Fred&Toots

Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Well I wasn't planning on a blog break but it just kind of happened.  We've got a no TV/no computer rule going on in our house when the kids are awake.  I can check emails or look up something but replying to emails and making my rounds in blog-land has to be done when the kids are asleep.  So without the ol'boob tube to entertain the kids I've been filling in leaving me with no energy to post at the end of the day. 

It all started with my son's strong desire for a WebKinz (they are all the rage right now and every one of his friends has one - even three year olds in my daughter's preschool class!)  A stuffed animal that comes with a code so you can look after it in a virtual world on-line, ugh.  I told him 'never', 'they're a waste of time & money', 'you have your own real-live pets you can play with and look after' and the list goes on.  Well, J.T. (softie!) said he'd buy the kids each a Webkinz if they could do no TV/no computer for 3 weeks.  It has been a couple of weeks now and my kids are getting along better then ever and their play is so much more creative.  We are on a roll but unfortunately part of the fun of a Webkinz requires going on the computer.  I'll definitely be controlling 'when' and 'how long' much more then I used to.  As for TV, the kids don't miss it a bit.  Before the TV/computer ban Mister C was asking me like one hundred times a day if I would buy him a Webkinz.  I'll be interested to see how great he thinks it is once he's got one.  I don't remember wanting any toy that badly.  I don't think I had lots of toys (my mom may beg to differ?)  I guess I would of liked an EasyBake Oven and there were Barbie things I would of loved but nothing I begged for...you?  Was there a toy or something you just had to have? 

True Loves: Sisters!

I'm the eldest of three girls. Growing up I always told my parents that they should of stopped at one. Now in my mid-thirties I'm so glad my parents didn't stop with me. I don't know what I'd do without my sisters! I thoroughly enjoy their company and find them both truly inspirational. Definitely true love!

This picture was taken when I was 24 (11 years ago). That's me on the left. Annie, on the right, would of been 22 and Emma would have been 17! We had this photo taken for a present for our parent's 25th wedding anniversary. We each put on a floral dress and headed down to Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth park with our photographer friend. I remember the tourists taking pictures of us as we dangled barefoot from the trees. We had a lot of fun posing but the above picture was definitely my favourite of the bunch.

True Loves Wednesday: Sweaters

I love sweaters - especially ones that are handmade.  Both my Grandmothers were amazing sweater knitters.  Growing up my Gramma Olof knit Icelandic sweaters for the whole family!  How cute is that?  (This was before my baby sister was born though I believe there is a photo of all 5 of us including her with matching sweaters).  We were just coming from a Christmas party...

My Grannie Jean knit beautiful Cowichan sweaters for everyone, family, friends & neighbours!  I think she could do them in her sleep!  There is a family picture of us in our matching Grannie Jean sweaters somewhere...where did I put it?

Santa is kind of freaky...

That's me in my Gramma O's arms (about 3 yrs. old - so quite some time ago) receiving a present from Santa.  I look a bit scared and unsure possibly because Santa's beard is falling off!  This is one Christmas tradition (??) that irks me slightly.  When I had my first child I thought it would be fun to take him for a photo with Santa, something to send out with the Christmas cards.  It was never easy and I questioned my motives every time then after 3 years of doing this (I'm a slow learner) I decided I would never do it again.  If my kids showed an interest in going to see Santa then I might reconsider but they get enough Santa sightings without having to go to the mall and sit on some strangers lap. 

I saw one of these links last year and well, it makes you think twice about that photo with Santa.  The poor dears!

Scared of Santa 1

Scared of Santa 2

Igloo

We spent our Sunday building an igloo.  The snow was perfect for molding so we got out our plastic containers and started building.

The roof was a bit tricky but nothing our summer splash pool couldn't fix.

Shortly after completion, the rain arrived but an icy, cold rain so the igloo is surviving nicely under a tarp for now.

 

The Lake

The weekend at the lake was lovely.  It's still very rustic but the cabin at the lake has come a long way over the last five years.   Solar panels have been added so there are now light switches in every room.  There are a few outlets so one can charge their batteries for their camera (:  There is the option of heating water with either a paloma or wood-burning stove so a hot shower or bath is available.  There is now a radio phone (which is so nice to have in case of emergency) in addition to CB radio and as always the propane fridge and propane stove.  One can even plug in a generator to run power tools or vacuum!  This makes cleaning up after kids, dogs and the many bugs & pine needles so much easier. 

