My Boy, Who's Four

I know, I know - I'm a tad bit tardy in writing about my son's fourth birthday. Seeing how this event may possibly have been the highlight of his year, I can't let it go by without at least some commentary and photos.
Like last year, I got together with my friend Jenyfer to plan a joint party between Brandon and her little girl Kahlan. Unfortunately the best date we could get for a party was Sunday Nov 21st. And even though we had to wait a few weeks for the party with friends, we still found a way to celebrate his big day. For better or for worse, Brandon is well aware of birthdays and how birthdays bring presents. Brandon absolutely loves opening presents. So on Nov 10th, we started the day by opening gifts. Jamie and I had got Brandon the present de jour, which was "Rescue Bots". He was so excited to see them that we had to tear him away for fun at the pool. We took him to Westside Recreation Centre where they have a huge indoor slide and wave pool. Brandon loved it there! Especially the huge slide :-)

After a couple of hours at the pool it was home for quiet time. We needed to rest up for our dinner party at Leanne's house. Leanne happened to invite us over for dinner on B's birthday. She's got two little girls - Jade is Brandon's age - and she was also invited Anj and Peter, who have two little kids of their own. The dinner invite worked out perfectly as we were able to celebrate his birthday with friends. For cake, I brought exactly what he asked for - a Spiderman ice-cream cake. Yes! Score for Mom.

The day of K and B's party finally arrived. Jen had booked a party room and gym for the kids. She decorated the party room in a Tiki theme (very cute) and the kiddos played with balloons, ate pizza and decorated their own cupcakes before hitting the gym for an hour.  I don't mean to brag but I think the party was a huge success. Smiles and laughs were all around.

So what does it mean for Brandon to be four? Well every day he gets a little bit more independent. He puts on his own hat and boots. He puts on his own pants, socks and "space pants". He still has trouble with shirts but we're working on it. He doesn't sit at the table with a booster seat anymore. He announced that he's a big boy and just doesn't need it. He's starting to enjoy music and he has his favourite songs on the radio. He knows his letters and his counting is getting really good (even though I heard "forty-teen" the other day). He took ski lessons last month and now he skis with his Dad on evenings and weekends that are warm enough. He loves to go sledding. The bigger the hill, the better. He seems to be fearless when it comes to sledding. As usual, he's also saying things that crack me up.
Like when I went to throw out some paper, he said "Wait Mommy don't throw that out. Those are the "un-structions".
Or the other day, he was using his camera to take a picture of Jamie. Jamie stuck out his tongue at the last second and when Brandon tried to play back the photo he said "oh Daddy, you broke the camera!" Haha.
My favourite was when we were driving home from Shawn and Christine's house one night. He asked "Why don't Shawn and Christine have any kids?" I said "Well they talked about it and decided they didn't want any children". Brandon said "but you did?" I said "Yes, your Daddy and I decided we wanted a baby and when you came, you were perfect." That's when Brandon replied "Yah, you went to the store and picked me out of a box and brought me home." Ummm . . . yes, something like that!
I'm so proud of the little boy Brandon is becoming. He's gentle with other kids (i.e. no hitting or biting) and he's very thoughtful. He'll often offer to share his treats when he hasn't even been prompted. He stills loves cars and trucks and our cat Finch. His favourite food is ribs and his favourite colour is blue. Oh and did I mention? He's also the light of my life ;-)

