Dude, we were in the middle of the state

September started off... super awesome.  For Tammy's birthday this year I bought her tickets to a Dave Matthews and Avett Brothers concert at the Gorge in Washington.  Here is the Gorge:

It is about a 10 hour drive the the Gorge.  We drove the first 8 hours through Alberta and BC, including Yahk, to Spokane.   We had MANY laughs, including not telling all the truth at the border. 




In Spokane we stayed at a lovely hotel, The Davenport, which was very based on African animals, and had a really nice dinner, Clinkerdaggers.  Spokane was... nice.  You could see the recession had more of an effect in Spokane then Calgary.  But the city itself is beautiful.   We headed down to check out the pool and fitness and heard a couple of guys talking about the concert we were heading to the next day.  One guy said "Dude that's in the middle of the state", which again made us laugh, as we had been travelling all day, and we tend to laugh when people use the word dude, as part of their normal vocabulary. 

The next day we looked for a Target, which I did not find, but I did find us Target Tires (damn iphone maps).  Then we headed to Moses Lake, which was a nice little city.  There I had a delicious asian salad, which I have duplicate, many times now at home.  Then we headed to the concert...

We were in general admisson, so we headed in early to sit on the lawn.  Once we got our customary concert t-shirts (which I have quite a collection of), we found a spot on the lawn.  After that we got the most difficult bottle of wine I have ever bought.  Took 3 trips and once we had to leave our blanket with strangers. 


The concert was.... interesting.  Avett Brothers were fantastic.  Later that night, we we were trying fall asleep in our Econolodge, I was trying to find some of the great songs from the Avett Brothers.  They are crazy songs, and while listening to them, I said, if we hadn't been to the concert we would never listen to these songs, but now we've heard them life, we have this affinity to them.  Which made us laugh uncontrollably.... again.    Any the Avett Brothers were great, loved their energy, loved the music.  They sang my favorite song of that moment.

Next were Dave Matthews Band.  Now I've always considered myself a Dave Matthews fan.  But for the three and a half hours he played I knew one song.  And they spend lots of time "jammin", some of the songs seemed to be 30 minutes long.  It's the first time in a long time I went a concert and wasn't able to sing along with most of the songs.

After that the rest of the story is pretty down hill...saw the Northern lights, a deer sleeping at the side of the road, sleeping at the Econolodge, friendlier border guy coming back into Canada, lots of traffic in the Crowsnest pass...

But it was a great way to spend labour day weekend.  If you ever get a chance to go to this beautiful venue I highly recommend it.

Jenn

A funny picture

Lucas is a gymnast.  Not really a serious gynmast, but he loves to go to gymnastics.  The other day he was climbing the door frames, mostly I'm sure, because Darryl told him he use to do it.   Lucas practiced and he made it up this far:



So I sent the picture off to family and today we got this one back:  It was titled: Boy escapes lava flow

Which is a combination of Dad's Hawaii pictures of lava and Lucas climbing the door frames. =)

Funny when pictures come together like that!

Jenn

New Music Tuesday

Around these parts I have a "club" called New Music Tuesday club.  If you have ever read this blog or know me at all I LOVE music.  I buy new music all the time.  Sometimes it's good and sometimes not so much.   I thought I would share new music Tuesday on the Tuesday of this challenge.  I'm going to share two songs with you this week. 

The first one is an Ed Sheeran song.  It was my theme song for September, since it was a very busy month, with both fun and work activities.  Ed has become one of my favorite artists (at least for the moment).  I like how he raps, uses a loop machine and an acoustic guitar. 

 

Next is the CD which has been on repeat since it came out last Tuesday, Mumford and Sons.  Almost all of the songs on the CD I really love.  Here is one of my favorites.  Mumford is great becuase of the power in his voice, banjo and the way there music builds.  This might be my favorite one.  I love it how there are times they just harmonize. 



Now it's your turn?  What's your favorite song this week/Month?

Jenn

October Challenge

This year for my birthday Lesley gave me a challenge (along with a wonderful mug and delicious tea and makeup).  We are going to blog each day this month (even the weekends) and 5 of the 7 days need to have pictures.  Lesley and I have been friends for 7 years now so I'm figuring she knows me very well.  First off the tea, I love tea, but more on that later, but she also knows that I can't turn down a challenge.  Or if someone says I can't do something it motivates me to do it even better!  She also probably knows I'm pretty cheap and whoever looses this challenge has to take the other one to the movies.  So I'm pretty on board for this challenge. 

