Wednesday, June 10, 2009

New Friends

One of the many things that made the move to Canada difficult for me was the fact that I would have to say goodbye to not just my family in South Carolina, but also my friends. When I first moved here, I really didn't know anyone besides Ryan and his family. I had met a few of his friends a couple of times before I moved, but I was pretty much starting over in the friendship department. Since that time, I have become friends with a handful of girls that I wouldn't trade for the world. But I have learned to never pass up the opportunity to make a new friend. Today, Reagan and I were fortunate enough to BOTH make a new friend.

Tiff from Still Seeking Sanity lives only just a few minutes south of the US/CAN border, so she and I planned to get together and meet IRL the next time that I went down to do a little shopping. Today was that day. Reagan and I loaded into the truck this morning to venture down across the border. Of course, last night my husband Ryan started expressing his opinions about my decision to meet Tiff and her family. I can't help but wonder if he has been secretly been hanging out with Sara (who has a paranoia of an ax murderer attacking her during her sleep) because he started asking me how I was so sure that this person I was going to meet wasn't really a serial killer just posing as a mother of four! I ignored him, and continued with my plans!

I had shown Reagan pictures of all of Tiff's children, and I think that she was just as excited as I was to meet the crew. As soon as we pulled into her driveway, Reagan was trying to unbuckle her car seat and climb out the door. She ran to meet the adorable Emma who was standing at the gate to welcome us and then ran into the house to meet the boys and to play. Tiff and I hugged and immediately started chatting as if we were old friends. Honestly, to an outsider, no one would have had a clue that we had all just met! Tiff took a picture (being the truly awesome blogger that she is!) to document the occasion. Being the slacker that I am, I forgot to take my camera! Thank you Tiff for sending this to me...
After visiting at their house, we loaded the kids into our respective cars and headed off for the mall. Because, as any of the local Canadian moms here will tell you, you simply CAN NOT cross the border into the States without making a trip to Target. That would just simply be wrong. I somehow managed to leave Target with only buying 2 new beach towels and 2 cute little sundresses that were all on clearance. Tiff had a good laugh at me while I was desperately trying to find my diet peanut butter, but I was unsuccessful. (If anyone knows a store that sells the stuff... LET ME KNOW!) If not, Tiff I'm ordering it online and having it shipped to your house to get next time because they don't ship to Canada. And yes, there will be many more visits with Tiff and her family!

I have to tell you, Tiff's children are AMAZING! I can not believe how well behaved they all were. Emma is the oldest and she turns 5 next week, Grant and Ben are her twin boys that are two, and baby Drew is five months old. Tiff never had to raise her voice to them, she never had to ask them more than once to do something, they stayed close to us at all times in the mall, they sat STILL and ate all their lunch without having to beg them to do it... they were little angels compared to my wild child Reagan. I am hoping that some of Emma's good behavior wore off on Reagan today, and I'm hoping that Tiff doesn't think that Reagan is a bad influence on her kids because Reagan is already begging to go see Emma again! The girls were so cute together... talking, holding hands, dancing. Reagan started crying when it was time to say goodbye, and she cried even harder when she saw their van turn to go home while we continued straight ahead to go North.

So, today was a very good day! It was the first of what I am sure will be many play dates for both the kids and the moms! And, it was hopefully the first of many friends that I have met while blogging that I will finally meet In Real Life!

20 comments:

Loukia said...

Sounds like such a great time! I hear you about the Target visits - I love stocking up there when we're in the US! :)
Can you ask her what her tips are on having such well-behaved children? And 4 of them? Wowie! If you're ever visiting this side of Canada, we should meet up for sure!

Tiff said...

I had a great time with you, too! Wow, I feel so complimented reading this post, but like I told you earlier, it's first time syndrome. Next time, they will show you their true selves and you will realize that Reagan is not even close to a bad influence! LOL!

Reagan was a doll! She behaved just fine, you did not have to raise your voice at her, either! And I don't think you were looking when Ben tried to run across the parking lot at Albertson's, that's the nice thing about having so many kids, you can distract people with the good ones and no one notices the unruly child... (That's why the twins spent the day in the stroller!)

We will chat soon!

E @ Scottsville said...

