The difference between 14 and 6.

The shirt says it all....the hair is just for effect.


Josh was 6 years old when Garnet and I started dating.
I don't remember a whole lot about him at that age, except he was very jealous when we wanted to go for a walk -- alone. Now, my son is 6 and my 'little' brother is 14....I feel old.

Our friends asked Josh and Tim to go to a water park the other day. With water slides and bumper boats and mini putt. Josh was too cool to go - so we stayed home. Our friends came back and said "You know, Josh made a mistake - he missed out on all the bikinis in Sarnia!"

When I relayed this message to Josh, Tim gave me the "mom-you-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about" stance and cocked his head to the side.....

"Mom, you mean Zucchinis......ZOO-KEE-NEES." Shook his head like I was really wasting his time with my mistake, and looked at Josh trying to get some support;

"But, do you even like Zucchini Josh?"

Just one more reason why I want him to stay 6 forever!

The world looks a whole lot different....

....at 5:00 am

Garnet is at training in Windsor all week and he decided to commute everyday instead of staying overnight all week. So that means I'm up at 5 every morning with a coffee for him and a kiss goodbye. I actually watched my morning glories open up. Now I'm going to take Sammy for a bright and early walk -- since he is obviously totally opposite from the rest of this family and has all of his energy in the mornings!

I start my training for my new job today. I mentioned in the first post about how awesome everything has turned out. Josh is visiting right now so I am able to run out for a few hours this week and Tim and Josh can hang out. (I won't say he's babysitting cause that's too much like 'work' for a teenager). If Josh wasn't here this week would have been shot for my training because Garnet will be crawling back in every evening. My boss also asked me to bring in Garnet's schedule for this month and she will work me in on his days off until I start on the actual schedule. It seems to be working out perfectly.

And then of course Hillary is coming next week to live here and she will take on the roles of Nanny, Housekeeper, Cook and Laundry folder.....and then I will have the perfect life ;)

(I'm joking mom, I will treat her like a queen ;)

Uncle Josh Time

Pool and Trampoline all day ;)

This is what Uncles are good for......sitting on their head.

Awwwww.....Josh snuggling with Sammy (I think we are wearing them both out ;)

More beauty....

Morning Glories

Holly Hocks

I got a job for Tim's Birthday

Yep, I got a job today. I can finally say goodbye to the Y!

It's just a cashier position but I am amazed by how well it is all working together. It was perfect timing and the hours will work out amazingly with my schooling and with Garnet's schedule. I am staying on at the Y until I start school in the fall - just because I can work both right now and extra cash is never a bad thing.

It all went really fast -- I had my interview on Monday, she called me Tuesday and asked me to come in for an hour today and meet the other employees and get a feel for the store. After the hour she said "We really like you and want to offer you the position."

I feel like I can finally take a breath. I was so worried that the fall would come and I'd be still stuck at the Y. I had a huge falling out with the my co-worker and luckily don't have to work with her in the summer -- but in September we'd be in eachother's face again....and I was sick at the thought! (It's pretty bad stuff)

Now, it's all good.

Video of the Birthday Chaos (handful of hot wax, a handful of cake and my gasp of exasperation at the chaos!)

Tim's Turn to be BIRTHDAY BOY!

I can't believe that my baby is 6!!.........That just seems too old! His party was tonight - tomorrow is his real big day. Uncle Josh came down to spend a week with us and enjoy all the fun.
Birthday Boy!!

My Batman cake that I slaved over all day ;) (yes, I know it's lopsided......)

My precious cake (that Justin (the toddler) destroyed - notice the sides......)

Say Cheese!!!

Presents!!

Swimming in the rain! (We thought the party was ruined because it was rainy --- but the boys were tough enough to swim in the rain)

Me and my big 6 year old Birthday Boy!

Big Uncle Josh likes the kiddy Loot Bags!

I'm 6!!!!!!

Birthday Bliss -- Sugar High.....what a life!!

Another birthday party! (Tim's best buddy turns 6 -- 6 days before Tim!)

Pinata!!!! (Look at that face -- and the muscles....he REALLY wants that candy!)

Cake is goooood!

The new Splash Pad!

Best Buddies ;)

Birthday Parties continue!!

Grandma and Grandpa with their Tim and Sammy :)

Good idea Jenni ;) (Group shot)

Jenni modeling the goggles

Papa Gary and Tim traumatizing Jenni on the Trampoline

Tim snuggling in his new comforter and Pillow from Grandma and Grandpa

A special Puppy Sammy picture for his room - from Bailey ;)

Spiderman Squirter from Jenni

Spiderman Helicopter from Matt -- it's like it was made just for Tim!

