Life with Boys

Luxuries that I miss....

2016-03-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

To have more than 1 toilet available at any given time for 6 people.

To be able to brush my teeth using tap water (not pre bought, bottled water).

Drinking tap water.

Not worrying when ordering food, as to whether my salad vegetables have been washed with safe drinking water.

Not hesitating to order ice or ice blended drinks.

Having my own room to sleep in, far away from my children!

Being able to choose a different outfit from my closet.

Having the choice of shoes.

Buying something without converting the currency.

Deciding what to cook when friends are coming over on the weekend.

Many, many more things, but these are the main ones on my mind today!

Wonderful India

2016-02-09T03:02:00.000-08:00

We are very lucky to be blessed with friends who want to share their world with us.

India was a country we were concerned with visiting--we have talked to many people who have visited, and some have loved it, and others warned us not to go!

We were most concerned with the health and sanitation standards, as we obviously didn't want everyone to be sick, as we still have a lot of travel left to do!

Just two days before we arrived in New Delhi, Todd reached out to a friend, Sandeep, who is from the New Delhi area, just to ask for some advice, travel highlights, etc! Sandeep went above and beyond to show us the true India! From Calgary, he arranged for us to spend a night with his wife's parents, the next with his parents, and a third night with his brother. All of our drivers were arranged, and we were treated to local cuisine and life!

We have fallen in love with India, mostly due to the graciousness of the people. We were welcomed as family, even though we just met! What an amazing experience for all of us! We are truly blessed to have been given this experience. Thank you so much to Sandeep and family!!!

Independence

2016-01-22T20:50:00.001-08:00

I can't believe how independent our boys have become. They are confident in perusing a menu, asking questions about meals, and ordering for themselves (after figuring out how much their meal will cost in Canadian dollars!).

They are ok to go off and find their own meals at a food court and enter a 7-11 to buy treats.

It is amazing to see them not hesitate to ask questions about something, but in a polite way. They are okay making deals at the local market, with money they've earned by offering mom and dad 10 minute foot massages (with payment in the local currency of course!). It is interesting to see them weigh the balance of what they want, versus what money they have, versus what they want to carry for the next 6 months.

They are just confident kids! We attended a cooking course yesterday, with Jacob and Josh cooking on their own, and Todd and I assisting Nathan and Noah. I couldn't believe their skills. They listened to instruction, followed it, were super safe using knives, open flame, and hot oil. They stuck with it for 4 hours! I think that's pretty amazing for kids their age!

Flight #20

2016-01-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

Flight number 20 landed us in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It really feels like it has been more than twenty flights....

As we were landing, I realized I am never going to get over the panic I feel every time we land. The last 10 minutes of any flight, I am holding on tight to the armrests, and I am in a clammy sweat. One would think, that I would be used to the fact that we are hurtling towards the ground and will touch down ever so gently, but no....I'm not!!!

A few of our landings have been a little rougher than I would like, but overall, the flights and airplanes have been quite comfortable.

Tonight, we take flight number 21, back through Kuala Lumpur on our way to Phuket, Thailand. Wish me luck!!!

Growing.....

2015-12-05T02:01:00.000-08:00

The boys have had the opportunity to see many different aspects of life as we have travelled. They have seen the very poor, the very rich. They have seen unsafe drinking water, and varieties of living standards. I think they realize how lucky they are to live where they do, and have access to the luxuries of their lives.

They have been witness to how others are treated, and how hard it might be to make a days living. They have witnessed how fair things can be, and how unfair things can be. They have witnessed how kind people are, and how money does not buy happiness. I think they realize that our standard of living is pretty high, but that it is hard to compare one to another, when the scales are so vastly tipping in our favour.

The boys have been party to corruption....they have seen the effects of communist governments, filtering what is available as general knowledge to the public. They watched our taxi driver bribe a police officer, so as not to be ticketed a full amount. Their eyes have been opened to the greed and, perhaps, even the desperation of some....

They have played with children who speak a different language, communicating with open minds and welcoming smiles. They have been ambassadors for our country, proudly wearing Canadian pins and offering warm hellos.

