May 27, 2014

weekend round up.....

After work, I met up with my hubby & gal at the Ladner May Days. It was awesome. She was tall enough to go on some rides and there was face painting, a petting zoo, a free gymnastics zone, food trucks galore & carnival games. Watching her face light up on her very first ride made my day.
Craig got to hold a Hedgehog - it was cuter than the ones at Purdy's that I'm used to. ;)
I worked this weekend, but I didn't mind since it was drizzly out.(Dramatic pause for your shock - Vancouver - rainy?!?)
On Monday morning we literally ran into good friends.
Child labour is alive and well at our home.
The yard is always the safest place for toddlers to paint. Always.
When you have a little one, you have to come up with a lot, and I mean a lot of games. For this one, I fill up a bucket of water and we put in household items one at a time, and guess beforehand if it'll float or sink. Luckily I leapt over to her before my iphone became a "sink" item.
Whenever I can, I like to put a little sunshine into my mom's days, so today I gathered up some of her nearest and dearest friends for an impromptu brunch. I made these easy & tasty recipes: raisin scones & cranberry/orange scones and chia seed pudding  that I layered with fruit salad. 
I love these moments. xo
I hope you had an amazing weekend! A lot of these photos are snapped with my iphone, so the image quality isn't the best, but I highly recommend grabbing your phone and capturing shots throughout your weekend to remind yourself, how lucky you are to have so many amazing little nuggets of time. It's honestly one of the best ways to feel gratitude, which is one of life's biggest keys to happiness.

May 23, 2014

pop goes the world

We were playing with bubbles in the garden because hey, it's Friday night after all, time to break out the bubbly! This one reminded me of Earth.
Maybe it's the anticipation of Summer, but there's something brewing in me that's ready for another adventure. We watched a beautifully filmed documentary called Mile Mile & A Half about a group of artists who hike through Yosemite National Park on the John Muir Trail. Their hike was 25 days long. I'd love to gather up some of our favourite outdoorsy friends for an adventure like this - maybe not 25 days long, since we all have young children - but to take on an adventure of this capacity, with tangible goals, feats of endurance, and the natural rugged beauty of the great outdoors to photograph along the way would be truly amazing. I really love the level of planning and physical training that a trip of this magnitude would entail. I know that hiking and camping aren't for everyone, there's definitely a clear division of people we know who would love it and those who would laugh in our faces at the mere suggestion. Camping you say? Why, have all the hotels burned down?
When I think of our favourite adventures, whether it was camping in the Serengeti or doing belly crawls through caves, it was always us, testing ourselves, in the great outdoors. There's something that connects deeply to my soul when I'm in beautiful vistas, it's both breathtaking and humbling all at once, reminding us of the bigger picture that we're a part of. What's something that you want to cross off your bucket list this Summer?
xoxo

May 20, 2014

my heart

We had a tonne of fun playing and picnic-ing with friends at the park. My daughter hugs by leaning on people, she hasn't figured out that arms are often involved.
I hope you squeezed in some amazing moments into your day. xoxo

May 19, 2014

weekend round up.

