The Biggest Blogpost EVER

Today was just what I needed. Routine, my boys, and a friend.

Routine - wake up, breakfast, get ready, gym, coffee, 'take the boys somewhere to play' (actually, they were already at Erica's because she offered to take them while I was at the gym)
Coffee - aaaahhhh
Friend - Today, I hung out with Erica. If you see her, and she is missing an ear, it's because I talked it off!. Thanks E.

In the afternoon, after Dexter's nap, I met Erica (with Jack, AJ, and Rya) and Jen's hubby, Dave (with Makenna, Emerson, and Jaxon) at T.S. playground that we haven't visited since the summer!

I was going to spend this blog spilling my guts, but frankly, I'm all 'spilled out' right now. I'd rather just show you some happy times. These are what I'm thinking about right now, and I'm also thinking about the many happy times to come once Richard is better.

Richard's chemo started today at 10am. It was for two hours. When I talked to him earlier, he wasn't feeling anything yet.



Here we go with some happiness....



The Apple Barn!

A big thanks to Ryan for planning a special family day at the Apple Barn on Saturday! Unfortunately, Ryan couldn't come and was missed, but it was still, a VERY special family day for us with Richard's admitting day looming close ahead.

Erica joined us with Jack and Rya. Thanks E!

We arrived and the boys spotted the jumping pillow immediately! They sat down to take off their boots.


But alas, morning dew, and I'm sure, frost too, had slightly spoiled the excitement (at least, for me, anyhow).
Yuck.


But they had their heart set on getting on there. There weren't many kids on yet, so that made it the perfect opportunity. I warned them their socks would be wet, meaning bare feet in their (thankfully) lined gum boots. AJ was okay with it, so away they went!



Please tilt your head because I'm too lazy to fix these.







Bunnies!!!

Sheep!
Goats!! Dexter was fascinated by this cave.



The view from the ride on tractor track.





Lots of fun.

The big slide. AJ's heading down. Do you see Dexter apprehensively waiting with Daddy at the top?
And here's AJ!
YAY, Daddy and Dexy!
As soon as you get to the bottom of the big slide, there's a mini maze. Just perfect. Your child takes off and you lose them immediately.

The tractor ride to the pumpkin field.
Daddy.
Daddy impersonating this weirdo in Burger King the week before who was talking on his cell phone like this....

No lie. Seriously. For reals.

Looking for a pumpkin.

What?

The big ladybug.
While they wait their turn, AJ finds a gross rotted pumpkin.

Daddy helps Dexter onto the ladybug.
My boys. Tilt please.








Daddy helps Dexter pick out his very own pumpkin. (AJ got to go to Willow View to get his pumpkin when Auntie Jen took him on the preschool field trip).

There it is!
He was extremely excited!
AJ did not get to keep this one, but wanted his picture holding one and he wanted to carry it back on the tractor with him.

My boys 2010.

Here's a link to last year's pics from the pumpkin patch which also includes pics from 2008 and 2007!

The beloved tractor.



Light the Night


A BIG thank you to my cousin, Lisa, for organising a Light the Night team called "A Cure for the Clarks". The weather was beautiful and seeing all those lit balloons was inspirational.

We arrived around 6pm ish and at about 6:30, we let the boys play at the playground while we waited for the rest of the family to arrive (Mom, Kim, Paul, Cousin Alina and Rod, Cousin Lisa and Mike, Uncle Len and Auntie Jacqui, and Cousin Michelle).

I wish I had taken a picture of everyone.

Here we are with our two 'supporter' balloons for the kids and one 'survivor' balloon for Richard. The boys were great in the jogging stroller (we brought the Leapster and the DS...lol). I was hoping Dexter would fall asleep during the walk since it was totally bedtime, but nope.
It was a little chilly, but clear and beautiful. There's my mom walking with Richard and Dexter!
The balloons had lights inside of them. You turned them on to light them up or make them blink.

If you would still like to donate to the Light the Night (Leukemia and Lymphoma research), follow this link....

Light the Night "A Cure for the Clarks"

I'm pretty sure you can still donate until the 31st of October.


One of MANY Days at the SkatePark

Finally I remembered to bring the actual camera to the skatepark instead of just my phone. So now, you can actually see what the boys have been up to.

AJ enjoying the fact that he's allowed to go into the bowl now.

The high school kids' lunch hour was just ending, so Dexter got some extra freedom too.

AJ is attempting a jump to lift his scooter off the ground. The front wheel is up here, but not sure if the back wheel make it.
Happy boy.





Tilt.


Here Dexter is heading over to the big kids who thought it was funny to encourage him to chase them and crash into them. They don't realize what they've done.


Woo hoo, my brave brave AJ!





and some not-so-happy news....

Good-bye Grannie McNeil

I don't know how it slipped my mind, but for those who didn't come across the news elsewhere, Richard's Grannie (Norma's mom) passed away early this month. Richard spent many many summers in Nova Scotia with his Grannie and will miss her dearly. I had the honour of meeting Sadie just the week or two before Richard and I got married. She was a lovely lady. Although the boys never got to meet her, they knew who she was, and her absence from there lives will surely be noticed by them.

My heartfelt hugs are sent to everyone (and there are many) who will miss Sadie McNeil.

Here is the write up from the paper...

Grannie McNeil

This version has a nice poem at the end.
Grannie McNeil