July New Music: OK GO

“Just when you think that you're in control, just when you think that you've got a hold, just when you get on a roll, here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again. Oh, here it goes again. I should have known, should have known, should have known again, but here it goes again. Oh, here it goes again.” (Here It Goes Again, OK GO)

NEW MUSIC: Ok Go. This month we have Ok Go on the menu.. I found them one night rummaging around You Tube when I stumbled on to their video for “Here It Goes Again”. Completely original, which is hard to do these days. It took me awhile to get around to getting the latest album, but I am hooked. As always, enjoy.

=8-)

July Update

“Just when you think that you're in control, just when you think that you've got a hold, just when you get on a roll, here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again. Oh, here it goes again. I should have known, should have known, should have known again, but here it goes again. Oh, here it goes again.” (Here It Goes Again, OK GO)

Summer in Vancouver, there is no better city to live when the sun is out, the weather is warm and those long summer days and nights roll on. With school out the girls are looking for things to keep them going, and Elaine and I begin to count the days till our holidays. Well on with update:

1. When I was Twelve: You know I can’t remember much from when I was twelve but I know Sarah will remember her 12th birthday. 10 girls running around the house, dancing till the night was almost the morning. All of them slept in one massive heap in the living room and looked like they had been run over by a bus in the morning. Oh to be young and live off the adrenaline of being alive. Happy Birthday Sarah! Let this one linger, all the nonsense of being a teenager is just around the corner.

2. The BIG Boulevard reno: So if you have ever been to our house you can’t miss the wreck that has been the south edge boulevard on our property. Left to be fixed by some hapless homeowner by the original developer, this area has been the bane of our house ownership. Weeds infested the area, protected by a million river rocks and ridiculously oversized junipers. The fence along this area had rotted long before we came along and was falling apart in front of our eyes, leaving gaping holes for Gizmo to escape and take his revenge on the neighbours cat. SO...Elaine finally had enough and the reno has begun, to date the fence had been replaced (not a bad job by Brian and I either), the rocks and junipers have been removed, some new tress have been planted and a garden has been brought in. We have just to place the sod and we are done (since we are leaving soon for vacation we are going to leave this part till September). Congratulations to the next people who might own the house if we ever move, you will never know just what we went through all these years.

3. AIA Soccer Camps: So this month amongst the various things the girls are doing to enjoy the summer is the yearly summer AIA Soccer camps. AIA really does know how combine sports, ministry and fun for kids. Both the girls have been having great time and Sarah currently holds the juggling record with 40 straight. It may be time to break down and join the weekend soccer brigade.

4. Summer fun activities: Here is the current list of summer activities that girls can not do with out. #5 Basketball, Soccer sports in general with the neighbourhood kids, #4 Bike rides (everyday Emily can be heard asking “can we go for a bike ride”, #3 Late night bedtime *they have perfected the art of staying up as late as possible #2 Swimming, any pool will do! And the number one summer activity: Disney vacations (Emily’s is really starting to get excited about going back to WDW again next month)

5. iPhone: Just a quick shout out to the techie side of life around here. I recently got one of the new iphones and it really has been a hit in the house. The girls are constantly finding ways to get a hold of it and play around with the thing...and you know its a pretty darn good phone as well.

6. NEW MUSIC: Ok Go. This month we have Ok Go on the menu.. I found them one night rummaging around You Tube when I stumbled on to their video for “Here It Goes Again”. Completely original, which is hard to do these days. It took me awhile to get around to getting the latest album, but I am hooked. As always, enjoy.

=8-)

May/ June New Music: Coldplay

NEW MUSIC: COLDPLAY, Viva La Vida! They took their time but Coldplay’s new album is out and frankly it’s the best they've done. I wasn’t sure they would pull off toping X&Y but VIVA La VIDA is a superb album and a must have for any music lover.

May/June Updat

What must through a dogs mind when he just sits and stares?

Its been awhile. Lots of life just consuming up time and leaving little for the website. Its been too long in between post so its time for the update....

1. Anniversaries: May brought with it Elaine and my 17th year together married. Add to that, 1 year of dating and 2 years of a lengthy engagement and we have been together now for over 20 years. And while there have been ups and downs, I wouldn’t give back any of those years. Elaine truly is my best friend and brings out the best in me. Here’s a toast to the last 17 years and many, many more to come.

