Wordless Wednesday - Enchanted

The original princess

(wordless mainly because I'm finding the blog less than inspiring lately ...

therefore relying on my kids to inspire me. And who better to?)

Dancing "New" Romantic

It had been a VERY long while since we'd been to a wedding. The one we attended on Saturday was well worth the wait. My young friend, the beautiful bride, did such a fantastic job organizing a truly wonderful celebration full of love and tradition. There were several points in the day that got me so choked up. I cried at the ceremony, although it was conducted in Armenian, Italian and English and I didn't understand what was said for much of it, the symbolism was so apparent. But what hit me most was the love that shone from the groom's eyes as his bride came up to his side. There was lovely music, traditional blessings of the rings, and of crowns, communion, lighting of the candles.

And what a reception. The antipasto bar opened at 5:30; we got there just after 6, and after getting drinks and finding our table, Ian promptly ditched me for the antipasto tables. Somehow I ended up at the hot food area and at the other side of the cold platter table while hubby was just starting to load up. Did I tell you I'm a pro at the buffet (ugh, I don't like run of the mill buffets, but this was irresistible). So I had a mountainous platter by the time I got back to my seat. How bad is it that my friend looked at my plate, laughed and said she wanted to see me eat all that because she KNEW I could!!! Remember, there was still the dinner to come... paced myself and managed to get through two types of canneloni, beef, part of the chicken, and the gelato dessert. Part of a traditional Italian wedding feast. I was all set though, as I had worn my expandable Nicole Miller "garbage bag" dress.

The speeches were so heartfelt; the bride's brother, who is a singer/songwriter, performed a composition written especially for the couple. He's got a scratchy rock voice and while he was singing with his guitar, I was thinking, this young man must have NO problems whatsoever with the ladies. He should think about Canadian Idol.

Then the party got started. The deejay was so much fun. There was traditional Armenian dancing (the ladies danced around in a large circle; I was tempted to join, but with my 4-inch stillettos, I was really afraid of knifing someone's, mainly my own, toes.) The men had their own separate Armenian drinking dance, around a glass and then picking it up with their mouths for the satisfying "gulp" in conclusion.

I was lucky; Ian was in a dancing mood. One thing that I think is great about hubs, is that he likes to dance. He always has, and he's not a bad dancer. Not a Bodyjam dancer, but he appreciates good dance music. Well, despite the 80s swinging arm movements which I forgive him for, because that was the move that just sorta went with the mullet back in the day, you know? We're grooving it up to some Rihanna, Kanye, Timbaland, and then on comes this beat and he says to me...

"Hey, remember when we were in Barbados and I requested this song, I LOVED this song, and the guy looked at me and told me it was SOOOOO old?"

And I said, "Yeah, but it wasn't really that old, was it?"

Barbados, that was a lifetime ago, when we used to do the Caribbean thing every year, the couples-only stuff. No kids.

I didn't remember the song right away, but my memory cell was tweaked... and then the distinctive synthesized notes of the following came on:

Music Video: SHOW ME LOVE -ROBIN S.

Oh yeah, THIS song. And I loved that he remembered it, because it came out the year we got married. So I danced and laughed with my husband, with more fervor and even less inhibition. I was not even inebriated. Just drunk with joy.

So funny that of all the old school songs the DJ could have picked, he chose this one. The one that brought back memories of a time when we didn't yet have children, a time when we were dancing fools, carefree DINKs, a time before we hit the struggles of trying to create a family.

A time of beginnings.

Like this lovely wedding celebration of a couple embarking on an exciting stage of their lives. And yes, marriage, despite the mundane can still be exciting.

There was a quote that came up during the reception, mentioned by the bride's sister, whose husband said on their wedding day, the best part of marriage was that he could fall in love with her again every day.

And I believe that what she said was true.

Even 15 years later. On a banquet hall dance floor in the burbs. It was happening all over again.

