Things have been wonderful around here. At this time of year I am always extra thankful to be able to be home with Cole. There is so much celebrating to do. Cookies to bake, gifts to make, walks to take, cards to decorate...the list goes on. I am finding such joy in Cole these days, watching him experience all the goodness of the season is the best gift ever. Daily he surprises me with something new he's learned. He speaks so much and so often with such a vocabulary now, I Can't even remember him not talking. He's funny, he listens (most of the time) and he is truly a very good boy. He has worked through a lot of the toddler sharing issues and is very gracious about taking turns and sharing. He sleeps FINALLY! From about 8 - 8 and we are attempting to get back on track with naps and it's working. He is done potty learning and hasn't had an accident in months. (We still use a diaper at night because I'm not ready to deal with that amount of laundry) but all in all he really is an angel, and he's up from his nap so I gotta go!

and it's december!

Wow, the fall just flew by this year. And here we are in December. So far a Beautiful December! Cole and I have been taking some wonderful walks around our lovley neighborhood, and thouroughly enjoying the fresh crisp air and all that the day's are offering, wether it be ducks, christmas lights, playdates, lunches with friends, the demolition of houses, christmas baking, and finally listening to something other than Bono. It has been wonderful, and I'm feeling a wee bit sentimental over the fact that this will be the last Christmas I share just with my sweet Cole. I know the future will be wonderful and all that but there is some sadness to thinking the days with just my first babe are coming to a close.
So I've been using the energy I have to prepare. I have definatley started nesting, I started this early with Cole too, so it must be just me. So far, we have recieved some extra baby boy clothes, maternity clothes of course, and a sweet friend who has decided not to plan to have any more children gave a bunch of stuff to us for our babe. Some cloth diapers, a beautiful moses basket, nursing pads, some disposables for the begining and a schwack load of recieving blankets. So me and my grandma got busy and made 30 cloth prefolds for infant size. We didn't start using cloth with Cole until he was almost 6 months, so I had no infant diapers. But I sure had a bunch of recieving blankets, some beautiful fleece my grandma had and some towels that we haven't used since we got them for wedding presents 6+ years ago. So with the help of grandma and the pattern from Amanda Blake Soule's handmade home, I made my own! I am quite proud if I do say so myself. And then luckily today, out of the blue New and Green had a 20% off sale on bummis covers! So I ordered four. So we are almost all set. I still haven't decided if we are going to use the cradle, the moses basket or the pack in play with insert in our room yet....but we'll figure it out. The only thing we need is to eventually get a double stroller. I have been humming and hahing over this one for a while, and am still not fully decided. I know Cole is walking a lot now, and will when he's three, but I love my walks along the dyke into Steveston and I can't even expect a three year old to walk there, then play for two hours and walk home. So I think we may have to bite the bullet and get one!
Had a bit of an ultrasound scare this week. Went last friday, and on monday and tuesday and wednesday recieved three different calls from three different doctors (including my gp who yes gets my info sent to her but isn't even dealing with my pregnancy) making sure I am following up on my ultrasound results, but took a few days for them to tell me why...very frustrating, I am still a bit nervous, but have been told by two doctors and the receptionist not to worry everything looks good, they just didn't get all the pictures and in turn results they needed. So I go back on tuesday. Which looking at the silver lining is a chance for us to find out what we are having. When we went last week the baby's foot was covering it's privates and so the tech who tried for an hour and 15 minutes couldn't even guesstimate. So this may be our chace. It's funny we did not want to find out with Cole, but this time having a hubbie and a son who are dead set on a girl....if it's a boy they may need some time to prepare! And then it will give me some time to ask my two friends with girls for their stash of girls clothes! So keep your fingers crossed.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend

home again home again

home again home again...

