take me out

to the ball game. The Kantors met the Cadieuxs at the Jays game (but just the grown-up Kantors... too late for our guys). Fun. Exciting. Hot dogs. Two foul balls aimed at our heads. Grandma Ledingham would have thought it was a hoot. Anybody else coming to visit? Anybody else want to go to a ball game? We'll take ya.

Hey Cadieuxs - we were so happy to see you! Thanks for inviting us and see you in Shaunavon!

nine months

I have lost all control of this.

hi

mr fix-it

Joe can make jam OR hang a towel rack. He's an all-around kind of guy. (Full disclosure: he's the one who pulled the towel rack off the wall (it was an accident; grabbed it as he fell off his stepstool), so it's only fair that he hang it back up. Tough lovin' around here.)

for sale

The house, not the kids.

We are excited to say that we have bought a new house to accommodate our growing and busy boys (and our New Zealand visitors - Hannah and James, we really bought it just for you). We will be moving into our new home on August 31, so a busy summer of packing and planning is ahead of us. But we are so, so happy and can't wait to run around our new humongous backyard. Can't wait to show you pictures - or, better yet, give you a tour!

helper boy

We made jam, me and him. He's very good at the stirring part. And parts involving sugar.

These past few days... Joe has been a trooper, a great helper, a super big brother. He's awesome.

strawberries

Today Henry made jam with his herculean fists, Joe selected the nicest looking straw to put in his bucket, Jonah ate cheerios, and Lily searched for the perfect strawberry. We were very, very busy.

hello my name is

Okay, so it might look like that top line says "TOY" but it really says "JOE" and Joe wrote it all by himself! * Excited parent gasp * Don't everyone's E's look like Y's sometimes? Sure they do. He's a genius.

science is cool

Just ask these guys.

This is Joe and Daddy, working on a "consperiment." Safety goggles necessary.

go fly a kite

Doesn't seem like a nice thing to say to Daddy on Father's Day. But Joe and Henry gave him a kite so it only seemed appropriate.

(Above, Henry is lamenting that he is old enough for neither kites nor ice cream cones and it is making him mad. I did what I could. I listened. Sorry, Henry.)

Happy Father's Day to a Daddy who loves, listens, plays, runs, carries, plans, laughs, sings, shares, dances, reads, and cuddles. Joe and Henry are lucky, lucky boys.

special mission

That's code for "going to Dairy Queen to buy a blizzard for Daddy." Joe came with me and got a dip cone. It made his year. Henry eagerly awaits going on his own special mission.

"air show"

Daddy and Grandpa took Joe to the Hamilton Air Show today... or, at least, they tried to take Joe to the Hamilton Air Show. The line-up was kilometres long and would have taken hours to just get the car parked... so the boys turned around and drove to the Toronto airport to watch the planes land. Joe didn't know the difference. He was just glad to wear his ear-protectors and watch the jumbo jets.

gardening

the work

the reward

(take that, birds.)

june 14

Two years ago on this day, Joseph was baptized.

One year ago on this day, Joe had hand, foot, and mouth disease, got a burn on his leg at the doctor's, and had a bookshelf fall on his head.

Today was much less eventful. Thank goodness. But we celebrated all the same (the Baptism Birthday part, not the anniversary of his diseases and injuries), with cupcakes and candles and singing, just like Joe likes.

What? No, Joe does not have his hand on a static electricity ball like they have at science centres. I don't know why his hair looks like that. And, yes, that is supper all over his face. Spaghetti and meatballs.

dear david

Thank you for the surprise this morning... brand spanking new running shoes waiting for me to wear and gallop around in. I am glad for your encouragement and thoughtfulness. (Because that was my last excuse... that my running shoes were old and sad.) And, as you know, I went for a run in these new gals tonight (the first in too many years... I think the last time I ran was with you, in Sydney... can you remember all the way back then?). They were comfy and cushy and almost glow-in-the-dark new. I love them. And you, too.

Wifey

birds 3, kantors 1

That's the score when it comes to who's gotten the strawberries from our garden. Here's hoping it evens out a bit.

In the meantime, Joe assures us that one strawberry was delicious.

windy

That's how our weekend started... with the wind. On Friday afternoon, with a work-free Daddy in tow, we went to a special mini-concert for kids put on by the Oakville Symphony Orchestra... Meet the Woodwinds. I'm not sure what Joe expected... that he would need to perform? He was so terribly shy walking into the room with all the other kids, even though we were right there with him. But once the orchestra started playing, he slowly relaxed and, eventually, smiled. Then straws were handed out and kids could practice their conducting. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him moving his straw ever so slightly... until David turned and looked at him and he quickly stopped. But later, when he announced he had had fun and I asked him what his favourite part was, Joe announced, "When I got a straw."

And after the woodwinds, we went and played in the wind, standing at the edge of Lake Ontario and throwing rocks. Because who doesn't, after a bit of culture, want to throw rocks in water?

racing

reading

Sigh. So sweet.

it's that time again

... time to plant... except...

one hour later...

We'll try again tomorrow.