She's here!!!

Look who's here!

Aria (Ar'-ree-ah) was born this past Wednesday morning (April 13) at 10:01, weighed in at 5 lbs 4 oz and is just the sweetest little bundle of joy! She has been officially voted the cutest member of our family!

She and mommy are doing just great. We are all very excited to go and meet her as soon as she and mommy have a little time to rest and gear up for company.

Here she is, just a few hours old. Isn't she a sweetie?

All of a sudden...

Just a little over a week ago, I was looking at snow and ice on the newly formed blossoms of my plum tree and my tulips out front.

I was worried that the cold and ice might harm or kill them- but it seems that the moisture has just been enough for things to start bursting forth in my gardens and yard!

I have an herb garden out back and already have usable chives and thyme. Parsley is poking up through the ground, as is another herb I planted and can't identify... I need to check my chart from last year! lol

My plum tree is full of blossoms and the bees have been quite busy there. It always makes me laugh a little that the full blossoms are out before you can really see the buds of the leaves- that seems backwards to me! It kind of looks like little tufts of snow on an otherwise bare tree.

Out front, some tulips are blooming and some of the rose bushes are greening up and budding leaves.

Things I didn't plant, like grape hyacinths and daffodils are out too, though the daffodils are pretty nearly finished.

I recognize the iris leaves and the thick stalks of peonies. And daisies, I believe, but I will have to see what blooms there to see if I am right or not! lol

Unfortunately, with this nice warm, spring weather also come the snakes. I am sure it won't be long before I see the little writhing mass in my front garden, and I have to say, I am dreading it.

My garden plans for this year are less than in previous years, as I have done plenty of work with little payoff and decided I need to be realistic for the time being. My soil needs a lot more amending before it will support a garden that sustains us throughout the summer.

Right behind the garage, I will again plant lettuce, spinach, and peas- they grow well there and require very little from me.

In the small raised bed, I will again plant my herbs, moving things around a little.

In the small fenced area, I will plant some tomatoes and beans, both of those do well here. Maybe some cucumbers, I am not sure. I do LOVE cucumbers and could eat many of them a day!

I will not be planting much- or anything in the large garden area that I have previously used. The soil is nowhere near soft enough for root vegetables, and other things I have tried just didn't grow well. I may put some melons or squash out there though, there is lots of room for them to grow. I will think about that.

It's much too windy to plant today, but the next nice morning we have will find me out there in my garden hat and boots, trowel and seeds in hand, getting ready to enjoy a new season of fresh food!

About my sister

Just as this new year was getting underway, I got the sad news that my sister, Heather, passed away. She was just 43 years old.

My sisters and I are all spread out: I am here in Colorado, my youngest sister Becky is in Saskatchewan, my middle sister Sandy is in Quebec, and Heather was in our hometown in Ontario. Life circumstances and geography kept us from spending a lot of time together as adults, but we were the four musketeers when we were little.

I was fortunate to be able to travel to her service, and more fortunate that my thoughtful husband was able to come with me. Becky and her husband were able to come too, and we descended on Sandy and her family- though she took it all in stride like she has a houseful every day.

It was the first time I have been back in Canada since I moved here. I still didn't feel ready to go, I didn't want to have to think about the past life that I left behind. And I wish more than anything that I had been making the trip to see Heather while she was still with us.

Heather was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, and through her whole life dealt with a myriad of impediments and health issues as a result. She had excellent doctors at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, and other than a few operations in her childhood, was able to live a pretty normal life until her mid-twenties. Adulthood brought out a host of new physical challenges and seemingly random illnesses.

She married as a young adult and had a wonderful little boy, Dan, who was her pride and joy. That marriage didn't work out as she had hoped and she later married another man who loved her dearly and was a good helpmate to her. They were still married at the time of her death.

Her son Dan, is now a strapping 20 year old man, and a proud member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. It was such a relief to us, his aunts, to know that he is not only in charge of his life, but is happy.

