Wrap Up

Grace sporting her new hair clip.

Adelaide on a present frenzy.

Mark secretly putting together Adelaide's kitchen in our room on Christmas Eve.

One delicious meal after another!

Christmas holidays were verging on legendary this year. WOW. Thanks to everyone reading this who sent cards and gifts, or who sat at our table and chit chatted for hours on end or played with Addie until you were worn out, or distracted Mark from his iPod Touch (haha) or just added JOY to our lives in 2009. We have just been overwhelmed - we are so rich in love!
Now, our plan is to count down to New Year on English time tomorrow evening as there is no way Addie will stay up until 11pm even. That means at 7pm our time we'll be singing, jumping, lighting sparklers and clinking glasses. Everyone else will just be late!

Mr.Hardy and I went on a smashing date to see Sherlock Holmes this week. I have been looking forward to this film for quite a while now and have to say I highly recommend paying to see it in theatres. It was a bit dark, quirky, suspenseful, and humorous of course. I particularly liked how Holmes was portrayed as almost mad. You can't expect more from a genius, can you?

On a totally separate note, I have had a number of requests to see Mark's 2009 Christmas Quiz. Here it is, displayed in all of Papyrus' splendour. You can imagine his face upon opening it.
He scored a whopping 60%, and didn't use his lifeline of phone-a-friend (yes, that would have been you, James). How many can you solve?

Moving Pictures

So, I'm not really the best person to write this post. I think my good friend James Bower is actually the expert on the subject. But as he's not posted anything like this yet, and as I guess my opinion is just as valid, if not as informed, as his, then I'll have a go.

What are my top five Christmas movies?

I'm going to say this right off the bat. I've never watched White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life all the way through before, so they didn't make the list. Maybe one day I'll watch them. Maybe I won't.

I also feel like there should be an honourable mention here for The Snowman. It didn't make my final list, because it's not a movie. But it's excellent, and to my mind the best animated Christmas film. If you haven't seen it (and if you're not from England, the chances are you haven't) then I suggest you find some way of seeing it. Right, on with the list, then.

5. Elf.

Will Ferrel was the perfect choice for the lead role in this movie. Buddy the Elf is so silly and childish, which Ferrel pulls off really well, and it's so different from his usual stuff that I can still watch it without getting bored.
The story, as with most modern American Christmas movies, is generally focused on the importance of Christmas Spirit, without which Santa (the true hero of Christmas) is unable to operate.
That being said, it's not too insipid, and it's all rather light-hearted.
I also love how wholesome it is. There's a love interest. They kiss. There's even a shower scene. but there isn't a hint of sexuality in it. It's about finding love, not sex.
Thoroughly enjoyable.


4. Santa Claus (AKA Santa Claus the Movie)

Dudley Moore. Loop the looping reindeer. Exploding candy canes. Need I say anything more? A favourite from my childhood.

3. Scrooged

A very 1980s take on the classic Dickens story. Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a hardened, and rather odd television programming executive. His love of money and his career has made him lose sight of what really matters. True to the original, he is visited by three ghosts (four if you count his old boss) who show him the true meaning of Christmas. The whole thing runs alongside the preparations for (and execution of) Cross' own rather selfish televised version of A Christmas Carol, leading to an excellent scene of confusion later in the film.
The movie really plays on the success of Ghostbusters, which had been a smash hit for Murray four years previously. The design of Scrooged is excellent, with very memorable ghosts. I particularly enjoy the Ghost of Christmas Present, who is rather silly, and just a touch violent.

2. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Whenever I watch one of the newer Muppet movies, I'm rather disappointed. I always expect them to be so good, and most of the time they're terrible. Even watching the old Muppet Show episodes is a bit of a let down for me.
But this version of A Christmas Carol is fantastic.
From start to finish, the direction is pretty much flawless. Michael Caine is perfect as old Ebeneezer, and the casting of Waldorf and Stadtler as Marley and Marley is inspired. I even find myself singing the songs in the middle of summer. This movie alone is probably the reason I expect so much from all the other Muppet Movies. Brilliant.

1. Home Alone

This one has everything. Cute kid. Slapstick comedy. Scary old guy. Church scene. John Candy...
For me, it has some of the most memorable scenes of any Christmas movie, and I'm not just talking about the traps Kevin sets for the unfortunate criminals. Remember the movie Kevin watches? What about Beth's favourite, Uncle Frank: "look what you did, you little jerk".
Everything about it works for me. The score (John Williams) is excellent, and the soundtrack works really nicely too. I've probably watched it five times already this year, and I'm not tired of it yet.
The second one wasn't that shabby either. Too bad they had to ruin it with the third. Seriously.

Tis the season to be simple.

