Tinga, Tinga, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

A Great Day...

...and pictures to prove it! (At least the end of it!)

We had a wonderful weekend enjoying some sunshine. Saturday afternoon was spent at our local South Hill festival; eating cotton-candy, bouncing in an inflatable pirate ship, panning for gold, exploring a fire truck and deciding not to wait in the pony-ride line-up. The four of us had a lovely bbq of wee lambykin chops, grilled asparagus and new potatoes accompanied by a lovely bottle of Malbec. Cheap and cheerful... and enough for Rob and I to both fall asleep blissfully with the kids at eight!

We spent today at Spanish Banks dog beach picnicking and and playing in the low tide. Everyone came home sandy, sticky and happy - but none more than I because we made a quick detour for me to pick up a little treat - a new camera! Yay!!! After much thought, I decided that I would foray back into the SLR world, and picked up an entry level digital Nikon that will hopefully do a heck of a lot better than the last few compact cameras we've had.

Here are a couple of my first few photos. Remember; dirty kids = happy kids!

Oh my...

I can't believe that I haven't blogged since March 28th.

It's super easy to go a few weeks without writing, seeing as the kids keep me so busy - but this is ridiculous! My excuses (as I feel excuses are needed!) are twofold:

1. My camera has broken, and somehow it doesn't seem as much fun to post without photos
2. I have been teaching night classes, leaving me very little time on the computer to do much more than quickly scan my emails and maybe pound out a quick reply

So now, with a month and a half to catch up on, I haven't the slightest clue as to what to say. I'm sure a lot has passed - here's what I recollect; in a shortened form:

Lots of work:
I began two new contracts: Communications 12 Mon - Thurs nights and Grammar and Writing 3 Saturdays. This has been great - I've had a lot more time with the kids, but it has taken a toll on my body as I'm on the go from 7 am until 11 at night. I've also signed a contract to teach English 11 for a six week summer school class. To my great surprise, I had my years teaching at Bodwell counted a by VSB and my pay scale adjusted accordingly. I was very pleased - to say the least.

Fitness:
I'm taking a fitness bootcamp. I'm sore.

Birthdays:
I turned old and Rob turned slightly older. Both these events were uneventful. It's all about the kids now. Today we celebrated my nephew's birthday in grand scale. I made a checkers-themed cake that I was rather proud of - alas no photos though.

Mother's day:
Lucas made me strawberry jam and some gorgeous art at school and I got a massage at the spa in the Whistler Fairmont. All good.

Time off:
We had booked a week in Whistler before I signed these latest contracts. We couldn't use it all so we ended up with a pretty crazy trip that saw Rob drive the highway four times in three days, Mom take the Greyhound, Rob's parents use the room for two nights, and a whole lot of drizzle. Ah well. Mom and I also had a wild day away shopping a few weeks ago. We hit the Seattle Premium Outlet mall for a few hours that turned into many hours and came home with a car stuffed with stuff. Good fun.

Garden:
What can I say. With the weird weather we've had, my garden has had a hard time catching up. I had several fatalities with the surprise snow, and one Gerber sat upon by a miscalculated bottom. My clematis, rhododendrons and jasmine are finally blooming this week and all is resplendent.

Kids:
Gosh I love those little monsters. Mia is saying new words every day. So is Lucas - who has now decided that he would like to be a doctor when he grows up. Or something to do with bugs. Probably the latter, but he says he doesn't need any schooling with the latter because he has so much experience. I might have to agree actually. School, gymnastics, swimming, biking, digging - all is well.

I will not let this happen again... for a while... and I will post some photos as soon as I get a new camera and find something to take pictures of.

Spring Break Fun

We had a very busy and fun spring and Easter holiday. It was great to be able to get out with the kids without having to worry about being called in to work. We hit all our favorite haunts and even enjoyed that one super sunny day at the beach. The Easter weekend saw the four of us sneak down to Lynden to stay at a little farm cottage http://www.pleasantdreamsfarm.com/ Although slightly more rustic than I had anticipated, the kids loved getting up close and personal with the animals. Rob and I packed in as much activity as Mia and Lucas could handle and we all came back pooped but happy for it. This week has seen us getting back at work and school as well the beginning of a few projects around the house.

Jericho beach totem poles.

A gorgeous day.

Pirate booty and washed up treasure.

Painting eggs with Aba.


How to make a two-hour border wait a little more entertaining. (And sticky.)

Up to no good.

Close encounters of the poultry kind.

Mia falls in love.Pygmy goat butt. Mmmmm.....

My favorite Chola pic

A Sad Farewell

Today we said good bye to our dear friend and companion Chola. After fifteen years with us, it was time to let her go after a quick turn for the worse.

