I miss my Gramma!

Here is a picture of her back in 2002, she is in the pink with the red hair! A very cool Gramma!

I was looking through my gramma's recipe box that she gave me back in 2001 choosing recipes to make today and all day I have been struck with how much I miss her.

My gramma is still alive for anyone now wondering but she doesnt remember me.

I am so fortunate that I have a gramma that I can miss and have so many wonderful memories of doing things with her.

My wish for everyone this Christmas season is that they get to spend time with their loved ones and build wonderful memories that can last a life time.

thommy

Thomas' Christmas that he decorated himself

Pre hair cut (dec 2/09)

new doo (dec 2/09)

Amazingly it has been more than a month since my last post. Not much has changed other then my pant size. I am super excited about Friday for my ultrasound to find out when the baby is coming and the GENDER!!! I am flip flopping on what I think it is so we will hopefully find out Friday if Cletis corporates.

Thommy and I jumped into piles of leaves on Sunday at my parents. The leaf jumping is so much better this year then last as the leaves were more wet and moggie smelling but on Sunday they were crisp crunchy yummy smelling. Yeaa for the sun and warm weather!

Beth

Dancing to Jeffs music on the deck

Thommy blowing out the candles at his birthday party last weekend

Beth trying out Thomas' present

At Ava's birthday party this weekend and colouring at home

Pool

oh course the Barrett's decide to put up their new pool in the rain, why not:)



finishing putting up the wall for the pool

Thom carried all the edge piece outside then Beth got the glory by them to Grandad

last peice!

1st time in the pool, too cold!

still too cold!

The pool was finally the perfect tempature, then we had to drain it due to a slow leak. Luckly we got a new liner with no hassels and Goni and Dave came over again to help set it up!

A few days later after we knew there was no leak this time Jeff set up the solar pannels and the pool heated up to 26C, turns out that is perfect for our family. Amazingly the kids still stay in so long their lips turn blue and they come out teeth chattering!

1st time having guests over in the pool

Last swim -unless, summer comes back!

Oscar??

We were at the Bulk Barn getting supplies for Ava's awesome birthday cake this week and Thommy was talking to the clerk.
Beth went from sobbing to ecstatic because I finally pd for the chocolate and the kids both got some. Thommy explained to the clerk that this baby (as he pointed to Beth) is called 'Baby Beth'. The clerk then asked Thom what his name was which of course he said 'Thomas the Tank Engine', then he walked up to my belly and pointed to it and said 'this baby is called Ol.... Ol.... Mama what is this baby called?' before I could answer he goes 'oh yeah I know, This baby is called Oscar!'

Oscar, really now, I dont think so! but I was chuckling and the clerk, she seemed to believe him!

I am very excited for the weather we have had the last couple days! We went to the beach yesterday like hundreds or thousands of other people and had a super time! Beth looked super cute in he little swim diaper and pink hat, I will try to get a picture today as we follow the masses to the water. Thommy, Ava and Logan were in the water almost the whole time we were there except when the french fries came:)
Our winter holiday (due to unexpected circumstances) became up in the air and we didn't know if we would reschedule, cancel or what we should do about it. We had been talking about getting an above ground pool next fall when they are on sale and have been looking at what we like so we know what to watch for when the sales come. Low and behold we made our decision on our trip, thanks to a great pool sale we decided to cancel our trip this year and buy an above ground pool.
Thommy (and Jeff) are very excited, now that the weather has warmed up we want to get everything and set it all up as soon as possible so that we can all enjoy it befor the swim season ends.

Jeff was going to look at renting a sod cutter for our new lush lawn(thanks to all the rain and cool temps) as we are going to have to remove some of it for the pool -that is probubly the sadest part that after 3 years we have a lovely lawn in the area which we are putting the pool which needs to be cut out. Luckly we have some areas that still need lawn which we never planted so hopfully we can move it to infront of the deck sucessfully.

I will hopefully post some pictures soon of the kids and setting up the pool.

So my parents went away again (first time since Beth's accident). And I thought I would pose a question you all, if something happens while a loved one is away, do you call and let them know? Does the circumstances that you would call vary?

