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Tuesday, September 12, 2017

When you lose your Mom to breast cancer



I was 24 in February 1998, on February 2nd (yes Ground Hog Day) when my Mom lost her battle with breast cancer.

She had battled breast cancer for 11 yrs.  I was in grade 8 when she was first diagnosed.  She was 41 years old.

When I turned 41, I had a bucketlist (Click here bucketlist).  The list was simple but it was created just in case I ended up being diagnosed  like my Mom. I don't live my life based on this list today but I do make choices because of breast cancer.


It is why I workout 
It is why I watch what I eat
It is why i take particular vitamins
It is why I think a lot about what I feed my kids
It is why I use deodorant instead of antiperspirant 
It is why go for a mammogram every year
It is why I walk/run in CIBC's Run For A Cure



So if I ever did get diagnosed I can say I have tried everything and anything to prevent it.

Please support me in my efforts to raise funds for CIBC Run For The Cure.
Donate here



Friday, September 1, 2017

Will I ever run again?

or bike again????

I have not blogged in awhile for a few reasons but a main one is that my back is not good and it is hard to sit for long periods of time.

This is not why my back is bad! This is what I can do when it is in perfect shape


I ended up going back for a visit to Jockvale Massage and Physio.  In particular Duane the Physiotherapist.  After some stretches, acupuncture in my back and bum and some heat on my lower back I am almost back to normal.  I need a strong back for going back to work with my toddlers.  There is a lot of bending down, lifting, carrying and cuddling.  I can't wait to get back to my babies!

This is how my back got messed up:

In November, I put my back out.  I leaned down to tie a skate and by the time I hobbled back to the car I needed help lifting my left leg into the car.  Turning the steering wheel had me riling with pain, mainly on the left side.  As I mentioned before I have had back/hip issues before and gone to Dr. Jeff Lowthian, the magical chiropractor.  This always fixed  me.  To be honest the week before my lower back was very very tight.  Sitting on the floor, bending down to help little people, stress and poor posture didn’t help. I tried yoga, heat and two trips to Dr Jeff.  He told me to not sit but to lie down but that weekend I was Taxi Mom and had to drive a lot. 

When I got home after the painful drive I could barely move.  I remember putting something in the garbage and my back completely seized up again.  I tried not to cry and covered it with crazy laughter because I could see I was scaring the kids.  Paul came over and tried to massage me, which he had to do while I leaned against the wall because I just could not lie down.

Took the Monday off and went and got a massage. I went to Jockvale Massage and Physio. Immediately felt better. Thank you Dawson the masseuse.  Had the day off Tuesday and after being out and about, came home and my lovely Phoenix had gotten into the garbage. It was all over the kitchen.  I went to grab his collar and threw my back out again!!!  I cried out in pain, I was frozen, I could not move.  I eventually got down on the ground and crawled around collecting garbage – priorities!!  I called Jockvale Massage and Physio to see if Dawson could help me again.  I was crying on the phone to Paulette the receptionist.  She told me to come in right away.  She was not sure if Dawson was available but the Physiotherapist might be able to help me.  I finally made it there.  I could not sit down in the waiting area.  I could barely speak.  My back kept spasming and I kept crying.  Paulette gave me wads of Kleenex.  She helped me take off my shoes (which were my beautiful Doc Martens, lots of unlacing)and Duane Brousmiche, the physiotherapist, took me to his therapy room.  He took all my background information then did a few exercises.

Long story short, after a week off of work , several more sessions with Duane, three types of pain relievers (which only numbed the pain but did not fix me), some acupuncture by Duane (which was AMAZING!), lots of rest and wearing a lovely girdle type lumbar support belt,  Duane deduced that it was my L5S disc and sacroiliac joint that were compensating for the upper back tightness/weakness.  The cure=work on building my core muscles.  Some of my exercises were simply squeezing my lower tummy muscles or the two sets of muscles on either side of my spine. 

Duane was awesome!  Like chiropractic I was skeptical but his knowledge of the spine, bones and muscles…I am a convert!

