A RAiN- "BEAU" Weekend!

"Weekends are a bit like rainbows; 
they look good from a distance 
but disappear when you get 
up close to them."
-John Shirley


"To enjoy the rainbow, first enjoy the rain."
-Paulo Coelho


"Life is like a rainbow. You need both sun 
and rain to make it's colors appear."
-Author Unknown

Smiling BEAU having some breakfast here on Friday.

Mariah doing a doggie impersonation!
She was excited to be going to a little play date with her friend,
 while I had Beau all day Friday. 

Beau's new favorite book... a Dr. Seuss one.
He calls it his "DUM DUM" 

A little stroll out in the sunshine on Friday.
Beau thought it was so hilarious when Shuffle squatted to poop!
 He said "POOP... PUPPY" for the rest of the walk! 

One of the many giggles of the day on Friday! 

Beau with his CHOCOLATELY SMILE!
... he loves his "CHOCK-IT"... (as he calls it!)
Note the bandaid on finger ...
he got a little OWE-EE! 

An ice cream cone after his long nap! 

Check out how he put on his flip flops...
(which he still refers to as "TREE-TOPS"!) 

Supper on the roof top of ATHENA Restaurant
Friday night... Beau was right into the fries and ketchup! 

Saturday I had both kids here to babysit...
Beau snuggled in beside his sister while she watched her TV shows!
Both enjoying some drinks in sippy cups.

Mariah drew these special FATHER'S DAY pictures
in this cute picture frame paper! 

Yesterday we all popped by for a little visit with the
GREAT GRANDS!
Mariah is explaining her little game on her mommy's iphone. 

Poppa Brian and Beau enjoying the little skating ornament
 from the cupboard ... while Jana and Mariah look on!

A Smiley picture of Jana and
Mariah on her way to a birthday party!
 

A little family snuggle at the Grandparent visit!
 

A WET dash out to the car in the rain! 

My overflowing flower pot... so much rain on the weekend...
and Shuffle keeps pulling out the sprouty plant in the middle! 

Shuffle this morning...
CAUGHT in the ACT!


Once again THANKS to anyone
who is popping by to read my blog
and see my many photos that I post!
I take very many when ever the grandkids
are around... so this is only a sampling
of the ones I took this weekend!


As you can see there was a
lot going on this weekend.
I had Beau all day Friday
and then we went for supper
on the roof top of Athena
for supper that night.


Saturday morning following my
8:30 Body Vive class at Goodlife Gym...
I had both grandkids here to babysit
on the very wet and rainy day.
It was definitely not an outdoor day
like Friday was!


We were kept well entertained with
art, TV, video watching, singing, dancing
and story reading...
amongst many other adventures.


I was honored to be invited to
critique the dancers in the
"RHYTHMS" Solo/ Duo Showcase
held at Centennial High School
Saturday night.
The numbers were all taught by sisters,
Nadine and Nicole...
so a fun evening of dance!



Following our Sunday morning breakfast
at Fuddruckers... Brian and I met
Jana and her kids over at my inlaws,
Blanche and Greg's house for a little visit.
They always enjoy when we pop by.


Jana and I were invited to a
"STELLA & DOT" party
at sister-in-law, Bev's house,
later  on Sunday.
I am not a big jewelry person,
but they did have some lovely stuff...
so I got a little bracelet for Mariah for her upcoming Kindergarten Grad gift!



During the weekend...
with all the rain we got,
I found many things to entertain and
occupy me in doors.
I showed Mariah some old little videos
of her when she was younger...
always fun to revisit those!...
She has sure grown up since
some of them were taken!


Yesterday I sat down with intentions
to do a new blog...
and got sidetracked reading
old ones written last year!
It is always fun for me to look back
on the events of what I did around
this time last year.