These are the character building blocks our boys are accumulating....these are the futures we are shaping....

We're still traveling....

2015-12-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the absence of posts, but I have not had decent access to wifi in a very long time! I guess that is one of the many things I have taken for granted!!!

We are currently in New Zealand, where we have been joined by my mom, dad and sister. We are having a fabulous time! We are really enjoying the green, open spaces, and access to clean drinking water! It's so nice to be able to brush your teeth using the tap water--something we haven't been able to do since we left Japan!!!

New Zealand certainly reminds us of home, at least the areas we have seen. We are on the North Island, traveling a circular loop, including Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo, Rotorua, and Tauranga. Not very extensive, but enough to let us know we want to come back!!!

The 2 older boys and I joined a Scout troop in Taupo, which was great! The boys got to get some insider tips from kids their age, some new badges for their campfire blankets, and shared some of their knowledge of Canada!!! It was a fantastic experience!!!

We also took time out to enjoy an early Christmas dinner with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie! We had chicken, lamb, mashed potatoes, and a pavlova for dessert! Almost like Christmas back home, except we were able to eat outside!!!

Joshua proudly wearing his new Blue Jays hat with the maple leaf!!!

Ok, gotta run...Auntie's got a super fun filled afternoon planned with the boys, making Christmas goodies, while Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Dad go check out a few wineries in the Hawke's Bay area!!!

50 days! 5 Countries!

2015-11-09T19:17:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe we've already been travelling for 50 days. It really doesn't feel like we've been gone that long, and I guess 50 days really isn't that long.... Everything has gone relatively smooth so far, no one has been super sick, or had a big bout of homesickness (it's usually me, but I've made it 50 day so far!!!). I think our relaxing trip to Bali came at just the right time--time with friends, and just taking it easy! I am finding all the big cities are just like one another--although I know they are not!--big building, busy streets, a hike to see the city from a view point!!!

Right now, we are relaxing on a beach, on a small island in the Philippines. Again, I think it is perfectly timed! And, in just a few short (long) weeks, we get to see my mom, dad and sister in New Zealand! We are all very excited about that!!! I've warned Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie to rest up now!!!!

We are continuing to slowly plug away at school work, making adjustments as we go! The boys are pros at converting currencies, and their world geography is amazing!! We have been learning about how different types of government affect people, and economics.

I have learned that my kids (probably all kids), have to learn space relations. My boys are terrible at walking in crowded spaces--they just haven't figured out how to manage their steps to avoid bumping into someone, or stepping on our feet when we are standing still. We are also working on keeping dinner time conversations at just our table, not talking so loud that everyone in the entire restaurant hears us!!

My boys have continued to surprise me by trying new dishes, with minimal whining. I am also proud to say, that out in public, they are some of the most polite, well-behaved kids around!! In the apartments/villas, a different story, but that's kids!!!

To those not on Facebook, I apologize, as most of the pictures go up on there! It is quick and easy!!!

Please let me know what you want to hear about!! I always struggle with what to write!! I've updated the statistics at the side. 50 days, 5 countries! We have made several stops in Manila, as that has been our transfer hub!!

Next up on our trip, after our week on Panglao Island; 2 days in Cebu City, Philippines, 1 day in Manila, 4 days in Jakarta, Indonesia, then 3 weeks in New Zealand with family! That takes us to Dec 11. Christmas in Australia, New Years in Kuala Lumpur!

A single grain of rice.....

2015-10-31T04:02:00.000-07:00

After seeing many fields of rice harvested, I will never again leave a single grain on my plate! We had the chance to see fields of rice being harvested in Japan, China, and Indonesia. As we stayed at a home in a rice field in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, we really got to see how much work it really is, and that was just the harvest!!!

The stalks of rice resemble a stalk of wheat. In Bali, they were hand cut with a scythe like tool, laid in bundles, and then gathered and hit hard against a wooden, slanted board. This process caused the individual grains of rice to fall from the stalks, and slide down the board onto a tarp. From the tarp, someone gathered the grains in a large wicker sieve, and shook to remove the chaff. This cleaned rice was then put into sacks, which were then carried out on shoulder. They were big bags of rice, probably at least 25 kg. Not only is is very labour intensive work, but it was done in very warm temperatures in Bali!!

