Superfluous Fluff

Marshmallow World

On Saturday we got lots and lots of snow. 

Big, fat, fluffy flakes floating gently to the earth and coating everything with a blanket of white. 

What I usually refer to as Christmas snow because no matter when it falls it makes me feel like Christmas. 

LOVE IT.

My favourite thing?  Going for a quiet walk at night in a snow like this.

In the morning we woke up to a marshmallow world and I knew I had to get out and snap some photos, even if it made me late for church. 

God and I have an understanding on this one; He gives me breathtaking beauty, I take time to appreciate it and thank Him. 

Our road:

A few more favourites:

Love it!

WW: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Monday was Thanksgiving up here in sunny Canada.  I had an early morning photo shoot before rushing home to get the turkey in the oven, and imagine my surprise when I drove past the elementary school to see this gal:

 

Guess she didn't know it was a holiday?

WW: I {heart} autumn!

WW: Scavenger Hunt

At the Regional Super Saturday in PEI on the weekend, the youth were randomly divided into teams and sent on a photo scavenger hunt in downtown Charlottetown.  We had to turn in our lists at the end, but my team managed to find 27 out of the 32 things.  Yay team!  Here are a few of our finds:

There are more photos in an album on my facebook page.  If you want to add me as a friend so you can see them, send me a message so I know who you are.  I keep my security pretty tight to protect my kids.

Buttons Bursting

It started in 2007.

I had had the same hair for over 20 years, and I was ready for a change.  I decided that since I was planning to go from long to short I should donate my hair and make a difference in someone's life.  I had thought to donate to Locks of Love, which was the only place I'd ever heard of that accepted hair donations, but my friend and stylist pointed out to me that they're Americans and, nothing against our pals to the south, there are lots of Canadians who need the same loving gift.  And, bless her, she pointed me towards A Child's Voice Foundation.  One of their programs is called Angel Hair for Kids and it provides wigs to children experiencing hair loss for any one of a number of reasons. 

I went ahead and chopped off my long tresses and sent them on to Angel Hair.

It felt good.

Shortly after that my mother started planning her wedding and our Princess decided that if she was going to be a flower girl then she needed long beautiful hair.  She started growing it.

And it grew, and it grew, and it grew.

It grew and started bugging her.  She would often talk about how she was going to chop it all off as soon as the wedding was over.

After the wedding in July 2009 though, I reminded her of how I donated my hair.  We talked about what it would feel like to be a little girl and go bald, and how it would feel to donate.  I told her that if she was going to chop it off anyway, it would be so much nicer to give it to someone who needed it than to throw it in the garbage.  She agreed and we measured, but she was an inch too short.  So we let it grow a bit more.  That summer she had me measure her hair almost daily.  She wanted to cut it!  She wanted to donate it! 

Finally, FINALLY, it was long enough.  And then she got serious. 

"Do I HAVE to cut it?"

It turns out she liked it long.  In fact, she loved it long.  She loved ponytails and pigtails and braids and people stopping her to compliment her long, beautiful hair. 

Being someone who's had long hair for the majority of her life, I told her that OF COURSE she didn't have to cut it!  It's her hair, and it's hers to do with as she will.  The only reason I would make her cut it is if she stopped caring for it and it was all tangled and impossible. 

So that was that. It was never discussed again. 

And then in August, when we were back from vacation, we came in late to church one week and there was our friend Malachi, finally back amongst us.

She was so excited. 

"He's back!  He's back" she frantically whispered in my ear.

And then she got really quiet. 

And she kept looking over her shoulder at him.

And later that day she came to me and in a quiet voice said "I'm ready to donate my hair now".

And my heart broke into a million pieces and dropped at her feet.

I thought I'd give her some time to be sure.  Later that week we took Sweetpea to the salon for a trim and she wanted to do the donation right there and then.  I wouldn't let her.  We hadn't gone online to double check the length and procedure in a while, and what if it changed?  And we didn't have a ziplock bag to put the hair in and keep it clean and safe. 

