Thursday, January 30, 2014

ONE!!

Well, it was actually a little over a week ago that my baby turned one!  It's so hard to believe just how fast time flies.  I never would have guessed that when I was a kid!

So, our sweet little Bradley has been such a great addition to our family.  He's such a laid back baby (though i don't really love that he sucks his finger!) but he also has a lot of energy!  He imitates his brothers and makes driving sounds whenever he has a car in his hand.  He loves to climb the stairs (but can't get down).  In fact, his favourite game since he learned is to climb the stairs, grab a toy, drop it on the first couple of stairs and then lean over head first, to try to grab it.  Let's just say I get my fair share of exercise chasing him up the stairs!  He can hone in on a remote control or open door to his brothers' room from a mile away and no electronic device is safe.  I have never seen a baby go after phones/iPads/iPods etc. so fast (since he was about three months old!).  He totally loves to feed himself (and it doesn't seem to matter what - though after his birthday party, he seems to have an affinity for cake).  His brothers just adore him and he thinks they are hilarious.  He's a bit of a momma's boy but that can change at any time.  All in all, I'd say we have a wonderful little boy to celebrate...here's a few pictures of just how we did that.

This is my adorable little guy on his actual birthday, January 21st!

We had a left over cupcake from his brother's birthday party on the weekend so we did it up in style!  (Also, he was the only one who got a cupcake).

Trust me, this cupcake thing is pretty good!

Then, on the weekend, we had a birthday party for him with family.  Look - I know how to get into this thing (though the paper really is the best part!)

Not so sure what to make of this...especially since Daddy made me stop trying to have my cake and eat it, too!  I only really smudged out "Happy".


Got this cake thing down!  So much so, that Mommy can't give my brothers leftover cake without me fussing until I get some, too.

We love you Bradley!

I also bypassed taking him to Sears for his birthday portraits (since they doubled the price on us) and I did them at home the day after his party.  They turned out pretty cute and I'll post some as soon as I finish editing them!

Until next time...

Thursday, January 9, 2014

What's Life Without An Adventure?

So I'm trying to post more.  I find that getting the photos ready takes time and there aren't a lot of interesting things to write about so my posts are quite spaced out.  Today, however, I had an adventure.  I'm still laughing at myself.

This afternoon, I ended up having to head to the school to drop something off for Evan.  I called a friend who lives down the street to come hang out with my other two sleeping children and headed to the school.  I was trying to be quick and, since the school is only two minutes away, that shouldn't be a problem.  Approaching the school, I saw that there was ample parking immediately in front of the doors (just outside the handicap zone) and so I pulled into the church parking lot to do a u-turn and pull up in front of the school.  The roads have finally all been nicely plowed by the city so there are fantastic snow banks along the edge of every road.  In front of the school, in the handicap zone, these barriers have been removed, and with good reason.  I pulled out of the parking lot, turning left into the parking area.  Apparently, I pulled in a bit close to the handicap zone and, as I pulled forward, I drove up onto the snow bank that exists in the regular parking zone.  I will say that I never thought that winter would be the time that I most missed my standard transmission (the van is an automatic) but I partly blame that.  I was heading up on the snowbank and knew enough to stop, but my van is not as smart as I.  While removing my foot from the gas would have caused the Mazda to obediently stop, the Honda was more like a child and wanted to do its own thing.  I couldn't pull off it going forward and I couldn't back down the snowbank.  I decided to go into the school to do what I needed to (I was JUST barely off the roadway but just is good enough).  I spoke with the secretary and, while the maintenance man was not around, she had a shovel in her car that I could borrow as soon as she was done with what she was in the middle of.  So, I headed back out and a kind, older gentleman had stopped along the way to see what the problem was.  Since I have never really been stuck before, direction was lovely.  He proceeded to help me straighten my wheels and attempt to back up...after trying this, he looks at me (the front passenger side tire is up on the snowbank) and says "Your rear wheel's not touching the ground.  That's why you're not going anywhere!"  Ah, when I get stuck, I do it well.  A couple other well-meaning people stopped but there was really very little they could do.  He and another lady tried pushing me off but, alas, that van is HEAVY! :)  Soon, a parking enforcement officer came to do some work and loaned us his shovel.  That kinda helped but the real salvation was when the cavalry arrived.  The lovely staff in the school sent out about 8 to 10 of the older students (not sure which grade, maybe 7 or 8) armed with shovels.  Well, we didn't even need the shovels...sheer brute force with the van in reverse got us off that mini-mountain!  Anyway, my two minute trip turned into a twenty minute trip...I may have learned a lesson (at very least that automatics need brakes!) and I got to experience the kindness of strangers.  My friend and I had a little laugh over it and, for one day, at least, I got to have a little adventure in my life!

