ON BEING A GIRL

Pippi and I and One of My Favorite Nieces, Artemis--Who Just Happened to Arrive at Starbucks with Her Mom at the Very Same time As Us (totally unplanned).

Pippi vs. the Banana Cake (Pippi won). My Mom Made the Smocked Dress She's Wearing (William Morris Print Fabric).

Physics Homework While Texting

October 11, 2012 was the Earth's first ever International Day of the Girl. I celebrated with 2 of my daughters and my niece at Star Bucks while my other daughter was at her volleyball game. I came across a few quotations, by famous women on CNN. The women were asked what they'd tell their 15 year old self? The below quotes are my personal favorites from CNN Online--except for the last 3, they are quotations by me (Mix Hart) and  my 15 year old daughter, Mistaya and my 12 year old daughter Tabitha (because she really wanted to get her 2 cents in). I asked them what they'd tell their 40 year old self if they could speak to her now. The quotes are powerful and really make me think, even cry at memories of some of my biggest setbacks and hopes for the future.

To all my fellow sisters on Earth today: we hold nature's strongest bond in our DNA, the XX.  We first must nurture ourselves and then lead the world.

What Would You Say to Your 15 Year-old Self?
"Many things--especially your biggest heartbreaks--will only make sense as you look back, not as you are experiencing them. Many of what seem at the time to be your biggest setbacks will end up leading to your biggest opportunities, and in ways you can't predict." Arianna Huffington, Editor in Chief. Huffington Post.

"You have no ides how the future will unfold. But it will unfold, slowly and quickly and slowly again. In ways that you cannot now begin to imagine...Relax and let the future arrive on its won time and in its own way. Allow yourself to be astonished." Robin Bernstein,  Harvard Historian.

"Keep going, follow your passions and become engaged with the world and stay true to your self."
 Melanie Verveer, US Ambassador at large for Global Women's Issues.

"Don't be discouraged if there aren't enough role models paving the way for you. Imagine the future as you want it to be and you will succeed."
Cherie Blair, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

"Never think that someone else knows what's best for you. Trust your way and don't ask for much advice. Learn how to be quiet and still enough to hear your own voice. Its up to you: your voice will either be silenced or will get to roar." Maria Shriver, Activist, Journalist.

"Each day of your life, continue to educate and challenge yourself to grow intellectually, creatively, spiritually, socially and physically stronger. . . One's success cannot be measure by units in time, it is the culmination of how one has lived an entire life. . . Hope is the key to success and doubt the key to failure. " Mix Hart, Author, Artist, Activist and Adventurer (sorry, I couldn't resist, the 'A' words just kept flowing).

What Would You, being 15, Say to Your 40 year-old Self?
"Always be able to connect and relate to youth...Keep a circle of friends and have it include at least one really good friend...Keep current with fashion and hold onto your passion for music." Mistaya age 15, Student, Dancer and Musician.

"Don't try to be cool," Tabitha age 12, Student, Singer, Musician and Soccer player.

Oh, the Kisses, the Kisses...

Pippi and Mommy

Can't resist posting this photo series of the Pip and I. I love them all. They capture us perfectly as we are today.

Off to Mirror, Mirror with my littlest girls in half an hour. A lazy day for me. That leg massage yesterday was very painful and wiped me right out. Last night we had a wonderful first BBQ of the season at my sister Miranda and John's.

Mist has spent today over at a friends while the rest of the family has done nothing but hang around the home this lazy Saturday. Most unusual. I made spelt cream-cheese brownies. Very decadent.

The dog boys have freaked me for life. Found them in the back yard eating a dead baby bird. There is something about a dead bird that I find horrifying. I am not usually like that. If I find a dead cat on the road, I carry to the edge out of respect. I also dispose of dead mice. Of course it is difficult and heart breaking but I can do it, out of respect for the animal. But the dead bird was so upsetting to me today. I could not deal with it. I asked Peter to dispose of it. I think it was because it horrified me that my dogs were eating it.

I am not one to sit around the city filling out job applications. I am a woman of adventure and action. I have to be busy doing what I love, each and everyday. I cannot wait around. So, this in mind, I have booked myself a pretty busy spring. A freelance journalism course at UBC starting soon [must take online as I will be away the week it is offered in the summer :( ] and a digital photo course as well (just a weekend course at the college) as well, starting my free online French course. And most importantly my eBook publishing house--will publish 2 novels right away.
I cannot attend my 4 day meditation retreat this spring as it happens the same weekend I will be in Vancouver with Tabs at her Next Star audition. However, finally I am not teaching Monday night for awhile so I get to try meditation night at the Yoga House. I love finding group meditations that I enjoy attending weekly. Keeping up my meditation practices is very important to me. I love studying Buddhism.
 I'm still teaching Zumba 3x a week until mid June--still adore it! I will never stop dancing--it fuels my soul.
-Will find out in a few weeks if BC gives me my Teaching Certificate or makes me jump through any more hoops. I have my Saskatchewan Teaching Certificate but BC wants a lot of money and hoop-dancing to switch me over.

Trips planned each month until August:
April-Victoria for 5 days.
May-Vancouver weekend.
June-Montreal for a week.
July-New Orleans for 2 weeks.
August- Bella Coola weekend to photograph wild grizzlies.

I have to explore and have adventure to satisfy my soul. So, I am happy I have a plan. And an even bigger plan that I won't reveal, I do like to keep some thing secret ;)
 Hopefully the money will come as the writings are published...