iris...one of many

centaurea

more cranesbill

fabulous cranesbill

sweet william, much darker than I remember it being....

WE ARE DROWNING.........

two weeks of rain and another yet to go at least

Family party day....

Claire loving her Uncle Craig. Always at home on his lap.....it's her favorite place to be!
Claire's garden cupcakes....

 

So the party is over.....

For now! The family party is this afternoon, but I'm thinking it will be a wee bit tamer. The girls actually did well considering the weather outside. They tired themselves out dancing at the beginning then just had a lot of fun laughing as they participated in the rest of the festivities.

Earlier in the afternoon just before the girls arrived, Sam was sitting on the counter having a snack. He claims he called out to me but I didn't hear him. He peed all over the counter, down the cupboard doors, in the cupboard below, and all over the floor. Poor guy, poor me.....

After the party, as I am cleaning up, loading the dishwasher etc, Jake enters the kitchen. Nothing unusual there. What was unusual was the fact that he had his haltee on. Hud had put it on at some point, and Jake had gotten it part way off so it was hanging from his neck. Not sure why no one removed it but my hands were full so I left it. As usual, Jake heads over to the dishwasher for a sniff....I shoo him away, haltee gets caught on lower rack full of china and glassware....Jake now panics....pulls hard.....lower rack gets hauled out of dishwasher and crashes on floor. I cried as I swept up china and glass....all wedding gifts.....not to be replaced... Jake in trouble, Hud no different. And to think I was worried about the girls and the good dishes.

Everybody dance now....or hoola as the case may be.....

 

After heated discussion on who was going to pass Claire their gift first, it was suggested by Autumn that they go alphabetically. Everyone seemed pleased with that idea....

 

Such civilized young ladies

 

Claire and Autumn early this morning, sleeping at last.....

 

NASTY!!!!!!

Claire's birthday party is this afternoon and we are under a heavy rainfall warning. I was soooo hoping that the forecast would change overnight. I was sure it looked brighter when I got up this morning.

Oh well, the garden party will become a tear through the house party.....

Here We Go Again....

I'm home, rested, and gearing up to start another week.

The time away with the girls was grand. We had a great room at the Cambridge Suites. We spent lots of time in the hot tub and on the roof overlooking Halifax. The weather was pretty good so we were able to walk most everywhere we decided to go. Friday night we had Ethiopian food and it was amazing. We then went for dessert at the Fireside, enjoying some great drinks and wonderful cheesecake and the like.

After getting back to the hotel we went up to the roof again, but this time in our jammies. Yes, we did entertain some other guests with our attire but oh well....After finally settling into our room for the night, we got a movie, oredered pizza and had a couple of drinks. Then of course we had to watch some lame TV during which time I fell asleep. I woke to Karen telling me it was time for bed, I said ok, and rolled over. Lights out and a minute later Karen pipes up that we are on the wrong sides of the bed. We switched and slept 'til just before seven. Upon waking we went again to the hot tub, this time with blue face masks on. Classy rather! Showers and breakfast came next, and then our day of walking around market and downtown began. The sun came out a few times, and it got rather humid. That said, we needed to keep breaking from our shopping for tea/coffee breaks. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the art gallery, and then more snacks while deciding where to go for supper. We settled on Japanese, so off we went to the Milamodo restaurant. Fabulous food once again. Then of course it was time for me to get dropped off so the rest of the girls could head back to the valley. They did come in for coffee and ice-cream before they left, but I still find it hard even now to say good-bye to them.

Tomorrow my birth father arrives for three weeks, so Daniel and I will head to the airport to collect him. Claire's birthday is next weekend and her party is on Saturday so I need to get busy picking up the last bits of things. She is having a tea party on Saturday and then a family supper on Sunday. Good times all around.

Off to feed the troops, then put my feet up as I look to the week ahead.

It's That Time Again....

The valley girls will be here in a couple of hours and off we will set for our latest edition of overnight fun. We are staying at the Cambridge Inn this time, shaking things up a bit for some variety. We plan to shop, eat, swim, I'm sure eat again, stay up gabbing, visit the art gallery where I might just get to find myself again, hit the market, eat some more and all sorts of other grand things.

I'm so ready to go that I am up pacing the floors. It's not quite that bad I guess but I couldn't sleep so here I sit. I guess I could go clean the house.....

A cuddle with wee baby Kieran. The perfect excuse to do squat! ...holding a sleeping babe!

 

OUCH!!!!!

I ache...I spent the afternoon with the neighbor unloading a trailer full of mulch. Tons of mulch. Who knows how many wheelbarrowfulls of it we shovelled. Into the wheelbarrow, onto the garden back to the trailer for another load. The yard and all the air around us smells like manure from yesturdays garden soil extravaganza, and cedar from todays efforts. I'm sure the neighbors are thrilled that the country chick has moved in.

