The other side of the coin

A few days ago Lizzy tagged me to do a post where I thought about something differently.
I have been pondering it and the post I want to do would be far too personal. So rather than discuss what I am feeling specifically, here is what I have come to realize. Instead of focusing on what I don’t have, I am going to do the opposite. Focus on what I do have, because I am truly blessed with so many many things to be grateful for.

It’s not that I normally focus on what I don’t have because that’s not true. But with this one thing, I do focus on the don’t have part.

But if I continue to look at it from that perspective, it will eat me alive. And I like being alive and what a painful way to go, don’t you think?

Life is full of surprises and this is one of them. Just because I think it was meant to be, doesn’t mean that it was. Let’s face it, I didn’t dream of being an accountant all my life, but I sure did go out and become one didn’t I? And do I regret it? Not really. I really like the work I do for many reasons, see 7 & 8 here. But is it my dream job? Nope, not even a little. But being a stay at home mommy sure is. There’s the curve ball. If I wasn’t a chartered accountant I wouldn’t be able to have a career (sort of!) and stay at home.

Life takes you all kinds of place and I honestly believe that each one is for a reason. But on the flip side I also believe that you are the one who steers the boat with the decisions that you make everyday. Life gives you opportunities and you can steer towards them or away.

I have always believed that I am the best judge of what is right for me.

However, maybe that isn’t always the case. Maybe I am just letting my wants overshadow all else. I am greedy. After all that is a basic human emotion in my humble opinion. Some are greedier than others but each one of us has our moments. I am guilty of that emotion daily. I work on it but folks, it’s a life long process.

I am getting there and changing my perspective from what I don’t have to what I do will be a great starting point.

Wish me luck or wait for the video of the eating alive debacle, it ought to be a good one.

Oh and I tag you, you, you and you! Go for it!

Don't call me Ma'am!

Explain to me please how an airline can just change the time of a flight? Be it a small Caribbean airline or not. People have connections, they are traveling, they have a plan. Most importantly, they are Type A accountants.

Don’t mess with me like this. Because that half hour means that we can’t make our connection. What with collecting our luggage and going through customs?

Oh and when I call to discuss this with you, don’t suggest that I change my other flights or the day that I am traveling.

Seriously. And she went to her supervisor for a 10 minute discussion and that’s what she came back with.

Right. I’ll get right on that because of course, your time change is TOTALLY THEIR PROBLEM!

Uh huh.

Not an option. Here’s what I propose.

Perhaps you give me a refund since you don’t offer a later flight that day. But we have a round trip booked…. I know, silly me, we don’t want to permanently stay in this Caribbean country, what kind of fool am I?

Oh, was her response, then you will have to wait until after your travel is complete to request a refund.

Pardon me?

Twice I asked, you mean that I cannot get a refund now but have to wait until we get home.

Yes, ma’am, that is our policy. We do it every day.

Really? Can I give you some free business advice? No? Well I am gonna anyway…

How about you refund it to me now and cancel our seats so that, oh I don’t know, you could sell them to someone else!

Maybe this is a Canadian way of doing business. I know it sounds crazy but maybe you should give it a try and then I won’t be P.O.ed because I now have two flights booked on the same day to the same place for the same four people. (by some crazy twist of luck, there is actually another airline that we can fly)

Guess what? Today Jay called back because I was SO done dealing with this and low and behold, we are getting a refund now.

Apparently they liked my advice. Or wait, maybe there is another theory. Maybe that lady I talked to yesterday was dipping into the rum. It was 11 am after all.

Blogging to Real

Today, Anna and I took the plunge. We connected way back in October through this here blogging gig when I was in my boot fetish stage. We very quickly figured out we lived in the same city but until now, I had been nervous to suggest meeting.

What if she thinks I am an idiot?
What if I say something dumb?
I almost always do so that one is huge risk!
What if we don't click in real life?
Or worse, what if she doesn't even want to meet me at ALL?

This week she was going solo as her hubby was out of town. I thought it would be a good week to jump in with both feet so we made the plan to meet this afternoon to enjoy a Starbucks together. We both have a Starbucks addiction and I was pretty sure that after a week of flying solo, she would need a LARGE cup ‘o Starbucks. Or a Tall or whatever the fancy name they have for them is….Oh and what exactly is a barista anyway?

I digress.

Kamden and I headed over early as we needed to stop at a couple of stores first. We were looking for a winter jacket and ski pants for Jack but apparently the middle of winter is not a good time to shop for these items. We'll try back in July, we should have more luck. Consequently we arrived a few minutes early.

