Cousin Love

Cousin-love is very special.  These kiddies are growing up together despite a distance!  We wish we were closer to them every day but we take the great moments when we can.  

This Precious Girl

 

 

4 1/2 years ago we were blessed with this precious little girl.  I have shared her vivaciousness since her birth (which was the first indication of how feisty she can be) and she never ceases to amaze me with her antics.  Last fall she began dance class and she has loved every minute of it.  Her big sister, whom she looks up to adoringly, is a dancer so there was no doubt Jean would be a dancer as well.  

 

This past weekend she performed in her first real dance recital, on a big stage, with lights and beautiful music and, of course, her cute little purple costume.  She left the house very excited and came home exhausted (see above).  Jean always gives her "all" and takes it all in.  She lives her life to the fullest... I often think she knows more than us and maybe she does.  Her short little life started out with her testing the limits so she just might already know how precious life is and that she is going to live her life the fullest.  She gives us more joy and we are so proud of her.  She is truly our tiny little dancer; just come on over and you just might get to see one of her infamous "shows"... so darn cute!

My Very Own Mother's Day

Since becoming a mother, my own Mother's Days have been very different than most would expect.  Many times I have celebrated by being on my own, spending time with our children.  The result of living on a fruit and vegetable farm means that early May is filled with planting our fields and selling at the Sunday Farmers' Market so many years I would load up the kids and we would head to Ottawa to spend the day together and visit daddy at the Market.  This is the first year in a long time where there was NO market to go to and NO planting being done!  I love spending time with the kids on my own but I really love being altogether as a family.

I chose what I wanted to do for the day and the most important thing I wanted was to go on a hike - one of our favourite things to do as a family.  Ian packed a little picnic and off we went to our neighbours "cave".  As we walked we experienced sunshine, darkening clouds, rain, snow and hail then sunshine again.  It was amazing.

 

The forests are filled with trilliums.

 

The Canadian Shield peaks out of the fields in some places... resulting in a great place to climb.

 

 

We enjoyed our picnic in the cave (rock jutting out of the ground) while watching the weather turn from sunshine to rain and then to sunshine again.  It was beautiful.

 

Being a mother has been my greatest blessing.  I know that traditionally Mother's Day is for pampering all the mommies (and I love that part) but I like to take the time to just enjoy my children and I always feel very thankful for them.  It was a great day.