No one ever said that being a parent was easy.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I was thoroughly enjoying my morning after having completed a workout and a trip to the library and was sipping my second cup of coffee when the phone rang.  I did not recognize the number and do not usually answer those unknown numbers but something made me answer this call.

It turned out to be the Vice-Principal from my children's school informing me that my son was in the office for having punched and kicked another student!  The Vice-Principal was very calm about the incident and did not lay blame on anyone, he simply wanted to inform me of what had happened.

I on the other hand was quite upset by the phone call and after giving it some thought decided I had best go to the school to talk to the Vice-Principal.  Many thoughts were running through my mind as I drove to the school the foremost one being that I must be a terrible parent for my six year old son to behave in such a manner.

Kids learn behaviours from those people around them.  My son has obviously not learned how to express his frustration and anger in appropriate ways.  Do not get me wrong, I do not beat on my children and am not abusive towards them but I will admit that I can lose my patience with them and raise my voice.

I am somewhat at a loss of how to help my son deal with his temper.  He does currently see a school counsellor who works with him and shows him strategies to help deal with his frustration.  I just want my children to be healthy, well-rounded individuals who will grow up to be successful adults in all aspects of their lives!

Thought of the day: Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag?

Quote of the day:  It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.- Frederick Douglass

As many know, I spent six years at the University of Lethbridge obtaining my Bachelor of Arts degree and my Bachelor of Education degree to eventually become a certified teacher.  I have experience working with students of all ages and backgrounds.  Over the last few months I have developed a newfound respect for the adult students I have had the opportunity to work with.

It takes guts and determination for these adults years removed from school to sit down at my table and attempt to relearn subjects such as math and science in order to obtain their GED (General Education Development), which is an alternative to a high school diploma, or to work on their reading and comprehension skills.

A lot of people take their education for granted.  It must take a lot of courage for these adults who did not finish or pass high school for whatever reasons to come back later in life and tackle everything from algebra to the different forms of government.  Learning or relearning skills later in life does not come easy for a lot of people.

As an instructor attempting to help these individuals learn concepts such as mitosis, I have discovered that I am learning all over again except for this time I have the tools necessary to understand and to help others understand.  If as an adult you are contemplating taking a computer course or learning a new language as examples, do not be afraid to take the plunge.  There are numerous resources available and qualified people out there willing to help.  All it takes is the desire and a positive mindset.  Having an education is important in life and it is never too late to realize that!

Thought of the day: What shape is the sky?

Quote of the day:  Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.- Nelson Mandela

Hello everybody, it has been awhile since I have put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and plunked out a blog.  Somewhere along the way I lost the motivation and desire to keep up with my writing.  Perhaps all it comes down to  is laziness. 

When I started writing this blog I totally thought it would be easy to dream up ideas and subjects to explore and write about.  In the beginning it was that way but as time went on it became harder  and harder for me to brainstorm ideas.  Here I find myself months since my last blog kicking myself in the butt because writing is and always has been an enjoyable activity for me.  So what has been stopping me you might ask?  To be honest I think I needed.....no I did not need anything, I simply have not wanted to do it.

We all have times when we have tasks or duties we do no want to complete and writing this blog was one of those times.  Today I started thinking that instead of seeing it as a task or duty to complete I need to look at writing my blog as my way to regularly engage in some king of creative expression.  The only thing stopping me from writing this blog has been myself.  People often quit activities because they say they just do not have the time, but that is not my problem.  I have the time, I have the tools needed and I know how satisfied I feel when I hit the share button.

I also quit going to the gym for a couple of months so maybe I was going through a phase.  Why do we tend to quit those activities that we know are good for us and our overall well-being?  I know I am not the only one out there guilty of slacking off but it is certainly something to think about.

Thought of the day: How can you tell when it is time to tune your bagpipes?

Quote of the day:  Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. - Marcus Aurelius

Going through life without having a few regrets I say is impossible.  I regret right now that I have not kept up with my blog.  I can come up with a bunch of excuses why, but when it comes down to it I realize I have just not wanted to.

The biggest regret that I carry with me at this moment is the fact that I did not get to see my dad before he passed away.  I saw him at Christmas and that ended up being the last time I spent time with him.  When I share this regret with others they try to make me feel better by telling me that life gets busy.  Of course it does, but that does not change how I feel.

There were weekends where I could have travelled to the farm and visited with my dad but I chose to do other things instead.  One could say I had no way of knowing he was going to pass away when he did, but I always knew in the back of my mind he was not going to be around for long.

