Well.... it's official! We are heading back to Truro for one more year of school and then who knows what the future will hold for us. The country has been an experience, but we're done with it. I have found my true inner city-girl and it took leaving to discover that. So we found an apartment in Truro, downtown and I am looking forward to it! As for our blog, I don't know what will happen, how often it will get updated, because we are cutting off our internet for now. But I will try to keep it up as much as I can. Packing calls! Toodaloo!

Oh Canada in Shediac!

My parents celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary on Canada Day and decided that for the week they would have a vacation and rent a cottage in Shediac. We were invited to join them for a few days and Ginny, Brian and James came for a while too. It was GREAT! We had so much fun and LOVED the beach. The fireworks were fabulous! I even got to go to Frenchy's and have a little shopping spree...they have a GREAT Frenchy's in Shediac! We did some srtawberry picking, ate lobster and mussles and even vissited the large lobster sculpture downtown. So here are a few shots from our trip:

Nana enjoying the beach with her two little grand-girlies!

Papa and Ada relaxing on the beach

The giant bubble maker from great-Grampy and Nanny Barb

Jay's favorite way to enjoy the beach:

two cute cousins:

Happy Canada Day everyone!!

strawberry picking

Papa and Ada at the giant lobster:

a few of us enjoying the beach and being together:

The Date

So Jason and I finally got out on a date! It had been since Good Friday when we went to the temple together. Last Saturday we went to the bowling alley in Dartmouth and bowled and played pool... it was a lot of fun! I love that guy so much! He real is a great companion and puts up with a lot from me...daily! He is the best... he is even a great bowler! Here we are...

Look at that form!!!
Well Neither of us did amazing, but we had fun and it was so nice to be together...alone!

The Best Girls Ever

Hey... I am not sure how many people out there read this blog (comments have been minimal) but I just want to post some pictures of the best girls in all the world. Being a mother can be such a challenge, not to mention the personal challenges I face outside of being a mother. But these little girls have such amazing love and I don't know what I would do without their love. They are heaven sent and so darn cute!

Two Girls

A good day here in Bass River brought "Princess Buttercup" and a curious baby in the mirror.

Ada's shirt actually said "Princess Buttercup", one that she chose herself along with matching yellow shorts, headband and panties....and there I found her standing in the buttercups in our yard...

Mia loves herself in the mirror and is always giving a little kiss!

That Dutchman's Farm

Last Saturday we went on a family outing to That Dutchman's Farm in Upper Economy, NS which is just a 10 minute drive down the road from us. Not only do they have delicious gouda cheese but they have a petting farm with trails and gardens. I think we came a little early in the year because there were a lot of things that hadn't been updated yet. Nevertheless it was not without drama - nothing is when you bring along a two year old!!
Here are the pot belly pigs we fed...

Here is one of the many little gnomes they had hiding around the
farm that you had to try and find. There were also fairies.
Jason and Mia feeding the donkey...

Ada was doing pretty good feeding the animals. When we reached the Emus she had a hand full of corn and an Emu reached through the fence and bit Ada's finger!! Needless to say she was quite upset and the Emus got a big thumbs down... although I don't blame them when there is a handful of food sitting right there! Ada was okay and eventually got over it. When we reached the donkeys and were going to have Ada feed them I thought, "Umm, no." The guy at the office said that a donkey could take your finger off...maybe we'll wait a few years, Ada!

Here is a pretty picture Jason took of one of the plants in the gardens...

Mia seemed to really enjoy the bunny...

Ada didn't realize...and neither did we for that matter...that there were electric fences around some of the animal pens and fortunately they aren't too powerful! She got a couple of shocks but I think she learned after that!

And here is the peacock that seemed to be guarding the place... he was perched on top of an old tractor when we came in and roamed that area the whole time. Just as we were leaving I think he was trying to challenge Jason...Jason won :)

Some of the other animals were goats, cows, different varieties of chickens and ducks.
It was a fun time there and I would recommend it... but maybe wait till July or August as things didn't still seem quite up and running in June. It wasn't overly busy but there was definitely a steady flow of people. They also had antiques and some other dutch treats such as licorice.

June Happenings

It seems like it has been a pretty busy week with visiting and outings. When you live way out in the country any event can be exciting and worth mentioning. On Friday it was a beautiful day and I thought "Wouldn't it be great if we had a little kiddie pool right now!" So to act on the thought I pulled out our infant tub and some water balloons, filled them with water and voila! we had our very own water party! Ada loved it...it doesn't take too much to impress a two year old! Mia loved it too....she was kicking in the water and couldn't get enough!

