Amber...

And here is Rosies big Sister Amber.....totally different personality, totally different coat.....still gorgeous :) 18 months older than Rosie.

Rosies swim session.....

Rosie swim in the pond today. She dives in, gets the stick and then stands on the side waiting for you to throw it again.....I love the funny face picture because to me it looks as though she's saying 'eeeww the water tastes yucky'!!!!

After she gets out of the pond she chases after us so she can shake the water off near us - we all run away as fast as we can and we all laugh like crazy and she thinks it's a great game!!!!

She's a funny girl :) So different to her Sister :)

Asleep on the job!

Geez, you leave Charlie in charge of the kids for five minutes and she falls asleep and lets them run off and disappear!!!! You just can't get the staff these days!!!!

He's in!

Chris got in to all the programs he wanted - AND the IB program! (So long as he keeps an honours level for his last semester)! The International Baccalaureate program is:

www.ibo.org/diploma/recognition/

But......they recommend only a week off all year long and we want to go to Florida for THREE weeks....so Chris wants to stay here........so......what to do....what to do.......do we get lots of work to take with us...get him to cram before we go.....just say sod it and get him to catch up afterwards...or get him to stay witha friend for three weeks and miss out on the fun?????

Or do we go at Christmas when its busy???? or go a different time???? Or what?????

What to do what to do????? Hhhmmmmmm

Ok off to soak in the bath.....

They got back late Monica - so they grabbed pizza and we didn't go out at all.....but thank you for thinking of me...I've cheered up anyway :) I never stay down for long thankfully :) And the forecast for the weekend has improved a lot - doesn't look like we're going to get much snow after all :)

Gorgeous weather today

I was expecting the wind to be cold today but it was lovely and warm! Abby, Sam and I headed out for our walk with the dogs. We took the ball today - now the snow has gone it wouldn't get lost ;) Rosie loved it and when we stopped at the pond she of course dived in for some sticks - as SOON as the ice is gone, Rosie is in the pond swimming every day!!! Amber isn't so stupid and will never go in, but Rosie loves to swim!

We went out in sweaters and coats, but all had stripped off to t-shirts by the time we got home. We got home from one lap of the land and Sam didn't want to come inside, so we headed off again and went up on Mary's land for a while and threw the ball up there. All the big puddles that we were playing in at the weekend have gone completely now. I'm so glad we made the most of them - although with the snow we are expecting at the weekend, there is a good chance they will be back.

We played on the swings for a while and then headed down the driveway to meet the kids from the school bus. I tried clearing up some more of the yard down by the garbage box but it was too windy and I gave up. I hope tomorrow is as nice as today.

Lloyd is taking me out tonight for coffee to cheer me up. I've been fed up this morning. Although the news about my bees and chatting to my Mom cheered me up! Although I did tell my Mom it's her fault that I'm not a ballerina!!!!

OMG I have been so lazy today. I swear if my children didn't have their little chores to do like loading the dishwasher sweeping up, NOTHING would have been done today!!!

Growing up fast!

It seems so funny still to wave your teenaged Son off on the bus and watch him head off to the big city to high school!

Chris headed into downtown Edmonton this afternoon. He has met Lloyd at work and they are heading to his Highschool to register for the classes he wants for his first Semester at Victoria school. I will soon have a Son in highschool!

I chatted to my Mom on the phone earlier and she was speaking to Chris before me. She was saying how different he sounds compared to last Summer - how grown up - how his voice has broken and he just sounds different all together. He is different! He is so much taller....a different shape all together - physically so very different! But he is just such a different person...so very mature.

He of course drive me crazy at times.....he always puts my drivers seat on air conditioning when he gets in the car - he thinks this is hilarious because it makes my seat FREEZING cold - in fact it feels as though I have peed myself and I don't notice for a while - to a 15 year old this is soooo funny!

