Sunshine and Showers

June 19 - Refuel
We have had a busy few weeks, and so by late in the afternoon on Saturday, I was feeling overwhelmed. I said to heck with it, lets go to the beach. The work can wait. I needed to refuel, and a day or should I say a few hours at the beach with my favorite people was just the way to do so. at the beach with my kids, munching on junk food, wearing my silly beach booties so I don't touch the seaweed on the bottom of the lake - pure joy.

the little man doing one last rinse off

We decided to order pizza on the way home, so dinner was just a matter of sitting down to the table. After dinner, the boys went downstairs to zone out and play video games, I went to my room to finish my book, and The Kid went for a walk around the neighbourhood. When she left the sky was blue with big fluffy clouds. As I was reading I thought that I heard water on the back deck, but did not pay too much attention to it, then it became louder, and harder - I grabbed my car keys and went to save my daughter. By the time I was at the car, I was soaked. By the time I found her, she looked like a drowned rat. The light was an eerie mix of dark and light, and after I saved her, I went back outside to grab these pictures. When I was editing them last night, she asked if I took the pictures before or after I came to get her. After I assured her - but I do wish I had brought my camera to get a picture of her standing on the corner looking more happy to see her mom in a minivan than I ever thought possible.

counting this one as my 365

At the Farm

June 18 - Field Trip!
I volunteered on Friday to go to a local farm with Charlie's junior kindergarten class. It has been awhile since I rode a school bus, and was surprised just how bumpy, and rocky it was. The kids had fun, and screamed every time we hit a bump or went around a corner. Not surprisingly, The Little Man did not want to sit beside me on the bus, but that's okay - I am glad I was able to see him enjoy his friends. I had four little boys in my group, they all were well behaved; I only had one who was slippery - a quiet boy who kept wandering off. I managed alright, and returned to the school with four boys, and the same ones - bonus! What a day, I can't imagine working with kids all day, I was exhausted at the end of it. Hats off to all the people who do this for a living!
the little man on the fence

watching the big fat, gross sow- she was something!

Lazy Days of Summer

June 15 - "someday" self portrait -
Last year I was wondering around Chapters and came across this beautiful book, about mothers and daughters, and fell in love. It is called Someday by Alison Meghee I originally bought it as a gift for the kid, but I have kept it for myself. So with my daughter away on her first big adventure by herself, I cracked it out, had a few tears, and got on with my day. This is a great book for new moms. Highly recommended.

June 16 - Roses in the Rain
Today I had not a lot time to take my 365 but did manage to shoot this quickie - but I LOVE the way it turned out. Funny how some days I will spend time getting the perfect image, which turns out to be so-so and other days one quick snap shot makes my heart so happy. I think its the faded colours and soft glow that has done it for me. See? One more reason not to clean my windows.


June 17 - Cheese-tastic!
mmm, plastic cheese on toast, another guilty pleasure - add it to the list.

June 12 -14 - Busy Weekend

June 12 - Ugly shirt self portrait
On Saturday night we attended a ugly shirt party. I dug out this shirt that I made in grade eight with my best friend Dawn. We had matching hats too. What were we thinking? This shirt is horrible. I cant seem to let myself throw it out - but I have retired it to being my hair dye shirt. Anyways, my ugly shirt did win me the prize of the night - dinner for two - a box of Kraft Dinner. Too funny. We had a good time, but as soon as I got home, off came the shirt. Enough ugly for one night.
June 14 -
I finally got out the invites to the Little Man's pirate party. I am very happy with the way they turned out. Charlie was so excited to drop them off at his friends houses. We have a few more to drop off tonight.

June 13 & 14 - And She's Off!!

The Kids is on her way to Quebec today with the school. She will be gone for 4 days. I know, not long, but it's the longest and farthest away she has been from home. I am sure she will do fine. At least I am pretty sure she will do fine. She tends to have a low bullshit tolerance - and that makes me worried that she will stress herself out instead of enjoy the experience.

I knew that I would not be able to drop her off myself with out making a public embarrassment of our family. I did have a bit - okay a big cry on Sunday night. After all the lists were checked, the clothes, ipod, camera, books for the bus, deck of cards, bathing suit, umbrella, emergency first aid kit, emergency rain poncho....it hit me she was going. The Kid would have to take care of herself if there was a problem, I could give her the tools, but she had to be the one to utilize them. Its what we do as parents, teach your children, so they can be independent. And if the goal is independence, then what then is my role as mother. My role as mother is to be ready and interested to hear all about her adventures. To be a soft spot in the world to land, to give encouragement or advice when needed. My role is to step back and watch her grow.

So I am watching her grow. It used to be that I would look at her and see traces of the baby she once was, and now, I look at her and catch glimpses of the woman she will become. If I look hard enough there is still evidence of my little girl, just check out Winston, her teddy bear packed in her bag.