Today, in Adelaide's parent/tot group, we had the Christmas party. Ohhhhh yeah... you can imagine it. Lots of glitter, glue, stars, sparkles, songs, giggles, treats and group pictures.
I often wonder, would Christmas even happen without group pictures?
Much to my delight, everyone brought something delicious to add to the mix (one day I shall write about just how much I enjoy a proper potluck). It was super fun.

To be honest, I was going to write about our silly little Hardy Christmas traditions. Like how I draw up a wacky Christmas quiz for Mark every year and present him with it Christmas morn'. Or how we watch a crazy amount of classic holiday movies on Christmas Eve until we fall asleep.

So why am I still thinking about a little boy in the group who said to his mom the other night how he wished Addie was his sister? Not sure, really. It is obvious that this little tyke has seriously taken to our family. One of two twins, the other twin died shortly after birth. He is...well, he is just lovely that's all.

I sometimes think that everyone could really benefit from hanging out with littlies once a week or something. Does that sound ridiculous? Just an hour with some five-year-olds...it does me the world of good and brings me so much life. I wouldn't describe myself as a 'kid' person. I don't enjoy messy rooms or disorganization, I don't find it hilarious when my blouse has been coloured on, I dislike tantrums, and practically curl up in to the fetal position when a child picks their nose and eats it. IT KILLS ME just a little bit each time, I swear.

Check out the book of Matthew and you'll find something like this;
"At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?" For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom."

Really? As in SIMPLE, simple?
Not Complicated. Unassuming. Sincere. Unpretentious. Not artificial. Humble. Easy to understand. Mere. Bare. Unmistakable. Guileless.
These words look and sound good for some reason. Now that you mention it, I do kinda like the idea of being that sort of person.
Here's the dilemma: I was that person. I was a kid! Then I put away childish things and I grew up. THAT is a good thing, my friend. It sure is in many ways.
Still, I guess there are ways of being and things on the inside that you just don't have to grow out of. Like being humble, or being sincere. It is so easy to be that person with kids.
Oh, how they see right through you....

Again, in the Amplified Version:

And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.

Would the world even go round if everyone subscribed to this? Hmm.

Now that Addie is in our lives, I think about verses and ideas like these a lot more.
I think I am starting to understand what Jesus was saying here, still only skimming the surface.
I bet Jesus made the best sandcastles, though...

Adelaide is no perfect little angel. She has grabbed things away from that boy I mentioned, sometimes accidently destroyed his craft or stepped on his foot - collided with him on the way to sit down for snack or outright ignored him...you get the idea. Still, he wants her to be his sister, apparently. She walks in every morning with a clean slate in his books.
Other than what to wear tomorrow, that's what I'm thinking about at the moment ;)

Red and Green

This video was a lot of fun to make. It is remarkable what one can accomplish while little girls sleep, isn't it? So, Mark's birthday and all relating festivities have come and gone. This can only mean one thing - that Christmas is around the corner. I am seeing red and green.

We have almost finished buying pressies. Our trip across the border to Buffalo in a few days will probably be the grand finale, although I am more excited to go ice skating there than to shop!

Today, I made a particularly wonderful purchase for the very occasion of Christmas ... a Christmas Vest. No, I am not kidding. This vest comes fully equipped with realistically-drawn images of Santa, reindeer, a sleigh, poinsettia flowers, red roses, red bows, and a green interior. Ah, tacky delight.
I have owned quite a few Christmas Sweaters, but never a vest. I can only imagine that this means Christmas will be extra special this year. *There was the year we went to a fancy dress party where I went as snow (not the rapper) and Mark was Mr. Tumnus: see below*.

While there are no pictures of said vest at the moment, it shall be on public display this month at a variety of functions. Will you behold it?

Toronto The Good

This is great. Gotta love this city...

Unfolding

"And what was said to the rose to make it unfold
Was said to me, here in my chest
So be quiet now, and rest."
-David Crowder

I love this lyric, it really speaks to me at the moment. For the past week I have been getting ideas for paintings at least three or four times throughout the day. Colours, themes, shapes - EVERYWHERE. I was helping Addie paint a picture at school today and trying my best not to take over!

My digital SLR has served me well over the past year as my creative outlet. And while I love living through the lens, I am SO ready to go back to painting and get my hands dirty.

*Seriously, they get really dirty and everything ends up smelling of oil paint.*

My beyond-supportive man is already keen to help me squeeze this in our schedules. And hopefully, we'll work it into being part of our weekly routine. Hopefully.
I wonder if this is how it feels to get over some sort of writer's block or something...

Now, off to dig out some materials!

If only

I worked in the same office as Dwight.K.Schrute. He is my favourite.

"I have been Michael’s number two guy for about 5 years. And we make a great team. We’re like one of those classic famous teams. He’s like Mozart and I’m like...Mozart's friend. No. I’m like Butch Cassidy and Michael is like...Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart? You’re gonna get a bullet in your head courtesy of Butch Cassidy."

