Geez, has it been 6 months since my last post??  Time sure does fly by.

I've dusted off the old blog and have created a new look.  I'll be back soon with tidbits and some news. 

Until then, hope you like the new NW Frogs look.

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Vraiement, ca fait-til deja six mois depuis la derniere page?  Le temps avancent trop vite.

J'ai souleve la poussiere de mon blog et j'ai cree un nouveau look.  Je vais etre de retour bientot avec des nouvelles, soyez a l'ecoute.

En attendant, j'espere que vous aimez le nouveau look du NW Frogs.

Finally after almost a year of preparation and secrecy we managed to pull off a major birthday surprise birthday for my Mom.  It all began years ago with Mom saying "We need to go to Hawaii as a family vacation...."  and last Christmas Mom started talking about going to Hawaii for a 'family vacation'.  My sister Nancy and I agreed that for our Mom's 65th birthday we would take her to Hawaii.  BUT for as long as I can remember my Mom is 21 and her age has never varied so we kinda knew her age within a year or two.  

Earlier this year I applied for a Nexus card and needed Mom's real birthday while on the phone with her I realized that she was going to be 65 THIS year.  Oh crap!!  As soon as I got off the phone with Mom I called Nancy "Well I guess we're going this year then.".

Preparation mode began, I found a rental house within a 3 minute walk to Kailua Beach that would contain all of us, we started looking at flights and called Dave to have him get Mom to Oahu on specific dates.  All got planned, the waiting began in addition to the secrecy behind it too.... We also pulled together a scrapbook loaded with pictures, letters from friends, family and coworkers.   Nancy and I wanted it to be a total surprise so only a few people knew we were going and they  were those going and our bosses who approved our vacation time.

Months passed and finally last week we arrived in Kailua under a bright sun and blue skies.  We met up at the house and setup for Mom's arrival..... Lei, champagne, welcome basket, birthday card (enveloped forged to resemble the real thing) and camcorder hidden to record it all.  The lookout announced that Mom and Dave were here so we took our positions behind the half wall and waited..... in comes Mom "What's all of this?"  Ohhhh Veuve Cliquot champagne, a lei and what's this?  a card from the kids?!?!?  1-2-3 "Bonne Fete Maman!!" ..... total surprise!!

Since then we've spent a great couple of days doing all sorts of things, visiting, beach, luau, snorkeling, eating as a family around the huge table and just enjoying our time here in paradise.

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Enfin après presque une année de préparation et de silencet nous sommes reussi à faire une surprise de fete d''anniversaire pour ma mere.  Tout a commencé il y a des années par Maman qui disait "Nous devons aller a Hawaiï comme vacances de famille…." ; et Noël passe Maman a commencé à parler d'aller en Hawaï pour un "vacance de  famille".   Ma soeur Nancy et moi nous avons convenu que pour le soixante-cinquième anniversaire de naissance nous y irions a Hawaii.   MAIS pour aussi longtemps que je peux me rappeler ma mere a 21 ans et son âge n'a jamais varié donc nous savions son âge plus ou moins d'un an ou deux.

Plus tôt cette année j'ai faite ma demande de cart Nexus et j'avais besoin de la vraie date de naissance a mamanet pendant que j'etais au téléphone avec elle je me rendais compte qu'elle allait avoir 65 CETTE année.  Merde ! ! Dès que j'ai fini avec maman  j'ai appelé Nancy  "Bien on s'en va a Hawaii cette année."

Les préparations ont commencées;  j'ai trouvé une maison de location a moins de 3 minutes de la plage de Kailua et qui serait assez grande pour toute la gang, les vols d'avion et  l'appele a l'aide de Dave pour qu'il emene maman à Oahu des dates spécifiques.  Tout était pret, l'attente a commencé en plus du secret derrière tout ca…. Nous avons également fait un scrapbook remplie avec des photos, des lettres d'amis, de la famille et des collègues.  Nancy et moi voulions que ce soit une surprise totale donc quelques personnes etaient au courant donc ceux qui venait et nos patrons qui ont approuvé nos vacances.

Les mois ont passé et finalement nosu sommes arrivés a Kailua sous un soleil brillant et le ciel bleux.  On s'est réunis a la maison et avons prepare l'arrive de maman..... Lei, champagne, panier de bienvenu, carte d'anniversaire (enveloppe forgé pour ressembler une vraie) et caméscope caché pour tout enregistrer.  Le lookout annouce qu'ils arrivaient donc on a prit nos positions derrière le demi de mur  ..... maman arrive "C'est que tout ca?" Ohhhh une Veuve Cliquot, lei et c'est quoi ca? une carte des enfants ?!?!? 1-2-3 Bonne Fête Maman !! ..... surprise totale ! !

