Fall 2014

We made a little trip with Keely, Keyaunnah, Kim and Terry to the Huntsman Marine Center and the St. Andrew's playground before school started back up. We had a fun day together. We've also had some good days at the beach with friends. Summer was a blur of sadness so these were nice little bright spots for us.

 

A GOOD DAY AT THE BEACH

 

SANDY FUN

 

ENJOYED LOOKING IN THE TOUCH TANK

 

NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THAT LOBSTER...

 

PROBABLY HIS FAVORITE PART

 

 A STUFFED TURTLE FOR A SOUVENIR

 

S.A. PLAYGROUND IS THE BEST!

 

My brother and his family came for a visit before school started and that was great. Mum did lots of cooking. The weather was beautiful and the kids had so much fun outside in Pa's hammock. We all went minigolfing and that was fun.

 

INTERESTING TECHNIQUE

 

SERIOUS STUFF

 

BRADY, THEY HAVE LONGER PUTTERS

 

DRIVING MISS BRYNN-Y

 

GLAD WE HELD ON TO THE LITTLE TRACTOR

 

We've been back at school/daycare for about a month now. We moved Brady's stuff to the Miramichi on Labour Day weekend, and he's doing well up there. He loves his course and he's made lots of friends.

ALL LOADED UP

 

AND THEN THE UNLOADING

 

FINALLY GETTING SETTLED

 

 

Kellan started preschool in addition to daycare and he loves it. He said he raises his hand to talk to the teacher. He has lots of little friends and is making lots of art and projects for our fridge (thanks Kim!).

This boy's quite the little worker. He actually asks Sherman if they can put in wood. He's got little work gloves and he wears his boots. He's such a good helper! Whatever Sherman's building or working at, he's ready and willing to lend a hand.

 

READY TO HELP

 

 Because he works and plays so hard, he sleeps really well. He's not much for sleeping-in though, anything between 5:00 - 6:00 is normal, no matter what time he goes to bed. I'm glad I don't mind getting up early, at least most of the time :) Regular bedtime is between 7 - 7:30, but I sometimes find him trying to sleep after we get home from school while I'm getting supper ready.

 

WAITING FOR SUPPER...

 

JUST ONE SHOW BEFORE WE GO READ - DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT

 

UNDRESSED HIMSELF AFTER CHURCH, CRAWLED UP ON HIS BED WITH COOPER AND HAD A SNOOZE

 

SLEEPING EXCLUSIVELY IN HIS BIG BED NOW, A DOUBLE BED ON THE BOTTOM OF HIS BUNK BEDS

 

 

 

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY

It's hard to believe we've thrown this boy three birthday parties now. This one was a doozy - we had 11 kids besides the birthday boy. He wanted it at the church, there's a ballpit and climbing net there. It was quite a time.

This year we had a "struction cake", which the kids seemed to like. Then, after pizza that evening, we had another cake at home for whatever family stopped by. It was a great day for a very special boy.

 

LOVIN' THE CAKE

 

A NEW DUMP TRUCK FROM "BADE"

 

"PESENTS! FUN!"

 

IT WAS HARD TO GET ALL THE KIDS TOGETHER FOR PRESENTS OR FOOD - THEY JUST WANTED TO PLAY!

 

YAY, 'STRUCTION TRUCKS

 

A NEW "WOADER" FROM NEEN AND PA

 

HAPPINESS

 

CHECKING OUT HIS NEW WHEELS

 

SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS, BADE

 

MORE HAPPINESS

 

THERE'S ROOM FOR TWO, ISN'T THERE?

 

CRUSIN' WITH A LOAD OF WOOD IN THE DUMPER

 

We took a little hike out to Swallowtail lighthouse not too long ago with Keyaunnah and Sahara. Terry brought chocolate chip cookies so there was also a picnic of sorts. That was a beautiful day spent with friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unbelievably, we've suffered even more tragedy here on Grand Manan. In addition to the plane crash last weekend that killed our pilot and an EMT, Brady lost another friend Sunday night.

Nick also graduated with Brady. They laughed together, acted crazy together, played hockey together.

Tomorrow, Brady will be a pallbearer for a close friend and classmate for the second time in 5 weeks. They will all be wearing high-top sneakers and Moonrakers hockey jerseys to the funeral in honour of Nick. Nick's cousin Charles will wear Nick's jersey, which will then be retired. Brady has chosen to wear jersey #9, Danielle's basketball number.

So much sadness for so many kids. God be with them all.

 

NICHOLAS GASKILL HUGGARD

 Rest in Peace, Friend



SPRING UPDATE

So much has happened since my last post. Our computer went nuts and we had to have it fixed. That took forever. It seems that since we got it back, things have been crazy and time has slipped away from me.

Here's an overview...

 

 

HAVING A YARN WITH PA

 

BROTHERS AND DESSERT

 

BROTHERS AND CARS

 

The Rotary Club organized a "Touch-A-Truck" event at the school in May. We went, of course, but it absolutely pelted rain and they shut down the event after we left. We were there about an hour and were completely soaked to the skin, but its not every day you get to crawl in and out of diggers and loaders at your heart's content. 

 

 

 

My brother and sister-in-law and three kids came in May. They decided to have Brynn's birthday party here since all her cousins live on Grand Manan. The kids had fun being together for such a wonderful occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The RCMP, fire department and ambulance crew held a meet-and-greet at the RCMP headquarters here. We had fun there, too, with the main attraction being the firetruck.

