99 Red Balloons (plus 2) 101 in 1001 - A Year Without A New Year Resolution

I am a list person, and I had a very specific New Year's Resolution, or more of a goal, in mind for 2018. I've been setting monthly distance running goals for two months now and have successfully completed both, including running over 64 miles in the month of December.  I wanted to set a goal for running for 2018, to run 800 miles total for the year, which I'm still going to do, but I want it to be a part of something even bigger and a lot more fun.

Today I read  an article about creating a 101 in 1001 list instead of a traditional New Year's resolution list.  Basically it's a combination of 101 goals and bucket list items to be completed in 1001 days (so around two and three quarter years).  Since I'm about to celebrate a major milestone in 2018 (the big 40) I thought it would be very timely and more fun than a resolution list.

I am well aware that it's very unlikely that I get to knock every item off of this list, but it will be fun getting there.  I will add check marks when I complete something and enter the date that I complete it, and write some entries on some of them as well.  Here we go! This list is in no particular order.  I hope I inspire others towards not just meeting goals, but sharing things and pursuing some dreams!

Cheers to the things I'll complete before September 28, 2020!

1. Run 800 miles in a single year
   (Progress: ran 75.44 miles in January 2018, ran 75.76 miles in February 2018, Ran 58.01 miles in March 2018, ran 59.94 miles in April 2018, ran 60.93 miles in May, ran 45.91 miles in June)
2. Write a children's story about and for Molly & Jack
3. Take the kids to Disney✔ Completed March 2018
4. Donate blood
5. Successfully complete the license plate game on a road trip (got 48 states on July 2018 road trip)
6. Indulge in a scalp massage✔ On February 2, 2018 I had this and it worked wonders on my laptop neck!
7. Run 1000 miles in a single year
8. Have a pay per view article go viral (and earn me the freelance white whale of $1000)✔ on January 31st, 2018 I broke this record and have received over 2 million hits for this article
9. Run an 8KM race
10. Run a 10KM race
11. Have a big 40th birthday bash✔
12. Learn how to better use photo shop
13. Grow my business by 20 percent in one year
14. Go hiking in the Catskill Mountains✔ Completed on July 12, 2018
15. Read the entire Harry Potter series with Molly and Jack (read book one with Molly and half of book 2)
16. Be able to complete a 3 minute plank
17. Learn to do a Kart Wheel
18. Be able to do a headstand (I was able to do these thanks to a regular Hatha Yoga Class in my 20's but have lost it over the years)
19. Go horseback riding with Molly and Jack✔ Completed August 10, 2018
20. Take a nature survivalist class
    
    
    

    

    
    

