Taking Winter by Storm

We've been busy. Kamden developed a new dance, patent is pending.

And don't worry, neither the floor nor Kamden were injured in the making of this video. Also, this kid, I just can't imagine our family without him.

 

My parents (and their dog, Mika) joined us a couple weekends ago to watch Kamden play in a soccer tournament.  They met the same team in the final as the last tournament but this time, Kamden's team won.  It was, to say the least, very exciting. The parents were, ahem, a little bit excited during all of the games.  The boys played so well and it was a proud moment when they won.

 

And life around here is pretty entertaining on a daily basis (related: I love that I get to work from home and be here for these moments).  This is a snap of the boys antics as they head off to school after lunch one day.



 

 

Pretty much a normal day around here.  Again, I assure you, no one was injured (this time) in the making of the above photos.

 

This past weekend was very exciting for me.  I have hoped for a long time that I could get the boys to strap on the boards and careen down a hill.  Wait, that didn't come out right.  Let me start again.  My parents made me strap them on when I was the ripe old age of 5.

 

Ahem.  That was no better was it?

 

Anyway.  I skied all through my childhood, starting when I was 5.  Living on the Prairies, we had to travel to the Rockies to ski but we did, annually.  I loved it.

 

I have put it off because Jack, well, let's just say trying new things is not an exciting experience.  But he has to go with school in a couple of weeks so... this past weekend, we braved the minus 35 degree Celsius (that is not a typo) temperatures and headed to a hill about 45 min away. It's no mountain but about perfect for beginners.

 



 

I had arranged for the boys to take a lesson as soon as we arrived. I might know how to ski but I was five when I started, I don't remember much about how I learned to ski.  I do remember skiing between my dad's legs and him drawing S's in the snow in the futile effort to get me to turn rather than going straight down (now you see why my dad caged me in!).

 

 

They both caught on very quickly in and in about 5 runs down the bunny hill had mastered the snow plow and were sort of turning.

 

 

And can I just say, T-bars, thank be to heavens they are obsolete.  This magic carpet system is the cats ass.  I cannot tell you how many times I fell off the T-bar making my brother have to also get off because he couldn't leave me behind.  I still owe him for that and about 10,000 other things.

 

 





And Jack, the one who was a bit frighted to try skiing took to it like a fish to water.  He loved it! Being the good mom that I am, I reminded him that I was right about that.  I am mature like that.

 

 Kamden liked it too but the poor kid takes after me and was frozen within a half hour.  We took lots and lots of warm up breaks and after I put those Hot Shot thingys in his ski boots to keep his toes from becoming ice cubes, he was having a blast too.

 

We even went up the chair once but um, that didn't go too well so we stuck to the bunny hill for the rest of the afternoon.

 

I was soooo proud of both of them for trying so hard and braving the ridiculous cold.

 



 

I can't wait to go again and maybe old man winter's fury will be a bit less next time.

Change Takes Commitment

2013 had a bit of a rough start for me in my second gig as a personal trainer. I don't want to talk about the situation in detail because that's not cool. And those of you whom are my confidantes are likely sick to death of hearing about it already. I have to give a shout out to you all though, you all know how to do the support and advice part of friendship right.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My first client broke up with me.  Before I started this new adventure, I thought I would feel like a total failure if that ever happened.  It turns out I was wrong.  The break up was mutual.  I let the client make the first move though because I am, after all, the "professional".  The jury is still out on that, hence the quotes.

I don't feel like a failure because this actually isn't really about me at all.  Okay a little bit, but I will get to that later.

My experience is fairly limited in that from the perspective of someone starting on a journey to getting fitter and healthier, I have only my own to draw from.

By the time I started working with a trainer, I had made the commitment to make it happen.  It being the journey to fit.  It's not a destination, it's a journey that I began five years ago and continues to this day. 

So when I came to my workouts, I was ready, willing and going to do whatever was asked of me. Except when the nausea set in because, of course,  that was my body saying "that's my limit" thankyouverymuch.

I wanted to be pushed past what I thought was possible for me. And I was almost every time.  I kept getting stronger and it would take more to challenge me and I loved every minute of it.

