2004 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2006 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2007 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2008 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2009 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

January 2004

31 Our Doctor tells us that Bryn will be a big baby, but we had already suspected that ourselves.

February 2004

2 3 4 'So where is this 'Bryn' I keep hearing about?' asks Jamfi. 'Yeah, enquiring minds want to know!' pipes Ferris. Bryn's still at the hospital, and he's got visitors! Here's Yvette. And this is Vania. 5 Bryn is surprisingly strong! In addition to pushing his head backwards to arch his back, he also no trouble rolling from his side onto his back, and is almost able to roll back onto his side again. 6 Our first night home was bit challenging, up every fifteen minutes from 11pm to 3am. We finally got the 'cycle' started problem, though, and got two good blocks of 2-3 hours sleep before rising. 7 Now that we're 'experts', the second night's sleep was very good, although Jill's had a headache plaguing her. 8 Anne Geddes, eat your heart out! 10 11 15 Sorry for the delay getting these pictures up; it's been a bit busy around here lately. This is Mike's good friend Mike Tuchsherer (they grew up together in Lumsden), and his wife Vicki Pasternak. 20 I'm getting quite frustrated with my digital cameras' quality (or lack thereof). I've decided to find an 'acceptable' camera, without having to spend too much money. For now, here's the best I can do: 21 Bryn looks impressed. Our friend Treela Smith came by to see the bah-bee and to hang out for a while. M&M are expecting their first child on March 17th. (Coincidentally, that happens to be my 'second birthday', the day I was brought home from the adoption center.) Amanda is also expecting her first (in June, I think). People have been complaining that there aren't enough pictures of me, so here ya go! 22 I'm trying to get some portraits done. I'm experimenting with this lovely new digital camera first, hoping to find places in the house that have good natural light. (I hate the harshness of a flash.) It's also a bit of a challenge to prop Bryn in a nice 'pose'. Here are a few of the first attempts. Yolanda Brown (Mitchell's sister) graced our presence in the morning. It's always nice to see her, since she can't come around much anymore, while she's staying up in the hinterland, north of Toronto. Oh, and here's Ferris again. Eventually we'll show you a picture of Cosmo too. We also gave Bryn a bath today. He really likes baths! (He also likes showers, but not as much as baths.) 23 For his birthday 'celebration', Bryn decided to make some faces in the mirror that's sitting in his cradle. (The last one kind of looks like his Grandpa Mabey.) Our friends Doug and Terry came by for supper and a 'viewing'. Jamfi imposed herself on Terry to provide some entertainment. Mike felt like getting his picture taken, leading to a 'Jekyll & Hyde' introspective. 'Evil Bryn' was kind enough to make an appearance for the 'Hyde' shot. Finally, Bryn decided to exhibit his alacrity for the circus, accompanied by a soundtrack from his dad. 24 Lookit the two roosters!!! It's the 'Pirate Eye'. Arrrrrgh! 25 It's time for another 'Hair Party'. Every month or so, a bunch of us get together to have our hair done. Our longtime friend (and master colourist and stylist) Dyllon always manages to give you a new perspective on matters. Bryn was quite content sitting on the counter, watching everyone get their new do's. One of the regulars at the party is Sue Scrimgeour (Michelle and Amanda's mother). This was her first chance to see Brynioch 'in the flesh'. I managed to catch Sue, Jill and Bryn in a candid movie moment. (They thought I was just taking another still pic.) 27 People have been anticipating a picture of our other cat, Cosmo. Well here he is! By the way, Cosmo and Ferris are brothers. Can you see the family resemblance? 28 Jill's Aunt Susan and Uncle Syl held a surprise baby shower at their place in Kitchener! There were many wonderful presents, including two beautiful hand-made blankets, a metal piggy bank in the shape of a train, collector coins, some great clothes for Bryn, and numerous other much-appreciated items. Everybody had fun doing their 'Baaaaaa-d' imitations of the sheep. Here are Aunt Susan (on Jill's dad's side of the family) and her husband Syl. Jill's dad (Rob) and Glenna managed to make it. As you can tell, Rob doesn't much like having his picture taken. Bryn's Great Grandma Ruth Mabey was there. This is Jill's Aunt Sylvia. She's recently a grandmother herself; Austin, her daughter Sarah's son, just turned 4. Here is Jill's Aunt Venus. And Venus' son David. This is Jill's cousin Katy-Ann, the daughter of Jill's Aunt Ruth. Here is Jill's cousin Sabrina, the daughter of Jill's Uncle Frank. It was really nice to see everyone. After the long day, Jill's rather tired. Bryn is strapped in for his ride home to Toronto. Play Dogs, Play! 29