I'm sure there are farms dedicated to producing rice to the world, and are not done in the traditional methods I just explained, but it was absolutely amazing to see what people did to harvest rice for their families.

When we were staying in Munduk, Bali, we had a guide take us on a walking tour. Again, this accommodation was located with in the rice fields. He explained that when he was a child, he came from a very poor family, and he would beg to work in the rice fields, doing the very hard and tiring work. As this was the main source of work at the time, there was a lot of competition for the work. He told us now though, nobody wanted to work in the rice fields, and the owners were out begging people to work in the rice fields. Tourism is now a very big part of Bali.

Our guide also told us, that as a child, they would usually not have enough to eat, so he would be sent out to live on the land. As we walked through the natural areas surrounding the hotel, we saw banana, papaya, guava, passion fruit, jack fruit, snake fruit, nutmeg, clove, cacao, coffee and avocado trees. So much was growing in the wild!

Pineapple

Avocado

Cacao

Peanuts

Cloves drying

Numbers

2015-10-24T17:09:00.002-07:00

My counter tells me we've been travelling for 34 days. In those 34 days, we have had 2 kids vomit 8 times, 1in the customs line for entering Bali, Indonesia, and 1 on a very crowded metro train in Shanghai, China. We have also had 5 nosebleeds, again, 2 on very crowded metro trains. Everyone was very helpful with the nosebleeds; I had 4 packs of kleenex within seconds, and seats were given up for Noah to lie down.
I'm sure we'll have many more to add to this number, but I didn't expect it to add up so soon!!!

Sick little boy taking a nap!

1.36 billion people in China......

2015-10-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

....and it felt like they were all out with us as we toured Shanghai! It was exhausting every single time we left the hotel. Crowds of people on the sidewalks, packed metro stations, super crowded markets! Everywhere you turned, crowds of people. It's our fault, we chose to travel in China during National Day, or Golden Week! Seriously, pure craziness!

I'll admit, this soured my view of Shanghai, and I honestly couldn't wait to leave. The architecture of Shanghai was amazing though! In the downtown area, there are some amazingly tall buildings, and at night, with the lights on, they were beautiful!

We all noticed a huge difference in cultures between Japan and China. Even though Tokyo is one of the most densely populated cities, with 38 million residents, they had such respect for one another that everything flowed smoothly and felt quiet. When we arrived in Shanghai, they people were much louder, a lot pushier, and the environment a lot dirtier. People rushed onto trains, pushing others out of the way to get a seat--no allowing others to get off before you get on. It just seemed so chaotic and unacceptable to us to see this!

We were also constantly looked at and stopped, for the 4 boys grabbed a lot of attention! In China, although there has been a slight easing on the 1 child per family policy, we are a strange phenomenon! We couldn't barely stop to take a picture of the boys, for as soon as we did, there were others doing the same. The boys are fairly tolerable of this, other than Noah, who really doesn't like to be touched by people, so I usually have to rescue him pretty quick!

We left Shanghai through an incredibly crowded train station, and arrived in Beijing to the thick cover of smog. You couldn't see the tops of buildings and you could taste the pollution in your mouth! At this point, I really was ready to ask Todd to just get us out of this country!

But, we stuck it out, a colder weather front approached that night, and cleared the air! We visited the Great Wall of China, at Mutianyu, and it was amazing! The crowds had died right off, and the wall had almost no one there! The sky was a clear blue, and the Wall was far more beautiful, rugged, fantastic than we could have imagined!

So, in the end, I think China will have been worth the visit, and I would recommend it to anyone, but its not a place I would rush to for a relaxing weekend!

Sayōnara Japan...

2015-10-04T01:35:00.001-07:00

We are sitting at the airport in Hiroshima, waiting to board our flight to Shanghai, China. One country down, 39 more to go!

