F u N f A c T o R y !!!!!!

This is such an awesome place to take kids....a ginormous indoor playground! We met Jae & the girls and Allison, Change & Hannah here over Easter. The kids had so much fun.

Future Elvis Stoyko?

I guess Michelle has suffered enough so it's time to move on to a real video! This was Ireland's year end figure skating performance. AND before anyone can beat me to it, yes, i'm sure Ireland can skate better than me!

I will say that it is just sick how fast time is flying with her, just this week Ireland was telling me that she is now closer to driving than being born, it made me sad, and i'm sure it made Michelle scared!

PS - i don't know any Candadian female figure skaters out there, so Elvis will have to do.

She learnt everything she knows from me!

Well, you can't say she didn't ask for this considering that pic she posted last week. We had a Rink Day in Waldheim last week, Michelle put on my duds for a hockey game, and apparently picked up my mentality too! Doesn't even know what backchecking is!

Hee Hee

I can't believe Todd ever looked like this....

All you need is Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust!

Ireland had her skating carnival on Saturday. It was a long day for our family. Since I was on the figure skating committee, I created the theme, the costumes and decorations. And on Saturday it all came together. Our day started early, about 6:30 am. I had a pancake breakfast to work at because we were fundraising for the carnival. I was there for 5 hours. Then in the afternoon, I had to get another committee together to help me put up the big Pixie Hollow Tree poster, the theme poster "Believing is just the Beginning", and the poster with Tinkerbell. And at 4:30 we blew up about 150 helium balloons. Fun stuff. Just in time to get them onto the ice for 7:00pm for the show to start. Ireland was in the pink fairy group. She did very well in her skating, seeing as she missed a lot of lessons. She will become our figure skating olympian! This is by far her favourite sport!

March Update!

OK, a lot of you folks probably check in here no just because of my darling, whitty, hilarious personality. Most of you might be stopping by to see what my wife is up to, or what Ireland's been doing etc. So, this post is purely for information purposes, and I'll try to keep my wonderful comments to myself.

Last month was a fairly busy month for the family. Where to start? Well, i guess we should start with the important stuff for those with short attention spans. First off, no news on our court decision, the only thing slower moving than the wheels of justice is me on a breakaway. We're still hoping that we will hear something this month so please don't forget us in your prayers and obviously for the judge who is making this decision.

In February we decided it was time for the pilgrimage to Edmonton, it was time for Ireland to be introduced to the sad fact that our family is an Oiler family. While i got to enjoy the hayday of Oiler time, over the last 15 years we've become accustomed to disappointment. And true to their MO the Oilers held up their end of the bargain. TWO games after i talked to Ireland about Ryan Smyth being the heart of this team they traded him! ARGH! Accompanying us on this trip was Ireland's bud from Waldheim Mia. In the pics below you can see the two of them had a pretty good time.

After we got back from Edmonton we had to deal with the sad news that Grampa had passed away. The funeral was really tough, but it was really nice to see everyone. Without too much detail i just wanted to share one story about why my grampa was special, and how he could make anyone feel good. At the funeral my Uncle Mike told a story, and while i couldn't possibly do as good a job as he did, i'll summarize it for you.

Grampa once told Ireland and I that Ireland had the perfect name. Years and years ago when Grampa was heading off to war, that meant crossing the ocean. The trip was long, and Grampa talked about how cold, and wet, and somber the trip was. Day after day of grey skies, gloomy faces, faced with the reality that all these young men were heading accross that ocean and not all of them would be coming back. (I couldn't imagine sitting on that boat and having to deal with that, it's one of the reasons i'm so proud of my Grampa doing that for me.) Anyway, after days on this boat, in the cold, in the gloom they finally saw land, and at that same time the skies opened and the sun shone down. Instantly the sailors spirits were lifted, and there was excitement. Grampa talked about beautiful green landscapes, warmth, and how excited he was to finally see something worthwhile. That's when Grampa stopped, looked at Ireland and said, "You see, you have the perfect name, because that boat landed on Ireland, and the excitement i felt on that day is the same excitement i feel everytime i see you."

Needless to say i'm sure everyone heard me bawling like Ryan Smyth at the airport when Uncle Mike said that story! (Thanks Uncle Mike!)

After we got back my wife turned the big two-sixer.. the old fart. I say this only because of how she made me feel so old when i turned 25. I also say this now because i know how much razzing i'm going to get this Sept when the Three-00000000 no is coming. Anyway, that's all for now... check out the pics and enjoy.

Sad Day

For those that don't know yet, my Grandpa Wilf Smith went home to our Lord last night. At times like this it's so hard to put into words what you feel. Why am i so sad to see him go? He's where i want to be some day right? Is it because i feel guilty for not spending more time with him when he was here? Is it because i feel sorry for the pain he had to go through to get there? Am i worried about my Grandma being alone (which i know she won't because she's surrounded by family)? Ultimately, it seems rational that i should be happy for Grampa, he's home and that what i should try to feel, but for some reason i just can't get past the sadness of him not being here anymore.

This was the first person Ireland has ever been closed to that has died, so it's a hard time for her as well. I'm just glad that we got to see Grampa just before Christmas this year, while it might have seemed insignificant at the time, it feels enormous now that in some small way we got to say goodbye. Please keep my Gramma and my mom in your prayers over the next few days as we start to cope with the loss.