An item crossed off my list

Masters Degree - check!!

I will have to write more about it, I am still processing the last year (in a good way!)

Best Friends:

We spent last night at a lovely beach house in Point Roberts with my profs and fellow students.  My kids had a blast.

-E

Loic is braver than I am (and a funny dog photo, and the garden)

Proof:

He had to have a tooth pulled yesterday.  His baby tooth wasn't coming out and his GIANT adult tooth is coming in behind the baby tooth and needs SPACE.  Off to the dentist we went, where he had it frozen (with a needle!) and pulled and didn't bat an eye??  I either cry at the dentist or hold back tears.  Or pretend I am not crying when I am but I do a poor job of it.  Go Loic go!  Like my fear of flying, I am hoping not to pass on my dread of the dentist to my kids.  So far so good - Maelle LOVES turbulence (clearly not my influence) and Loic was happy as a clam at the dentist.  

I have, however passed on many passions of mine to my kids and I have kids who happily pick up all sorts of critters and think chihuahuas are amazing :)  They also care about the feelings of others (M may be a work in progress here).  And one of my kids (go loic go!) thinks that being a scientist is amazing.  The other kid has decided that she will be a mommy or a Princess when she grows up.  Or both.  I have my work cut out for me there!!

A funny face but a happy kid!!

Today Loic and I went riding.  He sure loves Jeff all of a sudden - he spent quite a lot of time petting him while I cleaned the stall and then rode.  That horse is sure nice - he lets the kids pet him all over and is so quite when they ride him.  Loic and I dropped off the 3 dogs and Maelle with my folks while we were at the barn.  I am fairly sure she chatted my Dad's ear off all morning.

A nice horse and a nice kid!
A nice pair :)

And to end this post - my project is almost done, my info graphic is done and tomorrow night I shall proof read both.  Here is a photo of the dogs this morning, because it is funny:

THIS is how they prefer to travel in the car :)
The trunk was full so there were allowed for a short ride today

And some produce!!  I always love the garden in August, my favourites are all in season now and the stress of everything being eaten/dying that happens in the spring has passed.  Now is the time where I worry about eating it all :)

Tomatoes!  And cucumbers!!

If you know me in real life, ask me for tomatoes in the next few weeks :)  I have already frozen bags of small yellow ones and my favourite rambling red stripe tomatoes - nothing better than tossing them into sauces and lasagnas in the winter!!!  I am also almost sick of the beans but still have bags of them in the fridge and many, many more in the garden.  Feast of famine it is out there and August is a time of plenty.

- E

Beach love

We spent 5 lovely days at my Aunt's beach house - we sure love that place.
The beach was amazing as always and it was sunny right up until we had to go home - excellent time for rain!  It made the drive home better knowing it was rainy on the beach.

The kids had a blast.  They LOVE the beach, especially Loic.  That kid loves everything on the beach - he probably picked up 100 shore crabs and told us (every crab) if it was a boy or a girl - the son of a biologist :)  One afternoon while the tide was low we wadded out until I was about waist deep and we saw many, many large crabs - they were dungeness and red rock crabs.  And they were huge!  I taught our friend how to pick them up without getting hurt by the claws; Loic was THRILLED with this - he pet the ones I could grab.  He was yelling in delight at every crab sighting too!  Funny kid.  He also picked up kelp, poked at dead jellyfish and basically had a blast.

Maelle loved the beach as well although I am pretty sure her favourite activity was eating snacks on a beach chair :)  They were honestly very well behaved, played well together and were generally a joy to be with.  They also slept well after the hours a day spent playing on the beach!!  Can't beat that.

My to do list:

- hand in thesis project components on Tuesday, August 11th.  Gulp
- revise said documents and prepare a PP presentation to present on Tuesday, August 18th
- after the documents have been handed in and the presentation has been given: Masters Degree completed.  Whoa, I almost can't believe it!!
- After degree granted and UBC provides me with proof, I will then send in my papers and all associated information to hopefully get my RPBio status (Registered Professional Biologist).  This has been a 6 year road and I am super ready to get this completed.
- Finish my remaining 8 CEUs to maintain my Certified Arborist status for the next 3 years.  This is easy to do, but I am trying to find free CEUs and that is tricky.  Oh well, I have 22 done - 8 will be quick to do.

Easy peasy - right??

:) The end of my Masters degree is in sight - I learned so much in the past year, but that will be another post.

Some beach pictures to end things off!!

Beach snacker!  

So so cute!  And so happy

He also picked up many dead crabs......

Those are my two in the distance - they were really allowed to be free range kids this trip, which was so great

Friends

Boat discussion :)

-E