An evening at the Ballet

Last night Claire and I went into Edmonton to the Northern Jubilee Auditorium and watch the ballet, Swan Lake, performed by the Moscow City Ballet Company. We had terrace(balcony) seats and a whole row to ourselves (there were only 3 seats to start with).

It was beautiful, and so was my daughter. I just love getting to spend these evenings with her. They are so special and what memories are made of. We found her dress at Ricki's and I think that she looks stunning. Of course, winter arrived yesterday so, she wore her dress with leggings and boots, instead of bare legs and ballet flats.

If you don't know the story, here is a link to the Synopsis so that you have a better understanding. Knowing the story is great, but you don't need it to admire the amazing ability of these dancers. The girls have muscles on their bodies that I am pretty sure have never existed on mine.

An amazing night, now, what should we see next. Nana, want to come to the Nutcracker?

Trick or Treating, 2010

Claire and Daniel went trick or treating with their Dad in Spruce Grove this year. I stayed home and had a nap!!! They came home with an obscene amount of candy that I have decided not to police this year. The sooner it is gone, the better, I say!!!! Mine are a little more menacing looking than Steph's Dino and Jenn's parrot, but we are in a very, very different age bracket and if I came at either of my kids with a Dino costume, they would be moving out the next day! The key to a tween/teen costume is scary/chic (sigh).

Daniel's First Official Goose Hunt

Well, the time has finally come. Daniel got to go to MB for goose hunting and do something other than be the dog (retriever). He passed his Hunter Safety Training Course at the end of August and got a shotgun from all his family for an early birthday present, so, he was ready to, as he and his Papa like to say, "BLAST 'EM!!!!"

Daniel and his Dad went and stayed with my parents (yes, all the grownups in this family need to pat themselves on the back for making it possible for Daniel to hunt with his Dad and his Papa) for the week following Thanksgiving and had a great time. Daniel needs to be exposed to all the testosterone he can get when he lives with Claire and I!! He slept with his gun by his bed so that he wouldn't forget to bring it home.

By the way, Daniel will be 13 on Friday. Time sure flies.....

Tipper

It is with a very heavy heart that I let you all know that I had to help Tipper across the bridge on September 8, 2010. She and I have been battling her congestive heart failure all summer with more pills than I ever thought I would give a dog. When we got home from the cabin after the long weekend, she was starting to look like it was all too much. She was tired of fighting for her every breath and it hurt my soul to watch her struggle.

Curtis met us at the clinic and she went peacefully with one of us on either side of her. There was no struggle, just silence.

Tipper came to us through Misty Creek Dog Rescue about 6 months after we lost our 1st bulldog, Rocky. She was the complete opposite. She could run, she loved to "go find a stick" and Frisbees. Her favorite, in the house toy, was her Squeaky Devil Man that drove us all crazy and had to spend some serious time on top of the piano so the humans in the house could keep their sanity.

Last year was a very, very hard year for me. When Curtis and I split up, I would sit in our walk-in closet and cry until I gasped for breath and Tipper was always at my feet, making sure that I knew she was there for me. When Curtis moved out and I would come home from work, or when I had to spend those first weekends alone when Claire and Daniel were with him, Tipper and Chester were always there as my constant cheerleaders, never caring what shape I was in, just loving me. I never had to put on a brave face around them, they would just be there.

Part of me hopes that she went on across the bridge and didn't look back. I hope that she knows that I am OK now and can do it on my own and that she can watch me from there and see that I am going to be fine. I hope that she isn't bossing Sidney around too much and is letting him have the time to eat his food. I hope that she isn't punting Freedom every chance she gets, but that she does get in a good one once in awhile to make her smile. I hope she lets Grandpa Cryderman scratch her butt, her snorts and noises would make him laugh.

My house is very quiet. Greyhounds don't make enough noise, no snoring, no snuffling....

See you soon, my English Rose, my girlie.

May Quad Rally

Very dusty, dirty and even a little mud!!! Fun was had by all!!!

1st Day of School for 2010/2011

I have all of the summer to update you all on, but today is the day for this post.

