Funny things to be seen at the petting zoo

How about freshly shorn alpacas?
Or my daycare boy brushing a goat's belly? Quinners taking notes for next time....
Or standing around wondering what there is to eat?
Totally bunked this shot, but that is one PREGNANT goat - with twins. She just layed against the fence, unable to get comfortable....poor thing. Babies were born two days later....
And this is the best shot of the two girls. After many unsuccessful ones, I just picked this one. It about sums it up - HP looking vaguely bored with having her photo taken, and Quinners eating her hat. Yep, that's my girls!

Beacon Hill on Friday, May 16th. The weather on the Thursday was blustery and slightly cold. The weather on the Friday was 27 degrees. It was sudden, hot, and lovely! We went to Beacon Hill with Quinners preschool, and had a great time. We looked around the zoo, played at the amazing park, and when we started to wilt, we toddled off to the Beacon Hill drive in for a yummy ice cream cone. It was an amazing way to begin the Victoria Day long weekend.

My sister's visit

Hayley, Steph and Quinn outside the ferry terminal.
Me and Steph - photo taken by Hayley!

My sister flew here for five days to take in the National Celiac Convention with me. We had such a good time! Actually, I am a big believer in "you never get more than you can handle" - and she arrived on Wednesday and was able to be here and be a HUGE help to both Roger and I during the time of Chantal's funeral and all the arrangements that needed to be made. I love her! So do the girls, who had a blast with their "Aunty Stuffy".

The Conference was a huge success. Every year a new city has the privileged of hosting it, and Victoria seems to have a huge drawing card with it being the provincial capital and home of the gardens. It was held adjacent to the Empress, with a gluten free tea provided to all those who had nothing better to spend $60 on than tea and sandwiches with the crusts cut off as well.

We had over 400 people registered (the last conference was capped at 280) and when we opened it to the public on Saturday afternoon - we had a staggering 850 people come through the door! We had to have security and everything! It was a huge awareness weekend for us in the Celiac Community - we had home tests that are approved for use here in Canada for sale and over 100 untested individuals took them home! Poor doctors.....

Steph and I had a great time, it was a huge bonding weekend for us, with us both sharing the common gene of Celiac and sisterhood. I miss you Steph!

The "funnest" dad in the world

Roger collect all things GI Joe. Star Wars. Transformers. Kid toys. Figures. Games. And of course Train Tracks.

Here are the three of them having a blast making the 1989 Authentic-still-in-original-box-with-antique-dust-and-copper-wires train set work.

Happy times that help us move on.

**For those of you wondering, the service for Chantal was lovely. Chapel full of friends and family and flowers remembering the good times. Thank you to all who thought of our family, and especially Roger, during this horrible time. Our family is working on the mantra of "carpe diem" - we are seizing all opportunities to just be together. I am looking forward to the end of the school year, the move and the summer. Positive things that are going to happen in our lives.

I am back!