Olympics are on our screens pretty much non stop.

Jon and me do not love sports.

We kind of avoid them like the plague.

But the Olympics?

That's another story.

Nav is getting into them and Rohk remains un-interested.

So far Rugby Sevens has been my favourite to watch.

Those women are kick-ass awesome!

When we are not watching athletes compete for medals,

I have been cleaning and purging like a mad woman.

I'm in a mood.

My home feels lighter because I know the closets and drawers and shelves are emptier.

The kiddo's had a good room purge of their accumulated junk and now I can focus on camping this weekend and getting Nav ready for bible camp next week.

My girl, the nine year old that she is, will be going to bible camp for the first time ever next week!  She is soo excited!! Both me and Jon loved bible camp so we really hope Nav does as well.  It was her birthday present from us and my parents.

In recent years we have started moving away from giving presents and towards giving experiences.  Like bible camp.

The older I get, the more I shun the idea of giving stuff for the sake of giving stuff.  I would rather have less and experience more with the people love.

I've stopped asking my kids what they want for birthdays or Christmas because I think it sends the wrong message. (I just pay attention to them and what they like.) If the build up to these celebrations is about fulfilling a wish list, the beauty of the day is lost.  

I love giving my kids good gifts, and they have had some pretty amazing ones.  But I would rather they be excited to plan an entire day of birthday celebrations just the way they want it to be with their favourite people than focus on the one gift they want and they might not get.  

I would rather focus on the season of advent and go to lots of Christmas concerts with loved ones instead of putting all our energies towards one morning of excess just because we are supposed to do that on Christmas morning.

Birthday's get to look a certain way around here because in general, you are allowed to do whatever you want for a birthday.

Birthday celebrations are my very favourite.

Breaking away from the Christmas usual is infinitely  more difficult.  Every year, I dread more and more the Christmas season.

The combination of not being able to eat Christmas baking and the ability to buy perfect presents have led me to question everything about how Christmas is celebrated. 

And I have decided that Christmas stinks.

The expectations for what it needs to look like, how much I need to buying and giving and donating...

It's a money grab for everyone and I'm really over it.

So I sound super bitter!

Here is a list of things that make me happy:

Summer holidays rule
Star Trek (the original series) is perfect to have on while I bake
I love my bike
Rohk making jello this morning was pure joy
Nav crafting all day, every day
Inside jokes with Jon

This meme

found here

Summer has been delightful

It is going down as my favourite one in years.

The proof, I have no pictures of it!

The kids play outside for hours and hours with the neighbourhood gang (no joke. it's a gang.), coming in long enough to tattle or get freezies for everyone on the yard.  The hose is on for hours and my yard is covered in toys and clothing from children who strip without reservation.  "It's hot. I'm taking off my shorts!"  Rohk has relished in the availability of friends after a school year of hanging out with his mom for most hours of his day.  Naveed has warmed up to the idea of summer holidays, but it took her a few weeks to see the glory of late nights and sleeping in.

About 2 times a week my children get an earful for disobeying or being mean to each other or whatever else a 5 & 8 year old get in trouble for, groundings happen and bedroom doors are slammed.  I hate going to bed those nights because I would rather our days be filled with perfection.  Silly, I know, but still what I would hope for.

It has been a summer with flurries of friends and family followed by days and days of solitude.  Hours of watching tv with my honey, making fun of commercials and laughing with him.

This summer has been full of much introspection and coming to some conclusions about myself versus the previous months of introspection that just lead to more introspection.

 It has also been a summer full of Doctor Who novels, music from the late 90's & early 2000's, watching cable tv and completing sewing projects I started years ago.

Tomorrow my girly turns 9!

She is so excited and so am I!

Time to get going on the party preparations.  She has the entire day planned out and I need to get my butt in gear to make it all happen.