Another birthday, another attempt to keep blogging!

Wow...it's been a while since I've been here. I think I'm over thinking the whole thing! I have been hesitant and unsure how to proceed with this 'journal'. Bronwyn is old enough to go on line and read for herself. River is old enough too and I have become conscious of privacy and safety and other factors that go with putting content on the Internet for anyone to read. Should I just do it anyway? That, in large part, is what stops me from posting the things that I want to. But on the other hand I have missed so much and, when I was going strong, I really did enjoy posting. So even though I've missed a lot, I will not dwell on flashbacks...but maybe I'll just continue anyway.

Speaking of Bronwyn being old enough. She just turned 12; a true Tween. The plan for this year's birthday was a beach party (which we organized last year). Sadly, the weather did not cooperate and so we swung into 'plan b'. Plan B was fully arranged by Bronwyn. She asked me to let her send invitations etc., and also to make myself scarce during the celebrations. So she did it; arranged her own birthday celebrations! She sent out invitations, organized everyone to go to swimming at UBC (via bus and car), and arranged for everyone to get back to the house in time for cake and presents. I was fully expecting to intervene, but apparently the prospect of me involving myself in her birthday was all the incentive she needed to do a great job organizing it herself! Why kids assume that you want to hang out with them and their 12 year-old friends is beyond me. Really, there are other things I like to do. Not that there is anything wrong with 12 year olds...but well, let's just say I'm not anxious to hang out and talk about Kylie Cosmetics and boys, or alternatively feel how old and outdated I am in everything I think. My presence is a mutually dissatisfying experience...well, apart from when I listen in on their conversations which are often a mixture of cute, funny, and mildly disturbing.

 

She's a smart and caring girl. She writes amazing poetry (if she lets me I will post a couple) and is great at art. In fact, this year's birthday present was some quality art supplies (watercolours and pencil crayons). Last week we had a day out downtown; art gallery and shopping - we had a lot of fun and she is great company! Happy Birthday to our wonderful daughter - we love you!

 

  

 

How time flies

I finished another Pinata! This time a cactus pinata: to tie in with Bronwyn's continued fascination with the desert. I am able to make them quite quickly and easily now and Bronwyn suggested I make them to sell. I wonder if that would work. I will try to dig up pictures of the pinatas I have made.

Here's a couple of recent pictures:

Crab Fishing at Jericho

In other news: we said goodbye to Cactus the gerbil who lived to over 5 years old. Bronwyn and I took him to the woods and buried him beside Ellee. Here is last picture of Caci, Bronwyn's beloved gerbil. And here is the embroidery she did and buried with him. It was very sad, but it seemed as though he was at death's door for so long that it was almost a relief.

 

Mark suffered a heart attack in January, which was surprising and upsetting for everyone. He had two stints put in and is now recovered. But it was a very stressful time, particularly for the kids (and Mark!). I had a hysterectomy in May which wasn't that much fun. Maybe more on that another time. I am mostly back to my variation on 'normal'. I will try my best to update a bit more regularly.

Bronwyn turned 10 - Happy Birthday!

Hard to believe that my little girl turned 10 last Saturday! She partied the night away with her friends, Cammi, Gala, Emma...and also Nicky and River.

I have to say, it was way more crazy than I thought it would be! I saw a different side to the kids...as if I was seeing what 10 year olds are like in the 'wild'. They shrieked and giggled and yelled and danced around like mad. I wish I'd got video of their freeze dance game. It was hilarious as they moved and gyrated and tried to imitate what they think of as teenage or cool. Mike and I were very much in the background. In fact, we were hiding in the kitchen, drinking our moonshine and exchanging looks of shock and horror; "Really? these are our little kids!" They know way more than I thought they did! Mike made his oreo/cream cake in the shape of a number 10 and we supplied pizza, disturbingly pink cream soda, and junk food.

I got them t-shirts and fabric paint (will post a pic) and they all decorated their t-shirts. I managed to smudge every t-shirt in my attempts to hang them to try. "Mummmyyy!" said Bronwyn, as I wrecked yet another masterpiece. "Errr...well, a smudged t-shirt is all part of the memory!" I offered...somewhat apologetically.

They tried to watch Grease. Grease was the first movie I ever went to see without my parents. I think I was about 13. If someone had told me that my daughter would choose that same movie for her 10th birthday xx amount of years later (I cannot do math), I would have been amazed. I am amazed! They only got about half way through. The requirements for movie watching; i.e., sitting still, could not be managed and it quickly deteriorated to giggling, poking and inappropriate talk. Every so often I would creep out of the kitchen and say, "Be appropriate"...but mostly I tried to resist doing that. I'm not good at organizing parties - or being trapped with wild 10 year olds...but I think it all went well.

We got Bronwyn a beautiful blue scooter. A little over budget, but I think she'll get a lot of use out of it. (will post a pic).

