(last Friday's post!) news and new house

I’m finally writing! We have had such a great summer so far (it’s not over yet!) and I thought I’d finally make it a priority to get a post written and posted - there has been so much going on. 

Thanks to Steve’s parents - and some good timing with meetings - we went camping! We spent four nights in Rondeau Provincial Park and the kids LOVED it. Days were spent outside on the beach, outside eating, outside cooking, outside doing light shows (with dollar store glow sticks)... it was fantastic. Steve, Jordan and Hendrik bunked up in the tent, and Alana and I stayed in the tent trailer with Grandma and Gramps. We had great meals (as usual), fun-filled days of swimming and playing in the sand, and, for the most part, good sleeps - everyone was tired! There were some crazy rainstorms in the evenings, but the last day was all clear… good for a sendoff back home. 

The biggest deal of the summer, without a doubt, is the new house. Possession date was supposed to be the 15th but because the previous owner’s family worked so hard to get things ready for their move, we were able to get in on the 2nd. I’ll post some photos of before, because the after sure is coming along. We lucked out and found an electrician who was able to start almost immediately (to replace the knob and tube) and then attacked the wallpaper. Even the kids were enthusiastic about helping, so they put in several hours of work in two of the three rooms. Hendrik’s room was covered in four layers of wallpaper (grey stripes, antique boats, teapots and cakes, brown and orange flowers), our room had just the one pink layer (to match the pink carpet and pink curtains), and Alana and Jordan’s room had two layers. We found plumbers to come replace the antique and sparsely used pipes, a plaster guy to skim coat and sand the walls, and carpet goes in later today. Steve and his dad have done SO much work there - priming, painting, replacing things, ripping up flooring - and replacing an entire wall in the front red shag carpet room. And Steve’s mom and aunt (Tante Sis) have been crazy hard at work too - painting, cleaning, cooking and childminding. We get a moving truck on Sunday, so between now (Friday afternoon) and then many things have to happen, including clean up (and packing - !). Anyways, the kids have been loving the pool, and we are excited for more space. I will definitely miss our house and our neighbours but at least we’re only a block away.

some of the main floor spaces

bedrooms and upstairs bathroom

so much wallpaper!

helpers

I’ve been in Toronto coaching all week (something I committed to long long ago), and it’s been great. I love being in the gym, but I’m excited to get home and see the kids. I stayed with Val, a teammate from the World Masters Games team, and that has also been fantastic; we’ve had some great meals and good chats, hurrrrray! I’m sure, as always, that there’s more to write about but I’ll try to get this posted before times gets away on me again.

Hopefully everyone is enjoying their summer!

cottage and city summer living

There is so much going on! And there was so much going on the week before last - in a good and chill-out way - at the cottage during our first visit of the summer. The kids LOVE it there, and told us several times. From dawn until dusk they are occupied and having fun and there are no complaints of boredom and no requests for technology. And the best part is - they fight less and get along MORE! They live in their bathing suits and spend most of their time at the water, swimming, fishing, and canoeing, reluctantly coming up to the cottage for meals and snacks. Memorable moments from our trip include Jordan's bellyflop "dives" off the dock (he would NOT jump feet-first even though he nodded "okay!" when we explained how we wanted him to jump), a Jordan, Mom and Hendrik canoe trip up the rapids to an island where we swam and planned more island trips, Alana's newfound love of fishing, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, Steve's lunker catch, playing "tip the untippable" with Hendrik (we try to tip each other off of an air mattress) and... there's more I'm sure. We played games, watched a few movies, and had some five-star meals, and we can't wait to get back. Planning this summer has been difficult - mostly because of the new house, and I'm glad we didn't book too much too early because as it turns out, we get our next house NEXT FRIDAY! I still can't believe we are moving (a block away). Anyways, it's been a plan-as-you-go affair (something I'm not used to with all of this time), and it looks like we'll go camping for a few nights next week, then spend the next few getting our new place move-in ready, or as move-in ready as possible. This means stripping wallpaper (that's been there for 60+ years so this may not be so straight forward) and hopefully replacing carpet, but the first order of business is finding a contractor (and packing). Bah! At least we have a sizeable window to do work and move, so hopefully we'll be able to get things done and transition smoothly to our new place.

