Island Loewens

let's celebrate....she's 8

2011-12-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday To Sundee!!

time seems to have gone by very fast. you have grown into a very lovely girl. you are smart, kind, fun, energetic, full of drama and non stop excitement. we love you and look forward to seeing what the next year will bring.

Rockin' around the Christmas Tree

2011-11-29T11:43:00.000-08:00

I am definitely getting excited for Christmas. I love everything that involves Christmas. The baking, decorating, lighting, gifting, wrapping, snacking, loving....... the list goes on.

We got the tree out this weekend and the girls had a blast decorating it. They are so good at it, I have taught them well. :)

Here's some pics.

Bribery

2011-11-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

I am not one for bribery, it has this way of backfiring on you so I try to avoid it.
Today I am celebrating it's worth.

Sundee came home from school 2 weeks ago begging for a hair feather. "Everyone's got one"
And she's almost right, the percentage is pretty high. I wasn't too sure so I used a good standard line, "ask Dad." He said no.

Later that evening as we were sitting watching tv, Sundee displayed a habit that lets just say she's had since just after she was born. We have tried countless different tactics to rid her of this. All to no avail.

The lightbulb went on, and I issued my case. She stops and she can have a hair feather. "Ok I've stopped she said" We made it 2 weeks and she agreed.

Basically I kind of forgot about this quite quickly. We have movie nights on Fridays and she was quite squirmy, not as relaxed as usual. Her very loved friend wasn't lying around for me to kick back into her bedroom, she was a little more grumpy and was waking up a little earlier. Suddenly it hit me. She had stopped her bad habit. It was working.

She is a determined little thing but I really didn't think she wanted that feather so much.
Three cheers for her I must say. Last night she said to me " you know I don't even think about "it" (her habit) anymore"

So here she is with her "feather in her cap".

Camping 2011

2011-09-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from our recent camping trip to Tofino.

It may have been chilly at times but it sure was beautiful.

We had an awesome campsite filled with all these crazy trees

with giant roots sticking out for climbing over and under.

MacKenzie Beach.

"Kelp Skipping"

What an awesome sunset. I love those ripples in the sand.

We bought the kids a skim board. Here's Sundee trying it out.

Willow's turn. It was a very cold day here at Long Beach

but there was no stopping them.

Is this a skim boarder or an African dancer?

So excited to see starfish. All colors and sizes.

There was no need to hire a boat. All you need is Tery

and a boogie board.

Sundee sizing up the surf.

It was a fantastic long weekend. We came prepared with lots of warm clothes and blankets.

We left with a small fear of encountering a cougar but thankfully we didn't. Saturday we had the best

weather and ended the day with the most delicious pizza. I would chalk it up to be the best pizza I've ever had. All in all - Good Times.

AUGUST 18

2011-08-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what happened but I woke up this morning and there is a teenager in my house.

It's scary. How did this happen? Isn't she still supposed to be smaller than me, able to fit on my lap, sitting in the back seat of the car with her chubby cheeks giggling?

Instead I now look at this gorgeous leggy girl. With a beautiful smile, full of energy, great love and compassion. She blows me away with her insight, she is gracious and a wonderful sister. She loves life and lives it to it's fullest. Not only does she continue to grow taller but she also grows more mature.

Happy Birthday Willow. May your adventures as a teenager be full of joy.

Road Trip

2011-06-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

It had been a long time, so it was about time. We packed our lunch - because we don't roll without a good spread (which also caught the attention of the crow that stalked us the whole time), and headed out. Destination - Botanical Beach.

After a wonderful drive, we arrived and as guaranteed by Sundee, the sun was shining.

There was a short hike to the beach where we saw some really cool bonsai trees and thankfully did NOT encounter any bears or cougars.

the marine biologists hard at work looking for a new discovery

these little pot holes were every where and filled with different kinds of creatures.

those little holes are filled with purple sea urchins.

The rock is sandstone and then behind this the rock turns black. Which we found out later is shale with lines of quartz running through it.

It all made for a lot of fun. So much to look at and a really good experience.

The pictures just don't do it justice. You'll just have to come and see for yourself.

qoute

2011-04-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is Willow's quote for the day.

"You can't shoot for the moon if you're too busy staring at the stars."

Tooth Fairy

2011-04-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

The Tooth Fairy was busy at our house this week. Sundee lost 2 teeth in 2 days. The first one came out at school. When it's an "in" day there is only so much to do at recess so Sundee and her friend decided to stir up some excitement and pull a tooth. The second came out with a little help from Dad.