"When I die. I want to be frozen. And if they have to freeze me in pieces, so be it. I will wake up stronger than ever, because I will have used that time, to figure out exactly why I died. And what moves I could have used to defend myself better now that I know what hold he had me in."

Student Life

A brief and insightful interview with Ryerson's President, Sheldon Levy, about smart cities.
Levy once said, "what is good for Ryerson is good for Toronto".
Well-into my third year of studies in this institution, I agree with that statement.

OK, now to finish my Criminology paper on community policing efforts...eesh.

This is new...

Mark is now officially self-employed. How exciting. We have never done this before, that's for sure. Like working for someone else, it has advantages and disadvantages. For example,
Advantage: he is home A LOT more/getting time off work is no problem.
Disadvantage: no more benefits.

I get a limited amount of benefits with my university tuition, thankfully. Still, not-so-good.

After our long visit to the UK in the spring, we decided to get our dentistry done there from now on instead of buy insurance here. It is much more simple. For example, at an NHS dentist we can get one, two, three or however many fillings we need filled for 45 pounds. One set price. Easy, right?

Here's the thing. My tooth hurts now...I think a cavity is starting to reveal itself.
Can I wait? I really want to wait. One thing I hate more than going to the dentist is PAYING him.

The Deepest Calm

"Isn't she lovely Isn't she wonderful..."
-Stevie Wonder

When I look at the photos of our old place (above), I vividly remember how tranquil and still it was for the first six months with our new babe. Everything from her cries, to her naps, to getting dressed, play times and even mealtimes...everything was full of such great gentleness.
We enjoyed countless long periods of silence as we simply watched her in awe and wonder. I look back and remember the deepest calm. "She's here, she's okay..."
Everyone said that precious time would go by fast.
Everyone was right.

Then Grace came. weighing at 7lbs, on October 20,at 9:38 pm our housemate Sallyanne finally met her wee angel. So far our place has been dim, quiet, peaceful... full of friends and family tip-toeing in to catch a glimpse of the newest member of The Social Club, as we like to call it.

That same wonderful atmosphere is back and I am soaking it up while it lasts.

She smiled at me in her sleep today, and Mark is more broody than ever ;)

"Life flies by in seconds
You’re not a baby
Gracie, you’re my friend
You’ll be a lady soon
But until then
You gotta do what I say"

Critical Instant

Check out this new blog for superb movie reviews. It is written by none other than James Bower, Lincoln native and cinematic genius. You may have seen him in the fancy role of best man at our wedding. We are so pleased that he is publishing these reviews to a blog finally!

Neighbours

Ah, yes...neighbours. As in people situated near each other and not the unbearable Australian soap opera that Mark may or may not like to watch (shhhh).
Neighbours can be wonderful things...they can also be terribly irritating sources of frustration. Do you have any horror stories? Thankfully, Mark & I have always had pretty cool neighbours.

Today we hung out with a local dad who brings his daughter to the same Family Literacy Centre that we attend- it's in the school across the road. This father, his wife & daughter happen to live just up the road from us. Either Mark or myself take Adelaide to the centre at least three mornings a week from 9-11:30AM (she squeals with delight upon arrival and immediately runs to give the teacher a hug) so we see the families there quite a lot. It's great. Great for kids and parents.

When we lived at Sherbourne & Wellesley we had an amazing neighbour right next door to our apartment. She was from Montreal, need I say more? We would go back and forth to each other's apartments in pyjamas most often, sharing food, wine, movies, and company all the time. It was so much fun. We thought we would never score a neighbour like that again. She was our Kramer.
We had to move, but we still see her. In fact, we got together last week and accidentally happened upon a cozy ol' diner on Richmond ... I love those kinds of discoveries :)

Today we were just really blessed when our new friend arrived for one of many successful & thoroughly enjoyable play dates. It's the little things, right? Turns out he was a DJ, just like Mark, so they had loads to talk about. And his wife is going through the same immigration process that we just emerged victorious from. And their two-year old is beyond adorable. Yes, above and beyond!

There are seasons in life. Living here, living there. Having one particular job, having another. Dating, engagement, marriage. Times of little, times of plenty. Everywhere I look I see that this is the right place for us in this season, or chapter of our lives...and I see it clearly. The right friends and Kramers are gathering around us to form what I like to call a beautiful mess - a tight-knit, caring community.
That's what we need...people, and support :) An unashamed MUST-HAVE.
Do you feel the same?

Just this morning, when grocery shopping with our housemate (who is still patiently awaiting the arrival of baby - I knew you would ask!) I thought to myself ahhhhhhhh I LOVE THIS!

