Come back Summer, Come back!

6 more days left...6, that's it and then summer will be gone, or summer vacation anyway. I'm so sad....I know I know many of you work through the summer and I should count my blessings...

and I have...

and I want more!

Greedy aren't I.

It's been a good summer, after last summer doing reno's the entire time we decided not to do ANY renos this year, and we haven't. Rather it's been more fun than anything. I have soooo enjoyed the kids this year, just hanging out with them, all summer long. Of course I have still been working my other job with the agency, but mostly that's from home so it's a different feel than getting up at 6am to head on a bus with kids in tow....

Summer has gone fast....lets see...

We got a yearly membership to the zoo, so we've been to the zoo a number of times. And also a yearly membership to 5 parks in the Halton area, so we've spent quite a bit of time at the beach.

We've been camping at LongPoint in the sand dunes with my sister, her bf and my sweet little neice, and while that trip was wracked with issues...tornado the first night, major clean up the next morning, the van side window falling out..yes falling out!, rain the last few days...it was a really good trip. Believe it or not. We had great wonderful hot weather for most of the week, and very little bugs. Camping in the sand is not easy, but the beach, oh my, I just love Long Points beach!

We did another camping trip at Sibbald, it was aweful! It rained the entire time, the ENTIRE 4 days we were there, day and night. We ended up leaving a day early, which I have NEVER done! But seriously, rain, non stop in tents...so not fun.

I have to say I wasn't too happy with the beach either. Wasn't very big, very rocky and the water it was so rocky and not so nice. The few hours (yes hours not days) that it didn't rain and we did spend at the beach, well, just not like Long Point. Most likely, we wont' be going back.

We've done trips to the parks around here, walks, backyard campfires and bbq's, watched movies, played games, and just hung out!

Taylor and I have been working very hard on her reading and I'm happy to say she's reading into a Grade 2 level now!! She was really behind in December in her Grade 1 year (at a Kindergarden level), and so I started working with her at home. Now she's jumped almost 2 levels in just 8 months. We've been working with sight words and the hooked on phonics...I do really like the hooked on Phonics program...

Bailey turned 13, and we celebrated it in the rain at the beach. We didn't expect it to rain, it wasn't suppose to rain...but it rained. Such is life. By 1:30 pm it was pouring, (just 2 hours into it) all the guests including my entire family was soaked right to the bone and we couldn't pack up fast enough. They were all troopers though....helping me pack up....beach birthdays are not as easy as backyard parties...

Last weekend we spent the day at Niagara falls. We took the kids on the Journey behind the falls, and the Maid of the Mist (been years since we did that), and as a finale, some golf at the dinasaur mini putt. Oh and of course the walk along the falls...during the day AND at night. The traffic however, both there and back was HORRENDOUS! (hmmm, I know I spelt that wrong) 3 hours...each way...for an 1 1/2 hour trip.

Ian and I also celebrated our 10th anniversary this year. 10 years, married a decade. Many didn't think we'd make it, and if we were any other couple with our circumstances we might not have. But we have gone through it, a decade of ups and downs, sickness and death, joys and laughter, highs and lows. All marriages have them, just not usually in the short time span we have. And you know what....we did it, and have many great memories of the years gone by. I look forward to what the next 10 years hold with my husband....a great man, who puts up with me and all my quirks, bitchy days and mood swings. We make a great team....and I'm a lucky person.

I didn't take many pictures this summer, to be honest I just haven't really felt like it. Like carrying around the camera...and well most days I look like crap in my potatoe sack dresses that I LOVE for summer wearing...hair done up, etc. The kids in their summer clothes, hair tied back, half of it all messed up from swimming, playing and the heat....

and well, just too busy having fun to stop and do photos. Just another summer, here and then gone before you know it. There will be fall photos for sure...when the weather is cooler and kids want to sit still long enough to get some good ones.

