Leaving......

I'm leaving this week for an indefinite amount of holiday-ing time with my 4 fabulous kids.

Not exactly sure of where I'm going, for how long, or when we'll be home.

But when I'm back I'll tell you just where it is we decided to explore.

Happy weeks ahead to all of you in all you do....

(And to those of you who won the Pocket Slippers....they're coming:)

The Saxaphone Man

Okay.

I just have to post this picture.

This is Ben.

His first night with his new saxaphone. Never played before but is determined to do so this year.

My house sounds lovely.

Really.

New Mornings

I know this is not a great picture taken from a cell phone camera. But when I looked out my bedroom window the sight took my breath away.

Don't you LOVE mornings?

I ran with a hooting owl and 3 deer a few mornings ago.

Everything seems clean and fresh and new.

And all the birds chirp louder in the mornings. Maybe they know they haven't made any mistakes in the day yet either.

I wish all day could be morning.

Our Spruce Meadows Day

A couple weeks ago I mentioned I was off to a Horse Show.

Molly and I ended up driving to the city.....meeting up with our bestest friends....and driving another hour to Spruce Meadows.

What a perfect day. Good weather, yummy picnic food, tons of world class horses to watch, fun competition, and the best of friends to hang out with for the entire day.

(Molly- the reasonI went in the firstplace)

(We got to watch some of the worlds' best jumping horses and their riders. Can you believe people actually make millions of dollars jumping obstacles on a fancy horse? What a job!)

(Like my new hat?)

(Best friends and yummy food!)

Thanks for the SUPER idea Molly.

Same time next year?

What We Grew This Summer

Fall Time.....and we're harvesting more from our garden this year than ever before. Someone told me it would take a few years to get the soil in "good condition". They were right. We finally can make a meal out of what we planted this spring. And I get to look out the window to see my own...

Choir of Sunflowers

(Ben was the planter of the Sunflower seeds:)

Mollys' Roly Poly Watermelons

And from Corbens' Corn Rows....

It all makes for interesting but fun meal times. Don't you love fall......?

Fun Run

For some reason I've been feeling really down. And I have to be honest.... I have not been dancing all too much. And I feel I don't even have an umberella. It's just me and raindrops. And wind and a little hail.

So last week I didn't want to act happy when I wasn't...hence the unwritten blog.

(Besides that.....I had no more internet data usage on my "wonderful" rocket stick I have to use because I live in the country....so to post a blog cost a little more than I spend on internet budgeting:)

I'm hoping this week is a little "dancier".

To start off the week, I need to go over my favorite weekend moment:

A 5km race I got to run with my 4 kids.

Before the race.....

.....and after.

And the Winner Is..........

I have to say my kids are pretty much my best friends. And I'm thankful that they do things I like once in awhile too:)

AND THE WINNER IS......

Well...it's been a week...and all comments and e-mails are in....and I absolutely have loved reading how you Dance. Thank you all so much for letting me in on what makes you smile through your days!

Because I HAVE enjoyed all you have shared...there is no way I can bring myself to draw names out of a hat! Sooooo...

The Winner Is......(TUM DEE DEE DUM...........)

ALL OF YOU WHO ENTERED!!!!!!!

Congratulations to all of you. YOU all make me dance:)

To recieve your prize please follow these SIMPLE steps:

1. Send me your mailing address

2. Funny instruction....but please measure your foot by width and length, and send me the measurements along with your address.

3. Wait anxiously for your prize to come in the mail....when you can slide into a pair of Pocket Slippers and do another happy dance :))

Thank you again for sharing.

REMINDER

I'm super duper tired from a wonderful day at the Horse Jumping events yesterday. I love watching those riders on horses that fly thru the air.

I wish I was the horse that could fly!



Sooo...all I have to say is:

-Don't Forget to enter the giveaway by Monday morning!

-Dance at least once today!

- Have a wonderful weekend!

Off to the Races

You know the saying, "You become like those you hang with"? Well maybe I'm not BECOMING like them....but alot my kids enjoy doing, sure has to become what I have to at least try to like.

Lately it seems to be the case, especially as my kids get older.

Today....we head to the Races. Horse Races. And Horse Competitions. And everything else having to do with horses.

Molly, my horse girl, has talked me into heading down to Spruce Meadows. We get to spend the day in Horse Heaven.....for her at least. And I think by the end of the day it will have rubbed off on me too.

So much to learn as they learn. I wonder when I'll have my own skateboard....

(4 days left to enter the GIVEAWAY.......)

More Weekend Moments....

Another good weekend moment...

Watching Adam race in our club Regatta.

He just started rowing last year with our hometown Rowing Club, so it's all so new to me yet.

I'm learning quite a bit about this sport, and I think I may even try it out next season.

.

He placed 1st in 2 of his events, and 2nd in his single and double events.

He even gets to bring home THE trophy for a month which he won in the quad race.

Guess I am allowed to brag a bit...being his mom and all:)

Way to go AD!!!!

Our Heritage.....

Lately my daughter has been wanting to learn German....and not just the language but the cooking part of it too. So when my mom found out, she decided to make a German meal for us all....something we do every so often, but I think we should do a little more often!

