Home.

The first time, it happened to Sheldon.

He was out on his longboard, returning home from his drum lesson when he saw her:  Grandma driving down the street.

The second time, it happened in the paint store.  I was there picking colours for our mini-reno and, all of sudden, standing beside me, choosing her own colours, was my mom.

It was back in February that she put her house on the market.  After what felt like a lifetime, she finally sold her house and bought a new (to her) house just minutes from us.

Moving weekend was the first of September and we celebrated with a family dinner at our local Japanese restaurant.  She brought champagne for afterwards.  We toasted to the stress that was now behind her, her new beginning in our small town, and all the projects and challenges that lay before her in her new home.

We helped her rip up carpet, strip wallpaper, change locks, do a little painting, and clean.  In exchange she has made us dinner, carpooled Juliana, and lent us stuff.  We've had company for the Studio Tour and our town's street party and a local youth concert.

It's weird running into her.  But it's a great kind of weird.  It means we get more moments like this one:

Welcome home, Mom.  Welcome home.

12 on 12.

September  :  Wednesday

01.  Part of Juliana's "new me" resolution for school is organization.  I woke up this morning and discovered her shoes, binder, and backpack all in a neat row ready for her morning routine.  I like this new Juliana!
02.  The start of my early morning commute.
03.  Rats.  I didn't put my coffee lid on tight enough this morning and before I'd even found a seat on the train my bag ripped and everything tumbled to the ground.  Coffee soaked.  
04.  I've been waiting patiently for this.  It's time to upgrade my phone.  Shall I consider this one? :)
05.  Eggs.  Scrambled for dinner.  My favourite fast, easy, healthy dinner.  Perfect for our busy evening.
06.  Even more perfect when Juliana cooks the eggs!
07.  Tucker waiting patiently for his command to eat.
08.  Visiting the shoe swap at Juliana's Dance School.  We succeeded in finding both jazz and hip hop shoes for only $15!  Why have I not done this before?
09.  How I spent my hour while Juliana was at dance class and Sheldon was at the arena doing music for a hockey game.
10.  While we waited for Sheldon at the arena, Juliana kicked back and put her dance legs on the dash. Her LONG dance legs.  When did this happen?
11.  Peter's in NYC this week so Juliana is wearing one of his t-shirts as pyjamas so that she doesn't miss him quite so much.
12.  My bedside table: books, glasses, magazines, water, my camera, Tums, pens and hand lotion.  What more could a girl need?

Our new year.

Yesterday was summer.  Yet, just like that, today was the first day of school.  I'm not sure where the summer has gone, but we are all welcoming a return to friends, routine, and a new year of activities.

Juliana has been telling us for weeks how she is going to be a "new me".  She is promising early bedtimes, early rising, packing her own lunch, and being organized.  Also, in grade six, I understand that I no longer have any say in her clothes, her hair, or said lunch.  Apparently, I've been told.

Despite experiencing our first ever rainy first day of school, we still found a few clear minutes to take our "back to school" photos before we left this morning. 

But even Juliana felt something wasn't right.  Someone was missing - Sheldon doesn't start grade 10 until tomorrow - so we called him outside to join the fun.

Our official first day of school/last day to sleep in photo:

Today?  A great start to grade 6. 

Tomorrow?  Grade 10.

Camping Stories.

Fire building:  the Girl Guide way.  

When we were camping a couple of weeks ago, while I was watching Sheldon playing with his 'burning stick', I decided that it was high time that Juliana learned how to start a fire.

I told her about when Peter and I first started camping and the fire was my responsibility.  I could build it and start it with only a couple of matches and no paper - that's how I learned it when I was young.  

Juliana began with a lesson from Sheldon about lighting matches.

Then she collected all sorts of little twigs for kindling.  She built a little teepee of kindling and surrounded it by a log cabin of sticks.

After more than a few matches and a lot of hot air.....success!

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Coffee + kleenex for allergies + my book + a little spot of sun = my every morning.

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Sheldon found a "Y" stick.  Naturally he fashioned it into a slingshot.

A slingshot that would fit on his bike.  Just in case he needed it out on a ride, I guess.

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Quality canoe time.

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Pattern Guy staying warm.  Or something...

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This was the picture that I took, about 8 minutes into our 90-minute hike, when my back exploded. 

The next day when we went out on the lake, I was squired around in the canoe.  From my seat, I could see these guys:

While packing a waterproof container to take out in his kayak, Sheldon brought what he figured he would need on a half-day adventure:  a granola bar, deodorant, and pistachios.

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Usually we leave all electronics in the car when we camp.  For some reason Sheldon had his iPod touch out at the campfire (using the flashlight app, perhaps?, I can't remember).  Next thing we knew he was recording the fire so that he could play it back on our computer this winter.  Always a thinker, that kid.

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A beautiful sunset to say goodbye to another successful camping season.