Throwback Thursday - Take me back to Mexico!

I never shared very many pictures of our trip two years ago to Mexico but these three I found on my FB memories this morning! This was such an amazing vacation for all of us and I really should go back in my hard drive and share some more photos soon!!

AMAZING view from the condo! Yes that's a the ocean just below a beautiful infinity edge pool right below the private dunk pool. This resort is INCREDIBLE and I'd love to go back one day. 

Special moment with Grandpa, Kennedy and Ginger

T

My heart is so full of love and gratitude for my life

As I was driving from Tim Hortons to the kids school today I was hit with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the life that I live and the fortune that I feel at being able to be a big part of my kids school lives. My involvement in the PAC has been very intentional and eventful over the past almost 5 years (how has it been that long already?) I love what the PAC stands for at the school and what we give to the kids and the opportunities that our fundraising brings to the kids. I am honored to play a leading role as an executive member of the PAC and I just wish so many more parents could or would find the time to join and see how much fun it is to be able to contribute to something in such a meaningful way.

I was also struck with thoughts of gratitude for the flexible work environment I have where when I have a day that I don't have daycare that I am able to switch my shift to accommodate the needs of my family. I appreciate my coworkers daily for the understanding that they all have of the importance of my kids and my schedule. Yesterday I was only able to work till 11:30 due to babysitter scheduling, but when I realized it was on Pink Shirt Day and I would be able to spend a few hours at the kids school I was so excited!

Each month the PAC gives away a prize or prizes to kids in the school for different things. This month it was kindness. We were at the meeting last week and trying to decide what the prize should be and rather than give it to just a few kids, or one class full of kids, I suggested that we buy Timbits for the whole school!! It was met with a resounding yes and I ran with it. 

Here is 800 Timbits (2 for each student, EA, and teacher), plus of course gluten free brownies and cookies and vegan fruit snacks too! We couldn't have kindness day and not have something for EVERYONE!

At the end of the assembly when Ms. Behan told the kids to come to the kitchen to grab the Timbits I was thrilled to get to see the smiles on the kids faces. The gluten free kids were so appreciative that they weren't forgotten and had something there that they could have too. But I don't think anyone was as excited or happy as the little vegan girl that came in with the HUGEST smile on her face and so many thank you\s for thinking of her and getting her her favorite fruit snacks. My heart literally almost burst for how happy that one small gesture had made her.

At the end of the day while I was walking on the playground I had at least 10 kids that recognized me from the PAC that ran by and yelled thank you for the Timbits. And I had a very kind teacher that sent me a video she had made of her class saying thank you to the PAC too. But the best of all was one of the little gluten free girls coming up to me to say thank you for getting treats that she could eat. It made me feel amazing and I could feel the tears welling up behind my eyes.

I left the school that afternoon after an amazing two hours playing on the playground with Kennedy and helping make beaded necklaces in Jordie's classroom, with such a happy heart for the blessed life that I am able to live.

Now here's some more fun pictures of the day! When everyone is dressed in pink it definitely calls for some extra photos.

Here is KJ walking Gloria from next door.

And playing in the sunshine at the school in her bright pink kindness shirt

She's growing up too fast now and I can't believe she's going to be 3 in just over a months' time!

Matching with Mama

Had to sneak in some snuggles and a photo with one of her favorite big kids at the school!

We had the Doxsees with us after school today too so I had to snap this photo of this handsome fellow with his awesome pink shirt day shirt! 

This one was straight up MISERABLE at swimming lessons today and this was clearly why. She was exhausted from her very busy day and fell asleep in my arms while we waited for Jordie to get changed.

Now home and time to snap some pictures with this beautiful little lady.

Aaaawwww....I love this photo of me and Katelyn so much. She's such a pretty little girl, on both the inside and the outside!

And of course Kennedy had to be in the photo too!

And now for some photos of me and my monsters in our variety of pink shirts!

It was an awesome night for picnic dinner of pancakes and strawberries in front of Frozen 2

These are my favorite photos that I shared to IG and FB too!

Saturday Smiles - Mother/Daughter hockey fun!

A rare photo of just us girls! We all went to the Kings game on Friday night and I randomly thought to snap a photo of the 4 of us because I think it's been a long time since we took one. Not the best photo of us, but I still love it for the people that are in it!

Fave Photo Friday - The Lund edition

Last Sunday we had a rare morning off so snuck out to Lund for treats at Nancy's Bakery to buy the kids their new Pollen sweaters. Kennedy got hers but the boys chose colors they didn't have in stock so theirs had to be custom made. I'll share a picture of them all once they come in!

Me and these two walked down and saw all the boats while Jim and Jordie played some checkers.

Stopped by the Tla'Amin playground on the way back to town

Home and snuggled up together as always!