For Lesley's first day she posted a great blog about her superfun weekend.  My weekend was not as fun, so instead I'm going to post my 10 favorite things about Monday, because really Monday is a pretty crappy day, but I try to always be the optimist, so here we go:

1. I got to car pool with my best friend.  Which makes for car rides to be 1000x more fun then going by myself.
2. Somehow I am always organized on Monday mornings,  I think I prepare best on Sundays. 
3. We made the bus!  Which got moved up by 15 minutes two weeks ago and we have had trouble catching it.  Also see point 2.
4. We had a crazy situation at work, and sometimes there is comfort in just accepting it and knowing nothing you can do will change it.
5. Also at work I got 5 things crossed off my to do list
6. I also got a package at work, that I was very excited about (but then when I saw everything I had to read I realized it was just alot of work)
7. There are new 'mots de semaine' which is exciting to see what words Lucas is going to practice this week. 
8. It's beautiful outside.  I'm sitting outside enjoying the weather (as it is suppose to snow here tomorrow night)
9. Totally smorgy-ing it tongiht for dinner.  I don't have a real plan, so it's fish (but not the chips) and maybe kraft dinner instead.
10.  We have great neighboors and the kids are playing happily with them while I write this. 

Hope there were some good parts about your Monday!

Jenn

Summer 2012

As the last couple of days of summer are upon us I'm trying to soak up all the wonderful parts of summer and all the wonderful things we did. It does feel like summer pasted so quickly. We did so many fun things, both here and in Kelowna. Some of the things I really relish about summer is the lack of schedule. I love sleeping in and not having to rush in the mornings. Even on the days I had to work, there wasn't a bus to miss, so it seemed less busy.



 The summer started out (as it does every year in Calgary) with Stampede. My work sponsored a dinner, so we got to see the dress rehearsal of the bandstand show and it was great. I got to add Paul Brandt to my concert list, even though I never thought I would. They also had really tasty food. Gourmet barbeque. Then Darryl's work had a Stampede breakfast and we had our picture taken with Kelly Sutherland (who is a big chuck wagon racer). I also took the boys to Stampede which was busy, but a fun experience.


 The week after Stampede we headed to Kelowna for the first time with our best friends. It was a week of great laughs, food and fun. The weather was perfect, no one got sick and everyone got along.  One of the most memorable days was when we floated down the canal in Penticton.  The boys loved it and so did the girls.  After we headed to Davids Tea in Penticton and Wendy's for lunch.  After Nathan drank a bunch of tea and a drink from Wendys he had to pee about half way home.  So we made a stop in Peachland.   We took Nathan to the visitors centre to pee and when we came back the boys were all throwing rocks in the water.  We sat there for 5 minutes and I was hot.  I saw a dock and suggested we jump off it.  Once I did all the kids were willing to try.  And that water was cold!  We were all nice and refreshed after acting crazy!  After a week of working on our tans and smiles we headed back home.


Lucas went to gymnastics camp and I went to work. Then we headed back to Kelowna. This time with Darryl. Again more good weather, good food (Darryl's traditional gazpacho) and great laughs. Kelowna is definitely one of my favorites places. I love sitting on Oma and Opa's deck, having breakfast. Chatting with Oma about gardening, or reminiscing about their lives when my mom was young, going to some of my favorite beaches. Floating down the canal, picking cherries, eating fruit, drinking wine. It's all heavenly. And I'm glad I have such a wonderful (and affordable place) to spend my summer holidays.  This year we had a couple of funny experiences with Emma.  One day we were in Peachland and we took Darryl to "our" dock.  There we threw the stick off the end and she jumped right in.  The only problem was it was a big enough jump that she went right under the water.  I was almost ready to jump in and rescue her when her head came bobbing up and she swam, with no stopping to get the stick, right to shore and did not jump off that deck again!  Although shortly after that we rented a peddle boat and took her for a boat ride. 






When we returned Grammie came out for a visit. The boys were so happy to have her around and it made Darryl and I really happy too. It was her birthday while she was here and they went hiking in Johnston's Canyon.  We also had lemon meringue pie and sang her happy birthday. 

Lastly Lucas turned seven.  We had a really fun drive in party for Lucas where we showed a movie outside and had popcorn.  For Lucas's birthday he got a lot of fun stuff.  Shows how he's growing up.  New rollerblades and a new bike because he is a sporty kid, who is growing up!

Hope everyone else has had a great summer !

Till Next Time

Jenn

Lucas on his Seventh Birthday

Dear Lucas,

This week you turn 7 and I was reflecting on the year and what an amazing kid you are.


