i moved.

I hate to do this because this has been an ongoing journal for the
last 5 years, but I had to create a new blog site. The reason being I
have been doing all my posts via email while I've been away and in that
time away I totally forgot how to actually log into my blog which has
been an unending frustration to me. Believe me folks, I've tried
everything to log back in. I actually think the email address for the
log-in has been terminated.

soooo...

you can find me at www.lisadrewbillsnaxbeef.blogspot.com

we're closer to the ocean than we think.

Leave it to the Veeb boys. I love it when Snax talks in his serious
voice, looking at me with his serious eyes. "Mom, we found a lobster."
A lobster?! I ran outside to see. I was expecting to see a small
crayfish, but no. I think it actually might be a baby lobster. Maybe
it escaped from the Super Store lobster tank. I don't blame him. I
went to grab my camera. Snax held up the lobster for a photo and
accidentally dropped it on the pavement. One of it's claws fell off.
Snax spoke to me again in his serious voice with his serious eyes,
"maybe we can tape it back on."

Today is just one of those days that I'm completely in love with having
two boys. I love it that they are playing out in the rain right now. I
love it that they'll come in soon and I'll throw them in the tub and
throw their clothes in the washing machine. I love it that we'll have
hot chocolate together.

The other day I was looking at some old photos of them....Snax with his
too chubby cheeks and legs and rosy red lips, Bill with his round face
and impossibly big,round eyes. It breaks my heart that those days are
over and that Bill will be starting school in a matter of weeks and Snax
and I will have one more year at home together. I'll be an empty nester
before I know it. Sometimes I just wish they were little and chubby
again, but at the same time I love the stage they are in now. Their
personalities are coming out more and more and it's so beautiful to watch.

pre-tutu

we took a few too before she was transformed into a ballerina.

the photo shoot....

The photo shoot with my ballerina went great. What was there to be
nervous about?! Rubes was a precious gem to say the least and her mom
(not shown) rocked it in some skinnies.

Snax poses

I'll be completely honest. In a world full of photographers it's easy
to feel a little insecure. Is it just me or does it seem like EVERYONE
has a huge, honkin' camera and has a photography website? And there are
so many talented people out there! Since coming home I rarely take out
my camera and maybe it's cuz I just don't want join the masses. I
dunno. I don't have the best 'equipment' and sometimes I wonder if I'm
just pretending, ya know? I have to remind myself that for me it's just
about a hobby. And there is joy in it for me. Tonight I have a little
photo shoot with my niece, which I'm excited about but also nervous.
What if I don't deliver? This morning I got Snax to strike a pose for
me just to get rid of my jitters. It didn't work. But here is my
favorite picture. It's hard to take a bad picture of such a cute face.

I'm a Tooth Fairy!

Bill lost his first tooth in the car yesterday. It was a milestone
moment. As we were driving along Bill cried out, "My tooth came
out!!". I was at the wheel and started screaming hysterically. I
surprised myself with my reaction. I didn't realize what a big moment
this would be! Immediately Snax beef starting wallowing in self pity
because he wanted his teeth to fall out too. I'm not sure I've ever
seen him so jealous. It's funny to hear someone say they wish their
teeth would fall out. But his jealously did not rain on our joyous
parade. Me n' Bill partied it up in the car like it was 1999.

Bill immediately took on a more mature look. For reals. I can't
believe how much he changed. And now that he lost his first tooth I
immediately assume the role as Tooth Fairy. I wasn't prepared for the
pressures of this job. Immediately my biggest fear was forgetting to
take the tooth from under the pillow and planting the money. There is
no room for error. And what if I couldn't quite reach the tooth from
under the pillow without waking Bill? And what if I couldn't find the
tooth?! And how much does a first tooth go for these days? After all,
no one likes a stingy Tooth Fairy.

After an evening of paranoia and worry I made a successful transfer. I
quietly tiptoed into Bill's room once I was certain he was asleep and
gently slipped my hand under his pillow to find the tooth. Once I had
the tooth in my grasp and gently slipped it out and planted a stack of
quarters in it's place. This Tooth Fairy and her husband did not have a
single loonie or toonie on hand and I'm ashamed to tell you that this
Tooth Fairy had to search every nook and cranny in her car to find
enough change for Bill. Is $1.50 too stingy? This morning I heard Bill
stirring and then I heard the tinkling of coins. He found the little
stash under his pillow. He told me excitedly that the Tooth Fairy left
him "five monies'. Phewf. I think he thinks he hit the jackpot. And
guess what. The one beside it is a little wiggly now. Maybe the second
time won't be so stressful.

