long summer days

On occasion, Hendrik and I watch Stefano Faita's In the Kitchen while Alana naps, and it's thanks to the show that we have our guilt-free go-to dessert recipe of the summer: blueberry frozen yogurt. It's as simple as can be - if you have a food processor or supersonic blender (ours wouldn't cut it): blend frozen blueberries with vanilla greek yogurt and a dollop of maple syrup... AND EAT. We had some tonight after an apres-dinner bike ride and sports relay outside across the street, and it hit the spot - after the warmth plus activity plus busy-busy-busy outside time. (The runner-up dessert recipe might just be one that I've never tried: homemade vegan fudgsicles, made with coconut milk, avocado, maple syrup and cocoa... yum!)

some of today's tomes (of many yesterdays)

I took the kids back to preschool this morning, but it wasn't for class; after 45 years of operation, Westboro Nursery School is closing its doors... and getting rid of a lot of stuff. Other schools and daycares had the chance to scoop up stuff on Friday, and I was wondering whether I'd be fighting crowds to have a peek at what was left this morning - thankfully, I wasn't. There were books books and more books, puzzles, toys and art supplies. I managed to walk away with minimal stuff (I wish I'd bought the retro washing machine + ironing board combo!! Really.) - but I think it'll get used (would the kids play with a washing machine? Or would it just be me?): a laundry tub full of Playmobile (photo coming), 25ish books and four puzzles... and all I had to part with was $32. Apres sale, the kids played in the park and then we drove to Ikea, ate lunch, played and played until my patience was completely and totally exhausted.

Did I say anything about Hendrik's bike? I think not. We finally got our little guy a bike, and he loves it. I took him out after dinner and heard him say, "I'm a natural!" - hilarious. It was only day two, really, and he's got it down. Alana won't be far behind, as she doesn't want to be left out of anything; she won't let us get away with not getting her a bike for another two years, that's for sure. He's fairly tentative - or wait, not tentative, but slow; he doesn't speed up or speed off at all (yet - thankfully), but all Alana would say when we propped her up on his seat with her feet just touching the pedals was faster, faster! faster! I'm thinking we should be buying some leg armour for her.

I have more to say, but bed is calling. The kids are staying up with the summer sun (way too late), which means that time between their sleep and my sleep is on short supply... More coming soon!

cutest! ever!

A quick one here: Hendrik graduated from preschool this morning, and the ceremony was the cutest little thing - so cute, in fact, that I'm posting this on my birthday, when I should be on the couch with wine in hand. Love this kid!

post-flight post

Isn't air travel kind of amazing? Here I am, sitting and writing with 36,000 feet of space between me and the flat prairie space below, traveling from one side of the country to another in an enormous, heavy, metal tube full of people. How much does this craft weigh? And it's suspended and propelling itself through the air? You better believe I've googled and tried to understand the physics behind it all, and even if I do momentarily grasp the concepts while reading about said things, it still boggles my mind.

Erik, Karin, Claire, me, Mom, Dad and Sarah

More importantly, really, I'm en route back to my kids! And husband! And I'm so excited. Vancouver was really, really great, but I'm very ready to see my family - for home is with them, wherever they may be. I arrived at YVR on Friday morning, after what felt like an illegal 5am getaway (quick! get to the airport while everyone's sleeping!), and had time to grab a coffee before my dad rolled in to pick me up. It was great to see him, and then everyone else back at the family home. Savary Island bread filled us up, and we chatted about plans and everyone's lives and updates and futures. My dad retired after 34 (I think) years of helping people, and he excelled at his craft - we were all there to celebrate him and be together as a family... and it was great. We went out for sushi and went for walks, had sister time, pub time, time with little Erik and time all together; we ate fresh fish, fresh bread, good produce and had the best company to go along with it all - four girls, one grandchild, and two happy grandparents. We (the sisters) resolved to get together more often as a family, and despite some geographical challenges, we can and will do it. I had time to see a few friends, and that was also amazing, and as you loyal readers know I do very much look forward to the time when I can be close to friendships (new or old) and sustain them and enjoy them. It's a perk, to travel the world and the country, and I know my friends are always there for me - I just want to be there with them too. One day!

happy grandparents and an about-to-puke babe...

hiking in Vancouver's North Shore mountains

Karin, Me, and Claire on a seawall walk - what a beauty of a city!

fun, despite the rain; it' was so so so good to see everyone!

