Christmas 2012

New PJs from Papa and Gramma on Christmas Eve (Sorry Papa and Grandma, despite our best efforts we could not get Luke to stay in the picture! - as you know he isn't good at standing still and we decided it wasn't worth losing our Christmas joy over one picture!  Keep Scrolling down to see him in his jammies.)

 Everything is ready for Christmas morning!

 Stockings first.

 Then on to the presents.

 More presents at Gramma and Grampa's house.

 Ezy-Rollers!  Just what they wanted!!

Between all the presents we ate, played games, did puzzles, chated with our Enderby family on the phone and got food ready for Christmas dinner.  It was a nice relaxing day.  Hope you all had a great Christmas too!

How to Celebrate an Awesome Daddy

Step 1.  Ask the Birthday Boy if he wants a big party with friends or a quiet party with family.

Step 2.  If he says "quiet party with family"... enlist the help of three kids who are great at keeping secrets.

Step 3.  Come up with an intriguing code name like... hmmm... "Daddy's Birthday Extravaganza".

Step 4.  On the day of the party blindfold the Birthday Boy and drive to a restaurant for supper.  (Please note:  This is not really a fun step if the Birthday Boy happens to be a truck driver and somehow knows exactly where you are at all times despite the driver taking the most random, zig zaggy route possible.)

Step 5:  At supper have pity on the Birthday Boy and hand him the keys to a hotel room instead of making him wear the blindfold again.

Step 6:  Open Presents.

 Step 7:  Eat cupcakes.

 Step 8:  Work off the cupcake calories by going for a swim

 OR by spending some time on the treadmill...

 OR... forget about the calories and just relax in the hot tub... they were just mini cupcakes afterall!

Step 9:  DO NOT let people under 3 feet stay up past their bedtime.

Step 10:  Spend two hours trying to get over-tired baby to sleep.

Step 11:  Sleep.

Step 12:  Enjoy a complimentary breakfast.

 Step 13:  Enjoy one last swim before going home.

 Happy Birthday Jeremy!!!  We Love you!!

December Thus Far...

It has been a long while since I've updated on here, but we have been BUSY!!! 
With what you ask?....
Well...

There has been two school performances (A Christmas Carol)...

 Tree decorating...

 Maarti's Preschool skating party...

 Lots of baking...

 Lots of sampling of baking...

 One ballet recital...

 Two Sunday School concerts...

 And practicing to keep a Santa Hat on...

So you see... we have been busy!!!

Smarty Maarti

Maarti:  Mom, I know one word in French!

Me:  Really?!  Which one?

Maarti:  Hola!

A Little Christmas Cheer

Maarti:  Mom, I have another Christmas song for you.

Me:  Lets hear it!

Maarti:  Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way... (long pause, accompanied by a blank look)

Me:  Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!

Maarti:  Mom.  How did you know that?  Did you go to my same preschool when you were a girl?

One is Fun!!

Happy Birthday to our Lukey!!!

It's hard to believe he's one already!

 

 He loved the icing, but wasn't really that interested in the cupcake.

 His present was a big hit!!  Just look at that smile!!

 Luke has been happy and content since day one.  He's so easy-going that our good friends nicknamed him "Mellow-Luka".  It suits. 
We sure love him!

 

 

 

And now for the traditional Birthday Interview:

 

Favorite color:  all of them except for red... it clashes with my hair

 

Favorite food:  I love everything except bananas (I think I just made my Papa proud!)

 

Something I am proud of:  I learned to walk two weeks before my birthday making me the fastest walker in my family.

 

Something my mom would like me to learn SOON:  sleeping through the night!

 

Somthing I would like to learn SOON:  The proper and painless way to get down stairs

 

Something I wish my parents would let me do:  play in the bathroom (I keep trying, but they always catch me)

 

Something I hear my parents say a lot:  "Did you remember to close the bathroom door?"

 

Current Motto:  Don't worry, be happy!

 

 

 



Enlightening Grandma

We've had Papa and Grandma visiting for a few days, and boy, has it been fun!  I love listening to the kids chatter away to them.  Just this morning Maarti felt Grandma needed to know something.  "Grandma did you know that kissing isn't good because it is actually sharing spits."

Dreaming of Summer

Sam and I were chatting before bed tonight and he was telling me how he wants to go to camp with his cousin next summer.  I said to him: "You know, Levi liked it so much I think he's going to want to go for more than just one night next summer."  He thought about that for a minute and then said "Well, if it is for 2 or 3 nights than you can write me letters.  You can write: 'I'm so sad, please come home!' and I will write back: 'I'll be home soon.  Love, Sam'."

And Off She Goes

Today was Maarti's first day of Preschool.  We were a little anxious about how she would do this morning when I dropped her off.  Well... she barely turned around to wave at me when I left her there!  When her class was over I asked her how it was... Apparently it was "Awesome Possum!".

 

Sweet Relief!

Our Big Boy started grade one this week!  He loves it and is so happy to be back in school.  He really likes his new teacher, but he has also been quite clear that "She is really serious."

Tonight around bedtime the phone rang, Jeremy answered and chatted with the telemarketer for a few minutes.  When he hung up Sam quickly asked "Who was that, Dad?"
Jeremy:  "That was Mr. Stephen Harper."
Sam:  "Oh Phew, it wasn't Mrs. Gibb!"

Oh Brother... BROTHERS!

Yesterday was Emily's Birthday!  (Good thing Maarti is on the ball or I would have totally forgotten!)

Maarti prepared a lovely picnic for the occassion.

Unfortunately the party got crashed...

Literally!

Six Years Old!!

