Have you seen this woman??

Hope has a bright future as a Police Sketch Artist. Here is her version of me. We feel this is a very accurate depiction, completely capturing my state of mind after 4.5 months of living in The Hole (as we have affectionately come to call our apartment). I give you, "Larissa":



Have edited this post, in order to add this lovely image Hope just sketched out. She heard me wishing Andre Happy Anniversary, and she has created this for us, in like - 2 minutes!! Hope has a heart of Pure Gold - she is so loving, and is always so pleased to create these tokens of her love for us. We are so blessed. I give you, "I'm still crazy in love with you after 17 years Andre":

We are getting ready to move...

Larissa here... Last Saturday before we get our house. Just got back from Gymnastics with the kids. Andre was left here at the apartment doing some work on the realty shots from yesterday. Andre was cold and sleepy when we got home. Typing is hard work. He sat on the couch with the kids for a moment while I tended to lunch. I came in to find him in his coat and mitts, sound asleep. Alex was dozing off next to him, and now sleeps soundly for a rare nap in his room. Hope is doing some reading, and I am trying to post this funny shot of Andre before he wakes up... but I don't know what I'm doing... Hope this works!

Andre: the sleeping giant. (please note the size of the couch we have been borrowing - and that both children were on either side of him!)



Andre: a closeup of the sleeping giant - isn't he cute? I think so - espcially considering today is our 17th anniversary!



Happy anniversary Andre! Love you! --- me.

Friday before the move!

OK, today we got word that if everything is good after the walkthrough on Sunday afternoon, we can move in then - i.e. get the keys! If we can get a reasonable load in the U-Haul in the early evening - like the beds and a couple of things, well, we may just sleep there on Sunday!!!!

The kids have finished some swimming lessons, and done well. Here are the ribbons they got, Hope finished L'il Swimmer 4, and Alexandre finished L'il Tots 1. Hope can now jump off the diving board and swim to the side without a PFD! Alex likes the slide :)



I also had my second Real Estate photo shoot today! Yay, photography work! I shot a nice 'evening' photo of the south side from across the water last night after the gym. I think I got a good'un.



TTFN!

Movin' on up!

Well, here we are on a Wednesday evening. I have had 2 photos on display at the Playhouse as part of the Photography Club's exhibit during the month of April.

We take possession of our new home on the 30th - Monday! YAY!!! Then some work begins - unpacking, some yard work, painting, etc. We are getting new carpteing installed asap in the Master bedroom and the rec room. Also, the hardwood in the entrance and stairs will be refinished as well. After that we will hire someone to redo the main bathroom as well. The government here has decided to give a rebate to people who improve the efficiency of their homes. So you call up and pay an inspector to come and give your home a rating. Then you do your renos, and call them back - if there is a significant improvement you get money - or something, maybe chickens. Well, the unfortunate part is that this 'new' program is causing some backlogs - like 12 weeks before you can get an insspector. So, no renos which would improve the efficiency of the house right away :(

Church pictures - the photo club went to a couple of chorches to take photos, here were the ones I took that I liked enough to share. I am not a big church person so there is very little in the way of iconography. Oh, BTW- I was asked to be one of the 2 program co-ordinators for the photo club next year - I said yes.





The weather got nice, really nice on Monday >> 25 degrees celcius! Since then it has been typical (or so they tell us), about 13, sunny, and a bit windy. Much better than cold and snow, sleet, etc. The kids are making lots of trips to the park with Dad, and mom gets to stay home to do taxes.

Alex and Dad went to Nackawic for an outing, and to see the World's biggest Axe. The portrait is in a gazebo in the park near the axe.

The last little while?

Well, this weekend Larissa is in Halifax at a Women's Trade show with Mariecke and a friend - doing Henna. Link here: http://www.eastcoastwomen.net/

While it would be great that she makes money, I am sure we would be satisfied that her name got out a bit, and a working vacation paid for itself. I am solo with the kids this weekend, mostly fun!

I have just seen BORAT. Wierd movie - I liked it though. Great cultural commentary! Certainly not what I expected. I would suggest it only of you are not easily offended. ;)

I am poking and prodding a camera I got a while ago. Not sure if the bellows leak, a flashlight in a dark room says no... and I am in the middle of running a roll of film though it. If it turns out OK, I will attempt surgery to get it to focus on something other than 50 feet. Here are 2 photos of it, a 1950's Ansco Commander 6x9 folding camera.

Hope you had a good Easter!

"Put down that #$@&! camera and push me DAD!"

April 5, 2007 Part II

I am back again. Lets give more of an update...hmm - let's begin with Hope.

Here is a photo of Hope taken with a newly acquired medium format camera - a Zeiss Ikon 517/16 6x6 folding camera with a Nettar lens. This camera came out in 1951 (http://www.collection-appareils.com/zeiss/html/zeiss_nettar_517.php) (whoops, I got off topic) Anyway, Hope has started school! She is in Kindergarten at the school in our new neighbourhood. While Hope is still getting used to the idea (which is understandable) her teacher and other classmates are thrilled she is there. Hope is also in swimming lessons - L'il Swimmer 4 (without a life jacket, in the deep end!) She is beginning to read - I would say that she can read most words up to and including 4 letters long. She is also beginning to write as well.

Alex is doing well. He is also in swimming lessons, with dad - L'il Tots 2. He is beginning to get more quality parent time as Hope goes off to school. He is talking more and using the computer. He is starting to count and say his alphabet as well. Here he is in a photo I took at local school park. We went to King's Landing (a heritage town west of Fredericton). They had a pre season event called the Sugar Bush Festival - The kids really liked the maple syrup on the snow! (and then in their mouths ! )


Mom and Dad are doing fine. I am sort of looking for work. I have had one interview, after sending out 2 resumes. I have since sent out a few more. Although we are feeling more settled than in Jan/Feb, we are anxious to get into our house. I am spending my time with the kids at the park, taking photos, and coming up with photography business ideas. I have joined the photography club which I truly enjoy. We (the photo club) have an exhibit on for the month of April at the Fredericton Playhouse (Theater). I have purchased a couple new camera lenses - and just sold my first two items on e-bay (2 other lenses). Larissa has booked 2 shows in Halifax, and has a few Henna bookings/events so far. She is working to re-establish her business here, and expand her product offering in her online store. We have also both joined a gym. Larissa is at Curves, and I am at the YMCA. We are going about 3-5 times a week and have both lost a few pounds already.

April 5th, 2007.

I have decided to change this blog and even update it. We moved, it is mostly over and done. no more travelling stories. I suspect that this will replace our current family page - this is the way of all things internet. So this is now the Reinders Family blog!

Well, we are 25 days from moving into our new house - we can't wait. No, really - we can't wait! This tiny little apartment is getting smaller by the week. The only solace is that the weather is getting better so we can go outside and stretch - i.e. check out the parks in Fredericton. All that being said - it is zero degrees and overcast, and snowing, we expect 30 cm today.

Larissa is kicking me off the computer - so I will add more later - bye!