So that's the summer in a nutshell...or a blog post. It's been a great summer, and I'm very lucky to be able to be home and enjoy it! I know that and am very grateful!!

And now it's fading....and fall begins. Back to work Sept 7th, for another long 10 months.

Until next year.....

Simple Pleasures

Let's go fly a kite! When was the last time you flew a kite? Been so long for me...and yet the smile on these faces, made me realize just how much we have been missing out.

A colorful kite flying in the gentle spring breeze,

Fluttering and swinging in blue skies

Makes one watch the maneuvers for hours,

Sends one's heart in the joyous free rides for hours.

Enjoy the little things; for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

~Robert Brault

Need your help!!!

Hey an update...and it didn't take me long to do it.

Not much really new to report, just counting down the days to summer vacation!

9 days to be exact!

Well there is a little news....I started a new blog for surrogacy...if your interested you can check it out at:

http://2dads1surrogate.blogspot.com/

Hmmm, what else.......oh, we may be going to the East Coast this summer. New York is out which was the original plan. Anybody been to the East Coast? We could really use some advice.

Okay so here is the plan....

We're driving there and camping. But not sure where we're camping or what places we're going to see....any recommendations?

Where should we go first? I think I'd like to see PEI since I'm a Green Gables Fan...so that's definately gotta be in the plan.

What about the other attractions...what's good to see/do in the East Coast of Canada?

Oh some other info, we're bringing everyone...so 2 teenagers (Anthony's bringing his friend), Bailey is coming, and my daughter whose 6. We're planning on taking 10 days, that includes travel. We're going the last week of August, first of September.

Any help/advice/suggestions is very much appreciated!

P.S. I imagine there is ocean...duh, but can you swim in it? Where's a good place to go?

A very busy spring

Wow, March was seriously my last post???!!!! I'm in major need of an update!

Well lots has happened...I'll let the pictures do the talking.......

We enjoyed lots of time with my sweet neice Moyra

And Taylor had a school play...so cute! All in french, imagine that!

We went to Disney on Ice....if you haven't been I highly recommend you go!

Anthony turned 15! He got Guitar Hero, and enough money to buy and IPOD touch!

Mothers Day came and went....here is my surprise! It was huge and the kids did all the baking. :)

Yes, that's right, we got a trampoline! It's been a lot of fun, and great therapy for Bailey too!!

Finally got to some renovations. We had to take down the old popcorn ceiling and put up new stuff in the kids rooms. Then Taylor took over the boys old room (the bigger room), painted it purple and white...her color choice, and Bailey took Taylors old room, painting it a modern blue and white...his choice. Changed the doors and the handles...They look great! (P.S. Removing popcorn is soo not fun!)

Enjoyed lots of spring time walks and bike rides

Anthony joined his school Jr. Rugby team....and is really good! His team made it to the semi-finals, not bad for first time players. :) I have to say I have really enjoyed watching him play...and the game itself, very fast, very fun, very scary at first to watch as a mom with her baby out there.

Taylor graduated from Sparks. She is now officially a Brownie.




And today, Taylor went off to her first away camp without mom and dad with the Guiding Group. She is joining a bunch of sparks, brownies, girl guides and patherfinders. Over 300 girls left today for their weekend camp! I hope they have fun!

Other things we did that aren't captured in pictures:

Worked

Eat

Sleep

Play

Oh sorry too basic...well that was the majority of the weeks, except for a few things in between.

I joined Survivor Boot Camp again. And outdoor exercise program with a personal trainer

I helped my girlfriend paint her entire apt in a weekend

Had 4 Sick Kids appts for Bailey and 3 other appts in the months of April and May

Had Jury Duty roll call...after 3 trips in to the courthouse, all cases were resolved so they didn't need us afterall.

Bailey went to Disney World, on a first class private jet....no pictures developed yet...sorry, though it was an amazing experience all thanks to "Dreams Take Flight"

Helped my sister and her hubby moved into their first apartment

Got all my spring cleaning and purging done for the season

Visited my friends J and E, and their new twin baby girls. CONGRATS!!

