My kids love Oreo cookies. I also LOVE the delicious chocolate and vanilla crème of an Oreo cookie.
I love this is part of their currency. Do you know what else is part of their currency? Let me say:
1) Smarties
2) Cheese (I know, strange right??)
3) Oreo cookies
4) chocolate of any kind - baby girl specific because she will do anything including back flips for chocolate :)
5) pennies, and coins in general - big boy specific because he is learning that he can turn coins into crap from the dollar store. Fun times as its a teachable moment when he realizes that the truck he wants is $18 and he has $3.57.
My children are still little, so the above 5 are current and working forms of currency in our house. 4 out of 5 are food based and I am aware of the potential here for backlash. don't worry, we always try to have them engage with activities and the rewards are not food related initially. We only dip into this pocket as they continue to develop negotiation skills which are exhausting.
My children will likely be lawyers or master negotiators as they can give you an argument for why they should have Smarties for being cute rather than helping tidy up. I am not naïve to their power but I am a sucker to their eyes and smiles.
Let there be Smarties for everyone!!
Jodi
Saturday, November 23, 2013
The names I call myself....
You know when you meet someone new and they ask you, about you? What do you say? I have been thinking a lot lately about how we define ourselves and how its integrated into who we are and what we do in the world.
This adventure (aka blog post) is about the "names" I call myself.
I am a woman. I was born a woman. I am not always comfortable in the feminine skin. There are parts of being female that are not fun or reason to get excited but there are times when its very cool and one awesome experience.
I am a daughter. I was born the oldest daughter of a sibling line of 4. Who has 4 children? No one, except my parents and although I am learning its more common than I thought, I am a daughter.
I am a sister. See the above. I have two brothers and a sister. I continue and will always be the oldest sister. There are pros and cons and I know most of them, but recently have come to have a better and greater understanding of how this continues to impact me.
I am a social worker. I won't drone on about the number of years I spent in school, the number of courses I have taken to get to where I am professionally, but just know that I have two bachelor degrees and a master's degree. I am working on certificate program and work in the capacity as a social worker.
I am a friend. I don't have many friends. I don't trust easily. I have been burned and I don't like that - but I have many people in my life who support me.
I am a best friend. I am not sure if Stacy still gives me the same title, but I love her like a sister. She is an amazing woman and I am proud to know her. She has known me since I was 9. She is a mom. She has beaten cancer. She continues to have the most positive attitude and the best smile - she and I can talk for hours and get caught up, as if no time had truly passed between us. Sleepovers, heart break, dog ownership, boy problems and the list continues....she is one awesome chick!
I am a spouse/partner/wife. Depending on the "name" you want to use, I have a husband. His name is Steve and he signed on for this adventure. He may regret this, I should ask him. :)
I am a mom. There was a time in my life when I was told that I might be able to have this "name" and I had given up on it being a reality. Well, two children later and I should be studied as a medical marvel or examined psychiatrically for my drive, determination and ambition to fulfill this dream. I have loved and worked with kids since I was able to. I babysat and have cared for children since I was little and likely even before I remember. I was the oldest of 4, so there is a chance I cared for my siblings. I thought I was headed into teaching primary school, because of my affinity to working, educating and caring for the little children. This is the one title I continue to work on and am determined to put my best forward. They are the best and completely wrapped in the love of my heart.
I am a grand daughter. I loved my grandparents dearly. They had their quirks - but who doesn't? I was blessed to have known them, cared for them, loved by them and for them, and learned from them. I have been told that I am an old soul and I do feel a connection to a time which has passed - my grandparents were a piece of that puzzle. I loved seeing the bank book, when others would roll their eyes, I could see excitement and thrill in his eyes.
I am a cousin. I love getting together with family. I make an effort to visit, write and stay connected. I don't do a very good job, but I do put forward my best.
There are many other "names" I would give myself and some of these are: researcher, music enthusiast, runner, book hoarder, driver, coach, soccer player, neighbor, colleague, and I could go on and on.
So those are some of the "names" that I call myself.....its a long list. I should print this so my psycho-analyst can read it and provide insight. :) HAHA. I know my children have provided me with the ability seek a centre and look for the core of being present. I love that my life is multi-dimensional and faceted with the breadth and depth of greatness. Life is beautiful - no matter what its called! And sometimes, it doesn't matter.
Good night!
This adventure (aka blog post) is about the "names" I call myself.
I am a woman. I was born a woman. I am not always comfortable in the feminine skin. There are parts of being female that are not fun or reason to get excited but there are times when its very cool and one awesome experience.
