Recess: By a Boy for Boys

Long Live Recess

by Roland Spencer

  Basically everything at recess started getting banned around the end of September.  And by everything I mean…

Soccer:  I personally don’t play soccer but I see the soccer boys get frustrated every time the game gets banned.  Soccer is their life at school and the second thing to hockey for most of them.  When it is taken away they feel mad and sad.  They need to be given chances to cooperate, and practice team work without adults.  Getting put ‘on the wall’ every time they touch each other in the game, feels abusive (offensive and insulting) to them.  If someone is being ridiculous, pull them off, to cool down, talk, BUT let them get back to the game to play and have fun.

Manhunt (hide and seek, tag):  Manhunt is one of the only games that we like to play.
The teachers are always mad at us for getting muddy and bringing it in the school, but you don’t get it cause most of you have kids that are younger (or don’t have kids) and aren’t into this stuff yet, and boys are supposed to get a little muddy, what do you expect from an 11 year old kid? For me I feel TRUE, I feel how I should, getting a little muddy is as close to how freedom feels in the summer as we can get.  When you take Manhunt away we feel like bags of potatoes because we can’t do anything.  We feel restless and stir crazy when awesome games are taken away.

Just imagine if we kids banned coffee because you spilt it and were getting too talkative because you have too much of it.

Being boys (fighting, running and body slamming,hands on): Being a boy means that you are a daredevil, sometimes you just “do” before you think.  Most boys Do first then think.  e.g.. riding a toy dump truck off the pier.  It’s hard for boys to sit still, and not touch each other, it looks like we are being rough and sometimes aggressive but that is how boys are with each other, that hows we get along, thats how we understand each other.  Being boys is hard at school because most of you are female teacher and you can never know what it is like to be a boy, but we need you to understand that we need you to stop (what feels like) picking on us, bully us, and you are getting mad at us for bullying when we aren’t.


Bringing scooters inside:  Most scooters that we have, have nothing to lock them too.  Most scooters that are good are well over $100 and a lot of us have saved up our own money for them, so if we can’t bring them inside it feels stressful to us.  Maybe we could have a scooter corner in our class, or keep neatly tucked in at the coat room by our hook, if its not put away it goes in the office for the rest of the day, and get it at the end of the day to bring home, but you get the chance to do the right thing the next day.

Lets Make Recess Fun Again

 Let Boys be Boys - Means let them work things out for themselves sometimes.  Give them time and space to do the right thing.

Add scooter, skateboard and bike at recess.  It would really make me and a lot of kids happy and we are more likely going to pay better attention for our classes after.  My Dad and I and my buddy will volunteer and make a mini half-pipe for the yard.  And obviously we will wear helmets, if kids don’t wear helmets they don’t get to ride.  We could even teach other kids how to scooter at recess, maybe the Home and School would donate to get a few extra Razor Ultra Pros from Walmart ($400 for 4, plus helmets) to keep at school as good learner scooters.

What if we could get some Volunteer High Schooler Boys for the 2 recess times to hang with us for free play and ‘organized’ games.  Energetic, fun, cool, teenagers to look up too.

What if the recess Teachers and Monitors learnt to trust us more?  Cut us some slack?  Give us the chance to work things out in our own way?



Sometimes us kids feel so overwhelmed at school because of all the rules and every teacher has different rules on top of the school rules, we have rules at home, we have rules with all different family members and we have our own personal rules.  Wouldn’t it be nice to at least take some of the rules away.  We all know we need to play fare, we all know to be nice and we all know to not hurt each other too bad.  We also know sometimes we will get hurt and thats okay, and most parents are okay with that to…isn’t that what life is about sometimes….learning from experiences and from our mistakes.


When you see two boys bump shoulders in passing, we are just saying “hey” with our bodies.  It’s just in fun.  Your office would not be as busy if you let stuff like that go.

Boys like stupid jokes and acting goofy and being rowdy.  We can’t help it.  My mom says “its obnoxious to people but we all need to be understanding.”


I would love to talk more about this with you.  I would like to thank-you for (reading) or listening and I hope you will take some time and think about my ideas.  It would mean a lot to me.  I have copied some links to a great video, a must watch and an article my mom and I found.

