Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Out and About
Jonathan is officially finished teaching music lessons for the year!! He has just over a week off before he starts his summer job at the skate park. Thats right... Jonathan gets paid to skateboard all day.
We are looking forward to doing a few fun things this week before he heads back to "work". Last night we took Edison to the swimming pool. He always used to like swimming, but now that he's a little bit bigger, he loves it! He had a blast splashing around, floating on mats, and chasing after a slippery ball. He even played with a little tugboat at the side of the hot tub for a while so that Jonathan and I could have a nice soak.
Today we headed over to the zoo for a wander. Even though it was a little cloudy the temperature was warm and pleasant. Edison is getting more and more interested looking at the animals now that he's a little older.
Edison loves standing at the Bald Eagle exhibit because he likes holding onto the bars. We always have to pry him off at the end because he never wants to let go.
We are looking forward to doing a few fun things this week before he heads back to "work". Last night we took Edison to the swimming pool. He always used to like swimming, but now that he's a little bit bigger, he loves it! He had a blast splashing around, floating on mats, and chasing after a slippery ball. He even played with a little tugboat at the side of the hot tub for a while so that Jonathan and I could have a nice soak.
Today we headed over to the zoo for a wander. Even though it was a little cloudy the temperature was warm and pleasant. Edison is getting more and more interested looking at the animals now that he's a little older.
Setting out, ready for our walk
A cute lil' baby Oryx
We watched the camel feeding show
Shadow, the Grizzly Bear
Edison loves standing at the Bald Eagle exhibit because he likes holding onto the bars. We always have to pry him off at the end because he never wants to let go.
Pretty much the most beautiful baby ever.... not that I'm biased or anything
Walking with his Daddy
A Black Bear, rubbing his belly
Another sweet little baby
Edison was watching the goats... he loves goats
We hope to get out and do a few more things this week. We would like to go to the Aquarium, and (depending on our lovely weather) we'd also like to go to the beach again. I'll keep the blog as up to date as I can this week!
Happy Summer!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Plant or Weed, That is the Question
I love plants and flowers, they make me happy. They remind me daily of God's awesome creativity.
Jonathan, on the other hand, who may think flowers look nice, has a strong dislike for them "because they have bugs". I could write an entire blog post on Jonathan's loathing of bugs... like the time he almost burned our house down while trying to set fire to ants outside our front door. Jonathan will not eat at a table with flowers in the center, he will always move them elsewhere while eating... so the bugs don't get into his food. I find it quite amusing... he probably thinks otherwise.
While I love plans and flowers....my knowledge of them is minimal, to say the least. Up until the last year and a half we were living in a basement suite, so I didn't have the opportunity to plant things... other than a couple indoor plants that I tried very hard not to kill.
My Dad and Renata can attest to the fact that my knowledge of all things plant related is pretty much zero. Which is funny because anyone who knows my Dad and Renata knows that that is the industry that they work in. However, I'm not a total lost cause. I'm learning as I go and as each spring and summer comes and goes I'll know a little bit more about what to do than I did the year before.
Last summer my Dad and Ren helped me plant a bunch of perennials in the front of the house... and by help, I mean I made them do it all because I was 9 months pregnant. Perennials, as I've learned, are the types of plants that come back again each year.
This spring my Mom and I went through the front flower beds and cleaned it all up, ripping out the weeds and the dead stuff from last year. I had to ask my Mom a few times whether something was a plant or a weed.
About a month ago I was walking to our neighbourhood mailboxes and I saw a bunch of plants growing around them and I thought to myself "That plant looks exactly like one that I have in front of my house". I went home and sure enough it was exactly the same. Then I thought to myself "Hmmm, maybe that's not a plant but just a weed and thats why they're growing all over the place by the mailboxes". This is how sad I am: I took a picture of the plant with my iPhone and emailed it to my Dad and asked if it was a plant or a weed. He informed me that it was not a weed but a plant called a Lupin... I sure was glad I didn't go ahead and rip it out! This past week it got the most beautiful, huge white and purple flowers on it.... and so did the ones by the mailboxes. So, now I know.
Renata must seriously go home and laugh at me sometimes. A few weeks ago they were visiting and I said to her "Look at my herb planter on the deck, aren't my herbs growing so well", and she said "Ya, but you should rip out that huge weed in the corner". Well, I almost died! I though the weed in the corner was an herb!! I still laugh when I think about it... and I sure am glad I hadn't eaten it!
Here are a couple pictures of the Lupin, which I now know is definitely not a weed:
Here are a few other pictures from the front of my house this year:
Jonathan, on the other hand, who may think flowers look nice, has a strong dislike for them "because they have bugs". I could write an entire blog post on Jonathan's loathing of bugs... like the time he almost burned our house down while trying to set fire to ants outside our front door. Jonathan will not eat at a table with flowers in the center, he will always move them elsewhere while eating... so the bugs don't get into his food. I find it quite amusing... he probably thinks otherwise.