I highly recommend the crew at Jockvale Massage & Physio.

3777 Strandherd Dr #110, Nepean, ON K2J 4B1, Canada




Tell them Cry Baby says HI (that’s the nickname I received after my initial visit…said with love of course).
As for running again, I am scared.  The repetitive nature of running kinda got me into the excruciating painful experience so we shall see...

 

Sunday, August 27, 2017

FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

If you are trying to squeeze out the last few days of summer vacation, we recommend these:
 
 
On Wednesday evening Breton, Daphne and I took in Kontinuum .  It is almost done so if you have not had a chance to go it  is something interesting to do while wandering around downtown.  We pre-booked our FREE tickets and when we went it was not busy at all (around 4:45pm).  Don't forget to smile when they scan you:)





We then walked down Sparks St and took the bridge over to MOSAICANADA in Jacques Cartier Parc.
And it was all free...even the parking:)



 


Breton is starving in this pic. We went over the dinner hour and hadn't planned to be gone so long.  Poor man-boy:(
 
It was amazing the sculptures they made incorporating all the different kinds of plants.
 
 

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Breton @ Scotiabank Place!

For all the hockey Mom's warming up for the new hockey season, i hope this doesn't happen to you:


“But Officer, my son is playing at Scotiabank Place for the first time and he forgot his left skate.  I am just trying to get it to him before his game is over!”  This is what I would have told the police officer if I had gotten pulled over this past Saturday.  I would have been pulled over for speeding.  Yes that was me, the dark blue streak going by you on the Queensway and running up your rear end on Eagleson or Terry Fox and Fallowfield.  
As I was waiting with Daphne, my in laws and other family members of other players, Jeff calls me on my cell to inform me that they can only find one skate.  “I’ll call you back in 5 minutes; we’re going to search the change room.”  Even as Jeff hangs up I head to the door to go back to the parking lot and jump in my car.
Rewind, ½ hr before Breton & Jeff leave…Breton shows Daphne and I the new blue laces that his Dad put on his skates.  Very sharp looking.  As Breton packs his hockey bag, for whatever reason, he got distracted and leaves one skate on the couch.  This is where I find it when I finally get home.
Long story short, I raced to get the skate to Breton, who was sitting on the bench.  He went out and got an assist.  His team is the #1 C level team but they lost to the #1 B level team.  Final score 9-2.  No matter what, it is a story and a half we will never forget.  And we got to hear B’s name said out loud in Scotiabank Place: Breton Paris…no Breton Perras (the “s” is silent) They’ll get it right by the time he is there playing for the NHL.
Thank you to all Breton’s fans that came out to watch esp MollyJ thanx for keeping me warm.








Friday, August 25, 2017

Daphne"s Camp

For 4 years Daphne has participated in a camp at the Agricultural Museum. This year Daphne got her own calf to care for, as the main focus of her camp.


This is Goober, Daphne's calf.


She also got to stay late one day and help with the milking.




We highly recommend the camps at the Agricultural Museum.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Team G comes for a visit

 Well not all of Team G, (Team Georganas) came to the cottage but Molly & Stella did.

 We swam, we tubed, we toured the lake, we roasted marshmallows,
Paulie setting out a swimming challenge

and we kayaked.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Annual Bike Ride

Breton and I have a tradition. A bike ride tradition. The week Daphne goes to camp @the Agricultural Museum, he and I do a long distance ride.  The past two years we have biked to Carleton Place from Stittsville.  It is a straight route on a former railway track.  We then have lunch at A&W and cycle back.  This year we decided to bike downtown from Bells Corners.


The Carleton Place route is fun because we go under HWY 7 and behind the Canadian Golf Course and other places we see while driving on the highway but this new route, in Breton's words "was so scenic". 


Travelling along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway there is lots to see.  We stopped at Remic Rapids and sat in the red Muskoka chairs for a snack break.

We locked our bikes up and walked along Sparks Street.  For some reason B didn't want his picture taken in this chair...??