Depuis notre arrive on passent nous journnees en visitant, faire de la plage, aller a un luau, faire du snorkeling, manger en tant que famille autour de la table énorme et plus important appréciant notre temps ici au paradis.

Landing in Oahu
            

We're ready for Mom's arrival
            

Surprise!!!
            

Sunrise over Kailua
            

Upclose with Sea Turtles
            

Oh boy!  the Luau was a blast!! Rox and Claire got up on stage and learned how to Hula
            

Mom and Dave
            

We went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.....
                

Mom's birthday celebration                
            

Of course, no birthday is complete with wearing some of the icing :o)
            

Talk about fate. . . on Saturday morning we headed out to run a few errands and during our drive to Fry's Chickpea asks for a fish.  Paypay and I look at each other and say 'Okay, let's go to the pet store and see.'  We finish our errands and head to the pet store, well we thought that buying a fish consisted of a bowl, water and plouff..... instant aquarium we were oh so very wrong.  After talking to one of the associates we quickly realized that we were in this for no less than $75 and had to wait a week before bringing home a fish so the water "could mineralize".   They didn't have the model that we were interested in but the store closer to our home did so off we go.

On our way back, we restarted our conversation about getting a puppy.  Molly has been gone now for over 2 years and we can still feel the void of not having a dog.  We know that we can't replace her but felt that it was time to start looking for a puppy.  For a few weeks now i've been researching breeds and was in process of narrowing them down to three but we hadn't made any final decisions yet.

Paypay needed a haircut and the barber is next door to the pet store, so Chickpea and I head to the store and Paypay would following 15 - 20 minutes later.  We walk in and what did we see, a Rescue Shelter was there and had lots of animals up for adoption.  Since we had plenty of time I say to Chickpea "Let's go look at the dogs."  We walk over to the dogs and I came face-to-face with an adorable mix Lab, Chickpea says to me "Look Mom, he's the cutest puppy ever."  We started to pet him and I started asking questions, the more I asked the more I fell for the puppy.... I knew then and there I was in trouble.  I took a picture and emailed it to Paypay without any comments just the picture.  He arrives 5 minutes later and finds Chickpea and I sitting in an aisle playing.  Chickpea sees her Dad and says "Daddy can we bring Teegs home? Please Daddy.  He needs a home and we can give it to him."   Paypay being the big hearted guy he is, took one look at us and went to meet with the puppy's foster owner and started asking questions too. 

2 hours later we walked out of the store the proud owners of Teegs along with food, bed, crate, toys and everything needed for our new family member.  We didn't care fo the name Teegs and renamed him Bogie because i've always wanted to name my dog Bogie.  But it didn't sit well and this morning Paypay suggested  Max and even though I had my heart set on Bogie I just couldn't get Max out of my head and so . . . . here's Max. 

            

Chickpea was so excited about starting Kindergarten . . . she's still at the same location because she attended Pre-K there but now she's with the "big kids" and has graduated to wearing a uniform. 

For me it was bittersweet.... I wish I could hold onto my toddler/preschooler for just a while longer but that's not reality.... reality is she's growing up too fast and next thing I know we'll be at her graduation (i'm not going there right now).  In any case, I kept it together up until I got in my car and was about to drive off.... only then did I let myself cry for the end of those wonderful toddler years and cry for the start of joyous years ahead of her.

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Chickpea était excitée de commencer sa maternelle… elle est toujours au même endroit parce qu'elle a fait sa pre-maternelle là mais maintenant elle est avec les "grands enfants" et porte l'uniforme de l'ecole.

Pour moi s'etait une journee bizarre…. je souhaitais que je pourrais garder ma puce petite encore pour un peuu de temps mais ce n'est pas la réalité…. la réalité est qu'elle grandie trop rapidement et la prochaine fois que je ferme et reouvre mes yeux je vais etre assise a sa graduation (mais il faut pas pense a cela tout de suite).   En tous cas, j'ai gardé mon sourire jusqu'à ce que je sois assise dans ma voiture et sur le point de quitter…. seulement la je me suis laissé pleurer pour la fin des belles annees de ma petite puce bebe et pleurer pour le debut des années joyeuses en avant d'elle.

Ready to go. . . .
            

         


        

My wish came through, Chickpea's tooth has finally come out!  I thought it was a matter of days and it took 12 days of seeing a very wobbly tooth moving back and forth.  Tonight as we sat down to eat a very awesome Philly Cheesesteak in downtown Philadelphia.  Chickpea looked over a me and said "Mom, my tooth is not there!!"  I looked over and it was hanging by a thread, so I grasped it, tugged a bit and popped out came her tooth.  She was so proud and showing her gap to us every minute.  She is now sound asleep waiting for the tooth fairy.