Dinner, a number of lunches out, dinner events, and gathering of friends thoughout the last few months, always nice to get together with friends.

Had a few barbeques, and afternoon teas..okay not tea, but you know what I mean.

And lastly got myself on my bike again after a bit of a tune up and new seat! I missed my bike.

So you see it's been a crazy few months with a lot of big events going on, but I like being busy, it reminds me I'm still alive and kicking.

Now...since it's been so long...I wonder if anyone is still around?

Feels like spring!

Another 50th b.day this March, so we took a trip up to celebrate Ian's sisters big 50! Yes there is a HUGE age gap between Ian and his sister, but who cares, whats a number right?

Off to Parry Sound we go....and boy was she surprised to see us!

Happy Birthday B!

It just so happened that a friend of ours who has a cottage up there was also going up with my 2 brothers. How lucky for us, cause we didn't have to pay for a hotel for the night and intead made a weekend of it! Went up Friday night and came back Sunday. Once my sister found out that we were going up too, she and her hubby and daughter came too!

Here's where we stayed...

Gorgeous ain't it? Can you believe that a cottage that big has no inside bathroom though? In fact, no water at all....outhouses and lake water to wash in. No worries, we brought our drinking water and well roughing it is like second nature to us campers.

It was so hot that most of us didn't even wear jackets. Here's Ian pulling Bailey out on the lake, despite the heat, there was lots of ice and snow! I love this picture!

And here is my sister Jen and her daughter Moyra, Jen sure is looking like a movie star out on the ice

Spring was certainly coming as the birds were really alive and active. Watch this video, it's short, but really neat to see!

Did you see that? YES, birds were landing in our hands to feed, on our heads all over, tons of them! There must have been 5 or 6 of them!! The blue jays were out too but wouldn't get this close. Here's some pics, their just so neat to see...wild birds!

Taylor was just tickled PINK

In between the bird action, there was some time for ice fishing as well....below is my brother teaching Taylor how to ice fish...

I really like the black and white feel of the pics too

I can hardly contain my excitment...winter is almost coming to a head.

Happy Spring everyone!

SPECIAL VISITOR

So I'm still playing catch up here, bear with me.

On Feb 22nd we had a very special visitor come to OUR house.

Can you guess by these pics who it might have been?

Yes! The TOOTH FAIRY!

And of course she left Taylor behind a HEAFY $5.00! Lucky girl I think!

**********************

On the 27th, little miss also got her haircut.

It was a sad, sad day for mommy. All those beautiful baby curls, that long beautiful hair, just gone. Donated for a wig as per Taylor's request. So so sad.

But she still a charmer...my gosh I"m in trouble when she grows up.

MEN-o-PAUSE

You might be thinking....wwwwhhhhaaattttt.....

What can a youngen of 32 got to say about the big "change" of life.

After being on Lupron, which is a sneak peak into what it might be like for me in 10-20 years, I can relate to a lot of Men-o-pause symptons...and well, my mom can't seem to get through it....I keep asking her if it ever ends cause she's been "changing" for 10 long long years.

The point?

I took my mom to see...

and I'm telling you, it was laugh out loud, hit the floor FUNNY! If you ever get an opportunity to see it, man or women, in menopause, going to be in menopause, or already been through it, this is one hilarous musical you will totally enjoy!

pic off the net

Just mom and I went and oh my lord, I wish I was crying from laughing, and the happy high lasted the rest of the night.

Afterward the musical we headed over to the Pickle Barrel down in Toronto for some yummy yummy food, and even yummier cheesecake.

On the way there we past Dundas and Younge Square...and they were starting the Men's Olympic Hockey Game...on the way back they were in overtime! We decided to hang around outside at Dundas Square with about 300 other folks and watch it on the big screens there at the park. And well you already know, WE WON!

