Yeah for Summer!

Today:  hot summer weather, breakfast on the deck, swimming outdoors, eating snacks on the grass, playing at the park.  Ribfest for dinner, ice cream for dessert and driving home with the windows and the moon roof open.  Life just doesn't get much better than that!!!

Teddy Bear Clinic

 

Grace attended a Teddy Bear clinic at our local hospital recently.  The doctors volunteer their time to meet with children, give their favourite animals and dolls a check up and in the process help children feel less nervous about going to the doctor.  Grace brought Barney to get checked out by the doctor and he was amazing.  She started out her usual shy and apprehensive self but quickly warmed up to the doctor and the hospital room surroundings.  I hope we never need to experience a hospital stay for real but I'm glad she will have some understanding of what might go on.

 

 

Toronto Zoo

A recent trip to the Toronto Zoo with friends.  These photos are actually from back in the spring but trust me, she hasn't changed that much!!!LOL

The new Panda exhibit was great.  Reminded me of our visit to the Beijing Zoo



Grace enjoyed the Beaver Tails a lot!!



Best friends 

I'm Back!!!!!

I'm back!! 
Finally I had the chance to do some serious computer shopping and for my birthday treated myself to a new laptop.  It feels good to be connected with the world once again.  I've always bragged that I'm not a "computer person"  and really I'm not, but I certainly have missed my internet connection this past 6 weeks.  I have many posts to share and it's going to take me a while to catch up but I will get one published as soon as I figure out how to get photos loaded onto this new thing!!!LOL

Suzanne

P.S.  Grace's latest cute saying.... after anything she is given or anything I offer her, she says "For me????"  with a huge question inflection at the end of it, like I've done the biggest favour in the world for her.  She then ends the conversation with " Thank you Mommy."
Ex. "Grace, come get in your chair, lunch is ready.  I made noodles."
"For me????  Thank you Mommy!"  :)

Father's Day 2014

Father's Day.  How to celebrate when you are a single mom?  Always a tough question, always a challenge, but for me, we search out the next best thing..... Grandpa!!!!  

Grace and I are so lucky to have my dad so close by for her to celebrate Father's Day with in a meaningful way.  I know it will get harder each year as Grace becomes more and more aware of the fact that we are a two person family, just her and I, but for now I am thankful to both my dad and a good friend Brian, as well as my brother, brother in laws and her older cousins who give her so many positive male role models she needs to grow up into a well rounded person. 

Her babysitter was so kind as well, helping make a special gift and card for Grandpa, very thoughtful of her!

Here are a few pics from yesterday's festivities!




ps.  Still no computer at home, I will try to catch up once  I have a new computer this summer.  I have lots of posts ready to go!

They are all looking so grown-up now

Some might call this dangerous.  Grace likes to call it adventurous!!

The K-man helping Grandpa open his gift

Grace and I spent some time over the last week taking pictures to make a gift for Grandpa.  She calls him Poppa, not because that's what we call Grandpas in our family but because she can't quite say Grandpa yet.  Thank Goodness, as it was challenging enough getting her to pose for these five letters!!!  It's a bit difficult to see, but each one is taken in a place that either Grandpa or Grace enjoys - her slide, her car, the flower garden, the red chair that Grandpa made for our garden.

"Let me help you Grandpa!!"

Grace made a special rock for Grandpa at daycare.  She painted it and wrote "Grandpa rocks!" on it.  Here she is explaining the whole process to Grandpa!!LOL

The K-man would have nothing to do with picture taking yesterday, not even with his dad!
See below!!LOL

HUGS! <3
 

Finally a great picture of K-man and Grandpa, except for Grace photo-bombing!!!!!

Grace has nose kisses for all the people she loves.  There is no question she is "Grandpa's girl!"

Missing in Action!

Hi folks, I know Grace and I have been missing in action lately, sorry about that!  We've had an eventful week, a trip to the emergency room and a night spent filling out reports for a police officer, both of which used up our evenings this week.  The emergency room visit ended well, no broken bones or stitches required, and the incident with the police I will not elaborate on here online but to say that things are all safe now.

As well, for those of you that know me personally, you know my passion for gardening and May is THE month for getting it done!  With our slow start to spring this year, the time line has compressed the time I've had to get things cleaned up and ready.  So the crunch is on and it's not unusual to find me out on the driveway or the back deck at 11:00 at night, planting pots under the moonlight!!!

To add to that, my computer at home has finally given it's last post.  I turned it off one night and it went quietly in it's sleep, not to turn on ever again.  So I am in desperate need of a few hours to go computer shopping, something that won't happen until the summer now.  Therefore, I am forced to use the computer at work during my lunch hour which of course gets used up doing a million other things at this time of year at school.


So, have patience, I will return to blogging very soon, maybe even this week.  I have a few posts ready to go in my mind, a recent trip to the zoo, playing at the park, etc.  I will try to post some pictures soon.  Just wanted to let you know I'm still alive and Grace is still up to her crazy antics!

The Upside??

The time... 9:37pm.  Grace is currently in bed singing If You're Happy and You Know It, complete with hand clapping, foot stamping, and shouting hooray.  The result of too much chocolate milk at dinner time and afterwards.  The upside?  She is happy to be in her bed singing on her own.  There's always a glass half full somewhere if you look for it.....

More Mother's Day Festivities

More Mother's Day festivities.  My nephew caught a few goldfish from my parents' pond and my brother Bill thought it would be funny to show the little ones how to hold a fish.  Grace thought it was great, her cousin K-man, not so much!!!

 Both kids loved the water table we set up in the backyard.  It was a warm day and they spent the time splashing each other and themselves as well as anyone who came near them!LOL  My brother tried to show them how to "carry" the water in their hands but by the time they ran across the lawn there was very little water to throw at us!  Grace thought it was the funniest thing ever however and carried on and on!  She would pretend to be running at me with the water and at the last second switch to "throw" it on Grandma, laughing hysterically every time!  She has quite a sense of humour for a two year old!

Yes, that is a goldfish in the water table!!!  Once again, my brother thought it would be funny!!!!  He's a jokester like that!

 Grace just couldn't resist climbing in!

Here is Grace handing out the bird's nests we made at Easter but never got around to eating.  They've been in the freezer and as you can see Grace enjoyed hers!!

Love this shot!  It captures her personality perfectly!!!

All the cousins that were there.  Notice Grace doesn't let anyone else drive!!!!

This is Happiness

Mother's Day, 2014

This is what happiness looks like: