Summer in Canada

We had a fabulous month of July in Canada. It was so good to hang out with cousins and do things that we only do in the north country. We always have a list of activities (Writing on Stone, Waterton, climbing wall, etc. but just as important, and maybe even more so, is our list of food. Chinese, KFC, slurpees and chocolate bars top the list as all are better in Canada. It was nice to be there for the whole month as we didn't feel so rushed and we could just enjoy our time there.

Here are some of the girl cousins after I took them all to get their toes painted.
We went to a farm to pick strawberries. They were small but sweet. After we picked them we went back to grandma's and dipped some in chocolate.

One of the Canadian traditions is to have a family talent show organized and put on by the children. Because we were there for a month, we had two talent shows this time. The highlight of the show is always grandpa whether he sings, whistles, plays the harmonica or leads us all in the Hawaiian war chant with his ukulele.
Here Emma is playing a duet with Binny for the talent show. We had a range of talent including dancing, singing, playing the piano, magic shows, juggling, jumping on one foot, plays and art work.
The university of Lethbridge has a climbing wall and Matthew and Joshua took a course to be belayers so that we could go climbing. This is the first of two times we went to the wall.

Auntie Sammy took Ellie and Emma camping for a couple of days and to a wonderful firework show called Thunder in the Valley. They had a fabulous time. Thanks Sammy.

Because we were in Canada for the whole month we put the big girls in some lessons to keep them busy. They took tennis and golf lessons and had a great time.
Writing on Stone is Ellie's favorite place on earth. It has Hoodoos which are rock formations that have been carved by the wind. You are allowed to climb all over them and explore.


We spent some time with the Lamberts in Vulcan. The every tinkering Grandpa made this rickshaw for the kiddies.

We went to a train museum in Nanton where we rode on a little train and looked at the model train village.
Grandma snuggling with the grandbabies in the morning
Brookie has been asking for months to ride a real horse so on our way up to Waterton we stopped and rode some. She was all smiles from the beginning and we could not get her off.

In Waterton we hiked bear's hump. All the kids did great. Even the three year olds.

This is the view of the lake and the town from the top of Bear's hump.
The morning we left Canada Kyle, Ellie, Emma and I participated in the Milk River Bonanza Days 5k run. Kyle got second and I got third. Ellie and Emma did great. I was so proud of how hard they worked.

ahhhh to be rich

Last night we went to the Rockies game with some friends of ours. Now I've been to professional sporting events before, but never like this. The friends that we went with work for Comfort Dental which is a major sponsor for the Rockies. Dentist who are part of their organization take turns having the corporate tickets for the games and we were able to score an invite to go along.





After parking in the VIP parking lot we entered a private door and went up an elevator to the club seating. There was an all you could eat buffet with all sorts of wonderful food like pork tenderloin and halibut filets. After we stuffed ourselves silly we went out to the game where we sat RIGHT behind home plate and RIGHT beside the dug out. It was so exciting to be so close to the players. Mandy just leaned over and asked Dexter for a ball.

Even though we were already hurting from eating so much, they kept on feeding us. All throughout the game people came around asking us what we would like to order. There were hot dogs, sliders, nachos, popcorn, ice cream and anything else you could want. During the sixth inning they started passing out warm cookies. It was crazy. The Rockies lost by the way, but who cares with an experience like that!

The girls are decorating Easter cookies.Things got a little messy but yummy.

So many things...

I figured it was time to blog again since it has been a while. My parents came to visit us for our Spring break. One of the fun things we did together besides eat alot, was go to the children's museum in Denver. The kids had a great time. Here they are being vets.

Our little artists

There was a bubble display where you could make bubbles and even go inside one.

Brookie is the checkout girl at the groccery store.

Snuggles with Grandpa

I came downstairs one day to find the babies in laundry baskets being dragged around. It was very cute and they were having a great time.

Brookie's third birthday was in February and this fishing rod was one of her presents. It kept her busy for hours. She didn't catch anything, she would just release it over the railing and then reel it back in.

Her very own pillow pet was another present. I think his name is Red.

New dress up clothes

This is the face of victory when your parents cave. Our kids have been begging for a pet for years and we finally gave in.

Meet Coke, our dwarf hampster.

We'll see how long the excitment and promised cage cleanings last.

ooshie fairy

I thought it was going to be impossible. I didn't know how we were possibly going to do it. I had heard other parents tell their stories but I didn't believe it would actually happen to me (or at least without many hours of crying and misery). I am talking about the rite of passage of giving up the pacifier, or in our case, the ooshie. Brooklyn is 2 1/2 and we knew that she needed to move on but I didn't know how to help her. My two older girls didn't take a pacifier so I had no former experience of which to draw upon.

Luckily, Auntie Sammy to the rescue.

My sister Sam told me to have Brookie give them to the ooshie Fairy and the Fairy leaves something in return. At first Brooklyn wanted the present left by the Fairy but didn't want to give away her ooshies. I thought the idea was cut but obviously not going to work this time. Then, the other day she came up to me and said that she wanted to give her ooshies to the Fairy. So... we packed them up and left them on our porch for the Fairy.

Low and behold there was a present waiting for Brookie. Meet Freckle.

That night she cried a little and she has asked where her ooshies are a few times but, all in all, it has been much easier than I expected. Thanks Sam.