SO thankful for Saturdays.

I am so thankful for Saturdays - when I have a moment to sit and read the blog and to catch up on life. I'm especially thankful that this weekend is a LONG weekend! :)

Happy Birthday to two of the loveliest ladies I know - Aalysia & Micah. I am beyond grateful for having you two in my life, both as friends and family. Can't believe it's 25 this year! I hope you are both spoiled immensely by those who love you.

This month has been crazy for me. The teacher's strike has caused a lot of crazy in our centre with juggling classrooms and changing children around, and yesterday marked the last day of that - hooray! On Wednesday, I start in my new classroom for the year. So it's been a week of long hours, organizing, sorting, cleaning, and rearranging while I get ready for the kiddos. :)




Things around the house have slowed a little bit, since we've finished the majority of our "big" yard projects. This month we did a few things: planted flowers, finished building the chicken coop + run, tore down the old playhouse and lay sod, and purchased a small patio set of kijiji for when you all come for tea. :) 

 

The ladies love the home Jon built for them. We're still patiently waiting on our first egg.

It's so fun to be greeted by six hungry birdies every morning. Plus it's extremely entertaining to listen to them chat all day.

 

We finally got a chance to sit and enjoy the patio this past weekend and it was lovely. All the flowers are loving the sunshine, and we love having a place to enjoy at the end of the day. 

 

The back corner of the yard was where the playhouse once stood. Now it's another big chunk of lawn for Tolmie to run around on. 

All of these projects have left us very tired, but we are loving having a place to call our own that shows our hands all over it. I am very thankful for a handy hubby that loves to put on his Carharrt's and work hard. :)

 

Another small victory since my surgery (1 1/2 years ago - what?!)... I finally got some new sandals with custom orthotics! :) Now I can walk around at least somewhat fashionable. Let's face it: runners + skirts don't exactly work.

I gave myself a pedicure to celebrate the occasion.


A final note: this afternoon we drive to Nanaimo to pick up Josefine & Anders - my friends from Denmark. They're on their way to Canada for a visit! It's always hard to believe that Facetime conversations will cease for a little while and face-to-face ones take over. Tomorrow we're taking a hike and Monday we're heading out EARLY for a fishing charter. Hope we limit out!




Enjoy your weekends, my friends.
Kristine & Martin - I hope you're still celebrating Canada Day even in Minnesota.
Micah, same to you all the way in Australia.

Go Shorty! It's your Birfday!

 Wish WE could ALL party like it's your birthday! Remembering the good times! 

Hope your day is lovely! Missing you tons! Talk soon! Enjoy your weekend!

 <3 Kristine xo

Happy Birthday Aalysia!

Aalysia, you are such a kind & caring spirit, with a contagious enthusiasm for life!

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, with hopes that 25 is your best year yet!

Xo, A

25

Firstly Kristine. Wow congratulations! I am so excited for you! And say congrats to Martin too! A Dr! Wow!! 

Our life has been busy to say the least. I am always kept on my toes. Both boys have been sick this week so we are all tired and I'm just trying to remain calm and not lose my cool.  William likes to winge! And he does it well! mooooomy! But I want too! Wah Wah wah. By 7 I am ready to run away from home. But then he does something cute or says I love you tooo much !;) 

He  turned 3 a few weeks back and starts preschool in February. My mind goes crazy to think my little one is big enough to go out on his own for a few hours! I guess it's time for another one ...jk. Like Kristine. Out next step will be a dog. 

Happy Birthdy Aalysia! Enjoy 25 one week before me! It is weird to think this how old Friends were when they aired! Surley it's just some cruel joke and we're only 18. Feels like it somedays!

Love you guys! Miss you! Xoxoxo

My Sticky, Sticky Shoes...

I'm going on 5 days of Phoebe's "Sexy" Sick Voice! I guess being busy working, travelling or hosting company everyday for the past 2 months finally caught up with me. Now I have this weird raspy/squeaky/non-exsistant voice! Which Corey thinks is hilarious, and conned me into a sing-along last night - but trust there were no "this chick sounds good" moments. So I have been drinking lots of tea - which makes me think of you ladies! Wish we could all be together for a cup!

And now for a proud Auntie moment...

We were in Port last weekend for the girls' dance show. Which was SO good! Isabella brought tears to my eyes, Kiana is growing so much, and Talia's stage debut was adorable! They were is 15 dances between the 3 of them - crazy! This was the first year in the show for Talia - who's catch phrase is "I want you, Mum!" - and was not coping well during dress rehearsal with being backstage without my sister. So we decided I would go backstage during the afternoon show, so Corena could watch. Luckily, with the helpful distractions of an iPad and her sisters, Talia did awesome! Only one brief moment of panic when she came off stage and didn't see her Mum waiting for her, but I quickly distracted her with all the hustle and bustle going on backstage.

It was so fun getting to be backstage and experience that with the girls. But also so strange because it was at the new high school, and so different from hanging out in the drama room/hallway in our high school!

Here are a couple shots from backstage...

Talia getting pumped before going on stage,

and all 3 of them hanging out backstage.

(this is what Talia does when you tell her to smile!)

So what has everyone been up to? I've seen some snippets on Instagram, but would love some details!

Hope you're all well!

Sending love, A

Home is where your husband is......I mean fiance?! haha

Well it finally happened! We are living in the same ZIP code!! 55901 ;) A lot of change has been happening in the last few weeks. I packed up and moved our things from Port Alberni to Surrey into steal containers to be shipped to Minnesota, which arrive tomorrow. I flew to Ireland, we packed and shipped Martin's things to Minnesota too! Then WE flew to Paris-Eiffel,tennis, and ENGAGEMENT! We flew back home, said goodbye to family and friends. And then....WE drove....and drove.......and drove!! Only to find the cutest house on the block to be OURS for the next three years!! 

These last few days have been filled with organization, purchasing soaps etc and filling out paperwork! Martin's first day of orientation was today so more information to come in the next few days! Settling in quite well. Maritn's even saying he thinks we can handle a small dog now! hahaha! I'm not ready for the puppy yet! I'm enjoying Ella and Jon's journey for now! Learning from you guys! Same goes for babies, we're watching Micah and Aaron for that for now too! Anyhow, just wanted to let everyone know we are safe and sound, happy and healthy. Miss you all like crazy! Come visit anytime! I'll post more photos when our stuff arrives and it's all set up! xoxo