Smile

Wow.

What a week. Thank goodness that tomorrow is FRIDAY!

I have been VERY busy this week.

I have been in school.

Doing work.

Cutting.

Gluing.

Reading.

Talking.

Working.

Thinking.

Typing.

Presenting.

Fretting.

Exploring.

Enjoying.

I am going back to school to get my ECE. 

Early Childhood Education.

I am excited. 

I am energized. 

I am inspired.

I am ready to jump in and do this.

Teach.

Little ones...one day.

Pre-School. 

Montessori I think. 

The BIG dream is to have my own school. 

One day...WAAAAAAAY down the road. 

That is the BIG dream. 

That is a lot of work dream. 

That is the "in due time" dream.

When you have the experience and the time dream.

It is so good to dream though.

So...

Right now I am learning.

Lots. 

And lots more.

There are so many things to absorb and I am trying to take it all in. 

One thing at a time. 

This is so not me.

I am a all or nothing girl.

A what if girl.

A lets get it all neat and done girl.

A I wanted it yesterday girl.

So I must be patient. 

I must observe.

I have good subjects too.

I know. 

She is growing fast. 

I have missed them this week...drowning in this one week intensive course. 

Thank-fully Grandpa, Nanny and Nanna are there to play. 

Especially my Dad. 

Grandpa.

He is tired now. 

5 Days with them is a lot.

He still smiles. 

At her and wee E. 

He still drives in to our place for 9am and leaves at 5:30 cause I call to say I am STILL doing group work. 

He is there everyday.

He is wonderful with them too.

I am grateful. 

I am able to focus.

I wonder if he will ever do it again?

Thanks Dad. 

I know that isn't enough...but you know what I mean. 

We love you Grandpa! 

Off to the Island (I know!) for a birthday weekend tomorrow after class then maybe staying a few extra days with the munchkins. 

Lots of yard photos to come...too tired to process this week. 

Too busy.

Head is filled to capacity...with endless ideas. 

Possibilities. 

Thinking, thinking, thinking...

It's a wonderful thing. 

E.

Just Run

This is such a random post.

Very random as I have been working in the backyard all weekend (trenching, shovelling, lifting, raking, weeding) and the thought of moving any part of my body makes me cringe.

Every muscle in my body aches.

Aches...but for some reason I have these thoughts in my mind that have been swimming around for quite some time now.

I feel the need to start running.

I have always wanted to run.

To be able to call myself a runner.

But...alas...I am not a runner.

I have excuses.

Like...

It is raining.

I am tired.

I will walk first then run (only I never do).

I just need to clean this bathroom, fold this clothing, wipe this counter...

I am really not feeling like it today.

See...

Good excuses.

Okay...lame excuses...really lame.

I used to move more.

Now I just chase after a toddler.

I need to move faster. I want to sweat it out and firm it all up.

I need to get my body in gear and MOVE.

Like this girl.

Who is this girl? 

Who cares...she is rocking and I want it!

I want to be strong.

I want to see my body change and I want to feel it. 

I want this to be me. 

I want it. 

Come on people...join me! 

Lets Move.

Lets Ride.

Lets Walk.

Lets Run.

Lets Swim.

Lets Do it.

Lets just MOVE!!!

Jump in...try...do...push...hurt...feel...live. 

I am inspired to try. 

In fact...I am planning on starting this week. 

I am going to start a walk run routine in the evenings.

 When the kids are in bed and the mosquitos are out.

 Me and the trails. 

Me and my shoes. 

Me and the pavement. 

Me and the possibilities. 

I really really want to do this. 

This and calling on my old friend Jillian. 

I need her. I really really need her. 

I need to use her more. 

Have her yell at me. 

Push me. 

Challenge me. 

I will meet up with her next week. 

A Mom can only do so much.

I want it to last. 

I want to be realistic. 

Make it possible. 

I can do this. 

I will do this. 

Lets go...

E. 

Chasing Babies

So last friday me, Little E and Baby A packed up the family mobile and headed to my favourite place to visit EVER... Vancouver Island.

I am very pleased to announce that we made the ferry we had planned to take WITH 10 min to spare!  

YES! 

No sweating, no crying, no swearing, no cursing, and even time to sip my hot a coffee in the sunshine. Bliss. 

Once we boarded we met up with some friends who were also travling over for a HUGE birthday celebration weekend...

We left a bit of a mess.

Missy here had her first apple straight from the core.

She loved it.

Sadly, there are no more pictures of the ferry ride...Momma was alone and very busy.

