Getting braver...

For the very first time Wookie jumped into the pool (and not just once, and not just off the side into the shallow end, but repeatedly and off the diving board). Yes, he would only jump with floaties or noodles (eventually just with 1), but he was getting his head and face wet, and that's just a HUGE leap for him. Pun intended :)

Why my daughter is cooler than I am

The kids were invited to a birthday party that featured a visit from Little Ray's Reptiles. Jonah didn't care much (there was a trampoline in the yard!) but Katie LOVED it! She patted or held every gross creepy slimy squirmy thing they brought!

That alligator thingy (a cayman apparently) tried to make a break for it. Instead of saving my daughter (front and centre of course) I took off across the yard like a bat out of hell. Mother of the year, here I come...

Kitty's very bad day...

Jonah (accidentally!) slammed Binou's tail in the door Saturday. We really had no
idea it was serious, but it was such a deep cut C took her to the emergency vet in the city figuring she needed stitches or an antibiotic. Instead they needed to amputate 1/3 of her tail (from just above the injury). Katie was near inconsolable. Jonah was guilt-wracked, though he doesn't really understand.

With her first, smaller, cone she managed to get the bandaging off her tail, so after re-wrapping it the vet put her in a ridiculous huge dog-sized collar. She can barely walk it's so heavy, but when we take it off for her to eat she's VERY interested in her bandages, so the cone will have to stay.

Poor kitty :(

You're beautiful it's true...

I know I'm a teensy bit biased but really, my children are the most beautiful children on the planet...

really likes pogos

(Or as my American friends call them - corn dogs)

I often amuse myself by peeking in other peoples' carts at the grocery (and wonder what they must think of my shopping habits too!) but this one had me giggling. There were more than 50 boxes in this cart (at the Costco) and each box has 40 pogos in it. That'a lot o' corn dogs!

C guesses they must own a chip truck.

Goodness from the garden

My first two zucchinis, fat and firm (but really thin skinned, I don't know why they're so thin skinned compared to the zucchinis I buy at the market?). So far these, and a handful of strawberries, are all I've gotten from the garden. The cucumbers and squash are rotting on the vine it's been soooooo wet, and the tomatoes won't ripen in the absence of sun. Oh well, there's still a few more weeks before the frost returns. I hope.

The forecast: all bad

That might be a bit of an exaggeration (as well as blatantly stolen from C) but this really feels like the year summer forgot us. How will I get through the winter if I'm not receiving my sunshine quotient now?

Stippling

Still working on little J's quilt, at 66 x 90 it's whopping HUGE (for me) and I really feel it in my shoulders and wrist (this endless rain doesn't help either). I'm about 1/3 done with stippling it, so I should have that part done by the weekend. Then I'll have to bind it (which I'm incredibly slow at). It seems likely he'll get it before he's 40 :)

Stretching her wings

Off she goes to sleepaway camp. She comes home weekends (camp runs from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon) but that's still 5 sleeps away from us. It's hard, especially in this day and age where it feels more and more difficult to keep our kids safe. I miss her already.

Rhythm

Little time to blog with the everyday rhythm of work and commute and family. More rainy weather too, which tends to drain my creativity. Perhaps summer will finally join us soon in earnest. In the meantime, during a rare sunny break I strolled to the market with my SIL and encountered this lovely little band of mounties playing across from Parliament. Life in this crazy city.

18 years

I'm the mama of an adult. My first baby turned 18 yesterday (at 6:35pm to be precise). C took him to the casino in Gatineau to celebrate his adulthood (the legal age for pretty much everything in Québec is 18).

I can't figure out how I blinked and this cute chubby-cheeked little monkey

Became this handsome, fiercely independant young man.

I think I'm still in denial.

Summertime... at least for today

A reprieve from the cold, wet weather we've had nearly my entire vacation, today was hot and sunny. A perfect day to enjoy the pool. Oh the pool water is pretty cold still (noooooo sun will do that!) but we spent 5 hours in there anyway :)

Then, when dusk fell, a bonfire and s'mores.

Can you imagine a more perfect day?

Scrapbooker, the next generation

I can't tell you how happy this makes me :)

Yes, the A/R in me wants to straighten the photos, but she's preserving memories - HER memories. What a treasure her little scrapbook is, our story, her story, her perspective.

Strawberries

It's an annual tradition, our trip to the strawberry farm to pick our own strawberries. I was really worried we wouldn't get to go this year, a late frost delayed the crop and more than a week of heavy rain has threatened to rot the ripe berries on the plant. Today the sun peeked out and away we went...