Off to the tub I go for a nice long soak.....

Happy Hearts.....

A dear friend who has been searching for sixteen years for his biological family has just had his prayers answered. Between the two of us, with what little info we had, started digging around, not to make a scene but to find out what we could about his heritage. He was told that he would not be able to connect with his family, but I was sure that we could at least find out some more info. Jodi was so helpful in the geneological research end of things, and for that we are so thankful. Being given up for adoption is not the end of the story in our minds. Not being able to know our pasts is tough stuff indeed. Wanting to respect the wishes of the birth family but also knowing what it is like not to know, I dug a little harder. Just in the last week , my friend received word that things were changing. Family that did not know about him had been told and that communication was imminent!

What a joy to be told this morning that he now has the identifying info of his mother and that communication and perhaps a relationship are around the corner. Both of our hearts are so much lighter now. The unfolding of a new chapter in his life, one that I have experienced, and all that it will bring is so exciting. Words cannot express the feelings!!!

He Made It!!!!!

Kylie and I picked a spot to sit near the 3.5Km mark. I was surprised to see Daniel coming as soon as he did. He was easily in the first quarter to half of the runners, and considering that the first crew were much older I was sooo proud of him. So he has decided that this is his latest passion and he wishes to participate in all of the runs for his age this summer. The official bluenose marathon is tomorrow, and my brother is running in that. Perhaps it's in the genes. Hope everyone is enjoying a splendid long weekend and that the weather holds out! Cheers!

We're Off!!!!

Daniel's first marathon! 4.2K in downtown Halifax......

Mothers Day and beyond.....

Mother's Day came and went as it always does, fun with the kids , a trip to the garden center, and a visit with my birth mom, a call to my mom, and any other mothers I feel like cheering on. The kids gave me a fabulous windchime and I love to sit and listen to the gentle sound as the breeze blows across the deck.

yesterday was a fabulous day weatherwise and I spent the afternoon out in the dirt while Hud dug me out yet another garden bed. Having him home on Mondays is great except I'm not sure there are ever enough hours on a Monday to get done all I want him to tackle.

Last night around supper Daniel started complaining of pain in his left ear. As the evening progress, he was crying non stop 'til finally he collapsed. I figured he had burst his ear-drum yet again. A trip to the doctor today confirmed my suspicions, so now he has eardrops, and a prescription. He is also being referred to the IWK to an ENT to discuss permanent tubes. Not quite sure how I feel about that, but seeing as the temporary ones didn't solve the problem I guess we need to consider our options. After talking with Daniel, the doctor who is not our regular one suggested that if we could afford it we should look into independant school for Daniel. Well....we can't afford it, so that's the end of that, but it was funny to me that she thought he was so bright. The two of them were discussing the complexities of the ear and all of it's components.... I felt rather left out!

Anyhoo....I'm off to plant the two Daylilies that Daniel and I bought while waiting to get in to the doctor. The sun is almost out!!!

Another happy customer from Claire and Autumn's hair and beauty shop!

 

Isn't she lovely?

 

Do you see what I see? The climbing hydrangea looks like it is going to bloom this year.

 

Such delicacy....

 

FINALLY!!!!

 

 

My new little friend.....Sam calls him Dee-Dee.

 

What happens to Sam when he is tired and sent to take a time out! Poor guy. I did eventually move him. 

Refreshed.....

I am home again after a weekend away at camp. The weather was fabulous and so early morning was such a treat. Kylie and I got up at six both mornings and went for a fabulous walk on the beach the first morning and then out on the road the second. What a gift to be able to get up early and get out and enjoy the beauty of creation, listening to the sounds of the world waking up, the lobster boats out hoping for a good haul, and good conversation with a good friend. We even found deer tracks on the sand. As we were sitting up at the lodge after out first walk, we looked back out towards the ocean and were so excited to see "seals" swimming by. There were so very many. We decided that we should run down and get a closer look. Of course, upon closer examination, we discovered that they were in fact ducks. Either way, it was fun.

The speaker was stellar, sharing so honestly about her life and the tragedies she has suffered being widowed not once, but twice. Yet through all of this she is full of joy. What an inspiration to see someone who is able to move beyond the pain and embrace life, moving forward day by day, sharing nothing but love with all she meets.

I even slept well which doesn't always happen when away from home. I was able to return home refreshed , rejuvinated and eager to start the first day of the rest of my life with a much more positive attitude and a closer relationship with God. Instead of getting weighed down with doubt and guilt and all the rest, I am going to have a change of attitude. One of thanksgiving and praise. What a relief! The food of course was incredible and I am coming home with more recipes. That of course is always a good thing.

