...and we recap!

The past few weeks have been crazy!

School started, work turned into chaos and the weather got colder!!!

I have felt guilty for not posting but my brain isn't being as creative as I would like it to, so I thought we could recap the past few weeks avoiding all the unfun stuff that has been happening and only posted about the fun we have had!

The last weekend of the summer was spent at my brother's cottage.  We enjoyed a boat ride, playing outside and in the shallow water and searching for frogs!!!

 

Then we rounded out that weekend with the FREX, oh how I love the Fredericton Exhibition for those of you not familiar with it!  It's our version of a fair!

The rides were spinning, turning and swirling and I was expertly avoiding them all!  My kids are still on the little rides and can go together which is just perfect for me! 

Rides, candy apples and my son posing like a pro!!!   Oh his brother got one too because what are grandparents for if not to whine to because you didn't want to share and get you your own!!!!

We watched crazy people jump from high diving boards into a small pool, we watched other people's children ride motocross bikes off a ramp and do tricks!  Sadly that's what I think now, watching those boys/men doing really neat tricks on their bikes all I could think was those are someone else's little boys and someday could be mine!  Scary!!!!

And Liam FINALLY got to watch fireworks, 11pm is just too late for this little boy so these September ones that happen at 9:30pm where still a stretch but doable!  He loved them and hasn't stopped talking about them.

Since it was so late, I assumed Rhys would be tired while waiting.....nope!

This was his favourite activity until the fireworks started and he leaped into my arms.  Rhys did not love the fireworks.  Maybe next year!

Then we had our first week of the 2's room and afterschool programs AND then the magical first day of Kindergarten!!!

Liam is doing great and I am feeling pretty good about it!

Work was still insane but that's no fun to talk about!!!  Apparently that's just how it's going to be from now on!

This past weekend was filled with lots of fun.  On Friday, we gathered in secret for Joel and his sibling to surprise their father with tickets to his favourite concert and a hotel stay in Halifax for his 60th birthday.  Before the gathering, Joel and I went over to Marden's (a place of secret finds!!!!!) in search of fabric.  While I didn't find exactly what I was looking for, I did find some very fun pieces for some future projects which I will of course share later!  (Just need to find the time to start, do and complete them)

Then Saturday was filled with dancing and music as we attending the children's portion of our local Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival!!

The boys dancing up a storm

Then banged on some drums!!

All in all, a fun time! 
We capped off our fun morning with a dark and gloomy afternoon of thunder and lightening, which needed games, lego and snacks to take our mind off the noise!


Sunday was time for a little church.  Rhys has been asking to wear his tie for weeks and finally Sunday was the day....they are quite happy to be dressed up!

Then it was off to the Gagetown Fruit Farm for Open Farm Day.  It was a nice little adventure, we had a wonderful lunch at their restaurant, visited some animals and took a tractor ride

 

And then a ferry ride to Jemseg.....who says we don't get out!!! Haha!

The exciting life of the Dickinson's!!

It was a lovely weekend that could have been a little longer to get the things done that I needed to but put off to get out of the house and forget about all the other things that stress my world!

Oh well, there's always next weekend!!

Happy Monday!

Kindergarten!

It didn't snow or rain and Liam maintained his height!

So we made it Kindergarten!!!

After asking for weeks and then everyday this week, it was finally his turn to go!!

He was so happy to be in his new classroom, make new friends and of course play!  He doesn't know yet that it's a fun place to learn!!

I was so happy to hear that he had a great morning and even after his first full day it was still a good time.
He likes it and wants to go back!!!  That's all we can ask for!

Just so Rhys didn't feel left out

 

 

 

I think I did pretty good with all the changes.  My children seemed to make out just fine!  Rhys is a little concerned each morning but is fine and always has a great day!  Liam did great, tired I think but doing great!

 

Me, I did good until about noon yesterday when I had a little moment after I might have stalked him on the playground and saw that he wasn't playing with anyone.  He didn't really look sad or anything but he was twirling around the swing post!  I was still sad that he wasn't running around like a crazy person like the rest of the kids.  I assume he's just figuring out how to be in charge of the whole thing, so he is taking in the whole event!!! haha~!