We had a wonderful time in maui. It really was beautiful. And Jer and I still can't get over how amazingly adaptive Cole was. Mabye it was my tremendously low low low expectations of this being a lot of work, but honestly we both agreed it was a piece of cake. He was amazing on the plane, amazing with getting in to our condo at 2 am, amazing for all the car rides, (especially the crazy hana highway which was hairpin curves and took us about 8 hours) He was soooooo good! It really made for an amazing family vacation. I definatley think we could not have done this last year but at 2.5 and with a full extensive vocab it worked out swimmingly.
And that is what we are all missing the most right now, the swimming. It was so cute, the first morning we got home and woke up in our own beds, Cole turned to Jer and said, "Daddy which beach are we going to today?" poor Cole, had to settle for Gary point beach with gum boots and a puffy, and a touque!
Will post pictures soon, but am still unbelievably jet lagged. It's amazing how Cole travelled so well, but me ack ooooogah it was hell. Being pregnant and on that plane for that many hours, and through the night, well let's just say I was thrown completley out of whack and only now today Thursday ( we got back Tuesday morning) am getting put back together.
So back to my knitting, and crafting and singing, and working, and socializing. Vacations are wonderful, but so is home sweet home!

So I have now had two days of absolute child freedom. And I can tell you I have done so little with them. I have surfed the net, started but not finished packing my suitcase for Hawaii, ate breakfast and that's it for today. But yesterday, yesterday I learned how to knit! It is fabulous. And addictive and something to do when watching movies with your husband that you want to pretend you like watching with your husband but really you are thinking of all the time you are wasting and wish you were doing something a wee bit more productive (the movie was transformers revenge of the fallen in case you're curious)
So I can cast on, knit stich, and cast off. I cannot however fix any mistakes I make so far without unraveling the whole thing. Hopefully I'll learn that when I get back.
So the concert was Fabulous! Even though Bono was at times loosing his voice, he truly has a way of captivating an audience no matter how large, and this one was LARGE! Loved it. Jer and I had a great date night. We went for Sushi, wandered through the many aisles of books at the Downtown VPL, had a delicous coffee and even more delicous view, and then headed out to BC place just in time to miss Black Eyed Peas, oh shucks (absolutley no sarcasm there at all)
So today I think I should clean up our messy place, and get things organized for our soon upon us trip. I am a wee bit concerned as NONE of my summer outfits fit me because I am so full of baby right now, all my friends were prego in the winter with me, so I am scrounging to find some acceptable clothes for our trip!
Anyhoo I should get off my but and do something now so if I don't write before monday I will when I get back!

A night out

Tonight Jer and I are having a humpday date night. We've got tix to see U2 and are heading for sushi before and mabye a quick gander through my fav bookstore of all time....the library! Can't wait. It's funny, we've been doing the full time family thing for the last 2 weekends now and now that Cole has gone off to Lola's for the night I miss him terribly! I don't know what to do with myself. I could have cleaned the whole house by now, or finished up a little scrapbooking, or something, but all I've done is help myself to half a box of girlguide cookies, surfed the net and finally hung up some theatre pics in my walk through closet. I think i'll pour myself a nice hot bath and put on some air supply....

and the bliss begins...

We're trying something a little different around here this weekend. And we are all spending it together. By all I mean Jer me and Cole. This is different than past weekends in that Cole has been staying at Lola and Lolo's place on Friday and sometimes Saturday nights. But we missed him. And we missed having that family weekend feel. But tonight and tommorow and Sunday we are bringin it back! We have already had such a great friday night. I must be feeling better because I actually had enough energy to make a full Roast Chicken dinner with Maple Syrup sweet potatoes, roast potatoes and gravy. I also managed two loaves of pumpkin bread. We had a great dinner, a great little bike around the courtyard. My Chicken soup is simmering on the stove, and my cutie has finally fallen asleep, after two clicks of the door handle and the pitter patter of tiny feet down the hall to the living room (where his parents are reading a book, and playing video games, guess which) followed by the cutest little voice "mummy and daddy, I'm having a hard time sleeping, I just not sleeping very well" Most parents would find this annoying but I love it. It reminds me of when I was little, and me and my two sisters would creep down the stairs where at the bottom there was the door to the living room where my parents would watch t.v. The door would always be closed, we would lie heads closest to the door and peek under the small space between the door and the floor, and watch whatever my parents were watching until we promply passed out. Then my dad would carry each of us back up to our beds. I love hearing Cole speak, and i love re-tucking him in and getting another kiss, another I love you mum. And a good night. These truly are the best days of our lives....

