tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39457733472793803632024-02-19T07:27:35.215-05:00I Heart my HomeBMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-90291505722870540872012-04-10T21:45:00.005-04:002012-04-10T22:06:09.127-04:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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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.</div>
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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! </div>
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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!</div>
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But the kids are loving it - loving the warmth and the sunshine.</div>
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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 :)</div>
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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. </div>
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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!</div>
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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 <a href="http://www.bmdesignshop.com/">www.bmdesignshop.com</a> where I try to blog daily about the bits and bobs I get up to!</div>
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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!</div>
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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!</div>
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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 ... </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<i>Jack in his element!</i></div>
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<i>Casper waiting ... for a walk? ... for food? ... for a cuddle?</i></div>
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<i>Wakefield on a stunning Sunday afternoon</i></div>
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<i>The Sisters</i></div>
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<i>One evening they all got a hold of my first sculpted hands ... oh how we laughed!!</i></div>
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<i>Restaurant "The Mote Kids" ... they cooked a lovely dinner!</i></div>
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<i>Brain-freeze!!!</i></div>
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<i>Toronto!</i></div>
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<i>Easter Monday - 7 games of "Ticket To Ride, we started at 8.30 am and finished the last game at 7.30 pm We love this game!!!</i></div>
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<i>oops ... back to Toronto :)</i></div>
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<i>And a lovely evening with all the Hitchens'.. young and old!</i></div>
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Hope you enjoyed the photos ... see you maybe in the summer :)</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-71116175045399864212011-12-31T11:09:00.001-05:002011-12-31T20:35:34.422-05:00<br />
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I really wanted to send you all a Christmas Card - and they are all lying right here on the table - cute ones too with a fancy little reindeer … but as I said … they are still lying right here ...</div>
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And it's bad … because I was asked by a friend if she should send out real cards or go e-card this year and I went - definitely send cards … because it is a dying tradition and I love receiving cards - I really really do, but this year … well, we all know now - it didn't happen!</div>
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Sorry!</div>
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Let's move on now shall we!</div>
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I haven't written here for the longest of times, and I'm sure I'm going to get it in the neck next time I see some of you - but as I said in my last post I am now blogging on my business site - <a _mce_href="www.bmdesignshop.com" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bmdesignshop.com">BMDesign</a> - but "over there" I do not show the kids, and I do not mention anyone by name not even Bob - or Casper for that matter … it is all about my life and what I think about things … not that interesting to some of you I should imagine!</div>
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Here though - here I can revel in Anna's wonderful smile - or Maia's cheeky face or Jack's tremendous fashion sense.</div>
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Or I can show you how we all looked on Bob's 50th Birthday morning</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAgC3wUox34y9py9nJ2RKn1ch-aNuxlA2ckJ7hHmRy4CwLytpesr9LQ1HlRSNWSCe4n-RuaeKOyK-CdpqwDTiZTHU3TyAcGPbTm78j_tnqrqM80KUHVkVYpppiC_mUwy-R9rmwbsTUZ6y/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2650" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAgC3wUox34y9py9nJ2RKn1ch-aNuxlA2ckJ7hHmRy4CwLytpesr9LQ1HlRSNWSCe4n-RuaeKOyK-CdpqwDTiZTHU3TyAcGPbTm78j_tnqrqM80KUHVkVYpppiC_mUwy-R9rmwbsTUZ6y/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2650.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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as I said … early morning - tired eyes but tons of smiles never-the-less!</div>
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He had a fab day - even if I'm the one speaking for him … I really do think he did because look at that decor</div>
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<img _mce_src="marsedit://pending/A4F1531C-DE97-4A1D-81A0-646CEFD74F1E/" alt="IMG 2636" border="0" height="450" src="marsedit://pending/A4F1531C-DE97-4A1D-81A0-646CEFD74F1E/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2636.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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or how about the cake up close - seriously made by my three apprentices - Anna made Bob, Maia made Casper and Jack made and decorated all the stars. I covered the cake but it was all their design and doing and we spent hours talking about how to make it look just right - I think they did an amazing job</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNH8qkjw2yF4SLPmrkrs2OTrYYuzFsJ2is0inp-kb0mQAmwlV5sszQRjINeQWDGYPiLtpiv8VBhpOAGVEJ7gVkIfGWs8N5nzQ2MSHGLGo-5Yf9ESZliNzpCpFECfym-KMzJgv0zdfRjBK8/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2637" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNH8qkjw2yF4SLPmrkrs2OTrYYuzFsJ2is0inp-kb0mQAmwlV5sszQRjINeQWDGYPiLtpiv8VBhpOAGVEJ7gVkIfGWs8N5nzQ2MSHGLGo-5Yf9ESZliNzpCpFECfym-KMzJgv0zdfRjBK8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2637.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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and there were presents - so many presents … all fab presents - like this one from Carol and the girls - now hanging in the most perfect of spots</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKm4Nzp6EYvvW6bBta54JZiymv96fWsRXkXw2U0Ko1nlAQE1u6pOSqQcrH3ZORlfvlwNjM7MbDOOhJh-aiVkWsFradaWEm6I5n8ZmCECjRh9a-xhpmy_OPB0mk_8wNtj9BOX7s5-BZRDa/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2702" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKm4Nzp6EYvvW6bBta54JZiymv96fWsRXkXw2U0Ko1nlAQE1u6pOSqQcrH3ZORlfvlwNjM7MbDOOhJh-aiVkWsFradaWEm6I5n8ZmCECjRh9a-xhpmy_OPB0mk_8wNtj9BOX7s5-BZRDa/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2702.jpg" width="549" /></div>
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I think that was such a brilliant present - it shows the maps of Winnipeg Canada, Woking UK and Ottawa Canada … where he was born, where he grew up and where he has settled … I love it!</div>
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And there were many wet presents - and a cigar, a CD with Elvis which will go with Bob to Calgary next week never (ever!) to be seen or heard in Ottawa ever again!</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqycLcp9_JbQSpAHUlsaDXDFTXeELrvg47zJK0fUtks_ssEJYbnJ87sdMhIKkHSxeWkv0sLvzvpZHSPkMUEreoI8EqiQEtKM-nUq-saLaQm_s6BI2vj8qLDC9556d6kH4F9DKvDim0quvH/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2712" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqycLcp9_JbQSpAHUlsaDXDFTXeELrvg47zJK0fUtks_ssEJYbnJ87sdMhIKkHSxeWkv0sLvzvpZHSPkMUEreoI8EqiQEtKM-nUq-saLaQm_s6BI2vj8qLDC9556d6kH4F9DKvDim0quvH/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2712.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6hnc9xMq6nm6yihv0Revi9ZixxEmLKNqIVSbg8RjhfQNVSMeEwdKwM1-fWIIZQoklDwoEzqRZBDTeUv0J5ZLbVvUAvTIzDxB-H8nwSa5XiY8CcSZeiGFvuZC5fq13UAM4bBZmEKsZToN/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2714" border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6hnc9xMq6nm6yihv0Revi9ZixxEmLKNqIVSbg8RjhfQNVSMeEwdKwM1-fWIIZQoklDwoEzqRZBDTeUv0J5ZLbVvUAvTIzDxB-H8nwSa5XiY8CcSZeiGFvuZC5fq13UAM4bBZmEKsZToN/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2714.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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These paintings were from me, the kids, Morfar and Birgit!</div>
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While in Denmark we, as told in an earlier blog, visited Røsnæs, Bob's favourite place in Denmark - and we had lunch in the best of restaurants. The restaurant had many paintings on display by this one local artist. I fell crazy in love with one painting but it was monster big and there was no way we could have brought it back with us - however, we contacted the painter and commissioned her to make these two paintings for Bob.</div>
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Anyone who has ever been to Røsnæs will recognize it - My Dad and Bob have promised me they will be hung today - but they did so yesterday as well … I live in hope!</div>
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The rest of Bob's Birthday was spent enjoying "The Nutcracker" with a Canadian twist - we watched Loons twirl, Frogs pirouette and Bears dance and it was all very good and interesting to see "The Nutcracker in a different way.</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoc7h1RyfSejPGgI5Ggq0dRfa6IYOfY40GFsZCQNPR6jWQ1BAo1nJG8pTZJyiqCxyA5yo5Gz3xTY7bN5Jl1J-JUzLZvVtbEcD4kgdUdeCDBpNJQZUpaOvUuchiLUoumYuOeZlgCftNNbia/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2735" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoc7h1RyfSejPGgI5Ggq0dRfa6IYOfY40GFsZCQNPR6jWQ1BAo1nJG8pTZJyiqCxyA5yo5Gz3xTY7bN5Jl1J-JUzLZvVtbEcD4kgdUdeCDBpNJQZUpaOvUuchiLUoumYuOeZlgCftNNbia/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2735.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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The adults all went out for a lovely meal downtown in the evening and once back home, some of those wet presents were opened and I believe enjoyed too (I was being a very sensible Mama - kids still needed lunches for school the next day and I knew I had to be up at 6.30 so I stayed on the … water!)</div>
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Bob's Birthday was on December 20th and we were very lucky that everyone arrived early to celebrate him as well as Christmas - this of course meant 7 days of joy and fun with Morfar, Birgit, Dom, Mark, Milo, Jane, Jerry, John, Adam and Nancy … 7 full days - start to finish!</div>
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So much happened … we ate … a lot … we drank … in moderation (believe that believe anything!) … we baked, we cooked (Jerry taught the girls and Jane baked with the girls too), there was fondant being made into cupcake toppers for Adams Birthday, we played Scrabble (I won - which is amazing as "English isn't my first language" … (you had to be there!)) we blobbed, we laughed - oh how I laughed - we "moustached", we laughed some more - we ate … cheese - a lot … I cooked - I cooked a lot, we "cinnamon bun'ed", we "candy ate" … a lot! … we shopped, we walked Casper (not me - not once … bad mama!), we tobogganed once the snow finally came, we ate some more - a lot and it went on and on .. for days and days …</div>
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And then it was Christmas</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6osgQRvyPxNkJZv8BCQpWOgP1jsEiLqi_vclT9CSrPK-wS2CLaEVG83tBvUdmDTFnpz6OgXiKPGk4skWHroO7AyhYfDBLDAFinp6Yemo7hHBTLxqQM2ZZRfJCDo8kVHmV3zSTakvkE_y/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2957" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6osgQRvyPxNkJZv8BCQpWOgP1jsEiLqi_vclT9CSrPK-wS2CLaEVG83tBvUdmDTFnpz6OgXiKPGk4skWHroO7AyhYfDBLDAFinp6Yemo7hHBTLxqQM2ZZRfJCDo8kVHmV3zSTakvkE_y/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2957.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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oh - and there was one for Janey too</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriABD4yLuvHnIe-5NzmO3_IdDx9SaJTdsL6R25ECz_Vu-mY_j1lbfDX00HHLuy0XbmOcQfAA8TLbIeZxJcKvccUY9Sv5s7U2nWc-yPqemYTWsF0ZwpfNAOaEgH8wvzyEhpKA0kb73JIqY/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2959" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriABD4yLuvHnIe-5NzmO3_IdDx9SaJTdsL6R25ECz_Vu-mY_j1lbfDX00HHLuy0XbmOcQfAA8TLbIeZxJcKvccUY9Sv5s7U2nWc-yPqemYTWsF0ZwpfNAOaEgH8wvzyEhpKA0kb73JIqY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2959.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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… how could we not get that boot when we saw it in my favourite shop?</div>
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It became Auntie Janey's pressie - filled only with red presents - it was a fun present to find and make and I think that especially the gloves went down well</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA_HlQUG0XxqHEppp5g4YkTtMw4uKuSm73rbDICuIBFPal8Y6JBX0aO4pWbDdVUmYoydC5baHtHQ1eO3Jrw3CngbMKgiEDKdAK5APvfVxZoUNJ3Z1fAulWeEJl1pNiYN00oU8yScUqbPT/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2968" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA_HlQUG0XxqHEppp5g4YkTtMw4uKuSm73rbDICuIBFPal8Y6JBX0aO4pWbDdVUmYoydC5baHtHQ1eO3Jrw3CngbMKgiEDKdAK5APvfVxZoUNJ3Z1fAulWeEJl1pNiYN00oU8yScUqbPT/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2968.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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I'm not kidding though when I tell you that I have never in my life seen so many presents under one tree and I started the day by telling the little people about no stress, no tantrums, pace yourself, take your time - and they did really well. There were no tantrums, there were no upsets - they waited patiently for each other (and the rest of us) and I'm so happy to say that it was a wonderful morning of unwrapping presents.</div>
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I love giving - I am really good at that … love finding stuff for my family … and I take such joy from watching especially the kids open their presents</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WCHG9_j4cm4nV5H1dXW95u-Nhu6JTM_hXCloRIiy1DWs7iFNVWXDE0GbrWgssZ6miTOlNVwTx-YWAoAe3MPrkE-ih11wAywYYnEcTpJhIR6nM13O6mJCn7ZW13NqPmAVRpU3RNt1J8nY/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2988" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WCHG9_j4cm4nV5H1dXW95u-Nhu6JTM_hXCloRIiy1DWs7iFNVWXDE0GbrWgssZ6miTOlNVwTx-YWAoAe3MPrkE-ih11wAywYYnEcTpJhIR6nM13O6mJCn7ZW13NqPmAVRpU3RNt1J8nY/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2988.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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Maia with her yoga mat from Isabella doing "The Baby" ???</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghthi8ctOMsTX2Jc-L2DvWFuZgG1rP3aTnIBJyMTBXwMlfrwPTnQNE_OkykYXvmF18vArNPw-UBxYyLwkRC7bcB0wpM9NDkC8obb0ntJ0Ehz01P2tNJKqED79o0LJRR9o7thJPqAh_XjpI/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2932" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghthi8ctOMsTX2Jc-L2DvWFuZgG1rP3aTnIBJyMTBXwMlfrwPTnQNE_OkykYXvmF18vArNPw-UBxYyLwkRC7bcB0wpM9NDkC8obb0ntJ0Ehz01P2tNJKqED79o0LJRR9o7thJPqAh_XjpI/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2932.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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Jack with his new Hummel shoes (lot of Hummel under that tree :)</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTUilOWDxbBH4kMNs-4O_DVnjNiFxutRdPdP4eJe3ATflsDT7dAoqULRKtA4qGcM0N5Q_EGj1vhYFfI58qhkgG1g1Envmk-T_lXRBPBsjtVqAgS5lEcBRblcPrtJO86rUS72Wn0B-vsxC/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2984" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTUilOWDxbBH4kMNs-4O_DVnjNiFxutRdPdP4eJe3ATflsDT7dAoqULRKtA4qGcM0N5Q_EGj1vhYFfI58qhkgG1g1Envmk-T_lXRBPBsjtVqAgS5lEcBRblcPrtJO86rUS72Wn0B-vsxC/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2984.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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Anna with her big fluffy monster pillow from Jack</div>
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But me ...</div>
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<br /></div>
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… I'm always a little nervous when I open my presents</div>
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… can't help it</div>
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… sorry</div>