Hello Friends! I hope you all have had an amazing week! Sorry for the lack of posts this week, it's been a busy one where I've been wanting to be completely "in the moment" with family and friends.
Here's a few random images from the weekend. I'll write more tomorrow. xoxo
It's Friday night! We're all pretty sophisticated over here.
The backstory is that she is a leopard who has just escaped from the zoo, and is presently starting up her getaway car before the zookeeper gets her. It's quite action packed. I think she has forgotten that her breed is quite adept at running quickly.....
In eager anticipation of her friend's arrival at the park. 
One of his special skills is being able to wash the car in record time for $2. It's quite impressive. Wax on wax off Craig.
I used to run in 5 km loops around our neighbourhood. But now, we've come up with a new game plan: my hubby drives in the straightest possible route, exactly 5 km from our house, and drops me off. It feels like a more exciting goal for some reason, because there is no way I can take any shortcuts if I get tired. I have to push myself to get home. 
Not to offend any wal-marters, wal-martians? But I really do loathe the Wal-mart experience. I had to go there because they had a good deal on diapers. And sometimes, when you need diapers, milk, a sun hat and gardening supplies, and you've got a toddler in tow, and don't feel like hitting up a bunch of shops (because just the act of loading and unloading the aforementioned toddler can do your head in)...you end up at Wal-mart. And I swear to god, whenever I am in that store, there is always someone screaming at the top of their lungs into their cellphone about extremely personal business, like a missing child support payment in their bank account. And as luck would have it today, I chose, what teased me to be the shortest check out line, only to have the person in front of me doing the "well, that's not the price that was posted above this chair......" song and dance with the checkout clerk....and then lo and behold, 15 minutes later they've returned from the depths of the store, realizing that they had grabbed the wrong item, and that the price, as bob barker would say, is right after all. Meanwhile, as my toddler is melting down, and justifiably so....I texted my husband to say, "I'm in hell." (Which he knows instantly to interpret as Walmart.) And he texted back, "that place sucks a bag of dicks." Which, I know is a Louis CK expression, but it made me laugh out loud in the line up because it was so completely applicable.
(Even loading up the car, I glanced over at a family in the parking lot: dad was loading the truck, toddler was running around like a maniac, mom was trying to gather up the toddler to prevent his inevitable demise in a walmart parking lot, and the whole family drove away without realizing mom's purse and half their groceries were still in the cart. A walmart attendant gathered the belongings without missing a beat, as if this kind of thing happens all the time. That's what this place does to a person.)

And this is just an iphone pic that I am posting just because I love this little mop top. xo




May 13, 2014

afternoon bliss....

A perfect sunny afternoon complete with a picnic and playtime with friends - life at its best. xo

May 12, 2014

oh hello there.......

Some sweet hummingbird action for you. Nighty night! xo

May 11, 2014

mother's day in images....

I hope you had a chance to celebrate the wonderful mommas in your life!

I woke up to a flurry of texts pouring in from all of the wonderful momma friends who sent notes of love: women I've learned from and leaned on during this incredible journey. I love how each of us is so different in our approach to parenting, but are completely united in our overwhelming love for these gorgeous children. 

Mom and I started the day with a wonderful stroll and tea in the Glades, a gorgeous private park that only opens for Mother's Day, then my hubby and I had a sunny lunch on our deck (does it get better than homemade pizza?!?), followed by a delicious bbq at my parent's place with my brother's family. Nothing made my heart happier than seeing my mom smiling the day away, surrounded by her grandbabies. 

This motherhood gig is the best gift of my life. And having my amazing hubby by my side to share in the adventure, means everything.

Happy Mother's Day! xo

365 catch up...

May 10th - Hello lovely
May 11th - industrial beauty in Fort Langley

May 8, 2014

mother's day

I've been really emotional leading up to this Mother's Day weekend. You see, very recently, I sat in a doctor's office with my mom, and heard him tell her, " a few months to live." I can honestly tell you, I've never experienced a more painful moment in my life, watching her heart completely break right in front of me, then feeling my own shatter into a million pieces. The diagnosis is Mesothelioma, a very rare form of cancer due to asbestos exposure. It is extremely rare, listed on the national rare illness directory. It is rare for people who worked directly with asbestos in their lives to come down with Mesothelioma. So, you can only imagine our despair and confusion to hear my mom's diagnosis, when she has never worked with asbestos at all. It could have been from some random bit of asbestos dust that she unknowingly was exposed to that nestled on the exterior of her lungs and over time developed into cancer. We'll never know. And at this point, the why's don't matter.
I've learned to live in the moment, one breath at a time. They say we should always live in the moment, and I really understand that now. We have to live for the now because all we are guaranteed is this moment. I talk to her or visit her everyday and we say 'I love you' at every goodbye.
I'm truly hoping that the support system surrounding my mom will keep her here with us as long as possible. I have written many times about her team of angels because they are inspirational. For example, yesterday, five of her dearest friends showed up, cleaned her house from top to bottom, enjoyed a feast of a lunch and cups of tea together, and then left her with a full dinner. Her hairdresser popped by after dinner, cut my mom's hair at home, and gave her a bounty of new hair supplies at no cost. Can you believe these women? They are all helping in my crusade to surround her with love and positive energy, in the hopes that it, in turn, slows this cancer down. I keep telling her that we want her to be one of these people you always read about, who defies the odds.

