tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40721478205446308052024-03-13T15:43:35.979-04:00THE TIMELESS MOTHERAshley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-87131779397331966442015-01-01T18:58:00.001-05:002015-01-01T18:58:47.477-05:00THE NIGHT BEFORE AND REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS <div class="yiv0222038719gmail_default" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420151425791_2466">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> What do you get when you mix two excited kids, two home bodied parents, some music and a whole barrel of fun??! Well my dear, you get a whole bunch of blurry pictures of the Smith family partying it up on New Years Eve!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When
you have children you are suddenly thrust into a world where poppin'
bottles and taking shot become a specially occasion rather than a
typical Saturday night. Similarly, for me, new years eve is best when
drinking champagne while perusing Netflix with Aaron.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year we orchestrated a pajama dance party complete with fun party lights, confetti, fun hats and an open laptop with 90's dance mix playing in the background. The four of us danced like no one was watching and other than each other, no one was. We were free to let our limbs loose to truly feel the music all while the boys threw back Shirley Temples like no body's business. Before bed we let them unwind with Battleship and a few rounds of Connect 4, then Aaron and I tucked the boys in for the night. As tradition called it, Aaron and I watched some Netflix while drinking "grown up juice." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ringing
in the new year for the Smiths also means saying goodbye to Christmas, because really, it doesn't officially end until January 1st.
We dismantled the tree, packed away the ornaments and said goodbye to all
things holly, jolly, merry and bright unit next time.
In the words on Jon Bon Jovi, I wish every day could be like Christmas,
but if it were then I probably wouldn't appreciate those times as much
as I do. I can reminisce about magic moments that took place only a few days ago...</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So
on we go, into a new year! Resolutions? Not this year. I won't be making any
resolutions or having a word to live by. I'll just carry on the way I
always do. </span></div>
Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-18481146185328625842014-10-15T17:06:00.000-04:002014-10-15T17:06:25.460-04:00WHAT HELPED ME GRIEVE <center>
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(Gabriel's footprint on a pendant) </div>
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<a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2014/08/gabriel-story-of-loss.html">
Read: Gabriel: a Story of Loss</a><br />
</div>
I tried to write a helpful post of things one should never say to someone who has suffered a loss, accompanied with my reasons why. My responses ended up sounds bitter, like I was yelling so I won't be post that today. I do not want to give a negative vibe and I am trying really hard to be helpful because I know that everyone who says those things do so because they truly mean well.Today I want to focus on the things that I did to help myself during the grieving process. Before I do that though, I want to stress the fact that there is no right way to grieve and that what I have done might not be helpful to you. This is only my experience and my story.<br />
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We named him Gabriel Aaron Smith, yes after the angel. Aaron picked the name out before we had lost him, but after we knew we were going to lose him. I have heard stories of women who lost their babies before they knew the sex, some parents gave unisex names like Jamie or Lee, some gave nicknames like Button or Bean, and some of them felt so strongly that their baby was a boy or a girl that they pick a masculine or feminine name. It's never too late to name your baby if you want to. For us it helped because we have something to call him, our family has something to call him and it instills that he was and always will be our little boy.<br />
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Car rides were the worst for me, long stretch of time where there was absolutely nothing to do so I immerse myself in thought. Especially that first week I thought of him constantly, every minute of every day was me thinking of him or occupying myself so that I didn't burst into tears. I was in a dark dark place. A few days after losing Gabriel, while we were still at the cottage, I stopped in at a Walmart and picked up a journal. I had started writing to him while I was in the hospital, but it was on the back of pregnancy loss pamphlets the nurses brought in. I wanted a book where Aaron and I can go and write to him and get our feelings and thoughts out on paper. Perhaps this helped me because I find such a joy in writing but it was helpful. At first I wrote every day but now I write when I feel the need or desire to. Sometimes I will go back and just read all the things we wrote.<br />
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We were able to have him cremated and the day we picked up his ashes were as close as bringing a baby home from the hospital that I would get with him. I felt such relief. Because of his gestational age, we were warned that we might not get any ashes so we prepared for that but thankfully we were able to get some. In our bedroom we have his spot set up. We got him a snow globe with a cherub inside holding a heart and it plays this beautifully sweat song and sometimes I will play the music when I miss him. At a trading post gift shop we saw another cherub carved in wood and painted white, the angel was sleeping and this reminded me of him so we picked that up too. I also bought a shadow box and put all of his ultrasound pictures inside and hung it on the wall over the shelf that houses all of his things and his urn. If you were unable to have your baby cremated you can still create a memory spot of things that remind you of your baby.<br />
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My husband has been incredibly supportive, after all he grieves too but in ways different than me. Sometimes we will be talking about something, maybe reminiscing about the boys as babies and then Aaron will get real quiet and look off to the side and let our a deep sigh. I know what hes thinking. Having him to lean on and share my dark times with has been extremely important for me. If you are not married or you don't have the father of your baby in your life, reach out to a friend or family member and if they don't understand there is a network of women on miscarriage and stillborn message boards that will understand. The last thing that really helped me was to help others, to share my story and to be there to listen and offer advice to others going through what I went through.<br />
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Today is infant and pregnancy loss awareness day and this post was to honour that. <br />
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<br />Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-87435000636187730932014-10-08T23:56:00.000-04:002014-10-08T23:56:22.001-04:00BEFORE DINNER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you eat appetizers before dinner at home? Our family never did, not unless I was holding a dinner party or something relatively formal. Whilst plowing the shopping cart through the isles of the supermarket we stopped along the way to pick up things and sample appetizers. I notice the smoked salmon was on sale so we picked it up, along with some cream cheese and french bread. I parked the cart nearest the antipasto bar and Joshua requested some olives so I obliged.<br />
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When we got home I insisted that we have appetizers before dinner and Aaron agreed so I cut up the bread, smeared on some cream cheese and topped the slices with either salmon or green olives. I find that the green ones paired better with the cream cheese than the kalamata.<br />