With FATHER'S DAY coming up
next Sunday, I reviewed  my
tribute to my dad and must say
it was one of my all time favorite blogs.
It was particularly special to me
because my dad was a very
amazing guy to not only me,
but to all the people he knew.
It's hard to believe he has
been gone for over 12 years now.
I hope to do a follow up tribute to him
again later this week.


I enjoyed tuning into the TONY AWARDS
on TV last night...and loved some of
the musical numbers on that show.
It made me long to go to New York, again!


Today's agenda is simple...
but after blog writing I hope to take
Shuffle for a little walk because
the sun is shining today... YAY!
... no RAINBOWS today!


On that note...
here is my little rhyme of the day...


I had a weekend filled with fun...
With lots of rain and not much sun!
But I was lucky to share some time,
With my sweet ones through
song, dance and rhyme.
Lots of 'Beau'-ments
 while he was here,
And also some time with Mariah, dear!
Visits with the grand and great...
A rainbow weekend to celebrate!

It's a SIGN!

Today as I sit here drinking my mint tea 
from my black mug with white polka dots... 
the SIGN inside my cup says...
"KEEP IT SIMPLE"


Here are some signs I photographed 
while having a very long wait at 
the Dr.'s office yesterday...

Ok... the signs above are all self explanitory!
And this is a picture of my chocolate chip cookies
on Sunday under the sign that says "LOVE"
...and who doesn't LOVE choclolate chip cookies!

I was CRAVING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES...
so it was a SIGN that I should make some!


The perfect saying about cookies is"Friends are the chocolate chips
in the cookies of life."Author Unknown


So Today my blog is about signs...
more or less!

I have been going to the gym a lot lately and having some issues with my lower back
above my right hip.
I have also been experiencing numb toes off and on since pretty much shortly after
I quit my dance teaching career.
That was my first SIGN
to get it all checked out!


So what are the SIGNS??????
OK I have been to Dr. visits,
chiropractors and physiotherapists....
and cannot seem to figure out what the symptoms mean...


Last week I did more classes than normal
at the gym... all of which I really enjoyed
due to the fact the instructors
are all so great at GOODLIFE gym.


However.... that being said...
my sore hip and numb toes
have been giving me more grief...
so it was once again A SIGN
 to get it checked again!


So I headed to a medi clinic on Sunday.
The Dr. there told me to take ALEVE
and make an appointment with
my family Dr. to get a
possible X-RAY and or
referral to a specialist.
So I made an appointment for
 1 PM yesterday with a DR. in
my Dr.'s office, due to the fact
my Dr. could not see me
until June 21st at the earliest.
(That was kind of a SIGN that
my worries are not that important!)


I sat in the waiting room of the office for
over 2 hours yesterday at that appointment waiting patiently for my turn to see the Dr.
It was almost a SIGN to leave and come back another day, but I figured I wasn't sure of getting in any quicker next time either,
so stuck it out!


When I finally got called to the small cubicle they put me into...  to do more waiting,
I was happy to have my camera to snap some photos of the SIGNS in that small room!
And although this wait was not as long as the one in the waiting room,
it was still long enough to snap
8 photos before the DR. came in.



He talked for maybe 5 minutes max before handing me a sheet to go for an X-Ray...
so off I went to that place to do
some more waiting!


Following the X-RAYS which took maybe another 5 to 10 minutes,
they told me the results would be back
at my Dr.'s office within the next few days!
Oh Yay.....
more "HURRY UP AND WAIT!"
(I think they need a sign
that says that in the DR.'s office!)


I just knew there were enough SIGNS
 to give the gym a wee break today
and took Shuffle for a walk instead.
While on my walks,
my ipod always plays the soundtrack to life  giving me lots of SIGNS
of what is happening
in my daily life!


I love a quote and sign with a good message. There have been many in emails, and posted on facebook along with others here,
there and everywhere along the way.


I have been trying to connect
with some friends but not always
successful in doing so, so that is
a "sign"
they are too busy for me
in their lives right now!



I have enjoyed the people in my life
who do have time to spend in either conversation on the computer,
phone or in person!


