Memory Symposium

My memories have served me well, captured in film my emotions and lessons learned are viewed often and reflected of in times of sadness and joy

Lesson- Own your curls, own your expressions and never let anyone crush your funny

Lesson- cake is meant to be eaten, even if it is for your little twin siblings

Lesson- There will always be at least one of four kids not happy and that is ok

Lesson- Blue eyes and pink frosting make for a sweet treat. I was happy happy in this pic I was embarking on a new chapter/marriage in my life and all seemed well. One thing that I have learned through this current time in my life is getting back to ''my happy'' is possible even if it is under different circumstances.

Lesson- Little girls are as gentle and kind as a cocooning butterfly

Lesson- Sometimes a beautiful cake is filled with frozen ice cream in the middle! As seems to be my luck with men :) Note.... must cut cake in half and ensure it is only frosting and cake!

Lesson- Pussy Willows not only won me my first art contest when I was 7 :) They also bring back memories of my childhood, which is a good thing.

Lesson- When the dust settles there are jewels beneath, you just have to give yourself permission to breathe and let be.

Lesson- Bundles of joy abound in hat boxes!

Lesson- Siblings are one of Gods greatest gifts

Lesson- This face made me a mother and continues to be such a strength and strong willed nugget in my life!

Certainty.....

Certainty is something I have thought is attainable, something I thought I coudl tangibly grasp, a tactile painting I could admire on my wall... There are some things that are certain... impromtoo drives in the summer to a cheese farm, getting lost and finding a museum that had a paelaeontology exhibit

I am certain Ty will excel at whatever he chooses, for certain I will help grow his passions however I can.

I am certain my four munchkins are the darndest hodgpodge of talents, emotions and personalities.

I am certain these two are cannable and scrumptious when eaten:)

Ty and his 'mini Ty' as the kids at school say are certainly cute students!

Rylie and Olivia are certainly living out their left handedness to their fullest as well as the right sides of their brains!

Random beaches with four kids and a picnic packed is certainly a great afternoon.

Leaving a spiritual message for the bald eagles to see is certainly keeping us in connection with our Aboriginal ancestors and fellow Canadians.

Crab shells that match Rylies bruise on her forehead is well certain!

Passing my nose and cheeks genetically to each of my kids certainly happened.

My path in life other than a mother and a nurse is uncertain, sometimes the light at the end of the trees is all there is to hold onto, and watching your children enjoy the beauties of life.

Fuzzy baby kitties certainly make me smile and happy.

Watching Rylie blossom is certainly my secret garden.

If life were as easy and clear and Ty's bow n arrow skills I may be even more certain.

I certainly love this picture and feel blessed to have received two for the price of one, I am only certain of a few things right now, so I will hold onto them and see where this great big sea takes me.

I shall leave you with part of the Psychiatric Nursing Pledge from 1957

I PROMISE to respect the personal rights and privileges of my patient, and to do all in my power to prevent or alleviate physical or psychological discomfort.

I WILL ALWAYS be kind, tolerant and just... I will endeavor to cultivate a keen sense of observation and an understanding attitude.

(To read about a truly amazing psychiatric nurse please read Mental Wards to Blackboards by Marie Legault, RPN RN BsN

Rambling and Insight From a Fresh 29 yr old

Insight #1...I turned 29 yesterday and attempted to capture my biggest accomplishments, this was the best shot!

Rylie and I

Olivia's sweet new hair do! (Jessica, I thought of you when this pic turned out sweet, not as good as your photos, but i'm trying :) ) Insight #2 hair is just hair and barrettes and sweet little girls do not need long locks to be scrumptious!

Todd took the family to the waterfront for a birthday lunch for moi. Insight #3 Always listen to your children and let them voice their worries for they shall smile more and confide often.

Insight #4 Ty and Olivia now look like twins :)

Todd and Rylie are an example of epic awesomeness! Insight #5 Goofing off and taking deep breaths and not stressing is worth it for your sanity.

Coloring at a restaurant watching the sea planes land and the dragon boat racers practice is lovely. Insight #6 Crayons are awesome and should not be placed in a heater vent!

Pardon the excessive cleavage :) Insight #7 I have not yet embraced the idea of loving my body but I do realize it's importance! and shall keep trying.

Insight #8 I can and will learn to take sweet pictures. Below is an attempt at an artsy approach to a glass of water and my daughter!

