This weekend Lesa and I will discuss all things pertaining to her wedding. My only hope is I can steer her away from the bridesmaid dress she's chosen. She's very stubborn so wish me luck.

The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe has filled mine and Emily's heads and hearts for the past 2 weeks. We had almost finished reading the book (thanks to our teachers/gov't for leaving us with nothing better to do, no seriously, thanks!) when Emily had her first sleepover party here with her best pal Cheyenne who brought along the movie! After a fun-filled day of crafts, litebrite, barbies, playing candyland, and a quiet but giggly coloring session at Robin's donuts, the girls were ready to kick back. Suddenly they had their pjs on and cleaned up a bit before sitting down to the junkfood feast they had prepared and displayed in front of the couch earlier in the day. Complete with doilies, hand-crafted decorations all over the walls and little roses everywhere, even in the food, the spread was gorgeous, funny, but gorgeous. Emily even made a cotton ball Aslan to sit proudly atop the tv. I snuggled up on the couch with them to watch the BBC version on screen. I was a little too cozy and fell asleep but was vigorously shaken just in time to see Aslan, or actually, to see Emily see Aslan. It's quite something to be able to tell your impressionable 6 year old that Aslan isn't a character based purely on someone's imagination. With all the stuff they dream up to entice kids into a fantasy world, finding something they can really believe in, that entices them on a far deeper level, is something I fantasize about. We weren't able to finish it that night but it didn't really matter. It is this version that we're waiting for. (I know my expectations are set waaaay too high but if Disney disappoints, I'm suing.)

Many times I am overwhelmed by the sheer goodness of God when I look at these faces.

What a rush

Slinky Malinki

I've really needed this old friend of mine to work her magic in my soul this last while. And she couldn't have picked a better time to sail my way. Lesa is the most intuitive woman I will ever know. Our friendship has been a sort of emotional romance from the beginning. I've retrieved a few of our favorite songs that we loved and memorized before we were even teenagers to embellish a wee blog about my best friend.

She cooks, she cleans, she launders, she ponders, she crafts, she laughs, she is a friend like no other, 'cept maybe your mother, she brings many skills, she pays her own bills, she sees right through ya, just like she knew ya...

Although I was relieved when it worked out for Steve to go to Manitoba last weekend, I imagine it would have been pretty lonesome had Lesa not made the crazy journey out again (second weekend in a row!). Thank you for the hysterics as well as for the tears, and for all the simple moments in between.
The old house by the sea, and its' occupants, await yours and Jildaz's return in 2 weeks!
(All thanks to Jer for getting the song clips on here)

Tommy and I off to the mall in my Dad's 1987 Bonneville. It's one deluxe mac-daddy of a spiff-mobile with all the bells and whistles you can think of. Pimped out with cranberry rugs, seats, dashboard, and steering wheel, all the old-timers in town can't keep their eyes off of it. Tonite I'll be cruis'n with Lesa ...

Standing in the cold prairie wind freezing our faces off just so mommy can have a happy family photo for her blog.

The biggest hug and waterslide, all in one post.

These make me laugh, you gotta click on them...
All the jump'n and tickl'n and fart'n that this big comfy couch has taken from these ones over the years, no wonder frank and jeanne want it replaced. Can you find Tommy in the top pic?

Emily woke up and ran outside to check if they made it through the night.

Still good!

Our camera needs to be chucked.
Anyways, i wanted to post some pics of our little visit at Jim and Marj's. My beautiful Kate (the goldilocks), her awesome boyfriend Thomas, and Alex the Great (the young goldilocks who's head became one with the sky) came down to meet us in Rosenort. Marj made kumst borsht and Jim poured wine when he wasn't holding Tommy. Alex tell your mom it's time to come see us "in the mountains" again.

My grandma is more wonderful than I can take sometimes. I always tell her she's my favorite grandma and every time she has a good laugh reminding me that she's my only grandma. At my request, she made us blueberry perogies, schmontfatt, and the farmer sausage pictured here.

Emily rocks.

I leave Tommy alone with Ryan and Heather for 5 minutes and look at what happens...

Happy Belated Blog Update Birthday Babar!
Love Babar

I love the contrast between these two sweetpeas. Peyton refuses to give the photographer the time of day while Shyanne radiates. My little sister Kim has her hands full out east. If only she were closer, then I'd be answering to "Auntie".

Posing thoughtfully...She was a vision. After 2 frustrating weeks of trying to catch her own butterfly with an ineffective little net, she carefully chose the perfect outfit for trying out this beautiful net that Steve made for her. Four minutes after running outside, big hopes fluttering in her little heart, she returned with a pretty little orange one, "a real butterfly", not a colorful moth this time.