They were certainly smaller than in past years, but sweet and yummy and there were lots. The kids had their fill and we brought two baskets home :)

Don King hair

We had a bonfire tonight, just C and I, after the bits were in bed :)

After the marshmallows were gone I amused myself taking long exposure shots of the sparks rising from the top of the fire and the effect on 'film' of looking like the hair on a treasure troll. Or on Don King

Another step closer to adulthood

My last baby lost his first baby tooth today (and really lost, we think he probably swallowed it though he swears the cat stole it!) His new smile is SO CUTE! I keep chasing him with the camera, asking him to smile :)

Happy Canada Day

Turned out to be a pretty great day. Happy Canada Day everyone!

Fairy Tales, they come true, it could happen to you....

Today my dad drove 4 hours to bring me a piano. Tomorrow he'll drive 4 hours back again.

I have the best dad in the world :)

I have wanted a piano for a really long time. My dad found this beauty on Freecycle, and today drove it to me in the back of his truck. It's an oldie, from 1934, but with great sound. A good tuning and a little TLC and this old girl will be loved and enjoyed for many more years to come.

Katie has already taught herself to play 'Old McDonald' on it. I do believe we'll be taking lessons together.

Dreams do come true.

Mother Nature strikes again

I'm watching the rain pouring down outside.



Chose a heck of a week for vacation...

How I spent my summer vacation

I'm on vacation this week. We're enjoying a 'staycation', which is hardly a hardship given our great yard and pool. Today, day 1, we've played in the park, gone for a walk and swam in the pool, and I've worked on a placemat mini quilt.. Alas, the weather promises to be ookie most of the week...

The shower

The baby shower was today. In totally modern fashion it was co-ed, though neither C nor my father attended. The co-ed part wasn't as weird as I was expecting, though the men looked mostly uncomfortable when the party games began :)

But they liked the quilt :)

finished

I finished the quilt.

I finished sewing the binding on late last night. This evening I tossed it in the washing machine, on delicate, with woolite and a cup of salt (supposed to prevent colour bleed) and held my breath. It didn't disintegrate, which, I admit, I was really afraid of :)
Went through the washer and dryer beautifully, crinkled just
enough for a lovely effect and not so much that it became barbie sized. And despite every measuring error possible it came out a perfect square. Can't figure that out! Plus washing softened the cotton so now it's quite snuggly. It's machine pieced and quilted and hand bound. 40 inches square. Front is Moda's Oh Cherry Oh, back is a pale pink quilting cotton with a subtle white flower pattern, binding a solid bright pink.

I know I've blathered about this endlessly, but I am just so pleased
with it. It was a challenge, and I love the finished product so much!

Teacher gifts

End of year gifts for Princess and Wookie's teachers. Coffee cozies made using tutorial found here and simple matching fabric coasters. Inside the Starbucks cups are, naturally, Starbucks gift cards. 'cause that's what teachers really want isn't it?

My aching shoulders!

So I have the little baby quilt top sandwiched, basted and on my machine. It's the first time I've tried to stipple anything bigger than a doll quilt and holy guacamole is it hard on the arms and shoulders! I'm going to have some serious 'guns' when I finish! 1.5 hours and I've only finished about 10%, I'm starting to worry that I won't have it done by the 26th...

the days drift by

I can't believe I haven't blogged in two weeks. I'm here, but the weather has been pretty, and there are gardens to weed, garage sales to peruse, games of flatball to be played, baby quilts to be made, life to be lived.

School is almost over for the year and the bits are anxious to be done. I'll be taking a couple of weeks of precious holiday time at the beginning of July and I, too, am anxious for days of enjoying the sun and the pool and summer.

Rainbow cupcakes

Rainbow cupcakes to celebrate Jonah's official birthday today. 6 years old. I used the tutorial here and while it was time consuming I think it was worth it. Jonah was pleased.

Life in the capital

Around 1:00 today my office mates and I could hear a terrible ruckus coming from the street (bear in mind we're on the 5th floor and have thick office type unopenable windows). Between 3,000 and 4,000 forestry workers were marching up Metcalfe St towards Parliament Hill, chanting "Wake up Harper, Harper reveille" (which was quite catchy, I was chanting in my head half the afternoon). The 'parade' went on a loooooong time too, but was peaceful. Fun times downtown!

Pinwheels

I have until June 26 to finish this, a baby quilt for my niece-to-be. I was planning on having it 3 squares wide by 4 long, but now I'm thinking 4 x 4 might be better. A narrow (2-3 inch) border on all four sides, then bind it in... pink or aqua maybe? Fabric is Moda Oh Cherry Oh, I bought two charm packs, plenty for a crib quilt.