Weekend adventure to Niagara Falls

Sunday April 10th 2011 I awoke with a burning desire for an adventure.  It was a lovely day and the temperature was to go up to at least 20 degrees, and it would be a shame to spend the day indoors doing laundry and cleaning the house.

Sam was up first and I discussed my idea with him.  Of course he was game; my boy is always up for an adventure, especially when it involves Niagara Falls and midway games and mini golf.

Shawn would be the difficult one to convince, since he would be the one driving.  How often do we get the chance to have a day of fun and adventure, when we do not have prearranged appointments or plans?  A day doing nothing should at least be spent doing something fun.

Now that the day is over and we did indeed have a great time, here are the things I noticed upon reflection.

1. An hour and a half car ride goes by much more quickly when you listen to a book on tape.  The only drawback was that conversation was at a minimum and we as a family love to talk.

2. We had a long conversation about the power of nature and how it is able to draw a crowd.  My thought was that when you have such massive and beautiful natural wonders, there are no way buildings or parking lots or strip malls can be built on top of it and there are so few of these places left in the world.  Shawn’s thought was that locations like this are a constant reminder to us that nature is not to be controlled by man.

3. Sometimes there is nothing better than a root beer float made to perfection with the correct ratio of root beer to ice cream.  We explained this to the woman behind the counter that made our drinks and complemented her and she told us that her parents owned an A&W drive in when she was young.  There is something to be said for learning a craft well, even if said craft is a root beer float.

4. Playing midway games is exciting and fun, but as a parent that has paid twenty dollars, it is hard to remember the fun after the fact when the prizes your son comes away with are a Frisbee, a tiny plastic dinosaur and a green electric guitar key chain.  To him it was not about the prizes it was about the bright flashing lights and the games of chance and playing with his parents.  The prizes at the end were just an extra added bonus.

5. Playing mini golf is best when you win, but much better when there are no egos involved and you are there just to have fun.

6. Eating too much pineapple is never a good thing.

7. Spending time as a family laughing and having fun is a rarity these days and that must change.

Getting Rid of Cable

As of March 28, 2011 we are no longer subscribing to a cable service.

For a while now I have been wanting to cancel our cable television subscription but was met with much resistance from my husband and son.  Slowly putting the idea in their head and reinforcing it from time to time, (OK it took about a year) I had at least caused them to think about their television consumption.  

As a family there was only four prime time shows that we watched.

Myself, the only show I watched with any sort of regularity was the Weather Network every morning.  i have since downloaded an app to my laptop, so I can check the weather status every day.

My husband really didn’t watch that much at all, usually just out of boredom or to watch a movie or play on the Wii.  He has never been a cable television junkie.  My son would watch the children’s channel when he got home from school to decompress from the day.  That was all.  When we actually sat down and closely inspected our total consumption it was an obvious choice to make.  Why pay for something you use only sporadically and could easily find a replacement for?  Why indeed.

Do you have any idea how freeing that feeling is not to be tied down to a machine.  I was amazed.  I am looking forward to reading more, spending time with my family at the dinner table instead of in front of the TV, playing more games as a family.  It is truly sad how much family time the television takes away from us.

the less clutter we live in the less cluttered our lives are.

the less clutter we live in the less cluttered our lives are.  

A simple home, where everything has its place, multitasking on items
A clean home, where last minute dinner guests can show up without inducing stress
A calm home where mornings are spent enjoying time with the family and not rushing around to try to find a book or the keys to the car

These are my hopes for my home in 2011.

How I will be accomplishing this is by:

1. eliminating clutter in each room of the house
2. reorganizing each room to maximize the living space
3. get rid of unused items. The idea that I may use it some day does not work any longer
4. replace old, worn and inefficient items with newer more efficient items
5. donate old toys, clothing and unused items to shelters or charities
6. don’t buy anything new unless it has a specific purpose

Going through each room I am amazed to find things that at one point I thought were really important and now with my new way of thinking I realize that its only purpose was to collect dust.  My emotional attachment to certain objects have been eliminated due to the fact that it is just getting in the way.  An example of this is a very large stuffed animal that my sister brought home from Germany for me when I was in high school.  It was a mascot of the Olympics that year.  It is huge and I always thought is was very kind of my sister to stuff that animal in her suitcase and bring it all the way back for me.  Now 20 some odd years later I only see it as a matted fraying thing that I really cannot identify (cross the abominable snowman with a teddy bear) and cannot find a place for.  I also cannot think of any other person who would want this (my son was afraid of it when he was little).

