Build-a Bear Birthday

Paeton had several wishes. One was to go to Build-a-Bear and the other was to touch snow. I will write about the latter on another day.

We found a Build-a-Bear Store in Coquitlam Center. It is a concept first introduced to us when Tehya was born and her uncle Shaun sent her a bear with a special message from California. At that time we had not heard of this store in Canada.

Once inside the store, a friendly assistant showed us the line-up of potential critters to be stuffed. Actually, Paet had already done a little tour, but we went back and he carefully looked each skinny shell over. The potential stuffies really had no idea of the love that was waiting for them. I remember several dogs, a cat, a monkey and owl . . . but there were lots more.

He made his choice and we headed to the cotton machine.

This is where the bear got stuffed.

He also got a heart and a growl . . . and a name.

The hardest part was probably the dressing room. There were endless arrays of choices from everyday wear, to biking clothes, to army gear or Disney favorites . . . to sports jerseys and the gear that goes with them.

Paet's Bear ... whom he named Ben ... got dressed in a football uniform. I just realized he took his helmet off for the picture.

He was checked into the computer and received his Birth Certificate.

Papa Bear, Grammy Bear, Paeton and Ben left the workshop feeling very satisfied with the morning's events.

A Garden Tea Party

Apparently it was just how she had imagined! A real tea party . . . with flowers . . . in a garden . . . and not just any garden. On the morning of the party, she came for a cuddle in bed with me and said, “Today I get more presents!” So, that is how the day began . . . followed by toast with sugar and cinnamon and then the preparations for the day.

We dressed the patio table with an old lace tablecloth. Set it with an assortment of tea cups, decorated tea bags, brown sugar cubes, scones, cheese, jam, party sandwiches, fruit and mini cupcakes.
One by one the friends came. How special that, although she lives on the other side of the world, she has some friends to invite when she’s here. Some of them are girls she went to Grade 1 with for a few months. Others have become her friends because . . . well . . . the moms are friends. In fact, one of the moms commented about having memories of coming to this exact house for Birthday parties when she was a girl!

There were eight candles to blow out! How these years have flown by . . . just a breath . . . maybe two.

Each guest prepared her tea . . .

and was delighted to see it turn pink!

the meal was followed by face painting . . .

and, of course, every girl's favorite part . . . opening the gifts.

I just love this photo and I'm posting it because it comes with a wish . . . one that I find creeping up on me here and there . . . and kind of new to me! My wish is that I will see them smiling together . . . ten years from now when they graduate from Grade 12.

Maybe a Grammy is entitled to have a Birthday wish . . . and tell.

An Idea

Okay . . . remember the magazine? Like I thought, the best part was opening it. However, I did find something that caught my fancy. See this tiered stand? Now you can make one with what you already own.

I tried it with the mugs . . . but my mind kept going . . .

Maybe some sturdy candle stands would work . . .

with clear glass plates or just one to extend a couple of Chrystal cake stand.

Why not try them with my china?

I found a small trifle stand and thought I'd fill it with roses and use it as a separator between the plates.

Hhmmm.... maybe it needs some tarts and scones.

Another cake stand in my china cabinet caught my eye . . .

and I had to see what I could do with that.

As you can tell . . . with my serving dishes spread out on the table, I could just go on and on. Now I just have to find an excuse to use these. I don't think I'll be looking to buy a tiered stand any time soon.

The Climbing Peach Trees

We have two peach trees climbing up and around the southern side of our house. They come up real close to some of our windows, but I have yet to open a window, pull out a screen and pick one. One of these years I will just have to do it.

You could call these organic peaches. They are not consistently sweet and sometimes they have earwigs in the middle of the pit if it splits while on the tree, but I love to watch this fruit blossom and grow.

Every once in while we get one that tastes like the ultimate peach. The taste that reminds you of when you first got to love them as a kid. And then I understand why this fruit can be used to describe someone extra sweet.
If you have not already done so today, visit mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com

and try the peach cobbler. Well, you'll have to make it first, but this dessert just can't get any easier or better.

Calling Me

I feel like I've let the beautiful days of summer pass me by without sitting on my special chair. Always something to do . . . it's all been good . . . but the other day I was determined to get some time out there. One of the drawing perks was something that came in the mail.

This was motivation to get my work done . . . a sealed magazine into which I couldn't even take a sneak pre-view.

Finally the moment came . . . the moment when the possibilities of what I'll find inside are practically endless! In fact, sometimes the best part is exactly this . . . just opening it.

Blueberry Picking - Then and Now

As a child, living in Vancouver did not exclude me from the almost annual summer adventure of spending some time in the berry patch. Now that I look back it probably had more to do with keeping the three of us occupied and learning to work, because - money – we did not make much!
My parents took us to Abbotsford and simply arranged for us to stay in a cabin that the farmers provided for “campers.” I remember one or two summers my grandmother even coming along. That was before the year I was put in charge of my younger siblings . . . which happened to be the last summer I picked.

The other night we went out to get some blueberries. I’ve noticed that, over the years, berry farming has greatly improved and I don’t believe my perspective has much to do with it.

If we’d had these kind of bushes when we were kids, it would have been a completely different story! I remember bushes so tall and bushy that you could not see who was on the other side . . . and they were not nearly as laden with berries as these little ones are.

So . . . that is all I want to say . . . berry picking can be quite an enjoyable and relaxing time now . . . no strawboss . . . no dodging of flying berries . . . and no pranks such as getting locked into the outhouse. Just one hour . . . 30 lbs between the two of us . . . on a quiet summer evening.

When I got home I rinsed the berries, let them dry on trays overnight and put them in ziplock containers to freeze. This is the easiest fruit to freeze and use all winter long . . . in blueberry pies, scones, pancakes, muffins, Platz or simply added to smoothies, cereal and fruit salads. They thaw quickly by putting them in a colander and running cold water over them.