May (and the last day of April)

 The last day in April saw us double-booked, with the strangest of double-bookings:  a running race in the morning and Grandma's burial in the afternoon.  It was a busy day, especially for Dave and the boys who drove down to Ottawa super early and then raced back to make the burial for two in the afternoon.  We normally don't fill our days like this; however, the race was planned for months and the burial was a last minute decision by the funeral home.  The race was very successful:  Jacob ran his first 10 km race and won his age group (under 15) with a time of 51:52.  Very respectable.  Ben booted out an impressive 25 min 5 km race, and Joe was a little over 6 mins in the 1 km race.  Hannah was at home with the flu.  Dave ran with Jacob in order to pace him to a good time.  I thought it fitting that Jacob's first race was raising funds for the library!

 The weather that day was gorgeous and the burial of Dave's mother was quite beautiful.  Close family and friends joined us and the parish priest (also a family friend) for grave side prayers and farewell.  I purchased enough roses for each person to lay one on the casket as it was lowered into the ground.  It felt strangely mafia-like.

 The best part was that Dave's dad and a few friends had dug the actual grave.  Dave wasn't able to help because of work commitments.  However, it was Dave who led the way in filling in his mother's spot.  He said that it was very good closure - actually physically laying his mother to rest.  I think this is why cremations bother me so much - something just seems to be missing.  It was very sweet to watch three generations of men pay honour to their wife/mother/grandmother.

 Then we had a BBQ.

 With some weirdoes.

 Joseph can't get enough of babies.

 I have no idea what these two are up to.  Catching something?

 Sarah loves to look after her twin cousins, Clara and Chelsea.

 The twin cousins love to be looked after by Hannah.

 Who wouldn't?

 Meanwhile, back at school, our twins were on the Gray Matter team (sort of like Reach For The Top).  They took home the trophy and Jacob was the highest scoring student.  Hannah wasn't far behind.

 Ben turned ten on the 9th.  And I didn't get one photo of him.  My parents were here, though, and they took him to Algonquin Park for the day (without siblings!).  I loaned him a camera and was delighted to discover what interested him that day.  My father promised Ben a moose sighting and he delivered. They also spent time watching a full family of foxes.

 There were also many photos of a float plane, a helicopter and a totem pole.  Little boys.

 They got so close to the moose that a park ranger threatened them with arrest for potentially harassing a wild animal.  So close to the wild side...

Birthdays, Hockey Games and Resemblances

You'll be happy to hear that we got a new iPhone.  Thus, our photos will significantly improve; not in time for this post, though!

 The twins turned 13 on April 17th.  Thirteen!  I absolutely love these two at this age, but how I wish I could hold them once again in their preschool years.  We bought them running coats for their birthday, as well as books, and clothes and other stuff I can't remember.  Oops.  I took them to Pembroke by themselves the day before their birthday.  We went shopping at Winners - an outing barely tolerated by Jacob.  I turned to him and asked what he would like to do.  He replied instantaneously, "Bulk Barn!"  We drove to Bulk Barn where I let them choose whatever they fancied.  Besides a few other items, Jacob asked for Turkish Delight, as he really wanted to taste the treat that had turned Edmond away from his family and to the White Witch in the Narnia series.  We all took a bite and Jacob exclaimed, "No wonder Edmond traded his soul for these!"  I agree.

 A few weeks prior to their birthday, the mother of one of Joe's good friends emailed us with an offer of five free Senators tickets.  Her family was unable to go and they wanted us to have them.  Dave took the four oldest on a Tuesday evening to see their favourite team.  I spent the day scavenging the house for Senators shirts for all to wear.

 We haven't hd a stomach flu, but there have been some bad upper-respiratory viruses going around.

 I found this hat that Jacob and Hannah wore as babies.  I put it on Mariana and she immediately became a combination of Jacob and Hannah at that age.  (Hannah is in the green hat and Jacob in the yellow.)

I might look younger here, but I think my more mature self looks kinder and gentler.  Hannah said when looking at this original photo, "Mom, you sort of look evil."  Oh.

Still catching up

 Mariana celebrates six months of life outside the womb tomorrow.  While the recommended guideline for starting solids is six months, I tend to start a little earlier.  For some reason, Mariana's siblings were very excited to witness their baby sister's first bites.  She, however, wasn't too keen and I didn't try again until a few weeks ago.

 She is around four months old here and has changed so much since.  I started trying her on solids again because she stares plaintively at our forks and plates during supper time.  Turns out that squash is her favourite and apple sauce produces the most disgusted look I've ever seen on a baby.

 Why not have fun when Isaac takes a day off from kindergarten.  His hemangioma (strawberry birthmark) has faded and shrunken considerably.  While there is no genetic component to hemangiomas, I find it interesting that Sarah has a sub-dermal one on her back and Mariana has a smaller version of Isaac's on the back of her head.  Hmmmm.

 This picture captures these two perfectly.  They remind me so much of twins - a beautiful relationship.

 Older siblings having dangerous fun with baby sister.

 Hannah found a curling iron in Dave's mother's closet.  She spent an evening learning how to do her and Sarah's hair.

 Mariana with her godfather.

 I succumbed to the headband.

And Sarah succumbed to sickness.  As we all did.  However, it had nothing to do with vomit and everything to do with aches, fatigue, headaches, sore throats and wet coughs.  It seems to have finally run its course, but this virus took the town by storm and every second person I talked to seemed to have it.  I had to snap this photo as Sarah is an indefatigable source of energy.  When I found her asleep on the couch, I knew that she must be sick.