I am a daughter. I was born the oldest daughter of a sibling line of 4. Who has 4 children? No one, except my parents and although I am learning its more common than I thought, I am a daughter.
I am a sister. See the above. I have two brothers and a sister. I continue and will always be the oldest sister. There are pros and cons and I know most of them, but recently have come to have a better and greater understanding of how this continues to impact me.
I am a social worker. I won't drone on about the number of years I spent in school, the number of courses I have taken to get to where I am professionally, but just know that I have two bachelor degrees and a master's degree. I am working on certificate program and work in the capacity as a social worker.
I am a friend. I don't have many friends. I don't trust easily. I have been burned and I don't like that - but I have many people in my life who support me.
I am a best friend. I am not sure if Stacy still gives me the same title, but I love her like a sister. She is an amazing woman and I am proud to know her. She has known me since I was 9. She is a mom. She has beaten cancer. She continues to have the most positive attitude and the best smile - she and I can talk for hours and get caught up, as if no time had truly passed between us. Sleepovers, heart break, dog ownership, boy problems and the list continues....she is one awesome chick!
I am a spouse/partner/wife. Depending on the "name" you want to use, I have a husband. His name is Steve and he signed on for this adventure. He may regret this, I should ask him. :)
I am a mom. There was a time in my life when I was told that I might be able to have this "name" and I had given up on it being a reality. Well, two children later and I should be studied as a medical marvel or examined psychiatrically for my drive, determination and ambition to fulfill this dream. I have loved and worked with kids since I was able to. I babysat and have cared for children since I was little and likely even before I remember. I was the oldest of 4, so there is a chance I cared for my siblings. I thought I was headed into teaching primary school, because of my affinity to working, educating and caring for the little children. This is the one title I continue to work on and am determined to put my best forward. They are the best and completely wrapped in the love of my heart.
I am a grand daughter. I loved my grandparents dearly. They had their quirks - but who doesn't? I was blessed to have known them, cared for them, loved by them and for them, and learned from them. I have been told that I am an old soul and I do feel a connection to a time which has passed - my grandparents were a piece of that puzzle. I loved seeing the bank book, when others would roll their eyes, I could see excitement and thrill in his eyes.
I am a cousin. I love getting together with family. I make an effort to visit, write and stay connected. I don't do a very good job, but I do put forward my best.
There are many other "names" I would give myself and some of these are: researcher, music enthusiast, runner, book hoarder, driver, coach, soccer player, neighbor, colleague, and I could go on and on.
So those are some of the "names" that I call myself.....its a long list. I should print this so my psycho-analyst can read it and provide insight. :) HAHA. I know my children have provided me with the ability seek a centre and look for the core of being present. I love that my life is multi-dimensional and faceted with the breadth and depth of greatness. Life is beautiful - no matter what its called! And sometimes, it doesn't matter.
Good night!
Did you know......I am a runner?
I will proudly tell you that I am a runner. I like walking too, but I love to run.
My favorite time of year for running is the fall. I love the cooler air, the falling leaves, and the feeling of being lost in the smells, sights and sounds of fall.
I am not fast. Nope. In fact, I likely am the slowest runner you will ever meet. For me its about finishing and doing something personal and to the best of my ability. Part of training for running includes speed work, weight lifting, cross training and my most dreaded - hills! As much as I curse the training, when I run and improve my time or I feel more confident and capable - its all worth it.
I like to run certain events every year. I like to participate in the Resolution Run(Dec/Jan), the Run for Retina (April, London, ON), Women's Half (Toronto), Run for the Cure (Sept/Oct).
In 2014, I hope to run at least 4 runs. Why? 1) The race entry is a donation to the cause the race is supporting, 2) the runs I chose are great for their "swag", 3) This year I hope to involve my family, 4) to continue to work on myself and improve my fitness so I can play with my kids and finally 5) because the opportunity to maybe travel (within and to the race) is exciting.
Right now my treadmill is broken but I am hopeful it will be fixed in the next couple of weeks. I don't like running in the winter and when it gets really cold because I worry about falling and hurting myself. I will treadmill train, run outside when I can and continue to focus on nutrition and taking care of myself.
I have "liked" Altra Running on Face book and they recently posted these tips for running in the winter: 1) keep hydrated 2) confidence 3) layer up 4) get noticed 5) run into the wind 6) sock choice
7) schedule a spring race.
I suppose today I will remember that "its better to have done something, than nothing!"