She stuck to her guns though.  Once that girl makes up her mind, nothing stops her.  We went to the website, watched the video testimonies, printed out the instructions, and contacted one of my old YW who is going to school to become a stylist and is already quite talented.  I waited a couple of weeks and never heard back from her, so I called a local lady and made an appointment.

Yesterday was finally the day.

Measure twice...

Cut, um, twice.  We have very thick hair.  Genetics on both sides of the family.  We had to go with two ponytails, and it was still quite the sawing routine to cut though all that hair.  Really thick hair.

Ready for donation.

Excited!  This girl grinned through the entire process.

Beautiful after!

Compare before (first day of school) and after:

I'm so proud of her I could burst.  And she made me promise not to tell anyone what she was planning (not even Hubby) so she's LOVING surprising people.  She did give me permission to write this post, since she's seeing most people at school today.  She actually keeps surprising me.  I see this short haired girl out of the corner of my eye and wonder who it is.  I keep having to take double looks at my own girl. 

Aaaaaand, she's inspired me.  I was going to get my hair in a bob similar to hers, but instead I'm going to let it grow.  By this time next year I can donate again too.  And then she can donate.  We've agreed to take alternate years. 

So very pleased with herself.

(I'm pleased with her too.)

Friday Five

1.  The kids aren't home yet, but I'm declaring the first week of school a success.  Everyone is happy to be with their friends again, everyone likes their teachers, everyone is settling in just fine.  Including the Mama.

2. It has been cold and rainy all week, starting with Hurricane Earl on Saturday (no damage here, thanks!).  You may think this is bad, but LAST week we had temps of 30C++ and 110% humidity.  It.  Was. Awful. I'll take the rain for now!  Besides, the weather has inspired me to return to the kitchen, which I had shunned for most of the summer.  Right now I have a big pot of chili simmering in the slow cooker.  Ergo, rain=good.

3.  I finally, FINALLY created chore charts for the kidlets.  I purchased the stickers for said charts over a year ago and kept putting it off.  Dumb!  I fixed them up on Tuesday while the kids were at school and we have success!  I LOVE that chores are getting done eagerly and, most importantly, without any nagging.  Why, oh, why didn't I make these as soon as the inspiration hit?  Right now the stickers are reward enough but I think we're going to work out a rewards system of some sort.  A ticket for a full chart?  And so many tickets for a prize?  We're still in the talking out stage.  Anyone out there who's got a successful system, I'd love to hear it!

4. I'm going to start the Couch-to-5K program that everyone is talking about.  Tomorrow will be my first day.  Which gives me time to find the cheap little MP3 player we won at a Christmas party 2 years ago and figure out how to download one of the podcasts that are supposed to help you.  Because my watch does not have a timer and I doubt I'm coordinated enough to run OR walk while watching my wrist.  If I make it through the 9 weeks without dying I will buy myself a new pair of sneakers, because I still have the pair I bought in high school, some 15 years ago.  Which tells you much too much about how little I exercise.

5.  The Book of Stories class has started at BPS.  It's only day 2 and I love the way it has me thinking and reminiscing and just feeling good.  Love it!  There's still time to sign up if you're interested.  I'm also considering taking Cathy Z's, Me: The Abridged Version.  Not because I particularly care about the class, simply because I'm a total CZ groupie.  Anyone want to try to talk me in or out of it?  I'm on the fence right now.

6.  Because now I'm on a roll.  The leaves are turning.  One of my trees is almost red.  I know I say this every year, but doesn't seem to come earlier and earlier?  We actually first noticed the leaves turning when we were driving to swimming lessons in early August.  What?

7.  A bonus photo.  Because I can't post twice in a row without one. And I've already gone past 5, so why not keep going?

Cavendish Beach, PEI. I'll tell you all about our trip one of these days. I love the island.

8. Have a great weekend everyone!

Welcome Back

Today was the day!

It was overcast and a little cool.  It had rained earlier in the morning but stopped long enough for us to do photos and wait for the bus.  Can't complain about that!

