I just can't resist.

Would rather scrap book this beauty then sleep!

Tanis Emily

Introducing Tanis Emily...

With her Mommy. A very tired Mommy

Very excited Grandparents

with her Daddy who gave her her first bath his morning.

such and BIG healthy perfect little girl

Grandpa

We made the 2 1/2 hr ferry/drive back to Vancouver, visited for two hrs and made the 2 1/2 hr ferry/drive back to Victoria. We fly home this morning. Back to work tomorrow. I need a holiday LOL.

We will miss seeing this little gem every day, watching her grow up but will get in as many visits as we can.

I am so sorry I didn't get a picture of Dale and Danny (Allie's parents) with their new Granddaughter. Perhaps next visit.

She has arrived!

Tanis decided to make her grand appearance at just after 6 pm Monday Sept 14th as her grandparents were on the ferry on the way to Victoria. Paul phoned us moments after her birth and we heard her strong and determined cry.

The captain refused to turn the ferry around. But a few people on board came to congratulate us. Do you think we whooped it up too much?

What a beautiful sound to here her first cries. She was wonderfully knit together inside her mothers womb by our incredible Creator. We feel immensely blessed and thankful for her and for the safe arrival for both Allie and Tanis. God is so good to us. We do long to hold her.

We will decide this am if we will make the ferry ride back to Vancouver today to see her but we do fly out of Victoria tomorrow am. The best laid plans eh?

She weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 21.5 inches long (just like her daddy 23 1/2 years ago) and both Mom and baby are doing just fine. Dad seems pretty chipper too.

We are thrilled.
It's a girl!! Completely unexpected in the Cortens male dominated clan.

I do not have any pictures!!! Is this driving me crazy????

Another warm day in Vancouver

Having a grand time in Vancouver ... on Granville Island.

Downtown Vancouver from Granville Island



baby is quite content to stay put.

Now that is some cement truck. Very eco green friendly.
Was going to make this my 365 photo but the train passing by at Whiterock was just very cool.

Check it out here.

This is what the restaurant served my coffee in this morning.

Think it means something?

Early morning walk in the forest

Can't you just smell that moist fresh mountain forest air?

The sun was hitting the fir tree behind this little guy. Made for a nice backdrop.

Outline of spider against bright sunny leaves in a dark forest.

Read the sign. I mean, it was low tide but um ....

On the way to the forest trail we passed some workers at a golf course playing with giant Lego. Now this is a job a few kids would love to have!

The golf course from my perspective.

And I am rally quite content to be behind the fence with my camera.

Enjoying absolutely fabulous weather here. You know, the warm sunny stuff we usually get in Saskatchewan but didn't this year.

For my best spider shot, visit My Life in 365 Days

Thanks for looking and do please leave a comment.

oh, and no baby yet.... we are trying not to talk about it. :) But Mom is looking and feeling fabulous.

Vancouver beach walk

Here are some photos from today's hike at Crescent beach and the 1000 steps down to the ocean at Boundary Bay.

A very expensive but delicious lunch at Crescent Beach Bistro.

One of my favorites, shooting into the sun, with a flash, no editing.

Click on this to see the little hairs on the stem.

I have one more of my favorites that I posted on my "My Life in 365 Days" blog.

And many more from the day but will not overload you tonight.

Thanks for looking

Memes - "something imitated"

Okay picked this Meme up at Jenni's Blog and thought I would play along. Jenni is mother to 12 - yes I said twelve.

The first thing I did was look up Meme because I didn't know what the heck it was but Google took me to Wikipedia for this:

A meme (pronounced /ˈmiːm/, rhyming with "cream"[1]) is a postulated unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices, and is transmitted from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. (The etymology of the term relates to the Greek word mimema for "something imitated".)

So here it is, the Meme of the day.....

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

Liquid soap for the bathrooms�I only go once a month�when I have to�.before the 8am rush.

2. What is something that people are currently 'into' that you just don't get or appreciate?

Twitter. I am trying it but, well, why?

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel 'ho-hum' about?

Oh that one is easy -my sweetheart of thirty years!!!

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?

Amazing Grace.. or Indescribable

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:

AVOCADO (sorry for yelling) - stole that from Jenni but oh yes I agree!

6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):

This can be addicting and very self absorbing. Be careful. Walk away from it now and then.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?