21. Get professional family photos that I love
22. Take an archery class
23. Swim at the bottom of a waterfall
24. Make a balloon payment on our mortgage
25. Send a message in a bottle (with the kids)
26. Paint a painting✔ See my blog entry on this here
27. Attend a blogger conference
28. Create a strategic business plan
29. Read Anne of Green Gables with Molly✔
30. Visit 5 new MLB stadiums for games (with Chris)✔ PNC Park July 2018
31. Get a professional biography photo I love
32. Run a 5KM colour run
33. Go to the outdoor movies in the summer for a picnic✔ August 13, 2018 - Before Sunrise in Christie Pitts Park
34. 10 pieces of mail for a friend in one month to show them I'm thinking of them (one per year)
35. Go on a special family vacation to celebrate my 40th
36. Get an article or short story published in a prominent magazine
37. Frame and hang my Alice in Wonderland prints
38. Write a fictional short story
39. Write a fictional novella
40. Grow my business by 25 percent in a year
41. Clean out the spare room closet✔
42. Use my office as an office to better divide freelance life and home life
43. Indulge in a professional cleaner for our house (just once)
44. Get published in a prominent newspaper (article or short story)
45. Participate in philanthropy that is Molly and Jack's selection
46. Complete 31 days to Building a Better Blog (not necessarily in 31 consecutive days)
47. See But I'm A Cheerleader on Broadway
48. Go on a date to see classical music in the Casa Loma Garden✔
49. Run a 12.5 minute mile✔ Completed on February 20, 2018 during mile 3 of a 5 mile run
50. Walk along the ocean in Myrtle Beach✔ Completed on March 26, 2018
51. Annual girls spa weekend to reconnect with friends✔
52. Finish Jack's baby book ✔ Completed February 24, 2018
53. Create a 3-7 year old photo album for both Molly and Jack
54. Get a croquet set and play croquet with the kids✔  Given to me by my parents on August 10th, 2018, played with M& J on August 14, 2018
55. Save up $1000 in coins and spend it on something indulgent for me
56. Run a 12 minute mile✔
57. Invest in a good camera✔
58. Learn to grow my brand/business using Instagram✔
59. Have my blog reach a million hits
60. Go on a winery tour/tasting with friends
61. Buy the perfect little black dress
62. Go Geocaching with the kids
63. Save up $1000 in coins and spend it on something indulgent for the family
64. Take a photo of the same view in all four seasons
65. Teach the kids how to tie their shoelaces
66. Celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary with something special
67. Visit Central America with the kids
68. Teach the kids how to fish (take them fishing) - Molly has been taught by Chris
69. Get eyelash extensions for a special event✔
70. Get more photos of the kids with their grandparents (Trip to Disney March 2018 some)
71. Run a 11.5 minute mile
    
    
    

    

    
    

72. Get more photos of Chris and I with our parents
73. Learn how to curl my hair with my straightening iron✔ achieved September 14, 2018
74. Go to a class to learn something new with the kids
75. Celebrate a friend with a really expensive bottle of sparkling wine
76. Run a 11 minute mile
77. See Vampire Weekend in concert  June 5, 2019✔
78. Join and play in an co-ed fun sports league
79. Treat the family to a special meal of cornish game hens
80. Find the perfect meal of beef wellington
81. No take out or fast food for a month ✔ Completed on February 28, 2018
82. Go on an annual date day with each kid one on one
83. Read Lemony Snicket Series to/with the kids (Book 1 - February 3, 2018, Book 2 - February 23, 2018 Book 3 - March 24, 2018, Book 4 May 10, 2018), 
84. Go out west to visit Chris's grandmother
85. Visit Redwood forest
86. Save $1000 in coins and spend it all on charity
87. Redo the basement bathroom
88. Visit The Thousand Islands
89. Go snowshoeing ✔ Completed January 19, 2019 
90. Go ice fishing
91. Take Chris to try Korean BBQ✔ Completed on February 24, 2018
92. Hike the Elora Gorge Trail✔ Hiked May 26, 2018
93. Donate and reduce 2 garbage bags of clutter each month for a year ✔  (done more in a big chunk thanks to Marie Kondo
94. Run a trail race
95. Treat my family to a themed dinner and a movie (at least one per year)
96. Get myself professionally measured for a bra
97. Go on a family vacation with my cousin and her girlfriend
98. Run a 10 minute mile
99. Stay overnight at the ice hotel in Quebec
100. Write 200 blog entries about my life with the kids
101. Teach the kids to ride their bikes

Anything you'd add?  Did I inspire you to write a list?  Let me know, I'd love to hear it.  

There's A Hole In My Bucket: Family Winter Bucket List

The minions really loved knocking items off of bucket lists since we started the project last winter, and we've continued it each season.  I'm happy to report that we keep getting better at knocking things off of our list and actually managed to complete 18 out of the 24 items on our autumn bucket and I'm looking for us to beat last year's winter bucket list where we only completed 14 times on our 2016/2017 winter bucket list!  There are some things that I want to do each winter that we never get to, like visiting Chill Ice Lounge or checking out a Maple Syrup festival - so I'm going to do my best to make that actually happen.

