Happy Halloween....And Other Stuff!!!!!!

Hi!!!!


Ahhhhhhh a virgin pumpkin!  My mind goes crazy with ideas, pinterest pages flashing like a strobe, all kinds of beautiful jack-o-lanterns, sooooo many options............oh wait.........that person.....yeah the one that has the ability to follow through on those aesthetically pleasing "like" catching creations, yeah, that person......that person is not me.


It's not like I've never carved a pumpkin, because I definitely have. You don't run a dayhome for as long as I did without scooping your fair share of seeds.

Luckily, though, my carving skills never had to impress anyone beyond the age of safety scissors. Thankfully, things facebook and pinterest and instagram etc etc didn't exist yet.

Our carvings were simple, most of the fun was had scraping out the "guts" anyway..............


This week, I would like to send a message out to the first time mommies out there. The ones that are a few months in and are just now finding out how hard this really is.


It's okay......


It's okay to feel overwhelmed and inadequate. In fact, it's a rite of passage. Sometimes you are just so exhausted that all that's left to do is cry.  It's okay. It's okay to pick up your baby when he cries. He doesn't even know he has feet yet, I think manipulating a full grown adult is a bit beyond his capabilities. If you want to hold him while he sleeps...do it.

Some babies need extra cuddles, some don't. It's good to keep in mind that out of all the books about parenting, to swaddle, not to swaddle, to pick up or let cry, to breastfeed or not, out of all of those books written by brilliant people, your baby hasn't read even one.

Babies are little humans, as complex and diverse as their adult counterparts. They have individual needs, have individual quirks, have their own rhythm. Never forget the person that is most in tune with that rhythm is you. Their parent. Being a parent is hard enough on it's own. When you throw in the expectations of others, or hold yourself to some unrealistic, pinterest-  driven benchmark, you're simply being unkind to your baby's lifeline, adding unnecessary stress to an already exhausted situation.

It's okay..........meltdown, rock your baby with your tears running down your face, you wouldn't be the first and most definitely won't be the last. Just don't give up. If you need help, reach out. Ask. If you find the darkness wants to overtake the joy, please talk to someone. Anyone.

We are all in this together.......It's okay........


Well folks, it's been another crazy week, and as I sit here, my hubby is packing the equipment for our show tomorrow night.........


As we go off to entertain the ghouls and goblins, I'll leave you with this wish.........


May the weather hold, so your munchkins' costumes need not be covered by winter gear.
May the neighbours be generous, providing your dentist with his trip to Hawaii again this year.

May their little eyes shine with excitement and not just from the sugar rush.
May the crash be quick so you can "sort" their goodies, don't wake them....husssshhhhh.

May the sugar hang-over be brief, both yours and theirs.
May it pass quickly with minimum tummy aches, maximum shares.


Have a great one! Until next time please check out www.margyreidbooks.com

You Know What? I'm Okay With That..............

As the chill in the air becomes tangible, trying to sneak it's way into the sleeves of your sweater, up your pant legs, and into the very pores of your skin, the fact that we are officially creeping up on the end of another year becomes very apparent.



We only have a couple of short months left in this the year 2015. Whatever will we do with it?!


So many ideas, so little time!



Maybe it will be easier to come up with a list of what I won't be doing. Not even a little bit......


1. I won't be applying for a job with Cirque du Soleil.......

2. I won't be hang gliding

3. I won't be crossing any rope bridges that span mountainous ravines.......

4. I won't be heading over to Kim and Kanye's for coffee............


Okay........... maybe it is easier to come up with a few things that I will be doing....



Before the year is up I would like to..............


Spend a day in bed watching Netflix, eating junk food and drinking wine...............................

Hang out with family for no particular reason.......................

Sleep like a teenager........................

Have a reason to get dressed to the nines.................

Put a smile on the faces of at least 100 strangers...............

Read a completely self-indulgent novel from start to finish without interruption,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,



I know these may not seem like lofty goals or be incredibly ambitious, but, you know what? I'm okay with that.


So much of life is about what you can get done and the time in which you can do it. Our lives are dictated by schedules and deadlines, commitments and guilt trips. We are bombarded on social media, tv, and in magazines, by messages of not being pretty enough, skinny enough, rich enough, not having enough, not doing enough, ............blah blah blah


I am not Martha Stewart with Bill Gates' money, Mother Theresa's patience and Beyonce's body.



And I'm okay with that.