She's got a new beautiful smile.

The top 2 are loose as well so we will see how she looks in a little while.

Spring is in the air

2011-03-22T16:36:00.001-07:00

Monday was the 1st day of Spring, it's Spring Break and Spring is in the air.

The sun has been shining a bit since Saturday which brightens my day. What a difference it makes in my energy level, my attitude and general happiness. I love the sun.

We went for a little stroll this afternoon and took some photos to show you the signs of spring.

snow day

2011-02-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

Yeah I know, for those of you in Manitoba this is what you see every day. Well for us it isn't and this morning it was a total surprise. School was cancelled. Work was cancelled and we spent the day at home. First thing the girls were dressed in their winter finest and outside.

Snow angels, forts, fox trails, all the winter fun to be had was done in no time. Until their little cheeks and fingers got cold and they had to come in to warm by a nice warm fire.

Inside we had the joy of Easy Bake, reading, some Mario brothers on Wii.

Then back outside. Willow and I shoveled the driveway (while it was still snowing). Tery and I went for a walk and surprised the girls with some delicious Fish and Chips.

It has now stopped snowing so we'll see what tomorrow morning has in store for us.

Hard to believe that next week it will be March.

Super Sunday

2011-02-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

It's always super when your day involves soup. Yummy Chicken Thai soup. So good.

It's also super when you are hanging out with good friends and totally relaxed. I hadn't been feeling well all week and pretty much spent the week sleeping so it was good to get out and be with people. We did a little craft, went for a nice walk where we got to see not just 1 but 5 big fat seals. They are pretty cool to watch.

To top it all off my good friend, who goes by so many names in our house, we'll call her Kareen for now, helped me out. She opened up her magic freezer, produced her most delicious cookies, waved her magic wand and produced melted chocolate and toppings. The kids had so much fun and made a huge mess and were so delighted to give treats that they decorated to their friends for Valentines Day.

I will mark this as one of my favorite days so far this year.

guess who made which cookies

oh yeah. And she took all these photos as well.

It's Birthday Time!

2010-12-30T12:47:00.001-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNDEE!!!

aftermath

2010-12-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Tery thought about our turkey dinner.

let's not talk turkey

2010-12-25T20:20:00.000-08:00

So.......Christmas was a hit.

We snuggled first thing, we opened heaps of gifts ( and were excited about the giving and the receiving), had brunch, talked to family (over and over), played Wii, played everything Sundee got, watched our new movie, tried on all our new clothes, had naps, ate snacks, cooked dinner. got dressed up for dinner in our new clothes ( and my new jewels)

sisters. they love with all their heart. I took Willow shopping and she was so excited to spend her own money to buy something that Sundee would really love. She said to me, " I am so glad I got to do this, I am excited for her to open her gifts."

Sundee went shopping at school with her own $10 and bought something for the whole family.

Willow got a pillow ( I don't know if it's a coincidence that it rhymes), Tery got pencils - cause he's a carpenter, and I got a necklace and bracelet that I wore to our dinner tonight.
We got the kids a balance board for Wii. Willow spent a lot of time on that today. There is a lot of activities to do and it's heaps o fun.

Sundee got a new gift. It really is the gift that keeps on giving because she has never been so hydrated. A good friend saw that she loved her Starbucks cup and considered Sundee's ecological footprint so decided to help her out and gave her a reusable travel mug. Now we just keep refilling it with Sundee's beverage of choice and there is no more waste. Just pure happiness and hydration.

Here we are in our new duds enjoying our Christmas dinner.

Now as a side note: those of you faint of heart stop reading now.

I decided this Christmas to cook a turkey. I've never done it before. Tery said it would be a good change from chicken. My mother in law makes a wonderful turkey ( as the kids told me after dinner - she makes the best turkey). I called her a few times during the day for advice as well as my mom. I even bought a turkey baster which I was quite excited about.

I think we'll all be fine. I'm sure it was cooked. Let's just say that I had a glimpse of my childhood and was glad for my napkin being close at hand. Ter will say the same.

In my defense, it was my first turkey.

Secondly, I have forbidden the T word (t_u_r_k_e_y_) t o be spoken for about 2 weeks. Like I said, I think we'll all be fine.

The next time I eat it that thing that Sundee kept telling me didn't look like a pig somebody else is going to have to cook it.

