Raising Flowers and Skids

Zion National Park

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Leah

After dropping Zach off , we decided we would take a few days to go explore Zion National Park.

What a good decision that was!

It was so nice to get away! Nice to drive somewhere (we have been barely using our cars during Covid as we don’t go very far and living downtown we can walk most places! Not complaining – but it was nice to play music – and listen to podcasts:) and to just chat).

It was about a 4 hour drive with some stunning scenery as we got closer. We stayed in Springdale, just outside the park gates in a super cute Best Western.

We hit a super easy trail right away in the early evening – it was still really hot but doable. We stayed until about sunset.

We went and grabbed dinner on a patio. We were surprised at how good the food was – some really cute places!

The next morning we got up early so we could beat the sun and heat. It was a gorgeous hike – even though we ended up doubling back over the same path (but went a different way so did get some different views!). Sadly, I slipped on the way down and hyperextended by knee which hurt a tad:(

We had to head into St George in the afternoon to get Covid tests mailed off for our trip home (they were self testing kits that had to be sent via UPS from St George). We had a nice lunch there and did a tiny bit of shopping before heading back.

We wanted to go on another sunset hike. To get there we had to drive through this incredible tunnel that was about 1.1 mile!

We hiked up and what was supposed to be an easy hike – and it was except my knee was killing and there was a lot of up and down – not hard – but not great for my knee. Luckily I had purchased a knee brace that afternoon so it helped.

It really was beautiful to see the sun set against the red rock. We headed back to the town and had a really nice Thai dinner.

The next morning I was hoping my knee would feel better because we planned on doing the Narrows – a hike that is apparently on the bucket list of must do hikes in the world.

It did not disappoint! My knee enjoyed the cool water and we just took it easy. We ended up going much further than we anticipated but it was truly awesome.

I highly recommend that you rent the water shoes and socks and the walking stick like we did. It made it so much more enjoyable!

We went for lunch in the town (we were starving!) and then headed back to the hotel to read and lounge by the pool. I have to say that the hotel – even though pretty full car wise – there were never many people around so we had the pool almost to ourselves! It was a nice to just chill and relax. That night we had a great dinner at another local place with such a gorgeous backdrop!

It was a great little getaway and really has me itching to travel!!

We headed back to my brother and sister in law’s and were able to have dinner with the fam and say a last good bye to Zach and hear all about his first few days (which were jammed with all sorts of new things).

Can’t believe that that’s 3 kids in University (Gabe is in law school in Florida, Zandra is still at BYU Hawaii, Zach is at BYU Utah and thank goodness Josh decided to defer his acceptance to Carleton for a year (so we did not have two University set ups this year! However, he is planning on heading out west to work and then hopefully to Europe to travel so he will be gone too). That leaves only child Sam sweating out grade 11.

How does time march on like this without me noticing!!

Love all the adventures everyone is having – including our adventures (Rob and me) but it is still bittersweet.

“Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight,
Make them a child again just for tonight!”

The Drop Off

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Leah

We only had Zach home for a few short weeks before he was off again.

He had deferred acceptance into BYU when he decided to serve a mission, so he was all set when he got home.

He actually drove out to BYU with Rachael and then we met him there. They had some pretty funny stories about their adventure on their way out…

We met them there and stayed with my brother and sister in law and their family.

We headed out for a little drive one evening and went to the Payson temple:

We had a few days to get him all set up so we first got his keys and then spent the day getting started with the setup.

The guy at the check in ended up being one of Zach’s roommates!

Pretty excited to see two TVs were there already!

We took a day off in between and headed up to Park City to do some hiking. We actually took the gondola ride up Deer Valley resort (we call it the heart attack hill bcs we were in Park City doing some skiing right before Rob’s heart attack). Memories.

Back to moving in>>>

We got him all settled in and then Rob and I headed south to have a little getaway….

It definitely is much easier to drop him off after having done the whole missionary good bye!

But we had dinner with him the night before we flew back home too – so one final goodbye. We went on a nice walk with my cutie niece that night too:

Hanging with the kids

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Leah

We tried to cram in as much as we could while everyone was here – but often people were in and out due to work, time with other parents etc.

We went to the beach for a picnic and played a couple of fun games.

The kids went out on their own a few times – they send me pictures:)

We ate out a lot depending on who was with us. Sometimes everyone, sometimes a couple, and even sometimes just one (including one night we had Shannon as our only child – but I forgot to get a picture that night!)

Our Sunday lunch was a beautiful charcuterie board that Shannon and Zandra put together.

Woke Zach up for a early walk one morning shortly after he arrived home from his mission.

