Time Out

So, I know in my last post I talked about not apologizing for falling short, so I'm not going to. Just a little explanation to those who may have noticed.

So I started to feel guilty as Christmas completely snuck up on me this year because I hadn't done nearly all that I had planned or wanted to. Usually I do an immense amount of service to those that know and many that don't... Usually I pick out the PERFECT gift for all those on my list... usually I do so much MORE with the kids... but not this year.

This year I was sick... (Oh PS. did I mention that I'm pregnant and we're due to have a little boy in April... hmm.... oh well, now ya know!) This year I was tired... This year I was in bed MUCH more than I think I've ever been... This year was simple and not stressful, This year was WONDERFUL!

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE offering service... left right and center... it makes me feel so much more like one of Christ's disciples. I love knowing that someone's day was happier because I took a little time to think of them. I LOVE seeing my friends and family open that PERFECT gift... I love making gingerbread houses with the kids and teaching them all about Christmas...

But this year I did something I rarely do (at Christmas time or any other)... I had time to myself.

Most of our Christmas shopping I did online... and we did a big present for each of the kids and not much else, other than stockings and maybe a book or 2. I did a ton of baking (which I didn't end up giving to anyone because I didn't have time). I still was able to get a perfect gift for a few ppl... but I didn't go overboard... I snuggled my kids, got things done around the house... lots of naps... and it was great.

I felt guilty for not being there for a few of my friends when I really would have liked to serve them more... but then I realized that instead, I was there for myself and my family... and we really needed that this year.

This pregnancy has totally slowed me down... I haven't been able to do so much of what I usually do... but it's helped others to be able to serve me, it's helped me take time out for me, which I know I wouldn't have done otherwise.

It's made me realize there's a time and a season for all things... and right now, is time for me to take care of me and my family and make sure I'm healthy because unfortunately, I can't do all that I'd like to right now... but that's OK... I can serve and do all that I want to again soon... the Lord just granted me this little break to regroup and remember to take care of myself... and I'm grateful for that.

A Thankful Thursday

Well, thanksgiving was on Monday and all weekend/week I've been filled with gratitude. You all saw my last post on one particular friend who's just been amazing to me, and I am very blessed to have many others whom are just amazing and have helped me in so many ways. I'm also especially grateful for my wonderful husband. Saturday marked 6 incredible years of marriage for us. Sometimes I can't believe it's been that long, others I think "that's it?!". But yes, Canadian thanksgiving always marks another anniversary for us and I get my two favorite things (time with my hubby and turkey dinner!). (We also had turkey dinner at our wedding... and let me tell ya, those Hutterites know how it's done!)

Lately, I've just been looking at how blessed we are and how it's not fair that others seem to struggle so much, I mean we definitely have our trials and in just about every aspect of our lives... health, finances.. you name it it's been an up and down kinda journey, but when I look at where we are now, so young with so much, I just know the Lord is wanting us to share. I mean how can we not? Everything in this life is given to us from our Heavenly Father and we have a choice with what we do with it, but how can we not express such gratitude and humility by not giving back?

"Where much is given, much is required"

Ok, I'm totally being random with this post, I started out with the complete intention of just expressing my gratitude in this time of thanksgiving period. A little mush (sincere mush but mush nonetheless) about my family, friends, my husband, and all we are blessed with. Instead I find myself quoting scripture and feeling this intense desire to do more.

I know many of you may be thinking "well don't you own a charity?" Well... yes, BUT I've been really lazy lately. I've been tired (exhausted) and just not feeling quite like myself for the past little while, but is that really an excuse? There is so much to be done in the world, so very much to be done... how can I afford to be lazy? I mean, I've hardly done much work, hardly done much with the charity (the occasional tweet here and there and/or blog post.) I've hardly done much spiritual-wise. So how can I really be thankful? I know all well that all we have is from the Lord, but do I thank Him near enough? I thank Him for my "blessings" but that's like a catch-all. And why do we wait until Thanksgiving when the calendar tells us to give thanks before we do? Once I heard a talk where someone talked about a gratitude journal, where everyday they'd write what they were grateful for and they'd do all they could not to repeat themselves, thus causing them to become very specific in their thanks and causing them to see so many more blessings in their lives. Maybe I'll start that, end each post with an expression of gratitude... of course it would probably be more useful if I wrote more... (this is the third time in a week though!)