While I love plans and flowers....my knowledge of them is minimal, to say the least. Up until the last year and a half we were living in a basement suite, so I didn't have the opportunity to plant things... other than a couple indoor plants that I tried very hard not to kill.
My Dad and Renata can attest to the fact that my knowledge of all things plant related is pretty much zero. Which is funny because anyone who knows my Dad and Renata knows that that is the industry that they work in. However, I'm not a total lost cause. I'm learning as I go and as each spring and summer comes and goes I'll know a little bit more about what to do than I did the year before.
Last summer my Dad and Ren helped me plant a bunch of perennials in the front of the house... and by help, I mean I made them do it all because I was 9 months pregnant. Perennials, as I've learned, are the types of plants that come back again each year.
This spring my Mom and I went through the front flower beds and cleaned it all up, ripping out the weeds and the dead stuff from last year. I had to ask my Mom a few times whether something was a plant or a weed.
About a month ago I was walking to our neighbourhood mailboxes and I saw a bunch of plants growing around them and I thought to myself "That plant looks exactly like one that I have in front of my house". I went home and sure enough it was exactly the same. Then I thought to myself "Hmmm, maybe that's not a plant but just a weed and thats why they're growing all over the place by the mailboxes". This is how sad I am: I took a picture of the plant with my iPhone and emailed it to my Dad and asked if it was a plant or a weed. He informed me that it was not a weed but a plant called a Lupin... I sure was glad I didn't go ahead and rip it out! This past week it got the most beautiful, huge white and purple flowers on it.... and so did the ones by the mailboxes. So, now I know.
Renata must seriously go home and laugh at me sometimes. A few weeks ago they were visiting and I said to her "Look at my herb planter on the deck, aren't my herbs growing so well", and she said "Ya, but you should rip out that huge weed in the corner". Well, I almost died! I though the weed in the corner was an herb!! I still laugh when I think about it... and I sure am glad I hadn't eaten it!
Here are a couple pictures of the Lupin, which I now know is definitely not a weed:
Here are a few other pictures from the front of my house this year:
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thoughts from an Emotional Day
I sit here with a heavy heart this evening as I listen to the news on my laptop and think back on this very emotional day.
This morning Edison was sleeping peacefully in his crib, I was laying in bed enjoying the quiet time while reading a good book when a banging at the front door startled me. I went down to find a fireman standing on my stoop... he said "There is a gas leak in behind your house. You need to get everybody out of the house now and start walking up the road". Well, needless to say, thats enough to get the adrenaline going. I never again want to have to rip a sleeping baby out of his crib as I run out the door towards safety.
Jonathan, Edison, Albert and I immediately rushed out the front door and were greeted by the very loud sound of natural gas spraying out of a pipe, and the very strong odour of it in the air. Although I wish it was under different circumstances, I guess this is one way to meet all of the neighbours.
I stood and looked down the street at the two firetrucks and multiple police cars parked on the road. I watched the firemen quickly working to stop the leak and I prayed that God would protect us, the firemen, and our neighbours....and that my house wouldn't blow up. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness for these courageous men in uniform.
We watched and waited and talked with the neighbours and after a while we were approached by a fireman who informed us that they could be working on it for quite some time.... up to a couple of hours. We were told that we could go back into the house to quickly grab anything we needed, close any open windows, and then get back out. It's an interesting feeling to know you have two minutes to get whatever you want out of your house and then go. What do you get? Matthew 6:19 went through my mind: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven". I really did feel like there was nothing in the house that I had to grab. They are all just things, and things can be replaced or lived without. My concern was for our safety. I quickly got a few diapers and clothing items for Edison, Jonathan closed the windows, and out we went.
We decided that standing on the sidewalk for two hours didn't sound like very much fun so we drove to our neighbourhood coffee shop, sat and had coffee for a while. Afterwards, I drove Jonathan home to drop him off at his car so that I could head out to Abbotsford to visit family for the day. We arrived back at our house, happy to see it still standing, and the firemen packing up their hoses... crisis averted. I could breath deeply again. Thank you Jesus.
The day was fun. My sister Sara and her husband Ryan are here for a visit (from the far-away land of Fort McMurray). We went out to my grandparents house and had a nice time visiting with them. We went back to my mom's house, ate an awesome Mexican feast for dinner and watched the Canucks play game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Yes, it was exciting as the game began. Yes, it was stressful game for some (Ryan). Yes, it was disappointing that we lost. But yes, it is just a game. And what has happened since that game ended makes me very sad.