My parents were in Cuba when she almost died and I did not call. Jeff and I different in opinion and he felt I should call, however, what could they have done. By the time we knew what was happening would they even be able to leave the island before their vacation ended? I told them the day they got home which was wretched but worth not ruining the fun they had (I thought). My parents disagree, if anything ever happens they what to know although they know they could not have done anything other than wait for Baby Beth they want to be able to hold our hands, be shoulders to cry on and pray with us. (However they did let me know that evening that if something had happened while I was on vacation they too would not have called)

Before someone you love leaves their home location I suggest you talk with them and find out what their wishes are.

New nephew and pics

Unc took Thommy, Ava and myself to the Reptile Expo to our delight. Thom's very funny response to what Dada would say if he brought one home 'ohhh, throw that out in the garbage' hee hee

fun with the new rope swing at the trailer

Beth is enamored with Jake! the tea party came to an abrupt halt once he came for a visit!

A first responders job stop when on holidays! This sliver needed a professional touch!

boat pictures from 'July long' weekend

So, my sister finally had her baby!

She, Brad and Ava welcomed little Jake to the world June 28th very early that Sunday morning (she was due on the 12th - he was 9lb 7oz).

He is very large, and he makes my heart melt! I am very excited to become an aunt again. I feel so fortunate, since I watch Ava I get to see him almost everyday. With Jackson and Cayman I was working so I didn't see them as frequently and Ava was born while Ang and Brad lived in BC, this situation is so much better!

I had a condensed version of the birds and the bees talk with Thom while Ang was pregnant - yikes. He already knew the boys had penis' and girls had vagina's so we built upon that. When we found out he was going to get another cousin we said the baby will be here once it is beach weather - then beach weather came so we changed to once he doesn't fit in her tummy. So Thom asked how the baby will come out and I figured lets go so I built upon the girls and boys are different and where babies come out yadda yadda. Low and behold Ang had a c-section and now he knows babies like Jake come when Auntie Ang gets cut. Confusing, I think I will try again next time someone we are close with has a baby or when he is 6 or maybe Jeff will try next time and do the full birds and bees - bah, I shudder at the thought of my baby needing to know all the information so early but I would hate for him to learn at school from another little kid. I wonder what the average age children learn about 'the circle of life' is?

Well time is flying by as always. Thom is excelling in swimming lessons, and Beth is happy and wild.

One thing I didn't post after Beth's accident she has added more excitement to our lives. In the weeks after, Beth has tried sticking things into power outlets, learnt to climb into her booster, she scales up Thomas' chair (which is like a bar stool in height) and even onto the very top of the toilet. She had demonstrated for me this past weekend that she can go to the patio doors and raise and lower the locking levers - she was oh so proud with a huge grin! (I was very glad she showed me her new skill, we then fixed it with an extra child proof lock she has not figured out yet!) I think that she figures that she cheated death once, bring on the danger, she can take it!

Talking about locking levers, on the kids bedroom window I have taken the window cranks off because I think Thom might open his window and fall out (which is maybe 10 feet above the ground) . So I have them up high above the molding that the kids cannot reach even if on a chair. If Jeff or I want to open the window it is never open too wide and we put the cranks back into the hiding spots so the kids could not open them further. Well, with that intro guess what happened.... I had opened the window in the house on Mother's day and put the cranks back to their spots. In our living room our window is about 8 inches above the floor of the porch, we (I) have never removed the cranks on that window, well, I was making a cake for desert because my in-laws came over and I had not heard Thom for a few minutes, I called him and he answered he was just pooping, but yet the reply sounded further away then it should! I went to check the bathroom and saw the screen was out of the window in the living room and the window was completely open. Thom had decided to go outside to poop! He was on our front path pooping! I sent him inside to the bathroom and I had to tell Goni and laugh without him hearing before I reprimanded him further, once I had finished my quiet laughter I went back to him and he was gone! I had not yet removed the cranks and he was outside finishing his poo! This time I removed the cranks then went outside to get him and give him a lesson on safety.

I have two crazy kids and they make everyday exciting!

As a side note Beth is doing great, there are no side effect to her accident other then her wanting to become 'Super Dave' and I am doing better too.