Embrace CHANGE!

"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts."
-Arnold Bennett


"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown."
-George Shinn


"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. "
-Maya Angelou

Here is a little CHANGE
from color to black and white!
This is Mariah last week in front of the poster
in the basement of Colin's band tour in 2006.
That tour took him through
many city CHANGES along the way.

Here is Beau last week making a CHANGE
to how he can stack the LOVE blocks!

BEAU goes through many CHANGES of emotions in a day,
mostly happy ones! 

Beau on Friday CHANGING
 the use for the tupper wear bin! 

Last week...
Mariah and my niece Rowen,
CHANGED into costumes.
Rowen CHANGED Mariah's hair do,
...& Beau not wanting to be left out of the fun!

A little CHANGE of supper for us!
Brian got take out SUSHI on Saturday for supper...
it was a TASTY CHANGE! 

Time to LEAP into a CHANGE on the bulletin boards
at BSOBAD... from Hearts to Shamrocks!
Although some of these MARCH BOARD EMBELLISHMENTS
have not CHANGED in years...
they continue to hang in different spots each year!
The little ELF in the upper right corner is my favorite
Bulletin Board thing of all time!
His happy little face always CHANGES my spirits,
and puts me in a good mood....along with the
IRELAND FOREVER sign!

Yesterday we got a CHANGE of carpet in our family room.
It looks very similar to the old one, but just a shade darker
and lots more cushy and soft under lay makes it feel like
a real CHANGE to walk on it!

Yesterday Mariah was here briefly
sitting on the kitchen chair
which had CHANGED to the dining room
temporarily while the new carpet was being put in. 

Beau was summing up the CHANGE
of furniture placement, too, yesterday when here! 

Something that can CHANGE the aroma and ambiance
in the house!
SCENTSY
Here are 3 of my new favorites!

Today as we get ready to LEAP into a
whole new month... I got to thinking of
all the CHANGES in my life lately!

Last week was one filled with many
hours of babysitting, which caused some CHANGES to my normal daily routine!
I didn't get to the gym as often,
nor did I eat my regular foods...
and instead ate way too many snacks!

This week I am trying to CHANGE
back to my normal routine again.
I went to the GYM today. I do like to take
BODY VIVE, which for the past bit has
had a CHANGE of teacher. TRENT is an awesome instructor at Goodlife,
but doesn't usually teach that class.
I do enjoy his classes, though when ever
he teaches. Next week it will CHANGE
back to the regular teachers
for that class again!

I have been CHANGING from
STARBUCKS to TIM HORTON'S
for my coffees lately!
I went there again following my gym
this morning with my friend, Ella.
I am hoping my luck will CHANGE soon,
on the "roll up the rim to win"!!!
So far I always get this in my rim...
"please play again!"
Ella got a free coffee or latte in
her rim today, though!

Yesterday we CHANGED our
family room carpet. We have had
the same grey burber for the past
15 years or so. It was wearing out
in places and had many a stain on it, too!
So although we didn't CHANGE
the look of the carpet drastically,
we did FRESHEN things up a bit
with a new darker grey burber
on a better underlay.
We managed to get rid of all creaks
in there too, so it is now
CHANGED to quieter as well!
This is the room we spend
most of our time in, so it seemed like
a good place to CHANGE things in.

I got a LEAP on things at the dance studio
by CHANGING the bulletin boards from FEBRUARY to MARCH.
I have many seasonal embellishments
that have been around for my
10 years of doing boards at BSOBAD.
However, they still work well, so rather
than CHANGE them... I just choose to
add to them and or CHANGE
where I hang them,
so they always seem sort of new!
I do really like the MARCH
stuff for the boards, too!!!

I am a big FACEBOOKER...
and believe me... nothing CHANGES
more than the format for that!
I have a hard time adapting
to the CHANGES as fast
as they happen there...
but am trying hard to EMBRACE them,
because without CHANGE
we do not grow... or so the sayings go!

Every 4 years there is a CHANGE
to the month of FEBRUARY,
in that there is an extra day,
making it a LEAP YEAR!...
Tomorrow is that 4 year CHANGE...
and then it will be another 4 years
until we LEAP into that CHANGE again!

Soon we will be CHANGING
from winter to spring...
that is always a welcome CHANGE!

I have been watching several
shows on TV lately.
One which I have not mentioned is
"THE BACHELOR"
I sort of got hooked into that one...
but am really wanting the bachelor,
Ben, to CHANGE his choices of girls.
Anyone else following it will know
what I mean by this!!!
I hope he CHANGES his thoughts
on Courtney next week!!!!!!!! wink wink!

As well as that show...
I still watch the reality singing shows...
"The Voice" and "American Idol"
Sometimes I would have had a CHANGE
of heart on who gets chosen in those shows
as well, however that being said....
I do think there is a lot of good talent
on both those shows this season.