March 2004

1 Here's Jamfi in Taylor Creek Park, which is a 10 minute walk from our house. 2 Mike has fun being 'artistic' with the tripod. Jamfi slept beneath the tripod, through it all. Mike, Jill, Bryn and Jamfi go for a walk in Taylor Creek Park. When Jamfi runs with other dogs, she often gets a 'hedgehog' on her bum. There wasn't enough light for a perfect picture, but this one is still nice. 3 Here's Bryn, drying off after his bath. We decided to 'out', so we popped over to the Renaissance Cafe. This is a local bar/coffee shop that hosts many 'indie' events, like poetry nights and music open-stages. Bryn seemed to enjoy it. This is our friend Cheri Michael, who works at the Cafe. She's also involved in the arts community, organizing the 'Sirens' performance series. (Jill was a featured performer at the first Sirens event.) After that, we decided to pop over to visit our friend Nik Beat, while he was rehearsing. Nik is a fixture on the Toronto poetry scene, hosts a local radio show called 'Howl' on CIUT, and is also a singer-songwriter. Click on the picture to watch one of the songs being rehearsed. 4 We have a 'Chuck-it' to throw balls for Jamfi. Being so close to the creek, we invariably lose balls. (Sometimes it feels worse than a bad golf game.) Occasionally we're lucky enough to retrieve one. And other times we aren't. Look out, here come some Dog People! 5 Bryn isn't a big fan of 'tummy time' Cosmo watches on with detached bemusement. 6 So off I go to Shopper's for a quart of hydrogen peroxide, which I mixed with 2 ounces of baking soda and a teaspoon of dish soap, and proceeded to wash the dog outside at midnight. We left her out there until 4am, and then let her into the basement for the last part of the night. She didn't smell quite so awful by then, but I still did the cleaning ritual again in the morning. Bryn's finally starting to smile for real. There's even a little movie to watch. Here's Bryn in his 'golfing' outfit. Usually people comment that Bryn looks most like his mom, but here he seems to look at bit more like his dad. 7 'My, you look dapper today, Bryn!' 'Yes, I know.' Up this close, Jamfi still smells like a skunk. 8 He still hates it. Jamfi keeps a close watch. 'Don't leave me like this.' 'I'm all alone!' 'I already hate my parents (and I'm not even a teenager yet)!' 9 Jill decided she wanted to carry Bryn today. 11 The sunrise was beautiful this morning! I missed capturing the colors, but here's the sun peaking through the trees. By the way, these were taken from our front bedroom window, on the 2nd floor. While Jill returned to her fitness club for first time today (leaving me to watch Bryn), I figured I would try to get a few nice pictures. I took Jamfi for a walk in 'The Beaches' (a.k.a. 'The Beach' by the locals). Here she is waiting patiently for me to throw the ball, down by the main water treatment plant. For those who are wondering what type of dog Jamfi is, she's a 'Smooth Collie'. 5-10% of Collies have a recessive gene that causes short hair, so basically she's 'Lassie with a brushcut'. The waves from Lake Ontario splashing up on the piers can create some amazing, natural sculptures. Here's an 'art photo', as an homage to my photographer friend, Vuk Vuksanovic. 12 Linda Saslove met Bryn. She's a singer-songwriter, who will be playing at Mike's 40th birthday party, on the Saturday of Labour Day weekend. The last time we saw her perform was during Winter Folk on January 31st, two days before Bryn was born! Nik Beat performed some of the songs that we was rehearsing on March 3rd. 13 Another sleepy pose... This is Mike's cousin, Lori Strain. She's the first family member on Mike's side to meet Bryn 'in the flesh'. This is the new opera house, being built at Queen & University. You can see the stage and the orchestra pit. Looking north up University Avenue Toronto City Hall Old City Hall (it's a courthouse now) 14 Here's Paul Tuchscherer and his wife Cristina. Here's Vicki, playing with Bryn. (That's M&V's beloved cat, Marvin, in the background.) Mike looks like he's pretty comfortable with Bryn. We'll definitely be giving them a call for baby-sitting duties. Did I mention that they liked their cat. By the way, Marvin is a 'ragdoll'. 15 17 Well isn't that silly! The only person in our house wearing green was our friend, Neil Rich. (Forgive the strange pictures. I had the camera setup incorrectly, and this was the best I could salvage from the shots.) 18 Bryn was having fun making faces. You might call this a 'poopy face'. Jamfi like's to watch over Bryn (and to share his blanket). 19 Bryn's starting to interact more with his environment, responding to both people and things. We finally got over to visit our friends and neighbors, Rob and Diane. I didn't manage to get a picture of their son, Alex. 20 Bryn just caught his first cold (probably from his dad). Oh well, like father, like son... 23 24 Tummy time is slowly become more enjoyable to Bryn, although he still doesn't like it for long. Every couple of days he manages to flip himself over. In fact, right after Jill took these pictures, he flipped over and kept on rolling, right off the bed! He wasn't hurt, though, and cried for only a few seconds. Poor little guy! Cosmo and Ferris enjoy the fresh spring air. 25 Finally, Grandma Hanson (Mike's mom Ellen) has met Bryn. She's here for a week-long visit, and she refuses to let go of the baby. Bryn's wondering where Grandma went. Jamfi with rawhide at Bryn's side 26 Jill took these pictures while Mike was out walking Jamfi. Mike's mom is very hard to photograph looking 'normal', so it's satisfying when pictures turn out this nicely. 27 Bryn's cozy for a walk in 'The Beach' area of Toronto Mike & Jamfi in Kew Beach Park Bryn, the Clown! 28 Jamfi enjoys snuggling under the curtain. Bryn's getting better at tummy-time. Here's the proud father! It's hard to believe that Bryn was once almost this small. Jill's enjoying holding him. Michelle looks great (only 2 days after giving birth by C-section, following 8-hours of induced labour). This is Michelle's sister, Amanda. (You've seen her on this site before.) She's also expecting, sometime in June if I recall correctly. Mike gets his turn with the little bundle. Back at home that evening, we invited our next-door neighbors, Rob & Michelle, over for a round of Schmidt's Rummy.

April 2004

2 3 I really don't like the artificial quality of a flash picture. For example, look at these two pictures with and without flash. Although the second is a bit fuzzy due to Bryn's fidgeting, the picture looks much more natural. There's also much more sense of depth and space. This next picture has so many shades of gray, that it practically begs to be viewed in Black & White. Here's Bryn, snuggled up in his carrier, sleeping while we shop. We took Mom shopping on Bayview Ave. in Leaside (the area of Toronto where my sister Michelle used to live). While Mom and Jill looked at clothes, I got bored and played with the camera. I was intrigued by the similarity of colors between the clothes in the front of the shop and the signs across the street. 5 I'm a ballet star! 6 7 After resisting it as long as I possibly could, I finally admitted that with the parents, kid, dog, occasional extra passenger(s), and all the associated stuff, only a minivan would do the job. So we leased a 2004 Toyota Sienna LE for 4 years. As far as minivans go, this is the best of the bunch. Bryn's a smilin' fool! Except when he's not. He's starting to be able to hold the bottle himself. 8 9 Although our tulips have been poking out of the soil since February, these little beaties blossomed overnight. I think they're crocuses, but I'm not sure. For those of you who were curious, this is what our new minivan (Ugh!) looks like from the outside. Here's a nice picture of Jill. 10 With all this picture taking going on, I was shocked to realize that we didn't have a shot of the three of us together. Jill's Aunt Susan handled the camera, and I'm really happy with the results. Jill, Bryn and Jamfi... hanging out. Big mouth! 11 This is Bryn's babysitter, Liana, and her daughter Christine. (Liana is also my bookkeeper, which is how I got to know her.) When Jill heads back to work (probably in the fall), Bryn will be going over to hang with Liana and Christine. 12 14 15 16 Bryn really like's his bath. Dad and Bryn have fun before bedtime. Of course, Jamfi wants to be part of the action, and Bryn enjoys the show. 17 Mike's reading to Bryn at bedtime. 18 We took a walk along the river near their place. Jamfi and Angus (the black Scotty) have a great time together! Jill with Kristen, Glenna's daughter. Back at Rob's house... Uncle Mike (Jill's brother) gets a turn. Now we jump forward to the 18th at our place. Jill and I have found it very challenging to get good pictures of Bryn sporting his wonderful smile, but Glenna didn't seem to have the same troubles. There was a big thunderstorm today, and the aftereffects could still witnessed on our walk at the beach. It's the Mike & Mike show! 19 20 Here's a little movie of Bryn 'talking'. 21 Bryn plays the kicking game passed down from his cousin Anders, while Jamfi hangs out nearby. 22 The really amazing thing is that Connor is not quite one-month old, while Bryn is almost three-months old. However, they are the same length, but Bryn weighs 14-pounds while Connor weighs only 7-pounds! Connor says, 'I know Kung Fu.' 25 It's Matt's 35th birthday today. (For those of you who don't know, Matthew is Mike's Brother.) Here's a birthday wish from Mike & Bryn. 26 It's been too long since we got to visit with our friend Peter Rintoul. (To give you an idea of how long, this is the first time that Peter's met Bryn.) By the way, this is Bryn's favorite position; we call it 'Super Bryn!' No Peter, you can't eat the baby. 28 29 Connor sure is getting bigger! Jill and Bryn in the grass. 30 We went to a party at Yvette's, and enjoyed meeting many of her family and friends. Yvette is originally from Zimbabwe, as were most of the people at the party. This is Yvette's son, Caesar, with his friend Aaron. Here's Yvette's sister, Mercedes. Their mom, Priscilla, has her back toward the camera in the first shot, and is hamming it up in the second. I don't know who this was, but she sure was ugly!!! Dancing Ceasar