Since I am the only one in our house at the moment that if gung ho on minimizing our clutter, I have to be respectful of the rest of my family.  To accomplish this I have bought more storage.  Shelving and bins that are attractive and have clean lines have replaced the mounds of clutter in each room.  The only rule I have imposed on my boys is that once the shelf or bin is full then they have to pare down their items to fit.  I will never be the person that own only 100 items and I am OK with that.  My minimalist goal it to be comfortable in my home with my family, to clean less and laugh more.  As long as everything has its place and is contained, that is the best I can hope for right now.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is only a few weeks away, so I thought I would share our family’s philosophy for celebrating the holiday.  

Hanukkah is all about spending 8 evenings together as a family to celebrate history and tradition and a miracle or two thrown in.

We used to buy Sam a gift for each night, but only something small because we also celebrate Christmas.  We also eat a piece of chocolate gilt and read a Hanukkah book or watch a movie.  A few years ago my sister found this website (http://www.pjvoice.com/v18/18801gifts.aspx ) that listed the top eight Hanukkah gifts and gave a significance behind each night. She adopted this list when giving Sam gifts and we loved the idea so much that we have adopted it since.

For the first night: A gift of Hanukkah - This is usually a book or movie or a Hanukkah related item that we need, like a new menorah.  This year we got him a menorah from Think Geek  http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/b25a/

For the second night: A gift of generosity - We usually make a donation to a charity in Sam’s name. This year we got Sam the Heart and Stroke Calendar lottery http://calendar.pdgmedia.com/

For the third night: A gift of togetherness - This is usually a movie or a game we can all watch or play together. This year we got Sam cards for a game he plays with his father and a Dr Who cartoon that he can watch with me.

For the fourth night: A gift of knowledge - This is usually a book or dictionary.  This year we got him 50 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do from Think Geek again http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/3-7-years/d823/

For the fifth night: A gift of labor - This is something that usually helps with his chores around the house, in the past Sam has gotten a laundry basket, a Shark steam mop and a shovel.  This year I am still stumped on what to get him.

For the sixth night: A gift of comfort - We usually get Sam a blanket or a sweatshirt.  This year is a Bazinga Hoodie from you guessed it Think Geek  http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/hoodies/e5a4/

For the seventh night: A gift of choice Every year we get two gift cards and wrap them and Sam has to choose which one he wants and who he wants to give the other one to.

For the eighth night: A gift of being Jewish book -  This is most often a book like the one we just found at amazon, the Jewish Book of Why. http://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Book-Why-Compass/dp/0142196193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290021113&sr=8-1

This has become a very special tradition in our house, that I am sure will continue for many years to come.

Mothering Quiz

The Family Education website has a mothering quiz that helps determine what type of mother you are.  Here is what it said about me.

I'm a "Love of Learning" Mother! (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving) Intellectually curious and patient, I relish those times with a child when we are learning something interesting together. What's your mothering personality type? Take the MotherStyles quiz at FamilyEducation.com!

Nice to know.

Things to Do, Things to learn Thursday

I have started a list of things I want to do and things I want to learn.

So I thought I would post one thing from the list every Thursday.  All part of my accountability.

This week it is writing a children's book

This past weekend  we went to Word on the Street http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/wots/ in support of our friend Michelle who has just stated her own publishing company well-read http://www.well-read.ca/well-read/Welcome.html

While there Sam my 11 year old son got inspired to write his own book and have Michelle publish it.  My son is truly an inspiring person.  For the past two days he has been writing in his journal story ideas, coming up with characters he would like to write about and getting down on paper the basics of a story idea.  I have no doubt that within the year I will be showcasing his book on this blog.