Hi.  Just a quick note.  For months (and part of last school year) my son has come home sad or frustrated about recess. Recess for him is one of his only reprieve from classes that are a struggle for him.  And now recess is a struggle too.  We have talked off and on about this topic for a while now and the other week I said “Well do something about it.  Make a change.  Start a conversation about it.”  Our kids are full of insight and ideas, (even (especially) the ones that are struggling with the teaching style.)  They are (as all kids are) so worth listening too, they are begging to be heard and trusted and matter in the school that just doesn't fit them.

We brainstormed his ideas first on paper.  Broke it down into his top issues. Then went from there.  I sat at the computer and typed while he talked.  These are his words, his ideas and his frustrations  and his solutions.  We talked about who he'd like to read this essay, and what he would like to see come of it.  He mentioned sharing it on my blog.  I reminded him some or many people may read this...to which he replied "Good". 

I also want to point out I have the utmost respect, admiration, and love for anyone that choices teaching as a profession, just like parenting it is not for the faint of heart, and just like parenting, we do or should always strive to be better at it than the day before. 

Inspired By Rainbows

Our class is bursting at the seams, ready for sun, ready for a soft warm breeze on our face, ready to hear the birds chirping, ready to stretch our bodies and run like the wind.  For the last few months we have been storm stayed, snow days, cold, layers of clothing, runny noses.  The magic and wonder of the beautiful winter left our hearts a few weeks ago.  We want spring!!!!

After a little "Saint Patricks Day" celebration the children had lots of "I Wonder..." questions about rainbows, so naturally it led to lots of cool inquiry explorations and inspirations throughout the room.  It was a wonderful invitation to breath some extra colour into our room to combat all the white and lack of sunshine in our lives.  

So with this post I wish you all a very HAPPY SPRING and OODLES of Colour!

Vision/Inspiration Atelier Board

The question on our board reads 

"What colours do you like to create with?"

Lots of fun provocation with the tulips and clay, pencil crayon sculpture, drawings.  

A lesson on pastels, followed by experimentation with smudging rainbow on construction paper.  

3D Shape and finger painting, don't you just love discovering math concepts through  ART?! 

Just one of the beautiful, cool, amazing benefits of FDK.  

Paint chip shades add to the kids knowledge of colours.  

And a little Picasso lady and the mirror peeping out for inspiration.  

Tissue Paper poofs to add sculpture, texture, form and visual interest above the creating table.

Tissue Mosaic Rainbow Spray

I'd like to say that this turned out amazing...but it didn't.  The gluing mosaic style tissue on paper turned out, but once the kids squirted the water it was a little anti-climatic as the tissue paper didn't drip colour!!!  So my learning lesson here was test the tissue first!  Luckily we had a little crepe streamers that we quickly cut up and the kids glued it on.  It dripped colour and we were able to observe some colour mixing and some cool dripping.  The kids seemed to enjoy the processes and I guess that was another lesson for me that it is sometimes (most of the time) about the process and not the product at the end.  Also, interesting to add was the kids observing me when this Art project didn't work as I thought it would and seeing how it turned into a science experiment and just rolling with it, really felt good, a great moment for the kids to see that adults don't always have the answers.

Next time:  I think this would be really fun for outdoor classroom, using the proper tissue. 

Throughout these weeks I can't seem to get the lyrics from a family favourite song when I was little.  "Flowers are Red" by Harry Chapin, here's a wee snippet of the verse.  It's a beautiful, yet sad and sometimes true song.   The best parts are the parts the little boy sings.

But the little boy said

"There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one"

No truer words are spoken about children and some adults (especially R. ECE's)

Have a beautiful Sunshiny kind of Day,

Love, Light and Rockets all the Way,

Marcia

So Tired.