I'm making a promise to myself, and I hope you do too. I promise not to be consumed by schedules and commitments. I will meet what is necessary, but won't allow them to smother me. I promise to give myself permission to goof off once in a while. I promise to cut myself some slack, and not hold myself to a higher standard than I hold everyone else.

I promise to be nice to me. And I'm okay with that.




Well, it's been, thankfully another busy week at the shop, and as you might have guessed, it was one driven by deadlines.


We are dealing with a ton of insurance claims at the moment....let's hear it for bureaucracy..where simple and direct is an unheard of concept....................


We managed to squeak in some rehearsal for our upcoming Halloween show.............

Put the finishing touches on our costumes...............

Squished a kidlet or three.............



As for the next few..............


It will be busy at the shop..................


Rehearse...........

Write.............

Pack and load up for the show.............


But, first........


It's off to the city to hang out with family for no particular reason,,,,,,,,,,,



And that, my friends about does it for another week.......


Until next time...........



May your gentle heart be kind to those you meet and to the one reflected in the mirror.
May the "to do" list that truly brings you closer to what you really want, become ever clearer.

May you see the only rules in life are to be kind, and be authentically you.
May you understand there will be no measure of treasure, only how gently you got through.

May you embrace the benefit of down time, the idleness, the peace.
May you let it in, take a breath, let the struggles go, release.



Until next time please check out my website www.margyreidbooks.com

Goodbye to a SuperHero Friend................................

Tonight, as I sit at my keyboard, my my heart is heavy, my fingers made of lead.


For today, we said a final farewell to this dear, goofy, generous, super-hero obsessed, beautiful soul. His name was Wes Funk. He was a writer, and tireless champion of the underdog. He was a selfless, zealous, fierce friend of everyone fortunate enough to meet him.

Although writing tonight is hard, I dare not not do it. For it would be a true insult to his memory to use him as a reason to keep words from the page.

As the hundreds of people began filling the venue for his service, I couldn't help but think that he likely had absolutely no idea how many lives he had actually touched. How many people were inspired and encouraged by him. How many truly, and sincerely, loved him.

The last thing Wes would want is for those left behind to mope around, crying, lamenting what might have been. But, he will just have to be patient, for it will take a little while for the world to become bright, once more.


We can never take for granted the gift that is our life on this Earth. The time between the sunsets.......



It's been a long, hard few days, so until next time, my friends, I'll leave you with this wish..............



Wes,


May you see you were a hero, just without the encumbered hindrance of a cape.
May you see the lives you touched, the dreams you helped take a tangible shape.

May you see you were a hero, to me, and many more.
May you see you were a hero, a hero, turned angel, evermore.


Until next week......................

 

Turning Two and Turkey Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi!




Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canucks and Happy Birthday to our little Laney!






The top photo depicts a scene oh so very common around here this time of year. The geese are on their way to a warmer climate. Smart geese.

Although, the powers that be are predicting a milder than normal winter for this neck of the woods, with less than normal snow fall...... I sure hope they're right........or at least close.............



The final two photos, as you can guess, depict our little peanut celebrating her second birthday. She is going to be such a sweet big sister...........


Two years, another reminder of how fast time flies by....................


Well, this week was another busy one.............


The shop is hopping .............so thankful.......


With the help of our daughter and a lady who is able to do magic with a needle and thread, the Halloween costumes are complete.....................


Did some rehearsing...............


Killed a dust bunny or five...............


Did a bit of writing..............


Had the tv on in the background and became well schooled in the trials and tribulations of the people we call "celebrities.".................................


Yeah, about that..............."celebrity" trials and tribulations........................


From what I gathered, it has been a busy week for Justin Bieber's nether regions. Kanye West's ego,  Donald Trump's hair, and Bill Cosby's misguided, misogynistic, past decisions.

First up..... the "Biebs"...............paparazzi got a picture of his junk while he was in Bora Bora..............blah blah blah...........he gets to be in Bora Bora. Not saying they have the right, but they follow him like a dog follows a snacking toddler, you'd think a guy like that would take a few precautions. Like not walking outside naked............just a thought..............


Then, Kanye..............ooh Kanye............says he wants to run for president in 2020.............not sure that would be great for America as a nation.......a president whose abilities seem to be somewhat limited to trying to convince others how great he is.......wait......Donald Trump...........


Ah yes.......Donald Trump............. he is a busy guy, but apparently not nearly as busy as his hair. I guess someone photoshopped his locks onto a few different, not so flattering images.............I really don't like when someone is singled out or picked on, but, sometimes this thing called Karma comes knocking at your door...............