Thanksgiving 2009

We are slowly recovering from our jam packed Thanksgiving weekend! I sang for a wedding which we in turn got invited to attend. It was the full Italian meal deal and fabulous! Then Sunday we spent the morning with Jer's family, then we headed out to my grandmas for a small but wonderful dinner. (My mom and dad got really sick and couldn't make it) but we had a great time with my aunt and uncle and two cousins and grandma and grandpa. Such a great time I didn't take any pictures! Oops. Then Monday morning we went against everything we said and took Cole to Country Farms. And against everything we thought, it was Wonderful! Cole had a blast, we had a blast. The entertainment was fabulous, the weather was perfect. Then we decided to head to The Bird Sanctuary and fed the ducks and went for a lovley walk. On the way home we found the cutest little farm called Westham Island Herb farm. We walked around and explored, since we had already got our pumpkins from Country Farms we bought some corn and apples which were delicous! They had a great pumkin display, fun head cutouts and beautiful flowers and cute little country store front! I think we'll be heading there again!
So here's the pictures!
XOXOXO
amy

Tofino the 9th year second time around!~

we're back, it was wonderful, still sick. That sums up most of it. Oh yes and of course throw in some whinyness from Cole, and some absolutley adorable verbal cuteness, and then some more whinyness, and some more ranting on and on about wanting more tv. And then some whinning about needing a juice box. And then some more cuteness, and then me feeling barfy again, and that's really most of our life right now.
I love fall, and want to enjoy it more, but I am so darn exhausted and sick and barfy all the time, that it really isn't happening. I am looking very much forward to this weekend, I'm singing for a wedding, and then having a thanksgiving dinner with my family (not cooked by me!) and then I think we will head out to find a new pumpkin patch. It's funny, we live in Richmond, where everyone says we are soooooo lucky because we have Country Farms to go to and it's just so great because they have wagon rides and this and that. But you see Jer and I hate crowds. We don't like all those pushy people and not being able to just enjoy being. So We have yet to try out CF. And I think this year will be no exception. Last year we found a great place called Farmer Bobs, this year I think we will venture out into Delta. We'll just put on our mud boots and go!
Counting the days until Hawaii. Hoping our night flight goes okay with Cole, and that everything turns out well. I guess I should start preparing.
Wishing all a Happy Thanksgiving!

and the seasons...

And we're off..... to start our next adventure.
I love fall. I know many would be shocked to hear it, but I am so terribly terribly glad that beautiful summer of ours is finally over! Fall has begun! And I am so glad. This is my most favorite time of year. I don't know if it's the crisp air, the beautiful colours, the way the light is, or just that it's all so fresh and new. I just love this season. And we always kick it off with a beautiful vacation every year on the Island. In about a half hour or so I will probably have to wake my sleeping babe, and we will head out to pick up daddy and take our ferry over to the island. We'll stay with my aunt and uncle tonight in Victoria and then head to my most favorite place on earth tommorow morning, Tofino! I say this a lot, but I would rather spend three glorious nights in Tofino than pretty much anywhere else in the world. Jer and I have done a lot of travelling, Puerto Rico, Barbados, St.Lucia and many other parts of the Carribean, Mexico, Paris, London, Germany, Austria, Holland,Italy, Prague, tons of places in the States, and out as far as the Praries. But none of them seem to hold a candle to the beauty of Tofino. I don't know if it's the time of year mixed with place or what but to me it is paradise. So I can't wait to kick off the fall with this trip and then head home with all our little nature treasures (shells, rocks, pinecones, chestnuts, leaves and whatever else we may find this year) to turn into our autumnal wreath. Then it's time head to the farm for some gourds to decorate our living room. Can't wait can't wait.... will hopefully get around to posting some pics when I get back. As long as I can start having more good feeling days than bad. Keep your fingers crossed for me while driving along the windy roads to the Coast! Happy Fall Weekending to you all!!!

I'm here, but barley. I havn't been regular with the posting as I have been sickety sick sick sick. Sicker than I ever thought growing a fetus could make a person. Yesiree, we are pregnant. And Shocked. And yes this was COMPLETLEY unexpected. We had agreed we would wait until November after our little vacation to Maui, but I guess someone else had other plans. We only found out a week or so ago, and I am already two months! I'd been pregnant for a while before I actually found out. It was kind of funny actually, I had gone to see my doctor because I was having irregular periods, (which turns out to be spotting) and she thought mabye we should do a pregnancy test, I said, why? She said humour me. I said okay. She said Positive. I said What? She said Positive? I said what? She said you're pregnant. I said what??????? Anyways we are due in April and once I wrap my head around the whole thing I'm sure I'll be a little bit more excited. Oh and as soon as this all day every day I feel like death stuff subsides....