So Merry Christmas to all of our Family and Friends. We love you all and wish you a blessed and joyful New Year.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T19:12:00.001-08:00

Our festivities have begun.

It all started with some good food. Ham rolls. Yummy cheeses. Oysters. Veggies. Crackers. Cheese Tarts. Homemade Baked Goods.

Willow with her toast to Christmas.

Sundee read us her favourite verse.

A letter for Santa in case he missed the cookies as he "pulled his big butt out of the chimney."
Santa's treats- Milk, peanuts an orange and some chocolate balls.

Now Tam will beat Tery in Scrabble and the night will be complete

We will have to be in bed early to get a good night's rest for tomorrow's craziness.

We love you all and miss our family who is far away.

one little cup

2010-12-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

For some it might come as a surprise that one little cup, one small Starbucks take away cup, can bring a small girl so much happiness.

For those of you who have been through the "hot girl" course and done the test you will know that Hot Girls drink Starbucks- I think that was #3.

So I took my diva to Starbucks and got her a hot chocolate and this cup has been used and reused ever since. I've given her a limit and so tomorrow we'll have to throw this cup away.

The cup may go but her "hot girl" status will remain.

Yummy Goodness

2010-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

While Tery was in school he promised that when he was done he would make us cinnamon buns. So last Thursday when we were all playing hooky he and I mixed the dough. It ended up in the bin.

Seeing as we had also mixed the filling and the glaze I decided to give it another go this morning.

Check it out!

I am very proud of myself at this moment.

And just so know they not only look good they are also delicious.

White Stuff!

2010-11-27T10:48:00.000-08:00

We heard that it was coming but at the same time I was surprised. Snow!!! The kids were so excited. This is after the second snowfall but as soon as they saw the world was covered in white they were dressed in their snow gear and outside. The first thing they did was make snow angels.

Here they are being very creative and changing our steps into a slide.

It was a huge success!

After going down the step/slide for about an hour we decided to trek to the rec center and tackle a real hill. We trudged through the snow covered sidewalk and went sledding.

Sundee and I decided to go down together, Wow! We got pushed for the start and picked up speed, narrowly avoided a small girl halfway down, in our attempt to go around her we ended up backwards and headed for a tree. There was a lot of screaming and snow flying but we made it safely down to the bottom of the hill. I had totally forgotten how much FUN that is.

Then it was time to trek back home. A nice cup of hot chocolate and the day was complete.

how carpenter's study

2010-11-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

It's a big week coming up. Lots of exams and then he is DONE!!!!!!

Why not use the tools of your trade to help you concentrate and study hard.

Oct 31

2010-11-05T10:58:00.001-07:00

It was a smashing success. We opted out of trick or treating and instead had a party at home. Saturday we did our pumpkin carving, Willow even gutted her own pumpkin with NO gagging. Ter on the other hand did leave for an hour due to his queasiness.

Sunday we spent the morning getting massages from the girls. They are really good. Then they got dressed up and the in- house treats started flying. They would yell trick or treat and we would throw treats at them. We had a dance party, yummy snacks and a whole lot of fun.

p.s I"ve been trying to post this for a week but my photos wouldn't upload, hence the delay.

promises, promises

2010-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

I was told that I made a promise to post more often and that I am not following through on that so here I am.

Not much to report. Fall has come so here's some photos of our latest shoot.

Which one is your fave?

high class camping

2010-10-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

At our house we only do things in style. So this weekend when the kids said they wanted to go camping we said "of course." They truck was immediately swept clean, and backed into the garage- a.k.a. camp spot #1. They packed their bags of warm pj's, activities, pillows, blankets and stuffies and the fun began. They checked in at 12 noon on Saturday. The day was spent playing games, getting organized and doing who knows what in their new camping truck. There was a break in the evening for a movie and some fish and chips. (other wise they were in the truck ALL day.) It was back at the campsite for bed and they slept all night and woke up this morning totally psyched. Seeing as their camper had wheels they went for a little ride this morning ( much to some neighbors dismay) and cruised the neighborhood. (we'll keep this on the down low please) and so ended a great camping experience.

10 of my Favorite Things

2010-09-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

1. Sunshine - it is not to be taken for granted.

2. Crisp cool nights - they're so good for sleeping

3. Pizza/Movie night - it has become a tradition we can't do without

4. When the kids are watching something and Sundee keeps saying "Willow, Willow, Willow", until she finally gets answered.

