Blueberry Hill...

 Four years ago my husband and I made the decision to create a dream...one just for him and I...we began planning for our retirement.

At the time we were about a year into our journey as first time parents, and now when I look back I think creating this dream allowed us to step away from our roles as parents and focus once again on just the two of us and what we wanted...it was an escape!

So back in 2007 we purchased 3 acres of land in Mount Pleasant, Nova Scotia. This year we extended our little piece of paradise to 11 acres by purchasing the neighboring property, which is covered in blueberries...and Blueberry Hill was born.

But of course...everything happens for a reason and everything changes with time. When we started this adventure we were a family of 4 (mom, dad, son and dog) with no plans on that changing...famous last words. Now 4 years later we are a family of 6 (mom, dad, two boys and two dogs) and life is crazy!

So you might ask how all of this has changed our dream, let me provide you with a visual.

Retirement dream circa 2007...

• Small 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath country cottage
• Eat in kitchen
• Garage
• Small vegetable garden
• Front deck with porch swing
• Approximately 1 acre of lawn/perennial gardens

Retirement dream circa 2011...

• 1300 sq ft, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath traditional cape cod
• Eat in kitchen with the addition of a full dining room capable of seating a minimum of 6
• Large mud room
• 2 car garage with mother-in-law suite consisting of 2 bedrooms, full bath, eat in kitchen and living space
• Full vegetable garden, with the addition of a few large blueberry patches and approximately 20 apple tress
• Gardening shed
• Tree house
• Complete wrap around deck (still includes porch swing)
• Approximately 3 acres of lawn/perennial gardens
• Walking paths around the remaining 8 acres
 

 All of this has changed so that we can create a dream not just for my husband and I to enjoy, but create a family gathering place where for years to come our kids, our grandkids and our great grandkids will spend countless summer hours creating memories, sharing stories and breathing life into Blueberry Hill.

Capture the moment...

For my boys summer vacation in Nova Scotia means one thing; endless hours at the beach! This year with L walking and B swimming like a fish we enjoyed the beach like never before.

B was the king of the waves...that boy has no fear! No matter the weather, the temperature of the water or the size of the waves, B was in the water up to his neck. And L, well he started off slowly and was a bit indifferent about the water at first...but that didn't last for long. Before we knew it, we were chasing L around the beach and watching him enjoy the water!

After vacation and hours upon hours of video I tried out the video trailer feature on my new MacBook Pro and I am now officially addicted to making these short little family films.

B's Video:

 L's Video:

Out of the mouths of babes...



Out of the mouths of babes...

So over the last year or so I finally started writing down all the weird and wonderful things that B has said. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do...

August 2011
While getting ready for the bath B says, "Mom, I think you should get the Genie Bra. It's much more comfortable then the one you have and it doesn't show any lines under your cloths!" I think B has been watching too many informercials when he gets up at 5:30 am each and every morning.

August 2011
B's response to his new school sneakers, "Mom with these new Skechers the ladies at school are going to love me!"

March 2011
I say to B while he is in the tub, "B soap up from head to toe to get all the germs off." B's response, "Mom, I don't have any Germans on me!"

April 2011
As I'm picking up B and L from their dayhome B points to one of the little girls and says, "Mom, that's the new baby girl I was telling you about." I reply, "Don't you remember her, we used to have play dates with her mommy?" B replies, "Well whoever she is L looks at her like she's his new wife!"

February 2011
I picked up B from his dayhome and he was quite sad, so I asked what was wrong. His response, "Mom, Thea said I'm not big enough to have man pecs!"

January 2011
"Mom, when I get a new girlfriend I am going to get a construction guy to build us a new house!"

January 2011
So I picked up B after work and as we where driving home I asked, "What did you do today?" B's response, "I made a heart for you and colored it in red, but I ran out of red so I finished it in yellow. After that I had a nap and when I woke up I put glitter on the heart." So I ask, "Where is the heart, is it in your backpack?" To which B responds, "Mom, it's an invisible heart, you can't see it!"

December 2010
We all went to visit daddy in the hospital and B says, "Don't you worry Dad, I am being the Daddy while you are here and everything at home is okay!"

September 2010
B came home from the dayhome today so excited and says, "Mom, I got homework at preschool...that is just like a teenage, this is so cool!"

August 2010
B's bedtime story to me, "Mom, if there was a giraffe and elephant outside fighting and they came in our house and wanted to eat L (baby brother), don't worry I would turn into Batman and save him!"

July 2010
B's response to his towel options after bath, "Mom, I'm not a big fan of pink but I'll take a pink fluffy towel over a blue prickly towel any day!"

May 2010
B and I headed to the grocery store to get stuff to make cupcakes and then to the movie store to pick out a flick, followed by a trip to Starbucks at which point he says, "Mom this was such a special day, can you believe how good my life is!

How 5 pounds less can affect your better judgement...

So my second weigh-in was on Saturday and I was down 1 pound, for a total of 5 pounds in my first two weeks (feel free to clap here)...I was feeling great! 

So while I was enjoying Saturday mornings ‘high’ I started packing up for a birthday party out at the lake…and what did I do…I decided to pack my two piece bathing suit.

Okay, not a big deal right…I was feeling great, down 5 pounds, and there was no way my kids were going to let me stay out of the water, so why not? Where my mistake lies is in deciding to wear the bikini before considering who else may be invited to this birthday party! So we get to the lake and within minutes my five year old is asking to go swimming. I happily change into my bathing suit and we hit the water. Given we were the first ones there as time passed and more guests arrived I thought for sure more mom’s and dad’s would come join us down in the water.

Here comes my first surprise…none of the other parents brought their bathing suits. They just happily watched there children from the shoreline. So now I am the only adult in a bathing suit and remember I chose to wear my two piece!

Here comes my second surprise…as I am playing in the water with my son I notice some people I recognize out of the corner of my eye. At first I think…no, that can’t be so and so from work…but wait it is…and here I am, yep still in my two piece!

The moral to this story: No matter what, always play with your kids. Never just watch from the sidelines, they grow up too fast for that. And if you are lucky enough that your kids still want to play with you…it doesn’t matter what you wear, they love you anyway!