A New Adventure for Luca

Today, Luca started playschool. I have one of the biggest kids in the class! Completely new territory!! I admit I was a bit choked up...he is my baby afterall, not to mention now I know where all this leads!

Back to School

A bit late...last week Carter excitedly left for Grade 2. I don't think he slept the night before as he was just so excited and anxious to get to school. I of course took him as his back pack was so jammed with supplies it was more than half his size and definitely weighed more than him! Do you remember what the first day of school is like? The excitement of finding out who your teacher would be and who would be in your class was nearly overwhelming!

Our conversation on the way to school:

Carter: Mom, is there anything more exciting than Grade 2?

Me: Certainly not today sweetie.

Blessed...

I have no idea where to begin...we were completely surprised by friends and family at a party, thrown for us to celebrate our anniversary on Saturday night. Surprised is not a strong enough word..we were blown away! We walked into the Gardiner's house to drop the boys off for a sleep over and we were greeted by friends and family and a house decorated with all the tulle and other decorations from our wedding! My mom was here for a visit and brought it all from Winnipeg and Cindy & Leonard snuck into the house to retrieve it when we were at work! Joel's mom and dad were there and that was a complete shock!

It was just so awesome to see all these people we love and who really helped us make it to the 10 year milestone all together in the same room! Unforgettable!

It was a great party!


I will post pics when I get some...but Tanis has posted some on her blog so have a look!

http://www.mylifelivinitlovinit.blogspot.com/

10 Years Later and I Wouldn't Change a Thing!

4 Boys 4 Hours of Summer Fun!

We thoroughly enjoyed this last weekend before the start of school. We got together with friends to make the last weekend before school a memorable one. We surprised the kids (2 entering pre-school, 1 entering Kindergarten and 1 on the way to Grade 2) with a rented inflatable jumpy-thing in the yard. Brianne decorated her van and picked all the boys up and had their back packs filled with back to school goodies. The kids were all surprised at the same time and were floored to see the yard. They jumped and jumped till they could jump no more!

Should have taken a picture.

Luca and Carter spent the past couple of days with the Gardiner's. Tanis took them to the dollar store to pick out a toy for being so good and they picked out plastic guns. Luca's is a cowboy-type rifle and Carter's is a easily concealed handgun. I don't have big hangups about "gun play" I think my generation has become sensitized because of media coverage of all the ugly school shooting and such. Anyway, Luca is quite enamoured with his weapon and last night went to be snuggled up with it like a teddy bear. Weird kid!

Exercise...

I biked to work yesterday. It hurt on the way to work as it is a steady, albeit slight, uphill climb. I was exhausted after work but pleased with myself. There was an ugly cloud that stopped me from getting back on today (that and the fact I would likely cry if I sat on the bike seat). I am going to try again tomorrow and hopefully a few times a week until the weather stops cooperating.

I am forever looking for something active that will keep my interest. I'd love to join an adult league and play basketball or volleyball but it is tough to find any organized sport close to home. Lee tried taekwondo and really liked it and I may look into that. I just hate the usual gym routine and need something to keep me motivated. Any suggestions??

I'm Baaaacckkk.....(again)

For how long one never knows....As always I will try.

I cannot believe summer is nearly over and in less than a week Carter will be entering Grade 2 and Luca will be in Pre-School. Where is time going? For the 1st time I really want to stop freeze time and keep my boys the way they are right now. Their personalities are so different yet they play so well together and genuinely really love each other. I hope they are close forever.

We had a great summer vacation in Nanaimo, BC the 1st week of August. As always the island provided great weather and the house we stayed in was a few steps from Long Lake. The kids loved lake swimming!

A Childless Week

The boys have been in Saskatoon with Nana and Papa since Canada Day. We have been so ridiculously relaxed I even checked my blood pressure for kicks at Safeway while I waited to Joel to have a perscription filled...116 over 68....nice!

Being relaxed has been the best part. Not feeling rushed to get supper going the minute I walk in the door, not managing the boys schedules on top of my own. Getting stuff done around the house without a million interruptions. BUT....I miss them quite a bit. The weekend was bliss but I am more than ready for them to come home. No tears but I did sit on Luca's bed for a few minutes the other night lol...

