Mom's The Word - A Blog by Jen Maier Founder of urbanmoms.ca

Nearly Killed by a Star Wars Bobble Head

When someone else says it best

Often when I am writing a card for a special occasion or sending a note to express some emotional point I find what I want to say has already been said. Usually it has been said by someone far more profound and well known than I'll ever be. Sometimes, though, someone, just an average person like you and me, says something that I find really profound or relevant.

Here are a few quotes, sayings, or comments that resonate with me:

1. "Fair does not mean equal". I LOVE this. It was said by a fellow mom to one of her children in the schoolyard the other day and I have totally adopted it.

2. "Sometimes I have the best time when I forget what I'm doing". My 5 year old. I love this so much because it is absolutely true. This specific time was when, after much cajoling, I convinced her to run an errand with me. She agreed because I said "we" could play Superheroes on the way. As she was racing after the bad guys on her scooter she ended up finding some blooming flowers, some new buds, an ant colony and TONS of bad guys to capture. Before she knew it we were finished the errand and on on our way back home but she wanted to keep going on our adventure! It reminded me that when you focus on the chore - the part you are not looking forward to - you miss the opportunity to live in the moment and appreciate all of the other great things on the journey.

That leads to this one by John Lennon:

3. "Life is what happens when you are making other plans". Yup...so much of it passes by without us even noticing!

4. "When good things come easily from within us, we sometimes have difficulty believing that it might simply be a gift". Someone sent this to me after they gave me a big compliment about something and I laughed it off. I have it posted in my office. This reminds me that each of us has different things we do well and to make light of something someone else admires in you is insulting to them and unfair to you. Just because it comes easily to you doesn't mean it isn't something worth valuing!

5. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent". Eleanor Roosevelt. Love. It. I talk about this with my kids all the time. People can say what they want but YOU control how you react and how it impacts you.

6. "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". This quote by Elizabeth Stone so perfectly describes how I feel about my children...especially when I am feeling all MamaBearish or ProudMamaish.

7. "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind". Dr. Suess. Sometimes when I am feeling insecure or judged I think of this quote and know that those who really matter accept me for who I am.

8. "The days are long but the years are short". This was said to me when I had a very needy 3 month old and I spent every day waiting for him to grow up enough that he wouldn't need me so much. I heard it then but I know it now. I look back and long to have a few more minutes with that needy little babe.

9. "The question isn't whether we will die but how we will live". As I get older I realize how precious every day is and how much I still have to learn. It is up to ME to make my life what I want it to be.

10. "I did it because I didn't want to hurt his feelings but then I realized I was hurting my own". Words of wisdom from my 8.5 year old. I actually cried when he said this because I finally understood the conflict he had going on inside him. This is so critical though. I told him, you have to be kind to others but don't forget about yourself in the process.

THIS JUST IN! A late addition from a friend during a discussion about organized religion. It was in reference to Passover but could be applied to any religion's rules. It is my new mantra!

11. "I believe in the idea that living my life as a good person means a whole lot more than whether I eat raspberries or not". Amen.

So, how about you? Any fave quotes or sayings? Any inspiring moments from your kids or a friend? Please share.

I Can Always Use a Good Cry

I am a total sucker for a good tear-jerker. Sometimes I even rent a movie specifically because I need to have a good cry and let off some emotional steam...very therapeutic. So when my sis who lives in the U.K. sent me this I knew it was a keeper. Yup, I'll hang on to it for those times when I need just a little something to help open the flood gates. I have watched it 3 times and have yet to get beyond the first 2 minutes without crying...ahhhh, I feel so refreshed.

Check it out and let me know if it's just me or if you shed a few too:

Family Day, Shmamily Day

Today was our very first official Family Day in Ontario. Plus, in Toronto, Friday was a PD Day (or PA Day or whatever they're called now). Hooray! An extra long weekend in February! That's what I was thinking anyway. I had visions of blowing out of the big city on Friday morning and frolicking joyfully with my family over a weekend full of snowball fights and two full days of skiing. Fast forward to Monday night where I am breathing a sigh of relief to have my over-tired, cabin fever suffering kids tucked away in their own beds. Needless to say, Family Day was a bit of a bust.

Don't you find that happens though? You look forward to something or have expectations only to be let down. But then, out of nowhere you have the best time of your life when you least expect it. Like the time my kids and I walked up to the grocery store and the local cheese shop. We laughed so hard at our own jokes, we snacked on Starbucks cookies, and made up the most hilarious games. Then my son and I sampled fine cheeses while giggling madly at my daughter who was talking in the craziest voice plugging her nose against the invading "disgusting" cheese smells. We raced all the way home holding hands and singing silly, made up songs.

That day should have been Family Day. Or the day last weekend when we went skiing with friends in a blizzard and had the time of our lives. Laughing and chasing each other through snowsqualls. There were no lift lines to deal with and plenty of Beaver Tails to be had apres ski. Plus, the weather was so crazy we got snowed in only to enjoy an extra night of fun trapped up north.