Remembering Afi

I was in Mexico, getting ready to leave for the airport and go home when I learned my Afi had passed. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. My sole surviving grandparent, who had no illness or known health issues, died unexpectedly on Thursday Dec 5th. He was 89.
It wasn't until I got home and saw my Dad that I learned what had happened. Apparently he had spent the day at a Christmas party. He had been in good spirits, eating and singing. He was with my Uncle Kris and Aunt Colleen. They had wanted to spend time with him before leaving to enjoy the holidays at their home in Arizona. They said he sat on Santa's knee and asked for a beer for Christmas. After the party he went to his room for a nap and there he drifted off to wake no more. Truly a remarkable (and peaceful) ending for a man I considered to be remarkable himself.
 I know little of Afi's early days but my impression was he came from humble beginnings. I also felt he was a bit of a fighter but that was a necessary part of growing up and getting by in London in the early 1930's. Later I know he served in World War II and was stationed in Iceland where he met my Amma. He married her there and brought her back to England. They started a young family before immigrating to Winnipeg. I know he was resourceful and good with his hands - I believe he was a car mechanic at one point. I also know he was smart. Not only because of his quick wit and fast jokes but because he became a tax account and helped local farmers with their returns.
For me I remember my Afi as someone who had a real passion for having a good time. He loved to sing, he loved to dance, he loved even more having an audience. He could tell great stories and always had a joke or two in his back pocket. He loved to drink beer, he loved his legion and he loved to gamble. The very first bet I ever laid was at a racetrack with my Afi. I must have been about seven or eight years old. All day he put his money down on 5 and 7 but they never came in and it never seemed to bother him. He just liked cheering on the horses and watching them round the bend.
I remember he loved to fish and he loved to play cards. I remember doing both of these things with him.
When I was 19, I had the great fortune to be invited on a trip to Iceland with my Afi and Amma. I saw first-hand how everyone there loved him. He was the life of the party, the center of attention. I also had the lovely experience of going to the church with them where they got married. Both deep in memories, I watched their faces as they smiled at the site around them and then at each other. Afi was also the one to introduce me to Icelandic ice cream. He told me it was the best ice cream in the world and though I haven't sampled ice cream the world over, I believe he's right on that one.
I remember visiting Afi in his home the summer after Amma died. He was so sad and he told me he often saw her walking around in the house. He admitted then he wanted to drown himself in booze and perhaps join her. That was the only time I saw him vulnerable, not laughing and not joking around. I was happy for him when he met Josie and came back to his old self again.
And his old self was singing and dancing and telling jokes and stories. I will always love and appreciate his lust for life. I think I will always miss him too. His quiet ending was the most any of us could have asked for. Rest in peace Afi. You are loved. xoxo

. . . and even now I can hear him singing

                            " . . . this is my cheese smeller,
                                    cheese smeller my darling dear
                                   and zhat is what I learned in my school
                                   yah, yah! . . ."

And Then it Was 10

Around the same time Jamie and I were packing our bags and leaving for San Francisco (the first week of celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary), my friend Britney announced she was getting married in Mexico. It was her hope that we could be there for her wedding.
When it came to deciding where to go for our second week of vacation this year, Mexico was on our list. It wasn't that far away - about a 4.5 hour plane ride, it was warm, affordable and we did get married there ourselves only 10 short years ago. We made a plan to have a luxurious Mayan Riviera holiday and attend Britney's wedding while we were there.
On Thursday Nov 28th, my parents arrived in Calgary to watch Brandon for us one last time (Jamie and I have decided we'll celebrate family holidays from now on). Early Friday morning, my Dad drove us to the airport and we were on our way. Upon arrival, as planned, a beautiful Cadillac Escalade was waiting to pick us up. I knew right then that this was going to be a fabulous holiday.

The ride to our resort - The Secrets Maroma - was only a quick 40 minute drive away. Admittedly the resort didn't look that impressive when we pulled up but the bell boy opened my door and said "Welcome home Señora Fontaine" and I was hooked. Because we booked "the Preferred Club" they quickly whisked us away in a golf cart and took us to a separate lounge where check-in was effortless. After the paperwork and with a glass of champagne in hand, our personal concierge Fabiola showed us to our room.  For this trip we decided to book a swim-out suite. Our room was beautiful and the swim-out was everything I hoped it would be, which was warm and mostly private.

From then onwards our trip was just a lovely experience. The resort itself was large, clean and well laid out. Our building was in the perfect location - close to the beach, the pools and the Preferred Club lounge (where they made the best cappuccinos ever!) The resort was adult only and very quiet. Most people there were celebrating an anniversary or a honeymoon and it lacked a party vibe. Not to say this resort was boring because it wasn't. While there we had an amazing couples massage, we enjoyed private beach cabanas, we saw two very good shows, ate at Mexican fiesta night, met other nice couples, and danced at the disco.