We've been keeping busy with little day trips here and there, mostly in town and close by. We went to East Park for the first time last week, and the kids loved it - Jordan and I hung out by the splash pad for most of the day while the bigs enjoyed the waterslides and wave pool; we could have stayed all day! We went blueberry picking in Mount Brydges (at the Olde Drive Blueberry Farm) yesterday afternoon and then hit the park in Ilderton on our out-of-the-way home. We picked up a pizza from For Pizza's Sake (it was delicious) and picnicked in between skate park (with scooters) and splash pad visits... fun fun fun. This is one of Hendrik and Alana's newest favourite things - going to skate bowls with their scooters, and as long as there aren't any big kids or hard core skaters/scooters, it's fun and safe and entertaining for all.

What else what else... I have a heart monitor for two weeks right now (a Cardiostat - it's tiny!), so after the results get processed I should know more about how my heart is recovering / has recovered from the ablation, and what the next steps are. It sounds like I might have to have another procedure, but we'll have to wait and see what the docs say in the early fall. Steve's foot has fully recovered, and he's in throes of the last week of baseball, so is out at batting practice with Hendrik a few times this week before the playoffs this weekend. Alana is still loving soccer, and it's so fun to see her out there. And Jordan starts preschool this fall - so that will be a big change for everyone (I can't believe he's three!). The only constant in life is change, right? We have lots coming our way, but we're doing it together... lucky us!

as Alana's pet rat, in his home :) 

just before her last baseball

with a teammate :)

our trio on the 5 foot long space puzzle

summer fun so far

School's out for summer!! And we've had an amazing first week. It feels like I will be going back to something soon (work), like it's just a long weekend... but it's not! YAY! The kids are finished school (Hendrik just finished grade 3, Alana finished grade 1) and I'm finished work, and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed the first week of summer holidays. It's actually been kind of busy with errand-y things - doctor's and dentist appointments, some coaching, and meeting with electricians and pool maintenance people at the new house (we take possession mid-August but the owner is being very kind and accommodating) - but we have balanced it out with some solid summer activities. Highlights include swimming at Thames pool, spending Canada day out in Komoka (where we watched the parade and then hit the splash pad), and today's trip to Pinafore Park in St Thomas, where the kids played and splashed for FOUR hours... I had to convince them to hit the road (the sun was HOT today, 39 degrees with the humidex). Our summer plans are still a work in progress, and I'll chalk it up to moving house (I still need to get a good picture of our new place - and post it!); it's been difficult to plan. I am hoping that we get out to BC (if not now then at Thanksgiving), and I am also hopeful that I'll be able to scoot down to Denver to visit my sister and her hubby and their new baby (when she comes - any day now). The kids have been so happy to have the balance of out of the house activity and in the house blob (TV), and we are so far so good on a balance that is mutually agreeable / satisfactory to all.

Updates! I could do a family post but I don't have much more brainpower sooooo I won't. I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago now (time is flying), and it was great to feel the love from everyone! My last few weeks of work were busy with straightening out the library and making sure records matched up, books were in their homes etc. etc., AND it was so nice to feel the love from the kids in our last assembly. Steve has been through the ringer with a recent bacterial infection in his toe. He had to go to Emerg, and was sent home with an IV to self-administer antibiotics for a few days; thank GOODness his toe/foot responded... it was ugly. They're not sure what it was but we were on high alert as our neighbour was hospitalized with a Strep A infection in her leg and was close to losing it - !! So very shocking. He recovered just in time for an annual golf trip (GTA - local) with his friends, and is away for a few nights with buddies. AND! We celebrated 10 years of marriage yesterday! That warrants a post on its own, no? I'll throw in a few pictures - we went out for sushi and the kids didn't eat much (Hendrik did, Jordan and Alana didn't - though J ate lotus root...!?). There's more, but it's late and I need to shut down. More soon... for real!

