tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83020774654179166212024-03-05T20:54:55.906-06:00The Virden EnAbeler"It is not enough to acquire wisdom, it is necessary to employ it." - CiceroJenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-44681538579487654872014-03-08T16:38:00.002-06:002014-03-08T16:40:14.794-06:00Georgia, the Gymnast!Georgia and her teammates attended their first gymnastics competition in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in late February. They all competed at the Provincial 1 (P1) Argo level and did REALLY well as a team and individually. <br />
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Georgia had a rough start but did not let that faze her. She tried her hardest on all of her events and even though some didn't finish the way they had in practice she did not let that shake her positive attitude. <br />
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Her hard work netted some pretty impressive results: Georgia won a bronze medal for her beam routine! She tied for 9th on floor. And finished 11th overall, out 17 gymnasts. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceu-l99XWuffnxMwTNFR01MeX7qUy0lQFjFKS9ssihtW4wp0NI_O7GssVG4d9Gkg9b1UUqNVTdph5Td4aC4oeycdMYv8zTmvQknfNfQX577_SkW-BGNE0U6drdM64GbT_5OKbqyPbiEM/s1600/IMG_20140216_114135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceu-l99XWuffnxMwTNFR01MeX7qUy0lQFjFKS9ssihtW4wp0NI_O7GssVG4d9Gkg9b1UUqNVTdph5Td4aC4oeycdMYv8zTmvQknfNfQX577_SkW-BGNE0U6drdM64GbT_5OKbqyPbiEM/s1600/IMG_20140216_114135.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DADDY, I WON A BRONZE ON BEAM!!!!!</td></tr>
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She was so proud of herself when they called her name. We are proud of you too baby, not just for the medal, although that is fantastic, but for the hard work you put in every week at the gym and to have been brave enough to get out there to compete in the first place. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">WAY TO GO GEORGIA!</span></strong>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-78818761888506656582014-02-02T13:31:00.002-06:002014-02-03T08:52:02.777-06:00UPDATED: Pro Tips for surviving watching the Super Bowl<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwek2S0s5SNYuWANwJi_j-PXRLLP0kI0J5vUXO5AH1ybeokbZ831MEAHW_rOtSG2Z8-NzFtrXicnb9kTumrY8s2LnCDc7QYsCTvZiCHQ3FinIcxrls886o3STwwCCnwo-Oy1X3up_WmKs/s1600/broncos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwek2S0s5SNYuWANwJi_j-PXRLLP0kI0J5vUXO5AH1ybeokbZ831MEAHW_rOtSG2Z8-NzFtrXicnb9kTumrY8s2LnCDc7QYsCTvZiCHQ3FinIcxrls886o3STwwCCnwo-Oy1X3up_WmKs/s1600/broncos.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GO BRONCOS!<br />
Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.nflwallpapers10.net/">www.nflwallpapers10.net</a> </td></tr>
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I am, obviously, a sucker for the ridiculous made-up American Holidays. Today is my second favourite; only slightly behind Black Friday. I fully intend to celebrate this hallowed day with the sharing of artery clogging food stuffs and belch inducing beverages with cherished friends and family. Good times!<br />
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I have been a fan of the Denver Broncos since I was in high school and let's just say the late 80's was not an easy time to be a Broncos fan. Sure, sure they made it to two Super Bowls in three years (1988, 1990) but they lost <em>decisively</em> in each. (S<em>uppressed sob.)</em> The late 90's was way better- winning 2 back-to-back Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999. <br />
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So sufficed to say I have watched more than a few Super Bowl and thought that I would offer a few Pro-Tips for how to enjoy this very American TV event. <br />
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I need to say this up front: I LOVE watching the Super Bowl! By admitting this publically it makes me a complete hypocrite any time I say I hate reality TV. The Super Bowl is the Big Daddy of reality TV. It is so cheesy that my fingers are often orange by the end of the show!<br />
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The first step to enjoyment is to embrace the Cheese! Roll in it! Savour it on your tongue! You <em>MUST</em> understand that the Super Bowl is not <em>really</em> about football. It is about the business of how Americans want to project themselves to the world and this is done with a 5-day advertising blitz for <u>billions</u> of people. And we all- <em>everyone</em>- flock to it like rats to the Pied Piper. <em> </em><br />
<em></em><br />
So take this idea, strip off the Instragram filters that are applied to this spectacle and enjoy it for the mindless entertainment it is meant to be. Here is my advice for how to enjoy the Super Bowl:<br />
<ol>
<li>In September of each year pick a team, any team, and make a wager with someone that your team will get to the Big Show. Likely, you will be wrong so be prepared to pick another team in late January of the following year. It happens; best to get over it. Don't take it personally. If, by some odd chance, your team does make it to the end- totally take credit for having helped them along the way. </li>
<li>My best advice is to not watch anything on TV- at all- for at least 4 days before the Super Bowl. But if you <em>must</em> watch TV avoid NBC, FOX and all American Sports channels. If you do you will drown in your own tears for watching the in-depth soft-focus interviews of everyone even remotely related to the team. Soup to nuts everyone gets their turn- on both teams! There will be 30 minute special on the ferocity required to be a water-boy or towel-girl in the NFL.(<em>Seriously, they are all PhD'd sports therapists ...to carry towels!)</em> There will be a 1 hour special on the cheerleaders, with focus on one special cheerleader who has over come something significant (<em>best guess: an eating disorder or tragic early hair loss)</em> and will speak passionately about how her girls, God, football and the (<em>insert football team name here</em>) have helped her to love herself for who she is today. There will, of course, be interviews from the latest "hero" of the NFL who was last year's bad boy/felon. My favourite is always the 2 hour "documentary" of the aging veteran player (<em>real age 34-38, equivalent football age 75-125</em>) who is either retiring shortly, having his last game or is on a "come back" having never actually left the league! </li>
<li>Turn on the TV no sooner than 1 hour before the game. With this amount of time you will see the last highlight reel for the season focusing on the two teams playing today. It will be filled with slow-motion captures, miked athletes on-field during clutch plays, crowd shots, and sit-down interviews with coaches and QBs talking about excellence, teamwork and leadership. The producers of the show guarantee you will be inspired. At about this point the entertainment level of the commercials will start to increase.</li>
<li>30 minutes 'til game start will get you team introductions, fireworks, coin toss and singing. Still nothing you really need to see but this is where it starts to get interesting. Songs will be sung to glorify the State of the Union and the battle about to be fought. Most singers do a good job but occasionally someone will bungle the words. It will be funny and, generally, overly long. The good commercials start now!</li>
<li>The game starts. Yada, yada, yada. There will be throwing and catching. Highlights will be replayed to tell you when you should either cheer or boo. Lots of commercials!</li>
<li>Half time: there will be a very showy half time show of random current and aging pop/rock stars. It will be what people are talking about tomorrow at work- so pay attention. Half of the people in the world will criticize this performance. The other will defend it and call it "artistic albeit slightly off-key". Whatevs- let's get back to the <strike>football</strike> commercials. </li>
<li>Back to the Game:Yada, yada, yada. There will be more throwing and catching. More commercials!</li>
<li>Last 2 minutes of the game (<em>25 minutes real time</em>). This will last forever, no matter how the game is proceeding.</li>
<li>Game done! Don't worry there is still another hour of Super Bowl left even once the football is all gone. The winning team will be acting like they just WON THE WORLD! They are <em>GOING TO DISNEYLAND </em>and politely congratulating their opponents for having LOST. We circle back to the speeches on excellence, teamwork, and leadership.</li>
</ol>
And just like that life will metaphorically return to your regularly scheduled programming... already in progress. (<em>lights fade to black.) </em>Waiting for next September when you pick your team. <br />
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As wool is my witness: Denver Broncos, I will always choose you!<br />
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">HAPPY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"></span></strong> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"> P.S.) <strike>Dad, you owe me $10!</strike> Dad I owe you $10.</span></div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-31502677057789781632013-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-21T08:00:04.950-06:00Halloween 2013 <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBO1FIGXuTN0N9FLwMMWw5EJCjvj9O7_eHDwzIP9rkyJJ48QXR5Avw2ZE1TOnuwVIK8MQYJJzFy63aifLH57ZCs0E8qJVX-N0-fPZLwBx476QPNdoDfCgL259C92XbOqoIwxfmxr6_Hq4/s1600/Family+2-+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBO1FIGXuTN0N9FLwMMWw5EJCjvj9O7_eHDwzIP9rkyJJ48QXR5Avw2ZE1TOnuwVIK8MQYJJzFy63aifLH57ZCs0E8qJVX-N0-fPZLwBx476QPNdoDfCgL259C92XbOqoIwxfmxr6_Hq4/s640/Family+2-+2013.JPG" width="640" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abel Family, Halloween 2013</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Halloween Everyone!</span></strong><br />
We hope your evening was appropriately frightening. This is a little late but here is our annual Halloween picture. Our costumes were celebrating Day of the Dead. The kids were skeletons and Scott and I were their Keepers. Or Grim Reapers, your choice.<br />
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Finn's face glowed in the dark and deeply resembled that face that flashes- for a split second- in the movie "The Exorcist". It was very simple yet disturbingly scary and he really didn't even know why. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hwbAt9UiqBV9ojXg7VwPW7S6gi27TQYloUzahZABQN4KYHyHugFrUqiEQsp2vXARsTvqfdDVYcTg0H2A-WtSIPQkeS0iQhf5SOXgTrD6BqqAWOH1asvD0ok_EVVe8q_hcTzIhTqOyeI/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_356911="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hwbAt9UiqBV9ojXg7VwPW7S6gi27TQYloUzahZABQN4KYHyHugFrUqiEQsp2vXARsTvqfdDVYcTg0H2A-WtSIPQkeS0iQhf5SOXgTrD6BqqAWOH1asvD0ok_EVVe8q_hcTzIhTqOyeI/s320/IMG_0847.JPG" width="239" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the first version- which he found unacceptable.<br />
He told me to redo the make-up and to, this time, not make it so shabby.<br />
Everyone is a critic.</td></tr>
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Georgia, the kindest and gentlest of our kids, always seems to have the best evil faces. That is a scary thought unto itself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCrbgaAmFBaKEgW0d3Oh_l8xEf1J78NdYVDIhbk5x9L3LpzIbTFTsfijYybVmYNQkYborlZALjvbdFGVQal4CjPfjIZ3ZCHTspLWijBrgaNM3H64smHTxR29ApB1LunAROYJmyT3EaKY/s1600/IMG_0846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_356911="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCrbgaAmFBaKEgW0d3Oh_l8xEf1J78NdYVDIhbk5x9L3LpzIbTFTsfijYybVmYNQkYborlZALjvbdFGVQal4CjPfjIZ3ZCHTspLWijBrgaNM3H64smHTxR29ApB1LunAROYJmyT3EaKY/s320/IMG_0846.JPG" width="239" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was G's version the night before at a Halloween party.</td></tr>