What sets this resort apart from others is not the outstanding service or truly wonderful food but rather the beach it sits on. Maroma Beach has been voted one of the world's top ten beaches and it's easy to see why. The sand was white and sugar-soft. It also stretched as far as you cared to go either on land or in the sea. Oh and the water! So warm and the most beautiful turquoise blue. Jamie and I spent a lot of time either playing in the water or staring at it :-)

The day of our anniversary was on a Wednesday. We celebrated 10 years by renting a private beach cabana for the day. The day was lovely and warm and the service we received from staff was wonderful. That evening we got all dressed up and headed out for dinner at the French restaurant. We ordered a nice bottle of Mexican wine (who knew they made wine?) and chatted about our amazing holiday and how relaxed we felt. After dinner we watched a rock show in the theatre that was surprisingly good. Later we went back to our room and swam in the pool, enjoying the stars while drinking champagne. Did I mention I also received a gorgeous ring as a gift from my thoughtful husband? Yep it was a wonderful day.

The next day was Britney's wedding. We left our resort to see her get married at the Dreams Puerto Adventuras - about 45 minutes away. The day was hot and the wedding gazebo was perfectly set on the beach. She made a beautiful bride and her ceremony was short and sweet. After the vows and some cake, Jamie and I grabbed some lunch while family photos were being taken. Around 3:30 we made our way to the lobby for a surprise reception. We all climbed into a shuttle and headed back to Maroma Beach (yah for us) to enjoy a sunset cruise catamaran boat ride. It was truly a lovely experience. As the sun set, we sipped on wine and enjoyed some tapas while we sailed right passed our resort. After the cruise we dined on a private beach beside the marina. Speeches and the first dance followed and then all-too-soon, it was over. Jamie and I grabbed a cab back to our resort and enjoyed another late night swim in our pool.

The morning saw us one last time at the beach where I tried desperately to ingrain the smell, the heat, the sound of the waves and the feel of the sand into my memory. I must have done a good job because if I close my eyes and concentrate I can take myself back there and, for a minute, feel as content as I did for those few special days.
A special thanks goes out to my parents for being good sports and taking care of Brandon for us. Apparently it was a terribly cold week in Calgary and shovelling snow ended up being on the agenda. Sorry!
I'd also like to give a heart-felt thank you to my husband of 10 years. Thank you for your love, your friendship, your patience, your acceptance and your never-ending support of me. When I'm with you I feel like a better version of myself - a better mother, a better friend, a better person. The past 10 years have seen us blessed with great jobs, a nice home, wonderful friends and a beautiful family. May we always be so happy and so blessed. I loved you the day I married you, I love you today,  I will love you always. Thanks for loving me ~ your Jen xo

Happy Halloween

Halloween is a very popular day around here. Brandon has declared he likes "Spooky Time" almost as much as he likes Christmas and his birthday. This year he was adamant that he would be dressed in a"Bumblebee" (the Transformer) costume. Not wanting to deal with the same disappointment I faced last year when I bought a Harry Potter costume, I took to eBay and ordered him the best Bumblebee costume I could find . . . for under $50. In August.

Anyways he loved the costume and he got to wear it numerous times before October 31st.

Like last year, this year we thought we'd head to Tuscany and trick or treat with our little friends Leighton and Dakota. They were so excited and really good at yelling "trick or treat", "thank you" and then running to the next house. The weather was mild this year and the kids were having such a good time, we let them hit a few more houses than last Halloween. Brandon picked up so much loot, Jamie had to start lining his coat pockets with candy.

When we got home, Brandon set to work emptying his bucket and counting his treats. He's so much like me when it comes to sorting things, I love it!