yay, 10 years!!

our audience

a few pics from july 4, 2009

this afternoon 

with the crew at Thames pool - snacktime!

saving the best pic for last here - look at the POSE!

mid-June update

Again, I've left this way too long! The blogging. It's been on my list for at least a week - and I really thought I was going to get to it last week buuuuuuut I didn't. The days are so so full and the kids don't fall asleep until way too late most nights because we're out and about and busy all day (which for some inexplicable reason does NOT help them fall sleep any earlier). So anyways! Here it is. First - happy father's day to the fathers!!! I am so thankful for my dad and all that he did and continues to do for our family (I think about you all the time Dad), incredibly thankful for my husband's father for all he continues to do for his/our family and of course to Steve - !! None of this I can only blog once a month business would be possible without him. He's such a great father to our kids - and we all love him like crazy. I could go on, of course, but I won't.

Another thing we loved like crazy? Our solo trip to Palm Springs last weekend - !! On account of our 10th wedding anniversary coming up (and my birthday this week), we decided to jump the family ship for a few days and enjoy some sun and free time and friend time and afternoon margaritas and NO COOKING. Steve golfed and I hung out with Shanti and another Heather and we swam and explored a bit and just chilled... it was incredible. We arrived in Toronto late Sunday night and I made for London while Steve's dad picked him up to rendez-vous with the kids for a Monday afternoon drive home. It really was great to see them after work, and now it's like we were never gone! We spent lots of time outside today - a trip to Heeman's for strawberries, afternoon baseball at the park, and then basketball in the driveway after dinner. I was on my way to Costco this afternoon when I spotted a decent looking basketball hoop lying curb-side ("How close to the curb exactly?" Steve wanted to know), so I whipped a u-turn, parked in a friend's driveway and proceeded to awkwardly roll the heavy thing a few blocks home. What a hit! The kids fought over basketballs for at least 20 minutes before the two younger ones decided on back yard trampoline volleyball with mom. (This involves kids on the trampoline vs adult on the ground - we have much more ground to cover. The best part about trampoline volleyball is Hendrik and Alana's handshake - I think it's on film somewhere and it shows them getting along and having fun together... the best!)

Other big news - we are moving! We bought a house a block away from ours and sold this one while we were in Palm Springs. This home that we're moving into in mid-August is twice the size of ours, and the lot is twice as big too. It's old (built in 1904), has a huge wraparound porch, high ceilings, and original finishes (like the dishwasher - there isn't one!). I have been so emotional about selling and moving, mostly because of our neighbours - I don't want to leave them! Sandra and Bruce and Liz are as close to in-town family as we have, and we love them and the kids love them. When I explain this to people they confirm that we are only moving a block away and really, that's the saving grace. We're still so close! Phew. And we'll have a pool so hopefully they'll want to come over. A pool! I have so much more to write about this (how we got this house - it never would have happened if it had hit the market), how I really feel about the pool, what is on our to-do list, and much more. However, it's getting late and I need to get ready for a busy Monday SO... hopefully I'll get to it before the middle of July. Happy summer everyone, it's almost here!

finally... a post!

How long until a good night's sleep is a given? These days the days are long, the nights are short and the years are short - time is flying! And on that note, I can't believe that Jordan is three - ! We celebrated his birthday last week with a mini party here at home (he invited some of Alana and Hendrik's friends as well as Liz and Kira, our most favourite babysitter). There was cake (Paw Patrol!), there were presents, and there was much wildness as kids ate candy, opened presents and inhaled cake. He loved his gifts, and sleeps with his new stuffies (two Paw Patrollers and a super soft new doggy)... yay. I also can't believe that it's almost June - before we know it we will be shocked into actually planning our summer, I'll have to quit my job (I'm back as the school librarian at my old job), and we might even have a new house. We've been looking for a few years, and recently made more serious plans to either do a reno here (to give everyone their own room) or find a new place. The market has been so competitive - people are paying over asking (sometimes way over asking) with no conditions, which means that we would not be in the running for a nice house in a nice neighbourhood. I don't want to say too much in case it doesn't work out, but a private sale is in the works - stay tuned for more info (you know, in a month or so since I never post anymore!).