I guess these baby steps towards community are really leading us somewhere...

Fourth.

Oh, Canada.

Thoughts on Love, from under the duvet.

"Won’t you still be mine?

If I end up with nothing
Then that’s a treasure I’d love to hold
‘Cause you were once inside it
Now there’s a memory made of gold
Well, you might be a believer
But I seem to turn your faith so cold

Why does anybody love?
Why does anybody love at all?"

This is such a moving song. I sometimes think it is impossible to find a Duke Special song that isn't, though... can't you just hear the desperation in his voice, here? Amazing.

Thoughts on love? I haven't got many tonight (I should have been asleep an hour ago, really. Adelaide wakes up at 6:30am!).

Just thinking how I get love wrong sometimes... and how I want to love better. Even though I get hurt sometimes, I want to be more open to love, more expecting of love. And even though it is hard to see in people sometimes, I just want to see love.

I want to be love.

Charlie & Lola

I like this show. It is adorable, British, and visually appealing.
Kind of like Mark. Hehehe...

OK, really- it has a rather sweet message. Charlie (older brother) & Lola (younger sister) are best mates. They go on all sorts of imaginary adventures together with Marv and Lotta. Sure, Lola can be a little irritating because she is so very little, but at the end of the day Charlie and Lola are indeed the best of mates. Some shows depict sibling relationships to be a never-ending rivalry that ends up turning poor ol' mum n' dad grey in their thirties. Sure, I pulled my sister's hair and she drove me mad, but somehow we would end up with the care-free giggles of childhood bubbling up out of our bellies. My sister, my brother and I were friends, and still are. We always will be.

When I married Mark I got a new sister and brother. One of the many bonuses of being a Hardy.

So call me cheesy, but I like the idea of getting along with family. And I like shows that promote this idea. I realize that it's not easy for everyone, as situations, histories, and values are different. And I don't mean to make the complexity of family relationships sound as simple as a paint-by-number picture. I do feel enriched, full, BLESSED even with the lot I have been given.
Where/who would I be without my siblings, all of them?

We don't have cable for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that we would rather create - draw, paint, knit, play, photograph, film, write, make playdough, bake, cook, etc- than watch television most days, a lot of the programs are annoying. Make that VERY annoying.

This one, however, I find rather charming.

:)

Toddler Time

A flash of rainbow colour
every morning
Assembling Mr.Potato Head
Fish sticks, broccoli
A cheesy macaroni mess
A playmate, a giggle friend
A vibrant little busy bee
Baby-no-more, you are a little girl
and a joy to be around.

Dancing when the music starts,
toys toys toys
Dress-up, singy songs
chalkboard business
running fast, babbling on
holding hands, kitty cats
Daddy, Mummy, stickers, hugging
fearless girl I have to say
it is so much fun when we hang out.

Saying 'panda', 'apple', and 'eye',
carefully pointing out
sticks and puzzles, and sliding down
splish splash in the bath
splish splash in the pool
a toothy smile
outings, naps
colouring
climbing up, having a snack
storytime is the very best
a face full of wonder
a total gem
Adelaide, you are such a clever girl.

Capitalising

Here I am with Adelaide and our favourite permanent resident of Canada (aka. Mark) in our capital city. I have one question. When did Ottawa get so flipping awesome?!

It has been years since I have been up Parliament Hill, and clearly I was too young to appreciate it, let alone other facets of the CLEANEST CITY EVER. The canal and river are breathtakingly huge, and the Byward Market is so full of magic! I could easily spend a fortune there on handmade clothes and accessories. Oh dear.

Anyway, we sat on The Hill last night watching the sound and light show, "The Spirit of a Nation", celebrating Mark's paperwork being processed in miracle-time. It was so much fun!

Hundreds of people were there, and most were stood up at the end for the National Anthem.

Now onto our favourite French gem, Montreal, for a tattoo expo and some time with friends.
I think Addie wants to 'draw on people like daddy' too. Check it out:

My place or yours?

Alright, there has been a serious lack of Hardy Party thoughts published on this blog.
Unacceptable! Please do let me explain...

The winds of change are blowing at a speed seemingly equivalent to that of the tornado that sped through Woodbridge, Ontario only a week ago. Two new jobs, various new projects, new university year for me, new immigration status for Mark, new place to live, some new friends even. I am thankful that these are all very good & exciting changes. Yet in the midst of it all our feet have felt the beach, and I assure you that we truly surrendered to summer's warm, relaxing embrace over the last two months. OK, we surrendered a bit too much to ice cream, though (how else do you cope without air conditioning people?!).
Now the days are beginning to get shorter, and yesterday I wore a cardigan. Beloved summer is starting to let go.

