Anna graduates

Anna graduated from Robert Thirsk High School in the middle of May.  I know that she thought that day would never happen but as her parents, we knew it would.  I'm so proud of her.  I know it hasn't been very easy moving around a lot and going to new schools.  Not many kids have to move to a new country and new school for their senior year of high school.  Anna rocked it!  

On top of that, she had to deal with her injury during the last few months.  

It's going to be exciting to see what she chooses as her career.  No Anna, professional cat snuggler is not an appropriate occupation.

 Out of all the kids there, she was the only one with purple hair.  I'm so glad that she is confident in what she wants to do or dress.

Well Troy, we got to down.  Three to go.

Miranda is home

I know people listen to me complain about how noisy my house is.  

About how much I love it when everyone goes to school and I have time for myself.

Truth is, I don't want this to end.  I always want there to be kids laughing in my home.

Miranda Sings in a You-tuber that our family loves to watch.  (Troy does not like her!)  Olivia has this Miranda Sings character down.  She met a friend at school who also loves to watch Miranda's channel.  The outcome?  Just look at these girls.  Throw in some extra neighborhood girls playing dress-up into the mix and we have craziness.

Yes, it gets exhausting sometime but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sunset sledding

There hasn't been an abundance of snow this year in Calgary.  I guess I can't complain, although I do love the snow.  Last week before dinner, we tried to get some sledding in. Before we even got to the hill, Soren took Anna down at the knees and they had a brawl.  Love it when my kids fight.

We have a fantastic view of COP and of the mountains.

Soren all bundled up.  It was cold and windy that evening.

 Jeff's kids slide down and he hauls the sleds up for them.  I love that my kids are old!  I just stand at the top of the hill and watch every climb up the hill over and over.  It would do me good to climb up that hill over and over!  

 Anna was singing "Do you want to build a snowman" to Ella.  Find it funny that their names are so similar to those in the movie.

A lot of snow balls thrown.  Anna got Cambie.  That's what started the brawl on the way to the hill.

This was so freaking cute!  Della wanted to hit that jump soooooo bad.  She literally got to the very top of it and stopped.  Don't ever say Della didn't finish something.  Those little feet came right down and she pushed herself over the tippy top. Boy was she proud of herself for hitting that gigantic hill.

As Jeff and I are some of the most brilliant parents out there, we put huge snowballs on the sleds and sent our kids down on them.  I don't know about Barb, but Troy would of been very proud.

It is of course one of the very safest ways to sled.

Safe.  Very safe.

Olivia crashed and was pinned by the snowball.  I was to busy laughing until Soren went and jumped on top of it, nearly busting her legs off.  I knew they weren't broken when she took off after him trying to beat him up.  Dang, I love nights like those.  It got even better when I went home because Troy had a hot dinner ready for us.

Visiting Dad.

.....and Cleo.  She actually likes me.  Take that back.  She tolerates me.  At least she comes out from hiding and lets me brush and pet her.  That's big!  

A few weeks ago I was able to take a quick trip down to visit my Dad, Sister and her family.  It's emotional to walk into my parents house and not have my Mom screaming hello. As difficult as it is, its very comforting to be there.  She is everywhere in the house still.  I love to visit with my Dad.  This last visit we got to go over family history.  Fun stuff.

The craft room is still the same.  Love it.  I totally take after Mom when in comes to this kind of stuff.  

I walked around the house and snapped a few pics.  I want the kids and one day my grand kids to see what their house was like.   I love these photo's of Mom and Dad.

The view outside my Dads front window.  They change colour by the minute as the sun sets.  Stunning.

Dad, Jana and I went and spent some time up at Moms grave.

Two years she's been gone.  I still have those moments when I go to pick up the phone to tell her something and then catch myself.  Or when I think something is really neat and want her to see it.  I have so much of her in me.  Just so thankful that I still have my Dad.  Thanks for the laughs Jana.  Not the dry heaving.  Didn't like that!  You have amazing kids.  So fun to spend time with them!