The Princess was off to Grade 4.

Grade FOUR. 4. 

How is that possible?

She has the same teacher she had last year, she's back to her little class of 10, and she spent the week before today speaking French when playing on her own, I guess to get herself back in the swing of things.

She said she had a great day but came home weepy and obviously worn out.  Hopefully after a week or so we'll settle into routine and she won't come home crying.  Or else it's going to be a long year.  (Is this that pre-teen wind-up I've been hoping to avoid?)

Sweetpea was off to Grade 2. 

She has a teacher that we haven't had before but wasn't worried at all.  Why?  This teacher does fundraising for the SPCA all year and has a pet show in June.  What's not to love for my animal-crazy girl?  She's so excited!

The Boy headed in to Grade 1. 

He had a crying jag this morning when I realized that his face was still covered in peanut butter and I made him go back in the house to re-wash his face (he claimed he already had).  I think I joked him out of it pretty good.  He has the same teacher for Grade 1 that the Princess did back in the day and I think it's going to be a good fit.  He said that none of his friends from last year are in his class this year.  I asked him who he played with and he looked at me like I was crazy and asked why he should play with anyone.

Sorry, long-suffering teachers. 

As they went back, I feel a bit like I'm finally back.  Back to routine and the possibilities of a new year.  Back to sanity and schedule, rhythm and rigor. 

It feels good.

So here's to a great new year for us all. 

I hope it's a kind one. 

Playing Tourist

I've been taken to task a couple of times now for failing to update the blog.  I'm trying!  Really!  I'm trying to be better.  Sort of.  We've been enjoying the last bits of our summer and not being tethered to the computer, so I'm afraid I'm not feeling toooo bad.  We'll be back to school in a week and a half though, and then I'll have SO much time to update you guys.  I have to admit, I'm really looking forward to getting back on schedule and having some time to myself again. 

So to catch you up and fill you in, here's something we did only last week!  That's not so long ago, friends!

Our Relief Society (ladies auxiliary at church) planned a cultural outing--we went into Fredericton to see the Changing of the Guard in Officer's Square, then had a picnic lunch and enjoyed a lunchtime performance from this cool drama club called the Calithumpians.  Then we wandered across to the lighthouse for ice cream. 

Pictures?

Is ice cream cold?

I seriously could have photographed these guys (and GALS!!! So awesome!) all day. I have an album up on facebook with way more images--and those are just my favourites from the day. I took so many. I had no idea it would be such an awesome experience. Of course the kids weren't nearly as impressed. It was hot and sunny and they just wanted to get to the shade and the picnic.

Which we finally did. Soooo much cooler under the trees.  And fun to sit and eat and laugh.

Check out the difference between sun and shade:

The kids loved the play...and the acorns they found while waiting for the play to start.

After the play was over we washed up at the washroom and then went over to the lighthouse. By then several of the sisters had already left and it was a very small group of us. I didn't think anything could distract my kids from ice cream, but they were WAY more interested in the lighthouse than the ice cream.  We paid the admission and then they RAN to the top.  There are all kinds of cool photos on the walls and activities for kids to explore, but my gang didn't even pause to notice them.  To the top!

One thing my kiddos learned this summer is that they're not tall enough to reach the viewfinders anywhere. Ok, they were never tall enough, but they never noticed them before now. This year they NOTICED them and also noticed that they're not tall enough. Sweetpea comes the closest:

But seriously, who needs a viewfinder to check out views like this?

Oh, and did you want to see the kids? Brace yourself for a typical tourist shot:

Cheese!

The kids agreed that it was a really fun day, and we did linger a bit to play on our way down again.  And OF COURSE there was the promised ice cream at the bottom.  No photos of that though, because I believe that ice cream and my good camera don't mix!

