Yup I'm Back! Happy Summer!

Good Monday morning! Everyone survive the harried bustle of getting the kids out the door and spouses off to work? I have my coffee and am all settled in to spend sometime with my friends.

I must admit, I'm not one of those who hates Mondays. After the activity of the weekend I confess I look forward to my quiet Monday morning. I'm very fortunate that I am able to grab my coffee and curl up with my dogs and enjoy the peacefulness of the morning.

I remember summer meaning no schedule for our family. School was done, maybe my younger brother still had baseball for a while into the holidays but he was usually the only one besides my dad of course, who had to be somewhere. It was glorious! Getting up a bit later than usual, calling my best friend and making girl plans. Jam food in, yell goodbye to my mom and I was on my bike and free. 

Everyday was a clean slate, sun shining, freezie money in my pocket for when it got hot, and the world was our oyster... Long bike rides, days hanging out by the dock or the neighbourhood pool. Rarely were we indoors, but even then we were busy colouring our hair, baking some concoction and if we were lucky we could crash at each other's homes and stay up way too late, order pizza and play silly games. 

8 oh so short weeks of self entertainment. No way would my mom have set up a summer schedule. She was busy with my younger siblings so I was expected to be bright enough to call home if we were at my girlfriend's place or if I was going to be late for dinner. My parents didn't organize play dates, or expect to know where I was moment by moment. 

Some summers I was so lucky! Summer camp! 2 glorious weeks away from everything. No phones, no television, no siblings or parents! At camp we learned to shoot .22s and used bows & arrows. But my favorite was the herd of horses. Horse back riding, learning about how to feed and groom the animals. Best of all.. Making life long memories.

Life sure is not the way it was. It appears that children are scheduled year round and families just don't seem to unwind the way we did. Parents feel that they are required to hover and plan every moment of their children's day and this is on top of many parents having to work and fit these schedules into their precious moments of down time. Families seem exhausted. 

Hard to believe that in 2 weeks kids will be running down school halls asking each other what they did this summer. I hope that some kids will be able to say, "I didn't do anything and it was GREAT!". In the next few weeks, please just slow down if you can. Hang out by a river, throw rocks, catch frogs. Before bed check out the night sky and see how many you and your kids can name. Put the schedule away and make some real memories. 

Time for a coffee refill and I'm going to grab a book and enjoy some quiet time this afternoon. Hope your summer is treating you well! I'd love to see pictures of places or things you have done. Maybe I'll even start my next entry started! Cheers everyone! I'm back!

Count Down Is On!

What a difference a few weeks can make! I hope everyone is enjoying the warm summer weather, the frosty drinks and the beautiful starry nights.

I'm looking out my window and already my trees are showing signs of late summer. The bright green leaves have long gone and been replaced with ripening berries on the branches. The quick surge of growth from the warm Spring sun has been replaced by tired blooms and slowed growth. I can hardly believe it is already well into August!

It's been an exciting Spring and Summer for us. The anticipation of half my family moving down the street from me made time seem to stand still yet race forward because I was having lots of fun having my little sister live with us before her family could be here.

Then my youngest graduated from high school (where did THAT time go?!) and we had a home full of family visiting to cheer my son on for his success in this chapter of his life. Shortly after that wonderful celebration I got sick and it seems like just now I am recouping enough that I have energy to enjoy the rest of the summer! Weeee!

So... to 'celebrate' me being well (yaaa.. let's use that excuse!) my hubby found me a new toy! A fun Jeep to run around in. It's not brand new, but it's paid for and that makes

it the best kind of vehicle to have! My dogs already approve and my youngest is demanding to learn how to drive shift so he can drive the Jeep! Ha! Until he figures it out, I'm safe! It's all mine!

So as the weeks tick down to the end of summer and the beginning of the next school year (and I know many excited parents anticipating that day!) enjoy the evening fire pits, toasted marshmallows

and yes... even the million hotdogs you probably have consumed by now! Ha! All to soon we will be longing for these glorious warm lazy summer days.

Enjoy the count down! It's going way to fast for me!

Listen To The Song Of My People

Good morning to you all and I hope you are having a glorious last day of April. I know I am procrastinating instead of getting some much needed paper work taken care of, but it can wait another few minutes til I've finished my coffee our chat today! Ha!

I am staring out my bedroom window at an endless blue sky and that warm Spring air coming in the window and it just feels so darn good! Right now it blissfully quiet except for the birds chirping and the occasional dog bark, but soon this silence will be broken by the neighborhood 'battle of the bands'.

I don't know how it is around your house, but here in little suburbia, weekends are a pressure keg of 'git her done!'. If you aren't up to date on the local red neck lingo... Basically it means everyone is up mowing lawns, heading to Home Depot, gardening centers, Walmart etc etc and then they start working outside... with 'their' music.

Now don't get me wrong... I'm pretty open minded about most types of music. If I get a choice.. I'm usually going to put country on. (I usually don't get a choice... Ha!) And this is where the problem comes is...no one seems to agree on a music genre around here. One neighbor has rock blasting, another has pop... Some teens down the way play stuff that make my ears bleed...each competing to be louder than the other. Sigh.. I'm getting old!

