Wordless Wednesday - A Family Portrait

The first week of vacation

We've just finished our first week and a bit of vacation and it has been tremendous. I've really missed being away from the kids. I love the morning rituals, the breakfast together and just being able to watch them play without me worrying about getting work on time. We don't have any glamourous plans, especially with Craig teaching summer school, but we are hoping to schedule in a few nearby getaways here and there. I've gotten right back into the swing of things with a few playdates scheduled already and am looking into some classes/lessons for Brea to partake in over the next few months.

Our first surprise of the summer was a drop-in visit from Uncle Kent and Madison! The Penticton clan had recently made plans to have a new addition to their family and the lucky puppy was delivered via Vancouver so we had a lovely, albeit, short visit and got to meet Revy! He is the most adorable Goldendoodle in the world! Brea loved meeting him and was so curious with everything he did. Her big plan for the summer is to visit Penticton so that she might have a chance to go walking with Revy and hold his leash like her big cousin Madison. Rhys on the other hand wanted to see Revy and marveled at everything he did but once the puppy came remotely close, he'd clamber quickly to either Craig or myself, then glance shyly while hiding behind us. We would have loved to have seen our visitors for longer but totally understood them wanting to get home for the rest of the family to meet their new puppy.

A girl and her dog

The adorable Revy!

In search of Revy...

We have also made it out to a few of our local beaches over this past week to enjoy the marvelous weather. I think we'll be taking things easy this summer with plenty of time to get together with friends and family :o)

Wordless Wednesday - Chalk it up!

An artiste in the making! (With a lot of little help from Mommy)

Wordless Wednesday - When we're not looking II...

This is what Nana does to Rhys when we're not looking...

and he really was SO happy to dress-up with his big sister.

A handsome Snow White

The True Heart of Vancouver

It has been two days since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup and though I was saddened by the Canuck's loss, I was rendered much worse by the events that followed it. The news has been bombarded by the "Stanley Cup Riots of 2011" and pictures and videos of destruction and violence has been everywhere in the media. The world has had their eyes and ears focused on us and the image that has been painted of Vancouver has been a bleak one.

I was embarrassed for the true Canucks fans, horrified for the innocent people caught in the fray, and I felt  for all of the good samaritans and our police force who put themselves in harms way. I spoke to my students about these events and how it has made them feel and it is the same from all of them - the behaviour of a few ruined it for us all. My middle school students were disgusted by the rioters and asked me what would make people do things like this. I had no good answer.

However, from all of this mess, it has made my heart glad to see the numerous faces and kind words from the real Vancouverites, the people who love their city, who took a stand and helped to help clean up the destruction. The wall of condolences at the Bay downtown and the sticky notes on a police cruiser, these are the things  that I will carry with me from the events of these past few days.

Wordless Wednesday - When we're not looking...

When we're not looking, this is what she does to her brother...

The Big One!

I feel terrible that it's been nearly two weeks since Rhys's first birthday and I still haven't gotten a post up about it. This is really the first day since I've been back to work that I've managed to get both kids asleep before 9:30pm and not have some other work to do (well, I do have work but I'm choosing not to do it). The kids are adjusting to the new schedule and loving their time with Nana but it's become quite difficult at night when they start acting up with attention seeking behaviour now that Mommy and Daddy are both away from them during the day. In short, we are both very, very tired.

But back to the party...

Rhys had an amazing time with family and friends on his first birthday. He has recently started to take little steps but his usual mode of crawling kept him in pace with some of the "older" kids there. He discovered balloons, he chased other babies, he was happy to go from person to person eating tidbits of their plates and when it came time for cake... did he ever enjoy it!

Our little guy was very tuckered out by the festivities and passed out into slumber land as the last guests left but what a momentous day it was for him.

Thank-you so much everyone for making it and help us in celebrating :o)