For this reason I should have made the time to spend with him.  All I can do now is make sure I spend time with family and friends, living my life the way that would make him proud.  I do not want to have any other regrets like this one because it is too hard to live with.  Some parts of life are out of our control, but how I spend my time and with whom is one part of my life that I can control.

For a list of the 25 Biggest Regrets in Life, visit www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/10/18/the-25-biggest-regrets-in-life-what-are-yours/

Thought of the day;  Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?

Quote of the day:  Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression.  Do not repeat them in the future.- Swami Sivananda

Throughout our lives we all have different heroes.  According to www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero , a simple definition of hero is: a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities, a person who is greatly admired, or the chief male character in a story, play, movie etc.

I never fully realized until he passed away that my dad was my hero.  No, he did not save children from a burning building or some other act often associated with heroes.  What he did do was much more than that.  He gave me the tools I needed such as a strong work ethic, family comes first, education is important types of beliefs that helped me to become the person I am today.  Of course he was always there to protect me from the monsters hiding in my closet as well!

My dad worked so hard his entire life to make sure his family had all of their needs and wants taken care of.  Even as an adult I knew I could count on my dad to help me out of a rough patch.  My dad would give you the shirt off of his back without hesitation if needed.

It is for these reasons that it was so hard to see him have to endure so much pain and suffering for so many years.  The strength and will-power that it took for him to simply survive day to day are other reasons that make my dad my hero.  The fact that he lived the way that he did for so long make me proud to call him my dad.

I only wish with all my heart that I could have told him that.  He did not deserve the last 8-10 years of his life, I only hope that he found some sense of joy and love from his family.  I love you dad, you were my superman!

Thought of the day: Father: A banker provided by nature.

Quote of the day:  A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.- Christopher Reeve

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest ordeals to endure.  It has been a month since my dad passed away and I will be honest when I say I am not dealing with my grief that well.  I have this heavy feeling weighing down on my chest that at times is unbearable.

In the past I have used writing as an avenue to alleviate the feelings that I have and am trying to do that now as I write this blog.  Everyone deals with grief in their own way, up until today I have been trying to navigate through the feelings of shock, anger, sadness, anxiousness and fear on my own.

Friends and family ask me how I am doing and my instant response is 'ok'.  I want to seem strong and in control when in actuality I want to scream at the top of my lungs that I am so sad and angry that my heart feels like it is ready to explode.  I do not want to cry in front of my kids so as not to upset them so I hold the tears in until I go to bed.  Even then I fight back the tears because I can hear my dad telling me to "stop your crying".

In my head I understand that with time the feelings I am experiencing will not be as overwhelming but it is hard to see down that road right now.  I have been leaning on a couple of close friends for support but lately have felt like I am more of a burden to them than they need to put up with.

I know I need to deal with the loss of my dad in a healthy way, but having to acknowledge the pain is almost too much to bear.  To everyone out there dealing with loss of some kind just remember that you are not alone!

Thought of the day: What is a chickpea if it is neither a chick nor a pea?

Quote of the day:   Grief starts to become indulgent, and it doesn't serve anyone, and it's painful.  But if you transform it into remembrance, than you're magnifying the person you lost and also giving something of that person to other people so they can experience something of that person.- Patti Smith

We all deal with pressure in some form on daily basis.  Getting kids ready for school, meeting appointments, dealing with work deadlines, driving down the road on a crappy winter day, all of these 'daily' situations place pressure on our physical, mental and emotional well being.  Some people thrive under pressure while others crumble.  In order to be successful in life we all must learn how to cope with pressure.

I have been feeling pressured for awhile now from a couple of external sources.  I am fairly certain these people who are placing this 'pressure' on me do not know they are doing it, but alas it is how I have been perceiving it.  The simplest course of action would be to sit down and have a conversation with these people to let them know that is how I am feeling, but I am afraid I will only hurt them in the process.

Instead of telling them how I feel I have been attempting to deal with the 'pressure' in my own way.  Going for a walk, going to the gym, writing this blog, reading a book, playing with my kids, sharing my worries with a friend, have all been methods I have experimented with.  Unfortunately the feeling of being pressured is still there.

I cannot control how these individuals feel or what they say to me so I am trying to focus on how I react to them and what my feelings are because in the end it is really what I want for myself that matters.  How do you respond to pressure in your own life?

Thought of the day: What is a refried bean?  Why do they have to fry it twice?

Quote of the day:  When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.- Peter Marshall

I realize it has been a month since I have sat down and written a blog.  I really do not have a good excuse for it.  I could blame how busy the Christmas holidays were, having sick kids and being sick myself, but these are pretty lame reasons.  What really happened was that I lost my motivation!  That and I started to read the Game of Thrones book series and became caught up in in the fantasy world of King's Landing, Winterfell and the Wall.