Camping Pics

We headed out for our 1st camping trip of the season. We had lots of fun, great weather and even better food! After Joel's open fire steaks he cooked last year nobody thought he could top it but alas give that man a food challenge and Iron Chef Joel will come through! Saturday night supper was prime rib on a bun with au jus. He circled around the fire for about 2 1/2 hours to make it just perfect! The campground was right on the North Saskatachewan River, which made for some prime rock pickin'.

McDonald's Moms' Quality Correspondant

I don't intend on being a big McDonald's spokesperson but I found this project fascinating! Of course, since McD is our sole customer and one could argue I work for McDonald's so I am certainly receiving the propaganda.

If you play the video there is footage of the Moms' trip to our facility so it gives you an inside look.

http://www.mcdonaldsmom.ca/fieldtrips.php?btn=23

Fired Up!

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2009/06/17/education-iris-evans-alberta-minister.html?ref=rss

Hey Iris Evans....bite me!

I may be in the minority but I feel the "early years" are more about keeping kids safe, providing a stable home life. My boys are thriving....despite having 2 working parents and I would dare say because they have 2 working parents!

I have worked my ass off to get to a point in my career where I will be there when my boys get off the school bus in Grade 3 and on cause that is when I think all the hard work of teaching them to be good people and good citizens can fall off the rails.

Economic realities aside imagine what she must think about women who make a conscious choice to work outside the home......The never ending debate about stay at home vs. working moms is so incredible tiresome. No matter what women are left to doubt their decisions and ultimately themselves. It is hard enough parent without this bullshit.

Yep...I am writing my very 1st letter to an MLA. I bet my Mom and Dad are proud!

What's New?

As my very good friend Charlottle said about her blog hiatus sometimes life gets in the way....

A quick update:

New Job

• week 2 of my new job as Technical Affairs Manager (affectionately referred to as TA...insert rolling eyes here) at Cargill Meats Canada.
• A bit of background on what we do here - ALL THE MCDONALD"S HAMBURGER PATTIES IN CANADA!! That is approximately 1.2 million pounds of burgers a week.
• So far I am very happy here . Great people, great communication, all in all it is great great great!

Boys

• Busy as usual. I can't believe Carter is wrapping up Grade 1 in a couple of weeks. Thank goodness Luca still has another year before starting Kindergarten. I have him starting pre-school in September. Just 2 afternoons a week.


• Jackie (our sitter) is taking the summer off which has made us get a bit creative with our summer plans. The boys are spending a week and a half in S'toon with Nana and Papa. They are super excited. They keep talking about being there without Mom and Dad. I can't say we are not equally excited about being at home without them but I am pretty sure by the mid-way point I'll be missing them like crazy! I remember the weeks Lee and I spent in Elgin and I am so glad my boys get to make the same kind of memories.
  
• I have Carter registered for a few weeks of day camp through the summer and Luca will be hanging out with Tanis (a friend and back up caregiver) and her girls.

House

• We have officially started building the deck. nuff'said for now.

Me

• I am now a serious migraine sufferer like the rest of the women in my family. My doc hooked me up with Zomig a drug that works well for Lee so I hope it does the same for me.

Fairly recent pics:

Watchin' hockey (eating Nachos)
Fresh haircuts

Buzz!

There is now a Jedi in the family

We made the masks at home to increase the chances of getting picked out of the crowd. Luca was wearing his for moral support...he was not interested in becoming a Jedi.
Jedi Training Academy

Fighting the dark sideGraduation Ceremony

How much more fun can we take?!?!

We have been having a blast but wow is this fun and sun exhausting!!

San Diego was beautiful. I'd really like to go back for an adult only vacation and really see some sights. I loved Sea World and Legoland was neat-o.

We have had incredible weather. Clear blue skies and warm but not too hot. It is comical to see the locals in sweatshirts and jeans cause the temp has "dipped" below the 25*C mark. We have worn shorts everyday.

Tomorrow we are back to Disneyland!

We must find Buzz Lightyear!

Legoland

The Volvo made of Lego at the kids driving school.

Lego Inauguration replica.