box we keep on the kitchen window sill and the 2 pound piece was what I got. I never stopped to think or to discuss with hubby about the value or going rate of milk teeth these days. 

So I was very taken aback to discover that 2 pounds is way too generous. 

At the school gate on Monday, I brought up the topic of losing teeth and other moms suggested that 2 pounds was a lot.  I felt bad! Then I mentioned it to my husband who berated me for boosting about John's loot! I did no such thing but realised my mistake. I then called my father-in-law who I have dubbed,' The Wise One' for some advice on the matter. He jokingly said that at that price, he wished that tooth fairy would visit him!! But picking up on my anxiety he did admit that he thought it was too much.

Lesson learnt: this parenting gig is not easy and I am learning on the job..

Poor Joseph 3.5 year old though. His teeth are going to be worth so much less!!!

Bliss

I am just going out on a limb here and guess that a few others out there will agree with me when I say there is a bit of a lull after all the Christmas festivities!

 For one thing, Christmas items seem to be appearing on shop and supermarket shelves earlier and earlier each year (September? Serious?). But that topic is for a whole other post.

To cheer me up, my lovely hubby surprised me with a ticket to travel to my native Trinidad for Carnival.

How nice is he? Very! And not to sound ungrateful or unloving in anyway, it is sans hubby and kids! Excuse me while I screech in delight! Because let's face it, you can only ever have a true holiday if:
a) you are single
b) it's just you and boyfriend/partner/hubby
c) you leave hubby at home to take care of children

I have not been back to Trinidad in almost ten years so there is a lot to look forward to and jam-pack into 7 days! In no particular order, this is a list of things I am looking forward to:

- seeing my little sister and niece;
- seeing my dad;
- getting out of heavy coats and boots for a week;
- seeing my brother and nephew;
- eating Roti and Doubles, drinking real coconut water out of a coconut, salt prunes, Kiss-cake, drinking Malta
- feeling the sun on my face;
- hearing the Trini accent and dialect;
- the beach

......but most of all, my first true Carnival experience. For the first time ever (and I get the feeling it will be the first of many to come) I will be masquerading the streets of Port-Of-Spain in full costume (well not really Full because the costume is tiny!!)

Don't believe me? Here is a pic and no, this is not me looking hot, hot, hot in the pic!

                                                                      Bliss: Lion Fish



The pressure to be fit and sexy enough to look as hot as the above model is making me eat...a lot!

My only saving grace is my love for running and walking my boys to nursery and school. I will look nowhere as good as Missus above but I sure will have a blast! And if I feel brave enough and don't look too bad, I just might share photos upon my return!