For Auntie Kendra

or Fenfra has she been known in the past ;)

The package was here to greet us as we arrived home. As soon as the girls realized there were new dresses, they were stripping down to put them on. Isaac had to be encouraged into his outfit after his shower tonight though. He's just not the clothes hound the girls are.

Note the hint of Norah's dress in this shot. *Of course*, the dresses went back on the girls after bathtime.

It's Stampede week!

Stampede week is going on right now. We're not into any of the events, except for the parade, which was last night. As parades go, it's not super exciting, but most of the groups in it throw candy - that's the part the kids like best. On a Sunday evening in June, you could do a lot worse for entertainment.

We watched the parade with a new family to our church, and some of their friends. Their older son, Kevin is a big fan of Isaac's.


Norah and Isaac loved the horses and different cars/trucks/quads that went by. Ruby was a bit nervous about the marching band and the fire truck's siren. Then they asked for more candy all the way home. nice.

Major Bedhead and her brother, Captain Cowlick

Each morning, we are greeted with a lovely tangle of curls. It's becoming more and more amusing each day












And Isaac wants to get in on the photo action

the front garden

The front garden area. Purple petunias and a pair of planters










the new shrubs out front














more baby shrubs








close up of the flowers

2007 - the summer of living outdoors

Marking outdoor time in hours, slathering the sunscreen, never forgetting bug spray and hats. Cold drinks at the ready, finding shade where we can. That is our motto.










The now-fixed screen door, thanks Rob!













It's fun to dig in rice











Some of our gardening work. We now have a bed along the east wall, where just last week there was only dirt. We will attempting to grow grass around there too. It's taken our yard almost 2 years to recover from the "big dig" of 2005...and it's still in transition.







The mix of a shrub and some perennials needed some colour - hence the marigolds in 3 different varieties. LOOK! The fence is back up too!










Come and join us on the patio for a cool drink in the shade. It's currently 29 (84), with a humidex of 32 (90).

Great article

Now, we don't generally use this blog as a place for strong opinions, but this article from Maclean's magazine highlights why we are so picky about the clothes our kids wear. No icky slogan shirts or tube tops here.

Rob and Kristin, letting children be children since 2002.

the elegant sisters

You can dress them up, but if you leave them to pick their own accessories. Nothing says pretty quite like a pink dress and daddy's ball cap.

For the record, Norah has a mosquito bite on her nose, she does not have a drinking problem. ;)

Busy, busy days

Life has been moving along at a fast pace here.

Last weekend, Grandpa was out for a visit and a 'work party'. Our playroom is now a fantastic shade of green, and the dark green paint on various walls has been banished forever. woo hoo! We had a fun visit, including kite flying, dandelion picking and hardware store visits aplenty. Thanks Dad for all the hard work, it just looks fantastic. Our first 'post painting' playdate was great - thumbs up.

Today, after a fun soccer game (the green monsters tied the red team), we got about 1/3 of the garden planted. Isaac and mom had a fun visit to one of the local greenhouses for some plants, and we will soon have pics of the brand new garden to share. Hopefully, we will even have some things growing in the garden too. Grow, little plants, grow!

leave 2 toddlers in a bathroom for 3 minutes

Oh the excitement! Oh the fun! Oh the bubbles!

As Isaac and mom were getting supper and all the cutlery on to the table last night, dad had to run into to bathroom to help the girls wash hands. The first thing we heard was an "oops, I dropped it" from Norah, followed by a groan from dad. Apparently, she dropped a whole roll of toilet paper into the (thankfully freshly cleaned) toilet bowl. Despite the claims of absorbency on the packaging, the roll of tp didn't quite manage to hold all the liquid it was tossed in, so dad had to run it out to the outside garbage to contain the leaking, leaving the girls to wash their hands on their own.

Maybe this is a good time to explain the new 'game' that the 2 smallest members of our family like to play regarding hand washing. In order to best wash hands, one must use the drain stopper and fill the sink part way with water, which is then best used to splash on your closest sibling while giggles of glee are shared.

They work quickly, our little pair. Rob was gone and back in less than 3 minutes, and in the time he was gone, they managed to discover the joy of the hand soap pump.


this was what awaited Rob upon his return. Being the ever so helpful wife I am, I ran for the camera.

Poor Ruby kept rubbing the bubbles into her eyes and complaining about the soap.

the watermelon shovel

We're not sure if she actually chews or not...

Soccer Star!

Isaac had his first soccer game on Saturday. It was great! We're not entirely sure what the final score was, but I think it was 4-4.

He is playing on a 5-6 year old team, and is one of the littlest kids on his team. He also is one of the least experienced, which was obvious at practice when he kept picking up the ball and running with it. The whole family was there to cheer him on - thankfully we aren't quite into mosquito season yet. Lots of fun.
that's him with the bright red socks.


chatting with the teammates during a break




Isaac is in goal? I can't watch.

He was such a goalie superstar!











Hanging out on the sidelines with the girls.

the party

We prayed for sun, and got it. Forgot to mention that NO WIND would have been nice. It was ridiculously windy today, as in, small children would blow away windy. So we moved most of the party indoors. Which is fine....but we had a large number of guests today.

Games were played outdoors, and small children 'picnic'ed' on the kitchen floor. Lots of fun was had, it was a great party.

'cars' were raced around the yard. there were lots of giggles. lunch was enjoyed, with only one juice spill and a minor ketchup mishap.

Thanks to all our party guests:
Jordyn, Jacie, Joey and their mom
Carson, Riley, baby Margo and their parents
Nicholas, Shanna and their parents
Keanan, baby Georgia and their parents
Drew and his parents
Elizabeth, Noah and their mom
Riel, Shawn and their mom

Yes, that is a head count of 31 people. What a party!

a couple more pics from our latest trip

This post is a touch "Ruby foody".