My mom, along with Molly and dad....worked all afternoon cooking for 12 hungry people.....

Did it ever bring back memories for me! My granparents used to make us German food every so often when we visited. And when I closed my eyes it felt as if I was back there again.

My mom not only shared a German meal with us, but an entire "experience" as well. She filled us in on bits of history as we ate, and even had German music playing in the background.

A persons' heritage is so very important...and I truly feel is something good and priceless to hold on to and pass on. I'm grateful my parents have taught us this, and work so hard to do so.

Your heritage is so very important, because it makes you...YOU!

(don't forget to enter the Time to Dance GIVEAWAY:)

GiveAway: Time to Dance

Okay...I wasn't even going to write today, being the long weekend and all. (So tomorrow will be My Favorite Weekend Moment!)
But on my run this morning I was so content...watching the sun appear, running double what I did yesterday and still breathing, the clouds were amazing shapes and colors..... I just felt overly-happy for some reason and realized that mornings are Dance Moments for me:) Then I got to wondering what everyone else holds in their heart as a Dance Moment in their lives...?

Soooo....I got this idea in my mind that I had to come home and post:
Could YOU write me what your favorite Dance Moment or even momentS are in YOUR days? It can be one moment....it could be 20 or 100. I just would love to know what makes each of you smile!

Here's what to do:

1. Either post a comment, or you if you aren't a "Dancin' Partner", just e-mail me...(my address can be found under My Profile).

2. Tell me what makes you dance in your days....one or as many things as you want.

3. Make a note -telling me if I can publish your comment/e-mail.

4. Also give me your mailing address because......

.....out of all the replies I recieve I am going to draw a WINNER...for a pair of POCKET SLIPPERS made by Molly! (see my SLIPPER DAZE post).

I can't wait to see what makes others smile or dance! Have fun...and make sure your replies are in by next Monday morning......I'm going to draw a reply next Monday at noon:)

Have fun thinking about those things in your day that make you do a little Dance:)

(And look for my post tomorrow on ONE of my Favorite Weekend moments......and come hungry:)

Burnt Blessings

well....i just about burned the house down.
seriously. i almost did.

i was very excited about supper....steak, potatoes, beans, maybe our corn on the cob we grew....
it was very hot yesterday! there was no way i wanted to turn the oven on so bbq it was.
the only problem was that it was windy. very very windy. and my bbq was sitting in the full force of the wind.
and i went inside to get things ready while the steaks bbq'd....and within a matter of minutes smoke was billowing up past my window and across the yard.
when i ran outside and turned the corner to where my bbq sat cooking our supper...i was greeted by flames. blowing in the wind flames. uncontrollable flames. and the bbq was 2 feet from the house. and one foot from a tree i planted this summer....perfect level with the flames.
foolishly i risked losing my eyebrows to shut the propane off. THAT was close.
but even with everything turned off the flames continued to billow and grow. the wind didn't help too much.....
ANYWAY.....to make a silly long story shorter....the flames did die down after about 4 minutes, the steaks were charcoal on one side. the stoneware i had the potatoes on had blown to bits due to the extreme 650 degree cooking temperature within the bbq...and I HAVE NO PICTURE TO PROVE THIS STORY TRUE.

but you COULD ask the kids how they liked supper last night....... :)

Room to Grow

Over the last couple of days, I've been transplanting. Every thing seems to have doubled in size or quantity. I feel like everything is trying to take over :)

I was looking at the pot size my ivy is in, and how I have to keep moving up in size as I transplant it every so often. What started out as a tiny plant pot has over doubled from when I began. It's encouraging if you like to plant and see things grow.

I'm wondering how I re-plant myself when I learn to grow......

And it got me thinking...I don't know If I HAVE grown all that much in the last little while. I feel I haven't done too many "outside of my comfort things" or have tried to learn anything new. It's not that I want to move....or change all I am in too drastic of a way. I think I may just be stuck in the same old pot!

I think I have to make a decision this year to grow in some way. First off- I think I'm going to get myself a guitar and teach myself a few ditties! Then I'd like to take a language course with my daughter.....maybe French....or even German. And there IS a Scuba Diving Course coming up my son wants to take. Maybe he wants company?

Besides all that...I think I need to grow in relationships. I find I've been happy in them if they all go the way I think they should. Maybe it's important to let those around me grow and change too......

I think we should all be changing pots every so often. Let's face it....the same old pot gets a little tiring to look at year after year.

Here's to growing!

Escapes

It seems at this time of year...and I really don't know why becuase you would think that summer would have had enough of its own excitement.....but I feel the need to travel. Somewhere. Anywhere. And for the last 3 years I have. Gone somewhere in the months of September and/or October.

2 years ago I headed out to the west coast to spend almost a week with my brother and his wife. I took my 2 youngest on that trip. Last September Molly and I got this grand idea....we wanted to walk where "Anne with an "e" walked"....and visit the places "Emily of New Moon" explored. So off to Prince Edward Island we went. Lucy Maud Montgomery was the first reason we decided to venture out east....that and the fact that a few years previous Molly had won plane tickets to anywhere in Canada, and we had gone to Victoria, B.C.. So....of course we had to explore both sides of our country...balance it out.

