Back Home Once Again

I recently turned 29. I felt it was a very significant birthday for me in that I feel I've grown. Well, not just in years but spiritually and in what I understand my purpose is as a mother and a wife, a daughter and a sister.
I've returned to Saint John, but I am not alone. I have brought with me my faithful and devoted husband and two amazing girls. Jason is in his new job as a skilled parks worker for the city of Saint John's leisure services. He is enjoying it and I believe will go far with it. Ada and Mia are loving the city and the closeness of friends and family. Although we have left behind some amazing people that we love, we have also begun to renew some of the relationships that were once at a distance.
So here we are and hopefully for a while.

ada: mommy, I don't want to leave this world.
mommy: you mean in Truro?
ada: yes.

I know the move was a bit of a change, but our children are young and adapt well. They find the good in life and go with it. As long as they have love and care they do just fine.

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Sentimental, I know, but I find it hard to wash the windows and mirrors where little hands have left their mark. On the mirror of Ada's dresser is a little hand print that I've left there since she was less than a year. Can't wash that!! And last night I noticed how dirty our front window is, but quickly realized it was from all the little hands that supported little girls trying to look out at the Grampy they love and the Papa they love. Probably should wash that...and will eventually. But if my windows are a little smudged with finger prints it's out of love and it brings a warm reminder of my love for my little girls.

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I recently found the Nie Nie Dialogues which if you don't know is the blog of the woman in the new "Mormon Messages" video "My New Life". She and her husband were in a plane crash and she was burned severely. I have found her perspective and experiences, the way she copes and sometimes finds it hard to, a very refreshing and motivating example and have drawn from her strength. And even before her accident she kept her blog and reading it has helped me and have enjoyed reading about who she is, how much she adores her husband, her children.

Another resource I have drawn from is a book my parents gave me for mother's day called Contentment: Inspirational Insights for LDS mothers. This too has given my view of motherhood a fresh perspective I continue to work away at studying the scriptures and making them my priority. They are the ultimate guide for whatever you need. I know that's true.

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.