Goodbye Earl/Dad in Law

All ten of us together

Dad and Courtney his 'Smiley'

Cliff, his Dad and Cameron

The original family together.

Dad and his Sweet Caroline.

****

This morning at 10:35 am Cliff's Dad passed away peacefully.

Thank you Dad for all that you did for our family, the love you gave us all, the help, the support and your awesome Dad-ness. You are missed so much already.

You will never be forgotten, and I promised you yesterday I will keep your memory alive with words, photos and stories. We have empty hearts today and forever.

Cliff has big boots to fill.

Middle of the week, and today is the last day of school!

Well, actually it is Thursday morning at 12:04 am. I have been up since 3:15 am yesterday. My FIL has taken a turn for the worse and is now in the hospice. We are all very sad around here. Today is the very last day of school! How fast did this year go by?! We have Cameron moving onto Grade 4, Claire moving onto Grade 2 and Carly moving into Grade 1! Three out of my six kids will be in full time school leaving me with ONLY THREE little ones at home (deja vu, history repeating itself or whatever hard to believe it is like the first three years of my life with the three big kids who were my three little kids at home!) Anyways. I am looking forward to letting things slide a bit. Relaxing and chillaxing in the yard. Taking day trips etc. I think we will be having a bit of a slower summer. Claire is off to a reading and recreation program to bump up her reading all through July. And August, well we have a couple of birthdays coming up.

The past weekend we had a bbq at Centennial beach with family and friends, and then on Sunday we took the kids to Cultas for a picnic. This weekend we were going to go to Minter Gardens with Dad/FIL but for obvious reasons will not be. We are sad about that too.

Anyways, sorry I haven't updated it has just been really busy with many activities daily for the end of the school year. Lots of parties, get togethers and then today Claire got sick, the bad news about my FIL and other stuff that is not so wonderful. So, yeah. It has been quite the week. Tonight it seemed as if Courtney, Carly, Cameron and Caroline were under the weather too.

Tonight we went to visit Dad in hospice, we had to make a trip to the Home Depot to get mouse traps. We have a family of mice living in our place. Cliff had the day off today, and tomorrow too. Possibly Friday too. And of course, recycling and garbage to do as well!! Busy busy.

Tomorrow we will be taking the kids to visit their Grandpa. I know he is glad they are all coming for a visit.

your love is better than ice cream...

Here is Caroline having one of many ice creams in her pj's in the front yard before bed! This was taken after her photo session on Fathers Day.

Carly lost

Her first tooth last night when I was out for a run! The tooth fairy came and left her two dollars. She then put the two dollars into the D-Land fund jar! Iove how they have been doing that!

I just hope the tooth fairy can fund most of that trip for us!

Caroline and me...

See, I was on our Fathers Day trip, but I am usually the one taking the family photos. Thankfully my Mom in Law took a few photos of me :D

This was so fun to do, and her smiles were HUGE!

And she decided she wanted to be on her own swing after awhile. It was a great day! I had fun on the swings too! I got some good air when I jumped off LOL!

Fathers Day 2008

Where is Courtney you ask?

She was on the beach blanket with her Nonna and Grandpa!

(No kids were injured, went missing, ran away or got hurt during this time at the beach LOL)

Courtney is 7 months

Well today my sweet Coco is 7 months old, and she also yesterday broke through her first tooth (bottom left!) So, no more gummy smile!

She is enjoying her solid foods. Loves her cereals, all types. Sweet potatoes and squash. She also loves the cereal with fruits and is eating the 8 month 'texture' already. She sits quite well, and is moving herself all over the place with her 'army' crawl. Courtney loves the company of her siblings and she also smiles really big and she has two really visible dimples.

Love you babes xo

I promised, and I delivered!

When I was pregnant with Courtney, I promised the kids that after I had her that I would show them first that I can still rock a cartwheel like nobodys business, and two that I would teach them. So, this weekend I did just that! Thanks to Cliff for capturing this really fun time with our kids! I plan on doing way more like this!!

Me mid cartwheel (note the ice cream in Catie's hand!)

Cartwheels with the kids! What fun!!

Mother and son rocking their moves on the lawn in the sun!

She's still got it after almost 20 years!

Weekend Rocked! So happy!

The weekend was a busy one. It consisted of a lot of the usual running around, but we also had a lot of fun stuff, like ice cream (we are talking ice cream cones for all of us, 3 days in a row!) and then yesterday was of course Fathers Day. We too Cliff's Dad to Harrison with all of the kids for a morning of beach, family time, and you guessed it--ice cream. We had a great morning, then we got home. We had some yummy dinner. We then headed out to Elgin Park for some photos in the park with Jillian Kirby who took these wonderful photos of our family. As you see, our family is complete. We need some photos to hang on the wall. It feels right to hang the photos on the wall! Nobody is missing. We had ice cream on the way home too! It was good! And, we listened and sang to the wonderful CD Snacktime by the Barenaked Ladies! Awesome CD, you need to pick one up! The kids sing the song Popcorn, and Allergies like there is no tomorrow. Brings a lot of joy to us right now! Music, gotta love it!