Not only did we tour the Island, but we rented a car and got to travel into other maritime provinces...New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Below are a few of our favorite pictures and adventures....."Rachel Lyndes' House"...we stayed here 3 nights.

Cavendish Beach....loved the red sand!

And one of our favorite spots in New Brunswick was Hopewell Rocks. THAT was a place on earth that made my heart smile big. It's actually considered one of Canada's Wonders. When the tide is up around these rocks you can swim, boat, kayak around and under them. But when the tide goes out....you climb down and explore around and under them...for miles. It's quite a walk on the "ocean floor". We stayed long enough to watch the tide come up. It was quite amazing to see.

There are so many more pictures to show...and experiences to share. (Like the: "Lobster For The First Time" experience), but I will save those for a rainy day.

Right now I am going to go plan this Fall getaway. I'm thinking of going south this year.....

Little Things

There are moments in my days that sometimes make me smile so big, I feel as though my heart may burst. They're just little things, nothing huge or too grand or spectacular. Just amazing little things that take my breath away.
I don't know why. They just do.

Like when.....
I took my sleeping bag out to a hill beside our house the other night, and fell asleep watching stars come out and the moon getting brighter.

Or.....
when I looked out my window while washing dishes and saw the view. It made me feel I could wash the worlds' dishes and not lose momentum!

And then....
the other day for the huge Birthday Bash we had at our home, my mom brought over 3 bouquets of flowers she had made from blooms in her yard. Every time I walk by them it makes my heart feel full of smiles.

The little things take my breath away and make my heart happy. I'm not sure why. But they do.

Little things are really Big things in disguise......

First Day Back

i have always dreaded the first day back to school. ever since i can remember. there was always such a dilema about what to wear, what to take for supplies and when, who would want to be my friend that year, and more importantly...who wouldn't. as i got older it never got any better. sad to say...my last 3 years (high school) were spent trying to get people to like me just so i wouldn't get shoved up against lockers and called names i couldn't repeat on this blog. trying to fit in to the cool group was an everyday chore.....and academics???? that wasn't even why i was there.
i wish i could go back.
i would stand up....and not try to stand out.
i would learn.....and want to learn.
i wouldn't care.....about not being invited out on weekends.
my clothes and hair...would have been less priority.
i would have respected......teachers and peers to a higher degree.
i would have reached out....to those seeming as lost as i.
being liked.....would not have been my number one goal.

but i'm not going back. so i live today with those same wishes in my everyday life as a mom, sister, daughter, friend, and average person in this world.
have a good day "back to school"!

What 40 Looks Like...

40 LOONIES

40 MARS BARS

40 BALLOONS

40 BIRTHDAY ICE CREAM CAKE

40 YEARS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

Things That Make Me Smile

Things that make me smile:

Well.....

Once I saw a family of ducks waddling across an intersection. Everyone in vehicles or on foot had to wait while the family bravely and very proudly, crossed in a row...even knowing enough to use the crosswalk.

When my oldest was only 2...my grandpa passed away. It was a hard time of grieving for me, and I never could quit crying it seemed. My sweet 2 year old climbed up on the counter, pulled a kleenex from the box, came over and wiped my tears and commented, "Raindrops are falling from mommys' eyes".....and then he wiped my tears. I did have to quit with the tears and smile after that.

Last year...hiking up to Siffleur Falls with all the kids....we managed to finally reach the magestic fall of water. It crashed along beside us as we ate our lunch...when Ben finally had to ask, "How does God shut this thing off at night?"

When I come home from working really late, and on my pillow is a note from one of my kids....sharing something that is close to their heart....and telling me they love me.

And on a slightly different note....
Driving out of town today from an errand, I turned long enough to see some sort of "car" waiting at the stop light. It was low to the ground, had an open top, it was bright orange in color, and shaped....LIKE A CARROT!!!! What was THAT????? And the man driving had his head back, was wearing earphones, and had his eyes closed while he waited. I had to laugh....another one of lifes' "smiley" moments:

Does ANYONE out there know what this is? I want one:))

Personality Pix

I just realized that I haven't taken "real" school pictures of my kids for quite a few years now. I used to be so particular in getting the pictures done at the same time every year, at each age/grade.

Just wanted to share my most favorites with you...(whoever is out there)......

My sister took these in her kitchen. We wanted to match up food with each of their personalities or something that stood out to each one individually:

this was the summer we would send Ben out to pick raspberries and he would come back with an empty bucket....but he really had picked them all. he really didn't need a bucket, his mouth was good enough

there always seems to be a correlation between the monkey, a banana, and corben


my considerate, quiet, thoughtful molly who was reading at age 3 and hasn't stopped

his love of food has not waned over the past few years. and i have to say he IS the best pancake maker in our house

Maybe this is the year I should update their school pictures. Funny thing is....the pictures would all be the same, they would just look older. Aren't people interesting in all their quirks, personalities, likes, dislikes? It takes all kinds in this world......