You Are Cordially Invited

If you're looking for something to do on what is supposed to be a fabulously beautiful, up and coming Saturday, let me present you with a perfect family, friendly gathering at Camp. Our Open House is just around the corner. The day is free...(mainland - we'll pick you up at Duke Pt and bring you here no charge!) that includes lunch and supper folks. Pretty much all our activities are open, up and running...this includes our phenomenal high ropes Challenge Course and our awesome Waterfront with Tige boats and all.

We want to know if you're coming (gotta make sure there's enough food!) so just call the camp and register with your name and the number of people you're gonna bring.

Seriously, it's an awesome day. Plus, if I've never met you I would love to! And, I'll definitely be hanging out with our boys and enjoying the sun and the other 900+ guests who're coming.

It's our annual event not to be missed.

Let me know if you have any questions...but come. Do it. Even if you just want to drop in for an hour or so.

See you Saturday!

Decaf Tall With Room For Cream Americano

I went out with a couple friends last night. It had been awhile since we'd all three been together. I'm not sure if we've ever made it out all together without kids. It was soul full, and food for the soul.

It was the pour-your-heart-out kind of moments...followed by the laughing until the tears are rolling down your cheeks kind of moments...superseded by the ah, this-is-nice-to-talk-uninterrupted-and-simply-enjoy-the coffee-in-front-of-you-without-it-going-cold.

Each of us endure different struggles, spouses with very different vocations, children excelling in some areas while driving us to the brink of "you've got to be kidding me, you did what?!" in other areas. Happiness is derived in different nooks and crannies of each of our lives, passions are driven by different causes and struggles, we all embrace different levels of dysfunction. Yet, we all seize common ground. The same faith. An equal desire to support one another. A heart for the passions of the other two while at the same time, not necessarily a complete understanding of the passions of the others. A respect not needing verbalization.

But that's friendship, is it not? Supporting while perhaps not always understanding. Embracing though maybe not as fervent for the cause.

Whatever. I came home on a bit of a high (which I mistook for perhaps a mix-up in the coffee) and embraced what had transpired into a perfect evening at Starbucks.

Painting The Deck

Ah hem, painting on the deck...mostly.

{excuse the slight plumber bum}

We've been making the most of the sun that (finally) decided up until this morning to rear it's wonderfully warm invigorating face and bless us with the vitamin D not found in a bottle.

Painting on the deck was a request made and easily accommodated. (Sidenote: I pretty much say 'yes' to anything when the sun is shining.)

{i see you tait! what did you find down there??}

{mama! tait found a bubble blower...oh, yeah and he got his paintbrush too}I can feel it.

Summer, pushing it's way through the rain. Inching it's way around the clouds. Feeling it's way into our days and lives.

Freebee

Let me tell you the story of a Dresser.

It, actually let's make it a "she" shall we? She was found on a local used site and listed free. After checking her out (solid wood boys and girls), bringing her home, and learning (through a friend! and self-teaching), she is now beautiful. Toot toot.

She cost me about 30 mins of travel time, a little putty, a little paint, and a couple (very inexpensive) pieces of hardware.

She'll take her place in the boys' room and add a bit of colour splash to their already colourful duvets. I am in love...and on the hunt for another freebee to make pretty...oh, and a place to put her (who ever "she" may be) in our home.

Hello new hobby.

And this is what occupied my time this past weekend, other than being behind the lens.

----

And while I didn't realize my "it's so so good" comments would reciprocate such enthusiastic comments, and while I cannot go in to more detail (as mentioned in previous post), I will say that from three unofficial but very solid, reliable sources (here is one) it is looking as though the MOWA office in the Oromia region is now open, folks. When I say "it is looking as though" I say it with a whopping amount of certainty. This may mean nothing to some of you...and others may be putting on their party hat and doing a little dance. I am of the latter persuasion.

Glean what you will.

Hang in there.

This is awesome.

My Mum Said It Was Going To Be A Good Day

I cannot go in to detail. I simply Can. Not. I'm sorry. Sort of.

Suffice to say it is good, people.

It is so so good.

Weekending. Treehousing. Sunbasking.