Also, I think I'm going to try each day to do one thing to make the world better. Whether it be bringing a special treat to a friend (that was today's) or actively furthering the progress of Child Rescue. I mean, what if God had said "I'm too tired today to answer your prayers... I'll get around to it someday"... I know I'm not as our Heavenly Father and that I am Human and we all have our shortcomings and that there is a time and a season for all things, but maybe if I push just a little harder, maybe if we all push just a little harder the world, or at least our tiny portion of it may be just that much better.

Just a Widdle Guy

No matter what you ask Nixon he is (Are you a baby? Are you a Monkey? etc.) his answer is always the same:

"No, I just a widdle guy!"

Sad to say, but my "widdle guy" is looking not so little these days. I'm grateful he's only 2 (and a half) and I get to spend a long time with him at home still, but still... he's 2 1/2! He's getting so big and doing so many things and although I know I can't make him stay "widdle" forever... I"m making sure I enjoy all the tantrums, no reason hugs and kisses and just all the "widdleness" I can because it sure feels like only yesterday he was like this:

And now he's like this:

Man I love that little man. He'll forever be my baby and will forever be "the boy" and "my little man" and no matter how big and grown up he gets, he will always be "my widdle guy!"

(Yes that picture is from our recent pictures taken by Blue Lily and yes I will post about em... when I get around to it!)

seee... I'm blogging again!

Just thought I'd prove that I'm serious about my return to the world of the bloggers!

So it's been a fun week... two of my nieces came to visit last Wednesday and will be here until this Thursday. I've really enjoyed having them around. They're my oldest brother's kids and they're teenagers. I was slightly worried at first just 'cause I've never had teenaged girls stay with me... just Tess but she's more like a little sister/best friend. But it's been super fun, we went boating, and to West Ed and we've done some shopping and played more than a few rounds of Uno haha. I love that I'm getting close to them again as I haven't seem them in over 6 years, and this is Nick's first time meeting them.
We also had Liv's Bday! It was fun! We had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party! Good times! We played golfish croquet with flamingos and hat hat hatter and of course... had cake! It was fun and I will get pictures up soon! Well, I'm tired and need to get some other work done but thought I'd post a quick update!

Until I blog again (which will be soon)

Enchanted with Entitlement

So the kids and I just finished watching the movie "Enchanted" and it got me thinking....
At the beginning, it starts out with the princess or I guess maiden... all happy and waiting for her prince to come and for them to share in "Love's true kiss". And of course, he comes, sweeps her off her feet (literally) and then says "We shall be married in the morning". So naturally, I scoffed at this and was like "oh right, we meet and are married in the morning and will live happily ever after". And then the movie goes on and the queen casts her to NYC and there she meets Robert who teaches her about the reality of life and she teaches him of course of happily ever afters and they end up in love and together and then Robert's girlfriend ends up with Prince Edward. So what had me thinking was the ending, when it showed Robert's girlfriend and the Prince getting married. This led me to thinking of a simpler time when roles were clearly defined and people knew what they had to do to make life work.

Now just so we are ALL CLEAR... I am a working mom who LOVES her work, and I totally understand the necessities of working and the importance of being with your family and that we live in the 21st century... this is just a train of thought that I am sharing with you!

Now... when the movie ended, I thought now they'll get married and have kids and live happily ever after. And we all know that "Happily Ever After" is relative... that one person's H.E.A might not be yours and there are different ways to define it. But I started to think... they'll have kids, she'll be the nurturer, he'll be the provider and they'll live that life. But wait a minute... why are there so many issues with THAT life? I am striving to live THAT life but still find myself longing for more.... why is that?

I mean, THAT life has worked for years and years and years... and then all of a sudden we decided it didn't and all hell broke loose! What I am referring to (in case you haven't realized) is the Women's Movement. Now HOLD ON! And stop badmouthing me under your breath! I'm not saying the Women's movement was bad.. lotsa good came out of it... changes of laws on reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, voting rights, sexual harassment etc. etc. What I'm referring to is the change in attitude that came from this.

