Weekly Updates beginning January 30th

Sunday, January 30, 2022

I had a thought today at church. What if I end my day the same way I begin in?

Every morning, I sit on my floor with my back against a wall, with a cute pillow behind me, and meditate. I take deep breaths in and out. Sometimes I’ll say a mantra as I’m breathing: “I love and appreciate you, Cassanda” or “I have everything I need to make today successful.” And sometimes I just clear my mind as I focus on my breathing.

It’s in those moments that I feel close to my Creators and am able to align my will to Theirs more fully. I often pray, which in this state feels a lot like sacred conversations, and then listen as I keep breathing deeply. Sometimes a thought will come to my mind that will help during the day, and other times I hear feel peace and strength as I start another day. I have been doing this routine for the past 2 years and love it!

So the thought came to me, what changes to my day and mind would I see if I closed the day the same way I started it? Connecting with Heaven, pondering on the day and expressing gratitude for it, and ending the day peacefully and thoughtfully rather than frantically jumping into bed feeling frazzled and exhausted.

Do I always think it will be as easy as it was today? No. But I’m willing to give it a try, because I know there’s so many wonderful moments in my day, like this moment watching my kids playing on the trampoline, and I want to remember and cherish them.

Monday, January 31, 2022

I hate potty training. I loath and dread it each and every time. I practically potty trained myself as a child and always said I deserved at least one child like that! I mean, I did also potty train 9 humans, I should get an easy one, right!?

Well I’m tentatively optimistic that Peter might just be that child! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Over the past several months Peter would go to the bathroom before taking a bath and could occasionally tell me before he pooped in his diaper. This past Thursday was one of those times and I asked if he wanted to go on the toilet and he did! Friday and Saturday he chose to wear a pull up over a diaper, and I hurried to buy underwear and incentives. Peter actually kept them pretty much dry except during his nap.

Today I offered him loads of juice to give him the chance to practice a lot, and I’m pleased to announce that most of the time he told me he had to go and then went! A few times he started to go in his underwear but finished in the toilet. Every time he goes in the toilet he gets a sucker, either a dum dum or a Tootsie Pop depending on what he goes.

So far he is doing better than any of our other kids, and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that it was all his desire in the first place. I’ll keep giving him lots and lots of practice the rest of this week and I’m just hoping that he keeps getting better and doesn’t give up like most of his siblings after a few days. Once again I’m tentatively optimistic. 😉🤞🏼

Tuesday, February 2, 2022

Parent Teacher Conferences! Normally we split the 6 meetings between two nights, but Christopher’s birthday is the other night, so we jammed them all in tonight.

I love all the staff at our elementary school, but I really love and appreciate all the teachers my kids have. They all go above and beyond to teach and care for our kids, and we know it hasn’t been an easy year…or two or three!

We’re grateful to hear that all the kids are hard workers and are kind considerate students. And I think it’s interesting that all the kids are doing well in math but need improvement in reading, because that’s how Jacob and I were as kids, or now.  Though in our defence, we’ve tried to have books always available to the kids and encourage reading in hopes of creating book worms, maybe genetics is playing more of a time. 路‍♀️

Max got to come alone with us, because he was the only one who didn’t come last time and he really wanted to come. His teacher told us he is the poster child for a good student. Once again we’re so grateful for our good kids and great teachers for those kids!

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Sometimes I walk into moments like this, and cringe thinking of the mess. But then I remind myself that I’m raising capable children, who can help themselves when they need something.

So not only is it easier on me, because I didn’t need to stop what I was doing to get Lily a snack, but it’s teaching her life lessons and skills.

Ya, I’m going to call it a parenting win instead of a parenting failure. 😉🥴😄 And really she didn’t make that big of mess!

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Happy 11th Birthday Christopher!!!

Christopher has such an infectious laugh and smile, we all can’t help but join along. Christopher is smart, creative, kind, imaginative, funny, talkative, and easy going. He doesn’t like pictures with his real smile, but Jacob and I do, he much prefers the slight smirk liked in photo #2.

Christopher said he had a good day, and what’s not to like about school with friends, presents, playing with family, dinner and cake with Grandma and Grandpa, a solo trip to the store with mom and dad, and staying up late because you don’t have school the next day!?

We sure love this crazy cute kid who’s turning into a great young man right before our eyes! 😍🥰

Friday, February 4, 2022

Top 3 memories from today:

Going on a walk to our park this morning, I said quite a few prayers of gratitude for that moment. Being in nature with my children and watching them playing together and enjoying nature is one of my favorite things!

Snuggling and watching Cool Runnings with my kids, it was perfect with the combination of the olympics and Black history month. We all loved it. Also interesting to note, I don’t like to watch a movie without a child snuggled up to me or sitting on my lap anymore. It just felt too weird, so I mentioned it and soon 3 kids were fighting to sit the closest to me, part of me was annoyed but a bigger part of me loved it!

Going on a date with Jacob, will always be on my top favorite things to do! Even if it’s walking around a store and getting take out to eat in bed, it’s just Jacob and me and I love it! 🥰

Saturday, February 5, 2022

When an old roommate texts you out of the blue and asks if you want have lunch, you say yes without hesitation! And when you find out another roommate can come too, it just makes for the best afternoon!

It’s been years since we’ve been together, but man was it good for our souls! I feel so grateful to have had the best roommates anyone could ask for, who were my best friends and helped me become who I am today. I can’t wait until we can get everyone together again!