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Mon vieux s'est realize, la dent de Chickpea est finalement tombee!  Je pensais que c'etait une question de quelques jours mais ca a prit 12 jours d'avoir une dent branlante.  Ce soir pendant qu'on s'assoyaient pour un tres bon Philly Cheesesteak au centre-ville de Philadelphie. Chickpea me regarde et me dit "Maman, ma dent n'est pas la!!"  Je regardes dans sa bouche et la dent pendant par un petit filet, je l'ai prit, a tire un peu et pop sa dent est tombee.  Elle etait si fiere et elle nous montre son troue a tous les minutes.  Elle dors paisiblement en attendant la fee des dents.

Waiting for our dinner at Pandora's in downtown Philly
                

A few minutes later..... out came the tooth...
                

Soundly asleep dreaming of the tooth fairy
            

Chickpea has her first loose tooth and it is quite an obsession with her right now.   She is continually playing with it and shows it to me every 5 minutes.  I just hope that it will stay in for 2 more days so Paypay can be there when it does come out. . .  but i'm not holding my breath. . . . I need to get the tooth fairy ready.

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Chickpea a sa premere dent qui bouge beacoup et c'est une obession pour elle en ce moment.  Elle joue toujours avec et me la montre tout les cinq minutes.  J'espere que la dent va rester dans sa bouche pour au moins deux jours pour que Paypay puisse etre la quand elle tombe. . .  mais je ne retient pas mon souffle. . . . je dois maintenant prepare la fee des dents.

. . .  alright I can take a big breath now. . .  all the June madness is done and I can start to think about our upcoming trip to Quebec.

This month (and it's only the 18th) has been filled with non-stop activities starting with Chickpea turning 5 (kids party at home, a party at school and a quite family dinner at home), getting her 5 year old pictures taken, graduating from Pre-K, end of year school parties, a camping weekend, having her first piano recital and finally her end of year ballet performance.   So instead of going on and on about each event, i'll post more pictures.

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. . . enfin je peux prendre un grand respire maintenant . . . la folie de juin est passe et je peux commencer a pense a notre voyage au Quebec.

Ce mois a ete rempli sans-arret d'occasion en commencant avec la fete a Chickpea qui a eue 5 ans (une fete d'enfants a la maison, une fete a l'ecole et une fete tranquille en famille), prendre ses photos de 5 ans, sa graduation de la pre-maternelle, les fetes de fin d'annee,un weekend en camping, sa premiere concert de piano et finalement son spectacle de fin d'annee de ballet.  Au lieu d'en parler et parler, je vous donnes plus de photos. 

Chickpea's official 5 year old picture
            

I just love this picture of Chickpea in her 'birthday hat'
            

Chickpea's class tapped danced to "Put on a happy face"   
                      

Chickpea at her first concert playing a duet with her teacher
            

My two kids ;o)
            

Camping at Scenic Beach
            

I swear that Chickpea loves camping just for the 'smores.... (who doesn't he he)
            

Bye bye Pre-K . . . Chickpea's last day . . .
            

We've got a very busy week, not only does my girl turn 5 on Thursday but today she had her Pre-K performance.   Let's say i'm one proud maman tonight.

For weeks now Chickpea has been telling us that on June 2nd, she and her classmates are preparing a Pre-K performance loaded with songs and all sorts of surprises.  She's been really good at not spilling the beans so Paypay and I didn't know what to expect and it was a total surprise.

The performance started with Chickpea greeting and welcoming all the parents in French.  The performance had barely started and I already had a lump in my throat.   Each student introduced themselves and their age in French.  Then Madame B showed how much French the kids learnt during the year: counting to 30, naming all the colors, naming a large variety of foods, naming shapes, days of the week, days of the month and etc.... I was quite impressed with the kids.

Then they switched back to english and sang some songs and put on a show at the same time.

Afterwards we had snacks, punch, chatted with the teachers and other parents.  The kids were going around congratulating each other on a job well done, it was quite cute.  A truly fun and magical morning in the company of adorable kids.

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On a une semaine assez remplie, non seulement que Chickpea va avoir 5 ans jeudi mais aujourd'hui elle avait un spectacle de fin d'annee a l'ecole.  Disons que je suis une maman tres fiere ce soir.

Ca fait des semaines que Chickpea nous dis que le 2 juin elle et ses compagnons de classe nous preparent un spectacle rempli de chansons et des surprises.

