McCain/Palin - woo hoo!!!

I am sitting on the edge of my seat as I absorb all of this exciting information that keeps filling my ears, mind, heart and soul as I learn more about the next Vice President of the United States. I am so proud of McCain for choosing such an up and comer in the GOP and embrace the experience she does have as opposed to the lack of experience shown by Mr. Obama. This is an historic race to the "nth" degree and I an so proud to be a part of it. I found these funny cartoons posted after the DNC on another website and wanted to share them with you. Laugh out loud as you look forward to the RNC on Monday and get ready to ride the wave of Country First with McCain/Palin '08

http://olbroad.com/2008/08/30/obamarama-79/

1st Day Pix

So there they are: the Gage babes 3. Everyone was so happy and excited this morning. It is going to be a great year!!!!

The First Day of School

Can you feel it...the excitement is in the air!! My kids actually went to bed EARLY last night so that they could be up and ready for today. I have snuck out of bed slightly ahead of them so that I can enjoy my first cup of coffee, get their lunches packed and sign the cards that I bought to put in their bags. I have written their names on crayons, on Kleenex boxes and French dictionaries. They each have 12 brand new precision sharpened pencils, two new pairs of shoes (one indoor/one outdoor), new coats for when the cold winter air comes calling. I think they are prepared. It certainly was alot of work to get them here, but we all LOVE the first day of school :-)

I will post pictures after I return from dropping them off this morning. There will be no tears; just high fives, hugs, good lucks, have fun, don't forget your manners, learn lots, and play nice! I think I hear Ali just rousing and the shower beginning to run. It is official, August 28, 2008, the beginning of the next 10 months of our lives - starts now!

A Day at the Forestry Farm

We had such a lovely day today and probably better than most especially because it was a Monday and I wrote the post I did 12 hours ago...

The kids and I picked up Grandma, Wren and Berg and went to the Forestry Farm this afternoon. It was super hot, but we endured. We rode the train, walked through sprinklers, saw a baby Yak and a Grizzly Bear walking in circles!! Our highlights were in the children's zoo where we were able to see the baby White Bengal Tigers and a very entertaining Capuchin Monkey; plus it was air conditioned in there!!! The kids had a refreshing popsicle and a play at the playground and then we were off to visit the butterfly garden - boy, was it ever hot in there :-) I was able to get some great shots of the kids in some trees out front too! After we had had our fun, it was back to Grandma's for watermelon and fort building in the basement.

Again, it was a lovely day of simple pleasures, warm weather and family memories.

Monday

What is it about Mondays?! You either love them or hate them, right? I am sitting firmly on the fence of not being able to jump for joy on a Monday morning. I guess I look back at the weekend and think about all the things I could have accomplished, but didn't and then realize on Monday that I have 5 more sleeps and busy days ahead before I can get back at it - whatever the task at hand might be...

With this Monday, I find it to be the last Monday before the kids are officially third and seventh graders. School starts on Thursday and we won't look back for 10 months. My list should probably be longer in getting them prepared for the big first day, but it isn't. I am thinking about my future Mondays with them safely at school and me at work to tidy up whatever messes Saturday left behind. Ugh - I for sure don't like Mondays. But, on the other hand, once Monday is said and done the rest of the week is pretty good because you always have Monday to compare it to!!

Whatever this Monday and any future Mondays may bring for you, I wish you peace, laughter, no long lines at the post office or grocery store, and sunny skies because "Rainy days and Mondays can always bring you down..."no excuses necessary!

Memories from De Anne's visit

I cannot believe the time with De Anne came and went so fast. We were action packed over the two and a half days and three nights we had; but, of course, there is never enough time to catch up and just sit and be. Here are some highlights of the times we had and I certainly can't wait until the next visit. I'll let you know I'm coming so you can leave the porch light on...



Talk about shock and awe!! I am completely overwhelmed...Thanks Karen for getting this shot.

The embrace of realization, joy and a dream come true. Thanks again to Linsey and Dennis!

De Anne and Dennis haven't seen each other in 6 years!!!!

Hey Smiley!!! We are still backing in the glow of our reunion at Bucca de Beppo. Yippee my Dee is home :-)


We were able to celebrate Josh's 4th birthday early and De Anne is watching the action along with Gage and Dave.

Mom got a surprise too!!


Kim, Kelly, Karen and DeAnne - don't we look like we just belong?! We needed Betty and the kitchen table to make the circle complete!
Our one and only up and close and personal shot and Jack took it!!!



Ali is so excited to be receiving her 12th birthday present - early! And we are so happy that Auntie Dee can be there to share the moment :-)

Our lady in waiting...