Our paths crossed because she had lost a baby, and subsequently, almost her own life when her appendix ruptured during pregnancy. And my own birth mom, for reasons unknown, couldn't keep me.
And so, through adoption, the universe brought my family together. My mom's friends tell me that the day my mom brought me home, she just held me and stared into my eyes all day. Maybe that's how we formed this amazing bond.
I know for a fact that I have a wonderful mom because every important life moment I've had up until now, she's been there. Every school project, dance/piano recital, injury that needed healing (physical or emotional), every move, she's been my fixture of support. Every big life decision, simple cooking question, or child-related issue, she's been a quick phone call away. As a child I knew I had a great mom because my friends enjoyed coming to our house. My mom would always make my friends feel right at home and make sure they left well fed.
She really is the most amazing cook and kept our family meals nutritious whether we had money or not.
It wasn't until I was older that I learned of our tough times as a family financially, but as a child I had no idea because mom gave us such a sense of security by making us feel so safe and loved.
She was my biggest cheerleader, always telling me I was bright and beautiful, even when I couldn't see it myself. She always said, "you can be anything you want to in this world." Always great advice for our children.
I remember when I gave birth to my daughter, and went through a tough birth experience, my mom was right by my side because, she said, I'm still her baby.
When I became a mother, I had the most new found respect for my mom. As a child you completely take for granted all that your parents do for you. You just assume that because they are adults, that they know how to take care of everything. But when I had my daughter, and the balance of life was thrown for a loop, I was in complete awe of all that my mother accomplished. She raised two children, did all of the house work, made all of the meals, and often worked nights to make ends meet.
As a girl, I just took all of this in stride. But now, as a woman, I truly don't know how she did everything. And to top it off, she never complained. She did it all with such strength and grace. Everyone has always said she's the hardest working person they know and that she puts everyone first. Well, now everyone is putting her first. I sure wish the circumstances were different for my mom right now, but I wouldn't trade places with anyone for the relationship I've shared with her.

Please take a moment this weekend to celebrate the moms in your life. They are truly remarkable with their unique tales of sacrifice and love.

xoxo




365 update.....

Tuesday, May. 6 the last dusting of cherry blossoms
Wednesday, May 7th
A delicious juice to mix: one grapefruit, four beets, 1apple

May 5, 2014

weekend 365.....Happiness Is......

Saturday, May 3: Happiness is having time for a 5 km run and coming across a field of pink cherry blossom snow.  (Happiness was also having belly laughs with friends that night playing Cards Against Humanity).
Sunday, May 4: Happiness is playing in the rain. (Happiness was also playing with friends at an indoor beach later that morning).
Monday, May 5: Happiness is feeding the ducks right out of my hands. (Happiness was also hearing my mom's cheery voice tonight because she was finally feeling better after having a tough post chemo week of nausea.)

Look at the big and little moments around you. Take note of what makes you happy. Repeat.
xoxo


May 3, 2014

365 catch up....

Friday, May 2. Because when you have three girls together, you have to do the Charlie's Angels pose. It's a fact. This was a fun night of ambushing our friend Tricia to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Love these girls.

Thursday, May 1. The most beautiful day of the year and she wanted to play in the truck. Needless to say, when I left for work the next morning, my radio was blasting, the wipers were on high speed, and it was locked in four wheel drive. 
Wednesday, Apr. 30th - the transmission lines i've come to know so well
Tuesday, Apr. 29 - getting home from work early to play in the garden. Bliss. 
Monday, Apr. 28 - playing at the park. Having children is the best excuse to be a kid again.