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Olivia had a day look AND a night look. (Beacuse we had nothing else to do on Halloween aside from re-doing perfectly good make-up.) The full makeup was her day look for school. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8HHFkGQqpqYsMD_VxX_V-ITLI__r9ubX4Mj80T6_ElLFjRBPOm0YIyFFBmvcwF3Ygz43iuJE23Fy9xsGfW6BynuKdvV52LQdmK7zAO2eA-1KoSwWws4pz6wA0_gIHqdNi5c1HV73Nhw/s1600/Olivia+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_356911="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8HHFkGQqpqYsMD_VxX_V-ITLI__r9ubX4Mj80T6_ElLFjRBPOm0YIyFFBmvcwF3Ygz43iuJE23Fy9xsGfW6BynuKdvV52LQdmK7zAO2eA-1KoSwWws4pz6wA0_gIHqdNi5c1HV73Nhw/s320/Olivia+2013.JPG" width="239" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day look.</td></tr>
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We hope you had a great Halloween!<br />
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-74510441163235789352013-11-17T10:31:00.002-06:002013-11-17T10:31:14.939-06:00New York, New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Scott and I checked off one more thing on our Someday List: visit New York City. Check! We travelled with our good friends and frequent partners in crime Will and Wayne. We were helping Will celebrate a landmark birthday and celebrating our own anniversary. Hilarity ensued!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTClY5l_TOosUezU2EKsuV7Q7LijOxG83n5Wb8rGZafiGD5W-wOp9dARJKvFJjXVR4X8AVbgwtMol0ywy2uJuS2XXOFB_tmBdEmMTAHkHs6icwWeVu3WZH-SrQrSDLklCpq63hP14I7Qg/s1600/IMG_00000278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTClY5l_TOosUezU2EKsuV7Q7LijOxG83n5Wb8rGZafiGD5W-wOp9dARJKvFJjXVR4X8AVbgwtMol0ywy2uJuS2XXOFB_tmBdEmMTAHkHs6icwWeVu3WZH-SrQrSDLklCpq63hP14I7Qg/s320/IMG_00000278.jpg" width="320" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fantastic Four acting like weirdos in an elevator<br />
Clockwise from the top: Lumberjack, Honey Chac, Busy and Scooter</td></tr>
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We walked miles trying not to look like tourists (fail). We saw Times Square. We were at the top of the Empire State (day) and Rockefeller Buildings (night). We walked the Brooklyn Bridge. We visited Grand Central Station and the NYC Library. We visited the 9/11 memorial. We ate every 2-3 hours- partly in an effort to replenish energy and partly so that we could sample all the city had to offer. We saw a few shows. We bolted through some museums and art exhibitions. We rode the subway and walked though Central Park. We did a little shopping. <br />
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I actually overheard someone with a deep New York accent ask "How <em>you</em> doing?", say "Forgetaboutit" and exclaim with affection "Oy, <em>bubbe</em>, that baby is adorable!" I honestly thought that those were stereotypes that only existed on film or TV. I was wrong.<br />
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New Yorkers were very friendly. That shouldn't have surprised me but it did. We had several offers of directions when we were clearly not sure where we were going.<br />
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But mostly we laughed until our stomachs hurt and admired, what is arguably, one of the most impressive cities in the world. I get it now. New York was awesome!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3AMKcTbAmUaiUWXOuog6cNEubcE3Ce6o6mARnrWGlnsP2Lj-sO8W4AnmNjlGriebSXjNLF0GA_afarrg69znsRDwbfqdB-xqpArINBb8wAikiPqVkNwHgCqpFiY2PLacmdY4lm34Oqw/s1600/IMG_00000264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3AMKcTbAmUaiUWXOuog6cNEubcE3Ce6o6mARnrWGlnsP2Lj-sO8W4AnmNjlGriebSXjNLF0GA_afarrg69znsRDwbfqdB-xqpArINBb8wAikiPqVkNwHgCqpFiY2PLacmdY4lm34Oqw/s320/IMG_00000264.jpg" width="320" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking downtown from the top of the Empire State Building.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFakUntnk7Gdx_-66LR2br4tIuPvogjGZtfAatZ3rRNBPbOcL3VijFJKWPqJ8DT0uTHf7icgPIaM2sEawfFXtzbn2CLqy1MhlDU8DVuK1j4K7FclniAzJ_WFW3PtmYlv33p55EcK1k6I/s1600/IMG_00000286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFakUntnk7Gdx_-66LR2br4tIuPvogjGZtfAatZ3rRNBPbOcL3VijFJKWPqJ8DT0uTHf7icgPIaM2sEawfFXtzbn2CLqy1MhlDU8DVuK1j4K7FclniAzJ_WFW3PtmYlv33p55EcK1k6I/s320/IMG_00000286.jpg" width="180" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9/11 Memorial, South Pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15glN0dOkQFOL4WML-cKb0UabSGwwo71GSVWlJvoP-NLA9Miszk9hqots2poveJ6wn7KfKPhcLu1OjqWX88ny53DyB8fh6wvLVKHxCRsV1vBBVgvR4Vlp_-y8UkbPg_iR8WD0VkszjXY/s1600/IMG_00000292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15glN0dOkQFOL4WML-cKb0UabSGwwo71GSVWlJvoP-NLA9Miszk9hqots2poveJ6wn7KfKPhcLu1OjqWX88ny53DyB8fh6wvLVKHxCRsV1vBBVgvR4Vlp_-y8UkbPg_iR8WD0VkszjXY/s320/IMG_00000292.jpg" width="320" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Brooklyn Bridge, looking towards Brooklyn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhI-7sDoF6CTNlVaH5PxwMlU7OvT0JMDODYZXbdjJ4pN0i8Xa2Yyawnv5np38QultA5XFX85KLEvbU-r3D_hAgD6Yqltha1yB4VsSzH-fIVIs9DWRC5lIM8LAbW6E18wvI0IlI78uMPk/s1600/IMG_00000360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhI-7sDoF6CTNlVaH5PxwMlU7OvT0JMDODYZXbdjJ4pN0i8Xa2Yyawnv5np38QultA5XFX85KLEvbU-r3D_hAgD6Yqltha1yB4VsSzH-fIVIs9DWRC5lIM8LAbW6E18wvI0IlI78uMPk/s320/IMG_00000360.jpg" width="180" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colours of Central Park.<br />
(I think this is the prettiest pictures I have EVER taken.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw4AN-zkd7nKKvf6BnMeeQwT28qXVM7SC4_gPJimdGxJJnW5JxbfySxz-c6s2oXDVjo8qZukILNjyaz46fX2XBPOpyxNkCqLoXPO3Nfz7GNbIgx-DifW4TV1wI-QQcOx32iwATIzzW5g/s1600/IMG_00000494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitw4AN-zkd7nKKvf6BnMeeQwT28qXVM7SC4_gPJimdGxJJnW5JxbfySxz-c6s2oXDVjo8qZukILNjyaz46fX2XBPOpyxNkCqLoXPO3Nfz7GNbIgx-DifW4TV1wI-QQcOx32iwATIzzW5g/s320/IMG_00000494.jpg" width="320" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View into the park from the Upper West Side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_d55O6omrFUNXzMQPfHZZlZWlU9ikv-kRspU2o2YAkZAnQQGLHr63I-k3WLbkOvSd7T8Iisa-BYdzwVaNgZInvguO9mYt69OfVLCruhbQJdLBOu5g_jvZMWElEjmxz1KkH0XBA6QkAs/s1600/IMG_00000303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_d55O6omrFUNXzMQPfHZZlZWlU9ikv-kRspU2o2YAkZAnQQGLHr63I-k3WLbkOvSd7T8Iisa-BYdzwVaNgZInvguO9mYt69OfVLCruhbQJdLBOu5g_jvZMWElEjmxz1KkH0XBA6QkAs/s320/IMG_00000303.jpg" width="180" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rockefeller Plaza, getting ready for Christmas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5mnSYzBqyNKkyav0XAzdFDiON2ThyphenhyphenuH9A0ZOcqfS0fxotMfdBAevEEf7Z08qEU-mliXQNvy9_XvHeSeo42RUaJIMN6DDaE6LXXz3kksmb1wHPqxKq4aCG3bm91gMTIS2eV8YJmEEKJc/s1600/IMG_00000301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5mnSYzBqyNKkyav0XAzdFDiON2ThyphenhyphenuH9A0ZOcqfS0fxotMfdBAevEEf7Z08qEU-mliXQNvy9_XvHeSeo42RUaJIMN6DDaE6LXXz3kksmb1wHPqxKq4aCG3bm91gMTIS2eV8YJmEEKJc/s320/IMG_00000301.jpg" width="320" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There may have a been a few yarn and comic stores visited. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvTolDzwNeDECe_IsjVBCew-G-3OBrTYktQ7UQUSB9V6AgUowgjhOTM8svV7zKD2mYhi-IDIi28Mb9JcwkrwAXmRpUMUJhKGKID7Cf4-SLCVdiFZ9nCZrWWythoepERa3ooNza8g6sw/s1600/IMG_00000269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_387312="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvTolDzwNeDECe_IsjVBCew-G-3OBrTYktQ7UQUSB9V6AgUowgjhOTM8svV7zKD2mYhi-IDIi28Mb9JcwkrwAXmRpUMUJhKGKID7Cf4-SLCVdiFZ9nCZrWWythoepERa3ooNza8g6sw/s320/IMG_00000269.jpg" width="180" zsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LH Mitten admiring the view. <br />
Hold on tight, it was a long way down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
From all of us: Thanks for the good time, New York. Until we meet again...<br />
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-88787857766736223362013-10-19T10:43:00.002-05:002013-10-19T10:43:53.833-05:00An Open Letter to DaddyI alluded to our dress up event recently... Scott had a reception in Brandon as the incoming president of the Manitoba Bar Association.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5cBFff_4BWX_D9NK7dZhBqYHW9AuqozPs6RGzQ3A9Lli6Qu-l6HKys5DqBNo5uV3UqdPgzl1tc_9C0pqvyEu8kdf2yabP19QfgYoynNNz1CHWhOjlqI1SUfErstishw_xtJ9p0ZgHcA/s1600/photo+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5cBFff_4BWX_D9NK7dZhBqYHW9AuqozPs6RGzQ3A9Lli6Qu-l6HKys5DqBNo5uV3UqdPgzl1tc_9C0pqvyEu8kdf2yabP19QfgYoynNNz1CHWhOjlqI1SUfErstishw_xtJ9p0ZgHcA/s320/photo+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking good, Mr. President!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hi Daddy.<br />
<br />
Firstly, we love you. You are a great dad! You are fun. You always make time for us, play with us and have taught all of us how to draw really well. You take good care of us and let us eat in the living room when mom says no. That's cool. <br />
<br />
We know that you are a lawyer even if we don't fully understand what that means. To us it means that you go to work and help people. We know that sometimes that means going to court and sometimes you do it in your office. We think it involves a telephone, a computer and a lot of paper. It also seems to involve a lot of driving. We know that you work hard for us and for your clients.<br />
<br />
We know that you are more than just our Daddy and a lawyer. We know you also volunteer with the MBA, a group for lawyers. With the MBA you talk about how lawyers can help more people and that seems like a really good thing to spend your time on. We know that this is work that is important to you and we wanted you to know that we are proud of you. <br />
<br />
Thank you for being a good dad and helper for others. We love you very much. <br />
<br />
Love always, <br />
Olivia, Georgia and Finn<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0djT41eozb9vznkAcL9TucuZ_xQid-AFrtP1LSbzwCt_j_5yWmXVE5gjVrnsVf4BUmImZQDo5j9blejx-5O7E3sIROP35M5Pg4CvnL-8DIP9KKkgIMEaKLkzSJbkFk3EJPyw3jtBUg0/s1600/kids+october+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0djT41eozb9vznkAcL9TucuZ_xQid-AFrtP1LSbzwCt_j_5yWmXVE5gjVrnsVf4BUmImZQDo5j9blejx-5O7E3sIROP35M5Pg4CvnL-8DIP9KKkgIMEaKLkzSJbkFk3EJPyw3jtBUg0/s640/kids+october+2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love from 3 of your biggest fans!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-1517864080644035672013-09-27T06:28:00.003-05:002013-09-27T06:28:43.867-05:00I love the way kids thinkI took the kids shopping yesterday to buy some dress clothes. We have an event next week and, apparently, it has been a while since we have last had to dress up as a family.<br />
<br />
Georgia was the only one who didn't get to choose her own outfit while in the store. She was at gym, so I picked for her. We all got home and I showed her the outfit and asked her to try it on. I returned to find her doing this in the mirror...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnZFmNUrUHsm22QDs3xVIwdRPFzAHJ27sqWJWEMDLYPaR3gAloJNbfBgwKF6vXmjP7jafABWCU-bkG-wsn6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Er, she is poofing. Right. Who knew that crinolines could be so fun? <br />
<br />
She said that this was an "old fashioned dress that needed to be poofed up". And, maybe, in her mind this was the only way. It is certainly the most amusing way.<br />
<br />