Our Saturday was glorious. Sunny. Warm. Fully of building, learning, exploring, and giggling.

The Treehouse construction is in full swing. Major progress was made, however, there was also proof that often many hands don't necessarily make light work. The time together - the quality time - made up for the lack of progress though and all in all the day was a success.

The Foreman.

Heart for seeing his kids enjoy their childhood to the max. Care taker of all details which go in to building a serious treehouse.

Mine - all mine.

If you only knew the hours already put into this project...dreaming, scheming, researching, buying, measuring, planing, digging, cementing, nailing, screwing, re-measuring. It is truly awesome...

Sugared up on a RingPop...round two (and definitely a long way from gone). Because you see, we don't tolerate much of the refined stuff around here, so candy is enjoyed multiple times. Three minutes here, three minutes there. They have come to understand well, the sweetness associated with candy but also the negative toll it takes. And, while that may sound all stingy and non-child-friendly, it works for us. They appreciate more than usual, what a special treat really should be.







Temporary placement(s) of the slide...just to see how it worked and where.

Good news folks: it works. Boy does it work.











All that in a single day.

And other than behind the lens, perhaps you wonder what this Mama did with all her time? Ah, that's a project in pictures for another day.

Perhaps the sun may stick around a little more than usual this week.

That would be nice, wouldn't it.

Short And Sweet

...and while you may be thinking that I am referring to Yours Truly, I am not.

However, Yours Truly has a larger-than-life (though apprehensively hesitant) grin on her face.

That's all I can say, as I have some hearsay in my hands and don't want to have to take back what I post. But it is positive and that's what this month is about right?

Happy Saturday.

Happy Friday (the grin curved at the sides of my mouth yesterday).

Happy Weekend.

Summed Up In A Single Word

Yesterday's "goodness" can simply be summed up in one word

SUN

It was what we all needed. Peacefully rising in the morning, it shone into our room and was the best wake up call in some time.

Playdates (outside!) were the order of the day.

A pantless three year old and a smiling four year old. Happiness is: wearing a short sleeved shirt without anything over top. We thrive on the little things around these parts.

A visit to the new kindergarten class also made the shortlist for our day...and though it certainly proved anti-climactic and begged more (unanticipated) questions than it answered, a whiteboard and several other goodies were included in the take home bag which made for a smiling, "I need to get to work learning now" small boy.

And though you'd think that Imagine's bi-monthly email yesterday would have been a downer, (including confirmation of the single May referral...which I know doesn't even affect us due to it being significantly above ours), it wasn't. More paperwork is now needed for referrals and though there are some in the works, they are stuck. I found comfort in the knowledge that though there are more guidelines and (even) slower timelines, things are still moving. At a snail's pace they are moving. They are moving. It's a journey. I have our list of all required documents for our two year update which is actually comforting for me, as I can begin to get our ducks in a row...again. Things. Are. Moving.

Fait Accompli

Other than the sun shining in my window as I type (what? I feel warmth radiating from outside...what's that all about?!) there was a lot of good oozing it's way out of yesterday.

A successful swim lesson - during which I cursed myself out nearly the entire time for so flippantly deciding to leave my Nikon at home - included my little peanut-of-a-nearly-five-year-old not only jumping off the diving board solo for the first time every...into the deep end...but also sliding down the giant slide solo as well. The smaller of the two squirts is successfully learning to float on his back, (without it looking like a form of chinese torture) and then flipping on to his tummy. It's about the cutest thing you've ever seen a three year old do. Trust me.

Other than the swimming success, I finished a work-in-progress last night. After several weeks of sewing my little heart out, I finished this little project. (Note: a small child to go with it would be appreciated.) I purchased the pattern for this Dandelion Windows quilt through Craft Hope For Haiti...you'll recall?! The fabric is about 80% thrift finds, 15% gifted, and 5% thread. I would pay, to know the story behind much of the fabric.

I am pleased with the outcome...and will be more pleased once it's in full use. (The bedhead is something to smile about too.)

