Bike gangs, Birthdays, and Baptisms!!

It's been a busy week around these parts!  I feel as though we haven't really found our 'routine' yet....but its all been good none the less!!  Last weekend was Oscars 4th birthday!!  Not sure how that happened!  Isn't he still a baby?  He is full of quips and thoughts that continue to blow our minds.....special little guy!  He was adamant on being the leader of the gang on the birthday gang ride through crofton!

 Here is Wren attempting to slam down the piñata on the parachute...in a perfect world, it would have flown up in the air a few times, and then crashed to the ground, exposing all the little goody bags for the kids!!

But, in the REAL world, the 4 year old got to use his dads knife to stab at the thing!!! 

Yes, that is a knife, but he was stabbing too quick for my camera phone to capture!! lol.

Carrot cake cupcakes.....with big piles of icing....awesome.

 After the party, the boys and i headed to Nanaimo to pick chris up from the ferry, he was heading home from Missions Fest.....I dragged them through the mall with me, mainly to look for pants (!!!) for them.  They are growing so fast....and you would think they were still crawling by the amount of holes in the knees!!  Don't be fooled by the picture....isaac pulled it together, and it was Elliot who made me drag them to the car for a time out to reset before i brought them back in.  We had finally found a sweet pair of pants for Elliot, and finally got into a change room at old navy.....it is then, he turns to me and says 'i want to try them on OVER my pants.  Upon being given the information that you take OFF pants, to try others on....he lost it...hence i lost it.  I tossed the pants off to the side, took his hand, and we left.  He didn't like this (again, don't be fooled, i didn't like this either....).  Fast forward 1/2 an hour, and we were back on track. As I posted in my facebook status "Shopping with little boys is SO awesome!!  .... said nobody, ever."

This little guy got up early one morning this week and finished his brothers pokeman puzzle....

On Tuesday, Linda and I had a webinar (we are growing tired of training....when we have actual work to do!!)....so here she is giving HER presentation to the 20 people on the other end of the line....i actually texted her this picture after and we had a few good laughs.  She really is quite wonderful...we have a good time together...she is very interesting....quite 'weathered' in this type of work, but like me, overwhelmed with the convoluted process.

Sunday marked the day of Meghan and Olivia's baptisms!!  It was a very special day for this family, so we were pretty happy to be able to meet up for lunch...we never get together as families anymore as we are all running different directions....so this was a treat.  And these kids...lifelong friends...just pick up where they left off.....4 peas in a pod.

Two of the hardest working people I know....and I know quite a few of them!!!

Wednesdays are my super long days in Nanaimo, working alongside all the other analysts.  I leave at 7:30am, and the major perk of the day, is "Mall time with Mary!!"  In 45 minutes, we ate our favorite butter chicken, caught up on the work/life balance, {her balance is harder than mine since she works full time!} bought some stuff at Old Navy {see pic below!!}, bought a gift and had it wrapped and we were  back in time for mary to leave for her homeshare visit.....we are working moms specializing in multi-tasking!!  Yup.

Mom and Dad are still in the Bahamas....i miss being able to just pick up the phone to call them whenever I want....excited to see them in 9 days!!  Today is thursday, and I am tired....feels like friday.  Chris took the day off today and we went to Nanaimo together. Nice to be home...he made dinner, I crawled into bed, and I am still here!!!  Will be shutting my eyes soon, as soon as its not too early to be totally lame.....G'Night!!!

1200th POST!!!!!!

Skype rocks......

Missed a skype call from my boy......this was a nice message to open.

i love that he skypes me even from the next room......

Talked to my dad for a few minutes tonight too......love skype.....only thing better would be to be where he is!! Love you dad.....you're awesome......

Starting a new day.....thankful.

Started the day watching this....thanks Nic....for the reminder of all the Grace....

and the reminder to be WIDE AWAKE today.

Tuesday.....

Typical tuesday morning......piggy back rides out of bed ... isaac jumped on my back, nailed his knee on my elbow (which i didn't feel....seriously, i think you can put a pin through that piece of skin on your elbow and not feel it, pretty wild....), anyways....he melted back onto the bed whinnying in pain like a baby horse.....

Breakfast, packed lunches, bday gift for lovely piano teacher who turned 29 yesturday....out the door by 8.  Not too hungry in the morning lately, so i have been packing along my bullet cup for a midmorning breakfast when i get hungry.....coconut milk has made it into the cup this week!!  Awesome addition!

Huge handful of spinach, a cube of coconut milk, milk, bananas, berries.....equals one happy, well fed girl!

 Monday after school Evan came home with us.....Elliot was a little bummed that he had nobody to play with....so he helped me in the kitchen make black bean cupcakes!!!  They have the moisture like a duncan hines cupcake...you know what i am talking about!!

 We made icing with cocoa, milk and icing sugar.....one step at a time right?

They were amazing!!!  Can of black beans, 4 eggs, 1t baking soda, 1t cinnamon = done!!!