Okay, maybe I am weird but I also happen to know a lot of other people who feel the same way. 

To this day I love the strength and endurance my body can handle.  I would say with ease but that would be a bold faced lie.  But the key is that what it can handle now with a bit of duress is about 100 times more than it could way back then.  I think I did a total of three push-ups during my first fitness assessment, and I am probably inventing two of the three.  The other day, I did 30 consecutively.

In the meantime, I have become a runner, completing two half marathons, about five 10 km races and at least as many relay races.  Five and half years ago, I would have laughed like a hyena if you told me that I would do that.  Hysterically.

My point, right, I should get back to that.  My point is that if you want to make a change, whatever it might be, lose weight, get fitter, make a pinata, or remove the possibility of being on an episode of Hoarders,  you have do the work. With a smile.  And the smile comes with the fact that you know, despite how hard it is, that this pain will get you closer to that goal. 

And tasting that goal is a reward so sweet you will have a bounce in your step and grin on your face for a month.

I know from experience.  So trust me a little, okay?  Just a little.  But more importantly believe. Believe in yourself. Believe that the work will get you there.  Not today, not tomorrow but slowly and surely and safely.

And when you are working out, building a pinata, or cleaning out the pile of stuff that is beginning to resemble an application to be on Hoarders, give it your best effort.  No excuses.  Excuses are just you standing in your own way.

And if someone is helping you out, your trainer, your glue maker, or your daughter who can no longer come visit because the couch has disappeared, make sure that your personalities gel.  If they annoy the snot out of you from day one, they are probably not going to be able to motivate you.  Oh and this can be measured in direct proportion to the number of eye rolls and critical comments you direct at them, just in case you were wondering.

That's where this whole break up was about me.  Personalities are personalities and if they do not work together, they just do not work.  It's not you, it's me....or actually it's both of us.  So there is no feeling of failure because that is out of my hands just like the level of commitment and self-belief of the client.

It's part of the gig.  I was a bit naive going in but this was a great learning experience.  And I will appreciate my other clients (Hi C & RL, you rock!) and my trainer even more (she kicked my butt today and I loved it from the bottom of my  heart).

Amended to add this very fitting quote:

"What if I told you that ten years from now, you life would be EXACTLY the same? I doubt you would be happy. So why are you so afraid of change?" - Karen Salmansohn

Merry Christmas 2012

Christmas day we awoke to mountains of hoar frost and bitterly cold temperatures.

Cold but stunning.

After we did some sledding or as us Saskatchewanites call it, toboganning, I took my camera out to the back 40 of my parent's acreage.

It was worth it. I hope that this finds you well after enjoying a wonderful Christmas full of love, laughs and good food (the trifecta of a good holiday IMHO).

All the best from my family to yours for 2013

xoxoxoxox

What Not to Do

I did something quite dumb just the other day.  I am still mortified that I, of all people, did this but here it is.  Mostly because maybe if I air it on the Internet I will stop replaying the 1,000 things I will do differently every single time I fly from now on.  The perfect time to do this appears to be as I am trying to fall asleep.  Related: I am very tired.

I have to start out by saying that I am the one at the gate a half hour before the boarding pass even suggests boarding will begin.  Always.  Me and my husband agree on this.

On Sunday, however, after a work trip to Kelowna and spending the weekend with my aunts, mom and cousins visiting in Vernon, I did not do this.  In fact, I did what I mock other people for doing.

We arrived at the airport and I was checked in and ready to go through security in plenty of time for boarding.  Then I looked at the departure screen and noticed a delay. 

So instead of going through security, I stayed out and had tea with the aunts and my Mom. 

About a half hour before the scheduled departure of the delayed flight I went through security found a bathroom and sat down to wait for boarding.  I even noticed that the sign at the gate still had the original departure time but didn't even think anything of it. 

*smacks forehead*

Moments after I sat down, a co-worker came up and told me that they had been calling me - she had stayed in town for the weekend too and happened to be there too.  Isn't that awesome?

At this point I started to think that was weird. I approached the gate but no one was there so I waited.  Then the agent came back from the plane.

Yes, the one I was supposed to be on that was now taxing away from the bloody gate.

