MEL IS COOL!

Well, what do you think? Does everyone love it like me? I asked my "online" friend Mel to tweak my blog and make it a bit more personal, more like me, and look what she did!!!!!! She honestly is the kindest soul that has made it's way into my heart, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to get to know her. She has the most gorgeous red-haired boy, who causes tons of trouble for her, and I know that in the future will drive all the girls mad. Her and her fiance, jeff, love each other, and Ty to bits, and have just purchased their first home. So many wonderful things happening in thier lives, and am proud of her! She is a girl that I am proud to call a friend, and NOW I am thankful for her major talent with my blog! Thank you Mel, I love you!

Under Construction

just for a few days! Please be patient, my blog will be pretty VERY soon!!

Quinn's beauty shots....

She is really smiling now when I get out the camera, I feel that all my scrapbook pages of Quinn will be candid ones.
A perfect shot of my two and only teeth - a typical smile of Quinners, she smiles with her whole face - every time!
Caught her sitting still for a small moment, and then on the move again!

Home

She is home! Yahoo! She sounds as though she had a BLAST too. So happy that her dad is close to his family and that she is able to spend so much time with her cousins. Now my family is all sleeping under one roof again.

People, you should have heard Quinn when Hayley walked in the door! She was running through the kitchen squawking and yelling and the ruckous that she was causing was hilarious! It was as though Quinn missed Hayley more than anyone, but she was the one that could not express herself. Quinn would not go ANYWHERE without Hayley tonight. In the kitchen, here she comes, to brush our teeth, here she is, in bed; under the covers, reading stories together. She would only go in her crib when I turned off the night light and tucked Hayley under covers. Then Quinn layed down, looked at Hayley and said "Nigh Nigh". I am so blessed that they love each other so much.

My mom is in Fairview with my sister helping her watch my neice while my brother and sister-in-law are on vacation. It is 35 degrees there today, living in an un-airconditioned trailer, and babysitting my neice who does not sleep. My heart goes out to them, partly for being there and having to deal with Em, but also that my sister is pregnant and she is getting a bad vibe! The best thing about my neice Em is that she will be in love with both of them tomorrow. But tonight, well that is another story.......

Everyone knows what I am thankful for, so will not repeat myself. Now if we could only change the mood that Roger is in - grouchy!!!!

Yahoo! It is almost over!!

Over, as it fini, done, complete, textbook closed, chapter finished, book returned. Hayley is almost home! She has spent the last ten days at her dad's/grandparent's house with cousins from Calgary and a small family reunion. I have missed her terribly, but have managed to do some projects around the house and keep busy. Now I just have to make it through the weekend and on Monday she is back. I CANNOT wait until my family is all sleeping under the same roof again.

I walked Elk and Beaver Lake with my friend Jen on Friday, and it made my wonder why I am not taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings that the Island has to offer more often. It was serene, quiet except for the small children asking for more snacks and the sounds of horse hoof prints, and an awesome time to catch up on the "goings-on" in each others lives. Now I have a date to do it again on Monday with a girl from work. I look forward to it.


Not much else to say, off to bartend at work today and then maybe to The Divinci Code with Roger tonight. I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend - this clouded over Victoria Day long weekend here.

A beaut of a day!

Well I hope that you all had a great Mother's Day. I had to work throughout the day, but when I arrived home the scent of Mr Clean met me at the door. Roger had cleaned the entire house - top to bottom - including all the linen, towels and random messes that we seem to create! It was an absolute dream. A vase of freesia and irises were arranged on the table, and pizza had been ordered. Now, for those of you that think pizza is an everyday menu item, I caution you to remember that I have Celiac - thus no wheat product discounts the crust. There is a "new to us" pizza place on Wharf street that has gluten free crusts! They are the bomb as well. The pizza was honestly the best I have had since my diagnosis. It was a basil chicken, sundried tomato, artichoke hearts and carmelized onion (totally West Coast) and soooooooo good. Roger had a whole wheat crust and he really enjoyed it as well. Not too pricy either. Needless to say, we programed that number into the phone and will be frequenting it often. A great Mother's day all around, including my first "school project" handmade from Hayley. So cute.

Yesterday was an absolute beaut of a day. I am busy in the backyard arranging my garden and encasing it in antique red bricks, planting my sunflowers and making it as beautiful as this non-green thumbed girl can make it. I have to say though, it is a major improvement. We are going to look at a water table for Quinn today, as well as some more plants for ground cover in the bare spots in the garden. So back to Home Depot I go. Such a fun place.

Working extra shifts at the Mox this week, as Hayley is at a family reunion and spending the week at her dad's house. I miss her terribly and so I am off to work to keep my mind off it. I really miss her chatter throughout the day, we tend to keep each other company and it is very quiet here without her. For those of you that have met her can contest with the fact that she is quite the chatterbox, and when that element is gone is it missed. Well on the positive side, I am able to spend some one-on-one time with Quinn and I will make some extra money working at night.