 

JUST HANGIN' ONTHE TRUCK

 

THEY LET HIM TURN ON THE SIREN OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN

 

SLEEPY BOY AFTER A BUSY DAY

 

 



 Sherman and I had to make a daytrip to Saint John in June and we bought Kellan a new bike. My mum had him bathed and in his jammies when we got home but he had to see that bike, so on went the trusty boots. He still hasn't mastered pedalling but we'll keep practicing until he gets it.

 

 

 

We had a graduation bbq for Brady in June. There were 50ish family and friends here, with several coming from the mainland (thank-you) and we all had a really good time - especially my grandmother who tried out the plasma car (with a little help from Trent). Beautiful weather, hamburgers, lobster rolls, salads and cake, mixed with lots of people who love Brady, how can you beat it? It was a wonderful evening to celebrate our graduate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a grad/parent picnic at the school and also the Baccalaureate service to go to the following weekend. Brady read scripture at Baccalaureate and my mum had the prayer.

 

THERE WERE 37 GRADS, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALL AT THE PICNIC

 

THE SCRIPTURE VERSES HE READ WERE ON FRIENDSHIP

 

 Grand March night was lovely. The guys were so handsome and the girls were just beautiful. I held it together pretty good, even through the mother/son dance. The next day though - complete mess. I think I cried all day.

 

BEFORE HEADING OUT FOR HOURS OF PHOTOS - GOOD THING THIS ONLY HAPPENS ONCE

  

LOVED CHANDRA'S DRESS!

  

BROTHERS AND SHADES

 

 

Graduation Day started with a special breakfast. It was relaxed and fun. Brady did really well at the ceremony. He recieved the first annual Grand Manan Minor Hockey Scholarship for his dedication to coaching/playing over the past three years. It was presented by the teacher he had assisted and she read a very heartfelt speech before giving him his award. He received three other awards also, so they will all help with his tuition.

 

RECEIVING HIS HOCKEY AWARD FROM MS. WARD

 

 RECEIVING HIS DIPLOMA FROM MR. LLOYD

 

SO PROUD OF THIS BOY

 



 June 29th was the two-year anniversary of Kellan's moving into our home. Time certainly has flown. We marked the occasion with barbecued steak, mashed potatoes, salads and peanut butter pie, and a climb in Uncle Durlan's dump truck and backhoe. Perfect!

Since school has been out we've been to the beach or the pool every good day. We've had so much fun, spending days with Keely, Sahara and Keyaunnah and many other friends. Sherman bought him a special digger and dump truck just for the beach. They've had some use! Some days its been hard to keep him awake past 6:00, he's been so played out.

Around the first of July, Brady had to go secure an apartment and Sherman was wrapping up lobster fishing stuff so Kellan and I went to Moncton to visit my brother and his fam. We ended up staying 5 days, so that was fun. Trent took the kids to two fun splash parks. We ate at "AtDonald's" (which Kellan LOVES!) and played hard with Ainsley and Brynn. The girls love the movie Frozen, which we watched for the first time while we were there. They are always singing the song "Let It Go" from that movie. One day the two of us were in the car and a snip of that song came on the radio. Kellan said, "Ainsey and Bynn sing 'Wet It Doe', but I sing 'Wet It Dig' ", which he did and still does. That boy is all about trucks, diggers and loaders.

Next week we have 8 family members coming from Florida, as well as the Rotary Festival here, so things should stay pretty busy.

 

 

As you may have heard, our island was shattered by the terrible accident that happened here on July 13. Our family is very close to Danielle, Tammy, Michael and Hunter. We have watched our broken friends hug and comfort over 1400 grieving people who came to Danielle's visitations. We have listened to them offer words of hope and comfort to the more than 750 people at Danielle's funeral service. We have seen them support Brady and each of the other five young pallbearers, standing hand-in-hand at the foot of Danielle's casket. 

This family is remarkable, but we have known that for a long time. It is truly our privilege to be called their friends. We love them. We ache for them. We miss their daughter. We miss them with their daughter.

 

Without exaggeration, Danielle is one of the most amazing kids we know. She was Valedictorian of their class, top basketball player on the team, a beautiful singer and pianist, and a true friend to all. She made you feel like you were the most important person in the world (a trait she and Hunter inherited from their parents), and was loved and respected by so many - not just on Grand Manan but far beyond. I could write pages on the tributes people have passed on to the family concerning Danielle.

We are devastated by Danielle's death. We are devastated for Tammy, Michael and Hunter.

The world is truly a little less bright.

 

 

TAMMY AND MICHAEL AT BRADY'S GRAD PICNIC

 

 

BRADY'S CLOSEST GRADUATE FRIENDS ~ Jailen, Brade, Dani, Ashlynn & Cary-Lynn

 

DANI SANG TWO SONGS AT BACCALAUREATE ~ THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL

 

DANI AND BRADE, PROM, GRADE SEVEN

 

DANI AND BRADE, GRADE EIGHT PROM

 

DANI AND BRADE, GRADE TWELVE, GRAND MARCH

 

 DANIELLE SHAW PARK

AUGUST 6, 1996 - JULY 13, 2014

WE LOVE YOU, DANI.

SLEEP SWEET #9