Harry Potter over? I think not.

This one is for you Andrea.
Oh Harry.  I was sad, upset and a little bit in disbelief on July 15 when the last Harry Potter movie came out.  The movie was excellent and the crowd was awesome.  Poor Joelle.  I think I said every possible stupid thing during that movie that I could.  The appearance of Dean.  Dean!
So in honor of Harry Potter being over and the fact that summer tv is horrible, I have taken on the task of watching all of the Harry Potter movies from start to finish.

So far, this is what I have discovered.  Ten years ago, special effects looked like they did when ET was created.  The characters age rather rapidly in the first three movies.  I love Ron more and more through every movie.  Ron and Hermionie's love affair started in movie three.  Giny was a foolish little girl.  Nevelle is awesome.  I am pretty sure that I don't know how to spell the characters names.

So my challenge to all my Harry Potter loving readers.  Which I am pretty sure I only have about two readers.  Is this.  Don't re-read the books.  Re-watch the movies.  So entertaining!

Growing So Fast

I know it is completely cliche for me to say this, but our little girl is growing up so fast.  She is really growing.  Items that were once safe on the table, dresser, night side table, side table are no longer safe.  Simple instructions are easily understood and followed.  For example, Leah can you go get Brandi two cookies and take them to her bed.  I realize that she grabs two because she grabs one in each hand, however, she knows where Brandi's cookie container is, how to open it, where Brandi's bed is and that she is drop the cookies infront of Brandi's drooling mouth.  If the cookies drop on the floor Leah will pick them up and place them back on the dog bed.

It really is amazing to watch her interpret what we ask her to do, describe, and read to her.  Leah's new love in life is books.  She loves books.  So much that she can tell which book is which by the cover.  Another example, if  you ask Leah to get you Hands Hands Fingers Thumbs she will go to her basket of books and pick out each one and look at the cover until she finds that book.

She continues to amaze me everyday.  It really is incredible to watch her grow and learn about her world around her.

Now if I could just convince her that diaper changes really are not worthing throwing a hissy fit over.

Staycation...It's gonna have to start being an annual thing!

This week has been the first time in four years that Dave and I have taken a whole weeks worth of vacation together.  I know it's kind of hard to believe.  We have not taken more than an extended long weekend off together since our honeymoon.  Which actually means that Dave has not had more than four days off in a row in 4 years.  That is even crazier than us not taking vacations off together.

I earn my four weeks of vacation off a year and use at least two of them.  This is both from my own desire and the encouragement of my manager to take vacation.  I enjoy time off.  It gives you a time to relax, recharge and enjoy the little things that you miss when you work full time.

Our week long holiday has been excellent.  The best part so far has been just spending time together as a family.  Leah hasn't spent this much time with her daddy since the week she was born and I guarantee you they are both loving every minute of.  I am loving every minute of it.

It makes me miss being home with her all the time.  It also makes me wonder if I would enjoy being home with her everyday.  I think I would love it and hate it all in the same breath.  Who wouldn't love being home with there children everyday.  However, I would miss my job, the adult interaction, the look of pure happiness on her little face when I pick her up from dayhome.

But we have discovered that we need to take this time for ourselves as a family.  Maybe even more than once a year.  That's right everyone!  Dave Lindgren may actually have to start taking vacation more than once every four years.  I wonder home he is going to cope with that?

Somewhere Only We Know

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete

Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?


Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
So why don't we go

This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?



KEANE LYRICS

We'll Be Seeing You

June is both the greatest month and the saddest month of the year!  It is a month full of change, excited meant, and anxiety.  Two of the greatest people I have meet in the last year have filled our lives this month and for that I am thankful.
It starts with Breanna and Miss E.  The love I have for these two girls is overwhelming.  We love you so much.  I still love that one of E's first words was Leah and four months later she still chants Leah's name while running around the house.
Your visit here was unbelievably fun.  I feel like we know you so much better now.  The things we learnt about one another over that week made our friendship so much stronger.  You are by far the most easy going house guest that I have ever had and it makes us want to book you for more visits in the future.  I find myself wishing you were still here.  Truth be told I am pretty sure that Dave misses you guys too.  Brandi misses you so much she peed in your room.  (Let me tell you how excited I was to find that on the duvet!).
It brings tears to my eyes when I think that you are leaving us for sunny California.  I still even find myself thinking that you still live down the street and I will just take Brandi for a "Kosmynka" walk.  But truth be told I still can't bring myself to walk down your old street.  We are going to miss you so much!  Much love from the Lindgren's.

