Every year on the first weekend of May, Longwoods Conservation Area hosts the Battle of Longwoods (1812-1814) reenactment. I had never heard of it before moving to the area, but we loved it and will for sure be headed back next year. First weekend of May, hope to see you there!

Hundreds of people participate in these weekend events and we were amazed by the authenticity. Entire families dressed in period costumes, camping, cooking over open fires and participating in the battle reenactments.





Of course my dear girlie had to offend the First Nations group by loudly asking if they were the bad guys… trauma. A woman came right over to give her a forceful lesson on who the bad guys were, and who the BEST guys were. Truthfully, the First Nations were our friends in the Battle of Longwoods, and had much smarter battle strategy than the British.

The best part by far though was after the reenactment when they held the mini militia…

My little soldiers learned to march, hold their weapon, load their weapon, and then got to reenact their own battle.

They were on opposite sides, but apparently came to some sort of peace agreement…

Juno used her binoculars to watch the action:

Well, I haven’t done much writing for awhile, but today I’ll do my best to put words to feelings in honour of a very dear friend. Today is her birthday, and it’s hard to find the right gift for someone who is quite possibly the best gift giver I have ever known. She has an enormous mental catalogue of everything every one she knows has ever said they liked. She knows Marg likes lemon, Justus likes Lego and tuiti fruiti candy canes, Sam likes a special kind of soup, I like books, Juno likes Penny, etc etc etc. I can’t real recall it all because I don’t have that mental catalogue! But believe me when I say it’s detailed and specific and expansive. What’s even more impressive though is the heart that it springs from.

She started showing up at family gatherings on my cousin’s arm shortly after Jon and I got married. The other girls in the family quickly adopted her and she had everyone charmed in very short time. I have a sneaking suspicion that she is my Grandma’s favourite… she definitely has a way of bringing people together and making them welcome. Apparently I don’t really share that gift, and I can be pretty wrapped up in my own stuff, because it took us awhile longer to become any more than acquaintances.

It was actually my jealousy that finally made me take real notice of this newcomer. I heard second hand that she was starting to take MY little sister on dates. I can partially credit her relationship with my sister as the beginning of my own grown up relationship with Sarah. It jolted me into realizing that I was missing out on a closeness and friendship I could be having, because she had been growing up while I wasn’t paying attention. And then there was talk of emails with MY dad and her vocal appreciation of him? What? What?

I can’t really pinpoint exactly when she moved from being Greg’s girlfriend/wife to my friend. But my admiration of her has been growing and growing and growing from those early days. For several years it seemed like there was a new person at each one of our family gatherings, because when you become Janine’s friend she adopts you into every relationship she has. This in particular is such a beautiful gift. She doesn’t just love on you with her whole heart (though she does that!), but she brings you into her circle, includes you, uplifts you, praises you, prays and cries for you, until everyone she knows loves you too. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. And being a recipient of it… wow.
She posted a quote on my Facebook wall recently, but I’m almost embarrassed because it describes her so much more accurately than I…

“there is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves. It is not my nature”
- Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

And lest I get too sappy… can I also say that her love of food endears her to me as well. Her tastes are more refined than my own (I’m almost strictly a comfort food girl while she likes gourmet treats), but I enjoy the joy that food brings her and getting to share the wonderful things she bakes! And I admire the restraint she can exercise, considering the size of her appetite when she lets loose!

I love having a friend who shares my love for books and words and bookstores and expansive home libraries.

I love having a friend who has the same favourite t-shirt as I do, though she managed somehow to get it in a better colour…

It’s super fun having a friend who has hair that you will NEVER STOP BEING RIDICULOUSLY JEALOUS of.
Oh yeah, and one who can handle a little sarcasm. Though I speak the truth, I will never stop wishing I had her hair. I was almost angry when she chopped it off to give away. But it grew back, so I forgave her.

It’s wonderful to have a friend who loves my family. Blesses me in countless ways.

Justus wants me to say to you:

“I love you. Because you are very nice.” (Words don’t come easy to 5 year old boys, he struggled for quite awhile to express the enormity of his love for you. I know the feeling.)

Juno wants me to say:

Well… she would say something lovely, but she is currently crying uncontrollably from Janine induced candy overdose. She thinks you are pretty special. You are Penny’s mom after all.

I love having a friend I can sit and talk with late into the night and find in her a kindred spirit and true understanding.

And a friend who will bring cheesy dill popcorn and watch weird, old movies with Sarah and I.

and
and
and

You are a treasure Janine Gordon, to everyone who knows you. Love you MUCH!

Happy Birthday!

Snaps from Junie’s 4th birthday party (combined with Uncle Josh coming home from college – we missed you Josh!!!)











(sometimes this yard feels like a park, and I’m kind of in heaven out here.)