Some of the highlights:

1) Toilets! Being a mom of 4 boys, clean toilets are always a treat!!! Every single bathroom we used, especially the public toilets (even subway stations) was impeccably clean and deluxe! The toilets are all automated, even with warm seats! They offer bidet (female bottom washing option), shower (bottom washing), odour blocking, and sound boost (to keep your own bodily sounds covered!). The boys spent a lot of time figuring things out in the bathroom at the first apartment. You could hear giggles from the bathroom as they turned on the bottom washing option!!!

The boys found this hilarious!! They wanted to know who would try and use a toilet like that!!!

2) Sushi! The sushi was always delicious, and so reasonably priced, usually around $1-$2 for 2 pieces. It was a great opportunity for everyone to try new food, and discover new favorites! My favourite ended up being salmon, topped with a thinly sliced onion and drizzled with a mayo type sauce!

Not sushi, but a delicious noodle salad!

3) People! Everyone was so respectful and courteous to one another. If you asked for help, they were very eager to assist. The boys got a few hugs from random people, but not too many! Everyone bowed to each other, like we would wave.

4) Temples! So many to see, so little time!! We made day trips to both Nikko and Kyoto, and they were both fantastic!

Rough day.....

2015-09-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Actually, it was yesterday.....

We decided to take a day trip out to Nikko to visit the World Heritage site....a beautiful site! But, we had to change apartments that day, so decided to put our bags in locker storage at one of the metro stations we were passing through, and would pass again on the way home. It was a long train trip, just under 2 hours, and we would arrive around 12:30. Well, we got on the train, without grabbing any food....oops, especially for those of you that know our Joshua!! He was starving by the time we arrived!!

We had a great afternoon in Nikko, definitely worth the visit; beautiful, tall trees and temples. One of the temples was under restoration, but it was still really neat to see! We decided to head home around 4:30 in the afternoon, on the local train, which made about a thousand stops!!!! It took us just about 2.5 hours, but we had stocked up with snacks, so no problem!!!

We arrived back at the station to retrieve our bags, with our claim slips in hand, but......we couldn't locate where we had stored the bags!!! The station was huge, connecting several lines! We wandered around for about 10 minutes, thinking we were getting close, but realizing we really weren't! We then decided to retrace our steps, from the morning, backwards! It was really interesting to see what each of us remembered from our walk through the station earlier that day! Noah remembered a juice bar; Jacob recalled some pillars that were lit, and had a cool design to them; I remembered a coffee shop attached to a book store; Josh recalled climbing stairs. Once we started on our path, we found the bags within a few minutes.

After retrieving the bags from the locker, we bought tickets and headed to the metro. We got on the train, only to realize we were headed in the wrong direction, so off we got and caught the train back the opposite way!

When we arrived at our stop, in search of our new apartment, everyone was ready for a meal and to relax. According to our map, we had a 10 minute walk to the apartment.

We started our hike to the apartment, with very tired kids in tow, each carrying their packs, which we officially weighed today as we headed to Osaka via plane, each of their bags weighs just under 7 kgs! We arrived at the address Google maps led us to, only to find that it was not an apartment building, but a school! Todd looked back in his emails, to find that he had a couple different addresses, some of them more complete than others! We had tried contacting the apartment owner a few times earlier on in the week, with no response, but thought we had everything we needed.

So, we enter another address, and follow it, only a few minutes walk away. We ask several people for help, and they are very gracious in bringing us to the address listed, only for us to find out that it was not the correct address!

After one hour of wandering around a 10 block radius, we decide to take a break, and end up at the nearest McDonalds. We do some more looking into Todd's emails, and on Airbnb itself, to see if we can find a different address. We finally end up with something new, and decide we are going to give it one last try, and if it doesn't work, we'll grab a hotel!

So, we head to a completely different area of town, and feel like we are so close, but still can't find the building. We had thought of taking a cab, but with six people, we really didn't want to split up, in case we ended up in different locations, as we have no way of contacting each other. Anyways, we walked the 20 minutes to this new area, and feeling like we couldn't find the place, we hired a taxi. He drove us 1 minute down the road, and pointed us to the left. We had been right at that spot, but had gone right instead! We ventured down the little side road to the left, and sure enough, there was the apartment--3 hrs later than planned!