But he did stop for this photo.
And after we biked back to the car, we went for lunch @A&W😄

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Please read

I wanted to share a story with you from Ottawa Citizen:

This is my friend Susan.



She is a fierce Mama Bear, trying to help her son.  Connor is a fun loving and active man-boy:) who just wants to get back to having fun.

Click, read, share and even comment :

Young hockey player faces long, painful wait for hip surgery at CHEO
When Connor Cose-Manuel turned up ice with the puck last year during a hockey game with the 'AA' Nepean Raiders, he felt something in his right hip go "pop.
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/young-hockey-player-faces-long-painful-wait-for-hip-surgery-at-cheo

Monday, August 21, 2017

Happy Anniversary Paul

 We have had many adventures, with many more to come,
We've shared many, many laughs together and some tears,
 No matter the season or the distance between us,



I Love You
Happy 2nd Anniversary💗

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Quote Of The Day

Do unto others as you'd have done to you.

Quoting my Mom today. 

She use to say this to us all the time,

probably when we 3 sisters were fighting...

She would also say "Do as I say not as I do."

Hmmmmm.....

Mama wisdom!

I don't know if my children could quote me with any familiar sayings...
Well none that I would want them to repeat! Yikes!

 

Thursday, August 10, 2017

What's going on?


My house is a disaster zone or perhaps a construction zone?

After considering moving, for a brief minute or two, I gained/earned some paint so I decided to...

PAINT!

Goodbye shades of blue...

Hello custom created gray 


Can you spot my breakfast of apples and peanut butter?

One of my favourites


Click below to view one of my favourite TED Talks.  

It was a bit of an AWHA moment, a little mind blowing going on and a few chuckles...

Click here

Enjoy


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

TED Talks

So lately I have become a fan of TED Talks.  For a long time I resisted.  I didn't want to be told how to live my life...
but now I watch them to be informed, inspired or even for a laugh.(most of the Talks have some humour in them).

You can search for any subject and they are brief, so you can listen to them when you just have a little down time. 


Click here to see some of the more popular ones:


https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all


Let me know if you find a good one :)

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Oh SNAP!




I am going to sound old but I just don't get Snapchat:(

I do enjoy the filters and at first thought that was the main feature of it but I have been told by my offspring...that this is how everyone is "connecting"? "chatting"? um... "communicating"?



Monday, August 7, 2017

Look who came to visit:

 
These guys came by last Wednesday.  The video was shot by Thomas, Breton's best buddy.  That is Breton in the background exclaiming. 
 
That is the part that makes me laugh.

Love this!




Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.

16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you want .

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."


Sunday, August 6, 2017

Painting

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My sisters and I, when we were younger, use to colour all the time.

We even had a cupboard in the kitchen full of our colouring books and crayons.  We also did lots of arts and crafts. 

Recently, in the adult world, there has been a resurgence in colouring for adults as a stress reliever... a lot of adult colouring books out there (a lot of stress out there?).

Why did I ever stop colouring? Drawing? Painting?  I have to admit that as part of my job, working with young children, I still get to create art and crafts.  

It was mentioned, that when we were younger, we never coloured to get paid, or worried about being judged...we just coloured for the pure pleasure.

So I recently got back to my childhood activities. 

No I do not have a kitchen cupboard full of colouring books and crayons but I was inspired by Sam Zuppardi's art in  Nobody's Perfect.

I am drawing and painting.
It is pleasurable.






Saturday, August 5, 2017

You have to try this!

What is your personality? 

Did you know there are 16 different kinds of personalities?

Learning what kind you are and the important people in your life are, can help immensely in relating and understanding each other.

Click here for your personality

Very accurate for me.


Friday, August 4, 2017

she did it!



Daphne has been growing her hair out for a very long time.  I do not even remember the last time we went and got it cut.  Today she cut it!

She was growing it in order to donate it for the making of wigs.  You need a minimum of 8 inches, Daphne donated 9.  We are mailing it to the Canadian Cancer Society via Pantene


She is a real Beauty! Dazzling Daphne all the way through!