Law of Attracttion - 1; Cranky Teenaged Daughter - 0

Yesterday, Scott and I had appointments at two different places at the same time. He was a bit early for his, I was a little late for mine, but it all worked out.

We left DD in charge (something we do on a regular basis as she is old enough to handle the responsibility for a couple of hours) and off we went.

Yesterday, I was having a fabulous day - positive energy, happy thoughts, got lots done, the whole nine yards. DD - not so much. She was cranky because there are some kids in her academic math class that should really be in applied math, it was hot...a whole number things. She was just all around miserable.

Colin was having a GREAT day (coming off making cookies with mom) as he was chosen to be a bus patroller for his school. Today he goes for training at the Peel Childrens Safety Village.

So...back to yesterday. Scott and I are in the car on our way to our appointments and not 5 minutes into the drive (I kid you not!), Lauren is on the phone because Colin is freaking out that he can't call Scott if he sees a song he wants to buy in the Sing Store for the PS3 (we got Sing Star last week, but that's a whole other post).

Colin is cranky because he's feeding off Lauren's bossy/cranky mood, which makes Lauren more cranky and so it goes. YIKES!

When I was home and in my good/up mood, Colin was fine. Happy mom, happy kids and so on...except for Lauren who categorically REFUSED to have any kind of positive thought in her head. I even suggested one:

"You're upset because you can't learn in math class because there are kids there who should be in another class. Instead of thinking all the time about how much it sucks that these kids are there, why don't you start thinking that you would really like an environment in which you can learn."

Nope...she was having NONE OF IT! The teacher is supposed to be talking to the board in the next few days to see about moving the kids that are having trouble out of academic math into applied math. If Lauren starts and keeps thinking positive thoughts, I believe that it is more likely to happen (like attracts like). But if she keeps thinking that it sucks, she's just going to get more of the same - a sucky situation.

I've ALREADY seen the effects of the Law of Attraction in my behaviour and in those around me, so I KNOW it's true and that it works...but in her stubborn teenage ways, she refuses to pay attention.

Oh well...I'm just going to keep staying positive and not let her crankiness/negativity affect me...that'll teach her - LOL!

Oh! And if you're wondering what my flip switch is for today, it's the wonderful rainbow DH and I saw on our way home after our appointments yesterday. Too bad I didn't have the camera.

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I am someone who...

This was our assignment over the weekend...sorry for the delay in posting the finished product!


Not much else to report on today...

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As predicted...

...today's assignment was pretty much a bust because I had such trouble with yesterday's dump list.

On a happy note, my flip switch today was the kick butt dinner I made last night and I had a GREAT day!

I took some me time and walked to the library to drop off some books and then down to the grocery store to pick up dinner (salmon). Not sure if that qualifies as "me time" or not, but it felt great to go out for a walk!

After dinner (which was DELISH once again!), the boys and I made sugar cookies. Quite yummy! We used a recipe that Colin got a from a cooking summer camp class he took this year. We were in need of a different cookie as yesterday we made peanut butter cookies and Colin can't eat those. I think he was feeling left out.

On another happy note...there was NO shouting today. I'm proud of me...especially since having the kids in my kitchen while I'm cooking usually drives me NUTS. Tonight though...we had a GREAT time.

Now, I'm off to play Sing Star with Scott. I'm being serenaded as we speak. I think I need to download some Billy Joel.

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Flip Switch # 3

Today's flip switch is the flowers that Scott brings home for "just because". They always make me happy when I get them and even make me happy just thinking of them!

Today our assignment was to write out a "dump list". It's a list that acknowledges that unpleasant things have happened in our lives, but that now it's time for us to let them go...

I had a little trouble with this one. I know what I need to let go but that dang "mama guilt" isn't letting me. So...for right now, the list is pretty short so I need to work on that. Our instructor said that if need be, we should let it sit for a bit. I'm O.K. with that...at least for a few days, then the perfectionist in me will want to get it done so I can keep up with the course. Without the dump list, tomorrow's exercise is going to be near impossible, so that will have to wait too...

I need to get around to scanning my "I am someone who..." layout so I can post it.

Maybe tomorrow...I'm such a procrastinator!

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The journey continues...

...today our assignment was to fill out some pages that started with "I am someone who..."

PHEW! I had a LOT of trouble with that one...not in that I had trouble thinking of things to say (there was LOTS), but in that is was ALL negative - mostly centered around guilt - YIKES!

I need to work on that, because the guilt will eat me alive...I mean really. I think I must be the only person on the planet who feels guilty about buying store bought cookies because I know I can make them at home. Is that nuts? It must be...but there it is. There is guilt and lots of it. Wanna share some? No...I didn't think so.

Part two of the assignment is to make a layout that reflects the journaling that we did. I finished one half and will finish working on the other half tomorrow. Not sure if I will share it or not as it is more than a little personal...we'll see how I feel when it's done.

Sorry about the downer post today...