But something wonderful happens later in the day. As people finish their chores and head inside or off to other places, one by one all the competing 'bands' go silent until all you hear are the birds again, and maybe some children laughing and playing. As the sun sets, sometimes we have a fire and watch the stars come out. The kids like having their music on then... and if I'm really lucky, they even let me pick my country station!

Here's to warm Spring days and listening to the songs of their people!

Dry Brown Grass

Good morning everyone! I am hoping that the longer days and warmer spring sunshine are touching that weary winter soul within you and renewing it with the freshness of a new season upon us.

Who knew that seeing a few patches of dry brown grass would excite me as much as it has this year! Every morning I check out my window to see the progress the warmth of the sunshine has had on the old hard dirty snow. My front garden is where I have the brave little crocuses pop up as soon as they possibly can, so I check every day to see if there is any signs of their brave little spikes.

My fingers just itch walking into hardware stores... Seeds... New planters... New bird feeders.. Bird baths... Solar lights... Stain for the deck.. Paint for the door... Ahhhhh! To be outside and enjoy the birdsong and fresh air. Long walks with my dogs and watch them run and chase dandelion fluffy and grasshoppers. I know! I'm getting ahead of myself... But I saw those patches of brown grass!

Those patches hold such promise to us. We survived another hard winter! We have the promise of those wonderful warm days ahead. Those lazy days bring neighbours and friends out of their winter hiding and gather around BBQ's and fire pits & pool parties.

It's funny the things that inspire us! May you find your patch of brown grass today and be excited for what tomorrow brings! Old Man Winter is almost done! Long live the power of the brown grass! Ha!

Changes...

Good morning friends. I hope you are all enjoying the warm days and long, lazy evenings.

I can not believe how quickly this summer has slid through the hour glass of time. Seems like yesterday that my husband & I dropped off my youngest to go to Cadet Camp for the summer, but it's already been 3 weeks.

Then this past weekend we drove down to visit him & to celebrate his 16th birthday. It's so beautiful in the mountains where these kids are! We had a great time canoeing, shopping & eating!



But July has been a seemingly endless stream of life changes for me and for a lot of people I love & care about.

My 'baby' sister started a new job recently, moved & announced that they are expecting their 3rd little rug rat! I am so excited to being an auntie again!

This Spring seemed to be a big deciding season for both my mom & my in-laws as they both decided to sell their homes. This has been huge changes for everyone. My in-laws have been in that home for over 27 years and my mom has been in her home for over 14 years. A lot of memories & love fill those homes, and it's a difficult decision to make. Both ironically put their homes up for sale within days of eachother and this month they all moved within a couple weeks of eachother.



Also putting a 'For Sale' sign up and moving this month is my bestie. We have been neighbors and friends for over 13years & while I am so very excited for them (wow! They have a beautiful new home! I'm hiding in one of the boxes and moving with them!) I am going to miss them very much. From spying on neighbors (Wooo... Did you see the new furniture so & so got delivered?), complaining about barking dogs (never mine of course! Ha!), impromptu bbq's, borrowed kidney beans & teasing our kids and spouses, I am going to miss that all very much. We have shared a very special time in our lives that only neighbors/friends can and I am so glad I shared it with you Bestie! I will miss seeing all of you but I am very glad you won't be that far away!

And last but not least... after much soul searching and debating. Lots of should we... Nooo.... Maybe?.... Yaaaaa?.. I dunno.... To finally YUP!!!!! I am happy to introduce our newest member to the family... Koda! He is a 6.5 week old blue heeler /labradoodle and just a bundle of love. Potty training is going well but my hubby and I miss our sleep. Ha! And the other 2 dogs aren't all that thrilled with baby brother yet. It will come... Right? Ha! But I welcome any hints or tips for training him. It's been a while since I have had a puppy so I am always open to new suggestions. Just leave a comment below! Or email me:-)

Changes... When we are young we are so anxious to for things to change. As parents we often catch ourselves wishing that they would just grow up. We fight change.. dread change, anticipate it... And at the end of the day, change happens.

2013 has been such a year of changes for me and for those around me. Graduation, moves, baby, new jobs... And it's only the end of July folks! So I say let's grab a nice cold margarita, pull up a lawn chair, and just be glad I'm not moving today! Heehee! Love you Bestie! (wonder who's going to be spying on your stuff going in today?)

Thank You For Being You!!

Wow!! Its June!! Switching those warm mugs to cool lemonade or ice tea and cool evenings by fire pits and star gazing. Kids are getting ansy to finish those last few weeks of 'torture' and be released to ride bikes, swim in pools and enjoy the outdoor freedom that only those warm carefree summer days seem to allow us.

I myself LOVE summer!! I hate schedules! (much to my husband's chagrin...) Lucky for me I guess that its rare I have to be anywhere or do anything for a certain time. This past weekend was a great testament to that. My wonderful Aunt flew in to help celebrate my birthday. My husband was out of town visiting his family, my kids are all self sufficient...so it was just the 2 of us!!