Overturned vehicles, port-a-pottys thrown around in the streets, cars set on fire, riot squads, police cars being destroyed, fights breaking out, people throwing beer bottles at the police and others, tear gas and rubber bullets, smashing of windows, stores being looted, police dogs barking, utter disregard for fellow human beings. Black smoke of more fires than can be counted mingle with the white smoke of tear gas in the air. The effects of a dangerous mob mentality.
I sit here and listen to the news as it happens live. Over three hours have past and the police still struggle to get the crowds under control. My heart aches. I pray for people and their safety, especially the ones who went downtown to enjoy a hockey game and just wanted to get out safely.
I read through people's Facebook statuses and everybody seems shocked, in disbelief, embarrassed, saddened. I just keep thinking of how we live in a fallen world, and some days that is painfully more obvious than others. This is one of those days where it is oh so painfully obvious. How some people can think that doing this is okay, is beyond me.
When the riots first broke out, I watched on TV as the police went in to action against a multitude of people. I have never in my life, before today, been so thankful for the men and women in uniform who's job it is to protect us. Twice in one day I am so grateful for their courage. They are heros. Because of them, my house is still in one piece, my family and I are safe. Although things downtown are bad, without them it could have been so much worse. My thoughts are with them tonight as I lay down and try to sleep.
This morning Edison was sleeping peacefully in his crib, I was laying in bed enjoying the quiet time while reading a good book when a banging at the front door startled me. I went down to find a fireman standing on my stoop... he said "There is a gas leak in behind your house. You need to get everybody out of the house now and start walking up the road". Well, needless to say, thats enough to get the adrenaline going. I never again want to have to rip a sleeping baby out of his crib as I run out the door towards safety.
Jonathan, Edison, Albert and I immediately rushed out the front door and were greeted by the very loud sound of natural gas spraying out of a pipe, and the very strong odour of it in the air. Although I wish it was under different circumstances, I guess this is one way to meet all of the neighbours.
I stood and looked down the street at the two firetrucks and multiple police cars parked on the road. I watched the firemen quickly working to stop the leak and I prayed that God would protect us, the firemen, and our neighbours....and that my house wouldn't blow up. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness for these courageous men in uniform.
We watched and waited and talked with the neighbours and after a while we were approached by a fireman who informed us that they could be working on it for quite some time.... up to a couple of hours. We were told that we could go back into the house to quickly grab anything we needed, close any open windows, and then get back out. It's an interesting feeling to know you have two minutes to get whatever you want out of your house and then go. What do you get? Matthew 6:19 went through my mind: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven". I really did feel like there was nothing in the house that I had to grab. They are all just things, and things can be replaced or lived without. My concern was for our safety. I quickly got a few diapers and clothing items for Edison, Jonathan closed the windows, and out we went.
We decided that standing on the sidewalk for two hours didn't sound like very much fun so we drove to our neighbourhood coffee shop, sat and had coffee for a while. Afterwards, I drove Jonathan home to drop him off at his car so that I could head out to Abbotsford to visit family for the day. We arrived back at our house, happy to see it still standing, and the firemen packing up their hoses... crisis averted. I could breath deeply again. Thank you Jesus.
The day was fun. My sister Sara and her husband Ryan are here for a visit (from the far-away land of Fort McMurray). We went out to my grandparents house and had a nice time visiting with them. We went back to my mom's house, ate an awesome Mexican feast for dinner and watched the Canucks play game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Yes, it was exciting as the game began. Yes, it was stressful game for some (Ryan). Yes, it was disappointing that we lost. But yes, it is just a game. And what has happened since that game ended makes me very sad.
Overturned vehicles, port-a-pottys thrown around in the streets, cars set on fire, riot squads, police cars being destroyed, fights breaking out, people throwing beer bottles at the police and others, tear gas and rubber bullets, smashing of windows, stores being looted, police dogs barking, utter disregard for fellow human beings. Black smoke of more fires than can be counted mingle with the white smoke of tear gas in the air. The effects of a dangerous mob mentality.
I sit here and listen to the news as it happens live. Over three hours have past and the police still struggle to get the crowds under control. My heart aches. I pray for people and their safety, especially the ones who went downtown to enjoy a hockey game and just wanted to get out safely.
I read through people's Facebook statuses and everybody seems shocked, in disbelief, embarrassed, saddened. I just keep thinking of how we live in a fallen world, and some days that is painfully more obvious than others. This is one of those days where it is oh so painfully obvious. How some people can think that doing this is okay, is beyond me.