May 2004

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 Bryn is starting to reach out and grab things. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 This is our backyard, as seen from the balcony outside our bedroom. We're in the process of adding a little, bricked patio area, which explains the bit of excavated soil on the deck. 23 Visiting our friend, Leah, who's very happy to finally get on Bryn's website. 25 26 This William and his mom Cheryl. They live on our cul-de-sac, and William is about 8-months older than Bryn. 27 This is Eric. He's about a month older than Bryn, and lives across the street and down a few houses. Bryn and Connor were hanging out again. Bryn's started to reach out to other children, rather than merely staring at them with detached bemusement. 28 Sorry for the sideways movie...

June 2004

1 2 4 5 Here we are during our first stop, in a park in downtown London, ON. Here we are in our first hotel. It's a Super 8 in southern Dayton, OH. We stayed here two years ago, and decided to go the same place again. Unfortunately, it's gone downhill since then, so we won't be coming back again. Bryn slept on the second bed, ensconced within his 'bumpers'. This worked much better than carting around a playpen, which Bryn doesn't really like anyway. 6 The trip down involves about 11 hours of driving, which Bryn handled pretty well. I drove the entire distance without a map, except for the last stretch between Knoxville and Gatlinburg. I took this picture just north of Pigeon Forge (Dolly Parton's hometown), which should give you an idea of why I needed a map. Bryn's getting ready for some fun in the pool. 7 Bryn really enjoys playing in the water. We're definitely going to get him some swimming lessons, ASAP. 8 The Smokey Mountains around Gatlinburg offer some of the nicest hiking of anywhere that I've visited. Near Gatlinburg is an area called the 'Smokey Mountains Arts and Crafts Community'. Within that is a fantastic little restaurant called the 'Wild Plum Tea Room', which does only lunches. If you're in the area, try not to miss this gem. 10 This is Andrew Guidroz' wife, Sabrina. At each of these conferences they've hosted a Cajun Cookout for all the attendees (about 150 of us), and this year was no exception. You can learn a bit more about Andrew's cooking at www.coonass.com. Here's Andrew and another Clarion programmer, Carl Barnes, cooking up some Crawfish Etouffee (pronounced 'ay too fay'). I carried Bryn around during the cook-out. This is also how we did much of our hiking. (It's good exercise carrying a 15-pound baby up and down a mountain for 2.5 miles.) By the way, it seems that Bryn's got some teeth. 13 14 We put together the 'excer-saucer', handed down from Anders. My first attempt at getting the chair positioned wasn't quite right: This looks a bit better. 15 He's getting strong enough to play in a jolly jumper. 17 21 This picture was added to the website later (Aug 1), but it was taken on Jun 21. This is one of the best pictures I've seen of Bryn's Grandpa Mabey. 22 30 Jill and Bryn went to visit the Scrimgeours' 'place at the lake'. They've been going to Sandercock's Resort on Rice Lake for over 30 years (almost as long as Mike's family has been going to Kenosee Lake). The sunset was lovely! The 'Harvest Moon' was gorgeous!

July 2004

1 Sunrise at Rice Lake was just as lovely! (This adventure started on June 30th.) Mitchell and Connor Here is Amanda with her brand new daughter, Kiara (two-weeks old). Dave (Michelle and Amanda's Dad) and 'Roz'. 2 Connor, Kiara and Bryn Hanging at the Lake Evey Gabe This is Garnet, one of our neighbors at the lake. Michelle and Connor 3 Another beautiful morning at the lake! Mike drove up from Toronto on Friday evening, and took these shots in the morning. (This adventure started on June 30th.) It's turns out that there's a trailer for sale, right by the waterfront, sitting alongside a spring-fed stream. After much consideration (including realizing that we can't take 'normal' vacations until Bryn gets older), we decided to buy it. And here it is.... Here's the stream (which actually runs right through our lot). Helena, watching over Bryn. 'All hail Mitchell, the Sun God!' Connor ponders, 'To be, or not to be...' Back in Toronto, we visited Mike and Vicki, who were celebrating their 4th anniversary. This picture is so bad, that it's good. Bryn's eating some solid food now. One of the neighborhood cats, Zooloo, stopped by to lounge for a while. 4 10 Yolanda's taking care of our house and the animals. 11 It's Mike's sister's birthday today. (She's really old!) This is Anders, Michelle's son (and Bryn's cousin). This is Emily, Matt and Sara's daughter (and Bryn's oldest cousin). Here's Matt and Sara's other child, Luke, with his mom. Of all his cousin's, Luke is the closest to Bryn's age. 12 We pulled out the old photo album, and discovered that Bryn looks much more like his dad than anyone one expected. 13 I'm a little teapot. We went to see the live show 'Saskatchewan Express' down at the beach. Bryn was transfixed by the music and dancing. This little girl fell in love with Bryn's red socks. 14 Hanging at the beach Bryn says, 'I'm having a great time!' 'What was that sound?' 'Help, it's gonna get me!!!' 'Just kidding.' It's the Sideways-Hat Boys. Back at the cottage 15 Jill spotted this little macrocosm in a 1-inch knothole in the deck. 16 Bryn was a bit over-stimulated, so sometimes we had to walk him to sleep. 17 Emily, Anders and Luke had fun in the pool on the deck. It's time for the big golf game. This is the view from the top of hole #1 at Kenosee. Mike's hotrod. Looking for Fran's ball Chris the Golfer Barry was all tuckered out after the golf game. 'Everything Will Be Alright (When We Get To Saskatoon)' 18 Mike 'entertained' the grandkids while Sara raced for her camera. 21 24 Here's a side shot of the trailer. It's in pretty good shape, other than needing a good cleaning. Here's the 'Florida Room'. It's about 1-1/2 times as big as the trailer itself. Here's the kitchen (with the propane check ongoing). This is the 'Dining Room', converted into a bedroom. Another shot of the kitchen, with the two single beds and bathroom beyond that. There are many birds that like to congregate on the point (about 100 feet from our place). The sun goes down after a nice day. Although you would never know it, that's me fishing in the back of that boat (beyond the picnic table). 25 There's a heron (or something) that hangs out off the point. Sunsets abound! 26 Will these sunsets ever stop?!?

