my grocery sidekick

 this week will be the last of our weekly Friday grocery store runs.  we kind of got set on going once a week during covid, and Cree became a fixture in my cart and loved "helping" me out each week as i tackled my long list and full cart.  as he starts into full time school, i'm going to miss him tagging along with me.  Superstore has some kind employees, specifically Mr. Mike, AJ, Mr. Dave, Miss Irene, Mrs. Lynn and Mrs. Sharon, and i'm sure they will also miss his cheery conversations.  

one of his favourite parts was pushing the cart until we got to the deli meat counter, and then he'd move into the cart to eat a couple pieces of ham, often bagged by Miss Irene, when she'd say "There you go, handsome!"  he also loves to help me move the bags to the trunk of the van, and return the cart back to its place...he loves when i tell him how strong he's getting after he carries a twelve pack of sparking water all by himself.  he seems to love the predictable routine and time to connect with familiar faces.  gonna miss him, for sure.  thankful for these normal everyday memories we made...

Jeff's helper

 Cree describes it like this..." remember that time you went to coffee school Mom and I was daddy's assistant at the college..." Cree and Jeff started the day with the Sarnia Roadrunner's race.  so Cree did 1km first thing.  like a champ.  then they were off to a wrestling camp/clinic being hosted at Lambton College.  Jeff was providing the physio support in case it was needed.  Cree was set to step in and help if someone had an injury.  

well, he loved it!  wore him right out, but he loved it.  he wants me to go back to coffee school so they can do it again :)

below, he helped unload the wrestling mats from the "big truck"...

i hated leaving the crew, but was still happy to know they survived and thrived in my absence...well, within reason at least haha

thirty

 thirty years married.  how can it be?!  feels surreal and impossible somehow.  just the way time passes.  it also feels like the greatest of gifts.  the gift of time and togetherness for three whole decades...marriage is a covenant, before God, and one of truly sacred status.  that remains unchanged.  but being married to Jeff has never felt like an agreement, or anything that i needed to remind myself i'd signed my name to.  the promise remains utterly important, but more to say that my commitment to Jeff has been the really easy part.  he has my whole heart. 

and to think that God in His goodness saw fit to bring us together so long ago, to give me this life partner who is by my side through thick and thin, well, that is no small thing.   

in the above picture we were babies...my word. the picture below~ no longer babies...

but here were are anyway, heading out for our dinner date to celebrate.

grateful for all these years. we've shared so much.  so glad i took the time to seek God's will when choosing my partner.  because i landed "one of the good ones", to be sure...

43 kms?!

 my dear husband is a bit of a crazy man.  not sure how his brain could be wired so different than mine.  on this occasion, in the rain and then later the most thick humidity and blazing sun, he decided to take part in a six hour race.  it was called the "Sole Burner".  he completed 43 kms. total, stopping only ever for drinks and nutritional breaks and always less than ten minutes.  and he did it with a smile.  

so proud of him and his overall mental toughness.  he inspires me.

amazing job, Jeff!

the preschool chapter

 you know that Trace Adkins song, You're Gonna Miss This?  well, that missing it part~ i already do...i totally miss it.  yes~ two years of the security of preschool.  the fun, the friends, the kindest teacher, the routine~ sooo good.  and then we blinked, and Cree is four, and moving on to bigger learning and experiences.  with my first round of kids there was almost always another one at home, so the jump to full-time school didn't seem like quite as big of a leap for me personally, although it sure did for the kiddos.  still, here we are.  i've soaked it up, super intentionally and happily.  there are "those days", of course, but overall this boy has been soooo fun.  he's my sidekick, my helper, my entertainment, my snuggler, my perspective shifter, my sous chef, my constant conversation starter.  i'm really going to miss him and it rips my heart out a little to realize that this chapter is turning and closing.  can't believe the blur of it all...

so, to sum it up, a few pictures.  one, of a morning highlight at King's Kids, "sleeping bunnies", where his sweet friend has his arm on his back, and next, his favourite car to ride in the gym...

another few of graduation and friends and the formal grad pic too, taking by 

Vivian Morningstar Photography...

below, Cree and Mrs. Kristen. she is just sooo sweet...

thank-you King's Kids for a wonderful introduction to school!  Cree loved it!

just a few pics

 no time for more than this today.  just a few simple photos. they are sweet ones, in my totally biased opinion :)

Canada Day 2024

four

 little man Cree turned four last month...this post comes a bit late, but hey, it's here.  

the cake below, by Hodgepodge cakes, is a pretty close "take" on Cree's favourite thing, what he calls "Grandpa's tractor".  i blogged about his obsession last month, i believe.

so grateful for all of him...the struggling, tantrum parts and the "sweet as pie", deep thinking parts.  he is social and smart.  he is emotional and definitely a deep feeling kid.  he loves to play hard, and seems to have the makings of a little athlete.  yes, we're definitely biased! ;)  he has agility, speed, and interest in a variety of sports already.  he loves to bike, and more recently swim. oddly though, one of his other favourite activities is to hang out and work alongside whomever is tackling a household task.  he actually really does like to work at real jobs, for now at least...he loves lawn tractors, ice cream, and "visits" with his extended family and older siblings.  he loves loud music in Jeff's truck, and Fireman Sam on Netflix.

more than all of that, he's been a gift of joy.  being the mom of this dear boy has taught me much....sooo much.  Jeff and I often discuss this...specifically, to slow down more, to catch the wonder that Cree sees in the every day little things, to roll with the interruptions better and with more grace, to be fully present, to be sillier and to love so deeply, even on the hard days when this feels like "a lot".  

God knew we needed you, little man.  

Happy 4th Birthday Creedence....you are so loved!