Sam has inspired me to write my own book.  Although he and I have been working on a cookbook for a while now, I thought I would take some time out to work on a book idea that I have had for a while but never thought about doing anything about.  Why not?  Fear, not enough time, I'm not good enough, all of the same excuses that keep most people from doing the things they really want to do.  Like me starting this blog, sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet.

So I have started a children's book and have given myself a goal to be completed by Christmas so I can give it out as gifts to friends with young children.  I will also see if I can put it into an ebook format so that I can put it up on my blog.

September 23 Is International Minimalist Day

What a great idea this is.
http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com/international-minimalist-day/

Today in celebration of the first annual National Minimalist Day I plan to:
walk home from work
smell some flowers on the way
make a great dinner from food in the freezer
play a game with my son
get rid of 10 things that I no longer need.

50 simple ways to show your kids you love them

I try every day to tell my son, Sam,  that I love him, but sometimes words are not enough.

We believe in discipline in our house and consequences for actions.  Most parents I know think that I am too hard on my son.  On the other side of that though, most parents also say that our son is one of the best behaved and well rounded children that they know.  
So, how do you find a balance between being a drill Sargent and a passive parent.

I have flat out asked Sam ‘You know I love you, right?’ and he always answers ‘Yes’ without any hesitation.  He knows that there are a lot of kids around him, school friends, family friends and family that have a much easier time and much less discipline in their lives, but he also knows that he is very much loved and appreciated.

I may not be the best mom out there but my child knows he is loved every moment of the day.  Here are some of the ways that I prove on a daily basis that I love my son.

1. hugs
2. kisses
3. tell them “I love you”
4. tuck them into bed
5. cuddle under a blanket
6. quote lines from their favourite movie, it’s like an inside joke that only the two of you will get.
7. make their favourite dinner - it can be a grand gesture or just another item on the weeks meal plan
8. pack a note in their lunch box - just for the heck of it or to give encouragement for a test or a race.
9. squeeze on the shoulder or arm
10. pat their leg
11. put a photo of them up at your place of work
12. thank them for helping out around the house, even if it is their chore to do.
13. tell others of funny or great things they did when they are around to hear
14. retell stories to them of when they were young
15. make them laugh
16. listen when they speak, really listen
17. measure their body against yours for their growth
18. play a game, either a board game or as simple as a thumb war.
19. go for a walk
20. ask how their day was, ask what the best and the worst thing of the day was
21. high five them
22. tickle them
23. have a pillow fight
24. read together
25. hold their hand
26. put a smiley face on their sandwich or apple
27. make popcorn and watch a movie together
28. make them healthy food
29. go on a picnic even if it’s just a snack in the backyard or balcony
30. let them get dirty
31. let them have a bubble bath with extra bubbles
32. always support your child, have their back.
33. get them a small gift without them having to ask
34. take time off work to go to a school assembly or on a class trip
35. make one day a year not their birthday a special day to do all of their favourite things
36. bake cookies together
37. play rock paper scissors or eye spy when standing in line
38. sing and dance around with the when no music is playing
39. smile at them
40. let them choose which snack or cereal to buy at the grocery store
41. compliment them
42. involve them in your hobby
43. wake your child up with kind words, like “Good Morning Sunshine”
44. make a special handshake together
45. apologize when you are wrong
46. ask their opinion
47. give big bear hugs, lifting them off of the ground
48. blow bubbles on a hot day
49. make snow angles just after it snows
50. tell them again you love them with words

World Carfree Day

This Wednesday is World Carfree Day.
here is how I plan to celebrate.
I will either walk to work, or take the subway, depending on the weather. (It’s suppose to rain all day tomorrow) Shawn ride his bike to work or take the subway.

I would ride my bike to work if there were more bike lanes, but I just don’t feel safe enough riding the city streets, so I would rather walk.  It may take me just under two hours, but I like to think of it as time for myself. Here is a great article over at mother earth news.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/energy-matters/world-car-free-day-zb0z10zkon.aspx

A Week in Our Life - Wednesday

Wednesday was one of those non stop days.  It is nice that I am photo journaling or I would not have remembered a thing about my day in the whirlwind.

I finally got a photo of Sam feeding his fish.  Sometimes he is just too quick for me.