Same address, in 3 different formats! I think we have it figured out (kinda??) now!

〒100-8994

東京都中央区八重洲一丁目5番3号

東京中央郵便局

5-3, Yaesu 1-Chome

Chuo-ku, Tokyo 100-8994

1-5-3 Yaesu, Chuo-ku

Tokyo 100-8994

In the end, it all worked out great, but we are all tired today and have very sore feet! We learned a lot about addresses in Tokyo. We had incomplete addresses for the first area we were in, and therefore were in the wrong area of town. The exact same addresses exists all over town, all that really differentiates them is their area!

I'm sure we'll have many more days like this, but I really hope they are well spread out!!!

Toyko

2015-09-27T03:15:00.001-07:00

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We have had a great start to our trip! Tokyo has been amazing, a place we could easily envision returning to. The things I noticed the most; how clean things were, how nice everyone was dressed, no homeless people, and the people are very respectful of one another.

The streets are kept immaculately clean. You will see workers out sweeping outside store fronts. There are very few garbage cans, and yet no litter is left laying around. We didn't notice people smoking in the streets, this seemed contained to restaurants (a change for us!) and smoking rooms (a room where you can buy cigarettes, sit and smoke).

Everyone seems to be well dressed here. Most men were in business suits, and ladies in suits or very nicely dressed as well. Some outfits were more "traditional" Japanese, with frilly skirts, bows on socks, etc. And we have definitely seen people in the very traditional kimono, mostly around temples.

We have not seen a single homeless person.

Given that Tokyo has a population of 38 million, more people than the entirety of Canada, everything flows seamlessly! Everyone has such respect for everyone else, it is fantastic. Everyone follows in line, no pushing through crowds, and generally just polite to one another. They do not worry about locking up bikes, or leaving personal items outside a door; it is just a given that is will be fine.

Todd and I have been amazed with the kids! We have walked, on average, around 17 km a day. They do this without whining, but are definitely tired at the end of the day! At this rate, we'll need new shoes every month!!

The boys have also tried a variety of new foods, and found some new favourites! We have been to Sushi Bars, Noodle Restaurants, and Japanese Curry Houses. The favourite has become the Japanese curry!! It certainly doesn't look appetizing, but even Jacob loves it! A favourite quick snack is ramen (cup of noodles) from the Lawson, a store similar to 7-11. You buy the noodles, and they have a canister of hot water to cook them up!

Big bowl of sashimi for me...which is not my fav!

tsukiji fish market

Trying to use google translate to figure out what we were ordering!

Homework time!

Subway Map

Noah enjoying Japanese beef curry--doesn't look too appetizing.....

Off to Osaka

First of many train rides (this doesn't include subway trains!). Day trip out to Nikko.

Rice Fields

In Nikko at the World Heritage Site. So many interesting temples.

A very tall pagoda

Jacob enjoying (that's right, picky eater right here, eating it up and loving it!!!) pork curry!

Packed, and almost ready to go!

2015-09-18T10:32:00.001-07:00

Monday is quickly approaching--our imminent departure is bringing many emotions for us!

For the boys, I'm not sure they can describe, or even realize, how they feeling, but I have noticed a definite switch in the behaviours. Josh has stopped listening completely, and challenging everything (a fairly typical response for him when big changes are coming). Nathan is not sleeping well, again, fairly typical for him. Jacob is questioning everything we are going to do when we return, typical Jacob, always wanting to know what is next! Noah is just a bit more emotional! Todd is looking forward to this grand adventure, but still trying to figure out the last bit of work, and last minute logistics for us leaving!

For me, I am sick to my stomach, as I try to fit in one more visit with my fabulous peeps that I will miss dearly. And, even after that one last visit, I'm still wanting one more. I don't feel too nervous, I know we'll enjoy our year away, finding new favourite destinations, new foods, and lots of time together (ok, we'll have to figure out ways for everyone to have a few breaks from each other!!!).

