Happy Halloween, Hello November!

November. Already? Sheesh. So Halloween is done and dusted for another year and the kids really enjoyed this one, the first "real" Halloween for them in a loooooong time! Our neighbourhood did a great job of decorating and the kids came back with bags bursting with loot! It was a balmy evening with a strong wind, perfect weather and no coats required! Connor decided trick or treating was not for him so he stayed home to help Tim with answering the door. We had 93 kids...WOW! Yes, Tim counted....haha! Delsin was very excited and couldn't wait to go out trick or treating. At school they had a "Unicef Carnival" so he got to wear his costume to school and do some activities. Mae enjoyed the carnival with her buddy Antonia and then Antonia returned later to go out door to door with us. Connor and Cameron, being the older kids in the school, enjoyed a school dance in the gym. Con did well and visited the dance for a while and then his TA, Mrs. George, took him for a stroll around the school to check out the carnival. Cam enjoyed the dance although was a bit heart broken when he spotted the girl he has a crush on "slow dancing" with another boy. Harlot. Mwah ha ha. It's hard to be 12 sometimes. :o) Here's some pics of our celebrations and a few from our neighbours who outdid themselves by transforming their garage into a "house of horrors", fantastic!

Carving the pumpkins!

Tim being classy as usual!
The princess
Connor thinking of places for me to shove my camera...hehe
Cam being...Cam

Del and Cam dressed at home before heading to school, check out their costumes!

A gorgeous grey cat, puuuuurrrrrr
A smiley cat!
I did Cam's makeup, he looked creepy as the "Grim Reaper"!
Del posing with a cool owl pumpkin we found walking home from school
Heading out!
Antonia, Delsin & Mae
Cam decided the mask was scarier and then went back to makeup later when he was roasting!
A tired puddy-tat with a bag 'o loot!
Let the scarfing begin **belly ache**
Cam checks out his loot!
Halloween schnugging!
I have to post some pics from our neighbours' display, it was mind boggling!
The exterior during the day, complete with skeleton crawling out of the ground!
Spooky!
The garage transformed!
The "witch" hostess!
And her "mad scientist" assistant!
So many things to look at and hear!!!!
Creepy skeletons in caskets!
Mummies and skeletons!
A fridge full of scary treats!
A table of gruesome delights!

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween this year! Mom and Dad celebrated in Thailand and have now arrived at their long-stay condo in Hua Hin. Their trip sounds blissful so far **jealous**. I'm off to Seattle this weekend for a much needed break with some wonderful girlfriends! Tim gets to play "single Dad" for a few days but I know he'll be just fine. :o) Must get moving and finish my packing and preparing.

Love to all from the Taverner clan,
Laura XO

Happy Birthday Cameron (aka "Doodle") 19/10/07

Good morning birthday boy!

Happy 12th Birthday (October 19th) to our big boy Cammy-doodle! Oops, I promised to stop calling you that now that you are getting older, sorry, it won't happen again. **crossing fingers behind my back** :o) We are so proud of the young man you are turning into, we love you very much. Hope you are enjoying your trip to Calgary with Dad, we'll bake you a cake when you get back! :o) Miss you much, see you soon.

Grandma and Grandpa singing "Happy Birthday" via the webcamOpening pressies is the best part!!

Smiling with the sibs

There it is...

That Fall chill is finally in the air! Last night was chilly and today there was that "nip" in the air that lets you know there is no turning back now, winter is truly on it's way! My kids have NO idea, or remembrance, of what they are in for...suckers...LOL. Despite the chill I decided to bike around to run my errands today and I returned home, not only exhausted because of the uphill climb all the way home, but with rosy cheeks and a runny nose! The kids all came in from school commenting on the temperature and Cam learned a good lesson about heeding warnings that it may really be too cool to wear your sandals today...hehe.

Del all kitted out for winter, he is reeeeeeally excited!

I have NO idea how it can possibly be almost the middle of October, September seems to have gone by in a blur! The kids are settled nicely into school and activities are well underway. Delsin, who is in "Senior Kindergarten", informed me last week that he no longer wants to come home for lunch, little stinker. Last Monday when I arrived to pick him up he got very cross with me and said he wanted to stay & play with his friends. Cue pouting from Mommy. So he has stayed for lunch since then and when I asked his teacher today how he was doing she replied, knowing I'm feeling a bit "delicate" about this, "I regret to inform you that...he is doing fantastic and is loving being at school for the whole day". Sigh. How quickly they grow up and earn their independence. I'm happy really, just a bit sad at the same time. I know every other mother understands my pain. My last baby is growing up. Double sigh. Mae is in the school musical "Oliver" which will be performed in December and is busy with her dancing and riding in the evenings. Cam is taking music at school, he is learning to play the alto sax, and he is also taking a cooking class through the YMCA. He is hoping to learn to skate this winter so we'll start going to the local arena soon. Connor is getting amazing support at the school, it has really taken me by surprise to be honest! Not that I'm complaining. ;o) Like Cam he is also learning to play an instrument, the clarinet, and has been getting some extra coaching from the music teacher which has helped immensely! He informed me early into the school year that he wanted to stay for lunch two days per week so that he could join the "Robotics Club"...you could have knocked me over with a feather! They get to do all kinds of cool stuff with Lego robotics and will prepare an entry for a regional competition. Lego is right up Connor's alley, trust me, his room is a shrine to Lego!