August 2004

1 Sharing a glass of wine... 2 4 6 Bryn Laughing! 7 There were a bunch of chipmunks hanging out around Jamfi's bowls. Each day I was up earlier than everyone else. On this particular day, I bit through my lip while eating an orange. I decided to take a picture of my poor lip, and things went downhill from there. A friend was looking at the pictures above, and remarked that one of them looked like the cover of King Crimson's album, 'In the Court of the Crimson King'. I'm inclined to agree. It was chilly this morning, so we put on a fire. Irony? Time for a hike 8 Going on a hike! Playing on the dock! Bryn's first swim in a lake... That's a big ol' ant! Did we mention that Brynioch likes blueberries? 9 Bryn like's to ham it up for the camera, just like his Dad). Bryn is definitely a water baby! 10 We went on a canoe ride, and Jamfi managed to track us all along the lakeshore. (She's not a big fan of swimming.) Family Pictures... LET'S EAT THE BABY!!! 11 14 16 17 Rubber Ducky, you're the one... 19 21 Panorama #1 (click to see bigger version) Panorama #2 (click to see bigger version) Bryn really enjoys carrying the Chuck-It. He'll hold onto it for an hour without letting go. 22 Putting on a sweater... Let's go fly a kite 25 Bouncing, Bouncing Baby... Bad Hair Day! Jill's eye sure is purdy! 27 31

September 2004

2 Raspberry! 'Thank-you! Thank-you very much! You're beautiful.' [Bryn doing his best Elvis impersonation] Jamfi in motion: Jamfi standing still (which is rather unusual): 4 5 Bryn sure loves playing with water! Connor does too! 6 7 8 Michellerella: 13 Jamfi's bone smells pretty awful. I'm gonna get me a lion! Look, a ferocious jungle cat! That was fun! Back at the lodge, contemplating the day's expedition 14 16 17 The Leslie sisters: Megan, Amber and Zoe Bryn's bemused by it all. 18 I intend to have fun at the park today! Hey baby, let's swing. Do you mind if I taste it first? Crawling backwards gets you stuck under chairs. 20

October 2004

2 Eating out makes me feel so sophisticated! 3 6 Connor in his exer-saucer: Amanda and Kiara Lunch-time is a good time for sleeping. Transluscent Bryn Connor in Bryn's chair: 7 Bryn's finally crawling on his own. He managed to discover the underside of his exersaucer. Hey look, another baby! Spider Bryn Sometimes Bryn enjoys travelling during his naps. Jamfi at the top of the stairs Ferris Cosmo Jill took some pictures of Vania and her girls down the street. Since Bryn sees them almost everyday, they're like a second family to him. Here's Eric again, just down the street. It's hard to believe that he's only a month older than Bryn. 8 Bryn and Cosmo, enjoying each other's company 9 We were in St. Lawrence Market, and we bought a little Pinnochio puppet for Bryn. While at the market, Mike picked up the ingredients to make some Boudin sausage. It's a cajun treat, which he first enjoyed at the conference in Gatlinburg, this past spring. It was far more difficult to stuff a sausage than we figured it should be, and we probably won't be making them again, anytime soon. That sausage in the front is not only the first of the batch, it's the first the Mike has ever made! 10 12 Here are some more neighbors. We're surrounded by babies!!!! 16 Yolanda landed her dream job, so she's moving from Toronto to Vancouver. We already miss her! 19 Bryn has started to pull down the bumpers in his crib to get a better view of the world. Occasionally, it even makes a good pillow. 22 25 Bryn's gotten into the habit of standing up in his crib. At the Gate Don't eat the bone! William and Bryn Little Winker Jamfi, STAY! Hey, you little freak! 28 Cousin Anders and Aunt Michelle came for a visit. (Maybe will get a picture of Michelle tomorrow.) 29 31 Stair climbing is a new sport around here. Pre-Halloween Sky Connor the Spider Kiara the Pumpkin Bryn the Doctor Anders the Pumpkin leads the Halloween Parade! Scary Anders This one wins the scary prize.

November 2004

2 4 5 7 11 16 Fun in the tub 18 Later, he does some eating and thinking. 19 20 21 25 27 This is a Great picture of Great Grandma Mabey! This is a rocking horse that Jill bought before Bryn was even conceived. (She didn't tell Mike until much later.) His hair looks much like Mike's when he was a baby. Yuck! Here's the whole fam-damily... 28 Rocking Horse Bryn Playing the Piano

December 2004

1 2 Here's Bryn at his daycare. 4 5 Up the stairs 11 15 This is a 'paperwhite' that Jill's mom gave us. Mugging for the camera 22 24 25 Good morning everyone! Merry F***ing Christmas!!! Here, you eat some... Happy in his cage I still wanna be a cowboy 26

January 2005

8 Before and after Photoshop: 9 14 23 25 29 This was Bryn's first ride in the forward-facing car seat. He seems pretty happy with it. 30 Snakes Snow Suds Smiles Squirms Snuggles

February 2005

2 4 9 13 14 19 It's a perfect fit. Doesn't everyone read books while they're climbing the stairs?!? 'How quickly can I empty the Kleenex box before mom catches me?' 'I must escape!!!' 28 Mike programs mostly with a system called Clarion, and they're about to come out with a '.NET' version. Bryn's providing a bit of advertising space.

March 2005

4 Bryn was sick on his birthday, so he wasn't able to eat any birthday cake (which would have been his first experience with baked goods). Vania gave us a couple of cupcakes, so we decided to let him have a bit. It appears that he enjoyed it! 6 We've had a bunch of snow over the past while, along with freezing and thawing temperatures. This pile of snow on our balcony, and a bunch of really intense icicles appeared. They all fell down later that day. Bryn thought it was really neat. UP !!! 14 20 22 24 25 26 27 In this picture, you can actually see Bryn's first tooth, which popped about a week ago. Bryn climbed into the cupboard. (No, we didn't put him in there!) Blueberry Lipstick Easter Presents from Rob and Glenna I still wanna be a cowboy! 'I'm on the outside now.'-- Danny Elfman Thanks for the drink, Grandpa! 28

April 2005

2 3 9 Water Sports In the Tube 10 Shadows and Light On the Steps Driving my car Jamfi's a dog! Brunch with Treela Stampede WrestlingWhere's Ed Whalen when you need him?!?'In the meantime, and in-between time, stay tuned for another edition of...' 12 18 Climbing the Deck Fence... Climbing the Ladder Here's the side patio, along with the back of Mike's stereo room. (Is that Mike peeking out the window?) We installed the side patio and flagstone path during the summer of 2004. Here you see more of the flagstone, and a bit of the covered patio. (Do you think we have enough outdoor spaces?) Jamfi's looking for the sheep. 24

May 2005

1 William's Playground in the Beaches Back at Home Inside 4 7 Mike and his buddy Mike Tuchscherer went out to the trailer to setup the 'Florida Room'. View from the trailer... Taking a break 'I wonder whether I can clog the river with all these leaves...' This is a monument in Roseneath, a little town quite near to the resort. We'll make a point of finding out what it respresents at some point... 14 Here's Bryn the day before his much-needed haircut. He's just a bit too shaggy. 15 'I'm so damn cute!' 24 This is our friend, Val, visiting from England. 25 Killer Goose 28 Michelle made this quilt for Kiara. 29

