GREEN SOCKS

Clara called out for me to come outside with my camera while I was making dinner. Apparently she had art directed a shot. She calls it green socks and summer flowers:

MY HAPPY PLACE

Another rushed morning, too many things to accomplish in one day and some more rain here in Vancouver.

But we did manage to get on the boat and zoom away to our cabin this past weekend. I feel so calm there, and so happy and I yell less. I can't wait for the summer to officially begin so we can move up to my happy place.

(Will's happy place too)

LOST TOOTH

After months of waiting and a 2 week long corespondance with the TF (tooth fairy), Clara finally lost her first tooth tonight while we were reading Magic Ponies in bed together.

It is very exciting. And kind of sad for the mommy. Her lost tooth looks so tiny in my hand, just like I think she should be. And her adult tooth which will grow into it's place will be so big like she actually is. Does that make sense?

Some snippets from some of her notes she has been leaving for the tooth fairy these past weeks:

• Dear tooth fairy. I have a surprise for you. I have a wiggery tooth and I hope you come and give me something.
• Dear TF. I loved what you gave me (a loonie and a letter) and now its time for me to give you something (a homemade necklace with a paper tooth locket). And its kind of a misterwy to whose paper this is (the tooth fairy left the note paper, a pen and bottle of glitter on the kitchen counter...bad tooth fairy). PS please give something to my brother. Love Clara. Do you know Ruby? (Clara's friend who told Clara she saw the tooth fairy at school)
• Dear TF. You are a true friend. Do you like mermaids or fairies the best of all?
• Dear tooth fairy. This is something you will like the best of all my notes. Here is a hint (picture of a tooth)

JUNE IS A GONG

June is a gong, like our driveway is a gong.

Too much going on in a little bit of space.

LONG WEEKEND (PART 2 and 3)

I realized I never posted part 2 and 3 of our long weekend adventures at camp Pasley.

Which brings me back to Sunday morning in May, which also happened to be Bridget's 4th birthday.

The girls did some birthday window decorating.

And here is the birthday girl who rang the gong bell 37 too many times.

Inside the boys played some backgammon.

while being watched by cute boy...

while Jake turned red from shaking his margs...

while Lauri had some moments with her book...

while Will emptied out all the baskets of toys onto the deck...

while the girls twirled and whirled around with their new birthday masks...

and Annie made us some delicious birthday nachos...

and Cooper admired his new squirter and lollipop...

and Cooper's mommy had an afternoon nap on the couch...

Until it was time for birthday cake!

There was lots of bad singing...

and birthday kisses...

and beautiful views...

And then we realized we still hadn't raised the flag. So there was some more bad singing...

And lots of laughing...

And then Sophie started to wonder about her strange friend, Clara...

And then we took it to the beach for some warmth and chocolate by the burn pile fire...

We did some more things, but I think there is probably too many photos in this one post! Maybe a part 4?

HAPPINESS IS...

For me, happiness is shopping at Anthropologie with no children, sipping a coffee and not having to rush anywhere.

For Jake, happiness is a trip to the Apple store while wife is at Anthropologie not rushing, and discouvering that a new shipment of iPads has just arrived!

Below: Jake playing with his new iPad while lunching on shrimp and beer. We are both very happy.

But now, we are home. Back to the realty of laundry, pee on the toilet seat (not mine), a stinky minivan and an early wake up.

But I do get to be back with my kids. I have missed them terribly! It is strange how different they appear to be for those first minutes after after being apart for a few days. They look older and sound different and I couldn't stop staring at them...and hugging them. I love them so much!

Thank you YaYa, Grandma and Auntie and Uncle for taking such good care of them!

TEN YEARS LATER

Dear husband,

I am so thankful for you. I am so proud to be your wife. I love being married to you and I can't wait for the next ten years (or make that fifty!).

Love, me.

(self timer picture on our way to dinner)