janice's mash-up

crescent beach

The boys had their first full day of summer holidays at home together today while I was at work. Both slept in, made their own lunches and then played outside with some little guys from our cul-de-sac. I zipped home to cut up a fruit salad before a staff event...

and then after that came back to get the boys to take them out to dinner and our yearly beginning of holidays visit to Crescent Beach. We went to the little place on Beecher Sreet that we always go to and then had a great long walk down the beach trail (or along the rocks for the boys) as the tide was very high.

It was a great evening at the beach...which always brings me some peace.

 

a week of good-byes

This last week in June is always a tough one for me as it is always full of good-byes. Good-bye to teachers for the boys and to their classmates, good-bye to school year routines and schedules and for Neil and I good-bye to colleagues that are moving on and students that we have worked with. It is also a ridiculously busy week which leads to exhaustion. This combination leads to heightened emotions for me! There have been some tears shed this week.

I took Colin and some classmates out to Centennial Beach on Monday for their annual year end field trip. Colin walked away with his friends and walked WAY OUT and I didn't see him for almost two hours. Made me realize that my baby is growing up.

Adam has been done with school for over a week now and has been doing my list of things "to do" around the house each day. Last night he joined a group of friends at a movie. I so remember doing this at his age but again, every time something like this happens recently, it reminds me what a teenager he has really become. Sigh.

Today, Colin had his farewell assembly and Adam walked over to his high school to pick up his report card. He was proud of how he did this year...and we were too! As per tradition, the boys chose where to go out for dinner (last day of school, report cards, etc) and we drove over to Pajo's at Garry Point.

We didn't linger as long as we normally would...the wind was cold! But is was nice to be outside and to sit down and talk about the day.

The boys both have big plans to sleep in tomorrow! Neil and I...not so much. We both have very full days, full of good-byes!

weekend wrap-up

 
It's beginning to feel like summer around here...good weather, less structure in our lives (read as less running around taking boys to their different sports) and all the end of school year stuff. Colin went golfing with his Me to We group on Friday and he's got a beach trip on Monday and then just a couple more days! He got his report card on Friday and he was very happy with it. Us too. Adam has locker clean out this week and then picks up his report card. June is always so very busy for all of us but at least we know summer holidays are just around the corner.

Saturday was a big "to do" day. I had lots of student work to compile and file, errands to do and thank yous to work on. I started the day though by making some strawberry-rhubarb muffins. I had made them at work this week and since strawberry-rhubarb is one of Neil's favourite combos, I just had to make them at home too. Colin's guitar teacher appreciated them as well!

I got some annuals to fill in some pots and our window box. Love the summer colours that annuals bring to the garden!

The boys helped around the house a bit and then had a little water fight in the backyard before going to the driving range with Neil and his brother.

I made these fun thank you cards for the boys' teachers and other adults at their schools that they wanted to thank. I got the idea from the amazing ladies at eighteen25 here. Colin was concerned I was spending too much time on them (knowing all the other things on my to do list this weekend) but I told him I thought it was important to put your heart into a thank you. The boys each wrote personalized messages inside the cards, which was a little bit of their hearts ;)

I also made some end of the year cards for a group of my students. I got the printable from here and just cropped it before I had it printed as photos.

I took so many photos of the students I taught math and science to this year. Adam helped me copy DVDs for the students with photos and all the animotos we made this year.

 

On Sunday, my niece Ainsley and nephew Duncan came over for the afternoon. While the boys were out back shooting water at each other or in front of the tv shooting at I'm not really sure what, Ainsley and I made some cake pops. It was Ainsley's first time and I got her a copy of Bakerella's book...I'm glad to have another cake popper in the family! 

We gave the cupcake pops a go. They did not meet my expectations so I will need to keep working on those but Ainsley assured me they were cute ;)

We all went back to my Mom and Dad's for dinner and the boys had a very competitive game of bocce in the backyard.

The boys and Duncan skateboarded at our place until almost dark...love long summer evenings...and time to play and walk and talk!

garden fresh salsa

Neil and his brother took the boys to the driving range on Saturday afternoon and I did errands. When I came home and unloaded groceries and such, I noticed that I still had some peppers and tomatoes from the farmers' market last weekend so I decided to make some fresh salsa for a snack for when the golfers came home. I chopped everything up, added some lime juice and some cilantro from our garden, salted the mixture and let it sit.

It tasted so fresh and yummy. Taking the few minutes to make garden fresh salsa was worth it.

This is this week's The Simple Things photo.

Check out other "simple things" photographs on Rebecca's blog...click on The Simple Things button below to link to Rebecca's site to see this week's photos.

 

 

first day of summer

The boys and I hung out in the backyard after dinner and had some mini ice cream drumsticks to celebrate the summer solstice.
We also noticed that a little critter has eaten all of our ripe strawberries. Glad someone enjoyed them! One of our clematis is in full bloom...these always remind me of June because of a photo of Neil and Adam as a baby on their first father's day in 1997 in front of our dark purple clematis in Ladner. I think I have three different kinds growing intertwined now. Love their blooms!