Naturally Kamden was hungry, it was an hour after lunch after all, so I splurged on a $3 cookie for him. He picked the one with the M&M’s in it. Shocking, I know.

Yeah, so it turns out you can’t judge a cookie by it’s M&M’s because he didn’t like the cookie and ended up only picking off the 4 M&M’s and eating those. $3 for 4 M&M’s, what a deal huh!

And then I picked myself up off the floor because, the kid? He’s never met a cookie he didn’t like, trust me!

Then I looked up and saw this cute little face in the line up.

Then the double stroller pushed forward and there she was!

We spent the next hour and half gabbing away while the munchkins played with Thomas in between asking us to read almost every book in the store! What is it with these kids anyway? Wanting to read books. I mean REALLY! How can we talk when we're reading, don't they understand. Oh right, so it's not really all about me. Still working on that one.

Of course we had to the do obligatory self portrait that all women bloggers are famous for. She had to take it though on account my inability to take a decent picture by myself! Thanks Anna, you did a great job.
Kamden did not want to be in the picture... so I took one of him anyway.... I'm a nice Mommy that way.

I had a great time, the time flew by and we didn't talk about half the things I had planned. And also, we are the same height. It's a rare occurrence for me to not be shorter than every other person on the planet! Power to those below 5' 4"!

I can't wait for the next visit. Next week work for you Anna?

Mental note ladies!

Do you know what women should not do to themselves?

More than anything else, we should not feel the need to try on bikinis.

Seriously.

What was I thinking?

I have had two children. I have stretch marks. I have an umbilical hernia. I have flab that I fully believe has nothing to do with my intake of chocolate and everything to do with the fact that my belly housed two babies to a final weight of around 8 lbs on two separate occasions.

So why, oh why do I feel the need to torture myself by thinking that I might, just might, be fit enough to don a bikini?

It might just be that my cousin, who has also birthed two babies looks amazing in one.

Damn her and her flat abdomen.

I really love her but DAMN! I envy her flat tummy!

Oh and especially?

Don’t try one on and then stand next to the aforementioned cousin.

Just don’t.

Go eat some chocolate instead. I know I am going to.

Oh and yes, I am PMSing. What's it to you?

Disappear

Anyone wondering where I've been?

No?

Okay, so my ego is bigger than my mouth, who would have thought?!

I have been busy with work stuff, remember that big project? Well the deadline is less than 3 weeks away. And that seems like tomorrow to me right now. So I am I stressed? Nah! I am cool as cucumber.

If you believe that then you’re gullible.

I am stressed. The thing is that I have to leave it up to other people because I am the coordinator and final reviewer. That means it’s out of my control and I have to wait for others to do the work. Do you realize that I am a control FREAK? Yup. I am. This whole delegating thing? Not really in my vocabulary.

I am on a steep learning curve my friends, steep. I pulled out the iceclimbing gear because I am pretty sure it’ll be needed to reach this summit.

Thank goodness the people I am working with are all FANTASTIC. If they weren’t I might be in the corner in the fetal position right now.

But on the side? I have also been finalizing the details for my parent’s trip. This past weekend there was another seat sale whereby I scored them two seats to the SAME tropical destination we are headed to. Not only that but at the SAME time. In the condo on the beach right BESIDE ours.

WHOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!

Do you realize what this means?

Babysitters folks!

Jay and I will be off touring the island while Mom and Dad sit at the beach with the kids making sandcastles.

What? Isn’t that why you guys are joining us?

No?

Oh.

Well then I guess it’ll be fun to hang out all 6 of us on the beach making sandcastles. But Mom? You can help with the cooking right? You do know you are so much better at it than I am.

KIDDING!

While Jay and I might sneak off a couple times to do a bit of snorkeling, we are planning on having loads of fun doing things together. That is what a family vacation is all about after all.

And the vacation? It’ll be just what the doctor ordered after the summit to the peak of the biggest learning curve I have encountered to date. Or maybe the second steepest. I still haven’t reached the summit on this old parenting learning curve.

Maybe by the time they are 20?

Winter Wonderland

I took these the other day at my parent's acreage. My photography skills are megre at best but when the scenery is so fantastic, the pics are not too bad.

The trees are covered in frost and it's particularly prominent here when it's butt crusty cold. I ran out quick and shot these and then hightailed it back to the fireplace.