Still in vacation mode..

Were home, safe and sound but very tired.

Our vacation was wonderful, it was worth all the driving, putting up with the weather(rain and more rain)one holiday that won't soon be forgotten.
During our stay on the island I had the honour and privilege to meet this lady from of Sugar, Spice and a little Rice.I felt like I had known her forever, our visit at her local Tim's felt like a weekly gab session around our kitchen table.I would love to thank Deb for the wonderful Island treats, the wonderful P.E.I. dirt shirts for the girls(who behaved like little monkeys during our visit with Deb,really they aren't really like that Deb, I swear, LOL), the local dish Rapure and the strawberry preserves. Thank you so much!!
I can not wait to follow her journey soon, she will be bringing her beautiful little girl home very soon, we couldn't be more happy for her and her family!!
I continue to be in holiday mode, I have been sorting through pictures, will be posting some soon. The island scenery is such a beautiful backdrop for some monkey pics.

Playing house..

Lately the best conversations between Jennifer and I happen at the dinner table or in the car.
Last night driving to piano lessons Jennifer and I were immersed in conversation all the while Jillian listening intently.
"Mom, I have a meeting tomorrow with the boss"
"You do, who's the boss"
"Trevor Mom, he's the boss of the army"
"The boss of the army?" I asked in surprise
"Yes Mom, the army, were in the army and he is the boss, I am Hawk girl, you know why I'm hawk girl"
"Okay, why are you Hawk girl?"
"I can scream like a hawk" Jennifer is now screeching at a deafening pitch.
I am quite intrigued at her talk of the army so I continue to ask questions.
"What does your army do?"
"We protect the people and food from the bad men that blow things up"
I am now quiet in the car, there is silence.
I long for the innocence of my childhood for my daughters, when bad men didn't blow things up and we just played house....

Until next Spring...

Goodbye until next Spring, the cottage is almost ready for closing, Superman and friends will go up once more and then it will be closed up until the Spring.
The closing always reminds me that cold days are ahead and so is the white stuff(did I really just type that, LOL).

Never a dull moment!!!

Had an excavator come in and do some major landscaping yesterday, pulled out some old bushes and hedge. When he was finished that job, it was off to dig up(making it wider, now the size of a runway, LOL) the driveway to prepare a base for paving in the Spring, it seems never ending his Summer!!
It got much worse, can you believe it!!!!!
Yes, this was a wasp sting and we spent the afternoon in the E.R.
Both sides of her face ballooned like you can't imagine, the staff at Sick kids were amazing and had her hooked up to every monitor possible. The reaction didn't cause any breathing issues but both eyes swelled shut making her very uncomfortable. They gave us medication, we iced the areas and already this morning she looks better.
There are never any dull moments around here, how is your weekend going?

Just yesterday..

It seems like yesterday I saw this little face for the very first time, now she is going to be celebrating her sixth birthday in 3 days.
Words can't even describe the emotions I felt looking into her eyes that very first day in February, so overcome with emotion it engulfed my whole being. I remember entering the tiny motel room, I went in last, nervous, the noise level was overwhelming, then I saw you. I can say for sure, you were mine, it was meant to be. It's like the room stopped, I couldn't hear the noise, everyone in the room disappeared, it was only the three of us, you, Daddy and Mommy.
As I lay in bed last night thinking about your six little years, I am so proud of all your accomplishments, I love being your Mom.
The next few days belong to you, a celebration for all you mean to your Daddy, your Mie-Mie and me your Mom.
I love you Puddin' Pop A favorite photo of mine, this is our beautiful guide Lily holding Jennifer.
The last day in China.

One year ago..

It has been a year, it's still raw, I can't believe how much I miss you.
I hope one day soon that the tears will be fewer, the smiles more frequent and the memories more vivid.
For now, it still hurts to much.

If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane, I would walk right up to Heaven To bring you home again.

No farewell words were spoken. No time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why.

My heart still aches in sadness and secret tears still flow. What it meant to lose you, no one will ever know.

Thank you so much for all the kind words and hugs. I found this poem on the net, I am not sure who wrote it. I found a plaque with the same poem on it, it said everything I was feeling so I purchased it .

Wordless Wednesday

This is what it's all about..

Jennifer hanging her Christmas stocking.

Jillian showing off hers.