We met Josh for lunch (he works close by in the local park)

Girls heading out to meet Zandra for wedding dress shopping:

Gabe and Rob lunch date:

The boys went to the driving range one night:

Finding space to work ! It was a bit crowded so the outside porch was a popular option:

Our tree is being cut down soon so they wanted a few pics:

Random nights:

Sibling outings:

Game nights:

Some graduation celebration before heading out for dinner (and sadly, I forgot to get a photo of dinner):

Can you spot the underwear amongst all the shoes!

First day at church and Zach met a missionary who he knew in Alberta (he was in the same congregation as him when the guy left on his mission to Toronto):

Walking in the ravine with Gabe and Shannon:

Zach and Rachael went to Montreal to see my mom and his grandparents on his dad’s side. Gran was thrilled that they went to the cemetery to visit Grandpa, out for lunch one day and then to the Montreal temple:

Gabe and Shannon had to fly home on the Sunday because he had to go to his law school orientation the next day. Shannon sent a picture of his first day!! Woo hoo!

Rob’s 50th

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Leah

Rob turned 50 in June but we saved the celebration for when all the kids were home.

It’s always a challenge getting everyone’s undivided attention since they are trying to spend time with both parents, friends, work, sports etc. so I decided we would sequester everyone for one night and booked a hotel downtown.

Of course, best laid plans things always go wrong and so we got off to a much later start than I had hoped for, but we managed to all meet up on a patio for dinner. I picked a casual place that has meaning to Rob and me (Hot House Cafe in St Lawrence market area). It was walkable to the hotel, and had options for all and a nice big patio.

While having lots of personalities in our family can cause lots of drama, it also means we can have a lot of fun. And fun it was for that night.

We had dinner.

Walked around a bit.

Then went back to the hotel for gifts. I had asked each kid to get 10 “gifts” so Rob would have 50 to open. I helped the younger guys out (insert eye roll here) but I think we managed to get 50 – some were silly, some were sentimental, some were practical, some were creative – they all did a really good job and Rob loved them all.

We then did some cake and non alcoholic bubbly, played some games, while we crashed and the kids went back to their rooms to do who knows what?!?! lol

The next morning, Josh had to head to work, but the rest of us went to St Lawrence market for breakfast ( I forgot to take pictures) and walked around the market.

It was a great way to celebrate Rob’s 50th!

Welcome homes

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Leah

It was a week of homecomings!

Gabe had not been home since Christmas 2018. We saw him and Shannon several times in 2019 (including for their wedding and then a trip to Hawaii with them). But then Covid hit, and green card procedures slowed down (and once you apply for a green card you can’t leave the country). We are grateful for Zoom and FaceTime so we could see them during the past 2 years , but we were so excited to see them in person.

We headed to church

On the Monday we were excited to welcome home Elder Fiore! It was fun to have him home for a bit during Covid, but we were more excited for him to be home from his mission overall.

We had a different homecoming since the COVID restrictions still limited access to the airport – so we went to the parking lot.

It was still the sweetest reunion. There is something pretty special about the reunion after a mission – especially knowing all the challenges and growth that he had experienced.

I spoke with him as he was leaving for the airport to come home:

Then we were all there waiting with signs:

He was easy to spot – being in a suit with tons of bags!

Mission accomplished:

It was a sweet reunion between him and Rachael. If you have followed this blog long enough you will know that they met years ago at a church conference. While they did date, they also had big plans for themselves individually. She wanted to be an au paire in France for a year (which she did in 2018) and they both wanted to serve missions. He was called to Tahiti, she was called to Thailand. He completed it in Calgary, she completed it in Vancouver. So after 3 official years apart, they were reunited and it was a touching reunion.

Hugs all around (although I missed a few!)

We headed home (stopped off at our church leader’s home where Elder Fiore was “officially released” from his assignment as a full time missionary) and the craziness of having everyone home began!

Happy 20th Zach!

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Leah

And another one leaves the teens….

And leaving the teens with a bang – the same way he is leaving behind his “Elder Fiore” days . We are excited to have him home in less than 2 weeks! I think that missions put you on a fast track into adulthood, so while Zach is getting out of his teen years only now, I think his progress into adulthood started a little while ago!

I’m sure I will write a post about my thoughts about his mission when he returns, but for now I will say that there are many things I admire about Zach that really radiated through when he was serving. Here are a few ( in no particular order)

I love that he is a connector. He wants to connect. He wants to share his life. He wants to know about others. He wants to be a part of something bigger. He wants to serve. He wants to talk. He wants to listen. He strive to be in tune with the Spirit.