Muriel Joy, but my grandma said they couldn't do that to me. For the longest time (like the past 40 years) I have thought the name absolutely terrible but now that I am getting on I actually really like it.

8. What in your life are you waiting for?

MY FIRST GRANDCHILD!!! Any day now.

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?

A book from Christian Books dot com or Amazon or maybe a photobook from Shutterfly!!

10. Today, what song represents you?

Hmmm I am sitting in a hotel room with my sweetheart. "Try a Little Tenderness" Michael Buble hahhahah comes to mind.

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

I can easily get self absorbed, self centered.
I need to spend more time reading and not blogging.
I have "met" so many special people through their blogs and have learned a whole bunch too.

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you're wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you're feeling today?

Travel day - my new beige stretch chords cause I believe in looking classy only if it's comfortable. My cozy moss green vest because it is raining, damp, wet where I am going and I also believe that being warm is a big part of being comfortable.

So go ahead - copy paste and let me know so I can find out what your parents almost named you.

Gratitude 121-130

Making my way to 1000 reasons I am thankful.

121. Thankful for soft sheets, cosy blankets, a cool breeze through the window and a cushion top mattress. Thankful for rain and a few claps of thunder. Reminds me of His power. Thankful for good sleep after a busy day. Sleep, what a wonderful part of Creation.

122. Fog last week - a rare occurrence on the prairies but a reminder of the coast. For a brief moment on the drive to work I was transformed to another time, another place, by the ocean.
A very brief moment, but a nice one nonetheless. And we are headed off to the ocean tomorrow to see our new grand baby who is not yet born!!!

123. Supportive and kind co-workers who say such nice things about my photos and digital scrapbook pages and ask to see more; it blesses and encourages me.

124. A parking spot 10 sec from the door at Costco last week. That rarely happens!

125. Father and number one son getting to go to a movie together (twice). Lord give them a special time together.

126. Prayer. Someone very powerful and in complete cotrol of this world who I can turn to, anytime, anywhere.

127. Hardwood floors that haven't been cleaned in 5 weeks and still look great - especially at night when it is dark. :)

128. Our first Bible study for the fall - a great time. Ken brought cheese cake. Sammy led us to some amazing discoveries in His Word. Celebrated Brian's birthday. May He bless our time and study together.

129. Time for father and numero two son to spend the day together with friends driving to the Rider game. Blessed and thankful for these opportunities to be a blessing to others and thankful for safe highway travels.

130. Thankful to have Mark home for a few days. I so miss him when he is up north being a fire fighter and paramedic. Praying for a job closer to home. Will you join me? Thankful for opportunity to take all the kids out for Fish and Chips when Mark got home Friday night. God is good.

Check out my new blog - My Life in 365 Days.

back to 2003..... Babies and weddings...

Allison up at Table Mountain learning to snowboard March 2003

Paul's 17th birthday, Jan 6 2003

Paul joins the reserves. It was a short lived experience, for which I am thankful.
Chalk it up to experience. Jan 2003

I am waiting patiently for the phone call but so far no baby.
So to pass the time I have started the 2003 album. Oh I feel so far behind....

Not done the wedding album yet.
Thankful for a whole day to scrapbook today - yup the WHOLE Day! I was up at 6am!
SIX pages.

Here it is again - the opening page of my grandchild's first album.....

Today is Labour day - has anybody told the child this?????

And one more weddding page made with real glue and paper...

Bride's Arrival

Love this photos of the back of Allison's dress as we scurry to get her out of sight and into the back door of the church - such fun!

And as if my days weren't full enough, I have started another blog - My Life in 365 Days. I wanted to challenge myself and hopefully improve my photography skills so I am taking a picture every day for 365 days. Go check it out and leave a comment.
No lurkers... :)

Brides and Babies. My two Allies.

1. First Allie the bride, our newlywed daughter.
This beautiful paper from Creative Imaginations(Teal Scroll) had Allison's wedding colours in it.


This was a very quick page I got done while Mark hollowed out three watermelons (guess what for) and the rest of the gang watched TV. Check out the watermelon photos on my 365 days blog

Good to have a little glue on my fingers again.

There is a lot of watermelon to eat around here.

1. Allie my daughter-in-love and my son Paul.
We are patiently waiting for THE phone call. Our first grandchild was due on Aug 31st, but when do babies ever come when they are expected?

All baby, our daughter-in-law, Allie, is all baby! Photo take Aug 31/09. Isn't she beautiful?