First off, you have to understand, we do not have a 'typical' aunt/niece relationship. I call her Auntie when I want her to feel really OLDDDDDDDD...heeeheee!!!!! She and I have a very special friendship for which I am eternally grateful for. Its a rare jewel indeed to have someone who you can ask advice from, have just stupid fun with, and is also related to you!! 

I remember when I was a kid and asking my mom how come she didn't have lots of friends. I thought geez...as kids we always had a big group of friends, why wouldn't parents also have the same thing?? Mom said its hard to have a family and maintain friendships when you get older. I thought meh...no way...not going to happen to me!!

My Oldest son Alex with a gang of his friends!

Well...now I'm'older' and have a family of my own. I was diagnosed 6 years ago with my rheumatoid arthritis and since then I have noticed a big change in our family and friendships. Its been definitely harder to maintain relationships the way we used to, and many have just fallen to the way side. One sad  truth I've noticed is that many people don't know how to deal with illness, especially when its invisible.

That's one of the greatest thing about my aunt. She has obviously known me all my life, so she knew me before I was sick and since I have been sick. We have been friends through it all. No games, no pretenses. We have laughed and cried together. Been honest when it hurt. Shopped til we dropped, and drank til we should have stopped way earlier...(thanks Bruno...lol)

So to the younger me I say...enjoy the group of teenage friends! Some will keep in touch over the
years, help reminisce and remind you of all the stupid things you did and make you wonder how you made it to adulthood!! And now...as some days I struggle and wonder where all those friends went, I realize what my mom said was true. It is hard to maintain both family and friendships at the best of times.

So thank you  Berta!!! I had such an AWESOME weekend!! No schedules...lots of shopping...lots of laughter...lots of honest talking....and margaritas!!!Weeeeeee!!!! Thank you for letting me just be me. For letting my boys just be themselves and loving us anyways! Thanks for coming for my birthday!

But most of all...thank you for those rocking sandals!! 

Ice Tea And Lazy Dayz...

Matt Grade 9 Grad 2012

Happy summer everyone! Its finally arrived! My middle son finally wrote his last exam on Monday so our family is  officially able to say we are on summer break! My youngest graduated from grade 9 this year, my middle young man will graduating grade 12 next year and my oldest just turned 20, which means there are no more little kids in my house any more. (Well...in my heart they will always be little!)       Needless to say this will be a different kind of summer then from years gone by.

This year will be filled with work schedules, mom can I borrow the truck?, all night parties by the fire pit....and who knows...maybe even a summer romance or two? Gone are the days of just setting up the baby pool and making Popsicles, grabbing an ice tea and enjoying the afternoon with the boys. Now they sleep til noon ( as teens are known to do!) or send me a text or two to let me know they are still breathing. They show up when they are hungry, tired or need fresh clothing. Sometimes I miss being a teen! ha!!

This summer will definitely be a summer of changes. Now when I grab that ice tea I can bring my book out there with me and READ. I don't have to watch my children carefully. There shouldn't be anyone choking on hotdogs or slipping on wet grass. No cuts to bandage, no fruits to cut up or drinks to be poured.

This summer we are taking a family vacation...an adventure if you prefer! Since everyone is so busy doing their own thing I thought lets combine these skills and see what we end up with. So we purchased a 1984 GMC Vandura (needs some love...) and each kid is contributing to the end product. They want to paint and wire and change fluids etc and make it our own. Then we will pack up and head south and explore Southern USA near Las Vegas. No set destination in mind...just pack up and go!

But in the mean time, I'm in that kind of limbo stage. I've done the hectic crazy summers when the kids were little. Taking them to the out door pool, or running to day camps. Soon enough I will have little grandchildren running around one day starting the cycle over again. But for now...I think I will go pour myself some ice tea ad go curl up on my deck with a good book. Enjoy the beginning of your summer everyone!

Congrats its June!!

Good afternoon my friends! Hope you are enjoying the sunshine and bird songs, and the switch from warm hot ciders to refreshing lemonade and ice tea. I'm sure most of you have your gardens in and have settled into the new schedule of lawn mowing and garden maintenance. ( Which for some is a pleasure and for some a chore..ha!)

My perennial flower garden has been busy going through its spring flowers and every year I'm always pleasantly surprised by whats out there. Right now I have beautiful sunny yellow irises and these huge orange poppies that always amaze me! My miniature lilac bushes are full of sweet smelling buds just waiting for some sun to burst them open. I love the smell! And in the evening when I'm in my room I can smell the lilacs that are just under my bedroom window.

I'm always so surprised at how effortlessly all these plants and flowers seem to know exactly when to peek their heads out of the snow and earth to greet the new Spring season. One by one  they each follow, filling my gardens with waves of color and scents.

As the school year rushes to a close, and everyone is busy going to end of year concerts, banquets, and for many graduation ceremonies I know many parents think 'Wow! This school year flew by!'  The mass of color and taffeta and giggling girls, the spiffed up young men, brightly decorated gyms, speeches, music. For a brief moment in time its like my garden. They were all in there just waiting for their turn to bloom and dance in the sunshine.

So happy end of school year everyone! Congrats to everyone finishing their school year and a special congratulations going out to my brother in law!! WooHoo!! Your the special dandelion in my garden dude!! Way proud of you!