He has a sincere desire to be better and is open to feedback. And sometimes my feedback is “chill, you are awesome the way you are” and sometimes it is “buck up, bunny”, lol. I love that he is concerned about learning the most that he can, making sure he is appreciating things, and wanting to improve. I love that he can listen to feedback – evaluate it – push back when he doesn’t agree, but accept when he knows it is helpful and coming from a good place.

He is so so so funny. He makes us all laugh. In letter, in person; alone, in a group; as Zach or as Elder Fiore. He has some serious funny bones in him. Ridiculous boy.

He is smart. He has a natural desire to learn and he will put the effort in to learn. He has a thirst for knowledge and will dig deep to get it and gain understanding. Then he tries to use it – so he won’t forget it!

He is kind and considerate. He is always wanting to know how you are doing, how others are doing, if there is something he can do to help. He is very compassionate too – and I have seen his level of compassion and empathy soar while on his mission.

He is a big dreamer. He is a goal setter. He is a planner. He goes after what he wants. He is determined to make it happen. Success for him is inevitable.

He is a hard worker. He is willing to put effort in. He will not shy away from things that are hard, he will put the hours in and he doesn’t like to be idle.

He is fun and interesting. He is interested too. You will not find him saying he’s bored. He will create adventures. He enjoys doing things – whether it is sports, or games, or travel, or any new adventure, he likes to enjoy himself in doing.

He is savvy and wise. He gives good advice. He is a good listener. He is not afraid to give the unpopular opinion. He thinks things through, weighs out the pros and cons. He apologizes. He forgives.

His faith. I love how his faith is so interwoven in his life. He is not afraid to share how he feels about his Saviour or the Gospel. He is not afraid to embrace other people’s point of view either. He is a great example of Christ like love as he tries to love and accept all – even those who differ with him. (But that does not mean he won’t try to talk to you about it all!)

I know it is cheating by adding one more, but the one thing about Zach I have truly admired is his complete authenticity. It doesn’t matter who you are – you get Zach. You see it in his weekly mission email to everyone (sometimes I cringe at some of the things!) , with his friends, with his family. His mission president, his companions and the people in his missions – both Tahiti and Calgary. You are always getting the same Zach. You know where you stand. You know where he stands. And you see his love shine through it all.

Happy birthday to this incredible boy I am blessed to be a Mom too. I can’t wait to see what you will continue to teach me. Thank you for continuing to invite me into your life and leading the way on so many things.

Happy 20th! Love you more!

Love,

Mom

Happy 16th Sam!

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Leah

The youngest of the pack is finally 16.

Finally. As if it has gone by slowly, lol.

How our youngest is 16 is beyond me ?!?!?

Sam was 2 when I met him, so needless to say, he has changed a lot!

But there are still some of the same things that stand from when he was two!

Here are 16 things I love about Sam:

He has an enthusiasm for life – that has been there since he was 2!

He has a great smile.
He is always willing to help – and even sometimes does so without asking!

He is curious – a trait he shares with his brothers and his dad
He has a good sense of humour. He can be silly and goofy and keep us all laughing.

He is sporty – whether is be soccer, or biking, or skateboarding
He loves music! He has gotten really into some old stuff and he loves talking about it, listening to music

I love that he shares the interest in music with his Dad
He has been teaching himself bass guitar – how cool is that and how talented is he for teaching himself

He is smart! (Although as with all our teens – if only he applied himself more… lol)
He still maintains his passion for cars, FQ, planes… And now he has certainly added music to his passion!

He is such a good eater. Although he will pass on some things when given the option – he really will eat anything. So easy…

He is a very grateful kid – always says thank you and shows his appreciation.
He is a good brother. I love how he has his own unique relationship with each sibling.

He is a social guy – he can talk to anyone and everyone. He’s good at conversation and can read a social situation well.
He is kind and caring – you see if with everyone that he interacts with. He has a big heart!

Sam rolls with life. He will soon be “an only child” around here as everyone is flying the nest. I’m not so sure he will love all the attention on him, but luckily he is a good sport. Happy Birthday Sam! We are so proud of you and love you more!!!

xoxo

Happy Birthday Gabe!!

Posted on July 4, 2021 by Leah

Hard to believe that I met Gabe before he turned double digits!

He was charismatic, confident and so comfortable talking to adults! That has not changed as he officially heads into his mid twenties!

What a whirlwind of the past couple of years! Marriage, graduation, acceptance into law school, frustrating green card applications, COVID, not being able to come home… so much happening! The ups and downs of life – he has taken it all in stride! We are so proud of everything he has accomplished and the integrity and hard work he has accomplished it with! He has really tapped into his strengths, faced his fears head in , and we are so excited to see him thrive in this next stage of life in law school!