Finn is just being weird. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnYEPu41MRFWbWTVDuJwIX8fd-8-NYQEloZLMuIoMH-ALNzFyIMTHljRPA8CIHvLC8e3YSWEj0nLg4Ickwqg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I thought he looked sharp. He thinks he looks like a cowboy because I couldn't find him a full suit in his size at the mall. He definitely will NOT be wearing the cowboy hat to our event next week.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-1935189079182329582013-09-14T10:42:00.003-05:002013-09-14T10:42:21.865-05:00Back to routine! Back to school!We're back to school now and that means back to routine. Thank goodness! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3MTVmumc44llZmR6thQ-Y5P7e80FRq87cjeX7SKQEQiJ-UioC1P4rdzJILmFfJhyphenhyphensYx7fl5k-ZYpI4NHioeR4oA7A6o-kiVIkhe6XJ2JB08PUYexJJVjGCU-L58ZfHNK5Z1dJfm02og/s1600/IMG_00000099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3MTVmumc44llZmR6thQ-Y5P7e80FRq87cjeX7SKQEQiJ-UioC1P4rdzJILmFfJhyphenhyphensYx7fl5k-ZYpI4NHioeR4oA7A6o-kiVIkhe6XJ2JB08PUYexJJVjGCU-L58ZfHNK5Z1dJfm02og/s640/IMG_00000099.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The traditional first day of school picture <br />
on the steps of the house.<br />
Who is this good looking crew?<br />
Olivia, grade 6. Georgia, grade 4.<br />
Finn, grade 2.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had a great summer but it is time to get back to work. We have a busy year ahead!<br />
<br />
Ready, set, GO!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-34606216427592766852013-09-06T06:39:00.003-05:002013-09-06T06:40:40.106-05:00Of course I did.So last weekend was all about cleaning the house. I'll expand in to the whys another time but sufficed to say the house was thoroughly cleaned- stem to stern!<br />
<br />
I have been reading some books about style lately. The main thesis of each of these books is essentially the same but can be boiled down to few really simple ideas:<br />
<ol>
<li>Fashion can be learned but style is your own; and</li>
<li>You need to TRY to look put together- all of the time. <strong><u>Every time</u></strong> you leave the house. No exceptions.</li>
</ol>
So we are moving beds and vacuuming under things that, clearly, haven't been moved in a long while. I look at the clock and it is time to go the store and pick up the Rug Doctor (deep cleaning vacuum) that I had reserved. <br />
<br />
I quickly look at myself in the mirror. My hair is a mess. I am wearing slubby and filthy clothes (<em>hey, I'm working here people</em>). My face is bare and sweat covered. I decide that I need to take a few minutes to TRY to pull myself together before leaving the house. I argue with myself that I'll only be gone a few minutes and that I am coming back home again to work. However, I stand firm and head to clean up.<br />
<br />
I put on some clean clothes: a t-shirt and dressier black shorts. I find a hat- there is no help for my hair. I wash my face and put on make up, well, powder and eyeliner but that is lots for me. I even put on earrings. I look in the mirror and congratulate myself for following through. <br />
<br />
I get to the store. I talk to several people about the machine and how it works. I sign the paperwork- holding up the line now forming behind me. I load the machine in the van and unload it again at home before I notice that the fly of my shorts is fully and completely wide open! <br />
<br />
<em>Of course it is</em>. <br />
<br />
TRYING, now, officially, requires me to look at myself <em>fully</em> in the mirror before leaving home. <br />
<br />
On the positive side at least I had put on earrings to bring the eye upward and to distract from the full view of my bright pink panties covered in little owls with glasses declaring that I was wearing my "Smarty Pants". <br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
<strong>Note to self</strong>: invest in some solid coloured underpants without ironic sayings!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-27783833803907468832013-08-04T13:20:00.002-05:002013-08-04T13:20:19.956-05:00Starting Tomorrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I ate at the Chinese place at the mall recently and had the following fortune in my cookie. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw9P4Ce_GmCV5W7VHPSaPO2_5Ehf3PhpQIwhQBbT_Yfdq_smKTWdjvuphyLYxHKqHBNiY612xNtuuqtFuugiDCEgYXyf-t5XJIH3yF2GBmmBKAAERJcVypx4RjovNcC_DqXLvUMhbDqg/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw9P4Ce_GmCV5W7VHPSaPO2_5Ehf3PhpQIwhQBbT_Yfdq_smKTWdjvuphyLYxHKqHBNiY612xNtuuqtFuugiDCEgYXyf-t5XJIH3yF2GBmmBKAAERJcVypx4RjovNcC_DqXLvUMhbDqg/s400/image.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone at the cookie factory has a sense of humour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I read it and immediately burst out laughing. Well, I actually sprayed Pepsi out of my nose while snorting uncontrollably but we'll just tidy that up to be "laughing". The nice couple to my immediate right were at first concerned for my health. (<em>No, I am not choking Mr. and Mrs. Good Samaritan but thank you for checking on me</em>.) But transitioned quickly to being concerned for my sanity when the spluttering and guffawing did not die down right away and kept coming back in random fits and starts over the next two minutes. (<em>Nothing to see here folks, move along</em>.)<br />
<br />
I took the fortune home and tacked it to my inspiration/mood board in my bedroom for further contemplation and amusement.<br />
<br />
The irony of receiving this quote- right now- is not lost on me. Lately I seem to be all about the "starting tomorrow I will... <em>insert goal here</em>". Some I have followed through on but, honestly, most I have not. <br />
<br />
When the universe is trying to get my attention I should at least have the courtesy of trying to understand what it is trying to say. Sometimes the universe tries hard to tell you important stuff in small and subtle ways other times it can be as obvious as a three year old holding their crotch while crossing their legs and squirming while assuring you that they do NOT need to pee. <br />
<br />
Thank you, Universe for the reminder. Message received. And, no, I do not need to pee.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMad2k-wdRJYisHM22LeYkYDif84JZCIm0sGgf_N4cMfi0CcxxBATQYLDWah_zhfc53bfe4xKqpj6A5k7Jz1ZIhyal2V3wTBoQLGcapNGI_cId4Dzyl9-T5NTZElzKq3glOIsZ-ODRY0/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMad2k-wdRJYisHM22LeYkYDif84JZCIm0sGgf_N4cMfi0CcxxBATQYLDWah_zhfc53bfe4xKqpj6A5k7Jz1ZIhyal2V3wTBoQLGcapNGI_cId4Dzyl9-T5NTZElzKq3glOIsZ-ODRY0/s400/image.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For those who are interested <br />
here is the rest of my inspiration/mood board. <br />
Like me, it is an eclectic mix of items.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-60058044110140902192013-06-28T09:59:00.003-05:002013-06-28T13:24:28.632-05:00Knock, Knock Mother......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With thanks to my sister I am now the proud owner of a large metal cock.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQzQV8nxnO1rw-gShySNLBFiUpgAU9onJVgwgmX6MCAGjnWkbsBlalcv3SC0aXNLYdfw-dtBd3yebclz-EjnUQ_xGN7Alapaxm7yn0yBM2wyG3qndwlQV4bIwwlOHgr0fZ1OACz3fafY/s1024/Virden-20130628-00319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQzQV8nxnO1rw-gShySNLBFiUpgAU9onJVgwgmX6MCAGjnWkbsBlalcv3SC0aXNLYdfw-dtBd3yebclz-EjnUQ_xGN7Alapaxm7yn0yBM2wyG3qndwlQV4bIwwlOHgr0fZ1OACz3fafY/s400/Virden-20130628-00319.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knock, Knock Mother Fucker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYnDV3Nl26Dal8ZEPABxW63aH6ZPpppYqlsjG0LpBmAIdcLGba-g7xr8WysOZgff63B4u6xA27zuwe_kKAkzYyQnAeXZiDwHt-ODFE5Q5g5YOfl-0syi9dy16ufoTFckCKcELo9WQrdU/s1024/IMG-20130628-00320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYnDV3Nl26Dal8ZEPABxW63aH6ZPpppYqlsjG0LpBmAIdcLGba-g7xr8WysOZgff63B4u6xA27zuwe_kKAkzYyQnAeXZiDwHt-ODFE5Q5g5YOfl-0syi9dy16ufoTFckCKcELo9WQrdU/s400/IMG-20130628-00320.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Beyonce: I wonder if anyone is home?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_hnQNjwlbAldubszzWYgvvBSAcneFAt74QoS6cPvbJEsBjZ7atR2kVWMrThDjFTDRBzDkiIPTOaDtnQZyzhrQmZzuo5w1wWajUSHrcadw69XPf2P5dEPzMwjvJx0729wc7na6KPPKNk/s1024/Virden-20130628-00321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_hnQNjwlbAldubszzWYgvvBSAcneFAt74QoS6cPvbJEsBjZ7atR2kVWMrThDjFTDRBzDkiIPTOaDtnQZyzhrQmZzuo5w1wWajUSHrcadw69XPf2P5dEPzMwjvJx0729wc7na6KPPKNk/s400/Virden-20130628-00321.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Beyonce: Hi! I'm new in town. Can we be friends?<br />
Sally the Gargoyle: What are you? I can't even look at you; you're horrible.</td></tr>
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Well played <a href="http://itsaprocessknitter.blogspot.ca/2013/04/the-birthday-mitten.html" target="_blank">Right Handed Mitten</a>. Well played.</div>
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Explaination for those who do not speak fluent Jen: </div>
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#1) Immediately goto your favourite bookseller and purchase the totally awesome book: "<a href="http://thebloggess.com/lets-pretend-this-never-happened-a-mostly-true-memoir/" target="_blank"><em>Let's pretend this never</em> <em>happened</em></a><em>. (A Mostly True Memoir)"</em> by Jenny Lawson</div>
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#2) Read the book. Right now! No, I'll wait.</div>
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#3) Now goto her blog page: <a href="http://www.thebloggess.com/">www.TheBloggess.com</a> </div>
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#4) Read this: <a href="http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/" target="_blank">Learn</a> to pick your battles. This should bring you up to speed.</div>
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#5) You are now equipped to deal with all of the information above. <br />
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You're welcome.</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-40140467845042616792013-05-26T17:52:00.002-05:002013-05-27T09:57:17.694-05:00Sun's Out! Guns Out! 2013<br />
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Black Friday Shopping Crew, Cali style.<br />
<em>(left to right: Lana, Corinna, Me, Hez, Stacey)</em><br />
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Corrina: Don't take a picture now! It's going to look like we are eating guacamole and cheesecake for dinner. Oh right, that IS what we are eating for dinner. BEST. DAY.EVER!</div>
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The Sun's Out, Guns Out pose.</div>
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Arms made super strong from hours and hours of shopping.</div>
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Like, marathon-long shopping. </div>
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Gratuitous bathing suit shot</div>
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Disney Girls</div>
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Here`s to 5 grown women playing by the pool; to the cannon ball contest, which had nothing <em>whatsoever</em> to do with the mudslides we were drinking at 9:30am; to wrestling with the floaty in the pool and to laughing so hard my face hurt.</div>
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Thanks for the fun trip.</div>
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Cheers!</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-28388697818642147882013-04-07T13:59:00.002-05:002013-04-07T13:59:30.483-05:00How to make the world and your mother smileGeorgia started yesterday by saying that she wanted to wear a moustache. I said that I could help with that. So we did this.<br />
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But it wasn't quite right yet...<br />
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Better! <br />
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Georgia: I look, how do you say, French!<br />
Olivia: No.You look, how do you say, weird.<br />
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And off we went to Brandon for lunch, shopping, gymnastics, bowling and dinner. Georgia told me at bedtime "that wearing a moustache was the right thing to do today, Mom." And, indeed, it was.<br />