I have been feeling a little glum lately. I'm working on changing that, positive thoughts, smile more etc. but I just can't seem to shake it sometimes. Last night I stayed up until 1 cuddling my snoring dog and smelling her corn chip paws. Then finally dragged my bum to bed. Sadly this morning I was just soooo tired. I got up and served my kids an atrocious breakfast....freakin' fruit loops (Grrrrr Dalton) and OJ and kiwis (so not too bad). Made yummy lunches for the kiddos, got them on the bus, let the dog out for a pee. Trixie curled back up in her bed and I devilishly said "Good Night Again" and I curled back up in my pok-a-dot sheeted bed for 2 extra glorious hours of much needed sleep. The house was so peaceful and warm while the winds were howling and branches banging outside. I felt at peace, I felt thankful, I felt....more rested.

The kids will be home soon, early dismissal day. We are going to snuggle on the couch and eat popcorn and watch Marley and Me.

Rolie and I have a date tonight with some other mothers and their oldest. We are going to see Craig Kielburger founder of Free The Children
Really looking forward to it.

Hope you are having a lovely day
Marcia

Lady Weekend

I have never been alone in my house for a whole weekend. No husband, no kids. For the first time in 7 years...7 years! I watched as Dalton and the Kids loaded up the Jeep and headed for London to spend time with Big Grandad and Auntie Anne.
Is it wrong I was a little giddy about it? Even if I was going to clean the house for a couple of hours. I got to clean it...and no one was there to drop a toy and leave it, mess up my newly mopped floors, dishevel their beds, leave Canadian Tire flyer's on my counter. It was glorious.
My dear friend Lisa arrived late Friday night, we drank wine, ate nibbles, and girl talked to late at night. Saturday we slept until 9 am, got the house ready for a wonderful workshop I hosted at the house. "Calm Mum", created and facilitated by Carol Peat and I implore you to check out her company Babies Naturally, yes even if your kids are 5 and 7. We can all use some guidance ie. "hand holding" and personal growth as parents education, and Carol is the person to do it, from preconception to teens. The workshop took place with 6 other women and I believe we all left better mothers (and daughters for that matter). In a perfect world Carol Peats workshop would be mandatory for all parents and grandparents, much like getting a drivers licence before you can drive. I feel refreshed as a Calm Mum, I'm going to trust my instincts and my children more, they know what they want and need and if we are patient, present and aware they let us know. I am going to try my best to not worry about what other people think of me and my parenting simply because "Their judgement/opinion of me and my parenting is none of my business." Don't you just love that? Lets write it again "Other peoples opinion of me is none of my business." Freeing...isn't it? and Breath.

So later that day Lisa and I took Trixie for a big walk at the lagoons, it was a lovely walk, crunching on leaves, sunshine and chatting. Oh and Trixie ate shit. How gross is that? I said "So that's what getting shit faced really is?" I can seriously crack myself up. I'm my own personal stand-up comedian.

Then...Lisa and I got gussied up and went out for a delightful dinner and wine at Tramontos then Guinness time at Hawg's Breath. Such fun with a dear friend.

On Sunday I slept till 11:00, hot damn that was nice. Then the kids and Dalton got back in the afternoon and I was soooooo happy to see them and smooch their spectacular little faces.

Have a lovely day,
Marcia
xoxox

Answering The Call

I need to write this post as a "shout out" to a friend who "Answered The Call". This call happened to be "The Call of a Mom needing a time out from children". She was "picking up what I was laying down" on a facebook status this past week. And I just want to say how grateful I am for her. Rolie had a great day and I had some much needed quiet time with Sasha. So thank-you Ashley, your kindness was so appriciated.

Have a lovely Saturday evening,
Marcia
xoxoxoxo

Buisness up front...Party in the Back

This photo is the "Pre-Mullet" stage. I'll post the new do when he gets it.
My boy in jonesing for Mullet. Rolie has been watching RAD the movie and loves the guys hair. So Dalton told him he could get it...maybe even get a RAT TAIL!!!!! For the love of Justin Beiber someone throw me a life line. Apparently fauxhawks and brush cuts and even The Beibs hair just won't do. Rolie says "Mom, it's okay, I just want a mullet, and I want to bring back the '80's, old school style". So from this moment on Roland is officially no longer allowed to hang out with his Dad, ever again, no more long bike rides and all the chatting and reminiscing because it is affecting the way I want to style my son. (Of coarse I kid, he can totally hang out with his Dad & as if Rolie ever let me style him in the first place.) My main thing is for Dalton to not be the one to cut his hair, this is a job for a professional.