River was mostly included, which was great. I wondered if part of the added craziness was the simple addition of Nicky; a 10 year old boy in the group. It seem to make a couple of the girls get even sillier in a kind of game of one-up-man ship in saying outrageous things. I could be wrong. Maybe that's what they are like when let lose and jacked up on cream soda and cake. Anyway, they had fun and I think Bronwyn had a good birthday. There were a few occasions when I saw it was a bit much for her. She looked over at me at moments with an exasperation as she tried to rally her friends. It was a responsibility that she's not used to. I was pleased to see we weren't completely forgotten...they still wanted us (as adults) to watch this or that. They haven't completely gone over to the other side...still little kids!

Eight...yes, eight!

Beautiful, smart, and funny Bronwyn. Eight years old today! We had a small birthday celebration with her friends Emma and Gala (and of course River was an honorary guest)!

I am taking her camping this weekend. Let's hope the rain goes easy on us! Happy birthday to our lovely daughter!

Mayday

Happy birthday to my sister who turns $#% today! Ya still got it sis!

Trini and River

On Mondays I feel like saying, "On your marks, get set, GO!"..but that would imply that I was starting something from a standing position and that would be wrong. I am bored of saying how busy I am. I'm too busy to complain about being busy! It's all getting a bit Groundhog Day-ish.

I am sneaking in some stuff for myself today. I have spent the past few hours in the kitchen, hovering over bubbling pots of yarn immersed in cochineal, Turkish madder, and pomegranate dye,  AND reading 'Cousin Bette' by Balzac, while eating snacks (I stand beside the fridge door...it's a conveniently small kitchen). At the same time I'm updating this blog. Well, obviously I've taken a break from reading because not even I am so talented I can type and read a book at the same time. I am getting close though. And I'm wearing my running stuff because I may attempt to go for a run later. Oh, and I'm trying to fit in some guitar practise so I can take the guitar in to preschool. I like to call it extreme multi-tasking. It's living on the edge and definitely not for the faint of heart.

It's great working at the preschool, I feel like a rock star when I'm out and about. Little kids run up to me and shout, "Victoria, Victoria!" with huge expectant smiles on their little faces. So much fun! Some days I'll have to wear a wig and dark glasses...when it gets too much...ha ha!

I am seriously considering getting back into academics; educational research. A couple of years ago I applied for an M.ed, but didn't get in. Then I began a post-bacc diploma (don't worry, no one knows what that is...you are not alone), at SFU in Early Education. That got side-tracked by breast cancer. I should have gone back to it but blah blah...excuses. The problem with getting back into education is that it is bloody hard to do when you've spent a few years out of it. And it's expensive. (that's two problems, I know). When my friend Mark was here we talked about it a lot and he gave me some hints. I am trying to find out how I can get back into an academic program. We'll see what happens. When would I fit it in? Obviously, something would have to give. Most probably I'll have to give the kids away. That's a joke...don't call social services. I'd never just give them away.

The birthday bash.

River's birthday party was a lot of fun (and exhausting)! He was engaged and really enjoyed having kids over to celebrate. My friend, Michelle, made a fantastic 'garbage truck' birthday cake for him. It was as delicious as it was fantastic to look at! Now and then River was a little overwhelmed by the noise (note to self: do not by noise-makers), but he participated in all the games and was really excited by all the attention. He has also talked about his birthday and answered questions about it. It was a real hit. And I can set up some play dates for him...fantastic! Here are a few pics:

The fabulous garbage-truck cake

Birthday boy!

Pass the parcel...always a hit!

Time for cake

Make a wish!

Yep, they're all for you!

Present opening time!

A wonderful new truck from Aunty Trini and Uncle Lorne

Happy Birthday River!

Wow...hard to believe. Our sweet, beautiful, funny, smart boy turns 5 today! On Sunday he is going to have a birthday party and we have invited a few of his classmates. The first time he will party with is peers...a milestone for a kid with autism!

The Party

Crazy week. Bronwyn turned 7 on Tuesday. The Canucks lost the Stanley Cup and Vancouver erupted in riots...again. I won't start ranting about that. Instead...some pictures from Bronwyn's birthday party. It was a lot of work...but fun. I think next year it will be pizza and a movie with a couple of good friends (actually, I said those exact words last year). I did a bit of preparation this time. The party had a dog theme, of course. I made a dog-bone shaped pinata, a dog-boned shaped cake, dog-boned shaped cookies...AND the pin-the-tail-on-the-dog poster. Oh yes, I was one of those mums. But it was all good fun and relatively easy stuff. Unfortunately, it rained on the day (two years in a row) and so we couldn't do some of the outside stuff we had planned. Oh well. Thanks to Emma, Virginia Mae, Gala, Nicky, and Callum for making the party so much fun. Here are some pictures.

First the pinata..shoe box, newspaper, duct tape and paint. It did take a while to break...

The cake was a mixture of "Devil's Food" and "Golden Yellow". I am not sure exactly what flavour "Golden Yellow" is. At first glance it sounds like some kind of fetish thing rather than the description of a cake. Devil's Food is Chocolate as you can tell by the translation into French on the packet. I'm the first to admit my French is bad, but even I know that Chocolat is not the French word for "Devil's Food". At least it describes it though. What flavour exactly is Yellow? It did taste good though.