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You make my heart smile Georgia. Thank you for that.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-65757572707929847882013-04-06T00:33:00.002-05:002013-04-06T00:38:03.357-05:00Finn, The BraveI have been reminded, by more than one person, that I haven't composed a birthday blog for Finn. It wasn't intentional. In my mind it was December just yesterday. My calendar stubbornly insists that it is now April. In my defence the view out the window agrees with my mind. Time seems to be passing at warp speed. I digress...<br />
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Instead of a birthday blog I want to tell you about Finn. He is a strong and funny and kind little boy. He is a caring brother. He is a good friend. He has a wickedly sarcastic sense of humour that both Scott and I love. He is sensitive and thoughtful. He says nightly poems and reads with his Mom and plays creative and imaginative Lego with his Dad. But you, dear reader, knew this already.<br />
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Today I want to tell you about Finn's bravery.<br />
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Finn was very brave today. He fell - on his face- at school during recess. On some kind of metal bar. The call I got at work was from a teacher telling me that there had been a fall and that Finn had fallen, cut his lip and maybe hurt his teeth. Would I come to the school to have a look?<br />
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I got to the school 2 minutes later to find him in the lobby of the school, surrounded by teachers, bleeding from the mouth and crying. Not a reassuring sight for any parent. I get the story of what happened from a few sources and get down to see the damage first hand.<br />
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What I saw made me feel like I had suddenly swallowed a hive of angry bees and rendered me momentarily speechless, to the absolute shock of many teachers who knew me already. I saw a cut lip, inside and out. I saw a bottom tooth missing and another hanging by a thread. When I lifted his top lip I saw his top 4 front teeth all pointing in different directions and very bloody gums. I was nearly sick but choked it down thinking that if Finn could deal with this so could I. My mind was racing with conflicting thoughts of dentist or doctor. doctor or dentist?<br />
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The doctor won. The emergency room said he was not in need of stitching but he did need to see a dentist quickly. We hadn't even got back to the van and he was pointing at the Ice Cream Island, across the street from the hospital, and reminding me that the doctor had said to eat soft food. And that ice cream was pretty soft, wasn't it mom? I agreed that it was but that we needed to focus right now get him to a dentist right away.<br />
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His next series of questions related to how old you have to be to be fitted with dentures (my answer: a lot older than 6) and whether he was the first kid in our family to have his teeth knocked out. I agreed that he was.<br />
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I count us all as being exceptionally lucky that our local dentist saw Finn right away. th<i>ankyouthankyouthankyou! </i>He reassured us both that no teeth needed to be pulled, right now, and then put all of his top teeth back into the correct position. He said they may come out very soon, as they are all now very loose, but seeing that these were all baby teeth that he was likely to lose them soon anyways. Soon, I agreed, not necessarily all simultaneously. <br />
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Did I mention that by the time we left the school he had stopped crying and was talking about driving into Winnipeg with his father to go to Comic-Con? He told the doctor he was fine at the hospital when asked how he was. And only whimpered slightly when the dentist pulled and pushed his teeth back into position. I felt sick to my stomach and excused myself with, what I hoped was, a reassuring smile to Finn so that I wouldn't vomit on the man who was helping my son.<br />
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Finn's biggest reaction was when he asked to see what had happened himself; so I took some pictures and showed him. This is the view after the hospital but before the dentist. <b>Be warned- these are not pretty.</b><br />
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I guess Finn will be getting to know his tooth fairy pretty well over the next short while. And let's hope she is carrying a lot of cash with her.</div>
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We were extra proud of Finn for making it through all of this with a calm demeanour and a sharp sense of humour. Good job Baby we love you!</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-26534844431566240872013-03-30T08:01:00.004-05:002013-03-30T08:09:27.602-05:00The Rule of Three FifthsI have a theory, in respect of my immediate family's health, I call it the "Rule of 3/5". This theory goes something like "if there is a common cold/virus/plague to be had one of us will inevitably get it and share it with a minimum of 3 out of 5 members of the family." I base this theory on experience. This has been the story of our winters for the past couple of years and, quite frankly, I am sick of it! (Pun intended.)<br />
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I think we are a normal active family. The kids are in public school and participate in a couple of extra curricular activities each. Scott and I both work outside of the home. We are all active and social without being obsessive about either. We know about the Canadian Food Guide and eat pretty healthfully. We take vitamins. We have access to good and free healthcare and visit the doctor and dentist when required and for regular check-ups. We have good hygiene. We sneeze into our elbows and all wash our hands, with soap, often. (I may be a little militant about those points.) And still we have been perpetually plagued with colds and viruses all winter. It is so frustrating.<br />
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I've always joked about home school or sending the kids to school in Hazmat suits. All it takes is for me to have a week where someone has been feeling sick, for Scott or I to have missed some work and to watch one tv show or movie about a superbug that kills the majority of the world population or turns us all into flesh eating zombies. I start doing the mental math and see US, or at least 3/5 of us, as the family of flesh eating zombies. I don't know about you but that gives me a frowny face. I would like to think that I am the type of mother who would prevent, if she could, Georgia being known as Patient Zero of the start of the zombie apocalypse.<br />
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Albert Camus` book <i>The Plague</i>, admittedly not an actual medical reference source, suggests (I paraphrase, of course) that the return of cold weather will kill a plague*. Well, we live in Manitoba and it has been winter and FFS it has been plenty cold. Yes, we've had a rough winter but I border on hyperbole when I describe our health as a plague.<br />
<br />
I cannot help but think about our environment and what is unique to the 5 of us... our house. I will be on a campaign this spring to clean out our ducts, the HRV unit, deep clean the carpets and furniture, vacuum the cats, install a purifier, or whatever else needs to be done to try keep us healthy. I am even contemplating an air test. Am I cray-cray? (Sorry, that is Finn's new favourite word.)<br />
<br />
I had complained to a friend about our family's lack of immunity this winter and she gave me a recipe for a vitamin packed smoothie that she feeds to her family.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><u>Leigh's Green Smoothie</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>1 cup coconut milk (Coconut Dream- original)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>1 scoop vanilla protein powder</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>1 handful of fresh spinach</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>fresh pineapple</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>frozen mango</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>banana (or 1/4 avocado*) </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Put this all in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
The only substitution I have made on Leigh's original recipe is to leave out the banana (yucky!) and to sometimes use an avocado instead. This add a creaminess to the smoothie and is super tasty. I've been drinking these for breakfast and can attest that it is delicious. Does it work? Well, since I have been drinking them I have been in the 2/5 group so I suppose that does say something. <br />
<br />
I know the season is changing albeit slowly. Soon we will all be outside more and getting more vitamin D from the sun. I hope that helps. I hope that we can go more than 2 continuous weeks without someone being sick. And it would be quite refreshing to take a road trip or visit a restaurant without having someone vomiting. I'm just saying...<br />
<br />
Happy Easter. We hope the Easter Pig finds YOU in good health.<br />
<br />
<br />
Footnotes:<br />
* Yes, I do understand that I should not be looking for actual medical advice from fictional literature. And, if i am being honest, I should also acknowledge that this was the one book from high school english class that I never finished in full. I <i>may</i> have skimmed a few, or a hundred, pages there. So, if this book book really does have the solution to solving health pandemics could someone please send me a text or an email. And, if you could, maybe let the WHO or the U.N. know too. Don't be selfish, dude.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-89629169281310491212013-01-11T22:24:00.003-06:002013-01-12T19:46:39.329-06:00Random bits of AWESOME in 2012<em><strong>So, Jen, I ask you ,what was so AWESOME about 2012?</strong></em> <br />
Well, I am so glad you asked me that. Our family had a pretty great year. It went fast but here are some of the very random highlights...<br />
<br />
We ended the year healthy believe it or not. All of us. We even managed to go on vacation without one (or all) of us catching the plague, a rash and getting a major UTI or ear infection before we left. This has to be a record of some sort. 2012 was a rough year on our health. We've had casts, concussions, reconstructive surgery, pneumonia, emergency dentistry work, every infectious disease that came through our public school, double pneumonia and a probably a few things I have managed to successfully block from my memory. Some would say we are just a normal active family but last January I was advocating for home schooling for the kids and mandatory Hazmat suits for anyone visiting the house. <br />