I love bucket lists because the have inspired us to book activities, appreciate what each season has to offer and get out and move, even when we were tempted to just curl up and binge on some Netflix - which when it's cold outside is really easy to do.

This list is designed to get us out there and enjoy everything that fall has to offer; I'm hoping that we keep improving our records and eventually complete all the check marks.

Feel free to steal ideas from our list, and if you have any must see / must do suggestions please let us know so we can keep adding to our own list.  I'll be adding check marks and writing posts as we cross stuff off our list.

Molly & Jack Grabbing Life By The Wavy Wacky Inflatable Santa

1. Learn to skate✔
2. Make a big snowman
3. Go tobogganing 
4. Make a snow fort
5. Freeze Bubbles (I saw a cool tutorial online about this here)
6. Go on our annual ski trip✔
7. Visiting the Santa Street (Mount Pleasant and St. Clair)
8. Rating our neighbours Christmas decorations
9. Sing Christmas Carols✔
10. Visit some greenhouses✔
    
    
    

    

    So far this is the best holiday display in our neighbourhood

11. Watch Home Alone Three (this is ALL Molly & Jack)✔
12. Make our gingerbread men and decorate them✔
13. Watch CoCo in theatres✔
14. Watch Ferdinand in theatres
15. Go to Great Wolf Lodge (scheduled for Spring)
16. Throw snowballs at targets in our backyard
17. Go Visit The Chill Ice Lounge✔
18. Eat Maple Syrup snow
19. Maple Sugar Bush Activities (Late winter)✔
20. Go to an indoor playground✔
21. Visit Lego Land✔
22. Plan our spring vacation✔
23. Go swimming in an indoor/outdoor pool in the winter✔

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Warrior - Fighting Cold & Flu Season

There is an illness that has been ripping through our family.  I guess it "Tis" the season.  Chris was the first one to be taken down and spent the better part of two and a half days in bed.  This meant a lot of disinfecting (which apparently didn't work), cleaning, laundry, in addition to running hot baths for him and making sure he stayed hydrated.

Image Courtesy of YouAndMeme.com

Last night Jack got sick.  It came on quickly, like a tidal wave, and all over the staircase (thank you mucous).  Today he's at home with me, binge watching Netflix, and feeling a whole lot better.  I probably could have sent him to school today, but thought better of it.  Kids need R and R too, and I'm guessing the other parents don't want us to gift this to them for the holidays. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes that Molly and I get to skip this one.


I am not happy that Jackie is sick, however I am thankful for the capabilities of ill six year olds  compared to coping with sick infants and toddlers.  When I think back to the run six month span of infant illnesses when they were toddlers, like the Strep Throat of 2012, I am thankful that we're not living those days anymore. Here are some important illness milestones we've reached.

1. My kids can make it to the toilet (most of the time) when they need the facilities.
2. They know how to use disinfectant wipes to help minimize the spread of germs.
3. They can tell me what's wrong.
4. They can tell me what they need, whether it's a blanket, a bucket, or a cherry Popsicle.
5. Losing a few pounds due to lack of appetite isn't going to warrant a trip to the doctor.
6. They can wash their hands properly.
7. They have an understanding of why we kiss on the cheek and sneeze like a vampire.
8. They can take their own temperature and understand what the numbers mean.
   
   And Most Importantly
9. They still want extra cuddles from mom and dad when they're not feeling well. 

May your holidays bring you health and wellness with your family, and if someone gets sick don't forget to enjoy the extra cuddles!

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Paperback Writer: Sharing My Writing On Other Sites

This is a pretty exciting month for my writing.  I had a fun and rather scandalous article I wrote on Confessions from Babysitters reach 1.5 million hits and counting - click on it and share the love to help me reach 1.6!   I also found out that I'm going to be writing for a local (Toronto) print publication in 2018, but more on that in the new year!

In case you haven't guessed it's that time of the month again when I share some of the writing I've been completing for other publications.  This is where I learn all of that delightful trivia that I can wow people with at cocktail parties and with the holiday season upon us, it's time to read up.