The point at which I knew I had screwed up royally was when he said, "You have missed your flight."

He then kindly (and I am not being sarcastic) showed me that the flight that was delayed was a different airline that was going to the same place and the original departure time was only 5 min different. My flight was right above it.  For some reason I didn't notice this - these were the first two lines on the monitor, maybe that is why. 

HOWEVER.

Check the airline and flight number much, Kami?

*smacks forehead again, harder this time*

For the record, the delayed flight only started boarding when I was finding all this out so I was perfectly on time for that one.  Hey, I feel like an idiot, I had to point that out, just for the record.

I was mortified, embarrassed and at this guy's mercy.  I apologized, called myself a moron several times and asked why they don't call people on speakers outside of security. I asked nicely, not in an accusatory tone because I was curious mostly.  It was my responsibility to get myself to the gate on time not theirs.  The airport doesn't allow it was what he told me.  Fair enough. 

Here's the part that steams me - as in I am mad at myself for.

I WAS BLOODY AT THE AIRPORT. 

I can see missing a flight because you get delayed in traffic or encounter an accident or...about a thousand other legitimate reasons.  But sitting in the Whitespot having tea with your mom and aunts?  That has to be a new brand of stupid.

Anyway, the WestJet agent (totally plugging the airline) was beyond fabulous.  He was very nice and treated me with respect and really went above and beyond to help me. 

He quickly checked my options and found that he might not be able to get me all the way home that day on Westjest due to full flights.  He even ran over the other airline to check if he could get me on that delayed flight (yeah the one I thought I was on).  They wouldn't do it since it was so close to departing.  I couldn't fault them for that and for him to do that? Seriously. I can guarantee that airline wouldn't do the same.

I was so thankful that I was flying WestJet.

Basically, to get home that day, I had to hope a seat would open up on the next flight out.  He gave me a 10 -20% chance of that so I didn't get excited.  This happened to be the same flight my mom was leaving on.

Somewhere in here I called Jay to tell him what happened.  I have to give him credit here too.  He could have berated me for my stupidity but Jay is Jay and he wouldn't even think to do that.  He was calm even though I know he was upset.  We all missed each other. I had been gone 5 days by this point and I had to tell him I might not make it home until the next day.  If things had been reversed I am not sure I would have been as forgiving.  Thank you honey.  It means a lot.

The agent took my credit card (there is, understandably, a fee for this kind of stupidity that is very small in comparison) so that he could scoop up the seat as soon as it opened up.  He assured me he would keep checking to see.

I sat down to wait, called Jay again and told him the status and almost started crying as I hung up with him.  I didn't though and I was proud of myself.

Then my mom walked up and I lost it.  I started sobbing like an infant.  Thank goodness my co-worker was gone and did not witness this.  It's bad enough that there were strangers there.  Awkward.

There is just something about your Mom, you know?  Even at 38, I can't help but unleash my inner distress in the middle of an airport waiting room the second I see her.  Isn't she lucky?

So we waited and I did not get my hopes up.  I was prepared to overnight in Calgary and take the first flight to Regina in the morning.  Or alternatively try and make it to Saskatoon so Jay could meet me and my parents half way in the morning.

About 15 min before the flight I was hoping to get on boarded, I checked in with, by now, my favourite airline agent ever and his exact words were, "It's your lucky day!  A seat has opened up!"

My response was, "I could hug you, but that would be inappropriate!"

What he relayed to me as he printed my boarding passes was that he not only waited for seat to open up, he actively found ways to open a seat up - he had three people flying through Calgary re-routed onto a direct flight to their destination and he was also prepared to ask a WestJet employee to switch flights if he had to.  In the meantime, a seat just randomly opened up anyway.

If that isn't going above and beyond, I don't know what is.

He even thanked me for being so understanding.  Um.  I guess that goes to show you some people can't admit they are idiots.  Me?  I have no problem with that.

I have already commended him through the feedback option on the airline website because how could I not?

So.  The lesson learned is that I will always go directly to the gate no matter what.  Oh and maybe check the airline and flight number. 


