Tag - Family

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Surprise Puppy!
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From Sympathy There’s Gratitude
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Happy Marriage Advice
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It’s Las Palmas Girl!
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The Two Most Important Things In The World

Surprise Puppy!

Before you say it, I know. And I fully agree. Puppies are not usually an appropriate Christmas gift. But, when you’re already planning on adding a pet to the family, being able to coordinate it with Santa is a parenting coup.  Our daughter Avery adores animals. She lives and breathes fur. I also breathe fur, hence my weekly allergy shots. But that’s a story for another time.  Avery’s first pet was our rescue dog, a terrier/chihuahua Roger. We got him when Avery was a toddler and her physical therapist suggested a dog as motivation to get her walking. It worked.  We also had a guinea pig. Sadly, he’s in pet heaven now. RIP Ernie.  And if you are familiar with my Instagram account, you’re painfully aware that we have a big orange tabby named Kevin. He just so darn photogenic that I can’t help but share pics and videos of him. A lot. Like, a “crazy cat lady” amount.  Now that Avery is eleven and is responsible enough to start caring for a puppy—learning to feed and train her very own dog, we were happy to make this wish come true.  Though she asked Santa for a puppy (she actually[…]

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From Sympathy There’s Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada and there is so much to be grateful for. But with all the awful things—the violence, the tumultuous and surreal (I mean, can you even believe this has been allowed to go on this long?) political climate, not to mention the unnerving actual climate, it feels like we have to squint to see the good. But it’s there.  I’ve been watching it fill my Facebook feed. It feels right and affirming to see all the happy today.  But then I looked out my window and saw the saddest thing. It literally squeezed the air out of my lungs and made me dizzy with sympathy.  My family room window faces my neighbour’s kitchen window. We didn’t have blinds for a few months when we first moved in here thirteen years ago, so our poor neighbours were likely privy to way too much Thornbury in various states of undress. Tall trees, a substantial generation gap, and a language barrier prevented us from becoming close with our neighbours. But they’ve always smiled and said hello over the fence whenever we’re both out in our yards. And they happily throw back the balls and frisbees that ended up underneath[…]

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Happy Marriage Advice

You are getting married tomorrow!! Holy *$%#!! Yesterday you were just a little thing, sitting on your big cousin’s lap… my tweed-gaucho-pant-lap. Let’s not even discuss the neon Aztec print sweater and banana clipped spiral perm. And now you’re all grown up, soon to be a bride. It breaks my heart that I’m not going to be there, Kels. But you know how thrilled we are for you and we’ll wing our way there one day. So put a shrimp on the barbie and have a few roos and crocs on standby for our arrival. I’m over the moon that both you and your sis have found such amazing partners—I couldn’t have handpicked better for you—kind, funny, outdoorsy, super handsome—these guys are the full package. And it goes without saying how lucky they are to have found you. While we may not be there in person to watch you walk down the aisle, we’re cheering you on with so much joy and excitement as you venture down this life path—such a sweet path paved with so much love. And with that, here are a few words about this life contract called marriage—from my experience anyway. 1. Grandma Fraser always said,[…]

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It’s Las Palmas Girl!

You’ve seen the “Las Palmas Baby” You Tube video, right? It’s a hysterical parody of a drunkardy tourist lady (the fanny pack? Ha!) in a bar—expertly played by an oblivious apple juice swigging toddler. If you haven’t watched it yet, it’s a must-do! It’s brilliant—the clip is at the end of this post. A few weeks ago at a special family celebration, Avery unwittingly provided a moment of levity amid the emotion by channeling her inner Las Palmas. My cousin and I noticed it at the same time. “Hey look, it’s Las Palmas Baby!” she exclaimed, laughing. Despite the unfortunate absence of the fanny pack, Avery nailed it. This post reminds me of…The Time Avery Took Up Gambling

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The Two Most Important Things In The World

Avery and I have been home all week. Some random virus latched onto Avery and wouldn’t let go. And because I basically wear my child like a sweater (she likes to be close), I was an inevitable casualty of germ warfare. Cuddling in bed with a sweet little kid, watching Barbie on repeat, drifting in and out of sleep, isn’t the worst thing. Though I could do without this wretched phlegmy cough. I swear I busted a rib hacking up something that shall not be named. It’s clear to me now that I need to kick up my health regime. I have a responsibility to myself and to my family. So January, you and I have a date with a little something called, “Get up off your ass you sickly excuse making carb hogging not enough water drinking allergic to exercise blob.” Until then, I’m resting. And drinking lots of water. And slathering myself in Vicks Vaporub. I’m ashamed of myself for putting my health last. By ignoring the signs that I was getting run down, I allowed this to happen. And because I’m ill, I was unable to make the trip home to be with my family during a[…]

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