Loosing a loved one

I've always felt that blogging helps relieve stress and anxiety and just overall makes you feel better. Plus it gives you some closure, so after my daughter returned home and described her weekend I've decided to blog about it so she will have this special tribute to Rosie.

Internet was not the best last night and when I finally arrived at my blog I realized how negligent I have been to my readers and for that I am sorry. So much has happened this past year and it went by so fast!

Back to my heartbroken 14 year old.......she is a bright and talented teenager with a passion for animals, all animals, especially horses, after all what little girls doesn't beg for a horse to call her own? She wants to grow up to be a veterinarian. Grandma is very proud of her, we all are and Grandma wants her to go to school at the best veterinary school in PEI, Canada and live with her so that grandma can catch up on all the years missed because we live in the U.S. The once a year trips are not enough.......they arn't enough for any of us, but it would be good for Makayla to have this opportunity.

A good friend of mine has a rescue, she has rescued animals near and far, she works solely to support her animals. Makayla spends every moment she possibly can volunteering at the rescue. It brings her peace of mind spending time with these once unloved broken animals.

This weekend Makayla was picked up and they went to the store and returned back to the rescue where she found one of her beloved horses laying on the ground rolling. Everyone stepped in to get a distressed Rosie up on her feet and to walk her around. Rosie was suffering from colic, a very common gastro-intestional issue causing sever adbominal pain in horses. As she spent time trying to keep Rosie off the ground the owner called the vet.

Unfortunatly, there was nothing the vet could do and recomended euthinization. Makayla sat with her friend rubbing her maine and face until it was time. She excused herself to the house as she could not stand to watch what was to come. As she stood up she took one last look at Rosie as Rosie looked back at her and a tear formed and rolled down Rosie's face. Makayla described this as the most heart wrenching moment she had ever experienced.

They had a funeral for Rosie and Makayla, trying to stay strong for my friend came home the next day walked through the door and fell to pieces in my arms. We stayed up late last night talking about Rosie, the hurt and pain of going through the loss of a loved one and exchanging photos.

Doing the back to school dance

Carpool began and teachers opened the car doors looking all fresh and rested from summer break ready to hit the books! I was looking all fresh and rested just for having the break. I love my/our kids each and every one of them, but I also love to see them back at school as does every other parent! Monday is the official first day of public school. Logan too will be starting school and I will begin a new job to help fill up my days while our kiddos are in school. I can not believe summer is over and 2015 is quickly drawing to an end! Christmas is right around the corner, I made my first present purchase last week.

Things to teach your children

Growing up your taught many things....to be polite, kind and courteous, use your manors, get dressed, tie shoes, clean up after yourself, and as you get older you learn to cook and drive and dance among many other things.

Growing up in our family meant a lot more. I had a mom who was raised around boys she has two brothers and a self sufficient father. He was NOT going to pay someone for repairs because he knew how to fix it. There was no such thing as "your a girl you cant do that." She learned how to change oil, worked in the fields, helped her dad fix plumbing, roofing and repairing walls, split wood and did her fair share of fishing and hunting.

I loved being around papa, he taught me so much. He never was one to tolerate a whiny little girl. You had to be a big girl and use a big girl voice and so long as you were a big girl he would tote you around everywhere and teach you everything he knew. I spent hours just sitting and watching as my mom did when she was little. Every once in a while he needed an extra set of hands and you had the opportunity to help, and you felt so special helping. Papa was never one to hug or tell you he loves you, he offered a silent love, but I knew he loved me because he never left me behind. I always got to go and help.

My mom and dad are self sufficient people, that is how they were both raised. My parents know a little bit about everything and passed that onto us. I live in North Carolina, USA and my family is in Prince Edward Island, Canada. We are 26 hours apart providing you drive straight through. Thankfully for today's technology we have Skype. I tote my cell phone or laptop around with what I might need help with and my mom and dad walk me through the steps......YES, I'm still learning! When my mom http://besidethetrail.ca/ needs her girly time she will read stories or have tea parties with her grand-girls on Skype.

