Currently: September 2026

It's the first Wednesday of the month so it's time for "Currently" hosted by Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa You can find Amy here. I've been back at work for about a week and a half but the kids don't start school until next week so we're in a bit of a mixed up couple of weeks where the kids are still on summer break but Dave and I are working.

[Adjusting (to)]

I'm "adjusting (to)" being back at work and having to wake up early again. I'm "adjusting (to)" having less time at home and being extremely tired when I am home. I'm "adjusting (to)" spending less time on our deck. Sadness.

I'm also "adjusting (to)" the kids doing their own laundry. This has been the biggest change in our house. Both kids independently said, "We want to do our own laundry now." Sam wants to dry his in the dryer, so it's softer (which is his impetus! Hahaha!!!) and Rachel still hangs hers up. I know it's probably a good thing for them to do their own laundry but I saw a video this morning about how you need to make time to do the things that bring you joy and one of the things which really brings me joy is hanging laundry. So having the kids do their own has been an adjustment for me.

[Baking/Cooking]

Other than the back to school muffins Rachel and I baked a couple of weeks ago, we haven't been "baking/cooking" much of anything around here. We never did grocery shop a few weeks ago and then this past weekend we were out of town. So Dave just went grocery shopping for the first time in about two weeks last night. I have had popcorn for dinner a few nights over the last week or so because I've been too tired to make/eat anything else. We will get back into a better cooking routine but it just hasn't happened yet. I think tonight's plan for dinner is frozen pizza as Dave is out of town for the day. All that is to say, it's a good thing Rachel and I baked when we did!

[Decorating]

While yesterday was September 1, it was also 38C (100F) with the humidex. The kids haven't started school yet so, between that and the weather, it really doesn't feel like fall. My favourite greenhouse opens for fall today so my mums will probably make an appearance soon. I did buy a seasonal towel and some pillows a couple of weeks ago so I did put those out last night.

 

I'm excited to have mums along our fence again this year after having to skip getting them last year, due to our renovation. This picture is from a few years ago.

[Balancing]

I am "balancing" upcoming, exciting transitions for people in my life with my own emotions about how things are changing. Over the next months and year, a few people close to me have big things happening which will effect my life. I'm super excited for the people who have the transitions happening but sad for me as to how things will change. There are a few things I can't talk about yet but Sam starting his final year of high school next week is definitely a big one!!!

 

His first day of school doesn't feel like it was all that long ago...

[Learning]

I am "learning" that the more I do this school start up thing at work the more I know what I'm doing and the less stressful it is. I was expecting to be so stressed at this point and I'm just not. My principal and I keep asking each other, "Are we missing something?" Our response is always, "Nah, we're just pros at this by now!" Don't get me wrong -- I'm still tired, but I'm not stressed. Whoo hooo!!!

So that's what's going on "currently" around here. Fall is coming. School is coming. More independence is coming. Better nutrition is coming (I hope!). But it's not quite here yet.

Friday Favourite Moments #19 2026

These are actually my favourite moments from last week and then hopefully, on Monday you'll get my favourites from this week and then I'll be all caught up. (Can you tell I live in hope?!?!?!?)

Last week was the week when we celebrated ME all week long -- from my belated birthday celebrations to some fun Mother's Day adventures, last week was all about me! Hahaha!

1) Neighbourhood Amazing Race

Our neighbourhood association hosted an Amazing Race type event and Dave and I signed up. Over 60 people participated in teams of six. We had to visit various stores in our uptown and solve the clues. It was super fun and we all ended up at a local bar afterwards. Our team came in third and Dave and I had a great time.

2) In Bloom Festival

You know I love a good, unique experience and so when the In Bloom Festival popped up on my Instagram feed, I was hooked. It took place in a town about two hours away from here (to be fair, I did think the town was a little closer than that) and there were a ton of outdoor floral installations. I told the kids this was part of my birthday experience, so they brought their good attitudes, and it was so fun!

I enjoyed the signature drink of the festival which had gin, tea, and some other things I can't remember. And I made the kids take a nice picture with me at one of the installations.

3) Sam's surprise

When we got home from the scavenger hunt, Sam wouldn't let me in the kitchen as he was making a "surprise" (at 9:45pm, by the way!?!?). When I woke up the next morning, there was an entire container of strawberry scones he had baked! Yum yum yum!!! I enjoyed one with whipped cream and jam. 

 

4) Mother's Day fun

For Mother's Day, we went and played mini golf at a fun new place in our downtown, ate some really good local pizza, and stopped at my favourite ice cream place. We walked to all these places, the kids cooperated (for the second day in a row), and it was so great!