All in all another fun and successful Halloween :-)

Our Trip to Vic

For the past couple of months now Brandon has been asking if he can go on a "hairplane" (airplane). Feeling only slightly guilty that Jamie and I aren't taking him on any holidays with us this year, I decided to book us a weekend trip to Victoria.
Brandon was super excited to learn we were going on a flight but actually a bit disappointed once we started our journey. What Brandon didn't know is that the airport is a lot of hurry up and wait. No matter, he was still a champ when it came to going through security, grabbing some Timbits near our gate and playing the iPad while waiting to board. The flight itself was uneventful (and perhaps even boring) though he really seemed to enjoy the part where we were taking off.
Once in Victoria, we were greeted by my parents who seemed pretty excited to see us. It was late when we got to their place so we all headed to bed, knowing a whirlwind two days was about to start.
The next morning we were up bright and early so we could meet Alexa and James at a nearby pumpkin patch to pick out their Halloween muses. Brandon hadn't seen his cousins in about a year but he fell right in with them like he'd only seen them yesterday. After pumpkin picking we were off to Swan Lake to feed some ducks and hang out on the floating bridge. There was only one duck but Brandon loved the bridge and spending time with his cousins.

We weren't at Swan Lake long before heading out for my birthday lunch (37 - gasp!) and shortly after to spend some time and rest up at my brothers place. A couple of hours later and we were off to meet my parents at a restaurant for dinner. We had a busy, loud, chaotic and altogether wonderful meal together :-)

The next morning Brandon was up to help his Afi walk the dog. They were gone a long time but that's what happens when your almost 4 year old walking partner has to look at every stick and every ant along the way! They had fun but nothing could compare to the pool Afi took Brandon to in the afternoon. Afi's local recreation center pool has slides, fountains and a crazy river. Brandon loved it!  They spent an hour playing in the water and when we got back home, both of them had good long naps. At 3:00 it was time to get up because they were meeting Alexa and James for a spooky train ride. I didn't go with them but I understand it's sort of like an old town that gets dressed up for Halloween. There's treats, people in costumes and a little train that takes the kids on a spooky ride. Apparently Brandon loved that too :-)

When they were done, they all came back for a family dinner. Once again the scene was pretty loud and busy but really lots of fun. It's great when Brandon can spend time with family because we rarely get to see them.
The next morning we were up early and on our way home. Brandon was a star again on the plane and I'm so very proud of him. Does this mean more travelling in the cards for us? Boy, I sure hope so!

Giving Thanks

It's the Thanksgiving long weekend and I'm feeling inspired to write about all the things I'm thankful for. When I start thinking about it though, my list ends up being quite long. My friends, my family, my health, my job etc, etc, etc. So instead of re-writing the book on being blessed and knowing it, I've decided I'll be thankful for this day. To live in the moment and to be present. Today I'm thankful for the sun on my face, the fresh air filling my lungs, the sound of my son laughing. I'm thankful for the changing of the seasons and the wonderful colours all around me. I'm thankful time slowed down for a minute and nothing mattered but leaves falling to my feet. I'm thankful for days like these.

"I do know how to pay attention, 
how to fall down in the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, 
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through fields, 
which is what I've been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
~Mary Oliver

Summer 2013

It's pouring rain outside and it's kinda cold. The sun is slower to come up in the mornings and the leaves have began to change colour. It feels like summer might truly be over so perhaps this is the perfect time to blog about the season we just had.
Weather wise, summer was slow to get started. Due to so much rain in June, the city of Calgary actually flooded. I never would have predicted it but the river rose, spilled it's banks and destroyed much of downtown Calgary. With spirits undaunted - "Come Hell or High Water" - the show must go on and so we took Brandon to the Calgary Stampede for the first time this year. It turned out to be lots of fun. Brandon wasn't fussed by the big crowds and he really enjoyed the lights, sounds and tastes of the mid-way. Along with his friend Kahlan, he tried fried foods, played on kiddy sized toys and watched the "Super Dogs" perform their show. Jamie and I agreed it was "Okay" and will likely take our little back-a-roo back to the Stampede for more good times next year.