2. HSM in May: For those wondering HSM stands for High School Musical and it is this springs musical theater that the girls are in. We are into the home stretch of rehearsals and I think the girls are getting restless to try out more in -depth roles and styles. At-least every Wednesday for three hours you know were to find them. Still, being in musical theater has been a great opportunity for fun and development. They definitely will surpass Elaine and my musical abilities as they get older.

3. May: Performing. If Musical theater was not enough. Emily and Sarah had this great idea to go to their first open auditions for casting directors in Vancouver. While it didn't turn out to be all that they thought (it was a well known casting agency and school, looking for new talent, that happens to work with Disney) they got to experience the fun of waiting for hours to have their turn being interviewed and then cold reading lines in front of a camera. Emily even got a call back for a second audition into the school (which turned out to really be the pitch for the $3000-$5000.00 per year the school would cost). It did offered great discussions about what the girls would like to tryout in terms of performing and acting. Who knows you may be seeing them on the silver screen some time in the future. Oh..and if acting was not enough, they decided to work on their cheerleading every Monday as well. They just can’t get enough of the lights and stage.

4. Mother’s Day. When you are younger you think your parents have nothing but pain and suffering in mind for you. Curfews, chores, discipline, make your bed, brush your teeth, clean your room, do your homework etc. But you know what, Mom B and Mom T are great moms that had a thankless job raising us and survived, actually they helped us survive and truly only lavished us with love and had our best interest at heart. Here’s to our Moms, Happy Mothers Day!...thanks for all the love and support. And to Elaine, your are the best wife and mother going, thanks for loving us the way you do!

5. June: Track and Field 2008. This year Emily and Sarah both made the team and the Buckingham girls represented the Don Christian Wildcats with great pride and excitement. Each were part of winning heats and even brought home some new ribbons to add to their memory boxes. Congratulations!

6. Father’s Day: They say I’m looking like my dad more and more, and while some days I groan at the suggestion, I have a great father. There have been lots of bridges to cross together and lots of water to run under those bridges but he has always been there. Much of who I am is because of him, so heres to you Dad, Happy Father Day! (This is also in memory of Don, Elaine dad, who left us to soon...we will see you again soon)

7. June - HSM Part 2: The girls finally performed High School musical this month. I try not to be a “homer” parent, but the girls are really developing as performers. Elaine and I love watching them on stage, and they really are some of the best out there. Great Job Sarah and Emily... your ‘Tony’ awaits you!

8. More Gushing....School is now done and Elaine and I are the proud parents of two ‘full year’ (all three grading terms) Honor Role students. Sarah also was given an award for athleticism. The best complements/awards as well have come from the Principle who says she thinks very highly of the girls and Sarah’s teacher who told us at the HSM performance that the grade 7 teachers were fighting over which one was going to have Sarah in their class. Great job Sarah and Emily, your mom and I our extremely proud of you!

9. NEW MUSIC: COLDPLAY! They took their time but Coldplay’s new album is out and frankly it’s the best they've done. I wasn’t sure they would pull off toping X&Y but VIVA La VIDA is a superb album and a must have for any music lover.

Till next month....

=8-)

March MUSIC: Paul McCartney

“Any Time, Any Day, You Can Hear The People Say, That Love Is Blind, Well, I Don't Know, But I Say Love Is Kind” Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney

I grew up listening to my Dad’s favorite songs as a kid. I remember many days traveling in his Ford pick-up listening to Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys and the Beatles. I guess as time went on I adopted his same affection for Paul McCartney’s solo music as each of the Beatles struck out on their own. Over the years, I’ve remained steadfast in my resolve that Paul’s always got the raw shaft from Beatles fans and critics who thought more highly of John Leanon and George Harison. And thanks to iTunes carrying all of his albums (solo and with wings) digitally remastered, he sounds even better.