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…but</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGl97nyoEy_QoVbUzZQwKDEa83qV4vvBAE7nqjAPzqzWfgv8eeSLSuVjBzYRZdgGWKIxii0ODaDyFI4usjOgoKHl6qeErKMsToD9oh1HffgJ3hdnwi0Ma3CeUZcjkqJ4T-olOQEmzrV1i/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3027" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGl97nyoEy_QoVbUzZQwKDEa83qV4vvBAE7nqjAPzqzWfgv8eeSLSuVjBzYRZdgGWKIxii0ODaDyFI4usjOgoKHl6qeErKMsToD9oh1HffgJ3hdnwi0Ma3CeUZcjkqJ4T-olOQEmzrV1i/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3027.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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a Dualit toaster …</div>
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<br /></div>
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… will ALWAYS make me surprised and very very happy!</div>
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<br /></div>
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let there be NO doubts … this year I was spoiled … BIG time … lots …</div>
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...over (notice Le Creuset pan on picture!)</div>
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and ...</div>
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<br /></div>
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…over</div>
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<div _mce_style="text-align: center;" style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;">
again and again!</div>
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But I wasn't the only one …</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6uHUaPaC_fto9IGLE81ZaFyOVyILYz_0arDpf0A0HhN6SEdtAnYMJtPtLJH0YeRxeyRZZV9HL_SAT8FSPgtTEjoUVUykoFZJFZSgfxk5yYdvaPPdziYDLSAibQPWZalP9XiR7aiFhnnv/?imgmax=800" _mce_style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" alt="IMG 3000" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6uHUaPaC_fto9IGLE81ZaFyOVyILYz_0arDpf0A0HhN6SEdtAnYMJtPtLJH0YeRxeyRZZV9HL_SAT8FSPgtTEjoUVUykoFZJFZSgfxk5yYdvaPPdziYDLSAibQPWZalP9XiR7aiFhnnv/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_3000.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Look at that "Tree of life"</div>
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or Dom's many Moustaches</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nOAwafiOrfA0Ep5cTDvj9VmlHcMDSuJy1QwzK47K449ZoQst8B6jOO46n4kTqv-Jhr7VR2xPqK_bupkAmgpEBslAimxBsRDEPyaWVdNrL7-qFtRYdakalJxaIUFZ14v0y0MO9LaZKD3E/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2947" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nOAwafiOrfA0Ep5cTDvj9VmlHcMDSuJy1QwzK47K449ZoQst8B6jOO46n4kTqv-Jhr7VR2xPqK_bupkAmgpEBslAimxBsRDEPyaWVdNrL7-qFtRYdakalJxaIUFZ14v0y0MO9LaZKD3E/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2947.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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and Casper even got 4 fancy balls to rip apart in seconds!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtPtNdoKRSH3eD-4CACAB0HYJYxGhT56-ArztL6lleKdONUO2YelPfl4rx3icu-MmipoLCuVObqPZ6VfYoP4ggWv1GgOcBVqiALkKner6bVwM7NV7FhQ6TW1Qk7saizjqCn2Lz0AcNq7/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3034" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtPtNdoKRSH3eD-4CACAB0HYJYxGhT56-ArztL6lleKdONUO2YelPfl4rx3icu-MmipoLCuVObqPZ6VfYoP4ggWv1GgOcBVqiALkKner6bVwM7NV7FhQ6TW1Qk7saizjqCn2Lz0AcNq7/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3034.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFCz-zQIksjIGlIWHjrD2iEBIDA3xQuEp4pQK58s2FMEvbTY9tJiH3eJXGHCAWWR2o38fTjYEmu0xKYlRo9sb96HyOzcXzVSH0KjMYfVIYX9LImqJ1c6_hz9PQ7fl-ytbjn2N2pntoZgE/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3052" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFCz-zQIksjIGlIWHjrD2iEBIDA3xQuEp4pQK58s2FMEvbTY9tJiH3eJXGHCAWWR2o38fTjYEmu0xKYlRo9sb96HyOzcXzVSH0KjMYfVIYX9LImqJ1c6_hz9PQ7fl-ytbjn2N2pntoZgE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3052.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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… it really doesn't take long!</div>
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<br /></div>
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And then it was time to finish the turkey and to do some serious tobogganing ...</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_G507fzODrCD8EsqQXNCjcLfDxoFrCPvYTLez7VlojKEO4U2GAhOI03IxyepWM8oyIM6YmHrUZZoids44hXk9mJmIM3HeGKWulcx_3TFVL0CRdjG3zXKidXhpUG6iLuh62o-EcL1gvwK/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3068" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_G507fzODrCD8EsqQXNCjcLfDxoFrCPvYTLez7VlojKEO4U2GAhOI03IxyepWM8oyIM6YmHrUZZoids44hXk9mJmIM3HeGKWulcx_3TFVL0CRdjG3zXKidXhpUG6iLuh62o-EcL1gvwK/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3068.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AdGcSzidK3KROGOCADyi9DCjfdmU44qczMAiO0LerwMHeFatfMgC4BpPUeTJGLqsKNLWo7fFMeI1qp064SDjK_LMg4TnbN5sttn77IMHsBH8CCfE4_Er2934THuqfdqyRMQpoSBZYDBL/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3063" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AdGcSzidK3KROGOCADyi9DCjfdmU44qczMAiO0LerwMHeFatfMgC4BpPUeTJGLqsKNLWo7fFMeI1qp064SDjK_LMg4TnbN5sttn77IMHsBH8CCfE4_Er2934THuqfdqyRMQpoSBZYDBL/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3063.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrq6-y7IpqDs5j_eOkA4b_EHk6g-JAjwnIvqCbE9T5jkQJ2jhXdFrxOFV6SFK6JPoeckIN2sNRZpjV0gxU07lBa5aJk9_c2Ol53l9jeHTQ-XsU-oK2UNP3WfRqnmOlLXl8SPFrC8Vntw9/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3077" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrq6-y7IpqDs5j_eOkA4b_EHk6g-JAjwnIvqCbE9T5jkQJ2jhXdFrxOFV6SFK6JPoeckIN2sNRZpjV0gxU07lBa5aJk9_c2Ol53l9jeHTQ-XsU-oK2UNP3WfRqnmOlLXl8SPFrC8Vntw9/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3077.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjO0LBZSFddp1R7SFj-_mL_kGjF3bL_G-BlXvPoyXDMJ4BdArQTbmDYkBormnq0zZWP-7kJ1e_GMtfcE-lI8FnSUfNLs7ifG7OVmMbqFLBokx17dz7y3dj7QfCXACjw21IilBzII7tLP2b/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2897" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjO0LBZSFddp1R7SFj-_mL_kGjF3bL_G-BlXvPoyXDMJ4BdArQTbmDYkBormnq0zZWP-7kJ1e_GMtfcE-lI8FnSUfNLs7ifG7OVmMbqFLBokx17dz7y3dj7QfCXACjw21IilBzII7tLP2b/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2897.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6xaE4qWESoeTnCd0Y5TLbhVZVtn4jtsYA9h98Alwvgykq982jl3WRcTMi0A5SezO7-hQxABu6Ioe7DxoAxF1aCghKcaKuGtEdUKd6PkalA34SGTwts1HnVeB0dCnaCwFaZLG1SncTWRG/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2886" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6xaE4qWESoeTnCd0Y5TLbhVZVtn4jtsYA9h98Alwvgykq982jl3WRcTMi0A5SezO7-hQxABu6Ioe7DxoAxF1aCghKcaKuGtEdUKd6PkalA34SGTwts1HnVeB0dCnaCwFaZLG1SncTWRG/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2886.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh__X8BC_CxZ0A1Oo5vQLmCf-VAQSUN2xehBbQ1koZD47olvxTKe1Eh186tddDgmOTDaFKpAf69-Y7_KkONpLJPC_RjnIUTi7Ph1d7b7e1knqYjvMYQiHt7wM12ZfvjzOak9w1D4PCDwql/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2870" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh__X8BC_CxZ0A1Oo5vQLmCf-VAQSUN2xehBbQ1koZD47olvxTKe1Eh186tddDgmOTDaFKpAf69-Y7_KkONpLJPC_RjnIUTi7Ph1d7b7e1knqYjvMYQiHt7wM12ZfvjzOak9w1D4PCDwql/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2870.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQzcFty5QX9I2AoHyvTUXuLWtoYrYgLCfoOI-Yajaw_faq2zCdr7ieSsQUQ672Dy-kUvromsN-Y-m9rmdCpxCsMm9s8YYjQROXKpla0n9KquV-hqn8g5VMvS9w8uJTa6SG2sZUXlPljRf/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2875" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQzcFty5QX9I2AoHyvTUXuLWtoYrYgLCfoOI-Yajaw_faq2zCdr7ieSsQUQ672Dy-kUvromsN-Y-m9rmdCpxCsMm9s8YYjQROXKpla0n9KquV-hqn8g5VMvS9w8uJTa6SG2sZUXlPljRf/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2875.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYY-KhV-jbzQFur0qcWuMTPM6i_15QfMaoiCB_xiB4PLuLfc3iwauVARaEOohr8hrP_V5IH5xPH_rT-7vOYSCoMbSNmG6fCpjXZ3LSLBrfxt1g8NbD6FYeI9mKw_-uGDkpObBqgXyc0z7/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2889" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYY-KhV-jbzQFur0qcWuMTPM6i_15QfMaoiCB_xiB4PLuLfc3iwauVARaEOohr8hrP_V5IH5xPH_rT-7vOYSCoMbSNmG6fCpjXZ3LSLBrfxt1g8NbD6FYeI9mKw_-uGDkpObBqgXyc0z7/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2889.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvuPdoOhfwRi1SFEpQ3pLL2UcU-nSHYNhAL-PVy0_AJUAtixqU1fKxhcr_V2Mk9vSRR_xlRpfgw13FekoYBnxVV5_wDMAWJ8tFUdUeknVm4zn9mGEO2gx3ogHuLPIXM88LB4bzhRWL1BJ/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3243" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvuPdoOhfwRi1SFEpQ3pLL2UcU-nSHYNhAL-PVy0_AJUAtixqU1fKxhcr_V2Mk9vSRR_xlRpfgw13FekoYBnxVV5_wDMAWJ8tFUdUeknVm4zn9mGEO2gx3ogHuLPIXM88LB4bzhRWL1BJ/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3243.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gssjc4v3CmR6BoOgjEs65d89tSnevw0lRGAe6GsjneCod40xIlIrTPAe9Q7EIB-kWGM_rWS0aBp4E9FW5csrUUj2_BCKIwXDdBGNwCwjZFxbjmOSLGp1EBOGY8xMqbwyW-ddEhvdi7Q7/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3066" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gssjc4v3CmR6BoOgjEs65d89tSnevw0lRGAe6GsjneCod40xIlIrTPAe9Q7EIB-kWGM_rWS0aBp4E9FW5csrUUj2_BCKIwXDdBGNwCwjZFxbjmOSLGp1EBOGY8xMqbwyW-ddEhvdi7Q7/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3066.JPG" width="531" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMoXBIOZdX_g7xltxDIFQ5eF85MTv5FXHBvnBrgSKCtu2KSQgiw91DJjNsTD2SA828kWVqKxUj_a2dbvSLMZ86g28e9xS14KJ4h9a5j1DczEZpI94Mc3sbC0yWi4E6ZxO1CfW9S9VEnjb/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3238" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMoXBIOZdX_g7xltxDIFQ5eF85MTv5FXHBvnBrgSKCtu2KSQgiw91DJjNsTD2SA828kWVqKxUj_a2dbvSLMZ86g28e9xS14KJ4h9a5j1DczEZpI94Mc3sbC0yWi4E6ZxO1CfW9S9VEnjb/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3238.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tkABlutN5pVU-iXr8cXDoi0mKx79VPUuRCpfFZDQSSFzcOAKcY9kzFgEz3Qx69IqtjUG3f-9TAvVQR8p9ySmY1P_nBMfkx1mr4unIWlI-KbdmbSz3Z2fzKe37hW18bSwsRcwmyrGZcRm/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3254" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tkABlutN5pVU-iXr8cXDoi0mKx79VPUuRCpfFZDQSSFzcOAKcY9kzFgEz3Qx69IqtjUG3f-9TAvVQR8p9ySmY1P_nBMfkx1mr4unIWlI-KbdmbSz3Z2fzKe37hW18bSwsRcwmyrGZcRm/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3254.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIbJFX0g5k_Jq-aduDbSWdcavoVijSeUef6XwLeyH2TEkBzQq1BtyHKyi4I99gcvJ5yiyrRbmvBuPye2LmBsygQ22_72i7Vqdwl7w6cPdauhGTOpJP-ng-pxtCXHwt0KwzCQ0uDTN4FRv/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3279" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIbJFX0g5k_Jq-aduDbSWdcavoVijSeUef6XwLeyH2TEkBzQq1BtyHKyi4I99gcvJ5yiyrRbmvBuPye2LmBsygQ22_72i7Vqdwl7w6cPdauhGTOpJP-ng-pxtCXHwt0KwzCQ0uDTN4FRv/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3279.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi58fwXvEe7Dgl6_PfGUJUyAQKbl7_fw70F0PxWHor7eY6pEzGJ5SW5Lw0cDu7RVLjaBvgecD0cWadDL8Pd2k-wWtQKsyG4aG_OHO2etm_vzvVPynoYo9ym5oRU_VZUXHzdTz0cqQhoLGw/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3290" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi58fwXvEe7Dgl6_PfGUJUyAQKbl7_fw70F0PxWHor7eY6pEzGJ5SW5Lw0cDu7RVLjaBvgecD0cWadDL8Pd2k-wWtQKsyG4aG_OHO2etm_vzvVPynoYo9ym5oRU_VZUXHzdTz0cqQhoLGw/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3290.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<div _mce_style="text-align: center;" style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;">
you tell me - isn't that just the BEST Christmas Day???</div>
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<div _mce_style="text-align: center;" style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;">
and then we ate … again...</div>
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Starter … I FINALLY got to try figs … oh and goats cheese and it was heaven on a plate!!!</div>
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Turkey ...</div>
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...gone!</div>
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But we had so much fun … again ...</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKiMRwWooKLwChXM00MlxAiIe8pIZINdU4p0NwAMwYATCTkNo7WMKJBEWBnMRFGA73OYD-JxANVNh_keRVwm_wC_BvaNdXhWO-e-nIHUD8vzD7gLDsNEiPna6YCCS1JxxsRlygbaYb0dk/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3110" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKiMRwWooKLwChXM00MlxAiIe8pIZINdU4p0NwAMwYATCTkNo7WMKJBEWBnMRFGA73OYD-JxANVNh_keRVwm_wC_BvaNdXhWO-e-nIHUD8vzD7gLDsNEiPna6YCCS1JxxsRlygbaYb0dk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3110.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBpmwi3c19RGyvmgi-wyIal51paCLDxUgAS4PJMwr0VLKpj3tnpOFvOlA5vEU7X88WcaCSL5ouEAhvcPKJICs_jsDsKzNiHqbB11UBcJ07WSihk3CQFaHHIXG9fJSy7gHFSzJf3LY-pjA/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3106" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBpmwi3c19RGyvmgi-wyIal51paCLDxUgAS4PJMwr0VLKpj3tnpOFvOlA5vEU7X88WcaCSL5ouEAhvcPKJICs_jsDsKzNiHqbB11UBcJ07WSihk3CQFaHHIXG9fJSy7gHFSzJf3LY-pjA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3106.JPG" width="442" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwYZsxluv-Hg9-EhQLYaHjSbtRgYR-ReOpuAxIzp3sB0Qj2m8_GIWGvMJYB2iAvrj7A6jELtc_ynhvWZUhB0klkd_u-1o1iKlCL7iNxfSLgV2LhudNdgxk2kkVWZMfa30r6shW0Qs2FCl/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3124" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwYZsxluv-Hg9-EhQLYaHjSbtRgYR-ReOpuAxIzp3sB0Qj2m8_GIWGvMJYB2iAvrj7A6jELtc_ynhvWZUhB0klkd_u-1o1iKlCL7iNxfSLgV2LhudNdgxk2kkVWZMfa30r6shW0Qs2FCl/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3124.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dLwxk_a5Mwv7FrOWGs5sA2Tm4yoWx2F_iDg-wz-OP1UK00mB6JaD7mhwPuCsU9gaT39MeFnGy5gz0bm695iIKaFrzGuivsVgE2jdZnNqN_zTuurGUo-UUTJXJ-LJjVbhwA7Sk1zaAMky/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3138" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dLwxk_a5Mwv7FrOWGs5sA2Tm4yoWx2F_iDg-wz-OP1UK00mB6JaD7mhwPuCsU9gaT39MeFnGy5gz0bm695iIKaFrzGuivsVgE2jdZnNqN_zTuurGUo-UUTJXJ-LJjVbhwA7Sk1zaAMky/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3138.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcO_Y8lXe1bBkfVDk1QjMa9Ffu727sxLq7rIrBaDAuMxa5dh5T1Jcib1omRnM4qb4gbXNJtB8VFf3gDieUmjhWsY9l1hssKrqt4EMxDJLJb4_ElFC4vfPspxLYpqMY00gKDsTsw7Bp9UK/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3160" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcO_Y8lXe1bBkfVDk1QjMa9Ffu727sxLq7rIrBaDAuMxa5dh5T1Jcib1omRnM4qb4gbXNJtB8VFf3gDieUmjhWsY9l1hssKrqt4EMxDJLJb4_ElFC4vfPspxLYpqMY00gKDsTsw7Bp9UK/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3160.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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and then when it was all over - and we opened even more presents from under that lovely tree</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHw1Vp6eNavtJWC4BDyiyRgYZnmz0FvZvLhhqWjIc7aCJLhyyJqNnYGkREEGEZI1askVs1Gxp5i4ZFLKkkfWnofK_zba-p4YBi4VtGrakJDsUz793uk2tGzA-QZc9_lT4EJeELFhBlU3X/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3172" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHw1Vp6eNavtJWC4BDyiyRgYZnmz0FvZvLhhqWjIc7aCJLhyyJqNnYGkREEGEZI1askVs1Gxp5i4ZFLKkkfWnofK_zba-p4YBi4VtGrakJDsUz793uk2tGzA-QZc9_lT4EJeELFhBlU3X/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3172.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36pwCHKL34lv10pr33_waZlGMcGrzSQJSVdtN6-HP1uJG8mngrySP75RQbImWH5idTpwOk7OlvRten9MXAPywnAN_MbqhLD6sOHHZ3irX4-lYNyyPoiI9C3GB86AvjEfC6h9QTdIdwZwg/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3181" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36pwCHKL34lv10pr33_waZlGMcGrzSQJSVdtN6-HP1uJG8mngrySP75RQbImWH5idTpwOk7OlvRten9MXAPywnAN_MbqhLD6sOHHZ3irX4-lYNyyPoiI9C3GB86AvjEfC6h9QTdIdwZwg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3181.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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(obviously Mark is really happy … )</div>
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and then once those presents were all done and there really wasn't anything left under the tree </div>
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... and it was now very dark outside</div>
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… we still had yet another celebration</div>
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because it was Uncle Adams Birthday</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UN0RuNYwXhx7M3Jp6wjv3gaFHWveYEk7dBeDSs6SxiqJmX5Vkg9qQob66XXSoyDWGbh36jRRUdKV02EiSiDBvJU9k20iWkkIu2kYpN21ptq1yXJ3yBahjFBIdhpiZj5U6g7IsjIuoeaf/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3190" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UN0RuNYwXhx7M3Jp6wjv3gaFHWveYEk7dBeDSs6SxiqJmX5Vkg9qQob66XXSoyDWGbh36jRRUdKV02EiSiDBvJU9k20iWkkIu2kYpN21ptq1yXJ3yBahjFBIdhpiZj5U6g7IsjIuoeaf/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3190.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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… and cake coppers had been made ...</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum81nx8BD1V8nPWJWHiG0MEDAPsi9S5jDowiMMwNb1qJUkvBVsOZlyvHIH-ZnOJMIHbjkiwYCzE2-6zcipXxPLGg8MA1yAMrfK-34wRm6cS4ycssb_XsoT7qYs8gfxlBOy6y4rBZ2AfVx/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 2810" border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum81nx8BD1V8nPWJWHiG0MEDAPsi9S5jDowiMMwNb1qJUkvBVsOZlyvHIH-ZnOJMIHbjkiwYCzE2-6zcipXxPLGg8MA1yAMrfK-34wRm6cS4ycssb_XsoT7qYs8gfxlBOy6y4rBZ2AfVx/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_2810.JPG" width="600" /></div>
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such a look-alike :)</div>
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Happy Birthday Adam!</div>