Days are just so busy and full that by the time the kids are quiet and settled at night I am so over doing anything beyond the immediate and requisite must-dos (laundry, cleaning up the kitchen, showering etc.). BUT! It's been so long and we have so much going on I knew I had to sneak in a post this weekend. Hendrik played in a ball hockey tournament last weekend and had a great time. There weren't enough kids in his age group so he played up a level and totally held his own, making mom and dad proud. The rest of the family was happy to be outside as it was actually sunny and warm for once (I had to dig out shorts and t-shirts and put away winter coats on the same day). Jordan joined me and Alana at her first t-ball practice of the year, where Jordan was an honourary team member... it was adorable. The weekend before was mother's day and everyone showed me their love and appreciation; the kids were shocked that I enjoyed this day even more than my birthday (true)! Steve got up with the kids, Hendrik took my breakfast order while I was still in bed - and prepared it all, and hm, I forget what we did all day but I didn't plan or make any meals and it was amazing. The kids may have even slept all night the night before or night of, which was also incredible. What is the deal with kids waking up at night? Parent torture!

I'm sure I could write more, but I'm going to get this up and then make a list (maybe) of everything I forgot to write about. Here are some pics - fingers crossed more good weather is on its way!

fun after baseball

a break between ball hockey games

soccer started this week... finally!

QC trip

la famille minus a few who couldn't attend 

Oh my - we are going on almost a month since my last post! Much has happened since April 12, and I’ll get right to it. The most noteworthy event of the past few weeks was our road trip to Quebec City. My sister got married last Easter at a small backcountry ski lodge (post here), and since most of her husband’s family wasn’t able to attend, his parents wanted to host a one-year-later gathering chez eux in Quebec City… so that’s what they did! We weren’t sure if we would be able to attend (because of the surgery), but it all worked out. We put in a few long days in the car, but the kids were as good as gold! They watched movies, played on the ipads, read books and busied themselves with the road trip binders we put together. Each kiddie had a themed activity sheet section (Harry Potter, Junie B Jones and Paw Patrol), some workbooks (I found some great deals at the Goodwill bookstore), a road trip Bingo (created by Steve), colouring pages, blank paper AND new markers. These binders were amazing! It took a bit of time to put them together but the kids loved them and spent a good amount of time exploring, doing and creating.

road trip binders were a huge hit

The three days we spent in Quebec City were incredible. It was so great to see my sisters, spend time with Gabriel’s lovely family, and see some of old Quebec. The kids LOVED meeting their new cousin Anouk (as did the rest of us), and Jordan and Alana were keen to get in as much cuddle time with her as possible. I was also able to see a friend, speak some French (yay), and we were spoiled with great food. It was lovely! We carried on to Ottawa/Gatineau where we spent three days with some good friends, and we balanced busy days with chill-out days before making the long trek back home. The kids were great in the car, and now we’re able to think about planning longer road trips… hurray.

Jordan (almost 3), Alana (6) and Anouk (4 months)

in Vieux Quebec

starting to look BIG!

we swam in this beautiful pool in a converted church - !!

In other news, I’m back to work! I started on Wednesday and it’s been like riding a bike. It’s so nice to be back with the staff and students, and I know I’ll enjoy the next two months - even though it will be busy busy (and challenging at times) with the work-life balance. Spring is here - and the leaves are almost out on the trees! We’ve been spending so much time outside, and the weather will only get better. This, I suppose, is one of the benefits of a longer winter… spring feels that much better!

getting competitive (no surprise there) on bikes at the Museum of Science and Technology

bedtime stories with friends

comfy on the way home