Reason 1 out of 103954 why I love summer.

My beautiful cousin Grace. 

The one thing I love now that I'm on "summer" vacation is how much time I get to spend with my younger cousins. I say "summer" because I have summer school two mornings a week and with that comes essays and exams. 

I used to be Adam and Grace's full time babysitter, looking after them at lunch time and after school  many many many times during the week. But when I was in school this year, that changed. I hardly saw them which broke my heart. We missed each other. 

So when I got out of my exam last friday the first person I texted was my aunt saying "I can go back to being your full time sitter." In which she replied "oh good!." I love that I've seen them twice so far this week and one of those times G stayed at my house till 7pm. 

We have fun playing run-around-tag or tackle sarah and memory. Grace loves talking about my brothers wedding since she is a flower girl. It's going to be so cute! 

And summer? you can get hot now. Or at least warm-ish. Thanks.

simple things make me happy

Yesterday I had to babysit my cousins Adam and Grace for the whole day. Instead of just watching tv all day, we took a long bike ride back to my house. I can usually make the bike ride in about 10-13 minutes but with them? one whole hour! I did make them walk their bikes across the road and we did stop for water along the way but boy, I was pooped!



Adm and Grace



*sorry their a bit small!
happy tuesday!

my crazy day

Yesterday was a crazy day at work. Like pull-my-hair-out crazy. Okay, not really but this was my first week working 8:45-5pm and by Friday I was DONE!

I woke up on a happy but mostly kinda sad note. I usually don't remember my dreams but Thursday night I had the best dream. It was pretty simple, it was me and my two cousins Meghan and Eric from Alberta (yes,the ones I visited.) We didn't do anything special in the dream, just talking about Eric's IRL (in real life) new girlfriend and that cowboy I met. I woke up re-playing the dream and being happy that I got to "hang" with my cousins. Then? Out of no-where, I got sad. Sad because I can't just "hang" with the two of them whenever I want. Sad because I miss them. Sad because I love them and want to spend time with both of them. Is it a coincidence that yesterday was july 08 and aug 08/11 their coming here for a visit?! I think so.
~

I do teach swimming lessons in the morning. I do like it. A) I'm outside, in the beautiful water when its not to hot out. But? (I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this) but some of the kids drive me crazy!

I teach this little girl named Mary (not her real name) for a 30 minute private class from 11-11:30. The first day she left 10 minutes in because the water was "to cold." Whatever, extra 20 minute break for me. The next day she "forgot" how to do "bobs" (submerge under water, come up) after 5 minutes of her crying, I gave up and told her that we were moving on. The last 3 days as soon as something gets difficult or she becomes tired she cries and goes and talks to her mom. This happens in last couple of minutes of class so they go home early. Today, we had a good 15 minutes of "bobs", diving for pennies and side swim. When I asked her to do front crawl she freaked out and yes, cried. I didn't let her get out as fast to talk to her mom and finally she did. I told her I would  stay here and wait for her to come back. She did come back, with 3 minutes left of class.

Its not that bad, more annoying than anything, until the mom came and talked to me as the family was leaving. She asked  "whats going on?" and I explained that once Mary decides she can't do something she shuts down and nothing I say or do can get her back. The mom says "we've never had this problem." Oh no you didn't! Well, I said "I've never had this either. Yes, two can play this game.

It bugs me that this mom thinks its my fault that her daughter shuts down and says "but I can't" 5 million times a day.

Oh and don't ask your nephew from Ireland who just so happens to be a lifeguard what else I could do.

I do believe it has something to do with the fact that she babies Mary too much. Just my opinion, don't hate.
~

Skip forward a few hours. Its 5pm. One hour left till home time (I had to stay till 6.) I'm sitting at the deep end chair watching these grade 8 boys push each other in the water for the tenth time since I've been here. When all of a sudden I get the strongest whiff of some marijuana. I calmly turn around hoping to catch who ever is doing it when I see two ladies and a man sitting to the left of me in the grass no less with a puff of smoke around them. I get down and walk over, say hi guys, theres no smoking here, you'll have to leave the pool deck to do that. The man says "we're not." Okay, no worries I think. I apologize for accusing them and start to leave. Don't ask me why the trailer trash women mocked my hand jester when I said "sorry, I thought it was you." And yes, I told her not to mock me.

I go off and tell the other guards what happened and the SHALLOW end guard says "I smelt that too!" Crazy.

I do believe they  lied to me but whatever.
~

I'm glad for two days off.
Come Monday, send a prayer my way would you? Pray that Mary doesn't come to her lesson  I have a good day.

The most annoying game...

Is Who am I.

This week I'm babysitting my younger cousins 3x a day. They come at 840am so I can walk them to school, then I have them for lunch and pick them up after school at 330. Its fun, except for this one game Adam and Grace play at lunch, or anytime.

Basically its like 30 questions. The first player thinks of a person in their head and says GO.

The other players go around the table/room asking questions in order to guess the person.

This is the typical way we play.