5. Stereomood - it's a website where you pick your mood and it has a playlist of songs that you usually wouldn't listen to.

6. Running

7. The Shopaholic books - I'm reading the new one right now... so funny!

8. Checking something off of my ToDo list.

9. Sunshine - did I mention that, it really is my favorite.

10. Walking in the forest with my family.

it's been a long time.

2010-09-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

I was surprised when I saw my last post. That was ages ago. The reason I do this is so our family can see what we're up to and we did see them all this summer but....

I will try to do better. Perhaps I'll have to call and tell you I'm back in bizness.

So seeing as it's been so long here are some of our highlights from the summer:

it all started when the "hot girls" came to visit.

they were so pleased when they passed Sundee's test.

camping at Little Qualicum Falls

This is Cameron Lake. Absolutely Beautiful.

Nick "Zoolander" showing us his signature Blue Steel Pose.

Experiencing a true Manitoba storm whilst camping.

Scary and amazing all in one.

Visiting my old homestead.

These peaches grew right in our backyard.

They were so juicy and yummy. My assistant and I baked a pie.

She cut them all up by herself.

The end result.

Time for back to school.

Dressed in their new clothes and ready for a new year.

So that was pretty brief. Like I said I'll try to do better and you'll see much more of us.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day. I am wonderfully blessed to be a mother to 2 beautiful girls.

Being a mom is my favorite job. They challenge me each and every day and at the end of the day, no matter what kind of a day it is, I feel lucky to have them in my life. They make my laugh they make me cry but they make me who I am today. I am truly a better person for having them in my life.

They both presented me with their gifts early this morning and an abundance of cards. They both made these beautiful pottery creations at a workshop at school.

Sundee gave me this gorgeous bird's nest with the mama and baby birds. I just love the colors.

Willow made this jewelry box, the lid comes off, and about 4 cards full of all sorts of wonderful words and love.

We hiked, we ate food, we played at the park, we snuggled. It was a great day.

Happy Mother's Day to our 2 wonderful mom's whom we miss so much and wish we could be with today.

teeth

2010-04-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Sundee has lost her 1st tooth. It required a little help from the dentist but it is OUT!!!!! The new permanent tooth has been out since December but the tiny baby tooth was stubborn and wanted to stay. After many months of intense wiggling and jiggling it was time for some friendly intervention. Sundee was very brave and in less than 5 minutes she entered a new faze of her life-toothless but yet not so much as the tooth behind has gotten to be pretty big.

You would expect that the Tooth Fairy would be coming today. But, alas, no. Sundee is determined to show all her friends tomorrow and I'm not sure what else. (We're just hoping the tooth makes it back safely.) She has informed me that she will not give up the tooth at this time to the Tooth Fairy but she will "put it under her pillow when she needs money."

glimpses

2010-03-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

just thought that you would like to see a glimpse of spring. this is what we see everyday out of our bathroom window. beautiful spring blossoms. peach blossoms none the less. makes me feel......well quite peachy.

SPECtacular

2010-03-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

Willow in her new specs.

Artist

2010-01-15T11:00:00.001-08:00

This is Willow's best drawing to date. It almost looks life like to me. So I thought you should all see how talented this girl is.

She has been reading the "Maximum Ride" series by James Patterson. This is a drawing of the main character Max.

She's 6!

2010-01-03T19:51:00.002-08:00

the VERY excited birthday girl.

" oh and a random headband"...............(then she turns it over ) "it's LULULEMON!!!"

her new prized possesion- her "ipod"

all good times end with cake.

It's hard to believe but it's true.

Sundee has had her birthday extravaganza filled with pancakes and icecream, root beer floats, movies, dutch blitz, a tea party, KFC and cake.

There were also presents sent with love from all her family. Thank you.

We are so glad that this little girl is part of our family and we have been blessed with her joy and her everyday antics.

Happy Birthday sweetie!

The BEST Christmas ever!!!

2009-12-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

craftilocks

some Wii action

sitting pretty in front of their pressies

before the chaos

christmas cheer

Well it has been declared at our house that Christmas 2009 is the Best Christmas Ever!
It all started Christmas Eve with a lot of snacks and a game of Skip Bo. Then to bed to try to get some sleep for the big day.
Christmas Morn started early for some (Willow was up at 5) and the rest of us were up at around 7.
We opened our presents, had a yummy brunch and then set up the Wii. What a fun game. For a break we went out to play basketball, played some Dutch Blitz, and then back to the Wii. Dinner was amazing with a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing.
Boxing Day looked pretty much the same.
We also discovered some amazing walking trails right by our house.