Pine Cove 2008

The kids had such a wonderful time this summer and Pine Cove was certainly a highlight. Dennis and I saw a tremendous growth in them all when we picked them up that Saturday morning. Growth in height, independence and spirituality. We have registered them to return next year (that side benefit of having a week alone with no children did manage to factor into our decision process a little bit!!) I hope in the far, far, distant future when they look back upon their childhoods that these weeks will have amounted to some of their most treasured memories.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - or Not?!

My day today, literally began with a bang! I was actually happy to be up early, getting breakfast ready and making lunches ( I know this feeling will soon pass, so I was enjoying it!) I had just finished the last lunch kit and was talking to Kitty at about 8:10 when a very loud crash, bang boom occurred; not once, twice or thrice but about 27 to be exact. Jack came running into the kitchen where I was holding onto Kitty shaking. I now know that in the midst of a crisis I do not flee, I freeze. I put up the hand that wasn't around Kitty and asked Jack to stop, so that we could make sure that the noise was finally over.

I made sure we were all okay and we were and then we went to investigate. We started for my office/laundry room as that was were the noise had seemed to come from. We stood with our jaws open as we saw - NOTHING. It took a few seconds to register that everything was perfectly normal. What had made all of that horrible racket? All of sudden, Jack piped up, "Mom, I know what it was." I said, "What do you think, Jack?" "Your mirror," he replied.

Sure enough we backed out of the office and shifted slightly to our left and there was my beautiful mirror leaning up against my dining room table with glass everywhere. The kids and I looked at it dumbfounded and said a lot of "what ifs". We went to wake up Dennis and tell him what happened and inspite of the mess I still had to get them to French camp by 9:00!

Dennis and I left the clean-up until later in the day and actually made quite short work of it. We have remounted the frame on the wall, sans mirror and we'll decide what to do later. The kids would like to fill it with photos, I have thought of gluing a mirror to the wall itself and then placing the frame around it and I believe Dennis would like it restored. I'll let you know what we decide!!

Home Sweet Canadian Home

Our 7 week journey has come to an end and we are back home in Saskatchewan safe and sound. The drive was uneventful minus the big crack in the windshield from a loose stone about 100 miles from the house!!! An oil change and the wind shield repair are the first orders of business come Monday morning. Dennis is a wonderful road warrior and we are so lucky to have him behind the wheel. I only drove about 2o0 miles of our 1800!!

I have been uploading my photos from summer into the computer since last night when we arrived. I am amazed to see that I amassed over 700 photos in a short span of time and this does not include the two CD's of photos from Pine Cove which have over 900 pix a piece on them! I will spare all the time involved looking for a glimpse of a Gage and preview them and then add the GREAT ones to the blog!! As I uploaded these photos during the summer (onto Dennis' computer), I tweaked, cropped and removed red eyes, unfortunately, I get the opportunity to do it all again now that they are on mine :-( I will try to work in batches so that I can get some new highlights out to my devoted followers - I know that you are waiting patiently by your computers to see what I post next....

We had such a fabulous summer and were very sad to see it end. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is that we get to return for Christmas! Of course, we have so many wonderful memories and pictures to back them up, that I may be reminding you all of summer until then - lol!!! Thank you to our children and grandchildren for continuing to brighten our lives and reminding us what truly lucky people we are!! Hugs and kisses and all my love -

The best birthday surprise ever....

It may have been 2 weeks after my actual birthday, but I could have never recieved a better present with more thought and love attached to it. My wonderful daughter, Linsey and husband, Dennis arranged to fly my very best friend, DeAnne, in to visit me from North Carolina. We haven't seen each other in two years and a visit couldn't have been more needed!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone involved in making this reunion possible. I continue to consider myself the luckiest lady on the planet to have such amazing family and friends :-)

More Summer Fun...

The week following our trip to New York City found us with a house full of laughter, love, wet suits and lots of shoes!!! We were so happy to have my sister, Karen and our niece, Jordan staying with us as well as our grandsons Nathan and Josh and even a weekend visit by our son, Jason and grandsons Will and Andy. Of course, we were able to have Linsey, Gage, Jillian and Dave to hang out with too!!!

Please enjoy the pix of our activities and get a glimpse into how wonderful, full, joyous and blessed our life here in Texas is....

Summertime is always watermelon time

Is this a beautiful picture or what?!... Ali and Jillian

Big Daddy and Jilly - check out her reflection in his sunglasses!

Big Daddy and GiGi having fun with our littlest angel

So happy together :-)

Gage & Big Daddy and Nathan & Jack playing in the cave where it is nice and cool and dark!!

Pepa's birthday visit - July 30, 2008

Sisters just enjoying spending some much needed time together

"Breaking Dawn" midnight book launch at Barnes&Noble with Paige, Ali and Kitty

Paige and Ali; not only cousins, but Friends :-)

Love this pic too - it was great to have Jason and the boys visit this summer!

ANDY

WILL

Karen and Jordan

Jack, Jason, Josh and Andy

A group shot!!

The sign of a full and happy home :-)