There are boxes & trusty blue IKEA bags on either side of me containing all of the material things we have managed to collect and call our possessions up until now. On Saturday we begin a new chapter of the Hardy Adventure Series, titled something like "Living in Community at Keele and St.Clair". The three Hardys, our cat Kramer, our friend Sallyanne, the wee baby girl inside her womb, and her kitten named Apple find ourselves sharing space and sharing our lives as one big family. We are SO excited. Our rented house sits across from a park with a soccer field, baseball diamond, kiddie park, and brilliant Early Learning Centre. We can walk to Little Italy, and Mark can cycle to work. My cheeks hurt from smiling :)

Adelaide is asleep on the couch (the only thing not packed). I wish you could see her- her adorableness all sprawled out. You would turn into a ball of mush!

So, now that somewhat of a legitimate update has been provided, what I am really thinking about is hospitality. Not like the kind you find at a quaint bed and breakfast on the outskirts of the city, which is rather lovely in it's own right. Instead, the kind that you find when you are sharing a meal specially cooked for you by someone with an attentive ear to your problems, your ponderings, your stories, jokes, and well being. You know, when your child could be having a screaming tantrum, and the other person's laundry might be piled nine feet high in plain sight, the garlic bread might be burnt, but you see a generous welcome in that someones eyes. You acknowledge the extent that special person went to serve you, and you kind of feel like a valued part of their beautiful mess.
To me, that is a snapshot of hospitality...and it goes beyond two friends or acquaintances. It has nothing to do with obligation or flattery and it has everything to do with caring for people and choosing community. It is a gift, is it not? Born out of the desire to serve, it has the potential to evolve into something powerful, creative and wonderful. Hospitality is especially memorable when it occurs between strangers, or people who barely know each other. As I look back, I can recall instances of what I can only describe as humbling hospitality- I will have to write soon about my visit to Beijing, which is the first example that comes to mind.

I have been thinking about hospitality because I really like it and desperately want to cultivate that gift in our home. I have been combining this thought with a quote running through my head recently, "whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me." -Jesus

My favourite thing about Mark tattooing from home is making the coffee and tea. Honestly. I really really enjoy it. I get out a tray, and one of our cute tea pots, our favourite mugs...OK, stop laughing. It is the narrative that gets me though. I love it when people I have never met feel comfortable enough tell their story, even just the recent news over a cuppa. With Mark's new spot at I Love Mom Tattoos, I am going to have to fill our place with more people to make coffee & tea for. I am already fantasizing about making the peach-marscapone pie recipe I uncovered.

That brings me to my final thought for this post. With having received enormous amounts patience and help from my mom and dad this past year of living with them, it is them I have to thank for giving me an appreciation for hospitality in it's many forms, colours, tastes and smells. Whether it is for a meal, a celebration, or a place to sleep, my parents have always shown me how to give the best of what I have to people that need it by the way they opened their home. And even if they don't necessarily need it, people who are worth the effort.
The same can most definitely be said about Mark's mum & dad.
And I can only hope that we raise our sleeping Adelaide (omg, she is so flipping cute!) in such a way that she looks back on an open-door policy, and years of sharing our lives intimately with extended family & friends and sees something real and a kindness that sometimes resembles a beautiful mess. Not always easy, but beautiful ;)

"Zaccheus, you come down from there,
For I'm going to your house today"
-Jesus

Reality TV

The brilliant family that I get to work for as a Support Worker/Care-giver will be in the public eye two days in a row this week. See, besides the fact that he is entirely lovable, Owen's medical history and lack of diagnosis has people interested.

If you want a peek into their journey, and I guess a peek into a little bit of mine now as well, check it out. Here are the details.

They'll be great :)

Stinky Strike...

So, the City of Toronto is on strike. Apparently, they employees think it unfair that they might not get to keep all of their EIGHTEEN sick days a year, and they won't be able to BANK THEM ALL and CASH THEM IN WHEN THEY RETIRE! It seems to me that they are asking to keep benefits that are entirely unrealistic.

I've not met a single person yet who holds sympathy with the strikers. Here's why:

Garbage collection is on strike. No garbage collection + summer heat = stinky houses. All city trash cans and recycling bins in the streets are closed. Nowhere to put your trash + summer heat = stinky city.

City buildings are all closed while the strike is on. This includes city run summer daycare - so parents that need to work are stuck trying to find a solution. It also includes other kids and youth programs that are normally designed to keep kids out of trouble during the holidays.

All the pools are closed. The Toronto summer temperatures are regularly at about 30 degrees celcius. But nobody can go for a swim in the pools, because the staff are on strike. The pools had all been filled in preparation for the summer, but then the staff went on strike, so they were all emptied. All the water was wasted. And it will take 2 weeks from the end of the strike to fill them again.

