getting there...

I can see the light at the end of my LONG semester tunnel...

Exams and two courses are finished (YAY!!!) One class left to finish...and when I say one class, I unfortunately mean one class...all four essays...seven days to finish. (Did I mention I'm a bit of a procrastinator?) But, at least it is only one class and then I get two months off. (another big YAY!!!)

I can't believe my time in Nova Scotia is so quickly drawing to an end...

I am going to miss it here, although Nova Scotia seems to be co-operating trying to insure I don't miss it here too much...this week has been really humid and about a million mosquitos have camped out in my yard, so I am not feeling too bad about having to stay in the house working.

Tomorrow will be two weeks until we leave and I have yet to pack up the house (did I mention I was a bit of a procrastinator? ~ well either that or I am just a very BUSY!

No worries...it will all get done; it always does!

and I almost forgot the good news! ....my computer has been fixed!!!! All is saved! I am a happy girl...and I promise I will have some photos next time!

summer

I am feeling unbalanced.

And also a little bit annoyed at the terrible habit I have of procrastinating.

The past few months I have done SO much homework, probably more than a mother of four should do in four months. I (hopefully) will have finished six classes by the end of this month. That is a lot of reading and writing. I am starting to look forward to being finished so I can spend some time with my family (and maybe enjoy a little bit of the summer!)

But, for now, I have two more weeks of work - five essays left to go and two exams this week. I wish I was finishing on Friday with my last exam because next week is kind of special and I won't have much time to celebrate...

Next week (in addition to writing essays), I get to attend the opening of my hubby's latest art show and I also get to celebrate (maybe I'll allow myself a few hours) getting another year older...

The really crazy part is once I finish my semester...I'll have one week to pack up the house before our big cross country trip! Maybe the end of the summer will be a little more relaxing...

Tonight (as I study) a little part of my brain is remembering how relaxing summers used to be...

a death in the family

I am very sad to announce that we have had a death in our family.

My computer has died, very tragic as she was only four years old.

I am desperately hoping that some computer savvy tech will be able to recover all of the priceless information she was storing for me.

Luckily a few months ago we bought a back up storage system and have saved most of the priceless info. - but not all. Maybe buying the back up was what did it. I must admit that I do believe in Murphy's law, just because it always comes true...buy a back up system just in case...and watch the just in case happen.

So for now I am writing essays on my husbands teeny tiny mini computer which I believe was not made for someone who types with more than one finger. 

So, no photos today. No extra time on the computer today. And since we will be moving in a few weeks, there is really no point in getting a new computer until after the big move...so no computer for me for at least a month.

I know it is only a computer but, I miss her already...

enjoying my summer blessings...

My eyesight is getting blurry...I've been reading too much. I have read literally thousands of pages over the past few weeks. I am almost done...three weeks to go and then I get a two month break...

well, a break from books. During that time I need to pack up the house and move across country...again. Not much rest this summer. But, while I have been frantically reading and writing and desperately trying to get my courses finished, my family has been enjoying the weather...

My favourite beach and my favourite boys...

And while I have been feeling a little lonely and jealous...and I am starting to develop a little "cabin fever" all alone in my office studying...

I am thankful for an amazing husband who gladly will brave the beach with four kids on his own and who supports me in what I want to do.

Although, I was a little disappointed to miss out on the three year old's new friend...THE CRAB...who he apparently would not let go of once he was discovered.

My three year old is my Atlantic boy...we moved here before his first birthday - this is all he knows. He LOVES the beach, the ocean, all it's creatures and the wind!

So, while I haven't left my maritime home just yet, I am already missing the ocean, the beach and all the fun we have there...but my husband did bring home a little present as a belated birthday dinner for the three year old (and a little treat for me)...

I did say he was amazing didn't I?

Ahh...nothing beats summer in the maritimes!

Busy week: getting wet, the Queen, a birthday and the beach

Busy week again.

My hubby has been working on an art project this week in Halifax, so it has been just me and the kids for most of the week ~ not much homework getting done around here. I did read the Grapes of Wrath and was surprised at how much I liked it and about how so many things in it are relevant today. I didn't realize that the industrial food system was already in full swing during the thirties, I didn't think it started until after the war, so I learned something new.

Monday, the kids and I decided to head into Halifax with my hubby and go and see The Queen. (Except my hubby who went to work).

This was the closest we got to her, we were right at the barricade but they didn't let anyone get too close until the end...when she went and shook a few hands on the other side of the field.

 It was pouring rain and we got soaked right through all of our layers of clothes, but it was so fun! My five year old was especially excited about seeing the Queen. As soon as she stepped out of her car, the rain stopped. My five year old now thinks she is magic. On Canada Day he announced that his favourite thing about living in Canada is having a Queen (who is magic). The good thing about the rain was that the turn out wasn't as good as it would have been if it was sunny.

The rain will probably also help keep the day in the kid's memories.

the kids should all remember this day in the rain...all except my baby.

What a great experience. We saw the Queen with her husband Phillip (the Duke) as well as Prime Minister Harper and the governor general and the premier of Nova Scotia. I thought this might be our last chance to see Queen Elizabeth as she is getting older and she doesn't come to Canada all that often (although I hear she will be returning in 2012). Fun day!

The other news this week is my baby turned three, so not much of a baby any more.

He is getting so big and soon I will just have four big kids.

We spent the day at our favourite beach...

having a good time...

playing in the water...

and doing things that my three year old really likes to do...like throwing rocks.

I usually like to look for shells and sea glass and other cool stuff along the beach and this time I found a mermaid's purse. My seven year old was very impressed. We added it to our very large Nova Scotia beach finds jar that we will be bringing back to BC with us for memories. I am REALLY going to miss the ocean...