Monday, November 16, 2015

happy 50th birthday to my beautiful man!!!

it's a beautiful day to celebrate my manz 50th birthday!


when i was "sneak" emailing and chatting with jambaloney's mom telling her about the surprise birthday party i was having for jambaloney while they were visiting in september, she asked if there was anything that he would like for his birthday, i told her that he would really love an album of older family pics. and of course some of his step-dad's famous maple syrup (but that was for me, too - teehee!).

well, she outdid herself! she must have spent hours putting this album together, climbed in attics and dug through boxes, climbed in basements and dug through boxes and goodness knows what else! here are some of the pages of the album. jambaloney loves this gift and we have spent many an evening looking through it with him telling me all the stories that go with each item. i hope that you enjoy this!




"Some Memories on your 50th"


"Never a dull moment Jame xx Mum"

his family tree


pics of little jambaloney - he was such a cute kid and teenager!


"Family Gatherings"


this pic is one of our favourite family gathering - we had tons of fun at this xmas party at jam's parents house. that's me in the red sweater and jam sitting beside me. jam's sister is sitting on the other side of me.


jam in the news wearing shorts during a heatwave in ottawa in december.


in grade 11 his school did a "hat and tie day". yes, jam was the only one who wore 6 hats.


gardening has always been in his blood. this is him in his grandmother's garden.


this is him doing various sports. he's been mountain biking since 1989 - he loved it and even did mountain biking competitions in the snow! he also did track and field in high school.


besides Framboise Manor, his grandparents' (now his mother's) fishing camp at Heart Lake is his favourite place in the world. he spent a lot of time with his grandparents.


at Heart Lake one year, he took his sister fishing. as jam is the fisher extraordinnaire, you can understand his sister's big smile as she caught the bigger fish! they had a really good time that day!


jam took out his step-dad fishing another time and his step-dad didn't only catch a bigger fish - he caught 2 - bahahaha! look at that big grin!


but the biggest grin of all is on his mom's face. she went out fishing and caught four beauties!


here's a young jam catching 2 beauties!


this next part of the album is very thoughtful...but man is it funny, too! at the top she wrote "MY SON THE..."and then put a pic of him with his math group and wrote "Mathematician". the second pic is from a few years ago when jam sliced off the tip of his finger and crazy-glued the tip back on. she wrote "Crazy Glue Doctor. and the third pic is jam pulling the lawnmower up hill with his step-dad driving. she wrote "Human Tractor"


this one is "Rat Catcher" and is a letter from the "Canada Department of Agriculture, Health of Animals Branch" written by the Chief of Epidemiology, Special Health Services Branch, Ontario Department of Health and was sent jambaloney after he had caught a rat and thought it might be rabid.


she called this one "the Politician" as he ran for president at Carleton University.


this is a contract that jam wrote with his mother as his grades had been dipping (in grade 13) and his mother made him promise to study 3 hours a night and achieve and 85% or else he would not be allowed to play on the soccer team. he picked up his pants and was able to play. she called this one "the Negotiator"


during the summer break after his first year at Mount Allison University in Nova Scotia, he went out to Prince George, British Columbia to plant trees. his mother called this letter he sent "Tree Planter. he hated planting trees and only lasted 3 weeks.


for 9 months at the Hilton in Ottawa, he worked as the Assistant Restaurants Manager and then resigned. there were a ton of reasons for doing so and he was hating the way the staff were being treated due to budget cuts.


she called that letter "Restaurant Manager".


during the heyday of jambaloney's mountain biking days, he published a mountain biking magazine called "Punk Monkey" for the Capital Off-Road Bicycle Association.  in the third section you will see a sign off from "jammer" which was his nickname with the mountain bikers. the "Ginoo" at the top right is a made up creature from Gatineau Park that all the mountain bikers told stories about but no one ever saw the Ginoo.