The city run homeless shelters are mostly closed. There are people in this city that have been trying to get their lives back on track by finding a place to live in a shelter. They have been forced to move out. Now they're in the already overcrowded private shelters (like the Salvation Army shelters). They've lost their homes, and are effectively back on the streets.

All parks are technically closed. This means that all permits for events in the parks are cancelled. If you've planned some sort of special event or meeting in one of these parks, you can't do it now. When the strike ends, money paid for permits will be refunded, but I bet the city won't pay for all the stuff that people have bought/rented for these events and now have no use for.

All wedding chambers except the central location are closed. No matter if you've been planning your wedding for months, invited people, bought the dress, paid for the food, booked a reception hall, planned and paid for your honeymoon. If you have been planning to get married in a civil ceremony at the wedding chambers in York, Scarborough or East York, your wedding is now cancelled. Sorry!

This strike stinks. The city stinks of garbage. Kids have nothing to do. Parents are forced to pay more than they can afford to get daycare. People are left out of pocket. Homeless people are back on the streets. Weddings are cancelled. It stinks. I think it's selfish and greedy. And I think most people agree with me(check out the image).

Anyone want to do something about it? Any ideas?

Back...

I think we did pretty good.
Nearly 6 weeks on vacation, and we didn't blog about our experiences even once. I'm sure that Beth will have a lot to say about our trip now that we're back, but I'll give you a few of my highlights first:

Taking Matt to Sherwood Forest and him being surprised that it was a real place.
Watching the Eurovision Song Contest with Beth and watching her face when the Ukraine entry was on.
Flying to Finland to see good friends and enjoy VERY hot sauna.
Attending a friend's wedding in the middle of Leicester Square in London.
Spending lots of time with my family.
Going to see Maximo Park with Brett and Laura.
Watching Brett play basketball.
Seeing Addie go nuts when I caught her a fish.
Hearing Addie learn new words.
Drinking plenty of English beer and cider.
Completing some nice tattoos.
Speaking at Poplars Church.

And much more.

We had a great time, and we are so blessed to have been able to take a break like that. To spend time with people and just chill out as a family for so long. Going back to work on Monday is going to be HARD.

Tonight We Fly

AH, one of our favourite songs. How appropriate that we are humming it today :)

Thomas Cook flight # TCX 4L / Non-Stop / Boeing B757
Arriving in Birmingham 6:40AM

Here At Last

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.
~William Shakespeare

Living in a country where we experience four distinct seasons is good fun. I really try not to take that for granted because we might end up somewhere someday where that is not the case.

It is funny though, I never enjoyed spring as much as I do now that I am married to Mark. Seriously. His appreciation for Lady Spring's magic has rubbed off on me.

For example, the other day we spontaneously spent a good hour taking photos downtown of budding trees that seemed so eager to bloom, and some fantastic shots of tulips in their prime.

He is right - something about the world thawing and then coming to life all at once all around you is wonderful.

Life is bursting forth whether we notice or not.

So, here are a few fun reasons why us Hardys fancy the spring:
1-Rain boots:
in vibrant, outrageous colours...for splashing in puddles of course.
2-The park:
spending hours outside without catching a cold, wearing no greasy sunscreen on, and very little humidity. Phew!
3- Weddings:
this is the beginning of typical wedding season, a time to celebrate and dance with friends.
4- Exercise:
this is the perfect weather for running!
5- Baseball:
the season has started - toonie Tuesdays anyone?
6- Centre Island:
the ferry is up and running!
7- The Ice Cream Truck is back from the dead:
AND let's not forget ice cold home made smoothies in blenders again...oh yeah.
8- BBQs:
mmm hmm.
9- Trench coats instead of heavy winter gear.
10- Everyone out-and-about, taking walks instead of watching more TV.
11- Lounging on patios again.
12- Drive-in movie theatres - opening very soon indeed!
13- Tulips.
14- More buskers, more street-art.
15- A rich emerald shade of GREEN everywhere. Especially immaculate Italian lawns.
16- And finally, this spring is particularly special as we're going to be in England and Finland for the rest of it - spending time with friends and family so very dear to our hearts. Having a little time for ourselves as well.
WahooOOoooo :)

Enjoy the rest of Spring - we'll be back to greet summer with you at the beach very soon!

For the Love of Justice

Today I am designing/putting together a sort of 'scrap book' for Saturday's event, called :
THE RESCUE of Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers.

Here are some details.

The 1000+ people that will come out and be 'abducted' to Queen's Park can express themselves in it, and then the coordinators of Saturday's event in Toronto want to send it to the organization themselves - Invisible Children. You may be familiar with their documentaries about what is happening in Uganda.

The whole event is going to be really powerful. If you're in one of the cities that is holding A RESCUE, please consider going. You can make a difference. Check this:

So, I am thinking about those children,
while Adelaide is asleep upstairs -
safe,
warm,
and within my reach.
My tears are falling for Uganda.
Today my heart is aching for Joseph Kony's child soldiers.

