Florida 2019

another year, another photo recap.  they are not in any particular order, and most of the photo credits go to Layla and Joelle, thank goodness. otherwise i'd have like four good pictures...

yes, the Sunshine State was beautifully sunny, perfectly hot and as usual, offered up lots of blissful relaxation and fun...when can i go back?!?

 

obviously Hannah is missing from the above "kid shot"...her absence was definitely felt.  deeply actually.  we almost pulled off a week with the whole crew with Joelle flying into Tampa, but Hannah couldn't make it this year, understandably...hopefully one day soon all eight of us will get there again during the same week!

grit

**update~ i'm back for now, and this post is a few weeks late.  still haven't fixed the photo uploading problem, but from my phone it seems to work at least. thanks Adam! :)
wrestling pictures today~ because that's what we've been up these days! lots of tournaments through the week and on weekends.  yep, we've hit the late winter peak! such a fun time watching my five show bravery as they've all faced fierce opponents and sometimes lost, grace and humility after easier matches they won, grit to get out there and work hard and keep training when it feels long into the season...love the life lessons wrestling teaches over time.  and Jeff, always in their corner ready to offer support and encouragement and the positive spin.  he's so good at that.

Joelle wrestling U Sports in Calgary...

AJ and Hudson at a youth tournament in Milton

Adam and Layla at SWOSSAA

MIA

just to explain why i'm MIA this week.  Blogger isn't cooperating for me and my pictures won't upload as they once did...i hope it can be resolved soon and i'll be back to posting our usual riveting family news! ;)  have a great weekend everyone!

look up child

Lauren Daigle is slaying it these days...bursting into 2019 with a Grammy, lots of play on mainstream radio with You Say (which i've mentioned here before~ cuz i'm a wee bit of a fan of hers :)) and a blazing message of Truth and Love and Hope that seems to be catching some positive attention.  Go Lauren- keep shining!!

 and just because, here's another winner...

Look Up Child

he still cracks me up

seriously Jeff....

the things he does.

the story here is pretty funny.  to us at least.  maybe a bit less to his eldest daughter, however.

on this day, Jeff had Joelle a wee bit nervous that he was going to be entering the same tournament she was wrestling in the very next day.  in the very same weight class as some of her friends/teammates.  notice the heart rate monitor around his chest?  he'd had all his running gear on to go for a real run, but told her it was to cut weight for the tournament.  she kept asking questions, starting to wonder if her crazy father was serious.  to antagonize her further he then went to find Adam's singlet, put it on and had me take his picture, sent it to her and then told her he'd ordered the singlet especially for the BIG day.  she was....um....not impressed.  which of course made Jeff only torment her further.  he knew all the right answers just to make the story seem legit.  anyway, needless to say i guess it isn't cool when your 50 year old father wrestles in the same tournament as you.  which he didn't, but of course he always has fun contemplating it!

these two

awww...so happy for this girl.  after two seasons of wrestling at McMaster, a couple injuries that set her back, and a determined comeback with lots of grit and bravery on the mat, this girl is off to the nationals in Calgary later this month.  her dream come true.

(the pic below was from a Mac organized photo shoot they did of all the wrestlers~ i can't take credit for that one.  obviously!)

 

this weekend she earned silver at the provincials. what a fun day it was to witness~ although completely nerve wracking at the same time.  

so proud of you Joelle, regardless of where you placed.  such courage required for this amazing sport, and i love seeing that developed in your character. 

Adam had an equally impressive weekend, winning four of six hard fought matches to walk away from his provincials with fifth place.  his poor muscles where feeling it the next day after so many head to head battles (though he only mentions it if i ask.  never complains, this kid).  Jeff was with him while i was with Joelle, so i was thankful a few of his matches had been recorded.  

Adam has this quiet presence and nerves of steel, and i love what this sport has taught both of them about determination and perseverance.  way to work hard Adam! 

so fun, the best days...

when the artistic gene skips you and your daughter gets it instead

another creation by my Layla.  

i give her the verse and she creates it, so beautifully too! i love seeing the results...