Woo Hoo...This Is Fu-Huuuuun

In keeping with trying (desperately trying!) to keep positive and see the good in all and in everything, regardless of how life may actually feel at times, I have decided to dedicate the thirty days in June to a positive outlook. Each day, regardless of how good/bad/ugly it was, I will share a positive moment. If only a picture, depicting a single instance...a last ditch effort to Fake It Until You Make It.

Because, in light of the past month of rain, no referrals, more rain, okay one referral that I know of but it didn't affect our placement, and more rain, for the health and well-being of us all there has got to be some smiles and fun. After a pretty impressive melt-down on Sunday, I think I've got it out of my system and am ready to hit June head on. Don't get me wrong, May brought some fantastic moments and I'd like to see more of them...and perhaps I may...perhaps I should ask and anticipate less from June. Maybe "going with the flow" will take the edge off. (Sun wouldn't hurt anyone either.)

And seeing as I missed yesterday, I'll make up by sharing a glimpse into Monday (let's end a crap-referral month on a positive note, shall we,) and the first day of our new month.

The outpouring of donations from friends. An overwhelming encouragement in the form of material goods for small children in our Transition Home and an Orphanage. Many (!) I simply could not send this time around no thanks to Canada Posts' ridiculous rates. They will make it over, however, either via my own suitcase of that of another.


And a simple walk. Amidst the dumps of rain we found some time to head out to the beach and find some secret pathways. We took a new "route" along the seashore, enjoying the sand (a rarety as we don't usually time our walks around low tide) and all the hundreds of crabs running to and fro. (I won't dwell on the fact that I seriously miscalculated the amount of battery life left in my camera and only got in a few shots before it died...we're thinking positive here people.) The high was my small three year old (gosh he's cute) running along the beach, (his Mama holding her breath waiting for him to eat beach at any given moment) - water and sand spraying out from beneath his little feet, yelling:

"Woo Hoo...This is fu-huuuun"

How is it that small children have the innate ability to turn one syllable words into two, often three syllables? It truly is admirable.

Orphanage Donations

Many of you have asked specifically what items Imagine is requesting for donation...as they are heading over to visit our orphanage(s) and transition home in just over a week.

First, thank you so much. Seriously. Right now, this is the most tangible thing we (I!) can do and your responses have been encouraging. Below is a list of what they are asking for. My gut is that non-clothing items will be fewer and further between so if you are able to pass those along that would be great. I have confirmed that all items can be gently used but they cannot accept stained/torn/holey items or anything broken/missing parts. So new condition or brand spankin' new would be wonderful.

I need to send any donations by Monday, May 31...yep, right around the corner. Thank you again. There will be other opportunities to do this also...down the road...when (notice I didn't say if) yours truly is hoping on the jet plane.

Orphanage:
Clothes for infants and toddlers
Blankets
Shoes (infants and toddlers)
Toys

Transition Home:
Clothes for toddlers
Blankets
Underwear
Socks
Mobiles (for cribs)
Dolls
Thermometers

3 Hour Getaway

We had to head only 25 mins out of town this morning and though the weather threatened to drown us out with it's looming clouds, we taunted it and stuck with our plans anyway. Is seemed worth it to stick it out in the wet nastiness that is BC right now, rather than spend nearly two hours in the car.

It was perfect.

After dropping the pup off at a much needed grooming appointment (he dropped what looks to be a 1/2 dozen pounds in a matter of hours), we walked down the road to a local park for an hour...followed by a much needed coffee break (ah hem, muffin break for some), a quick tour of the consignment store (which scored the boys a couple of screamin' great deals), and concluded with another hour and half at another park and it's neighboring beach.

It was a simple getaway with lots of fresh air, running, climbing, laughing and changing of scenery. The latter was priceless - we were in dire need - and after several days indoors and chilly temperatures, I cannot even explain how our moods were lifted.

After successfully drying off every piece of playground equipment in sight, we went at it...

We heard trains as they whistled by...

Saw trolleys as they ding-dinged their way down the road...

Truly lived out my father's motto that: "If you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean"...

Climbed like little squirrels...

And swung like monkeys...

And when the walk got a little too swingy...there was a kind hand to hold...

There was some serious tire climbing, swinging, twirling action...