Activities this weekend included: rowing a boat, looking for inchworms, photography, throwing the ball for 3 very rambunctious dogs, building mini-treeforts for Playmobil people, visiting neighbours to check-out the lizards and snake they found, swimming in 6 degree F. glacial water and tick removal from dogs and humans (eeewww gross!).

Here are some pics of a few little gems from around the cabin...

[Does anyone know if Flickr Toys are still available?  I found it when I wasn't even looking for it, how about that! I did my picture collages with Picasa but was wanting to try out some of the Flickr things I had seen on other sites.]

I know that the weekend was a success because today the kids were so much more creative in their play than I have seen in a long time!
 

Victoria Day

Here in Canada it's a long weekend!  Monday we celebrate Victoria Day (or just plain whoop it up because it's a 3 day weekend).  We're back to nature for the weekend.  Should be nice...lots of paper, pens, beads & glue packed.  It is raining at the moment so rain gear is packed as well.  Thank the heavens for an indoor composting toilet.  No more trudging it to the outhouse. 

Check out this Canadian artist.

Have a great weekend!

Anniversary

J.T. & I celebrated our 9 year wedding anniversary yesterday! Omigod! Time flies when you're having fun.  When asked how we were going to celebrate I thought we may head to a restaurant just a couple blocks away and then visit the library or maybe just stay home and go to bed early.  My sister, cousin and friend all thought I could/should plan something a little more exciting so...J.T. & I headed off to a new restaurant in town called Burgoo.  It was just the perfect meal, hearty & wholesome.  Leaving no room for dessert we headed off in search for the new Living Etc. mag but the magazine store was closed (at 8:30pm!) so we tried our local bookstore but it doesn't carry it.  The bookstore didn't even have ME's Home Companion.  John had one more place up his sleeve, the local Mac's convenience store.  They were out of Living Etc. but there was one Home Companion left, hip, hip, hooray!  Just one of the many reason's I married the guy...willing to drive me around town in search for a good mag just so I can get my fix! 

a couple highlights from the new mag:

Alicia LaChance - artist

Kim Smith - collage artist

enjoy!

Spring Break

This past week here has been Spring Break.  It was gross & rainy for the first little bit but ended with the most beautiful weather!  It didn't matter though because I think we were all just happy not to be rushing around to preschool and such.  When I say 'all', I mean all of us!  Last Monday I had J.T. arrive home in the afternoon and tell me that he won't be going back to work for at least a couple of months.  It's a bit complicated but all good.  I'm excited to have him around because for starters I'll be able to run errands on my own!  So, to give J.T. some time to tie up loose ends I took the kids to the family cabin by the beach.  Aaaaah, so nice.  It was a great way to end Spring Break.

We did lots of beach strolls, shell collecting, rock painting, biking, reading, drawing & laughing.  To top it off my parents came down for a night and took us out for lunch on our last day!

While at the cabin I came across a 'private island' rock that my friend Megan painted for me last summer.  I tell ya, she took rock painting to a whole new level. 

We all need our own private island sometimes, don't ya think?

Oh, and I noticed this on one of our walks and it made me chuckle...

 

Christmas Spirit

Here is a pic of Zoë getting into the Christmas Spirit...photo taken December 2nd.

As you can see she wasn't too pleased with me discovering the demolition she had going on.  I didn't have the energy to negotiate with a 2 year old so once I got my picture I turned and left the room without saying a word.   I wasn't planning on doing advent calendars with my kids partly because we will be away for Christmas and plan on keeping things quite simple.  However a friend felt my kids were deprived and kindly gave them each a chocolate calendar.  Their Gran also felt a little something was in order so in little sewn bags she has put a trinket for everyday up until our departure.  With a little more forethought I quickly placed the second round of advent calendars in an out of reach spot!  Next year when the kids are a whole year older I hope to make something like over at Loobylu or little birds.  Wow!

(my apologies to Mac users...I believe my site is still showing up as one big link??? thinkin' about workin' on it but doesn't look like I'll get to it until the New Year...I hear it looks kinda psychedelic?)