Stampede was fun but it couldn't compete with the camping trip Brandon and Jamie took the weekend after. After meeting up with the Hill family in Water Valley, Brandon had a blast playing with all the other kids, chopping wood, riding his bike, getting muddy in the creek and, of course, quadding. They had so much fun, they even did it again in August. I was thrilled with their father-son bonding time and relished in a quiet yet clean home all by myself!

Speaking of me, I took a short trip to Victoria to say goodbye to both of my grandparents. Saying goodbye wasn't easy but I was happy to be surrounded by family that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. It's funny how it takes major events like weddings and funerals to bring people together when we're all just a click away really . . .
Anyways I was back in time to welcome my sister-in-law Joline, her man Marcus and their son Julien into our home for an eight day staycation with family. A few days after their arrival we had Julie and her son Kalluem come stay with us too. It was a busy household but lots of fun. Brandon and Julien got on really well and they were able to enjoy sites like the Science Center (the Calgary Zoo had been destroyed by the flood), the Royal Tyrell Museum, Calaway Park, and Sulpher Mountain in Banff. We played in the backyard, attended an awesome BBQ, went shopping and even had our photos taken by my favourite photographer. Before we knew it, their visit was over and we promised to go see them in New Brunswick next summer. Brandon can't wait. He really had fun with his big cousin!

Brandon started preschool on August 7th. I'm sorry to report that it did not go well. He only had to go two days a week in August but he cried every time I dropped him off. He even went so far as to tell me he "hated school". This broke my heart as all I wanted was for him to have a good first school experience. He couldn't tell me exactly what he didn't like so I'm guessing it was just more structured and altogether different then what he'd had at Linda's for the past two years. Now that we're more than a month into it, he finally seems OK. He no longer cries when I drop him off and he often tells me about things he learned in school - like how apples, oranges and bananas grow on trees or that his heart is the size of his fist. He likes a little boy there named Dillon and my hope is that they become fast friends soon.
We were so lucky to spend lots of time with our friends this summer. Nothing is more fun than hanging out at the water park, going for bike rides, having picnics or just hosting a regular old play date with some of our favouite people. Brandon loves his friends and spent many happy hours playing with Dakota, Leighton, Kahlan and Kaleb this summer. Mommy and Daddy were happy too hosting BBQs, attending stag/stagette parties, golfing and drinking wine on our fabulous deck.

Looking back I realize what a great summer we had. As usual I'm sad it's over so quickly but we have plenty to look forward to this Fall. Brandon started swimming lessons last week and loves it. This Saturday he'll start Gymnastic classes with his friend Kaleb and, currently, we're trying to get him outfitted with skis for this winter. Brandon and I will take short trip to Victoria for my birthday and when we get back we'll party it up for Halloween, celebrate Brandon's 4th birthday and get ready for our (epic) trip to Mexico.Yes, lots to look forward to in the months ahead :-)

On another note, here are some of Brandon's best words and phrases from the summer:
 - "What are you kidding me about?" (means to say "Are you kidding me?")
 - "Stop talking. You're hurting my ears".
 - "Dis-ta-peared" (disappeared)
 - "Hang-ga-ber" (hamburger)
 - "Commcer-inal" (commercial)
 - "School's not good. Mommy can I go to school for only two years?"
 - "Mommy can you buy me a trailer, quad and dirt bike with all the money you have?" (he's referring to the change jar beside the phone. There's about $4.67 in there)
 - "Cor-vent" (Corvette)
 - "Mustank" (Mustang)
 - "Mindy Cooper" (Mini Cooper)

That's What He Said

At almost 4 years old, Brandon just might be one of the funniest people I know. From his attempts to make a joke to the innocent comments only the young can make, he keeps me smiling pretty much all of the time.
Here's a sample of how he keeps my life fun:

His day home provider Linda was telling him how her youngest son Braden would soon be leaving home to attend university. Brandon replied by saying "Is he going to Monsters University? I've seen that university before". (Monsters University was the first movie he saw in the theatre)

Brandon and I were playing with his trucks one day when I told him I had to stand up because my legs were cramping. Once I stood up I said "On my Brandon, I'm getting so old". He stopped what he was doing and said "oh does that mean I'll get a new Mommy?"