This year you finished grade one.  I've written about it many of times but it was a very challenging year.  You had a lot of anxiety about school and not understanding what was going on, but you picked everything up amazingly well.  You can read and speak so well in french.  And although it was a challenge to switch to french school, the good part is you can also read and speak English very well. The other day I asked you about "lundi" and you didn't understand me, I explained it to you in english and you had to correct my pronunciation to understand what I meant.  Or a couple of weeks ago we were headed to one of your friends houses and I just "Je regarde Elliot".  That made you laugh.  You said mom, what you just said was " I look Elliot".  You mean "Je vois Elliot".  What a smart cookie you are. 


Through all the tough times in grade one we made a deal that you would try it for one year and at the end of grade one, if you still really didn't like it you could go back to english school.  So it came down tot he end of the year and Tammy asked if I had talked to you about it.  I said I was nervous to, as I wasn't sure what you were going to say and I wanted you to continue in french.  But I figured we had made the deal and so I asked.  You said, yes you would like to go to english school next year and french school the year after that and english school the year after and then back to french.  You were very concerned about being fair to both kinds of school.  It was very sweet and when I explained you can't really come and go from french school, you decided to stay in french.


Six has been a really fun age for you and for us as your parents too.  You are able to try most things, you are still cautious, but seem to be more willing to try.  We took you skiing this winter and you loved it.  You also loved Phineas and Ferb this year and Pokemon.  You learned how to rollerblade and got better at skating and swimming and gymnastics and soccer.  You are much like your Dad in that you are quite good at most everything you try.  In gymnastics camp this year they asked you to be on their pre competitive team, but you like to do so many different sports you don't want to give all your time to one. You are also a really great swimmer and have had lots of practice here at the pools and in Kelowna too.


You do enjoy most things your Dad does too, you like computers and video games and have a great apptitude for them too.  But you still really enjoy music, like your mom too. 


You are also a remarkably nice kid.  When we met with your teacher later in the year (after you had adjusted and we stopped talking about that) she talked about what a helper you on.  That you had taken on that role in the classroom.  If people needed help with something you would always be there to help them.  We also saw it at gymnastics camp where you would help the younger kids.  You are also good at helping your little brother.  If he hurts himself you are always the first one to put on a comedy act to try to make him feel better. 


You are also a very funny kid.  You like to laugh and tell funny stories about yourself.  Like the time you slept walked into our room and said " Hey Folks I need a glass of water"  You really enjoying laughing and your giggle makes everyone around you laugh too. 


You are a night owl, you have trouble falling asleep quickly.  You are more prone to rolling around in bed and talking to me then really falling asleep.  Which means you also love to sleep in.  That is great this time of year when school is out and I get an hour to myself in the mornings, while you sleep and sleep.


You love to read, and if I say so myself you are pretty damn good at it.  Your favorite book is Harry Potter and now that you are seven Daddy will start to read the second one too you.  I bet Dad may be more excited about that then you as he's read the first one many many times. 



Today I came home and I was quite sad about something, all I wanted to do was hug my boys and be grateful I was your mother.  I picked you up (cause I can still do that) and you hugged me with your whole body It was so wonderful it made me start to cry.  You don't see me cry all that often so for the rest of the night, you brought me chocolate and gave me lots of hugs and tried to make sure I was feeling better but just being around you makes me feel better. 

I love you my big 7 year old!

love mommy

April, May and June: What We've Been Up To

Oh Blog, how I've missed you. 

May and June have been two pretty good months. 

My best friend and I saw lots of concerts including: John K Sampson, who walked right passed us as we were going into the venue to have an early dinner.  Where I lifted my in shock that we just walked passed one of the best songwriters EVER and I didn't even think to ask to have our picture taken with him.    We also got to see Coldplay.  If you ever get a chance to see them GO FOR IT!  They are amazing live.  Even Pat, who was not a big coldplay fan loved it. 

We also did the crazy thing of driving 12 hours to Vancouver to see Tammy's very favorite chanteur, Ingrid Michaelson.  It was a great trip, even with the delay for the cow carnage, and that Vancouver were out of the playoffs that night.  But Ingrid was great and funny and seeing her live made me like her even more. 

I also got to go to Toronto for a work conference.  Some of the highlights were being on an airplane all by myself, seeing a famous x-ray person, Euclid Seeram and networking with lots of great colleagues.  I love my kids and my family, but it's a nice treat to be able to do something on my own and to put me and my career first (but only for a weekend=))

Darryl and I also celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary.  It was a nice dinner out (but don't worry I didn't wear my wedding dress to the restaurant).  I'm lucky to have such a wonderful husband, friend and partner to navigate life with.  He has been great this spring with all of my escapdes and running all over Canada.  Never once has he complained or had a problem with me.... being me. 

