quick photo - more later :)

Paula had a professional photographer shoot at the wedding - this is one of my favorites from it... yes.. steeped in hotness :)

more photos and updates

So yesterday I went zip lining/trekking... and I thought I'd better back that up with some actual photographs.


What did today have in store? Ah... well we got up at 2:09 am and drove for an hour to a pick up point. We then got on a shuttle and drove to the top of Haleakala Mountain - from its base in the ocean it stands in full height was one of the top three tallest - higher (in total) than Everest. We got to the top of the mountain at 5:30am - ish - it was about 9 miles before we got to the top that our drive announced where we were riding from. We were riding bikes down the mountain side. Get this... he says - ok - so here is the check point where you will get your bikes - from here back to base it is 23 miles... yes, my friends - that's 48 km and it is by-far the longest I've ever been on a bike. So what happened - well when the sun rose a woman sang and then she yelled at another Canadian for walking it the wrong spot - it was great - I wished he wasn't wearing a canucks hat.. oh and did I mention that it was 24.3 F (that's minus four - yes, and it was still in Hawaii) and the wind was blowing... there is such little water at the top that when it is cold like this the ground water actually points up out of the ground.

The view was spectacular... then the decent... well initially I was scared because I was braking a lot - but about 10 miles in I eased up and got into it. It was a very easy ride with very few spots where you had to actual try to pedal - gravity took care of us most of the way.







Alright - so we finish biking - we've been up for 7 hours - we haven't eaten - so we go to this great town 20 minutes away and it is here that I enjoy the best cup of coffee that I've ever had. Yes, it was sooo good that I took a picture of it. I want to drive there tomorrow just to experience the coffee all over again... and we might - there were enough coffee drinkers there that we might just cause a mutiny if we don't go tomorrow... (if you look really closely you might also see that there was something extra special about my cup of coffee... - you'll need to really really look)


We did other stuff today but I actually haven't been to sleep yet and didn't nap this afternoon and I'm pretty much running on that coffee from this morning... Tomorrow is my last full day here - then I fly back to Van on Saturday afternoon.

Hugs and kisses to everyone... likely more photos tomorrow :)

a couple more pics from tonight

a few photos

Introducing Dean and Paula Dykshoorn - yep - they are married. They were married by Reverend Al on the beach, with waves crashing and hump back whales jumping - it was unbelievable. The ceremony was beautiful.

I went zip trekking this afternoon - I'll have photos of those tomorrow.

Ok - and now a few more from the wedding.

more..

Alright - there are a million things I want to write about tonight but I'm super tired and just done... I will say this - Paula is married - it was amazing and beautiful and fantastic and wonderful.. I could actually feel their love... sick - but completely and totally true - Paula was beautiful, I was a good side kick... I will have photos late tomorrow - or very early tomorrow depending on how sleep goes tonight... last night I got five hours - not bad...

So definitely more to come - about 800 photos taken today... and that was just the wedding - wait till they set me loose on the island tomorrow...

Good night everyone - sweet dreams :)

photos...

I'm not the best flier.. I'm definitely better - but not great.. still paranoid - we haven't even taken off and I see this... yep - very helpful



Then we get about 30 minutes into the flight and see this coming at us....



From this point on things got better though...








It rained most of the afternoon - that didn't stop us from checking out the beach - I forgot how salty salt water was.. and how dried out it makes your skin - but I don't care - I'd be sleeping on the deck tonight or out under the stars if I could.. but apparently you can't sleep on the beach because it is against the rules and the deck doesn't have anywhere comfortable to sleep... but I'm sleeping with the door open... tomorrow is the big day and I'll photos tomorrow night from the big event.

My love to all of you! Kisses and smooches... :)

hawaii

Paula is getting married tomorrow in Hawaii and I arrived here this afternoon. I had a six hour flight today and since I couldn't blog on the plane I wrote all the highlights and the tour down.. and now I'll share with you my day. If you don't want to read the whole thing I will just open with one amazing thing - when we got to the beach we took 20 steps on to it and I saw a hump back whale jump out of the ocean and splash back in - that moment made the flight worth the ride :)

And now - the things I wanted to say as I was flying from Vancouver...