All of a sudden, being a mom and caring for your kids and being the person to kiss all their boo-boos and teach them right from wrong, and taking care of your family and their health and their needs failed to be enough. Women wanted MORE... they wanted to be seen as the men (and I believe we are equal in every way), they wanted to be out there proving their worth instead of caged up in a house with their offspring all day. (I Am Woman Hear Me ROAR!) Now, this is what I see as a negative. Yes we are equal, I believe that! But that doesn't mean we have to pull the "anything you can do I can do better" thing. There is something special and quite noble about a woman who can truly find joy in loving, caring for and raising her family. (Now I am one of those who strives for MORE... I wish I didn't and am working towards finding true happiness and contentment in my primary role as a mother).

So my thoughts had led me to thinking of the past... thinking of that simpler time, when men worked hard to provide for and take care of their family, and when women where nurturing and loving and happy. (Not JUST happy to stay at home... but just overall... HAPPY!)

Ok, so like I mentioned before, I work and LOVE what I do. I am also a stay at home mom and am proud of it! I love my kids and I LOVE being the one who is there for them and who gets to see every side of them and watch them grow on a daily.. hourly.. second-by second basis!

Back to that simpler time... Roles were clearly defined, everyone knew what they did to make life work and it worked. Where they happy? Honestly? I think they were!

I picture a family where the husband gets up to go to work and the wife is there by his side, helping to make his morning easier. I picture that wife ironing his shirt (I HATE IRONING.... just a side-note) and I picture the husband giving her an appreciative kiss as he takes his shirt and buttons up his boots and gets ready for the morning. I picture the wife lovingly making him a hearty homemade breakfast that will help him to have the energy to go about his daily labours. I see their children waking up and doing some chores and having breakfast and I see them getting ready for school or other chores. I see them as a family seeing their father off and telling them they love him as he heads off to work. I see the Mother then helping the children finish getting ready for school and what not and singing a happy little tune as she tidies the kitchen and gets on with her day. I picture the mother cleaning and cooking and tending to their home which is her sanctuary and because of all of her diligence and hard work in making it beautiful and a haven, I see her enjoying it. I see the mother after a busy morning and some chores, reading a book in the afternoon or taking a nap. I see her getting dinner started and her husband coming home from a very busy day and helping set the table. I see the father playing with the kids and asking them about their days. I see the family sitting down for dinner and enjoying each others' company. I see the family kneeling in prayer at the end of the day to offer gratitude to their Father in Heaven for all that they have been blessed with... and aren't they blessed?

OK... now I know some if not MANY of you will tell me that I'm delusional and that's not how life is... that the kids will fight, the parents will fight, the house will be a mess and they'll all be miserable! (ok maybe that's a bit much). I wonder though... how that wife felt. If she felt like she was missing out on a stressful busy day at the office, or if she enjoyed being at home in HER home with her family. I wonder if that husband felt that he was doing all the work and his wife should step up to the plate and do more. If they are truly happy (and I suspect they are). I don't think so.

I think the wife understands her worth and her value in the home. I think she understands the potential she has to influence her children and her family in ways that no secondary caregiver ever could. I think the husband respects and appreciates his wife. I think he knows how much she works to tend to their family and is truly grateful for her as his equal partner.

I think the children see their parents' love for one another and it makes them feel happy and secure. I think they see that their parents don't love every thing they are doing, but they do it happily because they absolutely love whom they are doing it for.

I don't believe every day is a day full of bliss and cheer. I believe many hardships will come to this family, but because they are so happy to be working together and for one another that these hardships will come and go and that this family will remain in tact... completely unshaken.

This family in my mind, was living in a sweet cottage in the prairies sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s... not unlike Anne of Green Gables. But that doesn't mean that we can't have this family in our homes today.

I am well aware of the drastic changes in time since the picture I had in my head would have been a reality... but that doesn't mean that we can't still have the same spirit that this family had.

I understand that we have sports and school and dance and work and a million things to complicate such a simple life... but still, I wonder... why are we so unhappy? Depression rates are increasing and we seem to be less happy and less content. Why is this? (Just an interesting side-note... that study said that generations have been increasingly more depressed since those born in 1915... since the women's movement started in the 50s... those women born in 1915 would have been 35 at the time of the movement... I'm just saying is all). But why are we getting increasingly more depressed? Didn't women like the one in my little picture get sad or depressed? Didn't they have extremely difficult lives and hormonal imbalances?