June 2005

11 18 Baby, you can drive my car 19 20 These are daughters of one of Jill's teammates. I can't recall their names at the moment. 24 26

July 2005

1 2 Start-em young! That's what I always say. Rattlesnake Point is on the Niagara Escarpement, and has some hiking trails with spectacular views. This is Melissa, Jay's Daughter. It's too bad we didn't get a shot of Jay. 3 It's the tube lady! 10 Jill and I went for a canoe trip, while Penny watched Bryn. Here we are in Cobourg. 22 23 Bryn and Porsche Pig try to escape, buyt he hasn't quite got the strength or height to do it. 27

August 2005

6 7 One of Bryn's favorite toys is 'Porsche', a stuffed pig. Bryn knows the sounds for a couple dozen animals, so we decided a membership at the zoo was a good idea. He especially likes the elephants. In fact, 'elecant' was his first three syllable word. Apparently it was Jill's too, when she was a baby. Bryn says, 'Come! Come!' 8 Here's the whole gang on the steps (except for Bryn, who refuses to leave the pool). 16 17 20 21 Can you see the frog? Bryn sure loves that pig! 22 Peter complained that he was always sitting in the pictures from last year. This year, he vowed to be active in all the shapshots. I almost caught him relaxing in the recliner, but he lunged into motion as soon as he spotted the camera. 28 30

September 2005

3 Mike turns 41 today. Bryn loves Papa's pool. In addition to swimming like a fish, he was jumping off the poolside and diving board, and going down the slide. It appears that Angus likes the pool too. After a fun time swimming, Bryn wanted to do his share of the maintenance. Papa is install a new lamp. Glenna is basking in the warm water. Lunchtime! Hanging for the afternoon.. ...Until suppertime! This corn is great! 4 10 17 25

October 2005

1 Getting ready for the day... Wild Thing! Jill, Bryn, Amanda, Nanna Sue and Kiara are watching the carousel. Conner, Mitchell and Michelle are here too. And don't forget Mike! Bryn's entranced. Time for a ride! Bouncey House Petting Zoo Bryn says, 'I had a great time!' 8 Jill's mom has a great donkey named Patches. Both Mike and Bryn think Tinker Toys are cool! 9 More Tinker Toy tinkering Getting ready to explore It's a gourgeous fall day. 15 Dance! Piano Duet 16 18 29 Sharing a Bathroom Break 30 Trying on the costume the day before Halloween 31 Look at me! I'm a bunny!!! Mommy looks pretty weird too. Don't forget the whiskers. Oh yeah, I need a carrot too, and a basket never hurts when you're a rabbit. Ok, I think I'm ready to go. Now I'm a bunch of grapes!!! Jill carved a great pumpkin!

November 2005

5 A remnant of Halloween Paper Hat Faces Kindergym 6 19 When we put him down for his nap, Bryn usually doesn't fall asleep right away. We'll frequently find him sleeping here and there around his room. Today it was in glider. 24 26 Winter dusk at Grandma Penny's farm near Bancroft Plastic Tinkertoy Construction Time Jill hates this picture.

December 2005

3 4 The cake was one of Mike's mother Ellens famous cakes. Unfortunately, this was had been kept in the freezer for almost a year, and was terribly freezer burnt. Mike still couldn't resist one more bite, before throwing the remainder away. (A big sigh could be heard throughout the house.) 10 Bryn loves this horse. Not only can he sit on it, it also plays a great rendition of the William Tell Overture (a.k.a. the theme from the Lone Ranger). Back out home, he'll often dole out umbrellas to all in the living room, then start up the music with a squeeze of the horse's ear. Then he demands that everyone join him in a parade of makeshift umbrella hobby-horses. Dancing with the freaky mechanical snowman. (Mike is truly creeped out by this contraption, even though loves the grostesque statue in his music room.) Bryn and Jill's brother Aaron. Bryn's cousin Tyler, Bryn, and his Dad. (Don't look too closely at that silly shirt that Dad's wearing.) 11 Connor constructing a gingerbread house Bryn eating a gingerbread house. Connor realizing that eating is even more fun than building. Bryn continuing to demonstrate (for Connor's benefit, of course). What a great race track! That train track isn't too shabby either. (This started Bryn's love of trains.) 18 Jill has often found Mike posing in front of the mirror (something he admits to doing throughout his life). It appears that Byn is no different. Not only does he enjoy examining his face and its adornments, he also enjoys making a range of expressions, from grumpy to happy to whiney. Stars on Mommy too We visited Mike's birthmother and her family for a Christmas Season dinner. This is Mike's half-brother Andrew. His other half-brother Mike (yes, they have the same name) Irene (Mike's wife), Desiree (Andrew's wife), and Andrew and Des' dog Kiwi Linda helps Bryn with his new Farm set This toy (an alligator that each lego bricks) with the name 'Blockodile'. 23 24 Mike's brother Matthew, his sister Michelle, his mom Ellen, Matthew's wife Sara, and Sara's mother Judy Matt's son Luke Matt's daughter Emily and her Grandpa Nyle (Sara's dad) 25 Anders and Bryn, in their matching Christmas outfits Matt and Emily Michelle and Lucy 26 27 The morning started in Lumsden... But by nighttime, we were at Michelle and Ander's in Saskatoon. 28 29 31 'Ok Grandma, I think that's enough spinning.' 'Here's how the camera works, Bryn...' 'Alright Grandma, now hold still for a picture!' Naptime!

January 2006

1 2 29 Abs of Baby! 31

February 2006

2 4 5 Mike's mom Ellen and Mike's birthmother Linda finally get to meet! 12 25

March 2006

10 Yes, Mike still plays the piano, although he's been a tad too busy to have much free time lately. 17 The secret password is 'Double-Fisted' (only Mike's brother Matt will understand this reference)

April 2006

14 15 Bryn hunted for his Easter goodies today. By the time the weekend was over, he had acquired his weight in chocolate, from family, friends, neighbors, events, etc. He also got an awesome spring jacket from our friends in England, which he's sporting in this picture. 16 We started out having brunch at the Westin Prince Hotel, with Mike's birth-mother Linda, her sons and their wives. Bryn had a fantastic time, with an amazing balloon-twisting, object-juggling entertainer on stilts. The kids had a great time coloring the sidewalk with egg-sized chalk. This is Connor's audition for the Sears catalog.

