Long Weekend = Family

This long weekend equaled family.

Not just my parents, brother and Griffey...

But friends who are family too!

Arriving at church this morning, our family saved us seats and my little cousin squeezed my hand as she whispered, "I missed you so much! I'm so glad you're back!" Of course, she did not stop talking and giggling with me all through mass...couldn't stop the girl...didn't really want to either...And when she and her big brother leaned back, reached behind us and held my brother's hand during the Lord's prayer...absolute sweetness...

My cousins and I are silly crazy girls (and guys...although the girls may be sillier). We love getting together, talking crazy silly talk and making the little kids cry...It's a normal family thing. The oldest ones tease the littlest ones senselessly, trying to see how far we can get before they crack! (Yeah, we're "mean"!)

I tell you all this because, I totally wasn't trying to be mean when I made my friend's daughter cry last night! I was with my girlfriend, her hubby and their two sweet little girls. I should mention up front that they are Chinese (it's pertinent information to the story). So the adults are having sushi and, "E", the 3 year old is having chicken terriyaki, rice and some veggies. She was not eating her rice so I say, "What kind of Chinese little girl are you?" And with that, E turns to her mom and starts crying. Like massive sobs! Between cries, she says to her mom, "Auntie LuckyCdnGirl called me Chinese!"

Too funny! She had no clue. And we finally got out of her that she was Canadian... Amazing. 

So back to our famjam this aft. When emails went around two weeks ago about the location

Excitement at the start of the Hunt!

and what everyone was bringing, I decided we needed to have a good old fashioned egg hunt! It had been a long time since we'd put any effort into it. So my little Bean (our youngest cousin, who is 11 going on 21) and I packed the pastel coloured eggs with delicious chocolate eggs and had a photo shoot with Griffey at my house, before brining them to the fam jam. I asked my mom and one of the aunts to hide the eggs outside so that all the "kids" could participate. It was so fun! And although some people were surprisingly a little more competitive than expected but it was super fun! And in the end we all shared the copious amounts of chocolate!

And then off to my friend's house where she was hosting her family..."K" and I go WAY back, like WAY..."K" and I were in first grade together! Crazy right?! There are other connections, her big bro and I were lifeguards together...well, not really at the same time, more like my friends in "lifeguard school" had mega crushes on her bro. haha! Anyway, this aft we ate a delicious Easter dinner (oh just hours after my late lunch with the Filipino fam!) and there may have also been a "showing" of my videos of Africa... We laughed and sang... Okay, so I had made up this song with my girlfriend's son. It is sung to the tune of "Do you want to build a snowman?" from the movie Frozen. Except for fun, I sing, "Do you know any Jamaicans? Do you eat Jamaican food?" And it's funny because K and her fam are from Jamaica, and when I sang that song to her son, he said he didn't know any Jamaicans...

That's the second kid this weekend whose mind I blew! 

with my sweet Lola (grandma)

Anyway - all this to say - it has been a lovely, relaxed Easter weekend full of amazingly delicious food, family and friends who are family. Thanks guys! It's been so fun! (Ummm, it has been SO fun except for the Raptors and Jays losses...What's up guys?!)

 

Golf...a lifelong sport...

It happens every time I go to the driving range.
It never fails.
I am minding my own business, hating that my balls aren’t taking flight when a sweet old man nears me...
“It’s okay sweetie, golf is a life long sport.”

Okay - does that mean I won’t get good until I’m 80 years old?
Kudos to me for being agile enough to play at 80...but really?
Will it really take another 50 odd years until I make it over the water features?

I played golf for the first time yesterday this season (sad I know) with my parents and their friends. It was an absolutely beautiful fall day. I think fall golf is the best. It’s sunny and warm, not too hot, and the trees are beautiful shades of red and orange.

I like golf but am not ready to be amazing at it. It takes practice...lifelong practice I’m told...I like the social aspects of golf, hanging out with people you like, enjoying the outdoors, and doing something active. (And it sure doesn’t hurt having a great meal after!)

Back to yesterday’s game. I was pretty horrible. But, I had fun!
AND...I’m told I have the prettiest swing.
It IS too - it just isn’t always effective.

Perhaps it is too late for me to improve this season, but next season, you’re on golf!
You and me!
Those pretty swings are going to make it across those great divides of brush and water!

For my next game this season though, I’m going to sit back and relax -
I’ll try and keep my head down and keep it all in the pretty swing.
I’ll walk the course with my “long fairway” wood and take joy in the simple things...afterall, it’s a lifelong sport and I’ve got nothing but time...