Wednesday, September 23, 2009

My brush with fame....





One of the things that I love most about my job, it's different all the time. I do all kinds of "off" things that would never show up in my formal job description. Sometimes I get to go take photos. It's one of my favorite "off" jobs. I've caught some beautiful sunrises, sunsets, snow drifts, wolves, bears and other things along the way.
Well the other day I got asked if I could be the photographer for a tv shoot that was happening on the mountain. Michael Buble was coming up with an Australian TV show, and we needed someone to capture him being at the hill.
He's a totally nice guy - with enough "attitude" to keep him in the famous category. But I was most impressed when he offered up his seat on the Skyride to some elderly guests. So I guess he is as sweet as his voice.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Gurlz Poker Night



I'm a little behind on my blogging, hoping to catch up on the past couple of weeks over the next few days. But hey - that is life. Since my word is "simplicity", I try not to get all worked up over things not getting done. I still have the photos and the story can always be written later right?

Well this is an important story of friendship and how well, lives get busy, but certain bonds are unbreakable.


To start, I need to take you back six and a half years ago. January of 2003 to be precise. I was pregnant. Jen and I decided that in the best interest of Dan and Chris, we should attend pre-natal class. Honestly, I learned nothing about birthing (that I hadn't already read) and it didn't bring anything to the labour table per say. But what I got out of that class was invaluable.

You see, when I walked in I saw my high school class mate Nicole. We sat beside this funny lady with and incurable laugh, Jodi. Another women in the class was an old co-worker Shelley. Instant connection. We were all about to be moms, and none of us knew what the @#(*$&@( to really expect. Another friend of mine, Helen, had met a woman named Julia in her pre-natal and all of a sudden we were a gang of Moms.

Fast forward to March and April, and all these kids show up. Now this networking group became our life line to the outside world. All of us professionals, all of us social. All of us needing to get out of the house and see the great big world outside. Share breastfeeding stories. Stories of success, failure, depression, husbands who were great, and husband who were having a hard time adjusting to fatherhood. But most of all, we shared laugher. We knew who needed the extra hug, or extra latte. Who needed some shower time without a newborn and who needed a casserole made for them.


As all groups form, it's kinda expected that as time changes, the dynamics of the group will too. Shelley moved a bit further out, so we saw her less. After three years, with one exception, we had all had our second kids. After four years, there were 12 children amongst the strong six of us.

Sure, we are all back to work. We all juggle lives of kids, soccer, work, husbands, our individual interests....but we all have each other. As I seem to be involved in their lives individually, I have always been the coordinator of the group. I decided it had been too long since we had been together, so threw out a date and decided it was poker night for us gurlz!

Not many of us had played, but winning was so far from the object that evening. We laughed. We laughed hard, to the point of crying. Everyone had stories. Sure the kids were part of it, but really only a small part. We were six women who happened to have children of the same age. It was a fantastic night.


I know as time goes on, less of these nights will happen. But when they do - we communicate like it was only a week in-between visits. For so many reasons these women play such a role in my life and I am blessed to be part of this group.


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Grade 1


Well, it's been a whole week. A whole week of getting into grade one mode. Here is what happened (in a list mode thanks to Suzanne).

* First day, one hour, no teacher.
* Day 2, 2 teachers. Mrs Elhome and Mrs Jette. Most excited that he got lunch and recess.
* Day 3, loves school - needs a new room. You know, to do homework and stuff Chris starts painting and priming.
* Day4 - painting continues, buy a new bed. Loving school
INSERT WEEKEND - finish room, build new bed, overexcited child, hits wall, recovers

Week 2 - still loves school, all is well.

Monday, September 7, 2009

The last weekend of summer




So I know technically there are still a couple weeks left, but let's face it - the Labour Day weekend is the end of "summer" as we know it. And after a beautiful sunny summer, it seems as though fall is making an early appearance. Rain was in the forecast all weekend long.



Knowing that, Friday night we headed out to the playground to make the most of the dry weather. We have sure enjoyed living so close to the school, and use this playground as often as possible. It's killed more than a few hours of time, and allowed a fun safe place for the kids to burn off some energy.

Saturday the rain came. So we hung out inside for most the day. We managed to keep ourselves busy with a variety of things through the day, and watched a movie with popcorn and cuddles. Thanks Mr. Disney, you really have made many family nights together memorable.

Sunday the rain was there again, so it was pj day. I pulled off some cleaning and some grocery shopping, a few games of wii were played over the day and even some other board games made appearances. One more movie to close up the evening, and that was that.


Monday morning, after some of the heaviest rain I have ever heard overnight, the sun looked like it was going to make an appearance. So this afternoon the kids and I headed to the fish hatchery to see the salmon spawing. They were jumping everywhere - out of the water and up the ladders. We wandered through the forest and once again took in what a beautiful area we live in.


Then this evening we ended up buying Braydon a new bed. With grade one (um, how did he get that old that fast) starting, he's gonna need a desk. And it's time for the kid room to get painted over so his sports room can happen. He's been waiting for it for a long time. More on that later.

That's it. School starts tomorrow. The rain is here again. The leaves are changing colour and I guess that means routine will start to happen. I love this time of year, it's very beautiful. So here is to embracing change and growth. Seems like it's happening.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Rainy Weekend

No photos
No sunshine
But lots of movies, wii and painting.

More tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

some work of mine


I spend so much time posting my stuff on skrapnchat.com, I often forget to post it here. So I thought I would share a few of my recent favorites.

Today I will share some Kaylee ones. The top lay out's photo is from our vacation. It was from our last night of vacation, and we had gone for a night swim. She was just hanging out on the log, just being herself. I know mom's think their kids are beautiful, but she really is. :)

This one is KJ and Uncle Richard. We were at my parents celebrating my Dad's 64th. Both the kids love Uncle Rich cuz they get to just be goofy with him.

This portrait is a little older, but one of my favorite pictures, which ended up being a lay out that I love too.

OK, this one is from last spring, but one of my very very favs - it's just so her.

Lastly, I just did this one using a sketch from sosketchy.com. Love how it turned out.