It's alligator!

It had been another long week for both of us; early mornings at the gym before work, a long day and then home only to repeat again the next day. But it was 5 pm on Friday and I wanted to get hold of my sweetheart and see what the plan was.

He wasn't answering his work phone but after several tries I got hold of him on his cell as I was just leaving work,

"when do you think you will be able to pull yourself away?"

Well to my surprise he had left work already and was in the checkout at Coop ...

"just picking up some vegetables. I'll meet you at home"

As he often does, my guy was preparing a special evening for the two of us. By the time I got home, his beer was chillin and my martini glass was in the freezer - the martini in the fridge getting nice and cool.

What a nice reception.....

A perfect evening to sit out on the deck.

Nice vegys!

But what is this meat??

Alligator and sausage!

I have never tried alligator - just taken pictures of them. David picked it up at Summit meats on Central. What fun!

We relaxed on the deck, enjoying the warm weather. As David BBQ'd I took up my E 30 and did a walkabout the garden.

...the tiger lillies are running three weeks late.

Heliopsis will be full of yellow blooms soon...

Bleeding hearts are almost finished...

...the hosta's are incredible this year

The lilacs are late but I am enjoying the aroma

Can you see this mama sitting on her eggs? She made her nest in the tall cedar bush next to our house a few weeks ago and we have been keeping a close eye on her. I am sure she is regretting her choice of real estate.

Daisy's from ken - thanks Ken.

What a wonderful, relaxing Friday evening and the perfect end to a long week. God is good!

Alligator BTW tastes similar to pork or chicken. We likely won't buy it again - because pork and chicken are much less expensive. But it was fun t0 try it.

And here are a few picks from our sat am bike ride....

.... when I see a hot tub fly....

I guess moving a hot tub is an expensive proposition.

Relaxing weekend - loving the sun and weather.

Hope you have had a great weekend too. Aren't they just too short?

Photography Fun!

The ultimate zoom lens. I am not sure my husband would be willing to carry this one around for me! hehe
Evolution of a photographer..... there is just something unique about a shot taken from the ground. Ah but I digress... hehe again.

US together

Got a page done a few weeks back from the family shoot with Melina. I kind of like it. I just have to find some time to get a few more pages done and finish off the year 2002 before those wedding photos arrive.

Haven't done any scrapbooking since this page ...but the whole second floor of the house is painted, carpets washed and new blinds installed.

Will it really be July next week????

FireFit 2009 P.A.

My little guy always loved to play with water and get dirty.

Mark, age 4.

See this cute little guy?

I am one Mom that never expected to see a son of mine compete in this Firefit competition and I have to tell you, as I watched him preparing for this, my heart was beating awfully fast. I tried to talk him out of it. Silly to even try of course but the mother in me was terribly worried about my little boy subjecting himself to such a grueling challenge. Always a mother. And was that a cough I was hearing?

But here he is 20 years later being the man the Lord meant him to be and I am so proud of him.

Mark getting ready for the team relay event.

Part of the relay - no masks for the relay. Still grueling!

Mark's turn is up for the solo competition - the whole course, by yourself, racing the clock and one other guy beside you. The sun is out and it is getting warm out here. He is off up the stairs to the top of a five story building.

8.2 sec - half way there.

Mark is climbing six flights of stairs in full gear with an oxygen tank on his back and breathing through a mask which reduces O2 by 15 %. On his back is 42 pounds of fire hose. No runners - big heavy firefighter boots and fire fighter gloves which makes the task even harder. I am one nervous spectator.

Mark is pulling 45 pounds of hose up the side of this five story building. Then he races down to the bottom and on to the next task...

Using a 9 pound mallet to move a 165 pound beam

The clock is at just over a minute....

Off to the other end of the course through the obstacles to grab the fully charged fire hose. I think the guys just want to lie down and give up at this point... but there is more to do. Still under two minutes.

Dragging a fully charged hose 75 feet and then hitting a target with the water.

This is the last and final leg of the competition - dragging 175 pounds of dead weight 100 ft across the finish line.

I feel his pain. Mark is so, so close to meeting his goal - just to finish the course - so many cannot get through it at all.

"Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small,large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and goodsense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." Winston Churchill ~a quote Mark has on his facebook page.

Mark at the finish line being tended to by the crew.

The recovery and first aid tent.

Some of these guys looked pretty bad. I had to go there and make sure he was okay... and take a few pictures too.

This is the crew getting those O2 masks off ASAP

and when it was all over and he had recovered I got this shot...

Here he is with his buddies 21 years later. Still playing with water. They grow up way too fast.

The Thompson Manitoba Fire Fighters FIREFIT team! Mark is on the far right. Mark did exceptionally well and I am one proud Mama. Okay I have to admit there were a few moments when I was so worried I felt physically sick... but now I just feel pride.

If you get a chance to see the Scott Firefit champions in real life - go for it - very impressive.

These are the guys who stay in shape so they can risk their lives to save ours.

Scott Firefit Championships

What a busy week!

Forty hrs at work, two bedrooms painted, new blinds installed, the entire upstairs carpet cleaned, and the garden weeded and lawn cut . I put in some long days (my sweetheart was a huge help)and slept very well last night but hey it all sure looks great. Sammy (and David)installed new light fixtures in all the bedrooms last weekend, including our new mini chandelier - which I will share pictures of soon. oh it is soooo romantic!

The fun continues and this morning David and I are almost out the door soon (7am) to grab a tims and head off to Prince Albert to watch Mark compete in the Scott Firefit championship.

A competition of firefighting skills for the super fit!

I will take lots of pictures!

....because there will be a whole bunch of very fit firefighters doing their stuff.

... and my new Olympus E30 is really up to the fast action challenge.

I need Africa more than Africa needs me!

Family Photos

Whenever I am blessed to have all my children in one place, I book Melina Perron for a family photo shoot.  Melina always comes up with fun relaxing photos that leave us with wonderful memories. We met up at the Western Development Museum for some pictures. 

Love this photo!! This one gets blown up and framed and added to the family gallery. 

We are a growing gang and with Paul and Allie's little one on the way too we will be nine for Christmas. And they will all be home... I need to book Melina again. 

Mark my firefighter paramedic. 

The very happy couple who were willing to hang out with family less then 48 hrs after becoming man and wife. 

The love of my life!

Havin' fun!

After the photo shoot we went to Montanas and wrote all over the paper table cloths - 'hangman' ya know - kind of a family tradition. So much so that if David and I  go to Montanas with friends we make them play hangman!

Then over the next week all my sweet kids slowly went back home and it got very quiet around here.....  I am kind of liking it..... a lot!