March Update

“Any Time, Any Day, You Can Hear The People Say, That Love Is Blind, Well, I Don't Know, But I Say Love Is Kind” Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney

“Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash as we fell into the sun, And the first one said to the second one there I hope you’re having fun. Band on the run, band on the run. And the jailer man and sailor sam were searching every one” Band on the Run - Paul McCartney

I grew up listening to my Dad’s favorite songs as a kid. I remember many days traveling in his Ford pick-up listening to Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys and the Beatles. I guess as time went on I adopted his same affection for Paul McCartney’s solo music as each of the Beatles struck out on their own. Over the years, I’ve remained steadfast in my resolve that Paul’s always got the raw shaft from Beatles fans and critics who thought more highly of John Leanon and George Harison. And thanks to iTunes carrying all of his albums (solo and with wings) digitally remastered, he sounds even better. Anyways, this months update is accompanied by a couple of Paul’s video and songs. Good Stuff.

Well time to get to the update:

1. The winter that will never end! If you live in Canada then you have experienced the craziest, longest winter that I can remember. It snows, it rains, it hails, in rains some more and then just when you think that March is almost over it snows some more. UHG! Even as a skiing family this winter has gotten to us and I once again long for warm temperatures and sunning locations. Which leads me to our next topic...

2. California. This spring break we had thought of planning all sorts of trips. The girls school district decided to take a full 2 weeks off so it gave us allot of options. Once spring break came, we had decided to keep our late summer/September 2 week vacation which shorten the time we had together as a family this spring. Then by the time Elaine and my spring break vacation started, we had intended to go to Victoria and spend some time on Vancouver Island. However...the weather was going to be awful... i.e. snow! Next thing you know we gathered up the family, packed up our Escape and drove down to California again to spend time in the sun and heat. What a great trip! Once we made it through the rain of Washington state and reached southern Oregon the sun came out and and the joy of a last minute road trip took over. We found a great place to stay over night outside of Stockton in California, enjoyed some of the California scenery and survived the traffic of LA. No Buckingham Family trip would be complete without a trip to a Disney park and even though we spend each September in Disney World, Disneyland still has a captivating atmosphere.

We then spent a day in Hunting Beach. What a great place. Laid back, sunny, warm, surfing, great beaches, great restaurants...we had a great time together, even renting a 4 person bike/carriage and riding it down the beach walk way towards to Newport Beach. Eventually we spent a few hours in Newport and laid on sand and soaked up some more California sun. They day wet our appetite for more of the area, and we have already begun working on staying for a much longer time next year.

After a few more days in Anaheim it was time to head back home. Lots of great time together as a family. No fighting amongst the girls, parents getting along, kids and parents getting along and having fun together. The temperature stayed above 75 all week with not a cloud in the sky. A great trip to remember.

Bye the way, we called back home and sure enough, it was snowing and below 0. Viva la road trip!

Well thats the highlights for this month. Look for Elaine to finally add her thoughts to the blog by next month.

Till next time...

=8-)

February New Music: Jack Johnson STTS

“We could make this into anything. We could make this into more than words we speak. This could make us into anything. It could make us grow and become what we'll be.” What you Thought You Need - Jack Johnson

New Music: This month it’s Jack Johnson, Sleep Through The Static. Got hooked on his music a couple of years ago. This new album is a little more subdued at times, even for Jack. But there’s enough good stuff to give it a listen.

=8-)

February Update

“We could make this into anything. We could make this into more than words we speak. This could make us into anything. It could make us grow and become what we'll be.” What you Thought You Need - Jack Johnson

February is almost over...uhhhh...the sweet smell of spring will soon arrive. The skiing has been great but its time once again for the sun to shine on out, otherwise we will need to add an annual spring pilgrimage to warmer weather down south (we already have become earlier adopters of the snow bird mentality having begun an annual end of summer pilgrimage to Florida for its sun and warm temperatures).

Here’s what’s been going on...

1. Skiing: Didn’t we start with this last time? Every friday night this month we have ventured up to Seymour Mountain to ski with Sarah’s class. There was one night when the sky just cleared up and stars shown against the backdrop of the Vancouver sky line and its incredible array of lights. It was a spectacle that will be hard to beat this ski season. To add to the night, the snow was incredible or as one of Sarah’s teachers said, “it was Hero snow” (meaning everyone was looking like they were the best skier in Vancouver and the stories of the night would be told for years to come). As for the girls, look for them at the Olympics in 2020. Sarah is becoming a great technical skier and Emily is a kamikaze down hill skier with a penchant for looking for jumps to fly off of.

