ear candy

A tune I can't get enough of today .. so thought I should share it. :)

This Aint A Scene, Its An Arms Race - Fall Out Boy

TGIF!

Its Friday!!!! Friday has become 'movie night', except for the past few because it's summer and things get tossed around with the carefree'ness of it all. But tonight, we're watching Watchmen! I know, it doesn't sound like something I'd watch on my own, but that's because I'm not on my own. It's a give and take situation. :) But once you see this trailer, you'll see how action packed it is .. and want to watch it too!
I'm excited .. I love spending time with my guy. I love watching movies with him. :)

tis the season

'tis the season to be hot and grumpy.
We're fighting the grumpies big time, come mid afternoon/evening lately. Mostly it's the girls being hot, sleep deprived and just all out cranky. And even the entertainment I provide, can become more of a hastle then anything, leaving me wonder why I even try when there's so little appreciation in return.
You can witness just a tiny little 'grouchiness' by my oldest offspring. And I say this was just a touch, because it was .. and each of the four kids took turns being bitchy. Yes B-I-T-C-H-Y! But it's what I put up with, just so I can get my friend fix, and spend an afternoon catching up, gossiping, giggling, and vegging with my friend, Darla.

But on the positive side .. we're getting through this heat wave in the best way we can. Today, I think we'll stay home, catch up on some cleaning, laundry, studying, indoor play .. and then perhaps an early night to bed will cure the grumpies.

happy hump day!

I'll be back later to show photos or a story about my day .. but for now .. Happy Hump Day! photo courtesy of the 'net

feeling hot, hOt, HOT!

Personally, I haven't tried it .. but 33 degrees in the shade means more then likely we COULD fry an egg on the pavement. But for the record .. this isn't me complaining .. it's just me saying I'm freaking hot and even water with ice isn't cutting it. I should just sleep in a tub of cold water. Think I'd make it through the night without drowning? :P

button nose beauties

I think I've mentioned it time and time again, that the only way I can photograph my girls, is to get them when they least expect it and aren't looking. These sorts of photos have become some of my most favourite. Maybe because of the reason behind them, or maybe because when I can capture a child in the moment, when they're day dreaming, thinking, watching, playing, unaware of me with the camera .. those are the memories I want to last. Those are the memories I want to capture in a photo and have for them in twenty, thirty, or fifty years time.

I suppose I'm so passionate about photography because I can count on two hands, how many childhood photos I have of myself. They are even that much more precious to me because I have so few, but oh how I wish I had limitless amounts like my girls have. I hope they appreciate that even tho I was in their face with the camera so much during their childhood, that when they're rumaging through their photo albums looking to see which one of their grandchildren inherited their sweet little button nose, they'll have alot of photos to be grateful for.
By the way .. those button noses come from my side of the family. :)

photos taken while watching the Bathtub Day parade on Saturday

bathtub weekend

My friend, Kristine, and our four girls spent the entire day yesterday together. That's over 12 hours of friend time, and I couldn't have enjoyed myself any more. We had a great day! It started with watching the parade (which to the girls delight, gave out way more candy then the Canada Day parade)

Then we went down to the seawall to see what activities and such were going on there. We enjoyed our lunch in the shade on the cool grass, and then after a good walk around, we headed for an icecream, a cooler stop, and food pickup .. then to Kris' for the afternoon.

The four girls cooled down with the sprinkler/hose and even washed Kris and her moms vehicles. We had bbq dinner, and hung out some more, and then just before we were leaving to go back downtown for the fireworks, the girls spotted this beautiful rainbow. After enduring a cloudless HOT day, who could predict rain?

But it came down enough to wet the earth, and the lightening show was amazing! The forks of lightening that came down, and the way the lightening would travel across the sky every once in awhile. So very cool! Mother Nature was giving her own fireworks display while the actual fireworks were also going off.