I feel like we have school sorted out, as I have met with our fabulous, amazing teachers at Percy Pegler, and have set out a plan to connect the boys' classes to our adventures! We also have a French Math and Science workbook that we will be using, along with some online programs.

Our bags are packed, and we are travelling light! The boys still have space in their packs, so we can pick up a few small souvenirs! Each boy gets 1 hoody, 1 rain jacket, 1 pair of pants, 1 swim suit, 3 t shirts, 4 pairs of shorts, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 pj pant, 4 pairs underwear and 4 pairs of socks! Noah's pack is the blue school pack pack and the other boys will take the bigger yellow/gray day packs! My bag is also packed, the big green one with my blue day bag (I can't refer to it as a purse, or no one else will every carry it for me!).

Here we go.....

The Route.....

2015-07-06T18:45:00.004-07:00

The first of the promised posts......

Back in January we bought a world map for the wall. We hadn't really settled on a route at this point, and probably won't for the whole trip. We have our first few flights booked, but will book further flights as the time gets closer. We do have a rough route in mind, but depending on costs of flights, the path may change as needed!

Our adventure begins on September 21, 2015, with a flight to Tokyo, Japan.

Please let us know where your favourite places to visit have been, and why! We have around 40 countries on our list. We are not going to Europe/Scandinavian countries on this trip: Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, and Central America.

Noah can give a pretty decent world tour!!!

Around the world....

2014-08-04T09:39:00.003-07:00

The time has come for the big announcement.....

Fall 2015 we plan to embark upon on an around the world journey. It's been an idea for the last 6 months or so, but the time has come to start deciding where and when. Travel visas need to be acquired, accommodations booked, etc. Also, by putting it in writing, it propels us forward. We've made it public, so we can't back out now!

We have been back and forth between the length of time we spend in one spot: up to two months, or just a couple weeks? Today, we are leaning towards 2-3 weeks in one place, as we have so many places we want to see!

source: Flickr

We ideally want to visit each continent, but haven't settled on any destinations yet! There are just so many to choose from. Any suggestions are welcome!!!

Our Top 10 Reasons to Travel Around the World

1. Learn about new cultures
2. Meet new people
3. To inspire creativity
4. Explore new foods
5. Makes you appreciate what you have
6. Patience
7. Living Education
8. Seeing the world from other's point of view
9. Respect
10. Makes you realize the value of experience over the value of stuff

How time changes things....

2014-07-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Wow....I just updated the boys photos on the side bar, and I can't believe how much they have changed in just 2 years. I mean, I'm their mom, I should notice these things, right??? I also updated their ages, and I sprung forward by only 3 weeks, and put Jacob's age as 11---I can't believe that either....11 years old.....
I was just texting with my sister yesterday, realizing that she was Jacob's age when Todd and I first starting dating. I was completely unaware that time was sliding by so quickly!!! My baby just turned 6 last week, my oldest turns 11 in 3 weeks, they will all be in school full time in the fall. It seems like just yesterday I had 4 little ones running around the house, and now I've got some handsome, young boys (men???) doing the terrorizing!!
I wish I could just hit pause, for too soon they will all be teenagers, then young adults and moving out to start their own families. At the same time, I enjoy watching them grow, and take new steps in their lives.

A few pictures of our recent adventures. We are currently back in Aix-en-Provence for our summer, but took a side trip up to the Netherlands to visit family. As you can see, they boys are usually always goofy!! They might get that from me though....

Volcanoes and Oobleck....

2013-07-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Another fun, but messy day in our backyard!! Today we made volcanoes, added some baking soda and vinegar, and voila, an eruption!! Next time, I will need way more salt though, as we ran out and still needed more for the "dough"!! This is where we found the instructions for the volcano. The kids did this on their own, with supervision. I posted the "recipes" on the garage door, and they took turns measuring ingredients out. I think they did fantastic!!!

