Tag Archive | mental health

Legos At the Science Museum!

One of our best investments… family pass at the Science Museum. With a family our size you really only need to go twice and it is paid for. I love how they have some exhibits that change. In May we went to the Lego exhibit. The kids are always game for Lego. This one was based on famous buildings. So there is a slew of pictures to enjoy.20180528_114329

I snuck off to explore the mental health exhibit. It was really well done. Check out MakeItOk.org for more information.20180528_121036

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Anyway… LEGOS…20180528_113701

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In the exhibit were many amazing buildings… 

Willis Tower

Willis Tower

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CN Tower (Toronto, Canada)

CN Tower (Toronto, Canada)

Shanghai Tower

Shanghai Tower

Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo Skytree

Empire State Building

Empire State Building

Taipei 101

Taipei 101

There was lots of Legos to use to build your own things there. The kids and Ken really enjoyed that.20180528_114450_HDR

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(Zander left)

(Zander left)

There was a zipline project as well. Emanuel worked on that one.20180528_122426

The twins spent some time building with the large Jenga style blocks that are outside the exhibit area. One of their favourite things to do.IMG_20180528_131559_864

All in all it was a lot of fun. I think each time we go everyone has a blast!20180528_114753

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Examining October

Well, you can already see pictures from Halloween HERE, as usually it was a fun time.

Neko-Chan and her Halloween prop

Neko-Chan and her Halloween prop

Echo’s wedding dress photos are HERE.

October was also Ken’s birthday… his 40th if you can believe it! We kept it low key, just as the birthday boy requested. He is not a big party animal. But he also was given an award for his hard work involved in getting his mental health under control and advocating for the association that helped him. We got to dress up and everything!20171005_183253

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New outfit and all

New outfit and all

It was a fun sort of duo season month with time to jump in leaves (and rake them up, slightly less fun)…20171023_132448

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Gavin

Gavin

And a bit of snow to toy with as well.20171027_100640

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We even had TWO foreign visitors, Jeff flew down from Canada to hang out. Never a bad thing, friends and family flying down when we still can’t return ourselves.20171024_170421

With Jeff there is ALWAYS yummy curry.

With Jeff there is ALWAYS yummy curry.

And Karyn!!! A shorter visit than her normal yearly visit but we packed in the fun and hugs and … shopping of course!20171010_115528

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UNO

UNO

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So we may enable each other... just a little... and we like it that way!

So we may enable each other… just a little… and we like it that way!

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We had our yearly pumpkin patch trip with our friend Trish and her two kids. Always fun and thankfully on a day when the weather mostly cooperated.

I am so grateful that Trish is willing to embrace our loud and crazy family.

I am so grateful that Trish is willing to embrace our loud and crazy family.

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20171020_150620Ken made pumpkin pie from scratch.20171022_111019

The twins took on acolyting at church.IMG_20171022_095158_027

20171029_091707We worked on all sorts of school stuff from crafts to book work and more.20171031_135121

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20171031_093754We had the Novaks over for VR fun.20171014_201627

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I continued my obsession with Neko-Chan pictures.IMG_20171022_000542_936

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We had a bonfire with the Schwartz family and I got my cat fix.20171013_205711

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I worked my buns off at the YMCA, with the family in tow, of course.20171022_173545

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Emanuel and Trinity even got their YELLOW belts!!20171012_181358

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And I crafted, my sanity is very closely tied to crafting it seems.

Seasonal!

Seasonal!

Of course more images to enjoy. Fall really was pretty last year!IMG_20171022_151323_502

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Face painting!

Face painting!

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...asleep

…asleep

Rethinking And the Capital D Depression

I know I have covered this topic in some detail ages ago with my post called Having the “Sads” and Other Confusing Terminology…do take a look back if you are so inclined as I explain my own emotional well being descriptor words. But with today’s active conversation on the usage of some very important words in certain very specific arenas I felt the time was good for a bit of a refresher.

Of course, I must say this is all MY personal opinion born of our family’s attempt to normalize and understand how mental health has affected us and our future… and here I go.

Depression … I mean the word, what does it mean to you? Depressed, how do you use it? Is it a common word used to describe a vast series of emotional (and not so emotional) situations? Do you keep that word on reserve?

In our family the word depression/feeling depressed has been given a special weight to it. Now there is a reason for this… mental health is not a tangiable thing, you can’t see the illness, you can just see the effects.

I am sad that the ice cream fell off my cone, I can rally back with a new ice cream, a different treat, or the knowledge that this is just something that happened.

I am depressed when I cannot rally back, I cannot just pull myself out of what others perceive as a “funk”. I am fighting against a current (well not so much me, as this is not something I have personally experienced… but as Ken has explained it to me. And other likewise diagnosed friends), possibly stuck or sinking down. That is depressed.

I have often discussed with my kids the importance of proper word usage. The English language is an evolving language. It is our responsibility to realize that our words have power. It is our responsibility to try and understand that some of these words have gravity.

I want my children to know that if they come to me and say, “Mommy, I feel depressed, things aren’t right”. That I WILL take them seriously. I will take you, my reader, my friend, my family member, or even just someone who needs to say it seriously.

Depression is not spilled milk or a cancelled movie. Depression is heartbreak and soul tearing sadness and fear. It is suicidal thoughts and negative voices. It is serious and I want to respect that. I need to know that if Ken were to tell me he felt depressed I need to take it seriously.

I think this conversation is timely and worth repeating now especially. The holiday season (whatever you do or do not celebrate) is not jolly for all. Repeated reminders of joyous families, large gifts and happiness can have an opposite affect for some. So let’s hold onto the knowledge that if someone were to say the feel depressed right now… maybe, just maybe we can listen and make a difference.

I felt sad this past week because there is so much family togetherness going on right now and my dearest friends who are family and family are a country away. But I easily was able to rally with phone calls, cards posted and gifts finished and sent off. I was not depressed, I was sad and that is valid. Not using the word depressed for that situation does not invalidate the experience but it does (I find) help keep it in perspective.

So, I hope I have gotten the conversation rolling again. Let’s ensure that we are aware of our words… English has so many beautiful options for degrees of emotions.

And if you need to use the word depressed, depression, worse yet suicidal… speak up. If not to a therapist or religious guide, I am here and willing to listen. My family to yours… we love you all. Thank you for entering my dialogue and listening to what I have to say. All my love in the holidays to everyone!IMG_20171210_002613_555