Well it's been a looooong time!

But it has also been one of the nicest most beautiful summers I can remember in all my summers! I'm so glad we didn't go anywhere and are saving our vacation for November this year, because we have really been able to take advantage of every day. Hence my lack of posting. We have been doing it all! But I can feel summer cooling down and my most favorite season of all is just around the corner. I feel like we need even more to take every advantage of these last few days. So we have a busy weekend planned. Saturday we are heading to the UBC farm for a family/kids day event for Jer's moms work, then I'm having a lovley dinner with my best girls that I am sooooo looking forward to in White Rock. Sunday we are heading to Nat Bailey for a Canadians game against Eugene Oregon, and mabye we'll say hi to the beach while we are out that way! And then can you beleive it summer is over. Wow. It feels like every year it goes by so fast. But this really has been a wonderful summer.
I look forward to posting more frequently come fall. When I'm not busy cooking up a storm with all the fun toys for the kitchen I got for my recent birthday! I tell you, ever since I saw Julie and Julia in July I've been obsessed with cooking! Very good for my family!
Anyways take care and I will be around a bit more, hopefully!
Cheerio and soak up the last of these beautiful summer days~

Jaxson Owen Antonio Planta!

Today I met little Jaxon Owen Planta! I didn't want to post anything on facebook until Cher did, but I figuered the whole world doesn't read this so I can blog him!
He's the cutest little boy since Cole! He was born Friday July 17th (Irene's Bday!) at 11:38pm - which if I do say so myself is a very nice time to be born....you know how I am about that sort of thing. Anyways here are some pics of us visiting, and of Heather too! Congrats Cher and J.P! Welcome to the beautiful world of parenting! And welcome to the world little Jaxson it's a pretty rockin place!

Thrifty Thursday

So I know you've all been jonesing for me to post a thrifty thursday. Well it's been two months or so in the making but here they are! My Sheet Pajama's! I absolutley LOVE these. I got the idea from another blog that I follow. I headed to my local thrift haven here in Steveston, found an entire double set of Vintage sheets, two pillow cases and a fitted and non fitted. I called up my grandma who is an excellent sewer, and set up some lessons. First I made the pants (out of the pillow cases) and then continued on with the shirt. And I must say I have enough fabric to make a cute little vintage skirt and mabye another set of pj pants because they are uber comfy. I mean really why didn't I think of this sooner, I actually feel like I am sleeping in sheets that are on me! It's fabulous. And all for the grand total of............three dollars!
Love it
Anyways we are off on our camping adventure. Heading to Chemainus tommorow night to stay with some friends, and then through combs and up to Tofino on Saturday! Can't wait! Long Beach here we come!
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Lovley weekend

I had a lovley weekend this past weekend.
Jer and I had a wonderful date night out at the Blue Canoe for dinner, thanks to some lovley friends who gave us a gift certificate to go. Thank you Stacey and Les! Then we headed off to see Drag me to Hell. I know, it sounds awfull. But I love scary movies. I always have. I get it from my mom. I love being scared and I love horror too! Anyways I have to say it was done very well. It actually had a plot! So a very enjoyable evening indeed.
Then we had errands and errands and more errands to do on Saturday, and then it was my oma's 90th birthday! And it was wonderful. Beautiful weather, and good company. Then we drove home from langley (with do you know the muffin man on repeat) a very good form of torture. We awoke sunday and made a lovley brunch for Jer's family and his auntie irene who is visitng from Portland, then we all went for a dip in the pool! Then we got cracking on dinner, we had the lovley miss o'connor over (she asked me to be her bridesmaid oooh so excited!) and we again went for a dip in the pool before getting ready to pick up bethy from the airport - on her way home to calgary after a 5 month adventure in new zealand! So I felt that I had a very blessed weekend. We dropped bethy off on monday, at a friend's house downtown who I havn't gotten to see in ages. And it dawned on me how truly blessed I am in the friends department. I knew they were wonderful, I just forgot how wonderful, until they came and left. I just wish some of us didn't live so far away. Anyhoo, after discussing it, and really with the amount we read it only seemed natural, we have decided to start a book club. I know we are total nerds, but I LOVE books. LOVE them. Can't get enough of them. And this will be a fun way for us to ensure we get together at least once a month for dinner and drinks, and have stimulating conversation! So if anyone has any recommendations, send em over, we are starting up the list, and have to decide on the first book! Well I am going to use this nap time productivley and am not going to clean a darn thing, I am going to read all my new crafty books from the library and have a spot of my most favoritest tea, sunset in seattle! Thanks to jess!
Lovley hump day to all


This is me on our date night walking back from the Blue Canoe





our little chef in the kitchen

Determined...