My sister-in-law and I were talking about a similar subject not too long ago, she had read a book in which they talked about this. They talked about how women now a days are over thinking, that we are so educated (not a bad thing) that we over analyze. In the book, the author interviews some elderly women, and asked what they did when they got depressed... and the women replied "depressed? Oh honey, we had some hard times, but we just pulled up our socks and worked through it". (Now those may not be the exact words... but something quite similar.) The book went on to say how now a days, we basically diagnose ourselves with all sorts of problems (and I'm not saying chemical depression is just a myth or anything.. trust me I know it isn't) when they just didn't have time or maybe even the knowledge of/for such things.

Now I really hope I didn't totally butcher that book but it made me think, why isn't it enough? Why do we always long for more? Why can't we be happy with what we have? Weren't they happy back then? Part of me wonders if it's that we now feel entitled to soo much. We should work too!(as if being a stay at home mom isn't loads and loads of work and I understand needing to work), We should have a bigger house, We should have a nicer car, We should etc. etc. But is that it? Do we feel entitled to so much that we lose sight of what we do have... and what is so quickly slipping away from us?

And to tell you the truth... this is where my thought process ends... I have no idea why we're so much unhappier as a society... more crime? more murder? would happier homes and families change that? Would a simpler life change that? I don't know... do you?

And the Saga Continues (Part 3)

Sorry this is being dragged out so long but life is crazy and kids have needs! So back to the story....

So we get into the major city and capital (Kingstown, also where my dad and his family grew up) and it reminds me very much of New York! There are street vendors everywhere -a very large marketplace- and half of them are selling bootlegged movies and music! Disney's Princess and the Frog was being pushed quite heavily when they saw Liv lol. It was like I'd said in the first post, such a different world. I loved that you had to interact with people in every setting. Walking down the street there's street vendors, and I love that they're not pushy. St.Vincent isn't uber touristy yet so 90% of the people who go through the markets are locals. So through the markets, you interact with people, at the grocery stores, there's at least 3 or 4 people at the checkouts working the cash, bagging, helping you to your car... I loved it! In Canada I usually favor self-checkouts and ATMS (usually drive-through) but it was so nice to feel so connected to so many people... it reminds you that people are people and I just really enjoyed it! So back to the markets, there was fruit of all kinds, there's a fish market by the harbour (I stayed away) and then you can buy clothes and stuff (all really highly priced and clearly from the states). I think the majority of people there do their shopping in a mixture, purchasing from people on the streets and in the grocery stores.

Market

So we decided to visit family first and then get our groceries before heading back to the guest house. We met up with my mom's cousin at the bank (love that they had ATMS that accepted our cards! We just withdrew and got out some Eastern Caribbean money or EC$ which looked a fair bit like Canadian $... maybe it's 'cause they're a part of the British Commonwealth as well so the Queen was on their moola too.). So my mom's cousin, Calvin was one of the only people I remembered 'cause he had just moved back to the Caribbean from New York and I remember visiting him in the States. So I think he had a busy day that do so we talked for a little bit and then we were off to my Grandpa's.

EC$

So my Grandpa is my Dad's father (my mom's dad died shortly after I was born) and my parents are divorced, but my mom is soo sweet. She gets along really well with my dad's family and she's the one who called and made arrangements to meet up with all of his relatives. Anywho, so it was wonderful to see my Grandpa, he has Glaucoma as does the majority of my dad's side and can hardly see, so it was soo nice to have him be with my children and meet them. He hasn't seen me since I was just a year or two older than Liv, He has pictures from my Dad, but I brought a large photo album with pictures of my family from the birth of Liv till now... don't think I put wedding ones in... but maybe.. can't remember. Anywho, we brought some gifts for him and my aunt Rosie lives with him and takes care of him, but she was working that day so we had a nice visit just with him. The kids just loved him! They sat on his lap and gave him tons of hugs and kisses... it was soo sweet! He happens to be their only great grandfather that's alive now and it was just so wonderful to see them together.... my family!

Grandpa & the Kids

After we visited with my Grandpa, we went back to the market, got the food we needed and then took another van-cab back to Layou (the town where the guest house was and where my mom and Grandma grew up).

So, the guest house wasn't anything extraordinarily beautiful, but it was perfect! It's kinda set up like a motel, each room has 2 double beds, a bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink, a wardrobe to hang clothes in and a TV (only one channel). Our room also had a mini-fridge which was awesome for us 'cause Nixon pounded through a LOT of milk! Our room also adjoined to another room which we had the kids in. So there was about 10 or 12 rooms and then on the main floor, there was a big kitchen with a little rec-room typed thing attached. So we had a fridge and stove and cooked a bunch of our meals, it was really nice not to have to eat out 3 x a day for 2 weeks!