I have enjoyed the fact that ELLEN
has had the little British tutu cuties...
"Sophia Grace and Rosie"  on a lot!
 Today they CHANGED things up by
singing an original tune called
"PRINCESS SWAGGER"...
it was just TUTU cute!
 I believe Ellen has CHANGED
their lives forever!

Some CHANGES in life are inevitable
... and whether we like them or not...
they continue to happen all around us,
so why not  just EMBRACE the CHANGE!

My Auntie Betty in Vancouver is
CHANGING her age today...
Happy Birthday to her!

on that note... my poem of the day

Changes are just everywhere...
in people and in things.
And often they just change the tune
in which your heart now sings.
Things are always changing
each and everyday...
But sometimes we just wish those things
would stay the same old way!
But growth can really not be found
by merely standing still.
So changing is is just what we do,
sometimes beyond our will.
Change can often freshen up
the things that become old.
Or change some little minor things
into  something bold.
Sometimes change is in our control
and other times it's not.
But however change will come to us,
a little , or a lot!
Embrace it as it comes your way,
because it can be great.
CHANGE is like a LEAP of faith,
EMRACE it... CELEBRATE!

Live, LOVE, Laugh, ... SnAcK!!!

"Live well, Love much, Laugh often."
-Author Unknown


"We are indeed much more than we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us be much more than we are."
-Adelle Davis


"I live for those who love me, for those who know me true."
George Linnaeus Banks

Here is BEAU yesterday enjoying some little marshmallows,
 his little cars...and my LOVE blocks! 

I LOVE that my brother Brian enjoys coming
over for a visit and a few LAUGHS!
He popped by all 3 days I babysat this week. 

BEAU with one of the many SNACKS of the day yesterday.
He was saying CHEESE as he ate his little Cheese crackers! 

Beau always had a smile or LAUGH for me
when I would find him hiding behind the
living room couch! 

Beau enjoying some more GIGGLES here...
He is always so full of life love and laughs!

The kid trade off yesterday...
Nels dropped off Mariah and picked up Beau.
Beau wasn't wanting to be held too tightly here
as his sister was trying to share some sisterly LOVIN! 

Beau snacking on
a little granola bar on his way out the door! 

Mariah LOVES to dance!
 

LIVING it up and dancing some more! 

Mariah and Brian off to a BLADES HOCKEY
game together last night.
They LOVE their POPPA/ GRAND DAUGHTER bonds!

Another one of the many SNACKS of the day here yesterday.
I made these yummy cinnamon buns. 

Yesterday's saying in my
Mary Engelbreit book for February 24th said...
"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."
-Anthony Brandt
(I thought the little picture looked like me
with Mariah and Beau!)

And the 17 day diet book...
maybe I'll follow this after all my snacking this past week! 

An ANGEL AVON fridge magnet calendar.
I got this today from my good friend, ELLA.
She now sells AVON... and mom used to sell it.
Today marks one year and four months
since mom passed away.

This past week I have done lots of Living, Loving, Laughing... and of course
SNACKING!!!

I babysat 3 days this past week...
Tuesday and Wednesday with
Mariah and Beau here,
and yesterday with just Beau.
All 3 days my brother, Brian popped by too.
I enjoy his company, and he sure
has bonded with Beau since I
used to babysit him as a baby.

Thursday I had a day off of babysitting,
so did a gym class (much needed).
I have been snacking way too much
this past week. I also stopped by my
oldest Brother's house and had a visit
with my sister-in-law, Arleen.
I do not see them as often,
but we had a nice little catch up.

Last night Brian took Mariah and
her little friend to a hockey game.
That has quickly become a favorite way
for them to bond together as Grandpa and Grand daughter. I stayed home and
enjoyed a nice calm relax after all the babysitting and activity of the week!

I do not know why I tend to snack
so much when ever I babysit the grandkids!!!
I had much more "WILL" power before I
 was married! ... Could it be the when
my last name changed from
"WILL" to "RASKOB"?!!!
Not sure if that has anything to do with it...
but I will say it does!

Beau enjoys a snack, too...
he eats most foods... even healthy ones...
and one of his favorites is BROCCOLI!

Today I got up and went to my early
morning saturday Body Vive class
at Goodlife gym.
It felt good to get there after
eating so much junk this week!!!

I went for coffee at Tim Horton's
with my gym friend, Ella, today as well.
It felt good to get out and have a nice visit
with her.  She brought me the newest book
in AVON (which she sells) and a cute little ANGEL fridge magnet calendar, too.
That was not only thoughtful of her...
it seemed so timely seeing as this is
the year and four month anniversary
of mom's passing, today.

Last week at my Dr. visit I had ...
she told me of a good diet to
get a good kick start on losing belly weight.
It is called the 17 day diet. I bought the
book and have tried starting this diet
 3 times now! However so far I never
get past the first breakfast of day one...
could be a LONG 17 days!