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We sat around the coffee table and nibbled on these before dinner. Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-84926407112007673772014-10-04T12:53:00.000-04:002014-10-04T12:53:06.615-04:00POETRY READING: LAST NIGHT<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">
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<br />
Poetry
has been an important part of my life, ever since I began to creatively
write as a child I was always writing poetry. I do so to express
thoughts and feelings, it is very cathartic for me. I haven't written
anything in a very long time, years I would say. I wonder why that is? I
thought I would start a series on poems that I enjoy. I start off with a piece I found on <a href="http://www.poets.org/">Poets.Org</a>. I also wanted to showcase a
new voice as opposed to the obvious classics for the first highlight. </div>
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<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">
Last Night</div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">
by <a href="http://www.mbroder.com/">Michal Broder</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">I dreamt of making sense,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">parts of speech caught up in sheets</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">and blankets, long strips of fabric</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">wrapped loosely around shoulders,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">goblets, urns, cups with unmatched saucers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">You were there, and the past seemed important,</span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">what was said, what was done,</span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">feelings felt but maybe not expressed,</span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">signs randomly connected</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">yet vital to what comes next,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">to a coming season,</span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">next year’s trip to Nauset Beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">I woke up wanting to read a poem by that name,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">and I found one with a lifeguard’s chair,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">a broken shell, gulls watching egrets,</span></div>
<div class="yiv7270230433gmail_default">
<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">home an ocean away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;">What do you think? </span></div>
</div>
Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-85721528312635675092014-10-02T21:43:00.000-04:002014-10-02T21:43:13.653-04:00YOUTUBE WORKOUT VIDEO REVIEW<center>
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Who loves to work-out? Raise your hands!...*crickets*...Hmm, I feel you. I can think of a few things that I would rather do than to submit myself to that kind of abuse but alas, I have a few pounds to shed so workout I must! For a while I was doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred but I was in the mood for a change. Aaron suggested that I peruse the videos on YouTube for some quality videos, so I did. I follow Popsugar/Fitsugar on bloglovin' so when I found this video I was ready to give it a shot.<br />
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After starting a new video, I find that it takes days for me to become stronger in the workout, however with this video I noticed an increase in strength on the very first day! It is rather challenging because it focuses on one area of your body really intensely, but when you switch sides you feel so much relief that the movements becomes easier.<br />
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The fitness host Lisa Corsello is charming while avoiding the stereo typical workout instructor pep. I like her to say the least! I also love the interaction with her and the other ladies, the back and forth is entertaining.
I did this for about two weeks starting around September 15th. On September 28th I switched back to the 30 Day Shred just for variety and found the Jillian Michaels DVD to be so much easier than I remembered. I must have built my strength and endurance! I work out 6 days a week and placed myself on a 1200 calorie diet. So far I've lost four pounds! Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-53795543980198322112014-09-30T21:13:00.000-04:002014-09-30T21:13:44.643-04:00COMMUNITY DAY AT THE ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past Sunday was Community Day at Science Centre in celebration of it's 45th birthday! It was a great chance for us to get out and participate in educational play with the boys. They love to learn and explore and the Science Centre is a great place for them to be hands on while discovering something new at the same time. A combination of the beautiful week we hand coupled with our time at the centre made for a great weekend!Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-29278536868416716902014-09-14T20:44:00.000-04:002014-09-14T20:44:24.692-04:00ONE WEEK OF SCHOOL LUNCHES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Packing lunches, rather, thinking of different things to pack for your children, can become a chore. Oddly enough, this is one thing I really enjoy. Since we live in Toronto, Ontario, everything is nut free therefore I have to be extra careful about what I pack for the boys. Thankfully just about everything that is nut-free will have a label on the packages, this eliminates the guess work for you, your child and your child's teacher. When packing cold lunches it can be difficult to come up with ideas other than the same old sandwiches so I tried to think of different way to put one together. Since I don't send the boys with milk to school, it is important that I send them with some substantial form of calcium, hence the yogurt just about everyday! I hope this give you some helpful ideas! Please feel free to share the lunches your kids enjoy as well!<br />
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Fruit salad (kiwi, grapes, peaches and plums), ham and cheese roll up, yogurt and penguin crackers. <br /><br />Tomato, carrots, cucumbers and a tuna fish sandwich. <br /><br />Cheese, crackers, tomatoes, 1/2 ham, yogurt, penguin crackers, raisins and cheese roll up.<br /><br />Plums, grapes, turkey sandwich, granola bar, fruit snacks and yogurt<br /><br />Yogurt, Baby bell cheese, mango slices, mini bagel sandwiches, granola bar and a cheese stick. <br />Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-18324462446134434442014-09-07T11:25:00.003-04:002014-09-07T11:25:52.282-04:00TORONTO FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past Friday my business unit and I were treated to an afternoon aboard the one of the Mariposa yachts, the Rosemary. It was a great experience, not only because we had the boat completely to ourselves but also because I had the chance to view different parts of the city that I haven't had the chance to before. There is a beautiful gem right off the lakeside coast known as Toronto Island, which is a cluster of small islands on Lake Ontario. I have been to Center Island a few times with Joshua when he was little, however I've never seen all the other parts of Toronto Island. It was a beautiful sunny day, probably the last really hot day of the year, so we all soaked it in on the front deck as we watched sailors, kite surfers and fantasized at the 65 million dollar yacht was saw sailing by...yes we googled it! If you are in Toronto or thinking about visiting, I highly suggest a city cruise around the islands!Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-76021846272001662272014-09-02T22:50:00.000-04:002014-09-02T22:50:33.486-04:00FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today was the first day of school for our boys! In true Smith fashion we arrive literally two minutes before the entry bell rang. It was a good thing Aaron called in late to work because he was busy finding Joshua's teacher while I took Lucas to Junior Kindergarten. FYI in Canada we have two years of Kindergarten which starts at 4 years old followed by Senior Kindergarten at 5 years old. I got to walk him to his class and help him hang up is backpack on the hook right underneath his name written in a blue star.<br />
