Hands clasped means contentment.

Steve always gets the best laughs outta Tom.

Steve returned from a grueling working/adventure weekend on the island (I could write pages about it if he wasn't so blog-shy), with a new pet. Emily adores creatures of all kinds and surprises me with her fearlessness all the time. Once we got to know 'crabby's' limitations, Emily was pick'n him up with her bare hands.

A final plea...

Emily insisted that our little friend be displayed just so...

This one's go'n places

Steve makes his debut to my blog with my favorite pic of the two

Too bad we can't see Lesa's engagement ring here

A late march afternoon posing with kitty

Show'n off the 'birthday shirt' from Ryan and Heath

Love Bug

The toothfairy smiled on this one i'll tell ya

green day

Special Olympics

Emily started gymnastics and I'm very impressed with her determination, especially on the rope. She'll climb up as far as she can, then just cling to it, pausing for a while instead of just coming down like they usually do. Suddenly she'll reach up and bring herself a little higher to the amazement of all. (Picture me beaming in the stands and calculating the intense commitment Mary Lou Retton's mother must have had to her daughter's Olympic dream). All heads up to Emily as she prepares for a safe landing, but wait, she's reaching UP, aaaand...Wow she's done it again!! Later I hear about the green haired boy who said she was "really strong". A well-deserved compliment for simply trying her best.

polka-dog 

My lovely friend Jane made this for us. Thomas is fascinated by that ball. 

"Thomas the Bruce": Dragonslayer 

Easter Birthday

Poor Em has had her birthday party post-poned twice now. The surprise we have planned for her and her friends requires a sunny day which we seem to be having on any day other than the ones we choose for her party. And starting tomorrow it's supposed to rain for 10 days. The outdoor fun will be worth the wait though I think. Well it's not like last weekend wasn't one non-stop party for her anyhow. Holy presents! Our house is stocked with enough art supplies, toys, and board games for a family of 6, are you guys trying to hint at something or what?
What another amazing weekend with guests. Our visits with Frank and Jeanne in January, Heather in February, and now my wonderful sister, her mom, we all affectionately call her "Marm" and my dear Lesa have all been so meaningful to me. The highlight of my weekend was all the talking and laughing and going to bed at an unreasonable hour each night. Other glorious highlights were charitable acts of cleaning, Emily in bliss with all the girly attention and of course having others oo and goo over major Tom. Steve was so keen in making sure I got to relax and enjoy my friends as much as possible while I had the chance-what a stud! Tom is such a mini-stud, at 2 1/2 months, yesterday he weighed in at 14lbs 9oz! Check out the belly!

Pure Muscle 

Our Marm, Krystle and Pouty pants

Auntie Krystle teaching Emily how to distinguish between male and female crabs

Happiness is: turning 6 years old 

Happiness is: a baby boy 

Lesa's pipes having uses OTHER than obsessive rock climbing as Thomas finds his way to la-la land

Altonawood

This weekend my daughter will turn 6 years old, how cool is that? I loved being 6, did you? It was the year I saw Annie and cried until my mother swore that we would move to Hollywood so that I could be Annie. She said I had to wait until I was 10 though. When I finally turned 10 I was no less desperate to leave Altona but we only made it to Morden. I did get my first lead in a play at that time but come showtime I really stunk because I thought I'd spice up my role of 'a nice mother' a little. I found out later that my teacher turned beet red, almost purple when I started my lines in my suddenly newly invented psycho voice. My mom and aunt Darlene were in the audience and when they heard my screechy voice and saw my teacher's face they (from sheer embarrassment probably!) started to giggle uncontrollably in their seats and continued to do so through most of the production.
When I met them afterwards their faces were tear-stained, ohhhh me, why!! Fortunately I was able to laugh seeing as we were moving again like the next week and I never had to see those folks again!
We have 4 out of towners coming to celebrate the birthday girl and snuggle Tom-boy this weekend. Krystle, Matthew, and Marm (my sis and bro and their sweet mama) from Victoria, and Lesa from Vancouver. Soooo I'll have plenty of instant photos of our weekend party's to share since they all have digital cameras. I feel like this waiting 1 hour for walmart pics every 2 weeks is such an outdated method already. But it's serving us alrite as you can see...

heeheehee!!! 

Laughing Thomas

Army pair 

Looks like Daddy 

Emmy and Squeak

"Tiger-willow"

Curly the flying cat

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Hope you all are enjoying your day!
Thanks for your patience if you've been checking in regularly only to see the same pink emily pics smiling at you everyday. I wanted to note that they were taken during a rock-climbing adventure with her dad. And that I thought it was neat that she chose those cute little ducks on her shopping trip with Auntie Heather instead of this gigantic unicorn she was offered. (thank God) Anyways, Thomas's uniquely honed radar knows whenever I feel inspired to do some writing on this thing and I have the nerve to think I have the freedom to do so. His 3rd name Marek means "war-like" and lets just say it's fitting when he isn't happy about something. But maybe you'll understand how easy it is to forgive him when you see the little smirk he's got going on below...

plaidsmile

limesmirk