I want our children raised the way I was. I want them to be self sufficient, I want them to save money and differentiate between a need and a want, I want our children to be able to fix what they can so they don't have to pay someone else to fix it and most importantly I want them to be able to walk away from that washing machine repair and say "I did it" or be able to put a new blade on the chainsaw and say "I did it" or build a chicken coop and being able to say "I helped make this" or changing a door knob and being able to say "I did this all by my self, every time you turn this knob you'll remember what you taught me Miss, Jenn!"

The way I learned is when something broke I tagged along and took lessons. Convenient right????? Take your kids with you, teach your kids, show them there is more to life then throwing around money or sitting in front of a TV, teach them everything you know so you can pass on your skills to your children and your future generations. When they teach their kids they will be able to tell stories about how you helping them learn how to fix something. Most importantly, they will never forget the first nail they hammered, or the time you taught them how to use power tools, or the small little things like unclogging the bathroom sink or changing a doorknob. I guarantee you the first flat tire they have they will be so proud they saved time and changed it them self instead of having to wait on road side assistance and they learnt it all from you.

Our children grow up so fast, every moment is precious even when it  involves learning something new......Jenn

The Birthdays begin

We have very few months during a year where this household has a break from a birthday. This week kick started our long stretch of birthdays......

In the middle is Tyler, this was his 5th grade graduation celebration with two of his buddies.

Tyler officially kick starts our stretch of birthdays beginning yesterday July 1st he was a whopping 12 years old. Time sure does fly by fast. 

Makayla's birthday is today, July 2nd, she is the big 13. The teenage years are officially upon us, and we now suddenly feel much older.......we have a teenager!

My birthday is August 3rd......I will be 29......again ;0)

Brian's birthday is August 8th

Emily's birthday is September 7th, she will be 9.

Avery's birthday is October 9th, he will be 9

Savannah's birthday is November 4th, she will be 10.

December brings Gavin's birthday right after Christmas on the 27th.

January we can take a short breath.....but it is brief!

February brings Logan who will be 3 on the 11th.

February also brings Annie who will be 11 on the 28th.

Birthdays are so much fun for me. I love to "entertain" my favorite part is cooking and baking. The kids always enjoy the cakes as they are the biggest birthday surprise. They anxiously await my newest creation every year.....here are just a few....

We will begin birthday parties on July 17th......I'm very excited for this years cakes! Until next time....Jenn

Growing up to growing older

I remember being "younger" and I couldn't wait to grow up, get to a higher grade, do my own thing! Now that I have done all of these things I am watching our children do the same and its making me feel OLD!

Tonight my step son graduated from elementary school, he is no longer "a little boy". It happened so quick, they grow up so fast, and we grow older faster but that's what we wanted.....wasn't it????

My parents were right....be careful what you wish for. It scares me to know one day our children will move out and no longer need us. Once upon a time I wanted to speed up time, now my only wish is to slow it down and keep our precious babies young forever...

School Field Trips

I like to volunteer at school, it is a great opportunity for parents to be involved in their kids education. It also makes your children feel special for you to be on their turf, so to speak. This time volunteers were needed for a trip to the Museum. I was excited, as it has been a while since we have been to the museum.

We visited the Magic Wings Butterfly House, where I tried to show 2 of our very excited boys how to catch a butterfly on your finger. It was not working out great, Avery and Gavin chased those butterflies all over the place running with their hands flying in the air........this was not going to work......

I gently walked up to one perched on a leaf and offered a finger to coach him along....

I passed it to Gavin

Gavin passed it to Avery

Gavin found the species on the map

We held a tarantula 

Okay, not WE HELD........THEY HELD a tarantula...

we rode a train

We played on the playground

We dug for dinosaur bones and visited some dinosaurs

Then we sat in Papa Bears chair

and we sat in Baby Bears chair

We visited Snakes, gators and fish

and finally we built a tunnel out of plumbing pipes

and then it was time to go.....Jenn