Grumpy Pants Blog Posting

Ok, maybe not the best idea to post a waaayyyyyyy overdue blog whilst in a very grumpy mood - too tired, PMSy, feeling sicky, and two grumpy kids makes for a grumpy mama and perhaps some caustic comments but I will do my best. Alas, the "babysitter" is turned on so maybe I will get a few minutes to get the past 4 weeks captured.....

So, back to mid-August and the second mini heat wave of the summer of 2010 happened to coincide with my mama's getaway weekend to Parksville with my lovely "Victoria" crew. Thanks to Helmar, we had two beautiful ocean view rooms at the new Parksville Beach Club Resort (shwanky!!). Such bliss to chat and drink and laugh (and eat and drink some more) and even have a 9pm dip in the still warm ocean - and best of all, a good nights sleep! Unfortunately it was only one night and back to reality the next day - hopefully once Griffie is fully weaned i'll be able to handle more than one night away without the bxxbs going all double-D!!

Jasper and Aaron managed to get away for one night of camping north of Squamish at Paradise Valley. Griff and I joined them for the day with plans to return home to NV to sleep. Griff + tent = no sleep for anyone. Alas, the boys had tons of fun and unfortunately for Aaron the campers in the next spot brought their small baby who proceeded to wail all night long - le sigh.

Our annual pilgrimage to the zoo - hilite was definitely the bike/jalopy we cruised around in - too bad there were no gears and basically no brakes, made things interesting on the hills!!

The boys and I had a lovely week in the Okanagan, save for the hell-a-cious drive on the way up (2 hour delay as HWY 1 was shut down eastbound!) thank god for DVD players is all I can say! The boys had so much fun with cousins and Mimi/Papa C - the weather didn't cooperate for the most part, but we did log some good beach/lake time and had a great visit to the miniature rail museum in Osoyoos which was AMAZING. Griffin continues to prove to be the family daredevil and decided after one assisted trip down the zip-line that it was time for him to launch on his own...we caught some video footage of him which is too big to post here - SO CUTE!. We capped off the week with a few nights at the cabin so the boys could get in touch with their country side - a little fishin and frog catchin, and best of all QUAD RIDES on their new mini ATV - so so so spoiled by Mimi and Papa!!

Today is officially Aaron's bday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY - but we celebrated a few days early by taking off sans kids for a night at the Tulalip Resort/Casino. Awesome room, awesome food, A lovely massage at the spa for Aaron, a not so awesome experience at the "penny" slots (personal dislike for gambling plus the smoke - yuck!), and some good times at the Premium Outlets!

And a final note about a BIG personal accomplishment for moi - I officially launched my Fifthgear Solutions website after many months of procrastination and then a week of pedal to the medal work! I am proud of it, and am so excited to be working again!
http://www.fifthgearsolutions.com

Business in the front.....

Ten Golden Years....

On August 18th it will be exactly ten years since we won the World Championships in Heilbronn Germany. In order of this momentous occasion, Number 11, Number 7 and I (Number 8) - hit the town with the gold medal in tow to celebrate properly (with booze and chocolate) and a yummy dinner at Caldero's, I mean Cardero's!!!

August Fun

Our fun summer continues into August and the arrival of Team Scotland and a mini visit from Team K-Town. So lovely to hang with the gals and watch the kids scrap I mean play together really well. We also welcomed little baby Zoe Day into the world and got to spend some lovely time with my Aunt Sue (Zoe's Nana) while she was staying at Casa Nielsen.

Savvy wanted a proper cuddle from Jasper before she left Casa Nielsen, was so cute watching them awkwardly attempt an embrace....

We hosted a family dinner at Casa Nielsen - the first time I have seen my cousin Kelly since he was about 9 months old! Jasper and Kieran are starting to really have fun together and its so sute to watch Kieran follow Jasper around and want to do everything he does

Griffin and his first shiner (thanks to a spectacular endo on his bike)! I think he is going to be my right hand man on the trails in a few years....

A Tale of Two Beaches

Ah the yearly pilgramage to Cannon Beach Oregon has come and gone. Cool weather, check! Long Drive, check! Good times with Mimi and Papa C, check! Only change this year was a stop at the Great Wolf Lodge on the way down for a little overpriced waterpark fun.

Some random pics from Second Beach Pool in Stanley Park - Griff is such a nut for the water, so opposite from his big brother - can't wait for swimming lessons in the fall, I am sure Griff will catch up to Jasper's level in no time - hee.

The Girls

Hard to believe that my good pals from Victoria and I are all closing in on the big 3-0, oops, I mean 4-0. These pics could have been taken right out of our 1989 yearbooks right (just imagine bigger bangs, feathered hair, fake tans and rockaberry coolers instead of champagne!!)

Summer Trip to the Rock

Griff seemed to like the feeling of the cool sand on his a-- because he kept dragging it all the way to the water!

Beautiful Cadboro Bay Beach

Griff LOVED the freezing frickin cold seaweedy gross ocean water sooo much. I had to keep draggin him out every few minutes because he was shivering and goosebumpy, but he would cry and cry until he could go back in!

Grandma and Jasper on a smokin hot summer evening down at Cadboro Bay Beach

Munching corn with the Aussie Gals - Claire and Molly

Griffie LOVES the pink stroller, however, does not love the baby that comes with it, he much preferred to push a ball

Grandma and Granpa's Nudie Pool!!

July is a good month. And why do you ask? Well, for starters the summer weather has finally decided to show up and I get/got visits from two lovely long lost pals - Janet and Ashley (Australia and Scotland respectively). Jano and I got to catch up over here in Van for a weekend with her two lovely little girls in tow - luckily the kids all got along smashingly and went to bed at a decent hour so us mamas could drink wine and gab in peace!! Jasper, Griffin and I also had a lovely 6 day visit to the Island complete with (too warm) summer weather, lots of vino (for me), and loads of quality girlie time (sans kids thanks to gma and gpa!!) with my good pals. Yay summer!!