For you Toronto-folk, I hope to see you there. It will be easy to find me as I'll be the one doing a really big painting and getting people to fill the scrapbook :)

Thoughts on Love, from Chicago

"Hang my locket around your neck, wear my ring on your finger.
Love is invincible facing danger and death.
Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing- it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out."
~ Song of Songs 8, MSG.

I am writing this on the eight-hour journey home from our first visit to Chicago, Illinois. Mark is driving, and no doubt making good use of the cruise control feature. The sun has literally just broken through the clouds. The fields on either side of the Interstate are barren, slowly recovering from winter-shock. Still, we both remark on how stunning golden hour is on these American fields. Mark and I share a deep appreciation for the unique and the lovely United States. We marvel at our opportunity to visit our southern neighbours in only the second month of Obama's presidency.
I can't put my finger on what exactly it is about roadtrips that I find so worshipful. The open road, the maps, the laughter, the anticipation, the fact that I enjoy being behind the wheel...it probably has something to do with the long silence that creeps up between pit stops and cd changes. This trip was to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. It puts a smile on my face to think back. Two years ago this time we were all pruny from the jacuzzi in our private little Victorian inn, getting ready for a night out on the town in Montreal. We must have been BEAMING with that unmistakeable newly-wed glow.
I hope those vivid memories of our beginnings never fade...and I hope one day we finally master Quebecois French :)
Fast forward to this year in Chicago's intimate 'Metro' music venue, where on the very evening of our anniversary, Jimmy Eat World played our favourite album, Clarity, from start to finish. You can imagine how fast the gig sold out back in November! The most thrilling moment was holding each other's hand whilst being engulfed in the song I walked down the aisle to, For Me This Is Heaven. Layers of memories intertwined in the sound waves overwhelmed us over and over again...the walls must have stretched to contain them.
This all set the bar quite high for next year ;)

I am thinking about how drastically different life is with a husband, with a partner. I am thinking about how fierce and strong our love truly is. This Delirious lyric is playing in the background,
"hold me, blow all the pride from my bones, with your fire..." I am reminded of all the big and barely noticeable ways my pride has been uncovered, confronted, and challenged by marriage.
This union, our oneness simply cannot cope with it. So, we have and are still changing- transforming just from doing life together, learning from mistakes and always wanting to care for each other better. When I choose pride, whatever is at my best interest, what would make me look good, or embrace 'my way or-the-highway' attitudes over walking in love, I am squeezing out of that bond of oneness into a place of individuality and control. It is rather awkward when you think about it- kind of like being in a three-legged race and deciding to walk at a different pace. So in such a time as this, when I look at society and see 'Quick Divorce' adverts and people letting go of marriages for a lot of reasons, there lies a choice for me. It is the difference between pride and humility, selfishness or serving...daily preferring, daily choosing Mark. When I just sit with my Heavenly Father, when I submit to His river and let it carry me, it pulls me into a deeper love for Mark and for people. With His help I make the choice to give of my whole self, to love, to let go.
We have been reading a book together called, The Kosher Sutra. It is written by an AMAZING author named Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (host of Shalom In The Home). The book actually focuses on eroticism, but not at all in the way that we understand it. Eroticism in every day existence, as opposed to boredom, so not just romantically and not at all with whips or chains. Mark will post a proper review soon - it has changed our lives.
Anyway,there is this passage I read recently that reminded me of my inspiring husband and one of the many ways he is so attractive to me. Beyond his dangerous good looks and wicked sense of humour lies his innocence, his childlikeness...which is so precious to me.

"What makes the innocent person so deeply charming and erotic is the openness of their heart. Because their souls are translucent, you can see right into their essence. Innocent people disarm us. Because they are so natural, they invite us to behave naturally around them as well, allowing for our deepest selves to be manifest. Indeed, they posess the unique gift of making us not have to take ourselves too seriously as they never invite competition. Similarly babies, the most innocent creatures of all, bring out the best in even the toughest people because they force us to be genuine.They cause us to stop acting and just "be ourselves". Unskilled in the art of manipulation, the innocent person accepts the humanity and infinite worth of every individual. With no agenda other than sharing, openness, and love, the innocent person allows us to lessen our guard as well. The manipulative person, on the contrary, sees others as the means by which to achieve his own selfish ends."