jam's mom labelled this one "Journalist"


this is a list of monies in and out, one of jam's first budgets. his mom called this one "Financier"


jam wrestled for the Mount Allison Mounties for a year when at University.  on top is a newspaper article in which jambaloney won his match. the letter below is a letter he sent home telling about several other matches he had one. his mom labelled this page "Wrestler"


when jambaloney was 12 he started to make his own lures...something he does to this day. this is a letter from his father saying that he will send jam stuff for making more lures. jam's mom labelled this "Fly Maker".

this one is self-explanatory - "Cartoonist".


he did 3 years of a biology degree at Mount Allison University before switching over to Philosophy (he is going back and finishing his 4th year and getting his biology degree if i have to kill him! he knows everything about flora and fauna! and he draws beautiful entymology diagrams!) here is one of his drawings of tarantula fangs. his mom labelled it "Biologist".


this section of the album is labelled "And now...some very sweet little kid stuff". he is 5 in the pic and  is fishing at Brown's Inlet in Ottawa.


here is a little poem that he wrote when he was visiting his father's family in cape breton when he was 10. it reads:

"Dear Mom i want to tell you that i am catching lots of crabs and Buch will take me mackeral fishing. i hope you are having a great time and i will see you soon. well i'm keeping in touch. give my love to everyone."


this is a paper about dinosaurs that he wrote when he was 8. his teacher marked it "Escellent"


a note to his Mom when he was probably 8 or 9.


listing out all of the provinces and territories of canada with a little picture to describe each one. most of the pics we can't for the life figure out - but for nova scotia he drew a bagpipe player and even though the northwest territories looks like a guy fishing with a bunch of different rods, it's actually a sled and sled dogs. one of the dogs on the right-hand side obviously made a break for it and ran away - bahahahahah!


i hope that you enjoyed seeing the beautiful album that his mother put together for him, something to cherish forever and maybe pass on to one of his grand-nephews one day. i want to thank his mother for putting so much effort into this album as it means the world to him.

now on to my 2 favourite pictures of my beautiful man (who am i kidding - i love every picture of him!):

unstrapping his brand new bob special canoe:


look at that smile! he loves that canoe!

and then my second favourite pic of him:


he will kill me when he sees this! let me tell you kids, we had my ottawa besty over for what was supposed to be a nice evening of hanging out and having a few drinks. somehow - it went way downhill from there! i would love to say that i had to put ruphies in their drinks in order for them to let me draw cat noses and whiskers on them - but alas, they were both quite agreeable to the idea. and let me do it. and then let me take pics.

but man - did we ever have a fun night that night! (i also think they both have a deep desire to star in the musical "Cats"!)

i know this post is a long one. but it's not for you, it's not for me. it's for his mom. and it's for him.

he is the best partner that anyone could ever have. and he knows how much i love him. i tell him every day - several times a day. and i am more proud of him every single day. he's a hard worker, a good and reliable friend to many, will help anyone with anything anytime, loves and respects nature, is loving and kind to all....and the thing i love most about him - he's MINE!

i love you jambaloney!

for his birthday treat we are going picking cranberries! we found the perfect place! and nothing says "happy 50th birthday" than picking cranberries!!!!!

26 comments:

  1. The girls at the club in Windsor this Summer said he didn't look a day over 48!!!!!!

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    1. ya, ya nutter! and to imagine...you made him cry on his birthday! bragging about your cedars! do you have any shame??? xoxox

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  2. Wish him a happy 50th for me, kymber!

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    1. i did Gorges, my friend...and he really appreciated it! xoxo

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  3. It shows how much you love Jam, Kymber. What a blessed life. Congratulations to you both and Happy Birthday to him.

