I Heart my Home

I guess it is only fair that I pop my head in here and update - even if there's nothing to tell, then at least to give you a few pictures of the family so you don't entirely forget who we are and what we look like - how the kids change a little bit all the time.

The first quarter of the year has whizzed by and we are (unfortunately!) already in the midst of Spring - and have been for a long long time. I appreciate I am probably the only person in Ottawa who would have liked the winter to linger for another month at least but nevertheless - I really would have liked that!

I am not entirely happy that spring is upon us - and that the canal was only open for 28 days this winter - the kids hardly made it there - I think Maia's class got to go only once and that the ice was then so poor that they actually left right away ... makes me sad - cannot help it!

But the kids are loving it - loving the warmth and the sunshine.

Jack and Anna got an very early birthday present a few weeks back when they both got new bikes. There was no way around it as the ones they had were way too small for them. Also, Maia got a new bike in October for her birthday so she would happily cycle around straight back and smiles while the other two would come on their "baby" bikes behind her ... it didn't make for a lot of happy memories :)

Bob is still working hard in Alberta - hard being him leaving last week Tuesday morning coming back Thursday night ... it really is hard to complain when he does that.

However, he had been going to site for the longest time (I think since October!) and it was draining him all this driving 5 hours here and 5 hours there to get from airport to site ... not a great experience for him. But that is all behind him and he is finally back in Calgary every week - makes travelling so much easier on him!

I have of course been crazy busy in my little studio upstairs. I made a decision to take this year to find the artist within which is obviously there but which I never really feel the confidence to proclaim myself as. This has led to a few courses online and other stuff which is just great. My confidence is growing, I do believe I will somehow make my mark on the world of art ... and I'm enjoying every minute of my journey getting there. Remember to check out my blog www.bmdesignshop.com where I try to blog daily about the bits and bobs I get up to!

So all in all - The Motes in Canada are having a great time - we went to Toronto for my birthday and had a fantastic time. We finally met up with almost all The Hitchens family and it was such a lovely afternoon/evening. It is beyond wonderful to have such a big family just down the road and when they are as welcoming as they were that weekend it sure is easy to enjoy!

It was such fun for the kids to actually realize that the family is much bigger that they had previously pictured in their heads and that there are cousins-once-removed just down the road!

I will leave you with some pictures from the last few months - I'm so sorry about the pictures from our meet with The Hitchens - I'd forgotten my camera and everything had to be IPhone which in this case didn't turn out great - nevertheless here they are ...

Enjoy!

Jack in his element!