Nowadays as my full-time job I write and ghostwrite articles for online publications, organizations and blogs, in addition to providing public relations services.  While I can't really share my ghostwritten articles on this platform, cause then I wouldn't really be a ghostwriter would I, I can share some of the other stuff I have been working on.

Click on the links for the topics that interest you most, and if you enjoy what I wrote please share, like, and follow, and keep parenting and reading on!  If you have any ideas for a story, a playground review, or article on any front, feel free to shout it out!  I'm always looking for new sources of inspiration!

Scandal & Trending Articles

15 Confessions from Babysitters 

15 (Fake) Celebrity Rumors Hollywood Is Obsessed With

15 Netflix Stars Who Can’t Stand Each Other

Reality TV

8 Reality TV Shows That Pay The Cheapest Per Episode (and the 8 that Pay the most)

Retro/Humour

15 Parenting Fails From The 1990's

Pregnancy & Infants

15 Money Mistakes Moms Make In The First Month After Labor


13 Things Doctors Wished You Knew About Pregnancy Tests

My Kids in 140 Characters (or less) - now upgraded to 280 characters strong

We spend a lot of time with the minions and I'm fortunate enough to record the things that they say and do so I can look back on it and laugh.  Some of it makes the blog and other smaller moments don't.  One of the brilliant things about Twitter is how it's the ultimate parenting "elevator speech", because you have to keep it short. Below are Tweets, conversations, parental musings and things that the minions have done or said over the past month, for your reading pleasure that haven't made it to the blog.

1. No genetic testing. She's mine #parenting #NapLife

Add caption

2. Just finished watching #Annie J: Did you know that Venom wrote all of the songs? Dad: Wow, Venom is talented! #parenting


3. Coldest day so far Me at school pick up: Where's your coat? M: I lost it at lunch but I'm wearing a sweater (SMILES) #facepalm


4. M: I had a bad day today. I found out the wedding I attended at recess wasn't real OR legally binding #parenting #ThingsKidsSay

5. What happens when you tell your mini me to play outside. He brings a book.

6. Watching #Grease for the first time with the kids. J: is this the part of the movie where Sandy touches a statue and turns into the ghost?#BestSequelEver

7. Parenting Fail of the day: Giving your child access to their own alarm clock before they can properly tell time and understand why it's not a good idea to set an alarm for random times just because they felt like it.

8. Me: I think I'm going to have a long relaxing shower. At least one of my children: I am going to bust into the bathroom, talk to mom, and take the stinkiest poop imaginable while mom "keeps me company" #parenting #facepalm


9. The girl child figured out how to unpause the judgey #Netflix warning. There is going to be so much #TeenTitansGo binge watching happening in our house #parenting

To read more blogs featuring the wacky things my kids say as featured on twitter, follow me @Sarabethbug & click here, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, &here.

Running Down A Dream

About a year ago I noticed that my body was getting extra doughy thanks to my sedentary life as a freelancer.  It's easy to skip a meal and then eat an extra portion at dinner or sit chained to my laptop all day when a deadline is looming.  Back when I was commuting into work, those little walks to the bus stop, to the subway, and around at lunch added up towards my daily step count.  Now that I'm at home working most of the time my step count to and from the bathroom isn't as mighty as it once was.