 

5) Loonie Dogs night at the Jays' game

My last birthday experience, or Mother's Day experience, was to attend a Loonie Dogs night at a Jays' game. Loonie Dogs nights are only on Tuesdays and you can get a hot dog for a loonie (which is $1). Our family ate 17 total (most of those were Sam!!!) and we had a ton of fun watching the Loonie Dogs counter go up. There were over 97,000 hot dogs sold the night we attended. And I got to meet the Loonie Dog Kings which was also exciting! These are two guys who have become famous for dressing up as hot dogs and eating a lot of hot dogs on Loonie Dogs nights.

 

6) Jr Youth Thursdays

Last week also held our last Jr Youth Thursday of the spring. Every Thursday night, we've gotten together with the Jr Youth. We've played Spoons, eaten pizza and cookies, heard about each other's weeks, and played games. It's been a lot of work but so much fun and such a bonus to see the great relationships which have been built. Some weeks these nights have been the absolute highlight of my week! 

So those were the highlights of last week. It was a great week of fun adventures, all of which were fun for me!!! Hahaha!!! This was also why I didn't blog; I was too busy having fun! Plus working and sleeping... you know, the unimportant things :)

10 On The 10th: September 2025

I am excited to share my October "10 on the 10th" with you but I wanted to share my ten photos from September first. September 10th was a Wednesday so I had to work and I was on the go all day.

The mornings are dark so my twinkle lights are on early.  

Every morning from about September 1st until the end of the World Series, the first thing I do is read all the stories on the MLB app. I loved seeing my Jays in the above graphic! 

It was a very foggy morning so my walk to work was a little chilly.

There were elevator issues this day (which I didn't have to deal with), but I had to communicate with a few people about the fact it wasn't working. And I always enjoy my coffee-hot chocolate throughout the morning.

I always enjoy my walk home! It's one of my favourite parts of my work day.

I've mentioned before that we're getting the kids to cook more this fall and Sam made a chicken alfredo this day. Rachel and I had a meat alternate and this meal was really good.

I enjoyed my zinnias from CSA. They added just a touch of fall to our table. 

When I moved out on my own, in 2002, I bought a set of white plastic bowls with lids. They had slowly been breaking over the past few months so I was on the hunt to replace them. We tried a few alternatives but then I found these bowls. I LOVE them! They're so bright and colourful and they have the perfect lids. Every time I use one, I just smile :)

I finished the night off with my first ballet class! Yes, I am taking beginner adult ballet for the third time. I first took ballet in the fall of 2007, and then I tried again in 2014. It's been a while but I am really enjoying my class!

 

So that was my September 10th -- work, new bowls, and ballet! It was a good day!

What's Up Wednesday: July 2025

I realize it's not yet the last Wednesday of the month but, if you follow me on Instagram, you will see that we left for our summer vacation a few days ago. Unlike last time we travelled to Europe, I left my computer at home this time. So, I thought I'd answer these questions for July today. Here's what was up with us the first weeks of July.

Answering these questions monthly helps me reflect on the past month and I really appreciate having a record of what we've been up to. I actually wanted to document July 2025 before vacation which is why I'm answering these today. The questions come from Shay at Mix and Match Mama and Sheaffer at Sheaffer Told Me Too.

image from here

 

What we're eating this week... Honestly, the past week of eating has been... not great. It was super hot, I didn't feel great, and we ate very randomly. There were not a lot of fruits and vegetables happening. However, I did eat an amazing charcuterie picnic when we visited the lavender farm with Tim & Janice. It even had edible flowers!!!

This past week the raspberries in our yard started ripening so every couple of days I would go out and pick a few handfuls. My favourites are the yellow-orange ones! Yum!!!

 

 

What I'm reminiscing about... As much as I am really enjoying having teenagers, I have been reminiscing about summers when the kids were younger. I see the "empty nest" years barrelling down on us. The saying, "The days are long but the years are short" is very true. I can't believe it was just a few years ago that I had toddlers and preschoolers. Or was working in the summer and needed to juggle childcare. I am so thankful I have the bulk of the summer off to spend with the kids. More realistically, this summer, it's been spending time with the kids in the car as I ferry them to their various activities!

What I'm loving... I am loving having time to leisurely drink my coffee-hot chocolate and blog in the yard, most days. This is exactly where this post is being written :) I am also loving that we've had time to connect with some friends who live out of town this summer. Our weekends are so full during the school year that we don't really get a lot of time to visit with them.

 

 

What we've been up to... We've been up to a lot!

