marriage

An interview with Lesléa Newman: Feminism, diversity, freedom

March 24, 2013
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Last night, my husband and I watched the movie, Jeff, Who Lives at Home.  It is a poignant little film that explores the concept that everything happens for a reason, something that I have long believed in myself. A few weeks ago, I got an email inviting me to interview Lesléa Newman before her upcoming Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights at the University of Alberta. I’ll be honest, I did not know who she was before receiving this email. An extensive google search and a visit to the library changed all of that and then I got VERY excited about this opportunity! Lesléa Newman is a prolific writer, poet, and human rights activist. She is the author of over 60 books and edited collections including the groundbreaking children’s book Heather Has Two Mommies, the first children’s book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, and the award-winning short story A Letter to Harvey Milk....

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Sharing

March 13, 2013
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Sharing

In an effort to become a more organized and cohesive family unit, my husband and I have started sharing our iCalendars. We now know exactly where we are at all times, what activities the kids have, when any and all appointments are, and, as of last night, when my menstrual cycle starts. Yes. You read that right. My menstrual cycle is now in my husbands calendar and “in the Cloud”. The past few weeks have been particularly tough for me and I honestly couldn’t figure out why. I have been extremely moody, irritable and VERY emotionally volatile. I mean, I almost burst into tears at soccer registration because C has to play on the Under-8 team and not the Under -6 team with all his school friends. That incident alone should have clued me in to what was going on. But no, I just kept thinking I was staring...

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Prince Charmings need not apply

August 31, 2012
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Prince Charmings need not apply

Last night I was up until 1:00 AM having a very interesting conversation with a few people on a friend’s Facebook wall. Kevin posted this status update to his page and his blog and then let the chips fall (and as you can see, they did indeed fall… 115 times). The conversation got off to a quick start when another commenter posted that he disagreed, did not love ‘bitches’ and then said this, And I think a lot of modern female culture is just an excuse for bad behaviour and out of control narcissism….. I couldn’t resist, at that point I HAD to say something. I asked him for clarification on what he thought “modern female culture” was and after some initial back and forth and outright and admitted ignoring of my question, he finally answered. Natasha – modern female culture: a couple of weeks ago I met with...

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date night

August 28, 2012
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date night

You know what is important when you are married with kids? Date night. Especially after a day with 4 kids under 6. One of these my 4-month old baby nephew, who HAS to be worn at all times. (I think I MAY have forgotten how this is all baby plus other kids stuff is done and I can now honestly say that I do not *in any way* want any more kids!) Anywho… Lately, what Natural Urban Dad and I have found, is that date night with another couple is a great way to have even more fun! You can commiserate with each other, share inappropriate stories that only other parents will understand, and it never drags on and on because everyone needs to get home to pay the babysitter. So make a list of your couple/parent friends and start double dating again! And then come home after an...

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It’s just a little spilled pickle juice

August 21, 2012
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It’s just a little spilled pickle juice

Silly title I know, but it is what it is and since I don’t want to go to bed both mad and without writing something tonight… Here is a short list of things I am grateful for today. 1. My little girl and her two favourite friends having a tea party and two almost 6-year olds who needed the door closed so that they could play big boy imagination games. 2. Spinilates. It does a body good. 3. The lovely eye-candy that is the sweaty, shirtless men, working hard to give me a back yard. I know, so sexist of me, but WHATEVS… 4. Two-step oatmeal muffins that the kids can essentially make themselves and the ensuing house that smells like fresh baking. 5. Day Three of Natural Zen Mama. No yelling, no screaming, actively listening and stopping the busy-ness to just play. 6. Being photographed and photo-bombed by...

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Why 50 Shades is good for you.

June 10, 2012
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Why 50 Shades is good for you.

I caved. BIG TIME. I had heard about it a few months ago, but didn’t really buy into the hype. I mean, it’s not like I was a stranger to erotic fiction. I was reading The Story of O and Ann Rice’s (writing as Ann Rampling) Sleeping Beauty Trilogy way before women all over North America started googling BDSM and realizing that a full bladder equals a bloody amazing orgasm! So, YES. I have now read all three of the Shades of Grey books and I am not ashamed to say that I thoroughly devoured and enjoyed all of them. Today I read a post on the Yummy Mummy Club site by Kat Armstrong, their new Celebritease writer in which she ponders this “mommy porn” phenomenon… “But there’s something about this book…. that keeps drawing women in, but I completely don’t get it. I don’t understand how poorly written erotic...

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legacy

December 6, 2011
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legacy

I just spent the last 2 hours in a cramped 3-bed hospital room with my 82-year-old Godmother. This is the woman my daughter is named after. The woman who was a best friend to my grandmother, a kind of surrogate mother for my own mother and the woman at whose home I have the fondest memories of my childhood. She is a pretty amazing woman and I am so incredibly thankful that she has always been a part of my life. Talking with her today, we covered the usual. How the kids and Natural Urban Dad are doing, how goes the progress on the new house, and the usual chit-chat. And then the conversation took a turn that it often does with her. She is ready to die. She actually wants to die. Seven years ago this December, the love of her life, the man she was married to...

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Bizarro World and a Foot Rub

December 2, 2011
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Bizarro World and a Foot Rub

Something weird happened last Sunday. And by weird I mean, like bizarro world, everything is backwards weird. I worked the Mommylicious trade show in Edmonton on Sunday. I was on my feet from 9 Am until 4:30 PM fitting mamas and daddies with beautiful baby carriers and running the show’s stroller check (check in your stroller and ‘check out’ a baby carrier while you shop). I also got to have some amazing sleepy 6-week-old snuggles with my friend’s sweet baby girl who slept on me for about 2 hours! It was a great day. And a long day. Natural Urban Dad was home with the kids all day and I got a few texts from him as the day went on about what they were doing. Seems the kids were having a day of “let’s not listen to Daddy and therefore not get to go to “Fish Mouth” with...

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It’s decision time….

November 25, 2011
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As you may know, the past few months have been a struggle for me. Personally, I have been dealing with my yearly seasonal blues demons and just barely keeping them at bay. It is getting better though and I have my fabulous little family and some really great friends (new and old) to thank for that. And a healthy dose of Vitamin D every day seems to be helping too! Professionally, it has been a struggle as well. Working as a solo entrepreneur is hard work.  Actually, it is VERY hard work. And doing so while also being the stay-at-home parent to two preschool-aged children makes it even harder. Somehow they NEED me more now then they ever have before (more on this later) and finding the time to focus on ALL of my babies is getting harder and harder. Please understand that I love what I do. I...

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All work and no play makes for…

August 15, 2011
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….late nights alone with your computer! The other night a fellow blogger posted on her Facebook page that she gets all her best writing and work done between the hours of 10 PM and 1 AM. I totally agree with her, as this also happens to be my most creative and focused time of the day as well. BUT…. ..this kind of schedule…. well….. It does nothing for one’s love life! Let’s face it. We are up at the crack of dawn with little ones (often after an interrupted night’s sleep, because of said littles). We feed them all day, play with them, take them to play dates and the park and various other activities. Some of us work full-time jobs, some of us work from home. We make dinner for the family, give baths, read books and finally put them all to bed. And then it is grown-up...

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