On another note: I got gussied-up this past week, on Wednesday in fact, to go out to dinner and see Sting at the JLC in London. I went with my lovely seestor Amy and Mom and Dad, the folks just celebrated their 42nd Wedding Anniversary so we did it up right, no hubbies and no kids! ha ha ha. Actually, the hubbies and kids would have LOVED the concert. It was a nice treat to hang out, just the 4 of us. Love them. So I love talking about food and our dinner was delightful, we ate at Waldo's On King I had ceasar salad, so fresh and crisp with a pancetta medallion and Parmesan round, steak and frites, green beans, 3 glasses of red wine, and homemade lemon sorbet and blueberry tea (Grand Marnier and Tea (My friend Kayli introduced me to that yummy goodness)
Can I just put it out there that Sting is Sexy. He is 58 years old and just has that certain something, he was even wearing kind of a ridiculous outfit though,really tight black skinny jeans and a white pirate blouse. Now if my hubby were to wear that out I'd be laughing at him all night, not with him...totally at him.
So anyway, Roland and Sass love it when I get dressed up. They walk around in my heals, smooth my freshly shaved legs, ask to have some lipstick on, wonder what I can fit in that little purse. Roland asked if he could take my picture. Of coarse I said "yes"...here it is....

ya sooooo, he's more of a handbag, shoes, legs kinda guy, jeesh, I thought I was worthy of a full body shot but apparently not.
Busy week ahead, summer is full, fun and got us on the run, with some lazy dayz of summer sprinkled in,
Love
Marcia

This is me Happy

Under a red Kitty Cat Umbrella ella ella hey hey!

I feel joyful and happy. Nothing in particular, no massive event, no gifts on my door step. Just a feeling of happiness. Plain and simple...joy. Every now and then I like to "take stock" of what is going on in my life and really feel thankful for it. Yes, I still have a few things that stress me out but all and all a wonderful, fulfilling life.
Things I am thankful for in this moment:
a)A husband to love and loves me right back, something fierce comes over me when he walks in the house.
b)Two beautiful, healthy, energetic children so bursting with smarts, creativity and wildly funny personalities.
c)Getting to be with my children for the summer, beaching it,pipebanding, exploring and daytripping our way through the warm weather.
d)A roof over our heads, food in our bellies, a car to take us from A to B in AC.
e)A sister like no other, to share our hopes, dreams, laughs, triumphs and tribulations with.
f)My parents who live on the same street as me. Getting to "pop in" for a nice hot "cuppa" and a chat.
g)My girlish figure, witty personality and devilish thoughts.

There is a smile on my face and warm thoughts in my heart for you on this summer evening,
smmmmmmmoooooch,
Marcia

Holding Hands - Heartwarming

Happy Friday!! This moment - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Have a lovely weekend,
Marcia

Summer Lovin'

SASHA & ROLAND my little Summer Lovers.

This is why we live here in the blistering 8 months worth of Winter/cold/wind/snow/rain. For this. We take what we get, 4 months worth of pure bliss.

Love
Marcia

SLOW Summer

With the last days of school nearly behind us I am excited to have my little chickens home with me for the summer. I have declared this our good old fashioned slow summer. A summer with no major agendas, no major organized sports. The plan is to enjoy the summer and enjoy each other, literally take time to smell the roses.
Now with saying that there is no agenda does not mean we have no plans, on the contrary, we have assembled a list of activities we would like to do this summer and we have a few activities that we have booked but in general it's pretty loose.

