Ahhh; another slow time or is it?
So much has gone on this summer, it has flown by so fast for us.
We took a week at the end of July and headed down to a reunion in Southern Saskatchewan, stopping at Dinosaur Provincial Park for a couple of nights and Cypress Hills for one before heading on to the reunion where we hunkered down in my great uncle's hay field with other relatives in our tent trailer for three nights until returning home on the holiday Monday. This reunion was almost the end of my marriage, but I won't get into that anymore; everything is fine now and was a big misunderstanding on many peoples parts. The people who know the truth are the only ones that matter. Other than that our holiday was just great (before the reunion).
Once we got back I headed out to my mom's almost every other day trying to get my matron of honor dress finished for the wedding at the end of August (which I just returned from yesterday) That was the most wonderfully fun time I've had with D on a holiday in forever. Thank you mom so much for everything that you did to make this trip possible. I'm more thankful than you'll ever know. The time away from the kids was well worth it. A friend of hours met us at the airport with 'open arms' and we road out to Stanley Park and downtown (saw Versace and Chanel and Burberry driving past, but still a little too close to the obscene amount of crack heads ever-so present to even consider stopping). Then met up with the bridal party at St. Andrew's in Fort Langley for the rehearsal in the evening, returning to the groom's home for a BBQ. Spent Friday hiking through Lighthouse Park and went out to Squamish and back (wow it bloomed!). Also drove past the cupcake gals (on TLC or WTN can't recall) newer shop in Park Square near West Van very cool; but heard roomers they get their baking sent in from a factory now and don't bake in house - very disappointing so did not go in. Saturday bright and early we met the bridal party at the Community Hall in Fort Langley to set up for the reception in the late afternoon, early evening. Got back to the hotel long enough to have a good walk up a few blocks and back to cash a lottery ticket I won on; have lunch and get ready for the nuptials to take place at 2pm. I was on time (1:30ish) bride and maid of honor and groomsman got held up in traffic between Surrey and Langley yikes! But they made it just a few minutes late and the ceremony went beautifully, Jen you looked like a princess, I mean Lois Lane LOL :oP The garter also got misplaced so a few of us hopped across to a local lingerie shop to buy one after the photos were finished. We didn't impress the bride and groom too much as we had done it fairly secretly and proceeded to a martini bar a couple doors down to have a quick drink with our new friends in the wedding party and head back for the reception for 4:30. Everything was wonderful and went off without a hitch. I cried when the bride was dancing with her dad; Jen's like my little sister. The song that was chosen was perfect (my dad past away when I was 15 and didn't have that dance, very touching). Three weddings in Fort Langley all trying to get photos at the CN station at the same time was interesting, but the photographer was a hoot so we didn't care. D and I can't remember having so much fun in ages My feet still hurt and D still feels like he's recovering too. I hope the hall was clean enough for them to get the deposit back - asking a bunch of inebriated people to clean up after midnight was fun and funny; we did it but not sure how truly clean the place was. All of our friends and experiences made our trip out there well worth while and we would do it again in a heart beat. When will we win that million I don't know.
In between these two trips I spent organizing things for our community leagues 30th anniversary BBQ that is in September too. I managed to get a few things sponsored by a couple of local grocery chains, as well as having a pin oak tree donated by a local nursery to mark and commemorate the time capsule we will be placing in the ground on that day as well. Anyone know of a caterer that would want the exposure and not make us pay? My caterer's quote was too high and now we are considering a local 'home-based' caterer for only a slightly lesser quote.
Dealing with Kijiji sales have been very time consuming (posted ads back in July), although I had a lull just before I left for Van and suddenly the day before and the day of us leaving I had so many responses I had to ask people to wait until I got back, so back to dealing with those. Editing, adding and removing pictures - too many ads, that's my problem, and too much stuff. Had a lady drop by for some items today and expect another tomorrow, I'm so excited to part with these things.
All of Stirling's school supplies I had bought back in the middle of the month, and managed to get the kids both the indoor shoes that they needed to complete the lists today. We are ready! Stirling starts Wednesday and Madison has orientation on Thursday.
I had two baking projects the middle of August in one week; one was last minute for a friend of a lady on the parent advisory I am on at Stirling's school. She was in a bind and needed a Leo cake. I had already planned brownies for the playschool registration night that Monday and spent Wednesday/Thursday doing a buttercream transfer, baking, prepping and assembling Leo for 11am that Thursday morning. I've got a playschool meeting tomorrow night, I already completed the minutes a few weeks ago, yey, and finally have found the time to take care of the executive sign over forms at the bank scheduled for tomorrow morning. I've also been planning to teach a Gum Paste and Fondant class on Tuesday afternoons next month if my committed people come through in the end, we shall see. There is a job posting, that someone past on to me, for an Architectural Rep for $80G a year that sounds interesting, but I don't know if I am ready for that yet. Madison won't be in kindergarten for another two school years (2010/2011 & 2011/2012), starting September 2012. If daycare weren't so expensive I suppose I would consider it more seriously as well.
Photos to come of our summer whirlwind.