As Dr. Oz mentioned a while back
on his show... it is good to have one
"FAT-urday" in a week....
( I would say I had a few of those
this past week!!!)

So on that thought...
here is my poem of the day.

I babysat lots,
but it felt good to get back...
To the gym this morning,
after many a SNACK!
What is it about having
the kids over here???
That makes me SNACK
on food, far and near!
I LOVE when the grandkids
are here to share fun,
But I have to confess...
I had two buns, not just one!
I had lots of laughs
chasing after sweet Beau,
I think I got some exercise,
at least a bit I know!
And in the end the laughs and
snacks that we all share,
Just add up to lots of LOVE...
and nothing can compare!
So laughing, loving, and snacking
are all good...
Regardless of eating
way more than I should!

A "FLURRY" of FuN & HaPpiNeSs!

My little Mary Engelbreit Quote calendar 
said this yesterday...
"Some cause HAPPINESS where ever they go."-Oscar Wilde


FLURRY- a brief snowfall
-a sudden burst or commotion a stir!
(perhaps from "FLURR" to scatter!)


My household has seen a real FLURRY 
the last couple of days and this morning it snowed... so FLURRY seemed 
appropriate for today's theme!
I took a FLURRY of photos, too... 
here are just a SCATTERING 
of the ones I took!

Mariah catching "ANGEL KISSES"
on her tongue during a little snow FLURRY
on Tuesday with Beau watching her from inside! 

A little mid day bubble bath for Beau,
while Mariah stepped in to get her feet wet! 

Beau loves water... you can see here by his smile! 

Beau with the Ducky on his head 

Beau snuggling with his milk, blankie,
and Uncle Brian! 

My niece Rowen and Mariah in a couple of old
Dance costumes of Jana's from back in the day
with a FLURRY of dance routines and performances! 

Beau hiding behind the couch! 

Making a parade with the little toys! 

Me and my "OWIE" on my nose, holding Beau! 

The kids watching TV and giggling! 

Jana and Mariah yesterday when the kids
got dropped off here
for  another FLURRY of FUN TIMES! 

My brother Brian here for day 2 of
 fun and happiness with the kidlets! 

Beau having a little Stroller ride with
Mariah's LaLaLoopsie dollie! 

One of the very few HEALTHY things consumed
Beau loves BROCCOLI! 

Mariah , Rowen and Beau in a little fort they made
with their snack of popcorn twists! 

Mariah creating dances in the basement
her arm looks a bit distorted here!!! 

Mariah smiling and dancing in
the Shamrock shades and her new
 Tinker Bell flip flops! 

The soundtrack for the last couple days... lots of these songs
sum up the moods of the two fun filled days!
(This is an old CD from my collection that
Mariah seems to pick out
a lot to play for her dances!!!)


Today as I sat down to yet another blog...
it was snowing big huge light and fluffy snowflakes outside!
This gave me the theme idea for my
FLURRY of activity I have had here the
last couple of days!

I was to have babysat only BEAU
for the four days this week...
but instead it became Beau and Mariah
for yesterday and the day before
along with tomorrow...
but I got today off!

I love my grandkids... but was once again reminded why I had my children
when I was
 in my twenties!!!
Their never ending energy causes me
to run out of my energy pretty fast!!!
I not only had my grandkids here...
but both days my brother, Brian,
popped by for a visit each morning...
and my niece Rowen came by
both afternoons to play with the kids too.
My sister-in-law, Brenda stopped
in for coffee yesterday as well.

I decided rather than write out
all the things we did... I would write out a "FLURRY" of words that pretty
much describe the two days...

In RANDOM order!...
grandkids, fruitloops, lucky, camera,
movies, toys, sticky fingers,
popcorn twists, climbing, running,
hugs, stickers, diapers,wet ones,
crayons, crafts, scissors, tape,
tv, printed color sheets, trucks, cars,
tinker bell flip flops,
 balloons, snuggles, kisses,
bubble baths, duckies, books, stories,
tears, tantrums, smiles, giggles,
broccoli, cheese, chocolate chip cookies, baking, snacks, juice boxes, fruit roll ups,
extreme cheddar fishy crackers,
visitors, dances, costumes, make up,
set ups, parades, forts, stroller rides, performances, pop, puppy in kennel, music,
dollies, blankies, bottles, sippy cups, mischief,
big mess, kisses from heaven, snow flakes!

So today I am actually enjoying
a little calm before the FLURRY
continues again tomorrow!
I went to the gym this morning, too...
because I ate as many, if not more,
snacks than the kids the last
couple of days...
but I think I needed it
to keep my energy up!

There is a saying about
 SNOWFLAKES being like
KISSES FROM HEAVEN...
I have had lots of thoughts of my
loved ones from above lately in the
form of snowflakes and dreams.
And I know my parents are with me
daily in spirit for sure!