1st day back to school started this morning at 7:00am. Kids were ready to go and were out to meet the bus in plenty of time. Back to routine, back to earlier bed times, back to bliss. Daniel headed to the high school for the first time this morning as a member of the grade 8 class, graduating class of 2015, if you are interested. Claire headed to grade 5 and the big kid side of the elementary school. I have heard through the grapevine as today has progressed that she and Emma and Addison are all in the same class so, Claire will be ecstatic.

Happy 1st day back everyone, whenever it is for you.

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's day weekend this year was AWESOME!!! Shae came and stayed overnight, Friday night and then her Mom picked her up as well as Claire and went shopping at the West Edmonton Mall. Daniel, Carlam and I got to cut up some wood. I even got to use my chainsaw, but it was a little scary and was happy to load the trailer and stack the wood with Daniel while Carlam worked the saw.

The following are pics taken at Greenland with the new camera.

Daniel and Carlam goofing around.

My beautiful Claire

Claire and Shae SHOCKED that I would take a picture of
them while they were eating breakfast!!

My Goofy Daniel

Happy Mother's Day to Me!
(photo by Claire)

Trip to Seattle 2010

Hello! I think that it is great that I am just updating the crap out of my blog and you know who's still have Blanket Love as the latest update!!!! I am now up to April, yay me!!!

For the Easter long weekend, Carlam and I went to Seattle to visit Stephanie, Aaron and Matthew. Had a short, but great trip. Arrived late Thursday night, visited Vashon Island on our own on Friday, Took part in Matthew's 1st birthday party on Saturday, checked out Pike Place Market on Sunday and flew home Monday.

By the way, all pictures are courtesy of Carlam and Kathy. Always gotta give credit.

Matthew gets up much earlier than Carlam and I do. So,
this is what would come through our bedroom door
every morning when he heard us up. Could he be any cuter?

Carlam enjoying the view and wishing I would
bugger off with the camera!!

Matthew and his Gramma Joyce before
he dives into his cake made by Gramma

The cupcakes we all got to enjoy!

Carlam pestering me with the camera

shot taken by Kathy. We are obviously having a good time.

Matthew and his Mom

Friday Carlam and I headed to Vashon Island.
This was the tree to the left of the fairy dock.
For April and coming from snowy Alberta, it was just soooo green.
Could hardly stop looking at it.

In line to get on the fairy.

While just touring the Island, Carlam and I were discussing
our favourite birds. His is the Eagle and mine is any type of crane.
We come around the corner to the marina and Carlam says
"well, look at that" and there stood this lovely
Crane enjoying shore nibbles.

It was very blustery and rainy that day on Vashon.

A leaf in the parking lot by a book store in Downtown
Vashon.

There were a bunch of these weird chicken thingys
on a road on Vashon. Ran right across the road in front of the car.
They made a horrible noise too.

Friday night Steph was tired from work and finishing last
minute stuff for Matthew's part so, Carlam came with me
to DSW. These flowers were in the parking lot of the mall.

Sunday was spent at Pike Place Market

Heading home tired, but happy that we got to spend an amazing time
together in Seattle. Thanks for everything Steph and Aaron!

Driv'in a Big Rig

Guess what???? This spring when Carlam was down for a visit, he let me drive a 5 Ton truck!!!! For those of you not in the know, this is a SEMI!!!!! Air brakes and everything and even the pull down horn!!!!! I was very excited and SUPER intimidated, but he showed me how to do it and I got to drive it about...... a mile. Yep, but that was enough for me and another thing that I can add to my checklist of accomplishments!!!

THE TRUCK
I told you it was a SEMI

Doing the check of everything before I got to drive.
Carlam took me through all the steps before I got in the
driver's seat.

Carlam and I before we headed out. Claire is the photographer.

In the truck and ready to go!!!!

Checking behind me and freaking out because there is a car
behind me and I did not want to roll backwards and
squish it like a bug!!!

Claire and her bunny came along for the ride.
Daniel decided that it wasn't worth losing his life over.



Claire took Carlam's picture with Bunny too!

The end of our drive. Great fun!!!

Bunny is too exhausted to get out of the truck, poor bunny!