99

Happy Birthday Gran! Here are some photos from a visit to my grandmother who turned ninety nine a few weeks ago! She still knows how to laugh and certainly seemed to enjoy the company.

Ballet dance to the music

Everybody wins!
That's what the girls say when they race back to the bar in their ballet class with Miss Alana at the local community center. I had no idea there would be a little show for us at the end of the sessions. Lola, Amma, Uncle Mark, Lalaine and even Daddy was able to come and see. The girls looked so cute! My little girl consented to having her hair braided and wore one of my little friend Chanel's outfit that is too small for her now. She absolutely loved the class and it was a big one too. She enjoyed getting a little love note ready for her teacher. The other little girls were generally decked out and I think some girls just love pink and fluff and delicate things and some don't care if they're dressed up fancy or not. Mine is the former but hasn't quite figured it all out yet. She insists on wearing a skirt or dress almost everyday but doesn't like tights and isn't too big on having her hair brushed and put nicely. I certainly remember having my long hair brushed as a little girl and it was not a nice experience sitting for what seemed like forever in the bathroom on the top of the toilet to get my hair combed and put into braids or pony tails. My middle daughter calls them dog tails because she thinks her fine straight hair looks like puppy dog ears with one in an elastic on each side. Anyway she really enjoyed her first experience of dance and perhaps she will continue. We all enjoyed their twinkle twinkle little star dance. It did not occur to me at first that they would be using music in their classes. I guess I just remembered all the following, instructing, practicing and stretching and forgot about the performing and the just dance part. Although my lessons and participation is fondly remembered I suppose etched in my brain is the do it like this part and the anxious instructors trying desperately to help us perform properly. I do however remember the beautiful and varied costumes. I was once the head penguin but just because I was the tallest of the group not the most skilled. I was possible eleven and had not done the type of ballet where you perform in large amounts with costumes and schedules and practices. Also the ballet I had done was not for a few years and was mainly lessons only with an exciting performance for our parents at the end.

It's been a while...

I have been helping out the janitor and rereading Secret Life of Bees. We had a fabulous book club meeting with tea, fine china, Rosaleen's fritters, Black Madonna Honey, pretty yellow cupcakes with bees on them and last but not least peanuts and Coke in a bottle. My husband turned 40 years old and his body hurts. I voted and was partially informed. I remembered veterans and ate yummy Filipino foods and listened to good music at just near Remembrance Day celebrating birthdays. The baby is crawling and clapping up a storm with her two little bottom teeth at 8 months old. Asia is learning to verbally assault her brother which is better than fists and feets. She is still getting a handle on her emotions but now that the vocabulary is expanding she is more able to express herself. The boy has a little loose tooth at the front top sticking out to the side because he banged it on his Lord Kelvin cousin's head. It looks so funny with his larger ones up front. He is practicing with a little enthusiasm for the open house next weekend at the Arenex. We are all looking forward to Christmas and I have made some cards but of course not as many as I would like. I have been lucky enough to do some other little craft projects with photos and such. I just love the paper part of Christmas. Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas cards, Christmas letters, Christmas with coupons, Christmas lists, Christmas tags, little boxes, you name it. Part of the family saw the musical Suessical at the Waterfront theater today
In a few weeks my grandmother will be turning 99! Any suggestions?
Also this weekend we will attend the Festival of Nativities where the gym at our church will be transformed into a wonderful display of trees and nativity scenes. There will also be delightful music in the evenings.

Come enjoy the spirit of Christmas with breathtaking nativity displays from around the world. This event is open daily from 10am to 9pm starting November 27th to the 29th. Live musical performances every night from 7:30pm-8:30pm. Admission free for all ages.

Location: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 5280 Kincaid Street, Burnaby BC. Phone: 604-515-1800 email: festivalofnativities@gmail.com
www.festivalofnativities.com

Lucky

I had HappyGoLucky the cat since the mid to late nineties. I got him from the SPCA in Vancouver. He used to be a good rat catcher, thankfully I live where he wasn't catching any rats. Like most cats he liked to crawl under cars, get underfoot, and go in and out and in and out. He has a loud meow and sharp teeth but rarely scratches. Recently he hasn't been feeling well so today at the veterinary he was euthanized. I really really miss him already but I am glad he isn't suffering anymore.

PumpkinPatch

Pumpkin Patch
This year we finally got to the pumpkin patch and what a lovely day it was weather wise. We all wore boots but lucky for us it wasn't even muddy! There was sing a long ing on the hayride and corn growing, animals, entertainment and lots of fresh air. Anastasia missed her nap so she wasn't very happy and fell asleep in daddy's arms. We got ourselves some pumpkins and they fed us apples too!

Lalaine

We love her!

1st

First Tooth!
It has been a long time coming!
Avalina finally has her first tooth!
Yipee!
She is almost 6 months old now!
Our family is so blessed!

Ist Tooth!

{Swamped

I just haven't had time to sit down at the computer lately but here's a quick run down of my life lately.
Avalina is almost 6 months and has started grabbing very quickly at the table especially so we gave her some brown rice mush a few days ago.
Maybe I am totally crazy but i find it so exciting even though i was determined to be moved out this little apartment with cream carpeting before I allowed her to eat. So much for that plan, I didn't account for her own ideas. A high chair and baby food and carpet will be challenging as if the whole introduction to food thing isn't time consuming and messy enough!