- drugs for kids on flights - okay - 15 minutes of screaming, kicking, clawing - is not fun for anyone
- ah.... see the tic tacs as a reward should have come out much sooner - instant silence - amen!
- flight attendant could be ricki martin's brother or twin

7:15am (10:25am BC time) at this point I rolled back my watch - nausea - right - didn't eat... must eat... mmm lemon fitness bar
7:30am - much better - hooray
7:32am - I am on a plane to hawaii - 533 mph, 35204 ft
7:39am - amazing circular rainbows on cloud tops
8:07am - anxiety snuck in for a few minutes - reading to get past issue, may take stress gum if creeps back - stupid anxiety
8:27am - ate rest of fitness bar - feeling better - plus orange juice - $6.00 for a sandwich - didn't buy - I'll survive - brought a few snacks for flight - might do a pay per view movie - not sure $5.99 for a movie... feet are cold - not wearing socks though - this isn't a complaint - rather be cold than hot
8:40am - 492 mph - 36369 ft - 2 hours into flight
8:50am - quietly dozing when they turn on the heat - blah - feet still cool - phew
Ad on Westjet screen - tell your stress to take a siesta - yes!
mmmm... blueberry brown sugar cookies - note to self - fiji water is over rated

Cute couple next to me is playing scrabble - how awesome is that... I will continue to read my magazine and smile... hawaii is closer by the minute...
9:00am - jaderal - first letter group - yes I'm being nosy but I'm mildly bored and would rather be gabbing than reading - options - jade, lard, deal, read, jar, real, lear, ear
radaes - round 2 - fade, fades, rad, rads, sad, far, sea, dear, dears, ear, fear, fears, safe, fare, fares, - great now he's rubbing her back - love birds
9:06am - eshyaov - vase, shave, have, hay, say, hoe, hoes, yeah, has, hose, ash, yes, shy, ovey :)
- can't believe I'm on a flight to hawaii - I've been daydreaming about what it will look like.. 9:09
Alright - I'm playing scrabble too quickly - need something else to do - more reading..
9:16am - finished only reading material - now love birds are hugging - 3.5 hours till hawaii
baldes (plus free letter) - yes, I'm back to scrabble - bald, saddle, blame, lame, same, age, ages, sage, bless, drab, sale, ale, ales
hmmm.... maybe I should watch a movie ... ok so seriously she hasn't played scrabble before - now there is lame crap on PPV - worse than scrabble - sheesh.. mmm something smells good
9:26am - and she still on the same letters - 10 min - WHAT? - aunti jenni would kill me if i took this long to play a word
9:30am ... still no word...
9:32am - AMAZING - she played
9:37am - can't sleep - too excited - and now they have given up on scrabble - lol - didn't even finish
9:39am - half way there - 461 mph, 38156 ft
- wow - someone just chucked on some perfume - nice... confined space and now we have to smell you - at least a fart would dissipate - this smell is sticking around - blah!
9:45am - I was totally wrong about perfume - it is the love birds - she is massaging his hand with smelly cream - seriously - just go join the mile high club with your smelly cream and be gone... please!
10:05am - slept for 20 min - hooray - couple now has blaket covering up pants - wicked!
10:30am - PPV it is - wanted to watch 'up in the air' - am stuck with sherlock holmes - lol - glad I just watched it - ha
10:36am - still watching holmes - thinking about my feet in the sand... 2 hours 15 minutes...

-wow - more blueberry brown sugar cookies - not better the 2nd time - had water to stay hydrated
11:08 - jaw bugging me plus headache - great.. 1 hour and 40 min left
11:17am I'm still on my way to hawaii - a smile crossed my lips - I can't believe it - hooray for hawaii - 1 hr 30 min -
Ocean and beautiful clouds in all shapes and sizes and puffiness - ah... and some turbulence - great! no seatbelt sign so all is good
11:33am - looking out the window is like looking at an illusion - the ocean mirrors the color of the sky and the few wave tops could be white stasr in the heavens - as if peering through a looking glass - alice might say
1 hr 10 min - an hour and ten whole minutes - and now the lovebirds are doodling together about their vacation - all together now... aaahhhhh...

one hour - it is 11:50am - hooray

50 minutes - 5-0 like hawaii 5-0 and I took a pee break and feel like I'll survive the remainder of this flight
12:22 - yep - closer - the screamer from the start of the flight is looking at me - must be 2 or so.. and she is wearing pink nail polish - sadly she chews her nails and is obviously eating the polish - people save the nail polish for their older years - please!