 Chasing baby, helping baby, watching baby, grabbing baby, changing baby, yelling at little E, laughing at little E and watching little E go up and down the slide with the other kids. 

Mr.Man had a project list a mile long to finish at home so I was flying solo. 

For 4 nights and 5 days.

I live to tell the tale...thanks to my ladies. 

They kept me sane. 

We drove off the ferry and then over to Leannes...

Lots of kids...8 to be exact. 

Playing.

Running.

Fighting.

Giggling.

Whining. 

Jumping.

Yelling.

Shouting.

Laughing.

You could say it was loud. 

But I didn't mind...it was only day 1.

All the Moms were smiling at this point. The weekend was young...we felt young...organized...energized and excited.

Everyone was busy.

Then it was feeding time at the zoo! 

Yes. 

All the food on the deck is from her.

She is a messy one.

She wants to be independent. 

She is now using a spoon. Well, for the first part anyway. 

Then we all hopped into the car and went back to Auntie C's to stay the night. 

A little show before night night...fingers crossed. 

It was a good night! 

Babies slept and boys slept. 

Little K slept in the longest. Lucky Kid. 

Then we played, rode bikes, ate lunch, walked back and forth with the babies then it was time to party. Again...lack of pictures = busy baby. 

Plus my battery died. 

(Don't say it Mr.Man!)

It was a big party.

23 kids big. 

And it was awesome.

Sunny and warm

Lots of food

lots of toys and playing

Crafts and running out on the back lawn. 

Hot dogs and watermelon!

And a Pinita too!

Little E tries to wack it.

Big D gives er a swing

Even the birthday boy gives it a hit. 

But no one can break it. 

Not even Daddy. 

Cause it is made of cement. 

Well...not really...but practically. 

So Daddy breaks it against the tree and...

Candy everywhere!

Baby A and Batboy find some forgotten pieces in the lawn. 

Too bad they couldn't keep them. 

Don't worry they had fun too...

Baby A eats some cake. You can sure dress her up...

Thank-you hostess with the mostess! 

You can sure throw a party! 

The next morning we woke up and headed off to Whitty's Lagoon.

Lots of beach, sand, crabs, seaweed, rocks, sticks, salt water and tides. 

Little E points out crabs.

Oh ya. She doesn't care. 

I love it. She just jumps right in. 

More pointing and discovering

Baby A...come back.

Usually the tide is out for miles...but it wasn't co-operating for us today.

No one cared. Especially him.

And her

And this cutie kid. 

As long as there was sand...she was happy.

Ha! She made us happy.

Some other fun friends came to partake in the sand fest. 

Oh and there were sand cookies too! 

But then...

it got cold and the clouds came in so we packed up and walked up the steps to the cars. 

We stopped for coffee at this little joint then headed here...

My favourite place. Just sitting. Talking, Laughing. Loving.

Hanging out at Uncle V and Auntie M's.

Little E loves it. 

And them.

We all do. 

Momma M whips up some Kay-bobs...BBQ deadly yummy ones. 

Auntie A and Uncle B pick these from their back garden. 

Oh ya. It is true. 

Unbelievable. 

Being at their place makes me feel lighter. 

Happier.

Warmer.

Fuzzier. 

Mostly because of these two nerds.

I love you guys...

And apparently someone loves corn on the cob!

She finally eats it. 

And after some more snuggles from Uncle V...we all pile in the mobile and head back to Victoria. 

Fall fast asleep and I wake up to this...

The costumes kept coming all week.

Around lunch time we hit the Noodle Box (you have to go there when in Victoria) and the park for a picnic. 

It was fun. The weather co-operated and the kids got to run, run, run.

Plus we ate these. 

Yum. So Yum.

Of course Miss Messy enjoyed herself. 

"what you looking at?"

She ate it all up. 

Then there was some swinging time.

Some fun time...

Spin time and...

Super spin time! 

Then we all piled in the cars and went home. 

Mrs C and I sat Ridge style in the lawn chairs with our glasses of wine watching the kids ride up and down the street...up and down. 

Miss S is Super Fast on her Fire Hawk.

And Little E's Fire Ball tries to keep up. 

She tries to keep up to. 

Alas...she now has a cold. 

Sneeze, sneeze and wine wine. Cling cling. 

Waa waa. 

Good thing Auntie C was there to tuck everyone in and read them a few goodnight stories. 

They were mesmerized. 

They slept. 

All night. 

We caught the 2:00 ferry the next day back to the mainland. 

Home to a pasta dinner by 6 and in bed by 10. 

Tired. 

Worn.

Filled. 

Thank-you all. 

Again. 

For everything.

Especially the hugs. 

E.