My boys having a jam!

In September Tim and I traveled to Ottawa for the wedding of my friend Sue and her, now husband, Tom! It was a great weekend away for us and a chance to meet up with great friends for some laughs, drinks and food...lots of food...a Polish wedding...I swear I was full for days after coming home! It was a bit surreal to sit around with people I went to high school with and we are now all "grown up", getting married and some of us with kids! Talk about your life flashing before your eyes! Many congrats to Sue and Tom, you looked so stinking happy and I wish you a long and happy life together!

Tim and Sandz all dolled up enjoying a pint...or two.
The beautiful bride and the Nepean gals Michelle, Sandz, & me!
Another old school friend Gonzo and his beautiful wife Marlene with Tim
Why too much wine/beer is never a good idea...LOL
Tim accosting Steve!

Tim's Mom was in town and watched the kids for us while we escaped for the wedding weekend and she, and her partner Len enjoyed spending time with the kiddos. We also got to celebrate her birthday before they headed south in their RV! They are now in Texas after a visit to Graceland!!

Happy Birthday Marilynn
Celebrating with Len
Del and Cam having fun in the RV
Mae hanging out with Rascal-the-dog, Marilynn & Len's beloved companion!
Connor doing what Connor does!

Tim and Cam are off to Calgary next week to celebrate Tim's brother's 40th birthday and then it's my turn to escape for a long weekend with some girlfriends in Seattle!

We enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving in our new home even though that was a departure from our original plan to be at the lake for the holiday weekend! Unfortunately Tim has developed a nasty infection in his "bum" leg and has been on IV antibiotics for the past two weeks. The infection is not going away completely so he has been referred to an orthopaedic specialist for a "gallium scan" to check for an abscess in the tissue or bone on that leg. Poor Tim, this damn leg is going to haunt him forever. The confusing part is that he didn't do anything to trigger this, no bumps or bruises, no cuts or bug bites, just a random infection that started out as some pain and swelling around his big ugly scar. I hope the bone doc can shed some light on what is going on and fix it!

Thanksgiving chez Taverner

I have forced myself back to the gym to take better care of myself and although it has almost killed me, I'm glad I'm doing it! I have to be a bridesmaid next May so my goal is to look fabulous when I'm standing in front of all those people honouring my bestest friend Sandz and her wonderful man Steve! Nothing like a fitted, strapless dress for motivation! :o)

My gorgeous best friend Sandz, the bride-to-be, and me in Port Perry!
(Sandz is crouching to make me feel taller...for once...haha!)

The past 9 months, almost a year really, has been so unbelievably stressful for me and although we are now settled and loving our new home, town and our life here the stress has taken it's toll on me and I can feel myself sliding down the slippery depression path. I'm familiar with this path and it's not where I want to be! So after a visit to the doctor (YES we actually found a local GP...woo hoo) I am going to try taking better care of myself and that starts with fitness to get those endorphins swimming around in my blood and brain! If Mommy isn't happy, nobody is happy so my mental and physical health are important. It's nice to be this self aware after years of feeling lost and despondent. Wish me luck!

Our new home and a very positive thing for me to focus on!

The ultimate reason for joy in my life

Enjoy the pics of our lives for the past few weeks, hope you are all enjoying the beauty of Fall and preparing for winter hibernation!! Love to all from me and the family.

Laura XO

Happy 7th Birthday Oscar!

It's my WHAT??

Ohhhh, my birthday...aren't I handsome?

Seven years ago today you (and your EIGHT siblings...urgh!!) joined our family and we could not have asked for a better, lovier, lunkier boy than you! We are so glad to have you in our new home, it felt so empty without you!

Lots of love, hugs, and scratches from your adoring humans!
XOXO

Happy 5th Birthday little man!

It's Super-Birthday boy!!

Our gorgeous little man, Delsin, turned FIVE (ACK) yesterday and he had a great day! He has just crawled out of bed, at 9:45, so he obviously needed to recharge the batteries after all the excitement! It was a school day for him so we started early to get pressies done before heading off to classes and then we did pizza and cake for birthday supper! Tim's Mom Marilynn and her partner Len were able to join us after driving across the country in their huge bus motorhome! My folks were able to do a video chat so it was like they were here as they did our traditional family singing of "Happy Birthday"! Ain't technology grand?? It's very exciting to be five and Del had a wonderful day!

Happy Birthday to our gorgeous boy, you fill our hearts with joy and melt us with your gorgeous chocolate brown eyes! We can't believe how fast you are growing up and we are glad you are still our little cuddle-bucket...although sleeping in your own bed more often would be a really great idea **hint hint**. :o) We love you little man, lots of love, hugs and birthday smooches from Mom, Dad, Connor, Cameron, Maeghan, Oscar, Schat, Bug, Grandma, Grandpa, Nana & Len. XOXO

Giving Spongebob some love!

It's GORDON...woo hoo!

Playing before school starts

You get to be "helper of the day" on your birthday so he got to lead the line into school!

Hearing his name read out during announcements!

Happy Birthday Delsin!

Yummy blue cake icing!!

Nana & Len enjoying some birthday cake!