I'm Back!

Wow! It's been three whole months since I last posted anything here. It has been a crazy fall this year and I'm just happy to be able to say that I survived it.

I started school again this September. I enrolled in the Library and Information Technology course at the University of the Fraser Valley. I've been interested in their programme for years, but now that it's all online, I can do it from Boise. I haven't taken classes in over eight years so to say that I felt a little out of my element is an understatement. I took two classes this semester and they kicked my ass. So many times I'd be on the verge of tears and I would beg Will to let me quit. He would gently say no and bring home dinner so I wouldn't have to cook. I ended up getting an A in my Internet Information Retrieval class and somehow managed to pull off a B in my Young Adult Library Services class. It was a tough class, even though I really enjoyed it. How I managed to do that is a complete mystery. My mum wisely advised me to stop questioning it and just be happy about it.

Another major happening was that Liam finally got his hair cut. I didn't want to do it, but I was feeling the pressure from others so I gave in and took him to the hairdresser's. He freaked out and was not happy about it at all. I was so upset afterwards that I vowed I wouldn't get his hair cut again. Just look at what happened to my boy.

This was before going in. Look at his beautiful curls.

This was the result after. Now he looks like a generic boy. He looks so much older. And he's disappointed that he can't have ponytails like the girls anymore. I swore to Liam that I wouldn't have his hair cut ever again.

In November we went to Newport on the Oregon coast. Kyla got to spend her fourth birthday there. We took her to the aquarium and to the beach. She had a great day. We stayed in a condo on Nye Beach and pretty much had the whole complex to ourselves. We spent a lot of time at various beaches and taking it easy. It was much nicer to have one nice warm place to stay in and use that as our home base. A few times I felt a stab of anguish when it would hit me that we hadn't been to the coast since Skye died. It brought back some of those old feelings of the pain of loss.

The view from the condo we stayed in. We were so happy to be near the ocean that we didn't close the curtains once the whole time we were there. We got to lie in bed and watch the waves. We even had the door open for a while just to smell the salt air.

At Heceda Head lighthouse

Kyla's birthday cake

Moira and I could have spent all day at the touch pool at the aquarium.

I loved the jellyfish too.

Beach combing

That brings us to Christmas. Kordon and Morgan came into town for a few days. Morgan spent the whole time with us. We love him so much. He is such a great kid.

Morgan and Moira were practically inseparable.

Santa came to visit us again this year. We must have been very good to get a second visit.

Liam was thrilled to see him at the door, but as soon as he walked in and headed to the family room, that's when the panic set in. Once the presents started coming out, things were all right with the world. He got an RC Buzz Lightyear rocket ship.

Moira got a remote control helicopter.

Santa even had a little something for Morgan. He was a good sport and graciously sat with Santa to get his lantern.

Kyla got a Smurf house.

For our annual favourite gift photo, Kyla chose her play purse with the little ponies, Moira's is the new Webkinz, Liam picked his tape measure, and Will decided on his Morrissey record clock. As for me, I would have to say it's my new camera, although I promptly lost the memory card for it so I haven't been able to use it yet. Leave it to me!

So, there you have it - the last few months in a nutshell. Hopefully it won't be another three months until the next post.