Tomorrow he has more filming to do for the movie he is making - he has arranged for a teacher to stay late and supervise! He has all the students staying late to take part - he has actors and make up artists and studio hands and scene people and all the others involved - and he of course is directing (lol) - and they all do as he says - it's hilarious really! This little guy - second smallest in his class and they all do as he says!!!! I wonder where he gets that from!!! ;)

A few weeks ago Chris headed to his audition full of nerves and worried about spending time downtown......today he headed off full of confidence...he'd 'been there, done that'......it's 'old hat'.......he found Lloyd, they got a coffee and a bagel each and headed to the school......soon this will be a daily occurrence for him and just a boring part of school life :)

I think this new step will be so great for him :)

Susans Blog!

Susans Blog drives me crazy because half the time it won't let me post on it for some odd reason and the other half the time I don't bother trying in fear it won't let me!

But I LOVE her blog!!!! One of my absolute favourites :)

Anyway - please go over and check her blog out today because she has posted the most wonderful pictures! The first is of her gorgeous little girl with the most amazing bed head hair :) I just love it - and those eyes!!! OMG!!!! She's gorgeous! I want to kiss her - in fact I want to eat her!!!! YUM!!!

And then there is Jakes craft......???? Very creative!!!! Years ago in England my children used to play a game with some homeschooled friends called 'smelly sock' so maybe its for a game like that lol!

But the family picture is just gorgeous :) I love it - you have a gorgeous family Susan and that photo is just so nice! :)

The only thing missing from her blog is pictures of her :) Because Susan is gorgeous - I KNOW this because I had the pleasure of photographing her 18 months ago :)

Anyway - Check out 'It's My Blog' in the links on the right :)

A reason.......

I am reminded this week of the poem: Reason, Season, Lifetime.

You can read the entire poem here:

www.steeldog.com/reasonseasonlifetime.htm

I've always loved this poem. Many friends have passed my way through the years...some have stayed, some have died....some have passed by quickly. I do agree that all have been for a reason. Even those friendships that don't end on a high note. Recently a few people I have met have made me think quite deeply.

Here is the part of the poem I have been thinking of this week. I think when you think about it, these people who pass through our lives for a short time can often be those who affect us the most and can change a part of us forever. I know my amazing friend Pam was only in my life for a short time before she died, but she was there when we needed each other and will be forever changed because of her. I think that can often happen from people who come into our lives for just a short time:

When someone is in your life for a REASON,

it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty,

or to provide you with guidance and support,

to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

...

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

...

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they just walk away.

Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

...

Hump Day!

Its Hump Day! I'm having a day off today! Spent much of the morning in bed reading CK magazine....reading to Sam and playing games with him....then he and Abby built a fort on the bunk beds and had a picnic in there.....I've pottered about and checked emails but generally not done a lot and thats been nice! I planned to have a lazy morning as we are in town again this afternoon. Chris registers officially for his new school this afternoon.

The AB government announced all their plans for Health today - this effects Lloyd BIG time....... I'm not sure what effect todays news will have on things at work for Lloyd but I know they were all waiting on the release. there have been several changes in Directors since the Premier was re-elected. Funny thing is he had a new Director that told him his job was safe while he was his Director....then 4 weeks later that Director was moved to a new position! But then this week Lloyds entire department and the IT team was given to THAT Director again :) in a new division :) so thats great as they really love working with him! So all is good :) Anyway all the changes mean more work which is always good.

We may all complain about the health service here but Alberta leads the way in health care in Canada and in fact across North America for many MANY things! We're VERY lucky!

So I have my bees! I get them May 10th and I get my hive and equipment on Friday!

Friday is also online crop night at Scrappers Haven - although not many can make it so I am wondering if they will change the date - they sometimes do!

Both my boys have parties at WEM this weekend! It's also movie night at our community hall this weekend - Alvin and the Chipmunks so I might take the girls.