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We took some pretty amazing trips this year. We visited our home away from home in Palm Springs, CA twice this year as a family. We went tubing at Assissippi Ski hill in the winter and visited Grand Beach and Clear Lake in the summer. Scott and Finn went to Scout Camp and Georgia and Olivia each went to Girl Guide camp on their own. Scott and I travelled to Vancouver (CBA Conference), San Diego (Comic Con) and Las Vegas (to see Madonna in concert).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3DrZ2QxUhFgxBaPycgtMEG_LNQUIbJqk5sxodz4o_AwEeU95BCg8B5QjAEcHVTZhhEreuI9yjYkfEp4cQZuVq_pZ5ZxDeTjWWp1LHDy_I7dM0t1lDfckso4NGFidaNTusxy_z3i5Ebs/s1600/SAM_2000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3DrZ2QxUhFgxBaPycgtMEG_LNQUIbJqk5sxodz4o_AwEeU95BCg8B5QjAEcHVTZhhEreuI9yjYkfEp4cQZuVq_pZ5ZxDeTjWWp1LHDy_I7dM0t1lDfckso4NGFidaNTusxy_z3i5Ebs/s200/SAM_2000.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_n2X92I_2MrTXta6HQSAoqZ62HOo2Cm7wUdJuFcPN3gbnE33BL6g4gjCrHvmTzbPqBxYmayNlGn2XF79LdH9jadGLfiq1ly_x8M6QIVYvpi8_LwmYRebAlLxnv2ZcInLNs8ZCWbE0zU/s1600/SAM_1596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_n2X92I_2MrTXta6HQSAoqZ62HOo2Cm7wUdJuFcPN3gbnE33BL6g4gjCrHvmTzbPqBxYmayNlGn2XF79LdH9jadGLfiq1ly_x8M6QIVYvpi8_LwmYRebAlLxnv2ZcInLNs8ZCWbE0zU/s200/SAM_1596.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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There were some pretty important milestone birthdays in our family. Scott and I each turned 40. Olivia is now 10. Our nephew Quentin turned 18! My Dad, Bob, turned 60 and Scott's mom, Norma, turned 65. And my parents celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Yeah all of us!<br />
<br />
As above: Quentin turned 18 but more importantly he graduated high school! Congratulations Quentin! We are so proud of you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvBgafnEiDrh_iI9rur2nyQzEQ9rgbfU2d8dtawAilBw-uzzWydvnAKe0E4xk_JstIuEyqho6hXwQCdaodFbKXxF-DDI5Y4gJAJVcyYZIXOyF-wyZMNAQuNZe4Upv_0aXEYRngxVKTVU/s1600/200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvBgafnEiDrh_iI9rur2nyQzEQ9rgbfU2d8dtawAilBw-uzzWydvnAKe0E4xk_JstIuEyqho6hXwQCdaodFbKXxF-DDI5Y4gJAJVcyYZIXOyF-wyZMNAQuNZe4Upv_0aXEYRngxVKTVU/s320/200.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is that smart looking young man <br />
in the great looking Chucks!</td></tr>
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We had some great times with good friends.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7xypkGKHfU36FxClMdWkwhg8IF05pOF8fWe484LU8a1E3rNYIdiZagtl90EWOkaxk2ccMe-COu9RMDhtheQL8B1DsQMs9P7Bdencqrn9TRICH9oRsJBk-lyM_tUy3-K08DLzSu6Om7I/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7xypkGKHfU36FxClMdWkwhg8IF05pOF8fWe484LU8a1E3rNYIdiZagtl90EWOkaxk2ccMe-COu9RMDhtheQL8B1DsQMs9P7Bdencqrn9TRICH9oRsJBk-lyM_tUy3-K08DLzSu6Om7I/s320/055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing in the snow with the Duecks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLQSPfHybkdEd3x0Ig08vP4mWKZ_aSBrN6AxJgEUDhBzduuSzXVFqLHcHPGqBL6io5yAVtFzFQC-lqqwQprpR48nCQ-d_4JEo6Sj2o6GXfdZEWSSAZlHZzukW5tr4iukK402kcH54UPY/s1600/IMG-20121013-00180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLQSPfHybkdEd3x0Ig08vP4mWKZ_aSBrN6AxJgEUDhBzduuSzXVFqLHcHPGqBL6io5yAVtFzFQC-lqqwQprpR48nCQ-d_4JEo6Sj2o6GXfdZEWSSAZlHZzukW5tr4iukK402kcH54UPY/s200/IMG-20121013-00180.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M.A.D.O.N.N.A.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlm4QTjssHcUdVley-SnIntaOI9zp8HyJ2prI-D9o7dPJW4NpsldAnAnZUFDKJEM71Z9-V9aXJO5fCG9EWFiQ9DPcGRINEEgxV9EgOsAKq8vzjIcnkJp8eUTDgeu16nH66FMJ32fDt04/s1600/SAM_1512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlm4QTjssHcUdVley-SnIntaOI9zp8HyJ2prI-D9o7dPJW4NpsldAnAnZUFDKJEM71Z9-V9aXJO5fCG9EWFiQ9DPcGRINEEgxV9EgOsAKq8vzjIcnkJp8eUTDgeu16nH66FMJ32fDt04/s400/SAM_1512.JPG" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fantastic Four <br />
at Comic-Con 2012.<br />
Note: no costumes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4Gf5LGL7fu_YvC4AYAEGIH28J6FXP-Km_y-NKPc5MBokh0VePdIFaFEejAZ5cz8YGOiAEox2s0PmhJ1pnFcw5ny3YgcgvEXO_9nXeMLkJuSwDJMh72nrAaSv-TV9kA9B0DoE4KhoNE4/s1600/SAM_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4Gf5LGL7fu_YvC4AYAEGIH28J6FXP-Km_y-NKPc5MBokh0VePdIFaFEejAZ5cz8YGOiAEox2s0PmhJ1pnFcw5ny3YgcgvEXO_9nXeMLkJuSwDJMh72nrAaSv-TV9kA9B0DoE4KhoNE4/s320/SAM_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Segway tour through the San Diego Habour!</td></tr>
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The most unlikely thing we saw this year occurred this past Christmas when our family, my parents, Scott's parents and Tammy all visited California Adventure Park in Anaheim, CA. (First time visit for Mom, Dad, Norma and Dave! First visit to one of the Disney parks EVER for my Mom.) Everyone except Scott and Olivia rode the California Screamer Roller Coaster! <em>REALLY!!</em> Georgia and Finn were both tall enough and were eager to ride. Both Grandfathers were game too. The unlikely and really quite wonderful part was that BOTH grandmothers went on the coaster. It was a first and we were assured, by both, that it was also going to be the LAST time that would ever occur. So we had better have enjoyed the moment.</div>
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Finn was quoted after the ride as saying "I wasn't scared. I didn't even scream once." Norma quipped "Well, good for you. I sure as hell did!". </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grandmas, in solidarity,<br />
singing their version of Taylor Swift's<br />
"We are never ever, <u><em>EVER</em></u>, getting back together" <br />
to the California Screamer Roller Coast.</td></tr>
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We had lot so fun and travel but we also had a lot of business as usual. Both Scott and I had a good year at work. (Insert appropriate lawyer/engineer jokes here.) All kids are working hard at school. In their spare time they were busy with piano, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, gymnastics, dance and soccer. Olivia performed in her first play. She was a munchkin in a local production of "The Wizard of Oz". </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnFq31382c4yZreMOvvMqaCN-m2-oIVWvhTldaqzlKlQXFvMlXqJh9sUmHcMAiFG6mT63z-aoZDbVtlqshGiRayJRojtf_fI6HZWCLZ90AfRvd8dOVYYMu8SYEmrct1Iih9iaP_JAEBY/s1600/SAM_1954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnFq31382c4yZreMOvvMqaCN-m2-oIVWvhTldaqzlKlQXFvMlXqJh9sUmHcMAiFG6mT63z-aoZDbVtlqshGiRayJRojtf_fI6HZWCLZ90AfRvd8dOVYYMu8SYEmrct1Iih9iaP_JAEBY/s320/SAM_1954.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better watch out for this tough munchkin!<br />
Brava!</td></tr>
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Halloween was pretty good but those of you with a keen eye will notice that our daddy monster was not present in our traditional holiday shots. He was busy getting over double pneumonia and was unavailable at photo time. We gave him a pass from Trick or Treating but mostly because his doctor wouldn't let him out the hospital!</div>
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If we did anything else, well, I can't recall. Cheers to a great year!</div>
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This is a few days late but Happy New Year! We hope that your 2013 is filled with all things good: food, friends and fortune!</div>
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Drop me a comment to say Hi! Thank for reading!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPPvRyzkIQ_ru5DHvCihhRVaq1f3aohxHuYBdOn2ImReSWOnEMFSJCE-dVPQMBt0JJB2_9Ef9sVG3Enoo3cyo51AX-PDt4mfNup_n2VqYMKgwB2OTpzZ39sVFfos7di_iZnmZjUCWxbo/s1600/SAM_1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPPvRyzkIQ_ru5DHvCihhRVaq1f3aohxHuYBdOn2ImReSWOnEMFSJCE-dVPQMBt0JJB2_9Ef9sVG3Enoo3cyo51AX-PDt4mfNup_n2VqYMKgwB2OTpzZ39sVFfos7di_iZnmZjUCWxbo/s200/SAM_1788.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love: Jen </td></tr>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-6750348383719786102012-11-01T10:05:00.003-05:002012-11-01T13:00:58.044-05:00Happy Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXl3wqHN6Q8Yf5Z9HM6-ZjOdwJRIaG8fOvtyE3xwL8W5FJxlJn3HEx2hS91h8QSZCgrW5UT1IqGWGU71hZ3KljJv97EcR90wUVPdN1wlknT-NXaED3hk3AFj8RVMsDc7kVWKV3mcDTHE/s1600/creepy+greeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXl3wqHN6Q8Yf5Z9HM6-ZjOdwJRIaG8fOvtyE3xwL8W5FJxlJn3HEx2hS91h8QSZCgrW5UT1IqGWGU71hZ3KljJv97EcR90wUVPdN1wlknT-NXaED3hk3AFj8RVMsDc7kVWKV3mcDTHE/s640/creepy+greeting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-l_0jeUSMpDQL-vlzk1LFHmJOMxKfi2sFV1YVcEdqMy8QcYBLlsR5vGjuXwhtbtgmTaRQhtL2pyV_PpsO8XDfXi06WIo2j6uC5RTdOoENcpO4BT_P7SpvLPHVWx21AiQ1x-YWur4JqA/s1600/Ghostly+visitors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-l_0jeUSMpDQL-vlzk1LFHmJOMxKfi2sFV1YVcEdqMy8QcYBLlsR5vGjuXwhtbtgmTaRQhtL2pyV_PpsO8XDfXi06WIo2j6uC5RTdOoENcpO4BT_P7SpvLPHVWx21AiQ1x-YWur4JqA/s640/Ghostly+visitors.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind us... just the ghosts next door.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">We hope you had a fabulously terrifying Halloween!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">From our Fright House to yours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">xoxoxo </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">J</span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-48531812813891929132012-10-15T22:14:00.001-05:002013-11-17T10:34:07.912-06:00Checked Another Thing off the Someday ListScott and I had a really good weekend! We went to Las Vegas with our good friends Will and Wayne to see Madonna! <br />
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This was a pretty exciting event for two of us and, well... tolerated by the other two. I'll leave it to you to guess who is who in that scenario.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLQSPfHybkdEd3x0Ig08vP4mWKZ_aSBrN6AxJgEUDhBzduuSzXVFqLHcHPGqBL6io5yAVtFzFQC-lqqwQprpR48nCQ-d_4JEo6Sj2o6GXfdZEWSSAZlHZzukW5tr4iukK402kcH54UPY/s1600/IMG-20121013-00180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLQSPfHybkdEd3x0Ig08vP4mWKZ_aSBrN6AxJgEUDhBzduuSzXVFqLHcHPGqBL6io5yAVtFzFQC-lqqwQprpR48nCQ-d_4JEo6Sj2o6GXfdZEWSSAZlHZzukW5tr4iukK402kcH54UPY/s320/IMG-20121013-00180.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!</td></tr>
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I've mentioned my Someday List before... well, I just checked off another 2 items:<br />
<ul>
<li>Attend a concert for a big star.* Check!</li>
<li>And have really good seats.** Check!</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPnWjurgUt1hr1ayO7F9yCIcbXRVHAXcrz6AI0OrPfHgnztTnuTF7c4R5VWX79m9SMnRwIES3nw5LCpP0tj5gcQRDMEf4JCaWC6T5jTbWEnRtU1iBGemOpYnxfXNrejHgkyxO8jQNfIw/s1600/IMG-20121014-00184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPnWjurgUt1hr1ayO7F9yCIcbXRVHAXcrz6AI0OrPfHgnztTnuTF7c4R5VWX79m9SMnRwIES3nw5LCpP0tj5gcQRDMEf4JCaWC6T5jTbWEnRtU1iBGemOpYnxfXNrejHgkyxO8jQNfIw/s320/IMG-20121014-00184.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Material Girl, in person.</td></tr>
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Technically speaking I have checked the first one off several times as Scott and I have seen several big name concerts like Metallica, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Van Halen etc. I enjoyed all of those concerts but this one was kind of special in that we had to travel to get to the concert. <br />
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We found it kind of funny while people watching before the show to see the wide variety of age groups attending the concert. Some of that might have had to do with the price point for tickets or that we were in Vegas, after all. But I think it says more about the age of her fan base. <br />
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Will had been amused last week when telling one of his students that he was seeing Madonna in concert soon. The eight year old responded with "Madonna? Never heard of her. Have fun anyways."<br />
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My hair may be mostly grey now but I do not consider myself old. Not by any stretch. I turn 40 this year and as far as I am concerned I am just getting started. The best is yet to come.<br />
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Thanks Madonna for putting on a fun and entertaining show! And for still being around and relevant enough to have huge world tours when I -finally- had the means to see you in concert. You rock!<br />
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Vegas was awesome! I had a great time, guys. Thanks for the happy and fun memories!<br />
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<em><strong>Footnote:</strong></em><br />