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He looks like he's in pain but I assure you, he's actually happy.<br />
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At around 1:30pm, I was sitting at my desk when I receive a call from the school, Joshua had a rash on his back. I assured them that it was more than likely a heat rash however to be sure I decide to swing by just to check since the school is just down the street. From there I decided to take him to the doctors just to be safe. So Joshua and I fly off to the walk in clinic nearby and Doc checks him out. As I thought, everything was fine. I drop him back off at school and head back to work. Talk about working mom chaos! Other than the quick lunch time dash to the doctors everything was great. The boy loved their first day!<br />
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Again, he's not in pain!Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-85800501944530754562014-09-01T12:32:00.000-04:002014-09-01T12:32:37.903-04:00BACK TO SCHOOL LUNCH TIPS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.carriesexperimentalkitchen.com/back-to-school-lunch-ideas/" target="_blank">photo credit</a></span>
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Tomorrow is the first day of school for us as I am sure it is also the first day for many others. It is no secret that I love to pack lunches for my boys, so I thought I would share some tips and tricks that I have learned along the way!<br />
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<b>Pack lunch the night before</b><br />
Rather than waking up before the sun, pack lunch the night before! This way you get to take all the time you need without having to rush to get things done in the morning. <br />
<br />
<b>Create a lunch meal plan</b><br />
Grocery shopping usually gets done on Friday after work or Saturday afternoon, thus I plan what I'll be making for dinner and lunch prior to my trip to the store. I make my plans for the week ahead and then I can create a shopping list based on that. I found that I save so much time and money at the store when I have a meal plan. <br />
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<b>Try not to pack the same thing every single day</b><br />
"Mom," Joshua calls as he descends the staircase every morning. "What are you packing for lunch?" <br />
"A sandwich and-"<br />
"Ugh!" He groans. "Again!?"<br />
<br />
Yeah, I try to not hear this every morning so I try and mix it up<i> </i>when I can. The less I repeat lunches, the more of his lunch he will eat! You can take a look at some lunches I created for Joshua last year. <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/09/a-week-of-school-lunches.html">HERE</a> <br />
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<b>Purchase a thermal container</b><br />
I absolutely love my Thermos container! The one we have is similar to <a href="http://www.target.com/p/thermos-spiderman-funtainer-food-jar-10oz/-/A-14199495#prodSlot=medium_1_51&term=thermos" target="_blank">this</a>. It keeps hot things hot for up to 5 hours and cold things cold for 7 hours. This allows me to pack left overs for Joshua's lunch. After a really good dinner he will say "Can I bring this for lunch tomorrow?" So I'll set some aside for him. In the morning I will pop it in the microwave then transfer the warm meal into his container. Here are some hot lunches ideas. <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2014/03/hot-school-lunches.html">HERE</a> <br />
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<b>Label everything</b><br />
No explanation needed. Label your lunch bag and the containers (the bowl and lid). Kids toss their stuff all around, having everything labeled will make your kids life a whole lot easier when they are trying to find the lid for their containers! Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-32471866383004748962014-08-31T20:48:00.003-04:002014-08-31T20:48:57.321-04:00WEEKEND CURRENTLY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>Looking like</b><br />
See the picture above. I am <i>slightly</i> embarrassed at the amount of cleavage, I even lifted my shirt a little and tried to capture a less risque photo but that didn't work. I'm sure you can handle. <br />
<br />
<b>Drinking</b><br />
Green tea. I would have preferred to fix myself a large mug of coffee, however the Smiths ran out of milk after a Nesquik frenzy happened this morning. I tried black, and while it wasn't bad, I still prefer my coffee with milk. The first few sips were fine however towards the end there was this sweet sour taste. I'm not sure what that means so i'm sticking with tea for now. <br />
<br />
<b>Anticipating</b><br />
I am getting a little antsy for the beginning of school. I love shopping for back to school supplies, however Aaron and I never go "all out." We are pretty practical and this year we only purchased the necessities: a backpack, pencils, scissors, erasers, pencil case, water bottle, lunch bag, lunch containers and hand sanitizer. Once we receive The List, from their teachers we will pick up whatever it is we do not already have. <br />
<br />
If you want a funny, lighthearted read, check out this blog where the author compares the back to school shopping of today verses the 70s. <a href="http://widelawns.blogspot.ca/2014/08/back-to-school-70s-vs-today-lot-has.html">READ</a> <br />
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<b>Accomplishing</b><br />
I complete my Human Resources class as of midnight tonight! Then I get a whole week off until I start my other set of classes. Going to school, though online, is still a lot of work but I have learned a great deal at the same time. Hopefully this time next year I will be walking across a stage to pick up my degree! <br />
<br />
<b>Blog stalking</b><br />
There is a blog that I just started following last week. It's one of those community type blogs that have a few different writers. I find the content to be so entertaining. It is both informative and fun all at the same time. <a href="http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/">Yummy Mummy</a> <br />
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Hope you have a happy Labor Day!Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-1174158796365230362014-08-28T22:16:00.001-04:002014-08-28T22:16:54.064-04:00BEING READY<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2980">
<div class="yiv3527237741WordSection1" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2979">
<div class="yiv3527237741MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2978">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2977">Canadian
weather, what a fickle thing. We never really had much of a summer with
the constant fluctuation between sunny and warm to cold and rainy. It
mostly resembled late spring but after
the debacle that was winter I was up for anything that wasn’t deep
freeze, snow and ice. I am ready to transition into fall and welcome
warm sweaters, leather boots and the start of school!</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2985">This
year I am looking forward to sending both of my boys with backpacks
attached and lunch bags in hand. Lucas is particularly excited to be
starting Junior Kindergarten, boasting his “big
boy” status to anyone and everyone that will listen. He’s no longer
“Little”, once upon a time he had accepted being called “medium” by his
older brother, but now he’s “big” and he’s owning it like he should.
Parts of me want to grab him and squeeze him and
nuzzle him and snuggle him until he begs me to stop but he is growing
up.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2987">Joshua?