May 2006

June 2006

3 This 'snort' spent a day or two working on our street, but continued to park each morning in front of our house for the next couple of weeks after that. I suspect the operator realized that Bryn loved seeing it get going each morning. BTW, Bryn's general term for construction vehicles is 'Snort' comes from the P.D. Eastman story, 'Are You My Mother?'. The exact quote is something like, 'You're not my mother. You're a Snort!' 4 Bryn's Grandma Penny has a rather friendly lamb. It was rejected by its mother, so it's been bottle-fed almost since birth. Its name is 'Wizzer', because it pees so often. (Note the deck below its feet.) It's not even afraid of Jamfi, who herds the rest of Penny's sheep, but tends to treat Wizzer more like another dog. The Firehall Restaurant is a great lunch spot on the way from Bancroft to Peterborough. It has innumerable moving toys and models installed on its ceiling, and a couple of old firetrucks out front. 6 8 10 Bryn and his dad, chasing the seagulls and pigeons outside of St. Lawrence Market At a playground near home Megan and Amber playing baseball 15 17

July 2006

1 Psycheledic, man! Der zug komt. I wanna be a Safari Cowboy. 17 4:30am 2:30pm 6:30pm 18 19 20 22 Here he is resting in Grandma Penny's arms. He's sleeps most of the time, and is very quiet. We bought a carrier for Mike's bike, and we finally hooked it up today, as a treat for Bryn. His response: 'Fast and windy!' In other words, it's great fun. Like father, like son. 25 27 28 29 30

August 2006

2 3 4 7 8 12 15 21 22 23 24 25 27

September 2006

3 4 6 7 Our friends Sarah and Benjamin 11 14 16 19 23 24 25 28

October 2006

5 6 8 9 11 14 21 This little piggy... 22 25 27 28 29 31

November 2006

3 5 This reminds us of Bryn back on Halloween 2004. 9 11 17 24 25 26

December 2006

2 Wake Up Sleepy Heads! Santa & Bryn at the Tree Farm! Look Mom! Fire! Connor and Bryn help Mom decorate the tree. Bryn and Finn pretend they are presents! Nice Tree! 3 Amanda the Photog stopped by to take our annual family photo and gets roped into a story with Bryn. Mike and Finn hamming for the camera. Jill & Finn flashing their smiles! At one moment almost the entire house was sleeping, except Jill. She took pictures. 8 16 21 22 24 Treela and Jaquie dropped by for dinner and fun! We were trying to record a beautiful sleeping baby, but he woke up when the camera flashed! Matching Jamies! 25 Tired little Santa. Dinner at Linda's 27 29

January 2007

1 That fixation with music and pretty lights on metal boxes is genetic... 2 This is the Christmas tree after removing all of the ornaments... So nakedly skeletal. Can you hear the funeral durge? note the sheer amount of needles... Poor tree. 4 16 24 26 Jamfi often guards Finnlee. The two of them are near inseparable. Finn is sleeping here, and Jamfi is moping in her Elizabethan splendor. 27 28 The Elefun is a fan (which is kid safe - stops when moved) that blows tent fabric butterflies up a vinyl tube so that kids can catch them. It's alot of crazy crazy fun! Lunch time! Dora time! 29 'Have I mentioned how much I HATE this collar? Just so you know... I hate it...' 30 'Yeah, I still hate this collar, did I mention that already?' 31

February 2007

2 Jill was devistated. The cake kept breaking apart as she iced it... she ended up slapping the peice of cardboad with the Happy Birthday Barnacle Bryn message to hide it, and it looked great. Thankfully, it tasted even better! Look, it's Maniacal Mike the pirate! 3 4 6 Bryn loves his new Garage with noisy alarm box...mom loves the carry case with wheels and handle! Papa and Nana Glenna came to visit and brought cousin Tyler! Tyler loved all the crazy Pirate booty everywhere and became Terrible Tyler the Pirate! 11 Andrew and Desiree introduce us to their new pretty progeny. He's tiny and perfect! This is Uncle Mike holding him. Here's the proud daddy! 19 Jill and Finnlee were playing with a party favor in the kitchen...it was magical! 20 Jill had the wrong setting on the camera...but here's Finnlee and Colum playing together. 28

March 2007

1 7 9 12 Just to freak you out, here's a shot of Bryn when he was about a week older than Finnlee is here. 14 16 20 21 22 24 25 28 29 Giggles (the Sequel to Baby Belly Laugh)

April 2007

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May 2007

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June 2007

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July 2007

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August 2007

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September 2007

13 15 Cake by Jill (with a little help from President's Choice) The Birthday Girl! 16 This is Anne (William's sister). 18 19 23 ...Ok, maybe I am. 29 30

October 2007

5 9 11 25 27 Cake by Wendy Tinning. Everything is edible (including the bowl). 28 31 Goodnight...

November 2007

3 8 22 Our maid 'stages' the bathroom toys in a most amusing way. Note Spider-Man taking a ride in the whale. 27 30

December 2007

1 2 Oodles of Noodles 9 15 21 Southland Mall Nap Time In the Cage! 25 27

January 2008

17 19 20 Is that love? 27

February 2008

2 3 16 Jonathan Hull. Highly recommended! 18 23 26 28

March 2008

1 Mike's hair looked a bit like this when he was younger. 8 19 20 22 The Easter Hunt Our next door neighbor Joe gave the boys chocolate Easter Eggs. 24 28 29 30

April 2008

5 Peter dropped by for a quick visit. 12 13 15 16 19 20 27

May 2008

4 In Finnlee's Bunk At the local Fair In the Park 7 11 24 25 31

June 2008

7 8 15 16 21 Bryn took this picture with our old Kodak DC3200 camera. Can you see the bee? 25 26 27 28 Superheroes!!! The Antagonist: The Protagonist: Peekaboo 29 Waiting for Marshmallows Finnlee loves lining things up, be it marbles, cars, sticks, etc.

July 2008

2 10 This is Jill as a baby. You can certainly see the resemblance to Finnlee. 12 Michelle and Mitchell are expecting Sam to emerge 'real soon now'. 13 This was one of Finnlee's Birthday presents. 17 19 20 25 26 27 29 31 Move this to the end of the 26th Move this to the beginning of the 27th