We are also super super excited to have him and Shannon come home in a few weeks! Never will we have to wait so long between seeing them again (now that he has his green card!)

Let me share with you 10 things I love about Gabe (in no particular order!)

1. He is hilarious. He seriously just makes you laugh and laugh. He is entertaining and his energy is contagious!

2. He is hardworking. Not always the case… haha. But that’s what makes it even more incredible. He was never “a student”, then he became “a student” – through hard work and perseverance. He upped with work ethic and saw the benefit of how far he can take himself!

3. He is filled with knowledge. He knows so much about so much!

4. He is curious – this has always been one of my favourite things about him – his curiousity for everything! He is not afraid to not know, and he will go find out.

5. He is a very loyal family guy. I see it with Shannon – his love and commitment to her is so strong. And I see it and feel it within the CDF family. He never misses connecting with us twice weekly, is always quick to respond to texts, and sends them regularly (often including funny things, past memories, photos; cares about what’s happening with his siblings and is investing in their relationships too). I have no doubt that he will always be there for everyone he loves.

6. He is passionate – about his beliefs, his work, his dreams, his interests. He will achieve anything he wants

7. He is a great husband (from my perspective lol). He is supportive, caring, committed, interested, vulnerable and dedicated. They really have grown together and are such a good partnership.

8. He is articulate. I’m not surprised at all that he is going to be a lawyer! He is an eloquent speaker and has great critical thinking skills.

9. He is humble. It’s a beautiful quality to have. He seeks feedback and advice, seeks ways to grow and learn. He apologizes, he forgives, he puts his guard down, he shows vulnerability. I see this in his faith and spirituality as it has grown over the years. It’s a tender side.

10. I’m totally biased but Gabe is so much like his dad! And since I am fully and completely smitten with his dad, then you know that being like his dad is the highest compliment I can pay Gabe! The wisdom, the passion, the loyalty, the humour, the goofiness, the commitment, the frustration, the hard work – they are very similar and I love how they are so invested in each other and their relationship. Beautiful to see.

I am so grateful that I have been around long enough to see Gabe grow from a little boy into the amazing man he is today! And I look forward to watching him continue to become who he is meant to become! Happy 23rd birthday! Love you more!!!

Graduation Time

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Leah

Happy grad Josh!

Well it certainly has not been the best grade 12 year. No sports, no activities, no dances, no in class school pretty much:(

But, having some solid, fun, good friends makes all the difference. So there was a lot of bike riding, spike ball, basketball, bonfires, backyard hangouts, hockey (in the don valley too), cottage getaways and lots of stuff I have no clue about lol. The “high council of mothers” as the boys call all the moms are only privy to some details!

So having no prom and no grad was a big let down. However, things lightened up a bit so at the last minute a couple of parents pulled some stuff together. The boys went over to one house to meet up and take some pics and then headed to meet the girls at another house.

Funny though, the house where they all met up and ended staying the night was the same house that hosted the 150 people for Zach and Zandra’s grad. So many things have changed – but a small crowd was still fun. They got to hang out as a group one last time before they all head off to summer jobs, then various universities or gap years (a bunch of them are taking a gap year to work/travel including Josh).

Covid has not been easy of these kids, but they made the best of it and we are so proud of Josh and thrilled this crazy online year is OVER!!!

Looking forward to the amazing adventures he has ahead of himself!!!

Monthly Snaps of Life

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Leah

It has been month and months since I have done a catch up post. Mainly because my phone is filled with work photos (I write things on my white board during sessions and then send photos of the board to my clients). But my in between pics are not so exciting either…

There are more of Zach, who being on a mission, tends to take more pics and I have a blog that I upload everything on so he sends me them. Although I’m sure Gabe & Shannon (who lived in NYC for a month and have vacationed in Florida and California) and Zandra (in Hawaii and vacationed in California) have load of photos on their phones too. The little boys are in bed, in front of screens or out – so how many photos can you take of that! Lol

And bcs there are so many of them, and bcs when I try to upload them they upload in random order, think of it as a giant collage – with a story behind each picture, which hopefully I will remember for life:)

What is captured in all these photos?

Zach moving from Lethbridge to Airdrie, lots of zoom calls, life as a missionary, changing comps 4 times, giving talks at church, snowy Calgary, friends he meets there, mission president love, owls, family history

Lots of Reggie love, sunning, sleeping, playing, walks

Rob and I headed up north for a week and got to do some beautiful hikes, then the weekly neighbourhood walks, lots of walks in the Don, some patio time

At home church, dinners, snacks, Valentine’s, Easter, B-days, back to church for bit, Vaccinations, online school, podcast recording, webinars, hanging with friends, passport picture flow…

All these little in between moments….