And here's a little tip for all you parents out there. It worked on
Bill like a charm. I told him that the Tooth Fairy leaves more money
for clean, healthy teeth. If he doesn't take good care of his teeth
then the Tooth Fairy is sad and doesn't leave much coinage. Well, he
raced right to the bathroom and vigorously brushed his teeth after
that. Whatever works, right?

exhaust piiiipes

Along with bees there is a fascination with exhaust pipes. I couldn't
count on both hands how many times I hear the words 'exhaust pipes' in
one day. I went from thinking it was funny, to being slightly annoyed,
back to thinking it's funny. Heck, I've even joined in. We drive
around Wink-town in search of a 'two-er' or if you're lucky, a
'four-er'. You see, Bill and Snax actually think the more exhaust pipes
a vehicle has the faster it goes. Unfortunately my car is a 'one-er'.
The other day Snax consoled me, "But it's okay, Mom. You're car is
still pretty fast." I've posed this question to them, "We've seen cars
with one exhaust pipe, two exhaust pipes, or four exhaust pipes. Why
don't they ever have three exhaust pipes?" We don't know why, but we've
excepted that. And Snax posed this question to me: "how fast would a
car go if it had 183 exhaust pipes?" I told him it'd be able to shoot
to the moon with that many exhaust pipes. He was pleased with that
answer. When and if we ever shop for a new vehicle one of my criteria
will definitely be that it needs to at least be a 'two-er'.

bee-utiful brotherly love....it's sweet as honey

Snax has been busy catching bees in his net for his brother Bill cuz he
knows his brother Bill loves honey. Snax has it all worked out. "I'll
'cotch' the bees for Bill, then I'll kill them and squish the honey out
of 'em so Bill can have some for breakfast." Isn't that.....sweet?

July long was too short.

The whole Loewen gang headed up to Clear Lake for July long weekend.
The only bad thing about the weekend was having to come home.

snax turns 4!

We celebrated in style for Snax Beef's fourth birthday. I felt bad for
the guy because his last two birthdays fell on big transitional periods
for our family. His second birthday was our first day in PNG, and his
third birthday fell on the day we moved to Madang. Sometimes all the
birthday hoopla seems a little crazy. I kinda envied Papua New
Guineans. Most of them didn't know their birth dates. Actually most of
them didn't even know how old they were. It just didn't matter. BUT I
am Canadian and in Canada we celebrate birthdays. Most of us these days
probably even know the time we were born.

Okay enough of that. Back to Snax Beef and HIS birthday. I'll start
out saying that we have the nicest neighbors you could ever have. They
are so genuine and it feels like we've been neighbors forever (even
though it's only been two months). Our neighbor also happens to be the
Fire Chief, so thanks to him Snax and Co. had a grand tour of the new,
state-of-the-art fire station. It was cool and as my friend Heather
said to a four year old it must feel like winning the lottery. The kids
had a fun AND educational time. The Fire Chief taught us the difference
between good fires and bad fires, how to stop, drop, and roll, what kids
should do if they find matches or lighters, and that we shouldn't be
afraid of firefighters because they are here to help us. THEN we got to
see the fire trucks up close. We even got to sit in them. Snax, being
the birthday boy got the privilege of sitting on to of the ladder
truck. Lucky guy!

Later on that evening we had everyone back at our place to eat yummy
food and play a few games. We had a fish themed party because you all
know Snax and his brother Bill are quite the avid fishermen. Snax even
got a pair of goldfish for his birthday (affectionately known as "Mikey
the Pikey and Big Bite"). The party couldn't have gone better and after
all the planning and prep this mama is pooped. We brought Snax Beef's
fourth birthday in with a whole lot of gusto and that's pretty darn
awesome, Papua New Guinean or not.

The Farm Kings

taim bilong strawberries

This is a shameless plug for Van Hepp strawberries. I love their
strawberries. Sweet, juicy....almost as if they have love molecules
injected inside of them. U-pick is open so come and get 'em!

And the reason we were out pickin' was because we went to the farm to
celebrate Auntie Arlink's. She is the first adult I've ever met that
has trouble blowing out a candle. I thought it was adorable.

Pictures 1-4: pickin' and eatin'
Picture 5: Snax and G getting cozy
Picture 6: this picture makes me laugh every time I look at it.
Picture 7: A plane! A plane!
Picture 8: That baby is well looked after (until G got a hold of it)
Picture 9: Arlink.....blowing out her candle....or at least trying.