We have had such a happy time. We miss our families and their presence would have made everything perfect.

wii who what

2009-12-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

just one question. who was this wii for?

it is toooooo much fun.

i will post some Christmas photos tomorrow because i have to play some tennis right now.

come on it's exercise.

you'd better watch out

2009-12-20T08:45:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday night Sundee had her big concert in school. She performed beautifully despite the fact that she was very serious.
Smiles were not on her agenda as she was concentrating very hard.

On Thursday was her debut at the mall. According to her "people were just staring, who were these famous people singing in the mall." After school we were shopping at Thrifty's and she noticed the hidden cameras in the store and just knew that they were on her. "They must have seen me at the mall this morning and know I'm a rock star." The pockets of most shoppers seemed suspiciously bulky to her as well and it was believed that they had cameras in there. We did manage to buy our groceries without incident and make it out to our car with out the paparazzi on our tail.

Three cheers for the choir.

rock and roll

2009-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

Seeing as I'm on a roll with posting ( who knows when I'll get to it again) here's a photo of and up and coming rock and roll star.

Her dad is so proud.

the boxes are gone

2009-12-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

We have moved, we are in and unpacked and things are starting to feel normal. Well as normal as they get around here.
We absolutely love our new home. It feels so cozy and warm, we have an electric fireplace upstairs and a wood burning downstairs. We have the entire house to ourselves and it's amazing how that can make a difference in your life.
The girls have a funky seventies basement to themselves, complete with wood paneling and mirrors- EVERYWHERE!!
Now it's on to getting ready for Christmas. We decorated the tree and mantle and wrapped some presents. The morning after I put the first present under the tree Sundee could hardly contain herself she wanted to open it and for Christmas to be right now.
Here are a few photos of the tree and soon I'll post some of the house.

speaking of scary

2009-10-19T20:51:00.001-07:00

i don't know which is scarier, Halloween or getting the pumpkins ready to carve.
i think willow would pick the latter.

.

mini

2009-10-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Miniature World. That's where we were on Sunday. It was pretty cool, with war scenes, trains, mini towns, dollhouses and the circus. I thought it was amazing with all the work that would go into it. In the end I found that "it creeped Ter out". He was convinced he would have nightmares. Who knew something so little could be scary.

our castle

2009-10-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

These are more like during and after rather than before and after. But you get the picture.
All of our work is done. What do you think?

And yes it truly is a castle because of the moat that Ter dug around it. All to protect the princesses the live inside.

Tofino

2009-09-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

us at cathedral forest
hot choc in the am to warm up
mackenzie beach
being chased by a wave
willow at sunset
sunset
my fave sign right after lost shoe #1 creek

This is last weeks news but better late than never. I finally got my photos on the computer so here you are.
We had THE BEST time camping. We left on Saturday morning and had a wonderful drive. It's a 5 hour drive and we stopped in Coombs for breakfast and had a yummy cinnamon bun, then we stopped at Cathedral Forest and went for a walk amongst the massive trees. We were about an hour from our destination when Ter spotted a Smoky the Bear sign and right behind it ( i'm not kidding) was a huge black bear. It was the first bear any of us had seen since our move here. We didn't get a photo but it was so cool. We stayed at a campgound on Mackenzie Beach. It was so beautiful. When we got there we went for a walk on the beach and explored some islands. Then we set up our camp, made our fire from scratch and roasted some weinies for dinner. Following that we made smores. And not just any smores. Substituting just plain ole chocolate with a peanut butter cup kicks it up to gourmet. It was amazing. Sunday we drove around and checked out the town and some other beaches. Ter and the kids were brave and faced the ocean. BRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! We played on the beach and had a fun time. The nights were cold but I brought along my heater so I was pretty toasty, my heater's name is Sundee. We had on many layers .
Here are some of our favourite things on our trip:
Ter- watching the kids run around, exploring the islands Scott Loewen style
Tam- the campfire, smores and being so near the ocean
Willow- swimming in the ocean
Sundee- the camping - she wanted to stay another week.