So, you know how i was doing all these wonderful crafty things, well. I did most of them, tried all of them, and failed miserably at one of them. The patio lantern lights NOT the massive success I was envisioning. Upon re- reading the instructions however, completley doable, when you actually FOLLOW said directions.
So here is a pic of me failing miserably at the task at hand...

So because I am stubborn and determined, I will be attempting to make these this weekend again for the second time, but actually following the directions....hahaa!

It's Thursday but it feels like friday, and what the heck happened to Thrifty Thursday's???

The sun is beautiful, my baby has ASKED to go for a nap, I have just used that nap to plant my summer garden (We live in a flat, it's two window boxes and a couple pots this is how I was able to plant a summer garden in a one hour time slot!) I'm feeling pretty good. Anyways I don't got much for you today on the Thrifty front. We've had no time to hit up the thrift shop latley! I think next week we will try Ladner's again, we had such lovley luck the last few times I've been in there. But I have done some thrifty things latley. I have made little buckets for Cole's toys. I modge podged them out of newspaper strips and am now going to paint them orange and modge podge a picture of what they contain on the front so he can be uber organized like his mummy! hmmmm what else, Oh I am going to make summer party lights! Yes I am going to make them! I've been wanting them forever, but at 14 bucks or more a pop and for only one string well we just arn't swinging it, sooooo i figured out how to make them and am going to try them out tommorow! Will let you know how they turn out, I am hoping to make them orange and yellow and hang them on the ceiling in our sundeck/cole's playroom to jazz it up. Okay thrifty thursday done.
Tonight is my last class with the kiddies in Richmond until next year, I love teaching drama to them but I am sooooooooooooooooo ready for summer vacation! We did there year end show this last monday and they did awesome! It was really nice to hear, one of the moms came up to me after the show, and thanked me (a lot) for such great work. I replied with the usual: It's all them, they worked so hard, we're really proud of them ( and all of this is true by the way) Then she told me how her son, at the begining of the school year was not doing very well in english and having a real hard time with presentations. Anyways since he has been in Encore, she said his english grades have soared, his inner confidence (and outer i guess too) have grown so much and he is just such a happy and secure child. This made my heart melt, and reminded me why I do what i do. This kid who we will call "Z" is a natural. You know when someone says oh he or she's got "it" well he's got "it" in spades! And I think with the right nurturing and all the tools he will go so far. So as of next week I am done! I can go back to full time mamma, with park dates, and playdates, and waterpark adventures and crafts, and just enjoy the summer! I can't wait. Anyhoo I promise to post pics for all you who have been asking, but I'm lazy and would rather enjoy the rest of this nap and read my book!
Have a wonderful Thursday everyone, and a fabulous weekend, as I will definatley not be able to post until next week, with all the family and friends visiting!
Cheerio
Koop

things have been a bit hairy latley...

okay my crazy may and crazy june finally have an end in sight! I've got one year end show tonight, one rehearsal tommorow night, one more class on Thursday afternoon and then my dears IT"S SUMMER TIME! And all we've got on the agenda are parties, and weddings, and bethy visits, and pool time, and beach days, and water park filled afternoons, and just some good ole sand pit action at gary point!

