Live it!

last day of school

well, its hard to believe that keaton has made it through and survived (ha) his first year of school. here we have 2 years of Kindergarten. so, with Keaton's birthday in December... he got on his school bus for the first time as a 3 year old. yes, i let him go and it was hard. it felt too young... but then he loved it so much that it felt good. then he struggled a bit with social 'skills' and my heart sunk - wondering if i should of held him back. i think it was more my struggle than his. his love for school and the friends he made there never faltered... it was me worrying and wanting him to be perfect - being unrealistic about the social skills and behaviours of a 3 yr old boy set free in school. when it was all said and done though, as i think about it today on his last day of school - he did great. he progressed. he learned a ton. he amazed me with his ability to charm and woe practically every girl on the playground (ha ha). he was kind to others and made good friends. no, he wasn't perfect. he hit and cried and sat on time out at times. he escaped the classroom and had to learn safety and restrictions/rules at school. but he did it - he got thru it and taught me so much along the way.

i am so proud of him, when he got off the bus tonight, i was so so so proud! standing there like a dorky mom taking photos of his bus and i'm sure all the 8th graders were watching me from the bus and dying. how uncool, huh?!

we went shopping yesterday and Keaton helped me pick out gifts for his teacher - Mrs. Juricevic (a name i'm proud to say he mastered by the end of his first day of class) and her Teacher Assistant - Mrs. Kirby. i drove him to school today so he could excitedly give them their gifts.... such nice women. such good role models and teachers. i will miss them. keaton will miss them. Mrs. J is retiring after many years teaching young children... i'd say she has earned it, huh?  Mrs. Kirby is unsure where the school board will place her but i secretly hope she ends up back in K's class next year.

So... the school year is over and Keaton is home 24/7 with me for the first time since he was 6 months old and i was on maternity. i'm sure we will do so many things. run the roads, go to the park, shop, lunch at restaurants... anything to keep him entertained. i know he is going to be completely bored with me and Chloe by day 2 of no school. i am looking forward to time together. i know i will be pulling my hair out by day 2 of no school too... but its all good. i'll deal ;)

Pinky & Mr. Muscles

More summer photos. seems like i am taking a ton of photos lately of the same thing... us... swimming... backyard... sillyness and fun. Chloe in her pink ruffle 'kini...this girl has too many bathingsuits - i counted 5 since some of her suits from last year still fit her. this one is too funny. it has a hard time staying up. chloe loves this one and runs around, parading up and down the back yard. she sees me pull my camera out and the chase is on. chubby belly. short little thing. so cute!

keaton is in and out of the pool as many times a day as i will let him. luckily i love to swim too so we are in there a lot. keaton has a keen interest this year on learning HOW to SWIM.. and tonight he surprised me by swimming the entire length of the pool (20+ ft) until he reached me. he thinks he is pretty hot stuff and so proud of himself. we were talking about what a big boy he is becoming and i asked him to show me his muscles... this was his response (for about 10 minutes straight). he's looking all tough with his scar under his eye. sadly, it looks like the scar is here to stay. Shaune says the girls will dig it when he is older. yes, probably!

Tonight Keaton's report card came home. He is done school for the summer on Wednesday.. hard to believe. His report was great and things are going good for him at school. he has done so much maturing the past few months and i am so proud of him for learning his way through it... and proud of myself (ha!) for making it through some rather rough spots along the way of Kindergarten. in the end... i guess it was a good thing for him. he is already saying  he doesn't want to miss school all summer. Tomorrow night i have to figure out some quick gift album to make up for his sweet teacher who is retiring. ack!

Jack and Jill

its been a busy few days. yesterday we drove to Picton and picked shaune up from work early so we could check out the campsite we reserved for our holidays. it didn't totally turn my crank but it is only a 4-5 minutes walk to the Provincial Park and the BEACHES and what do i expect when you wait til a month before your holidays to find a site for 2 wks for a 30+ foot trailer. yes, we are not good 'planners'. from there we did party preparations for Aaron and Sarah's "Jack and Jill". it was held at the Parkdale and it was a GREAT time. mom came and stayed very late (umm, i think we rolled in around 1:45am) watching the kids for us so we could go out and have fun and celebrate their upcoming wedding. i am sooooooo tired today.

today the weather is gorgeous but so hot and humid. Needless to say we spent most of the day in the pool (which is turning out to be the best $300+ dollars we've ever spent). ran in to McD's for supper and i am so ready for bed... but can't because we rented a movie and i have projects to complete.

posting a few happy photos. didn't take my camera to the J&J. but got it out today a bit.

a little love story...

i felt like sharing.
view the video HERE if you have a few minutes.

sigh. Matt is a close friend of my brother in law (shaune's brother). he got married last July. he had brain cancer. he is young. too young. he battled and fought it for much longer than the dr's said he could. he passed away monday. his beautiful wife in this video married him knowing they wouldn't likely have a first anniversary together. this video is powerful. i don't know why. it just was for me... and i guess that is why i'm sharing it. i've watched it twice. it is just a couple loving eachother dearly and celebrating that something special that they have.

i'm so sad for him. for her and for her family. and for aaron for losing such a close friend only 3 wks before his own wedding.