This bothered me and I knew it was time for a change. I want to be a role model to my kids, and being healthy is a part of this. I have all of this flexibility as a freelancer which is great for kid pick-up, appointments, and the numerous other errands I can fit into my day, but I wasn't spending any of it on myself.  Then I remembered how much I missed running, something I used to do all the time before I was put on bed rest when I was pregnant with Molly and Jack - which was years ago. I wrote about getting started running again earlier this year, along with my very slow building love for running here.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Fast forward 11 months and one 5KM run completed on my birthday later and I figured it was time to begin challenging myself further with my running. I run several times a week on a very regular basis, and see progress.  I track my distances, but with no real end goal beyond debating an 8KM or 10KM in spring of 2018. While many of the changes in my body aren't noticeable to the eye, I see and feel changes every day.  I see changes in the way I'm able to run after the kids, the muscles in my calves and legs, and the energy I have to really tackle a work assignment after taking a runch (running lunch break).  As necessary in the world of freelance, I am a very deadline driven person, so I decided to apply this to my running to help make it even more of a priority in my life.  I decided that I was going to run 50 miles over the month of November, and today, a day before my deadline, (under-promise, over-deliver - is a work motto of mine) I logged 50.44 miles over a series of 17 runs.

Some runs this month were triumphant where I clocked some of my best mile times ever.  Others were painful and slow and I didn't want to get started, but I completed them and I'm happy that I did.

Image courtesy of Etsy

One of the things I love about running is the progress I can see and how my body becomes capable of things that it couldn't even dream about doing just a few weeks earlier.

Now that I'm riding high on my last challenge completed, I wanted to raise the stakes, particularly since my one year runiversary is coming up (that's a real word right?).  In the month of December I am going to run 60 miles.  I mean I have an extra day to get it done, after all and there isn't any additional temptation to drink eggnog instead, right?

So now I've done it, I've said it and no matter what happens I'm accountable virtually and to myself.

What inspires you?

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Drive - 7 Essential Tips When Shopping For A Used Car

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Image Courtesy of Pexels

When my husband and I first discovered we were expecting, we were convinced that we wouldn't need a car.  We live in a major city, in a very walkable area, and have numerous options nearby for public transit.   After all, it would be good for both of us to get out with our baby strapped to our chest and we could use a car sharing service on those few occasions when we needed to drive.

Mid-winter we went for our first ultrasound and discovered we were having twins.  This news changed so many things for us in terms of what our life would look like, including our transportation needs, independence, and finances.  Thankfully, that spring my parents made us an offer on their old car that we couldn't turn down.

I don't know how we did it, but for a couple of years, we managed to cram our lives with infant twins, including all of the baby supplies and a giant double stroller into the confines of a small old Pontiac Sunfire.  Then, during a routine oil change I asked our mechanic whether or not he thought our car would pass the emissions test required to get our license plate renewed that year.  We discovered that our car would require far more money in repairs than it was worth to keep it on the road.

It was time to start saving, and start shopping for the next family car we'd own.  As a perpetual planner, I began to write lists of must haves and nice to haves, we worked out a budget that would help us find the right car for us, and our needs.  These are some of the things that helped us make the right decision for our family:

Image Courtesy of Pexels

The Used Car Shopping Checklist

1. Make a list of all the things you use your car for
   It was important for us to think about what we would need the car to do over next few years of our lives, including things like road trip vacations.  We wanted something with low enough mileage to let us take a number of lengthy road trips for the life of our 'new to us' used car.  We wanted something that would work for everyday use like grocery shopping, as well as camping, and hauling my husband's band gear to weekly practice and gigs.  Take into account how often you car pool, and how that fits into your plan.  If you only need a bigger car once or twice a year, it may be worth renting for those rare times instead of purchasing a bigger car.
2. Think about what you like in a car
   Our little Sunfire was quick off the mark which was important to my husband, which we later learned in car terms meant it had "low end torque".  I wanted something that had more size than our last car, with minimal blind spots to ensure safety.  Since inclement weather is a part of most winters where we live, good tires were important and the fact that our car came with snow tires was an added bonus.  We also wanted a car that was good on gas mileage, so we wouldn't be adding in additional transportation costs at the gas pump each week.
3. The Goldilocks problem
   There are many in my generation that shudder at the thought of becoming "minivan people" and both of us weren't ready to go full on van yet, but we knew we wanted a lot more space. We checked out a number of station wagons, but most of the ones that we liked were beyond our personal budget. It turned out that a CUV (crossover utility vehicle) which is literally the bridge between a mid-sized car and a larger SUV was perfect for us. We ended up going for a KIA Rondo that has a pop up row of seats at the back that can easily be used when we're transporting extra kids or adults.
   