I’d like to think he’d be proud of us...

Jim's Grandpa Doug was a very special part of our lives in the early years of our relationship when we lived in Nanaimo before moving to PR. Him and his wife Doris were very supportive of us and helped us out whenever they could. They lent us their truck for date nights and grocery shopping, they had us over for dinner, and even came in the middle of the night to take me to the hospital when I had a Crohn's attack and Jim was out of town working. 

When we announced we were getting married Grandpa was sick with cancer and while he didn't want to do chemo he committed to it anyways. He said he would do anything to be at our special day. 

We asked him to do the sand ceremony during our wedding and we were so grateful he was able to do it. Just two weeks before the big day he called us one day with barely any voice and said he wasn't sure if he was going to be well enough to do it after all. A side effect of the chemo had left him with very little voice. We were heartbroken but hopeful that somehow he would be able to do it. 

Fast forward those two weeks and he showed up for our wedding weekend looking and feeling great and so excited to be part of our special day. Doris even told us how he had spent the day before they came making that special folder with our names on it to to hold the words to the sand ceremony. We still have the folder to this day and it holds those words, plus our wedding vows and other wedding mementos.

This part of our ceremony is truly the one that holds the most memory for Jim and I and it was all because of Grandpa. 

One of my favorite photos of all time. 

Sadly just a few weeks after our wedding Grandpa called to say that he was done with chemo and was ready to go. He died less than 3 months later and while his death was such a sad time in our lives we both love him so much and are so grateful for the personal sacrifices he made in order to be there for us. 

Grandpa's wife Doris is such a special person in our lives, even to this day. When Grandpa was dying in the hospital Jim made sure to tell him that we would always be there for her and she would always be part of our family, and she absolutely is. 

This trip down memory lane was brought on after I posted those photos the other day of our family and how much it's changed since that day we got married. Grandpa was such a big part of our day and his memory lives on for Jim and I very deeply. 

When I looked at the pictures of our family growing and changing year by year and I was thinking of Grandpa, what came to mind was that I would like to think that he would be proud of us and the life we've created for ourselves. I know for sure that he would have absolutely adored our kids if he'd been given the chance to meet them. I think he would have gotten a real kick out of Jordie as he's so much like Jim personality wise. And of James because he's such an odd combination of Jim and I. And of Kennedy just cause she's hilarious and just like her Mama. 

He was such a special man and I feel so very fortunate to have been a part of his life even if it was only for a short number of years. I do believe he's out there somewhere watching over us and smiling down on us as we go about our daily lives. 

From then to now - This is Us

In honour of Family Day I saw a friend on IG shared all of her family photos in order and it was really cute to see her family grow and change over the years, so I decided to do the same here on my blog. 

Our family began back in August 2007

Early 2010 about to welcome our first little one. Such love and joy and anticipation in this photo!

April 2010 - Our first love, baby James with all the awesome hair!

Late 2010, James was around 6 months here

Fall 2011 - 18 months and the love of our lives

Fall 2012 and just barely (and still secretly) pregnant with baby #2

May 2013 and only weeks away from welcoming baby #2

May 2013 - welcome to the world Jordan Douglas!

Fall 2013 and our first (of many) photo shoots with Jenn Parkin

Fall 2014 and the skinniest I've ever been since having kids! 

Fall 2015 - We'll call this the year of Jim's bad hair. He was growing it out to surprise me with a perm! hahahahahaha....even he admits his hair was awful at this stage, but it was all part of the plan!

Fall 2016 and we had just found out I was pregnant with baby #3 and we were still keeping it a secret from everyone!

Spring 2017 and about to welcome our 3rd and FINAL baby...this time our little girl!

April 2017 - Welcome Kennedy Joanna

Late summer 2017 - Attempting some nicer weather family photos...this was literally the only picture where Kennedy even kind of smiled. Definitely taken just a few weeks too early!

Late Fall 2017 - So we waited a few months and then did Jenn's box session and LOVED it. Captured the smiles we were hoping from our now sitting on her own and super smiley Kennedy!

December 2017 - This was the year of SO many photo shoots - this photo was taken during the big Parry/Reimer/Lundy/Barrows/Garrett/Pollard/Wasylovich family photo shoot at Christmas time.

2018 - Whew what a year that one was...all around a tough one for us, but this photo signifies the end of a huge project for us. We did our photos in our brand new kitchen!

2019 - Another year, another box session...but this year we finally did the Christmas pajamas photos I've wanted to do for years. Kennedy's cheeky little smile in this picture just kills me!

A lot has happened in the last 13 years since those young, fresh faced, 26 year old's became a family! I couldn't be more proud of the littles we've welcomed into this world and the team that Jim and I have become. We are far from perfect, but we are doing great things together as a family and I think accomplishing our goal of raising good humans.