But today, no way. It rained all day yesterday which meant there was no skiing for us (despite the fact that my hubby actually got the kids to the hill and stood for ten minutes contemplating whether or not it was worth it...it wasn't). My back was so bad that I could barely walk let alone ski or build snow forts. And my kids had so much pent up energy that the car ride home was like being trapped inside a cage with two wild animals. To top it all off, when we got out of the car and I reprimanded my daughter for her poor behaviour and listening skills I was told that I was the worst mom in the world. Ahhhh, happy Family Day everyone!

Next year, no expectations. Just another weekend we are lucky enough to spend together. I think I'll take my family days as they come.

Fun, Sun and RELAXATION

Sorry for my recent absence but I've been "busy" relaxing on the beach. My husband finally managed to convince this obsessive workaholic that it was time to take a break. No blackberry. No internet. No urbanmoms.ca. What's a girl to do?! Believe it or not, I managed just fine. After all, it was only a week and I have my faithful Kath and Agathe to keep everything running.

So, want the scoop? We spent an AMAZING week at the Occidental Grand in Cozumel, Mexico. Beautiful beach, clear water, and the second largest reef in the world. Although we are not divers we enjoyed snorkeling, sailing, and all the other activities this all inclusive haven had to offer. Oh, and btw, the kids begged to go the Kids Club. Susana who runs it is AWESOME. It was the perfect balance of relaxation and time together. Check it out:

Me beaching it and actually reading a BOOK...a novel no less. Ahhhhhhhh.

The pool is right next to the beach!

Sailing with my hubby...and NO KIDS. What a luxury.

Kids Club fun on the beach.

Need I say more?!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My Celebrity Sighting

I always hear about celebrity sightings and have had a few of my own but I've never really hobknobbed with anyone famous...until recently. I was waiting to be interviewed at a local morning show sitting in the Green Room (anyone know why it is called The Green Room?). That's when I spotted him. He's all over the TV. He travels around the world jetsetting and living the high life. At first I was really nervous to approach him but I got up my nerve and asked for a picture. The quality isn't great because it was on a cell phone but check it out!

Yup...that's me with the Travelocity Roaming Gnome! Couldn't you just die?! It was so funny. Brian Simpson, General Manager of Travelocity.ca was being interviewed right after me and he had brought the gnome with him. I couldn't resist. I know, you're totally jealous.

Can you beat my gnome sighting? Have you ever had a celeb sighting? Ever hobknobbed like our very own Ali from Juice Entertainment News does? Do tell in the comments below.

Nobody Wants a Foot Beard

Not familiar with the term "foot beard"? Neither was I until I had a conversation with my nearly 5 year old daughter yesterday. Let me just frame this one for you. My daughter sees my husband shave his beard every morning. Her only experience with shaving really is daddy shaving his beard. 'Kay...got it?

Then yesterday I decided to have a late afternoon tub to warm up from my freezing walk to and from the school yard...plus, I desperately needed to shave my legs. After all, I have a Holiday Party this weekend! Anyhoo, my daughter decided to come in and chat with me while I was soaking.

daughter: What are you doing?
me: Shaving.
daughter: But you're not a boy?
me: Nope. But most women shave their legs.
daughter: Why?
me: Umm...I'm not really sure. Because I guess we decided that it was prettier or something silly like that.
daughter: Yah. Nobody wants to have a Foot Beard. That's ugly! So, keep shaving it off Mommy.

Couldn't you just DIE laughing?! A Foot Beard!! For one thing, it would be a Leg Beard but all I could picture was this hairy, hobbit foot. Oh man. I'm still laughing about it.

Holiday Traditions (oh...and a contest and recipes!)

As I mentioned before, I LOVE the holidays. The things I love the most are the traditions I have brought from my family, my husband has brought from his and we have created as a family. So, below you will find my faves. The things I love the most about the holidays. So, tell me about your holiday traditions in the comments below!

Classic Christmas Movies and Shows (and a Contest!)
I have a bunch of faves in this area. My sisters and I used to watch Alastair Sim in A Christmas Carol every Christmas Eve. In the end I would cry tears of joy for Scrooge and Tiny Tim! Scrooge finally got it and embodied the generosity of the holiday spirit. I haven't yet been able to get my kids into it. I tried once but the ghosts and the Grim Reaper totally freaked them out ;)

One of my all time favourtie Christmas memories was watching  Miracle on 34th Street with my Dad. Usually my sisters and my mom weren't interested so it was something we did together. This movie continues to give me the warm and fuzzies and now that I have it on DVD I am going to watch it with my 8 year old. Natalie Wood does such an amazing job as Suzie discovering the meaning and magic of Christmas.

Then there are the classic Christmas TV shows. I just received from our friends at Alliance Films 25 copies of the recently released Christmas Classics Gift Set! My kids and I have enjoyed this one thoroughly. It’s the ultimate holiday collection.  It Includes 7 Holiday faves including my personal favourites: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and Frosty the Snowman, as well as a Bonus Holiday CD. If you are like me and LOVE these classic shows enter our ONE-WEEK-ONLY CONTEST to win your copy in time for the holidays! Remeber, you must be an urbanmoms.ca member to win!