Last night i watched this and it brought me to tears. i don't know Matt but i really admire him and his wife Megan too. watching them reminded me how lucky i am and how in love i am too. it made me want to sit with my husband and just BE there ...with him. it is a good reminder of how powerful and GOOD love is.

sorry, silly and sentimental - wishing a man i never even knew could of been around to live with this woman that must of loved him so much. Today, love a little longer and truer and be glad that you can.

Shaune: the DAD

what are you to them...?

you are the man that they idolize. the guy that plays outside with them and loves to take them for walks in the wagon. you are the man that treats and loves their mom in a way no one else can or would. you are the cleaner-upper. the daddy that gives them their baths and lets them splash and play. you are the dad that loves them unconditionally - you are the dad that will lay down the law when necessary...because you love them. you are the story reader and the daddy that plays video games. you are the daddy that likes his music loud and loves his potato chips and steak. you are the man that shows our children how to treat others with respect and kindness... you are an amazing example in so many ways. you are the dad that tucks them in at night and makes them feel safe. you are so many things to them. you are "DAD" and they are so lucky to have you. i love you Shaune. thank you for loving our kids the way you do! you make me proud.

playing catch up...

My high speed has been on the fritz since Friday… what is a girl to do. I took so many photos over the weekend with Chloe’s bday party and then Father’s Day too. Great weekend. Busy. Love it! I am on dial up access until they figure out what is wrong with my wireless high speed. Still I wanted to post a few photos.

Saturday at our house was Birthday #2 for Miss Chloe and we had a great time with her party. the rain held out and although it wasn't a very warm day (nope -i'm not complaining) we spent the whole party outside. 

Party went from 3pm - around 9:30pm - basically until all the little ones couldn't keep their eyes open a minute longer. We didn't go in the pool = the rain the past few days cooled the pool off to an unbearably cold temperature. instead the kids rode Keaton's 4wheeler and Jeep and played ball and toss and pretend. they got to be silly together for hours and i think everyone had a great time. i bought a Dora Pinata but then bought WAY too much candy so i had to go back and buy a second Pinata... that was so fun for the kids. Keaton broke the first one and Ben broke the 2nd pinata. i made way too much food as usual but thats ok. chloe got wonderful girly gifts and clothes (thanks Friends!)  We ended the party with a bonfire and toasting marshmellows. Oh... and i took way too many photos.. but couldn't resist.

Sunday was Father’s Day and we didn’t do a heck of a lot. Spent all morning having a conversation that went something like this: “What do you want to do today?” “I don’t know – what do you want to do today?” – this went on until almost noon and then Shaune decided that we needed ice cream at the “Castle” (aka: Reid’s Dairy). Keaton gave him the cutest Father’s day crafts he had made at Jr Kindergarten… they gave us a real chuckle. I will have to take a photo of them. Basically there were majorly unsubtle hints about what he wanted to do with his dad this summer. I think the pictorial card went something like: “My dad loves to take me fishing” “My dad likes to go camping with me”. We got a real laugh from it and thought maybe Shaune’s fathers day gift should be a fishing pole and a fishing license for the summer. Way to drop the hints Keaton!

We went up to Mom and Dad’s (sort of a last minute invitation) for roast beef supper and I got a couple photos of my dad. He is not crazy on getting his photo taken but I think he is getting used to me and my camera. I’ve got to get sappy for a minute and say that I have the best dad in the world. He is amazing. I am so glad he is retired and enjoying some down time finally. He is always on the go-go-go but now he does what HE likes to do. He worked so hard for his kids and our family – working and commuting 1.25 hrs each way every day. Sometimes he worked in far away cities to get work and only could come home on the weekends to be with us. His hands are working man hands. He is rough and strong and tough but underneath he is the biggest softy in the world. He has ALWAYS shown me unconditional love and I know he (and mom) have made me what I am today. I never had to doubt him…always knew he would be there no matter what. He is a gem… one of a kind. AND…I will always be his “Daddy’s girl”. Love you Dad!

a very yummy salad...

thought i'd share my "Famous" (ok, not famous but it does get lots of compliments - oh and i should admit that ...as you can see from the salad's name - it is not "MY" recipe but my Aunt Carolyn's) Caesar Salad recipe. It is so good. It takes some elbow grease to make it but it is so worth it. the secret is you have to REALLY smash and mash that garlic into the salt and pepper so it is pulpy and mixes seamlessly with the oils/etc.

anyhow - here it is....