We were just in Ottawa for two days (the other two days were traveling back and forth), and it was busy so I, like many of us when trying to manage our way through a difficult situation, focused on the things that had to be done and the people we had to see, etc. I didn't let myself think too much about what we had lost.

But now I am back at home and normal life resumes. Only it resumes with a little piece missing and that hurts.

I decided to go through my measly pile of old photos (I used to have a lot more, long story) and scan what I have to share with my sisters. I wish I had done it sooner so I could be making Heather a copy too. Years ago I did make her a little scrapbook with photos of the four of us sisters, and her husband told me at her funeral that it was one of her most prized possessions. I don't even remember what photos I used in it- and who knows, if I was making her one of these now, she might be laughing her head off at me for getting old and forgetting that I had already given her those photos... lol

Heather loved to laugh and always had a smile for those she cared about, no matter what she was struggling with at the time. She loved to visit with family, and she loved to sing. 

She and I were less than a year apart in age and so only a grade apart. We both sang in the school choir (she was a soprano and I was an alto) and we would come home and teach the younger two sisters the songs and we would sing in harmony. We must have been pretty good, at least for our ages, because my father used to have us sing for visiting family members. Heather is the only one who kept singing in her adult life, she was an enthusiastic member of her church choir.

When she was able to, Heather volunteered her time knitting and crocheting for the homeless, and baked anytime someone in her church lost a loved one. Maybe that is how she managed to stay cheerful despite her disabilities, staying focused on others when she could. 

It makes me really sad to see her smiling face in a high school photo and to know I won't see her smile in person again. But I will remember her smiling, and I will be thankful that we had her for the time we did. I will be grateful that she is no longer in pain or struggling with physical constraints.

I will remember her joy in some of my work and be comforted knowing she is now looking over us all.

Christmas 2010, round two!

Holly and Ben finally arrived on January 2nd, to celebrate Christmas with us. This post covers their four day visit, so you might want to read it in pieces! lol And clicking on any photo will bring a bigger copy up for you to see.

When we got home from the airport, we went straight to opening presents:

Here is a painting of an octopus that Heidi did for Chloe:

 and hamburger earmuffs!

 Ben got his PS3 and was a happy guy!

Heidi got Holly some hot pink furry mittens!

And Holly got Rich a Canada trivia book. Just what I need: my husband to know more about my country than I do... lol

Chloe made her siblings tiny photo scrapbooks. They were so cute when they were little!

Holly also got Rich a Roots sweater- Rich loves to wear Canada things when we go out, and especially when we travel.

And the winner of our Christmas photo prize for this year is: Holly! 

We surprised her with the entire Little House on the Prairie TV series on DVD.

Holly made me this to hang in my studio. I love it! 

This is the inside cover of a lyrics book Ben gave to me- he is writing the lyrics and music for a CD.

We finished the day with a great turkey dinner and all the fixings! I would have liked to stretch out the Christmas stuff, but for such a short visit, we just didn't have the time.

Monday we did a little shopping, as another of Holly's gifts was a Macy's gift card. Ben and I dropped the girls off at the mall and went to a guitar shop so Ben could play me a couple of the songs that he has written. Here we are in one of the local shops:

We picked the girls up, went home for lunch, and headed in a different direction after that, we had a little more shopping to do.

Tuesday we took the light rail in and spent the day in Denver. What fun! We started the day at the Tattered Cover, we all love to read. The kids all had fun choosing something to buy and I was good, I didn't buy anything for myself- I have new magazines coming in the mail soon!

At the very end of the 16th Street Mall- I thought we could get somewhere walking but it was way further than I thought- so this is our turning around spot!

This sculpture is called "Cowboy Pajamas". I like it. I don't understand the pajamas part, but that's okay.

I HAD to order the Local Legendary Burger- which turned out to be a 13 oz. Bison burger, topped with mashed potatoes and gravy (hey, I AM Canadian!!!), cheese, and french fried onions. It was BIG. And yummy!

