Whew. Done. Two weeks and I am spent - if that makes me a wimp, well, so be it.

First up, let me be clear - I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I enjoy the work, the customers and I really had fun with the other ladies in the Sardis Post Office. They are quite a crew and I had a blast with them. That said - I wouldn't want to make a habit of it.

My family was more than accomodating. They pitched in and we all managed to get through the week with a relatively clean house and relatively healthy food on the table. My favourite moment of the week? Pulling into the driveway at 5:45 p.m. Friday night and having the girls rush out onto the deck doing the infamous 'dance of joy' because they were so happy it was over.

It's nice to know that your kids like you. and you know, I like them too.

This week I understand how it feels to be a double income family. It's Wednesday and truth be told, I'm exhausted. I was hired by the Post Office last month as a casual. Great! I'm thrilled - called in occasionally, make some great money - no big deal. What does go with that however is training. Two weeks , fulltime... so here I am running out the door at 8:30 to meet my carpool (training is in Chwk). Before that happens though, my kids have to be out the door, cycling over to Grandma's house. I admit I am rather spoiled in having Grandma pick up homeschooling with my girls. What a gift for me AND the girls. We all arrive home around the same time - 5:15 ish. Then of course it's supper and the evening.

How do you do this all the time??? I miss my morning cuddles and planning the day as we lay in my bed first thing in the morning. I miss relaxing over my coffee until we start school. I miss getting supper, laundry and other cleaning done over the course of a day. I miss having my evening to have fun and hang out rather than trying to catch up on what didn't happen that day. I know that for some - there is no choice. This is life. So be it. I tip my hat to you - I watch some of you and you do it ALL and you do it well.

But for me. I am still looking forward to the 'casual' shift that doesn't completely and totally disrupt my life. I am pretty sure that 'having it all' isn't talking about money - My version of having it all probably is more hanging out with my family, keeping a tight budget(and believe me, it is a TIGHT budget!) and having time to be........ well, to just be.

They say that you can't appreciate a feast without a famine, the having without the have-not. I think that's true. I certainly appreciate more the life we've chosen now that I've walked on the other side.

As I type it is 9:52 p.m. and there are 8 kids in my backyard screaming. Yes, it is our 4th annual back-to-school sleepover. What's that you ask? Well, it is the weekend where we as insane parents have 2 daughters, 4 nieces, and 2 really close to niece & nephews over for a "sleep" over. First, we buy $75.00 worth of candy. Yep. $75.00. It's not cheap to buy skittles and gummy worms, smarties and pop.... Then we watch a movie. At break time we go outside for a "tiki" ceremony. A tiki ceremony is when we go into the backyard & the kids go onto the trampoline. We light our tiki torches and they dance and perform this humerous ceremony. Very traditional, very fun. Then back inside for our second movie and finally ........bed.

It's so fun to celebrate with this gang. They're great kids. and it's fun to be a kid again.

We just watched "Akeela & the Bee" tonight. It was a really great movie. Very enjoyable. This quote is from the movie.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of god that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others.’

- Marianne Williamson

Every year at about this time I get excited. I love new beginnings. It's a fresh start - clean duo-tangs, new pencils, erasers.....

There are many things I enjoy about September. I like getting back into routine, into a schedule. I love the cooler weather. I love being able to plan and organize how we can structure the coming term so that we all are functioning at our optimum levels. I do this every year and I actually think we improve things a little bit every year. Some ideas come in - and they last oh, maybe a week or two. But they evolve into something useful. A family takes ideas and twists them until they fit for them.

So what things am I really excited about? Well, at the Church we are changing (yes the dreaded 'C' word) and moving ALL our clubs onto one night. That's right - ALL clubs on ONE night. Friday Night Live! (just to show how my brain travels off, as I type this my mind wanders to the obvious connection of Saturday Night Live and some of my old highschool faves - Roseanne Rosannadanna, the Whiners, Samurai everything....now that was comedy!)

We will begin at 6:30 (usual time) and end at 8:00 (again, the usual) and in the middle? well, a logistical nightmare!! No, actually I think it is going to be incredible energy - over 100 kids and adults excited and ready to go. Every inch of the Church building being used, the walls shaking with noise, laughter and music. Sounds heavenly to me. and I think Jesus will be enjoying Himself as well. We realized that we were seriously fragmenting the family with our clubs being held on different nights of the week. We have friends were were out Tuesday, Thursday and Friday just for their kids and only for Church things- that isn't even including any activities outside the Church. That's ridiculous. So we thought - lets bring everyone together. One night. The whole family can come out and participate. It'll be great for our Church family and it will allow more time in the community. And that is pretty important.

The other thing I'm excited about is that our whole family is going to do a 5 km walk/run on October 28 - the Spooktacular Scurry in Langley. So training will begin asap and we're all excited - even Grandma and Grandpa are going to join us. We are hoping to then register for a Santa Shuffle - 5 km fun-run in December.