Crafting Time – Part 5

Yes, seriously – Part 5 and still counting!

We once bought packages of this metal “sheet” that came in rolls and made these reliefs with it. They adorned everything from birthday cards to tags for gifts, and were real pretty to boot!

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This goes down as the weirdest craft ever conceived. B and her BFF sat on our porch one day after school and made these guys out of sticks – and chewed gum… ya. They do look kinda cute, though.

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Often our party invitations became craft times as well. This one is for one of A’s bday parties when she was younger. We had a stock of funky fonts (thanks to Gramma!) and pics back then to use. It was always a fun part of planning a party.

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Don’t let these plain old popsicle holders (from the dollar store, because we needed so many) fool you – these are works of art. We used to spend one day after school was out and go down to Granville Island and pick out all kinds of fresh fruit and make our own popsicle combo’s. The flavors got more and more interesting as time got on.

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Sometimes crafts are done “to” us. This is one of my Hubby’s brothers’ crafty gift at Christmas one year. He made these cards, inserting family faces into actual game shots, for the girls (soccer and baseball) and Hubby. There were even all kinds of made-up stats on the backs! They were a real hit, and a great Photoshop craft.

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Another “done to us” craft. Hubby’s bro (again) photoshopped each of the girls (and their friends – this was from B’s grad) into a published shot – Miss Universe, and I think A’s was a professional baseball game. Crazy fun! I really gotta learn photoshop…

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More, again, to follow, one day. Including crafts given to us by others! Stay tuned. Again.

Ahhhh, BBQ season!

May has been a gorgeous month for Vancouver, and we’ve been taking FULL advantage of it!
We have to – it usually goes back to crap and cold for June and even the first half of July… Ahhhh, Vancouver.

We’ve been hard at work on the backyard and getting everything pretty and ready.

This weekend the weather man had promised SUN and temperature in the 20’s, so we set up to host three big BBQ’s! Add friends and the odd glass of wine to eating outdoors?? BLISS.

The first BBQ was my Mom/Dad/Nana. Reeee-laxing.

Next up was A’s entire vball team – and parents – for an end-of-year celebration. Not so much on the relaxing, but a lot of fun.

Then we capped it off with good friends we hadn’t seen in awhile.

Who needs anything more in life.
Aaahhhhhh.

Boys, boys…

Now that Boo is getting bigger, and a little steadier, there is nothing the boys like more than to wrestle…

Maybe I’m just “being a girl”, but I foresee a lot of bruises, boo-boo’s and bandaids in my future…

Empty Nester, Phase 1.3

Letting go happens so gradually, you almost don’t even realize.

At the beginning of your child’s – especially your OLDEST – grade 12 year you think, “Ohmygoodness! How did we get HERE already? Well, at least we have a year before actual graduation!”. Then you get caught up in grad photos, dresses, Christmas, university applications, prom, the “last high school… this and that”, and POOF! As suddenly as it came, that year is gone, and your once 8-yr old daughter is now TELLING you (not asking, I might add) that she’ll be taking the car for grad and will be home around 4am. (It’s 6:30am and she’s not home yet – they decided to start a harry potter marathon??! crazy kids!).

And you look back a bit, realizing that gradually you have indeed come to this point.

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And then you look at the next one, and you realize that while you were obsessing over the moving on of one child, your next one has sneakily grown leaps and bounds of their own. Somewhere along the line, you let go a little bit of her too, allowing her to take the bus on her own, hang out at the mall and meet friends more often.

Even Tt has suddenly gone from holding my leg and wanting me RIGHTTHERE to waving goodbye as he runs off across the park to the soccer field, looking back only to give me a thumbs up that he’s got his coach and is good to go. If it wasn’t so danged cute, I’d cry! But you just let go a little bit, and move on, thinking, “Well, at least my BABY still needs me. I can still cling to HIM!”.

Boo is much more mobile now too. How do they all let go of me at once??
He’s up and down stairs, doesn’t need help getting around or up on his chair and plays with his toys on his own for periods of time.

I watched B last night as she played outside with her little brothers, so happy. In a few months she’ll be off, living in Residence, taking University classes, meeting new friends, attending a new church and playing PREMIUM volleyball ;-). I’m going to miss her, and I’m sure the boys will too, but hopefully she’ll be home often.

And in the meantime, it’s probably best I keep a closer eye on that sneaky-growing-up daughter #2…

The good part of letting go a little bit more, is that more time for me = more time to blog!

tuesdays for tea 09.05.19

How on EARTH did it get to be Tuesday all over again??

We JUST got back from yet another road trip – through the Canadian Rockies to Calgary, Alberta and back. Daughter A was playing the volleyball Nationals there, while daughter B was in Team BC (summer provincial games) tryouts back at home. Both gals did awesome!

The Rockies are beautiful! I kept taking pics of silly mountains with snow and ice on them. We stopped in a few little towns along the way and got to know our province just a little bit better. Found what seems to be a great water-ski lake(s) (Shuswap), a tiny town with an awesome restaurant (Golden), and a Whister-esque puttering shoppers paradise (Banff). And in only 10 driving hours each way…

We caught up with my cousinS G+J for a bit, the boys got to swim in a POOL every day (to them that IS the holiday) and we even went to the Calgary Zoo!

And just like that we’re plunged back into day-to-day life. We’re supposed to all travel to Seattle this weekend right after B’s grad prom for more volleyball (B’s turn), but decided JUST ME would go because everyone else just wants to stay home. Just me! I get a tiny holiday! I get ONE WHOLE night’s sleep away from Boo! I get to browse the outlets without interruption! I get to chat with other Mom’s without having to constantly leave to chase a child! Yippeee!

Well, no real plans for this week but to stay home as much as possible. Tt has a new book on Vikings we’ll get through, a new puzzle on Knights to do and we’ll TRY to get to his “movie-making” project he keeps asking to do.

Wishing everyone a nice, relaxing week too!

Lovin’ Vancouver! Our favorite places : the Seawall

Pretrip we had to leave the van at the shop for a checkup, so we had to taxi and walk our day away.
One walk we always enjoy – PART of Vancouver’s seawalls!
Part, I say, because in fact the entire seawall covers 8.8km of ocean’s edge. And on a sunny day, it’s peaceful paths and intermittent attractions (Science World, Granville Island, Urban Fare/David Lam Park, Kits Beach…) are irresistable.

Enjoy!
And head out for a walk somewhere…

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Other posts you might enjoy:
Lovin’ Vancouver! Our favorite places : Vancouver Aquarium
Lovin’ Vancouver! Our favorite places : Granville Island