Le spectacle a commence avec Chickpea qu'a acceulli les parents en francais.  Le spectacle commencait et deja j'avais le coeur gros.  Chaque etudiant s'est presente et a dit leur age en francais.  Ensuite Madame B a demontre ce que les etudiants ont apprit durant l'annee en francais:  compter jusqu'a 30, nommer les couleurs, nommer un bon nombre d'aliments, nommer les formes, les jours de la semaine, le mois de l'annee et etc.... J'etais assez impressionne.

Ils ont ensuite changer en anglais et ont chanter et danser pour nous.

Apres nous avons manger des amuse-geules, du punch, jaser avec les profs et les autres parents.  Les enfants faisait le tour de la classe et se felicitait pour un bon travail, c'etait jolie a voir.  Un matin amusant en compagnie d'enfants adorables.

Chickpea in the center of the circle greeting the parents in French . . .  :o)
                

The kids signing "She'll be coming round the mountain. . . . "
                

Each year at Chickpea's school the older kids raise salmon on the school grounds as part of their science projects and release them into the Hylebos Creek.  What's really nice is that they include the younger kids in the great release.  Each child is given a cup with a salmon in it, they name their fish, say a little prayer for it then release it down the chute.

Last night Chickpea was all excited about the release today and said that she named her fish "Hello Kitty" and she was paired with Jordan.  I was able to fix my work schedule so that I could attend the 10 o'clock Great Release and Chickpea was delighted that I came.

It was really cute and all the kids were really into naming their fish and releasing them.

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Chaque annee a l'ecole de Chickpea les enfants plus vieux font un projet de science qu'ils elevent des saumons pour les relacher dans le ruisseau Hylebos.  Ce qu'est bien dans tout cela c'est que les plus vieux incluent les plus jeunes dans la ceremonie de relache.  Chaque enfant est donne un verre avec le saumon, ils leurs donnent un nom, font une petite priere et ensuite le relache dans la chute.

Hier soir Chickpea etait super enerve pour aujourd'hui et qu'elle a nomme son poisson "Hello Kitty" et que son partenaire etait Jordan.  J'ai pu arranger ma cedule au travail pour etre la a 10 et Chickpea etait contente de me voir la.

C'etait vraiement bien de voir comment les jeunes on prit a coeur de nommer leur poisson et de les relacher.

Here come the Pre-Ks
            

Of course Chickpea is first in line. . .
            

Anxiously awaiting her turn. . . 
            

Here we go....
            

Good bye Hello Kitty and good luck
            

Saturday morning we wake up and were in no mood to do any of the usual "weekend" chores and wanted to get out.  During breakfast Paypay was looking at his emails and received his Nexus appointment confirmation.  He looks up the next available slot in Seattle, sees that he would be in NB and would have to wait another 2 weeks.  So he looks up Vancouver and looky.... there's one available at 3 pm..... whoo hoo Road Trip!  We pack an overnight bag, load up the car and head to Vancouver.

A few hours later Paypay is through with his appointment and we head to a very late lunch/early dinner at a favorite restaurant The Boathouse.  After with our bellies full of oh so yummy halibut we head to our hotel The Sylvia and a walk around Stanely Park.

The Sylvia hotel was built in 1912, still has its early 20th century old charm and we were given a large corner room with a view of the city.

Sunday we had brunch in the downstairs bistro, checked out and headed to the play ground for Chickpea.  We had brought with us her bike and we were glad that we did. We had a great unplanned weekend and we need to more of these.

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Samedi matin on s'est leve et nous n'avions pas envie de faire les taches menageres du weekend et voulions sortir.  Pendant le petit dejeuner Paypay regarde ses emails et voit qu'il a recu sa confirmation de rendez-vous pour le Nexus.  Il regarde le prochaine rendez-vous a Seattle et voit qu'il ne peut y aller car il va etre au NB.  Il regarde celui de Vancouver et voit qu'il y avait un rendez-vous de disponible a 15H00.... super un tour d'auto!  On fait une valise de nuit, rempli la voiture et on part pour Vancouver.

Quelques heures plustard Paypay a fini avec son rendez-vous et nous allons a un resto favori The Boathouse pour un diner tard/souper tot.  Apres avoir manger on se dirige vers notre hotel The Sylvia et pour une randonne autour du Parc Stanley.

L'hotel Sylvia bati en 1912 a toujours sone charme du debut du 20ieme siecle et nous avons eu une grande chambre de coin avec une vue sur la ville.

Dimanche matin on dejeune au bistro en bas et allons au parc pour Chickpea.  Nous avons apportez son velo et nous etions content de l'avoir avec nous.  On a eu un super weekend non-planifie et on devrait en faire plus comme ca.

Sunset at Stanley Park
            

Chickpea goofing off....
            

Our hotel
            

One of the playgrounds at Stanley Park