Weekly Winner #21

I'm sitting here in the quiet of a Sunday morning after a glorious wedding and rockin' reception. No children accompanied us parents yesterday. It was a nice break; yeah, we closed the bar down, us and the wedding party. You could see us a mile away, the couple with young kids, who just don't get out too much. Whooping it up on the dance floor, wondering what these new songs were, going a bit overboard when Human League, New Order, Justin Timberlake and Flo-Rida came on.

But this morning, it's quiet, too still. The kids aren't here. And it's Mother's Day. Before I get a bit sad, the phone rings. And it's them. My boy, wondering when we were coming to get them. My girl in the background with a "Happy Birthday, Mommy" (close enough!). All is right now.

It's been a pretty busy couple of days, and with the lovely weather we've been having, there hasn't been a lot of picture taking this week.

Except for one very special one...

I'm off to celebrate the day with my mother now.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

For other Weekly Winners check out the home of Sarcastic Mom

Thursday Thirteen - Kids are the best Life Coaches

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I'd take the time to reflect on the things that my children have taught me since I've joined the trenches of Mommyhood. I'm not the quickest study, but eventually I'll get it: 1. Pride. Shyness is nice, but shyess can stop you. And shyness is me. But not so much my kids. And that makes me proud. 2. Patience. Not one of my best virtues to begin with. Reading the favourite bedtime story for the fourth time without wanting to scratch my eyes out. Then tucking the chatty preschooler into bed with another personal (sometimes made-up) childhood anecdote. Re-tucking her in for the 6th time and loving the request for the tummy rub and even the dismissive "You can go now mommy" as she fades to sleep. Yeah, I do that now. 3. Courage. To even contemplate labour and delivery. Better yet, look forward to someone the size of a watermelon coming out from through the whoo-hoo. Twice in a lifetime. I've learned to be fierce. Don't even think about hittin' my kid in the playground, because although I'm no Mr. Lady, I can hold my own: 15 4. Humour. I laugh at burps and farts, as long as they're my kids'. Even the husband doesn't enjoy that distinction. 5. Dexterity. Carrying a knapsack, diaper bag, beach bag, snack bag and five-year old's hand in one hand, baby carrier including baby in the other. That was my summer of 2005. 6. Fear. Watching my boy fall from the swing with a thud, thinking he's cracked his skull open. Not seeing him at the playground within five minutes of when he's expected, only to find him playing a bit further down at the other playground. Seeing my 3 year old go hurtling headfirst toward the door frame in her too-big shoes, witnessing the sharp edged mark on her forehead, just thanking the stars that she missed her eye. In a busy department store, not realizing I'm in the middle of an impromptu game of hide-and-seek with a two year old who's suddenly perfected the skill of remaining still and silent. Fear. 7. Expect the Unexpected. Poops in the bath - check. Sticky-gooey-gluey play-doh peeling the varnish off the antique table -check. Glittery silly putty stuck to the broadloom - check. Untold smelly treasures on the floor of the van -check. Last year's chocolate eggs squished into the dark corners of the sofa/trampoline - check. Super sweet hug around the neck after a wrestling laughfest-tears to the eyes and - check. This is just the beginning, I know. 8. Selflessness. Motherhood. Synonyms. 9. Determination. Getting him to shower more than once a week. Sourcing the Wii. Battling to be second in line for kindergarten registration. 11. Ingenuity. This one I need to learn more from the hubs. Make every chore a game, instead of a shouting match. Kitchen utensils, putting away the laundry, getting dressed, brushing the teeth, it's a race against time or each other ... events worthy of the Olympics. Diversion tactics during tantrums ... look at the robin's egg; hey isn't that a plane in the sky; let's play basketball, but finish up the reading homework first ... 12. Fun 13. Love. The enduring love between a mother and her two precious children. A bond that knows no bounds. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there.

Wordless Wednesday - Early Retirement

(Bingo, anyone?)

(taken by my pal bec)