That a whole other bag of craziness! I’m expecting more of him these
days. He helps me in the kitchen on the weekends and he helps me with
his laundry because one day I will expect
him to do it all by himself. He ditched “baby” cartoons and now opts
for My Babysitter’s a Vampire and other kid shows that feature teenagers
in live action. He will start second grade! There is a benefit to being
the first born; I have no desire to baby him
for the rest of his life. I welcome his increased independence with a <i>bring it on</i>
attitude. After all I have a much smaller human who fills that void for
the time being. I wonder if that’s why the oldest child is supposedly
“natural leaders” because
we as parents are able to let them go with more easy and we are
perfectly fine to watch them evolve as we clinging on to our designated
baby.
</span></div>
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<div class="yiv3527237741MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2991">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409276188243_2990">Whether
I choose to be ready, whether I ‘m not, it doesn’t matter because it
isn’t about me anyways. It’s about them. And if I’m being honest with
myself then I would just admit it, they
are ready. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-44175738085694687442014-08-23T22:01:00.003-04:002014-08-23T22:02:12.803-04:00WEEKEND CURRENTLY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
*from our Ottawa trip two weeks ago*</div>
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<br />
<b>Drinking</b><br />
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</xml><![endif]-->For the longest while, I had pinned this recipe for <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/10/a-moscow-mule-love-story.html">Moscow Mules</a>. I had never had one before but the ingredients were simple enough (vodka, ginger beer and lime) so it couldn't hurt to give it a try. I love this drink! It's incredibly refreshing and since it only requires three things, its very quick and simple to make. I'm not the biggest fan of ginger beer, I find it to have too much of a bit, however it really blends well with the lime and vodka. If you find the drink to be too powerful, add less ginger beer. The vodka and lime do a great job at cutting the bitterness. <br />
<br />
<b>Watching</b><br />
I feel sort of stalker-ish, but I've been watching a whole bunch of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/crowleyparty?feature=sub_widget_1">these</a> vlogs today! I love beautiful vlogs and Alycia's are highly entertaining and helpful.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Catching up on</b><br />
Cleaning! Aaron and I both work full time which means we reserve most of our around-the-house duties for the weekends. With the start of every season I like to do a big clean of the entire house which consists of Aaron and I going through everything and clear out what we no longer need. It gives us a fresh start. Since I consider the first day of school as the commencement of Fall, we will get a head start on our Fall cleaning. Last week we started with cleaned out the front closed, donating old coats and shoes. Next I will be going through the Tupperware draw and getting ride of containers with missing lids, lids with missing containers, chewed up and melted container. <br />
<br />
<b>Enjoying</b><br />
I am enjoying doing absolutely nothing! This summer was fill with busy weekends. I cannot tell you the last weekend the smith family spent it entirely at home!<br />
<br />
<b>Reading</b><br />
Last year, as part of my college writing class, I was assigned Barbara Kingsolver's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Tide-Tucson-Essays-Never/dp/0060927569/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1408845625&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=high+tide+in+tucson">High Tide in Tuscon</a> and I absolutely loved it. It a compilation book of a bunch of her essays. The are reflective and interesting to say the least. It's a great read especially if you do not have time to invest in a typical novel. Its one of those books that you can pick up, flip to any essay and just read. Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-43888727233556905812014-08-18T20:54:00.001-04:002014-08-18T20:54:14.910-04:00GABRIEL: A STORY OF LOSS<div id="main" role="tabpanel">
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The amount of time that
has passed since my last post seems eternal. So much has happened in
these last five months. Five months. I was nearly five months pregnant
on July 7<sup>th</sup>
2014 when I delivered my son Gabriel who weighed 10 precious ounces. My
husband and I found out I was pregnant a few weeks into March. I
remember sitting alone in the bathroom, waiting for the watermark to
move through the result window revealing a positive
pregnancy test. My husband and I were going to have our third child and
the only thing I could do was laugh. I covered my mouth and laughed,
perhaps it was nerves, perhaps it was shock, I am not too sure. Aaron
was waiting patiently outside the door. </div>
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“what does it say?” he asked.
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I laughed so hard and
so breathlessly that I couldn’t speak. So I opened the door and managed
to say “I’m pregnant.” And so began our journey.
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In the weeks that
followed my thought regarding my pregnancy ranged from “oh shit! THREE
children?!” to “I cannot believe I get to hold another sweet baby in my
arms. I’m so excited!” The
latter remained and I pushed the fear out of me and embraced all that
we would get to do with this new little one. I thought of the afternoon
walks we would take through the woods, I could join a Mommy and Me
class, I would try to breastfeed longer, I would
get to bod with him more, I would be supermom! A tall order for a woman
with three children, this I know, but I dreamt it. Oh, the dreams were
so real I could feel them and every time I placed my hands on my tummy
and every time I closed my eyes I dreamt of
him. </div>
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On May 23rd, I noticed a
small brown spot on my underwear in the morning. I was about 13 weeks
pregnant and I made it into the “safe zone.” I knew spotting was normal
in early pregnancy but
it concerned me enough to call the nurse. She told me its most likely
nothing to worry about but to follow up with my doctor on Monday. So I
did. After about a week of continuous spotting I began to have what
seemed like a full on period. Eventually I was
diagnosed with have a Subchorionic Hematoma. 20% of women who have this
go into preterm labour. Well that was that. I remained positive as I
had an 80% chance of having a healthy pregnancy and making it to term.
I felt him move, his heart beat was strong
and by all accounts he was a healthy baby boy so there was no need to
worry. </div>
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After many scary experiences which put me in the emergency room 3
times, my doctor thought it best for me to see a High Risk Specialist.