Fifteen years ago this weekend, March 1st, 1993, my dad died from pancreatic cancer. It seemed almost fitting that Chola, who came into my life as a way to heal from the sorrow I was suffering, left us at this fifteen year mark. I imagine that she is up in heaven somewhere barking her crazy bark as she romps with my dad and some of her doggy-friends who have already passed. She was a great gift to me, seeing me through many years of healing. She was a friend who never left my side, always had a cuddle for me, and could make me laugh on a dime. She always knew when I needed a nuzzle and quickly turned it into a love-in - usually with her bum pushed up against us for that extra scratch. Chola loved to bark...and bark...and bark! It was always hard to get a word in when anyone arrived until Chola was attended to. When Rob and I got married, Justine led Chola down the aisle for us. I'm sure that she thought the party was all about her the way she held herself with pride!

I have so many favorite memories of Chola, starting with meeting her in Vernon where my Uncle Bill lovingly picked her out for me. She was such a little runt that I had to carry her (she was only three months old) when we took her for a walk in the park. Val drove my car all the way home while I just cuddled Chola in my lap. The night I turned nineteen we had a big party at Mom's house, and who can forget Chola running around the yard wearing that pink baseball hat (which she later ate!) and wearing diapers. Thanks Val! I remember waking up the next morning, with quite a hangover in tow, and wondering what the hell had happened to my room and where that goddamn noise was coming from. That's when I stepped in the pee. But I couldn't have been happier really!

Chola never walked on a leash. When she was itty bitty she was always instinctively at my heels and just kind of stayed with that. I did take her to obedience lessons where I had to lie repeatedly about her pedigree so as to be allowed to take the class. She barely squeaked by with a pass on graduation day... because of her barking! But the real time I took it for Chola was my only brush with the law. I received a ticket at Kits beach for walking her off-leash and upon the advice of several well-meaning dog-activists, I decided to fight the ticket in court. What a mistake! I looked like a blithering idiot as I mumbled and stumbled my way through my court appearance - my only supporter an old man with a fistful of parking tickets he didn't think he should pay. Needless to say, I didn't win my case, but did manage to get the ticket fine reduced due to my student status!

Chola was such a great companion on so many adventures. From reckless rollerblading through the streets of Kits to numerous hiking trips, she made for the best exercise buddy a gal could have. Some of my best memories with her involve snowshoeing on Cypress, her amazing healing abilities while I zoomed around town on my bike, lazing about Meagre creek while she explored, hiking the Juan de Fuca with Ewart and Deanna, swimming at Lost Lake and Buntzen Lake doggy beaches (where she would swim after me in circles then try and climb me if she could) countless visits to doggy play group at Connaught park and walks through the UBC forest, camping trips that always left me on the ground and her on the thermarest, sharing raw oysters and pepperoni in Tofino, kayaking with her in my lap in Vernon.

Chola lived and loved life to its fullest. She will be sadly missed and gladly remembered.

Crocodiles

We have finally gotten over a couple of weeks of being sick. All four of us came down with strep throat and were just wiped out by it. The kids had high fevers for five days before it even occurred to Rob and I that they might be suffering from something other than a common cold. I can't tell you how horrible it was to be sick myself and have to deal with two sick kids. Nobody was very happy! But the antibiotics kicked in pretty fast and we got back to school, work and play this last week. The sunshine of the last few days has also really helped us to start feeling more alive.

Yesterday we did a mad dash to Bellingham to attend the memorial service for Rob's Aunt Linda who passed away last week. Although a sad event, it was lovely to see the extended family. Rob and I were also so pleased to see how well both Lucas and Mia managed a busy day and a large event. I'm sure the candy-studded cookies helped, but they really were a joy to have around to brighten the mood. Lucas was very pleased to visit the United Steak and show us which creeks the crocodiles would live in when it warmed up a little. I was starting to wonder if he was having some sort of weird premonitions about global warming...

Speaking of Lukey-isms, here are a few of our current favorites;

Daddy, when I ride my bike I have to watch out for pop-holes.

Mommy? I think Daddy needs a band-aid for the zip on his face.

Don't worry, I won't eat too much jump food.

He is one entertaining kid these days!

Rob bought me an i-touch for valentine's Day and I went from saying "What in the world do I need an mp3 player for?" to being absolutely obsessed with the thing. Here's a great picture of the boys listening to the new Jack Johnson on it. Lucas had the thing figured out within the day.

Today Rob and I had to loosen the tied on out weeping birch in the backyard. It has grown so much that they've left permanent scars in its bark. We were quite amazed. Just as the garden is showing incredible growth right now, so seem to be the kids. Mia can't seem to eat enough and is growing upwards like a little weed. She is also a showing an amazing aptitude for laughter and speech, to the delight of all.

Picture Day

Do you still have your school group photos from elementary school? I know I do, and have spent many a gleeful moment laughing over them when they emerge from some banged up shoe box in my old closet at my mom's house. In fact I still have the ones from preschool; as I tried to explain to Lucas yesterday while we waited for him to "be ready" to have his photo taken. It didn't help that the guy who came in to do the photos was 3/4's clown and only 1/4 photographer. Many a tear was shed by children who just couldn't handle one more ragged stuffed barney or dora emerging from his bag of tricks. And the broccoli ice cream joke... it got pretty tired after about the third kid. But none was more difficult to photograph than our son, of course. Four adults (well three and a half if you count the photographer) twenty minutes, props, bribes and trickery. I'm curious to see what the results will be! It certainly put an even greater value on the shots our good friend and photographer Jeff has taken. I must admit, however, the comic value in watching our school photographer try to organize seventeen preschoolers to stay forward facing, in place, and with no tears or skirts around their necks for the group photo was worth its weight in gold. (What a weird expression...I'm sure I'm using it wrong!)