We had lots of time before and after the changing of the guard, which isn't until 11am.  On the way to Officer's Square from the parking place we passed a school museum which looked interesting, and on the way back we went over the little pedestrian bridge from the lighthouse to the parking area,  and found ourselves right at the doors to the library.  And of course there is Cora's!  Mmmmm.  We love Cora's.  So I think I'd love to do this again some day next summer (because the Calithumpians are almost done for this summer) and bring Hubby.  Start with breakfast at Cora's, check out that little museum, do the changing of the guard and picnic in the park, lighthouse and ice cream and top it out with some quality library time.  For our little family, that would be total bliss. 

There are a lot of other things to do and see downtown.  I'm sad to admit that while Officer's Square has been one of my favourite photo shoot locations, I haven't taken time to really SEE what's there to explore and discover.  It's fun to find that Fredericton really is a cool place to be.

This post today about events that happened either yesterday or tomorrow.

The last few weeks have been go, go, GO!

It's SUMMER!!!

I've been enjoying the kiddos, enjoying the constant fun, enjoying having house guests and making travel plans. 

I've also been staying up waaaaaaaay too late at night.  I've got shoots to edit and deadlines to meet.

(I've finished the edits on my 1st newborn session but his Mom is planning to surprise the new Grandparents with the photos next month, so you have to wait until they've seen them before I show more here on the blog.  We don't want to ruin the surprise!)

Is it any wonder that my e-mailing tends to happen very late at night?

So late that it may, TECHNICALLY, be morning?

Which brings us to tonight.  Last night (or was it this morning?) I e-mailed a friend whom I had promised a photo shoot to some evening this week.  I let her know that I was looking at the weather forecast and that they were calling for a chance of showers tomorrow, rain on Thursday, and sun on Friday.  I suggested that we plan to meet tomorrow and that if the showers came we could reschedule for Friday.  This morning she replied that that sounded great, so this evening I hopped in the car and went over to her place. 

No one was home.

I bet you already realize what happened, but it took me a little longer. 

I waited a bit, then thought I got the meeting place mixed up (we were meeting at her place and then driving to another location) so drove around a bit to find her before heading back to her place.

Oh yeah, you guessed it.  My tomorrow, sent last night, seen and replied to by her this morning, makes tomorrow NOT today, but actually tomorrow*.

*I just looked at the time and realized that this is posting after midnight, so now it's tomorrow instead of today...or yesterday.  Huh? 

Anyway, there was one family member home, and we had a really lovely visit together.  She was even willing to model for me:

Beautiful!

She's big and her bark is kind of scary, and don't even think about messing with "her" kids.  But she has a secret: just look at those eyes.  Marshmallow center.  She may be the sweetest dog on the whole planet.  I was a little nervous as to whether or not she'd let me out of the car without her people around, but she remembered me and put on her very best company manners.

We sat and talked for a bit, enjoyed some quiet time, did a mini-shoot.  Waiting is never waiting if there's a dog nearby.

How about a smile?

Love her!

Lesson learned: today, tomorrow, yesterday...too confusing!  From now on I'll stick to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... 

Nicky, sorry about the mix up.  I'll see you tomorrow...er, tonight, er, THURSDAY! (Unless it's raining.)

I wish I could do this every day

Newborns.

I just love them.  I always have, always will. 

I'll admit it, I have a dream.  A dream to play with newborns for the rest of my life.  Luckily for me, the ladies at church seem to be giving me my needed dose every few weeks. Sweet baby A is the second born of 6 expected this summer. 

If the rest of the babies due are half as sweet as the first two arrivals, we're all going to die of the cuteness.

This sweet little girl was celebrating her 2-week birthday today and was the best behaved birthday girl EVER.  She slept through most of our session, and when she woke up a couple of times she just looked around and then was easily coaxed back to sleep with nothing more than a little snuggle.  Maybe she loves dreaming too?

Looks like she's willing to reach for her dreams and make them reality.

She just makes me so happy!  Love her!

Crystal and Mike, thanks for having me over today (Yesterday?  Maybe I should go to bed!)  and sharing your beautiful girl with me.  I still can't get over how co-operative she was.  What a treat--you made me very happy.