Brandon was having breakfast with little two year old Abbey at the day home. Brandon told her "Now look Abbey - you're a girl, not a boy so don't act weird!"

Brandon and I stepped outside to go to Linda's one morning. He looked at the clouds above and said "it sure is cloudy today. It'll probably rain. Must be Thursday."

Every day after lunch Brandon has quiet time. His quiet time usually consists of a movie or Tree House for about an hour. After one such quiet time I asked Brandon if he'd had a nap. He replied "I fell asleep but when I woke up I thought I was being lazy so I got up and started to play." (Huh? How does he know what being lazy is?!)

Brandon was having a conversation with his Dad about why squirrels need to eat. At one point Brandon said "Well I eat and then I poop and then I get bigger. The more I poop the bigger I get."

The Hummingbird

My grandfather died on Thursday July 18th. Unlike my Gran - who seemed to pass quickly and suddenly - my Grampa (he was always "Gram-pa" to me) lingered for much longer than anyone could have guessed. The care aides claimed he had started "the process" the Friday prior and my Grampa survived almost a week without any food or water. By the time I saw him on Tuesday, he was not conscious and he was so frail he looked like a skeleton covered in thin skin. Though I was initially shocked by seeing him in such a condition, I quickly took comfort in realizing that he was sleeping peacefully and I was told he was given enough morphine to ensure he had no pain.
That evening I spent an hour or more sitting beside him with my mom and my Uncle Steve. We talked about all kinds of things; from memories of Grampa, to stories of Brandon and we even spoke of Gran's recent death. When it was time to go, I told Grampa I loved him. I told him that I would miss him but I also told him it was time to go and rest in peace. I kissed him good-bye and knew it would be a long time until I saw him again.
The next day was a planned memorial service for Granny. Uncle Steve decided it was a good time to also remember Grampa and so the family celebrated the life of each of my grandparents in turn. I was deeply touched to hear the lovely memories people had of Grampa. I didn't feel ready to share my memories that day but what struck me was how much love there was for Grampa. It occurred to me that in life he was a lucky man to have been surrounded by people who cared for him so much.
As for me, I think I will always remember him as a quiet man. He used to like to sit in his chair, reading the newspaper and smoking his pipe. Lighting his pipe was always the same with a "tap tap" to put the tobacco in and then the "puff, puff, puff" to get it going.
Grampa was never far from a piano and some of my favourite memories include him playing the ivories while singing his songs. Certainly a highlight for me was when he played a duet with Afi at my wedding. No one is quite sure of the song anymore but I do remember tearing up as they sang their hearts out to a crowded room :-)
Grampa was a man of faith and always seemingly in a good mood. He was quick to smile, tell a joke and have a laugh. As his own memory faded with age, he would often forget things and then laugh when you pointed out his errors. The family called these "Jack Attacks" as they became more and more frequent as the years went by.
I think what I'll remember most is that Grampa loved my Gran so very much. Sometimes she could be very cranky or even mean when she was in pain. It never seemed to faze Grampa though. He would fetch her whatever she needed and he never complained. His patience and love for her seemed infinite. I remember very well them dancing together at their 50th wedding anniversary and how he smiled at her. I'm happy he is with her again.
One memory I'll always keep is the last time we spoke to each other. Mom had taken me and Granny to visit Grampa at his nursing home. It was 2009 and his Alzheimer's wasn't too bad yet. He knew who I was even though he got confused about where I lived and whether or not I was married. When I said good-bye to him that day I kissed him and told him "I love you". That's when he said "Thanks. I love you too Dear".
As my mom, Uncle Steve and I sat in Grampa's room on the Tuesday evening before he died, Uncle Steve told us how people will get a sign from a loved one to let them know they are okay after they've passed. I wondered then if I would get a sign from Grampa as I felt I hadn't gotten one from Gran. Interestingly enough I did - or actually we did. Mom received the phone call on Thursday that Grampa had passed around 3pm that afternoon. My dad and I were sitting on the deck when she relayed the news to us. We hugged and she sat down and we talked about Grampa. Maybe 10 minutes had passed when two hummingbirds flew onto the deck. One sort of stopped and paused in front of us. It stayed for a moment before flying up to the trees to be with the other hummingbird. I smiled and said "it's Grampa" and it was and I know in my heart that he's okay.
I will miss him and Gran always but I'm so glad they're together again. I hope he's playing a song for her right now :-)

And Away He Grows!