The Guest House


Liv eating in the rec area, my mom cooking in the kitchen, Nixon sitting on the step

One of my favourite things about St.Vincent was how much fruit there was and how green it was! At the base of the guesthouse there was a fairly large open green space with a couple of mango trees, and some orange trees and some lime trees and a fruit called sugar apple, Papaya and Coconut... among some pretty flowers and plants! It was soo neat to see so much that you can use and live off of. When I got home, it seemed like such a waste that we have all these ornamental trees that pretty much don't do anything. Anywho, I just loved how simple it was... we wanted limeade... so we picked some limes and made some juice... we wanted a mango, we went and picked one! I was beginning to think I could live here happily ever after lol... I really didn't miss home at all... just my friends and family!

Some of the Fruits & Flowers that were at the guesthouse

Part Two...

So we get to St.Vincent and it's night time, hot and we're exhausted! It is soo humid and oh the warmth was just wonderful... it was kinda funny, in the airport, there were guys wearing jeans, shirts and thick hoodies... I was slightly confused... Anyways we get there and all we want to do is GO TO SLEEP! Luckily, my uncle who owns the guest house we're staying at had made arrangements for someone to pick us up at the airport. So we get into this big van and drive. I was pretty excited despite the overwhelming exhaustion that was coming on, but I looked out the window and thought it was so amazing to have stepped into such a different world... the people on the streets, the music, the scenery... it was dark, but I could tell how different life there was, sooo different, yet so simple and so beautiful and so inviting.

We finally pulled up to the place, and walked up some stairs, found our room, and went to bed!
The next morning, I showered, got dressed, helped the kids get ready and then Nick came in from outside asking if I'd looked out yet. I hadn't and he insisted that I should. The night before it was soo dark we could hardly tell where we were let alone see any kind of scenery, so I decided to look...

Isn't it beautiful?

I was soo excited... we were in paradise, I was gonna meet my family I hadn't seen in forever and I was just soo excited! So the first day, we made a few phone calls to relatives and then decided to go into town to get some money, food and visit a few people. So.... we decided to hail a cab...

Now cabs in the Caribbean are not your typical taxi... they are people... anyone who'd like to... who buy a 15ish passenger van complete with NO seatbelts, they paint it so you know it's theirs, and then shove as many people as humanly possible into it (like 20 min), charge you all a few bucks and drive as fast and crazy as they possibly can until you tell them where to let you off and do that all day long. So, to enter into such an adventure, you stand on the side of the road and wave at the said death trap, if they aren't full to the max (and sometimes even if they are) they pull over, usually a few feet ahead of you because they're going so fast that they drive past you, and you climb in, sometimes over people and take your seat... or portion thereof. Did I mention that fearing for your life due to the speed and clear negligence for any safety laws was only a small fear as you look out the windows and see the crazily windy roads (purposely built as such to reduce the speed of motor vehicles) and the fact that you're positive you're gonna end up in a head-in collision with some oncoming traffic because you keep forgetting they drive on the left here, but it doesn't really matter because the roads are so narrow that there's no humanly way possible that 2 vehicles can make it going in opposite directions... yet they do... and somehow, miraculously... you survive!

Olivia-isms

So I know I have SOOOO MUCH blogging to catch up on... but Liv's just tooo funny! This was our convo like 2 minutes ago haha:

Me: Guess What?! Gigi (Aunt Meg) is coming over and we're gonna have a..... (waiting gingerly for her response)
Olivia: A BABY!!!!!
Me: No... A PIZZA PARTY!

oh dear lol!

A Day Of Rememberance

So today we took our kids to the war museum here in Calgary in honor of remembrance day. We taught them about the poppy and about their great grandpas who fought in the war. It was such a wonderful experience and the ceremony made me tear up. I am so grateful for those brave men who fought in those wars and their wonderful wives who supported them, and for all they gave up for their country and for our freedoms... some even their lives. I am grateful for those brave men and women who are fighting today, for their efforts in trying to make a difference. I love this country and am so proud to be called a Canadian. I feel so blessed to have been born and raised in such a free and peaceful country and love our American neighbors and in my case, family members and friends, and all they do as well to make this world a better and safer place. I can't imagine sending my son or husband away not knowing if they will come back or what will happen, but am so grateful for the strength and faith those men and women had then and so many still have today. Below are some pictures of Nick's Grandpa Bridge (look like someone you know?) He was a veteran and a wonderful man, and along with Nick's Grandpa Larsen who was also a veteran and amazing man, we are remembering them today.
Lest we forget.