June 9 - 11

June 9 - Beat it
For real. I get me a little sad for my hubby because he doesn't have time for his hobby, drumming. If and when Hubby gets free time it is usually after the kids are in bed - not the ideal time for banging out a beat. poor guy.
June 10 - Funky Fungi
We have had so much rain in the last few days, that these Funky Fun Guys showed up on an old stump in the back yard.

June 11 - Suck it up Buttercup

Okay so I realize that it is not a buttercup, but the colour is right. The day lilies are so much happier since I removed some of the huge hostas from my garden, ( which, I just learned are another type of lily.) -now the lilies and cone flowers have room to stretch out and grow.

June 4 - 8

June 4 - Hope
My sister in law participated in the Relay for Life on Friday. We went to cheer her on and watch the opening ceremonies. The weather man called for thunderstorms and rain. Just after the Survivors Lap, the sun tried to break through the clouds. It gave me a sense of Hope, not just for the night, but for all those fighting cancer. Inspirational.
SIL's team "The Wonder Women" won best costume, and was the second highest fundraisers. Way to go!! I am so proud of these "Wonder Women"





June 5 - Pirate Booty
The boys went to the stock car races on Saturday night, The Kid was at a sleepover, so I had the night all to myself to work on the Little Man's party decorations. ARRGH!



June 6 - Crusty Dusty Bottles

June 6 -Rockin' Robin

The baby robins are growing- almost the size of their parents now. I wonder if you could call them teenagers?

June 8- Side Gate

One of my favorite things to do is to drive around the neighbourhood and hunt for junk. I spotted this gate at the side of the road and knew right away it would be perfect for the side of the house. Hubby had to make some alterations to it -( I think it may have been a headboard for a single bed at one time) but I think it adds charm to my least favorite part of my house exterior. I am looking forward to the next big junk garbage day to find my next project.

May 31 - June 3 - Life is Pretty Good

June 3 - Feel the Rain

"Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it,
Release your inhibitions - Feel the rain on your skin,
no one else can feel it for you.
Only you can let it in" - Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten

June 2 - Life is a bowl full of cherries...

Yup, and at $10.00 a bag enjoy them to the fullest, before they rot.

June 1 - Welcome to the Jungle

When I was taking this picture of the boy's toy story Lego I couldn't help thinking of Ernie from Sesame Street, looking down into his flower box at the Doodle Bugs.

May 31 - Peony

The worker ants did their job and ate away at the outer part of the peony bud, now the flower is free to bloom. I would love to cut these and put them on my table, but every time I do, I end up with a house full of ants. I will just enjoy the image.

My 365's this week look pretty optimistic - kinda a mirror to how I am feeling. I am taking care of the crapped out knee and going to physio, planning a birthday party for the little man ( arrgh, a pirate theme! ) and I finished planting the vegetable garden. This weekend brings a return to the Saturday morning coffee date, and some much needed house keeping. Looking forward to some nesting.

365's From Camping

May 29 - New Friends May 30- Day vs. Night - (okay not quite May 30th, more like afternoon/evening May 29th. I didn't get a 365 for May 30th with rushing around to get camp closed up, and when we got home we invited Gramma up for dinner. These are fun anyways and I am happy I did not have to cut them.)

First Camping Trip Of 2010

us

the Kid and her Daddy

The boys found some caterpillars

Papa Skadoodle and his puppy Freddie came along

The spring weather in our area has been so unseasonably hot, that we were able to go on our first camping trip of the year almost 3 weeks earlier than we have before. I have to say, that all the running around, the packing, the extra laundry was well worth it. Camping forces us to slow down, unplug and connect in a way that we don't do at home.

best brothers ever

the Kid with Freddie, in a quiet moment

Tug of war with the little men.

Home sweet home - counting this one as my 365.

Ugh, still more catching up to do

May 25 - didn't get around to my 365 today, this is a picture from Mother's Day @ the zoo. Self Portrait Thursday - May 27

May 26- Worker Ants -

May 24 - a great end to the long weekend.

Mom invited us to her place for a BBQ on the Monday of the long weekend. Mom's friend Paul was the chef cooking up burgers, onion rings and fries. Hubby had pulled out a steak for the night before, but got "called out" just before dinner. He brought it to Mom's and finally got to eat his steak that he had been dreaming of for days. This is a picture of Mom and her cousin Pat. I really like cousin Pat, she is warm, interesting, and interested. The kind of person who doesn't pass judgement on anyone she comes across. Great Lady. I had a very relaxing time. A nice way to top off a busy weekend. My sweet boys- best of buds, fresh out of the hot tub.
I love the contrast of the hydro lines and the weeds in this one.

One of the things that The Kid always likes to do at Gramma's place, is go for a walk in the field.

This picture of the poppy and the iris is one of my new favorite pictures.

Has It Been That Long?

Wow, has it been that long? I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted. Here are some recent 365's.


May 23 - Fireworks
May 21 - Sassy self portrait

May 20 - Contemplation

May 19 - Legacy