2. Lets all stay home! Seems as though we will soon add one more office to the house shortly as Elaine has become a candidate for Telus’s ‘work from home’ program. If the next round of interviews go well she will no longer have to make the 1- 1 1/2 hour drive to work (thats each way). I’m not sure if we work from home or if we live at work, with both her and my office soon to be taking up the house...hmmmm. It is however, even more reason to be thankful for the home we have been blessed with as there is room enough for all.

3. BC Home Show: I just finished 7 days and nights of the BC Home Show. The place is huge, and was full of home and garden ideas. In the midst of all of this was Coverstar Canada (is case I have not explained it, this is the company I’m an owner in and takes up the lower half of our house for its office). We all were amazed at the response to our booth and our products. It definitely helped raise the awareness of our safety covers and get our season off to a great start. Now its home for a fews days and then off to Toronto to do the same thing. Hopefully spring break will come soon and warmer weather can fill the lungs (i.e, the spring pilgrimage down south..see above).

4. Basketball: In Sarah’s never ending quest to conquer all the sports her school competes in, she joined the Basketball team this year. After some pretty bad loses at the hands of larger schools with bigger kids, her team came in second in the final play day (Elementary school playoffs). Go Don Christian Elementary! As for Sarah she ended off the season learning how to be a scoring point guard...maybe the summer olympics are passibility....hmmmm.

5. New Music: This month it’s Jack Johnson. Got hooked on his music a couple of years ago. This new album is a little more subdued at times, even for Jack. But there’s enough good stuff to give it a listen.

Talk to you again next month,

=8-)

January NEW MUSIC: Sara Bareilles

“I’ve been given this one world, I won’t worry it away, but now and again I lose sight of the good life, I get stuck in a low light, but then Love comes in” Many the Miles - Sara Bareilles

New Music: Sara Bareilles...great chorus, arrangements and voice. Pop music done right. The whole album is good. Stick around for a few minutes and take a listen to the whole song, “Many the Miles”...then go buy the album. For $7.99 on iTunes it's a bargain.

=8-)

January 2008 Update!

“I’ve been given this one world, I won’t worry it away, but now and again I lose sight of the good life, I get stuck in a low light, but then Love comes in” Many the Miles - Sara Bareilles

Have no fear for giving in, Have no fear for getting older, You better know that in the end its better to say to much, Than to never to say what you need to say again...Say what you need to say” Say - John Mayer

Hello again. A new year, another chance to breath again, to live again, a chance to see the sunrises & sunsets yet to come and make new memories that will carry us through the years ahead. Here’s what we’ve been up to as we enter into 2008:

1. Skiing, the new family passion!! Well expect for one =8-P. I got the girls on the mountains a few times last year and they took to it immediately. This year with some new equipment for me and year under the girls ‘belts’, on many weekends you will find us up at Seymour or Hemlock Valley working on our carving or face plants, depending on the day. It may be gray and dreary down in the valley of Vancouver were we live, but all that goes away with a great day of skiing only minutes away. Vancouver has once again become a great place to live in my mind.

2. High School Musical. I guess each generation has their cheesy movie/musical so I should not be surprised by the girls love-affair with these movies, but I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. Never-the-less, Emily and Sarah have once again embarked an another season of musical theater, this time in...as you must have guessed by now...High School Musical. Acting rehearsals once a week, dance rehearsals once a week and five months of preparation should turn them into High School Musical drama queens. As they say in the biz..’break a leg’ girls.

3. Houses. You love your house when you first buy it, it’s shinny and new (at least to you). You dream up all sorts of ways to personalize it and ‘fix it up’ so it represents your own personality. What they forget to remind you is that houses are temperamental and once in awhile they decide to just...fall apart. In our case, much of the back fence has decided to call it day, the fridge and dishwasher last fall called in sick one day and then never showed back up to work. The stove just before christmas though it needed a holiday and figured christmas was the best time to take one. The sky light in our hallway, thought it could fly and proceeded to take a nose drive off the roof one rainy November day..thankfully a very kind hearted friend (Stacey B.) came over and installed the sky light back into place; turns out someone forgot to screw the thing in when they built the house, I mean, who really screws things like that in nowadays, thats old school thinking. Oh well, enough ranting...we really are very grateful for having a chance to own a house again after the condo fiasco a fews years back (I’ll save that story for another day). We actually were glad to spend some time fixing up the house, even finally got around to painting much of the upstairs and its finally starting to feel like our house. Come on over when you get a chance, the house may be a grump but the rest of us are more than happy to have friends come by.

