Love From Maria

All too often I hear people complaining about the police. I hear them hating on them, cursing them and making fun of them. I know that not everyone does this but unfortunately it happens a lot. As the wife of a police officer you may think I am biased, and perhaps I am, but I also see things very differently than those not involved personally with a police officer. Everyday that my husband goes to work he chooses to put his life at risk to keep the rest of us safe. He has chosen a career that involves him missing bedtime with his children, missing important holidays and events with family and friends. He misses out on these things to keep you safe - to uphold the law that he believes so fiercely in. He chooses to strap on a bulletproof vest, every single shift, because heaven forbid, that be the shift that someone decides to attack him. He has worked so hard to be where he is, he has received extensive training and is equipped with tools to help and to protect him.  ...

This old couch, has seen better days. Okay so maybe the lyrics actually refer to a house but I couldn't get this Doc Walker song out of my head after titling this post.  Our old couches have seen better days for sure, but now they're living the dream as the best play station in our house. Most parents would agree that parenting is messy. My house is in no way pristine, tidy or always clean - I have a two year old tornado - this makes old, knock around items invaluable. In our loft we have two old sofas, these sofas are the best and certainly some of my favourite items in our house.   We love to play outdoors but there are many times that we play indoors - when my babiest baby is napping, when the wind won't listen to us and won't stop, when we are preparing a meal - and our  old couches are the designated jumping area. Who doesn't love jumping around? Or off? Or onto? My son is also allowed to climb all over the old couches - sure he falls off of them from time ...

To my babiest boy: You're nearly seven months. Seven months. I can't believe it. We've made it! We survived that long first month when you thought the day was night and the night was day. We survived nearly five months of you napping in the ring sling, tight to my chest, so that you could sleep and I could still wrangle your wild cowboy of a brother. We survived those first four months when we didn't have a prescription for your silent reflux and you would only sleep on my chest in the recliner. We survived our first (and hopefully last) long stay the the Alberta Children's Hospital when you had RSV - you were such a trooper and your charming good looks had all of the nurses hanging on your every coo - you get that from your dad. We survived ice fishing and a vacation to Phoenix, you're always up for an adventure.  You've made your mark in our family little one. You had my heart the minute that I met you - not to mention your brother's. You'v...

Being on my phone was never an issue to me. I bought my first cell phone in high school and pretty much since then I have always had one, and always had it with me, like another limb. I never thought anything of it - it's reality now - everyone texts and checks their Facebook, Instagram, email, etc. and to do so we have our phones.  Enter children. My tiny little humans that look up to me as a role model. My sweet little boys with rapidly growing and developing brains. My little everythings. The last thing I want is for my boys to grow up thinking that it's okay to be glued to a screen all day long. Other screens have been easily eliminated - I don't find it hard to keep the TV off or not use the computer throughout the day. My phone however, that's another story.  My big little screen problem all boiled over last week when I had a meltdown. Last week I had a tough day. One of those days when, for whatever reason, you just cry. I didn't have a particularly t...

Did you know it's unplug and play week? This week, March 23-29, Participaction is encouraging Canadian families to unplug and play outside! Naturally I love this campaign and I sincerely hope that you'll consider pledging, especially if screen time is a big part of your everyday routine. Participaction is only asking for sixty minutes a day - sixty minutes of consciously unplugging and choosing to play outside with your kids. Play is so close to my heart and I love the notion of playing outside. I try my darnedest to take my boys outside every. single. day.  As much as I hope that everyone will try their hand at outdoor play I will not ignore the fact that it can be cold, and sometimes it can seem daunting to bundle up the littles and head outside. So if you feel like pledging to play outside for sixty minutes everyday might be too much, take it down a notch, and just pledge to play for sixty minutes!  Maybe you're not as familiar with play, so here are seven ways to ...

A proper introduction is always nice, so if you're feeling up to it - meet Maria. To borrow the words of a fellow Albertan, I am Alberta Bound. I was accidentally born in BC, but was raised in Alberta and am now raising my boys in Alberta. I love this province and forever will. My roots are planted deep in Stampede City - Calgary, I am proud to call it my home.  The cowboy culture has not been lost on me and my everyday life is filled to the brim with country class.  I am married to my best friend and we have been fortunate enough to have two boys, Stetson and Porter. I love nothing more than watching their brains grow as they experience and explore this world.   I love to run, I was born to run. I am a five year barefoot runner and will never look back. There is nothing that makes me feel so free yet so in tune with my body. I love to research, my sister calls me "Google" and I am often heard quoting Dorothy Ann from The Magic School Bus, "according to my resear...

Ice fishing. Toddler. Baby. MAGICAL.  So I would be lying if I didn't tell you that the thought was slightly daunting to begin with. Cutting holes in a frozen lake and waiting for fish to bite while keeping a five month old and a nearly two year old happy? Not sounding so magical? But here's the thing: we need to challenge the conventional! We need to expose our children to nature and teach them, through our actions, an active and nature filled lifestyle.  Thankfully I've been blessed with a relative expert outdoorsman of a father, so having him agree to take us along made all of the difference. Having an experienced ice fisher was incredible, and I highly recommend going with someone who has experience and knowledge in the field. I'm all for adventures but I'm also keen on safety and ice fishing isn't exactly something to "go try out" on a whim without the proper education and gear. Speaking of education and gear - i fishalberta.com is a fa...