So on that thought ...
here is my rhyme of the day...

Whenever I babysit...
there is a FLURRY of FUN...
Provided by my grandkids,
yep... from each one!
MARIAH loves to craft, to put on make up,
and also sing and dance,
BEAU is like a whirlwind babbling,
climbing, running and is gone in a glance!
Once kids were practical,
and on their feet wore socks,
They drank their juice from a sippy cup,
instead of out of a box!
Cereal's were healthier,
not sugary LOOPed in sweets!
And apples were the snack of choice,
and not so many treats!
But even though my grandkids
keep me busy as can be,
I wouldn't have them any other
way than that, you see!
There's always a FLURRY of FUN and HAPPiNESS whenever they are here,
I cherish time I spend with them,
because they are so dear!

Going with the FLOW!

"Go with the FLOW." 
-Proverb


"Of all the five vital principles, LOVE is the foremost. It is still love that FLOWS as the under current for the other four values. How does it FLOW this way?" 
-Sir Sathya Sai Baba


"A laugh, to be joyous must flow from a joyous heart, for without kindness, there can be no joy." 
-Thomas Carlyle

Mariah and Jana joined me for the
FAMILY DAY BODY FLOW
class at GOODLIFE GYM
yesterday.

Mariah looking happy just before the
FLOW class yesterday! 

Mariah and Beau here for supper on Sunday night.
A little sisterly loving was all part
of the FLOW of the evening! 

Mariah spinning Beau around on the chair...
check out the FLOW to her hair in the breeze! 

ELLEN had these TuTu cuties on once again yesterday...
They are becoming part of the regular FLOW of her show! 

ELLEN shared another cute pic of the
TWO ENGLISH cuties, SOPHIA GRACE and ROSIE,
 on the red Carpet at the Grammies...
Ellen seems to just love these two...
as do I!
 

For those of you who missed my Valentine's day blog,
Here is the picture we received from my son COLIN
that day with his girlfriend, CARO.
These two seem so happy together in Montreal.
We also chatted with him on the phone last week, too!

This 42" by 33" framed masterpiece of Bobby Orr's
signed Boston jersey along with photo of his famous
1970 winning goal at the Stanley Cup...
was a prize Brian got for a contest at his dealership.
He is pretty proud of this and is planning
 to send it to Colin who will also love it!


Today's blog is all about
going with the FLOW!

Normally at this time on a tuesday
I would be going to a FLOW class
at the gym, but this week my
gym plans are on the back burner,
as I am babysitting all week.

Yesterday was FAMILY DAY
so it was a holiday, and Jana's store was closed. So she and Mariah joined me for a specially designed BODY FLOW class
for families at GOODLIFE GYM.
I felt so honored to be doing a class
with my two girlies. When they played my favorite ANGEL song for the cool down,
I even felt my mom's presence
with us there, too...
making it a 4 generation class for us!!!

Just on Saturday night I had a
very real DREAM with my mom in it.
It felt great to hang out with her even
if it was only a DREAM.

Often when I'm here at the computer
doing my blog, I hear the same tune
from a bird outside my window, too.
I believe that is mom and or dad
singing to me!

I enjoyed a Starbucks coffee visit
with my cousin Gwen on Sunday,
followed by a yummy supper here.
My brother Brian and Jana, Nels and
their kids joined us for that.
I'm so lucky my hubby is such a
good cook and enjoys doing that as well!

A couple of weeks ago I visited
a skin specialist and am now being
treated for a suspicious mark on my nose.
The specialist said it looked as though
it could be "PRE- CANCEROUS"...
so I now have cream to apply twice
a day to that. She also told me it
 would form an ugly scab...
(which it now has)...
so I will just go with the flow on that!
It looks unsightly, but it is a sign
that it will get better... so all is good!

Yesterday I found that my email account
had been hacked into... and some weird
and strange emails were FLOWING through. Today the problem continues... hmmmm...
this is not only annoying, it is frustrating.
I want to apologize if it has caused
anyone's email accounts any
inconveniences... just do not open any suspicious mail from me!!!

For today Jana is taking Mariah to work
with her, but will be dropping off Beau
very soon. We sent Shuffle to
doggie daycare for the day
for her to have a big play
with her doggie friends!

I am quite sure my day will have
a real FLOW to it chasing after Beau...
and I will capture many of those pictures
on my camera. I am guessing I may
not get another blog up
until the weekend now...
but will have plenty of fun stuff
to share for my next one
when ever I get around to it.

I hope everyone's spring break
FLOWS along well for them...
and on that note...

This week I'm off my schedule,
but I'll go with the FLOW.
I'm babysitting grandkids...
so much fun, I know!
It's sometimes very tiring,
and my energy runs out,
But I will make the best of it,
and still have fun no doubt.