Wow

2009-09-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since i've written here. Seeing as I was laying on the couch all month you'd think I would have done a lot more.
It is hard to believe that summer is over and school has started.
Today was the second day. So far so good.
According to Willow yesterday was the best day of her life. She is meeting new people every day and continues to introduce me to new girls that are now her friends. It's very exciting.
Sundee has a soso day yesterday but today they got to do crafts so all is well.
They should be in their classrooms by Friday and then things will get back to a schedule.
It's so weird to come home to an empty house. Today was my first full day at home alone (maybe I should make a movie) and it was amazing how much I got done. I missed them though.
I am having trouble downloading photos at the moment so I'll post some as soon as I can.

my birthday

2009-05-25T16:58:00.000-07:00

I know it's a bit like yesterday's news but I'm finally getting around to showing you my beauty of a cake that the girls made and decorated for me. It was my favorite part of the day and super delicious!

Father of the Year

2009-04-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

The award goes to .........Tery Loewen.

What a dad to take his two girls to see the new Hannah Montana movie.
Not because they begged, pleaded or even asked.
Just because he wanted to. awwwwwww.

2009-04-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

We finally got our back hedges done. This happened about 2 weeks ago. Thanks to Damien for the ladders and doing one side and Tery would did the other side. I dragged the branches to the back and made a huge pile. It was about twice as big as the photo (that was already halfway into the burning portion of this job). The pile was as high as the lattice on the back fence and all the way to the compost bins. One weekend we spent trimming and the next weekend was for burning. Tery made a huge fire and we burned those branches for 6 hours, after we were done the pile of ashes was ginormous. We checked it today, one week later, and in the middle of it were red hot burning coals. Crazy.

Good Friday

2009-04-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

We had a really GOOD day. Tery bought Willow and Sundee fishing rods for Easter and so we went fishing. We went out to Langford Lake which is only 5 minutes away. After getting the rods all hooked and bobbed we cast out and got ready to land the big one. We waited, and waited. We cast and cast. We asked "how many minutes does it take to catch a fish" and then we waited some more. Today was not our lucky day and we left empty handed. With our hearts full of hope for the fish we will catch next time.

Spa Day!

2009-03-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Oh it's good to be a girl! It all started with a bubble bath (those photos were withheld for obvious reasons), then a beautiful lunch of finger sandwhiches, cheese, crudites and "champagne". Following lunch Willow started with a facial. Sundee opted out since it said it would make you look years younger and that's not the image she's trying to portray these days. She enjoyed a relaxing pedicure and massage and manicure. Willow finished with the pedi and mani as well. Now everyone is all relaxed and beautiful. It's pouring rain outside and Spring Break is almost over. The spa is now closed and we'll end it snuggling in front of the telly watching a little High School Musical.
Like I said, it's good to be a girl.

i want to ride my bicycle

2009-02-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

it was sundee's first time without training wheels. we thought she did really well.
as you notice, she had a little trouble taking corners and was quite upset when she fell.
"What's the point of video taping blood?" was her comment.

glorious

2009-02-03T13:04:00.001-08:00

this is what we woke up to this morning.
it's going to be a fantastic day!

words

2009-01-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

I find out that I am never to old to learn new words.

Handankle - the new word for wrist.

How cute is that?

Happy Birthday Sundee

2008-12-30T16:57:00.000-08:00

She is 5!!!!

It's hard to believe that five years have gone by since we met this bundle of joy.
And what a bundle she is. Every day she makes us laugh harder and think faster than we have before.
She is also so brave and went to get her ears pierced today and did not cry at all. She actually said nothing until we left the shop and then she looked at me and said " my ears hurt" .
Sunday is the big party with her friends, the party will continue.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T08:28:00.001-08:00

from the Loewen's

2008-12-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

2 more sleeps till Christmas!!!!

winter wonderland

2008-12-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

it definitely feels ALOT like Christmas.
Today it has stopped snowing and is sunny. It is absolutely gorgeous outside.
As you can see Tery dug us out of our house and dug the car out and we ventured out.
It was slow going but we did it.

dinner time

2008-12-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

just to let everyone know that I made a fabulous pot roast yesterday. ( or so I'm told since it didn't actually pass my lips)
I thought that after 14 years of marriage it was time to branch out and try something new.
after all the praise I have received from Ter I think I might even do it again despite the smell.
Sundee was also quite appreciate seeing as she had 3 servings.

welcome...