Landing time - 12:53 - 4 minutes early - multiple children crying... so glad I just took two tylenol - it is 12:27

Nail biter is playing with shared window now it is a game - sheesh - and another is sounding like a trapped seagull while he cries - awesome - 24 minutes - twenty four

12:40 - I just got welcomed to maui - screamer - still screaming .... tylenol starting to work.. mmmm and now it stinks like barf - wicked - nasty - sheesh

12:44 - I see land - I see land - I see it - I see it - I'm really here - we are close - I could swim from here - ok - maybe not... still smells like barf - and we also get to hear the wretching - this is the best flight ever

12:55 - on the ground - hooray! - palm trees... palm trees everywhere...

And about 15 minutes after this I was greeted by Paula and she gave me first Hawaiian lay :)
And now I'm going to load my camera up and share a couple of photos... didn't take much today... well not hundreds.. :)

wow

Soooooo much to share.. I will write a pile tonight... OMG - I just can't even believe this place... can't believe it.

More soon.

Love to you!

the pain of tmj

Today I had my stupid lame dental check up. For 40 (FORTY) freakin' minutes she cleaned and polished and made me want to cry - my jaw throbbed - it was absolutely terrible! Then my asinine dentist says that I should get another appliance (that's dental talk for bigger badder mouth guard) - that an appliance would make it better. I say how disappointed I was with the first guard and how it only made my life worse... but with that he had nothing else to share. Ok then - teeth look fine - see you next time. So because I'm not spending more money on my teeth I'm basically treated as a useless boob! ARG! I have so many curse words I want to throw around - I want to fill a bag with curses and throw it at the window of his office and then I want to get a couple of bottles of ketchup and pour them on his car and then pour jelly belly beans on top - then tie cans to his car and then on the top I'd tie the damned mouth guard that he gave me - I know.. then he could ID me with my teeth... don't care... I would argue insanity due to a lack of professional care - I'd lose - I know... but I'm just ranting.

I need sleep... I'm sure I'll have stories tomorrow - I'm taking the guys for their appointments... let the good times roll!

So good night to you...

"Good night sweetheart, it's time to go, good night sweetheart, it's time to go, I hate to leave you but I really must say, good night sweetheart good night" - love to you :)

sherlock

Tonight was pretty uneventful - we watched Sherlock Holmes - it was decent - I sat through the whole thing - so that should say alot - but wait... what would this place be without a story about the guys... what could have happened today... ahhhh...

Um, so April there was an incident here today.

"Oh... Kyle (pause) what happened to your face?"

Well April, you see Kyle was bugging Michael and he grabbed his toy, and well.. then Michael kicked him in the face.

Wow - that is some brotherly love - Michael kicked him right on the cheek bone and his skin is a little roughed up there and he'll probably get a black eye. Good times.

Oh and on the girly girl front, I got gel nails today. This is something totally new to me - they look pretty special but they actually hurt to put on. I kid you not, that they apply one coat of stuff, then you stick your nail under UV light and then the light causes a chemical reaction that actually caused my fingernails to feel like they'd been dipped in lava - it freakin' hurt - now I didn't cry, but it hurt worse than my tattoo.

And there you go, I'm heading to bed - I'm beat... hugs and kisses to you :)

triangle rain

Seriously, that kind of rain could take an eye out - I think they should have a better warning for the public if this is the kind of rain outside..

a bacterial cold

So Michael is getting over the cold he has... we took him to the doctor today and they said if he looks good for a few days then let's let him just get better on his own, if it returns we'll get some antibiotics... and of course, now Kyle is sick. His cough is louder and he is a bit miserable, but he isn't that bad. This seems like a fairly minor cold compared to some of the stuff they've brought home.