Until next time...

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Wishful Thinking...

Well, it may be -30 outside but if I do a blog post capping off last summer, surely I will feel warmer, right?  Let's test that hypothesis by taking a walk down memory lane...

As you recall, our last two instalments took us to the lake and up north respectively.  I will present to you now, the bulk of our summer...also known as fun around Regina...can those words really be written?  Now, you may want to sit back & relax or come back in shifts, because I think this will be about 54 photos long...I hope you like looking at my kids!

So much fun with their baby brother (now, if only they could remember that he's just a BABY! :) ).

July 4th celebrations!  We had fun putting on a little party for my American Mother-in-law.

Since Alexander couldn't play spring football, we enrolled them in football skills classes.  They had a lot of fun but pictures inside the Field House don't really turn out so well!

I made this adorable cake for an acquaintance's daughter's first birthday.  It turned out really adorable.

Mmmm...trying first foods!

All my boys - what an adorable bunch!  Just heading somewhere for an overnight stay, I think...I can't remember where or why...

I drug the sprinklers out this summer - we really need the traditional ones - they are SO much better for running through.

I even sucked it up and took the kids to a local beach one day.  It was a rainy day but sunny in the evening so the place was deserted.  It was awesome!

Seriously?  How could I not post this too cute photo?  He's watching the Regina Red Sox game...

...see?  This one here.

First time at the car races...gotta start them young (though this did get me in trouble with my sister-in-law, since I'm setting very bad precedence to follow).

I love flag man photos.

Kids love the intermission when they can go out to see the cars close up...

...and even sit in them!

Then, someone turned six months and we had to take a few photos...



And even started to crawl a bit...

Well, what can I say?  This is what happens when you let him hang out with Uncle Jay for a day or two!  (It's a pretty adorable tongue, though!

Swimming lessons are always a much-anticipated time of the summer.  What can be more fun than hanging out at the pool!?

Well, maybe wearing a dinosaur hat and hanging out at the pool would be more fun!

The Froggy slide!!

And some who are even now brave enough for the BIG slide!!

First time in the pool...just hangin' with Auntie Jodi and lovin' it.

Now they're going off the diving board too...it's so great to see the kids grow up but it seems to happen so fast!

Tuckered out...maybe Uncle Jay isn't only good for teaching them the KISS pose.

Celebration!  Swimming lessons are fantastic and the end is even better with ice cream.

Then, it was time to go to the park and have some fun...learning to ride a bike...

...practising those mad football skills...

...less successfully trying to ride a bike (this sure is a hard thing to teach!)...

...just looking cute - what else do I need to do?...

...trying to be just like my big brothers!...

...and finally, the quintessential summertime activity...blowing dandelion fluff...

A certain small someone discovered how to turn the water on, on his own and use the hose to fill his "light sabre"...also making giant puddles in the sandbox!

My Aunt & Uncle from the States came up in August.  We didn't really get to see them, but they did stay night at our house on their way back so we got in a really nice visit.  My one cousin is namesake with Jonathan so that is so fun.

May aunt & I :)

My cousin & Bradley...

Then came VBS week...for all intents and purposes, running registration was like small, intense bursts of insanity for a week on end.  Especially since we lost power the first day and ALL of our registration is online.  Oy!  There was a travel theme and we made these absolutely AWESOME t-shirts for costume day.  Fabric paint is so much fun.

Then, my sister and her family came for a little visit and we saw this vehicle parked in our driveway once again.

Awww...feeding her slightly younger cousin.

Just a-swingin'...

Gettin' in some time with the auntie!

Who doesn't like colouring?

Jason had a birthday and got a whole year older in one short day :)  Gifts from the kids...

Not sure why I'm dressed in my very best cleaning clothes but I gave him a gift, too.

And the cake!...er...I mean pie...Sasktoon berry fresh from the Farmer's Market.  His favourite.

The two older boys participated in a memory verse program at church this summer.  When they completed it, they got these fantastic prizes!



Then, summer was over...that was it.  There was, as always, too few lazy days, too little heat and not enough escape from winter!  But, all good things must come to an end and so we say hello to a new adventure...grade 3 and full days in grade 1!



There you go.  I finished my entries before the next summer!  Now, we'll try to keep just a little more up to date!

Until next time...