Now, Mrs and Miss Hawkeye.  I was vibrating the day you landed in Edmonton and I didn't even get to see you that day.  I kept asking Breanna if she thought that you had landed yet.  Then came Thursday!  We were all so excited the girls barely took a morning nap.  I am pretty sure that I jumped and down and screamed "there here there here" when I saw your car pull up.  I have missed the two of you so much over the last 6 months.  I am so happy that we get to see you two more times before you leave.  Little E is so precious.  She is such a cutie pie that I want to eat her up with little kisses on her nose.  We missed Auntie G around here.  Leah knows that her mom doesn't have as many fun songs, silly rhymes, and little games as Auntie G does.  I love how the kids gravitate to you when you are in the room.  I missed your crazy stories and your zest for life!  We will miss you again so much when you leave but know that you will be back in 6 months to work a few more shifts.  I am so glad that rule is in place as it guarantees a bi-yearly visit!

The end of June will be a hard time indeed.  It signifies our Lew Crew foursome going down to two.  It will be difficult to say good by this time to two truly great friends.  I know that time flies by, I know that you will be back , and I know that there is always an open invitation to visit.  But it doesn't make the initial good bye any easier.  Katie and I will keep Lew Crew going. We will ensure that the name doesn't get lost and are hoping and praying that in 2 years the Lew Crew will be back and that all members actually live in the west end!  I know that life takes us on all sorts of journeys'.  It takes us on adventures to meet new people, gain new friendships, and find those who truly touch our lives forever.  I am glad to say that the Lew Crew girls have truly touch our lives forever.

I know that you will read this.  I hope you understand and feel the emotion that I am trying to portray.  I know that come Thursday I will hear about it.  But I had to say it now, before I get caught up in the moment.  Before I chickened out.  Before time passes me by.  I don't believe in saying goodbye so for now I will just say...We'll be seeing you...

How many more sleeps?

Next week is going to be a busy and exciting week for us.  First of all, two of our favorite people in the whole wide world are staying with us!  I am so excited!  Just for this special occasion I have decided to take the whole week off of work so that I can spend as much time as possible with them before they leave.  Breanna and Emerson, Leah and I can't wait for you to stay with us.  Of course, Dave is pretty darn excited too!
Second, our very good, lovely and exquisite friends return from England!  I am super excited that the Hawkeye's will be in town.  It feels like they have been gone forever, but somehow I still feel like I know every detail of there news lives.
As the anticipation builds for next week I can't help but smile.  The Lew Crew will be back in action.  Even if it is only for a short period of time.
I know if won't be exactly the same as it once was.  But it will be awesome and maybe better because we will make the time count.  This isn't like it once was.  "Oh I'll see you tomorrow."  This will be precious time. This will be time to cherish.  This will be time to hold onto.  This will be time to remember.

Leah and Emerson cruzn'.

Leah and Elizabeth droolin'.

Leah and Cohen posin'.

Are Romantic Comedies not as good as they used to be?

I am concerned!  I love love love Romantic Comedies.  And for those of you who know me well you know this about me.  But, it seems that the movies that are coming out are not as good as they once were.  Maybe I am biased, maybe I am getting old and don't get it, or maybe some of the greatest ones have already come out and my standards are just too high!  I am a fan of the "classics":  Bridget Jone's Diary, Everafter, Pride and Prejudice (new one not old one), Mona Lisa Smile, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Count of Monticristo, Love Actually...  But the newer movies aren't the same. Yes, Confessions of a Shopaholic was funny, Twilight was good for a teenage series, Bridewars was entertaining, but not the same as Sweet Home Alabama. 

What happened to the love story, the tragedy, and that part of yourself that you can see in each leading lady?  Where are the hopelessly romantic/stubborn leading men?  The best friend that supports you through anything and all of us are longing for a friend exactly like that in our lives.  

Ahhh, I digress.  I miss a good old Romantic Comedy.  Maybe my problem is all of the actors and actress' that I loved have moved on to bigger and greater things while I am stuck in the past.  I guess one really can't build there entire career on Romantic Comedies.  You can't re-do a great thing.  Look at Valentines Day!  They tried, but you will never be able to do Love Actually twice!

So, as summer movie season is upon us I am hoping that the first two Romantic Comedies emerging in May (Something Borrowed and Bridesmaids) are as good as the books, otherwise, I am going to have to buy new DVDs for the movies that I already own as mine are going to wear out soon.  

And just in case you were wondering.  I am one of those people who watches a movie over and over again.  I honestly can't tell you how many times I have watched Everafter, but I have been watching it since the year 2000.