Weather is supposed to be crappy this weekend so we will be doing indoor things - maybe we will get around to the carpet in the bedroom which we didn't do last weekend!

We got two sets of bracelets in the mail yesterday from World Vision. We have to sign the back of them and send them back and they send them to our sponsor children Malle and Margori in Mali and Peru. Thats a really nice way to welcome Summer :)

Sam had preschool yesterday - he obviously loves it - he went straight in, then rethought it - came to the door, blew me a kiss goodbye and then ran on in again.....

On Monday Abigail started drama classes - I took Sam for ice cream while we waited and Sam said quite a few times 'I miss Abby, I really miss Abby, lets go and get Abby'. That was nice!

Very important Email :)

Just got this from Lloyd :)

You bees will be in May 10th babes!!! it's confirmed!!!!

your hive is reserved as well for Friday......

hope that cheers you up a bit babes....

Need I say more :)

Thinking of Tess!!

I just want to say that I am thinking of Tess this week. Tess has taken the major step of giving up smoking. Today is day 2 and although she is finding it really difficult today, I KNOW she can do this :)

I'm really proud of you Tess. I can't begin to imagine what you are going through right now, but you are in my thoughts and if you need anything you know where I am!

What you are doing is an amazing thing for YOU, for your FAMILY and for your FUTURE FAMILY too :)

You won't regret it :)

If I were (taken from Cori's blog)!!!!

If I were a month I would be: June - almost always gorgeous weather!!!

If I were a day of the week I would be: Saturday as Lloyd is always home that day and the next!!!

If I were a time of day I would be: 8pm

If I were a planet I would be: Pluto

If I were an animal I would be: Sloth

If I were a direction I would be: Straight UP!

If I were a liquid I would be: Frangelico Liquer I think I am made of 70% this these days rather than water as Lloyd puts a LOT of it in my bedtime drink each night now :)

If I were a flower/plant I would be...daffodils, sunny and bright and comes out in the Springtime :)

If I were a kind of weather I would be: sunny

If I were a musical instrument I would be: Flute

If I were an emotion I would be: rainbow after a storm

If I were a color I would be: neutrals

If I were a sound I would be: waves crashing

If I were a car I would be: vw beetle convertible...old, rusty but fun :)

If I were a song I would be: Happy Birthday - it gets sung a LOT in this house!

If I were a food I would be: treacle tart and custard

If I were a taste I would be: comfort food

If I were a scent I would be: apple pie

If I were a word I would be: used

If I were a facial expression I would be: rolled eyes

If I were a cartoon character I would be: Minnie The Minx

If I were a number I would be: 5 - for how many children I have....or 60,000 for how many bees I may have by the end of Summer :)

Great Movie!!!

We curled up and watched this on Friday night!!! Georgia Rule!!! WONDERFUL!!!! I laughed out loud and cried through it too :) The sign of a VERY good movie! Definitely a dvd I plan to buy :)

One of my favourite scenes from the movie that made me laugh out loud:

Harlan: You have to go with me to talk to June. I want to tell her in person.
Rachel: Tell her what?
Harlan: That we have to get married.
Rachel: What?
Harlan: It's the only way God will forgive us!
Rachel: Oh my God, Harlan, I gave you a blow job!
Harlan: [suddenly embarrassed] Um, thank you for breakfast, Miss Georgia. Rachel, I'll see you in the truck.
Rachel: [to her grandmother, exasperated] No good deed goes unpunished!

Just perfect!

We had the most amazing weekend relaxing at home....so much to post about......for now I will leave you with all the pictures below.....

Lets just say that I didn't want the weekend to end! It was just wonderful! I'm quite glad the weather changed on Monday as it made it easier for Lloyd to go back to work and the week to start. It was just a wonderful weekend of hanging out at home and being together!

Thank you Lloyd for a lovely weekend :)

Susie.....

Susannah shoveled piles of snow into the big puddle to melt it fast and make the puddle bigger for Sam on Saturday!