The kids had a great time while I was gone, and although they all have colds, they all seem to be in better spirits too. My allergies are going crazy, but the joy of the gardens is far outweighing the itchy eyes and I continue to plug away.

Tomorrow night Craig and I go to Evita and I can't wait!

Cheers for the opportunity to get away and regroup, refresh, and revitalize oneself! life is so much sweeter now!

Garden Visitors.....

As I looked out my window this morning, I was greeted by two hungry little friends. The birds that come and sing to me are part of what I love about gardening. Such a glorious sound as they call to one another, skittering about as I play in the dirt..... 

YUCK!!!!!

I'm hot, I'm cold, I ache all over....... and of course my kids are fighting!

Crazy Week.....

It seems that this week is going to fly by as there is so much going on. I was at the moms group this morning, then got a visit with grandmother in. I haven't been since last monday and thought it about time even though I have a sore throat. Tomorrow night is book club, and we are having a dutch meal together. I'm making meatballs of the dutch variety...we'll see how they turn out.

Wednesday I have safe arrival, Sam has pre-school and I need to have sugar cookies into the school for spring fair. Thursday Hud leaves for Ontario, so I need to help him get ready to go. Friday the kids have no school so we will get out and do something fun. Friday night I'm gone to the ladies retreat at camp. I have a sitter coming as Hud will be away until Saturday night, and because of that, there is extra housework to do. I have to leave the house company worthy....thrilling let me tell you!

The garden centers are open and I so badly want to get shopping for some new shrubs, and flowers but time is against me at the moment.

Sam continues not to feel himself although he is walking with no difficulty now. He still has a fever so if that's not gone by tomorrow I'm heading back to the doctor. I won't leave him if he is unwell.

Anyhoo....off to my mountains of laundry. Yesturday Claire was looking for something to wear, so I sent her to my room where there were piles upon piles of neatly folded clothes. She came down a few minutes later and said that the laundry had expolded. Well, she was right! It was everywhere, and she still had not found anything to wear. I'm now all caught up, it's all away in the drawers, but I have a couple loads on the go again...never ending.....

Friday Night Fun....

Or not so much.... Sam and I spent the evening at the childrens hospital, eating popsicals, getting bloodwork, x-rays, urine samples etc. The poor kid woke up with a fever on thursday night, complaining of a sore mouth, and a sore leg. He often gets leg pain in the night so I didn't think much of it. I tylenoled him and he went back to sleep. When he woke again, he was still complaining of all the same things. He was walking with a limp, wimpering as he went, and hardly ate any breakfast. Trying to climb the stairs was very painful for him, reducing him to tears. He climbed up in my bed to watch TV, and I left him there to rest. A friend stopped by, and we walked around the garden. As she was leaving, I could hear him screaming from inside. He was trying to come down the stairs and the pain was too much for him. I carried him down, gave him a wee bit of soup and crackers, then settled him on the sofa where he slept until after five. I watched him wake up, and as he did so he was holding his leg up in the air, looking at it, trying to stretch it out. I helped him off the couch and the tears started again.
Again he screamed on the stairs so I carried him up, and he helped me put a pizza together for the others. Hud brought the van home so I could take him in to emerg, Tracey next door took the other two, and I took Hud back to work. Half way to the hospital he started sobbing, the pain getting the better of him again. He cried the rest of the way there and the whole time we were in triage and still while we were registering. After a two hour wait we got taken in where he had to walk, and pee and get pulled and prodded. He did really well, and loved the fact that Claire's friends mommy was the X-ray tech. Many stickers later we were on to blood work, and finger puppets. X-rays were fine, blood work is not quite normal, but seems to be in keeping with a virus. We have to go back today as they want to look at him again. So....we are both exhausted as midnight is way past either of our bed-times, Sam is still sleeping but I am up as a neighbor ordered a cake for her son's first communion and I have not yet started that process. Who knows how long we will be there this afternoon. Hopefully he will be on the mend and if not, they will be able to figure out why his leg is causing him so much pain.

~ update ~ We are home with a diagnosis.....the doctor that saw him yesturday was quick to tell us that he was her last patient, so I was sure we would be rushed. Sam was sleeping by the time she got to us, and so she did her exam while he slept. She flung him all over the bed , swinging him by his feet and he didn't wake up. He flinched when she flexed his laft leg out, but didn't cry. When I told her that he couldn't stand on the left leg, she proceeded to lift him up, whip his right leg out from under him, and let him fall to the bed. She said that if he were in pain he would have woken up. Fair enough I thought. She has diagnosed him with transient synovitis, which is sudden pain in the hip. Transient because it comes and then goes. Apparently it is the most common cause of sudden hip pain in kids ages 3-10. Anyhoo....they don't really know what causes it other than they think it is either caused by a virus which of course you would have with a cold, or an allergic reaction to an infection in the body. We are going with the former. He is much better today, going up and down stairs and walking with only a slight side shift in his gait. His fever is lower but we are taking it easy today, just laying low.

