Coco - 5 months (bamboo hat: Obviously Chic)
The kids & I are missing Daddy as he's away at the SUMA conference for a few days. Spending lots of time together means many photos of my super-cute kiddos.
January 31, 2011
New School Tour
Today I had the opportunity to attend a tour of the New Oxbow Prairie Horizons School. Working on the Fundraising Committee for this project over the past 3 years has been so rewarding and tonight we were able to see how our hard work has paid off. I am so proud to have worked on this community project and enhance this facility for the students in grades K-12. A feeling of 'awe' comes to mind when you enter this new building, it's very exciting to have this state-of-the-art facility. We're hoping for the possession/move-in date to remain March 4th (fingers crossed). Here are a few photos I took during the tour:
January 30, 2011
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Lots of hockey for us this weekend! Tournament yesterday {when Ace scored his first two goals of his hockey career} and a game today.
January 29, 2011
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We had a little dinner & party to celebrate this wonderful woman's {my Mom} birthday!
Happy Birthday Nana!
January 28, 2011
Souris Valley Photography Club
Tonight was the inaugural meeting of the newly created Souris Valley Photography Club (find us on Facebook). We created a photography club in the Southeast corner of Saskatchewan for anyone interested in photography. Anyone is welcome to join!
Some details of what it's all about, decided at our first successful meeting...
SVPC meets on the last Friday of the month at 7pm at the St. Peter Lutheran Church in Oxbow.
At each meeting, a presentation will be given on some topic or aspect of photography, currently being geared towards beginners. After the presentation, pictures will be shared from the monthly assignment. We have possible plans on doing a photography walk, on location shoots and group subject photography (when the snow is gone). There will be refreshments provided as well as lots of really fun camaraderie and photog discussion. Bring your camera, your questions and your friends!
Photo assignment for the month of February: THE COLOR RED
January 27, 2011
January 26, 2011
January 25, 2011
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Today we remembered Baby Hudson. His Mom, my very dear friend Kim, asked us to release balloons in his memory today. We choose a spot in the valley South of Oxbow where we had a happy memory of Husdon taking his first sled ride.
It felt good to breathe and let go..... It felt good to do something in remembrance. I was overcome with emotion...and all the feelings of when it happened last year came rushing back. It was good to cry & it was good to let the sadness flow and grieve.
I asked Kim how she is doing, she wrote this (and agreed to let me share)
Starr,
You asked how I am really doing. Sigh...deep breath...in through the nose, out through the mouth. Yoga breath.
Today, I am enlightened that I survived a year. I am glad that the first year has gone by and that I will never ever have to live that year again. It was horrible. There were so many ups and downs that I didn't know where to fly. There were some days I couldn't get out of bed. Some days that I was in a fog. Some days that I didn't even believe that it was my life. My heart ached and I wanted Hudson back so bad that I didn't know what to believe in. I lost faith. I felt like it was some sort of tsunami and I didn't know how to survive. Some friends stopped calling ( some didn't :) - like you.....
The worst is that if you are doing good, people look at you like why are you okay. If you are doing bad people look at you like you should do better its okay.
I fell down stairs, I got bronchitis, I worked to much, I had lots of anxiety. I looked at moms at the mall with strollers and suddenly hated shopping. I escaped by watching movie after movie. I scrapbooked. Once I began to realize that it was my life and that my castle had burned down, my unicorns ran away, my butterfly wings were crushed, my spirit was low I was able to start to heal. I reached out to support groups. But most of all I reached out to someone that I had never reached out to before, and that was myself. When the phone stopped ringing, and the pain set in, I cried. I thought of the blessings that Hudson brought to my life. I started to believe in eternal life and that I too will see my mom and my son again one day. I found comfort in knowing that my mom was with Hudson and that he was safe.
I watched for hidden messages that come when you lose someone. I became intuitive and a bit clairvoyant. I began to feel as though I could draw on my own super powers if I just allowed myself to cry.
I soon came to realize that I had lots of memories that made me happy and sad about my son so I would remember the memories, say hello to them, comfort them, tell them I loved them then told them that I had to have new memories in the same places as the old ones. For example, I would always remember Hudson in his exersaucer in the kitchen and every morning it would hurt. So..I invited the gals over and we made pie and drank martinis. This way I could remember Hudson playing, but I could also remember laughing with the girls. It gave the memory comfort so that I could heal.