* Explore the Bruce We are going to Explore our community and surrounding area maybe once a week or every two. Fun.
* BEACH BUMS We are sooooo fortunate to live so close to beautiful beaches, a 10 minute walk from our house. (half an hour with kids in tow) The sunsets are breath taking. The water is warm and clear, the beaches are sandy. This will be our main playground for the summer. And with not having evening planned up we can stay as long as we want. woo hoo.
* WaterPark in Goderich for a change of scenery.
* Parks and Pic-Nics in Kincardine. We have has lovely spots for pic-nics and play time, Tiny Tot park, right by the lake, Lions Park @ Davidson Centre (this one is a favorite, lots of shade, pic-nic tables and of course the coveted Skate/Bike Park. Geddes Park is another lovely spot along the river.
* Library time, I have a feeling we may need some quiet afternoons or rainy days. We love going to the libary (and as always *FREE*)
* Port Elgin Skate Park. Our second home. Again *FREE* Pack some food, plenty of water, and bikes and skateboards. FUN. (Lawn chair for yourself)
* We are setting up an art studio at home, we have all the supplies bought and ready to go for some exciting creations.

Rainy Wednesday

Sass with her lined up racing hotwheels.

No car today. Dalton had to use it for work today. I don't mind though, it gives me a chance to slow down and just "be" at home with Sasha. (Don't get me wrong I love going to Wednesday morning playgroup aka coffee talk with friends, while our kids play)
We are still in our jammies, well, I am, the more responsible of the two of use got dressed. Sasha and I had a lovely breakfast, then I put the kettle on for tea and biscuits while we read books. Sass did some drawings. One of me and her, she is walking a dog, and her and I are holding hands, I have a circle around one eye. I said to Sasha "oops you forgot the other half to mommy's glasses." She said "you're not wearing your glasses, its a black eye, you walked into the corner of a wall because you were not watching where you were going." Me "I should have had my glasses on."
I think while I am secluded to our house I will actually make all the beds, actually empty the 3 baskets of folded laundry and actually play on the floor with Sasha.
We aren't totally trapped though. I am going treasure hunting at the Dumps Re-Use it section with a friend today. I am after really large gaudy frames and what ever else catches my eye.
Enjoy your rainy day too
Marcia

Boys

(nice hair Dalt)

As the poem goes "Little boys are made of...Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails". First of all how gross. Second of all I disagree, at least mine aren't. My boys are made of "Two wheels, bike chains and Fox wear".
I often write my posts on food, decor,communty, Sasha,family and the childrens behaviours etc. This post will mostly be about my little boy and my big boy. Rolie and Big "D" if you will.
You'll also notice there has been a big lag in my writing. For good reason, the weather has been absolutely scrumptious. We have done more summer activities in the last month then we did all last summer. I have barely been at my computer, but that's not to say my brain has slowed down with writing ideas, my poor brain is back logged so sorry in advance if this post gets a little jumbled.
As promised "MY Boys". It has taken me awhile but for all the little things Rolie does that drives me bananas most times I am finally in the position to let most of it go and accept him for who he is and not for this weird idea of who I sometimes want him to be. For instance, he LOVES his skinny jeans, with holes and all and that he will wear them every day (if I do not kidnap them for the laundry) when he would wear these jeans to school or out it made me feel really anxious and feel like everyone would see this as a direct reflection of my poor parenting. I imagined teachers, friends, parents (anyone really) would think I don't care about my son, or that we can't afford to cloth him in sensible pants etc. I know this to be so untrue,I couldn't care about him or love him more and he has a closet full of sensible, fashionable clothing. But he chooses to express himself through his cloths. He has been this way since he was 3, it has been 4 years of clothing battles and I am waving the white flag. For all you parents out there that can just lay out an outfit and your child will wear it and wear it all day with no wardrobe changes, bravo, good for you, that works for you and your child, no offence, but it's not just because you "trained" him that way, it's because he just doesn't care what he wears, it's just not his thing right now (and this is a good thing)Rolie, just happens to be a Diva in holey jeans. *sigh*. Even though it may not look like it, A LOT of thought has gone into each outfit he wears, every outfit takes him on a journey, or event, be it real or imaginary and I for one think it is pretty neat. Sure my Grandad would not accept this "behaviour", but times have changed, so must our thoughts and expectations of our creative little ones.