The boys had been previously whining about not having any friends down here. I mentioned that they have to actually talk to kids at the pool or park to make friends!! So, they got a bit better in the last 3 days. Yesterday, at the pool, they met 2 boys close to their ages. They played in the pool for an hour, and are now best buds!!! They came over to join us for volcano making this afternoon!!! So proud of my boys for not being shy like their mom!!!

And then there's OOBLECK......

Jacob wanted to make this"stuff" that could move like a liquid, but could be a solid too. He googled it, and came back with oobleck. It is just a mixture of cornstarch, water and a little food coloring. It is pretty neat stuff, but the food colour stains!!!

Noah is now a mini HULK. Not sure he will ever go back to his original colour!!!

Boys and Backyard Explosions!!!

2013-07-30T11:36:00.001-07:00

Lab coats are complete, so let the experimenting begin!!! We started off with the well known coke and mentos explosion! The boys thought it was awesome!!

I think we will go get different varieties of soda, and see which works the best!!!

Day camps are full....guess we will have our own!

2013-07-29T14:57:00.004-07:00

I didn't really get around to registering the kids in day camp down here in Florida. For those that didn't know, we have bought a second home in Orlando, and plan to spend time between Orlando and Calgary. I wasn't sure what summer would bring. We have passes to a theme park, and access to the pool, so wasn't sure they would want to do more. But, 2 weeks in, and they are ready for more!!!

The local camp was full, so I figured we would be scientists for the week, and do daily activities. The boys have swim lessons in the morning, so afternoons will be great for experiments!!

Today, we started with making lab coats! I bought large mens undershirts and cut them up the front. Here are the boys designing. They are currently drying out in the garage!

Tomorrow, the experiments will begin!!

Wow!!

2013-06-16T14:28:00.002-07:00

Where did I go????

Well, it was surprising easily to fall back into the rhythm of life in Alberta after we moved back! I helped with the Scout programs (Cubs Monday nights, Beavers Tuesday nights), swimming lessons, volunteering at school, seeing friends on the weekends!

We recently (beginning of May), returned to France for a very short 10 days. We missed all of our friends there, and simply could not wait until the fall to go (as we had planned to go back in about 18 months to visit!). We rented an apartment while there, which was beautiful, and the kids played their hearts out with their friends. Jacob, our oldest, was barely at our place the first 5 days. He has such wonderful friends in France, and spent as much time as possible with them!!

We didn't let the kids in France know we were coming, just their parents! So, we waited (im)patiently outside the school doors that first afternoon. When the boys' friends walked out the door, they couldn't believe their eyes!! "Is that really you, Jacob?" " Josh, are you staying here forever?? " It was so neat to see Jacob's two best friends, one nearly in tears as he just stood near Jacob, and the other holding Jacob's hand, almost like he would disappear if he let go.

I have a feeling we will return to France at least once a year, and that some of our boys will start spending parts of their vacations there very shortly!!! When we moved to France almost 2 years ago, I really had no idea it would become such a big part of our lives. It really became a home for us!!

And on that note, we have also bought a second home in Florida. Another place that has always felt like a second home to us!!! I know, completely spoiled!! So, not sure when we will find time to go to school and work, as we have too many places too visit!!!

The boys and I are spending all summer down in Orlando. We have passes to Universal Studios, so will maybe go there a bit, but are mostly looking forward to lots of pool days, beach days, bike rides, and ice creams!!!

I will try to remain better about updating this blog, especially with pictures, as I know we have some friends in France who wish to remain connected to the boys' goings on!!! So, here are the first few pictures!!

Bought a new bike for Jacob, as he discovered he loves mountain biking out in the mountains!

Out hiking in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Noah playing "Doctor" at Nana's house!

Celebrating Parade Day in Okotoks, with friends and family.

My handsome crew!

The boys in front of their new house in Orlando, Fl.

Wedding Time!

2012-11-07T17:28:00.001-08:00

This is a little late, but I am finally getting to it! My brother got married mid October!! I still can't believe he has grown up and got married! I still see him as my little kid brother....

I don't have too many photos, but will share the ones I do have!

My handsome boy Jacob!

The cake I made for the wedding. I was really happy with how it turned out!

My new sister-in-law!