And now for some news about my smart seven year old. He has created a club. Initially I didn't really get what he was talking about, but I made him explain it all and now he is pretty serious about it. He has decided that the school yard is too messy and that some kids are littering an awful lot. During class they have time for everyone to share ideas and he suggested that there be a club of kids that do clean up and that they will write down all the acts of littering and also clean up. Now there are lots of clean up crews and litter crews at school, but this was his own little idea for cleaning up. What I think is really amusing is that he put out the call in class for people to join his little clean team and it was all the girls that agreed to help out. So now he has a posse of girls that he gets to hang out with on clean up days. Helping the environment and meeting the ladies... I know I know, he TOTALLY isn't there yet... he gets upset when there is any kind of kissing in movies... but I don't think we are that far away from it... then he'll be growing a moustache and I'll be laughing at it, and he'll be asking to borrow the car and I'll say sure you can if you paint the house and then he'll be telling me about how he proposed to this beautiful girl and I'll say well that is nice, but I met you first so make sure you know the order around here.

And I'll leave it there tonight - good night my friends, and family! Love to you!

a quick laugh

"Mom, look at that, there is a liquor store here. Just like the one in Quesnel."

I laugh a little, why yes, there is a liquor store. Do you know what they sell there?

"Well, tongues, I guess."

Yep... I love being a parent.

(Note: Yes, I did explain what a liquor store was after.)

easter

"Mom, are we doing the easter egg hunt?"

Yes, but later.

"Why later?"

Well it was minus four this morning so the Easter bunny asked me to put the eggs out for him once it warmed up - he said it was too cold for him to put the eggs out and too cold for you to go hunting.

"Really, but I didn't hear you talking to him."

You were sleeping.

"oh... ok."

So that was our easter - this year I really didn't get a lot of chocolate - some but not tonnes and then the guys got some new lego - which is really a lot better for them than chocolate and they certainly appreciate that more. In fact, I don't know that I'll even do an easter egg hunt next year. I know the history of the easter egg hunt and why it started, but it doesn't need to be a big deal... or for me it doesn't... I like doing scavenger hunts with the guys - they love it - but it can be any time..

Today we also moved the guys room around - Michael asked for his bed to be moved. So I did that and then we purged toys. It is funny how I'm more attached to some of their toys than they are. There is one toy that both of the boys have enjoyed. Thomas the truck - why thomas - well I named the toy that because I didn't get to name Kyle Thomas. That's right - that was the name I really wanted. I told this to my father in law and he repeated it but when he said it, with his accent, it sounded like 'dumbass' and so that was the end of naming Kyle Thomas - I still really love that name though. Absolutely top five favorite names.

Tomorrow we are going on a short road trip - then back to work on Tuesday.

where is the celebrating...

Just kidding...

Tonight I've been hunting online for the perfect bustier. I know, you were totally wondering what I do on a Saturday night - and there is the pathetic truth. I need to get two things this week - 1) a bustier that is amazing and 2) a bathing suit. I haven't bought a bathing suite since university - I still have the same one that we swam around in at the PG pool... it is too big and it isn't great... plus it is 15 years old.

Yep - that's my Saturday night.

And now I think I'll have a cup of tea and go to bed. I'm reading a Deepak Chopra book right now. It is ok, but not outstanding. I'm looking for the next outstanding book.. if you have one - let me know.

30 days of April

That's right friends and family - it is time to celebrate - yesterday marked the first day of the 30 days of April... I accept flowers, cards and phone calls :)

Today I spent nearly the entire day on holiday - I can't actually believe it. We trimmed the hedge, played outside, made crafts, watched a movie and just hung out together... weird :) Oh, and we also jammed out to rock band - it was wicked! Kyle on drums, Michael on guitar (muitar) and me belting it out on the mic... it is weird - I can sing with the guys like there is no tomorrow, but put me in front of people and forget it - I get scared. So it was great. I had fun and so did the guys - Kyle was asking for more tonight... but that was enough for today. And now I'm not sure what I will do with the rest of my night. I have some sleepy time tea at my side right now, but it isn't making me sleepy - maybe it will be a movie - last night was 'Day after tomorrow' one of those ones that I probably know all the words to - so I just have it on the background while I made cards - something else I haven't done in ages.

Alright - well happy weekend - love - hugs, smooches - hugs... love... good night

and today...

