I can hardly believe that another best friend from Manitoba has moved our way. Jaime and Bruce (old childless pic) and their pumpkins have set up in Vancouver! She wasn't in BC two weeks before she took the kids on the great journey up the coast to our wee neck of the woods. I'm extremely sentimental about being girlfriends with Jaime for 18 years and watching our kids play together. (And I'm extremely happy that it's taking place in my favorite province!) Anyone who's been to Jaime's childhood Altona home will agree that her daughter Hizee looks identical to those huge cheesy photos of Jaime as a baby in their dining room. What she's lacking in hair, she makes up for in spunk!
The fun never stopped with these old pals. Zam-the sweetest little boy in the west- and Em spent a good portion of their time hauling toys and playing in the two refrigerator boxes we taped together. Tom was psychotically happy about little Hizee's mere presence. She also kept him amused by offering him toys such as rocks and pouring the bucket of crabs and barnacles collected from the beach on him. (She wasn't quite successful, luckily Jaime was on the ball!) And Emily freak'n loved Hizee. At one point she turned to me fully annoyed and plainly let me know-"I want a little SISTER".

Holy Knock-out!
Happy Birthday my friend!
Here you are at half your age!

Lesa with an "e" for Enthralling to all who meet her...

This is the earliest Lesa pic I own. There we are on the same soccer team under Mrs. Peter's firm yet gentle rule. You were 12 and it wouldn't be until we played baseball together the following year that we would finally become friends.

Click here:
Whats new kittycat...whooah whoo-ooah...

The wisest, most wonderful thing I've ever done, in the heart of Fool's Paradise 11 years ago. Me love you long time sweety!

Not so camera-shy these days...

Been spending the last couple of weekends with my Dad. Tom adores Krystle, but who couldn't? She's beautiful, generous, and compassionate. Most importantly, she does a freakishly perfect impression of Napoleon Dynamite.

Emily brings out the giddy school girl in everyone, it's certainly nothing to be ashamed of Matt!

(now i'm in trouble...)

Emily can't wait for school to begin again in fall. My friend Mo took the following pics, she's awesome. Just click da pic for a larger version...

Check out the sweetest lil' outfit Heather and Ryan mailed this week. This was last night at Emily's kindergarten grad BBQ. I ate too much if you're wondering whats wrong with me.

Babies are so great for preoccupying you during boring speeches

I stole this pic from another blog, purdy ain't it

All aboard to Victoria for a Bday BBQ at Marm's for my brother. Lesa took this great pic on her ferry ride down from Vancouver. Our ferry ride across to Comox was more eventful than usual as there were like hundreds of dolphins putting on a spectacular show alongside the ship!

This is Matthew and Tom and Krystle....many of you have yet to meet these important pieces of my life!

Happy Birthday Matt! You're still a schnurp!

My angel

Tommy takes cameras very seriously

Lesa said she looked like a british cop in my hat and we all lost it!

Recently, Marm was declared a Queen of the Nile, for all the fundraising work she's done for Shriner's Children's Hospitals.

A closer look at the gorgeous vintage crown

Mennonite Gothic

I had the best time with my mom. It's been almost 20 years since she's been to the coast and it was so wonderful to be with her in a place that has never left her heart.
She bought us piles of groceries, did mountains of dishes and folding, spent hours making cool crafts with Em, and forced us to go on a date.
We talked and talked and laughed ourselves sick as always. I mostly enjoyed having someone so cheerful to hang out with me and Tom, drinking coffee in the wee hours of the morning when I usually have to listen to the blissful snores across the house by myself.
She got to witness a few of Tommy's milestones including some of his first tastes of real food. My mom took most of the pictures which only means that there are too many pics of us and too few of her.....

On one scorcher of an afternoon, we took off for Lund Harbour to relax in a historic restaurant and poke around the art gallery.

Why do we look so mennonite when you put us all together?

Toasting Ruben, my mom's hunky mexican husband over a kid-free mexican fiesta while taking in the gorgeous view. Salut Rube!

One morning at the Farmer's Market. Mom thought it was cool that it was out in the middle of the bush. We picked up some hippie bread to go with my home-made crabcakes that night, dee-lish.

Until next time Nanny!

I love bringing my kiddos to my dad...

They love it too!

Make'n this Papa's day

The shadow under steve's goatie is adding a great deal of breadth to it's size in this pic, Tommy's impressed either way.

We all had an amazing time during my sister Krystle's recent visit, see below for some pics and my usual cheesy captions...

Show'n Auntie the ropes

Emily imitating Krystle (tee hee)

Gathering some firewood for a weiny roast and best marshmallow contest. Krystle's good at all that stuff, i just put the ketchup on the buns.

One dandy day

Have a great day Mom!

Happy Mother's Day MOM!!!!

I'll see you in 2 weeks when my roses and your favorite iris's will be in full bloom and we'll gaze at the mountains as we visit the waterfront Thai restaurant! Love you love you love you,
Love your one and only.....

It's so cute when you put athletic wear on little babies. Tommy looks like a little jock-man in this ensemble that Krystle brought down from Marm. Emily's eyes stayed blue for nearly a year before turning brown, we'll see what happens with this one...

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...