AUNT CAROLYN’S CAESAR SALAD

In bottom of a large bowl, combine salt and pepper (many shakes of each)with 2 large garlic cloves. Use the prongs of a fork to mash the garlic with the salt/pepper until it is really mashed well.

Then, add 1 egg yolk and mix with fork. Add ½ tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp worchestershire sauce, 2 drops Tabasco sauce and the juice of ½ freshly squeezed lemon. Mix this all in together.

Slowly add: ½ c. canola oil (keep mixing as you pour it in) and ¼ c. olive oil. The mixture will be medium thick and I refridgerate it until shortly before I am going to serve.

When ready to serve, add romaine lettuce (it uses almost 2 heads) to the bowl that the dressing is in and toss well to coat all the leaves. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. I also add fresh crumbled bacon and homemade croutons and thinly sliced fresh mushrooms.

This makes a very large bowl.

We often make a meal on this by adding some grilled chicken on top. Too die for!

my baby is TWO

man - where did the past 2 years go.. they have just wizzed by. and today i am here in my home with our two children and i cannot believe that i have a four year old... and now a 2 year old. my little baby doll is 2?!!

she simply has always been my little suckie. she loves everyone but momma is who she runs to when she needs to be a baby. i still always call her a baby. is a 2 year old a baby? i know when keaton was 2 i referred to him as a toddler. he was busy and crazy and wild and in a big hurry to not be my baby anymore. with chloe - i think she likes being the baby... so for as long as she wants - momma's baby doll she will be.

Chloe picked out her own gift (with her brother's help) while we were shopping last night. she is on a real "Pooh Bear" kick right now and so when she came across the Winnie the pooh trike...she squealed and hopped on. and just like that it was in our shopping cart. Anything for our lil' chloe!

So, when she got up this morning Keaton could not wait to take her downstairs and show her what HE had gotten her. She was super excited to get to drive it around the house - and liked it so much...that she decided that there would be NO sharing with Keaton whatsoever... and that set the tempo for the day. She all of a sudden knows she is TWO??? she screams whenever he goes near her and her new trike or dolls... hits him even. Keaton looks at me with this surprised look on his face - like: "Where is this coming from?"  i've always warned him that someday she would grow up and start BUGGIN' back. Today was that day.

We went shopping with Nana E. and more toys made their way home. Lunch at East Side MArio's where Chloe refused to eat (she loves to eat... must be that "2" thing). Oh ya, for the first time ever i think... she refused to take an afternoon nap. ha ha... and then when we went to Shaune's mom and dads for celebrations... she made really STRANGE for maybe the first time ever too. ha ha. "She's got a new attitude"... sing it with me.

At Shaune's parents we celebrated Chloe's 2nd birthday with turkey and then a totally fun Winnie the Pooh Cake. Those that came to celebrate were: Nana & Poppa L; Great Nana Kellar; Great Aunt Carol/Uncle Bob and Uncle Aaron/Aunt Sarah.  We also celebrated Sarah's bday (which is tomorrow - happy bday girl!) and Father's day too. Busy and fun. Good times.

I took photos, not many. Enough to call it done. Really dark dreary day out... lots of rain. Chloe gave me 'tude over the photo taking too.. ha. what a girl.

and here are a few funny 'outtakes' of my day with little miss TWO year old ;)

Right now... so thankful for THIS life

Watching Oprah right now reminds me:

1)      I am so lucky to be born into such a wonderful and safe country. I am so lucky to be a Canadian.

2)      I’m going to ensure my kids the childhood, safety and innocence they deserve

3)      I am going to figure out a way to help those less fortunate, not sure where or how yet, but I am feeling compelled to do my part.

4)      I’m gonna hug my kids a little longer today, play with them more, thank God for them more often… be grateful for them and the live we live.

If you haven’t watched today’s show… you should. It moved me. I live such a sheltered protected life. It is astounding the things that are going on in the world. Shocking, despicable and so very wrong.

party planning

chloe's 2nd birthday party is saturday and i am feverishly trying to figure out how i will get everything clean, cooked, bought, wrapped and done by then. it is a casual party and hopefully if mother nature is on our side... it will be an outdoor pool/fun party. we have our pool ready and the slip-n-slide ready to go too. it will be a bbq. there will be 15+ kids and all our friends. should be SO much fun.

while making my list this morning i am trying to figure out some interesting foods to make that are "BBQ style". we will go the easy route and do hotdogs and hamburgers. i will do my Caesar salad..maybe a mac salad too. but what else? i have lots of ideas but they all seem to require refridgeration. i want some munchie style foods to set outside (other than just our potato chips) that won't rot in an hour of direct sunlight.

if anyone has any great party food ideas i would love to hear them. i am so not good at party planning... but i do love to feed my friends tasty (but easy) food.

??? any ideas ???