On July 2<sup>nd</sup> the specialist told
me that I had a membrane rupture and had no amniotic fluid left. I was
19 weeks. Of course since I had been bleeding nonstop for over a month I
never noticed leaking fluid. He went over my options and I remained
calm, but then he said “or, we can schedule
you a time next week to terminate the pregnancy if you don’t go into
labor on your own.” What?! I fell to pieces right there in his office. I
told the doctor that I didn’t want to schedule and induction and that I
would come back again to see if the situation
had change. He was incredibly comforting and kind and understanding,
handing me tissue after tissue, as he told me over and over it was not
my fault, there was nothing I could have done differently. </div>
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I called Aaron, sobbing
and told him what the Doctor had said. He took the rest of the day off
work to be by my side. I needed him and he was there and as always he
was strong for me. Each
in our own way we mourned our Son. We mourned the baby that was still
growing side me, that still had a strong heartbeat, that still depended
on me yet we mourned him. With every bit of me I pray and I prayed and I
pray,
<i>God please don’t take my baby! God please don’t make me have to induce! Please God!</i></div>
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That Saturday, July 5<sup>th</sup>
we decided to get away and go to a cottage that Aaron’s parents were
renting, just for the weekend as we needed to relax and enjoy some time
with the boys.
We would come back on Monday to go to my follow up appointment.
Somewhere around 2am on July 7<sup>th</sup>, I woke up to what felt like
Braxton hicks so I got up, used the bathroom, drank some water and went
back to bed. Then around 3am I woke up again to
more painful contractions, however they weren’t <i>that painful</i>
certainly not what I remember labor contractions to feel like. I decided
to time them anyways and noticed they were about 40 seconds in length
and came every 5 minutes for the first 3, then
suddenly they were every 2 minutes! How could that happen so fast?
Aaron and I jumped out of bed as I rushed to get ready to head for the
hospital!</div>
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“Wait!” I told him right before we were to head out the door. “I have to pee.”</div>
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I went into the
bathroom and sat on the toilet, when I looked down I saw the umbilical
cord hanging out! I yelled for Aaron. This part is a blur but I
remaining absolutely still, trying not
to move so that nothing more came out. Somehow I ended up with a towel
in my hand, Aaron doesn’t remember if I asked for it but I think I did. I
looked down again and I could see his tiny feet slowly sliding out. I
calmly and robotically quickly dropped the
towel on the floor, I sort of cupped myself down there and slowly moved
got up from the toilet. As soon as my bottom hit the towel, Gabriel
came out. He never moved, he never took a breath he just laid there limp
in my hands. I screamed and I cried this guttural
cry that echoed throughout the bathroom. I kept saying “No, no, no,
no!!!” over and over. I slightly covered him with the towel whenever
Aaron came by. I don’t know why but I kept saying “Don’t look at him!
Please don’t look!” I suppose I knew that Aaron
needed to remain strong as he called 911 and he did. </div>
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It took the EMT 8
minute to find the cottage, and for those 8 minutes I held him. I
studied him; looking at his feet, his toes, his fingernails. The shape
of his face, his nose, his ears.
His little hands, one resting on the side of his face. Gabriel was
fully formed just very tiny, roughly the size of a sweet potato from
head to bum. He did feel “heavier” than I thought he would. He had his
oldest brother’s nose, his father’s feet and face
shape, my pudgy fingers. Then the EMT arrived. They were so nice to me
as they tried to talk me down. One of guys told me his name. At this
point I still had Gabriel blocked off from view. He told me that he
needed to cut the cord, so I lowered the towel.</div>
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“Wow,” he said taking in a deep breathe followed by a large exhale. “Okay.”</div>
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I could tell by his reaction and the look on his face that he had never seen an 19 week old baby before.
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I went to the hospital,
where I stayed in my room and was cared for like any other postpartum
woman. I was given my three meals, I had the nurses come in to check my
bleeding to massage
my uterus. I had a visit from the Chaplin, he prayed with Aaron and I
and spoke to our boys about what happened. They took it well. I asked
over and over for a death certificate even though they don’t issue them
for “miscarriages,” meaning not for less than
20 weeks however since I was so close, only 2 days away, they said they
would. When it was time to check out, I left the hospital with an empty
uterus, empty hands and an empty heart. </div>
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The day I left the
hospital, Aaron and I went to the funeral home to make arrangements for
his cremation. I picked out his urn, and we went over the paper work.
They owner told us that everything
would be taken care of and we only had to pay for part of the urn and
some government fee or something. They also said they would take a cast
of his footprint and in 1 month we could expect to get a pendant with
his footprint on it. We then asked to see him
one last time. They prepared him on a white pillow with a white blanket
wrapped around it and had it tucked under his arm making it look like
he was asleep. The put him in a special room and told us to take all the
time we needed. This was a special time for
us. The first week was of course the most difficult, but I will discuss
my grief further in another post, just know that the grief we had for
our son was strong. </div>
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There is so much more I
could say, and in time I will find a way to say it but for now I will
end with this. There are so many families out there that are going
through or have gone through
a loss of a child. When we lost Gabriel the one thing that provided me
comfort during those dark hours was to be a part of miscarriage and
child loss support group. I wanted to hear their stories, I wanted
someone to relate to, I wanted to offer support to
other people going through similar situations as well. The reason why I
wrote this, wasn’t just to tell my story but to offer the same comfort
and warmth that I received and continue to receive from those who have
also dealt with a loss. My heart goes out
to you, you are not alone. </div>
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From talking with
parents, the one thing that I think all of us want people to acknowledge
or to understand is that our children existed, our children were loved and our
children will never be forgotten.