   
   

   

   Image Courtesy of Pexels

4. It pays to do your research & homework
   Take your list and see what types of cars will meet your needs.  There are so many excellent  resources available, such as Cars.com, to help you research, find, and sell cars in your area from the comfort of your home (new or used). Drive the car to understand how it feels and then take it (and park it) places where you'll be using the car in your 'real life'.  If you aren't comfortable parking a car in that tight spot you end up in several times a week, it's not the right car for you.  Same goes for baby accessories....we found that a number of cars that were considerably larger on the outside weren't able to house our double stroller much better than our much smaller car.
5. Remember nice to haves are just that - nice to have
   The car we bought happened to have a DVD player in it that we were super excited about at the time, but here's the thing - we never use it, even on really long road trips.  Anything that's added on to a car, will inflate the price (sometimes, significantly) and should be considered carefully.  It may be cheaper for you to install the GPS or DVD player yourself after the purchase rather than pay for it with the car.  If the model you are going to buy happens to have these features consider it a bonus, not a 'must have' if it really isn't.
6. Explore your financing options
   We were lucky enough to have a four month lead time between discovering our car was about to be pulled off the road and needing to purchase a new one.  In that time I picked up some side hustles to help us afford the car we wanted/needed without accumulating debt for our purchase. Looking for a loan? Contact your local bank, mortgage provider, and the car sales team to see what options will work best for you before you find a car you fall in love with.  Don't forget to ask about trade-ins, or research selling your previously loved car online.  Selling our old Sunfire knocked a few hundred dollars off of our purchase price, and every little bit makes a difference.
7. Have a trusted mechanic take a look
   Having a mechanic that you can trust is up there with having a good dentist and doctor in my books.  By having our mechanic take a look at our car before we purchased, we were able to get an idea of the general repairs and expenses that would be coming down the pipeline over the next couple of years, which thankfully for us only involved replacing a battery.  He also gave us an unbiased opinion on whether or not this car was right for us.

What helped you find the perfect used car?

Push - Report Cards & Parent Teacher Meetings

Last week was report card and parent teacher meeting week.  There weren't too many surprises to us sandwiched in the reports and the meetings, but something did strike me this week.  In talking to other parents around the school yard there is one thing that all of us seem to have in common: the way we try to push our children to be better.

Maybe it's a part of the parental instinct, but it doesn't seem to matter if someone's child is at the top of their class, or just struggling to make it through - everyone I spoke to mentioned nudging their child in a particular direction, academic success.

For the most part this is great.  Who doesn't need a whole cheering section that is hoping for the best for them?  Other times I think about how exhausting it is, for both us and the minions.  Some nights I don't want to practice counting, adding, subtracting, sounding out words, or working on building fine motor skill, and they're only in grade one.  Sometimes  I just want to cuddle my kids and watch cartoons. I want to have tickle fights.  I want to bake cookies together.  I want to make fart noises just so I can hear them giggle.  I can only imagine how 'over' the practicing they are some days.

Molly and dad at Pioneer Village together last weekend

Listening to all of the glowing things the teachers had to say about what sweet, kind, happy and compassionate children I have, it made me take a breath to think about how much more important this is compared to academics.

We spend so much time trying to catch up, trying to push for the next milestone that there's always something that we're reaching for - and it's frustrating. No matter what we do, it seems they don't reach that next goal until they're ready...and when we push too hard it isn't fun for absolutely anyone.  Sure the extra time together practicing helps, but sometimes we need to take our foot off the gas pedal.

