RAK Yvonne's Entry!

RAK ...Brenda's entry!

Summer Vacation...

ALMOST here! One more day of work, I can not wait!!
SUMMER CHALLENGE! Here it goes...

Create a card to send as an RAK...random act of kindness,
Ever think, I should send that person a little card, just to say "I've been thinking of you"...someone you do not normally send a card to. Post a pic, name goes in a draw for SUNDAY, JULY 4th...a card maker surprise bag!
Spread the word, love to see some new faces!

Summer vacation??

ALMOST!!
two more days for teachers, but the kids are officially done. I am soooooo looking forward to this holiday. It is shaping up to be pretty busy right now, July filling up quickly.

Graduation is over and done with! It went well, always fun to watch the Grand March, and even more fun to watch the look on their faces up on the stage as prize money is read off.
It was weird coming back in March; just in time to jump in to graduation preparations.
Really nice this year to have the kids interested in an alternative Grand March/Prom party. Yes, their was still the usual drunken party, parents condoning the activities of the night (still way beyond my comprehension), but this year a group of parents got together and gave the kids a real fun night, that chose to stay substance free. Kudos to you! Supper, casino night, amazing race-type challenges, dessert buffet and a late night swim in the Village pool...doesn't get much better than that! I snuck out at 2 am to catch some of it, and was thankful to get back in bed by 4am; I can only imagine how exhausted some of those kids were!

Dalton is celebrating, too. Grade 8, here we come! He was really quite worried about it, but thankful to be moving on with his friends, especially with the grade 8 trip to Ottawa every spring.
To top off his week, Dalton received word from the Children's Wish Foundation, his Wish has been granted! We all get to go to Toronto in September for a Toby Keith Concert!! The Foundation also plans a week of activities for the family, so it will be a welcomed vacation for the Browns.
Crying For Me (Wayman's Song) is a great Toby Keith song, he wrote for a friend that died from cancer complications.
Of course, Dalton's favorite has to be Beer for My Horses with Willie Nelson!!!

Off to visit Shawn and Cathy, Steph and Jeremy and their new spouses to be! They are growing up...hard to imagine these were the same kids we took four wheel driving on the back trails, all sharing ice cream from Fundy House. Where does the time go?!

Apples to Apples!

what a glorious day...x2!!!
Yesterday, I got home afterschool, and took a quick look at the deck's thermometer...38.4 degrees!! Wowzers!! I headed out for the Grad picnic, and was even surprised the Anchorage was sunny and warm...that never happens!! Nice to hang out with the excited young people; festivities are on; Baccalaureate Sunday 2:30 at Seal Cove Wesleyan, Grand March Tuesday night at 8pm (no prom this year; instead, parents have organized a chemical free after Grand March party, going into the weee hours). It should be a lot of fun for them; hope it becomes an annual tradition.
Wednesday, 12 noon: GRADUATION!!

This weekend seems a little weird; Dalton begged all week to go to the PaintBall Rally, but we insisted he not go, his system just can't handle it yet. He finally conceded, but wanted to at least be able to go and help get it set up, and watch his friends. Glad he still gets to be a part of it, in a small way.
After last night's rally, he went to Brandon's, and hung out in his pool. Looks like today's plan goes pretty much the same. Amazing, because Dalton does not really like the water, and does not swim. Maybe this will be the key to getting him to learn!

Thursday night...SO MUCH FUN!!!
Kerrin and Rhonda came by with a celebration cake and a sign of our success at the Relay for Life. Dalton's Padres had raised $4562.76!! And we even added on another $100 this week. Pretty special. We couldn't get the whole team together, but some joined us for cake, and after the grown ups all left, Dalton invited the kids to stay for a game of Apples to Apples. It's a really fun game, if you have never played it, worth picking up. Great for all ages.

well, yes...just about Friday!

I had a great time Wednesday night with the scrapppygals, We got together, not to bid a sad farewell, but rather a celebration of time spent with our friend Crystal, who is being transferred off our Island, back to anothere Island. We're really happy for you, Crystal..honest!!

Is it Friday yet?!

I wish I had a magic wand that I could swing around and say NO MORE HOMEOWRK!!! What a fight last night to get Dalton to finish up an Art Project. He is usually pretty good about power point presentations, but for some reason, this project really had him stumped. Maybe it had to do with the fact it was on Joan Miro, a spanish surrealist.
WHO????
Yeah, my thoughts too!! Once we got digging into some research, we did find his work kind of interesting, but please? What grade 7 boy would find a dead artist from the 1920s and 30s interesting???!
At least it is done. Since we have come home, it has been a real struggle for Dalton to get any homework done. He is just plain exhausted. We have managed to get some tutoring time in a couple of days a week, but homework is the furthest thing from his mind. He still falls asleep a couple of evenings, but then again, so do I!

