Summer is finally here! We are trying to take advantage of it when we can...work always seems to get in the way! Just kidding. The kids had an incredibly bust Spring and its really nice to be quieter for the summer. They are mostly hanging out around the house so far and relaxing.

Belly did amazing performing her Ballet Solo at both competition and year end recital! we are so proud! She loves her dance classes

Bentley was incredibly busy with Spring hockey and worked incredibly hard to be chosen for the elite team, Vancouver Selects Blue. There are two selects teams, the blue's and the black's. Blues are triple A travel team and the blacks are double A local team. He made the Blue and had the opportunity to travel to Chicago and Winnipeg as well as many local tournaments. He made it around Chicago's huge airport and Winnipeg's smaller airport without getting lost and even remembered to bring his sister back something! He was very happy and we are proud of him for his hard work and dedication. He missed a lot of school because of hockey this year and he continued to be very successful in school!

Obviously I am better at doing Laundry! Bentley in the white jersey. They had a final tournament the first week of July in Whistler, it was supposed to be a mixture of the Blue and Black teams but in the end, Bentley was the only player from the blue team (which is why his jersey is different). We had fun, he played hard and heck, who doesn't love going to Whistler!!

Spending some time at the beach and waiting for the fireworks!! They dug a huge hole and were having fun then decided to jump it, using his sister as the obstacle! She couldn't jump over so she just walked over him!

It really doesn't matter where she goes, she practices her ballet everywhere!! What a better place then on a beach! She has had a tough year, the seizure medications and the mitochondrial cocktail of vitamins seem to be helping. She is less tired and looks better, but continues to lose some skills. She is typically happy but really does not understand what is going on....we can't really help because we do not really know either....

She loves this rock, we have other pictures of her climbing it at other times, she loves it! She is also rocking her new glasses! She enjoyed picking out the frame she wanted and likes wearing them....mostly. Though it has been three and a half years we still miss Sebastian just as much. He is talked about, remembered, honored and loved by each of us. Belly still asks whenever she can if she can get balloons to send to him and we oblidge. The kids continue to do really well and I am amazed that they both talk about him and remember him so much.

I love the action shots especially when its an awesome save!!

Oh my! This is so rare - a smile from Bentley!! You have to be quick but when you catch it you are lucky! This was just after we arrived in whistler for his tournament, we made it in record time and were early so just goofing around before the game because we couldn't register at the hotel till later in the day.

another year, another update...

Another year goes by.... it's been 3 years 8 days since our Sebastian left us. Time goes by but he is missed just the same.

The kids have been their busy selves!
Belly has had a tough year, more so the last few months though...we have watched as she has changed and at times a totally different little girl. Because of concerns she had another EEG December 21-22, 2011, which was pretty devastating for her. The following day, her neurologist called and let us know that her EEG changed significantly. Her last one a few years ago was normal but unfortunately this one shows constant seizure activity in the occipital region of her brain with some rolandic spikes in 2 other areas...pretty devastating news. It does explain a lot but I was more comfortable when i had been told last year that some of the things we were worried about were caused by her new arrhythmia, sadly, now they say its seizures. Apparently her complete exhaustion is not from the arrhythmia but from the seizures. She has done a great job taking anti seizure medication but really doesn't understand what is going on...neither do we! She continues to follow Sebastian's path and we are awaiting to learn more. She has an aid at school which is good, but she is not able to make it though the school day and ends up at her daycare and typically rests or sleeps until we pick her up. If she rests she is able to handle the evening with hours of crying, but we are not sure how long the daycare can have her there because they are not licenced for school age care during school ours....oh so much to learn~ pretty depressing post...
Bentley is doing all his normal things... still so much hockey. He was invited to try out for a few spring teams and was able to choose what team he wanted which is pretty amazing! School continues to come very easy to him...he has been given some challenge classes to keep him interested which is good.
Some snow-shoeing on New Years day! They had a blast!!!
Bentley getting some air in his jump!!
A very rare family photo! Getting us all in for a photo together doesn't happen very often but right after the photo some snow was thrown!! and a snow fight began...
In early September Bentleys team had a tournament in Penticton - they enjoyed some pool time in between games!
Our little flower girl! she had so much fun and did a great job as a flower girl in Jess and Ryan's wedding.

Its been a long time, we've been busy, will really work on updating more....

Well the new school year has come, summer is over, new hockey season for Bentley and new ballet classes for Isabelle! Bentley is now in middle school!! and Belly is in grade 1!!

Yesterday Belly participated in the Canuck Place Adventure Challenge in Sebastian's Memory - She was amazing!! They canoed then went on the hike/run - she did not do the biking part as her doctor thought it would be too much. they ended up doing double the run because they mis-read the "kids course 1/2 way point sign" and didn't realize to turn back - what a trooper - she wants to do the long one next year again!


Bentley made the A pool for tryouts which is awesome! only 6 2000's made it the rest were 1999's - there are only 3 2000's left so he is doing great.
Enjoying some time at Kit's Beach

some winter fun

-19degrees and tubing at Apex Mountian!!

It's been a busy month.... Bentley had a hockey tournament up at Apex mountain - five hours away but so worth it! the kids had a blast!K, well you can't really see Bentley in the picture, but it was an amazing save!The boys played on the outdoor rink and won the tournament!!Way to go! They had fun together, skiing, playing, hot-tubbing, tubing and playing hockey!! Isabelle was needing some more confidence skiing so she had this awsome guy teach her to ski on her own!!! We calls him magical Matt! because in just over an hour he got her from totally scared to going on her own up and down the hill!! a
we all had a great time skiing...beautiful snow and no line upsOur buddies came up for some of the weekend...what a blast!!We went to Kelowna and spent time with our friends before and after the Apex time and enjoyed time together! Too bad we have such a long drive to visit them....