4. New Music: Sara Bareilles...great chorus, arrangements and voice. Pop music done right. The whole album is good. Stick around for a few minutes and take a listen to the whole song, “Many the Miles”...then go buy the album. For $7.99 on iTunes its a bargain.

Talk to you again next month,

=8-)

November New Music: Feist THE REMINDER

“Oh...Oh, Oh, Changing is hard, Oh..Oh,Oh, You know who you are. Oh...Oh Changing is hard, Oh..Oh, Oh, You know who you are” (Fiest, 1234)

Feist, The Reminder: I kind feel late to the party on this one, but I just recently developed a strong liking to her music. Not only does she have this strange yet fantastic voice, she’s from Canada too! You probably recognize the song playing right now from the Gap commercial this year. Give her new album a listen, especially, My Man Moon, and Sealion. Actually do a Youtube search and and watch her live, she is even better!

=8-)

November Update

“Oh...Oh, Oh, Changing is hard, Oh..Oh,Oh, You know who you are. Oh...Oh Changing is hard, Oh..Oh, Oh, You know who you are” (Fiest, 1234)

Its halfway through November and the leaves have changed from red and orange, to a dark brown as they fall and make a mess of our yard. Since our last update, here is the scoop on the Buckingham family:

1. School is back in session: Emily and Sarah have made it to grade 4 & 6 this year and are rising to the challenge of their new grades and harder work loads (I can not believe how much homework Sarah already gets in grade 6...whatever happened to just being a kid). It took them some time to catch up once we got back from Florida. The extra work each new grade brings means that we will not be taking a 2 week vacation during school time again. Even with the extra make up work, they have been getting excellent grades and Sarah has even made the school Volleyball team this year.

1a. 100 Years of Broadway. The girls are once again in Musical Theater and are singing a duet this time. Can you guess what it is? Here is a hint: “Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you!”. This song was made for them. They perform their duet and other things Saturday December 1, 2007. If you would like tickets, drop us a note and we will try and get you some (Cost $12.00 each).

2. Work, work work: Well with our holidays used up till next year, its back to the grind of work for Elaine and I. My company has been doing very well this year and looks to have taken another step towards long term stability and growth. This winter I will actually be able to sleep knowing that we will make it through the slow months and continuing developing once the season starts. Elaine, as always, is on top of her game at Telus and has just received her 2nd “Best in Quest” award (top 10% employee) this year! If you ever need a coach for developing strong people skills and customer service skills, Elaine should be top on your list.

3. Fall in Vancouver: I have got to get this out, Vancouver has got to be the worst place to live during the wet and gray fall months. The Sun has become a distant memory and the constant gray plays havoc on my body, soul and mind. If not for the abundance of snow that our climate brings and our family’s return to the ski slopes of Vancouver, winter would be a

right-off as well. If my Company continues to do well, and the dollar stays at its lofty levels, I am going to buy us a property in California or Florida and relocate as soon as I can. BRING BACK THE SUN!!!

4. Feist: I kind feel late to the party on this one, but I just recently developed a strong liking to her Music. Not only does she have this strange yet fantastic voice, she’s from Canada too! You probably recognize the song playing right now from the Gap commercial this year. Give her new album a listen, especially, My Man Moon, and Sealion. Actually do a Youtube search and and watch her live, she is even better!

5: Facebook: I don’t get it, I don’t want to get it, but Elaine is on it, so here is the link to her Facebook site:

(If someone can actually post a rational reason for the thing, write it here and I’ll stop ragging on it and make sure Elaine adds you to her account)

Till next time...

=8-)

WDW 2007 Typhoon Lagoon

A Walt Disney World trip is never complete without some time spent in the water parks and our favorite by far is Typhoon Lagoon. Join us we venture around a water park that holds the largest man made surf park in this hemisphere.