*alternate title "WestJet is Awesome"

Seriously? And Halloween Pictures

I have a rant. A serious one that started building years ago. There is this teacher at the boys' school that makes me crazy.  She isn't a classroom teacher but teaches a couple of subjects to give the classroom teacher prep time.  Jack had her in grade 3 and low and behold, here she is again now that Kamden is in grade 3.

I was utterly elated when Kamden came home in September with the news.

And last week, he brought home is first grade from her.  Smoke may have come out of my ears as I saw the same ridiculous grading she used 3 years ago with Jack.

The subject is health, more specifically the four food groups.  To demonstrate their knowledge of the unit, they had to prepare a poster and draw meals for each of breakfast, lunch and supper.

Kamden's comment and I quote word for word was: "She gave me a horrible mark!"

The first two categories are Graphics and Use of Time in Class.

Let me go though each in detail because are you kidding me?

"Graphics are in focus and easily viewed from 6ft away" is worth 4 out of 16 of the available marks.  That's 25%.

Let's ponder this for a second considering two things.  This is health.  HEALTH.  Not art, not media relations, not graphic design but health.

And they are in grade 3.

In no way does this evaluate their knowledge of the topic at hand.

And the second one, use of class time.  This is important but is part of an area in each report card where the student is assessed on the term as a whole, not on one specific project.

I don't think I need to say it but how in the name of Pete does this evaluate the students knowledge of this particular topic? 

Right, it doesn't.

By my estimation, the first 50% of the grade is completely irrelevant to the purpose of the project. 

Excellent. 

Let's move on to the other 50% of the grade, shall we?

"Required Elements" is up next. This one might actually be a fair assessment but let's not hold our breath.  The poster needs to include required elements.  Not that she indicates what those are.  For all we know, one of them was to draw a broccoli floret like Picasso.

 

I am going to assume that was the one element Kamden missed and call it a day.

 

Next up is "Attractiveness".  This one doesn't have a hope in being relevant for a health project.  So Kamden lost 2 marks because the poster was, in her opinion, "a bit messy".  At least it was still attractive, I mean thank goodness for that.

 

I don't want to sound like a broken record but THAT DOESN'T EVALUATE THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

 

To summarize, at best 4 of the 16 marks were relevant. 

 

This is exactly the same crap we saw with each project Jack brought home from this teacher. I never bothered to discuss the issues with her for two reasons.  One, it's health.  In the grand scheme of things, it's not a critical subject.  And two, I have a feeling it would be futile.  I leave the above discussion as Exhibit A.

 

Now that I got that off my chest, here are the obligatory Halloween snaps for the Grandparents.

 



 

Mario with his two pumpkins.  He designed and drew them, I carved.  I love love love.

 

 

And Captain Rex of The Clone Wars fame with his two.  The one on the left is his trademark face - going on 3 years I think.  The other is MineCraft themed.  Love love love.  This is the first year Jack both drew and carved his own.  He's growing up.

 

Marioooooo!

 

 Hope you had a happy Halloween free from teachers who clearly wish they taught at a post secondary art school.

What We've Been Up To

Tap, tap, tap...blows off dust. So, a month has gone by again. Remember when I used to blog every day? Yeah me too. *shudders involuntarily*

We've been busy here at the Lahti house.

My camera has been in overdrive with some fall photo shoots.  I even forced my own two men to pose.

 

Mostly they were happy to.  You will see what I mean later.

 

 

Jack is having a good year in grade 6.  He's also continuing in piano and enjoying private lessons much more than the class he attended up until last year.  Who doesn't love one on one instruction?

 

However, the one downside is that we discovered there is a situation that has been ongoing since sometime last year at school.  It's helped us to understand where his behaviour at home has been coming from. Naturally I feel like an arse because our approach was so, so wrong.  I am so glad it's come out and we can deal with it in a more appropriate manner.

 

I love this kid more than words can say.  He has so many many amazing qualities and I think one of his classmates put it best in their nomination of Jack to win the award for Respect this month at school:

 

"I nominate Jack because he never makes fun of other people."

 

Hmmm.  So what you are confirming is that other kids in the class do.  Duly noted.  And to all you kids who make fun of other kids, just wait until you are an adult and your peers finally figure out that the reason you did that was because you didn't like yourself all that much and it was the only way to make yourself feel better.  Uh huh.  See how far that gets you in the real world.