I think about the age of my children, born twins in the last third of the year, being held to the exact same academic standards as someone who was born in January, so essentially someone who has 10 percent more "life" experience and "wisdom" as my kids, and how much difference eight months makes in what they can and cannot do at six years old.  This makes me realize that it's time to calm the eff down. They'll get there, eventually, and if not we'll be there beside helping them, hopefully  holding their hands more often than we are pushing them from behind.

Hey parents and adults everywhere: Try to remember to enjoy the journey just as much as the destination....I know I need the reminder more frequently than I'd like to admit.

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Paperback Writer: Sharing My Writing On Other Sites

It's that time of the month again when I share some of the writing I've been completing for other publications.  This is where I learn all of that delightful trivia that I can wow people with at cocktail parties.  Molly and Jack were particularly interested in finding out the harsh realities behind Disney Princesses.

Nowadays as my full-time job I write and ghostwrite articles for online publications, organizations and blogs, in addition to providing public relations services.  While I can't really share my ghostwritten articles on this platform, cause then I wouldn't really be a ghostwriter would I, I can share some of the other stuff I have been working on.

Click on the links for the topics that interest you most, and if you enjoy what I wrote please share, like, and follow, and keep parenting and reading on!  If you have any ideas for a story, a playground review, or article on any front, feel free to shout it out!  I'm always looking for new sources of inspiration!

Disney Princesses

Dirty Secrets Behind Your Favourite Disney Princesses

How Much Can You Really Make On Reality TV?

8 Reality Shows That Have The Lowest Pay Rate (& 8 You Can Bank On)

Celebrity Parenting Gossip

15 Pregnant Celebs Who Were Brutally Called Out On Social Media

15 Celeb Dads With The Most Baby Mamas

Pregnancy

16 Things That Happen During Pregnancy Doctors Keep On The DL

13 Things Moms Never Expect To Bring Home With The Newborn

Relationships

15 Nasty Habits She’ll Reveal Once You Say I DO

To get access to the newest posts from Multiple Momstrosity and more on Facebook click here and follow today

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Hold On

For all the boasting about self-care and couple time, I can be pretty garbage at making it a reality - we all can.  Sure I book date nights, manage to get out a few times a month with friends, book necessary appointments, and get in some runs, but as a parent a lot of the time the kids come first.  Mostly because that's what we need to do and what we get used to.  It's easy to forget that the original family line-up was just Chris and I.

Then, every once in a while, I get reminded about our couple team and how we both step up to the plate for each other when pitched a curve ball.

Chris has been experiencing back pain (which manifests itself in pain walking or standing in the lower back and legs) for nearly two months now, and it shows no sign of letting up - it's actually getting worse.  He's been to the doctor, he's been to the physio for hundreds of dollars of care, and after over a month of special exercises, X-rays, and a diagnosis of what we thought was spinal stenosis, we're back to the drawing board.  His X-rays have come back normal, the physio tapped out and now we've been referred to a specialist sports physician.  Good news right? Not exactly.

Image Courtesy of Giphy

Yesterday a call came in from the doctor's office confirming an appointment, six weeks from now.  I don't know if it's lucky or unlucky for Chris that I was the one who got the call.  While in terms of the world of specialists another six weeks for an appointment after eight weeks of pain seems like a lifetime. I understand how lucky we are to be in Canada where this treatment will now be covered under OHIP, but it still sucks to play the waiting game.

This mystery problem has been unrelenting.  He's been in constant pain.  It's impacted his mood, his patience and all of our lives, and his ability to do everyday things with us ranging from going for a simple walk to playing with the kids.

So I protested, I begged, I pleaded, and I got us on a cancellation list so as soon as there is someone who bails on their appointment, Chris can run/hobble there in a heartbeat and we can figure out what the heck is going on and do what we can to improve his pain and try and get things back to normal.

I later found out that Chris has been telling everyone how I wouldn't take no for an answer.  At first I thought he was annoyed about me and my big mouth.  Then he explained how I said things he wouldn't have if he had received the call about the appointment, how I, hopefully, was going to get results. I guess in the mess of parenting, I don't go mama bear all that often for my husband, and it's easy to forget to take care of your partner or yourself.

