Breaking Dawn.....

It was a day we have all been looking forward to for awhile.....the new TWILIGHT!!!
We started the road trip with holiday lattes in hand.....Mel and I both had the creme brulee latte with whipped cream on top as our past trainer came in just in time to see (!!!) "oh, haha, hello....oh this?!  This isn't mine...umm, ok, yes it is!!" as she ordered her nonfat small skinny vanilla latte while scoping our whipcream......anyways....we happily drank (in mels case: chugged) our lattes and headed to Nanaimo.....

Being the classy ladies that we are...we had dinner at the mall!!  Little shopping too, Kelly and I got our pics taken with Santa....the other girls were somewhere else in the mall and missed out telling him what they want for christmas....ah well.  He asked what i wanted and i responded that i didn't need anything....to which he responded 'why..hohoho...of COURSE you do'....kelly chirps "naw, she really doesn't, she's leaving for holidays soon"......Santa looks at me and says "can i come?" to which i respond, "well, i'll see you on the 25th right?  don't you have alot of work to do til then?"  "Naw....all the elves do it".....i told him he's gotten lazy in his old age...too far?  Who knows....guess i will find out if i offended when i open my stocking!!!

Anyways.....we headed to the theater...found seats together in the 2nd row....and commented and joked through the whole thing....it was good....i wouldn't see it again.....but we had fun.

Dear Carrie:

Lets take a picture like this together when we are older....ok?  

Afterwards....we will go out for a chocolate chipper at Perkins.....

A personal email from the teacher.....

Must be noted that i am really seeing the perks in isaac being in a 2/3 split!!  This email came in today from Julie-Marie....Isaacs' incredible and very sweet teacher!


Hi Sharon and Chris,

Isaac is one of the few grade 2's who truly understand addition of 2 or more digits numbers with carrying.

Bravo to Isaac!

J-marie

Being a grown up means doing things you know you should even when you don't want to....

And here's a newsflash!  Looks like i am finally a grown-up!!

I don't want to exercise.....i would prefer to sit on my couch with something hot in my hands and watch the fire.  Lets be honest, i think most of us would prefer that, yes?  Well......after seeing a very unflattering picture of myself hoisting a student desk up rachels stairs as i was helping her move, i saw my belly literally sitting on top of the desk (granted i thought it would be hilarious to shove my 35 year old body into a desk made for an 8 year old!!)....it didn't help i was wearing a wife beater tank top and it looked like i had a baby beer belly!!  Yikes!  thats not going to go away on its own....is it!  is it?

Well, whatever gets you moving, right?  That, along with Susan asking me 'where did YOU grow up??' after i complained it may be too cold outside to run this morning......she was right, it was only cold for the first few minutes.

But right on time, Samarah showed up, more bitter than usual but still willing (one of her most winning traits!!).......we ran....and it was good....i am glad its over.....now its time to really clean this house....another piece of proof that i am a grown up.....i still would rather sit here in front of the fire....but the house isn't going to clean itself...right?  or is it?

Oh.....my boys......how i love them.....

Mr. and Mr. Diaper Head.....an old game that they love.....new twist with the quad goggles.

And just a little snapshot of what motivates my little guys to get ready in the morning at hyperspeed; a few minutes of pokeman.....they look like little men in coma's...don't they? hahah

Boys....i love you both so much.....its hard these days to listen to your stories when you get home about your friends and the things they say to you.  Especially you Elliot.  The stories are too often coming about how other little ones don't want to play with you, or that your friend liked you last year at preschool but doesn't like you anymore.  Elliot...you are such a beautiful little boy, inside and out and anybody would be the luckiest kid to be called your friend.  You are choosy and you seem to enjoy your own company...you have always marched to the beat of your own drum which i love about you.  My hope and prayer for you Elliot, is that you will find a special friend when you need one....and until then, don't let anyones mean words get inside your head, guard your heart, and enjoy the love of your brother and your parents....we love you more than you will ever know........dad and i think about you all the time and think you and your brother are the best things to ever happen to us!!!

It was a really great day....

It started with my new 'running partner'....and she is very very

geographically desirable, being just next door, that is!!

 She went off to school and the boys and I headed to Victoria for the day {upon seeing a days worth of cleaning to do around the house....no thank you!! We are outta here!!}

 A quick shopping trip to lululemon and then it was time for lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant.

 After lunch, we headed to the toy store to make a bit of a christmas wish list for them!  There are some very cool toys out right now!!  elliot hasn't been feeling too well.....but he kept up.

 There is something about windmills in a childs hand that makes me happy......

imagine my delight when we found 8 windmills on 1 wand!!! ahh!!! 

yes please!!!  RUN my kids!!!! 

Be happy!!!! 

 We stopped on our way home to visit Elizabeth.  She is so busy with so many kids running around....but i really miss her.  I don't go to jazzercise anymore because of the distance and it is even further since i don't really drive my kids into town all the time now....so our time together is very sparse these days......but she always asks if I am coming over

when I call and makes me a coffee when I visit.

There is alot of comfort in that kind of friend that i really love in her.......

It was a nice day...

Chris and i watched all our shows tonight {Office, Dragons den},

and chatted about our upcoming time away.

We still are very conflicted...

just when we think we have made a decision...

flight prices go lower and we are back to square one wondering what to decide!!

Just a warning.....

Just a warning to my lovely readers.....i will be privatizing my blog soon.  I have been feeling a little more 'out there' the last few months and i feel as though i want to pull our privacy back in, for awhile anyways....

