I have an epic post coming. 

A tip for all mothers like me.

An awesome tip...

But 

I took the photos on my phone and am having trouble accessing them.

And since a photo is worth a thousand words (and I have three photos) I need them to save me writing a novel. 

Be so excited, yo.

to my friend.

i love you.

you are so special to me.

it has been really hard to watch you this last few months. it was really hard to try and help you without pushing you. it was really awful to see you shrivel away from the strong lady you were into a defeated shell.

today was different.

i saw a strength in you today that i haven't seen in months. i saw a spark in you that i was terrified had been stomped out. i saw an urgency in your eyes that i have been aching to see.

today was beautiful.

today was hard.

today was so hard.

and as overjoyed as i am to know that things are different now...

today broke my heart.

i love you.

30 minutes

I am sitting her counting the minutes until bedtime.

Not my bedtime. 

THEIR bedtime.

I have one little monster dancing naked around the living room and another one eating paper and chasing the cat.

(I think my cat may be becoming suicidal...but that's another story)

There are just those days where everything they do is clearly to push my buttons. Or to injure the other one. And I think that was just one of those days. 

But there are also the cute stages...days...moments..

30 minutes...29....28....27....

And when that time comes, Pekoe and I look at each other, breathe a sigh of relief and rendez-vous on the couch where we enjoy wine and tortilla chips.

Oh...and the occasional Deer Mouse.

EYELASHHHHES

I have what feels like 8ft long eyelashes. 

Today I got eyelash extensions. 

Yes, they are as ridiculously unnecessary as they sound.

Luckily, I only had to pay a little bit since I was a guinea pig for a friend who just learned how to do them for her work at Heaven Spa on the Rock. 

First she put pads under/in my eyes to hold my lower lashes down. This prevents them from getting stuck in the upper lash adhesive. 

This is not me... I just don't have (attractive) posters of my own experience. 

Then she INDIVIDUALLY applies eyelashes to my eyelashes. 

Again. Not me.

This took THREE HOURS.

Three hours of lying down being forced to keep my eyes closed.

I'm really upset about that

Really though, I would pay a lot more than it's worth for three hours half asleep on a table.

All said and done.. it was pretty cool.
I look like an eyeball goddess. 

But I sort of feel like this:

AHHHHHH

This is how afraid I am of the chupacabra.

They follow me.

Bite me.

Destroy my house.

Eat my food.

Dirty my dishes.

Poop everywhere.

And they try to eat my cat.

Also, they keep me up much later than I would prefer.

Good thing they are cute when they are sleeping.

And playing.

And laughing.

But mostly sleeping - they are quiet then.

Illustration credit to Allie Brosh who mans one of my favourite blogs of all time:
Hyperbole and a Half

Sorry.

I said I was going to do better.

I didn't.

To be fair (to me) this summer has been nutso. 

Photo Cred Amy Kroeker...I think

I the beginning of the summer Dave started work in Ft. MacMurray cooking at Athabasca Lodge. Although this was a HUGE blessing (as Dave was out of work for a few months) it has also been really hard. He is gone for three weeks at a time and only home for one. 

In spite of all this we had some adventures. 

In the end of June the girls, Kyle Walker and I drove out to Alberta. He went to work...we went to a family reunion. This is basically a huge shout out to Kyle for making the drive out there SO much easier and funnier...as if there were clowns..with wonderful balloons.

Kyle Walker and his little travel buddy.

While in Alberta we got to visit great friends and family. Sonia got to spend her third birthday with the people who were around when she was born! Cool! 

(We also got to meet our beautiful new nephew Hutch for the first time!)

The main reason we went out there was to attend the Blenkin family reunion. It was really cool to see family I haven't seen since our wedding and to meet some of Dave's family for the first time. 

Sonia's third birthday dinner

The girls and I hit the road again...this time just the girls!

Once we were home I basically just had to stay afloat for 7 weeks. Dave stayed at work for his time off in between the two three week stints to catch up. Good in theory. Not so fun. 

Capernwray Reunion! Rochelle, Amy, me, Sarah.

At the end of those weeks I got to go to Vernon (flights were an early birthday gift from my loving girls..aka Dave) to see my lovely girlfriends from Capernwray. We assembled at my friend Sarah's house (Thank you AGAIN for SUCH AWESOME hospitality). Joining us from Calgary was Rochelle and Amy. I get the pleasure of seeing Sarah and Rochelle every so often but it was especially amazing for me to see Amy who I hadn't seen since we were together in Australia SIX YEARS AGO! 

The weekend was the best I've had in a long time. I don't remember the last time I had laughed so hard or felt so close to some of my dearest friends. I love you ladies! 

Even if you have weird cravings....Rochelle.. ha.

The following Thursday....after much trepidation... 

Dave came home

Dave and his 1 year old!

We pretty much immediately left home and traveled up island (with Cousin/Uncle Glen and puppy Juno!) to Tofino for our first annual family camping trip! 

Happy birthday baby Kiki!

Surfing, body boarding, rain, bears, phosphorescence and stumbling upon a cougar.

Surfing with the family

It was so great to see all my family (almost all..) and to have so much fun with them again. There, we got to celebrate my dear, sweet baby Kiki's first birthday and then, two days later, my 25th birthday! What an amazing way to spend birthdays! 

My birthday dinner at the Shelter in Tofino

And that pretty much brings you to now.... I will do better...better better... better.

Our dates... haha. Glen and Dave

I swear