Things to be thankful for - Quinn always remembers to go down the stairs backwards, the sun is shining and I am able to work in the garden again today, and most of all, all of us are feeling better and we finally licked the cold. Things to be sad for - Canada Post lost my mom's Mother's Day present and now it seems like I forgot to send one to her. If you are reading this mom - I LOVE you and I did remember!!!!!

house full of sickies...wanna come over?

Well, on the good side, we now have profit sharing in the Kleenex Tissue company. We are all sick here. Quinn is teething (I think, I hope, as you cannot get through life with only two bottom teeth), but has the runny nose and all. She is in alright spririts all things considered. Roger has a sinus thing going on, but mostly he is wondering throughout the house moaning and complaining. Hayley is the best one of all, just a stuffy nose - really nothing gets this girl down. Still out on her 'blades ripping it up yesterday. As for me, the diagnosis is strep throat. Never had it before now, and let me tell you, never want it again. Swallowing is pure and utter agony. Lucky enough to get sick after Tofino. Maybe it is the let down of coming home, less money in the bank account, back to work and school and that is what did it. Whatever the reason, we are down and out in this house. Spending the next few days watching movies and wandering around in our jammies. Thank goodness we are having a day of cloudy weather here as well.....

Short and to the point

For my lovely friend Annamarie, the only thing that I can think of that is short and to the point cannot be said out loud, but a visual is that men think with it, it rhymes with a planet, and is the ugliest part of the male human anatomy. See I do read your blog, even though it will not let me comment on it. Gimmee your sisters blog address again maybe too???

TOFEEENNNOOOO!!

Hayley and Jacob posing "Sears Catalogue" style. That is the mighty Pacific Ocean behind them.
Me and Quinners at Comber Beach, it was amazing, but so incredibly windy there! Even Roger took off his socks and shoes and had a "tactile experience" on the beach. SO proud of him. He did say later that he was going to bleach his feet when he got home!!
My beautiful big girl in her wedding attire. She was so excited to wear the shoes, even though the wedding was on the beach.
Typical family shot. Quinn obviously saw something FAR more interesting behind her. Anyhow..
Hair blowing in the breeze, digging sand with a stick, seeing bear foot prints, who could ask for a better day?
Bumper boating in Parksville, so much fun. Had no idea that we would be wringing wet when we were done. Thanks to the attendent, she took all the photos so that I could join the fun.
Quinners and her dad. I had to do her hair in a pony, but somehow it was not in for the wedding. I think that her dad likes it down....
A typical shot of Roger, I think that he is saying "Yahoo, get er done" or something to that effect.
Me and Quinners, soaked from bumper boating. I actually think that Roger has his thumbs up in the above photo because he is so excited that he does not have to pack Quinn around. Good thing I love her on my back.
Gearing up for the hole in one. Mini golf was a race to Hayley, she completed the whole course, minus the last hole and then began again.

The entire weekend was a blast. The first night we went as far as Parksville and did the family things of minigolf and bumper boats. We walked for miles and miles on the beach as the tide was out, gathering tons of shells, sand dollars, bull-kelp and sand. Then we got up early then next morning and drove to Tofino. The drive is something else, roads that go around massive trees, straight up and so many "s-turns". Hayley had a gross experience with a porta potty that she will soon not forget, Quinn slept and Roger and I talked about life. Driving into Tofino you are reminded that it is a rainforest, so amazingly green, lush, and the sound of the ocean is deafening. You can almost hear it from anywhere. Our friend's wedding was spectacular. All in all a great weekend. Next time, no kids, checking into the Wickinnish Lodge and spending my days at the spa.....one can wish can't they?

Some photos and some chit chat...

Look at me - all my fuzzy hair and no clothes - just the way nature intended. I like the "clothing optional" day....
I like blueberries, I eat them every day. Thanks to my friend Amanda who introduced them to me - now I am hooked!

Well only two more sleeps until we are off to Tofino for Grant and Dana's wedding. I am very much looking forward to going, especially now since Roger actually has dress clothes to wear. He is going to clean-up nice too - with some brown and beige pants, blue shirt and tie with blue, gold and brown in it. Don't you worry - I WILL be getting some photos, god knows that we will not see him dressed up in the near future again.

I have been in the "no blog, no scrapbook" mood lately. Instead we are practicing our rollerblading, bike riding, walking the Gorge, being at the garden, and out in the back yard instead. I should really do one layout a week as then when the fall rolls around (PLEASE not yet...) I will be somewhat current. Key word being somewhat.

Things to be thankful for - all of us have dressy clothes for the wedding, going away from Victoria with my family this weekend and BIG NEWS Roger ACTUALLY brought home the driver book to look into getting his license. Hate to be a pesimist, but I will believe it when I see the big LOSER "L" plate on the van....