It felt like summer today in so many ways. Aaah.

more marshmallow pops

Adam had his final exam for grade 8 this morning and then the kids from his program got together for an afternoon of pizza and swimming. I made some marshmallow pops in fun summer colours as a treat. They all wrote "HAGS" (have a great summer") in their yearbooks so I just had to add the banner ;)

For this version I used the new Kraft Campfire Marshmallows which are HUGE! I also used the Wilton melts in yellow.

For the big batch of chocolate marshmallow pops I did back in May, I used the Jumbo size Kraft marshmallows which are a bit longer than the regular size and great on the pop sticks.

 

The leadership students at my school made these as fundraiser for their well in Kenya and I thought I would pass on the tips I passed on to them. They ended up using popsicle stick to save costs and they worked just great.

Supplies: one bag of marshmallows (see sizes above), a package of Wilton candy melts, lollipop sticks, sprinkles, candy, etc.

1) Melt 1 package of candy melts in a bowl of measuring cup for one minute in the microwave. Take out and let sit for a minute and then stir. If some of the melts are completely melted, microwave for 20-30 seconds more as needed.

2) Dip top half of marshmallow in melted candy and swirl off excess. Place sitting up on a large piece of foil or waxed paper. Add decorative topping (sprinkes, a smartie or jellybean, etc). Continue dipping and decorating. (You can see this step in the background of the photo below).

3) Once the melted candy is hard (they can be put in the fridge to speed up this process), dip the top of the lollipop stick in the melted candy and insert into the bottom of the marshmallow about half way up the marshmallow.

4) Lay the marshmallow pops on their sides until the candy on the stick has hardened.

5) Serve in an upright container such as a short vase, mugs, etc. I like sticking them in styrofoam and then putting them in a decorative container of some sort.

These are fun, quick treats to make that are perfect for birthdays or the end of school. I added some to a cake for Colin's spring fling cake walk.
A colleague is turning 50 tomorrow and he'll be getting a fun marshmallow pop packaged up for his special day! 

How can you not smile when you see a marshmallow pop?!

 

weekend wrap-up

Adam had his last day of classes on Thursday and finished off the day with getting his yearbook Sharkfest. Fun times. Yearbooks sure have changed since my high school days...they are full colour and so huge!

Colin had his school picnic on Friday and took a big tray of watermelon...always a sign that summer is coming!

Adam has a ball hockey game Friday night - it was an elimination playoff game and they lost 2-1. Adam played really well right til the end. He enjoyed trying out ball hockey but ice hockey will always be his favourite ;)

Saturday was kind of a lazy day around here...just doing house stuff, Colin's guitar lesson, Adam studying for his final exam on Monday and I actually took some time to flip through some magazines and play Angry Birds Rio (it's an addiction, right up there with diet coke for me!).

On Sunday, Neil was of course up hours before all of us so no breakfast in bed for him! We did take him into Steveston to try a new restaurant for an early lunch. We always try and find a new burger place for Neil to try and this year we tried the Hogshack. 

I went to the Steveston Farmers Market and stocked up on some local produce including local strawberries. Yum. The boys and I visited my dad and we went out for dinner with Neil's dad and brother. The boys got to spend time with all the special men in their lives today.

 

Neil is a great dad. He models so many important character traits for the boys - respectful, a strong work ethic, thoughtful and reflective, uses reason, is involved in his children's lives and acts with integrity. Happy Father's Day!

summer dinners

Colin kept commenting all Saturday afternoon how he couldn't wait for dinner. The smell of bbq ribs in the oven almost did him in! As we ate dinner together last night, Adam commented that this was really a summer dinner, because of the bbq and watermelon I think. Having farm fresh baby potatoes kind of makes the meal for me too.

I do not underestimate the importance of having meals together as a family. It's an opportunity to connect, talk about all sorts of things and just be together without distractions. During the school year it does get a bit difficult as we are often eating on the fly or it is just the boys and I because Neil is still at work. I do look forward to our summers together and having both lunches and dinners together at home, out on the deck or at a picnic. 

 This is this week's The Simple Things photo.

Check out other "simple things" photographs on Rebecca's blog...click on The Simple Things button below to link to Rebecca's site to see this week's photos.

  

reflecting on game 7

We are so disappointed. Game 7 didn't go how we had wanted it to. I liked how our fans responded in the arena and congratulated the Bruins but what is happening downtown is just so disgusting and so disrespectful to the wonderful year the Canucks have had. Lots of good discussions happened this evening with our boys. Our shrine will stay up for a few days.

We believed, we watched, we cheered, we hoped and we ate lots of Canucks treats. Thanks to the Steveston Cookie Company for our final treats of the playoffs!

And it is only four months before the next season starts!

canucks cupcakes

I had a long meeting at UBC this afternoon and decided I needed a treat so I stopped at my favourite Cupcakes store on Broadway and brought home these Canucks cupcakes for us for dessert.

Another take on a Canucks treat!