The careful observer will note that the cake is a beach scene...you got that straight away, I'm sure.  More pics...

The ever-popular "dance-freeze"

 

pin-the-tail-on-the-dog...

Watermelon and candy...the perfect combination

 

The finale...present opening. Phew, almost there.

Unfortunately, Father's Day had to be postponed to a future weekend. Poor Mark! This weekend was too busy and anyway Mark had to work. So we will plan something for the next weekend or so.

Happy 7th Birthday Bronwyn!!!

Happy birthday to our beautiful, smart and amazing little girl. Time has passed so quickly. We told Bronwyn we could get a dog and she was thrilled. Her gift was a "sapphire" pendant and some books. She is quite the bookworm now. Her response is always a little underwhelmed..but we are used to that now. Her dog party will be on Saturday. It is crazy how fast the time goes. What is that saying, "The days are long, but the years are short." A few pics of Bronwyn through the years...

Happy birthday...loved beyond measure for ever and always xxxx

these children singing in stone

ee cummings

these children singing in stone a

silence of stone these

little children wound with stone

flowers opening for

ever these silently lit

tle children are petals

their song is a flower of

always their flowers

of stone are

silently singing

a song more silent

than silence these always

children forever

singing wreathed with singing

blossoms children of

stone with blossoming

eyes

know if a

lit tle

tree listens

forever to always children singing forever

a song made

of silent as stone silence of

song

ee cummings, “50 Poems” (1940)

The good, the bad, and the gifts

It was a good weekend. I had a sleepover at Michelle's on Friday and that is always fun and relaxing. It reminded me that I neglected to post about the fabulous birthday party that Michelle organized for me and her friend Rikki at the beginning of December last year. (Time moved on quickly and I neglected to post about it). It was a lovely gesture and a very fun party. Michelle found out during a conversation last summer that neither Rikki nor I had ever had a birthday party. It was her mission to rectify this terrible wrong. So she organized a party and invited her mum and dad (my Canadian adopted parents) and her sister and brother in law, their two kids and, of course, Rikki and her husband and son (Caleb). It was such a fun party. She even had some games organized. When she first told me about it I said I didn't want a birthday party (because that's the kind of "fun-killer" I can be). She reassured me that it would be okay and said that if I wanted she would just call it a "get together that just so happened to coincide with our birthdays....and there would be a cake". And what a stunning cake it was....home-made no less! Probably the one and only pink Barbie cake that I will ever get in my life.



Oh yes....a pink Barbie cake!!!

There are other pictures. The guys stood around talking about cameras and comparing the size of zooms, like men do. Lots of pictures were taken...but where are they now? Sitting on a hard-drive no doubt. The only down side of the party was that it was the time that poor Bronwyn had her terrible tooth-ache so, although she had a good time, and loves Michelle's niece and nephew and Rikki's little boy, she was in a a lot of pain. But it was a fun party with wonderful food and company. And now I can't say I never had a birthday party! Thanks to Michelle!

On Saturday we had Kyle, Michelle (different Michelle) and baby Miles over for dinner. We cooked up a big sushi feast (well, Mark did most of the work while I...ahem...supervised...yeah, that's it). It was delicious and yet we took no pictures. What the? I can hardly do this blog thing if I don't take pictures. It looked similar to the picture of last week's sushi. Except we got a new, bigger, table from Ikea. It was a perfect evening. And I got to coo over their beautiful baby. The only hiccup took place just before they left for the night. We heard Bronwyn get out of bed and found that she had puked, really puked. She stood there like some puked-on version of "Carrie" and said, "I've puked, but I feel fine". And indeed she had power-puked. All over herself and her bed. Mark tried to clean her up while exclaiming, "Oh my God...what the hell...ewwww...it won't come off...Jesus Christ!". I had to point out that these remarks (although somewhat involuntary on his part), were not helpful to Bronwyn who was covered in sushi-puke. What IS it with kids and night-puking???

Kyle and Michelle made a hasty dash for the taxi and probably spent the night worrying that we had poisoned them (as did I).  Judging from the amount she regurgitated, Bronwyn ate a lot of sushi. The cheesies, apple pie, ice-cream and chips followed by lots of running around and a late night may not have helped, it has to be noted. Puked up sushi is nasty. Puke in general is not good...but when it's seaweed, rice and fish...well...it's bad. We had to put her in the bath to get it out of her hair etc. Okay, I'll stop with the details. But thank goodness she was okay today and we could call Michelle and Kyle and say they were safe and we hadn't poisoned them after all...phew!

Next it was time to open 2 boxes of goodies sent over by my mum. Trini and Lorne came over and we opened up all kinds of presents and had a great time. Of course, what was missing was my mum. But we opened PJ's, slippers, perfume, books, toys for the kids and all kinds of wonderful things. The gifts were so lovely and thoughtful and it really was a treat to top off the weekend. Thanks so much, mum. We love you and miss you. Aside from the cleaning-up of puke, a good time was had by all!