The big day is almost here…

Well the big day is almost here.  Santa Claus arrives at our house tonight and we are ready and waiting.  We’ll be decorating cookies for him later tonight.  We’ll be putting out our reindeer food and leaving milk and cookies (if the kid doesn’t eat them all).  Tomorrow morning we’ll wake up, open our gifts and go to church, before spending time with family. What traditions do you have with your family on Christmas Eve?  I’d love it if you shared with us.

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Wishing each of you all that the Season has to offer.

 

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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Pre-School when the heck did this happen?

So it is official, I have a pre-schooler.  Seriously, when the heck did this happen?  Wasn’t it just yesterday that they let us take her out of the hospital and go home with her?  Weren’t we just getting up at all hours of the night feeding and changing diapers?  Well I guess it hasn’t bee as recent as my memory would like it to be.  My little one started pre-school, in case you missed it the last couple of times I wrote it.  I know it is going to be an amazing experience for her, and for me, as I embark on being able to figure out what I want to do next with my life.  She comes home and tells me stories of Miss so and so helping her outside and Miss so and so rubbing her back during nap time.  Seriously, my kid hasn’t napped at home for a year and you got her to nap?!? I say alleluia!! The hard part of all of this isn’t letting her go, well that is a little, but preparing for all of the new adventures she will have without me.  All of the first that may now not happen with me present.  She is growing up into a little lady with a mission to take on the world!

With the 15th Anniversary of September 11th being a few days ago, I think about all of the things that we will have to explain to her.  Some in the distant past and some in the not so distant past.  I think about what she may face down the road as a female.  I think about how early bullying comes into play today.  I think about how I was called a minority back in the day for being Greek and still remember how offended I was by that.  I think about how much harder work it will be to make sure she has the same Greek values and traditions that I grew up with being one generation removed from the immigration.  As I’m told often sometimes I need to just stop thinking!!  My baby is no longer a baby, but she’ll always be my baby.  So with that I leave you my friends.

 

img_1145The kid’s first day of school outfit.

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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A year full of luck!

Well its official my kid is the luckiest of all. She was the one who received the coin in her Vasilopita on New Year’s Day and is granted a year full of luck! A big thank you to my mother in law for making another fabulously yummy vasilopita this year….’για στα χερια σου και του χρονου να σαι καλα!

Our 2016 has started off well. We saw our first bitterly cold days this week, but the sun is still out and the major snow is staying away. I’m not sure what will be happening in April but for now, we’re good. I’m not one who is big on resolutions because I don’t think you should wait for once a year to make them. I believe in setting goals for every day, every week and every month. My goal for 2016 is to be the best that I can be. The best mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, etc. I may not always be perfect, let’s be honest who is?  I want to be the best me.  Go big or go home as they say!   What are your 2016 goals?

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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Growing up Greek in America…oh wait we live in Canada.

There are so many funny nuances that you encounter when you’re growing up Greek in America, or in the case of my little one, Growing up Greek in Canada.  From before she was born hubby and I decided that it was important for our child to grow up Greek.  Now I know many people who have raised ‘Greek’ children and they can barely say ‘kahlihmehrra’. I’m not interested in that.  I want my child to say καλημέρα and know where the accent should even go.  The language, the customs, the traditions, this is what it means to be Greek. Celebrating your ονομαστική γιορτή (nameday), celebrating Greek Independence Day by going to the Danforth for the parade in her βασίλισσα αμαλία outfit, celebrating the Ἐπιτάφιο service on Good Friday and the Eσπερινός Αγάπης on Easter Sunday are all events I look forward to attending with the little Miss for years to come.  They wouldn’t be something we think twice about attending.

One of these nuances we’ve encountered is language.  We have decided to speak Greek in our home along with English.  We know that we won’t have any other chance as the current one presented to us to be able to fill her brain with all of the wonders of language.  Saying that you often wonder can it ever hurt?  One example is we were playing with some of her friends the other day and the patty cakes came up in the conversation.  Of course as soon as it was said the other children began to clap and smile.  Little miss just sat there unsure as to what the excitement was all about.  When I explained to her to do Παλαμάκι she started clapping and smiling like everyone else.  It wasn’t until that moment that I started to think about the effects of “Growing up Greek.”  Would she have a more difficult time later on when she had to focus more on English?  Would it be harder for her to communicate with others?  The more I think about it the less I’m going to sweat it.  Hubby and I are both educated individuals who at least will be able to help her with her spelling words in JK, SK and grade 1 🙂

If you want to check out our favourites the Zouzounakia doing Παλαμάκι, click the link here.

 

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Roula

A little ditty about Jack and Diane...no really in all seriousness I'm a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I'm a Greek-American, who has transplanted in Canada. As a first time mom I'm sharing some things as I go along.

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