Sebastian we miss you so very much

In tears we saw you sinking,
We watched you fading away,
Our hearts were breaking, but
You fought so hard to stay,
But when we saw you sleeping,
So peaceful from the pain,
We could not wish you back,
To suffer that again.

Today marks 2 years, we miss you, Sebastian so very much. I am remembering you and our last 40 minutes together as it approaches the time of your death 2 years ago....

it's been a long time

Its been a very long time since any kind of update... life has gotten very busy!
Bentley played on a spring hockey team into the summer, the team did really well and it was a great group of boys!.. This morning the final cuts were made and bentley did well and made the A1 rep hockey team. Way to go for him, tryouts were stressful and he worked hard and it will be quite a season! Isabelle completed a kids triathlon and did awsome. She had so much fun! She had to swim, bike then run and she took it very seriously and was so proud of herself when she got her medal!we headed to the PNE in the summer and Belly brought her little friend, they had a blast! Bentley alo had a fun time and enjoyed all the rides he used to be scared of. Belly was sooo excited to watch Bobs and Lolo and then meet them. She has seen them before and loves them - she sings many of their songs and sang along with the concert! Bentley went to the island with a buddy and got to spend time with a really good friend he knows from Canuck Place for a couple day then they went to tofino for a couple days camping! He had a blast and it was great for him to get away. Isabelle was the happiest girl in the world to go to her dance teacher's wedding! She said it was the best day every! She danced for hours! In between the wedding and the reception we went for a walk in gastown! I love this picture for Stel and Belly and also enjoy the shoes in the john flueuvog bag Stel is carrying! One very happy little girl!Stel again participated in the Canuck Place adventure challenge triathlon! He did a fantastic job and had a great partner and crossed the finish line in record time! Thank you very very much to all who helped us out and sponsored Stel to support Canuck Place!Isabelle ran across the finish line with Stel and Chris!

Its been very busy over the summer!
Stel went back to work the day before summer holidays for Bentley - now with both of us working full time it feels like we are always running around like crazy! School started as well as all the extra activities the kids do, still not sure how we will get them both where they need to be!
Bentley started grade 5, he has the same teacher as last year and he is happy about that. Isabelle started kindergarten and seems happy! This is the one year that they will be together at the same school!
well that's a bit of an update on us.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMAZING SEBASTIAN

Today our boy, our first born, our awsome big brother to Bentley and Isabelle, our amazing fighter and our Love turned 13 and we wish he was here with us Writing some messages on rocks to leave in the fountain...The kids really wanted to let balloons go at Canuck Place.


Sebastian you are so profoundly missed

Here we are, the Easter Long weekend and the end of spring Break...

Though it may be hard to notice in this picture...she played with a few pairs of scissors and cut off her braids! In the end after getting it fixed she lost about 5 inches. I went to pick her up at ballet, and looked at her and wow was I shocked - Stel hadn't warned me about the haircut. When i immediatley called to find out what happened, he so calmly said "oh, you noticed!!!" Uh Ya I noticed! After ballet we went to the hairdresser to have it fixed up. Not often do we get a photo of Bentley....without a goalie helmet on! Bentley has had a pretty good spring break. Friends over all the time, sleep-overs and a couple times to the pool, not to mention hockey practice and games have kept him pretty busy!!Isabelle is totally in love with dogs right now, especially Jasper, our friends dog. And they put up with her constantly following them around and laying with them.

After work many days over the past couple weeks I have been visiting my friends, as they sit at their son's bedside in the hospital. He had to go through some major back surgery and now infection - keep them in your thoughts.

For us, it's been a little over 1 year and 10 weeks missing Sebastian, with his birthday just around the corner and being in the hospital so much its been pretty tough.

Well, March is here... The 2010 Olympics have come and gone, the roads are re-opening the chaos is quieting down but the excitement of the last hockey game lives on! There was so much going on and so many great athletes and events to watch, but that gold medal hockey game- Canada vs USA was a nail biter.The Olympic Flame, wow was it ever incredibly crowded!
It was kinda sad to see the flame go out last night, I am hoping that it will be re-lit for the para - olympic games in a couple weeks.
It was nice wandering, but incredibly busy trying to get around. It was great to see so many happy people enjoying the sights and festivities. Sebastian would have LOVED the chaos and hustle and bustle of the crowds and shows and, well, all of it!
Spending a day with some buddies made the day much more enjoyable for the kids... Here they went skating at the outdoor rink at the O-Zone. Belly was intimidated by the crowds, but bentley did 27 laps!

When the mascots were first unveiled a couple years ago, were they ever mocked!! They have kinda grown on me since... Problem was, this was Belly's favorite, a sasquatch named Quatchie.
where the problem comes in is she believed his name was Krotchie - and when Bentley decided it would be fun to try taking her stuffed Quatchie she screamed "Don't touch my Krotchie" or at another point she saw someone else with the same stuffed toy, "hey, she/he has a Krotchie like me"

Well, what else... School is in full swing, Belle has registered for kindergarten in September - it will be nice that her and Bentley get one year at the same school. Hockey is over after a tournament this weekend, which I am happy about, but Bentley has been asked to join a spring team which looks like it will be keeping him VERY busy! Belly is still loving Ballet classes. but I am concerned about her other choice....I seriously cannot handle another goalie in the family