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<img _mce_src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUdyo8HsCWHoy_rYia7iySBiPzufQVyA7PxDNZzVgnLF25q5_MSNLsgZjzcVgTeb2s9PsuLhjRiz4QRR5N6hkr5_HNN_ZVZXtWjDXcKTUa9OUZEPP2ALUaFvJ8RGeP-lMxt8g4J-3xKx2/?imgmax=800" alt="IMG 3193" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUdyo8HsCWHoy_rYia7iySBiPzufQVyA7PxDNZzVgnLF25q5_MSNLsgZjzcVgTeb2s9PsuLhjRiz4QRR5N6hkr5_HNN_ZVZXtWjDXcKTUa9OUZEPP2ALUaFvJ8RGeP-lMxt8g4J-3xKx2/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="IMG_3193.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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and that is it from us ….</div>
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I know I have run it through quickly - well, maybe not quick by your standards, but I had Sixhundredsomething pictures transferred from Jane who was super at taking pictures all the time - I'm sure there are more photos on Dom's phone as well as my own camera … I chose these to tell the story of an extraordinary Birthday/Christmas week.</div>
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I doubt we will ever have this many people again … which makes me sad.</div>
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But it will never take away the memories of the best Christmas</div>
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EVER!</div>
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I want all of you who were here to know that I absolutely loved every moment - and I haven't got words big enough to tell you all how grateful I am that you made the effort to come celebrate Bob with me - and stay for Christmas to bring such joy and happiness. I celebrated with people I love so dearly - my only wish would have been to have more of the people I love - but once again distance played it's part.</div>
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I will end this post with my love and best wishes for all of you for a wonderful 2012.</div>
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My life only gets better every year - I am an incredibly lucky person to have you all in my life.</div>
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To my friends - thank you for being in my life … I love you all!</div>
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To my Family … I married into a family of fun and laughter - and for that I'm beyond grateful … you show me time and time again what family can and should be - THANK YOU!</div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
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<br /></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-23020806332722375382011-09-17T12:17:00.003-04:002011-09-19T17:41:43.886-04:00BMDesign Shop is Now Open!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, many of you will have seen on Facebook that I have finally opened my very own shop ... well, not a shop with real doors, cash register and fully stocked shelves, but nevertheless a shop - a little arty ETSY shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While in Denmark I came across these lovely whimsical witches and fell in love instantly - I brought one home with me, and had no expectations on how it would turn out once I started reproducing it. But as with the fondant, give me a piece of Polymer Clay and this is what happens ...</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwD8gUHlXPOrnuyKZ6TEMYJmE7QWurr0g8a5IEXh0KXrEfVLaJOW-CcTldjv_s6WK8ta6iry8WxC4rPuHH2_1W3wQDdDFbH4lTa6mwZZd06a9lv-01IKR-pfQHpva6xHhmVgOIFEUVTW5G/s1600/DSC01603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwD8gUHlXPOrnuyKZ6TEMYJmE7QWurr0g8a5IEXh0KXrEfVLaJOW-CcTldjv_s6WK8ta6iry8WxC4rPuHH2_1W3wQDdDFbH4lTa6mwZZd06a9lv-01IKR-pfQHpva6xHhmVgOIFEUVTW5G/s640/DSC01603.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have really enjoyed making these and I am very proud of them. They look amazing when they hang - and they look amazing when they stand. Jack, Anna & Maia all like them standing, but I must say I prefer them hanging - since they are on their broom they should be flying through the air.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9loJraHQXffHWtb-2bcP8pmfxOEdxe_HgGLsbrHnSgNYJLqqgvpDVW8G53KdpqCE130AT-atEY3tTk62nHYyg_gbhDlZJXeQhXsPEN3IEQHj0yxrxbw9ZzpZS8AreMLM_7YLYgM7T_tN/s1600/DSC01595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9loJraHQXffHWtb-2bcP8pmfxOEdxe_HgGLsbrHnSgNYJLqqgvpDVW8G53KdpqCE130AT-atEY3tTk62nHYyg_gbhDlZJXeQhXsPEN3IEQHj0yxrxbw9ZzpZS8AreMLM_7YLYgM7T_tN/s320/DSC01595.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm hoping I can get Bob to hang the branches from which they will be hanging today - and then I'll take a photo for you to see what that looks like!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the store is open </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> should you need a little witch or three, or more for Halloween - <a href="http://www.bmdesignshop.etsy.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.bmdesignshop.etsy.com</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also had a chat with our new local Bakery "The Three Sisters" for them to display my witches after Thankgiving . They are very happy to, so hopefully I get to sell a few there too</span>! </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My plan is to expand this - I have Angels in my head for Christmas - and would love to get started on those but just need to spend this week mass producing witches and then hopefully next weekend I can spend some time on designing some cute Angels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other than that - I have Aunty Dom helping me doing a poster for my Gingerbread Houses and hope to sell a few of them too. Not through ETSY as there is no way those can be shipped, but I'm thinking a few Ottawa families would like a cute BMDesign Gingerbread House for Christmas.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpf9dQ0c-51tc7ceXX0rG6sWfjzmRc4-bIHzNA2dNpb8jrZvLmy8PTP3Hjh6soANQ2SWzuLeVerfPW9n1VtrSo9sgPdLDkYJ7XccZQBoQ_itpwlTVc84jD3_bdNoKTSWZihmBWNoll12C/s1600/DSC01607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpf9dQ0c-51tc7ceXX0rG6sWfjzmRc4-bIHzNA2dNpb8jrZvLmy8PTP3Hjh6soANQ2SWzuLeVerfPW9n1VtrSo9sgPdLDkYJ7XccZQBoQ_itpwlTVc84jD3_bdNoKTSWZihmBWNoll12C/s640/DSC01607.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So - I had promised myself that this year I would not "just" be a Mum but also find a way to get myself "out there" again, and the way this has come about is what I believe the word "Serendipity" is all about. The kids started school on September 6th and I came home feeling very blue, not knowing what to do with myself. Within the next few days I made a very difficult decision that I'd give my cakes one year to see where it would take me. I really do not want to do the cakes anymore - I feel it's just done but I also knew that this would be the easiest and best way for me to get something started really fast. I got my blog designer to start on a new blog for me - to put out my art and promote myself a bit more than I can do here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I finished these witches and showed them to a wonderful online network of Danish Women. There were rave reviews and I was even asked if I would sell these ... and a little seed was planted in my head ... and from then on it has just snowballed ... and last night, just before midnight I finally opened my own store.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In that first week of going back to school I went from going back to being a Cake Designer to finishing witches, to designing new blog, to talking and networking - I even had one day where I was desperately trying to find craft fairs where I could sell these witches, angels and Gingerbread Houses (that idea is still floating around and hasn't quite been killed yet!) and now, after two weeks of school I will be spending the weekend making more witches for my first customers. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG9QGuIytpDaYR9cFb9mqhxzW_GV1_3VbZyvRdzzJaULeeAYhpubcydAVor_-kDGC_xNw04ezPrSgyB7yLH5gxgt4aOwUUH-5OnOmIqw5P-Z_urrdSrUm1BBQ5OEfwz90j0cjoqcUEkTC/s1600/DSC01599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG9QGuIytpDaYR9cFb9mqhxzW_GV1_3VbZyvRdzzJaULeeAYhpubcydAVor_-kDGC_xNw04ezPrSgyB7yLH5gxgt4aOwUUH-5OnOmIqw5P-Z_urrdSrUm1BBQ5OEfwz90j0cjoqcUEkTC/s320/DSC01599.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBvQcbFo_j75XWpx4nyOakpSDNJyRiLVnBfs_cK39Ag8MlmUqy_GDbl7oqqw8ATMMZdqb48C7IaA_PWv7Jk1-5vcfGkLHSJI2wqHqdXEhy7MbLIaY-JYnTF1jHcP1iTrVMadOZ0LDmRfH/s1600/DSC01621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure to some of you it seems silly that opening my own shop should make me this happy - after all it is "just" a virtual store, but ever since we lived in Holland 13 years ago I have dreamt of opening a shop, but never knew quite how or what to sell. Most of you will know that I do all sorts of arts and crafts - and love doing it, but these witches ... it is the first time I feel I can actually sell what I've made with pride and a knowledge that they are as close to perfect as a flying witch should be. I feel they are so good, that if I was to walk into a store I would walk out having bought at least three of them - and THAT is high praise for me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The new blog is still underway - I am working with the same designer as I used here, but she's a busy girl and it all takes time. I will update you with the info once I have it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">And now ... they are off .....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_pb_Crp3Q67DBqTu4qzDdJaRGuuFPZW09MHZoKmrv5V_BfqiH8TzRljC2taM2vdL0IwTs8VCz9RwxZQ5epoyGPsQrAfQLTBiABnJl9uZLEqlKdXkVHverMAaz6pVULXxpHnnsnAkyA4h/s1600/DSC01613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_pb_Crp3Q67DBqTu4qzDdJaRGuuFPZW09MHZoKmrv5V_BfqiH8TzRljC2taM2vdL0IwTs8VCz9RwxZQ5epoyGPsQrAfQLTBiABnJl9uZLEqlKdXkVHverMAaz6pVULXxpHnnsnAkyA4h/s640/DSC01613.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-66872065803982817622011-08-17T10:56:00.001-04:002011-08-17T11:01:46.426-04:00A Journey Backwards – and a Lost Heart!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Normally I would write with happiness and joy and love – and I feel all of those in my heart … I promise – but there is a lot of “<strong>BUT</strong>” today!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNkeg5k4Em892jrd1TNFXmE-6LQfqN5Y6zmVvbxMqqjeS64g-kOYkuw8cmU4jTod8s8XcMLxtg6lGM76mGVAbulw5lPSraaAfrCDOcDNKD8_qreCKMorf0SkS8zNvIy_Wo9xMYE657D08/s1600/DSC01358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNkeg5k4Em892jrd1TNFXmE-6LQfqN5Y6zmVvbxMqqjeS64g-kOYkuw8cmU4jTod8s8XcMLxtg6lGM76mGVAbulw5lPSraaAfrCDOcDNKD8_qreCKMorf0SkS8zNvIy_Wo9xMYE657D08/s200/DSC01358.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mmmm... Danish thebirkes</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of you who read and follow my blog will know that I have not been to Denmark for 7 years. For all sorts of reasons – and I honestly wasn’t planning on going any time soon. <strong>BUT</strong> 3 months ago Bob and I made a choice. A choice that enough was enough and that our children should see where I grew up, the country they at least once a day hear something about</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“ In Denmark we would do …” or “I swear, in Denmark I would eat ….” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or “Denmark is so good at ….” or the very best one “Dad and I did this in Denmark … “ or “I so wish I could show you Tivoli …” so many sentences where the word Denmark would be mentioned – and the kids were doing it too “I SO want to go to Denmark” or “I can’t wait till one day we go to Denmark” </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0VIeRmPaCZdyVKJNurlGGjTwA5vHaQThtCAGwHnM6XinvSvvpyMNMg-ZBhfO5mszrE6tSvt6kp_Ouw1atBp56zV52ji0wlt6lFs7uIB3Ikt06HC_qjdU2aIaqyEKcq6cG0Jc3PZohp5V/s200/IMG_0320.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="149" /></em></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Gosh she was so excited!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>BUT</strong> we couldn’t justify Bob taking a lot of time off – because he’d just been home recuperating for 5 weeks – well 6 if you count the week where they switched on the cochlear. So he suggested I’d take the children for a 2 week period while he worked his socks off over there in Calgary. Well, once the idea was put out there, it didn’t take me long to get my head around it. And then we started the “I can’t wait till we see TIVOLI” or “LEGO Land Mum – really” or “you can finally have a “kaffebrød” Mum” – and the suitcases were out and ready to be packed pretty early on!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We left a couple of weeks ago – popped lots of “No Jetlag” pills on the plane and landed on a stunning morning. The sun was showing me and the children how incredibly beautiful Denmark is on a summer day (yes, I do know that with the summer Denmark has had this year, it was like winning the Lotto arriving in sunshine!) – My Dad took us straight to the Supermarket and we shopped – oh how we shopped … and then we went to the Bakery and I went crazy “one of those … and one of those – oh no, we HAVE to try that one too … and that one – how many do we have now?? Well, we have to try that one too …” the car was loaded between the shopping and the suitcases!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNfExZ7tNWcA4sqlQ_teh_PGxWDzfqzh8wSQ_cGn5BB0fGlytJPt1NaMqXGhU8J7tQg2pL78_HvcEFb6HLquqpecoVTssNEoC3C-9KChxY7njFDT90YUxO2kjlI8T35x3ZUm28EkvQ8d-/s1600/DSC01335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNfExZ7tNWcA4sqlQ_teh_PGxWDzfqzh8wSQ_cGn5BB0fGlytJPt1NaMqXGhU8J7tQg2pL78_HvcEFb6HLquqpecoVTssNEoC3C-9KChxY7njFDT90YUxO2kjlI8T35x3ZUm28EkvQ8d-/s200/DSC01335.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>First ever Gammeldaw's with everything!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And from then on – I cannot even put into words what it has been like – I could try … I could try explaining to you all what it was like going to the beach and watching my children building sandcastles or swimming with them in the waves – or how about walking through the gates of TIVOLI – and then having lunch and playing with Aunty Jane and Uncle Jerry who flew in just to surprise the kids </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5e7KIL_AIYlbZsQPrbAAsLdc0585uEljT0PbUHDwG6zykyCUkDTxJpVnkJVDhthwP-MDET2wbRWM8xlWI-MLi6YcE-Auitn9rFyNEmWikazZdLtXsx6E72sD97erknR7EpzGYfpBfEei/s1600/DSC01346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5e7KIL_AIYlbZsQPrbAAsLdc0585uEljT0PbUHDwG6zykyCUkDTxJpVnkJVDhthwP-MDET2wbRWM8xlWI-MLi6YcE-Auitn9rFyNEmWikazZdLtXsx6E72sD97erknR7EpzGYfpBfEei/s200/DSC01346.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>Aunty J and two goofy kids!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> … and watching all three kids go from being scaredy cats to going on the roller coasters – again and again and again and again … or watching them eat everything that was put in front of them and loving it … especially the Danish ice cream “Gammeldaws” or “rugbrød” or “rullepølse” or how about a “Fransk Hotdog” … and then there was the candy – oh the candy … for years I have been trying to explain about the candy isles in the Danish supermarket … it was priceless seeing their faces – and then we tried all of it!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQfiuXu3SKfZ8eG2ix-ponEuxoEaCleIGhbj_SW4ytkZx1_DZxHnw7ghnx1aeXmmEAYOcF5gPgftfOEeDoEP_8KSzNFHLg-smPNE1Tivtv_iNMlNX6dGIefdrwsd7G8WfzQrjH5OBge_x/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQfiuXu3SKfZ8eG2ix-ponEuxoEaCleIGhbj_SW4ytkZx1_DZxHnw7ghnx1aeXmmEAYOcF5gPgftfOEeDoEP_8KSzNFHLg-smPNE1Tivtv_iNMlNX6dGIefdrwsd7G8WfzQrjH5OBge_x/s640/IMG_0337.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Kronborg in the Sun!</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7MGfZlmDJCkA_KfIBqIAqw-7xW89xvcxssRvwA47oZ_QLixe2JDpF6IhuU8yBJh1QTLkg4Ti2P7ykikxzGDbTluVI0s51dQLdnWttCQz-G4rPbHD59YDS9S1frkNklpi5agEDt_OXq84/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7MGfZlmDJCkA_KfIBqIAqw-7xW89xvcxssRvwA47oZ_QLixe2JDpF6IhuU8yBJh1QTLkg4Ti2P7ykikxzGDbTluVI0s51dQLdnWttCQz-G4rPbHD59YDS9S1frkNklpi5agEDt_OXq84/s200/IMG_0348.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Jack with new "Hummel" shoes</span></em> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went to “Kronborg” Castle where I was last with Bob’s mum ... and they saw “Holger Danske” and we went back to Copenhagen for a total shopping experience – and Jack finally got his “Hummel” shoes – and a “Hummel” outfit and we got “Nisser” for Christmas at “Illums Bolighus” just because of the “You have to get something from Illums” - order from Bob (and there weren’t many of those!)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk9qmb2aqgdL7AgPINkW_lINy4dJIWg34BjKwNRSbHo0Ct2bm3NQSu5bxi9-F3T_3YJCOcdyV089r8XjKH_QZfF6ak7BQghzhmjUXl_Wc0QhmsV_K5CKHZiI6-BoT_Ksp6ulcMjur_uoQ/s1600/IMG_0398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk9qmb2aqgdL7AgPINkW_lINy4dJIWg34BjKwNRSbHo0Ct2bm3NQSu5bxi9-F3T_3YJCOcdyV089r8XjKH_QZfF6ak7BQghzhmjUXl_Wc0QhmsV_K5CKHZiI6-BoT_Ksp6ulcMjur_uoQ/s200/IMG_0398.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>European Driver's Licence</em></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then there was the Bridge … and finally LEGO Land where we had another amazing day and the kids got their driver’s licence – you have got to get one of those! We saw H. C. Andersen’s museum on the way back and it was so worth a stop! