Home again, home again...

We have arrived back home and are starting to adjust to our routines. We are still waking up very early (which isn't a bad thing overall), but the days are long and it's tough to last past 9 p.m. We are all glad to be back in Canada and while we know we had the trip of a lifetime, it was time for it to be done.

Approaching the gate for our flight from Edinburgh to London on our way to Halifax, Findlay asked, "what language do they speak in the country we are going to?" You know it is time for the poor guy to get back home!

We took away many great memories and it was as though we had three trips in one. The ringette one in Finland, Paris and Copenhagen as a family exploring Europe and some of its unique cultures and then Scotland to connect with relatives and the homeland (for Tullochs anyway).

The thought of Olivia's 13th birthday is now leaping into my head and the holidays approaching is never far from our consciousness (thanks to commercials and decorations everywhere). I hope we can look back on our time that seemed so long and remember all of the unique experiences we had.

Here's hoping it won't feel like the fast forward button was pushed....

Andrew inspecting Zander's 50 year old mini...completely rebuilt.

Zander's sailboat.

The Forth bridge.

Always a smile from Meredith.

Reached the top of Arthur's Seat.

Edinburgh.

Pictures to be added...

Roundtower in Copenhagen. Enjoyed an ascent up a building without stairs

From Vacation

From Vacation

Edinburgh Castle under a blustery evening sky.

From Vacation

The kids stumbled upon a familiar friend in St. Andrews, Scotland.

From Vacation

Tivoli Gardens for the kids will be remembered as this.

From Vacation

For me they will be remembered as this.

From Vacation

Edinburgh Castle Viewpoint

From Vacation

Quite a backdrop at this playground.

From Vacation

St. Andrews Castle Ruins

From Vacation

Duncan enjoyed playing hide and seek in the ruins with Findlay.

Every day I feel like I take an endless amount of photos and each day I think of something I forgot to capture. Photos jog our memory, but it's tough to recapture those emotions at the time. It was so nice to reconnect with our friend Krista and have an afternoon with her very adorable children. It was nice to hear another Canadian accent amidst so many Scottish accents.

The train adventures kept us on our toes and it was comfortable riding, once we knew we were on the right track!

Tomorrow is Tulloch visiting and meeting. The time is winding down, but still so much to see and do!

Bonnie Scotland now...

We've landed in the land of the Tullochs now and it was nearly like arriving home. There was family to greet us at the airport and a home to go to with meals prepared for us! We explored Edinburgh yesterday and it was extremely blustery, but clear and not rainy. Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen was definitely a hit for the kids, but we were ready to depart. The transport to get to the airport from the city in Copenhagen was fabulous and if only Canada could have train travel like that.

The girls and Findlay have made fast friends with Andrew's cousin Zander's children as they are all very close in age and Olivia has found a new source of reading material from Samantha Tulloch's library. The kids had a great time last night playing and we look forward to more Tulloch time together tomorrow as there is a half day of school and we will connect with Andrew's other cousin Kirsten and her twin boys at their home.

I'll attach a few photos of Tivoli Gardens and our day in Edinburgh at the castle.

Technical difficulties for photos...will try again later. Off to St. Andrews today to visit a good friend from PEI.

Finland to Paris to Copenhagen...

This trip has definitely been worth the wait and we are all enjoying the adventures each day brings (except when we are lost and tired and hungry...which happens more than we would hope). Our current home base is the Imperial Hotel in Kobehavn (Copenhagen) and it has treated us the best of our various locations. Most Danish people have a strong grasp of English and I feel we flounder less with language barriers than we did even in Paris (and then I am not the official spokesperson for all things as I was in Paris).

Yesterday we did Legoland after a long wait for Findlay. It was quite a long drive from Copenhagen to Billund where Legoland is located. We rented a car and it was nice to have the freedom to go at our own pace. Andrew enjoyed driving quickly along the highways and we only had a challenge navigating on our way back to Copenhagen.

Findlay is as elated with what he bought at Legoland as much as visiting the place itself. There were Christmas elves on every Lego display all over the park and the kids really enjoyed getting their driving license in Legoland. They all were smiling ear to ear while doing that and they got an official license at the end. There weren't any Canadian flags for their licenses, so they chose the British flag and Danish one also.