 

Meanwhile Jack will be travelling through time in the machine he invented because he spent his time learning in school instead of being a complete butt head.

 



 

Then there is Kamden.  I love this photo because is shows his crazy, fun, make us laugh regularly side.  This year he is continuing his love of all things sports.  He played touch football earlier in the fall and is now fully entrenched in the indoor soccer season.

 

He moved up an age category this fall and had to go through assessments for the first time, though we were told that all kids in their first year would be in Division 2.  We took him to the assessments anyway because he will never pass up the opportunity to play.  Turns out he was selected for Division 1.  Talk about a moment of pride.  Long story short, his coach and the parents of the other boys selected for Division 1 decided to hold them back into Division 2 so the team could stay together with the coach.  This coach is half the reason Kamden is so good so it was an easy decision.

 

Kamden is also doing well in school.  And another moment of pride.  One of Kamden's soccer buddies is also in the other grade 3 class at school.  His mother informed me Monday that this child is being bullied by another child.  Hence where the "situation" came out with Jack. Another reason I do not believe in avoiding the discussion of difficult situations in front of the kids.  You just never know when something will spark a conversation that is important.  Anyway, I asked Kamden to seek out his buddy at recess and invite him and the bully to join him.  The bully "plays" with the buddy and tries to keep everyone away.  It seems to be working.  Crossing fingers.  This little guy is a bully for a reason and I just hope the school can work with the family to get to the root of the problem.  His behaviour makes me (an accountant!) think he is screaming out for help.

 

Long winded today, aren't I?

 

 

Okay, less yammering on about my wonderful kids (sorry but they are, can I help it?) and more pictures.  I told you my camera was busy.  This family is on their third year with me and I couldn't be happier to do photos for them.  Kamden is very successful in making this adorable guy laugh which is so helpful.

 

 

And guess what?  He is also very effective at getting Pop to smile too!  Score.  Now if we could just figure out how to have him in the same picture as Pop and also be behind the camera making Pop smile. 

 

 

Can't have everything, now can we?  At least all 11 of us are in the picture and looking at the camera.  About all we can ask for I think.  And it only took 120 shots to get this one good one.  I wish I were kidding.  A professional I am not.

 

 

My niece, Anna, was up for posing for many a shot and this is by far my favourite.  I told her to sit in the grass and instead she did this.  I think she may take over the family photographer gig in the very near future and in the meantime she can be my assistant.

 

 

The next day, we tried for a shot of the four of us. This one was one of the test shots I took before I forced the boys out to join us. It's not bad.

 

 

Minus the wind blown look I am sporting, I like this one too.  It will have to do as there is no way we'll get another session out of those two.

 

Christmas card photo done and calendar is nearly complete.   Two things off the list.

 

This past weekend, I did some maternity shots of my massage therapist/yoga instructor.  Personally, I think she is the hottest pregnant lady in the history of all pregnant ladies.  37.5 weeks and she looks that good?  If I had looked half as good at 5 months. By this point, I looked like I might explode if you poked my belly button.

 



 

I was encouraging her to get professional photos done but she wasn't sure. I offered because this had to be captured permanently.  I would have forced her if I had to.

 

 

I love my hobby.

 

 

*end monthly long winded blog post about nothing in particular*

 

PS I can point out 100 things wrong with each of my photos, so whatever you are thinking about them, yes, I know.  I am not a professional nor do I profess to be. 

High Note

Every summer, I sign myself up for a few races because if I don't, I do not run.  I do not love running, or really even like it.   What I do like is that it a challenge and allows me to set goals to strive for. I find this very motivating and when I meet the goal, I am pretty damn happy.

Since I started running in 2008, I have steadily improved and this year was kind of break through year for me.

Somewhere in April I discovered that if I warmed up before heading out on a run, I could run so much faster and it was easier.  As in I didn't feel like dying after 2 km.  Any fitness expert is saying well duh, but me, well I was of the idea that the warm up was wasting valuable energy that I could have been using for running.