2008-12-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

to my crazy world.
this is our dinner time entertainment. always worth the time and money.

ok. there is supposed to be a video here but i published it before it uploaded and i can't get it to upload at all.
so sorry. i'll keep trying.

the new band member

2008-11-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

Willow is the proud new owner of a guitar. She is getting ready to compose new songs and become the next artist of the year.
In the mean time she will be seen downtown with her case open, so please be generous she needs to pay for lessons.

run salmon run

2008-11-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

We went to the Salmon Run yesterday. It was so amazing. Seeing thousands of salmon swimming their very hardest against the current just to lay their eggs. The river was chock full of salmon and the river banks with dead salmon, the poor ones that didn't make it. Then there were the greedy sea gulls eating their fill and making lots of noise. The smell was horrific. Ter was gagging the whole time. My photos turned out really dark but maybe you can see just how many salmon there were. I am so glad we went it was just a really fantastic thing to see.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

We had the best time on Friday night. The weather cooperated and the sun actually came out at 5 o'clock. We went trick or treating for a few hours with some friends, walking around the neighborhood. This was Sundee's first time and she thought that we went to the houses and gave them treats. Not a bad idea. After, we came home to a roaring fire - outside - and roasted some hotdogs and had smores. Yum Yum. The kids ran around with their glow sticks and it was so much fun.
Note: No pencils were distributed during this event.

thanksgiving weekend

2008-10-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

We had the best weekend with good friends. We carved pumpkins and made smores. Yummo!!

my circus

2008-10-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

this used to be a swing set but now it's been transformed for the lovely trapeze artists.

capturing willow

2008-08-30T16:34:00.001-07:00

i think this is the photo that displays her and everything that she is.
the pure joy, freedom and willowness of her

the rock star and her designer

2008-08-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

the photos speak for themselves.

Birthday Girl

2008-08-18T12:39:00.001-07:00

Can you believe that she's 10!!!
We thought she was cute then but she just keeps getting cuter every year.
Today she will be having her third party of the year and she'll finish it off with the fourth on Wednesday.
Here's to the girl with the most parties. We love you.
You are so sweet, kind and patient. A girl who loves everyone she meets - with a heart of compassion. You are the best big sister and a super daughter.
Happy Birthday Willow.

grandma and papa

2008-08-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

it's hard to capture all the fun when you've got to scale it down to a few photos. the weather wasn't always cooperative but we made the best of every minute and had time to see the sights and also to relax, have a nap and play skip-bo. life is good when grandparents come to visit. these are only a few of my faves because of course they are ALL my faves.

the Supreme

2008-07-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

Before....

After

Squint a little when you look at the last photo.

I have edited my car to see how it would look as a convertible. I think it looks pretty good.
Big improvement. Now how do I cut that top off ........

grandparents

2008-07-17T08:48:00.001-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma have just left and we had too much fun. I have discovered that the only way to travel is in a convertible. (I'm thinking of cutting the top off the Supreme). We saw the ocean, the top of a mountain and a view that went for miles. Grandpa also succeeded in getting Willow to push aside some food and say that she was full. Icecream mountain rocks!!!
Here are the three basic S's. In no way captivating all the fun we had but it's a glimpse.

swimming

stretching

snuggling

rainbows

2008-07-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

the girls and i were just relaxing on the deck and we happened to look up and what did we see. a rainbow. just there in the middle of a hot sunny day. i've never seen anything like that before.

more seals

2008-07-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

Once again we had an encounter with the seals. This time no activists. For only 5 bucks you buy a bowl of sardines (these are not like the ones in a can these are HUGE) and you can feed the seals. It was pretty cool. Willow was brave enough to do it herself, Sundee needed a little help. They both say that seals have freaky eyes, according to Willow they are empty. All in all a good time. Although maybe the activists should have been there because these seals looked way overfed. Ter did have a passing thought on how would be the best way to take one down.

graduation.....

2008-06-23T20:09:00.001-07:00

I know it's only preschool (that's why it's not capital) but it was a big day. Yes there were tears shed, by a lot more mums than just me. It was so sweet and cute. To think our baby will be going to Kindergarten next year, to a big school and be gone a half day every day. She had a great year at preschool and her teacher said "Sundee - eager, determined and ready to get involved with new activities! Sundee is always ready to share her thoughts, ideas and concerns." (They also played sappy music to really get you going- don't know why they didn't hand out tissues at the door).
Congratulations graduate!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

To three of the best dad's in the world. Happy Father's Day!!