Then, there is Mr. Cosby..................I'm not sure I have words to express the disappointment I feel. Of course, I don't know the man, but somehow I feel a loss for the man I thought he was. My heart hurts for the women who have stepped forward, they have nothing to gain by telling their stories. No one would volunteer for the scorn and scrutiny they have endured without cause. It saddens me further to know that the only reason a light has been thrown on the case is because of what he does for a living. So many still creep in the dark, faces unfamiliar, names unknown. Not famous, but never forgotten,




As for the days ahead....................


Do some cooking for our kids coming home for Thanksgiving..............


The shop will be busy............................


Rehearse for our Halloween show............


Squeeze grandbabies.......................


Write!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Well that about does it for another week. Until next time, I'll leave you with this wish...............




May your meal be greeted by grateful bellies, your pies greeted by grins.
May your house be full of hugs and giggles, catching up, and board game wins.

May the gratitude felt on this day of giving, remain throughout the months to come.
May we not take for granted, anything, for the lives we have are but dreams for some.

May the sun set upon you and yours, having graced you with an incredible day.
May the sun rise then, to find you still smiling, great memories to help carry you through life's fray.




Until next time............



www.margyreidbooks.com














  

Fute Poops and Politics.....................................

Hi!




Well, if you reside in North America, you, whether you like it or not. have been bombarded with politics.


Here at home, in the Great White North, we are having an election later this month. Yes, I believe a voter needs to be informed about the platforms on which each candidate is running. Yes, I believe we should be informed. Informed being the operative word. I'm not sure if all of the ads on tv, and on the Internet which are overwhelmingly abundant with presumed shortcomings of opponents and the apparent weak foundations on which their platforms are built, can be considered real information.

I guess I wish they would concentrate more on giving clear, concise, truthful, real information on what they are about. They, themselves. No bashing, no name calling, no bull.

I wonder if that will ever happen?


Then, when you take a trip a bit to the south you get more of the same, only on a bigger scale. They aren't even voting for another full year, but the mudslinging has already kicked into high gear.

It seems like it's boiling down to whomever can throw the best mud wins....I'm not convinced that talent makes a good leader.................


For my part, I will become as informed as I can, and make a choice based on whatever remnants of real information I can scrape off of the floor of the mudpit. Then, just hope beyond hope that with whomever wins, the country and it's citizens' well-being at least makes the top ten on their to-do list.


On a lighter note.................



Just in case you needed a reminder...............toddlers are awesome............


When asked what they would like to have for breakfast:

Laney (2)- Fute Poops (Fruit loops)
Jakey (3)- A Lego (Bagel)

Playing hide and seek:


Jake is counting: one....two....fee......four......fie........sick.........sewen.......q........nine.....twelveteen..........ready or not!!!!!!!


Playing with our pet:

Laney: Awwwee kitty cuuuute, need nummy! And this oh so gentle little soul then proceeds to try and drag our 11 year old cat across the kitchen to his food and water bowls, by his tail. He is not amused.

Laney: Kitty...baby......Now, swaddling an aggravated old cat is not a task to be taken on by just anyone. It takes both patience and perseverance. The cat hasn't the former and the toddler hasn't the latter. Win/win?..... We'll call it a draw.


Yep..........awesome................





Well, this past week has been another busy one...............


Halloween costumes are pretty much figured out....................

Work has been happily hoppin' along.................

Some dust bunnies were sent to a better place..........

The laundry monster said uncle....it was faint, but I swear I heard it......



As for the upcoming week.........

We will be setting up sound equipment at the shop to do some rehearsing.............

Spend the weekend at home........................

It will be another busy one at the shop........................

WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh.......and squeeze some munchkins, of course...............



Well folks that's about it for this time around, until next time, I'll leave you with this wish..........




May your choices lead you to places you truly want to go, whether you chase excitement, serenity or both.
May they take you on a journey filled with happiness, light and joy, minimal struggle, soulful growth.

May you allow yourself to be wonderful, full of wonder, ever discovering new things that delight and tickle your soul.
May you have faith that all will work out as it should, you make choices, but the outcome is always beyond your control.

May you, when choices seem overwhelming, and you feel all you do is jump through hoops,
May you take that time to just say "screw it", for now, count to q, and eat a giant bowl of fute poops.



Until next time........


www.margyreidbooks.com