Family Birthdays!

Yesterday was my grandson Isaac's birthday party. He turned two on the 15th. Today is my birthday. Slowly but surely the years are passing and I'm edging closer and closer to fifty. 48 - and I don't feel any different than I did at 30. I look different - when I look in the mirror I can see the lines on my face and when you look in the pictures I have that weight gain that screams peri-menopause. However, even though the eyelids wrinkle when I put on makeup, inside there is no change. Perhaps the change is in how I look at myself and how I feel about who I am. I don't feel any different, but I certainly think different. I'm much more settled with who I am as a person, as a woman. I'm much more confident in myself and care less what other people think of me. It's so freeing.

The more I think about it, the more I like getting older. I worry a little about my health, but not so much about age. I want to look good and I denfinately need to do something about my fitness and my weight - but I'm not too worried. Some women really hate getting older. I'm not sure what the fear is, except that I know for me, I'm a much more analytical person - logic. So I look at the whole experience differently than others might.

As my grandchildren grow and multiply, I find that I'm looking at life in a new way. I wasn't ready for grandchildren and being a working mom and very busy, I don't have as much time for my children, let alone six more added to the group. If you look at the family picture to the right on this blog, you'll notice that there are now 17 people in it. That's a far cry from six years ago when there were just nine, including my mom. However, since then the girls have married and had more children and my brother has now come to reside with our family. It's a mixed bag of family members who now gather to celebrate different birthdays and holidays.

However, it's a lot of fun too. There is so much noise and chaos, at times it's awful, but at other times it's fun. It's crazy. The kids love it. It's going to be so different for the grandchildren and our youngest children who will be much more conditioned to the noise and confusion.

My bd celebration is tonight at Swiss Chalet - I'll post some beautiful new pics of my beautiful new hairdo for tomorrow. For now, I'm going to go and rest and relax - my birthday has fallen on my day off!

grace...kathie

My New Haircut

Well, I got a new haircut, but I can't show you yet, don't have a pic taken. I think I really stunned everyone - I had a lot cut off. Wen't from mid length curly/messy look to short, cute & perky bob - straight! Well, it's getting nicer out and I'm getting tired of looking messy. I'm going to be riding my bike, too, of course, and I need my hair to be 'athletic' looking. But really, honestly??? I just wanted a change on a whim - and gosh, why not! Hair - it grows. Well, for some it does, not poor Michael - he keeps shaving off what little he has left!! Poor boy. He reminds me that hair is a priviledge.

My hubby doesn't seem too happy though. He's making funny faces at me and said I remind him of the neighbour. I'm afraid to ask if he means the husband or the wife. My daughter said it looked "Chic" but she prefers the soft curls. If I said that to her after a haircut, she would cry. Good thing I'm made of strong stuff!

But my mom - well, she loves it! So no more "Are you going out with your hair looking like that?" comments. Or my personal favourite "God, you look like hell! Don't you have a comb?" Yes, this is my born again Christian mom - who unfortunately has dementia. Well, I tell myself that it could be worse than having "golden girl Sofia" living with us!!!

Well, that's all for now folks! I'm so busy these days, I'm finding it hard to sit a write and my mind is so distracted that when I'm writing, my mind wanders off before I realize my fingers have stopped typing!!!

grace...kathie

How to Not Mess Up the Great Commission too Much.

This is a really cute piece - found the link on www.joenoland.com

Check it out - childen are the key to the future! Love it!

BMX Boys

It was about time. The boys have grown and the last bike we bought for Nathan was when he was four. He's nine now and who can blame him for not wanting to face the summer at camp with a too small bike? Evan, well he's never had a new bike - only hand me downs, which is not a bad thing - his last one was built by one of our clients at the centre. Anyway, it was time to go shopping. We got a great deal at Canadian Tire from Ed's Rotary buddy, who could resist. The price was right and the bikes were so cool. I even couldn't resist and got myself a 6 speed Raleigh with a comfortable seat. I was so excited, I've already been out with the boys tearing up the neighbourhood.

The boys really like their bikes. Evan is so funny. He is real scattered as he rides along, not noticing where on the road he is. Last year he scared the heck out of one of the neighbours by riding out in front of her car. She came to the door all shook up at the fact that she had such a near miss. Evan lost privileges that time. He's still all over the place, so it's going to take some time to get him in line. But he is enjoying himself and with his toothless expression, lisping away, he begins to relate the most fascinating tales of bike phenomenon.

Nathan is a serious biker. He was fascinated last year when we were at the PNE watching the BMX races and stunt bikes. I'm not too afraid that he'll kill himself, but he is the kind of kid that really likes to do well at what he attempts. The serious kind. The dedicated type. Even though the bike just fits him now, he claims that a bike thats bigger won't work for him because it is the bmx style that he's really keen on. So hopefully, he'll not grow too much in the next year or two.

Well, bike time conjures up so many lovely memories for me - riding around and around the block impressing my parents with my various skills - look, no hands. Look no feet. OH NO! Crash! Yep, right into a parked car, head first over the handle bars, smack dab onto the hood of the car. No bike helmet in those days - can't believe I survived childhood. Hopefully, I'll be a bit more careful on this new bike. I know one thing for sure, it beats 20 minutes on a stationary bike in a smelly gym, staring at the same spot on the wall. This way we have the wind in our hair and the smell of the grass, trees and freshly bloomed blossoms, along the dikes, through the country roads - a glorious experience and a darn good cardio workout.

Here's to lost pounds!

grace...Kathie