When the riots first broke out, I watched on TV as the police went in to action against a multitude of people. I have never in my life, before today, been so thankful for the men and women in uniform who's job it is to protect us. Twice in one day I am so grateful for their courage. They are heros. Because of them, my house is still in one piece, my family and I are safe. Although things downtown are bad, without them it could have been so much worse. My thoughts are with them tonight as I lay down and try to sleep.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Oh, How Time Flies
Eight years ago, on June 7th 2003, my 21-year-old self married Jonathan's 21-year-old self in Chilliwack at the beautiful Minter Gardens.
A few memories stick out among all the amazing memories of that day. One thing I always remember is the heat. It was stinkin' hot that day... and wedding dresses are heavy... I was boiling. It didn't help that my bride's maids and I got dressed in a motor home, with no air conditioning... so we started out hot before the wedding even began. However, I'm thankful that it didn't rain, so we couldn't really complain!
I remember the day going by so fast! Someone told me going into it to be sure to enjoy every second of it because it would fly by, and it was so true. A year of planning and anticipating went by in a blink... but it was a fun blink!
I was so touched by all the family and friends that wanted to be a part of that day with us. I will always remember leaving the reception through a tunnel of people, wishing us well in our new life together.
It's been eight great, full years. Since then we both graduated from university, started our careers, bought our first home, and added Edison - a most wonderful addition to our family. In talking with family members this week, we've all agreed that we can't believe it's been eight years already. I remember that day like it was yesterday, the time seems to have flown by.
I have to say, I'm pretty proud of Jonathan and I and I'm definitely looking forward to what the future brings.
A few memories stick out among all the amazing memories of that day. One thing I always remember is the heat. It was stinkin' hot that day... and wedding dresses are heavy... I was boiling. It didn't help that my bride's maids and I got dressed in a motor home, with no air conditioning... so we started out hot before the wedding even began. However, I'm thankful that it didn't rain, so we couldn't really complain!
I remember the day going by so fast! Someone told me going into it to be sure to enjoy every second of it because it would fly by, and it was so true. A year of planning and anticipating went by in a blink... but it was a fun blink!
I was so touched by all the family and friends that wanted to be a part of that day with us. I will always remember leaving the reception through a tunnel of people, wishing us well in our new life together.
It's been eight great, full years. Since then we both graduated from university, started our careers, bought our first home, and added Edison - a most wonderful addition to our family. In talking with family members this week, we've all agreed that we can't believe it's been eight years already. I remember that day like it was yesterday, the time seems to have flown by.
I have to say, I'm pretty proud of Jonathan and I and I'm definitely looking forward to what the future brings.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
A Saturday of Celebrations
Jonathan, Edison and I had a very full day yesterday and the fact that the weather was warm and beautiful made it that much more fun!
Yesterday was my mom's birthday... and it was a biggy...50! I hope she doesn't mind that I just broadcast that to the world. So, we made our way out to her house yesterday to spend the afternoon with her. We had a nice time visiting and enjoying the sun. My mom and Andy have a very nice backyard full of flowers... and I LOVE taking pictures of flowers!
Yesterday was also Pitt Meadows Day, so there was a full day of celebrations around the town. Jonathan was playing music from 6-8pm for part of the Pitt Meadows Day event and because they were playing outside, I decided to tag along and watch. The music was good but unfortunately there wasn't as many people there as they were probably hoping for because it was right in the middle of the Canucks game. But the music was good, the scenery was great because we here right along the river, and Edison and I had a great time hanging out.
We ended the evening with the Pitt Meadows Day fireworks. I think Edison would have loved watching them.... but he just couldn't quite make it. He fell asleep in the car on the way to the fireworks and slept through the whole thing. Oh, well..... maybe Canada Day.
Yesterday was my mom's birthday... and it was a biggy...50! I hope she doesn't mind that I just broadcast that to the world. So, we made our way out to her house yesterday to spend the afternoon with her. We had a nice time visiting and enjoying the sun. My mom and Andy have a very nice backyard full of flowers... and I LOVE taking pictures of flowers!
The birthday girl and her favourite grandson...
Watching the goldfish in the pond
Yesterday was also Pitt Meadows Day, so there was a full day of celebrations around the town. Jonathan was playing music from 6-8pm for part of the Pitt Meadows Day event and because they were playing outside, I decided to tag along and watch. The music was good but unfortunately there wasn't as many people there as they were probably hoping for because it was right in the middle of the Canucks game. But the music was good, the scenery was great because we here right along the river, and Edison and I had a great time hanging out.
View of the Golden Ears bridge from the park
The river is really brown right now
I don't know what these furry bushes are, but I like them
Edison and I had some fun with some more self-portraits. We know how to keep ourselves entertained.
My handsome boy!
We ended the evening with the Pitt Meadows Day fireworks. I think Edison would have loved watching them.... but he just couldn't quite make it. He fell asleep in the car on the way to the fireworks and slept through the whole thing. Oh, well..... maybe Canada Day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)