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-37545967380193809002014-03-31T10:27:00.001-04:002014-03-31T10:28:25.025-04:00HOT SCHOOL LUNCHESA few months after the start of school, Joshua and I were in a Target when we spotted this container:<br />
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According to the label it keeps hot things hot for up to 5 hours and cold things cold for up to 7 hours. At only $13.99, this made for an amazing addition to our lunch container collection. With this I was able to send Joshua to school with a multitude of meal options. Last week I sent him with two hot lunches:<br />
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1. Turkey Chili with Cheese Cubes<br />
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2. Penne with Sausage and Strawberries. <br />
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Once dinner is over, I place left overs in a separate container. When I wake up in the morning, I quickly warm it up in the microwave, then transfer it into his thermal container. Joshua loves this thing and is constantly asking me to use it. I suggest everyone getting something like this if you pack lunch for your little ones. Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-62991116642269486092014-03-27T21:57:00.001-04:002014-03-27T21:57:58.203-04:00GUILT FREE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I suppose if I stopped to drown myself deep in thought I could find a measurable about a guilt for spending my children's young years immersed in work and school. At some point I will throw myself a life line and reel me back to shore. I'm a mother and I work full time out of the home and I'm a student. Somehow during the circus act of packing school lunches, making dinner and taking a ten minute break in order to get down on the ground and play with my boys, I manage to squeeze out some time for text books and cuddle time with my husband. The circus seems to be pleasing the crowd, my juggling act is secure and I walk that fine tightrope line of doing a lot, getting a lot done while not doing too much. <br />
<br />It's all about perception. To some daycare is the dreaded "day-orphanage" as one blogger put it, but to me it's just a part of the village that helps me with these beautiful boy. Daycare raising my children? I suppose if you want to minimalize the job that parents take on and pigeon hole that into story time, arts and crafts and singing song then go ahead, my husband and I however view parenting as so much more than that. Being a stay at home parent is A LOT of work, I've been there for an accumulative 3+ years and I have see myself at both ends of the spectrum. It takes the right kind of person to do it and do it right. I am a great mother but when I stayed at home I found that I spent less quality time with my kids than I do now. I suppose I took the time I spent with them for granted, they were always around me, no need to rush to play with them. I would work through a list of thing that needed to get done, some thing didn't need to get done (like watching daytime television) but when I had the time, I would get to playing with the boys. I did get to them and I did love playing with them but not like I do now. That made me feel guilty. Now when I get home from work, I am quick to start dinner and while thats cooking I find my boys and I spend every moment loving them. <br />
<br />
I think about the qualities that I want my children to posses. I realized that none of those were contingent on my staying at home. All that mattered was that my husband and I created a safe, loving and happy home for our boys. They are loved and cared for and not one day goes by that I don't make them feel how special they are to me. If for a minute I thought my kids needed me to be home, I would and I would do it with as much grace as I could muster, but I dont see that happening.<br />
<br />
<br />
Right now, I focus on my boys and my husband. I focus on all that I am doing for them. I am guilt free and I write this hoping that others in my situation or similar will give themselves a break and be guilt free too. For those who are stay at home parents, Im sure there is guilt with that as well...give yourself a break! Don't let anyone tell you, that you're "wasting your life" by taking care of your family, because you're not. Your job is valuable in more ways that I can ever say! We are all doing the best we can and what is best for our family. <br />
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-89355788644375529082014-03-24T20:33:00.001-04:002014-03-24T20:33:06.709-04:00HOME INSPIRATION: LIVINGROOM <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you read my last <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/10/home-inspiration-dining.html">Home Inspiration</a> post you will know that I love cozy, comfy, country home decor. I have two boys who love to wrestle around, knock into things and be little kids, therefore anything that I bring into my home has to be something we can live in! At the end of the day I want to drop my body onto the couch, put my feet up and relax. I don't want to have to worry about ruining or staining anything.<br />
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These Pinterest pin really express what I'm looking for when I think about decorating my own living room. I love the red, yellow and blue color pallet! There are so many ways you can play with those colors.<br />
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What is your home style?<br />
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<br />Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-4991651675100249402014-03-23T12:06:00.001-04:002014-03-23T12:06:37.006-04:00UNFORGETTABLE LOVE My relationship with God is interesting. Much like the relationship I have with anyone else, I find myself learning more and more about him as time goes on. Sometimes I question his intent, his love, his divinity and his purpose for humanity. It is not uncommon for me to say "God, I don't get this? I don't get you! How can this be? Why?" and each time I question him I feel his patience and understanding and honestly I feel his appreciation for my list of questions. <br />
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Sometimes, I hate to say it but I "forget" him. He can turn into the father that you used to call a few times a week to touch base with. Maybe not multiple times a week but at least every Sunday, just to check in a say "hey!" Well church and this family have become distant relatives, the ones you only see on special occasions. My nightly prayers have turned into weekly, if that. Just like when I don't call my parents for a while, I feel like God is saying, "so...you couldn't spare two minutes to speak with me this week?" And I'll say something to the effect of, "you know I still love you right?" Actions speak louder than words.<br />
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Though I have "forgotten" him, he always shows me that I am not forgotten. Recently I went thrifting for some vinyl records (how hipster of me!). To my delight I found two Elvis Presley albums, one was his Christmas album and the other was a compilation of a few of his love songs. At $4 a piece who could say no! I ran home with them and decided to play his love songs first. To my surprise I heard a country version of "There is Power in the Blood." Someone at the store must have switched out the record with a christian hymnal album. Elvis was priced higher than the other $1.99 albums so whichever cheapskate did this, wanted to save a whole $2. That, or whoever donated it, mixed them up. <br />
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"What the...?!" I uttered as the hymnal played throughout the living room. I knew I had a look of disgust on my face, which I feel dreadful for now.<br />
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I didn't want it! I wanted to listen to Elvis. In my silence I spoke to him, saying <i>I know I know, it's bad but Lord, I've been looking for Elvis albums everywhere! You know how much I wanted one like this. I'm just disappointed thats all.</i><br />
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Then I plopped down on the sofa, letting my grumpiness fade away as I listened to the song reluctantly. Soon reluctance turned into desire and my grump turned into a faint smile. <i>I'll listen to this every sunday morning </i>I though to myself. Just as I grew up with the sound of country gosple singers in the background of my childhood, I wanted that for my boys too. God remembered me. He knew what I needed. He knew how to reach me. I'm sure some people will say it's a silly coincidence but I tend to not believe in those. <br />