We had a great day. After a delicious and nutritious barbeque lunch we drove to Witty's Lagoon. After a little hike we arrived at the beach and had a look around and what did we see but a baby seal. Very cute and chubby. Green peace got involved and so after that we weren't allowed to even look in the direction of the seal lest we harm it. Ter wanted to throw some rocks at the seal to see what kind of reaction he would get from the people but instead decided to chant "Free Tibet", instead. So to distract ourselves we buried Willow in the sand and collected shells. We headed home only when it was clear that the seal was left in good hands. Now we can sleep in peace knowing that all is well at Witty's Lagoon.

Here's to all the great dad's in the world and especially Ter. Dad of the Year!

bucket 'o caterpillars

2008-06-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

perhaps victoria will have no butterflies.

bubbles

2008-06-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

my favorite thing in the world (just ask my father in law), sometimes i even let the kids blow the bubbles. they are so free and beautiful and fill me with joy.

spring......

2008-05-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

brings out all the beautiful creepy crawlies, otherwise known as our new pets.

Long Weekend

2008-05-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Showing off one of her collection of favorites

Sundee on French Beach

Log Beach- see the logs

I'm so happy that Canada has a long weekend just for my birthday. It's the best. We had fantastic weather and just a great fun family weekend. Saturday started with pancakes ( of course ) and then we packed up and headed for French Beach. We walked and checked out the rocks, and since the beach is rocks this was one of our main activities. The kids went in the water to their knees and when they came out their legs were red. Brrrrr. After that we headed back to Sooke for some fish and chips. The rest of the day was spent at home blowing bubbles and playing in the back yard. Sunday I was sung to in bed by Sundee and then I got to open my presents. After breakfast , Ter made omelets, we went for a walk on what we call Log Beach ( I don't know what it's really called). Had a super relaxing afternoon in the sun and at about 6 Ter decided to dig a fire pit so we ended the day with a weeny roast, complete with watermelon and marshmallows. It was perfect. Monday I woke up to harsh reality when I was told " OK we partied for 2 days your birthday is now over". Never mind it was great while it lasted.

Spring Breeaaaaakkkkk!

2008-04-10T09:22:00.001-07:00

We had the best holiday. 3 weeks of fun, food and family. So glad we could go and thanks to everyone for giving us such a great time. Miss you all. Here's some photos from the trip.

coming home

2008-04-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

we had the most wonderful holiday. seeing all of our family and spending easter with them was fantastic.
apparently we might have been gone too long.........this is what i came home to.
sundee saw hime and said "huh?". that was the same question in my mind.

discovery

2008-02-25T15:01:00.000-08:00

Amazing News!!!!!!!
Sundee and Willow have discovered a dinosaur egg in our backyard.
They are not sure where the mother is and are waiting for her to come and reclaim her egg.
Meanwhile they have covered the egg in moss and put it in a safe place and are waiting for it to "patch".
We are all waiting eagerly to see what will happen.

basketball star

2008-02-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ruth King girls had a hard season with no wins.
They worked hard and had fun. Good job.
Willow is number 19.

extreme makeover

2008-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Tery was the subject (victim?) of an extreme makeover last night.
Beautiful work Sundee, they are going to love this on the construction site.

my project

2008-02-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here is the beginning of my new project.
I've been wanting to do this for a long time so I'm pretty excited.
The end result will be a new quilt for Sundee.

bumblebees

2008-01-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

Quote of the Day #1

"Mom, are bees the most generous insect?"
Why?"
"Cause they give us all their honey."

2008-01-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

It's chore day at the Loewen's and the kids are working hard.
What a beautiful sight!

weekend tourists

2008-01-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Ter's friend came to visit for the weekend and we had a great time being tourists in victoria.

happy birthday

2008-01-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

Sundee had a wonderful 4th birthday.
She sang happy birthday to herself all day.
Her excitement and thankfulness was very wonderful this year.
She's going to have a very exciting year.

daddy plays bass

2007-12-26T15:24:00.001-08:00

Tery's dream has come true this holiday and Santa has brought him a bass guitar.

Will mama sing tenor?

merry christmas

2007-12-26T15:14:00.000-08:00

what a great day!!!! we opened presents, played games, had naps and ate heaps of food. we really missed all of our family, thanks to everybody for being so wonderful and sending us lovely presents.

mary and an angel

2007-12-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

this is our church christmas program.

mmmm....cookies

2007-12-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

here are the kids helping make cookies.
they did a great job.

photos added

2007-12-12T20:40:00.001-08:00