Tomorrow and the next day
I will be spending time babysitting
the grandkids.
That is a A SIGN of how blessed
 I am to have them so close!


I am going out for coffee with
my good friend, Ella later today.
We often go after the gym,
but because we didn't go
to the gym today...
we will just go for coffee!


I have sure enjoyed SYTYCD and
ABDC on TV lately.
Both of these dance shows
have had great dancing on them.


I still find things with DANCE
to be inspiring...
it is a sign...
"Once a dancer always a dancer!"

My Dance Friend, Kristy,
is being honored today at the
YWCA WOMAN OF DISTINCTION
banquet. I was to her show weeks ago,
and she is a deserving candidate for sure.
She has also hired me to teach some
tap at her summer dance camp in August.


One of my biggest DANCE
inspirations in my life, BRIAN FOLEY,
is celebrating a birthday today.
(I included a photo of him
 in my previous blog post)
I know he has inspired many dancers
and is the reason many dancers
have gone on to hanging
DANCE STUDIO SIGNS,
upon opening studios!
I hope he TAPS into a
HAPPY TAPPY BIRTHDAY today!


I received a forward email from
my Auntie Betty today
that ended in this thought...
"Remember while money talks,
CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM SINGS!"

So on that thought...
here is my rhyme of the day...

I love a quote and also a sign...
That has a message that's really fine.
Sometimes the meaning is one to keep,
And often the message is really deep.
Messages are also in the words of a song,
It's funny how that
soundtrack to life plays along!
Creating new thoughts within my head...
And between the lines I've already said!



 

STARS and STARBUCKS!

"Good friends are like stars... you don't always see them, 
but you know they are always there."-Author Unknown


"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars."
-Les Brown


"You must carry chaos inside you to give birth to a dancing star."
-Nietzsche

A very STARS and STARBUCKS kind of pic for today's theme!

In the past couple of months I have watched many
DANCE STARS
performing in these events! 

Here is my wee STAR, MARIAH,
sitting on the stage at the intermission of a recent dance recital! 

Here she is in action...  doing a little free-spirited
performance during intermission  at
"HOT OFF THE PRESS"
DANCE INK'S first annual recital! 

Mariah is second from the left in her dress rehearsal for her
Dance Recital a couple weeks ago.
She feels like a real STAR when on stage! 

A pic of an old card I crafted back in the summer of 2007...
this seemed to go with today's blog theme! 

While searching for some photos today
here is a cute little STARBUCKS memory
I found of my two little STAR Girlies...
Mariah and Jana in Sept of 2008,
they have both changed since this photo,
( but mostly in hair color!)

Another STARBUCKS memory I found
of a card I crafted for my
STARBUCKS SISTERFRIEND, LINDA
for a birthday a few years ago!
She is like a STAR friend for me! 

This photo was taken in April of 2008.
These dance friends and I were at a
CANDANCE competition
I adjudicated in Calgary.
BARB on the left is celebrating a birthday tomorrow.
BRIAN on the right is celebrating a birthday on Thursday.
Barb, Brian and Faye have all been
great STAR quality dance role
models to me in my dance career!




Today when I got thinking of a
blog theme to write about I decided
STARS and STARBUCKS
was a suitable one!


Over the past couple of months
I have been watching lots of dancing
 at competitions, rehearsals and recitals.
I have been blown away with
the talents in and around this province.
There are a lot of STAR quality
dance studios, teachers and students
a like strutting their stuff.
It takes a lot of PASSION
to put great work on stage.
Because I am retired from
the teaching now, I can just sit back
 and enjoy the STARS as they shine.
I hope to make it to some more shows still before this dance season is done.


My very own Mariah loves to perform,
and although her technique has
a long way to go yet...
she shines with enthusiasm right now!
To me she will always be a little
STAR
with plenty of SPARKLE!