Olivia is a beautiful and delicate as the orchid we sat next to. Insight #9 Even when your children look this angelic there is always a 99.9% chance of that cool glass of water spilling in an extreme way seconds later.

Insight #10 4 kids eating bubblegum icecream = a direct correlation to happiness, and happiness should always be in demand and supply.

Insight #11 Birthdays are grand and hubbies that make them possible are grand as well.

Insight #12 Just because its your birthday doesnt mean you dont have to cook dinner :) (Slow cooker taco soup) but it does mean your hubby has to make home made MnM ice
cream sandwiches!




#13- life is too short to exclude others

#14- education whether it be farming or architecture is of high importance

#15- self worth needs to be continually embraced and worked on

#16- cats are the best!

#17- money is great but back yard BBQ's are better

#18- heather remembering your bday should make you smile and grateful!!!

#19- holding little Lennox makes you want a baby even if your tubes are tied :)

#20- burning the midnight oil whether it be to rock a child back to sleep or write a research paper is part of life, sleep leaves your life early 20's and thats ok.

#21- ohhh 21 seems like yesterday when I had Ty, minus my crows feet!

#22- if feeling like the month you are currently surviving is too much book a trip to a Paelentology museum and go solo with four kids!

#23- that is how many loads of laundry I have to do if I dont do laundry for a week.

#24- how many assignments i have till the end of this semester

#25- letting your children run wild in the back yard is healthy

#26- letting Ty drink milk from the container because he thinks I dont know is funny

#27- Olivia shuving a bead up her nose and Todd and I performing a removal of said before it entered her nasal cavity was an epic way to end my bday!

#28- do unto others as you would have them do to you is easier written than accomplished

#29- I love my family The End

LOVES

I love my new little(BIG) nephew:) Lennox!!! He is just so dang cute! I love that when Ty held him he just stared and rubbed his sweet face and wouldnt let him go. I also love all my other nieces and nephews and wished we all could live closer together. I love that Ty practices his slap shot nightly and when his partner in crime, Alex, sometimes accidently slashes his face he quote ''takes it like a man and walks it off'' :) I love that the hockey net was free on usednanaimo.com and the sticks were 8 bucks, I love that Noni wants to look like Todd and have me dye his hair dark and that Todd would be ok with me doing it! (I however think hair dye is for adults). I love that Rylie has an adorable new do and she thinks she looks like Tangled when her hair is cut and turns brown. I love that Olivia insists on applying chapstick 30000 times a day. I love that I made ribs for the first time and they rocked. I love that Todd says ''BOWCHICKABOWBOW''. I love that Noni says ''nana nana boop scotch'' instead of nana nana boo boo.

Heres to hoping I survive this med/surg clinical, PEG feeding tubes, bodily fluids, IV's, subcus, apical pulses and edema are killing me!!!!!! I cannot wait to be back in the locked psychiatric unit doing mini mentals and early psychosis interventions. On a somewhat side note I thought having four kids qualified me as a poop know it all, but today I was made aware that I have not seen everything in the world of poop and that is that.

I

Where did the time go.....

On February 9th three years ago I gave birth to two blessings that keep on blessing me

Noni and Livie

Olivia

Oliver

I cried like a baby when I saw this photo today, it brought up so many emotions and memories...Rylie is sooo little, where has the time gone? and little Livie. Hours later I brought the twins home and was all on my own with 4 kids under 3! I still have a hard time talking about 'back then' not because I wasn't happy but because of how hard it was for me emotionally, one day...

Oh how I love my girls...

Oh how Pappa loves all his grand kids!

Flash forward three years and VOILA cupcakes

Car themed for Noni

Princess themed for Livie

Olivia wore her birthday suit for her birthday!

I cant believe shes three and I feel like I have somehow missed the past three years as they flew by me

Shes sporting her new inverted bob hairdo! Shes also trying to hold up three fingers!

She is oh so happy about her Barbie

and then there's Noni....

The boy of many faces

and wondrous blue eyes

The beautiful Rylie!

Ty getting spiderman all snapped up

Noni chillin with mama

Ty being Ty

The lovely Livie checking out her presents

Happy Birthday Oliver Deklan and Olivia Alysse

Thank you for blessing me with your sweetness, thank you for making me a stronger person and a better mum. Ty and Rylie.... thank you for being who you are and for loving me despite my many flaws. Todd... I loved you