We started July with some good friends at a Jays' game on Canada Day. The Jays won which made it even more exciting!

We met up with Dave's parents for lunch, a visit, and a walk.

 

We visited Lake Erie on one of the hottest days of the summer and loved the chance to cool off!

The kids and I did some volunteering at church the week before VBS, and then Sam volunteered in the kitchen the whole week of VBS while Rachel was volunteering at dance camp.

As I mentioned above, Tim, Janice, Dave, and I enjoyed a charcuterie picnic at a lavender farm and it was an absolutely magical evening!!!

We went to a beach on Lake Huron with friends and enjoyed another afternoon in the water!

The last of my lilies bloomed! I so enjoyed going out to check on them every day.

Auntie Janice crocheted a "downstairs blanket" for Rachel and she has been enjoying it immensely!

There's been time for some creative projects. And housecleaning :)

And we took in another Blue Jays game last weekend. It was a night game, which we rarely get a chance to go to, and so much fun!

 

What I'm dreading... Well, at this point, I'm not dreading anything. Maybe jet lag and all the yard work which will await us when we get back.

What I'm working on... We've been working on biking more. Sam, especially, enjoys it so we've tried to bike a few places, rather than always walking (my preferred method of transportation!).

  

What I'm excited about... The Blue Jays are in first place in the AL East and have been playing some amazing baseball in July! I'm sooooo excited about that!!!

Photo from July 3 when they tied for first with the Yankees. As of today (Monday, July 21), they are three games ahead of the second place Yankees. 

What I'm watching/reading... To no one's surprise, I've been watching Blue Jays baseball. I am seriously going to miss my baseball fix while we're on vacation, but you can bet that I will be checking my MLB app daily! Hahaha!

 

As for what I've been reading, you can read my "first half of July reading" post here. Sadly, my summer reading hasn't been as prolific as I'd hoped.

What I'm listening to... I'm not really listening to much of anything these days. Birds in our back yard, Dave on work meetings, Rachel listening to Taylor Swift -- that's been the background noise of my summer.

 

What I'm wearing... Both of the baseball games we went to this month had replica jersey giveaways. We got the Canada Day red jersey and the City Connect jersey. So I'm excited to have new jerseys to wear to games!!! (I never buy the real ones -- I think they're way too expensive.) 

 

What I'm doing this weekend... This weekend we'll be on vacation! I'm excited because I get to (briefly) visit a country I've never been to!!! I'll also be relaxing a lot because... vacation :)

What I'm looking forward to next month... After we get back from vacation, Rachel has a big event coming up that I'm excited about. My parents will be visiting for a bit, and then I'll be headed back to work (boo). By next What's Up Wednesday, I'll probably be looking forward to getting back into a routine, but for now, I'm enjoying my (mostly) schedule free days.

 

So that's what was up with us in July -- a lot of finding fun things to do around us, a lot of baseball, and a lot of enjoying summer. Happy Wednesday! I have one more blog post scheduled for tomorrow and then I'll be taking a blogging break until we get back. You can catch me on Instagram at "tashajk72" if you want to follow along on our trip in real time.

Friday Favourite Moments 2025 #10 (On A Thursday)

I have a different post planned for tomorrow so I am posting my favourite moments from this past week today, even though it's not yet Friday.

1) Rachel updating the calendar

February was a bit of a bust when it came to updating our family calendar. I love how much the rest of my family depends on it, but it's a lot of work to update every month. This past weekend, Rachel took it upon herself to fill it in for March. I loved that she took the initiative to do it and everyone feels much more centred now that the calendar is filled out!

 

2) Quick catch up with friends

 

Our friend from Kenya came to visit his son over spring break and they are doing a road trip which included a stop in our area. We were thrilled to be able to have supper with them one evening. It was so great to be able to hug them and catch up. It's been seven years since we last saw them.

 

3) "Feeling calm" tea from my co-worker

 

Wednesday was not a good day at work. I was struggling and it was very busy. I called my co-worker to vent and, not only did she come down to the office to give me a quick break, but she brought me some "feeling calm" tea. It's a chamomile-citrus blend. It was so good but her thoughtfulness was my real favourite thing. I'm so thankful for supportive co-workers.

 

4) Cooperative kids

 

Some weeks I have two typical teenagers who are snarky, moody, lazy, and frustrating as all get out. And other weeks, I have teenagers who are extremely helpful and responsible. This has been a week with the latter and I am so thankful for that. Sam and Rachel have gone above and beyond to help make my week easier and I want to make sure I remember weeks like this when I hit a frustrating parenting week.

So those are my short and sweet favourite moments from this week.