 

Now that we have completed another week of firsts I am going to try to relax and enjoy the rest of September!

 

Happy Weekend!

 



am I ready??

So many people have asked me this question or some version of it over the past few weeks.  My little boy Liam is starting kindergarten tomorrow.

Am I ready??

Great question, I am ready only because I am so confident that he is ready.  He is very clever, social and oh so happy to be going to school.  He is a late baby (december 22nd birthday) and a boy to boot, so obviously there were reservations about him starting school.  He has done great learning all the things he needed to learn and loves to lead, he's kind, funny and aims to please!

I am ready for that reason, I will be sad that he's started school and my little baby is no longer but excited for all the new adventures to come.  For him to experience things on his own, to make mistakes, correct them and move on, to make new friends and learn new things!!!

He is ready and I will be too!

Now you might ask do we have everything ready for school???  Another great questions and oh how I would love to say yes.  I would love to say, we have our new outer wear ready, new/old clothes organized and ready to go, shoes and boots tried and new ones purchased.

But alas, it is not true.  I put Liam's raincoat on him today and what do know.....it's about 5 inches too short on the arms!  Do you think there are rain coats out there in stores for me to purchase??  Nope, just checked!  Ordering we will go!

His snowsuit is looming downstairs taunting me as I think, oh it should fit, one can't be sure yet  because I haven't tried it on!

I got through all of his pants and stored (threw them on his dresser) the ones that didn't fit and neatly placed the ones that do on his shelf.  This joy will end soon as all of his pants (12 pairs) fit the same way, we have about an inch clearance and then poof, all the pants will be too short!  It will happen so quickly and I of course will be surprised.

Shirts I couldn't get through yet.  Boys, they do not like trying on clothes....unless of course it's a super hero costume but I know those fit!

Anyways, we are ready for tomorrow.  As long as it stops raining, doesn't snow and Liam doesn't grow an inch.

keep on keeping on

I can't remember who says that but I liked it.  Like any good blogger, I should probably research that but I am not going to.

If you like the saying great, if you know who said it great.  If not, that's ok!

Thank you for the all lovelies that emailed, texted or called with your concerns over my last post.  Yes it was a little heavy but totally true.

The world is ok, mine was just a little shaken for a bit.  We are good!

I haven't had time to come up with clever things to blog about or to show you some of the things I have been doing because somehow things go crazy over here again!

I assume it might have something to do with have two small children and looking after the business that will someday (perhaps soon) be mine.  It makes things very busy and I seem to not be able to find extra time.

It makes it worse when I have great and wonderful plans to execute in the evening and once the children are finally in bed, I just want to sit on the couch and read my book! Anyone else out there feel like that?

I start a book and the world slips away, Joel doesn't really exist (only to warm up my toes), the dishes stay dirty, the laundry stays piled, the toys stay out but the book comes alive!!!!  I have to leave space and time in between books as to get actually things done around my house.

So that is where some of my time has gone but I don't feel it's a waste, just some much deserved and enjoyed me time!

But I do have lots of things to share with you in the future and I look forward to getting organized to share them with you. 

Next week my oldest starts kindergarten and I have happy and sad all at the same time.  He is so very excited and I am too but I am sure that I am going to cry once I am back at my home.  I don't know what it is but he even seems so much older than he did even in July.  He seems to have grown over night, clothes are surely not going to fit long!  His facial expressions and reactions to things are even leaving the preschooler/toddler phase.  My little man is growing up and I can't be sure I am ready.

I will of course document the event completely and will probably post before and after because of the stress and cuteness of the event!!!!

So I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and we will chat again next week!

trust

The past few days have been interesting to say the least.

When you expect a person to be the person you know and then the truth comes out and it's not what you expected, it is a bit of a blow to system.  That's how things have been going.  My faith in people has been tested and shaken recently.

After some head shaking in disbelief I have decided to continue on with my hope that people can be trusted and aren't always out to get you.  I want to believe people are going to do what's best for themselves but also what is best for the company they work for, the family they have, and the friends they keep.

I am going to continue to leave my keys in my car when I go into the daycare or the post office and believe that no one is going to steal my car.

