WEST NOVA FAMILY BLOG

Support my girlies and I at Team Diabetes Bluenose 2012

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http://picasaweb.google.ca/McCourt.Muise/TeamDiabetes?feat=directlink

Thanks to everyone who helped us reach our minimum goal! We are still fundraising and would appreciate your support!

 

Once again I have joined Team Diabetes, a team of people from across Canada who will be crossing the finish line together and who have raised funds to support the more than 9 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. I will be on the course of the 2012 Blue Nose Marathon (Local). This is not a travel event, so administrative costs are very low, allowing more of the fundraising dollars to go to research and support.

This year, not only did my oldest daughter (who will be eleven on the race course this year) decide to run again, but her 8 year old sister has decided to join in as well! They are both dedicated to supporting the cause of diabetes research and support because of their Auntie Dana who was diagnosed Type 1 five years ago at the age of 30. Please help us to support people like my sister who suffer numerous health complications due to Diabetes. You can read my sister’s story here: Why I Run for Team Diabetes.

You can read about my 2010 Bluenose 10K here; and mine & Breanna’s 2011 5K here.

It takes dedication to be part of Team Diabetes, but we are committed to making a big difference in our lives, and in the fight against type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

One of the greatest contributions of the Canadian Diabetes Association is toward outstanding Canadian research. But that is not all the Association does – it runs camps for young people with diabetes and provides education and special services to people affected by diabetes in communities across Canada.

As we participate in this event, you will be with us in spirit and your support will help us be strong all the way to the finish line. A donation for each kilometre is suggested, but whatever you can contribute matters – it all adds up!

Our goal is to raise a minimum of $350 each ($1050 total) by mid-March and continue to raise additional funds until race day!

If you want to support our mission, please click the following link(s):

Pledge Trish

Pledge Breanna

Pledge Payten

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Trish, Breanna & Payten

Filed Under: Advocacy, Diabetes, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

Portaiture

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Sunday was day 1 of Photography Workshop with Kate Inglas / @sweetsalty

 

I have been following her photography and writing online for some time now. It’s really thrilling when you have an opportunity to learn from someone whose work you admire. Sunday I learned a few pointers and was reminded of a lot of technical stuff that I’d just stopped being fully aware of. It takes practise to make these things second nature and I have homework for the second half of this course. If anyone in my neighborhood is willing I’m looking for subjects! 😉

 

I’m really happy with the bit of progress I already made:

 

Filed Under: Photos, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , ,

Mom in my memories

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Growing up, a forces’ kid, things never stayed the same for long. It was so for my parents too, each air force kids, and then mom becoming a mountie’s wife. Mom knew the life of change, and embraced the adventure we were on. We knew no other way, and thanks to mom, we accepted it as it was. Our constants in our lives, were our parents, and each other. My siblings and I, especially in our early years were close.


Every summer spent on the road, either traveling to a new home, or traveling for the joy of it. Living out of tents, campers, and trailers. We were each others’ closest companions for more of the time I can recall, than we were not. We helped each other make new friends everywhere we went. We were happy, friendly kids. We had the love of our parents and the confidence to do anything we set our minds to, thanks to mom and dad.

 

Mom’s role varied over the years from stay at home mom, to working mom, and back again, depending on where we lived and what the needs of us kids were. My sister and I never experienced daycare. We played with the neighborhood kids and went to mom and tot exercise classes together. Our first home was a country bungalow in rural Nova Scotia. Where our closest friends were our immediate neighbors, who have been like family ever since, even with all of the miles that were placed between us for most of our succeeding years. Mom kept a constant contact with those who were dearest to her.

 

My Nanny and Grampy, my auntie, my uncles and aunt, friends who we came to know as extended family. She wrote newsy Christmas letters and made the most of every phone call. I have vivid recollection of mom’s voice chatting animatedly and her laughter filling the room. Our travels always took us to the home of some special friends/family, and often included lasting friends joining us at campgrounds. Mom treated their friends’ children like her own, and their friends did the same with us.

 

Mom always belonged to a crafters’ guild of some sort, from Stitch n Bitch, to co-op craft store and art association. I always think of mom with handwork on the go. Her mediums varied like the places we called home. Needlepoint and machine sewing, painting and dried flower arrangements. When I think of mom, I think of beautiful craftsmanship and her appreciation of the life surrounding her. Mom wanted to share her skills with us, yet didn’t recognize herself as an artist until her later years.

 

Mom volunteered at school activities and became a leader at brownies and guides. When we started home economics studies in school, I already knew all of the basic sewing and cooking skills. I was encouraged to follow my heart in so many directions with gymnastics and skating and reading and writing. I went on long hiking camp-outs that most other parents wouldn’t have considered their children ready for. Mom gave me a long lead to explore my interests and learn new things, while still keeping me well within her watchful eye. She fostered independence and responsibility in me.

 

When I look at the photos I made of mom’s creations and her joys, I am struck by her appreciation for life’s beauty. When I walk into hers and dad’s home I feel embraced by her, even in her absence. The objects and creations that I photographed all come from that place. They are all things that I wanted to capture for the rest of my days in memory of mom. As a reminder of the love she showered us all with.


