Patriot Days

As part of the lead up to Canada Day, towns across Nova Scotia (maybe Canada...Canadian friends help me out...do they have this in other places too??) have Patriot Days, or called Privateer Days, or called Bedford days...you get the idea. In our town, we have Patriot Days which hosts several little events throughout the community - one of the first being the Family Fun Fair.

Navarre has been talking about last year's FFF off and on since last year. She was only 2, about to turn 3, then but she recalls it vividly. How she scared of the Shrek character. How she didn't like the bouncy castly because Shrek scared her. How the cow character from the local dairy gave her a balloon and made it all better. So, we were hoping this year's FFF lived up to all she remembered.

Well, she got her face painted again, which was a bonus. She played little games that won her prizes, and she jumped in several bouncy castles, including a bouncy castle maze. She got balloons and very happy with this year's FFF. She's talking about next year's FFF already. And, to make it interesting and quite comical, we offered to take our friends' little boy, Carter, with us because they were moving! So, picture Jamie and I wrangling up Navarre, almost 4 years old, Jay, just turned 1 year old, and Carter, almost 2 years old. It was quite the site :)

And then we had fun in the laundry basket. For some reason Navarre likes to pretend she's either dirty laundry or a piece of fluff. I don't know. She's strange.

First birthdays and last days

It's been a long time since I posted anything, which if you're reading you know. The past 6 months have been tough and tiring and joyful and hopeful at the same time. On a very happy note, we celebrated Pooter's 1st birthday this past Saturday with a party at our house. Close friends and family and two cakes made it an awesome time.

I made photo garlands of pictures of Jay from throughout the year and hung up from the chandelier. For a first try, I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

Daddy and Jay waiting for the party to start.

Big boy struttin' his stuff.

His smash cake, which was really big :)

Can I get this whole cake in my mouth? Maybe...

I LOVE CAKE!

I'm also back to work this week. I can't believe it's been a year. I said the same thing when I went back after a year away from (outside) work with Navarre. It's good to be back and hopefully the family can get into a nice little work week routine in the mornings. It will definitely be nice having two full incomes again.

I promise to not be away as long before the next post. There's so much to write about...Jay's shrek ear getting removed, the dead deer carcass in the woods next to the house, how long it will take a multinational consulting conglomerate to get me a functioning computer...until next time. Ciao.

In like a lion, out like a lamb

Let's hope this is true. 2011 has come in, not just like a lion, but more like a mother lioness who is protecting her cubs from poachers and is trying to fight for the last bit of food on earth to feed her babies. I would not want to cross her. That's how 2011 has greeted us, so let's hope in about 11 months it's feeling a bit more lamb-y.

2010 wrapped up with us in Baton Rouge for Christmas, and I wanted to share some of the pictures from the trip. I should have taken more, like always, but we've got some keepers in here to share. More pictures to come tomorrow (or this weekend).

Christmas morning with Daddy!

Playing with her new dress up princess magnets in her new tiara and dress

Playing with cousin Dylan

...and cousin Spanky

What you talkin' bout, Paw-Paw?

Please notice Jay's footwear attire.

Our beautiful children

My other life has begun

My other life has begun. The one in where you learn what is most important to you - the people most important to you, the values most important to you, the love most important to you and the kind of life you want to lead that is most important to you. I'm sure this should have happened earlier in my life, but I'm finding it happening now. I have found strength in places that I didn't know I had, and weakness at times when I felt empty inside.

I have been learning that there are silver linings to all clouds, or hurricanes or weather bombs...and I try to focus on those. I do have several silver linings in this situation that I try to remind myself of before I go to bed each night.

I have a the most wonderful and loving husband and children any woman could ask for.
I have the most loving, supporting and helpful mother.
I have the most sincere, loving, charitable extended family and friends.
I have the most cheerful, sweet children that can make me smile at almost any given time of the day or night.
I have an amazing sister who I am lucky enough to call my best friend who knows how I feel before I tell her, and knows what to say before I do.
I have the most awesome dad in the world. He makes me feel loved and makes me laugh. He's grown to be one of my best friends, and I am lucky to have the opportunity to spend time with him.

Think of one thing that is most important to you tonight. I bet it will be a good one.

Good night.

Many firsts

The month of November has given us many firsts in the Falcone house. Jay is now eating solid food, and he is attempting to crawl. Navarre and Jay take baths together since Jay splashes too much in his little infant tub. Navarre loves to put on shows for us...unless we specifically ask for a certain song or show, then it's a no go. Navarre is tracing her letters and doing a wonderful job. Her swimming lessons have ended, and she ended the class with jumping off the side without holding on to anyone's hands and kicking herself around the pool on the kick board. Hopefully the pictures below show you how much fun we've been having this month.

I love the bath!

Navarre yells across the pool, "I'm doin' it! I'm doin' it!"

"MMMM, I love oatmeal."

Me: "Navarre, it's time to get ready for bed."

Navarre: "I'm ready."

Me: "Do you think all princesses go to bed like this?"

Navarre: "Yes"

Navarre's letters...she traced all of these except for the w!!

Plum tuckered out.

Play it again, Jay.

Happy Halloween

Jay enjoyed his first Halloween. He went trick-or-treating with Daddy and Navarre, while I stayed home and passed out candy. He was asleep in the stroller by the second house. The weather was crappy - misty rain and cold - but that didn't deter Tinkerbell, the cow and Daddy. Navarre was so excited that she actually looks happy in this picture and forgot to pose or do a silly picture face that she normally does.

Here is the aftermath of having Halloween candy as the bedtime snack....yes, that is chocolate smeared on her mouth and a piece of chocolate she is affectionately holding against her cheek.

The Great Pumpkin

My last picture post was right before Nanny and Aunt Betty arrived. They were here for Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. It really is an awesome time of year to be up here, which is why we usually have visitors that weekend. We went to the Valley and picked apples and pumpkins and gourds. We did fun kiddie Valley stuff like pay too much to go to the lame ass petting zoo they had at the orchard and walked around looking for the pigs they said you could feed apples to - not I said looking for, not feeding. We escaped the orchard with minimal fits from Navarre. Just the usual, "I'm super pissed off because I'm little and don't understand that I can't pick the gargantuan pumpkins from the vine like I pick apples from the tree" type of attitude from the 3-year old. We had a really good Thanksgiving dinner at Jamie's folks' place, and Nanny and I made apple jelly ALL day Monday. It was a nice weekend with beautiful weather, nice visits with family and a good time all-round.

Navarre must have got her love of puzzles from Nanny.

The jammies glow in the dark, but if Navarre doesn't fall asleep before hers loses their "glow", then she gets upset.

Sadly, this is the best picture of this three-ring circus.