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vGgAuyWmD85fuJdu28qRfohyphenhyphen8hnOntJDs5Pup6-az5JE9oSk69J7DmfIR1GsWIiZ_UilprFd6EnBITOzw5ysWYRm4fOcR9eWVSsgOGYMI2ZisJ1QL9-Ma-YAcoFxRE2acO5KiQC-Ywb-/s1600/IMG_0346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em><img border="0" height="160" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vGgAuyWmD85fuJdu28qRfohyphenhyphen8hnOntJDs5Pup6-az5JE9oSk69J7DmfIR1GsWIiZ_UilprFd6EnBITOzw5ysWYRm4fOcR9eWVSsgOGYMI2ZisJ1QL9-Ma-YAcoFxRE2acO5KiQC-Ywb-/s200/IMG_0346.JPG" width="200" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Maia at the top of "Runde Tårn"</em></span></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We saw the Church where Bob and I got married – and of course I showed them King’s Pub where we met – and all (!) the places we have lived. I took them down “Kordilgade” and we shopped some more. And we went to the beaches again and the kids found and played with tons of frogs, oh and fished for crabs – and they kept on eating like little horses every night when dinner was served. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then there was “Røsnæs” … Bob’s favorite place on Earth – and for the very first time I get it – I see it. I know why it is his favourite place – I can honestly say I haven’t seen such beauty for a long, long time. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbnToHpQbY5VfL_eNCh6TC1cpnEZ7db-I9C2mGWNHm7X4v7yE00b4sOlk6cTO50Wcw4njZbxw2c6MFNjSGxM9kqEpT4W9Ym9tjU91va7rp1lTtXYXN-MSHoJ7fTG78K-nlFZeGyhzapgf/s1600/DSC01440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><img border="0" height="152" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbnToHpQbY5VfL_eNCh6TC1cpnEZ7db-I9C2mGWNHm7X4v7yE00b4sOlk6cTO50Wcw4njZbxw2c6MFNjSGxM9kqEpT4W9Ym9tjU91va7rp1lTtXYXN-MSHoJ7fTG78K-nlFZeGyhzapgf/s640/DSC01440.JPG" width="640" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Røsnæs!</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTFEpRmrees65qQeQBvSESappJcP6xaxC24rZKoD9yrO3kHlE3dDSdFeE2g7EOxuF_BdVnBsuYncekQKA-ienOa_yu9SDceUrtZAWf7hhI0vkmjqX8Id0lTL6vDQV8aWT1lB52jj2TuZz/s1600/DSC01447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><img border="0" height="480" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTFEpRmrees65qQeQBvSESappJcP6xaxC24rZKoD9yrO3kHlE3dDSdFeE2g7EOxuF_BdVnBsuYncekQKA-ienOa_yu9SDceUrtZAWf7hhI0vkmjqX8Id0lTL6vDQV8aWT1lB52jj2TuZz/s640/DSC01447.JPG" width="640" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Morfar and Jack at Røsnæs</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>BUT</strong> now we are home. And I’m crying a little here and there. When unpacking I’m crying a little into the suitcases – and it is not because of the insane amount of laundry or all the candy we brought home either! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ-IFiMItK0c5d-rgq_yzc1yVsUSyjRz-QgY_cnZKn4stbk01zYFFDtypCtQCPH7cJJ5ufKHRWErnTVhMiEae5U39UoAWMmJRJYM3FscsT6jYd0rJ6qouvUqLcnijVU1Kz0Fa2LBg5yRN/s1600/DSC01444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><em><img border="0" height="200" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ-IFiMItK0c5d-rgq_yzc1yVsUSyjRz-QgY_cnZKn4stbk01zYFFDtypCtQCPH7cJJ5ufKHRWErnTVhMiEae5U39UoAWMmJRJYM3FscsT6jYd0rJ6qouvUqLcnijVU1Kz0Fa2LBg5yRN/s200/DSC01444.JPG" width="150" /></em></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Anna at Røsnæs</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I cry because as I said to my Dad on Monday “Sometimes it is easier when you don't remember what it is that you’re missing” … and I honestly didn’t remember. I have over the last 7 years blocked out the good and the beauty of Denmark. Probably because it is a lot easier that way – <strong>BUT</strong> I promise you all … watching my darling kids fall in love with Denmark – over and over, again and again – throughout these last few weeks, it has changed my heart. And now I know we must not wait another 7 years and I know that next time Bob must come … so I can walk hand in hand with him at “Røsnæs”. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy the photos … I know I will – more than once!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUw-A4iZYQWLssLGK6RvSRoicC8F8YBd2L8FQTZgjvsjETz1FdZc6ICsLrLofukAQPQvM-vqg_7SeHubHDnbrwuv57lgSIlg1v2YgcwBzK4AOe85kYpY0H_NofCxcZKbDlrXl1l5NEBXj/s1600/DSC01381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><img border="0" height="600" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUw-A4iZYQWLssLGK6RvSRoicC8F8YBd2L8FQTZgjvsjETz1FdZc6ICsLrLofukAQPQvM-vqg_7SeHubHDnbrwuv57lgSIlg1v2YgcwBzK4AOe85kYpY0H_NofCxcZKbDlrXl1l5NEBXj/s640/DSC01381.JPG" width="640" /></em></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Kids with H.C. Andersen in LegoLand</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To all of you who made our trip unforgettable – Thank You … we are all so grateful!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A super special “Thank You” to Heidi for “dotting the “i” … to all my Kalundborg friends – you’ll know that a night out with Heidi, having pathetic “forårsruller” på “Slotten” is the absolute best way to end what was my best holiday ever. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll go cry a little more … while folding the first load of laundry <strong>BUT</strong> I’ll cry with a lot of love in my heart. I am very lucky to be Danish! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-87010575404597282132011-07-28T13:18:00.002-04:002011-07-28T14:05:45.452-04:00So I keep thinking ...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">... that I should write a little bit about how our summer is going, but I also keep thinking that there isn't much to tell as we practically live by the pool. I bake a cake ... the kids munch it up - I bake another and pretty soon all the neighborhood kids are hanging out by the pool too!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B5kkv9G3c6_c7VoIFihyphenhyphenkjVeBTkOFkLqK-NsOgju2Adj3R_nPMugzmklS5QMYPTjDj5CFKztRJIS2cuCh-PYbL1SPCqWkm1GGbqH7xrE2fQPoKZHDosxtHcAXQ3CNdRJdT94w32LUI52/s1600/DSC01250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B5kkv9G3c6_c7VoIFihyphenhyphenkjVeBTkOFkLqK-NsOgju2Adj3R_nPMugzmklS5QMYPTjDj5CFKztRJIS2cuCh-PYbL1SPCqWkm1GGbqH7xrE2fQPoKZHDosxtHcAXQ3CNdRJdT94w32LUI52/s640/DSC01250.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Jack made Quesadilla and salsa one night - very very proud of himself !</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have been super lucky with the weather this year - I know that Europe hasn't, and I am really not trying to rub it in, but in the last month there has only been two days where I haven't been in the pool - and really it wasn't that it was that bad - it was just that it was not the 30 degrees we've had every day - or more! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN1oAELrFZwfh-ZvY1XJfTO_LurKimtmJDak934AKIE9fcSni3OHiFSqYrrPvLKAKaFVlRiYBgavLoHevn7uLAYRLEKIFsoe4_R8RWUDF5S4JnFxmy6S2rbk4iAP24QzEzzzsADGOJzJJ/s1600/DSC01268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwN1oAELrFZwfh-ZvY1XJfTO_LurKimtmJDak934AKIE9fcSni3OHiFSqYrrPvLKAKaFVlRiYBgavLoHevn7uLAYRLEKIFsoe4_R8RWUDF5S4JnFxmy6S2rbk4iAP24QzEzzzsADGOJzJJ/s640/DSC01268.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of things done in July I guess for Anna the top of the list has to be that she finally got to go see Taylor Swift - and I will say that although I wasn't looking forward to it, I did kind of get in the mood the days up to and once there we had a really good time. Taylor Swift is perfect for a first time at a concert and now that she knows what a concert really is, Anna says she wants to go again - but that she wants to sit in the first row - duh!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNsS3OMnmPB30j_UMeZpzyfMfIvAqpSqfkL0Zpg4PrOAC9FLd1x0fNai_DjiK32lcJS4dctCGlBeIT9GotFXOd8wqFbwRSYIE_jMw0d5NGV9BmWMLLqvJvApoXlN2QVfZed6d-pco0CNc/s1600/DSC01252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNsS3OMnmPB30j_UMeZpzyfMfIvAqpSqfkL0Zpg4PrOAC9FLd1x0fNai_DjiK32lcJS4dctCGlBeIT9GotFXOd8wqFbwRSYIE_jMw0d5NGV9BmWMLLqvJvApoXlN2QVfZed6d-pco0CNc/s640/DSC01252.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We went on our yearly trip to Park Omega this weekend and said hi to the bears, the goats and the wolves - and the many many deer we love to feed. - I'm happy to say that this year the mountain goats did not try to come through the windows and we managed to get through the whole park without getting a scratch on the car! It is a lovely park - the animals are amazing and it feels right as it is only Canadian wildlife - you don't bump into an elephant or giraffe, which makes it seem right and real!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnavZKzbZCkvWoGPZZDJsQ0xxDdjUmvAH2Ot_GbbNCdmwJ0yBkk4jHg59jUsTwD3_RQSHyjlvERdfJOYWi4MQof_W6v_hmcjWKUJqqCUeXuaDD2Yckmsv5ypphw1nzzjj1rUQKajaJzfZ/s1600/DSC01302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnavZKzbZCkvWoGPZZDJsQ0xxDdjUmvAH2Ot_GbbNCdmwJ0yBkk4jHg59jUsTwD3_RQSHyjlvERdfJOYWi4MQof_W6v_hmcjWKUJqqCUeXuaDD2Yckmsv5ypphw1nzzjj1rUQKajaJzfZ/s320/DSC01302.JPG" t$="true" width="285" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrpslxTu1Qx0JuRlzCEMOnPKZR4lv8Of4enJT4yzjxi8UV4qgCT4V8y7_-opb5P6bYus3Oos3gdoC4bZZBlqJ6QTlCXj5vOiG8sTvN5JHPJiDtzXa-uZtOLLs25RoKR4RbcwL5W469Jz5/s1600/DSC01301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrpslxTu1Qx0JuRlzCEMOnPKZR4lv8Of4enJT4yzjxi8UV4qgCT4V8y7_-opb5P6bYus3Oos3gdoC4bZZBlqJ6QTlCXj5vOiG8sTvN5JHPJiDtzXa-uZtOLLs25RoKR4RbcwL5W469Jz5/s320/DSC01301.JPG" t$="true" width="268" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bob is still doing amazing with the implant - when he flew back to Calgary after it being switched on he managed for the first time ever to actually hear what the safety meassures in case of an emergency ... and he has only been flying thousands and thousands of kilometres in his life - thank god he didn't need to know them before :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK4NpEghP-xQo2vCaB6ujInE8lZtCHQgIc1H5Mc0zAdYFno8pAl50rJz7xba_rH12B1kM3lhbkOq5f1dKKrvJUskCfkGMStI9WqemUAV9O4urEKu_onuEgyjPvTDrDCbSvAhEXKzWNu1N/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK4NpEghP-xQo2vCaB6ujInE8lZtCHQgIc1H5Mc0zAdYFno8pAl50rJz7xba_rH12B1kM3lhbkOq5f1dKKrvJUskCfkGMStI9WqemUAV9O4urEKu_onuEgyjPvTDrDCbSvAhEXKzWNu1N/s640/IMG_0313.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Casper finally managed to "kill" his Christmas pig ... and this was only the beginning - the fluff is everywhere!!</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Oh - I hear kids screaming for me - it's pool time ... and after that - a lovely gooey chocolate cake ...</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-74668732819774121702011-07-12T09:33:00.000-04:002011-07-12T09:33:04.140-04:00It's a New Lifeso ... Bob's life changed pretty dramatically yesterday when his implant was switched on for the first time!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As you can tell it was a bit of a shock for him the first time it happened but he quickly got very brave and told her to keep turning it up and make the volume louder!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">She told him that he would probably feel the need to take it off as he'd be tired or overwhelmed, but that she really believed that it would be better if he wore it all day. She said that it would take time and most of what he'd hear yesterday and for maybe a few days was likely to be beeps and not necessarily make any sense. That it takes time for the brain to understand what is happening!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Bob being Bob - there was no way you could get it off him :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHM31oT7D6vqnYcF7MoEbZOT_CMlmO14BEFITtvZWhRkZhQJrElntpfg_1JmyNThUdvtG2K6lsyvPY-PCWvGm57rfoRUw94DuFSocZh5GRMHU33RQU2HL2HZzvQMdkhvsukWYeAgtn0Sv/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHM31oT7D6vqnYcF7MoEbZOT_CMlmO14BEFITtvZWhRkZhQJrElntpfg_1JmyNThUdvtG2K6lsyvPY-PCWvGm57rfoRUw94DuFSocZh5GRMHU33RQU2HL2HZzvQMdkhvsukWYeAgtn0Sv/s640/IMG_0284.JPG" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And by evening he was hearing everything we said - here are a few of yesterdays revelations</div><ol><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Jack, Anna, Bob and I were having lunch around the table and he found this little piece of plastic wrap ... he picked it up, scrunched it into a little ball and I swear - you have never seen such amazement in anyone else ... he just sat there, gently scrunching this little ball of plastic - never having heard the sound of that before! He looked so happy - SO happy!</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I went to chat with our neighbor and walked in to tell him - he was playing ball with Casper - again ... utter amazement on his face - listening to the ball hit the floor and for Casper's little nails clicking on the wood as he ran to fetch the ball. The smile on Bob's face - priceless! </div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As we went out for a celebratory dinner - he for the first time ever was able to listen to the children in the back of the car, without having to turn and lipread ... extraordinary!!</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When the kids finally had gone to bed and we were able to watch MI5 he just sat there going - "wow, I can actually hear them talk" and "golly, was that a mobile phone?" ... </div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">He also managed to listen to music - and for the first time ever really heard what was said and not just the music. Actually he was unable to hear the music itself, it takes time for the brain to understand it all and he only heard the words of the song. He was so impressed.</div></li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I swear - I have never been happier for another person in my life - I have never seen such amazement on another persons face. I have only ever seen Bob this overwhelmingly happy at the birth of our children. It is mind blowing what is happening - he is learning sounds for the first time in his life. He has never been able to hear "st" sounds or "ch" sounds ... and now he hears them clear as a bell!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So yes - it is a new life and he is embracing it fully. He does not want to take it off at all and his progress within the first day way exceeded what his doctor told him it would be. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">... but I should have known that shouldn't I :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-59040020407994131472011-06-11T21:00:00.002-04:002011-06-11T21:22:09.232-04:00Happy 10th Birthday Anna & Jack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The birthday was so much fun. We started, as always, by opening presents very early in the morning - and then I had to bake little cupcakes for school so it was a tired, but happy Mama Mote who sent the little people off at 7.45 am! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sleepover party itself - a few days later - was so much fun! It really was - I was getting a little worried the closer we got to the date, whether I had done something silly by inviting all these kids over for a sleepover, but it turned out well. The boys were by far the most silly ones and also the hardest to get to go to sleep - it was well after midnight and then they were up again at 5.17 am - however I didn't get up till 7!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pool had only been open for a few days, and although the sun was out on the party day, it still wasn't that warm - but the kids didn't mind and jumped right in ... shaking every time they got out again!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack and Anna helped decorate the "movie cupcakes" and had a lot of fun with that. We had planned on an elaborate cake for the girls but Anna loves loves loves choux pastry so we went with that instead!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will leave you with lots of photos from the day of and the day of the party itself!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusezzqEZi-9db96G-egtEvUWGB8P8W7h-L-RRpgFhIO-gIo9bODqlyaOFjL_cFklIKbUcUsbud39OVbFtUZk1q6oSymMCWVamX9ZeN1ba2UhK62s2vtSzZAp5j50zwche4_iQppsj5Kq6/s1600/DSC01123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusezzqEZi-9db96G-egtEvUWGB8P8W7h-L-RRpgFhIO-gIo9bODqlyaOFjL_cFklIKbUcUsbud39OVbFtUZk1q6oSymMCWVamX9ZeN1ba2UhK62s2vtSzZAp5j50zwche4_iQppsj5Kq6/s640/DSC01123.JPG" t8="true" width="368" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good Morning ... where are the presents???</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl6InWtgOuVcytPz_NXWBdUieUSXqG6XBg8SowFWcQK6_EnzjbrroaJshEIvERAmqyQyM2NWikEo61hU7vZuoHA31IBNheKhb10aReqLnSqGz0Lr1RurKE9lXPkBCdEL6fqFpqGaA2JFw/s1600/DSC01131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl6InWtgOuVcytPz_NXWBdUieUSXqG6XBg8SowFWcQK6_EnzjbrroaJshEIvERAmqyQyM2NWikEo61hU7vZuoHA31IBNheKhb10aReqLnSqGz0Lr1RurKE9lXPkBCdEL6fqFpqGaA2JFw/s640/DSC01131.JPG" t8="true" width="494" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OMG ... I'm going to a Taylor Swift concert ... OMG OMG OMG</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUbhsFBobKjtaNBWmGk-CAgC9JgkK2w7ZdDkxSAPrzfJYony0o9N01M7l9Wc3tyanv_LL9fovXQ5H9YYon0hns721G2OarHMw1mknLakhIxp2Xk8W8ltA5naoqJ3EfJZKC2XpKAGkTT35/s1600/DSC01125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUbhsFBobKjtaNBWmGk-CAgC9JgkK2w7ZdDkxSAPrzfJYony0o9N01M7l9Wc3tyanv_LL9fovXQ5H9YYon0hns721G2OarHMw1mknLakhIxp2Xk8W8ltA5naoqJ3EfJZKC2XpKAGkTT35/s640/DSC01125.