Josh finally met our newest nephew!

We missed you Uncle Josh! And we will miss you again… can’t believe you are leaving so soon!

Well, this officially marks my 500th post! No better way to spend it than on wishing my baby girl the happiest 4th birthday! She’s growing up too fast!!

Juno’s birth day!

1!

2!

3!

Pictures of 4 to come…

Happy Birthday darling, cuddly, adventurous, spunky, hilarious, one-of-a-kind girl of ours!

Websites and emails can wait ’til tomorrow
For children grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow
So quiet down projects,
Phone, go to sleep,
I’m enjoying my children
And children don’t keep.

{source}

This is something my husband challenged me on recently… that my schedule is becoming unhealthy and peace-stealing for myself, for the kids, and the effects reach him too of course. He is 100% right. My good intentions and spur of the moment decisions are not in line with what I say are my priorities. Sigh. Back to the schedule making and routine following (on monday of course, all new things must begin on mondays).

Dan Taylor helped me put together a video of photos to play at youth on Jon’s birthday (yesterday) including these…

Poor Jon… he used to have a crush on that x files chick and instead he ended up with me.  I’m not entirely sure what I think that means about his taste in women and if I should be insulted.  lol

And because there are never too many photos… here is how we celebrated Jon’s day, the day after…

The beach. Because apparently us Sodemans are beach bums and we just can’t stay away- no matter the weather!

my poor kid can’t keep her pants up to save her life… that booty gets a lot of fresh air and sunshine. lol



one of the best parts of beach days… naps on the drive home…
with goggles.

Can’t wait to give Daddy the present they helped pick out…


look how excited they are

Every country boy should have his own BB gun.

Happy Birthday Jon! We love you!

And one more…

Justus has another loose tooth, one of his two front teeth. It’s freaking me out though because he used to have a big gap between his front teeth, but since it’s been loose he keeps pushing on it with his tongue. And now the gap has shifted one tooth down…it’s weird.

So… as most of you know, we’ve been on a bit of a journey with our Juno.  She is spunky and fun and incredibly loving… but we’ve had some bumps in the road, with ear infections, tonsillitis, emotional volatility and various sleep troubles (apnea?).  For a long time I have felt like I was sort of going crazy… with this knowing that something wasn’t right – but our family doctor saying she was just fine… It’s taken me a looooong time to get her an appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat specialist, and that appointment was this morning.

Not long after meeting and examining Juno, the doctor was booking us to have her tonsils and adenoids removed.  They aren’t massive, but after hearing her symptoms and doing an exam, he seemed very confident that the surgery would fix her sleep apnea troubles and lessen the chance of her getting infections.

It was such a weird feeling sitting there listening to him recommend the surgery.   I mean, truth be told I had hoped there would be a solution, and suspected that surgery would be it.  Not because I wanted my baby to have to go through that – but just because something has to give.  It’s just so hard to believe that things could improve… should improve… (dare I say- will improve?!) come August 14th.  I’m curious to see what solid sleep does for my dear little girl (and for our family).  And at the same time I’m slightly horrified that she will have to be put under… I can’t think about it too much… listening to the risks was sobering.  (even though it is a common surgery, it is still considered major surgery) It’s hard to make a decision that weighs quantifiable risks against somewhat unknown and hard to physically measure benefits.  I had to keep asking if this is really what we should do, but the doctor insisted he truly believes in this procedure and that it will help her.

We managed to put off her surgery until after our summer visitor and following vacation… so August 14th it is.  Thanks to all my dear friends who have had to listen to me talk this out over the last few YEARS.  Your patience is remarkable and your prayers appreciated!

A great article on the littleness of motherhood

here is just a taste…

“Organization and dishwasher running are not the only things that are little about motherhood. Your days are full of little questions, little answers, little puzzles, little problems, little concerns. Little disobedience. Big disobedience over little things. This can be very discouraging to any mother. What have I ever done that was important? What, in the course of my regular day, matters? Is this hot new system for containing playmobil really as big of an accomplishment as I think it is? What happened to me that I think this is important?

Even the temptations to sin are little. Getting huffy about water on the bathroom floor. Falling into full fledged worry over a diaper rash, a cold sore virus, or a teething baby. Stumbling into pride over potty training, homemade bread, or well dressed children. Getting selfish over a moment with your coffee. Feeling that somehow the smallness of it all justifies the sinfulness in your attitude. Feeling completely fine venting your little sin over your little problem, or indulging your little pride over your little accomplishment.

Because, after all, as we can all see, this is LITTLE. Can I not indulge in a little fuss? Can I not have a little harsh word? Who wants to spend their whole day focusing on something as little as an attitude? Who would ever think that my demeanor towards mopping matters? Don’t tell me that this is a big deal, because I know about big deals, and this is not what they look like.”