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As a christian, there are things I want to remember. I must take something more from all of this other than playing gospel on Sunday. I believe that life is a big lesson and in this lesson God was such a role model. <br />
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He wasn't forceful<br />
He wasn't using fear<br />
He didn't tell me I was going to "hell" <br />
He didn't make me feel bad<br />
He didn't punish me<br />
He didn't mock me<br />
He didn't have his follower gather in circles and talk bad about me<br />
He wasn't rude<br />
He wasn't mean<br />
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He was love. <br />
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He simply reminded me that he was there. He showed me that I mattered. <br />
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He is love and nothing less than that. Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-81403710816075261672014-03-20T20:39:00.001-04:002014-03-20T20:39:39.424-04:00AWKWARD SIZED FRAMESA few months ago I had purchased these 20" x 20" Ribba frames from Ikea. When I purchased them, I failed to realize how difficult it would be to find a phot processing center that would print off square portaits (11.5" x 11.5" with the matting). I thought about printing a much larger poster size image and crop them on my own at home, however, I was too cheap to spend $28 to print four posters not to mention, I didn't know how they would look after making the adjustments. What if it didn't work? What if the pictures didn't look the way i had hoped after cutting them up? Suddenly, as if a light bulb illuminated over my head, I had an idea! Calenders were just the right size and to put the cherry on top, it was February so they would be on sale. I went to my local book store and purchased a vintage New York calender for $3. I chose this perticular calender because it was vintage New York and that happens to be my favourite city. Also it was black and white, making it look more clean, crisp and not like i spend $3 on them. I cut out the pictures out, then placed them in my fames and there you have it folks!<br />
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-69156474077111114772014-03-17T12:26:00.000-04:002014-03-19T22:16:43.560-04:00THE DINNER PARTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IlrcXuZkTQY/UycdwVmpxFI/AAAAAAAAC7k/j7N8HGbewT0/s1600/IMG_2813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IlrcXuZkTQY/UycdwVmpxFI/AAAAAAAAC7k/j7N8HGbewT0/s1600/IMG_2813.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHc7rve-imE/UyceOqAL4OI/AAAAAAAAC70/7DwMgqoSepQ/s1600/14+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHc7rve-imE/UyceOqAL4OI/AAAAAAAAC70/7DwMgqoSepQ/s1600/14+-+3" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Once in
a while, while the boys are away, Aaron and I get to do grown up things. Though I
am about to start the last year of my 20’s I have yet to feel a true sense of adulthood. You know the
kind you imagined you would feel when you were a kid watching your mom get
ready for a grown up party? <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">For me,
arranging my first dinner party was a benchmark of adulthood. I am not exactly
sure where this mentality came from, but it’s there and now that I am
fresh off the heels of having hosted my first one, I would love share what
worked and what has not work for me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><b>Re-purposing</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Our home isn't exactly large enough to entertain a lot of people comfortable, nor do we have a lot of furniture to work with. Basically everything we own serves a specific purpose, therefore we had to work with what we had. For instance, much to my chagrin, we don't own a bar so we took a serving tray we had laying around and created a bar tray and placed that on our coffee table. Also, since we don't entertain all that much, we don't have a lot of serving dishes. Instead of running to the store to purchase some, we decided to grab a few mixing bowls we had laying around and boom, we now have serving bowls! I had them set up well before our guests came but left them empty. A few minutes before they were to arrive, we filled them up with chips and popcorn, something causal, simple and store bought!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><b>The Meal<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I decided to go with a dish that I have made and made
well many times. <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe.html">Ina Garten's recipe for Roasted Chicken </a> stuffed with lemon, thyme and garlic, on a bed
of fennel and carrots. As a side I chose mashed potatoes with steamed veggies
tossed in a light butter sauce. The chicken takes 1.5 hours to roast, plus it
has to sit for 20 minutes after coming out of the oven. I didn't want my guest to walk in the door then head straight for the dinner table, so I timed it so that as
soon as my guest were expected to arrive, there would be 20 minutes left for the chicken to cook giving ups 40 minutes when you include the rest time, to sit, talk, have a drink and eat out salad before the main course.<o:p></o:p> Everything was served family style which allowed for
our guest to control their portion as well as avoid foods that they might not
like rather than being “forced” to clear their plate out of guilt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Tips: Try to serve your meal twenty to thirty
minutes after your guest are expected to arrive. No one wants to be rushed
right into a meal as soon as they walk through the door. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Your dinner party is not the time to try out a
new recipe. Stick with someone you have made well before. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><b>Dessert<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">One of
our guests insisted on bringing a dish. When you are hosting it is your
responsibility to provide everything for your party but since this guest really
wanted to bring something I told them to bring a dessert which in the end, really
helped me out. I was not sure what they were bringing. Since a few of my guests
are health conscious I provided a fruit platter and ice cream just in case,
besides fruit and ice cream goes with just about any dessert. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">After the meal everyone headed back into the living room to continue our conversation. It was a lot of fun and a lot less stressful than I initially imagined. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Other tips: If you have an oval shaped dining table like I do, opt for a table runner rather than table cloth, it will be much easier to find, plus having visible wood is always nice!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></span></div>
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-70726468592739997532013-12-31T15:34:00.001-05:002013-12-31T15:34:26.119-05:00WHAT I LEARNED IN 2013<div class="yiv5246165626MsoNormal" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2880">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2879">Last
year my word for the year was “<a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/01/learn.html">learn</a>” and as 2013 concludes it is only
appropriate to reflect on some of the things I have learned. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2771">I learned that having matching plates is extremely important when trying to obtain some sense of adulthood. <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/01/a-new-year-new-home.html">(Here)</a> Now I have 6 matching dinner plates, saucers, and bowls. Don't get me wrong, I am totally into mixing it up so that not everything is matchy-matchy, however the pictures above does not reflect that lol. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2986">I
learned how easy it was to eat vegetarian for a week. In fact many of
these recipes (<a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/05/timeless-recipes-vegetarian-week-part-1.html">here</a> & <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/06/timeless-recipes-vegetarian-week-part-2.html">here</a>) have become household favourites.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3i62B2ETKFE/UsMbuIj1vKI/AAAAAAAAC7M/zArZZSHT5ug/s1600/100_3913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3i62B2ETKFE/UsMbuIj1vKI/AAAAAAAAC7M/zArZZSHT5ug/s640/100_3913.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2991">I
learned that doing something as simple as <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/08/heydenshore.html">tossing rocks</a> into a great