The purpose of this blog started as a way to keep my folks involved and updated....but it has evolved into a way of capturing our day to day memories so that I can read back on them when I am old and grey.

So, no offense meant to anyone....but i will be pulling the plug on the eyes on our life for awhile....but we will see you soon!! 

Blessings on you who love us enough to check in...and i hope we will stay in touch via phone or facebook and i can tell you all about our adventures in person!!!

Love S.

He loves to kiss me good bye.....

I need to note this:

This morning, we had a lovely french toast breakfast {Elliot randomly yells out 'thank you for making yummy food'..ps: that has to be noted because the kid is so stingy with his sweet comments and affection...cute little punk}. 

We walk to the bus, all holding hands...yup, total norman rockwell minus all the earth shaking semi's whipping by.....

Bus approaches......Elliot runs to get in line....Isaac runs to kiss me good bye.

Elliot doesn't even look back except when i holler and wave at him, he gives a grunt and a little hand flap before happily skipping up the steps....away from me....sigh......

At least Isaac still loves to kiss me goodbye.

The road to.....?

November 29th is approaching.

It will mark the day that I turn 36.

It also marks the day that Chris and I will start out on our yearly family mission to re-connect, find adventure and make memories!

Our first stop will be to see Susan and Mike...because of course we want to start the adventure off right!!

Our next stop will be the beautiful Oregon Coast.....

We will have no plans....except to search out the closest In N Out Burger!!!

Disneyland or Chuckie Cheese is the current debate between Chris and I.

Studio city to see our Inch Family is on the list.....

Bethel Church in Redding may warrant a stop...{that is also where the first In N Out burger is!}

The boys will be 'homeschooled' on the road.....and we have no idea what road that will be.

1 day visit.....

My folks came for a visit!!  When they come, we eat SO well!!  I didn't get a shot of the amazing fish tacos last night {we were too hungry!}....but i DID get a shot of the incredible tortilla soup for lunch.  I am unsure if the pictures do it justice, but it was fresh and tasty.....carrie texted yesturday afternoon and said "please send them home, i had burger king for lunch!"

Dad tuned our piano!  Thanks dad!!!  

Elliot started lessons this year......

I love hearing isaac playing too.....

 

Dad snapped a couple shots.....we love the fire on these cold days....

Piano practices were done, now it was time to read.  Isaac has home reading every day...big changes from grade 1!!

 Sleepy Hollow......

They are cool to drive by now!

But we will be watching these pumpkins rot and decompose until Spring!!

They left this morning to catch the 8:30 ferry.....short and sweet.....as always!  i love my folks...





 It's quiet now....the boys are cuddled up beside me watching Arthur and the Invisibles 3....its cute.  Chris is still sleeping, but he is leaving soon on a quading trip today....so we have nothing on the agenda today....oh, isaac wants to make cookies and i may make carrot muffins for lunches next week.

That's it......

Rentons Rsdays....

Every thursday, Jennie-Lynn {this amazing woman who just had a baby, still has a house to unpack, who has a very busy little 2 year old}...opens her house and hosts all of us every thursday with an amazing meal!!

There are always 5 little boys, 1 tiny little boy, and 1 little girl.....the little kids love the students...maybe sometimes too much!!

But they are loved too......here is R with Everett.

Chris and Don.....

Prepping the chicken caesor wraps......

We all look forward to thursdays......

School Halloween....Kindergarten and Grade 2....

Elliot and his little buddies.
Aj and Mateo

Between delivering milk to the classes, helping with costumes, struggling to get a good shot with my camera that i don't understand {i miss the simple rebel canon}...it was a busy morning!!



 This is why you should never say "Halloween" when posing, because your mouth is always open......

Doesn't Isaacs teacher made you happy just to look at her???

Isaac was stoked he didn't have to smile or make any facial expressions. 

 Here we are waiting for the costume parade in the gym. 

 I left after my kids went.....is that wrong??!

Costume idea for chris next year?  i can totally see my dad rocking this costume....

Kindergarten teacher.....not elliots....but sweet costume!

The 3 kindy-teachers....obviously!!!

Halloween Party.....camp style!!

We have nice friends.....who have some nice kids.....everyone is so busy these days with life and those kids....i was busy today helping at the school {delivering milk, helping with the costume parade}, trying to get elliot to the doctor after school and pulling a costume together...so party start time came quicker than i expected!  Again....nice friends: everyone contributed, whether by bringing food, drinks...or just being the willing soul to try whatever!!

The students were kind enough to give us a hand with belaying people up the vertical playground - which was such a huge help!!  Thank you Samarah for dressing up....the rest of ya?  Boo on you for dressing up AFTER our party to go bowling??  really??  Sarah pulls out this sweet sheep costume that she MADE --- SO cool!  but didn't put it on til later.....sigh....

 La petite Sienge.....

 Un autre Sienge (two monkeys!!!)...this one is still quite ill though.

 Groovy girl.....

 Still unsure what Rachel was....maybe 'the woman with the red scarf'?  Or Soup lady .. she made a HUGE mother batch of this amazing corn chowder soup!  Hey Rach...chris was excited to come have soup til he saw that we were using a cup for a ladle...umm..peoples fingers could dip in there.....i am sure that made him vomit a little in his mouth....

 While R climbed the playground, this little lion laid down to watch her.

 Trick or Treat Gang....Mr Incredible schooling the Lion - far right.

The Fire Department hosted the bonfire and fireworks last night too......

 Kids watching the fireworks....