Sam had a birthday last week and, boy, did he ever have a great day! 

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and so in honor of the birthday boy we had his all time favorite breakfast:  Maple Scones!  (He requested that they be in the shape of Maple Leaves because the Olympics are on and we are cheering for Canada!)

 After Breakfast we rushed Sam off to Soccer camp... our church puts on a soccer day camp every summer and this was the first year Sam attended.  He LOVED it! 

After Soccer camp we had a quick lunch and then waited for a few friends to arrive for a LEGO party.

Gotta have games at a party:

1.)  Look at a Lego figure for a couple of seconds and then build it from memory.

 2.)  Lego toss

 3.)  Collect lego pieces into a cup using a straw.

 4.)  A Pinata... filled with lego of course!!

 And what's a party without food?!! 

On the Menu:

Cupcakes

Blueberries

Chips

Juice Boxes

And then... finally... presents!  Who says "Money can't buy happiness."?  He looks pretty happy to me!

We handed out some party favors, said goodbye to our friends, did a quick clean up and then...

headed to the lake!!



The kids did a bit of tubing.

We had supper and then wouldn't you know... more presents!!



What a busy, fun day!

We love you Sam and are so proud of the creative and caring person you are becoming.  We love your soft heart toward God, how you look after your younger sister and brother, your contagious laugh and how you love to memorize Scripture.  You are a blessing to us!!

Birthday Interview:

Favorite Color:  Black

Favorite Food:  Chicken and Fries

Favorite Game:  Monopoly

Favorite Movie:  Bolt

Favorite Song:  a made up song

Favorite Sport:  soccer

Favorite Story:  Something From Nothing

Favorite Free Time Activity:  lego

When I grow up I want to be an...  Eel

If I were planning the next family vacation...  we would go to Enderby

The best thing about school is...  gym

The best thing that happened when I was five...  going to the Heat game

One day I would like to meet:  Mr. Bean

I am excited to be six because:  I get to go to Grade 1



Contemplating Six

Sam is soon having a birthday so we were talking about it tonight before bed...


Me:  Sam, can you not turn six and just stay five for a bit longer?

Sam:  But Mom, I don't know how to do that.... I have to have a birthday that's just how life is!

Me:  But if you keep getting older then you are going to become an adult and move out... then what will I do?

Sam:  Mom.  I'm just tuning six, it's not that old.  It's not like I have wrinkles all over or anything!!

Of Wisdom Teeth and Kids

I am one of the few adults I know that still has all of their wisdom teeth.  I remember being happy that my dentist had never mentioned getting them removed as all my friends took turns coming to school with cheeks much chubbier than mine (for once!).  Right now I'm wishing that I had taken a turn with them as I have been suffering with one terrible wisdom tooth all week!  In my suffering I may have also been doing a bit of whining because the kids have noticed. 

Sam:  Why does your mouth hurt Mom?
Me:  Well, I have these things called wisdom teeth...
Sam:  (with a sly grin) Oh you mean like "The wisdom from above is first of all pure, it is also peace-loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others.  It is full of mercy and good deeds and shows no favortism."?
Me:  No, it is actually not like that at all!  (although I'm pretty proud at how well he pulled up his latest memory verse!)

The next day Sweet Maarti turned to me and out of the blue said "Well if your mouth hurts then we need to pray about it."  She then put her hand on my cheek and prayed "Dear Jesus, thank you for Mommy's mouth to not hurt.  Amen." 

Two different approaches - both made my heart smile.

So Much to Catch Up On....

Wow!...I was going through my pictures and I have a lot to catch up to do on here!!

In a nutshell:

We celebrated Father's Day.  Sam made Jeremy a monster cookie at school.  The kids were so kind and offered to help Jeremy eat it since it was so big. 

We also went to a car show in the rain.  There were fewer cars than usual, but Jeremy was still happy to wander around looking at everything. 

The school year ended (that sure went by fast!)  Sam gave his teacher a final fist pound and he was outta there!

Right after school ended we headed to Enderby for a week... and what a packed week it was!!  Of course we had to take part in the Canada Day celebrations!  Here is a picture of Papa and "His Girl", Maarti, in the parade.

Luke met Granny for the first time.  He is 8 months and she is nearly 94!  She was really taken with him and this is one of my favorite pictures from our whole holiday:

Ever since we watched our friends compete in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament Sam has been talking about wanting to do Jiu Jitsu.  Since we were in the area our friends invited him to attend a kids class.  Sam had a ball!  It was pretty fun to watch him.

Both the kids were in swimming lessons with their cousins and both did very well... wish we were there for another week of swimming because they were getting more and more confident in the water each day.

Sam learned how to ride a bike!!  Ironically, he started on July 4th... Independence Day!  He's a little over-confident for my liking!  Slow down there, Sam!

We ate a lot of ice cream!  Believe it or not Enderby has the best little ice cream shop!   There are about 60 different flavors to choose from!  Papa and Grandma gave us a punch card for our anniversary so we could make several trips during our week there.  Yum!

Luke wasn't so much into the ice cream, but he was supper excited about Papa and Grandma's toy bus!  He played with it for a good long time!

We are home now and loving summer here too.  On Sunday we heard that Clayburn Village was celebrating 100 years so we went to check it out.  The kids had fun in the one room school house before we headed to the kids tent for games and face painting.

Too bad we didn't take pictures with the old cars before Sam got a huge green snake painted on his face!

One man invited the kids to sit in his model T and pretend they were driving.  How fun! 

So far we are having a great summer and we aren't even half way through it!! 

We are lovin' all the family activities of summer!