As for the only one missing from our family well that would be the baby that we lost via miscarriage five years ago yesterday. On Fathers Day, June 15th, 2003 to be exact. I still miss that baby that could have been going into Kindergarten this September. And the beautiful pink peonie plant from my Papa did not bloom this year and that made me a bit sad. And also sad for Cliff who most likely just spent his last Fathers Day with his Dad yesterday. But, it was a good day all around. We made some good memories yesterday! Cliff's Dad said he felt almost like normal which was wonderful to hear.

I am happy the good weather is here! It is so nice to see blue sky and shadows :D

This morning, we had a pukey Caroline who is sleeping quietly on the couch. Poor babe.

Well, I have a pick up to do, and I have photos to download! Look for those soon!

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday Grannie! We love you!

Happy Dad's Day

Number One Daddy!

Today, it is all about YOU my dear Cliff.

Today is a Day made just for you. It is not often that the day is all about you. Mostly you come home from your day job, and job number two kicks in.

You give us ALL one hundred percent of your free time. You don't complain. You just love us all.

You are a hands on Dad.

You love us ALL something fierce.

You give up so much just for us to be happy.

You serve us first, and yourself second.

Today my dear husband, I want to say thank you to you for all that you do. We hope your day is beautiful. We hope you enjoy this day, and it goes down as one of the most precious days ever. No matter what.

We know you would have liked to have gone golfing today with your Dad, or to the Waffle House with my parents. But, today we are taking you to the beach! The kids are so excited and we leave in just a bit. Look at that glorious sunshine today!

Thank you Cliff.

We all love you. We cannot tell you that often enough.

You rock our world! Enough said xo

Cathy

Cameron

Claire

Carly

Catie

Caroline

Coco

Shawna in Real Life!

I met a new Blogger friend Shawna in real life last night. I didn't know he (only through blog life), but I knew one of her friends Laura.

So, if you are looking for a fun adventure...branch out, and meet new people! Take a chance! Make time to meet new people! It was very refreshing and fun! We actually shut down the Starbucks, and continued talking outside in the cold until almost midnight! Laughing and smiling! Having so much fun together! We could have talked for several hours more I think!

Shawna, it is so nice to meet you, a wonderful new friend! I am glad we got together, and I hope we can do it again sometime! I love how you are the same in your blog as in real life! You are a totally awesome person! I still cannot believe we moved on the same day, and how I run through your neighbourhood!! Love it!

Housekeeping...again.

I am trying to change the look of my blog, and of course I didn't remember to save my blog links...could you please leave me a comment so I can add you back in! I have basically changed it, changed it back and tweaked it. Does it look OK?!

PPS. While we are doing housekeeping. The answer to my Pop Quiz a few posts down was answer number 7 or all of the above!!!!

Thank you!

Cathy

Who wears a hoodie in the house in June?

I do, that is who. Who turns on the heat in the house in June? I do, that is who. Who turns on the gas fireplace in the house in June? I do, that is who. Who is drinking hot lattes and drinks to warm up their hands and body in June? I do, that is who. This is REDICULOSO!! It is so darn cold and dark and damp.

I cannot believe this almost 'summer' weather we are experiencing. I think I need those SAD lights because this weather is really bogging me down. It truly feels like winter. Like a dark October or November winter. Except with the colour of summer flowers. I am trying to be all positive and happy but deep down it is really yuck. The end of the driveway was like a mini lake tonight. I was running to jump over large puddles when picking up the kids after school.

What a dark day...I wonder how the weather will be tomorrow?! I don't even want to look at the forecast...too depressing LOL.

Stay tuned!

Friday already!?

This week has flown by, and I don't want it to be that way! I have had a great week (some ups and downs) yesterday I had some moments where I thought I was going to lose it. But I survived.

The other night because the kids were doing so well, we decided to get them out of the house for some fun. So, we had an early dinner and by the time Cliff got home we packed them into the van and took them to Captain Kids for some fun! I really like that place! The kids had a BLAST. We hope to do this again soon!

All in all it has been good. Busy but good. Today the kids were treated to Happy meals by their Nonna. They sure loved that! That is a RARE treat around here. I had McD's too, but I had the asian chicken grill salad. It was good, but a bit salty but a change from the every day that is for sure. I just drank lots of water afterwards.