JLM
My favorite time of year for running is the fall. I love the cooler air, the falling leaves, and the feeling of being lost in the smells, sights and sounds of fall.
I am not fast. Nope. In fact, I likely am the slowest runner you will ever meet. For me its about finishing and doing something personal and to the best of my ability. Part of training for running includes speed work, weight lifting, cross training and my most dreaded - hills! As much as I curse the training, when I run and improve my time or I feel more confident and capable - its all worth it.
I like to run certain events every year. I like to participate in the Resolution Run(Dec/Jan), the Run for Retina (April, London, ON), Women's Half (Toronto), Run for the Cure (Sept/Oct).
In 2014, I hope to run at least 4 runs. Why? 1) The race entry is a donation to the cause the race is supporting, 2) the runs I chose are great for their "swag", 3) This year I hope to involve my family, 4) to continue to work on myself and improve my fitness so I can play with my kids and finally 5) because the opportunity to maybe travel (within and to the race) is exciting.
Right now my treadmill is broken but I am hopeful it will be fixed in the next couple of weeks. I don't like running in the winter and when it gets really cold because I worry about falling and hurting myself. I will treadmill train, run outside when I can and continue to focus on nutrition and taking care of myself.
I have "liked" Altra Running on Face book and they recently posted these tips for running in the winter: 1) keep hydrated 2) confidence 3) layer up 4) get noticed 5) run into the wind 6) sock choice
7) schedule a spring race.
I suppose today I will remember that "its better to have done something, than nothing!"
JLM
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Signature
Why do you sign JLM at the end of your posts?
J - Jodi
L - Lynn
M - Morris
or
J- Jello
L- Lemon
M- marshmallows
or
J - Jack
L - Lloyd
M- Montgomery
or
J - Jude
L- Lucas
M - Marshall
I end my posts with JLM because I am lazy and its my initials. :)
J - Jodi
L - Lynn
M - Morris
or
J- Jello
L- Lemon
M- marshmallows
or
J - Jack
L - Lloyd
M- Montgomery
or
J - Jude
L- Lucas
M - Marshall
I end my posts with JLM because I am lazy and its my initials. :)
Green Noodle Adventures - what is with that title?
Where did the title of this blog come from?
Green - So when I started this blog, I had my son and was doing many things to be more environmentally friendly (i.e. cloth diapering, buying local, etc) and so I considered my efforts to be "green".
Noodle - this was the nickname for my son when he was a baby. I watched a TV show called Judging Amy and the main character had the same nickname for her daughter. I liked it, I watched too much of that show, and the name stuck for my boy!
Adventures - life is never easy, smooth or carefree as commercials would have you believe. Life is messy, challenging and hard. There are rewards for hard work and getting to the top of mountain is part of the adventure - I will share the up and down hill adventures in life.
One Woman - yes, its just me. No one else contributes to the material and content of this site. Unless otherwise specified. :)
So there you have it - Green Noodle Adventures - the stories of one woman. Sister, daughter, mother, partner, friend and overall awesome human! Let's just see where life takes me.
JLM
Green - So when I started this blog, I had my son and was doing many things to be more environmentally friendly (i.e. cloth diapering, buying local, etc) and so I considered my efforts to be "green".
Noodle - this was the nickname for my son when he was a baby. I watched a TV show called Judging Amy and the main character had the same nickname for her daughter. I liked it, I watched too much of that show, and the name stuck for my boy!
Adventures - life is never easy, smooth or carefree as commercials would have you believe. Life is messy, challenging and hard. There are rewards for hard work and getting to the top of mountain is part of the adventure - I will share the up and down hill adventures in life.
One Woman - yes, its just me. No one else contributes to the material and content of this site. Unless otherwise specified. :)
So there you have it - Green Noodle Adventures - the stories of one woman. Sister, daughter, mother, partner, friend and overall awesome human! Let's just see where life takes me.
JLM
Where do I start?
So I sit here (and its late!) and I wonder where do I start? I am trying to think of what to write about first and how to get it started.
Understanding the title of my blog. This is where I will start. The Adventures of One Woman - Green Noodle Adventures.
I am in fact, just one woman. I have many titles and names, yes, names! But I am just one person. I have a lot in common with other women. I am a daughter, sister, mother, partner, friend and colleague. However, I know there are also many differences which make me unique and qualifies me as just me! Those difference include: I am the oldest of 4 siblings, we moved when I was a kid because of my Dad's job, I went to school for too long, and many others. Some of these things which I think make me unique, might also be something that others have experienced as well. However, we are different people with different experiences, interactions, influences and environments which leads to the differences and my uniqueness.