Then, while I was getting the girls cleaned up afterwards my mother-in-law and sister-in-law show up for a visit. Ada loves her cousin Bryce and the older they get the more fun it is to watch them play together. It was so nice to have visitors, which actually makes the second time that week because our home/visiting teachers, Margie and Fernando Laliberte, came earlier in the week.

Ada and Bryce

Mia's New Trick

Well little Mia is certainly growing before our eyes...crawling, babbling, eating, and now escaping. She has figured out that when she is tired with her bib all she has to do is slip it over her head... here is a demonstration:

step 1: take hold of the bib

step 2: pull upwards

step 3: wear bib like a hat and laugh with everybody

It's pretty adorable. She has such an infectious little smile, gums and all!

This past week I purchased my first sewing machine and have undertaken the fun of sewing matching dresses for Ada and Mia for their Grampy Clayton's wedding in July. Here is my new toy!

Our Angel Dog

The past eleven years, my home in Saint John has been watched over and loved by a furry little red headed girl with a wiggle of her bum and wet little nose. Brandy was our sweet golden retriever and she has left our home better than she found it. On Friday, Brandy was put to sleep and is now well remembered as our angel dog. I still remember the summer of '98 when mom brought her home... that first night I couldn't stand the thought of her being upstairs by herself so I brought her down to my bed with me. We are better because we loved a dog. She was a loyal friend and comfort to my mom all those years and will be missed. I tribute this post to that little girlie and the warmth her presence brought to my home. Till we meet again girlie.

MORMON MOMMY BLOG GIVEAWAY

Hey friends... I found this wonderful Family Home Evening Blog yesterday (Family Home Evening) in preparations for our own Family Home Evening (ended up getting the idea to paint some prayer rocks for our lesson on "Prayer"). On the Blog was a link to Mormon Mommy Blogs which I checked out for the first time and found some awesome things including a colossal giveaway! So check it out at Mommy Mormon Blog and see if you can't be the next winner! I sure hope I will be!

here are our prayer rocks...Jason's, Ada's and mine.

A Birthday Outing

So I turned 28 this past week and had a wonderful birthday... Jason worked so I decided that instead of staying home all day with no car, I would drive him to work and the girls and I would have some fun. We went to a beautiful beach that is just minutes down the road from where we live - Saints Rest Beach. It was pretty rocky, but I brought a big blanket and we had a picnic. The tide was out so we walked down to the shoreline and we squished out feet in the mud and it felt so good. It was a gorgeous day and it was so peaceful out there... barely a noise. We had the entire beach to ourselves until some fishermen showed up... but they were at another part of the beach altogether. There was a lighthouse too.... I love living in the Maritimes! It's amazing.

Mia and Ada enjoying the sand...

Mia enjoying it a little too much!

The tide is out...

And so am I for now!

N.C. loves L.B.

This is a great big weekend for my family as we will see my little brother get married to his darling fiance, Lauren and we are just so happy for the both of them. Their's is an uncommon but not unheard-of story of: couple dates, boy goes on mission, girl waits, boy comes home, couple dates, couple gets married. It was funny because my mom and I would talk about them after Nath came home, "Are they going to get married? Whats going to happen?" But never did I really ask Nath or Lauren about it. Then I got the call on Christmas Day "Lauren and I are engaged!" Tears and joy! And when we picked up Lauren in Salisbury on our way through to Saint John on Boxing Day I felt as free as a bird to ask whatever question I wanted. I am thrilled for the both of them... they're so cute!


So Friday night we are staying at the Four Points by Sheraton in Halifax with Mom, Dad and Nath. We'll go swimming and hang out, helping Nath to enjoy his last night of bachelorhood! Saturday we are heading to the temple for the big day and it is supposed to be a BEAUTIFUL day!! Then I will head to Saint John with my parents and my girlies for a week of fun and preparation for the reception. Unfortunately, Jason does have to work and we are leaving him behind.... boo hoo! But he'll join us at the end of next week. We love you Jay!! XOXOXOXOXOX

This is Jay doing something that I refuse to due to it's disgusting nature. I won't mention what that might be! I post this great picture as a tribute to my man, my hero!

I also have to say that I love it when Ada wants to take pictures of her toys with our camera. It brings back memories of myself when I was a little girl and I got Ski Fun Barbie for Christmas. I brought her out to my Nanny's on Christmas Day, set her all up on the sledding hill in her ski gear looking ready for the slopes and got my Dad to take her picture. I think it's the funniest thing! Here is a picture that Ada had me take yesterday of her Lion King toys:

One more thing.... I recently purchased from my friend Kendra some baby shoes that she made herself and they are adorable (as seen below!) She is so talented! You can check her out on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6714146