More of the secret handshake, which as I write this is probably not as secret anymore, since I am deconstructing it through photographs.

View from my window at work.  Still amazed at how green this city is. The view looks toward the east end from downtown.

Lunch in the food court with friends

Quick stop after work to the craft supply store to pick up scrapping supplies that I am running low on.

Special DQ treat after dinner.

I also baked a cake and cupcakes that will be displayed tomorrow after decorated.

A Week in Our Life - Tuesday

Not too many photos today.  I swear my second battery was charged, but alas nope.  That and Sam had a rough day at school, loosing a tooth and being kicked in the foot.  Tuesday was a mom to the rescue day and not a photo journalist day.

I don't know how I would start my day without The Weather Network

This mornings smoothie on the go was banana pumpkin.  Different by good.

The day started out fine with smiles.

Thankfully chores were completed earlier in the day.

Saying goodbye with the secret handshake again.  It's the rituals and routines that keep us going.

 

A missing molar, a sore foot and a bunch of cuddles and our day was done.

A Week in Our Life - Monday

Monday, September 13, 2010

Back to school is in full swing, we are finally back to our regular routine, well with a few changes, and all is going well.

Man, the days start early, and dark now. I respond much better to light in the morning.

Breakfast Monday morning consists of Earl Grey tea with Soy milk, 12 grain hot cereal with Soy milk, walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, sunflower seeds and ground flax seeds and 2 plums.

Ah my stability ball, the bane of my existence, yesterday was 21 crunches and 16 push ups with the ball at my hips.

Aren't they cute when they're asleep, so angelic and sweet and quiet.  But it is time to get up and take on the world.

My morning accessory kit: anniversary necklace, mickey mouse watch and pedometer.  Three things I don't leave the house with in the morning.

Kaylee the cat, greeting me on the stairs to start our day.

Making Sam's lunch - Adzuki bean, Dijon mustard and mozzarella cheese wrap, with lemonade.

Saying good-bye with a secret handshake.

And we're off to work, the weather was unpredictable sometimes cloudy, sometimes sunny and bright. The day started out at 14 and went up to about 19.

I love that this is my view of the way into work, downtown Toronto and it is filled with trees and nature. How cool is that.

My home away from home. Tiny, sad and very sterile.  But I get paid well.

It seems my days are filled with stairs,

The stairs from the parking garage, Shawn doesn't do elevators.

The stairs from my floor (10th) to main, I hate waiting for the elevators, they are so slow.

The stairs to Sam's piano lesson.

Sam's piano lesson, (Serenade - http://web.me.com/michelle.garon/Serenade/Welcome.html) first of the season, I am surprised he remembered as much as he did.

  

Waiting for Sam to finish his lesson by playing scrabble on Shawn's ipod touch.

  

After piano, it was home for dinner and home work, for me it was scrapbooking family album's for Shawn's family and for Sam it was 30 minutes of reading.

  

When all of the work is done, it's time to relax and watch a movie.  Tonight's selection was Season 2 of Remington Steele.

 

Bedtime routine, brush, floss, clean room and then to bed

 

How sad that I manage to go to bed before my son.  Sweet dreams!

Day one complete.  I am enjoying the photo journaling and the boys are not too annoyed with it all yet, in fact they are just as excited as I am to see how the week plays out.

A week in our life

Back in April 2010 Ali Edwards of http://aliedwards.com/ created an online journal and then a scrapbook of a Week In the Life. I thought this idea was brilliant and wanted to do it. Well it has taken until September, but I am finally ready to attempt a photographic journal of a week in the life of the Fryer family.
If I wait any longer we will be into major home renovations and I would really like to have nothing on the go while the house is turned upside down and we are dislocated for 2 weeks.
This week is a typical week for us. Nothing out of the ordinary going on which is why I thought it perfect for doing the journal. I will be posting the photos a day late, but hopefully it will give a full grasp of what goes on in my life. I am also hopeful that my family will not be too annoyed with me photographing them every moment for an entire week. I think they can also appreciate what the outcome will be.
Thank you Ali for sharing your life and helping me to find inspiration in mine.