It's Canada Day and really hot outside - about 34 degrees. I'm not complaining but I am hiding away in the cool house for a few minutes. I thought I'd take this opportunity to blog about the busy Spring we just had.
On May 10th Brandon turned 3 and half years old. I decided to weigh and measure him like I used to do religiously when he was a baby. Turns out he's 35 lbs and 38 inches tall. I have no idea where this leaves him on the scale but I think he's still considered small as most of his friends tend to be taller than him. What he lacks in size he makes up for in personality though. Brandon is quite the little character. He is trying to make jokes now and he considers himself to be quite funny. You'll know it was a joke because he'll laugh hysterically after he makes his comment. His jokes usually aren't that funny (it's an art that takes time to develop) but you can't help but laugh along with him because he is so cute when he does it.

We had Brandon enrolled in a few activities this Spring. He had Music classes on Saturdays and I think it's fair to say he didn't much care for them. He liked colouring in his book and he liked to pick his sticker at the end of class but he wasn't much for singing and would often hide under the piano for most of the lesson.
Monday and Wednesday nights we had soccer. I thought for sure Brandon would love soccer as running is one of his favourite things to do. It turned out he didn't much like soccer either. I think he wanted to run around randomly more than he wanted to follow instructions. Near the end of the season he did start to enjoy the little soccer drills and could even be found playing goalie when the mood struck him. One game he decided to join in and he ran up the field with the ball. He took a shot and scored. It was great for Mom and Dad but he didn't care and never tried to do it again. Oh well . . . maybe he'll like it more next year.

Thursday nights was swimming class. Now swimming was one class Brandon loved. The only problem was, every time he went in the pool he got an ear infection two days later. We finally clued in and realized he had swimmer's ear. I took him to the Children's Hospital and got him custom-fit ear plugs. They worked like a charm but swimming class was over by the time we got it all sorted out. Hmmm . . . we will try swimming class again in the Fall.
Brandon is going to start preschool in August! It was a monumental task for me to find a place that would offer full time care and provide a preschool program. I know you're thinking it couldn't be that hard but it was really tough to find a decent preschool program AND someone I could trust with my child all day long. Jamie and I decided to go with the VonKids Penguin Preschool Program. He'll go two days a week starting August 1st and then three days a week starting September 1st. I'm super worried about whether or not he'll like it but I guess only time will tell.
New this Spring is Brandon's "big boy" bedroom set. Because Brandon's room is so small, I searched high and low for just the right thing. I finally found it and Jamie and I went through a huge hassle to get it. No matter though, it's in his room now and it's perfect! Once again I found myself really sad to put away his baby room things. I can't believe how fast he's growing and sometimes I think I'm not ready for a "big boy" bedroom set. Ah well it's done now and Brandon seems to love it. Just waiting for the Bumblebee poster to arrive  . . .

Last weekend was pouring with rain (and the city of Calgary flooded!) so we decided it was as good a time as any to take Brandon to his first movie. "Monsters University" was playing in 3D and Brandon watched the whole thing like a pro! His favourite part was the popcorn and even though he stayed for the whole movie, he would sometimes grab his Dad's arm and say "Daddy it's dark in here". Overall a cute movie and a great experience for Brandon.

Looking back on this Spring I can't believe how fast it went by. We're always busy with something and we're usually having a good time. This summer is going to be really busy too and I find myself looking forward to it. We're going to take Brandon to his first Calgary Stampede and soon after that, his cousins Julien and Kalleum will come for a visit. We'll go to Banff, Drumheller, we'll see the Zoo and go to Calaway Park. Yup, it's going to be fun!