Latest in Olivianess!

Olivia: "Mom, I know! We should have 2 boys and 2 girls!"
Me: "We should? Where?"
Olivia: "In our house!"
Me: "Where are we going to get the other girl and boy from?"
Olivia: "Ummm... from the baby store!"

She's such a ham! Honestly... where does she think of this?

Whoah Nelly!

So it just feels like life is going by sooo fast! I remember when I had been married like 6ish months waking up one morning and just being amazed at where I was in life. It was like in the movies when you see them and then in a flash you see them 20 years later. Sometimes (like this morning) I feel like life has skipped ahead so quickly and I should still be like back in high school or something. Anyone else get this or am I just crazy? It's not like I'm not happy or don't love my life, I am very happy at where I am in life and love my family. I dunno, I just feel like it's going too fast! I can remember riding my bike around the neighborhood for hours with my friends in elementary/junior high school and now I'm married and teaching my own kids to ride bikes. I feel like I should stop sleeping or something to make the time last longer. Before I know it my kids will be starting school and then graduating and then getting married and having their own kids! Oh man... but that's all the joy of growing and experiencing all the different seasons there are to life right? As excited as I am for all of these things to happen, I think my new goal in life is to take some time to breathe, relax and really try to enjoy each season. Funny... as I'm writing this the leaves have turned and snow has come and melted and more should be on its way in the next few months and I realize that I didn't enjoy summer as much as I wanted. So I will take a lesson that I learn each fall when I regret how much time I spent indoors during the beautiful months of summer and apply it to my life in a much grander way and make a goal to not look back and regret not spending enough time with the kids, or Nick or doing the things I love. I know that life gets in the way and I can't spend EVERY minute of my life doing something I ABSOLUTELY love, but I can try a little harder, complain a little less and just enjoy each season, even if it is the dead of winter...

Aunt Gigi

Nick's sister and her now husband (pictures to come) are so much fun! Our kids just adore them. Nick's sister is Meg but Liv decided to call her Gigi and it's just stuck. Her husband Jorge is a complete riot, he's just so much fun! They are wonderful together, both so happy and a bundle of fun! I can't wait to see them with their own kids in the future 'cause our kids think they're the best! They watch our kids for us overnight whenever we need to get away (which surprisingly has been a couple times this summer) and are frequent guests at our dinner table. I love having them around, they bring such a happiness to our home and our lives! Oh and the pictures... ya, they pretty much speak for themselves, if they were your aunt and uncle wouldn't you think they were awesome? (I love how in the 1st one you can see Nixon on the swing watching them... he looks confused).

Fun at the ranch

Our dear friends Kelly & Weston have this amazing Ranch not too far away. We have so much fun going out there and hanging out, whether it be photo shoots with the girls, horseback riding, quadding, dirt biking, or just hanging out having a BBQ, it's so much fun. They're some of our closest friends and I love just hanging out with them. We can sit and gab for hours and never get sick of each other. I love that it's not just us and Kel & Wes though, their kids are a riot and we have so much fun with them too! They pile our kids around and take them on the quad or just out to play. These pics are of the kids hanging out in the horse corral (also very useful for children) and of Ashley sporting a hot look of liv's sun hat and some dirt biking gear!

Edmonton Bound!

So we had a ton of fun this summer, and it all started with a trip to Edmonton. Nick's cousins live up there and we have so much fun with them! We just hung out and played for a few days and went to West Edmonton Mall were liv (somewhat due to her massive hair) was tall enough to get on a bunch of the rides. She had so much fun on the little airplane that goes surprisingly high for a children's ride! We went to the park and had a barbecue with some family home for a visit from the states and Europe and just had an overall blast! I love having family that your close to and get along with so well! It's also fun that they're not too far away and a weekend trip is easy to do!

Watching the Sea Lion show at West Ed:

Liv Flying a plane!


I love family!


A Day at the park with a cousin!