The list would not be complete without the ultimate green miser, The Grinch! I loved both the book and the TV movie of the How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There is just something so magical about his heart growing 3 sizes that day and little Cindy Loo Who!

Family Food Traditions
Christmas Eve - One thing I look forward to every year is my family's Christmas Eve tradition. This has been going on as long as I can remember and was born in the 1960's or 1970's by my parents. Every Christmas Eve we have a family fondue feast! We have both a scrumptious cheese fondue found by my sis at a restaurant in Chamonix, France (remember my LOVE of cheese!) and an oil based meat fondue. We serve the cheese fondue with green and red pepper and apple as well as bread and serve both beef and chicken for the meat lovers. We also make this wonderful sauce to put over the meat and on rice called Kabuki Sauce. No matter how big or how small the group we always manage to fit in our fondue dinner!

The wonderful thing about this tradition is that fondue is not a quick meal. We spend a lot of time together in the kitchen preparing and then a few hours sitting around cooking, munching, and talking. Even the kids get involved! My 8 year old son loves both types of fondue and my daugher (who is a very picky eater) can sit and chat while nibbling on the bread. My mouth is watering just looking at the picture!

Post Christmas Dinner - We often spend part of the holidays with my husband's family up at their farm near Ontario ski country  (I know, I know, it ain't the Rockies but it's all we got!). Usually it is post-Christmas and no one wants to see another turkey for at least a few months so my sister-in-law wisely invented Christmas Lasagna! Thanks to President's Choice or another easy to prepare option and after a day of skiing our new holiday tradition is a welcome change. With homemade garlic bread and ceasar salad our tummies are full and everyone's happy.

Community Christmas Dinner - Sometimes we are not up north at either of our families for Christmas Day which means we can host Christmas dinner at our house. That means turkey and all the trimmings (with a lot of help from my mom because, as many of you know, I am no kitchen diva) and it also means opening up our home. For years we have had friends join us for Christmas dinner. We have friends whose families are overseas or friends who for one reason or another are on their own. We also have couple friends where one of them does not celebrate Christmas so we get the pleasure of integrating many different cultures and traditions into our Christmas. Nothing like a homemade latke to go with my stuffing or a Finnish Prune Rice Pudding with my Christmas Cake! Also, my sister is a vegetarian so we incorporate some wonderful vegetarian dishes into our traditional holiday fare.

Christmas Morning
Christmas morning is the best! A little too early but the energy and excitement is enough to get us up and moving. The rule in our house is that no one can go and see what Santa brought until everyone is ready. After the heat is turned up, the coffee is put on to brew, and we have all taken a trip to the bathroom the kids close their eyes, we get out the camera, and we lead them to their stockings. Then 1, 2, 3 open your eyes and see what surprises are waiting! This is so much fun and extends the excitement just a little bit longer.

One very important tradition we have which I have forced onto my husband's family is the take turns and appreciate approach to present opening. The kids get to be elves and then we open gifts one at a time by age. The Elves choose a gift for the appropriate person and we all watch as they open their gift. This means that everyone gets to appreciate the moment, share their joy, and say thank you. We acknowledge each gift and it is not just a free for all of greediness!

Christmas Day Activity
Christmas Eve can be a late night only to wake very early on Christmas morning. To avoid the post-present blahs my family has started the tradition of the Christmas Day skate, ski, or sled. Depending on where we are (in the city or up north) we will open presents and have a light breakfast and then head off the the rink or slopes or toboggan hill. This is a great distraction for the kids and a great way to fill the day. It also means overtired little ones are out from under foot when Christmas dinner preparations are going on.

I know there are tons more but these are my faves. Please share yours in the commments below!

Wii Still Know How to Have Fun ;)

It has been a while since I went to a party and an even longer while since I had a total blast. Thanks to Sue and Nick for throwing an awesome partay! The evening was a tennis tourney theme on the totally cool Nintendo Wii. The Wii is definitely not just for kids. I finally crawled into bed at 2am suffering from tennis elbow and a take-one-for-the-team bruise on my arm from my very enthusiastic partner. Check out the pics below and I'm sure you'll agree. (Btw, costumes were required...in case you wondered).

Isn't that hideous?! The disturbing part is I barely felt it...and yes there was wine.

The players and the competition taking notes.

This picture freakin' cracks me up! This is my husband...THE most conservative, mild mannered guy you will ever meet. Hilarious!

The real guy...see what I mean??

The Punk Rocker Team against the Wimbledon Chefs...too much fun.

Need I say MORE??! No...we weren't intensely competitive at all.

My partner and I were white and red wine...I stuck a bit too close to the theme.  Especially considering that I had to get up and work the The Baby and Toddler Show the next day.

So, I am writing a letter to Santa today and putting this little puppy at the top of my list.