Summer camp pictures....

These are pictures taken by the camp photographers at Summer Camp last week - Susannah is in each of them...it sounds as though she had an AMAZING time there this year - with so many fun memories....

My boy :(

Yesterday I had Sam with me for a few hours - to give Lloyd a chance to work on his relationship with Abigail.  They haven't had a good week and I have had several heart-wrenching calls and messages from a VERY unhappy and distressed little girl :(  

Poor Sam wasn't feeling to well though - he was sooooo quiet and had a bad sore throat.  Luckily I had some throat sweets and meds in the house which helped a bit.  We hung out at home for a bit, while Laurence drove his friend back to Tofield.  Sam looked at his sunflowers and peas, and we played a game of Othello - he beat me!!!  Sigh.....

Then we headed in to town and met up with some friends at Kidz Quarterz.  I got to chat with Tracy for a while, Laurence bonded with her husband over used cars (lol) and Sam played with Tracy's youngest two.....

We saw more friends as we were leaving which was nice :)  

Once we got outside and into the car though, Sams meds were wearing off and he was quite tearful.  I checked Lloyd was home and took him home earlier than planned because I felt he needed to just have a nap or flop on the sofa for a while.  

It was lovely to have my boy back home and with me - where he belongs - even if just for a few hours, but was hard to see him feeling so bad.  He really goes down hill fast when he is sick - he doesn't eat and is always so quiet :(  

Roll on Sunday when Sam and Abby are home again :)  It's been a long week without them!

It was lovely to have time with Laurence - we don't get to have one on one time very often - but having just one child is sooooooo QUIET - I much prefer when my life is busy and filled with noise :)

Love this :)

Bad Girl Art :)

Someone yarn-bombed Sherwood Park :)

I've seen yarn bombing in Edmonton, but it was quite a fun surprise to see someone had yarn bombed in Sherwood Park!  The benches, trees and cycle racks were all covered in knitting and crochet this week :)  

Fun!!!  :)

Snapshots from my Saturday....

Tonights sunset:

I was ill today so soaked in the bath for a while and watched 'Life Unexpected' on Netflix.  Susannah brought me an ice cream.  If you haven't seen 'Life Unexpected' then I totally recommend it!  Fabulous show!  I have only watched the season pilot and episode one today - bawled through episode one!  Tara has recommended it a while ago and she said she bawled too!  It's basically about a teenaged girl who has been in 7 different foster homes - she finds her birth parents but their lives are still quite a mess really - and although they want her in their life, they struggle with getting their act together.  

Rosie has been my shadow for the last day or so....she literally won't leave my side, and keeps sitting too close and staring at me - it's as if she wanted to tell me something but couldn't.  It was constant and really strange!  This morning I suddenly threw up my morning coffee - and since then she has been much better - so I guess she knew I was sick before I did!!  Yesterday I felt achey and my head was heavy but I didn't feel sick.  Strange!!  

My scarlet honeysuckle didn't do so great this year - until NOW - which surprised me as they have had a lot of rain and sunshine here.

The kids are FASCINATED by this little guy - he is living outside the front door and they love watching him feed and wrap up flies in webbing etc etc....the big ball thing on his back - is that his abdomen??  I don't know - it's HUGE - like abnormally huge!  It's a type of Orb weaver.  Gross - but interesting lol!!

Pictures from Thursdays storm!

Driving in to get Laurence from work on Thursday evening - at sunset:

Rainbow during a break in the storm:

This was taken during daylight hours - in front of me the clouds were sooooo dark from the storm - but in the mirror I could see bright sunlight still!  The difference was amazing!!

It was cold during the storm 13c, so I sat with the fire going and painted!

We drove out to Tofield to pick up Laurences friend as she was staying the night - the clouds were really unusual:

It was really dark during the storm even though it was only supper time:

Lots of lovely rainbow shots and unusual clouds to photograph:

Yay, congratulations!!!!!

Laurence passed his driving test this week - first time!!!

We went out on Tuesday evening and practiced parallel parking - and on Wednesday evening our friend Ki took him out driving to get him used to being with someone different - and also to pick up on anything I might have forgotten to tell him or taught wrong!  

Then Thursday he took his test!  Soooo proud!!  I knew he could do it, but was worried nerves would get the better of him!  He is a great driver though - mature and responsible!!  

Well done Laurence!  Stay safe xxx

This picture is of him in the Registry filling out the forms for his new licence:

Duchess Bake Shop.....

One of my goals this Summer was to FINALLY make it to the Duchess Bake Shop, to try their French Macaroons - one of the only places in Edmonton you can buy them without ordering online!!

I do want to take Abigail there one day for a girls afternoon out - maybe this week....but I wanted to be sure to get there AND I wanted Laurence to go there to see the cafe as he is planning to become a pastry chef and if he studies in Edmonton, he will need to do work experience somewhere.

He is also keen to run his own coffee shop/ bakery - so it was very interesting to see his thoughts on Duchess. It isn't the style of cafe he wants to run - BUT he does want to bake his own products in-store, so it was good to go there!!!

There were good things and bad things about Duchess.  I wasn't overly impressed - with the food or the cafe - BUT it is somewhere that feels kind of special and a bit of a treat compared to somewhere like Cafe Haven - which is more your every day kind of coffee place.  

The coffee was great - although not as good as Fuss Cupcakes coffee which is still my favourite :)

The Macaroons are tiny - I had never seen them before, so expected them to be more your average cookie size!!  No - they are bite size!!  To be honest apart from the cream inside - which is the most incredibly light and silky cream, they were over-priced undercooked chewy meringues!  

Still, I am really pleased we went - we had a lovely visit and got to chat about Laurences future plans a lot - AND I got to buy some macaroons to photograph :)  

I am looking forward to taking Abigail there soon :)  

Laurence bought this cake - which was covered in a very thin marzipan fondant and filled with a jam sponge and the lightest, fluffiest cream EVER!!  Laurence needs to work there to learn about the cream!!  :)  

A few favourite pics.....

Quotes, sayings, life advice.....things I have read that really spoke to me - or reflected my life:

Black and white....

Art time :)

Yesterday I had a relaxing morning at home. I made the most of it, and chillaxed on the back deck in the sunshine and worked on a couple of canvases. They are still 'wips' (works in progress) and not finished, but I am happy with how they are going so far :)

Testing, testing!!

Downloaded an app to blog from my phone. Just testing to see how it works :)

Adding a pic of my little Sammy - taken at home today. He wasn't feeling well. Will be glad to get him and Abby home on Sunday!!! :)