But I know why you are really here, it's not to hear about all the fun stuff I do, but all the fun stuff the kids are up to.  =)  Well in the spring time it's soccer season here.  So there is always quick meals, running around to find chin guards and scoring goals and kick the ball.  Unfortunately Nathans soccer got rained out a fair bit, and there was the one week he had the horrible tonsillitis.  But with Lucas playing twice a week we saw a real improvement in his skills and his abilities to get in there and be a more offensive player rather then always defensive. 

We also had a fun time at a drumming show at the Children's Festival here in Calgary.  Lucas has been doing lots of learning about instruments at school, so it was great to see all the different types of drums from around the world. There were also clowns all over and one taught me a lesson as I was texting and walking and jumped out and scared me half to death.  Pay attention Jenn!

Now we are onto summer vacation!!!  Yeah!!  "Grade One was hard in the beginning but easy at the end" Lucas Park.   And he's very true.  It was definitely one of those challenging times as a parent, but I think we made the right decision and kept with it.  He had a great teacher, which I've learned can make all the difference. 

I hope everyone else had a really nice spring as well. 

Till Next Time

Jenn

To Nathan On His 4th Birthday

Dear Nathan,

Today you turn 4 years old.  At the moment you are playing MineCraft with your brother while your dad is out getting you timbits for breakfast.  We explained to you this morning that your birthday is kind of like a book we have called "yes day", where you get to pick whatever you'd like to do and we will most likely say yes.  At first you asked for pizza for breakfast (because that's what the boys in the book asked for), but when I suggested timbits you were all over it.

This year has been a pretty fun one for all of us.  3 was a really good age.  You became old enough that you didn't need naps anymore and that gave us more time to do stuff.  Your attention span is longer now too, so again that gives us more options on stuff to do.  You are happy to go to the movie theatre now and will enjoy it.  Or we can take you to a hockey game.

You also have good friends now.  Your best friends are often the older brothers of Lucas's friends, or Cameron who is your best friend at Lesley's house.   But you are able to play with kids more, especially Lucas.  You guys get along really well.  You do have times that you fight, but it's usually over pretty quick and you are back to playing with him.

 You also really love to laugh and love to make us laugh.  You love it when people laugh when you are trying to be funny.  Although not so much when you are not trying to be funny. 

All of your skills continue to get better.   You are better drawer.  You are able to identify almost all your letters down, although K and V often trip you up.  Your speech also getting better, you've improved on your Dama and it mostly comes out Grandma.   Who is also one of your favorite people.  You love it when she comes over or if you ever get to spend a special day with her. 

love you Nathan, I hope you had a great birthday.  And I love to snuggle with your, just as much as you love to snuggle with me. 

love Mom

March RoundUp

March was a super fun month for us.  The boys are getting to that great stage where we can do all kinds of fun things together.   Really it's that Nathan is getting old enough that hockey games and movies can hold his attention and he doesn't need to nap. 

The boys were lucky enough to go to a couple of Hitmen hockey games.  We were given some tickets for Christmas as well as the boys were given some while standing in line for the show.  It was Nathan's first time going to the Saddledome and he loved it.  Darryl, Lucas and Elliot also went to a Roughnecks games, which is the lacrosse team here in the city.   So lots of weekends spent on the train and at the Saddledome. 

The last week of March we also had March break, so that provided us with lots of opportunities to do fun stuff, we went skiing and Lucas and I went to the pool at SAIT, where we spent an hour jumping off the diving board. 

 

We also went to the zoo and spent an hour in line waiting for the penguins, which were super cool, even though our toes were like ice.  I forgot how much I love the zoo.  I think my favorite (besides the gorillas) is sitting in the butterfly room.  It's warm and green and reminds me of summer.  

 

We also had the end of gymnastics which was lots of fun.  Lucas enjoyed taking a class with his best buddy Elliot.  Nathan also had a really good time with his gymnastics. 

This weekend we celebrated Earth Hour (which Nathan keeps calling Space day).  We lit candles and read books and then we laid in bed and told stories.  The boys laughed and laughed.  Nathan worked to make Nathan laugh and it worked, Lucas laughed till no sound was coming out. 

One of the other highlights of the month was Tammy and I went to see Steven Page.  We saw him at the Gateway, which is the bar at SAIT and it was so good.  So much better then I expected.   He sang all the best Steve Barenaked Ladies songs and some of his new ones.  His voice was great, just as great as I remember.  And although I'll always be sad that him and Ed don't make music together it was great to see him again and be in such a small venue.  It was definitely a highlight of the month.

Till Next Month (and many more concerts)

Jenn