AWwwwww, I read your whole post with a bit of jealousy!!! =0)

That sounds awesome, and what a GREAT picture! Tiffany, I can NOT believe you forgot your camera! What kind of BLOGGER ARE YOU? ha ha ha

j/k

Great picture (other) Tiff!

E

Lady Mama said...

So great to make a new friend. Sounds like you had a really nice day. And I SO want to go to Target now.

forever folding laundry said...

What a nice treat to get to meet a bloggy friend IRL.

And -- did I hear you correctly? There is no Target in Canada?? Oh, I am so, SO sorry for you!! :)

~Keri

Megan at My Heart, My Home said...

How fun! Normally, I would agree with Ryan about internet people being psycho...but really, an axe murderer (one of my fave movies "So I married an axe murderer" with Mike Myers) who has 4 children, now that's creative.

And I had no idea that Canada doesn't have Target! Wow, kinda weird!

The Stiffs said...

That is a seriously great picture and a great story. So glad she wasn't an ax murderer.

Kameron said...

That is awesome! My hubby has some of the same reservations about my blog sometimes. He just doesn't quite get it and still thinks someone may come and try to steal our child or something. Ugh. Glad you had fun and made anew friend. I had the same thing happen to me when I moved from the west coast to RI, but I have made a couple of really awesome friends!

Miller Racing Family said...

What a fun day. I love meeting friends that have kids, how they know what we are all going through.
Donnie is the same way about meeting people from the blogging world. But lets get real sometimes we talk to our blogging friends more that we talk to our own family!
I have never heard of diet peanut butter so I am no help but I can give you an ahem for shopping at Target.Glad you had a wonderful trip.
Happy Thursday!

Five Moms & A Blog said...

Hey Tiffany! I'm so glad I'm not alone and that there are others struggling with a No-It-All. Hope left me a comment suggesting I read two links. They had some really good advice. You should check them out too. Just look for Hope's comment with the two links. Maybe we can work through this together. I can be your No-It-All sponsor and you could be mine. :o)

~Miti

Kathy B! said...

This sounds like such a wonderful time! I'm so happy for you to have all found each other :)

Sara @ Domestically Challenged said...

It looks like a great time. I am not paranoid, just careful and stuff like that. Very very careful.
You can never be too careful about the Ax Murderer.
Only a couple of things at Target? Good girl!

Mama4Real said...

Not at all sure how I missed a.) that you live in BC (I grew up in Kelowna), and b.) that you're a fellow Weight Watcher!!! Wooohoooo!
Sorry I haven't been by, I meant to comment after the "VIRUS" outbreak, but I forgot...:P :)Thanks for being a faithful commenter:)

chloe's clan said...

I'm glad you had a nice time. I would love to meet blog friends sometime! It's hard to trust though in these days.

I'm glad you like Ender. My husband says that he never thinks of the book when he says Ender. It is just that he loves that name and that's that. We'll see. :) Soon... well at least by Saturday!

AiringMyLaundry said...

That sounds like fun. Oh, and Target rocks!

Brooke said...

Sounds like you had such a great time! How much fun to meet a bloggy friend in person.

Oh, and sometimes around Christmas, I cross the border to go into Canada just to shop at a few stores there and get some "unique" gifts that you can't purchase in the States.

Ashley @ {Let Go, Laughing} said...

Sounds like so much fun! I can't wait to meet some of my blogging friends in real life, including you! I'm sure Greg will do the same thing though and try to tell me its not safe or that he should come with me "just in case" or something like that. lol

I just realized I never emailed you back after your super sweet email but I probably will still try to do that somewhere in the midst of wedding craziness! :)

Mandi said...

I was so close to you last weekend and I couldnt cross the border. I completely didnt take my passport and was out of luck. Next time I'm up there I am so touching base with you and coming up there to see you!!!

Mandi

E @ Scottsville said...

Hey Tiffany Dawn. We DO have the SAME middle name!!!

♥ Erica Dawn

Jenn said...

I can relate, only reverse of course. When I moved to the US, it was starting all over again in the friend department, too. I've often wanted to meet a blog friend IRL, and I'm pretty sure Hubba Hubba would also be concerned about axe-murderers and such. :)

I'm sad enough I'm a 20 minute drive from Target...imagine if I had to cross a border! But everytime I'm in Canada, I hit up a Superstore--you guys have them out west? They're my Canadian Target. ;)