Windmills were everywhere and all of them were going. We crossed the Nyborg-Korsor bridge, which was quite impressive and while we were crossing we saw a rainbow.

Today we plan to visit the Zoo, the Round Tower and tomorrow will be Tivoli Gardens, which looks spectacular all dressed in Christmas lights.

We are looking forward to the next leg of our journey where we take the kids to Edinburgh to meet family and discover Scotland. I expect they will enjoy hearing English spoken as the main language, but I also expect the accent will throw them for a loop!

Here are pics of the last few days....

This guy greeted us at the entrance.

Thought the scene was cute and noticed a familiar name.

Girls' washroom in Legoland.

Legoland done. Findlay was just ecstatic to have a new set to build!

Meredith driving in Legoland. Working stop lights, roundabouts and merges made for interesting driving.

Santa was everywhere in Legoland.

Notre Dame in Paris. 200 years to build. Worth the effort. Amazing.

Last meal in Paris.

Looking forward to going beyond the gates at Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.

The details at Tivoli.

Gold Medal Round now

Time is flying by, and we're exhausted and exhilarated almost in the same hour. A lot of hurry-up and wait and then the amazing time of on-ice when the players get to do what they've been training to do. Tomorrow we will jump out of the starting gate and battle with the Finns for Gold.

It's been nice to have small moments to connect with the family, but it also makes me look forward to our real trip together once the Worlds are over when I can spend all of my time with them.

The family waiting across the street from where we were meeting in Tampere, Finland. They have done a LOT of walking during their sightseeing adventures.

The team at Opening Ceremonies

Fried herring we bought at a vendor at the market. It was really yummy and tasted more like french fries than fish!

Tomorrow we take the first step towards winning. Let's step with confidence.

Additional Pics

Many photos are being uploaded to the Ringette Canada flickr site, so I wanted to give this link so people can check them out. They are a compilation of my photos and Frances' photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ringettecanada/5124364124/in/photostream/

Day 4 and I managed to keep my bearings...

A good day, with some time to ourselves in the morning. I joined the team for a walk around Tampere, as I hadn't seen them much the day before due to my 'adventures' in navigation-mishaps.

It was a grey day today, but reminded me of home and with the water nearby, it feels very much like home except for the foreign language signs and different street signs.

The athletes were very tired and jet lag definitely hit hard today (because of not being able to sleep last night). There will be another team walk in the morning tomorrow and then our practice ice is earlier in the day and then the free time will be in the afternoon. We enjoyed going to a Finnish National League hockey game which was enjoyable, with the home team coming away with a win (and a Canadian leading the charge). We made it on the jumbotron at the arena and after being identified, lots of young fans started chanting Kan-a-da and then when we wanted them to continue, they shouted "Sidney Crosby" and other Canadian players' names!

Day 3...where did 1 and 2 go?

It's been non-stop around here and I feel I have driven all over Tampere, but still can't tell where I am going. I haven't really had a chance to take many photos, so I am disappointed with that, but hopefully I can make up for it over the coming days.

So today I bought a map after two days of navigating without one, and today I got lost

I'm pretty sure it was because I didn't have my navigator Frances (pictured with the map) with me at the time. I was feeling pretty confident and that's when I got myself lost. This is definitely the land of too many k's (it seems nearly every word has multiple k's and at least 20 letters. For example, here's the route to the restaurant where we walked for supper today: Yliopistonkatu (road our hotel is on) to Tullikatu, to Itsenaisyydenkatu, then Rautatienkatu and then Verkatelitaankatu and finally Aleksanterinkatu. If you haven't picked up on it yet, katu means street.

We've learned that Tulli means customs, but somehow we see it everywhere for parking, so we figure it also means toll, so we'll take the leap and guess it refers parking fees?

The only saving grace after being lost was that in the morning when we left for the day, Frances put a pylon in our parking space so people wouldn't park there....and it worked. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had a parking spot. So my navigator still helped me out in the end!

I'm hoping Day 4 will see me encountering fewer adventures and more atmosphere. Although when the team is on the ice, the atmosphere is truly electric.