<--- this is why chocolate cookies and toddlers do not mix in a van. This pic doesn't even come close to showing the real mess.









Our picnic in the park today














Ruby and watermelon. She was in LOVE with it, and what a mess. Let's just say she had a change of clothes before we drove home.

pics from Isaac's birthday dinner out

Fancy drinks! Even with an orange slice. What little girl doesn't love a Shirley Temple?













Drinking through a straw - a treat for a little one.












Orange and slushy deliciousness. For a special birthday boy.











The wait staff singing happy birthday. He was SO thrilled, he couldn't even eat his ice cream!

5 years ago...

Oh goodness, does 5 years ever go by too fast. Our little man is growing more every day, and it's so hard to remember when he was tiny - yet it feels like only moments ago.

We had a lovely day, presents after breakfast. Treasures unwrapped, and enjoyed. Including the much desired "switchers and connectors" for the train track. (thank you toysrus online shopping!) A road trip to the big city (although, he's not too thrilled about being at Nanny's house without Nanny "you shouldn't be in people's houses when they aren't home"), with the requiste TimBits stop. A supper out, with a 'fancy, big-boy drink' that came with orange wedges and 3 cherries on top, AND the waitstaff singing him a personal birthday greeting. How can a boy not love that special day?

He is now sleeping off the sugar buzz from the drink and the whipped cream from the ice cream sundae he was given at dinner.

We forgot our camera connector, so no pics until we get home again. Instead, may I offer up some stats for your enjoyment.

Isaac
at birth - 8 lbs 5 oz, 22 inches long, blue eyes, no birthmarks, all fingers and toes
age 5 - 41 pounds, 42.5 inches tall, blue eyes, a good number of scars, one finger broken along the way.

We decided after a small falling mishap last week involving his face and a milk crate to delay his 5 year portraits until our next city visit. He's sporting a rather lovely yellow bruise across his right cheek. Until next time!

shhhh

If you listen carefully, you will hear it. Ruby talking. She's a quiet little one, but is developing quite the vocabulary. "tank oo" "dere you go" "top it" "help pease" "music dance?" Every day she seems to be picking up new phrases, as well as words. How fun!

moving outside

the wonderful days of Spring are here. the sun warms the earth and the growing grass is greener every day. We are spending more and more time outside, hoping to enjoy the yard before mosquito season begins.
chasing bubbles around is always a treat










new skills include climbing










but she still wants to hold a hand on the slide - unlike her brave, winter self. probably the lack of snowsuit padding.














the swings - occasionally a fight over whose turn it is to use them, and who gets to dig in the sand.









hanging out under the slide. we're finding lots of ladybugs in there.

dinner with the future fasist dictator, the raging capitalist, and the utiopian dreamer

A snapshot of dinner time conversation at our home

I - hey dad, can I tell you a funny joke?
D - sure
I - what do birds do in the air?
D - I don't know, what do birds do in the air?
I - you tell me
D - when do you tell me the funny part?
I - I don't know, when is it funny?

-- supper is consumed, and older 2 children ask for more --

R - more! more!!! please...please (frantically signing please at this point)
M - you have food, right there
R - more!!! (pushing existing food on plate aside)
I - (laughing) she wants more because I have more. Do you? do you want more when I have more?
R - MORE!
D - our future little capitalist consumer, keeping up with the siblings

----

I - hey mom?
M - yes
I - know what?
M - tell me, as long as it's not about how deep the pool is
I - hey dad?
D - I'm not talking about the pool either
I - No, when I grow up...when I'm big...everyone in the whole world is going to listen to my words.
D - really?
I - yep, and they are all going to do what I say, everyone in the whole world. they will listen to my words
D - those are some big plans
I - yep, they will all do what I say

----
N - (who has been silent through most of the meal) hey mommy, hey mommy, hey mommy?
M- yes
N - *big sigh* oh mommy, after supper, I go put on ballerina dress and we play school
M- sure, after your bath
N- and I put on ballerina dress, and you be the teacher and I be Tiffany
M - who is Tiffany?
N - me, I be Tiffany, and I dance in my ballerina dress and spin and spin and spin and den I fall down and we all be happy

----

we have no idea who Tiffany is, or where she even heard the name. hard to keep a straight face through some meals around here.

outside time!

we got to play outside today for a good, long stretch. It warmed up to 17C, and was just lovely. Ruby managed to figure out how to climb the ladder to the slide, Norah discovered that she doesn't like going very high on the 'big kid' swing, and Isaac found that he can indeed ride his bike on the grass.

Jordyn, Jaycie and Joey stopped by with their mom, and all the kids had a great time playing for a nice stretch of time. The days are getting much longer, and the yard is so much dryer now. Very nice.

Although, we're kind of kicking ourselves for the swing set we have. What were we thinking, only getting one that can take 2 swings when we have 3 kids. grumble. Not to mention that it's tilting to the side a bit after the winter. And they are all getting big for the little playhouse. We did get to see a ladybug in the yard today though, that was lots of fun.

that *that* winter!

it is currently 15 outside - 60 for our American readers. Finally, it's beautiful outside. "Lake Rectory" is visibly shrinking from hour to hour, although the yard is still a muddy mess. We are still avoiding playing on the grass, but we have been able to expand to the back patio and deck from only the garage. In fact, just looked out the back window - the lake is GONE, instead of the large mess we had only yesterday. Wish we took pictures of it.

Windows are open and fresh, spring air pours in. Nice.