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The Journey to Perpetual Happiness - Musings, some pics and my "to-do" list

Yesterday, I started on a Journey to Perpetual Happiness. I'm taking a class (as I mentioned) over at BPS. I identified my flip switch - a good face day - and it was a pretty good day. I started reading "Excuse me, Your Life is Waiting" and I'm quite enjoying it. It talks about the power of feelings and how much they can influence your life. I guess I always knew that, but I needed someone to put into words for me. The class at BPS is doing that. Our instructor, Lisa, has already been wonderful and yesterday was only day one.

For me, this journey is about being the best wife and mom that I can be. This is what I chose to do, my "profession", and I want to be happy doing what I chose to do. I don't want to wake up each morning dreading what the kids will get up to that will make me crazy. I want to get up each morning smiling and wondering what fun we can all create together. I want to go to bed each night knowing that I did the best I could with what I had, that I was the best mom and wife today.

I created my journal (got a sketch book and altered it) and my scrapbook album cover for the class. I've already started writing in the journal and the idea is to identify a flip switch for every day (something that you can think of that will create "happy thoughts" whenever you start feeling negative) and write about that and any other thoughts you have through out the day. I have never been a consistent journaler, but I'm hoping this class will be the push I need, because the little bit of writing I did today made me feel SO much better!

Here's a picture of the front of my journal/sketch book:

This is the front of the scrapbook album:

As for my to do list, I accomplished everything that I wanted to do yesterday afternoon: finished the cover to my scrapbook album, did the ironing, identified my flip switch for the day (albeit a little late in the day). I even managed to squeeze in cleaning the bathroom (thus eliminating it from my to do list today) and get dinner on the table before 6 p.m. So...ummm...yeah...GO ME!!!

So, my "to do" list for today is this:

• Do a load of laundry – DONE! (washed, dried, folded AND put away)
• Vacuum the dining room/living room/bedrooms (my kingdom for some hard wood/laminate floors!) – DONE! (Well, I did the living room/dining room/front hall – the bedrooms can wait, and I’m O.K. with that!)
• Wash the kitchen floor
• Make pizza dough for home made pizza dinner – DONE!

• Pick up Jonathan from bus – DONE!

• Beer Store to return bottles/buy Kilkenny for Scott – DONE!
• Mall to pick up some pics - Skipped! Not enough time...and not like I don't have enough pics to scrap anyway - LOL!
  
• Pick up Lauren at school – DONE!
• Pick up friend (second daughter) Heather at her school – DONE!
• Back home to make pizza (at least the dough will already be done) – DONE!
• Have a "book covering party" with the girls
• Collapse into bed

Hang out with me today and watch me cross things off with a smile on my face!



My flip switch for today is that I got everything done on my "to do" list from yesterday. That ought to motivate me to keep going on what I need to get done today. WOOHOO!

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The "OFFICIAL" first day back.

So, here is my little man on his official first day back at school:

How cute is he???

And...if you thought I was going to lounge around the house eating bon-bons when I was finally child free today, you thought WRONG!

My to do list for today:

• Do a load of laundry
• Defrost dinner (we're having sausage)
  
• Loblaws to get water
• No Frills to get paper towels and cheese bricks
• Friend Brigit to pick up something she picked up for (it's a Christmas gift for someone, so I can't tell you what it is)
  
• Chapters to pick up "Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting" which is the companion book for "Journey to Perpetual Happiness" being offered over at BPS. (More on that later)
• Future Shop to pick up "Sing Star" so the kids can Karaoke and drive all the neighbours batty
• Oakville to return the stamps I borrowed from Crystal to complete the album I made for Scott (note to self: share some pics of that on blog)
• Bus stop to pick up Jonathan
• Library to pick up/drop off books
• Post Office to pick up Lauren's school kilt (she wears a uniform now) so that she can wear it tomorrow and play "school girl" when we go pick up her friend Heather at her school tomorrow
• Back home for lunch

PHEW! And that all happened before 1 p.m. - YIKES! And you thought I was just another pretty face. HAH!

This afternoon I need to alter the cover of a scrapbook album (gotta love American Crafts) and identify a "flip switch" to turn into a happy thought. I need to iron too...which isn't so happy, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do...and I can't send Scott to work in wrinkled clothes, because how bad would that look???

Tomorrow's list will be somewhat similar, though it will all be going on INSIDE the house. Join me as I:

• Do a load of laundry
• Vacuum the dining room/living room/bedrooms (my kingdom for some hard wood/laminate floors!)
• Wash the kitchen floor
• Clean the Bathroom (decided to be pro-active and do this today…you know…because I had a few minutes to spare – HAH!)
• Make pizza dough for home made pizza dinner
• Pick up Jonathan at bus stop
  

And then, we step out:

• Beer Store to return bottles/buy Kilkenny for Scott
  
• Mall to pick up some pics
• Pick up Lauren at school
• Pick up friend (second daughter) Heather at her school
• Back home to make pizza (at least the dough will already be done)
• Have a "book covering party" with the girls
• Collapse into bed

What have YOU got on tap??? Betcha my crazy day beats yours - LOL!

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