What's really strange is that it's only mid day at home and I've completed mine.

Finland and Gold Medal Bound!

I am about to depart for Tampere, Finland for the World Ringette Championships. I am the Team Leader (aka manager) for Ringette Canada's Team Canada and I have been working for nearly two years to help the team build to become ready to win Gold in November. Nervous, scared, excited and overwhelmed are some of the emotions...no doubt exhausted, weary and drained will be what I feel tomorrow upon arrival, but for now I'm PUMPED!

What makes this all the more special is that my family will join me in Finland next week and we get to travel after the Ringette Championships. So much to see and experience and what a treat to do it as a family.

Wish me well!

Team Canada 2010

Kickin' summer for certain....

We have had such a wonderful summer, but there has been a notable shortage of vacation days for Andrew. We did make the most of the ones he had by camping and visiting cool places (like Economy Fall, NS pictured above).

The notable shortage of vacation days is because we're saving up for the big trip to the World Ringette Championships in Finland. After Team Canada's victory (because silver is not an option), our family will jet off to additional European destinations....can't wait. Well, I guess I can wait, because I've got a lot to do to make it happen.

Last summer every Saturday was rainy....

It's a rainy Saturday and I'm quite happy to be stuck inside. It means that I'm not outside languishing in the rain at a swim meet like last summer. It also means my husband is stuck inside finally finishing a baseboard project that was started over a year ago. I'm happy for the rain.

Our first full week of summer holidays (for the kids).It definitely feels like summer should. The weather has been stellar. Every Maritimer is afraid that when the rain comes, the sun might not return. The last couple of summers have been very soggy, so our anxiety is understandable.

The cake in the photo above was an iPhone cake I made for my sister-in-law's birthday(of the Falcon Run Tullochs). It had been ages since I had made a decorative cake for anyone. When the kids were younger and I seemed to have more time in my home (due to nap requirements--of children, not me), I churned out multiple cakes per week depending upon the time of year. What happened to that domestic diva? I think I've been on a sabbatical. For about three years.

Traditionally in my former life, this first week of summer used to be long and drawn-out, but with many beach trips and outdoor adventures. Compared to those summers past, this first week I was trying to juggle parenting (when I could squeeze it in), running a segment of a ringette skills camp, tending to my part-time job as a communications-type and.....well, domestic diva never even made it on the radar.

One could say I've managed to have it all (including an extremely disorganized house), but often by having it all, I'm not sure what it is that I want the most! That's the trouble with being blessed, you often complain about your blessings.

My two eldest go away to camp this week and I really don't want them to go. Not only does it mean I'm left with their brother on my own (yikes!), but I feel like we haven't had enough time together lately for them to leave me. I have a feeling this will be a recurring theme for the rest of their lives and I just have to learn to suck it up.

This week's mission....take some summer time pictures other than birthday cakes, because it means I've taken the time to smell the roses, and count my blessings.

Father's Day

It's been my sixth Father's Day without my Dad. He passed away in 2004. There are days when I miss him so much and just wish for one more conversation. He was a really smart and thoughtful man. He often took the weight of the world on his shoulders and I could see it on his face on those days. Most of the time though he just loved being with his grandchildren. It makes me sad that he didn't get to know my kids as well as some of the other grandchildren, but that's the down side to being the youngest. You may be spoiled, but you get less time--on so many levels.

Anyway....I didn't intend for this to be a bummer. I was reflecting on Father's Day that it was my first one that I didn't miss my Dad. I enjoyed the ones that are here with us. My husband, who is a fantastic father and gives so much to his children, and Andrew's father. We had a great day, being together and thankfully that is still what our children want to be. Together.

It's been a while....

Half a year in review....
Outerbanks, NC (my June adventure)

(Florida and Freedom Forty)-May

Sixers in Toon Town-April

My seven-year-old. Findlay.

Meredith and me on the canal in Ottawa.

So the last few months have been a whirlwind. The fact that I haven't posted since the new year indicates that perhaps the entire last half a year has been a whirlwind. I recall being in the height of stay-at-home-motherhood when the kids needed me for everything and I needed eyes in the back of my head (mostly for their safety...not for second-guessing behaviours)...upon reflecting on others who lamented busy family lives I would marvel how people lamented time going quickly. The only time that went quickly for me was the kids' nap time...or that time of brief freedom when someone was in preschool and I got to do groceries by myself.