    Fern

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    1. Fern - i think you got yourself a "jambaloney" except his name is Frank! you and i are both living blessed lives with incredible partners and both of us are smart enough to know it. i passed on your birthday wishes to him and he thanks you very much! much love to you and Frank! xoxo

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  4. Tell him Happy Birthday. That is sooo neat about the photo album. It is something to cherish. It's good that there are all those photo's of him when he was younger.
    I wish that I had lots of photos of when I was a kid. But, alas, there are only a few. Anyway, Jam is close to being able to join the "Old Farts" club. LOL!
    Best wishes, and our love to you both

    Jim and Kathi

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    1. Grandad - thank you as you seem to understand that this album is something he can cherish for the rest of his life. his mother understood that too...and that's why she made it so special. and jam is close to joining the Old Farts Club...but i won't tell him that you said that - bahahahahah! we are always sending our best wishes and love to our dear friends - you and Kathi! xoxoxox

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  5. What a great present! Thanks for sharing. Looking at old family pictures is one of my hobbies. One that takes up a whole lot of time once I get started!

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    1. DFW - you would understand and appreciate that half of the stuff that his mom put in the album - he didn't even really remember and can't understand where she got half of that stuff! he thinks she must have hunted down some of his old friends to get some of that stuff. but we have had many an evening going through it and laughing at it and him telling me stories about a bunch of it. he loves it and looks forward to passing it on to one of his sister's grandchildren. thanks for so appreciating it! much love to you and yours! xoxox

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    1. Matt, buddy - he says "thanks pal. he appreciates your long-lasting friendship". and so do i buddy. much love to you and M. xoxox

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  7. Oh ya I forgot to say Happy Birfday!!!!

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    1. right ya nutter. AFTER you made him cry with your cedar NOW you wish him a happy birthday????

      whatever dude.

      except that we both love you. and he thanks you for your birfday wishes. and would really appreciate if you would stop bringing up the windsor trips - ya weiner!

      we love you. xoxox

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  8. YAY! Happy Birthday Jam!!! 50? I'm 50 and a half....it ain't no thing!

    Thanks for sharing the pics with us Kymber...his Mom put a lot of work into that, you can definitely tell.

    And I'm sensing a recurring "fish theme" there?

    Happy Birthday kind man!!!

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    1. 1st Man - neither you, nor he, look or act 50 and that's all that matters! i read somewhere that 50 is the new 35 so there you go! his mother put a ton of work into that album and jam still can't figure out where she got half of that stuff! and yes - he makes everyone go fishing with him when he goes back to ottawa for visits. but his mom went fishing with a female friend and caught those 4 beauties without any help!

      he says thanks for recognizing the work that his mom did for him and for the birthday wishes! we are sending love to both of you as always! xoxo

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  9. Happy....Happy....Birthday To Our Friend Jambaloney!!!!
    Great pictures, looking back your history, and growing up.....thank you for sharing these awesome pictures.

    Much love and hugs to you and Sweet Kymber.
    Your Friends,
    Sandy and Bulldog Man

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    1. Sweet Sandy - he had a great birthday and was able to enjoy that album for the last 2 months. he said the only thing that would have made his birthday better was if you and the BDMan were here to take fishing! sending much love to Angel #2 and BDMan and Tank! xoxoxox

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  10. A full life, well lived. Happy Birthday!

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    1. he says thanks a bunch Max! and he also says he is very jealous of your beautiful cottage and the trails that you jog - he would love to mountain bike on some of those gorgeous trails! sending love buddy! xoxo

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  11. I love looking back at my youth now that I'm old enough to appreciate it! I'm glad Jam's mother was able to come through.

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    1. hey Ed buddy, i love reading all about your family geneology - it's very interesting! and yes - jam's mom pulled out all the stops and created a very meaningful gift that can be passed down to his grandnephews.

      now when should i be expecting a beautiful box to arrive in the mail - bahahahahah! no, really, i'm serious. i get the box or the friendship is over - bahahahah!

      sending much love to you and yours! xoxox

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  12. 50?? Yea right more like 30 right??
    Anyway Happy Getting Younger Day Sir, now kimber don't wear him out tonight....giddy, giddy, giddy, alright.

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  13. I really envy you your collection of photographs. When I moved back to the states from Italy, the movers lost several boxes of my possessions and most of my pictures were in those. So I have almost nothing prior to 1984.

    You have a real family history collection there.

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  14. Happy Birthday Old Man! From the photographs it looks like it has been a good life so far! My best to you and Kymber.

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