* I would just like to say that I was pretty young when I wrote some of this list and going to a concert was kind of a big deal for me then. It wasn't something I was typically allowed to do. <br />
** Being able to GO to a concert was one thing but being able to get seats where I could actually clearly see the spidery veins on the back of the star's hands- and not just be in the same zipcode as the star/group- was another. AWESOMER!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-9144312347209199092012-10-09T12:27:00.003-05:002012-10-10T10:51:22.181-05:00Happy 10th Birthday Olivia!<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Our big girl turned 10 this weekend!</strong></span><br />
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To celebrate I would like to tell you 10 wonderful things about Olivia:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-jPyE4u4Z0aeTzgEvnQnXKisOVFeMnhB3hWMSlP8gxXV92BPa2MmDV-Y_ViQCQPmUZYCbx313EY_vFSEzdvULQWdp7w8zbNFUF8adK00tYdEX3UTs2XUNUwTlh0-VftzpUdsz3Eg1gk/s1600/SAM_1872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-jPyE4u4Z0aeTzgEvnQnXKisOVFeMnhB3hWMSlP8gxXV92BPa2MmDV-Y_ViQCQPmUZYCbx313EY_vFSEzdvULQWdp7w8zbNFUF8adK00tYdEX3UTs2XUNUwTlh0-VftzpUdsz3Eg1gk/s400/SAM_1872.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy birthday to me!</td></tr>
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1. She is cautious but she is very brave. She rode the Bullet (waterslide) at Grand Beach this summer, did gymnastic camp with her sister, ran for class rep in her new school...but she still doesn't want to go on The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney. And that's okay.<br />
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2. She is a proud ginger. Yeah for genetics!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73xG9V9OQ8z8nUlQ619dMPnYT8f1gkI7VgjCcmUbvt6lrudZNTrJ52OHSY3ET3xwF_n9azm6RXwrlS_1gDSp0aXOrMWo1npUgjf2gr45aj0STi8am9OIlHMIKvRBV3ATCsXX8XKg-ZKw/s1600/Frazer+Olivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73xG9V9OQ8z8nUlQ619dMPnYT8f1gkI7VgjCcmUbvt6lrudZNTrJ52OHSY3ET3xwF_n9azm6RXwrlS_1gDSp0aXOrMWo1npUgjf2gr45aj0STi8am9OIlHMIKvRBV3ATCsXX8XKg-ZKw/s320/Frazer+Olivia.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZvFn99d3GqUoz9YBZRo9J5fANyzaJdcbFW2TtQMopOWMiqIKGbwSWs_YtBBG1RSvWMZ5MsiCBhGPEy1GJJWBmk9BcJzFNmB3MHUoQpuQB6c3u0WfMkGDHhg7u62fCSGF5cfcKx6HzKU/s1600/so+you+say....JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZvFn99d3GqUoz9YBZRo9J5fANyzaJdcbFW2TtQMopOWMiqIKGbwSWs_YtBBG1RSvWMZ5MsiCBhGPEy1GJJWBmk9BcJzFNmB3MHUoQpuQB6c3u0WfMkGDHhg7u62fCSGF5cfcKx6HzKU/s320/so+you+say....JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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3. She is a kind sister and generous friend. She has many of the same friends that she has had since pre-school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIU7GhAzLOnyWZv91j_cAnaYlYRk4kgN-s4RaAHHfJFFkX6TsOY5wMJ77Mc3tHA2Mrw02A2m5yTlvS60Ngll_K6sMxWpqkh1O1al6w_3N_dJNbAdswr2OWEihdVDqAjrHH4OiPQdXGfw/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIU7GhAzLOnyWZv91j_cAnaYlYRk4kgN-s4RaAHHfJFFkX6TsOY5wMJ77Mc3tHA2Mrw02A2m5yTlvS60Ngll_K6sMxWpqkh1O1al6w_3N_dJNbAdswr2OWEihdVDqAjrHH4OiPQdXGfw/s320/067.JPG" width="320" /></a>4. She is a talented musician and artist. She also dances and sings.<br />
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5. She is fun AND funny.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXQeOP59pEzejr-255VjgTAOa9X0Sm979R_vxQlWc-VbTf0bclK72A7FAv-py9xHJNmTvJOl573Ns9aHaRJpATEEK13-qGNy7DlC3QIl0iRho1Xj4fD-w3_Slu_ytHmved__BGi4psJI/s1600/hey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXQeOP59pEzejr-255VjgTAOa9X0Sm979R_vxQlWc-VbTf0bclK72A7FAv-py9xHJNmTvJOl573Ns9aHaRJpATEEK13-qGNy7DlC3QIl0iRho1Xj4fD-w3_Slu_ytHmved__BGi4psJI/s320/hey.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hey</strong>! How <em>you</em> doing?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-njm1Eg6v6oNna_EjNcrVYp8rg224fL0aCS1BzRI91grr3RD-bfhDJlTMSoh-xBNvdbTbKsVY-T4XhtX6jj1FX701M4Zhkihm_XtBi1DSW_G1fNgwR3-TdlNHha2zPCfTvq2oaYKBkF0/s1600/HPIM1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-njm1Eg6v6oNna_EjNcrVYp8rg224fL0aCS1BzRI91grr3RD-bfhDJlTMSoh-xBNvdbTbKsVY-T4XhtX6jj1FX701M4Zhkihm_XtBi1DSW_G1fNgwR3-TdlNHha2zPCfTvq2oaYKBkF0/s320/HPIM1530.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's our princess! <br />
I have always called this "frozen booger" face.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68tD76anbY2txOPs_X7xhiWrPgfWY6SIgQZO4AgnFXkTZneAX3Pl4AeJjSpPHQTWot_icbHXqf3_dF39zvHhRq1TgSO2GHgBWBdnBXyQu_MtfNuu-ixPOD8pgvzggmnqq-HyMzQowtuw/s1600/hang+ten.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68tD76anbY2txOPs_X7xhiWrPgfWY6SIgQZO4AgnFXkTZneAX3Pl4AeJjSpPHQTWot_icbHXqf3_dF39zvHhRq1TgSO2GHgBWBdnBXyQu_MtfNuu-ixPOD8pgvzggmnqq-HyMzQowtuw/s400/hang+ten.JPG" width="290" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GYkhSR0-nnPzsEzu6gLlzCWB52FykvRgLiL8b4M84UmC8n6PzsV5ko33GTss4vQfU4ENhCAy2wkux72WslyYnmVNdOD5Hn2I172swp7xx6Y25wmAg_qoJY3c9PNz6nCyJChyphenhypheni0bfVFw/s1600/IMG-20120422-00020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GYkhSR0-nnPzsEzu6gLlzCWB52FykvRgLiL8b4M84UmC8n6PzsV5ko33GTss4vQfU4ENhCAy2wkux72WslyYnmVNdOD5Hn2I172swp7xx6Y25wmAg_qoJY3c9PNz6nCyJChyphenhypheni0bfVFw/s320/IMG-20120422-00020.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd rather kiss a Wookie!</td></tr>
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6. She is a smart and good student. A hard worker!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP_Lk-UHR2uT3Tt4y4uMzeXD8iJndHgoqlApmKlIQRb4LdOoPqOGno7sRrIct2-70ziWbaDqlGETisrLi1pM0gooGi2Buz7gUtiPwJ87tJm4uYV-ryWGC8AaZ3T-yncR8ypLyOCNdtZ4/s1600/Olivia-+first+day+kinder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP_Lk-UHR2uT3Tt4y4uMzeXD8iJndHgoqlApmKlIQRb4LdOoPqOGno7sRrIct2-70ziWbaDqlGETisrLi1pM0gooGi2Buz7gUtiPwJ87tJm4uYV-ryWGC8AaZ3T-yncR8ypLyOCNdtZ4/s320/Olivia-+first+day+kinder.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of Kindergarten. </td></tr>
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7. She gets frustrated because everyone says that Georgia looks like me and Finn looks like Scott and that she looks like no one. I say she's the lucky one that looks just like herself. She has traits from both sides of the family. She certainly has her parent's sense of humour...she is a smartypants just like them.<br />
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8. Olivia is a water baby. She is a very strong swimmer and loves to spend time in the water.<br />
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9. Olivia had to wait until her 10th birthday to get her ears pierced. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1yzl9ZCaUyNcGP7qBeqa5vaXcG0_UuRQxkSLEMvQl_RjUqTIwQxFNe-jHtReozYuKL03JqXFbey11RvVS4_g7jc4Dx6BMCIYxDLCU1USCz27JFyo4pTGPgrMDj0XTdDVBPH-YCUUWpM/s1600/Winnipeg-20121006-00163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1yzl9ZCaUyNcGP7qBeqa5vaXcG0_UuRQxkSLEMvQl_RjUqTIwQxFNe-jHtReozYuKL03JqXFbey11RvVS4_g7jc4Dx6BMCIYxDLCU1USCz27JFyo4pTGPgrMDj0XTdDVBPH-YCUUWpM/s400/Winnipeg-20121006-00163.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was only nervous for a minute or two!</td></tr>
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10.Olivia makes both Scott and I very proud to have her as our daughter. Seconds after she was born the doctor turned to me and said "It's a girl!" and I responded with a very certain, and possibly condescending, "I know." We were so glad to hold her in our arms. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQCXHBOkSATCcTdfIj-x-s6MVVSIjl6VmhVqTkDTNrVnHAfkwX74Mrt1DffjHvEEm-kwfr0pAY5HH5NCtYqz9H-znluIxEipKSMQqeh-L3-epXcso757pROxy9AACOoySUxYtMYZE9do/s1600/Angel.+better.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQCXHBOkSATCcTdfIj-x-s6MVVSIjl6VmhVqTkDTNrVnHAfkwX74Mrt1DffjHvEEm-kwfr0pAY5HH5NCtYqz9H-znluIxEipKSMQqeh-L3-epXcso757pROxy9AACOoySUxYtMYZE9do/s320/Angel.+better.jpg.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our angel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eIIrWLmZEjNLDavHvn4WhGwlPoknWEVOgP7v0j5op0YfVdwFOjoE19uu5uIAiGSPKb5_7VR9-FHM1DYXZvn3cxSQ7on59e1Eb8f5ExIvJ6KUsFszbQXBG9qMHCCzGbUP33k2iDkDVPg/s1600/Angel+crying.+better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eIIrWLmZEjNLDavHvn4WhGwlPoknWEVOgP7v0j5op0YfVdwFOjoE19uu5uIAiGSPKb5_7VR9-FHM1DYXZvn3cxSQ7on59e1Eb8f5ExIvJ6KUsFszbQXBG9qMHCCzGbUP33k2iDkDVPg/s320/Angel+crying.+better.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I always liked this shot better. <br />
Seemed more... representative.</td></tr>
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We love you very much. We know you are a big girl now but we still say: Happy Birthday Baby!</div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-35181187466747579802012-09-30T19:08:00.001-05:002012-09-30T19:08:28.950-05:00In praise of little suckers... and physicsUm, yeah (<em>giggle</em>)... now that I have your attention. I'd like to talk about the work involved in draining a pool. Quoting a funny, albeit fictional, physicist... Bazinga. Bet you didn't see that one coming. Get you mind out of the gutter.<br />
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It is the end of the season and it is time to put the pool away. I like getting the pool out and putting it up for the season but putting it away is nice too. <br />
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Typically running the heater anytime past the end of August is like throwing money out the window. We kept the heater on until September 9th this year and did well to use it most days through the summer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp1kcBKkF29dQgiM1DItFIauzTcXhtEOAyYkakZRt4NwDJALy9Hs1IE25mdvdCARH9Ju9E_JSz0JehXrkaEdRDxMwyH-QmCzjrDvOPYc1s_Vi8GJgL_4SDW9OCMgnVkPpVMAwechSEYw/s1600/SAM_1770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp1kcBKkF29dQgiM1DItFIauzTcXhtEOAyYkakZRt4NwDJALy9Hs1IE25mdvdCARH9Ju9E_JSz0JehXrkaEdRDxMwyH-QmCzjrDvOPYc1s_Vi8GJgL_4SDW9OCMgnVkPpVMAwechSEYw/s400/SAM_1770.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finn and Grandpa Bob in the pool <br />
on the last day of heat.<br />
Pool temp 28C.</td></tr>
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I think we turned off the heater right after they got out of the pool and not even two days later the temperature had dropped to:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqb6UF9NzFrfTSl5rkn22M2ZwEcar_gTQVBZ0kEedMiqqj8MHGAmkd6jwdadqak6hKMSUurz4W9YSSLqDFgMbqzTnCuq9cRj5f0lWHaFgvS4g0pgf6QRWz9EErpTODARu2SNVbaYjzc/s1600/SAM_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqb6UF9NzFrfTSl5rkn22M2ZwEcar_gTQVBZ0kEedMiqqj8MHGAmkd6jwdadqak6hKMSUurz4W9YSSLqDFgMbqzTnCuq9cRj5f0lWHaFgvS4g0pgf6QRWz9EErpTODARu2SNVbaYjzc/s320/SAM_1828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yowzers! How's that for heat loss?!</td></tr>
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Now, in years past we have drained the pool, with jet pump and hose, through our fence into one of the many empty adjacent lots. But now all the lots are filled. I am sure that although our new neighbours <em>are</em> trying to water all of their new sod that they would <strong><u>not</u></strong> appreciate 40,000L of chemical-ed water being drained into their yard.<br />
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Scott pulled out our trusty jet pump and tried to use that to drain the pool. He bought 100ft of hose to drain the water to the front street. But after several hours of pumping the level in the pool had not moved by more than a 1/2". I think we actually may have lost more to evaporation than by the pump. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mn9zqGValEqHjDIw6JnH_nUmw-qWXUM6PZWhhNAoaMusrJ7JVDgcpZ8dn9Gh-0l2z-Rg7TdEuWBOdPnXOjMeIFwSaxWcX20Ys7tw4dobeXfZ6UUw2GqH07uRoihmja20_i5rCvKB1w4/s1600/SAM_1827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mn9zqGValEqHjDIw6JnH_nUmw-qWXUM6PZWhhNAoaMusrJ7JVDgcpZ8dn9Gh-0l2z-Rg7TdEuWBOdPnXOjMeIFwSaxWcX20Ys7tw4dobeXfZ6UUw2GqH07uRoihmja20_i5rCvKB1w4/s320/SAM_1827.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before AND After picture using the jet pump.</td></tr>
