L e a n n e   V e r k l e y

We started the month of May at Durham College where we went to watch Cooper (Brian’s cousin Adam’s son) play ball.  I love when family comes near enough for us to connect.

This year my dad came to see the flowers and enjoy the party at Paul's for his annual daffodil party.  BBQ, potluck, flowers and family connection.  Always a fun day!

Brian was travelling for work  on McHappy Day so this was a no brainer.  Plus, supporting Sick Kids hospital is dear to my heart.  

We went to the Dorsay Community Centre soft opening that welcomed Greenwood Residents.  It still needs a lot of work, but they have a month before the actual opening, so hopefully work happens quickly.  I wonder what it will be like when it is actually finished?  Nice to get a sneak peak because we live in the area.

Mother’s Day we enjoyed a dinner out at the Canadian Brewhouse.  I think this is Easton's new favourite restaurant.  He was very happy with the burgers!

For the May long weekend the boys went to Ottawa for a LAN party which I know Easton was VERY happy about.  The weather was beautiful so Hadley and I finally enjoyed her grad gift to Thermea Spa! Rest and relaxation for our mother daughter day. 25C! The morning started out foggy but we definitely left relaxed and sun-kissed after an afternoon. enjoying the pools, hammocks, swings, and more.  And when we needed to get out of the sun... there were relaxing reading tents, lunch and fun drinks.  I did try the saunas but man were they hot!  Oh, we also got fun pedicures.  Summer, here we come!  

Hadley has been looking for work, so we spent a day in Toronto at a Job fair. and then we wandered around Toronto and went to a restaurant to just catch up.

Later in the month, a gift weekend (a Christmas gift for Hadley), she and I went to Anime North where she met John Gremillion the voice actor for Dracule Mihawk from One Piece and Gentle Criminal from My Hero Academia. He is a super kind human! In his convention talk, we got there early and sat in the front row.  It turns out, he started out as a video editor and he and Hadley had such a lovely conversation about the industry in front of the group.  There was a room full of people and he talked directly with her!  Afterwards she got a photo with him which we later learned that if you got a photo with him in the paid line, (not at the talk) it would have cost $70!  CRAZY!  
We also went to listen to Alan Lee, voice actor for Bill from One Piece as well as Mystery from Kpop Demon Hunters.  Again he let us take a free photo with him.  
Among the many other talks we also got to hear Brittany Karbowski speak. She is the voice actor for Rimuru Temtest from That time I got reincarnated as a slime and Wendy from Fairy Tail. She was so happy and friendly.  Hadley bought a shirt from That time I got reincarnated as a slime, and Brittany also let her take a free photo at the talk!  
This was a full weekend event, with trivia, games, lots of cosplay (dress up) and Hadley even got a photo with Totoro from Studio Ghibli. We spent a lot of time in the marketplace and Hadley got some really fun things that she was so happy with!  The only downside of the weekend was the RAIN.  We moved between three buildings and food was only outside, but we managed with a very large umbrella.  Memories were made!  A great weekend!  

Line dancing is still happening on Monday's, Floor hockey on Tuesday's, Easton has his 3 on 3 hockey spring league on the weekends, guitar lessons for Easton on Monday's and guitar club at school on Wednesday's.

Jason turned 50, and he celebrated with his family. They also had so many extracurriculars to get to the week of his birthday!  I hope he felt well celebrated!  Happy 50th Birthday Jason!

I went to Shaye's house for a sleepover and we went to see a play called The Wizard of Oz.  It was well done as always. She is usually in this annual play but with her mom's poor health this year was too difficult, so we went to see it together and enjoyed a meal out and sleepover catch up.

Hadley attended another career fair at Seneca, and is trying to send out resumes regularly.  

Melissa and Ray had a house warming party on the last day of the month, but the day was full with a morning visit from Brian's uncle Paul, an afternoon at Melissa's, with most of the girls from line dancing, and 3 on 3 hockey to round out the day before Brian flew out to Vegas for work early the next morning.  

May was fast!