And now, back to Ottawa/Gatineau, where I will see my little beauties and turn 36 (on Thursday) in the company of my most favourite man. Here's to another year of health and happiness!

quickpost

baseball card #1

June, you're getting away from me already! We're just back from a crazy fabulous week (first of the summer) at the cottage, and from one trip to another I go. I fly to Vancouver tomorrow morning bright and early ALL BY MYSELF. Did you catch that? ALONE. What will I do? (After I sleep off my 5:30 wake-up...) I'll miss my chillins like crazy, but man oh man I can't wait to see my sisters and parents and celebrate my dad's retirement. More on that coming soon - here are some pics from our week at the Crowe; I need to get to bed!

watching dad mow the lawn, and all looks magical 

holding up a Go Daddy Go! sign | mowing the lawn on a hot day 

adorbs!

I caught her with her hat on - a rare sight

doin' jobs - getting the dock in

our stay was complete with rainy day indoor activities yesterday, and the fun that Hendrik had playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey (caps?) was immeasurable. IM-measurable! 

apres-dinner family canoe; along with the goodnight waffles (the BEST), this was the best part of my week.  we saw beavers (2), lily pads (exciting for the kids) and talked about what creatures might live in the forest. "maybe skunks?" said Alana, and "maybe dinosaurs," said Hendrik... love it!

or was this my favourite part? they held hands. and got along. heart = melting!

june!

Where to start? It's JUNE. What's happening this month? Hendrik's getting glasses, I head to Vancouver for a long weekend to see family and celebrate my dad's retirement, Hendrik "graduates" preschool (if it were college he'd have flunked out due to his tendency to skip class), I turn 36, we'll go cottaging for the first time this year (more skipping school), and the Ottawa Summer Festival season kicks off with plenty of events and things-to-do on the other side of the bridge.

If you're into the weird and wonderful, June is also Aquarium Month, Dairy Month, Gay Pride Month, Turkey Lovers Month and more; it's also home to World Environment Day, National Donut Day, Father's Day and World Sauntering Day. I could get lost in links and strange days and interesting people (avec interesting purpose), but I'll just cut to the chase and get on with things...

I'll number this post up, since there's a high probability that I'll be all all all over the map. Plus, when I hit the wall in 20 minutes or so, I can just pick up where I left off tomorrow.

the Fusion/Ottawa crew at The Art of Coaching Volleyball conference

1. I spent the weekend in Toronto immersed in all things volleyball, and it was awesome - for several reasons. It isn't often that I get to fully immerse myself into an interest or activity that has everything to do with me and what I want... for more than 20 minutes at a time; and even then I have 20%+ of my brain thinking kids or dinner or to-do lists or laundry or remember-this/don't-forget-that and how long do I have and is she awake etc etc. I spent all day Saturday in the gym, listening to a host of well-respected coaches (Penn State's Russ Rose, Stanford's John Dunning, Oregon's Terry Liskevych, U of T's Kristine Drakich and more) talk about and share their experience and expertise... I loved it. Throw some networking and time with friends in there and satellite radio and a newspaper and a trashy goss mag (right before bed) - it was solid gold. Sunday was more of the same - volleyball volleyball volleyball and then from there... it was back to normal - but good normal! I drove back to Bowmanville where there was much family love, and then after a dinner chez les grandparents, we made the post-dinner drive back to Gatineau - with overloaded hopes that the kids would sleep for the majority of the four-hour trip. (They barely slept at all.) Weekend = amazing and exhausting.

2. If I could have been in any other place at any other conference this past weekend, it would have been in New York at Book Expo America. I joined Instagram not too long ago, and found a small slew of people to follow that post pics of kidlit and favourite books and book design on a daily basis, many of whom were posting/tagging/linking to BEA14. It looks colossal... and amazing. If you have time or interest, check it out here. Book conferences? Volleyball conferences? Yes please!

3. Hendrik had his follow-up appointment on Monday morning, and all went well: healing is happening as it should and the doc was happy with how things were looking. That being said, he still wants us to give it a go with the glasses; pulling out all the stops to get and keep his eyes aligned is his motivation, and I'm on board. He suggested Costco, but I found the selection a little disappointing, and more geared towards girls. So... Lenscrafters? I'm not sure where to look next, but it might involve asking an Ottawa parent (with kids with glasses) for some advice. Anyone?

Really? Just three blurbs? Here are some pictures. More soon...

fun in the b-ville sun

a morning minute