A great day to be Canadian!!!!!! We won the OLYMPIC GOLD!!! Yeah!!! You can imagine what the street was like, the hootin and hollaring, every car in sight honking their horns, the dancing and the cheers, it was so fun to be in the middle of it all!

Here is what I saw...

Here is what I thankfully missed...

Yes, we left just 20mins before everyone spilled out of the bars and eateries....there was over a thousand people in that square and when I got home and saw on the news that we missed it by only 20mins, I am thankful....I love a good party, but a crowd that big on a Sunday night was a bit much for me traffic wise...afterall they shut down the streets!

All in all, a great day. From one happy event to another, and a great feeling of pride for us as

WOMEN and CANADIANS!

The big '50'

My mom, turned the big '50' this year! Can you believe it?? Okay to some she may seem young, but seriously, half a century...you go MOM!

So to celebrate for 6 weeks prior, my sister and I have been planning a HUGE b.day celebration. Both my brothers, my sis and I chipped in some moula and rented out a place, sent out the invites to almost 100 people, had others spread the word, got refreshements and food, decorated the venue........man it's a lot of work to plan a big party!!!

Feb 20th, over 60 people gathered together to celebrate 50 years of my mom's life. Some friends who only knew her for a short time, some family whose known her for a lifetime, co-workers, neighbors and the like. It was a AWESOME event!

What made it even more special is that my Aunt and Uncle flew out from Alberta to surprise her at this party. I never expected them to do that, but they don't see her very often and they knew how special that would be for her, and so that Friday night they flew in, and Sunday they flew home.

That was especially hard for me. You see it was a surprise party, my mom had no clue. I bought tickets to a play for the following weekend, and then edited the date on them, did some photoshopping so she thought she was going on the 20th. In the end, there were tons of clues to give it away and she knew...but still, we tried and had her guessing all the way. Anyway, it was hard for me because here Uncle and Aunt were flying out, and yet, do we keep their trip in a secret? If we do, she wont' get much time with them as the party was Sat night. If we don't, she'll definately know about the party and it will all be for moot. It was a hard decision but we all agreed to stay on course and make it all a big surprise.

And surprise it was! While she pretty much knew about the party, she had no idea who would be there. We had family in from all over Ontario! And...well...Alberta too! Plus some of the co-workers and friends she hadnt' seen in a long time....it was a very shocking for her. Tears and sobs are the BEST reaction for a party such as this! And my mom was sobbing!!!!

You see, my mom and I, we dont' mix well, we are both very opinionated, only she loves to push her opinions on me, and often times are like oil and water. BUT, at the end of the day, I love her and know she loves me. At the end of the day, she is special, she is loving and caring. And those who meet her and get to know her see that! We had over 60 people at the party, 3/4 being friends, she has touched a lot of people in her life, and a lot of people really love her too.

So the party was a huge sucess! We had Karoyke, and the place was packed!! I also did a video montage of my mom's life that ran all night on the TV...from the time she was born to present day....most of her childhood pics she had never even see before because they were all on slides. Thanks to my Grandpa who mailed me the slides, and I got them printed to the tune of $70 for 30 pics!!! (crazy eh?), the video was a hit too. I know she loves it and I'm happy to have done that.

I'm happy to have made my mom's day special. And moreover, I'm happy it's done!!!!! It was a crazy 6 weeks prior, but well worth it!!!!!!!

AH-HA!

I found them....after literally SEARCHING my comp for HOURS, I finally found the pics to the blog post below....WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

Here they are, our trip to Niagara!

For those who have never seen it, here's a great shot of Niagara Falls in the Winter...looks cold eh? Well it is!

And of course a couple of family shots at the Falls...not so great, but remember, it really IS cold!

We did some fun things too, here we are at one of the moving theatres, and lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, The Rainforest Cafe. Food, average, ambiance, AWESOME!

Lastly, a nice shot of Ian and I on our Valentines dinner. Yes, I know...I'm really behind here.