My two boys Rolie and Big "D" love them some bikes. BMX, Mountain, Motor anything with two wheels, they will ride it, modify it, fix it, dream about it, race it, talk about it, pray to it. Not kidding, biking is their church, it is where they get great joy, peace, solitude, community and time to meditation. They are always more clear minded when done biking, not to mention more tired and very hungry too. I am almost dreading the winter already, where will they ride, they need an indoor track.




I have a confession. I am not a morning person. By golly I wish I was though, I completely love the feeling of early morning, the fresh crispness of that time of day, but for petes sake I cannot get my butt out of bed that early. I sleep to 7:30-8:00 most mornings but I day dream about sleeping until 9:00. Anyway, wow long story to get to this short one. The other morning as I lay in bed I hear some action going on in the kitchen. A few minutes later Rolie comes into the room and says "Girls get up, time for breakie, I made breakfast for you guys." We get up and Rolie has my favorite cups at each of our spots, orange juice poured, bowls with spoons, napkins, 3 types of cereal out, Almond milk, and fruit all set up neatly on the table. Double *sigh*. Isn't he the sweetest. He has a flare for presentation and he really loved the praise from preparing such a lovely treat. He will make a good husband someday.

Big "D" is the bike master. If he cannot have his two wheels, I don't know who he would be. And that's the truth. Before we even started dating I would see this crazy looking tall guy, wearing a lime green bike jacket, tight black riding pants, long dreadlocks hanging out the back of a bike helmet going like 9o down Richmond Row in London with his pitbull running beside him. I remember thinking "what a nut", who new I would marry that nut. Anyway, he has passed the bike bug onto our Rolie and it is a match made in heaven. It has been a wonderful way for these two men to bond and I believe it is a gift of a lifetime passion.

In other bike news. Sasha is riding two wheels now too. The run bike was a huge success. She never needed training wheels. She simply got on two wheels, Dalton held the back for like 5 seconds and she was gone. Within 2 weeks she has also started standing and riding and riding "one hander".

My little family is growing up.

Bike on friend, bike on,
Marcia
Me and Big "D"

Passion: 300 Words or Less

Mabels Labels BlogHer'10 Contest
I’ve lived a life of searching for passions but knowing my truths, and now the two have collided because now I could not have one without the other. I once filled out a Dr.Seuss book and one of the questions was “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I filled it out at age 7 and my answer was “A Mother”. I filled it out again at age 11 and scratched that answer out and put “A Millionaire Mother”. So far so good on becoming a Mother. I am passionate about my husband, we don’t even have to work hard at our marriage, it just is, the ebbs and flows of our relationship makes married life exciting. Because of my husband and kids I have explored being an entrepreneur and have owned 2 business’. My true passion is finding what works for my family as a whole. My business’ while an adventure was not my truth. I am now a good old fashion housewife. Except for I don’t spend my days cleaning the house and mending socks and making sure my husband has a martini and a newspaper when he gets home. I am the housewife, who plays with my kids, has just as much paint in my nails as they do, I’m the housewife down at the beach collecting rocks and driftwood, I’m the housewife biking with the kids Saturday morning to collect our local fruits and veggies, goat cheese and meat for the week. My passion is now in my day to day living, I’m learning how to slow parent and be there, I mean really, really there. And when the kids are asleep and all is quiet I’ll sit on my front porch with my husband and cheers with a martini. A life shaken not stirred.

A Clever and Lovely way to live
Marcia

I'd like to thank my 1st grade teacher...and to all those who believed in me from the beginning...

Oh oh I am so excited...I have won an award!
My friend Lisa at www.thimbleberrykitchen.blogspot.com
honored me a few weeks back with an Honest Scrap award. For this I say "Merci Bonne Fille". Honest Scrap is blogger pat on the back by a peer or quite possibly it is the “friendship cake” of the blogosphere. Now, I need to share with you ten things you may not know about me, and nominate some other bloggers who I enjoy. I am a 'late bloomer' to the blogging world and have finally seen first hand what all the fuss has been about for the past 8 years or so. Two of the bloggers I would pass this award onto have already received this award but they are still my 2 main blogs I check out www.twwly.com and www.thimberrykitchen.blogspot.com but a third you may not have touched on yet goes to http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/. She is not a friend of mine and she live in Utah, but this mother of 4 is a true beauty inside and out, inspiration in its most pure form. With this award it is also my goodness given duty to reveal 10 little to unknown tidbits about me, so here it goes.