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Pandora "peace sign" from Jack for her bracelet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc_PCkOCEVji3Hep81LZC5VikbBVq0xplR-Il2GLxh6kPW29CxBv8dkTjizNLBn54lJE7QK6bd3rsx5Wgy7NmSQyne0iss8A9y1OiFOkQQPX83NAV0FtH7LkSlKVa9i5779IlEYpmcq-q/s1600/DSC01133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc_PCkOCEVji3Hep81LZC5VikbBVq0xplR-Il2GLxh6kPW29CxBv8dkTjizNLBn54lJE7QK6bd3rsx5Wgy7NmSQyne0iss8A9y1OiFOkQQPX83NAV0FtH7LkSlKVa9i5779IlEYpmcq-q/s640/DSC01133.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No way ... tickets to Formula 1 ... really????</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaljXF7Wo_loIJtZG0YOJtkjzxJN6fF6Cp-uoWbHHNX8o1efWA_WlWcMs-6pyMywUv2BCqXTHuXLeDfiH3iu6hATINiSn87NT5HwmKcdyLR4d_UbbXEf0Kn07hMJ28sQsKTY9nSj-VHvl/s1600/DSC01135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaljXF7Wo_loIJtZG0YOJtkjzxJN6fF6Cp-uoWbHHNX8o1efWA_WlWcMs-6pyMywUv2BCqXTHuXLeDfiH3iu6hATINiSn87NT5HwmKcdyLR4d_UbbXEf0Kn07hMJ28sQsKTY9nSj-VHvl/s640/DSC01135.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sneijder outfit ... he was really hoping for that one!!</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Oxft6BiEVxOF3FaVFdssKoPViiHFQ4bQfZOwqwoBa2e1ECdcd6TSqN_qypU-I0No0_gtXoevajz0dYCPXZ6Ev83ZnaAukmoRmCONmr7hWlKH7ppy8ly9CAeru_aA5YKTbyy1330Zd5WI/s1600/DSC01137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Oxft6BiEVxOF3FaVFdssKoPViiHFQ4bQfZOwqwoBa2e1ECdcd6TSqN_qypU-I0No0_gtXoevajz0dYCPXZ6Ev83ZnaAukmoRmCONmr7hWlKH7ppy8ly9CAeru_aA5YKTbyy1330Zd5WI/s640/DSC01137.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and then there was of course a little something for Maia as well - which made her very happy ... can you tell???</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IpagNMQD-3AMjs2uBVgvPr64fvU9QBMrFSzriphl3mek-yMYwVbTUb8lovaoT4-wUBorlGfcBAJTQlH2iAJcChLG_oh_EsVRQJf4LphlnHntfQSSKgSiDlbrV4f0BT2OqdYUb1vrOw37/s1600/DSC01142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IpagNMQD-3AMjs2uBVgvPr64fvU9QBMrFSzriphl3mek-yMYwVbTUb8lovaoT4-wUBorlGfcBAJTQlH2iAJcChLG_oh_EsVRQJf4LphlnHntfQSSKgSiDlbrV4f0BT2OqdYUb1vrOw37/s640/DSC01142.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and with the Sneijder outfit - a FIFA soccer ball!!!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJt0ufcCGljlxQ8n2dMhtda_V6hqPAeL6AwXl8xAzLvz7CX2evU1VKJ-nNfVN5EN4Eu3zje8Rn3fxcDbpJ7hkaQuslRGWlCkkv5RCgZ67ObP4Vy1utKF1qgFjQc4H7U7APh3A0g2RXyV-/s1600/DSC01144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJt0ufcCGljlxQ8n2dMhtda_V6hqPAeL6AwXl8xAzLvz7CX2evU1VKJ-nNfVN5EN4Eu3zje8Rn3fxcDbpJ7hkaQuslRGWlCkkv5RCgZ67ObP4Vy1utKF1qgFjQc4H7U7APh3A0g2RXyV-/s640/DSC01144.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A new Yoga Mat ... yipeeeee!!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKI3f6o5T7s74h4JsHWtQcHSavjqxdUP-KCOA-ySjp_gFqmvHOa05CwKL8PJZ1F5MTWwAMBlv1seDtVBZcCaS7qEvV5hX_9UlavXJrUbMLjM3-s_z8GzFYJWLObxMCRz4_TV9P7TFC4CW/s1600/DSC01149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKI3f6o5T7s74h4JsHWtQcHSavjqxdUP-KCOA-ySjp_gFqmvHOa05CwKL8PJZ1F5MTWwAMBlv1seDtVBZcCaS7qEvV5hX_9UlavXJrUbMLjM3-s_z8GzFYJWLObxMCRz4_TV9P7TFC4CW/s640/DSC01149.JPG" t8="true" width="414" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Road Hockey - goalie outfit ...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd4GGY47pP7WU-VIy3tvy3D6l11VgIeILHYRMbqbFEfH325f01ubjKcOPVMuuzZabrnzHFjl7DsrejfTytZYVdX418Mz0f4gWPc_5BmjETQeuTTHP2cTHrf9ME0Otm9NPMHcKp8CmxM5K/s1600/DSC01156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd4GGY47pP7WU-VIy3tvy3D6l11VgIeILHYRMbqbFEfH325f01ubjKcOPVMuuzZabrnzHFjl7DsrejfTytZYVdX418Mz0f4gWPc_5BmjETQeuTTHP2cTHrf9ME0Otm9NPMHcKp8CmxM5K/s640/DSC01156.JPG" t8="true" width="540" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maia picked just the right pressie - a craft bucket!</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWf5Gic_rNq_bUCg_f6e_MpfgvBrq4J2nEB5iBuMuceZeZNL0nJl6zpSVi-QblSg8Xw7hsSvJkhJaIZd85EBuYVpRGjI_5ohpKOk6H3zvVPVZwquveWNrccSCwAGBMzhL1bDA3Bz0s8-A/s1600/DSC01159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWf5Gic_rNq_bUCg_f6e_MpfgvBrq4J2nEB5iBuMuceZeZNL0nJl6zpSVi-QblSg8Xw7hsSvJkhJaIZd85EBuYVpRGjI_5ohpKOk6H3zvVPVZwquveWNrccSCwAGBMzhL1bDA3Bz0s8-A/s640/DSC01159.JPG" t8="true" width="376" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A stick for the goalie!</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkad7GRIHCEju6PyU1pIwV8vrIAFB_738X6w0Vk_xazVagfapReYeTVhe0RBor6ExF-P9NQXxe79wqZ5q4N6dLhKUQq-I7BPTHgQZZEASCLyf_K8r_DDcuvlsWJAm8Un3HJ1kgb-i2D65p/s1600/DSC01174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkad7GRIHCEju6PyU1pIwV8vrIAFB_738X6w0Vk_xazVagfapReYeTVhe0RBor6ExF-P9NQXxe79wqZ5q4N6dLhKUQq-I7BPTHgQZZEASCLyf_K8r_DDcuvlsWJAm8Un3HJ1kgb-i2D65p/s640/DSC01174.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then there was cake ...</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIp9P2PTTe3Penlrg-beU3havwrETtwKvN3-IOI5f6iUvfjUtdk2_GR0I00IFMzb_CtkzIx_5fOjVlYOBG5I1vYqm_gUVJVixhj6BQg6SbCvenrVVM_YZYz2003prZJbEb5r_SO-hJpkl/s1600/DSC01178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIp9P2PTTe3Penlrg-beU3havwrETtwKvN3-IOI5f6iUvfjUtdk2_GR0I00IFMzb_CtkzIx_5fOjVlYOBG5I1vYqm_gUVJVixhj6BQg6SbCvenrVVM_YZYz2003prZJbEb5r_SO-hJpkl/s640/DSC01178.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and cupcakes for the girls at the party </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTI_89nFSIdI-fmXJi2WMk8Y3guVwDtcHYwRoUSsckPLTC8IOELfFKUZXKzMltwEyuOfKfPmRV3Nmif9pYONoyg0CvQe8trnpTX1jn2k6Bkqp25MFNZeswRUw9eOkXE3f3TEPbUUrrs4kC/s1600/DSC01179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTI_89nFSIdI-fmXJi2WMk8Y3guVwDtcHYwRoUSsckPLTC8IOELfFKUZXKzMltwEyuOfKfPmRV3Nmif9pYONoyg0CvQe8trnpTX1jn2k6Bkqp25MFNZeswRUw9eOkXE3f3TEPbUUrrs4kC/s640/DSC01179.JPG" t8="true" width="442" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and for the boys ....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPhNS6uzDxunwsOaes2ZAWyCppdk0DiDrkxSuARznM-usE2IPOR8ub9ZggWu5vaSDMreHrwKlh-POHZQjbf7DHzkvncDfz_9RDeWcbXzAFx4ZHe1g2Li3lHa1Jp9pvqLlplA9kDlfYCje/s1600/DSC01181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPhNS6uzDxunwsOaes2ZAWyCppdk0DiDrkxSuARznM-usE2IPOR8ub9ZggWu5vaSDMreHrwKlh-POHZQjbf7DHzkvncDfz_9RDeWcbXzAFx4ZHe1g2Li3lHa1Jp9pvqLlplA9kDlfYCje/s640/DSC01181.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jack checking out the Candy Buffet!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3HTU3Kurg68QieOnaFJrrMeJu-mxIUYt17-0vCyHwFjYBTJwSvy7coSJCz7BXCyfHY5Ot9wa_G2fguG80fvLWgaj4Kivo5f0UQ99NWiwr3V3w3pNPKo7bGmMY4M4-qDErRCZdg_6d48y/s1600/DSC01182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3HTU3Kurg68QieOnaFJrrMeJu-mxIUYt17-0vCyHwFjYBTJwSvy7coSJCz7BXCyfHY5Ot9wa_G2fguG80fvLWgaj4Kivo5f0UQ99NWiwr3V3w3pNPKo7bGmMY4M4-qDErRCZdg_6d48y/s640/DSC01182.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">check out the marshmallows in the middle jar!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWnzEsHUBxyvquPamPFnieA6c2-ycFkS65ZiOY5xnZXCmMFZjG5tJoQHP8O0upJU46iXoaa1PRY0Xb27MGON45yZbuYZQMLa8wscFD_Qu1JgjGUQbsFaQTt7d_7HoJJAieEyAACOEzfzJ/s1600/DSC01202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWnzEsHUBxyvquPamPFnieA6c2-ycFkS65ZiOY5xnZXCmMFZjG5tJoQHP8O0upJU46iXoaa1PRY0Xb27MGON45yZbuYZQMLa8wscFD_Qu1JgjGUQbsFaQTt7d_7HoJJAieEyAACOEzfzJ/s640/DSC01202.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brave ... very Brave girls!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmLHoiZ0xNz1lP7aDXqz-xKk47cfeOfNy3ikeUntUM5h7ea09FZhPCfHYInnwdIyMeXciNdoqu-VwBKWVfwdzy-c8KLLLICIB07peggYdPnZN-eirfSA1onmo0lIMdWyj7MogqjqhRzmL/s1600/DSC01204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmLHoiZ0xNz1lP7aDXqz-xKk47cfeOfNy3ikeUntUM5h7ea09FZhPCfHYInnwdIyMeXciNdoqu-VwBKWVfwdzy-c8KLLLICIB07peggYdPnZN-eirfSA1onmo0lIMdWyj7MogqjqhRzmL/s640/DSC01204.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">still in there ...</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSddIKWd12KmorXhmFkkTuxRyeWlv2ezepRrzTgyXofcT7jkBavFuIhbbuxjjgx89KqLKhRt3d8FFk1WC-9K3DbeLZUKfdqzbHQ_m1W_ydVHeVofPegHzGpIbX2DZJD62634FShCA2ItA5/s1600/DSC01205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSddIKWd12KmorXhmFkkTuxRyeWlv2ezepRrzTgyXofcT7jkBavFuIhbbuxjjgx89KqLKhRt3d8FFk1WC-9K3DbeLZUKfdqzbHQ_m1W_ydVHeVofPegHzGpIbX2DZJD62634FShCA2ItA5/s640/DSC01205.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the boys had had enough ...</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt93mo-rodWp8EEPur4AAZvzQhiVwk8tqX42ujrK1syZq990zm_r3fxydZ8xc7aarkwv86PiPhyphenhyphenf3b6I_1kk_jMUlZdSUUavDzrMmdKISJ8zgw5I-ZG_9T7I8E0b7PyLRcB7kUTW48Kg07/s1600/DSC01209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt93mo-rodWp8EEPur4AAZvzQhiVwk8tqX42ujrK1syZq990zm_r3fxydZ8xc7aarkwv86PiPhyphenhyphenf3b6I_1kk_jMUlZdSUUavDzrMmdKISJ8zgw5I-ZG_9T7I8E0b7PyLRcB7kUTW48Kg07/s640/DSC01209.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the girls stayed for a while!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoTw6VnfPhzSgdBybLiAyfbQP35ubQIvhNuWhyEJCKgCkhcDCMNU8DQsrYZKTlkqxvSKKD52CnF8MiPk6DZ9tb1RLsnd3AM-_82Wmh8qLbC3wBOCrGTBFU9IyuCerN85qQudiXoYmPYJJ/s640/DSC01210.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">and then onto the food!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU98f8O3ukOf7XSYRj4Vc2GspSOqGAOHx3FiwJ-taPF43X2FG_IxurP1LeneVfEwu6en1gNSqWzo6adyJQbNUaCp-gQyrCyfh1hW92O06zrK-L8r6N8HqgdTp8siI1ZRmV_fvReJoKvS-F/s1600/DSC01214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU98f8O3ukOf7XSYRj4Vc2GspSOqGAOHx3FiwJ-taPF43X2FG_IxurP1LeneVfEwu6en1gNSqWzo6adyJQbNUaCp-gQyrCyfh1hW92O06zrK-L8r6N8HqgdTp8siI1ZRmV_fvReJoKvS-F/s640/DSC01214.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All Easy Stuff!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOoRRtaB5lB3vvmKOBgEfWDmXnFXREc7jlnpCvycB0-QATs7CUJLa2FGJEx2Qt8WY52zFQ-ENOVrW8U42TebTVUURzRm5sTEPR82RcdD7y4dhA04FYJQ4vpJn_2PIXicDM_x3IPApciZE/s1600/DSC01216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOoRRtaB5lB3vvmKOBgEfWDmXnFXREc7jlnpCvycB0-QATs7CUJLa2FGJEx2Qt8WY52zFQ-ENOVrW8U42TebTVUURzRm5sTEPR82RcdD7y4dhA04FYJQ4vpJn_2PIXicDM_x3IPApciZE/s640/DSC01216.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anna opening presents with the girls - there wasn't a spot left on her floor - it was one big mattress!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EC0KYyeKAvyg-CCo4WuUy4z3Q8K5wpYHHTD0YsHjwespJEcFWDc6WQVrr89Z6Uvj0O6mX1lYCN45wUSffY2RFSVDxWUv3qU7saGzviM0MdNABYSDhU81TfY2EAC_dZZkP0vNCc1TkCIB/s1600/DSC01235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EC0KYyeKAvyg-CCo4WuUy4z3Q8K5wpYHHTD0YsHjwespJEcFWDc6WQVrr89Z6Uvj0O6mX1lYCN45wUSffY2RFSVDxWUv3qU7saGzviM0MdNABYSDhU81TfY2EAC_dZZkP0vNCc1TkCIB/s640/DSC01235.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The girls did a fashion show ... no losers - only winners!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrTDI6RW7T-W_3tSDA243VIyeqjNksziMGafNSYo41lwR59suwtgVtx5vj4tACNrbKowcbsHMzG6o_QI1o7D9MTgRw9E-V4VK3beNvQ8zvkSiJqTGSRFQvd3lzDPc5lSae3sJ2AbpH9MG/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrTDI6RW7T-W_3tSDA243VIyeqjNksziMGafNSYo41lwR59suwtgVtx5vj4tACNrbKowcbsHMzG6o_QI1o7D9MTgRw9E-V4VK3beNvQ8zvkSiJqTGSRFQvd3lzDPc5lSae3sJ2AbpH9MG/s640/IMG_0134.JPG" t8="true" width="478" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They totally took over that room - notice the kid in the back with the soccer ball - yeah, that is exactly what they did - they played ball in the family room ... I know, I know ... I am wayyy too lax - but given that I had allowed 14 kids for a sleepover, what kind of a Mama do you really think I am - I really don't care about the stuff - only about the fun!!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so that is that - the party is over ... only thing that remains - well tomorrow Bob and Jack will be out the door at 5.30 to spend the whole day in Montreal watching race after race after race! Jack is so excited - as is Bob, and there is no doubt that I would have loved to go too! Instead me and the girls will hang out by the pool which is now really nice and warm!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll leave you with a few photos of Master Jack ... He had been growing his hair for the longest time and Bob and I were secretly going nuts, but knew we just had to bite the bullet - Wednesday morning on the way to school we saw one of their friends, and we all agreed he looked great having just had a new haircut - I could tell Jack was slightly impressed, so after school while the girls were swimming, I told him "let's go and get a haircut and then we'll surprise the girls when we get home - that would be so much fun" ... can you believe he fell for that one? We were off within seconds (didn't want to risk him changing his mind!) and he did it! I cannot tell you how much I love looking at him, those incredibly blue eyes - they are so much easier to enjoy when there is not all that silly hair hanging around them! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy!!!</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3b0mx1Ds2Cs74vdfEFp9SrcKoz0xkYNucCQDdxv1F1KA7CEgGnv3vbaGlfPItqd9uMlZA1AK8FHTGsXtTFhz30Y4vSOJUtGrZPeC9PD-tmxul_msCw4UaH7D6p_zupzpL2Zhy6eBOe_T/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3b0mx1Ds2Cs74vdfEFp9SrcKoz0xkYNucCQDdxv1F1KA7CEgGnv3vbaGlfPItqd9uMlZA1AK8FHTGsXtTFhz30Y4vSOJUtGrZPeC9PD-tmxul_msCw4UaH7D6p_zupzpL2Zhy6eBOe_T/s640/IMG_0169.JPG" t8="true" width="478" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">not much of a poser :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lmiNXjhjbhbFad66nxY7qq5IyPvRjguThCktdBjgmhORzj5Auu-8tie2e8AcmZAkfKrwlS36cjSjbAtI4jZ38GFy5wHyUcNjSsUBMf4GLARm0SNxtE2WOYAHburoX-TkDuSqRYQhcWH9/s1600/IMG_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lmiNXjhjbhbFad66nxY7qq5IyPvRjguThCktdBjgmhORzj5Auu-8tie2e8AcmZAkfKrwlS36cjSjbAtI4jZ38GFy5wHyUcNjSsUBMf4GLARm0SNxtE2WOYAHburoX-TkDuSqRYQhcWH9/s640/IMG_0168.JPG" t8="true" width="478" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cool hey?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsk18yOwRcTNXAsxSymXK1RuMqUSdW5dbciTn0Cewd1w9DoI826Sq6S_HLm2jwKcpcBJe43y-i8lpZ4Coaug5QaTYtQCaJmWvM06zgBcLAhlnPQkjPKrA8RORxb4-tSGlpvRE7LSYYk-35/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsk18yOwRcTNXAsxSymXK1RuMqUSdW5dbciTn0Cewd1w9DoI826Sq6S_HLm2jwKcpcBJe43y-i8lpZ4Coaug5QaTYtQCaJmWvM06zgBcLAhlnPQkjPKrA8RORxb4-tSGlpvRE7LSYYk-35/s640/IMG_0171.JPG" t8="true" width="478" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then of course a bit of silly !</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-32736297974862541272011-05-31T08:50:00.001-04:002012-01-03T18:05:11.652-05:00Another 6 Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a SNUGGLE Owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thing that makes me happy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Favorite and my Best</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are Kisses and Big Smooches </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Hugs and all the rest</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shall we cozy in a Quilt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or Snuggle in a Bed?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or hide beneath the warmth</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of my Lovely Pink Bedspread?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabFtCvfXod7LnF_FrBJ7FjbSn9g2YZad6YaVbl3M3OKZTAnpZ0HpDWCFdVI4Q1S0R9YiMMQOKfY9jNGq7zbX79oxpYx6bmMb8_w0kKkDxHpeOHdC7FtF6neDEfuQ7CzRkWME2wNQ-QwQN/s1600/DSC01113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabFtCvfXod7LnF_FrBJ7FjbSn9g2YZad6YaVbl3M3OKZTAnpZ0HpDWCFdVI4Q1S0R9YiMMQOKfY9jNGq7zbX79oxpYx6bmMb8_w0kKkDxHpeOHdC7FtF6neDEfuQ7CzRkWME2wNQ-QwQN/s400/DSC01113.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a DREAM Owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quiet down - Don't make a Peep</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We must go off to sleep</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's be a Team </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And make a Dream</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which leaves us feeling glad</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'll then wake up believing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the best we ever had!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37rXYc2jU5FgfHLZwIZgqjwCI4J5wrR7tsSjdosehNnHVw24ebtHO0gFBmoWTuFEBzeb3rFcVB_SEJOWye2OLI4snFb9BtRyjMD9vmDLxsft8n3Z83i1pg1kM3DpuL9NFePDbC5cDRJVG/s1600/DSC01115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37rXYc2jU5FgfHLZwIZgqjwCI4J5wrR7tsSjdosehNnHVw24ebtHO0gFBmoWTuFEBzeb3rFcVB_SEJOWye2OLI4snFb9BtRyjMD9vmDLxsft8n3Z83i1pg1kM3DpuL9NFePDbC5cDRJVG/s400/DSC01115.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a GIGGLE owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to tell Jokes - this is my Favorite</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Knock, Knock"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"who's there"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Owl's"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Owl's Who?"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"That's right, Owl's HOOOOO!"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tee Hee Hee</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be my Friend, we'll have some fun</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And please do tell - your favorite one?</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_07DMxyCZ0xrep-rMhEgCkmdcCoCpjvO_H1uttg9aam-_wTqWjRQuKNvo2myINHwgb_y33ihJFj9w7T92kY8ivGLHNFDyszgVmEkJJWROq_kMUvbKB4Cyp2A676RfcRy-MCO9KR2eUJuX/s1600/DSC01116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_07DMxyCZ0xrep-rMhEgCkmdcCoCpjvO_H1uttg9aam-_wTqWjRQuKNvo2myINHwgb_y33ihJFj9w7T92kY8ivGLHNFDyszgVmEkJJWROq_kMUvbKB4Cyp2A676RfcRy-MCO9KR2eUJuX/s400/DSC01116.