RIP Nanny

My husband's Mom passed away on May 5, 2013. We are devastated by the loss.

Christmas 2012 our world was rocked when my Mom received an end stage ovarian cancer diagnosis. We were completely caught off guard. Plans were made, chemo started and a surgery date was given. To sum up...things are going well. We are so happy to say that her surgery went very well and she is surviving Chemo treatments. We are all praying daily.

So at Easter 2013 we noticed my husband's Mother did not seem well. Family members were worried and it took some major prodding but she finally went and got herself checked out. Enter C word. Again.

By all accounts she was a cancer factory. Her skin starting turning yellow. Bart Simpson yellow. I have not ever seen anything like it in my life and I hope I never have to again. Unfortunately her health was too far gone and she lost her battle just a month later. Unbelievable. This woman was strong. She was the rock of her family. She had been through so much in her life and for it to come down to that...it's just indescribable.

I'm sad for my husband and his siblings. I'm sad for her 27 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. I'm sad for his Step-Father Lorne who is lost without her. We lost a truly amazing woman. I would love to write more about it but it is too heartbreaking. I just can't. I feel badly enough it has taken me so long to write this but it's all I can manage right now. Maybe in time I can write about some of the things that made her so great.

Lots of pictures...not much chit chat

I've started a part time job again so I've been pretty swamped these days. Mike has been playing "Mr.Mom" as we've had a VERY slow winter season with his business and knee surgery. He has been putting the kids on the bus, making dinner, cleaning, carting them to birthday parties and kids clubs and putting them to bed. It's great for the kids since it's usually the other way around.

Cross your fingers that spring comes soon and brings the work with it!!

 The kids tobogganing on a hill near our house...

 Lorne in his winter gear...

 Mike entertaining Lexi this Christmas...

 A hilarious picture of Sofie and Lorne. I took a bunch of pictures with most of them showing both kids laughing and smiling with each other. But this one...is my favorite. Too funny!!!

 Lorne painting a birdhouse he built with Mike and I.

 Lorne ice fishing...

 Me, Lorne and his Poppa and Sofie ice fishing

 One of the wooden trains Mike and the kids and I built.

 Lorne and Sofie with their wooden trains.

 Sofie painting her birdhouse.

A reunion!

This past weekend I found myself back in Ottawa with the kids to spend some time with my Mom before she starts Chemotherapy tomorrow. My oldest brother Greg also made the trip from BC to see her since it's been more than 3 years!! It's been over 5 years since my brothers and I were all together. My Dad hasn't seen him in over 5 years either!!

Here is a shot with Greg, Lorne, Me, Mom, Sofie, Step-father Mike and other brother Geoff

Shenanigans...I was told not to post this one...but come on!!

The kids were pretty happy to see their Uncle again too! The famous Uncle Greg...

Lorne was especially smitten....

Tickle monster....

We're hoping another 5 years doesn't go by before we get together again. Hopefully this summer.....

The "C" word

The terrible "C" word and no I don't mean Christmas. I mean cancer.

That evil word that can devastate everything in its path. Unfortunately this Christmas my Mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Devastating news. My husband, kids and I went and spent Christmas in Ottawa with her this year. We hadn't planned to but we're really glad we did. It was an opportunity for us to see my Mom in person. We wanted to give hugs and kisses and reassurance that all will be ok. Of course none of us know that for sure but a positive outlook is so much better than any medicine.

The kids were concerned for their Grammie but also very concerned about Santa and whether he'd know they weren't going to be home and how would he ever find them. Once they were reassured we were all set to go.

As always Christmas was a very busy and crowded event. But the more the merrier and more people means more positive energy!

Cute cuddly sweet smelling little grandbabies don't hurt either <3

Celebrating with my brother and his family and my Dad and Aunts was great also since I didn't think I'd get to see them at all!! So although we were side swiped by the "C" word we found a way to make the best of it. Hopefully we can ride this positive wave for a long long time!

It doesn't look anything like Christmas

We're trying to get ready for Christmas around here but the weather is a real downer. Today it was about +4 and rainy. Not exactly a recipe for a white Christmas. I sure hope Mother Nature snaps out of this crazy depression she's in. It's getting close!!!

The kids are getting more excited by the day and this week is the last week of school before Christmas break.

I celebrated my 37th birthday on Friday. Friday December 14th...the day that will be forever etched in the minds of the World as a horribly tragic day (shooting at Sandy Hook School in Newtown CT). It was pretty much impossible not to be affected by it. It definitely took a lot of joy out of the day. It also reminded me that I have lots of great friends and family to be thankful for.

I made this cute Christmas card to send to everyone but as per usual I have waited too long and now I don't think that I can mail it to everyone on time so I am posting it here so you at least have a chance to check out my handiwork.

Here are some "out takes" from our "photo shoot". I got some pretty good ones of the kids but they didn't make the cut on the card.

Hope you are all getting your shopping and baking done for the BIG day!!! Cross your fingers for lots of the white stuff!!!!

Adventures in Camera Land

Last year for my birthday/Christmas I got a Canon XS SLR camera. I don't know if I considered what an SLR camera even meant? I knew it was a fancy camera and I envisioned myself taking endless photos. I did take quite a few but the novelty wore off quickly. I was used to my little pocket digital camera that I could whip out of my pocket at a moments notice. It was also automatic. Aside from a few dials...the camera figured out the best settings for the moment. No brainer.

The fancy new camera was heavy, bulky and complex. I liked it...I just didn't know how on earth to use the damn thing. Plus I missed being able to use "AA" batteries to run it. Now I had to actually plan when I would use the camera because I had to charge the battery like a cell phone. There were letters on the dial and numbers on the inside of the viewfinder that may as well have been in Chinese because they didn't make any sense to me. In fact...they made me put the camera in the closet to collect dust. I began using my iPhone for everything instead. Not to take anything away from the camera in the iPhone because it really is a pretty decent camera all things considered...but it's no Canon.

Thanks to Pinterest I found this website: www.ourfifthhouse.com/2012/11/photography-tips-for-beginner-from.html with an amazing post that simplified the terminology for me and made me realize that I could take great pictures! Over the last few days I've been playing around with the intention of finally trying to figure out how to use the camera to its full potential. Pretty handy that Christmas is just around the corner!

Last night the poor kids were tortured by me taking a gazillion pictures but I came up with a few gems. I'll give you this teaser of Lorne but that's it because the others might be used for our Christmas card photo so I don't want to wreck the surprise =)

Character awards

At an assembly at the kids school both kids were presented with a Character Award which were chosen by their teachers.

Sofie has received a number of these awards (I am bragging I know) but this was a first for Lorne. 

Last year he watched while his sister and his classmates (not all but some) received an award. He told me that he really wanted one of his own. 

This year I suggested that he be just a little more helpful, listen a little more, be a little bit nicer and maybe he'd get one too. Well what do you know? He got his very own!! He was so proud of himself!!! 

When I arrived at the assembly Sofie's teacher had flashed me a copy of her award so I would know she was getting one. I didn't know Lorne was getting his. In fact I just happened to be at the assembly because I didn't have any other obligations that afternoon so I was very happy to be there for both of them!

Sofie was pretty pleased too!  

I was a pretty proud parent when they both received an award at the same assembly. It wasn't lost on the other kids at the school either. They said "Wow they both got one!!" I said "Yup! Ostertags cleaned up!" LOL!!