Love

Eleven years.

Twelve years ago this month, I looked around my choral conducting class and saw a rather attractive male (there weren't too many of those in my music classes). He was wearing grey sweat pants and a t-shirt. I noticed after a while that he always came late to class. So I started leaving my backpack on the seat next to me until class started. Guess who started sitting next to me? We talked, flirted, practiced conducting together. He still always wore those blasted sweat pants. In February he asked me out. We went to Romeo and Juliet. I looked cute that night, but he didn't kiss me. So I started dating someone else.

In April, spring term started. Most people went home, but not the attractive male. He worked for university housing and had too much free time on his hands. I took too many classes (I had a minor addiction to doing this). But I still found time to flirt. Which led to a date or two. And then more. And then to me dropping one of my classes. And some kissing. Operas, concerts, parks, long walks. By June we were engaged. By August we were married. And so began the great adventure of my life.

Aaron proposed to me on top of a dormitory. He had it set up with dinner and a piano. He serenaded me and asked me to marry him.

This year for our anniversary we recreated a little of the magic on the top of a friend's apartment building (the tallest in Regina). It turns out Saskatchewan is a bit windier than Utah. We lost a vase of roses (crack! splash!), and it got a bit chilly, but we had the exact same dinner from Chili's that we had back then. Just, you know, with a little more tablecloth mixed in.

What I love about Aaron RIGHT NOW:

5. Musical genius. He cranks out compositions and concerts that blow me away.

4. We have a LIFE together. I never wanted to be bored, and thanks to him, there's always some new adventure around the bend. We go normal sometimes, but only when we're in the mood.

3. He honestly gets hotter every year--without going bald! I mean, I'd love him anyway, but hair is a bigger bonus than I expected.

2. When he drops everything he's in the middle of to hang out with our family or just with me.

1. Fire. He has it, and brings it to everything we do.

Love you, Aaron. Just not enough to post the picture where you look cute and I look gross. Sorry, but she who blogs picks the pics!

BACK TO SCHOOL!

So school started at the end of August. I can't rule out the possibility that the kids were excited.

This one is in THIRD GRADE!!! So far his teacher has been great (she's a former arts and music teacher, which gives her points in our book). He misses being in the same class as one of his best friends, Justin, but manages to catch up enough over wall-ball at recess to survive.

And Addy's off to a fantastic start. She has M. Dube, who is one of my favorite teachers EVER. He's already noticed her art skills and gives her plenty of time to illustrate her journal entries, besides which he CRACKS THE CLASS UP at every opportunity and gives lots of extra recesses. The man knows how to teach first grade, I tell you.

And they both enjoy being back at Ecole Massey, which finally got some much-needed paint, along with a new principal (I was sorry to see Mme. Anderson go, but I like the new one--whose name escapes me at the moment--quite well). I think they'll both have a wonderful year!

August Rush

I'm just going to dedicate this post to the joy of summer. I love summer. I really do. And even though the temperature here rarely cleared 80, making for many nights where our heater kicked on, and despite the general sense that we warmed up to an early May before plunging directly into late September (there are already yellow leaves on some of the trees), IT WAS SUMMER. Since it's so short,we did our best to make the most of it. We dropped everything on hot days (there were a few) and headed to the spraypads. We basked in the sunshine at the parks (even if we were wearing sweaters), and barbequed all the hotdogs we could stand. The kids rode their bikes, roller blades, scooters, and tricycles up and down the street basically every minute we were home. And I even took some pictures. Well, I waited until the very end and then tried to make up for it, but still--we have real live photos to prove that yes, we were outside, loving it, for as long as we could. I wouldn't change a moment of it.

Alongside all that blissful enjoyment, we managed to get some long-awaited house-projects done. We have new carpet in our basement! New floors in the kitchen and bathrooms! We have that second bathroom more or less functional again! The back of the house is finally painted! We may be missing a few luxuries, like baseboards and taps to one shower, but to be honest, my happiness is full enough without them. Ask me right now if I will have a fantastic winter, and I'll give you a resounding YES. Although that may just be the vitamin D talking--it's pretty potent stuff, that sunshine.

Fun in the Sun

My favorite girls . . . or Scooby-Doo cast members, take your pick

Possibly my favorite afternoon all summer--we didn't know there was a spray-pad at this park, but it was a hot day (for once), and what's the good in being a kid if you can't sometimes just rip your clothes off? Too bad Sera's shorts didn't fit better. And too bad she had an accident already. All totally worth it for this picture though!

And Addy in a spare pair of shorts (size 24 months I think?)

Some tree had some berries on it. The kids picked them off and pelted them at each other for probably an hour.

There's nothing like water on a hot day. And given how few of them there were this summer, can you blame us for soaking in the opportunity?

I may have hated scrubbing all the sand out of their scalps, but man these kids love digging!

Hanging out at the spray-pad playground

I love when my kids play together!

Addy and her old Joy School buddy Ezra

Lots of afternoon picnics at the park

Gathering apples in the backyard

What ghetto backyard would be complete without a ghetto swingset? ($15 at a yard-sale)

I think these guys wore a rut in the sidewalk in front of our house

Ah, the joy on Addy's face when she took off without training wheels!