Learning to love thyself!

I have spent my whole life trying to love myself and teaching myself to love me and it was always a difficult struggle.
My mind was tormented by self doubt and self hatred despite my best efforts.
Having had children has been a blessing in many aspects but most unexpectedly it has taught me love and gratitude for myself and my body.
I have learned many things through out my journey but learning to love myself as I am without all the fancy bells and whistles has been one of the greatest gifts.
I have learned how compassionate and kind and Caring I am,
I have found strength and courage I never knew that I was capable of.
I have seen a nurturing side and an assertive side.
I have seen a protective side and soft side.
I have also seen my body in a way I have never been able to appreciate before.
I have seen feet that have bared the load of a pregnnt belly and a growing baby.
I have seen a stomach that has housed and grown my two loves.
I have seen my breasts that have fed these 2 babies till they were ready to eat solids.
I have seen my arms carry these 2 babes together and a bag of groceries.
I can now look at my body; worth so much more then I ever gave it credit for and I can finally say I love myself totally, completely and unconditionally.

Things to teach my daughter

I found this online somewhere and thought it was definitely appropriate and humourous!

Rules for Parents of Daughters
I realized when I wrote my sons' piece earlier this week I titled it Rules for Mothers of Sons. I was so wrong to just single out mothers. These rules are for all parents. Sorry, dads, you don't get a pass. Kids need as much guidance as they can get!

Tonight I went out with the girls and I told them I was going to write this post so they helped me come up with some good ones! Thanks, girls!

So here we go: PIWTPITT 25 Rules for Parents of Daughters (because as I was making this list it seemed to me that I can screw up my daughter easier than my son so I needed more rules):

1. Teach your daughter to never allow herself to be anyone's property and that you will disown her if she ever wears shorts that claim otherwise.


I would kick "Mike's Bitch" in her ass if she walked in my door.

2. Teach your daughter to talk about her feelings - not eat them or purge them. Or if she doesn't want to talk, teach her to express her feelings through writing, art, music, sports, etc. Anything but food.

3. Teach your daughter to work with what she's got and love what she's got. Tall, short, fat, thin, your daughter is beautiful - inside and out. Make sure you tell her all the time and make sure she believes it.


4. Teach your daughter to like and respect herself and demand respect from those around her. She might end up lonely at times, but at least she won't be a doormat.

5. Teach your daughter that "fish lips" photos are never appropriate and never attractive.


6. Teach your daughter to value herself enough to defend herself - physically and verbally. Let your daughter watch "The Burning Bed." She'll never forget it and she'll always know she has "options" if she finds herself in an abusive relationship.

7. Teach your daughter to go easy on the plastic surgery.

Aging gracefully can't be worse than this hot mess.

8. Teach your daughter to be strong and confident in her abilities and not be afraid of failure. Teach her that sometimes she will fail, but she can't let that fear stop her from trying something.



9. Teach your daughter that has the right to get loud. Make sure she knows girls can get angry, they can have opinions and they can throw "lady like" behavior out the window if necessary.



10. Teach your daughter to never text/email/snail mail naked photos of herself to anyone. Ever. Ever. Ever.

11. Teach your daughter what a douche canoe is so she can avoid them.


12. Teach your daughter to never steal her best friend's boyfriend. That's just a real skank move. What is it that our mothers always told us? "Boys come and go, but girlfriends are forever." Still true.

13. Teach your daughter that having her underwear and half her ass hanging out the back of her jeans is not attracting anyone substantial nor does it make her look smart - even in the library.



14. Never let your daughter wear clothing with sexually inappropriate "cutesy" sayings.

"Hooters Girl in Training" is not adorable, it's so fucked up - and you know this little girl did not even pick this shirt.

15. Teach your daughter that smart girls get further in life than slutty girls.

16. Teach your daughter to walk away from the teen magazines. There is so much pressure put on young girls these days to look pretty or hot it's nauseating.

859 Ways to Get Pretty for Summer and Look Hot in a Bikini?? Really? How about 859 Tips to Ace the SATs! or 100 Books We Love! or 252 Ways to Succeed in Life Without Using Your Boobs! ??

17. Don't let your 9 year old dancer look like a 25 year Pussycat Doll.


18. Teach your daughter that bigger boobs isn't necessarily a good thing.



19. Don't let your daughter marry young. Encourage her to get out and see the world, live on her own and figure out who she is and what she wants in a partner before she settles down.

20. Teach your daughter that there's nothing wrong with staying home on a Friday night and reading a good book, but try to get her to read more than just Chick Lit. Give her The Gift of Fear. This book really empowers women to spot danger signals. Unfortunately in the world we live in, this is an important gift to have.

21. Teach your daughter to beat the boys at their own games.


22. Teach your daughter to be able to laugh at herself and have a sense of humor. There are so many women I meet that say they have a sense of humor, but they really don't.

23. Teach your daughter that the "Queen Bees" and "Wanna Bees" and "mean girls" are a waste of time and she should just invest in one or two great friends.

24. Don't allow her to pierce or tattoo her body until she's on her own.

25. Teach your daughter that her choices in life are limitless. She really can do anything - except maybe use the Men's Restroom.

I know there are more, so let's hear them!

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2011 in Review!

The year took of last year with a whirlwind of fun, I made sure to plan parties and trips for us to keep us entertained till trailer season. There was also lots of sadness and grief at the beginning of 2011. We lost 2 very special people in both of our families almost back to back. We lost aunt Lou in January and Nonno in March. We love you and miss you both!!!
Febuary
Daddy and I took a trip to Calabogie for the weekend with some couple friends. We had such a good time, maxing, relaxing and having fun!


March
We took the kids to Dominican, we had such a good time filled with sun, sand and so much fun! The kids asked for 4 months after when we were going back to the beach!



April
Once April comes we are into the spring celebration, between both Brycen and Brooklyn's Birthdays and party planning and opening season at the trailer which is filled with lots of spring cleaning and getting ready to camp!
We welcomed April with Brycen's 2nd birthday


May
We said happy 4th birthday to my big baby! We had a princess themed party and Cinderella made a grande appearance. Sadly I have no pictures handy as they are all on the hard drive.
We also opened up the trailer and welcomed a new trailer season...woo hoo!!


June
Brooklyn graduated from Nursery school, we filled our days with playing in the sprinkler, park hopping and enjoying the sunshine!





July
My favorite month of the whole year, the weather was awesome, my 2 weeks holidays happen and we just live so well with the heat and the sun. We spent most of July at the trailer and we spent all my holidays there entirely. @ weeks at the trailer was awesome, fresh air and freedom!!



August
Summer winds down, Brooklyn rides a horse for the first time! YAY Baby girl! We prepare for Brooklyn's




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September
What a milestone month...my baby girl goes to school. I shipped her off that morning by bus, waved good bye and cried my eyes out at how fast time flies. She is growing up so fast and is becoming such a wonderful little girl!
We also bought trailer a big one. We love that we are trailer people we love the life of it and now we have a space were we fit and we can cook and relax with comfort and ease!!! I am so excited for trailer season 2012!!!!


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October
Trailer is closed down for the season and pulled out and traded in, the weather is "suppose" to be getting cooler, we have apple picked, pumpkin picked and had a beautiful thanksgiving dinner with both families, we also had a repeat princess and an elephant for Halloween!