Now a few years later, I have a new level of freedom as a mother, and yet I have taken on other obligations that somehow make time go by far too quickly. All that being said, I still suck at time management and waste valuable moments that could be used for accomplishing something...but that's human nature and I've learned that I'm very human.

I have managed to have a great family, dabble in my career again while learning more about my family's business and eking out the role I may have in it. I have also been able to contribute to the sport I love at the National level. I guess you could say I'm blessed. The only thing is these blessings are a lot of work! I keep waiting for things to calm down so I can catch my breath, but I'm starting to catch on that it's not going to happen any time soon!

In the words of Gladys (Ellen Degeneres frequent call-in guest), I'll just "keep-on keepin' on."

The photos above help to review this crazy year to this point....occasionally I've taken some snaps, so they should give you a visual.

Here's how it went so far....
February:
Ottawa with Meredith as an early 11th celebration to watch some NRL (National Ringette League) games and enjoy Winterlude.
I turned the big 4-0 this month also and while celebrations were low-key, I knew there would be much celebration over this milestone to come.
March:
Finn turns 7, ringette season is full-steam for all of us and life seems to happen in the rink for this month.
April:
I left to go and participate in the Canadian Ringette Championships in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I played in the NRL division for the Atlantic Sixers. It was surreal to do something at 40 that I had first experienced at 15.
May:
An extremely busy month. Travelled to Florida for six days with some dear friends to celebrate our fortieth year. It was a time to say the least.
Soon after (like 24 hours later) I left for Ottawa for Ringette Canada's Team Canada training camp. Exciting, draining, inspiring, exhausting and all in four days. Once I returned home I then had to organize the Grand Opening of our newest Continuing Care facility the Sagewood. Things went smoothly, but by the end of that event, I knew I was running out of steam.
June:
Managed to sneak in a second 40th celebration with a different group of friends in honour of my very good friend France. We were lucky enough to gather in Corolla, North Carolina and live like the proverbial queens for a few days.

If I can just manage to make it through June for another work event and the craziness of the end of school, I think I can shore up my energies in preparation for the next Training Camp for Team Canada (Medicine Hat in September) and our voyage to Finland for the World Ringette Championships.

Maybe I'll even manage to blog more effectively through to that time. In reviewing this blog, I've learned that it has captured much of my recent history with words and pictures in a way a photo album can't. When you're far away from home, it's nice to know this is a just a click away sometimes.

Four months have passed...

It's been nearly four months since I have updated my blog. Oh my. I remember reading someone else's blog and her observations that Twitter was causing people to get away from blogging. Perhaps that has happened to me, or perhaps life is just getting busier.

Things are going well, but whenever there are down moments, I rarely want to document what is going on, as I'm still recovering from what just happened! The kids' activities and interests keep me going in many directions. Findlay has hockey a number of times each week, and he also signed up for basketball this fall, so his increased schedule has been added into an already packed bunch of activities.

My involvement in Ringette Canada's Team Canada program has been a great experience so far. It has given me a good scope of the sport on a national level and it rejuvenates me for my coaching and playing activities.

The winter drearies have definitely kicked in, but hopefully a weekend away with Meredith to the National Capital region for some Winterlude festivities will help us enjoy winter a little more. Meredith is getting her 11th birthday trip a little bit early so we can make it to some National Ringette League games so she can see ringette at its best and meet some of the players. She's very excited, but a little nervous about flying.

Time will continue to tick by and I think that my ability to maintain the blog will continue to be lacklustre, but it's still a good process to go through. With Olympic fever taking over the country, it's easy to get caught up in watching sport at its finest with the world watching our country. I never get caught up in the hype leading up to the Olympics, but as soon as I hear the tales of various athletes and their journey to the podium, you can't help but love sport for what it can do for the human condition. If only it could be accessible to all...one day maybe.

I've posted some photos to catch up, but I have faltered in my picture-taking nearly as much as I have in my blogging!