For me, that is not true.  When my heart has time to get used to the increased oxygen requirements, it adapts and keeps up with much less pain and agony.  I can run faster and feel good, instead of like I am having a coronary?  Sign me up.

In April, a team of three of us ran the Regina Police Service Half marathon in relay style.  I had a really great run coming in at 36:36 for my 6.4km leg.  I was pumped and ready for my next race, The Royal Road Race 10k on Mother's weekend in May. 

I set the goal of running it in less than 60 min which would be about the same pace as the previous race but a longer distance. That wouldn't be a personal best (in May 2011 I did a 10k in 58:37 and just about lost my lunch and another 10k last fall in 59:47) but it was early in the season so I wanted an attainable goal

The day dawned sunny and hotter than it yet had been in Saskatchewan in early May.  I started out without really warming up because I was a bit late.  I also started at a pace much faster than my goal pace.

And by 3km the f word was frequently running through my head.  As in, why the beep beep beep do you think signing up for these beep beep beep races is a good idea? The heat is my cryptonite and I was sloooooow.  I felt like I was dying a slow, painful death.  When I met Terry-Lyn as she passed me on her way back around, I may or may not have assaulted her with curses.  That's what friends are for right?

I finished in 1:01:42 and was angry even though I knew I could not have done better that day.  That was my best that day.

But it solidified that I need to train for these races if I want to attain my goals.  So all summer I ran a 10k a week not really worrying about my pace.  Just running how I felt that day and doing a proper warm up before each and every run.  Some days were fabulous and some were horrid.  A 10k in well over an hour one Sunday morning on a grid road out and back from my parent's acreage comes to mind.

But I pushed and trained and when the Queen City Marathon rolled around early this month, I was ready for my 10.5k leg.  I wore shorts and a tank despite the cool fall morning and that was a good choice because I was perfectly comfortable.  I checked my pace frequently and when I was slower than my goal, I had the energy to speed up.
I finished in 1:01:43, coincidentally the same time as the previous 10k and I ran further - yay me). And I felt great, the entire time. 

Also, in 2009, I ran the exact same leg in 1:05:23.  That's progress I would say.

THAT is why I sign up for these races.  That right there, is really rewarding and worth every drop of sweat.

As a team, we had a personal best time, thanks to the rabbits who let me, the hare, join them.

So as I prepared for today's Flatlander's 10k, I was pessimistically optimistic (ha!).  I was thinking there wasn't too much of a chance that I could do it again because having two amazing back to back races is rare, I am after all not a machine but a human.  I was still kind of hoping so though you know.  If I could, I would meet my 10k personal best time of 58:37 of over a year and half ago.  But this time, without the losing lunch part.

I warmed up good and the day was looking warmish for this time of year so I dressed in my skimpiest tank and shorts.  The more skin exposed, the more heat can escape and keep me from overheating.  Ever had goose bumps when you are hot?  It happens to me a lot when I am running in the heat and it's not a good thing.

The race started slow with a narrow path and too many racers so when I had the chance to pick it up, I did.  I was feeling great.  Every time I checked my pace I was well below my goal pace.

And then I hit about the 7 km mark and then I was way over my goal pace.  Laying down in the middle of the path and resting was really appealing. But this is where I pulled up my panties and dug deep.  I pep talked myself through and reminded myself that I was almost done and the pain of another 12 min or so was worth it for the feeling of accomplishment of meeting my goal. I wasn't going to lose all that time I had made up in the first part of the race. I was being stubborn.

As I ran through the last water station, I grabbed a cup of water without slowing (sorry to the volunteer that probably got wet!) and chugged and poured it over myself and kept going.

And I was able to finish in 58:44.  Can I get a hell ya?  Only 7 seconds off my best time and no hurling or walk breaks.  I call that a win!

(Me, with Terry-Lyn and her friend Joline, who naturally both finished before me, but because I like to justify it, I am probably at least 5 years older than both of them.  We will not speak of the grey haired lady that passed me mid-way, she is not relevant here.)

So next year, when I am cursing myself for signing up for yet another hour of torture, I will remember the satisfaction that I feel right now.

After the race.  During the race, cursing (aka pep talks) is fair game.