Sometimes it's nice to be taken care of, even when you're an adult.  So parents, do something nice for your spouse without them asking - even if that something involves you saying "that's unacceptable" over and over again to a doctor's office receptionist.  It means more than you think.

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My Kids In 140 Characters (Or Less)

We spend a lot of time with the minions and I'm fortunate enough to record the things that they say and do so I can look back on it and laugh.  Some of it makes the blog and other smaller moments don't.  One of the brilliant things about Twitter is how it's the ultimate parenting "elevator speech", because you have to keep it short. Below are Tweets, conversations, parental musings and things that the minions have done or said over the past month, for your reading pleasure that haven't made it to the blog.

Image Courtesy of Tenor

1. M: A is for Apple. J: A is for ass, like they said in #SchoolOfRock so you can't get mad mommy #facepalm #parenting

2. Brother: Did u tell ur friend ur half demon? M: That's just pretend Bro: Exactly what a demon would say u foul demon #parenting

3. M: You need to stop singing that song Mommy! Me: Why? M: You sound like a Disney prince & I just can't handle it. #Parenting

4. Arguing with your child about how peeing your pants while in the bathroom is not "making it in time" #facepalm #parenting

Image Courtesy of  www.ifc.com

5. What happens when they finally end up in the same swimming class? insistence on holding hands each time they jump in the pool #TwinLife


6. J: Is #pluto sad that it used to be a planet and then they changed their minds? I know I'd feel sad if I was Pluto #science #parenting


7. Me: brush ur teeth J: I curse u. U will have bad luck, be poked constantly & catch on fire. Me: Slight over-reaction? J: shrugs #parenting



8. Dear #autocorrect I have 2 kids in grade 1. I regretfully assure u I am typing lice (not love or live) but appreciate ur optimism

9. J: U know how I know I'm part #puppy? Me: How? J: Cause I like to lick ice cream off the floor #facepalm #parenting #ToddlerLife

To read more blogs featuring the wacky things my kids say as featured on twitter, follow me @Sarabethbug & click here, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, &here.

Cosplay & Halloween Crafting - Wreck It Ralph Couple's Costume

Halloween is a pretty big deal around here.  Last year I couldn't believe that Chris wouldn't bite when I suggested a Star Wars themed family costume, with all of us except for him hailing from planets in a galaxy far, far, away.  Because of his refusal to participate last year I had a leg up in getting him to participate in the second ever couple costume in 14 years of knowing each other.

This participation meant I was going to have to champion and sort out everything needed to make this happen.  I have to admit, while most people who don't have kids who enjoy the movie didn't quite get what we were up to, I was pleased, as was he for the most part.

Here's what I needed: spiked, wild, Wreck it Ralph hair (I used a werewolf wig we found at Value Village for $8.99), for Ralph's untamed eyebrows I purchased a pair of thick ones for $2.99 from Value Village), I also managed to secure an orange V-neck shirt for $3.99 used, and a gaming medal that Jack had received in a birthday loot bag.  For the fists (or Wreck it Ralph Punches as Jack likes to call them), I purchased a pair of Incredible Hulk fists and painting them with foam safe craft paint - Both kids can't wait until after Halloween to steal the "punches" and werewolf wig to get them into regular rotation in their dress-up play.  The hardest part of the costume to find, Overalls...If you ever want to do this costume you'll need to begin checking out thrift stops really early.  I ended up getting ours new at Walmart, and will end up making them fit with another costume in the future to justify buying new.

Time for the big reveal....

Here's what Ralph Looks like:

Image Courtesy of Disney Wikia

Here's my "punches" getting painted:

So the Paint will totally peel off on these babies (I've had to retouch them between our night out and today), but I also know that my kids can't wait to pretend to be Hulk, so there's added value here.

The Big Reveal...

Not Bad....

Finally a couples costume

Happy Halloween everyone!

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