Blue One

Addie, Grandma and I went on a mission tonight to obtain what is now her very first real pet.

*I say real only because she has an inflatable shark in the bathtub whom she talks to and bathes regularly.*

Mission accomplished. I asked what his name was as they bagged him up in the Safari pet store and her response was a confident (as usual), "Blue One". She was allowed to carry the fish from the van to the steps as I very cautiously guided her and felt a bit sorry for the fish.
This moment was too cute for words! :)

My American Dream

" I want out of this machine, it doesn't feel like freedom.
This ain't my American dream, I want to live and die for bigger things.
I'm tired of fighting for just me,
This ain't my American dream."
-Switchfoot, American Dream

Is it mid-July already? Yikes! This incredibly warm summer is flying by already.
I just wanted to check-in as I won't be blogging much until the end of August. That's right.
I will be busy living one of MY "American Dreams"- hanging out with 6-13 year-olds in St.Jamestown. I know. Loooong story.

It's summer camp. You know, swimming, community art projects like murals, spray-painting, soccer, volleyball, a lot of laughing, storytelling, the boys-chasing-girls, and quality time.
Can you imagine a FREE camp? Imagine that HERE:

'St. James Town is the largest high-rise community in Canada. It consists of 19 high-rise buildings (14 to 32 stories). These massive residential towers were built in the 1960s. Approximately 17,000 people live in the neighbourhood's 19 apartment towers, making it Canada's most densely populated community,^[1] and one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods anywhere in NORTH AMERICA.
St. James Town is one of Toronto's poorest neighbourhoods.

I am so honoured to be directing this project under the banner of non-profit organization,
City Hope. And all of this under an even bigger banner, of course. Under LOVE.
Lots and lots of love for lots and lots of kids.

Ooooooh St.Jamestown, I know you so well and yet you remain a mystery.
You won my heart long, long ago... this will be your best summer yet.
Serving your children is a dream come true!

Little girl 'likes'

We are thinking about what kinds of programs to enroll Addie in this fall. She will be two and a half, attending playgroup with daddy or mummy (depending on the day) most mornings as well as daycare one full day a week. I am a huge fan of teaching children how to swim as it is great exercise and could potentially save their life one day.
We did swimming lessons last year at the JCC. That would be convenient again because it is so close to the ROM - one of her favourite outings at the moment. The only thing is that she REALLY likes to dance...and sing. I am wondering if I should pursue this stream of programs instead? We do lots of this at home (you would bust a gut laughing at some of our moves), but she has SO much energy and creativity that our house cannot contain it!

Some of her major likes at the moment: princess ANYTHING, painting, somersaults, fish, canteloupe, almonds, the train set, climbing up the slide, and friends. Actually, the 'friends' thing kind of took us by surprise. All of a sudden she is pointing at pictures of people (for example, the Smith kids on our fridge) and saying she wants to go to their house to play with them.
Also, when we are at the park she insists that we stay back so she can play with her friends without our interference now. So unbelievably cute.
We just sit there with the other parents... watching her ... still completely besotted.

Fresh air, fresh ideas...

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

When creative time presents itself every now and then, I like to have a plan.

I have decided to experiment with Canadian-inspired concepts for projects like paintings over the summer and will be sure to upload pictures in this space and my website.

Nature refreshed us in Algonquin Park. It was a little bit of heaven.
A couple days later I produced this painting for Mark - 2ftx2ft, multimedia.
I took the feathers-in-paint idea from an Aboriginal artist who has a piece featured in the ROM (forgive me as I must find his name again). The geese feathers were discovered by Adelaide and I on the beach of Lake Of Two Rivers, and we collected the birch bark on a family hike.
The subtle inscription reads,

"when they look back they will see that we covered each other”.

Feathers represent protection to me. The idea I had for this piece is that when the generations after us look back upon the way we lived they will recognize that we covered each other, protected each other, and honoured each other - that although we were imperfect, we did strive to live this way. They'll look back and learn something from our love.

So for the time being we have a little piece of Algonquin on our wall... :D