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Scott couldn't get the pump apart to see if there was an abnormally large bug or small pool toy stuck in the impeller. Consultation with our pump expert, Dave, netted only the advice to take it apart. Pry it apart with a screwdriver, he advised. Although that was sound advice and, was tried, we thought we'd stop before Scott ended up bleeding. (Isn't that how all these stories end?) So we moved quickly to Plan B.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaeGOdbP1KXLJoKrhnClBwV4dNEuiwgi8XOoTSXsLasa3LhNBLHArRTxmIZVboSNb-bV2qc0GzC_c_vuF9xRwFHdGU9oF4H5_GNyQ45c42j_uTZl3OB_qJR0i_xysu7HIkoC_wY0EVYw/s1600/SAM_1841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaeGOdbP1KXLJoKrhnClBwV4dNEuiwgi8XOoTSXsLasa3LhNBLHArRTxmIZVboSNb-bV2qc0GzC_c_vuF9xRwFHdGU9oF4H5_GNyQ45c42j_uTZl3OB_qJR0i_xysu7HIkoC_wY0EVYw/s320/SAM_1841.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Plan B:</strong> New submersible pump!<br />
Don't judge me on the cleanliness of my pool.</td></tr>
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This little sucker worked like a dream. We had water flowing down the driveway in seconds and didn't have to freeze our arms to the elbow fussing with the hose under the very cold water. <br />
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We turned off the pump at bedtime, after having only run for a few hours, not wanting it to run through the night but we had enough suction going that it continued to drain because the water level of the pool was higher than the drain hose. Hydraulic head rocks! So we woke the next morning to an essentially empty pool.<br />
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That left all the hard work and heavy lifting for today. It went smoothly. After 4 or 5 years of putting this same $500 Costco pool I say we are getting pretty good at it. We'll see if this puppy can last one more summer. However, both Scott and I came inside afterwards and had a nap. My arms currently feel like they are made of lead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8BW1a6FJ99HyRLzP_knbKFrvpd4fM27rdSbSd-0-zPp8htLoxQ64G9SfF8bJ8hHfEZ-LXh8kmkrVxMhH9lEY-SjmITOL20Jtl9PZG-ZGTXvN-YipR3DNzHHJZrAhVLZhXiaFjj0xF4A/s1600/SAM_1848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8BW1a6FJ99HyRLzP_knbKFrvpd4fM27rdSbSd-0-zPp8htLoxQ64G9SfF8bJ8hHfEZ-LXh8kmkrVxMhH9lEY-SjmITOL20Jtl9PZG-ZGTXvN-YipR3DNzHHJZrAhVLZhXiaFjj0xF4A/s320/SAM_1848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What pool?! Can't prove we have a pool.</td></tr>
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We had a great summer and we are looking forward to seeing what fall brings!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-47313829953153571482012-09-16T17:24:00.004-05:002012-09-16T17:24:46.112-05:00Happiness smells like lemon cookies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPPvRyzkIQ_ru5DHvCihhRVaq1f3aohxHuYBdOn2ImReSWOnEMFSJCE-dVPQMBt0JJB2_9Ef9sVG3Enoo3cyo51AX-PDt4mfNup_n2VqYMKgwB2OTpzZ39sVFfos7di_iZnmZjUCWxbo/s1600/SAM_1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPPvRyzkIQ_ru5DHvCihhRVaq1f3aohxHuYBdOn2ImReSWOnEMFSJCE-dVPQMBt0JJB2_9Ef9sVG3Enoo3cyo51AX-PDt4mfNup_n2VqYMKgwB2OTpzZ39sVFfos7di_iZnmZjUCWxbo/s400/SAM_1788.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does this smile make my head look square?</td></tr>
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If I were a post card, <span style="font-family: inherit;">right</span> now, I would say "<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>You wish you were here!"</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is one of those beautiful late summer days where the grass is still green but the leaves are starting to turn yellow. The air is cool but not cold. Sitting in the sun without a sweater is a palpable pleasure.</span><br />
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I have been busy in the kitchen this afternoon and the house smells wonderful! This is my most favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I have made a big pot of chili and some fresh french bread for dinner. I made pumpkin bread for breakfasts this week. And I have made a new recipe discovery: <a href="http://www.ldsliving.com/story/64185-food-dish-cookie-recipe-contest-winner-recipe" target="_blank">Lemon Crinkle Cookies</a>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin bread and Lemon Crinkle Cookies!</td></tr>
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One of my favourite knitting blogs directed my attention to these cookies. I knew I would like them. If I had to describe what happiness tastes like I would say it tastes exactly like these cookies! They are a light sugar cookie with a sharp lemony tang. The powdered sugar adds a sweet but not over-powering finish.<br />
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Otherwise we are all business as usual. Almost all of our activities started last week and has put us in a nice back-to-school routine. The only thing outside of routine right now is Scott. He has pneumonia. He has meds now but clearly he has a long road to recovery ahead.<br />
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The kids have been fascinated with the ipod/computer game Minecraft these days. In fact, we've had to limit their ipod/computer time so that they can say that they have done something other than play Minecraft. The people in these games have little square heads with pixelated smiley faces. The people run away from green-faced zombies or creepers who are, I presume, trying to eat them. I went to work this morning and I came home to find Minecraft being played a whole different way. This way I don't mind at all! Although, I should probably go and look at the mess in the basement before I committ to that sentiment.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're not playing Minecraft on the computer! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll get you zombie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind me. <br />
Just your friendly neighbourhood zombie/cat.<br />
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Happy Sunday to you. May yours be spicy and warm too.</div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-60777479503798268592012-09-06T09:53:00.001-05:002012-09-06T09:53:05.945-05:00Back to school, or They're Tears of Pride, DAMMIT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is a photo essay for today. </div>
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Back to school day.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The traditional on the front step first-day of school picture. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grade 1 here I come! I am in full time school now.<br />
Me: <em>sniffle</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am in Grade 3!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grade 5! New school! Junior High!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: Never mind, I just have something in my eye.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All our big kids getting on the bus.<br />
Me: Good bye, have a great day! <em>suppressed sob</em></td></tr>
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I... may... have sat alone in the van for a minute after they got on the bus. My heart just grew so big all of a sudden that it caused my eyes to leak for a minute there.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-55064360446960723172012-09-03T12:42:00.001-05:002012-09-04T21:33:27.015-05:00Happy 8th Birthday Georgia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is Georgia's 8th birthday today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In her honour I will tell you 8 wonderful things about Georgia:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Georgia is a very kind and generous sister and friend. She is the little "mother hen" of any play group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Georgia is very funny and has a very infectious laugh. She is the kid that is hardest to yell at because she can make you laugh when you are trying to be serious.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS-auQjIuMerPrrjA-P0wMw3JpBTeIRgBcNJbjTTiirobUnC2na04gAquHmMTqoPaSLlMvorEQJaja46LxYXX600v6XFiIWpekuD5yYnWybxPO7P1S9JzWviadusyh-OHuhbLljmjN8g/s1600/HPIM1780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAS-auQjIuMerPrrjA-P0wMw3JpBTeIRgBcNJbjTTiirobUnC2na04gAquHmMTqoPaSLlMvorEQJaja46LxYXX600v6XFiIWpekuD5yYnWybxPO7P1S9JzWviadusyh-OHuhbLljmjN8g/s320/HPIM1780.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5rYkRuWmBO5Zx-xxUqM0_hv4kmRmDEJjBwfdkjkxuU0I1zzGoa8bnH3qoH8dfM3CiAkeoyy29Hx0IrdOGJ8K21L4urOwB1prArnV8a3h7nzNT3JQOdx4T0GppPS9mSa9p3ukeTzRpUs/s1600/100_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5rYkRuWmBO5Zx-xxUqM0_hv4kmRmDEJjBwfdkjkxuU0I1zzGoa8bnH3qoH8dfM3CiAkeoyy29Hx0IrdOGJ8K21L4urOwB1prArnV8a3h7nzNT3JQOdx4T0GppPS9mSa9p3ukeTzRpUs/s200/100_0826.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw7IdxAN_Phg-s9inU_5xTwmZdTKnyCBQUnv5kortfjBZr69KLdcgoyqi7UW2z-thSm47xwdQOx3t2iTkeF9Fv49LdFzzWlwX7E7sKk9f7ICLOtGKBsrpoM9EBc4Ki9JWmZsJzaN4CSs/s1600/DSC00847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlw7IdxAN_Phg-s9inU_5xTwmZdTKnyCBQUnv5kortfjBZr69KLdcgoyqi7UW2z-thSm47xwdQOx3t2iTkeF9Fv49LdFzzWlwX7E7sKk9f7ICLOtGKBsrpoM9EBc4Ki9JWmZsJzaN4CSs/s200/DSC00847.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3.Georgia has her own unique sense of style. She enjoys bright colours.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0eYTxrzPE5zaapxQERfSTRZU2AOqF0glU0Id8gJ-2VgubJ7aa2mYurehwET0ftb6EPkSWRlJLLIau_BuVl5l2WPNOCdvOKdlkUEYtPpbt_RAkUa3lVrj_awzi-ycZEV9Fm0qhjViFYk/s1600/HPIM2266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0eYTxrzPE5zaapxQERfSTRZU2AOqF0glU0Id8gJ-2VgubJ7aa2mYurehwET0ftb6EPkSWRlJLLIau_BuVl5l2WPNOCdvOKdlkUEYtPpbt_RAkUa3lVrj_awzi-ycZEV9Fm0qhjViFYk/s200/HPIM2266.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She wore this bathing suit & cap<br />
for an entire summer!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_Ca9EtPf21J9CwZom78UFxCwSyL9fxviEr4Z0156SDK95Ls_z9eRrLEDfvwA1iHT5vSbMGx49YMHhmelwVQOYalPVholVjUERFBbyxJc2JFkQyhF9frzXjeBdukiJenTSvjj0Vwlf0U/s1600/HPIM2048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_Ca9EtPf21J9CwZom78UFxCwSyL9fxviEr4Z0156SDK95Ls_z9eRrLEDfvwA1iHT5vSbMGx49YMHhmelwVQOYalPVholVjUERFBbyxJc2JFkQyhF9frzXjeBdukiJenTSvjj0Vwlf0U/s200/HPIM2048.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRrFkPTUdVQOxFsO7Cxcmc0cgJCxQSC-xM0AIm8hgYQFRy0Aimr7xSP2aztxFhK1OedoZ4M6ZRrgBIOcfg0e1BaWb3sMpqYsA98e3WT-0rqqafbWeV76q41v2r_Dd-aaMP1a5yamOuaE/s1600/HPIM1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRrFkPTUdVQOxFsO7Cxcmc0cgJCxQSC-xM0AIm8hgYQFRy0Aimr7xSP2aztxFhK1OedoZ4M6ZRrgBIOcfg0e1BaWb3sMpqYsA98e3WT-0rqqafbWeV76q41v2r_Dd-aaMP1a5yamOuaE/s200/HPIM1665.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Georgia likes stuffed animals. We hope she grows out of this before the house is overrun.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmayUDPflgF67VIOG89gopaMjMg4GGl9v6M-WyjFvOdf6P4idqPhvckueAsBjfjZvPsbVTgvSDaeeLufUOaKcuf_1ZYbiRq2wQC0FjDFSz5HoOR1OJUCkBFr-7LdMbon6W6oa5-ppW8/s1600/SAM_1746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmayUDPflgF67VIOG89gopaMjMg4GGl9v6M-WyjFvOdf6P4idqPhvckueAsBjfjZvPsbVTgvSDaeeLufUOaKcuf_1ZYbiRq2wQC0FjDFSz5HoOR1OJUCkBFr-7LdMbon6W6oa5-ppW8/s400/SAM_1746.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Georgia at bedtime.<br />
Enough already!<br />
