Friday, July 19, 2013

Books 9 &10 Flee Fly Flown and Beautiful Ruins

I'm rocking this new years resolution!  I think by the end of the summer I'll be done my 12 books!  I've started on number 11 and have 12 at home.  Plus I put another book on hold for an ebook called "Where'd you go Bernadette."

Book 9 Was Flee, Fly Flown.  I loved the premise of it.  Two old ladies break out of the their nursing home and go on a vacation/adventure.  It was one of those books that was both happy and sad.  The dialogue between the ladies was quite funny, but it was also sad as you can read that they are both experiencing some form of dementia.  The only thing I didn't love about it was that it was too short.  It was such a great premise I wish it went on longer.  =)


Book 10 Was Beautiful Ruins.  This was a very well written book.  The story takes place in the 60's and current time both in Italy and Hollywood.  I really like books that each chapter is from a different point of view or time, sometimes different time periods.  There were a great array of characters and by the end I was very excited to see how it all turned out.


Till Next Time

Jenn

Sunday, July 07, 2013

Books 7 & 8

Oh summertime how you are so good for my reading.  I'm in a stretch of having 4 weeks off and have enjoyed finishing two books.  If I'm lucky I will get a couple more in before back to work. 

First one was BossyPants by Tina Fey.  Super funny book, which is what you would expect from a comdien.  She had a lot of really funny stories to tell about her childhood and starting in Chicago at second city.  Then moving to SNL and 30 Rock.  I was surprised at how much women's rights were part of the book.   If you like to laugh, like Tina Fey or are interested in biographies this one is a good one. 


Next one was The Light Between Oceans.  I would say this is probably one of the best books I've read this year.  I finished it in 2 days.  I was so interested to see what was going to happen to Isabel and baby Lucy.  The premise of the book is a couple lives on a island off of Austraila and they mind the lighthouse on the island.  They are unable to have a baby and then a boat washes up on shore.  The man inside is dead but there is a baby who is alive.  The couple keeps the baby. But it doesn't end well.  Fantastic book...





Till Next Time

Jenn

Saturday, July 06, 2013

June RoundUp

June was an interesting month..... it was busy with the end of the school year an all the fun stuff that comes with it.  Although this year was quite different.  This year was the flood. 

There was an enormous amount of rain over a day that the elbow and Bow Rivers really flooded.  Many people had water filling there basement and some lost their homes.  There was also significant damage to our beloved zoo.  There are some incredible stories about water up to the giraffes belly and the hippos getting out of their cages.  We live high on the ridge here so we didn't experience any personal damage and actually saw the spirit of the city come together.  There was a local state of emergency for weeks, so the last 5 days of school were cancelled.  Mostly not a big deal as the last couple of days of school are the fun stuff, but also a big deal as Lucas missed out on a lot of the fun stuff.  He did go back for half a day on Thursday to collect his stuff and say goodbye.  It was a good year for Lucas, he adapted much better then last year and had alot of friends in his class.  He also made lots of new friends which was good for him.  I'm glad that he is slowly coming out of his shell. 


We also did lots of fun stuff this month...
 Like drumming, which we went to with my Mom and Shaun.  It was a really fun experience.  It's cool cause you are all playing the same beat.  It's like a big jam session even though you are not skilled musician. 
We also did some golfing at the driving range, which made me think I could golf and since then I have been going with the girls for the last couple of Tuesdays. 

While part of me wonders what I am doing... I don't golf.... the other part enjoys being out and having a good time with such fun ladies.   Plus I think Darryl and the boys and I will go out in July when kids golf for free this week.  So I must enjoy it...

One day in June the kids and I went to the Lego store after school as Lucas wanted to get Darryl some Lego for Fathers day.  When we got to the store it was very quiet.  Really Tuesday around dinner time, not that busy.  While in the store wandering one of the employees asked if we had some extra time.  Part of me was thinking, no I don't want to do a survey, but the other part of me thought, but what if they give me a deal if I do the survery.  Of course the deal thoughts won out and I said yes we did have some extra time.  The employees asked if the boys would like to build some Lego, they had got some new Lego set that they needed built for the display cases.  The boys were excited, said they'd love to.  It was a once in a lifetime experience.  So for any of you going into the Lego store over the summer Lucas and Nathan built some of the Lego in the display cases.  



We also bought a new couch!  Our lovely old green couch was the first couch we bought when we moved out west.  It was a comfy couch that was good for napping, but I have been coveting this couch from Crate and Barrel for about a year now.  Luckily I found it in the as-is section at the store as it had a rip in the back about 3 inches long.  While dispointed the sales lady made me feel better by giving me a great deal.  This couch is great, it's hugs your body.  It's soft but you are still able to get up from it.


 I mentioned in the start of the blog about Lucas and the end of the school year and how things were odd with the flood, but really for Nathan there were a bunch of goodbyes.  He had a great year in preschool.  Finding the preschool was kind of a last minute thing, but I would highly recommend Leap and Learn where he went.  His teachers there Miss Shanon and Miss Jillan were fantastic.  I had the opportunity to volunteer there a couple of times and was really impressed with the way they handled the kids as well as their teaching and interaction with the children.  There graduation was also very cute. 



 Lastly the end of July as signified a big change in our lives.  The end of the Lesley era.  From now on neither of my boys go to Lesleys.  The great friend that I saw regularily 3 times a week will now be different.  It was always a treat to bring the kids there.  She was always so flexible with my schedule as it was never the same.  She also let me pee in her bathroom as I often forgot to do that the whole day of work.  =)  She has so many of the same values we did and the kids spent lots of time outside.  She teaches them so many of the important things in life, life how to treat people.  I don't know how I got so lucky to have found her to help me raise my kids at such an important and developmental time in their lives.  I will be forever grateful.   Luckily we still text and swim together.  So I still get to spend time with her, and I would have it no other way.  =)




Whew this is a long one....  took me days to write, hope it doesn't take you days to read.  If you even get this far.

Time for summer!!

Jenn


Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Canada Day

Yesterday for Canada Day we went to an Okotoks Dawgs baseball games.  They are a minor league team in Okotoks, which is quite close to where we live.  We were looking for some fireworks and Darryl didn't want to go downtown.  So we found in Okotoks they were having some after the baseball game there.  So for 5$/adult we headed to the game and sat on the grass.  It was a good game too, which Lucas quite enjoyed.  Nathan was kind of in and out with it, but probably because he was a bit younger.  At the end of the game they let all the "little leaguers" run the bases, which the kids loved.  I thought they would do it once and run back, but they probably did it 5 times.  =)  Then all the player were out signing baseballs, giving high fives etc.  We hadn't brought a ball with us, but Lucas wanted to give them a high five (which made me proud, Lucas is usually our shy kid).  In the end one of the players gave him a ball, which made him very happy. 

Then came the fireworks.  I really love fireworks.  While they weren't as spectacular as Disneyland, or probably even the ones in Calgary we were quite close to them.  In the background they were playing some country music and Nathan who was "oohing and ahhing" over the fireworks leans over and says " I hope they play some fireworks music".  So I asked, "what is fireworks music".  He says " Baby you're a firework" (of course the song by Katie Perry.  Of course moments later they played the song and he was even more excited. 

Happy Canada Day everyone!

Jenn