This past week was one of many trips to STARBUCKS!
 I went nearly everyday last week
with either family and or friends.
There is something about having
a latte out of the cup with the
green logo on it that makes me happy!
Although I took no new pictures
of those trips, I had many great visits with
Jana, Mariah, Beau, dance friend, Kristy,
friend, Joan, and cousin, Gwen
to name a few of  the coffee outings to STARBUCKS.


I also made it to Tim Horton's
a couple of times
with my gym friend, Ella...
and had a couple of lunch
outings last week as well...
One with mom's fiend Clara,
and one with my friend, Gailene.
I was kind of a STAR of
social outings one might say!



I have been getting to more gym classes
 since the dance season at
BSOBAD has wrapped up.

I am enjoying Body Vive, Body Flow,
Sh'Bam and CX works classes at
GOODLIFE gym.
The instructors are all excellent there...
they are like STAR quality to me!
I am however experiencing some
hip and toe issues which I hope
to get to the bottom of soon...
I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow,
but in the meantime a little
STARBUCKS
is always a good
PICK Me UP!


I am still enjoying the reality shows on TV...
After "American Idol", "The Voice"
and "Dancing With The Stars"
crowned their season's STARS...
I moved on to watching
"AMERICA'S GOT TALENT" and
"SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE"
and "DUETS" along with
"CANADA SINGS".
I love seeing upcoming
talents become STARS!


I was happy to see my friend,
Arlene return to the computer
after her little internet problems
 the last month.
She is one of my STAR blog readers!

Thanks, also to anyone else who takes
time to visit my simple little blog world!


Happy TAPPY Birthday
this week to "dance friends"
Barb and Brian!
I hope you both TAP into
STAR quality birthdays!

On that note...
another poem!

STARBUCKS LATTES
can always enhance...
A great friendly visit,
or any kind of dance!
It seems to bring STAR quality
to all that I do,
And it is pretty tasty...
I might just add, too!
It seems to lift my spirit,
if I am feeling down,
Something about the mermaid
on the cup in her STAR crown...
Has a little way of
cheering me right up,
I just feel much happier after
I've had a cup!

STAYING CONNECTED!

"A good friend is a connection to life-a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.-Lois Wysse


"When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another and ourselves."
-Jack Kornfield


Communication- the human connection- is key to personal and career success."
-Paul J. Meyer

Here is Mariah and Beau here last night when I
picked them up and babysat them...
They seemed to be very connected to TV and their snacks, too!

The two of them seemed to have a spurt of energy...
Bouncing on the couch here...
Whatever Mariah did... Beau copied...
each connected to what the other did! 

Mariah got her School photo order yesterday,
These will be a connection to her Kindergarten year at school! 

Beau eating a bag of fishies at Mariah's school
when we got her yesterday. 

One of my many connections to Mariah this week
 and to Starbucks, too!
I looked after her Wednesday afternoon
while her mommy was at the dentist.

I made a special connection to my mom's friend, Clara this week.
She invited me to join her for lunch at her home in the Luther Tower...
The view up there is such a pretty connection to the city.
Seeing her helped us feel somewhat connected to my mom as well.

Mariah in Gap during a little shopping spree on Monday.
She was doing a headband fashion show
and connecting to her dance poses! 

Jana connecting to someone while in the gap on monday.
Beau was trying on some flip flops
I love that he calls them "TREE TOPS!"
I love kid's connections to some of their first fewwords.

A picture of my old beat up tap shoes.
Last friday, May 25th, was international
TAP DANCE DAY...
I will be connecting with these once again this summer,
because I was asked to be a guest TAP TEACHER
at a local dance summer camp!

Today as we enter the 6th
month of the year already
I am reflecting on some of the
CONNECTIONS
I've made recently and some
I will be making too.


MAY is always a whirlwind of a month with preps for BSOBAD's year end at the studio. Mariah's birthday celebrations dominated last weekend, as well.

This week I reconnected with friends
I haven't seen in a while
and got back to the gym a bit as well.