This and that.....

Well, we enjoyed a fabulous weekend weather wise. I have darkened my arms, burnt my face and gotten alot dirtier. While Hud was home he took out the staircase in the backyard to move it farther back. I of course thought it should be a simple job, not taking into account the rocks etc he would encounter as he started to dig. The backyard is now a huge pile of mud thanks to the help the kids offered. Anyhoo... the stairs are now where I wanted them, the dirt mostly back in place, and the rain is pouring. When the weather gets nice, I shall plant more grass and get even busier in the gardens.

Claire lost her first tooth the other day, she was ecstatic, Sam indifferent, and Daniel peeved that the tooth fairy now pays more.

It's sooo cold and yucky out, I'm tired, Hud is out at floor hockey, so I'm thinking I'm going to hit the tub for a hot bath. I might even put on my cozy new jammies and climb in bed with a good book.....and pretend that I can stay awake.

Good times.....

It's early...not as early as it was when I got up, but still early. The kids and I are heading to the theater to see CBC for kids. Clifford and Lunar Jim will be there along with one of the hosts, Mark. Sam and Claire are excited, Daniel is going under duress! Hud is away, with the car, so we are busing it. To get there in time for the 9:00 show, we need to take the 7:50 bus. Nasty!!!

On a brighter note, today is brighter. Full sun, not a cloud in the sky, and temps supposed to hit 12, tomorrow promising to be even better with highs of 18. Gardens here I come, look out weeds!

Can I think of thirteen?

Last week I couldn't think of thirteen things to say so on Friday I posted thirteen pics of things in my garden. Not much has changed there as the weather turned cold again.

I have big plans for the garden this year...although not sure I can fulfill all of my desires in one season. Thanks to Better Safe then Sorry, I have found a new blog that I am really enjoying. So inspiring, and enjoyable to read. Go pay a visit to Karen's Garden.

My mountain of laundry is growning, not shrinking as I'm quite sure it should be.

I have physio again tonight. I got in trouble last week as I was apparently doing my exercises wrong. I'm not so smart it would seem.

I purchased the tickets for Evita. We got some of the best seats, although my friend argues that the balcony is no good. I like it because I am short and this way I know I'll be able to see...

For once I know what I am making for supper in the morning. The pork loin is out thawing and I will soon put it in the maple maranade. Mashed potaoes and some sort of veggie and I'll call it supper.

Claire's tooth is so close to coming out. I'm not sure how she can stand it seeing as it is now just sitting sideways.

Hud is busy all weekend, away friday night, and all day saturday, home for a few minutes then gone again. I discovered last night that he is also going with the van. Nice!!! At least the weather is supposed to be good. We can spend the time outside.

Karen is coming to town at some point soon to help me in the hunt for the perfect bathing suit for my not so perfect body. Nasty job, glad she's up for the challenge.

I have learned that Sam will climb any obstacle to get at easter chocolate. He is so his mothers son. However, I can at least reach the top of the fridge. He needs a stool, and a big arm stretch. I'm not so sure it's safe to even take a shower. That gives him too long alone.

I shaved my legs today. The rash on my leg has receded enough that I'm no longer afraid of hurting myself. I feel much better for doing so.

If I get rashes like that all summer, I'm going to be mighty hitonious(to use a Jamie Dawn word) looking....

I think I'm going to bake some bread. French bread maybe. I can smell it now.....

Nice....

We woke up this morning to falling slush!!! After all of our nice weather, we are back to low temps. Here we are sitting at 2 degrees, watching what should be rain, named by some maritimer as snizzle. Either way, we want our nice weather back!

~ it's now actually snowing! I walked Sam into pre-school and the teachers couldn't believe that my hair was full of the stuff. great day to hunker down inside...~

Daniel found an interesting way to keep the hoop going. He found that by head banging, the hoop stayed up!!!

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Craig proved to be the entertainment for the evening on Sunday. Who knew my brother could move like that!

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Easter Sunday....

We enjoyed a VERY busy easter weekend, filled with wedding showers and birthday parties, and church breakfast, and lunch with family then dinner here with my brother. The kids had a blast with Craig looking for eggs and the like, and we had fun playing a couple of new games. We stuffed ourselves, and discovered that Daniel and Craig are hoola hoop masters! I'll try and get a clip up soon.....