 This afternoon, I was poking around the local thrift store when i came upon this beauty!!  My co-worker has been dragging around this purse that looks like a cat turned inside out and ripped to shreds with a handle.....its been fun teasing her about it, but its getting a little embarrassing going out in public with her carrying that thing under her arm!!  So...i splurged!!

I am often cautious over buying another woman a purse....but when i drove past work twice because I was debating keeping it (it WAS a leather, designer name purse that was pretty much new and awesome!!!).....I pulled in....and when she right away started doing the 'transfer'... I knew I had a winner!

 After the boys got out of school, it was piano and then drum lessons.....and while i was out this morning on a home site visit, I called my lovely MIL and asked if we could come for dinner....she said 'of course'...and made us an amazing roast beef dinner!!  I felt so tired upon arrival, that i just crashed onto their couch.  It was a super long day, and i felt pretty lucky that we have family that would have us for dinner spontaneously like that.....

We watched a bit of Aladdin on the tv before I realized it was a long drive home and wasn't sure if i had the energy to make it home.....but we did, and I had a great talk with my mom (who has packed all her clothes in ziplock bags and is ready to leave in the morning to the Bahamas with dad!!).....

Chris is home from his meeting and is currently beside me here sending off some of our savings to China to pay for a shipment of paddle boards!!!  

So, there we are....a very busy, productive day.

Memory Lane.....

Today was filled with cleaning, prepping, list making, chilling.....and basically just getting ready for the week!!

There is much good food in the fridge, meals are planned for the week, laundry done and put away.....ahhhh!

So, while I wasn't looking...the kids pulled out an old photo album of my childhood...so i thought i would share a few of the pics here.  I did do a little bit of tormenting on my cousin Jons facebook wall as well as my sisters, but i will save my own for my little blog that nobody else really sees!!!

Here I am in all my permed glory!!!   I think this was grade 5? or maybe it was 6.....If it was grade 5, that was the year Danny Thomas fell in love with me......;-)  I mean, how could he NOT??  Check OUT that perm.....that cowlick.....that dimple!!  Isaac was all flattery when he asked if this was a boy.....

 Hmmm....grade 3?  Must be.....because the next year was private school and then my hair went super short!!  See the 'needle' mark in the middle of my forehead......had that forever....glad its gone now, though i can still feel the bump....man, i love this look...may bring it back.....

 How can this post go on with out a shot of my counter-part....my SISTER!!!  Did she cut her own bangs?  Did my mom do it?  Wish i knew....oh man, wish i knew.....

 She rocked this hair cut for years......i remember always trying to get her to tuck her hair behind her ears like a girl....she would refuse and kick up dust in my face as she walked away......

 And then there was Jonathon.......

Back at it.....

Wednesday night at family dinner, I looked down and thought to myself,  "I look either fat or pregnant and both are bad for this body right now".

Thursday: P90X with Gussie
Friday: 7km walk with Amanda
Saturday: P90X sorta with Elliot (but he mainly watched and did NOT reap the 'soreness' benefits the next day like me!)
Sunday: Walking with Amanda (about to go out, so I can't confirm the distance yet....)

Point being; enough is enough and it's not going to get any better.  When Elliot watched me doing the video yesturday and was getting impatient for when he could turn HIS video back on, he asked me why I was doing this.  I responded with "because I want to be strong and healthy so I can run with you until you have kids of your own, and then I want to run with them!!  Now, start encouraging me and not asking when i will be done!!"  He nodded, like that was a good reason....and then leaned back as if to say, well, carry on then.

So, here we go.....on the fast track to getting strong again!!!  So far, I have Amanda, Gussie, and potentially Laura to work out with me through out the weeks.....I hope I can add more people to my schedule because it is WAY better to be active with friends, than alone!!  Anybody?  Anybody?

Skating and the Take-Over....

With P90X last night, and almost 7km walk (10,000 steps!!) this morning with Amanda....I was more than happy to crawl back into bed this morning and watch a couple movies while the kids were at school.  It was a glorious day to just lay there, sleep, be a lug - i MUST be tired because I enjoyed it WAY too much.  Even Marika and Lisa came to visit this aft, and had to join me in my bed since I wouldn't get out! ;-)

I ended up picking the kids up from the bus in my PJ's and then realized on the way home we needed pepperoni from the grocery store for our friday night pizza's!!  Well....I will walk around town in my lulu's all day, but i draw the line at my pj's!!  So....i sent Isaac!!  Yup!! This big kid walked in, handed his note to the deli girl, got the meat, proceeded to the pop aisle and grabbed a pop....paid and proudly walked out to the car!!  He was SO pleased with his adventure!  He even did a 'price comparison' on the pop he was allowed to choose!  After he had to drink his spinach and banana smoothy at dinner, he didn't have much room for pop, but he was so pleased with his task!!

After dinner, we headed out skating with some camp friends.....it was actually a really great night even though I was pretty much dragged {i have to work hard to keep my pj's on around here!!!}

 This KID did SO well tonight!!! I was so proud!!  What a difference a year makes!!  He skated around for most of the night, mainly on his own!!  SO PROUD of this guy!!!