Adam: mkay, go

Grace: are you a boy?

Adam: no (now we knows its a girl)

Grace: are you on american idol?

Adam: no

Grace: are you 23?

Adam: no

Grace: are you 18?

Adam: yes

Grace: are you Selena Gomez?

Adam: YES!!!!

*add in a few, "ugh I hate this game," "just tell us Adam," "shot me please." by yours truly and that's the most annoying game.

I honestly hate it so much. I have no clue why I do but I just do okay?

When they start I actually need to leave the room because I feel my blood rising.

I may or may not have told them they can't play the game when I'm around. Cruel? A bit. Necessary? You bet.

happy thursday friends!

This girl misses her cousins

I really miss my cousins from Alberta.

Must mean thats a good thing right? I mean most cousins would hate each other after 14

days straight. Us? Not the case at.all. 

Megan (below) and Eric have always lived 3 provinces away, or 38 hours away (by car) or 4 hours away by plane from my family (grandparents included). 

I'll give you the rundown. The house I've lived in since birth? Well the one next store is the house my dad and auntie lived and grew up in! For 15 years of my life my grandparents lived next store to us! Talk about a blessing. Well, after teachers college my aunt took a job in Alberta. Fast forward ten years and she married my uncle. 18 months later, welcome Meghan! (then Eric 17 months later.) 

Every summer the four of them would come out here for a few weeks to visit the Hannon side of the family. Wanna know a secret? When my brother/me/meghan/eric hung out it was so awkward! And how could it not be, I bet any cousins would be awkward around one another when they only see each other once per year.  What is there to talk about? Ryan and I had no freakin clue! 

I'm glad to say thats not the case anymore. Over the two weeks that I lived with them, my cousins and I got so close, its wonderful! It helps that I see them as more friends then my nerdy-cousins-who-only-study. Meghan and I did girl things, bonded over hair, went out for a few drinks and laughed until the tears were streaming down out faces during Bridemaids. She's not just "my cousin from out west" but my fousin. That's cousin but more like friends. 

Eric was sweet enough to know that I wanted to have lunch with his friends when I went to school with them. He also knew that I wasn't going to miss the finale of the Biggest Loser. In my mind Eric isn't 12 years old, he's 17 (going on 20,) liking girls, and video games. 

Yes, we are cousins. She looks her dad while I look so much like her mom (my aunt)

*that face? is my REALLY happy face. you can tell it when my eyes go really tiny! 

My Fabulous...

Today I'm linking up with Laura from between the Lines for Fabulous Fridays!

...Cousins!

A while back I bought my cousins these AWESOME place mats.

Since they are at my house a few times a week for lunch I thought they would be fun.

I finally got a picture of them with the awesome place mats.

Aren't they cute?!

Happy time over for G...

Love those two :)

What do you think is fab is friday?

happy friday!

*hi dad* :)

The rugrats

Sorry I've been MIA the past couple of days (if anyone noticed...no...okay). I have been working like crazy, and yesterday was at a swim meet all day and worked at night.

Note:This post may be long...so turn back now or stick around!

When I say rugrats, I mean it in a good way. Thats what I call my younger cousins.

A little history: Adam and Grace are my younger(est) counsins on my moms side of the family. Before Adam (older than Gracie) I was the youngest counsins. (Read: spolied and fawned all over for 9 years.) Then Adam came along. I shouldn't say "along," he didn't take a train here. Adam made me a older cousin (I have a younger cousin Eric on my dad's side but he lives in Alberta.) I had so much fun with Adam! Love love loveeee him to pieces!

Then 2 1/2 years later Gracie came along. Such fun having a (younger) girl cousin!

Now the grandchildren count was up to 9. (and still is)

Now instead of me being the youngest, Grace is (she is also on her moms side)

(Left: A+G last may, I think this is lunch time)

My Aunt V married my moms brother Brian. Good I'm glad that cleared up ;)

Adam and Grace are such a blessing in my life. Beside the fact that they made me an older cousin, I'm soooo lucky to see them on a regular visit. When I say "regular" I mean once or twice a week.

You see when my Aunt V has to work I pick them up at their school (which is 2 seconds away from my house and b)my former elememtary school!) Then we walk to my house where lunch has been dropped off by my Uncle or Aunt at 9am. After lunch we walk back to school, and sometimes I have to pick them up afterschool too. Its such a busy day but I love seeing them and spending alone time (read: no parents, grandparents, other cousins.)

They are growing up soo fast! Almost 10 and 7!

One of our favourite games (besides trouble and memory) is run-a-round tag. My bro and used to play it and now A and G alwayys want to play! Basically you run around my house playing tag. Or wrestle Sarah to the ground. I like the first one!

(Left: They really don't like taking pictures, Karen really wanted one)

(Right: YES! got one)

(Left: LOVE you guys!)

I love these kids more than anything in the world. They are so exhausting sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. Its going to fun when we're in our 40s and 30s talking about the fun times at Sarah's house, playing tag and beating her up. Can't wait!

Sarah