3/18/06


Not that we modify our environment to entertain her or anything like that.

Just a little memento letting father time we're not done yet. :-)

Bob and Oliver - suitably attired for Olympic season

Auntie May and Daniel?

Grandpa and Thomas?

Bill and Oliver. More musical talent than my living room has seen in a while.

Dinner at the rest home with family and hanger-ons.

When I look at this I think my hairline hasn't moved all that much.

Note the expression of glee on Nonna's face. :-)

More family

Nonna and myself

Daniel??

RCMP achievement ribbons - source unknown

2/28/06

Dearest former, present, and hopefully future Breathers....Did you miss me?

Well, now that the Winter Games are officially done, isn't it time to start thinking about summer! Yes, Ulty's on the way back dearest Breathers as summer league sign up begins two weeks from Monday!

Before I begin, let me thank Wade for that great, as promised, year end bash he threw for us..it was just....heeyyyyy...it never happened!!! Um, Wade?

Once again Cap'n Steve is taking up the reins with me by his side as his trusted lackey....but what we need most of all is a team for this to happen! Hopefully the thoughts of gorgeous summer nights, cold beer and premium cider (for you Nadine!), Steve's bbq gourmet dogs, free sideline babysitting, and our sparkling personalities will be enough to entice most of you to come back so we can be playing on Wednesday nights again in a couple of short months!

As seems to be the case now, since we seem to be growing up and being responsible (at least some of us), our fingers are crossed that we've got enough people to come back to carry on the Heavy Breathing name and tradition come summer....and we are especially desperate for boys with Carey's pass from the old age home revoked (it's not hard to guess why) and Wade possibly being too shamed to join us after his year end party fizzle....so, and this goes for everyone, even if you are around for half or less than half of the games this summer, that's full time by Heavy Breathing standards and we would love to have you on the roster for this summer. We also know some of you are just autumn only Breathers, but you never know! As we did with last summer, practices will be optional and based on interest..if you can only join us for games, no problemo.

So..here are the options...give it a think and let me know in the next week or so...

Option A: I'm In! I may not be around for the full summer and I may not be able to make every game but I want this team to continue, I want my kids to look up to me as a hip, ultimate playing parent and lay the groundwork for Heavy Breathing's future, and I still want to make the commitment to play whenever I can because I love Heavy Breathing and would hate to let down Cap'n Steve. How can I say no to hanging out with the 'Breathers?

Option B: I'm out. Sigh. I am way too old to play this game and have decided to settle comfortably into middle age. I have officially given up fighting for my youth. I love the colour grey now as it's so neutral and dull. It's too hard to fit in Ulty around my weekly Bridge and Euchre nights, and ulty interferes with watching the latest in reality programming each Wednesday night. Besides, that Larry King is a doll! I find it hard to conceive how I would fit 3 hours of ulty per week into my 168 hour week.

And while you are pushing the reply button back with Option A (pretty please?), the band that Steph's in is playing at the Arts Club Backstage Lounge on Wed. night at 9, and Steve and I will be there plotting summer strategies and then kidnapping Steph from her elite women's team to join us for the summer..come by and join us to get the season officially launched!

Fingers crossed (seriously!) for enough option A's,
Mark

2/20/06

This is so cool.

http://www.pandora.com/

Sad, Mad, Glad

I'm holding up small foam circles with faces on them representing the various emotions. My wife uses them in her work with kids.

2/19/06


These people should be familiar. We tried bowling at the birthday party. It was very exciting until she started realizing that the ball wasn't coming back - it was going to just keep going away. "my ball??" "my ball!"

At the Ruby's birthday party at the commercial drive bowling alley.

Leanne and Daniel

Ruby and Otis eating cake. mmm...chocolate cake

2/12/06


Waiting for the bus.

Whole lot of family going on. Daniel, Thomas and Felicity.

Where I work. Windows that open. A great benefit.

Did you know that putting your hands in front of your face when you are falling off the bench at daycare is a learned reflex?

I'm sure there is something in the DSM-IV about this.

Commercial Drive Skytrain - still waiting for that pony.

1/15/06


Wearing the colors with pride.

More playground.

Training the olympians of tomorrow.

Tucked in the corner behind the couch. She finds it cosy and we find it safe and immobilizing. Everybody wins.

Saturday morning trip to the playground.

At 1.49 a lb. it was too good a deal to pass up.

Stoppin� on the red
You�re goin� on the green
�cause tonight�ll be like nothin�
You�ve ever seen
And you�re barrelin� down the boulevard
Lookin� for the heart of saturday night

Holding a real live baby for the first time - our cousin Thomas.

Cue the mood music...

1/14/06

[Fwd: Fresh Start: Replace one project]


<http://www.43folders.com/2006/01/09/replace-a-project/>

1/11/06

Some thoughtful posts from a friend of mine...

<a
href="http://spaces.msn.com/members/ecozone13/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c01_blogpart=blogmgmt&_c=blogpart">Blog
posts</a>

1/7/06


Testing the kaleidoscope.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap

Opening presents.

A picture of Felicity viewing pictures of Felicity. Is that self-referential or what?

1/3/06


Hi!

A well loved Christmas gift from her aunt. Nursery rhymes with matching felt figures.

At cousin Camille's for a Christmas dinner. I need to work on posing her with one hand inside the jacket.

No, the salad fork goes on the right not the left.

Everybody has one of those hair days.

Apparently, the secret ot keeping the ponytails in is lots and lots of distractions.

Backlit baby and aunt.

Debonair as usual.

Dad and Grandma examining photos of second son's wedding.

12/21/05

Trying out the medical system

We dealt with the first high fever of my daughter's young life this week.  She had a low grade fever Sunday and Monday and spiked up to 40 degrees celsius tuesday night.  So off we went to the hospital in the middle of the night.  Nothing says welcome to the medical system like a rectal thermometer at 3:30 in the morning.  Then they told me to put my clothes back on and put the child on the table.  :-)  She's still cranky but better than she was. 

12/18/05


2 pony-tails!


Who me?

This child gets more stuffed animals from that rest home than any other child I have ever met.

That's it grandma, use the ear submission hold I taught you. Bunny never talks back anymore.