Today, now that a year is over I am thankful that I will never have to endure the first anniversary of anything again. I know how to better grieve. I know how to spend time with my grief, and I know how to allow room for it in my life. When I lost, Hudson I also lost a part of myself, and so with that life has to be rebuilt, be reborn, and be lived. I believe that my son is an Angel and that he brings me messages each day. Like yesterday when I tried to release the balloon, they wouldn't go up. Actually the first balloon popped for no reason, and then when I tried to release the balloon ( crying at that ), it wouldn't go up. It got stuck in the tree. I had my friend Gisa on my shoulders with a stick to get the balloon. Still didn't work. I had to climb the tree up 30 feet to get the balloon. But as I climbed the tree, I approached it and each branch was perfect. It was like a stairway to heaven. I climbed the tree in boots and a suit jacket and made it to my balloon. I came down and tried to release it again. No luck. By now, I realized I wasn't supposed to be crying, I was supposed to be laughing at what Hudson was doing. I got 3 more balloons and finally my message, my tears, and my laughter was carried to heaven.
Throughout my grief, my friends, and family have given me strength, cried for me when I didn't even know it ( that is how I can do it some days, its called pain sharing and I know that my friends take away some of the pain so that I can breath ). I cant wait to be calm, grounded, and blessed in my years to come. From butterflies to angels may each of you find comfort in the simple things.
Love Kim
{photo taken of Kim & Hudson January 24, 2010}
January 24, 2011
January 23, 2011
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After ski-dooing today we met up at my parents shop to hang out while my parents prepared a a cookout for us. Nana had pictures for the kids to color while their homemade fries were being prepared.
January 22, 2011
Wine Club - Moscato
It was wonderful to get together with the girls tonight for wine club.
Testing Moscato (Muscat) wine tonight were: me, Lian, Kendra, Michelle & Christy.
Lian was our hostess...she put on another amazing evening, it was her third time hosting.
Michelle doing the first pour.
Everything was delicious, Lian's pairing of food & wine for this meal was impeccable:
Spinach Mandarin Salad
And for dessert...Chocolate Coconut Creme Pie...I could have ate the entire thing, so good!
Notes from the tasting...Moscato wine is white in color, fruity tasting and sweeter than a Riesling. This easy sipping wine wraps up many fruit flavors with a crisp cool finish.
*Barefoot - 2007 - California - $9.99 - crisp & very sweet, peach flavor, excellent with the Thai food, deliciously sweet as the bottle says
Gallo - 2009 - California - $5.65 - dry but still sweet, citrus flavor, very light, less fruity flavors
Sutter Home - Chili - $6.25 - sweet & crisp, enhanced the flavor of the dessert
Michele Chiarlo Nivole (Moscatto D'Iasti)- 2009 - Italy - under $20 - sparkling, smells like Gewurztraminer, sweet, warm taste at the end in the throat
* my top pick for this variety of wine
January 21, 2011
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It was a pleasure to attend this local Art Gallery event tonight with my friends Christy & Michelle. After hearing that my art teacher, Linda (East) Gudmundson, had her PINK! exhibit on display, we planned an evening out.
It was wonderful to see Linda and her PINK! exhibit was fabulous. It embraced femininity in a pop art motif. She displayed her works of art on approx 60 wood boxes, each containing a treasure inside which was sealed with the artwork...only the artist and the owner of this collection will know what is inside.
Congratulations Linda on your success!
The second exhibit was by Jean Pederson - Farm Fragments
Another inspiring exhibit!
Me being the art lover I am, had a blast this evening!
January 20, 2011
January 19, 2011
January 18, 2011
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On a trip to our US post office box this morning I came across these birds sitting in the snow. This is as close as I was able to get, for as soon as I opened the door of the van, they all flew away.
Picked up some happy mail which contained a few goodies from here, including this cute hat for newborn photo sessions.
January 17, 2011
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Scarlett and a piece of {marshmallow} artwork from Pre-K.
I take photos of our kids holding their masterpieces because we can't keep every single one.
January 16, 2011
January 15, 2011
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Scarlett's Princess Birthday Party
Mercedes, Sadie, Scarlett & Sammy
Today Scarlett & her friends went to Salon Diosa to have their hair, makeup and nails done...like princesses. After we came home and did a mini photo session with the girls. The whole party was alot of FUN!
Big THANKS to my niece Kyra for helping out with the party.
At the salon...
Scarlett & Sammy show off their painted nails.
Channy doing Sadie's nails.
Kyra, the makup artist.
Auntie Amber doing Scarlett's hair.
The girls were so well behaved...what do you expect, they were princesses!
Lunch & ice cream cone cupcakes back at the house.
Followed by some playtime with the girls!
What a great party!
Happy 5th Birthday Scarlett!
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