April started off with Easton and I heading to Hamilton to go see the Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessionals.  He has been playing the Goo Goo Dolls music on his guitar for about a year, so we knew he enjoyed their sound.  Easton got the tickets for Christmas.   We actually had tickets for the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa, but the show was cancelled as the lead singer was under the weather.  They said the show the next night in Hamilton would go on, so... we scrambled and got tickets to that show.  However... enroute, they cancelled that show.  There was a little concern from me as my digital tickets just disappeared from my phone, but after doing a little digital digging, we confirmed the lead singer had pneumonia and this show would also be cancelled.  So we made the best of it and continued on the GO train to Toronto and went out for dinner before turning around and heading back home.  We ate at the Real Sports Bar and Grill just outside of the Scotia Bank Arena, and just enjoyed some mom/son time.  

A few days later Adam, Brian's cousin, came with his wife Krista and their kids, Macey, Griffin and Cooper to Whitby for a hockey tournament that Griffen was playing.  So, we also went to watch.  

Easter, my dad's 69th birthday and Hadley's 19th birthday were the following weekend celebrated at my dad's with my sister's family and of course my brother as well.  

Artemis II splashed down off the California coast. Congratulations to everyone that made this lunar fly by mission possible! Welcome home to the crew!

Brian and I went out on a date night to see the movie Project Hail Mary and then out for live music and drinks.  

On April 12th both our cats (Marble and Trinity) turned 9.  Happy Birthday to them.  

Easton started 3 on 3 spring hockey.  

Hadley finished off her first year.  The last two weeks included big projects and exams.  

Her year end questions answered:

Q: What do you remember about every day at school?

Trying to figure out when I can have lunch.  

Q: Who are your best friends?

Melissa and Aster

Q: What is your favourite book?

The girl who fell beneath the sea by Axie Oh

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A Video Editor

Q: What are your favourite foods to take to school?

Rice bowls and noodles

Q: What is your favourite thing in gym, recess and or extracurricular?

Hanging out with friends, and playing Genshin

Q: What are your favourite songs?

Star gazing by Myles Smith and most songs by Alex Warren, specifically Enternity.

Q: What is your favourite thing to watch?

One Piece

Q: Who were your teachers?
First Semester:
Allan Elliot, Thom BrycemcQuinn, Ted Ambrose, Beatriz McCulloch, Bob Sorger, Sandee Roelcke, Donna Gall
Second Semester:
Dany Tremblay, Kyle Francis, Sandee Roelcke, Jeff Biederman (for two classes), Oi-Ling Kwok (Helen), Bob Sorger (Substitute Greg Davis), Ted Ambrose

March started off with an outdoor skate at Greenwood.  The ice was fantastic, and Easton even got a few clinks by shooting the puck at some tins attached to hockey nets.  

When my dad arrived back from Hawaii on March 5th, I picked him up from the airport and took him to see Hadley's campus.  She gave him a tour around campus with dinner out and gelato for dessert.  Three generations wandering around.  
My dad must have been so tired from the day but he was so happy to be there too.  

Easton had his last house league hockey game on March 10th, and it was an exciting hockey game! So fun to be part of this team with great kids, parents and coaches. Nice we got the game win but also just great energy and fun!

March 14th, of course we had pie for pie day...in Ottawa.  
For March break Easton and I headed to Ottawa while Brian travelled for work and Hadley was at school.  We started at 5 am, shovelling snow, and drove through crazy weather to get to the Carlton University Open House.  This is where Rilla works.  Easton's best friend Robin will be going here as there are perks to having parents work at the University, so we decided to check it out while on our Ottawa visit.  Rilla gave us a lovely tour of the Raven's home turf.  From Residence, to sports, to classes, and food.  We would be staying at Rilla and Scott's house for our visit. While in Ottawa Robin had bring a friend day to his curling club, so Easton gave it a try.  I think it was harder than he thought it would be.  Balance is way different than on ice skates but Robin did a great job showing him the ropes.  Easton tried throwing rocks and even tried being a skip.  We also ventured to the Canadian Tire Centre to watch the Senators play.  We arrived just in time to grab some drinks and popcorn, and then head in for the anthem and puck drop.  Celebrini from the Sharks was also in the house! #71!  YAY for Canadian hockey players!  Between each period we refilled our popcorn... so much popcorn, but the boys didn't want a real meal even though it was offered.  They had such a good time.  7-4 win for Senators.  I felt a little weird cheering for the Sens but with no Leafs around... the next Canadian team made sense.  I did wear a leafs t -shirt under the borrowed jersey just for good measure.  After the game we wandered around waiting for people to leave so traffic would be better.  We checked out the ice from different levels.  It was so cold outside once we actually went outside but we managed to find our way to the unmarked parking and got home through a crazy storm.  The boys were still eager to spend some more time together so they organized an unofficial OYP (Ontario Youth Parliament) bowling night with those that live in Ottawa and could make it.  I know Easton had a great time with Robin, Seb, Bushra, Jack and Ben.
Robin’s sister Norah bowled with the parents, his other sister Kennedy was out with friends and we let the teens bowl together.  While we stayed longer than expected, when the roads finally opened back up from the terrible weather we headed back home.  