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a ROCK Owl</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come JAM with me</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's make good friends</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll tell you what I like!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love that music makes me feel </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like flying high above!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The instruments I like would be </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Piano and the Flute</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But really what I love to do </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is singing and to HOOT!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqS962034RKS00-pqimc-vx9nLLDBoat1A47X5R5lSI0QDGhY6h3aXmXC6YzylV5zSnS-8GNGeg_twEnqzNx9ZsuitnSPH346m14bKy4bUjKukNJXoUvy2vXswSt2HB4-NfyHUHw6KscU/s1600/DSC01118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqS962034RKS00-pqimc-vx9nLLDBoat1A47X5R5lSI0QDGhY6h3aXmXC6YzylV5zSnS-8GNGeg_twEnqzNx9ZsuitnSPH346m14bKy4bUjKukNJXoUvy2vXswSt2HB4-NfyHUHw6KscU/s400/DSC01118.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a GARDEN Owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have these great green wings</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know most every flowers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And other Garden things.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite flower is the Rose</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It equals lots of love</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Friends and Love goes hand in hand</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That everybody knows!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilhRzDEtxz8FnHtnCbPeiMwCAsnYd-XVkm4jljV-0Sv28hDeYK39LmosVBFZkhcmdlLRsXXWKvFFs7Sqzyl8X9K0h2Kl_SCTj4tvWZ6PFPWsWTHXobTgtRvfIEujztoheRuTaXsnKuqkN/s1600/DSC01120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilhRzDEtxz8FnHtnCbPeiMwCAsnYd-XVkm4jljV-0Sv28hDeYK39LmosVBFZkhcmdlLRsXXWKvFFs7Sqzyl8X9K0h2Kl_SCTj4tvWZ6PFPWsWTHXobTgtRvfIEujztoheRuTaXsnKuqkN/s400/DSC01120.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm a PEACE Owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I love more than anything</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is just to hang about</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The feelings that my Peace will bring</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you'll sing about</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace and Love and Happiness</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does make the world go round</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So come new Friend, let's do compose</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and show the would our sound!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTqAGP8t59stppcV47b8q8IgDGTslfhPExakHGwAeGQOK7mbQKiG5W94tdQdbv30-HLW_-6_gLNXYhmMrQpn7mLZgK0nsTx8i0dzBudxoV188fb8h4M3Qw_C2C3MwpiWSPAMEE7PLPXHb/s1600/DSC01122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTqAGP8t59stppcV47b8q8IgDGTslfhPExakHGwAeGQOK7mbQKiG5W94tdQdbv30-HLW_-6_gLNXYhmMrQpn7mLZgK0nsTx8i0dzBudxoV188fb8h4M3Qw_C2C3MwpiWSPAMEE7PLPXHb/s400/DSC01122.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-74051919101565403672011-05-27T22:01:00.002-04:002011-05-27T22:07:19.472-04:00A Very Happy Patient!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought there might be some of you who'd like to know how Bob is doing ... and as you can see he is happy and smiling - despite being very sore!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQEBdZG3o61qy6V-LxfNedB95FLiq_o7sRjVCsjBYh0QpKbpaUwYdL_ogGjWP66AIiVE7cgvjMTdFRmLQAYsSJvuSnv3E1T7aiJbizr-BubCpmkwniUV0_dzRKcaFyRuyqaBzv19CzaXR/s1600/IMG_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQEBdZG3o61qy6V-LxfNedB95FLiq_o7sRjVCsjBYh0QpKbpaUwYdL_ogGjWP66AIiVE7cgvjMTdFRmLQAYsSJvuSnv3E1T7aiJbizr-BubCpmkwniUV0_dzRKcaFyRuyqaBzv19CzaXR/s400/IMG_0086.JPG" t8="true" width="298" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a call from the secretary of the surgeon who told me they tested the implant before closing up, and they were very happy to tell, it was succesful. Bob was, understandably, blown away by this information. It will take days, months and maybe over a year for Bob to get used to this implant, but the happiness and joy I saw tonight, despite the pain, dizziness and pathetic hospital bed, I don't think I will ever be able to put into words how incredibly grateful and happy I am on his behalf. Who would have even thought it was possible just 5 years ago?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He appreciates every card, crossword, message, email and thought - thank you for understanding what this means to him!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have picked up the perscription for some nasty strong painkillers - and will be picking Bob up from the hospital at 6.30 tomorrow morning ... The Ottawa Civic is just another conveyor belt! </span>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-84734439218579546512011-05-24T10:17:00.001-04:002011-05-24T10:17:58.210-04:00I'm a CANDY Owl<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gumdrop, Licorice and Sugary Sweets</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Any of these would be my </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">FAVORITE treats</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There is no doubt I'm sweet enough</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But filling my Tummy I'll never get stuffed</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And what I am hoping will happen today</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Is that we're sweet friends, to me you'll say</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEn8lkyQQFimiitDxXOOExAH1b7ktL9PzMOOdf5LOKrFO4st2o7diw8dc0t7dRsn6UaadnHDt5YTkB6kmzqyIdD6ZDId-jbepbkmZmv3UR5EImNc62KfN57W9jKFLFQoEvH3Qx3yeUgHt8/s1600/DSC01109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEn8lkyQQFimiitDxXOOExAH1b7ktL9PzMOOdf5LOKrFO4st2o7diw8dc0t7dRsn6UaadnHDt5YTkB6kmzqyIdD6ZDId-jbepbkmZmv3UR5EImNc62KfN57W9jKFLFQoEvH3Qx3yeUgHt8/s400/DSC01109.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-6236184314128433202011-05-24T08:49:00.001-04:002011-05-24T08:50:07.802-04:00I'm a Wise Old Owl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have decided to post all my little owls as they get done and our first to be finished and ready to fly the nest is Mr. Wise Old Owl </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">His little card which follows him and teaches the lucky owner about him says:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In all the years I went to school</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The best, and what I found most cool</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Was when I was learning to read about stuff</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I just couldn't stop or ever get enough</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My favorite books that I ever did do</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Was "Legend of the Guardians" </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and "Winnie the Pooh"</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g12LVIWnNibD57d-zSDBEGqWxA-mLOT0IqNYH7UHhVPSiSlRl92twCnxpEj8V020wp2mtljAsmoONQVTqsl3LIH8h1ov1wrnAWy-rXdZG8uqZ0N1xNPjfnpJi48StVXgDUoSSC_BnraA/s1600/DSC01105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g12LVIWnNibD57d-zSDBEGqWxA-mLOT0IqNYH7UHhVPSiSlRl92twCnxpEj8V020wp2mtljAsmoONQVTqsl3LIH8h1ov1wrnAWy-rXdZG8uqZ0N1xNPjfnpJi48StVXgDUoSSC_BnraA/s400/DSC01105.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-67027106086925060812011-05-22T21:35:00.002-04:002011-05-22T21:56:37.801-04:00It's Happening<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every day is filled with some fun at the moment. Jack and Anna are counting down the days till they will be Double Digits ... and then they are counting down the days till their Monster Party!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm having a great time planning this party. I'm finding myself really enjoying it rather than some years where I have done the parties, but not always felt in the mood for it - this year ... we are going all out - I mean, how often do you get to celebrate your children turning 10</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bob and I have many plans - and loads of secrets, Maia knows a little bit and she's as excited as Jack and Anna. She's so happy for them and has been doing their birthday cards for days - hiding behind closed doors, decorating away.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack has told me that he's not really into the whole "everything-must-go-together" themes - so I'm keeping it fairly easy on the boys side, but with Anna - oh I'm going all out and this is what I've been doing for the last two days. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="314" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz_FcmRH2K1rOiWcTxEyyhjXB_CQIRIr_Q6Q7pzpjFpLcsYboF8XgRhtHF-h1cFHZr_U_bPOgGPpTO7kK-pi9m2UIZ69_C8oyTtxZqdtwoSFHS6EryplLdOvZirfwe941xjWb5N5sTY-M/s640/DSC01097.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which One is Your Favorite???</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz_FcmRH2K1rOiWcTxEyyhjXB_CQIRIr_Q6Q7pzpjFpLcsYboF8XgRhtHF-h1cFHZr_U_bPOgGPpTO7kK-pi9m2UIZ69_C8oyTtxZqdtwoSFHS6EryplLdOvZirfwe941xjWb5N5sTY-M/s1600/DSC01097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went on the internet Friday afternoon - found this lovely lady blogging about an owl party she'd done for her 6 year old : </span><a href="http://snowybliss.blogspot.com/2011/02/night-owl-party.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://snowybliss.blogspot.com/2011/02/night-owl-party.html</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I love her pillows, but didn't quite find them right for a 10 year old birthday party, so I sat down, drew a simple pattern for these little guys, they are about 15 cm tall - ran to FabricLand - got every color felt they had and have just finished sewing these guys this evening. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with ANJ's pillows I will be making every owl extra special but I have to do this in secret. Anna has no idea what we are going to do with these owls and I don't want to give it away - she doesn't think anymore will happen to the owls and I'm sure she'll be blown away when she gets to see them once finished, on the eve of the party!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love when I find a Mamma out there who enjoys doing parties and comes up with such amazing ideas - she has literally made me buzz with joy planning this party and I am as excited as Anna and Jack at the moment! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-25773091406783935552011-05-03T15:26:00.000-04:002011-05-03T15:26:39.500-04:00OMG ... What have I done ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One month from now ... 7 girls (+ 1 Maia ) and 5 boys will be taking over the Playfair residence ...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am not totally sure I know quite what this party is going to be like - especially since I was just told on the way home in the car about crushes between quite a few of these boys and girls </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... guess Mamma Mote won't be sleeping much that night !!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-87604784855054055802011-04-28T09:19:00.001-04:002011-04-28T09:20:36.794-04:00Life Goes On ...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nancy died April 17th. It has been a month of heartbreak but also a month filled with love, kindness and lots of caring. I'm honored to have been a part of her last journey and to know that we gave her a chance to leave in the best way possible. Life is slowly returning to "normal" and we are looking forward to new adventures.</span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bob had his last test for the Cochlear Implant on Tuesday and met with the surgeon yesterday to find out whether they can actually help him. It was suggested on Tuesday that because of his car accident years and years ago, they might have to do it on his "good" ear (right side) because the left ear is just too damaged. This left Bob feeling extremely uncomfortable as doctor's are only human and in case they make a mistake, this would leave Bob with absolutely no hearing at all. So we talked a lot Tuesday night and he had made his mind up when seeing the surgeon yesterday - he was going to say no, despite coming all this way. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The surgeon however told Bob that he is happy to try on the left side. Says he cannot guarantee anything, but from MRI and tests there is a good chance that it will work. Bob is overwhelmed but very happy. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And of course we thought that an operation would be well into the future - all you ever hear about is waiting lists but they have scheduled him for May ... as in next month ... and Bob was feeling slightly nervous about the speed of it all - but he is looking forward to this, with good reason. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So there is that to look forward to - it will certainly change the way we have been communicating for the last 17 years :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jack and Anna (and all the other gr. 3-6!) spent all day yesterday walking to Parliament. They were going there to deliver letters to Steven Harper (Prime Minister) to express how unhappy they are that way too many First Nation Schools are ignored and often left in shambles. The kids have spent the last month on this subject and it was a great day for them to march to Parliament while chanting "Equal Education - For First Nations" ... it is a little over an hour's walk either way and they were tired when they came home - tired and hoarse - but proud, as they should be!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jack's friend Ben was telling his mum yesterday during breakfast about the letter he'd been writing and when Karen asked him if he was happy with his letter Ben answered "sure, it is good - though it is not quite as good as Jack or Anna's" and Karen went " well, could you have done a better job or said more or ... " and Ben just went "Nah ... it's a Mote thing" :)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5wdl7g2oATu3I3PfnC3jcTbMaJcMGmUifP8kkOkXqlAxPyjVqgqNYP_unZCu-BdmL5ksTO8jDV2mtFI2XhaxjOCX_juLhEcwce8tJK8A-i6nHrdNMXx_nMOt9U37PZFpxeDCPM0x-sMP/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5wdl7g2oATu3I3PfnC3jcTbMaJcMGmUifP8kkOkXqlAxPyjVqgqNYP_unZCu-BdmL5ksTO8jDV2mtFI2XhaxjOCX_juLhEcwce8tJK8A-i6nHrdNMXx_nMOt9U37PZFpxeDCPM0x-sMP/s640/IMG_0051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Look for Anna with her new (!) pink cap and Jack next to her - front and center ... every time :)</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm sure other things have happened over the last month - but mostly it was a month spent with family. We had Dom, Mark and Milo stay lots, which was great. Carol, Jane and David & Bernice came too - and Adam and Nancy stayed if only for one night ... it was hectic at times and it seems very quiet at the moment, but the fridge reminds me that lots of people were here and food was bought that would just never ever have found its way into my fridge unless others had done the shopping. I'll try to eat something using capers, artichokes, vegetarian hot dogs, soy milk and endive :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For now ... take care </span>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-85727516403632968002011-04-06T21:21:00.000-04:002011-04-06T21:21:50.052-04:00I'm Losing a Dear Family Member<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall not write much - there isn't much to say.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nancy has been diagnosed with Acute Leukemia and given a short time before life runs out.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is incredibly sad and I am spending all my energy on making this time the best it can be. Nancy got a bed at Hospice at May Court just last Wednesday and is comfortable and grateful to be there. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having volunteered at May Court before it is hard finding my lovely Nancy there, but at the same time there is no place better for her to be. I know she is taken care off with the utmost love and respect and that is all we can ask.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our house has been filled with guests from far and wide - we are lucky to have the space and happy to help. The kids are finding it all a bit much with the routine thrown out the window but they understand that this is what we must do to help Nancy through this time. My children are amazing and I'm beyond proud of them!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this is the reason for my quiet - and the reason I'll continue to be quiet for a while - I'm grieving, entertaining, loving and looking after - it is how it should be!</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-69290275970824622242011-03-10T09:50:00.000-05:002011-03-10T09:50:59.903-05:00And it snows ... and snows ... and snows ...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so I guess I won't get no Spring for my birthday next week? Last year we never got snow after March 17th but somehow I doubt that will happen this year. We got a heavy dump last night - 15 cm and that is on top of the already fairly serious stuff we have from all winter ... oh well ... can't be long now ... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Biggest news this time round is that Anna is now in the same class as Jack. I won't bore you with the details - suffice to say, the last two weeks have been rough and we are still a bit shell-shocked by what happened. The most important thing about this is Anna is safe, she is happier than we have seen all year and we are pretty confident that this move is the best thing that could ever have happened.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow will be Spring Break - one week of not having to get up at 6.30 ... Maia just cannot wait for that - and she's been counting the days this week. The twins will still be up at 6.15 - but at least they know how to work the remote ... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We didn't plan anything for Spring Break - Bob will be home on Sunday and stay for the week and it will be good to do nothing. There was talk about going to NY but there are too many birthday parties to attend, playdates to honour and sleepovers to be had.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I still haven't decided what to do on my birthday - guess I'll figure it out on the day! Bob talked something about Algonquin Park Hotel and there is also Kingston, which we still haven't been to - we could also chose to do the St. Patrick Day Parade in Toronto ... but it is such a long drive ... maybe we'll end up with an Indian and another episode of MI5 - which would be the absolute best way to celebrate I think :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-10481261070221296902011-02-21T14:49:00.000-05:002011-02-21T14:49:37.780-05:00sorry ...just making a few changes to the blog - and given that I don't use the photo "drawer" I have decided to put "parties" in there instead - easier for me to find and show when people ask :)<br />