Grandma Abel, I am looking at YOU!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5.Although she is very easygoing she has a titanium backbone and CANNOT be convinced of something different once she has made up her mind. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJaMfUJZBQjVZorh_IyBQHMMC7oVFJ6dlPo4YFdNuMqFF40oT4kRuOCRvRc2E1TLNouaJ9cknS7po7dEEtLNS_y6esF__7758wd0hIRTymjm8B9xBHkE9CJw7-0jXI1qoxcVNU3F7uuM/s1600/HPIM2224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJaMfUJZBQjVZorh_IyBQHMMC7oVFJ6dlPo4YFdNuMqFF40oT4kRuOCRvRc2E1TLNouaJ9cknS7po7dEEtLNS_y6esF__7758wd0hIRTymjm8B9xBHkE9CJw7-0jXI1qoxcVNU3F7uuM/s200/HPIM2224.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She said she wanted her hair all kinky.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wv4lPAfsXXE3HZjCSvErSsSKhb0xS8qbindAsbcrsohCs5zdmt5R7DwSZKA7mwmQT1MR49l1LLh8d60TJEncNA-3Oepma6mUVuPNq8tk2FTTTRr0ADOvtJUJKQLuZngpZq2Smd7Z5Kk/s1600/HPIM2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wv4lPAfsXXE3HZjCSvErSsSKhb0xS8qbindAsbcrsohCs5zdmt5R7DwSZKA7mwmQT1MR49l1LLh8d60TJEncNA-3Oepma6mUVuPNq8tk2FTTTRr0ADOvtJUJKQLuZngpZq2Smd7Z5Kk/s200/HPIM2226.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently she changed her mind.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Georgia is a smart cookie! Her current favourites are science; especially sharks and dinosaurs.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOAK3tZ_4eiXGBMNFYvwql0ki3ky0A1ukkn0wyNlgr_YKF_DstBgWDBMnohctI9iBhAbBX9IMQ-xKqvta-zLjmIsgbWGLAHlkY4Q-i0YmzOAXMDigXaeVxg6187BPAm-WndqfXHzmY2Q/s1600/SAM_1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOAK3tZ_4eiXGBMNFYvwql0ki3ky0A1ukkn0wyNlgr_YKF_DstBgWDBMnohctI9iBhAbBX9IMQ-xKqvta-zLjmIsgbWGLAHlkY4Q-i0YmzOAXMDigXaeVxg6187BPAm-WndqfXHzmY2Q/s320/SAM_1699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look what we made at Science Camp!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwlirWLvbcYriT-KFALl21dIEvomtSOgUViTFnjjYZyMNxxMKc211WCtL2wYPHYIkZ4SXE53fMqMQn0ndU7muOi92ox7lYTkJkMahQdkyIjM9N8m2djRHnedVoE8H6WJ61-rqeR-HcCU/s1600/HPIM1841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwlirWLvbcYriT-KFALl21dIEvomtSOgUViTFnjjYZyMNxxMKc211WCtL2wYPHYIkZ4SXE53fMqMQn0ndU7muOi92ox7lYTkJkMahQdkyIjM9N8m2djRHnedVoE8H6WJ61-rqeR-HcCU/s200/HPIM1841.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7.Georgia is a budding gymnast. She works hard at her sport and bends like she has no bones!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Georgia makes Scott and I very proud to have her as our daughter.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oZsP1tGNV7QSONjjfJhxjOI_uSGZnHWsBcHBbqCVwv-AvJIIcR0lewXzjzG78DGRWYWk0LTSal1jqLfZ4NxJu9PNsbtQQm3Xgss9Rb5vGskbbChV017SKGwA4tkYbcn36CmVGW4OpGg/s1600/Georgia+at+10+days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oZsP1tGNV7QSONjjfJhxjOI_uSGZnHWsBcHBbqCVwv-AvJIIcR0lewXzjzG78DGRWYWk0LTSal1jqLfZ4NxJu9PNsbtQQm3Xgss9Rb5vGskbbChV017SKGwA4tkYbcn36CmVGW4OpGg/s400/Georgia+at+10+days.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I swear this was just yesterday!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We love you baby. Happy Birthday!</span></div>
Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-64551984830356372962012-08-31T19:48:00.003-05:002012-08-31T19:48:52.063-05:00Nothing, nada, zipThe title is exactly what we plan on doing for as much of the weekend as we can! Sounds awesome, right? Of course our definition of "nothing, nada, zip" includes mowing the lawn, baking bread, making cookies, knitting various gifts, school shopping, prepping for school next week, tidying, reading comics, seeing if we can find 2 tap shoes in the same size anywhere in the house, planning meals and maybe, if we have some time, getting a few extra hours in at work when it is quiet. Sounds down right lazy to me. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXZ74u1_GJTYXR3i6uIxtdMezZtL9njYo6LjtqhiFLJvX3YucDGc2xUvWINnV3z6_NLIMdY95blkj2tE90Z98_6HSv_D7amfxUCJNvFg-eer7Njf09F9JouHmj1irLIPwUz9vJDupSh8/s1600/funny-pictures-cat-is-very-lazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXZ74u1_GJTYXR3i6uIxtdMezZtL9njYo6LjtqhiFLJvX3YucDGc2xUvWINnV3z6_NLIMdY95blkj2tE90Z98_6HSv_D7amfxUCJNvFg-eer7Njf09F9JouHmj1irLIPwUz9vJDupSh8/s400/funny-pictures-cat-is-very-lazy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had our big family party last weekend (it was great). I have no pictures to post yet. My nephew Quentin, who was assigned to take pictures, hasn't sent me the shots yet. So those pictures and details will come at some date in the future.<br />
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The girls did a week of gymnastics camp in Brandon. For the first 3 days they were very, very, very, very (x100 more) tired. They rode into Brandon with Scott each morning and had to get up early too. We were very proud of both girls for being part of such a challenging camp. They had three to five hours of gymnastics <em>each day</em>. My ab (singular) hurts just thinking about it! But Olivia gets bonus points this week for being brave enough to try something new. By the end of the week she was dropping into back bends and nearly doing the splits while Georgia was perfecting her front handspring walkouts.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">yeah, this is me just thinking about how much </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">work those two did this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(picture courtesy of <a href="http://www.wonderfulinfo.com/">www.wonderfulinfo.com</a>)</span></div>
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Finn, ever the cool kid, just hung out at the baby sitter's with friends.<br />
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Happy long weekend. Hope your weekend is quiet and restful too. Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-80613442623354830512012-08-23T19:02:00.001-05:002012-08-23T19:02:25.424-05:00It starts with a P.Do you know what these are?<br />
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Olivia and Georgia have attended the <a href="http://wisekidnetic.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Wise Kid-Netic Energy camp</a> this past week and they do. They built them, in fact. I am one proud momma engineer. <br />
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I love listening to kids as they learn new things and especially as they try to explain them to others. You can really see how their minds work. Our conversation went something like this:<br />
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Olivia & Georgia: Look! Look at what we made Mom! (<em>Both pushing to put their own wooden item in front of me</em>)<br />
Me: Hey, these are awesome! Do they work?<br />
Georgia: Yes! (<em>pushing the plunger to make hers go up.</em>) They are called cherry pickers.<br />
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Me: Are they now? How do they work?<br />
Olivia: They lift stuff up.<br />
Me: Yes, that is what they do but how do they work? What makes them go up and down?<br />
Olivia: (<em>pointing to this</em>) This makes them go up and down.<br />
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Me: What is that called?<br />
Georgia: A medicine giver. (<em>smug and mischievous smile</em>)<br />
Me: Well, yes, that part is made out of something we have used to give medicine but what is that component called. I'll give you a hint, it starts with a P.<br />
Olivia: No it doesn't. (<em>shaking her head</em>)<br />
Me: Yes, I'm pretty sure it does. It's a piston. A hydraulic piston.<br />
Olivia: That starts with an H not a P. (<em>smug and mischievous smile)</em><br />
Me: (<em>Conceding the point to her smart/smart-mouthed child</em>) Yes, I suppose you are correct. What's in the piston?<br />
Georgia: Water with food colouring.<br />
Me: Why water?<br />
Georgia: Because water moves when you push it and it doesn't get squished by the medicine giver.<br />
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Me: I couldn't have said it better myself. (<em>Beaming</em>)</div>
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The girls LOVED this camp and it was money well spent as far as I am concerned. The only down side was that Finn was too young to have been able to have gone as well. Oh well, he'll get to go soon enough.<br />
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Tell me more Mrs. Science, indeed.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302077465417916621.post-43666921469316090022012-06-24T11:39:00.001-05:002012-06-24T11:39:11.188-05:00Flew the coop<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Our time as observers in the bird life cycle, like the school year, is drawing to a close. The kids have given the 3 chicks the unlikely names of Beezy, Brainy and Beatrice. (<em>Editor's note: We assigned genders by the names that we picked and not based on any specific bird identification information, plumage or otherwise. Knowing us the only one that is a male will be Beatrice. Whatever.)</em></div>
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Beezy was the strongest of the bunch and I think he hopped away into one of the neighbouring yards a few days ago. Our fence is really only meant to contain flightless creatures or at least ones that are too short to be able to open the gate latch on their own. I think Beezy figured out that he has wings way before his siblings.</div>
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Yesterday morning there were only two little ones hopping around the yard. This is what they looked like; that is Brainy on the left and Beatrice on the right. </div>
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We started to put up the pool yesterday and were very careful to not have any baby bird sized lumps UNDER the pool. The birds were mainly staying in the neighbourhood of the play structure so they were well out of the way. (<em>So nice of us to build that giant play structure for birds, eh</em>?)</div>
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This was taken this morning. George looked out the window and saw that one of the chicks was on the tire swing but I couldn't get my camera out in time. So I got this instead.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There really are 2 birds in this picture. Honest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brainy is taking the high view. And getting ready to fly away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beatrice still walking about. <br />
She can fly too, I think, but not quite as well.</td></tr>
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Shortly after these pictures were taken I saw Brainy fly away, sort of, into the neighbours yard. He flew from the play structure to the fence (1 ft), hopped onto their shed (1 ft), slid down the incline to the ledge, jumped off the ledge and tried to fly to their deck (10 ft) missing the railing and plummeting to the ground. He's working on it. Let the bird learn.<br />
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It won't be long until Beatrice does the same. It has been interesting to watch the chicks grow so fast. Nature makes that necessary. My last thought on the birds was that I was glad that there were no cats in the yard because it seriously would have been like an all-you-can-eat buffet. And then I would have had to get all Cuckoo Momma Bird on that cat's ass. <br />
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And speaking of growing so fast... here is a picture of our crazy children in the pool this morning as the water is filling. Note the pool is being filled with the hose from the outside of the house I would estimate the water at about 10C, 15C tops. I do NOT foresee myself swimming today. Call me a princess, if you wish, but I do not think that I will be brave enough to get in until the heater can add at least 10C!<br />
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It is supposed to be +38C tomorrow, with the humidex. That will help. Sure as hell can't hurt!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15272063274150921831noreply@blogger.com0