6 Lessons for Kids to Learn About Work

1. Work hard. No matter what you choose to do, work hard at it.  Find the pride that comes with doing a good job.  Find the right balance of independence and interdependence with those around you.   Seek support where you need it, but let one of the corner stones of your life be determination and pride in a job well done. 

 

2. Appreciate what you have.  Take a moment, on a day when the clouds look like cotton candy to look at the sky.  Be thankful for where you are and all you have around you.  Make gratitude for the little things a part of your daily routine.  Don't lose sight of what really matters. 

3. Choose to be an optimist.  Be the person who sees the bright spot in the most difficult of situations.  Make it a habit to turn any situation upside down and find the good.  

4.  Take time to play.  A balance between work and rest is key to a happy life.  Don't forget how to play.  Don't forget what life was like when you hunted for caterpillars and ladybugs.

 

5. Expect that you will have hard days.  Be realistic and know that things will not always be easy.  You will need to make sacrifices to reach your goals.  These hard times will only deepen your strength and character.

 

6. Be humble in your accomplishments.  Develop a quiet confidence.  Don't boast or announce all of your achievements.  Don't require a pat on the back.  But do enjoy the internal rewards that come with being a hard worker, for that is the biggest payoff.

The Fabulous Lives of Country Wives

I found an email in my inbox today from a television casting director.  She said her company is looking to develop a project about fabulous women who have married a farmer.  Naturally, she tracked me down via my blog and wants to talk to me about it. 

Now don't go booking my ticket to Hollywood just yet.  I think this might be reminiscent of the time I received a Facebook message from a strange man telling me that I'm the most beautiful woman in the world and if I would only send him $5000 he would come to Canada and be my true love. 

Or maybe it's like the time when I received numerous faxes from the Prince of Timbuktu, telling me that his father, the king, had died and he was looking to invest some of his inheritance in my business.  All I needed to do was send him my bank account number. 

Or maybe it's like the dream I had that my toddler told me I have "long boobs."  Wait a minute, that really happened. 

In any case, it's not the type of email you receive every day.  So in the event that this casting director is the real deal, I've been thinking about who I'd cast in my version of The Real Housewives of the Country.  (Dear friends, I can feel you taking a deep breath in case you recognize yourself below- don't worry, I will speak kindly).

Of course I'd have to choose the fabulous Mrs. S.  She was one of the first friends I made in the country.  She can be found recording her latest album, whipping up a meal for 12 or throwing on her overalls and branding cattle.  Not to mention, raising the sweetest little family, organizing community events and just being an all around fabulous gal.

Then I'd have to consider choosing Mrs. W., my neighbour, whose life is most similar to my own.  She's the friendliest lady you'll find north of the creek, a kind-hearted listener, and one of the most genuine people you'll meet.   A supportive partner, a loving mother and a nurse by trade, she is a care-taker through and through.

I would also need to add my dear friend Mrs. E.  When asked, "What do you do?" she proudly states the professional credentials of her past life, and with bold confidence finishes her statement with, "and now I'm a farmer."  She's not afraid to drive the big equipment and work long days in the field.  She possesses the rare combination of a sharp wit and a gentle soul- a truly special woman.

And maybe I'd finish off my list by adding Mrs. M.  A true jack of all trades, not only did she marry a farmer, she was the farmer in her family for quite some time.  She'll tell you stories of being a new mother, driving a combine with a baby sleeping in the car seat beside her, stopping only to nurse.  She's the first to speak proudly about her little community and the last to bow out of the obligations that go along with keeping a small community alive. 

So there is the start of a lengthy list of fabulous women who have married a farmer. 

But if you've ever watched The Real Housewives on TV, then you know that these fabulous country wives live in a different world than our counterparts in Orange County. 

We have married for love, not money.  We don't measure our success in diamonds.  In fact, they usually sit in our jewellery boxes because we are busy getting our hands dirty.  We work, we care for our children, we are the foundation of our families.  There is no nanny, no trainer, no live-in help.  We value friendship.  We value family.  We value community.