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So there ... last post of the day ... I think!BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-36805694676056346192011-02-21T11:25:00.000-05:002011-02-21T11:25:10.068-05:00We Won ....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ok ... don't get too excited, Zellers - the equivelant of Føtex called one day a few weeks back and told us that we had won a family photo for free ... not something I really wanted to win - a car, yes or a trip to New Zealand, yes ... but a family photo - not so much!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We did of course go, and to say it the least - what a pathetic set up and even the photos didn't turn out great - but I did feel "I must buy these, when else will we get a chance to have "professional" photos" taken again?" ... so the sales guy didn't have a hard time talking me into it - however much I wish now that I'd said "No, Thank You very much!".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These have been scanned in and are not terribly sharp but still I think you'll get the idea - Maia is not at all happy with her "Angel Pose" but Mum and Dad thinks she's very cute :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh well - In time maybe we'll be happy we went with these photos - even if they are not "out of this world!"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kveFCEmJKMIYyEc-9CkoVEqobTe9zWiPpsM28rjem-fLRL-EJ2pt8I6kuLhyphenhyphenWYmusL3_CaLF8mo-BVitp5C6ouEe2BwerI4YULNSx4JTVdRbESRYFPosAnueelHD8uvd72dz2lQxJ8N/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0kveFCEmJKMIYyEc-9CkoVEqobTe9zWiPpsM28rjem-fLRL-EJ2pt8I6kuLhyphenhyphenWYmusL3_CaLF8mo-BVitp5C6ouEe2BwerI4YULNSx4JTVdRbESRYFPosAnueelHD8uvd72dz2lQxJ8N/s400/004.jpg" width="315" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnv1kaIw5u3xLnMBv1eWU8hC77P18UoR_hksJXYMUWpJKat8sD3DDS7X0mI0xCy_GvB6_mpGSPF5nEpUvBsIhLThY6s3wTREpxuSkMkuQ8lQjpcCSx0omwqOeMKjrVk9flIWy4wK48q1r/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnv1kaIw5u3xLnMBv1eWU8hC77P18UoR_hksJXYMUWpJKat8sD3DDS7X0mI0xCy_GvB6_mpGSPF5nEpUvBsIhLThY6s3wTREpxuSkMkuQ8lQjpcCSx0omwqOeMKjrVk9flIWy4wK48q1r/s400/001.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffC3q1tnxy8Af9nP433yFp2xWosojvJeHWfXv8KHrxSKHQ7b-VV_KBqqzUCBFywtwm2ASXYlPx1eKaL1-nFV1a4xuZ2gIqerHsAao7KbdahZaYi8ZysNQ_rB8aYIfpU-wg44upEABjf_z/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffC3q1tnxy8Af9nP433yFp2xWosojvJeHWfXv8KHrxSKHQ7b-VV_KBqqzUCBFywtwm2ASXYlPx1eKaL1-nFV1a4xuZ2gIqerHsAao7KbdahZaYi8ZysNQ_rB8aYIfpU-wg44upEABjf_z/s400/005.jpg" width="313" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5maHusNcMiFIEvZhlkj0zssBgX4Sadq6JsGq8GrK2yHIuwHVZlziLpT9I0ZSjt9AmYHq33SzE8xR78mtU1GktLqLMkJixcD-IZuZeoCITKnsDFe_-2p3nxLhbrjqBr1wfbZyfyO-9gsWf/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="255" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5maHusNcMiFIEvZhlkj0zssBgX4Sadq6JsGq8GrK2yHIuwHVZlziLpT9I0ZSjt9AmYHq33SzE8xR78mtU1GktLqLMkJixcD-IZuZeoCITKnsDFe_-2p3nxLhbrjqBr1wfbZyfyO-9gsWf/s320/006.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Enough for today - three posts ... never happened before has it? Well that is what you get when the kids are sick and I'm just hanging out with them!</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-58432691243029531512011-02-21T10:07:00.001-05:002011-02-21T10:08:22.377-05:00A little Happy ...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">well ... we did do something nice before the big sickness overtook the house ...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had decided on Thursday that I needed a clipboard for the kitchen - playing Game On with lots of lovely girls from around the world, I needed a list to check off everyday, and whereas last time I used the big chalk board in the "Cafe", this time I wanted something closer to the sink and water jug! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyways - So as I always do when I need something pretty, I went on Etsy, to see if someone had a nice clip board they'd sell to me ... but guess what - looking at them all I thought "Now Hang On, Mrs Mote - you can do this yourself!" so Friday afternoon I took Anna and her friend Nyah to Michael's and we shopped for boards, papers, ribbon, stickers, embellishments and Modge Podge :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what the kids ended up with </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wauWWoD2FsEnEVT2_Of4VNZlGlpXd-9CTyNurPwRu9ZGQ1xVBFX3Zh4-GmAglf3DV02hAuDBCHeWL_8RABj2YWTE0W-cEN-cHc32IiX9T1UM30tqMEs5n_cA61Mj-txZVeiMBvFh4dQ3/s1600/DSC01047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wauWWoD2FsEnEVT2_Of4VNZlGlpXd-9CTyNurPwRu9ZGQ1xVBFX3Zh4-GmAglf3DV02hAuDBCHeWL_8RABj2YWTE0W-cEN-cHc32IiX9T1UM30tqMEs5n_cA61Mj-txZVeiMBvFh4dQ3/s400/DSC01047.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's what the Mummy ended up with</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0so1vLSZW9UdBE7ZD06zRbZ3qbq2Kte25LK5d_aRfNv2SVwgT1WlFEL4w457OQLpLP6ke-6t-jGyrSp3RQS_i_Yz6JobBC65X8BavxzTNe5EuLWrOODXc3ccgevdmBgAkx1bTF2EZVxK/s1600/DSC01046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="330" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0so1vLSZW9UdBE7ZD06zRbZ3qbq2Kte25LK5d_aRfNv2SVwgT1WlFEL4w457OQLpLP6ke-6t-jGyrSp3RQS_i_Yz6JobBC65X8BavxzTNe5EuLWrOODXc3ccgevdmBgAkx1bTF2EZVxK/s400/DSC01046.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not bad at all for a Friday afternoon craft ... (let's not tell anyone that I could have saved a LOT of money had I bought one board on Etsy and not having to buy all the stuff to make 5 boards instead :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-35117748516665419182011-02-21T09:31:00.000-05:002011-02-21T09:31:23.630-05:00What an Absolute Disappointment<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh the heartache this house feels ....</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Family Weekend - Friday off, Monday off ... plans made for over half a year for Kirsten and the girls to come visit from NJ. So much excitement, skyping back and forth, everyone here and there counting the days and on Friday night the last Skype about weather and if to bring snow pants - we were ready both here and there ...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... and then ... VOMIT ... everywhere ... up and down walls, doors, floors and children ... ARGH!!!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">frantic phone calls to Kirsten at midnight (when of course she was sleeping soundly as she was preparing herself for a long drive the following morning!) - text messages on her mobile, voice mails to her mobile, emails and Skype messages - hoping she'd look or listen somewhere. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She did ... 6 am in her car, all packed and ready to go, the girls sleepy but ready and excited ... and then she had to break it to them - "We cannot go ... they are sick" ... there were tears - here and there and it has been the worst weekend in a long time!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kirsten managed to call her brother and they went to New Hampshire to visit them, so they didn't get up for nothing - us ... well Anna is still very poorly, Maia and Jack are better ... and Bob who never ever gets these tummy viruses is tired from looking after us all!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me - well I'm just devastated ... my heart sinks every time I think of what could have been ... Kirsten is such a wonderful friend, the one I share everything with and it has been such a long winter with so many different issues and I was looking forward to finally being able to open the wine and just T A L K ... and now who knows when that will happen?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe ... do you think just maybe I can talk her into another trip away - just me and her, lots of wine and shopping and time to share - or is that just too selfish given the kids are devastated too and miss their friends as well? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- I guess New York is where I'll be spending my 41st birthday - and you know what - Couldn't think of a better way or people to spend it with!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still ... devastated .... it is the only word that fits my mood today ... </span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-5470538547332364112011-02-08T13:02:00.001-05:002011-02-08T13:04:26.214-05:00January is gone ... Spring must be just around the Corner!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phew ... yet again I made it ... It does not get easier, it only ever gets harder, and this year was a really tough one because December was so filled with joy, visitors, presents, happiness and fun!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February seems so short and soon we'll be back to better temperatures (the minus 25 with wind chill seems very very cold when you must take the kids to school!) - next weekend brings visitors from NJ when Grace, Sylvie and Kirsten come to see us. We are all very excited about that. Hopefully we'll be able to go skating on the Canal again this year. Have some hot chocolate and to top it all off, we are planning to go see the Ice Sculptures as it will be the last weekend of the Winterlude ... Third time lucky ... three years here, and we still haven't made it down there - pathetic given the fact that this was what we were all so excited about while reading up on "What to do in Ottawa" when we had just bought the house. Oh well, with the girls from NJ we have no reason not to make it down there - and we promise to take a few pictures!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kids have just gotten their report cards and as their parent it is a great joy to read them - it is not so much the grades ... to me it is so much more important to read the praise on their personalities. They are all so well liked and known in the school as kind, considerate, caring and helpful kids. That makes me proud! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although it has been a rough couple of weeks with me having to fight with the Principal. Oh the joys - Anna got slapped in the face by a boy from her class one day (for no reason) and the Principal told me that the boy would be suspended the following day. When I got there to pick up the kids I found that the little muppet had been in the class all day and no action (other than staying in for recess!) had been taken - ooooh, that sure got me out of my box! So it has been a lot of emails and dealings with the Principal ... for a school that has a "No Bullying" policy she messed it up so badly it is rather unbelievable. Oh well - Anna is ok, she has moved on and so I must too ... for all the anger and upset, it was a good feeling telling the school that I do not appreciate such pathetic behavior! We'll see in the next 4 years if I have to show them again :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not much else worth telling about has happened. Bob has decided how and what to do for his 50th this year which leaves me to figure out how and what do for him ... also Jack and Anna will be 10 in a few months time and they have big plans for their party so I'm happy doing what I love most. I bought the ribbon for their cake just yesterday and Anna went "I love it!!!" when she saw it - definitely her Mother's Daughter :) Her vision of the cake was immediate and I didn't even have to explain :) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow it will be Isabella's 10th birthday - wow ... I still remember when Lyne called to tell me she was in labor and I so wish she could see what a gorgeous girl Isabella has turned into!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Unfortunately I have no photos to share this time as both Bob's and my laptop died a sad death last week - with so much to load and update the photos didn't get first priority - let's hope we have something to show next time!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there ... between Jack and I playing Donkey Kong on the Wii, the kids all skating every day the weather behaves and Bob being home every weekend - life is OK here in Ottawa. We hope you're keeping warm wherever you are!</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-36423161533042950882011-01-02T11:27:00.001-05:002011-01-02T11:29:22.704-05:00Happy New Year<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE31c6ixqGKe42T3luo_NEJ9Q4zjcvFsaO3x_Ckh43GBTb_Z9v6yxd40YzHsne0MwBrKy95B2a5BwlG2_pJLC3ZVmGrfy-6fnsX0iNmDUpCRWE428iwtstmvNrVMuG-apgu2eOs7OQsfg/s1600/DSC00873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE31c6ixqGKe42T3luo_NEJ9Q4zjcvFsaO3x_Ckh43GBTb_Z9v6yxd40YzHsne0MwBrKy95B2a5BwlG2_pJLC3ZVmGrfy-6fnsX0iNmDUpCRWE428iwtstmvNrVMuG-apgu2eOs7OQsfg/s640/DSC00873.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course I should write this blog on my new iPad but I really miss the keyboard on there so it is easier to just go back to my laptop ... but I promise you I absolutely love my Christmas present and spend way too much time on it - hopefully that'll change after a few more weeks, but somehow I doubt that :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90Z1AgB0XsczAzM14wXGzAN0xuP50ZBkq5NyirLvkjACY93za-qak0JzXi3tyMD2frAh0OmnyTFVUJkaAWidf7i42aP5ByoFrvXeO8eMIKtp5Z8YvVEqTr1VnWerwlE8a0xmkeVms_6yD/s1600/DSC00924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90Z1AgB0XsczAzM14wXGzAN0xuP50ZBkq5NyirLvkjACY93za-qak0JzXi3tyMD2frAh0OmnyTFVUJkaAWidf7i42aP5ByoFrvXeO8eMIKtp5Z8YvVEqTr1VnWerwlE8a0xmkeVms_6yD/s200/DSC00924.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas has been just lovely - the only complaint from any of us would be that it went by too fast - that often happens but it still seems that this year it really did just fly by. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Morfar and Birgit arrived December 21st and it was of course great to have them here - I was sick though with a nasty flu/cold and in the end had to go see the doctor on the 24th to get some help beating the sinus infection ... oh well ... the biggest disappointment has been that there were no cookies baked this year - at all!!! I swear the guilt I feel because of those cookies ... it is incredible - but we have decided that we'll have a Christmas cookie party in January some time - I wonder how "Jødekager" tastes without the Christmas tree and other decorations around ... we'll let you know!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsZRZfp8Ul2VbXgQXhFrPQjZ_-SMtabxL-cgOf5517w-bBY1dQF9eakuj_eA4875tAdKIxEFxxLyO812q62gz8LZPoPPeNLJ-mffdAjRr00TN80vxMJTNIDiFCMIGi4lgZWqySNldzRCy/s1600/DSC00930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsZRZfp8Ul2VbXgQXhFrPQjZ_-SMtabxL-cgOf5517w-bBY1dQF9eakuj_eA4875tAdKIxEFxxLyO812q62gz8LZPoPPeNLJ-mffdAjRr00TN80vxMJTNIDiFCMIGi4lgZWqySNldzRCy/s200/DSC00930.JPG" width="141" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Santa was as always very kind to the kids - they woke to a Keyboard (Maia), Electric Guitar (Anna) and an Nano 5th generation (Jack). It was pretty amazing as Santa had left Jack a lovely letter about how he'd asked his head Elf to go to the back room and look on the bottom shelf all the way at the back to see if they had a 5th generation left for Jack - and they did ... it's all about the magic ;) </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifBgN3xqGj3c9PEhPReVOataqV30MtoOZBXIkonW44CUgWJUDWBJDavoh3QzOqlqhW9ov5WTG70hHif5lpQQdK3ZDJSbZ-hOC_MNbMp0emqDHCxH1R7r8_z-KxFtfgV3K1VoW67inU_qH/s1600/DSC00972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifBgN3xqGj3c9PEhPReVOataqV30MtoOZBXIkonW44CUgWJUDWBJDavoh3QzOqlqhW9ov5WTG70hHif5lpQQdK3ZDJSbZ-hOC_MNbMp0emqDHCxH1R7r8_z-KxFtfgV3K1VoW67inU_qH/s200/DSC00972.