PLUS ONE WEE BEAN & A BUGGY: January 2012

January 31, 2012

Friendships

Last nite I had tea with a friend.
She's a past coworker, an athlete, a teacher.
A heck of a cook/cleaner/story book reader and role model.
She's a fellow blogger, an inventor, crazy creative and one thing I like best...
A MOM!
Above all though, she is my friend.
And man did we have a great chat over tea.
The chocolate chip cookie sealed the sweetness of our meeting in a busy coffee shop full of facebookers, secret daters, and caffeine junkies.

K and I used to high five down the hallways of our downtown high rise and plan weekend parties.
Perhaps we shared a few shooters at a pub or two.
We hit up Vegas with the ladies.
Tackled life's challenges and drama's at the same time
and come from such similar family backgrounds it is crazy.

Now we schedule two months in advance to go for a simple tea.
Only to get to that date and reschedule due to exhaustion, sick babies, or just life stuff that shuffles our blessed lives.

Last nite we met in ponytails, sans make-up, and yes we left babies to sleep at home with Dads.

Oh how our lives have changed.
Man we are fortunate!

Here is to friends!
Not just pals or acquaintances (although they are loved as well) but friends that just GET YOU.
That you can go for months without texting and calling and still hug you like they saw you yesterday.
Here is to friends!
That don't judge, that encourage, and make you feel better about the person you really are.
K, thank you.
XO
S

I had to dig deep for this photo.
It makes me smile.

January 30, 2012

Fast and Furious. Where did that week go?

This week has pulled us in all kinds of directions.

Good directions I believe.

One of those weeks that flies by and when Sunday arrives you really aren't sure if the weekend is just starting or ending.

It was a relief to get at some organizing, rekindle a few neglected friendships, and remind myself of things that make me happy.

Making Mumma happy is apparently important? Who knew? That little voice inside my head was squeelin!

We said see ya later to Grampa (who I think is now Papa by the sounds of it) who came home for a surprise trip to wish my bro a happy 40th!

Put up shelves in our newly renovated basement. The O word makes me so gitty. ORGANIZE!

Dug deep a bit in the garage graveyard.

and got to the heart of what really matters, big time play dates and HUGS!

I also discovered a new feel good blog... BluebirdKisses

These are all iphone pics.

Oh what fun.

January 29, 2012

Lowering his ears...

Ever heard that expression?
Getting your ears lowered?
I never did understand how they got "haircut" out of that?
Weird.

Anyway...

Yesterday was haircut number one for the wee boss.
BIG DAY.

I've resisted, avoided, denied, and flat out said NO to a haircut for over 15 months.

A little boy with beautiful curls and wavy highlights has a crazy place in my heart.

Uhhhhm have you seen Andrew's Dad??!!

Those curls were the first twinkle.
(check out this lil dude - gorgeous blondie).

We didn't take Andrew to just any salon.

We took him to a BARBER!

Grampa's barber!

ANGELO & LUIGI!

This Mumma remembers way back when visitingAngelo & Luigi with Andrew's Grampa.

This Mumma also remembers them teasing her saying they'd chop off her ponytail.

Yes, traumatized!

It was a risky move taking my own child. Andrew was a big boy.

Angelo & Luigi have cut Grampa's hair forever. They also donated an antique barber chair to Grampa & Grama's home (trade one old barber chair for one pig - TRUE STORY!)

Uhm Dad. Is this dude stealing my curls? WTF!!

EZ EZ, watch the ears Luigi!

Super old school Italian barber shop. Like you'd see on TV. So awesome!

This Italian boat took Bean's attention... for at least30 seconds.

TA-DA! Proud Papa. Andrew looks like a little man (sans curls).

Rewards!

Andrew sat like a CHAMP the entire time.

Not a squeek or squirm. Pretty impressive, especially since there were no TVs, no video games, no fancy chairs or games. Just two Italian men with funny voices.
ANGELO & LUIGI.
Love em.

Back home and all the itchies are showered away.

Twins!
With all the haircut talk, Daddy went for a haircut during Andrew's nap later in the day.

January 27, 2012

Friday follow up

More blessings while in Arizona.

I wanted to post these photos separate because they have a special place in my heart and I thought would be nice to have on their own.

My heritage is very important to me. It always has been.

But until I had a son of my own I don't believe I had a true sense of what HERITAGE really meant.

To be able to show Andrew the Ropin and Ridin way of life that has been a huge part of my parents, their Parents, and even our great Grandparents world means more to me than I can ever share in photos. It is such a privelage to be able to share it with Bean as he grows.

While the wild west of Arizona is drastically different than the daily Agricultual roots back at Terra Velde farms in Dalemead, Alberta, Canada, it instills the importance of the love of animals, family, fresh air, active living, and above all shows the great givings that hard work provides down the road.

I am forever grateful!

Grampa is a Team Roper for fun... yes, 65 and lovin his roping partner JACK.

Grama is a CowGirl. The real kind, no fancy blinged out buckle necessary.

Ropin & ridin!

Gotta love it.

Think we have a wee Cowboy in the making?
You tell me!?

Andrew at 10 months. Photo by Through Laurie's Lens.

January 26, 2012

Arizona Christmas!

I am so far behind with my photos.
I've been avoiding a few very special batches.
I'm THAT far behind.
The ridiculous number I take during the holiday season is so overwhelming.
I karate chopped a few today and thought I'd share our wonderful preChristmas trip to visit Grampa and Grama at their home in Casa Grande PHX. It was awesome!
Time with Grandparents
plus
generous amounts of our favorite foods
plus
gentle temperatures, a bit of golf, NFL plus shopping and
VOILA! AWESOMENESS!
I would almost bet you can feel some LOVE!