lake can become one of our most cherished memories. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2994">I learned that you can <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/08/having-everything-you-want.html">have it all</a> but you might not have it all at the same time. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_2999">I
learned that it’s okay for me to <i>need</i> my husband. I have always been
a super independent, forward thinking kind of gal who thought that the idea of a woman needing a man to be outdated. It is true in a sense. Women shouldn't need A man or men in their lives but when you find the right one, the one that you create a life with, there is nothing wrong with needing his comfort and support. I need this from my husband along with a whole list of other things. Admitting this doesn't make me any less of a woman. </span><br />
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I learned that <a href="http://www.blogger.com/thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/09/im-heading-back-to-school.html">completing my bachelors</a> degree is super important.<br />
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I also learned that <a href="http://thetimelessmother.blogspot.ca/2013/12/things-that-happened-after-getting.html">slowing down</a> is the antidote for a hectic life and it makes for a calmer life.</div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1388518093007_3012">What’s
in store for 2014? Will I make resolutions or have another word to live
by? I’m over making resolution. All I want and all I have ever wanted for myself and my family is to be the best that I/we can be. I think that will do. </span></div>
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-85800293009880408602013-12-27T12:31:00.001-05:002013-12-27T12:31:46.633-05:00AN ICY CHRISTMAS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
How was your Christmas? <br />
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Ours was rather eventful, but lovely. <br />
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It saddens me to take down our tree and to pack away all of our decor so I, along with most people I'm sure, will wait until new years day to part with the holiday season. <br />
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Last week we had this huge ice storm. We lost power for a good portion of the weekend. It was dreadful considering I had just discovered the joys of Netflix. Luckily my mom was in town staying with my Aunt who still had her power, so the guys and I spent all day Saturday there. The boys spent the night seeing that we were without heat and it was freezing cold outside. Aaron and I toughed it out and went back home. We were dressed from head to toe then climbed into bed and "slept like bears" as I put it (sleeping snuggled up). Luckily we regained power around 4am on Sunday morning. Some people are still without power. I cannot imagine how they are handling this in the dead of winter. <br />
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The storm was awful but it did make for a beautiful scene!<br />
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<br />Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-12579280174236347262013-12-21T15:04:00.004-05:002013-12-21T15:04:57.651-05:00THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER GETTING A RECORD PLAYER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't blame everything on getting a record player but it would seem extremely coincidental that upon the arrival of this new device, the following things started to happen:<br />
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The television gets turned off a lot more<br />
Cleaning has become more fun<br />
I started reading more<br />
I actually take time to listen to music all the way through an album<br />
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I love listening to old records. The pops and crackles are charming. While at work, I think about carving out a small section of time during my night, after the kids are in bed, to listen to Cat Stevens or Willie Nelson. It helps to have a lit Christmas tree and the fire place station playing on the television...makes up for not having real fire place! So I turn the television off (kinda) and listen to music while either reading a book or surfing the internet. Because I can't bother to get up and cue up a new song every single time, I get to enjoy listening to a full album. Calming and soothing.<br />
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I am enjoying that nostalgia and the slowing down of life.<br />
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Christmas is coming soon, I want the next 4 days to slow down too. <br />
<br />Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-66303491435971936802013-11-17T17:59:00.000-05:002014-03-20T09:26:45.431-04:00DIY: SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love a Christmas tree with a whole lot of character, covered with homemade decorations. This weekend we decided to put up the tree! A day before, we set it up to "air out" and decide that it would be a great time to create some tree decor of our own. A week or so prior I looked up some ideas for making ornaments that will last a long time. I discovered...rather re-discovered these salt dough ornaments that I believe I made once in elementary school. They are very easy to make. <br />
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<b>What you will need:</b><br />
2 Cups of flour<br />
1 Cup of salt<br />
1 Cup of water<br />
Cookie cutters<br />
Rolling pin <br />
Straw or toothpick (straw preferred) <br />
Acrylic paint<br />
Ribbon/yarn/string<br />
Mod Podge (optional but preferred) <br />
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Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the water and kneed the dough until smooth, with the consistency slightly more firm than play dough. <br />
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Form dough into a ball and with a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface. I just sprinkle the counter and roll out the dough on that.<br />
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Using the cookie cutters, cut out your shapes and transfer them to a cookie sheet.<br />
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With your straw or toothpick create a hole at the top of your ornament which you will string threw your yard or ribbon. The straw make a perfect size, so if you use a toothpick circle it around to create a larger hole.<br />
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Set your oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit and set it in the over to bake. A lot of recipes told me 1 hour but mine ended up needing 2. <br />
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Let your ornaments cool completely. If you prefer you can add a thin coat of white paint, mixed with a touch of water to thin it out, as a "primer." I only apply this to the front of the ornament. If you decide to do this, let the white paint dry and then proceed to have fun decorating!<br />
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Let your creations dry and then add a coat of Mod Podge, I used the Satin finish and once everything has dried (shouldn't take more than 20 minutes). I prefer to use decorative ribbon because it really stands out on the tree.<br />
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These also make a wonderful gifts for grandma and grandpa!<br />
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Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072147820544630805.post-74365449084753681112013-11-12T19:41:00.000-05:002013-11-12T19:41:23.623-05:00ITS ALL ABOUT MESometimes it<i> is</i> all about me, as in I take a chunk of time out of my day where I do whatever I truly want to do. For instance, Aaron took the boys grocery shopping after work on Sunday; he came all the way home to get them then left soon there after giving me about two hours of down time. I thought to myself, <i>what shall I do with all this time? </i>I got dressed to work out. Working out is not fun for me but I figured I would get that out of the way so that I could spend more time with Aaron later on. Was that what I really wanted to do? No. What I really wanted to do was to fix myself a drink, grab some chocolates and watch a marathon of The Hills, so that's what I did.<br />
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<i> </i><br />
I kind of felt bad that I skipped my workout, I've been very lazy but I want to change all that..so last night I worked out. And I think I will again tonight!<br />
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What have you done for yourself today?Ashley Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219831692387163184noreply@blogger.com0