 Once they were done, this is what occupied them so I could keep skating!!!

 Then we took over timmies......literally.

 Marika and Lisa came up for the evening.....so did Derek.....good times.

We've got some pretty good people around here......

P90X

This morning Chris and I dropped the boys off at school.....so little and sweet.

Gussie let me off the hook last night because I was so tired!!!  So she came over tonight and we made fresh pasta and had quinoa salad......we ended the evening with p90X and a walk in the dark.  Elliot joined us while sucking on his sugar stick......he stayed commited through the whole video...I was impressed.....

 Aside from her random singing outbursts....Gussie is a pretty fun girl to hang out with....

 Up for anything!!!  Just the kind of gal i like!!!!  I mean, who is really EVER up for a P90X video??

Wednesday......the LONG day!!

Up early and out the door at 7:30am.  Kids were successfully placed on the bus, and I picked up my co-worker in town so we could drive together to Nanaimo for the 'long' day.  Wednesdays are the 9 hour work days that allow me to get pretty much half my work week done in a day!  It's awesome.  Today we had a regional Analyst meeting all morning, and then 'healthy' potluck for lunch (hence the devilled eggs!!).....they were a hit btw!  The afternoon was filled with many answered questions and tasks that i could finish because of all the Analysts around!!  I left the work day feeling so pumped!!

It was a quick ride home as Linda chatted about her life......and then it was to Auxano's for fish tacos for dinner.  Its a nice way to finish up long days......

I know that I am pretty close to my 'monthly friend' because of how sensitive I have been feeling lately...and I know it was a long day ... but I left dinner that night feeling well fed, but weary in my heart.  Feeling ultra sensitive, there were a few people who said things that made me think that i am often rude and careless with my words.  I don't think it would have been a big deal if it was only one person, but it was more than one, people who i care about very much......I left wondering if I am perceived as being a nice person.  I left wondering why I have any friends, and what people actually think of my words.  And I need to remember that people often remember more negative than positive and to be more careful.  My problem, is that if i feel 'safe' in someones company, my tongue often runs away on me and I say things that are often perceived as hurtful based on the tone.....though I don't have a malicious bone in my body and it often kills me if i find out i have hurt someone.  SO.....Sharon...note to self.....be kind in your words, so you are not perceived as snobby or mean.....because you never know what people are going to remember of you.

Tuesday....Work, School, Piano, Drumming, Dinner guest, potluck prepping......

Coming down from the mountain on Sunday, our eldest had to go #2!!  He doesn't trust himself out in the wilderness, so we had to find 'le petite garcon une 'toilette'!!!  He.....wasn't too pleased......

 This is the exciting space where I spend my days......my desk is all clear only because I am packed up for my long day in Nanaimo, so laptop and papers are all packed and in my car ready for the long ride.

 After work, it was time to pick up the boys for piano....while they did that, I had a nice visit with Christie.....and then drumming!!  Elliot is more interested in taking drum than Isaac.....so elliot is going to take the full lesson from now on.....he really has good rhythm!!

 Our friend Eric came to spend the evening!!  We had an amazing taco salad for dinner......after making lunches, playing a few card games with the boys, Chris and Paul left for an errand in nanaimo...so eric kept me company and we made some devilled eggs for a potluck lunch at work tommorow!

Now he and I are watching "alone in the wilderness"...

Good Night!!!

Mount Washington.....

Had the pleasure of being invited up to spend the weekend with the Tennants........I had arrived home from Vancouver thursday night, had the day on friday to unpack, do laundry, and repack for the weekend.  We ended up leaving Saturday morning so as not to arrive so late up at the mountain.

As always, it was relaxing, full of interesting conversations, and we made some new friends.

In the end, the kids didn't want to leave....especially Isaac.  The boys were introduced to "Snoke"....a big cup of snow with coke poured on top.  Here are a few shots from the weekend that went by really quickly.....

Bundled up and in from sledding......thanks auntie J for the best snow hats ever!! 

 It's so beautiful up there......

 Our 'home' for the weekend......so many good memories at this place.  

Including a sweet 10 year anniversary getaway 5 years ago.

 Sledding....

 It warms my heart that my boy holds my hand.......one of my favorite parts of being a mom....

 Evie...I am sorry it's not the most glamorous shot, but I didn't get any others!!  

But it was an amazing chicken lasagna that you made!!!

 Hangin' out......catching up.....

 Meg....studying, studying......our physical therapist in the making!!

 Elliot and Chris.....

 Snow Bonfire.....

 Letters for breakfast....Sarah's way of making us all feel loved since she had that done for her as a kid....super sweet.

Not the most exciting shots, i know, but i was hidden behind a really good book this weekend or else I was in front of another person.  I am finding my desire to be behind the camera quite waning lately.....but it was a nice weekend ... a good break...we have some really great friends.