Jillian is saying in this photo she is waiting for the HO HO man.

There you have it, the reason to remember such a special time of year.

Going to finsh off the mantle(as you can see only half done), tree and downstairs decorating today. The girls are excited to help.

So there you have it, we are off to deck the halls.

Our second year in a glimpse.

Jillian playing dress up, she is such a ham.

Again, dressing up in last years Halloween costume.

Very artistic and creative, loves to draw.

Eating her first pancake breakfast at the maple sugar bush, truly Canadian.

That's the smile that melts my heart.

Our first year with Jillian.

Xmas 2007

Storybook Gardens with my big Sister

In Grandma's garden

Spending time with Great Grandma

Getting to know her Jie-Jie

Her first snowman

Home from China just a couple of weeks.


Just a note of thanks for all your get well wishes for Jillian , her fever raged for about 8 hours, getting to 104.5 F. Today she is feeling much better, a cough is all that remains, her energy level is almost back to normal and her appetite is too(always a good sign).

Looks like she will be more than ready for her Tinkerbell party, cake was ordered today, Dairy Queen ice cream cake with Tink , all done in pinks.

Childhood memories

I have been meme by Sen, it was to list 5 childhood memories ,

1. My summers at Pt. Burwell on lake Erie, my Grandma had a trailer there. Every weekend my Grandma would load her big brand new Chrysler New Yorker and drive as many kids as we could cram into that big boat. Seat belts were not an issue , I just dated myself, so we would even sit on each other's lap. My Grammie would turn on the radio, it had a reverbarator on it so it sounded almost like it echoed, she would crank up the tunes and we would sing at the top of our lungs(usually the Bee Gees,still love em'). We would unload at the south beach, have Sammie's french fries and a coke, swim and then all sandy we headed home in what I called the bat mobile, I still hear the radio in my head and my Grandma singing.

2. This may gross out some readers-beware, told ya so.
My father is a Paramedic, when I was 8 the paremedics used to be privatized, they were not government run. So the company my Dad worked for also had a body removal service, they would pick up deceased persons and take them to funeral homes or airports ect. My dad would pick me up from school(yes, it did gross out my friends, they thought I was whacked)in the body buggy, as I referred to it and we would pick up and deliver. My dad and I would have our best chitty chats in the buggy because , well, it wasn't like anyone could hear us or give away secrets. I remember on trip on the infamous 401, my Father hit upon an accident and we made a very sudden stop, lets just say thank goodness I was a short child and the headrests were tall. Or maybe it was the time when my dad was taking someone from a small town hospital and he had to take the deceased down an icy ramp in January, I think you can get the picture. I think what I loved most about these memories other than the talks is that I did learn life lessons, my father showed such respect for his job, there was the occasional ggigle but it was to keep the job light or it could of become a serious stressor in his life because of the sights he had to see. He also went to the deceased homes if they had to be taken out and sometimes they had been there a very long time or perhaps it might have been ruled a suicide, this was always very tough. The company also did the "clean" up, I could go if the home or the scene was appropriate.

3.Saturday mornings with my Grandpam, after a back bacon and egg breakfast (his with stinky blue cheese, do people actually eat that stuff?), we would cuddle on the front room couch where Grandpa would drink his aromatic black coffee and read the newspaper. After that we would head down the street to my Uncles grocery store and I could get penny candy, boy you could get a fist full back then for a dime.

4. My Mom used to be a hairdresser many moons ago and I can still remember all the times she would experiment different and new styles on my head, many colors, many lengths and to this day i am still in therapy from the relentless ribbing and teasing. Sitting with my Mom while she experimented was great , she would usually manage to get the scoop on new boyfriends, who of my friends was doing what , that sort of thing. It was good bonding time, my Mom is only 16 yrs older than me so sometimes it felt like I was telling my secrets to my older sister, I would have to shut it and catch myself before I got in too deep.

5.Our family time in Florida, we would go down every year for the month of February, my grandparents were already down there for the winter months(snowbirds).I fondly remember Disney World, Bush Gardens and there was one special place we would go and I can't remember the name, something like the Kaypock Inn(maybe someone in Florida can help me out here). It was beautiful old home with majestic gardens, the food was to die for.
I would love to send this on to ,
1. Rony, The Ghelerter Twins