easter in review

It was a jam packed long Easter weekend, full of fun times, friends and family. Oh, and a trip to the dump. I love the dump.


It seems like the past few weeks have been full of stress and busyness at work - I'll spare you the details of our new ministry computer system that was rolled out at the beginning of April. It's giving me hives and made me cry - twice. It was nice to let all that go and enjoy some good times and relaxation.

We had lots of 10 year old girls hanging out - playing Kinex and practising their dance moves. 10 year old girls are noisy. And kind of ridiculous.

Jamie and I took a romantic break and headed out to the dump. Have I mentioned that I love the District of Nanaimo Landfill? It's the 2nd happiest place on earth. The staff are always smiling and cheerful, it's always clean, and there's always new toys and cool stuff to look at. They've added a convoy of Tonka trucks to their collectibles display.

We dyed eggs - even the teenager dyed a few eggs. I had purple egg salad in my lunch all week, nd I love me some egg salad.

My favourite egg.

I baked! These are supposed to be egg nests, however my boy suggested that they looked like someone dropped eggs in cow pies. Appetizing. I bet nobody tells Martha Stewart that her baking looks like poo.

Easter morning we had a scavenger hunt. 33 clues and an hour and a half of searching for treats. I work on this scavenger hunt for weeks before Easter - it's a labour of love.

Then it was off to brunch at Nancy and Gord's house, a fun Easter egg hunt and awesome food. So fun to get together with long time friends and see the kids all growing up. We were friends before any of these big creatures were born.

Once you get all your eggs opened up, of course you have to bounce on them! After brunch it was off to Grandma Mary's for Easter dinner. I didn't take any pictures of dinner - so you'll have to take my word for it that we were there. Ham and veggies and carrot cake...grandmas and grandpas and aunties and uncles and cousins.

Monday was a day to be outside. Jamie has started working in the garden and planting the lawn. He's been hauling concrete tiles and rototilling. I sit on the deck with my coffee and watch him. Sometimes I throw the ball for the dog. It's exhausting.

I love spring blossoms more than anything.

Jamie and I went back to Piper's to see if the chocolate lilies have bloomed yet. There was an unexpected mini herring run at the lagoon and there were tons of sea lions out barking and swimming in circles looking for herring. I was a bit worried that this guy was going to flop up on my rock and bite me.

No chocolate lilies yet, but day lilies are out everywhere. We are going to go hunting for chocolate lilies again tomorrow, maybe after several days of sun, they'll be out now!

Thanks, Easter Bunny!

spring

It felt like spring this morning - no rain, sleet, snow or hail. I got up early, grabbed my camera and headed for the lagoon.

It was good to be alive.

Look! Actual blueness.

I brought this handsome guy with me. He has a camera too. We're annoying that way.

There were teeny, tiny blossoms starting in the areas that are out of the wind. I don't know what kind of tree this is - wild plum?

I played with this one in photoshop - just for fun.

See? Green shoots. Two weeks from now there will be chocolate lilies in this spot.

Daffy dills too. Don't you love new begginnings?

13

So...this week I became the parent of a teenager. Aidan turned 13, started high school, and, strangely enough, I seem to be the only one stressed out about it. He's just fine. Which is sort of how parenting goes for me most of the time.

To celebrate Aidan's 13th birthday, a few things were in order.

First, we had to get a little goofy. Get it? Goofy? Never mind. (I just had to take a little trip down memory lane.)

Second, a celebratory breakfast of Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benny is my speciality. Come on over for brunch and I'll prove it.

Presents. He got stuff. Boy stuff. Books and games that mostly involve maiming and killing. I kinda miss the days when I could buy him Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder.

Then I had a nap. And he hung out and then we went for dinner, all of which I didn't take pictures of. But I did get pictures of the cake. Mustard, relish and ketchup and all.


Don't you think every 13 year old boy should have a hamburger cake? Surprisingly, it tasted really good and not at all like ground beef. Thanks Thriftys.

And thanks Aidan, for being such an epic son. For 13 years.

rolling into fall

A quickie run down on a few of the events of the last couple weeks. I baked. You know that thing where you put ingredients in a bowl and mix them up and then put them in the oven? I did that 3 times this week. My family isn't sure who I am or what I've done with their wife/mother.

Penny learned how to swim. Until two weeks ago our Labrador couldn't swim. She was a bit of a weirdo. But we've been taking advantage of the new off leash dog park at Invermere Beach (which by the way, is just so awesome) and Penny learned to swim from the other dogs.

Like her friend Bonnie. Good dog, Bonnie! Way to teach Penny to swim. If Penny was at all appreciative she would have let you have the ball.

Good dog Bonnie. Let me come and throw that ball for you.

Here we have Katie, Erica, Bonnie, and Calvin, all enjoying the water. The dark blob waay out there is my new swimmer. Good dog Penny.

After swimming with dogs a girl needs a healthy and refreshing drink. I think they both had Swampwater. Nothing beats a Swampwater brain freeze.

We all went out for dinner to Montana's. You know how you get a cardboard ship when you order a Pirate Pack at White Spot? Katie was horrified when her meal came to the table in a cardboard pick up truck. Driven by a deer and a moose. Not dignified for a 10 year old. Well, really not dignified for anyone. Where I grew up, pick up trucks were not something you thought of when considering your meal presentation. They were the vehicle you drove in to go kill your food.

We shopped for school supplies. This is a big school year. Katie is going into grade 5 and has big plans for herself academically. She also has outfits picked out for the next month.

Aidan is starting high school. High school y'all. He is totally ready to go. I'm sure I'll be ready for him to go when he's...20 - or 25.

Look - off he goes with his buds - he's the tall one, go figure. Things that have already been learned about high school? Get on the right bus, and get off at the school. Or when you notice other students getting off the bus. I called Aidan today and asked how school was. "Umm, funny story" he says.

Aidan learned that you get homework the very first day of classes. Isn't he studious? He gets that from me.

Aidan also learned that you should not make assumptions about things in high school. Like whether you'll like your teachers or not, or whether you'll find your classes. Or whether your locker will have a door.