Nathan playing around in the trees while getting photos taken.

They found so many lady bugs!

Mom with all her boys...

Joshua being the Statue of Liberty

My handsome husband and I!

Joshua's shirt at the end of the night! I think he had fun!!

The newly married couple--Ian and Anna!

Missing the south of France!

2012-10-23T12:28:00.001-07:00

I am so not ready for winter!!! It has barely started here, but I am really not looking forward to the next few months of snow, and cold!!!

We had a beautiful Alberta summer, and a pretty decent start to fall, but now this.....

A bientôt Aix en Provence....

2012-06-25T13:43:00.002-07:00

And our 10 months in Provence has come to an end.....

We are down to our last 12 hours in Provence. We will miss Provence. It has been an amazing journey, and well worth every little bump in the path. We have made some wonderful new friends, learnt a new language, saw a little more of the world, and spent some great time together as a family. We played hard right until the last possible minute, and it is with mixed feelings that we board a plane back to Calgary, Alberta, Canada tomorrow!

Saying good bye has been hard, but, I guess that means we had a wonderful year. And, as someone said to me today, not "au revoir", but "a bientôt"--not goodbye, but just "until later".

So, A bientôt Aix......you will be held fondly in our hearts.....

12 days.....

2012-06-14T00:35:00.003-07:00

What to say.....12 long days....12 incredibly short days.....
It is with mixed feelings that we prepare to head back home. We arrived Aug 24th, 2011, and after 10 months, we will hop a plane and move back to Alberta. It is harder to say goodbye to our adventure here than I thought it would be. In the last few months, I feel that we have really become a part of this community. The boys have made some really good friends, who they will be sad to leave behind: there has already been talk of coming back for vacations, and Skype dates! I have met some wonderful moms, who I am sad to leave behind as well. I will even miss the teachers at the schools--having helped with the classes all year! I will really, really miss the sunshine and heat!!! Oh, and very few mosquitoes!!
But, I also cannot wait to be home. To see our families, our friends, and do all our normal "stuff". I can't wait to be in a bigger house (more than a 100 sq ft), and for the kids to have some space away from each other!! I can't wait to drive my van, and have a box of Wheat Thins!!! And how nice it will be, to just walk into a store, and get what I want, without prepping myself first as to what words I need!!!
And on that note--wouldn't you know--I think I starting to speak a little bit of french!!! It first started Monday. I dropped Joshua (and all the other boys) back at school after lunch, and as he walked into the school, I realized I forgot his swimming bag at home!! I had 10 minutes to get to the house and back before they left for swimming. I had 2 little boys with me, and 600 M there and back--MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I quickly ran up to the school door, and threw out to the Jacob's teacher standing there: "J'ai oublié Joshua's sac pour la piscine!! Je cours a la maison très vite." Might not have been perfect, but I didn't get a "Quoi??" And, since my little boys are rockstars--we made it!!!!
Tuesday was library morning at the preschool, and without Todd here to help this week (he got a job back in Calgary--that's right, he has to go back to work!!!), I was going solo!! Which meant, more French! Too bad I am just starting to feel comfortable using the language, and I only have 12 days to go....Oh well--I told myself all I wanted out of this year, was to be able to go back to Okotoks, and be able to help better at the kids French Immersion school, so I think I accomplished that goal!!!
But, I think that is enough blabbering for one day!!! Here are a few, unrelated to this post, photos!! All from the last week!!!

As part of the Fete Committee, I helped 2 other moms build these baskets for the year end festival tomorrow night. This was the first time the school built "Paniers" for raffling off. I think they look great, and have been a big hit. Tickets were for 1 Euro. Notice all the fancy cutouts and wrapping on the baskets themselves--yeah, that was me being creative.....

Another lost tooth! All Joshua wants for Christmas is his two front teeth!!

Fort building at its finest!!

We were joined by two of the other Canadian (from Toronto) families for an afternoon noon at the base of Mt Saint Victoire! A wonderful afternoon, with a lot of great boys!!!

The head chef of the family!

I cut all the vegetables, but Noah made the salad all by himself!