Tonight I've been busy building ads and trying to be creative.. and not dwelling on all the work stuff...
I've had Dumb and Dumber on in the background and I completely forgot parts of the movie... it is still pretty funny :) (Look at the fun bags on that hose hound... ah - what a film...)

And what I really liked about this movie was the soundtrack - still have the disk and still like all the songs.

Not much to share tonight - I'm tired and going to read - but before I run off here is a photo of the guys from this weekend. Stylin' it up - as always :)

monday

Well, well, well.... it is year end and I'm busy making sure we've spent all our money for this year. Fun.

This weekend I was a monkey again as I climbed up and cleaned up the other apple tree. The other tree is pretty pathetic though - not nearly as full as the one I loaded pictures earlier last week. Still fun though. This weekend I'm going to try and not think about work and actually enjoy time at home... I've got this weekend at home and then the next weekend (April 11) I'll be heading away for two weeks. Six days of leisure and eight of training.

We went to Nazko on Sunday - my mom treated the guys to a Saturday matinee (How to Train your Dragon) and then took them home for the night - so they were pretty exhausted by the time I showed up. We played outside for a while and then when we went in Kyle started to get into a bit of snit - a little too much clean air and not enough napping and he was an unhappy camper. We got in the car to head home and within 30 seconds he was fast asleep - then Michael gabbed me up for about 20 minutes and then he was out. We arrive at Sylvia's which is nearly the half way point and Kyle wakes up and says - gees you drove fast to get us here - I can't believe it - I suggest that he slept and that is why it seemed fast - nope - not a chance - apparently he was awake the whole time.. I confess that I did (do) drive fast but.. not that fast... (ok - it was fast - but seriously - it still took 40 minutes)

And speaking of campers... we met up with one of my staff on Saturday morning and he started to tell her about the afternoon plans for the movie...

"Yep, we watched stuff on mom's computer about the dragon movie to get ready for the movie, we were watching the camper."

Luckily my staff member put a play on words together... "Do you mean.. trailer?"

"Right, right, movie trailer."

This made me think about why we call it a trailer... and the answer is that 'back in the day' the new films were shown at the end of a double feature and so they "trailed" the film... and the name just stuck. A little FYI on this blog... how about that... :)

And with that - I'm off to read, or play cards or do something...
Love to you - hugs, kisses and... wait, one more hug for the road :)

chocolates for sale

Well it is fundraising time and Kyle's school is selling chocolate almonds, chocolate mints and chocolate caramels... we have a box in my office that is slowly being bought up and then we plan to go out and about this weekend to sell some more... Kyle is pretty keen to go and sell them to our neighbours - of course we won't be doing that since some of our neighbours are selling drugs and pimping others out - lovely! It seems that with spring we also got to have our moronic drug dealers. There was a special meeting at the college tonight about the drug problems in our community, but I didn't get a sitter and will likely get the full bill of what happened tomorrow from others. Solution: I think we should start putting up signs in the neighbourhood that just say things like 'i heart people who honk late at night and early in the morning to get their drugs from our neighbours - yes we know, but the cops don't care', and 'legalize drugs so my property value can go up' and (pointed at their house) 'hey, a-hole, we see what you are doing, we aren't as stupid as you are' and '50 cars visiting daily + lack of police doing a gd'n thing = drug house going full tilt'

So if you happen to want to buy chocolates from Kyle and need them shipped to you let me know and we can work something out :)

And so good night - I need to workout tonight - or try to - something is wrong with the joint that attaches my big toe to my foot and it freakin' hurts... someone told me that it might be a bunion - to which I said 'bless you' cause what the hell is that... and then my brain went... 'april, 'member grandma use to get those, remember her feet' and then I wanted to cry. So then my foot hurt and I was crying (on the inside). Whine, whine, whine.

Alright - hugs, smooches and extra love to you... and you... and you!

hema-what-a

4pm, the playground

It is race on the slide, running - ever faster to get down the slide first... what's that... the slide has a bar installed that is just over three feet tall to allow kids the chance to launch themselves down the slide... except in this occasion it is a kid stopper. Imagine Michael given'er and running, full tilt, into said bar. Now he has a toonie size hematoma in the middle of his forehead. Apparently he smashed into and his forehead immediately ballooned.

Michael described it tonight as smushy - awesome! It is totally disgusting and smushy...