And after all was said and done .. it was time to head home and tuck our very weary bodies into bed. It was a long LONG but amazing and fun day!

a little love for my love

I Belong To You - Lenny Kravitz

july 24 .. 1 year

one year ago today, we met and became not only friends, but so much more. I could never have imagined the past year without you in it, J. xoxo

Make a Smilebox greeting

jellyfish

Yesterday morning, the girls and I took a little stroll along the boat docks down by the seawall. We were on a mission to find as many different sea creatures as we could, to take photos of them and share those photos with someone special. Now that he's seen the pictures, and shared in our excitement of our find .. I thought I'd play around with this photo and share it here. The water was nowhere near this dark, and the jellyfish looked more white with the naked eye, but I liked how it stood out more, and glows blue after I played around with the contrast and lighting.

We also found quite a few starfish, a crab, sea enenemy, coral, school of fish, clams and lots of seaweed.

happy humpday

These bees aren't exactly displaying the kind of thing I'd classify as 'humpday' behaviour, but I started to think about it, and they're more then likely both male worker bees anyway .. so there would be something disturbing if they were showing any PDA. Instead, they're playing 'ring around the rosie'. :) For the record .. I'm very pleased with this photo. Why? Because it never fails that every time I try to capture a bee collecting pollen, they're to quick for me to bring my camera in remotely close enough to get any kind of macro shot. So chalk it up to slow bees or a quick trigger finger .. I got it! :)

Today, the girls and I are going to go to the library to exchange books/dvds and then take an exploring walk along the boat docks on the seeeeawall. Expect lots of photos.

bulletin board

We have this board hanging in the kitchen (hiding the fuse box) that holds near-and-dear-to-us pictures and drawings. The odd time I'll take down some things, only to replace it with something new, but mostly the same few ones continue to stay up there. I like glancing over at it while cooking dinner, and being reminded of several memories or just taking in the talents of my girlies.

Alissa has this thing for cutting out the SPCA cat of the week, that needs a home. She's such a little animal lover, and collects these pictures (with the caption below them stating their names). And recently Hailey drew a picture of an MP3 player with earbuds (I messed around with it to cover up her last name in case you're wondering what those three white dots are), that she's extremely proud of.

So now I've revealed a little place in my home that keeps our sentimental visuals. I like that it helps as overflow from the fridge art (that is currently almost empty for the summer months).

fires blazing

A wildfire burns out of control as smoke hangs above Kelowna, B.C., in the early morning hours of Monday July 20, 2009. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

I have a few acquaintances that live near these out of control fires, and are on evacuation alert. It saddens me to think they could have to leave their homes and the possibilities of coming back to an ashen mess. I often think of what the first things I would grab if I had to flee on a moments notice. And I also think about what I'd take if I was given a few hours notice. I think I'd be tempted to rent a trailer and practically move out. For sure I'd take clothes, expensive items, sentimental things, photos, books and the file box. It's a scary thing, and I hope that those in the line of fire are safe. It's one thing to lose belongings, and a totally different thing when lives are taken because of it.

Here's the link to the actual write up from ctv.ca

Yesterday, when we were trudging through the bush, we came across this sewer cover. I seriously had no clue one could find something like this in the deep of the city woods .. but apparently I know nothing. :P I guess they can eventually build there, if they so choose to.

The girls and I are trying to stay cool. We took a walk around Buttertubs Marsh with a friend and her kidlets, and did some sideline exploring along the way. Last fall we found grapes hanging along a trellis, nice and ripe and begging to be eaten. We found them again, but obviously not ripe yet. And with those grape vines, we discovered a crab apple tree. The kids picked some to eat (how they could eat the sour, unripe fruit is beyond me), and puttered along checking this and that out. There was enough shade to keep us happy, and a slight breeze, but it's warm out. Water is my friend!
This heat sure is draining tho, and I'm finding the girls and myself to be yawning and slightly listless. There's nothing wrong with turning in early every few nights or so tho. And today, I set the girls up with their summer journals that they can take time to write in after they're in bed. And reading books is always a favourite past time too.

i killed my leg

This afternoon, after the girls got back home from their weekend out, I thought we should go for a little walk around the block (or two), but we got sidetracked when we found a path that lead around the chain link fence that was recently erected along that stretch of road. Curiosity killed the cat as they say, and my leg paid the price for my wanderings through the weeds/sticks/branches. And just like any photographer would do, I of course took a picture of the blood. But after having walked the rest of the way home, it got messy, but I've since cleaned it up and bandaged it. It's been a while since I've had to wear a bandaid!