And that is what I will tell the casting director, imaginary or not, if she calls me.

We do have fabulous lives. 

Photo by Lauri Wiberg Photography

Spring

Do you remember these fields of dreams?  

 

Today they look like this:

I love living on a farm during this time of year.  Spring brings with it more than just fresh air.  It's a fresh start and a fresh outlook.  

The new farming season is almost upon us and I'm really looking forward to this one.  My little farm girls are already enjoying the first of many tractor rides and 'working' with their dad. 

And if you look closely, you will see the warmth of the new season despite this huge pile of snow.  

Happy Spring!

SleepWell Baby

Imagine this:

You are a tired new mom.  Your baby doesn't like to sleep.  You've tried it all.  You've talked with friends, you've asked your family. You've used the spare 15 minutes you have during the day to Google baby sleep strategies instead of taking a shower.  You feel like you're losing the battle. You're losing yourself.  And while you're grateful for your child, everything is clouded by the constant exhaustion that hangs over you. You wish you could enjoy this motherhood thing more, but you are just so tired.

Then a friend mentions her life changing experience with a sleep consultant on Facebook.  You find out that this friend is hosting a clinic with the sleep consultant for local moms.  The sleep guru is going to share her knowledge, lend support and most of all instil a sense of confidence in you that you lost months ago when you brought that little insomniac home from the hospital.  She's telling you that you will sleep again.  She's giving you hope that you can enjoy your child, your family and your life more because you will be rested once again.  

I told you about my own trials with sleepless nights here.  And while life has changed dramatically since my little girl's acid reflux was treated, I know many of you are struggling with children who don't sleep.  I've been there.  

I've spent afternoons sitting on the couch holding babies who haven't wanted to be put down.  I've pushed a sleep deprived child in the stroller for countless hours, only to have her wake up every time I tried to stop for a break. I've even resorted to parking my car and catching a few winks as my children slept behind me in their car seats.  I wish I would have known about this service three years ago when my motherhood journey began. I feel the need to spread the word.

If you have children who aren't sleeping through the night you should check out Certified Sleep Consultant Amanda Hudye at SleepWell Baby.  After attending her sleep clinic last night I feel hopeful, supported and empowered.  

Hoping you and your babies sleep very well,

Alysa

My stroller napper.

Fields of Dreams

It's the middle of April and our fields look like this.  To give you some perspective, most years we are seeding by the first of May.  To the faint of heart this may seem like a looming crisis.  But to a farmer, if he's a good one, he sees fields of dreams.

Do you remember that movie?  Field of Dreams. An Iowa farmer hears a voice telling him, "If you build it, he will come." So with blind faith he builds a baseball field on his farm.  Sure enough the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other Chicago White Sox come out to play.

Isn't faith a mysterious thing?  I think farmers need it to survive.  Faith means different things to different people, but around here, in regards to farming, it means knowing that all the necessary planning has been done prior to the season beginning.  It's knowing that you can adapt to weather, troubleshoot when you need to and work hard to complete yet another season.  It's rolling with the punches and dealing with mother nature, even when she's not being very nice.

While building a baseball stadium in our canola field is not in the plans, around here we are trying to have a little faith and a lot of optimism.  

So for now, these are fields of dreams.  And hopefully, very soon, they will be planted with the seeds of spring. 

Are you getting some?

Are you getting some? Are you spending countless hours in your bedroom, the place where the magic happens? Do you jump at the opportunity for a quickie in the car or a rendezvous in the middle of the afternoon? Is it on your mind all the time, day and night? Are you like me, a real junkie? I'm not afraid to admit it. I love sleep.

Yes, I said sleep. And if you know me well, then you know that this past year I've been on the verge of crazy from a lack of it.  It's only been a couple of months since I took a cranky one-year-old to the doctor and insisted that something was the matter with this child who was still waking 5 or 6 times a night with tears, wanting to be held. The doctor guessed that she was still suffering from acid reflux (we knew she had this as a baby) and prescribed an antacid. Just like that she is a new child, I am a new person, and we are a new family. That's the difference sleep makes.