I am going to continue to leave items out on my front step for people and believe they will leave the money promised in my mailbox

I am going to continue to let my children be children, play outside and make new friends, and believe that adults and children alike are going to treat them with kindness and respect

I will continue to teach my children to believe the best in people and treat everyone with kindness and respect.  I will also teach them to be cautious and smart and to learn when something just isn't right to tell someone they do trust.

I will continue to believe that if we treat someone the way we want to be treated, they are going to do the same for us.

It's the only way I can make it through this crazy world!

I will not allow myself, my company, my family or my friends to be bullied, pushed around or taken advantage of but I will do what I can to make it a better place!

and camping we went!

As previously stated my version of camping doesn't always mesh with other peoples!

I am happy with that just the way it is, we camped in our 35 ft trailer that had a TV, microwave, shower and separate bedroom in the back.  Thankfully this is my parents trailer and they so graciously allow us to use it whenever they aren't! 

I stated those features because those are not features I grew up with, yes we had a trailer that allowed us to not sleep on the ground and we could eat indoors but that was it.  It wasn't fancy but it was fantastic!!!

These upgrades are a perk as was the clever thinking of my mother to take her old single use Keireg and leave it in the trailer!!!! 

So we packed up Friday and heading west for a little camping adventure at what I must admit is the most kid friendly obsessed campground I have ever been to.  Jellystone Park in Woodstock, NB.

We arrived for Halloween weekend and it was a huge success! 

Our first night it was just our little family of 4....we had fun at the water slides, the parks and of course a campfire!  Saturday arrived and so did our guests. 

What do you do when you have a huge trailer, invite friends!  So we invited our friends to join us in the chaos of camping with two 5 and almost 5 year olds, and 2 two year olds and 4 adults in one trailer!!!!

I can see you thinking, wow, that's a lot of people in one trailer and the potential for meltdown and trouble is high.  We all made it through wonderfully!!

We had a great time!

We decorated our campsite!!  It was Halloween of course!!



Ate Cheesie's!!

Drink beer!!  (they look happy and it was best to keep them happy :)

And then dressed up like the Flintstones!!!

Knowing it was going to be a hot day for trick or treating in August and knowing our costumes are made for October in New Brunswick I made some August appropriate costumes!!!

Everyone feeling cooler in a dress!!!  I saw an adorable post on pinterest of Wilma and Fred and then realized we had the perfect kids for the whole team!  Fabric shopping I went and costumes were made!  The girls mother was in charge of hair accessories and necklaces as that's not really my world!!

It turned out great (even though Rhys refuses to smile), they had fun, they were cool and the parents all thought they looked great.  (the kids, including our own, didn't really know who they were!!)

Here's a little mash up of the cuteness!!

Also included in the camping adventure was:

Riding in the back of the truck!

water slides

mini golf

hayride with Yogi and Cindy Bear

Campfire and smores!!!!

And of course a morning playdate in bed!!

It was a really fun time and we all made out so good that we have plans for another team camping adventure for next year!!!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

















a lot of dirt...

We have lived in our house for 6 summers and have been staring at the mess of plants and stuff along the side of our house.

Throughout the year we would get some flowers on certain parts, as Liam is proudly showing off our flowers (I should know the name of these but I have no clue and am still learning in this game of gardening....it's a slow process)

A few weekends ago, on a very hot and sticky day I decided we were finally going to do something about it.

That plan ended up being, rip everything out!!!  Except the plant pictured above with Liam and what ever lovely plant grows up my lattice!!  They made the cut....everything else was out!

The boys had a great time collecting plants, moving dirt and using power tools!!!

And of course playing with worms!!!


As with most things, I don't know why we waited so long to attack it.  My life seems to get going so quickly and I am constantly trying to visit with people, take the kids to fun places and get things done that we rarely have a weekend let alone a day to hang out at home.  This summer we realized that we needed to take those days if not weekends!!!

So this beautiful sight is the result of one of those days!

I can see the potential for pretty flowers and plants next summer (I promise to remember their names!!)


My boys see a new spot to play in the dirt....and for the rest of this summer that's just what it is.

We are also going to attempt a raised veggie garden next summer, we have had so many friends tell us of all their yummy veggies straight from the garden and we are jealous! 

Big plans.....big plans!!!  Stay tuned!