March 20th, Hadley turned 19!  Brian flew home from work travels just in time for her special day.  Her request for cake was a Costco cake with the cream inside.  It feeds an army, but we got it and sent half of it back with her to school to celebrate with her friends as they had a fun day planned of video gaming and such.  She also researched Osaka Sushi.  A restaurant that gave us our own tea room and a menu of fun sushi.  A few of the sushi rolls were very large.  She has been asking for the Lego One Piece set for a long time now and this coveted set was gifted to her for this special event and there was so much joy!  She also wanted to try sake (Japanese rice wine), so we got her that but she was disappointed and didn't enjoy it.  She also tried some other fun alcohol, but it turns out, just because you are 19, doesn't mean you have to enjoy alcohol.  After a few sips, she moved on.  She had such a lovely weekend being celebrated and was so happy to also celebrate with her friends at school.  

The end of the month finished our beginner plus line dancing classes, so we went out as a group with Marta, Marsha, Amanda, Josee, Katie, Melissa and myself.  Good food, good fun, good company.

A while back I reserved snow shoes from the library and early in February, my name came up to have them for a weekend.  This particular weekend Hadley was home, and Brian and Easton were in London for a LAN party, so Hadley and I tried them out in the backyard.  

It was a big month for Verkley birthday's.  Birthday wishes for 65th, 70, and 75th birthdays! Anne Marie, Joe, Maria, Nora and Cathy and... Teresa (but she is March 1).  
We even had a surprise up our sleeve.  We got Brian's mom's cousin Sharon to drive to our house, so we could drive her the rest of the way to surprise Brian's mom.  She loved the surprise.  I parked at my dad's and he even came over to Brian's uncle Joe's house which is only a few doors down from him to celebrate and enjoy some cake.  The snow banks were higher than my head!  We enjoyed sjoelbak, Baby Rhett cuddles, pool table fun, and lots of food and family time.  We got Brian's mom 75 gifts to open which I think took her a week to open.  She loved it.  

Brian's 49th birthday we celebrated with a heart shaped cake, with Olympic decor and lots of Olympics to enjoy.  Hadley was home for the weekend and we went down to Nathan Philips Square where we skated on the rink.  I love that the Olympics were represented on the rink as well.  While Brian and Easton had a small race and totally snowed me, Hadley proved that she could still twirl with ease.  
Birthday dinner for Brian was at the Cactus Club in Toronto.  The food was so beautifully plated and the atmosphere was lovely.

My dad came to watch Easton play hockey the night before he flew out to Hawaii for his vacation.  Getting him to the airport was interesting as it was a snow day for the schools, but we luckily left early enough to get him there and me back home before it got too crazy.  There was only about 15 minutes each way that were touch and go for the drive.  Eeek.  He left his truck at our place while he enjoyed summer temperatures and adventures for two weeks.  He loved the trip!

Easton and Robin went to the OYP (Ontario Youth Parliament) weekend again this year and Easton came back telling fun stories and wanting to go again as soon as possible.  Easton even spoke in the house this year for the first time.  Rilla also sent me a couple of photos from the weekend as well, so I could see what the fun was all about.  From bus travel, parliament time, game time and hotel time, I think it was another weekend to remember for Easton.  

Another fun month in the books.