August 2008

2 3 5 8 9 10 Slug! (Escargot anyone?) Hole in the Wall Fred the Frog On the way through to park, going to Swan Inn for lunch The Swan Inn (as if it's not self-evident) Beer Tasting Graveyard Wild blackberries were everywhere. The next time we visit, this field will be gone, replaced by a new football (a.k.a. 'soccer') stadium. There is much consternation revolving around this, and how it will affect Stanmer Park. Chasing the seagulls Up and down the hill Passing through Falmer train station Sexy sign Bob the Badger visits nightly for his supper, which John has been supplying for about 8 years. 11 These amusements were down in the Brighton Marina area. This is the entrance to the Sea Life Aquarium in Brighton. It's been around for a long time. Back on the beach (by the pier) This is the Victoria Fountain. More shots of the Royal Pavilion St. Peter's Church Val tries to dry all of her laundry (and ours) outdoors (in between rain storms). 12 We started by waiting for the open-top double-decker bus on the seashore in Brighton. (Jill discovered, to her dismay, that it costs 20p to pee.) This is the Jubilee Clock Tower in Brighton. On the Bus Duck!!! Note the dark clouds... They've got a nice pub up top. Daren was gracious enough to buy a couple of kites for the boys. Little did we know, they were designed for a much gentler breeze than the howler flying across the Devil's Dyke that day. Jill was gracious enough to take pictures only when the kite was airbourne (which was usually spurts of 3 seconds). Just before the skies opened up and rained down on the top of the bus 15 The wedding was held in historic Stanmer House. Inside Stanmer House, there was a picture of Stanmer Park's gate houses. We were staying in the one on the left. Martin, Richard, Jig (Mark), Finnlee, Daren, Bryn (behind Daren), and Mickey Lisa (Daren's sister) John Little (father of the groom, and our gracious host) Richard (Lisa's husband) and Val (our hostess, and the one who puts up with John's silliness) Ollie (ring bearer) Mickey and Haley Martin and Amy Richard and Emma John Gapper and Becky (the bride ) Note Finnlee, not in his seat. What a surprise! Bryn, although bored, is at least in his seat. That's Becky's mom Linda between Daren and John A horse drawn carriage... Nice touch guys! If the carriage were to continue on this road, it would lead to Becky's home in Stanmer Village. And if the carriage were to continue on this road, it would lead to Daren's childhood home (where we were staying), in the gatehouse of Stanmer Park. It was truly a Stanmer wedding. Becky's mom was born and worked in Stanmer House, where they were married. That's Daren's Nan and Uncle on the left. Dancing Ghosts Topping it off, there was a full moon that night. And finally, the newlyweds on their honeymoon! 16 We visited the Brighton Pier, but we forgot to bring the spare batteries for the camera. Getting settled for the night 17 Marty This dog (and another) were pub pets, something you would probably never find in Canada. Old Farts Corner! (Why isn't Val sitting here? <grin>) Jill's Fixated on Holes in the walls, floors, etc. Other examples are here and here. Bryn's mortal wound (he scraped his knee): 18 Mushrooms This is looking north at the Royal Pavilion. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, unfortunately. After touring the Pavilion, we wandered through 'The Lanes'. This was a very cool cake shop called choccywoccydoodah. This statue was in front of a hotel on Regency Square. There's the regular 'Lanes', then there's the 'North Lanes', quite similar to Queen Street West in Toronto, or St. Denis in Montreal. Lots of cool shops with interesting knick knacks, clothes, jewellry, etc. This is the skateboard park at The Level. For more pictures of this area, see our pictures from the 19th. John Little explained that these are Stanmer Park's washrooms, as described in tourist brochures. They were vandalized a very long time ago (soon after being built), and were never fixed. They keep promising... 19 Daren... This is your life! 20 To get to Drucilla's, we had to travel through a very old town (at least 1000 yrs) called Lewes. We've visited it on prior trips, but this time we were just passing through. This was the most amazing grocery store cum cafe that we've ever seen. It's a combination of the Movenpick Marches and Pusateri's. Primates and more... Time to Play Riding Thomas the Train On the Bus back to Lewes Waiting for the Train to Falmer Station (East Sussex University), which is very close to where we stayed while in the U.K. 21 During our time in the U.K. there was often cold wind and rain. Fortunately, we were usually under cover (in this case in a doubledecker bus). Bouncing Brothers Bumper Bikes This was a very cool Moroccan restaurant called Karma. We were astonished at the fine detail and couldn't stop taking pictures. This is Finnlee holding still, so we can enjoy our meal. (Yes, that's a facetious remark.) In the meantime, Bryn was an eating machine. More Amusements This is the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. It was the summer palace of King George IV. He began building it while merely a prince (in his early 20s), and continued building and remodelling it throughout his life. He died at the age of 68, or thereabouts. The outside is done in an Indian style, while the interior is a Chinoise phantasmagoria. Waiting for the Bus St. Peters Church Bubbles!!!!! 26 The Crazy Bunch! Dad... Brynioch... Finnlee... Jamfi... 27 30 Finnlee wants to pee. Good morning, Bryn! Picnic Kids Airshow Planes Running Amok! Centreville 'Have you every been to see, Billy? Well sometimes the waves get so high...' Antique Car Splash! Train Ride Ice Cream Toronto, as seen from the Toronto Islands Here's a panorama version (also available in its original size): The trip home 31

September 2008

1 2 5 Bryn deams of the day when he can be in the Sears catalog. We didn't know it hurt so much to say 'Cheese'. Here he is, off with his class. (Sorry for the motion blur.) 6 Bryn was snapping pictures as we drove along Eglinton Ave. one day. I was picking out new glasses, and asked Bryn to take a picture of me, so I could see how I looked with the frames. These were taken at the Toronto Zoo. See 2008/06/21 for more pictures. This was a monarch caterpillar in our front yard. 7 Let's see if we can get the kids to sit still and smile for a picture... Well at least we got one good one. 8 10 11 13 Lunch at Chuck E. Cheese's Hi Simon! Faces of Jill Accidental echo from Mike Great Grandma Mabey Time for dessert! This is a beautiful picture of Susan: 18 20 21 27 28

October 2008

1 3 4 We had to cut up this pumpkin from our back yard to make pies for Thanksgiving. Bryn is kissing it goodbye! First we cleaned out the 'guts'. We are keeping the seeds to roast for snack! Bryn thought I should take a picture of him with the full pumpkin on his head...and as much fun as that might have been, we convinced him this was a better idea. We roasted the pumpkin at 350 degrees Celcius until they were soft with water droplets forming on top. We washed the seeds and let them soak in very salty water, so that they could take on the salty flavor. After the pumpkin was cooled, we scooped out the flesh and found it was too chunky for the pies and Thai flavored soup we were planning. First we strained off the water, which we kept to boil our picnic ham in for dinner that day. This is Aracele. She was helping me in this adventure. She is my neighbor's Mexican student, here to learn English and experience Canadian culture. She is processing the pumpkin flesh into a smoother texture. She learned the Dos and Don'ts of making pie. Don't let Jill make pastry. We had to resort to plan B. We called my good neighbor June (yes, we have many in this little city of ours!) to see if she could come and give a hand with the pastry. While we waited for June, we popped the seeds in the oven at 200 degrees celcius after sprinkling them liberally with garlic powder. We cooked them until they were dry in appearance with slightly browned edges. YUM! Smooth and silky, back into the strainer, to get more water off. We've now added the milk, egg, sugar, and my special spice mix. Aracele cannot stop eating it. It smells fantastic! June's arrived to save the day. She made her pastry with butter and lard, 5 cups of flour and a half a cup of very cold water. She mixed it with her hands, so she could feel the correct texture. She says she's stirring it, but she's tasting it at every turn!!! This is what pastry should look like. Thank's again, June. We had some left over, so we filled it with raspberry jam and sprinkled it with sugar and baked it. June said we should put a little milk on the edges so it would brown nicely. We said, 'Go ahead then...' This is how Mike helped. He kept little grabby fingers out of the way, and entertained! These are the pies.... and they smell twice as good as they look and they tasted even better! This jam pasty we ate after the ham that we boiled in the pumpkin water... YUMMARIFIC! The boys have been asking me to decorate for Halloween since mid-September. We broke down and let them do a little bit every day... Yeah, these seeds didn't even last 24 hours. So tasty! 11 We're not sure what's with the tongue, but it was out all night... 12 And we forgot to take pictures of the food, but it was a fantastic dinner despite the various 'attempts' to ruin it... the turkey was amazing thanks to Mike, and the Thai flavored soup and pies from our backyard pumpkins were really great... Susan's apple pie is always a show stealer, and Michelle's ham was a wonderful success. Sadly, the maple glazed carrots went forgotten on the back burner of the stove, but thankfully, they were not missed! Happy Thanksgiving! 13 Jill has always been fond of the Old City Hall in Toronto. It's stone work is facinating. These pics are just a very small example of the timeless humor it has to offer. After explaining what Jill was spending forever taking pictures of, the boys decided to make their own ugly faces. New City Hall This fellow was the absolute epitome of patience and focus. Beautiful! Ever since we got back from England, Bryn has been asking to go on a Double Decker bus... today was the day. Tourists... :) Sorry sir, I forgot your wife's drink at the bar... Dundas Square... becoming Times Square's little sibling. Jill thought this was particularly clever, and ironic. Some homes have a couches out on the lawn, but they aren't normally valued at $1M and up... Casa Loma - we didn't go in. Eaton Centre Pipe dreams. Trinity Square Park, on the west side of the Eaton Centre - Jill never knew it existed. Very nice little spot in the center of the city. Cloud Park is a great little oasis in the city (Between Temperance & Richmond). It is where Mike proposed to Jill over 12 years ago. 17 Light Make-up: Editorial Make-Up (for a photo-shoot or big speech): Full-on News-anchor (note the orange 'beard-away' creme): The woman in the background is the class teacher: Some scary green guy: Some of Wendy's handiwork: Walking in the park with Jamfi and Mike T. 18 19 21 23 24 25 26 30 31