1. When I met my husband for the first time (a few years before we got together and he was with another girlfriend) He had long curly hair and was wearing tight bike shorts, I thought he looked like the lead singer from Haywire.

2. When I met my husband for the second time, I thought he was kinda cute but not my type.

3. Third time I met my husband. I fell in love and have never looked back. Moral of the story to all the single ladies, you have probably already met your future husband. *wink* *wink*

4. I like my kitchen all to myself. But I also like to bake with the kids. Basically I really don't like tripping over people while I am in the zone.

5. I was the "Face of '89". (Laughing right now at myself for posting this) I won a modeling contest in Ottawa held by BarrettPalmer Modeling Agency. I won $500, a free photo shoot, a house boat weekend on the Big Rideau, modeling classes, and signed on with BarretPalmer. One of the judges was Elmer Olsen from Toronto. It was fun. Look at me now world!

6. I moved to Kincardine for the summer,fall and winter of 1995 to work at TommyJohn's Bar and grill when it first opened. I even helped during the construction phase and my initials are engraved in the cement between the wood slates in the front entrance. After being in Kincardine for the winter I swore I would never live here again. Little did I know at the time it is one of my most favorite places or that I actually would live here again.

7. I love to sing. I have a whole set planned out and have for years that if I ever got the chance or nerve to go on stage it is what I would sing. The sad thing is I am one of those people you see on American Idol that you say "Didn't her parents or friends tell her she can't sing, oh this is horrible, the poor thing", except my parents have told me ;)

8. I LOVE Eagle Brand condenced milk on cornflakes. Try it. Delish and not so nutrish!

9. My Auntie Yvonne passed away with Cancer when I was 18. There is hardly a day she doesn't cross my mind.

10. I like big butts and I cannot lie. Seriously I love rude crude songs about butts, ie. Wiggle it just a little bit.

Please check out the blogs I awarded, you may have to put them in your search for I have trouble making the linkie ma bobbers work.

Thank you Lisa...I'm back
Marcia

Lovely Little Hands

Lovely Little Girl

I woke up today in one of my most favorite ways. 
As I lay on my side in full dreamland mode,
 I felt a smoothness tickle my forehead,
 then smoothed all the way around my face. 
I remember thinking "Am I dreaming",
 then I felt my eyelashes being smoothed 
then a soft warm little hand rested on my cheek.
 I'm not sure how long it was there for,
 but when I opened my eyes the most beautiful smiling little face
 was staring at me about 2 inches from my face. 
I actually felt my heart 'heat up' just as it did the first time I ever saw her. 
We stared and smiled at each other for a few seconds,
 until I scooped her up and we spooned until we absolutely had to get out of bed. 
I am so thankful for this lovely little creature, 
she is a true little kindred I will cherish forever. 
Sasha Yvonne you are one lovely little girl.

Love

Marcia

This lovely lady melts my heart

I know a girlShe puts the color inside of my worldShe's just like a mazeWhere all of the walls all continually changeAnd I've done all I canTo stand on her steps with my heart in my handsNow I'm starting to seeMaybe it's got nothing to do with meFathers be good to your daughtersDaughters will love like you doGirls become lovers who turn into mothersSo mothers be good to your daughters tooOh, you see that skin?It's the same she's been standing inSince the day she saw him walking awayNow she's leftCleaning up the mess he madeFathers be good to your daughtersDaughters will love like you doGirls become lovers who turn into mothersSo mothers be good to your daughters tooBoys, you can breakYou'll find out how much they can takeBoys will be strongAnd boys soldier onBut boys would be gone without warmth from A woman's good, good heartOn behalf of every manLooking out for every girlYou are the god and the weight of her worldSo fathers be good to your daughtersDaughters will love like you doGirls become lovers who turn into mothersSo mothers be good to your daughters, tooSo mothers be good to your daughters, tooSo mothers be good to your daughters, too By John Mayor