disney - it's not a small world after all

I am blessed.

I have such wonderful friends.

A few months ago my darling friend Rachel asked if Mia and I wanted to meet up with her and her daughter Tatum (Mia's best buddy from back home in Fairfield) in Florida.  Tatum was in a gymnastics competition but they were going for extra days to enjoy Disney, etc.  All we needed to do was fly out there to join them.  So we did!!  We gave Mia the trip for her Christmas present, and I guess we gave it to me as well!

I've put off blogging about this time because it is so hard to describe a time like this - especially when every time you think about these friends you start to tear up because you miss them so much.  So for now I'll be writing just a few minor comments.  Perhaps when this year's worth of post turns into a book I'll write more.  But honestly, for now I just can't do it.  So we'll let the pictures speak their 1000 words.  And speaking of pictures, all of the good ones are taken by Rachel!  Oh, the pictures aren't even in chronological order which is extremely irritating, but I am too lazy to change them at this time.

Ghirardelli.  Every. Day.

Tatum competed on Friday morning (we got there Wednesday night - Jan. 21) and it was so great to watch.  She is amazing and did really well.

Terrible picture - but it is Ariel, so one had to be taken….

happy birthday everyone

First - the finished product…. Grandma and Lucy with the giraffe stuffy that they made.

I'd tell you the giraffe's name but then I'd have to kill you (or maybe I can't remember what it is…. but you'll never know which is the real reason).

On Sunday (March 1), we decided that it would be lovely to have some family time.  There are a billion birthdays in the family in February and March (or maybe more like 10) so we thought it might be nice to get together for a sort of family birthday-ish thing.  First we did some skating (by we I don't mean me) and then went to our house for some slop and cake.

It had just snowed so Eric was a smarty and brought along a shovel to clear off the ice.

Others joined me in the no-skating inaction. 

Mmmmm.  Just looking at that cake makes my mouth water.

They are all awfully weird (with very strange noses….), but I love my family.

Lucy +/- tonsils

If any one knows Lucy, they know she is a bit of a fire cracker.  She's got energy to burn and works hard at burning it.  Like the day she set up some exercise stations for herself around the house.

Or playing with goo.

Although she has been learning to sit still for longer periods of time, like when her abundantly patient grandmother teaches her to sew.

But recently Lucy had her tonsils (and adenoids) out…. On March 3, to be exact.  And then we had a very different Lucy.  She did come out of her anesthetic extremely well - the doctor and nurses were very impressed…. not too much grogginess and she got to water drinking and popsicle licking pretty quickly.

But for a full week and a half she was out for the count.  Hardly any talking (yes, seriously), hardly any moving around (no joke), just snuggling up on the couch to read or watch movies or whatever (who is this child?) and kind of weepy.  I thought for sure it wouldn't take her so long to recover…. she's the come-back kid!

(the Giesbrechts came over and brought her a few little get-well treasures after her surgery)

Finally on Wednesday she pulled out of it and today she is back to her old self.  Well, almost.  She is still probably a little less energetic than usual.  And she most definitely has a changed voice.  Yes, for real.  Her voice sounds very different.  It is taking me off guard.  I hear someone talking and wonder who it is - low and behold, it is Lucy, sounding like a complete stranger.  I'm guessing I'll get used to it quickly, but for now it is very odd.  Very odd indeed.  It is a little softer (could be that it just isn't up to strength yet or something like that?) and a bit higher.  But definitely different.

I'm glad to have my baby back.

some'ores

We had another somewhat impromptu marshmallow roast for the neighbourhood this evening and finally, finally we had some more (that's where the some'ores came in - get it?  I'm a word wizard!) neighbours join us.  Of course the kids were all there, which is fantastic, but we had two of the ladies come for a little while.  It was so good to talk with them and meet one for the first time - they are both great people.  I was encouraged.

The kids had a ball having a boys against girls snowball fight, complete with a few 2x4s put down across the yard as a dividing line.  And they thoroughly enjoyed my hot chocolate that I over-powdered (or under watered).

I really wasn't in the mood for socializing this evening as I've been a little down in the dumps lately - really, really, really missing Fairfield (family, friends, church, weather….).  Thankfully I got my butt out there and was rewarded with a little social interaction.

Very grateful.

so happy

We have had crazy nice weather this last week.  Above freezing - all the snow is melting already.  People have patches of actual green grass on their yards.  It is amazing.

While we are fully aware that it more than likely (much more…) will still get quite cold and even snow again, the reprieve is very welcome.  

One of the best parts to me, is seeing everyone outside again.  People are going for walks and bike rides (if we had this weather in California, it would be time to hole up in our houses!), kids are playing outside… it is fantastic.  Lucy was on the scooter with a neighbour girl and Cade came back from a bike ride.  Earlier Eric and Lucy went on a bike ride and Mia went for a walk with a cousin. 

For so long I wished for snowy winter weather again and now I have had it for two winters.  I'm kind of over it!  While I would still like snow for the month of December or so (there really isn't anything quite like a white Christmas), after that, I am done.  I want to be outside more.  I want to send the kids outside more (it has been a milder winter than last year, so temperature wise it has been okay, but since there hasn't been a lot of snow, they keep clearing away the snow hills to keep the city workers busy, so the play areas get taken away).  Or just have them want to go outside on their own!
Right now Eric and Lucy are having a snowball fight against Cade and two neighbour boys.  I love hearing the sounds - yelling and laughter.  (I'm tempted to go out and have at it with them, but I'm kind of savouring a house to myself for a few minutes!)
The one good thing is that after being cooped up for a while during winter, everyone is ready to be out when it is done.  And you certainly appreciate it more.  That part is really fun.