Might be time to shake things up a bit on here. With summer vacation coming, I want to start offering some challenges for card making and scrapbooking. Stay tuned!!
Have you been checking out Close To My Heart's website??The daily specials through June are pretty awesome! www.chocoholic.myctmh.com

EXAM week!

oh Joy, oh Bliss! I only have a few kids writing my exam, but it still puts a dent in the schedule! I finally got the exam done tonight, so I just have to get it printed off and photocopied. Now to get back to the important stuff...Graduation! Can not believe it's only a week and a half away- so much still to do.
We got back from Halifax with good reports; a very busy couple of days at IWK. Next, we head to Fton in July for chemo.
With good weather to wake up to, I started walking every morning this week, before the household was even up. It has been a great way to start the day, sunlight peering through the lupines and trees. I haven't seen any deer yet, although I am pretty sure I heard one yesterday in the trees. (that, or it was a mighty big raccoon!) It is so peaceful that time of day, even before the morning boat traffic starts barreling through, and before the big trucks shake you off the road. A good time to talk to God and thank Him for all our blessings. Today in church, Pastor Rideout challenged us to choose five people to pray for...not just casual prayers, but five people you feel really need God in their lives, and to pray for opportunities for them. Not that YOU have to be a part of those opportunities, but it may help! You never know what God has up His sleeve!!
I have two on my list so far...I'm sure I will come up with more on tomorrow morning's walk.
tried getting a head start in cooking today for teh week...but it didn't work out! Dalton is just coming off his prednisone week, and has been eating anything not nailed down. I made roast beef for dinner, and then we had an unexpected friend drop in, so we invited him to stay...so much for leftovers!! I made a couple of loaves of oatmeal batter bread, too...very yummy! Love Company's Coming recipes.
Big news in today...Dalton's Padres final totals are in...the team rasied $4562. I am so proud of them! We had such a fun night. can't wait for next year!!

IWK

a crazy long week!!! We didn't get a lot of sleep after the Relay, but didn;t accomplish much on Saturday, either. Sunday, we headed back to Halifax, meeting up with IWK buddy Mathieu. Dalton was pretty happy to see him, and to head to IMAX for Shrek. Monday and Tuesday were jam packed full of appointments, but everything went well. Everyone was thrilled to see how well Dalton was doing. Dalton enjoyed visiting with Rose and Karl at the hospital, as well as stopping by to see Estelle and Buddington. Dalton is taking part in a new study at IWK, this one with Spirituality and cancer kids. Interesting to learn he is the first kid in the study who mentioned church and Youth Group. He'll have a couple more interviews with teh Dalhousie Grad Student, so it should prove interesting.

Relay for Life!!

Wow! Can't believe it's almost here! I went to the Committee meeting last night, and then tonight held a team meeting for Dalton's Padres. I am so excited...we've raised $3000 so far, just us! We're making plans for the night; home base decorations, and snacks, etc. Just praying the rain will hold off for us. I know there will be some emotional moments, but it will be an awesome night. Last night we read a story about why the Relay is at night. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. Basically, the Relay is held at night to coincide with the cancer victim's life...it gets pretty dark when they first are diagnosed, and depend on the light of so many others to get them through this. In the middle of the night, they often feel all alone, and may not be confident they can make it through. But by dawn's light, they know there is hope, and strength returns.
The story was much more eloquent, but that gives you the basic idea. Maybe I'll post the whole thing at a later time.
If you are not participating in the walk, I hope you at least get out to a local event to support the Survivors and to see the Luminary Walk at dusk.
and don't forget your Kleenex!

The Journey

is so much brighter, having met great friends along the way!
I just had to share this link...
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/05/31/nb-lab-technologist-career-ambition-602.html#socialcomments
Sara is a most amazing gal; Dalton met her at IWK, and they quickly became friends. They both knew laughter is such a good medicine, and enjoyed trying to outdo each other with pranks, especially when drs became involved!
This summer, Dalton will get to go to Camp Goodtime, a week of summer camp for kids with cancer, along with a non-cancer friend. Dalton will meet up with Sara and another IWK pal, Mathieu at the camp. It's been so great for Dalton to meet new friends, who know exactly what he's going through. These kids have all been amazing, what a privilege to have met them along the way!