November 2008

1 Pozole Soup, which Aracele claims 'tastes like home'. It is essentially chicken soup using Maize (large corn), cilantro and olives. It was really delicious and will become a staple at our house! It is even better with a dash of chili lime spice, from Mexico! The steamed chicken for the Mole. Mostly I took this picture because I liked the skull shaped tomato. Punisheresque. Jamaican Pumpkin, lovely and slippery, corn tortilla, chicken with authentic mole (which Aracele said tasted very good, though she prefers sweeter versions), and a saffron rice. Mike is a baker deep inside his heart. His breads are to die for. This version of bread for the dead is flavored with anise seeds and is sweet. He then glazed it with a simple sugar syrup and orange zest. It was glorious, and gone within 24 hrs. It was finger-lickin' good. 2 We decided to take a walk just before the sun set. Jill was fooling around with the camera. This picture is with flash, and it appears much darker than it really is. Choo-choo.... Jill's arty no flash shot. 8 Don't worry, they washed off really well. 9 13 Connor hosted a Dark Party, which I think was a natural excuse to wear costumes again! Here's Bryn's home assembled Indiana Jones Costume and Finnlee as a pirate, and the scar on the forehead is soooo authentic! Mom couldn't resist. She's a Movie Star, and stars only come out at night, thus very apropo for a Dark Party. Poor Jamfi wasn't invited. Kiara as Belle and Indy Bryn eating Mummy Dogs, and drinking swampish water (coolaid). Funny though, Michelle didn't account for feeding the adults... thank goodness for Pizza Hut! Bucchaneer Finn and Princess Sile. Iron Man Liam. We know, we know... you're number one! Sam, obliviously marvellous. More Chips. Finn is such a junkfood king... I wonder where he gets THAT from? 15 Finn thought he'd be funny and put on his Dad's socks and then ham it up! The boys painstakingly placed each carefully selected marble on the carved ledges of the chair, only to have them fall of a moment later when it shifted. I thought I'd take a picture to preserve it. Finn ADORES marbles. They are by far his favorite toy. They are all over the house. Everywhere. In the dryer, in the furnace, down drains, in shoes... Kneeding the dough for bread. Jill's fantastic Chili. No, she can't give you the recipie, because she doesn't have one. They are all different depending on what's left in the fridge at the time. This one was sweet with a kick. Yummarific. Jill's orgasmic Lamb. Full cloves of garlic, onion, tomato sauce, anise seeds, star anise, vodka and a crock pot... it was melt in your mouth. Jamfi is suffering from what we suspect is arthritis in her wrists and/or elbows. We have started to feed her glucosomine and shark cartillage as well as omega-3 fish oils. Is it helping? Only time will tell. Jamfi waiting patiently for her food. 16 This is the bread Mike and the boys were kneeding. It is a heavier loaf with a slightly sweet flavor. It was good. We made two and froze one for later. Bryn was making faces. I put them down for a nap, one at a time. I left to go do some chores and came back. Finn was gone! I looked in his room and he was in bed, his little legs over the edge. I thought that maybe Mike moved him. Later, I asked Mike if he had...he didn't! Finnlee woke up, decided he wasn't going to sleep with Bryn, took himself back to his own bed, and flaked out! Even Jamfi had a nap! It was a wonderful hour of blissful peace! 19 23

December 2008

3 5 8 13 14 18 Christmas Party at BMO Christmas Concert at Selwyn 20 21 24 Nice shirt(s), guys! 25 28 29 31

January 2009

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February 2009

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March 2009

2 8 11 12 13 14 15 21 One of the loot bag items was some scary teeth. 22 28 30

April 2009

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May 2009

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June 2009

4 5 6 Playing in the Yard T-Ball Game Back at Home BBQ at Ben's 7 Popping Poppy Visiting Susan and Syl Walking in the park with Jamfi These ducks are waiting for the dogs to go to bed, so they can enjoy the pond. 9 In a rather bizarre game, Bryn's the photographer, while The Monster (Dad) runs around demanding, 'Don't take a picture of me!' 10 12 Bryn's been taking piano for a few months now, and this is the annual festival put on by his school, The New Conservatory of Music. This is Bryn's teacher, Stefan Karabekos. Then it's off to Tafari's birthday at Funnelz. 13 This is Jill's uncle, Frank, who's also Sabrina's father. 14 19 20 21 23 24 25 This massive tree has had a massive hole for a long time, and it finally fell over. 27 28 The two princes: Dinner at Linda's 29

July 2009

1 2 3 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 Caesar was very interested in the photographic process... so we gave him the camera and what follows are the results. We hunted them down, blocks away. Ceasar was showing off as the serious photoshoot director. He does have the creative point of view though! Great shots, Ceasar! 13 14 17 Bryn made the card and also painted the wrapping and brought home a gift for Finnlee from school! They're both such nice guys! 18 The clouds threatened all day, but super bubble power dashed them away! Time for CAKE! Start singing everyone! 19 Peeing in Alliston... It's a beautiful moth that Bryn spotted. There is a photo contest on the web that Mike often participates in. This is Jill's entry for 'Abstract', as it reminds her of 'The Scream'. He just wasn't into the water. He liked the concept, but found the temperature a little too cold. And that is why he spent the rest of the time at the very edge of the perimeter. 'It's just so freaking cold...' 20 24 26 29

August 2009

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