I did manage to get other photos .. but will post them another day.
Time to make dinner and enjoy some girl time. :)

friends

Friends are few and far between, and I've been extremely lucky to have some amazing friends that surrounded me in the last year or so. Until then, these same friends were more 'aquaintances', I'd say .. but when I say they gathered around the wagons and emotionally supported me, they did just that. It makes me so thankful to be able to call these ladies my friends. Friends .. real hard-core friends.

Kristine and I got together last night .. to bitch, laugh, giggle, roll our eyes, be sneaky (her Mom was home downstairs and we felt like school girls), eat, drink, and just hang out. Friends that come to your rescue, and vice versa, are priceless diamonds.

beach bum

I simply adore getting photos of Alissa when she's enjoying her atmosphere. As I've mentioned time and time again, the only way to photograph my children are when they're not aware of the camera. Here she was sitting on the edge of a very deep hole she had dug into the sand and filled with water. She was dipping her hands into the water and grabbing handsful of the wet sand from underneath and then allowing it to spill through her fingers, then repeating it. There must have been something very soothing about it, because she drifted off into her own little world for a few moments, and that's when I captured this facial expression. I love this photo because her hair has the messy look of a surfer chick, and she's browning up so nicely. She's lucky to have skin that rarely burns (aside from her nose and cheeks on occasion).

whispies

Yesterday I took the girls up to our favourite lake, where we met up with friends for an afternoon of water, sun, sand and the like. It was a hot day, and perfect to be lounging about, with the bit of soft breeze helped with the intense heat that it is at mid-day. I say this because the breeze helped so much in fact that we all have some part or another that is a rosy bright red to prove it. :P But that's not what I wanted to talk about. What I really wanted to show you was how incredible the clouds were. You can completely see what the breeze was doing to them. They looked so amazing .. even moreso then what the photos can show. And the one where the sun is behind the cloud .. soooo perfect! Maybe you have to be a photo freak like me to appreciate the beauty in them, but I can't stop looking at them! I know .. I'm unique (read: strange) and I can admit it. ;)

the ants went marching one by one

I just wish they weren't marching anywhere near MY place. This video doesn't even begin to show how bad they really are. Probably because I kept moving the camera all over the place, but the ground was literally moving, and if you put your foot in the middle of their scurry across the cement .. they attacked. I'm not sure how to get rid of them, or if that's even needed. I guess we'll watch as they mature into flying ants and perhaps they'll just fly away! :)

you know what SUCKS??!!

Since there's so few of you that actually read this, I feel liberated to share something that ordinarily would make me cringe with shame. Just the other day, my sister in law uploaded a photo of me from three years ago. Three years ago and 30 lbs heavier. GAH! So with the following image burned deeply into the lobes of my brain, I decided I needed to prove that I no longer look like that.

Lets just say, the timer feature on my camera is an amazing little button. I took a handful of pictures, and then let my girls pick which one was their favourite. They chose the sassy look .. so voila. Here I am, looking much more how I feel. And if I ever need motivation to keep those previous 30lbs off, all I need do is look at the picture above. :s

wordless wednesday

I know some of you don't like a completely wordless wednesday, so I'll be sure to be back later with more fodder.
But in the meantime .. this Island owned franchise makes the best cup of coffee EVAH! :) uhuh .. I just went all gangsta' on ya. *crawls back in her hole*

crisis, diva style

There was this little girl, that upon visiting a second hand store, fell in love with a pair of brand new, pink suede boots. Well honestly, this girl falls in love with ANY pretty boot or shoe (hello Carrie from Sex and the City)

She clung to them like they were the last little bit of substance on a dying planet. And because her Mommy understands the importance of the warmth of boots during the winter months, and how such a steal of a deal won't come along when they're much needed, she caved and let the little girl own the adorable pair of diva boots.