Courtney is really enjoying her 'solid foods' and is enjoying mixed cereal. I will pick up some veggies for her and get that going. I hardly have to feed her, because we have MANY who want to feed her. Poor Coco has had goopy eyes and so we keep wiping them with water and cotton balls. She had that when she was a couple of weeks old and here she is almost 7 months and it is back. She is now pulling herself around on the floor with her arms (just like her brother did at this age) and she can sit up for a few seconds before toppling over. Grandpa has named her Smiley because that is her...full of big beautiful smiles.

Cameron had his Pappa (my Dad) go into his classroom to do an exercise in structures and bridges and it was highly enjoyable for the whole classroom. My Dad still has the knack that is for sure (ex-high school teacher!) Thanks to my Mom who also came over to watch the little kids so I could go and take photos! I will download and post soon.

Claire spent time with her GG last night (my Granny) she helps her with her reading and they usually go out for dinner together at the local Whitespot. Thanks Gran! Claire also moved up another level in her reading and we are so happy for her. She will be taking summer school this year for reading and we are glad she is excited about it!

Carly, well she has been helping us so much, and giving her winnings like pens and things from school and giving them to her sisters and brother. She is always thinking of others and we love that! She still tells me she is going to have horses, and when she is done training them she will trot over to her sister Claire's restaurant for a snack. And hopefully Claire will feed the horses too! Her horses names will be River and Schowmoni. The horses cannot come inside.

Catie, well she loves to pretend she is 'Super Catie' and asks me to tie on aprons around her neck and she runs around at the speed of light. We know what she is going as for Halloween this year! She is quick and light!

Caroline, well she is a total two year old. She is strong, feisty, and had a LOUD voice that likes to say NO to EVERYTHING lol. But hey, only one two year old to go through after her!! I am kind of glad of that LOL!

Tonight we pick up a pizza, and the kids look forward to that on Friday nights. Tomorrow we are off to celebrate my Aunt and Uncles 45th wedding anniversary and then Sunday...who knows. We will play it by ear. I am just waiting for some GOOD weather. It certainly has been really cold for June in the lower mainland. Yuck.

Happy Friday!

one is silver, and the other is gold

Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and other is gold.

Remember that little camp 'round' song. I cannot help but sing it these days. Friends are so very important!

I have been enjoying meeting up with old friends, and when I mean old I mean friendships that date back to high school or longer. It is nice to once in awhile inject my current life, with a bit of a blast from the past! Adding in some fun in my otherwise normal 'Mommy' life that I live daily.

I was fortunate last week to get out for dinner with a friend that has my same name, Catherine. And she is Kathryn. I go by Cathy and she goes by Kate. She is now a doctor, who is married to a doctor. We haven't seen each other for over 10 years but as we met at the local Milestones it was like time stood still and we had never left each others side. It was a wonderful feeling. Even after all of the years apart, we still have much in common and I love that.

Tomorrow night I am going out to a 'goodbye dinner' with my old work pals. The people that were like home to me before I had my first baby in 1999. I am so excited to see so many old faces and friends again. I think this will refresh me! And bring me back to the time when I had a career, a little red sports car and I earned a good paycheque. Back in the day when I made more money than my husband did. (He was still working on his career and I was his sugar-mama LOL) Oh good times. Good times.

And, in a couple of weeks I will be going on a 'foursome' with my sister April, and two sisters named Wendy and Toby. Wendy is my friend, and Toby is April's friend. We have been trying to get together for years now. I met Wendy for lunch back when I was pregnant with Claire. Well, Claire is now 7. Way too long. So, the last time we all (four of us) saw each other were at a more sad event. It was a celebration to remember their Step-Dad Russell a couple of weeks back. We decided that the four of us needed to go out together, and so a date has been set. In a couple of Saturdays from now, we are going to watch a roller derby match in our old 'home town' and then out for a dinner to catch up. I know we will have a good time together. I know lots of old stories will come out, and lots of laughter when the four of us get together. I cannot wait. Just what the doctor has ordered!

And then, my new friends. All of these new fabulous friends! The friends who like photography, the friends who run, the friends who love fitness, the mom-friends, the school friends, coffee friends, the blogging friends, the online friends, my forum friends.

Both the old and new friends are so important on so many levels in my life!

Today, I say thank you to all of my fabulous friends! And for those I am awaiting to meet soon, I cannot wait.

I am thankful for friends both old and new in my life.

What is that line? Thank you for being a friend!!

Cathy

Happy June!

Well, here it is June 1st and it is so cloudy, but it made for a good run day that is for sure.

As for the quiz yesterday on our family, I will wait until I get more answers and then I will post which answer is correct.

Not much to say, except the weekends go by way too quickly. The dinner is done, kids bathed, diapers changed, teeth brushed and books are read and recorded and it is almost bed time. A new week will begin once again.

Make a great week!