Newly empty-nested, most days I have enough spare time to write. These days, my house is quiet, too quiet, void of noisy and chaotic distractions of (please insert adjectives of your choice here) teens, tweens or toddlers. I no longer suffer from constant sleep deprivation...
I have been living with thyroid disease since I was seventeen. At seventeen I'd never even heard of the thyroid, but here I found myself possessing one that was diseased. Leading up to that diagnosis was an overall sense that I had become a shell of a person....
January already?! Here in Montreal, the last 2 weeks of December are construction holiday and the whole industry shuts down. This year, for the first time, I took off for a much needed 2 week vacation. I promised my family that I wouldn't do any work...
When it began. That's me on the left.[/caption]
When I was a kid, I couldn’t go to sleep unless I completed a very specific set of nightly routines. I was inexplicably terrified of water dripping from the bathroom tap, so I worked at tightening the faucet until I was sure I was safe. The bathroom light switch had to be flicked on and off exactly 10 times. Each item on my shelves and desk needed to be perfectly aligned and I felt compelled to yell, “Goodnight Ma!”, from my bed at least a dozen times.
This is my life; one I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. But it's different from most. I have what most people strive for; a beautiful family, a nice home (ok, so I'd change half a dozen things about it, but who's counting?!), a loving and supportive husband and 3 beautiful children; 2 boys and a little girl. However, what a lot of people don't know is the struggles I live each day. My boys, Ty who is 10 and Max who is 8, have autism.
The all too familiar sound of the snow crunching beneath my boots is back in Montreal, this lovely place we call home. I can’t pretend though, I hate winter. I am not a winter person and seriously, my personal style is suffering.
Low lunge with Moksha instructor Cyndie[/caption]
If you look up Type A personality in the dictionary, there’s a good chance you’ll find my picture. I’m a perfectionist, a catastrophist and an overachiever. I generally sleep like shit because the wheels in my head are always turning. I have a terrible time relaxing. I feel stressed, a lot, and I’m always rushing. Lisa is forever telling me to slow down because it’s not unusual that we’ll be walking down the street together and I’m half a block ahead of her. I just don’t do slow or relaxed. Fast paced and constant motion are more my thing.
August 2007, we were like so many other families. Happily married, 1 little boy whose 2nd birthday we had just celebrated and another baby on the way. Many nights were spent talking about how things would change once the new baby came. We talked about...
I have a really bad stomach. Years ago, I saw a gastroenterologist who told me I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is also commonly known as the diagnosis doctors provide when they can’t figure out what exactly is wrong with you. IBS doesn’t show up on...
I HATE my body. Contrary to popular social belief, I do NOT think I am fat. I am very well aware of what I look like. I do not diet, binge, nor purge. I have tried numerous ways to gain weight, none of which have proven...
I’m a very curious person and have been since I was a little kid. And one thing I've been more curious about than anything else has been cannabis. To be clear, I love all sorts of stuff, like my family, making documentaries, shooting photos, exploring out-of-the-way...
When I was pregnant with my first child I was terrified. Once I got over the shock and the excitement began to settle in, I knew I wanted to find out the sex of my new baby. As much as I had hopes and dreams of tutus and ribbons (as many women do), I knew inside that I was going to be blessed with a boy. After all signs pointed to a healthy baby, this was of course confirmed. Okay, I thought, so it won’t be pretty in pink. Maybe next time.
Starting with Halloween, moving onto Thanksgiving, keeping up with Christmas, and grand finale with New Year – holiday season is upon us. There will be plenty of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, hot chocolate, turkey, cranberries, cookies and milk, but also plenty of fog, snow, and wind. With...
Ah date nights. I remember what those were like prior to my son's birth eight and a half years ago. My husband and I would plan out our evening alone or with friends and go! We sometimes even went out several times a month. Then...
This baby's mom asks her a question. She certainly has a lot to say. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySlibLnATqw&feature=youtu.be[/embed]...
I happen to be married to a pretty amazing guy. He’s not perfect, but he’s pretty friggin close. He is the epitome of patience, has the kindest eyes I’ve ever seen and exudes this sort of considerate, warm, aura that you just can’t help but...
Hello lovelies, It's that time of the year! Flip-flops are put away, coats get brought out of storage and hung up in the closet, our lattes are pumpkin spiced and the air is a little crisper! Yup, it's FALL! With the changing of the leaves comes...
This is actually hanging above my kids' toilet. It doesn't work.[/caption]
It’s my birthday today, and as a special gift to me, I asked my kids to flush their toilet.
When I was in grade school, I had very long, thick hair. I would love to wear my hair in pig tails and then a pony tail and if the mood was right, I would even braid my hair. As I hit my teen years in the eighties I was not immune to the influences of pop culture (who could resist Wham?!?) and my hair went big and a lot of hairspray was used. All that to say, with the exception of a few years of short hair à la Princess Diana, I never had issues with my hair. Fast forward to being a mom of two kids. I noticed a change in hair culture when my kids started to go to day camp. My daughter came home from her first day and announced with a huge smile that she was lice-free! What? Stop everything and hold the phone.