Our waiter took our picture before we left. The kids were very excited to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe! They did have some very cool memorabilia.

Another quickie picture before getting back on the light rail- we have more bags and stuff, everybody found something to buy.

Our last day was last minute shopping, and an eye appointment for Holly and Ben. Neither of them needed glasses and so were able to choose a good pair of sunglasses instead. Aren't they cool?

I should have gotten a few photos of Ben with his new guitar, but I forgot. Hopefully he will send me one.

Then we did the obligatory photo shoot. I try to remember each time the four of them are together, to take a whack of photos and I have to say, my kids are very obliging. Of course, the deal is, we get some serious photos, then they get to be goofy and I have to take those too. Easy trade off!

So here is one of the good ones- when there are four of them, it's hard to get them all looking good in one photo!

And here is one of the goofy ones. I don't listen, I just click... lol

And then, before we knew it, it was over. Already. Took the drive to the airport yesterday and Holly and Ben were home safe and sound by around 11 pm their time. 

Heidi and Chloe are back to school today, and the holidays are officially over now. 

I will take today to relax with Rich (his off Friday) and catch my breath from all of the cooking, cleaning, shopping, wrapping, preparing, and running around I have been doing pretty much since Thanksgiving. Speed wobble, indeed. 

My new year will officially start on Monday. Just so you know.

Christmas 2010, round one continued

Each Christmas is different here, I guess that is the way it goes when most of your children no longer live at home.

In 2008, our first Christmas in our new home, our kids' visits overlapped, with Rich's kids coming first and mine second. It was new and a little awkward, but fun just the same. And so lovely to be in our new home, TOGETHER.

Last year, we had all seven kids at home for the holidays and it was a bit of a madhouse! lol But good just the same.

This year, Rich's boys were here for the actual Christmas celebrations and his daughter couldn't make it. We hope to see her in January sometime. Christmas was quiet and nice. No snow or even cold weather.

Holly and Ben will arrive on January 2nd for a whirlwind belated Christmas celebration. That will be round two!

In the meantime, here are some photos from our Christmas 2010:

Feather trying to find the squeaker in her reindeer toy.

My girls, Heidi and Chloe reluctantly posing- nevermind that the light stinks, I was lucky to get both of them smiling in one photo... lol

Rich's boys, Zach and Ben

 Molly getting in the middle of things- she was either under the tree or in a box

Rich trying out one of his new toys, an RC plane (they are apparently not as easy to fly as it looks!)

We didn't cook a turkey since Thanksgiving here was so late; we cooked a ham and a duck. A l'orange. A la Julia Child. Ahem.

NOT a good idea to cook a brand new dish on Christmas when you have company. Just sayin'.

It did turn out well, but I don't think it was worth all of the babysitting I had to do for it, nor was it worth the amount of stress it caused me over whether or not it would turn out! lol

Lesson learned.

The girls and I did the HUGE Thanksgiving cleanup, so we decided that the Christmas cleanup should be for the boys, and we hopped in the car to look at the neighborhood Christmas lights. Some of our neighbors really go all out- check it out!

There is another house that decorates every single square inch of their house and yard, and I took a little video. I will post it as soon as I figure out how to get it off of my camera!

As seen above, I got Rich an RC plane and here we are, out with the boys, trying to figure out how to fly it!

Lesson number one: Planes need a level place to take off from, and a bumpy lawn isn't it... So off we go from the park, over to the elementary school. 

Notice how we are dressed? Does this look like Boxing Day weather to you? Not to this Canadian girl, it doesn't! But I'll take it! 60F at the end of December is pretty nice, I have to say.

Rich got it going! Flew it around for a bit, and then landed it in the tennis courts next to the elementary school lot we were at. lol There were some nice people playing tennis that caught it and gave it back.

Lesson number two: controlling one of these things IS a lot harder than it looks!

But I think he likes it. YAY!