But the problem that arose from this situation is that the little girl couldn't wait for winter to set it before donning the pretty boots upon her feet. On a very hot 30 degree day, she slipped her feet into a pair of socks and into the fuzzy lined boots, and by the time winter does come around, they'll be well worn in.

There was one day when she couldn't find one of the boots, and declared it a 'crisis', because she could only find one boot, and now whatever would she do?! Her Mommy suggested maybe flipflops would work? But OHHHH NOOO!

And there you have it people. A little diva in the making!

salve for the soul

During my morning blog hop, I came across this song posted. I listened to the words, and let the melody wash over me. It's touching!

The Story
Brandi Carlile
All of these lines across my face

Tell you the story of who I am

So many stories of where I've been

And how I got to where I am

But these stories don't mean anything

When you've got no one to tell them to

It's true...I was made for you

I climbed across the mountain tops

Swam all across the ocean blue

I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules

But baby I broke them all for you

Because even when I was flat broke

You made me feel like a million bucks

You do

I was made for you

You see the smile that's on my mouth

It's hiding the words that don't come out

And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed

They don't know my head is a mess

No, they don't know who I really am

And they don't know what I've been through like you do

And I was made for you...

All of these lines across my face

Tell you the story of who I am

So many stories of where I've been

And how I got to where I am

But these stories don't mean anything

When you've got no one to tell them to

It's true...I was made for you

quiet sunday

We're having a very quiet day .. partially because I have two very lazy girls not really interested in doing anything. They don't even want to get dressed, but I"m going to force them to soon, when there's no choice but to HAVE to go to the store for milk and a few other things. It's that or no cereal in the morning, or even toast. That'll learn them! :P But we've had a couple late evenings, just hanging out together .. and as nice as that's been .. I've also missed my "ME" time. I didn't even get around to watching the movie that was meant for Friday. Good thing Blockbuster doesn't have late fees, and I can just keep it for another night this coming week or the weekend.

I got my Coronation fix this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see some action! It's getting so good right now!

sunny saturday

one little, two little, three little, four little kidlets on a totem pole!

While on a walk through the city park and along the stream, we discovered that the totem poles that had stood there for at least as many years as I've been here (and MUCH longer), were laying in a rotting mess in one clearing of the park. We're talking about thousands of dollars worth of native art just laying there for the termites, woodbugs, and earth to consume. So if the city can be so disrepectful .. then what is a mom to do when her child will NOT come off them .. even if it is disrespectful to walk along these symbols. So after a quick exchange of questioning looks between the other Mom and me .. we silently figured that what's the harm. The ground is going to do more damage to them then our children could. Looking at this photo, you could be surprised to know they are lined up from youngest to oldest, but the angle plays with your eyes and makes it look reversed.

pink polk - a - dotted what??!!

I'm sitting here comparing underwear with my 8 yr old .. which seems like a strange topic, but add in the time in which it's being discussed (before 8am) and I can only come to the conclusion that we are girls. Girls .. through and through.

Today's been one hell of a long ass day. It started at 2am and despite efforts of trying to get some more sleep a little later on .. it wasn't happening. I feel like a walking zombie or like my head is filled with cotton balls. I'm still not feeling well .. but the flu is passing on and I'm sure if I could just get some good sleep, have the sun shine tomorrow (in more ways then one), and perhaps watch a movie or two .. my body may love me again.

My oldest girlie is trying her hand again at this sleepover thing. She promised to not eat all kinds of sweets this time, and not let herself get to overtired, so we wouldn't have a repeat of the last time.
And that's about it for goings on in my part of the world.

wordless wednesday

Awww .. look at 'Bambi'.