 

Filed Under: General, Gratitude, Parenting, West Nova Family Tagged With: ,

Memories of Mom (collage)

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Memories of Mom

Filed Under: General, Photos, West Nova Family Tagged With: , ,

Win a Mommy Connections Halifax class and Bonus CM Scrapbooking prize pack!

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Mommy Connections HalifaxHelp spread the word to moms & moms to be and win a free class ($80 value) for yourself or a give it as a gift! *Class Gift Certificate is eligible for Mommy Connections Halifax locations only.*

As a bonus, when @MommyConnectHal reaches 300 followers and our Facebook page reaches 300 likes a prize pack of photo memory keeping supplies by Creative Memories valued at more than $100 will be thrown in.

Mommy Connections Halifax introduces you to programs and services available within your community. Our classes provide a unique learning opportunity as well as a fun way to bond with your child and other moms in a social environment.

Each week’s class features a discussion lead by a local expert followed by social time for mom and baby. This allows for a unique bonding opportunity with your little one while still fulfilling your need to obtain information and be social with other moms experiencing the same challenges, fears and excitement.

We provide educational and social connections for the modern family before baby and beyond!

There are weekly door prizes and each registrant receives a free swag bag full of samples and discounts from local businesses.

For more information contact Trish at trish@mommyconnections.ca

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Contests, General, Parenting, Scrapbooking, Sponsored, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Overcoming the isolation of parenthood

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Mommy Connections Halifax

Since recently losing my mom to cancer, the isolation that can accompany being a mom is all the more poignant to me.

 

I may not be a new mom in the general sense anymore, but I am new to being a mom of a tween, and will be new to parenting a teen, maybe a university student, or a bride, etc. And I remember all too clearly the feeling of isolation of being a new mom.

 

Like many new moms today, I didn’t live near my mom or mother-in-law. Sure I could pick up the phone and call my mom when I needed support, but it wasn’t the same as being able to sit down over tea, with her in the room seeing the joy, the frustration, the desperation, the inexplicably devote love, or outright helplessness on my face. As moms we try to be all. We expect to be able to inherently know what needs to be done. When those first few challenges come along, we feel like failures when we can’t just figure it out. It can be a truly isolating experience, whether it be facing struggles with nursing, sleep issues or perhaps with colic.

 

The challenges often leave moms feeling like failures who just can’t do our jobs. My daughter and I had a great breastfeeding relationship from minute one, then suddenly after several weeks she was crying hysterically every time she started to nurse. For days I was so frustrated and upset trying to figure out what was going on. I’d cry while I attempted to nurse my baby who’d until then been so easy and happy. Then after a bit of research figured out that my milk supply was very plentiful and would let down fast and furious as soon as she latched on. It would flood her and she’d choke trying to keep up. I learned a tip that if I manually expressed a little before sitting down with her, the “pressure” seemed to ease off and a steadier slower flow of milk allowed her to keep up. We found our balance and everything settled down, however not without a great deal of beating myself up over it and feeling very alone through the process.

 

I am a well-connected mom when it comes to family supports and services. I have worked in the field and know where to look. Yet, I found it challenging. I know there are other moms out there who struggle as I did, or more so.

 

I want to use my own experiences and education/background to help other moms feel less isolated. I spent a lot of time researching programs and options to start my own business and/or resource connecting moms to one another and the resources and supports that families want/need. I recently decided to start my own chapter of Mommy Connections here in Halifax/Dartmouth. As I spend time getting to know potential partners in the community I am more and more excited about the potential to meet my greatest passion of connecting moms and helping families to become better informed and empowered to get their needs met.

 

What could be better than joining a group of moms who are learning about and engaging in what our community has to offer, before we actually need it? Imagine becoming well-acquainted with moms in our own neighborhood(s) who are experiencing many of the same feelings of joy, excitement and frustration! And imagine knowing exactly where to find that shop that carries those fantastic natural/safe bottles or diapers; or new mom’s yoga class; etc.?!

 

If you are or know of a new mom or mom-to-be in Halifax/Dartmouth area; or if you are or know of a business interested in connecting with moms please follow/share http://www.mommyconnections.ca/halifax to connect!

Mommy Connections

Filed Under: Advocacy, Parenting, Sponsored, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , ,

Things about myself that I became better acquainted with while away:

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  • Distractions keep me from facing the depths of my emotions
  • There are fewer people in my life that I am comfortable being truly vulnerable with than I realized
  • Water is my greatest physical therapy
  • I wish Florida was a part of Canada (like Alaska is a state)
  • I love my family
  • I cherish my time away from everyone and everything (and wish for more)
  • Running is my mental health/therapy
  • I will never see my mother again in this life
  • Life is unfair
  • I need more sunshine
  • I am fortunate
  • I love to travel and experience new places
  • I feel alone
  • I have many people in my life who care about me and mine

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

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Filed Under: balance, General, Gratitude, West Nova Family Tagged With:

Living for today

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I have been living in a sort of “quarter life crisis” since at least 8 years ago. It came to a head at the age of 29 after the birth of my second child. My marriage was unhappy and struggling but before I had accepted that I had started looking outward for solutions.