If you are in the throes of new parenthood then everyone in your world should just assume that you are exhausted, have lost your sense of humour and feel the urge to throat punch anyone who tells you that their new baby is already sleeping through the night. Or maybe instead of physical assault you are practicing all the variations of 'eff off' that you know in your head as you smile and nod.  Too far? 

I'm not kidding when I tell you that nothing has made me more envious than hearing someone talk about what a good sleeper their child is. Now that I've admitted to you that my girls are sleeping quite well, I fully expect to get rammed from behind with a grocery cart by a disheveled mom as I'm shopping. Don't worry. I won't hold it against you. I've been there. And for the record, stop the press, the only cure for exhaustion is sleep.  Go ahead and tell that to anyone who tries to judge you for being cranky when you've slept an average of two hours a night for the past year.

I received confirmation that sleep is hot topic for moms when just the other day a friend started a big commotion on Facebook.  Instead of the usual 'look at my perfect children, perfect recipes, and perfect home' stuff that Facebook seems to bring out in us, a friend began to give updates about her son who has always been a poor sleeper.  She had decided to call in a sleep therapist.  What?  A person who can step in and give you advice that will work about how to get your child to sleep? Who is this magical creature? You'd think it was the second coming.  I'm dying to know the magic formula.  Apparently so is every other mom in the social network, so a group session will convene later this month with the Baby Tamer, aka Fairy God Mother, aka Sleep Goddess.  This will be the event of the spring as far as I'm concerned.

If you are bleary eyed, out of gas, and teetering towards crazy, hang in there.  It will get better.  Until it does, level with anyone who is willing to help you so that you can catch some zzz's.  That's the only cure.  If you know someone who fits this description, give her a pass on all erratic behaviour for at least one year.  Don't judge.  Don't make conclusions about her ability to 'handle it'.  She's exhausted and doing the best she can.  And realize if you preach to her about staying positive that she’s probably thinking of 101 ways to tell you to screw off as she smiles and nods.

And try to take it easy on the mom whose baby 'sleeps through the night.' She's probably lying. Things change in a hurry when it comes to babies and sleep.  Any hint of bragging and the universe slaps you with an ear infection, teething, or my latest conundrum, a baby who sleeps while I lie in bed, wide awake.

Finally, happy and healthy (most of the time).

How to beat the late winter blues... maybe.

This was my yard about six weeks ago.

Today it looks like this. 

Can you relate?  Well then it sucks to be you, or me for that matter, being that it's nearly the end of March, it's still freezing outside and we have more snow in the forecast for the end of the week. 

Oh, and did I mention it's cold?  Really cold.

I know I'm being complainy, but I speak for most Canadians when I tell you that we've just about had it.  My sister-in-law told me today that nearly every stay-at-home-mom she knows is on the brink of depression.  We've played with all the toys.  We've used up all the paints.  We've baked cookie after cookie.  Enough already!  It's time for spring.

But how will you pass the days between now and then?  What can you do to entertain your children that you haven't already done?  Here's what we've been up to.

Play dress up.  Lots of dress up. 

Do the occasional craft with cheerios and string (lame, I know, but I've fooled them into thinking it's cool).

Go for a walk.  That means 13 minutes to pee on the potty, find the missing boot, find the missing mitt, locate both baby dolls, settle a dispute about which baby doll belongs to whom and get into the stroller.  It takes the little girl exactly 1.5 seconds to start hitting the big girl.  The big girl starts to cry.  I'm too cold anyway.  We return to the house.  Good times.

Go skating.  Or fall asleep on the way, miss skating but wake up in time for the cookie.

Or, stop whining, count your blessing and wait patiently for spring. 

It will come eventually.  It always does.  That's what I'm trying to do.