San Francisco Treat

2013 is the year Jamie and I celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. It doesn't seem all that long ago we were celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary. I remember it well. It was our first winter in Calgary and it was absolutely freezing cold. We were going for dinner and we couldn't find a place to park close to the restaurant. When we finally did park, all I can remember was how my face ached from the bitter cold in the short five minute walk from our car to the restaurant. Once we were seated and settled, Jamie and I talked about how we should celebrate our anniversary in warm places. The idea to have our 10th wedding anniversary in Tahiti was born.
Interesting to note that we had nine years to research Tahiti and save up money for this event. We did neither so you can imagine how shocked we were to discover that Tahiti is about $1000/day (for flight and accommodations) and that doesn't yet include your food or drink. Sticker shock and the thought of being away from my baby for two whole weeks was more than I could handle. We decided to break our celebration into two separate weeks within the year.
San Francisco quickly hit our list as a place we wanted to visit. The city itself is know for it's fabulous dining, super attractions and historic cable cars. For us, we also appreciated the close proximity to Napa Valley and Carmel-by-the-Sea - a place I'd heard about and have wanted to visit for years.
We booked our trip for May and, when the time came, kissed our little man and my parents goodbye. Getting to San Fran was really quick and quite easy. We booked our hotel in the heart of Union Square and that proved to be an excellent decision. We seemed to be close to everything! The shopping at Union Square was amazing but it was also easy to hop on a cable car and visit Fisherman's Wharf. We loved Pier 39 and our visit to Alcatraz. The San Francisco Giants baseball game we took in was tons of fun and I really enjoyed wandering around The California Academy of Sciences down in Golden Gate Park. Nothing could beat the food though. The dining was truly amazing. I certainly gained a few pounds in only three short days!

Our time in Frisco was over way too soon but grabbing our rental car and heading to Napa Valley was an adventure in itself. We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge (of course!) and made our way to Sonoma. Around noonish, we happened to stop at a little winery called "St Francis" to grab some lunch. In my mind, this place was perfect. We had the patio all to ourselves as we sipped their beautiful wine and enjoyed the quiet, green landscape of their vineyard. After lunch we visited another winery and then made our way to the B&B in Napa. An old historic house, this place was oozing with charm. We checked in and then checked out the town of Napa. We thoroughly enjoyed chatting with a local for the better part of two hours when he recommended a yummy nearby restaurant for dinner. I love getting recommendations from the locals!
The next day was our wine tour with a few other folks on a shuttle. We visited four wineries and they were all really nice. One lady from South Carolina really made the trip fun. She was hilarious and right on about our tour guide being terrible. Poor guy, I think it was his second day on the job and he really didn't know anything about wine or how to give a tour. Oh well . . .

The next morning we were on the road and headed for Monterey. It took about 3 hours to get to this lovely seaside town. After a quick lunch and stroll on the main street, we went in search of our Inn. Wow what a find! The Old Monterey Inn used to belong to the town's mayor. It's a big tudor style house on a large lot with beautiful gardens. If our Napa B&B was oozing with charm, this place took it to a whole new level. Jamie and I decided to open the bottle of wine we had bought at St Francis and just enjoy the stunning gardens for a few hours. It was the first chance we'd had to really relax on this vacation.
The next day, the lovely inn keeper recommended we take the coastal drive to Big Sur. This was  a scenic route with some nice stops along the way. We thoroughly enjoyed an oceanside park called Point Lobos (where I saw sea otters playing in the kelp) and had a great lunch with an even better view at a cafe called Nepenthe. To round out our day, we took the famous drive around Pebble Beach and strolled along the tragically quaint (well how would you describe it?) streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea. One last fabulous meal and then, just like that, it was all over and time to go home.

Our trip to California included meeting some wonderful people, eating some of the best food of my life, drinking more fabulous wine in one day then I thought possible, visiting iconic sites and even seeing some incredibly beautiful landscapes.  Our memories from this trip are many and altogether wonderful :-)