I had been a very happy stay-at-home mom for four years, but suddenly determined that I needed to go back to work or school or both, to regain my authentic self. During the process of trying to identify what I really wanted for myself I realized that what was really at the depth of my despair was my unhappiness in my marriage.

I left my husband and returned to the community that felt most like home, with 2 children in tow, entering a second degree (my social work degree) and desperately needing to be employed to support ourselves. So began a long and difficult journey.

I have written multiple business plans over the years, explored funding options, sought endorsements, even begun the initial start-up process, only to halt mid-way and never see my dreams through to fruition. I have always feared that I might have the wrong plan, that I might be headed in the wrong direction. That I didn’t really know my own mind or purpose.

Instead I stuck to the norm, seeking paid employment in areas of my skillset. Only I have found I have always reached a point of dis-satisfaction. My expectations for the role we played, the work ethics we practised, the passion we felt in our work always left me feeling like my standards were set so high that I could never be happy where I was. I have moved on to new jobs for multiple reasons all brought about by my desire to work harder and smarter in an environment not willing to change.

I’m a big picture person, usually seeing the vision before the specific goals and objectives, and always prepared to break new ground to get there. Unfortunately those around me were simply not on the same page.

I have a desire to do something big with my life. To know that my efforts have brought about a positive change in the larger social system of our world.

I’ve been on a journey for years now, often finding my progress met with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Most recently, just as I began to get a handle on things my mother passed away suddenly after a short aggressive illness with cancer. My mother has taught me so many things, most especially to love life itself and seek the positive in everything. Most recently she helped me see how important it is to never put off that which is important to you.

And so I am like a dog with a bone going after this authentic life NOW, feeling an urgency like I’ve never felt before. As Oprah has said: “this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” If we have only this moment, then we’d better make it a good one!

I’ve been actively pursuing goals that I have long put off or been afraid to take action on. I am about to embark on the biggest one yet, starting my own business. It officially begins March 16th.

How are you embracing the moment and living for today in your life?

Trish

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

Filed Under: balance, General, West Nova Family Tagged With: , ,

Enter to win!

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Filed Under: Sponsored, West Nova Family Tagged With: ,

I drove all the way to Florida to start running again! ;)

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Sometimes it truly takes the right time and place, nothing more.

I have been trying to get motivated to start running again for two months. Over the couple of years, after a lot of challenging circumstances I’d begun to feel as if every time I started on my plan it would be interrupted. I was hesitating big time, with this nagging at the back of my brain. However, I also realized that running has been my saving grace, a therapy so-to-speak, and do I need a saviour right now!

My pain is beginning to improve marginally, but I know that I need to become active again to feel my best, it’s a difficult situation to find yourself in when chronic pain prevents you from doing what makes you feel best.

I often find that embarking on new routines in life are the best time to implement new activities that I want to become routine. This is a time of big change for me, as I move into working-from-home-business-owner, from part-time employee.

While on a semi (mostly) vacation in the sunshine state, I decided to try to bringing running back into my life. I love to run and I hoped that the relaxed (non-existent) schedule and the weather would help to alleviate the stress and the chronic pain. And with this in mind I would cautiously re-introduce an activity I love!

I have also reintroduced some other activities but they contribute to the relaxed state more than anything: a daily swim in the park’s bathwater warm pool, and a soak in the hot-tub.

On my first full day in Florida, after a very long and eventful (read: frustrated with car problems and 2.5 days in delays) road-trip from Nova Scotia, I was stiff and sore, but determined to get out for a run anyway. I set a very relaxed goal of 20-30 minutes at whatever pace felt comfortable, with the caveat that increased pain would shorten the run without guilt.

I managed a very respectable 25 minutes before a sharp pain in my neck/shoulder (my biggest problem area) indicated it was time to stop.

From Feb 27, 2012


I know I need to be very conservative with my goals so I decided I would run every second day IF I felt like I was up to it. Day 2 in Florida, I woke up thinking how incredibly easy it was to run for the first time after 6 months, and how incredibly sore I could feel as a result! I went for a long walk with dad and his dog.

Today was day 3. I managed to get out the door a fair bit earlier (I did have this ambitious idea before arriving at our destination that I’d roll out of bed as soon as I awoke and head straight out the door – that so far has not come to fruition). I ran for 30 mins (which was my goal) without pain! This is huge. I know it doesn’t sound huge, but This Is HUGE!

I’m not sure exactly what needs to happen to keep this up, so I’m going to be cautious. A run every other day for 30 mins, or until pain increases. With an extra rest day once/week (whenever my body tells me that needs to be)… UNTIL I feel confident I am ready to bump things up. Then? We’ll see what comes next – when the time comes.

What works for you when trying to get back into an activity that you love but has been presenting you with challenges?

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

Filed Under: balance, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , ,
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