Back home

Hello beautiful people who read my blog (or peruse it for cute photos).  After a 3 month hiatus I am back at the keyboard.  Thank you to those of you who harassed me to post, I love that you like my blog enough to do so.  I would be nothing without my fans.

We have been back for 4 weeks now.  Our power has been worse than ever with losses of 10-17 hours a day not unusual.  We are in a power streak right now though... 36 straight hours!!!  Why do I feel like we are going to have to pay for this good fortune later? So all this power was very persuasive in getting me back to the keyboard but also it helps to have something fun to blog about...

This was my yesterday.  Our car is in the shop AGAIN!!!  It really is terrible.  A good friend was going on holiday and was kind enough to lend us hers (also AGAIN) and I got it stuck in the road.  A tiny road that I drive on all the time, it didn't even cross my mind there could be a problem.  But the weather is so dry these days, and the dirt so fine.  From ahead on the road I had no idea that in this section there was just a a foot deep of fine powder.  Her car is just enough smaller than ours that it couldn't handle it.  Any amount of pushing or rocks for support do nothing because the dirt is so fine that as soon as the tires turn the just dig in deeper.  

Claudia tried to pull us out with rope and the rope snapped.  A kind stranger stopped and tried to pull us out with a proper towing rope but it also snapped!!  So he layered 4 layers of proper towing rope and slowly pulled us to safety.  Good timing too because I was just about to start to panic.  Notice Theo sleeping through it all in the back seat, thank goodness because if he had gotten out I don't think I could have ever gotten him clean again.  I have to say... I am not in the mood for any more car drama!!

My brothers and I with my grandfather.  Approximately 1980.

And 2011.  

This blog entry wouldn't be complete without a tribute to my grandfather.  We saw him over the summer and it was a wonderful visit.  He is 89 here and we were so lucky to visit on one of his 'good' days.  Although we can't be certain that he knew who were were for the entire visit, in my heart I am sure he did at some points.  The best part was watching him with his great grandchildren.  There was so much joy in his eyes as he interacted with them and watched them play.  Definitely one of the best memories I will have of him.  

He has been ill and I knew when we left that there was a good chance it would be the last time to hug him.  I thought I was at peace with that and that I had done a good job of appreciating our time with him. But it turns out I hadn't prepared at all for his death a few weeks later.  It has shaken me to the core and I so regret not being able to join my family in celebrating his life and saying a final goodbye.  

I imagine he is now in heaven with my beautiful grandmother.  He no longer has to carry the burden of age and illness and can be the strong and capable hero that I remember him to be.  I am so lucky to have had them in my life and am so grateful for all the love and memories that I will always carry in my heart and will forever strive to capture and pass on to my children.  

His passing has also reiterated, once again, what we felt so strongly over the summer... that the love of our family is so important for Kaia and Theo as they grow.  Especially as children when their ideas of love and happiness are being developed, the memories of their family not only help shape them but will carried in their hearts forever.  

Our return home also brought new life.  We are 3 chicks richer.  Mama had 3 eggs hatch successfully.  We have since put a few eggs under Legs but all of her eggs cracked.  Kaia loves the wee ones and spent the first week cuddling them.  Theo isn't quite as gentle or nurturing but he loves them too.  They have grown substantially in 4 weeks and Mama just started laying again so I can finally have my first taste of her eggs :)

Kaia and Theo are finding more and more in common.  The mornings are their best times.  Kaia likes to make sure he is fed and warm.  And what does Theo do?  Well he lets her.  Sometimes anyway.

Grandma Love... the sprinkler is a huge hit.  We are the only family I know of that has one so it is lots of fun to pull it out.  Also a lot easier than filling up the pool for 5 minutes of entertainment.  As you can see the water pressure isn't exactly as good at in Canada but some days we can get a few feet out of it.

Theo enjoys it most when he can balance his ball right on top of it!!  Look at him admire his hard work.

Kaia is in school 4 full days a week now.  It doesn't really feel like it yet since we have been really busy but Theo and I have a lot of time to enjoy together.  He is at an awesome age, loves to perform, and is so interactive.  A great time in his life to be able to focus so much attention on him.  Here he is admiring some bug or something.

And here he is very proud that he could climb UP the slide.

Carl had a 4 day weekend for the Eid and since we were fortunate enough to have a car we went out to the reserve for lunch (Roxanne do you remember?).  We also did shopping, a nice lake walk, some exercise dvds, an afternoon at the garden cafe, backyard camping, and a night of making smores over an open fire.  Always nice to have a holiday even if it is just after the school year started.

A few Kaia-isms I have been accumulating:

• I noticed 3 bug bites on Kaia's hand and ask what they are from.  She says a mosquito.  I ask where the mosquito was, worried it were under her net at night.  She sequentially points to the 3 bites saying, 'it was here, here, and here'.  Well of coarse, silly me.

•  Kaia getting me 10 basil leaves from the yard.  She counts 1-2-3-4-5-6 and asks how many more.  I say you still need 7-8-9 and 10.  She plucks one more and counts 10.  

I say 'you have 7' 

She says 'no, this one is10' and holds it up

I ask 'can I see 7-8- and 9?'

'0h' she says 'I don't have those'

And a few Theo-isms:

Theo can now say mama, dada, kaia, and pray 

Hiiiiiiii and Byiiiiiiiiii loudly and repeatedly to anyone coming or going

pleesh when he wants something and

NYO!!!! when you want to change his diaper

bi-ey for his binky before bed, ba for his bath,

and he will repeat the last word of half your sentences. 

It won't be long before he is spitting out 'I love you Grandma!' over skype :)