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFILISK2Stj5qBq98YqijZhefZurg2Xy4X-t2voOeDOsY726l67Tg9kiE1zwFQOeuQaAYsOyZzcR-TNBVrR77cGUx25ho31DoP_U5GQ7m8R1o_qjg21E_uphN0kIC5adbkWErHMovNxr3/s1600/DSC00982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFILISK2Stj5qBq98YqijZhefZurg2Xy4X-t2voOeDOsY726l67Tg9kiE1zwFQOeuQaAYsOyZzcR-TNBVrR77cGUx25ho31DoP_U5GQ7m8R1o_qjg21E_uphN0kIC5adbkWErHMovNxr3/s200/DSC00982.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John, Olivia and Isabella arrived on December 26th and we had a pathetic (by Danish standards!) Christmas lunch and we gave everyone their last Christmas present! We had bought tickets for everyone to go see a Hockey game (thank you Clare :) Thursday night. It was such fun! First time ever for most of us - I think maybe Uncle John has been before and of course Jack has (he was there but with his friend instead!) but the rest of us were novices and it was certainly a very Canadian thing to do :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-o2chmOvE5KTQ_FY8-XMPbpkfkefyEpz7njQ2IoJBRfIPxRFzUkSqpw54gpMV57qdvFwKaFb1vxI_-7tusOIK256g5UhqEsKC8dfGSnVnzuK0KBqvC4Spt5XQahhZYvdqgMuuSGJ7dss/s1600/DSC00950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-o2chmOvE5KTQ_FY8-XMPbpkfkefyEpz7njQ2IoJBRfIPxRFzUkSqpw54gpMV57qdvFwKaFb1vxI_-7tusOIK256g5UhqEsKC8dfGSnVnzuK0KBqvC4Spt5XQahhZYvdqgMuuSGJ7dss/s640/DSC00950.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tomorrow it's all back to normal - I think I shall shed a little tear tonight ... I have for the first time since way before having kids managed to sleep till 9 for a week in a row - Seriously, that is unheard of but OMG that is nice! Unfortunately the days are short that way so I haven't got time to sit here anymore - dog needs walking, dishes needs doing and maybe I should bake some cookies ;) </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have a fantastic 2011</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-9880054628238763632010-12-16T11:01:00.001-05:002010-12-16T11:04:43.766-05:00A Tiny December Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuZv_M_2MfYFHFaleh2TWS8PvEtHY6YxI6zk8bgJl_m0bG2eGum4zzJq_qBtfqu1M2au0jC0GYMKsQ7bP-haER5gladi5z25PcH9f6zUidpEgksdDvLfUoIoeykHPmStyLtTuOAlZIZ-9/s1600/DSC00883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="510" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuZv_M_2MfYFHFaleh2TWS8PvEtHY6YxI6zk8bgJl_m0bG2eGum4zzJq_qBtfqu1M2au0jC0GYMKsQ7bP-haER5gladi5z25PcH9f6zUidpEgksdDvLfUoIoeykHPmStyLtTuOAlZIZ-9/s640/DSC00883.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Not long now ...</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">oh but the joys - Anna finally went back to school today after having been sick for 5 days - she did trade places with both Jack and Maia who are both lying next door with snotty faces and sore tummies ... keep telling myself that it is better that it's this week than next, but Maia still had tears this morning realizing that she might not be able to participate in tomorrows pajama party at school - also every year there is "Aunt Evelyn's Corner" where the kids get to buy presents for all their family for 50 cents per present - basically all the families at the school bring in new or slightly used items that the kids can buy. This might seem like a fab idea, but trust me - some of the presents from last year went back this year ;)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Anyways - back to the sick children - they have better get well super fast because with family arriving next week I am NOT having no germs in the house ... </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">December has gone by fast - as always, however we still haven't felt any stress - other than every time Bob comes home we have a looooong list of things he has to get done - so far he's ticking off lots of "have to's" but there are still way to many to get it all done before Christmas - oh well ... the house looks lovely - the gingerbread house was assembled last week - much later than normal but it looks fab - own design this year ... simple, white and just how I love it! As always I sit every night wondering what it would be like living in that house :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZFwyufhxWX2QQ5OtJJ9ya9FMVfcnIetwqFynzsh8tWnbaYAqNgt63oyP2ZfUdG5GcOr_ujCIgnJ30EdO5KsAQqVnOBdBPeopjwLS5WHEKNwgEzczSX0sNmh9Twu-yMXAL28FR9T1X769/s1600/DSC00890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZFwyufhxWX2QQ5OtJJ9ya9FMVfcnIetwqFynzsh8tWnbaYAqNgt63oyP2ZfUdG5GcOr_ujCIgnJ30EdO5KsAQqVnOBdBPeopjwLS5WHEKNwgEzczSX0sNmh9Twu-yMXAL28FR9T1X769/s640/DSC00890.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We had the most Christmassy of Sundays last weekends when the snow was finally falling heavy all day - so we made "Æbleskiver" and watched "Miracle on 34th" which HAS to be seen every year for it to be truly Christmas - we just love it! Jack and Bob were not as interested as the girls so they finally brought out my Stratego - the one John and I used to play 30 years ago :) and ever since both Bob and Jack have been planning how to set up their soldiers for this weekend - they are hooked! It is a brilliant game that is!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha17tlDqEwA15U9yUex1E_j3NgOu6WRadTGrazgOH18KGuK4BjNiaUDbykas4dNCctPR9FUeo2I6eTAFciTXJEbO-ThNwYAXMfdvTQBr9ZsxK9YXqmCocRfcl7unVOOySVvUz5AVrwr91P/s1600/DSC00894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="280" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha17tlDqEwA15U9yUex1E_j3NgOu6WRadTGrazgOH18KGuK4BjNiaUDbykas4dNCctPR9FUeo2I6eTAFciTXJEbO-ThNwYAXMfdvTQBr9ZsxK9YXqmCocRfcl7unVOOySVvUz5AVrwr91P/s640/DSC00894.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maia got a "French knitting" doll in her Advent Calendar that day and hasn't stopped since - it is so fun to see her so into a craft like that. I have better go get some more yarn - also I have had to promise Anna I'll get one for her, because she just wants to borrow Maia's all the time - which is impossible given that Maia always has a string on the go ...</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So there - that is how our December is coming along - the presents are piled high under the tree and still more will come - it is wonderful, fun and totally like it should be! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tomorrow the Holiday starts and we'll be able to just chill out and have fun together - can't wait to see family and friends, as it always makes this time a bit more magical!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-88421935271159204742010-11-28T20:23:00.000-05:002010-11-28T20:23:31.407-05:00New York New York<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What a fab weekend it was ...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzOh1vScFK9J6jBEVnsZ58hwkntaXXUVzMdbgHONbqrHhn0vZ-xRzhnRai8VSVPqqIbChIxqMnN5RTPLyyx5sBVRWUzRwFFPUcFS6e4q4N06QyU1PtGy_-lKXlIO9XevFgBiXimxFq8qZ/s1600/DSC00842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzOh1vScFK9J6jBEVnsZ58hwkntaXXUVzMdbgHONbqrHhn0vZ-xRzhnRai8VSVPqqIbChIxqMnN5RTPLyyx5sBVRWUzRwFFPUcFS6e4q4N06QyU1PtGy_-lKXlIO9XevFgBiXimxFq8qZ/s640/DSC00842.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When David visited back in the beginning of October we had the idea that we should try to surprise Mark for his 50th birthday in New York. With Dom's help we managed to pull it off and on top had an absolutely fantastic weekend with David, Bernice, Lucy, Dom, Mark and Milo - oh and I even got to meet Dom's lovely Mum at the Brunch on Sunday morning. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">New York is without a doubt pushing its way to the top of my list of favorite places I've ever been to. I cannot believe how much I love that place. This time I got to see Central Park and The Metropolitan and I managed to fall in love with both places. I have got to go back and spend a lot more time in that museum. Of all the museums I have ever been to - never have I enjoyed myself so much and I didn't even get to the second floor!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRbNywz-2U2RhSJAE887-N3o-UkJ75lFfrXW7XPew98peHiLXs8V-wEin1DPCVppBDCLX-PBZESSR8Q8E3k91skbS2o66Cb9A1_LbTrpmh9F-vnb_6b1ej61stGFHqKDoAmhmWMjtsfGU/s640/DSC00844.JPG" width="480" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We left Friday morning and stayed with Kirsten in NJ. Bob had a meeting Friday night so Kirsten and I had a bit of time to "feet up and wine" before he was back. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time - we never ever do - despite having just spent a weekend together in Montreal!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bob and I had all Saturday to shop and enjoy a bit of time in NY without the kids as they were being looked after by Kirsten and her lovely girls. The kids had such a great day and were spoiled rotten.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We met up with the UK gang and managed to surprise Mark at dinner! It was great fun, and I honestly think he was genuinely surprised - and happy :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWsDE1csfrHxP7U5xZ8QCeecxnymUz3JoiPDPLjPjjLO44rPpy1bQ5aWZfmmbUrQL7h2JxK9mRmtKEWv06TEtNPe204kJJEcR7GQwKlzjxWxoI-vJUQZoCOiPpDK7DHzFeWacPl1DEYh6/s1600/DSC00845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWsDE1csfrHxP7U5xZ8QCeecxnymUz3JoiPDPLjPjjLO44rPpy1bQ5aWZfmmbUrQL7h2JxK9mRmtKEWv06TEtNPe204kJJEcR7GQwKlzjxWxoI-vJUQZoCOiPpDK7DHzFeWacPl1DEYh6/s640/DSC00845.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We all spent time together all Sunday - which was just magic. Strolling Central Park in stunning Autumn sunshine, I cannot think of a better way to spend an afternoon ... oh and The RedEgg is well worth visting if you like Chinese food - best Chinese we've had in like forever!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm11inX0m_dUX_zyupFDEgeaDp6jw7V9fH9V6YhpVixl_JFLoSkZHAYjWHqw4Z5Sm5XepEHU5ZqFjvKNzuyGw7m0IwULfgBLkP9tDKeLxsHZsMWlD_qteoGnw5WeCCdhXlZ_fxehTd795k/s1600/DSC00856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm11inX0m_dUX_zyupFDEgeaDp6jw7V9fH9V6YhpVixl_JFLoSkZHAYjWHqw4Z5Sm5XepEHU5ZqFjvKNzuyGw7m0IwULfgBLkP9tDKeLxsHZsMWlD_qteoGnw5WeCCdhXlZ_fxehTd795k/s640/DSC00856.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We left NY Monday morning and made it home around 8 in the evening. Jack brought home some sort of bad American flu and had to stay home for a few days last week - Maia had to cancel a birthday party today and I certainly have felt a lot better too ... but oh well - a bug for a lovely weekend ... so be it!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx34_USlZxlejuGaulkLW6teAPWo4IrB3zEzlGvwcsXS6RhZ67JIt885fo5N3QIq2S2rsct3c4kk5C43A7CuFP-emTexPTvtOnhvVVqDDkVUwd6xGWMkoZe4EsWuHANzHFiQXa7YNtdp55/s1600/DSC00854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="475" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx34_USlZxlejuGaulkLW6teAPWo4IrB3zEzlGvwcsXS6RhZ67JIt885fo5N3QIq2S2rsct3c4kk5C43A7CuFP-emTexPTvtOnhvVVqDDkVUwd6xGWMkoZe4EsWuHANzHFiQXa7YNtdp55/s640/DSC00854.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas is coming - December is very very close - argh and this year I am beyond behind on planning and doing - at least today I got 62 presents wrapped for the advent calendar - only 10 more to do tomorrow - so the kids will be happy December 1st when they come down and see all the presents hanging :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I very foolishly started a big BIG painting project - the last that needs doing ... the dining area/conservatory - it is the worst thing ever ... and I've had to give up finishing it totally before Christmas - it is just not happening, but at least the ceiling is done (BIG job!) and the walls are too - it's all the window trimmings - and there are 9 massive ones - and a door too ... oh well, if I do one window every few days, maybe they will be done by the time the Turkey hits the table on December 25th - guest should also know to keep their eyes on the table and not the floor because for sure for sure that will not get done before mid January! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have a lovely December!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945773347279380363.post-26682961409580161972010-10-26T10:19:00.001-04:002011-02-21T21:03:29.950-05:00Maia's 7th Birthday<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKLWuDNsI/AAAAAAAAA5c/rsdDAQG2Zu0/s1600/DSC00746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKLWuDNsI/AAAAAAAAA5c/rsdDAQG2Zu0/s640/DSC00746.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She's 7 ... </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a great day it was. I love it when their birthday's fall on a weekend. Of course they woke early - that probably won't change till she turns 14 - so it was super dark outside while she opened pressies and I had the scones in the oven!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKDinb29I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/diGqHfzSVAs/s1600/DSC00729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKDinb29I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/diGqHfzSVAs/s400/DSC00729.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As always there were lots of Fantastic pressies!!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a great party with only 4 little girls coming over for a "Fairy Mystery Party" which was so good. I had bought a great party from eBay - which basically was a treasure hunt throughout the house and it was brilliant. Such an easy and fun party - with only 4 guest it was easy peasy and the girls were so nice! Also, Bob was fantastic because he basically set up the whole thing, all I had to do was the cake and the party food. Most relaxed birthday party ever - loved it, and so did the girls. They had to climb over the mountains and jump from lilly pad to lilly pad every time they had to go from one part of the house to the other - that worked out great because it slowed them down quite a bit!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKXoHBIlI/AAAAAAAAA7M/6QR8RhdIneE/s1600/DSC00776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKXoHBIlI/AAAAAAAAA7M/6QR8RhdIneE/s320/DSC00776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lilly Pads</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKVKwtvmI/AAAAAAAAA6w/8AN0NoDgzPg/s1600/DSC00767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKVKwtvmI/AAAAAAAAA6w/8AN0NoDgzPg/s320/DSC00767.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Mountains</span></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob and I were a bit lost for idea on what to get Maia this year for her Birthday so I had asked her if we could do up her room for her birthday, and she was game!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She's the only one who hasn't had her room done of the kids since we moved in, and she didn't have a strong feeling of what she wanted other than "I would just love to sleep with clouds around me" so without doing the whole room clouds we managed to do her a lovely Nature Room and it is just gorgeous and she was so happy with it </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(phew!) </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuxdA13pLmV2upqYZ6L-grVGcXeV_OeIQcZhOvFPLHBIxoRBcCADaz0rQ5eu0J61QBneB8tYKfGCJnfOivda6vObO_1kYYTOlQuLRF9Uu8HpDgSDOWAqc8mskP0o317CyfufoxWJn5YCH/s1600/DSC00825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuxdA13pLmV2upqYZ6L-grVGcXeV_OeIQcZhOvFPLHBIxoRBcCADaz0rQ5eu0J61QBneB8tYKfGCJnfOivda6vObO_1kYYTOlQuLRF9Uu8HpDgSDOWAqc8mskP0o317CyfufoxWJn5YCH/s640/DSC00825.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglQnsNdu1ffbWvluc5n9lrw0eZzxUprjM0PTgi4FxeX4pzM-zF0bNfMbmKng2At9R8SoV9enh3eTGhvcrZ1cq77rUiGn5sVhYNQ9h08l1NrxIg6LsvtVoHgqm0Ybhx1XF74kNhEingZte/s1600/DSC00819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglQnsNdu1ffbWvluc5n9lrw0eZzxUprjM0PTgi4FxeX4pzM-zF0bNfMbmKng2At9R8SoV9enh3eTGhvcrZ1cq77rUiGn5sVhYNQ9h08l1NrxIg6LsvtVoHgqm0Ybhx1XF74kNhEingZte/s640/DSC00819.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm really please on how it turned out - and so far two weeks later she's still managing to keep it somewhat tidy - so hopefully she'll keep that up!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKMeGMeHI/AAAAAAAAA5k/qOAQJ8-ayos/s1600/DSC00748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_19EKJWi75nQ/TLEKMeGMeHI/AAAAAAAAA5k/qOAQJ8-ayos/s400/DSC00748.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She asked for the Cake to go with the Cloud and Fairy Theme!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you so much for all the wonderful pressies - she loved them all and enjoys them whether it being a craft, clothes or a book - she's super happy with everything she got!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went to Montreal this weekend with my friend Kirsten - first time I was away on my own in 3 years! It was wonderful and I enjoyed myself tremendously - and got lots of stuff for the advent calendars!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob is very happy in his new job - it is certainly more quiet but it is wonderful to have him home every weekend and we're all feeling "wow here he is again" every time Friday comes around - it will take a bit of getting used to :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take Care,</span></div>BMDesignhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06518369422416299260noreply@blogger.com0