Monday morning I did a small shop and ate lunch with Jana and the kids at Midtown plaza. Mariah wanted to eat in the
"FOOD PORT"... which is what she called the Food Court!
I wondered why she needed to shop the day after her birthday, but she wanted to get a jump start on ideas for her Birthday!

Tuesday after my Body Vive class at
Goodlife gym, I connected with my friend Gailene, for a little galavant
and lunch outing to
East Side Marios.

Wednesday I continued the theme
of the week which was fast becoming...
"OUT TO LUNCH!"
I got invited to have lunch with my mom's friend, Clara at her home in the Luther Tower.
It felt nice to reconnect with her and she was so appreciative of my little visit, too.
It somehow made me feel connected to mom in some sort of way, as Clara used to join mom and me on Wednesdays for breakfasts in Market Mall back in the day!


I think Jana is lucky she is so connected
to me as I am always ready to pick up
and or babysit her kids...
I looked after Mariah for
a bit on Wednesday and
both kids last night.
I feel so lucky that I can stay
so connected to my grandkids
during their young years.


Yesterday I didn't go out
for lunch again...
 but had a couple of
coffee outings instead.


I met my friend ELLA, who just
returned from her 5 and a half week cruise around the world. We had a lovely visit
over a Tim Horton's coffee.
It felt good to reconnect with her again!


Later yesterday I met a dance friend,
Kristy for a Starbucks. She asked
me if I would be a guest teacher
at her little 4 day Dance Camp
in August this summer.
I felt honored to be asked,
and although somewhat nervous to
"BRUSH" off the old tap shoes
and put them on again,
I am also kind of excited to
reconnect to my passion of
TAP for a brief interlude again, too!


This morning I reconnected to
Body Flow at Goodlife gym
with my friend Ella once again
after a little break from that class...
 might be stiff tomorrow.
I also did CX works on Wednesday
and am still stiff from that one.
I plan to go to a SH'BAM class
in half an hour as well.


I am really trying to reconnect
with the gym now that the month
of May has gone by
and summer is on it's way!

Today would have been
Marilyn Munroe's Birthday...
She lived from
June 1st, 1926- August 5th, 1962.
I came across this very cute
quote today
written by her...
"We are all of us stars,
and we deserve to twinkle."

So on that note...

Today marks the start of
the sixth month of the year,
I am still connecting to how
fast we got here!
I have been looking back
on every reflection...
On who and what is important,
and what is their connection.
As I grow older
my priorities shift a lot,
But I still feel sort of connected
from dot to dot!
I'm evaluating what matters most
in my life to me,
And trying to connect to all
of that in any way I see!!!

A BEARY FUN WEEKEND!

"You really don't have to be young 
to find a friend in a teddy bear."
-Rachel Newman


"Bears need people. 
People need bears."
-Pam Brown


"People rarely succeed unless they 
have fun in what they are doing."
-Dale Carnegie

And "UNBEARABLY CUTE "
photo from
MARIAH'S 6th
"BEAR"-THDAY PARTY yesterday! 

GRIN and BEAR it! 

BEARY CUTE BEAU
GRINNING at the BEAR-thday party! 

Waiting BEARY patiently for  their turns to stuff their BEARS...
The BEAR-THDAY girl got to go first! 

Mariah showing me her
BEARY cute pick of tops for her new BEAR! 

BEAR in mind...both sets of Grandparents were there
to help make the BEAR-THDAY even more special!
Here is Grandpa Arvid and Grandma Nancy...
with the cute BEAR cowboy hat on! 

The SMILIN "BEAR"-THDAY GIRL
with her JUSTIN BIEBER cake... this was so cool it was
CUPCAKES that looked  like one big cake! 

My niece ROWEN was along to help create
 BEAU'S BEAR with him.
Mariah idolizes ROWEN and is always glad
when she comes to join in the fun!

"Each day comes "bearing" its own gifts...
untie the ribbons!" 