I am not comfortable with being unique. Although I cherish and value my own skills and abilities (most of the time!), I also want to be the same. I want to be accepted and within the circle - but I often feel like I stand outside of that circle. I straddle the circle - wanting so badly to be on the inside but also standing strong and independent on the outside. The world is confusing about what it wants and what the world values - but is that what matters? What does matter? Is fitting the mold important and if so, when is it not important? If breaking the mold is more important, when do I do that?
I will give you an example. For years (and I mean YEARS!) I believed that everyone around me (teachers, my family, bosses, colleagues, peers, etc) valued extraverted, outgoing and charismatic me. I have recently come to understand that I am naturally introverted. I feel the loss of the many times and years, when I did not honor the true me. My natural introverted self is often in direct conflict with the leadership part of my personality. These two fight regularly about who should be present, the introverted, caring, soft side or the outgoing, assertive, leader.
I am hoping to embrace the introvert within me. I need to figure out who she is and how to recharge. I need to find new ways to recharge because with a couple of kids, partner, and a busy life, there is not always the same time, energy and effort left for myself but I need to make it a priority.
Here's to working on figuring it out.
JLM
Understanding the title of my blog. This is where I will start. The Adventures of One Woman - Green Noodle Adventures.
I am in fact, just one woman. I have many titles and names, yes, names! But I am just one person. I have a lot in common with other women. I am a daughter, sister, mother, partner, friend and colleague. However, I know there are also many differences which make me unique and qualifies me as just me! Those difference include: I am the oldest of 4 siblings, we moved when I was a kid because of my Dad's job, I went to school for too long, and many others. Some of these things which I think make me unique, might also be something that others have experienced as well. However, we are different people with different experiences, interactions, influences and environments which leads to the differences and my uniqueness.
I am not comfortable with being unique. Although I cherish and value my own skills and abilities (most of the time!), I also want to be the same. I want to be accepted and within the circle - but I often feel like I stand outside of that circle. I straddle the circle - wanting so badly to be on the inside but also standing strong and independent on the outside. The world is confusing about what it wants and what the world values - but is that what matters? What does matter? Is fitting the mold important and if so, when is it not important? If breaking the mold is more important, when do I do that?
I will give you an example. For years (and I mean YEARS!) I believed that everyone around me (teachers, my family, bosses, colleagues, peers, etc) valued extraverted, outgoing and charismatic me. I have recently come to understand that I am naturally introverted. I feel the loss of the many times and years, when I did not honor the true me. My natural introverted self is often in direct conflict with the leadership part of my personality. These two fight regularly about who should be present, the introverted, caring, soft side or the outgoing, assertive, leader.
I am hoping to embrace the introvert within me. I need to figure out who she is and how to recharge. I need to find new ways to recharge because with a couple of kids, partner, and a busy life, there is not always the same time, energy and effort left for myself but I need to make it a priority.
Here's to working on figuring it out.
JLM
I am BACK!
Well, here goes nothing! I am going to write my story. I am going to take my own damn advice and write it out. Get it out of my head, and put it down in the written form. It may take many forms and not likely to be complete and proper sentences, but I will try to get it out of my head and have it make sense.
It has been quite some time since I posted. Here is the quick update:
- I have two children - one boy and one girl
- still married
- still living in London, Ontario, Canada
- working in my field of counseling and doing what I love during the day
- I come at night to my family and spend every moment I can with those loves.
- still crazy
- still trying to figure out where I fit in my life, in the world, in the community
- I don't parent well but I am doing my best. When I make a mistake, I own it and do my best to improve.
- I am not the greatest partner all the time. Work in progress.
- I admire several bloggers and decided it might be my solution to my feeling of being stuck
I hope to look back on this post and laugh. I endeavour to learn to add pictures, depth, character and life to this page.
Here's to more frequent posts!
Jodi
It has been quite some time since I posted. Here is the quick update:
- I have two children - one boy and one girl
- still married
- still living in London, Ontario, Canada
- working in my field of counseling and doing what I love during the day
- I come at night to my family and spend every moment I can with those loves.
- still crazy
- still trying to figure out where I fit in my life, in the world, in the community
- I don't parent well but I am doing my best. When I make a mistake, I own it and do my best to improve.
- I am not the greatest partner all the time. Work in progress.
- I admire several bloggers and decided it might be my solution to my feeling of being stuck
I hope to look back on this post and laugh. I endeavour to learn to add pictures, depth, character and life to this page.
Here's to more frequent posts!
Jodi
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