Last night at work I was given inspiration to write this blog thanks to a student asking me a simple question.  He was working on a homework assignment for his English class.  The assignment he had involved completing journal entries for a novel they are reading.  One of the entries had to do with having dreams and aspirations.  He must have been trying to brainstorm ideas because he asked me what my dreams are?

I was completely caught off guard by the question and actually drew a blank!  All I could come up with at the time was that I would like to do some travelling.  I honestly could not think of anything else.  If he had asked me the same question back when I was in University I would have had numerous answers such as: obtain a job, get married, have kids, own a house etc. 

Now that I have achieved those dreams I have never really thought about dreams for myself.  I have dreams as a parent for my children and short-term goals for myself like losing some weight and paying off credit card debt, but I have never really thought about any 'dreams'.  Do we lose those dreams and aspirations we had as kids because we mature and grow older or am I at a point in life where my dreams are simply to enjoy life and be happy?  What are your dreams?

Thought of the day: Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?

Quote of the day:  You have to dream before your dreams can come true.  A.P.J. Kalam

A couple of weeks ago my daughter's school choir performed with a few members of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra at Southminster United Church.  After the performance I was motivated to see the Symphony again as I was reminded of my love for the orchestra.

This past Sunday I had a date night with my daughter.  We left the boys at home and attended our first ever performance of the Lethbridge Symphony.  Not only did we get to take in the wonderful sounds of the orchestra, we were also treated to singing by "5 Singing Guys and a Men's Chorus".  The title for this performance was "Ye Merry Men's Christmas", which makes sense being the time of year it is.

There were a few traditional Christmas Carols performed such as "It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year", as well as songs I was not overly familiar with.  My favourite song of the afternoon was the "Huron Carol" sang by the Men's Chorus.  The entire show was fantastic and I would have loved to watch the second performance if I would not have had to work!

I had tears in my eyes at the end of the concert when the entire audience participated in a sing-a-long with the orchestra and the Men's Chorus.  The way everyone came together in time to the music singing all of those Christmas songs we learned as children was magical!

I always thought the Symphony was for 'rich' people until I attended this performance on Sunday.  Many young families were there as well as older couples whom I can only assume may be the ones I imagined attending these types of events.  Regardless of 'status', I realized that attending the Symphony is an activity for anyone who has a love and passion for music.  I hope I pass this trait on to my daughter who seemed enthralled by the concert.

I hope to continue attending performances by the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and in writing this blog have hopefully inspired some of you to think about supporting the 'arts' in your area as well!

Thought of the day:  Why do you get on a bus and a train but get into a car?

Quote of the day: If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.- George S. Patton

One of my favorite meals has to be breakfast, from choices such as French Toast to Baking Powder Biscuits.  Who does not enjoy salty breakfast meat?  On the other hand, one of my least favorite meals to cook would have to be breakfast.  Whipping up pancake batter (from scratch of course) and being splattered by oil is not always as much fun as it sounds.

As a Facebook user I come across like many of you do as well, numerous recipes to experiment with.  One Saturday evening around 10:30pm as I lay in bed (my Saturdays are very exciting), I made the decision to attempt eggs in a muffin tin for breakfast the next morning.  I found a recipe that was simple, not that any of them are complicated, and tried it out in the morning.

To the delight of my family and myself, these were some of the best eggs I have ever made!  I did not have to stand over the stove watching everything either which was a huge bonus!  I used ingredients I had on hand to go in the eggs which included ham and diced tomatoes, but these ingredients can be swapped for almost anything you prefer.  Here is the basic recipe I used from the web site "The Lemon Bowl".

Recipe:
12 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
6 slices Canadian bacon - diced
1/4 cup minced scallions
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces shredded cheese (cheddar, marble etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray muffin pan.  In a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk.  Stir in bacon and scallions with salt and pepper to taste.  Divide egg mixture between 12 muffin tins (1/3 cup each), sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until eggs are set 25-30 minutes.  Let cool slightly before removing from pan.

I have seen similar recipes used with bacon, sausage, mushrooms, peppers etc.  Go wild!

 Interesting tidbit:  According to www.incredibleegg.org East Indian history indicates wild fowl were domesticated as early as 3200 B.C.  Egyptian and Chinese records show fowl laying eggs for man in 1400 B.C.  It is believed Columbus' ships carried the first chickens to the Americas.  There are nearly 200 breeds and varieties of chickens worldwide.

Thought of the day:  Do they call a fortune teller who can't see a 'blind seer'?

Quote of the day:  A clever person solves a problem.  A wise person avoids it.- Albert Einstein