I can't complain, we have been enjoying ourselves immensley and it hasn't all been work. We had a fantastic weekend. I do think most spring/summer ones are. Jer and I had a real date night, just the two of us. We went for sushi on broadway, hit up M.E.C then saw two friends in a great show "6 grooms, a bride and a gun" and finished the night off with some delicous cheese and wine at Gudrun. Then I of course had rehearsal the next morning and a concert that evening, but then on Sunday we picked up Karen and made the lovley drive out to Squamish to see Thomas! It was a blast, we ran into a few different friends, rode the "big train" and the little train, met Sir Topomhat (can't spell that) played, coloured, explored, and then had a lovely picnic lunch at a near by park before heading home. It was a lovley day, and Cole's 3rd grandma (karen!) spoiled him rotten with a bag full of thomas loot! We wanted to end the day heading up to Jer's cousin's place in Squamish but Cole had other plans that involved a MUCH needed rest. So we headed back to Karen's where she loaded us up with a case full of wine recently brought back from the okanagan! And some lovley cheese! Then headed to Jer's parents for a barbeque dinner and some watering and trampoline antics in the backyard! It was lovley! And I truly can't wait for next weekend. When Bethy comes back from New Zealand and stays with us!
Anyways I hope to be up and posting more but we are starting a new swing of things over here, and I find myself on the computer less and less. So that's all for now folks!

sloth

so i'd been feeling a bit sloth like.
Our lives are so busy yet at the same time I have the power to slow them down, so the past few days i did. We decided to just do two playdates this week. One with auntie cheryl and of course tommorow the Verge, where Cole get's to see all his buddies. And you know it felt pretty good. I'm definatley starting to see parts of Cole's personality coming out, and am noticing the parts that are jer and the parts that are me! It's pretty neat. He most definatley is an outdoorsy guy and loves to be outside a LOT! So our locale is coming in very handy for the usual daytime dyke strolls, and sandpit action. And the evenings are full of kite flying and park playing, and watching the kids play softball in the field next door. But, he is also like his mom and dad in that as much as he loves being out and about, he always looks forward to coming home. He goes straight for his playroom, and get's busy with his latest favorite toy, the ball of yarn! That or his toy cars. Or he goes straight for his puzzles, if he know's we are near by to help. Or his other favorite activity is to play "flight attendant" where he brings us invisible tea and coffe, cookies and pizza ( we really must work on the limited menu!) This age is pretty darn fun I must say, and I feel so blessed to have the time to share with him one on one. We are really coming into our own as a mom and son duo. We have yet to truly experience the tantrum thing ( don't worry I know the second I get all high and mighty ....) but I see him really listening to me. As long as I stay calm and collected, and just repeat my "no" over and over, but always giving him options, he calms down reasonably quickly and always say's he's sorry and comes for a hug and cuddle. And then we talk about what happened, how he felt and how it's going to be. I know it won't always be this easy (and i still don't think easy is the right word to use) but I feel like by just respecting each other our relashionship has gotten so much more trusting and much stronger.

Okay, stepping off my soap box
but....
As much as I love all your emails and comments and how lovley they make me feel, I write this blog mostly because I don't keep a written journal, and I havn't ever kept a baby book for Cole, so as we go through our daily day to day, this is were i document all the "little, big things" that I know I already love to look back and read.
so,

I've been feeling kinda sloth like latley. So I decided it was time to cut the telly and get crafty. And I feel soooooo much better! It's like hearing all those yogi's saying I don't feel tired after a workout I feel even more energized! Well that's how I feel after turning off the telly and getting me some crafts made!
So on the list for today -
we modge podged some mini clip boards ( for what i do not know yet)
we made 3 cereal boxes into magazine holders then modge podged them to keep in cole's craft cupboard and hold all his papers and paints and magazined etc.
I put together a kind off collage of his latest painting art work - to then be sent to the laminator machine to turn into placemats and crafting mats (as to save my beautiful dinning table that is getting more stickier, and bunged up with each passing day!
Then I made a lovley homemade card for Adele and Scott and Dawson's newest arrival! Graydon Bruce! Who I am very excited to meet tonight after my rehearsal.
Then I cut out my fabric to sew up a crayon holder thing for Cole to carry all his crayons in and bring to the park or whatever so he can start documenting life as he sees it!
So I feel much better. I think if I can just get onto one thing in the morning the day quickly fills up with all the inspiring ideas I get as it goes along!
Let's see how long that lasts!
cheerio
Amy

latley

ack, i've kinda turned into lazy mom latley. I'll snap out of it eventually! Anyways here are some pics from our family camp weekend adventure 2 weekends ago. We headed into the states and made our way to Whidbey Island for a funfilled weeekend with lot's of other families with young kiddoes! We went canoeing, rowboating, swimming, went on bug walks, had campfires and sang songs, spent oodles of hours in the playground, and had a wonderful weekend!