Grandma's special Cupcakes!

Oh it's on, baby!!

With the beautiful weather - and lots of time off lately we've been majorly enjoying our back yard this week. Tim brought out his kid-size Badminton set the other day and we were enjoying some Friendly Badminton. It turned nasty when Garnet and I got hold of the rackets and I showed him who's boss! Yeah, I totally kicked his butt....twice!
I won't brag about the score or anything but let's just say I had 20 and he wasn't even at the 15 mark.

Easy win.....easy win. (And you can totally quit laughing your ass off at the image of Garnet and I taking a kiddy badminton game this seriously....we easily ooze in competition.)

He claimed that it was the short rackets and the cheap birdy that were the cause of his embarrassing loss. (excuses, excuses) So I picked up some rackets and birdies today...but our rematch was rained out. He'll have to "show me" how he can "kick my butt" some other day.....

Yeah, that's right honey - just call me Queen....you know you want to.

Bad influence....continued

This was the last time....but don't worry Jenni you can try it once too

How high can he go?

Crazy Boys!!

Going as high as Daddy can throw him!!

This one looks cool through the water splashes on the camersa from the first jump....he was begging "Higher, Dad!!"

Garnet showing off his Trampoline skills....more to come in the videos (he's such a bad influence on our son...tsk, tsk ;)

Bonding with the neighbours...and toilets

I wish I could say that these two subjects were completely unrelated....but yeah, not so much.

I was lucky that I went to the bathroom at a friends house just before we got home this afternoon - because we arrived to Garnet with his head in the hole on the floor and the toilet laying off to the side of our bathroom. We knew that there were previous leaks but thought that they were all repaired. Apparently, they were -- by one of those "half-ass-it" types of people. So we are left with some repercussions. It's nothing too serious - in fact the toilet is all reattached and Garnet's head is removed from the hole as I'm writing this. It just means that our bathroom renovations have moved up on the list. (YAY!)

I was able to hold it all afternoon - but Tim had to run across the street to borrow the facilities. One of Garnet's co-workers lives almost directly across from us and they are a great family who we have really appreciated getting to know, and having for neighbours. They have 3 boys, one of whom is having a sleepover here tonight. Mom works nights and Dad is gone on a road trip out West with the other two -- so instead of spending the nights by himself he gets to hang out with Tim. He's the same age as Uncle Josh and dotes on Tim just as much as Josh does -- so Tim loves it. He even sits and listens to him talk about fans....forever.

So, they were more than happy to share their toilet with Tim.....it's such a nice change to have decent people as neighbours. Not that I have anything against drug dealers and pot smokers.....I'm just not sure if I'd let my son use their toilet.

Alright - I've said toilet enough for one day, I think.

Happy Birthday Em!!

Birthday Girl!!!

Hope you have a great day today -- and get lots of love from all your boys! We all send HUGE hugs and kisses!! (I almost put a picture of your present up because I am so excited for you to see it.... but I'm going to make you wait until we can do the swap through our North Bay Moms ;)

Fruits (or flowers) of my labour

Surprise! This popped up in my front garden -- I almost pulled it thinking it was a weed....luckily my 'helpful' neighbour memorized the gardens for me and informed me it was Echinacea.

A little bigger......a little greener ;) my sunflowers would be bigger if it got more sun. Unfortunately I'm limited because of the shade....and so are the Sunflowers :(

Grown from root....they all lived!! This is my platycodon.....from a group of roots I picked up at Wal-Mart and thought if even 1 survived I'd be happy -- all 6 are doing fine! And even started to multiply!

Tiger lily....present from the neighbour - when she planted my garden. It's a great corner filler.

Warning: major picturage ahead!

We had a great week up in North Bay. It's always such a nostaligic time for me - things have changed so much since when I grew up there. We had lots of fun times -- I sorted through the hundreds of pictures to give you a glimpse of our time up there. Enjoy!! ;)

Spent the last day at Lake Talon

Mom and Me

Me and Hillary (and Tim making faces)

Me and Dad

Garnet and Hillary

Who let him out of the cage?

The rednecks got to him....

The Chutes!!

Beautiful!

Hillary's sad....the fish took her line :(

Hillary showed that fish who's boss!!

Swimming at the Chutes!