January

January started off with a torrent of work for me. I'm working for the Vancouver School Board as a teacher on call for the adult system, and it seemed that everyone either took long holidays or got really sick. I also was thrilled to get my first temporary contract with the VSB which will start in Febuary. I'm finding the hours just right - enough time to spend with the kids balanced with me time and interesting classes to teach. Except for the fact that I haven't had enough field hockey with the fields being frozen or snow-covered, it's been a great start to 2008.

Oh yeah, and maybe except the fact that I didn't supervise Lucas and a bottle of dish soap well enough... (see above picture... you should have seen the floor)


We had a great weekend with our friends the Ows in Whistler. The weather was beautiful, there was a lot of fresh snow and most importantly, we survived five kids and four adults in the condo.

Now for the hairy update. I was thrilled to realize that Mia's hair is now long enough for ponytails. Rob came home from work last week to find Mia, Lucas and I all sporting the trendy new Herman style. Lucas' mop, of course, got completely tangled and dreadlocked. We'd been talking about a trim for him, so it seemed like the time. Rob took him over to magicuts this last weekend. Now normally this creates a pretty cheap and reasonable haircut sported by most male children this side of town. This time, however, the lady would not be convinced that Lucas was indeed a boy. (Or more likely it was that she didn't understand.) Anyhow, he came home with a haircut most reminicent of Rob's prince valiant bob circa 1995. Do some of you remember? Apparently Lucas has inherited those hair genes that result in weird haircuts. Anyways, I did a complete hack job that night trying to fix it and today (likely the result of two haircuts in two days) Lucas took matters into his own hands. Not too much damage done, but some people's valentine cards may come glued with curly locks. Sweet, I'd think. No pictures until it grows out... oh actually I take that back. This is all in time for photo day at school this week. Of course.

Sleepy heads with colds post Whistler pre haircuts.

Lucas loves doing headstands and makes me feel nostalgic for the days when I would hang out around the house upside down.

Rob's Post

Lucas has discovered watching hockey games on tv. This is his "Canucks are winning" face.

This is his "Canucks are losing face."

This is him trying to figure out offside.

Canucks score!

A Good Food Day

Like most kids, Lucas has his food quirks. The photo above is an example of how he deems a dinner should look. (He served himself dinner this night.) I certainly find it exhausting finding both kid and parent friendly meals day in and day out that are easy to make, nutritious and affordable. That being said, sometimes you have a good food day...

I finally found my ultimate recipe for chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. These turned out soft and chewy in the centre but slightly crunchy on their browned edges. Mmmmm.. divine. The amount in the above photo attests to their yumminess as we started with about three dozen yesterday afternoon. Here's my recipe;

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dinner pickings were slim so I got creative and ended up with a delightful pork scaloppine in citrus balsamic sauce served over gnocchi. We had green beans with red pepper and pine nuts on the side. Everybody had happy bellies last night!

Wishing all of you a good food day too. xox Ting

Feliz Navidad

Our Christmas was opulent and excessive, making me feel horrible about the inequality of humanity, but it was great. The kids had a blast, and everything was relatively calm and smooth. The only frustration was when the bottle of port ran dry last night when Rob and I were having movie night.

Mom came and spent Christmas Eve and Christmas here. She delighted in being awoken by Lucas at 6:30 in the morning but couldn't convince him to stay in bed any longer. He was sure that he had heard reindeer bells during the night, so was not in the least surprised to see the presents under the tree. He was, however, extremely excited to open them. The hour wait until his grandparents and uncle got here was almost unbearable.

Even though I've only been working a few days a week, it was nice to get some time off to hang out about the house and try to complete the puzzle of how to fit all the new toys into such a small space! We've also had the pleasure of spending some time with friends and their kids.

Pretty dresses supplied by Abuela had plenty of opportunities to be worn.

Lucas and I had an awesome day of skiing on Seymour. It was his first time on skis, and he did a commendable job. He was able a to walk independently on flats but got a little (!) wobbly on any hills. We managed to do four runs; two on the tow rope and two on the chairlift. I have to admit that I now understand why I hated the tow rope when I was a kid. My body still hurts from basically carrying Lucas up the tow while trying to stay on it myself. The last thing I wanted was to fall, put skis back on and try and get up it again! The lift was much better although Lucas' ski bindings were set so low that I was freaking out when he started swinging his legs!

The day brought back so many memories of skiing with my dad when I was little. I just love that I can share this with my kids now. Amazing how life comes full circles sometimes.