My mom Abby's leg is still broken but it seems to be healing up nicely. She is still in plenty of pain depending on her daytime activities. She is trying to retire but loves to keep herself busy so that gets in the way of total relaxation. I love and admire her very much.

Anastasia now 3 years old is still being her sweet self one minute and a tornado of anger the next depending on how full her tummy is and how rested her body is as well. Just like her daddy except he doesn't turn into a tornado. Pat is always happier when he is well rested and well fed. The rest part being scarce lately for both of us. Back to Anastasia...She started Ballet for the first time on Friday and the class was large but all the little girls looked so cute! I am enjoying this chance to relive the preschool years through the eyes of a girl this time and forgot what it was like.

Marvin has just started grade 2 and has a wonderful new teacher and plenty of grade 3 classmates in his classroom. He really missed his best friends from the last few years when everybody fit into one class so he is a bit bummed about that. He seems to think he is missing out on everything fun by going to school. He will be participating in gymnastics again and also trampoline. He is still loving to read and just can't keep his nose out of the books. We aren't complaining.

Pat is working so hard and is very tired! He is longing to spend more time feeling rested and pain free and listening to music instead of putting out fires.

I am happy to be walking quite a bit more, getting more fresh air as well as exercise and eating more healthy foods. We are thrilled to have Patrick's cousin Lalaine with us since labour day. She came from HK and loves our children. She is a particular about the foods she eats but willing to be adventurous with so many other things. She has been a Godsend to me as far as helping with the children, husband, organizing, meals, house keeping and my mom. This gives me more time not being stressed and enables me to find what I need quickly. It is difficult to be overwhelmed when you have an extra pair of hands. She has a sweet spirit and is full of faith. She has brought more laughter into our home.
I am working hard to be more punctual! A wise man once said, "If you can't be on time, then be early."
I started doing some yoga again and am still Stampin'Up! a storm when I have time.
Lucky's health is declining slowly.
Our children are growing and we will grow old! It's so exciting.

coming soon...

Holiday Mini 2008 valid October 1st - January 18th

Avalina! She's 4 months!

Three's company...

We are so out numbered by children now and tired but it's all {almost} good. These children are beautiful, healthy and intelligent teachers and very precious to us but they didn't come with instruction manuals so we are winging it. I had absolutely no idea how much of an adventure it is to have this size family. There are so many things I love about being an only child but now as a mother to more than one I get a chance to experience a family life where there is more love, more fighting, more fun, more frustration, and more laughs between mom and dad than ever. All my wildest dreams have come true because we have to buy 8 litres of milk when we shop! If I knew myself and I was myself as someone else I would think I was crazy and then go take a nap. Remember Mr. Roper saying, "Two girls, (with super wide eyes) You live with two girls?!",] as he smiles a big wide smile. Some days Pat walks around saying "Two girls, you have two girls!" eagerly attempting his often done Mr. Roper imitation. Remember everyone assumed Jack must be tired from trying to keep up with two women. Ok now this is sounding perverted but he doesn't mean it that way at all and it doesn't come off that way.

Sixty Five !

My mom turned 65! We had Root Beer Floats at Queen's Park with Dogs and Friends and balloons. She loved it! What a great day! We are SO glad we kept it simple! Thank-you Carol for taking these photos with my camera!

Memory

I remember as a child I liked to think I had a very good memory, like a trap. I was convinced I could remember everything. Well since I have started having children it seems my memory power has drastically decreased. I think maybe my brain became so filled up there wasn't room for much else and that I had a lot of clutter in there that got in the way to let in the new information. I wasn't sure how to clean it. I tried some yoga and stretching and meditation and prayer but I am not sure how helpful that was. I am still trying those things anyway. I don't mean to brag and say my head is full of so much knowledge that there isn't room for more. On the contrary I would love to fill it with only wise things and leave all the junk out of it but with the world the way it is and the exposure to so many types of things these days we do not always control what we see and what we hear. Perhaps I can work on what is significant and meaningful and sweep out the rest. It is funny to me how a memory can swirl around to the front and I suddenly remember some person or place or time I thought escaped me before having little recollection of previously remembering it. That may not make too much sense to the rest of you. I am really terrible at remembering things and my husband always teases me about it. I forget dates, appointments, names, where I put things, to lock the doors and have disappointed myself remembering things just a bit too late too often. A giant calendar of the whole month we made for the refrigerator is helping me as is a date book. We seem to have so many appointments and there are more than just ourselves to worry about these days that frequently I can't keep it all straight. Sometimes I show up on the wrong day at the wrong time for things but most often I am late because I just cannot get a grasp on the concept of time and I am spreading myself so thin. I came across a passage in a book I am reading that I found interesting. The book is called After Dark by Haruki Murakami and was given to me by my husband for an fourth wedding anniversary.
from page 205...
"...All of a sudden out of nowhere I can bring back things I haven't thought about for years. It's pretty interesting. Memory is so crazy! It's like we've got these drawers crammed with tons of useless stuff. Meanwhile, all the really important things we just keep forgetting, one after the other."

quote

"Sometimes the bitter things in life render the sweetest tastes."
- Tracy Winger

I promised me...

...but it's all about her right now!