Not only did BEAU have lots of icing around his mouth,
he had it on his shirt, pants and shoes, too!
He was a BEARY sticky mess! 

Rowen stuck around after the party,
to help create special
BEAR-THDAY BUNNY...
called RAINBOW! 

During the party... Nels and the Grandpas
 took BEAU to see the bikes across the hall in the mall.
So he ended up with a new bike and helmet, too!
So Mariah wasn't the only one who got
BEARY spoiled at her party.

A BEARY excited look on Mariah's face
backstage at her dress rehearsal
Saturday morning. 

3 generations of DANCERS!
PROUD GRAMMIE D and MOMMY JANA
with MARIAH after her Dance Recital Saturday afternoon.
(I have to say she was BEARY entertaining, too!!!)

BSOBAD DANCE STUDIO OWNER,
BRENDA and me following the Saturday night show! 

My cousin Gwen,
who TAPPED in the ADULT TAP CLASS,
 in the evening show...
posing in a quick photo with me following the show. 

My beautiful year end gift of a bouquet of flowers
with a little trinket case
and metal bookmark which says
"LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE"
on it!



This past weekend I think
MARIAHhad a BEARY special extended
few days of BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
mixed with DANCE!

Her 6th Birthday was last Thursday,
but she did some celebrating
every day since.
Friday her Auntie Ingrid and
her grandparents from Edmonton,
Nancy and Arvid
came for all the festivities.
We shared cupcakes and
family gifts that night.


Saturday was a day filled with
dance from start to finish...
Mariah had a dress rehearsal at TCU
in the morning and stayed with me
through the break until the afternoon
show which she performed in.
She went back to do more fun visits and celebrations with her family that night.
I however stayed on and watched
the evening performance of the
BSOBAD year end Show.
"ONE WORLD, ONE FAMILY"
It was a fabulous show, too,
and I say congrats to all involved...
I was BEARY impressed with
everyone's awesome efforts!


Sunday was a BEARY exciting day, too.
Mariah and her 9 birthday party guests
created teddy bears at
"Build A Bear" in the Midtown Plaza.
I was also impressed at the
BEARY organized little
BEAR-thday Party they do.
While each child created a bear
and picked out a top and ear bows...
games and songs were sung
to keep things running smoothly.
They played hot potato to determine
who would be next to stuff their bear.
When each child got a bear stuffed...
the others yelled out
"STUFF THAT BEAR!"
IT was a BEARY enthusiastic party.


The gifts and cake had to take place
out in the mall... which went pretty well.
Beau went shopping with the grandpas
during some of the party and
picked out a new bike,
so he was BEARY lucky as well.


Today my 6 year old party dancer
called me first thing to see if I would
"like to go wander through the mall"
 and shop with her.
I said "What on earth does a girl
need after the weekend she just had?"
She thought she might to go look
for Christmas ideas.... hehehe...
oh what a kid!
So I did join her, Beau and Jana
for a little impromptu shop
and fun this morning!

I would have to say MARIAH
was one BEARY LUCKY
PARTY DANCER this weekend!


I am sort of glad the pace
is a little slower today after a
BEARY FUN WEEKEND!


So on that note...
here is my poem of the day...


GRIN and BEAR It!
This weekend was a busy one...
filled with lots of fun!
I tapped into so BEARY much,
but now those days are done.
Saturday was very long,
and also not by chance...
It was filled with special times
and lots and lots of dance!
Then "BEAR"-thday celebrations
for Mariah, who's now SIX,
Her party guests were in for such a
BEARY FUN-FILLED fix!
Curly hair and cupcakes...
and presents and balloons,
Partying and dancing...
to BEARY many tunes!
Everyone was GRINNING
and laughing with such joy...
Every single party girl,
along with our wee boy!
The weekend had a special theme,
and I am going to share it,
And the theme, I'd have to say was...
Just to "GRIN and BEAR IT!"