Chicago was better than we could have asked for, really. Our hotel overlooked glorious Grant Park. We took the above-ground transit (the L) all over the city exploring, filming, buzzing with excitement. The architecture was impressive, we stood in awe of some towers. We found an amazing little bakery, a delicious diner, and beyond-belief breakfast place. The people were friendly, the weather was mostly sunny and mild. We stood behind Jim from The Office in the Art Institute, and took in a cracking good NHL game where the captain of the Blackhawks scored his first hat trick and the place erupted. The long, wide avenues lit up at night are tremendously romantic. Totally worth it.
Did I mention that Mark's colleague from work dropped a bag-o-cash on his desk before we left? It had $275. How generous are our friends?! :)
Alrighty, time to stretch our legs and grab a tea to see us on until we pass through Detroit and reach the border.

You can check out more photos of us in The Windy City here.

More Than Harm Reduction

This will be part 1 of a few posts discussing a passion of mine, harm reduction, one of the ways to extend a hand-up to poor.
I am shocked at how many people don't know that Canada is home to North America's only safe-injection site. While the down-town east-side of Vancouver is known for it's dark reputation of having a seriously high concentration of hard-to-reach addicted drug-users, and homeless people -some struggling with mental health issues, really good efforts going on in the area sometimes fail to be mentioned or recognized.

InSite is an amazing place. Simply put, people can go there and safely inject their drugs – drugs such as morphine, cocaine, and heroin. To be clear, these drugs are not provided. The safe equipment, support staff (nurses, social workers, etc), and detox information are why people use this service as opposed to injecting in a back alley a couple of blocks away and then discarding the needle on the street.

Feathers are often ruffled and questions like "How why is our government allowing this?" are usually raised at this point. Those feelings and questions are valid. I understand the concerns, but as I have been able to research InSite in some depth in 2008, I would be more than happy to assure you of a few things and let you in on some very hopeful, uplifting facts and statistics.

From 2003, InSite has functioned under an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This was extended a number of times and in 2008, the Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield gave the government of Canada until June 2009 to ammend the law so that InSite can remain open. Why?

“In a 60-page ruling released Tuesday, Pitfield found that sections of the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are inconsistent with Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Pitfield says in his ruling that denying access to the site ignores the illness of addiction.”

Find more of that CBC news article here.

Well, the government appealed this decision. Their appeal *what I like to refer to as their tantrum* will be heard in April.

Have a look at these statistics from 2007:



Have a look at this youtube video:


Adelaide is now awake so this will have to be it for part one. Stay tuned for part two, folks!

Meek

I've wanted this on my wall since September. The image, by artist Meek, effectively sums up the urgent cry of people experiencing various degrees of poverty - their cry for a 'HAND-UP' instead of a 'hand-out'...

I have started applying to work for a number of organizations this summer. Working with people and anti-oppressive agencies who are offering that HAND-UP to children, families and individuals. Puh-leeeeease pray that a door opens as I am getting what feels like cabin-fever in uni.
My course load is nowhere near what other SW students (without kiddies) are facing, but finishing this current semester seems as daunting as running a marathon...

Party like a Hardy

Well well well...little miss Adelaide Selah Hardy, you are one whole year old!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY :) Love your biggest fans, Mummy and Daddy XXXXXXXXX

consumption

How much stuff have you got?
www.thestoryofstuff.com
"The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever."

You probably know a lot of this already...meh- still worth the twenty minute watch ;)

Listen

There is "something new and interesting going on in the universe," said Alan Kogut of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

Something about the short article, Mystery Roar, excited me. It is about a sound, "a roar from the distant cosmos", that cannot be explained.
I don't know much about astronomy. I can point out only a few constellations when we get outside of the city at night, and I even get those few mixed up from time to time. Sometimes though, I do find myself just staring - staring straight up at the sky in child-like wonder and amusement. I think about all those stars...all those galaxies, all those planets...all those suns and moons...until my brain throws it's hands up and says enough. These things are too big, too lofty for me.
That's when I put on BBC's Planet Earth series for like the 500th time - ooing and aaahing over the deserts, caves, rainforests, animals, and underwater worlds of good ol' earth. Still, more than I can handle.

Come on. The fact that the universe is continually expanding FASCINATES me. Isn't it CRAZY?
Itty bitty little me...itty bitty little us.
I watch and read the news constantly, I go to university and am bombarded with information from textbooks, websites, articles and films. I can talk your ear off about what is going on in my life and my opinions about various debates, issues, food, and design all around the world.
Even when I finally shut up to listen, it is usually to music that I choose from a selection of bands that I know of.
When I ponder the universe and discoveries such as these, I am humbled by my wee pea-sized bubble. The same bubble that can so easily feel overwhelming.

There is a much bigger picture to see, and a much bigger story being told.

*grinning* How exciting. How creative, and wonderful and mysterious and complex!

Although my knowledge of things out-there doesn't begin to skim the surface, I know the Creator of it all. Could it be that the same roar in the never-ending universe is the same voice resonating in my heart...spoken by a never-ending God?

Am I still little? Yes. Insignificant? No.

Neither are you...