Family Day 2012

Another Family Day has come and gone - and it's always nice to be able to have a day that Daddy doesn't have to work.  We got to go to another 67's hockey game and Navia discovered the doughnuts that were dipped in hot fudge chocolate sauce - yum yum!

Then on the Monday Daddy took the kids to the Experimental Farm while unfortunately I had to work.  Guess the shoe was on the other foot and I was the one working while Daddy got to have fun with the kids.  They seemed to have a ton of fun there without me though!

January and February Birthdays

January and February are busy months in our family! 

January 13 was Daddy's 38th Birthday - which the kids had fun loading up the cake with all his candles . . . they loved seeing all the smoke float up - hehehe!  They also had fun making their own birthday cards for him - very original one too!

Kaleb's card . . . 

Navia's card . . .  

Emma's card - made to look like Daddy's iPhone :) 

Then two days later it was Emma's 11th Birthday (January 15).  She decided to have a smaller party and have them over for cake and presents and then go to the 67's game with Daddy.  We gave them each money instead of a loot bag for them to do whatever they wanted at the game.  Face-painting, big hands and food ended up being their loot bags!

We've also been having some really weird weather up here.  It finally decided to snow, but then everything changed and it poured and poured for a few days.  The snow ended up looking like craters on the moon - with little puddles all over!

February came and it was my birthday (February 1) and the kids decorated a mini cake for me for when I came up from work that evening.  They had fun doing it!

We've gone to so many 67's games this year as we have weekend season passes, but there was one that the kids had a blast with - Larry and Bob were at the stadium so we just HAD to get pictures of them!

This game we had a couple extra tickets so both Kaleb and Emma invited friends, but Emma and her friend got to sit down in the bowl while we were up a bit higher.  It was really cool watching how independent Emma is getting and how responsible as well.  Last year we wouldn't have done this, but this year . . . well . . . she's really growing up!

February 8 was Kaleb's 9th Birthday - which he had fun coming home from school to open his presents and eat his favourite cake - vanilla! 

Braden was away in Europe the week of Kaleb's birthday, but because Kaleb received an iPod Touch (purchased half with his money) we were able to use FaceTime and Brade was able to join us in watching Kaleb open his presents and even sing Happy Birthday to him (although we were inside our house and Brade was in the Lobby of a hotel - singing to a phone . . . must have looked crazy!!!)

We haven't had Kaleb's school party yet, but that is coming up soon. Kaleb actually said that we could wait even until March, he only wants the presents - hehehe!  At least he's honest!!!

So now birthday are done in our family - until December 15, 2012!!!  YAY!!!  It gets crazy having them all within 3 months, but it is kinda nice to know that we have a long wait until we start it all over again!!!

Russia and Hockey

Last Thursday Braden took the kids and a friend of Emma`s to a hockey game that Brade had really been looking forward to.  Because we have season weekend passes we got great prices and the kids had a blast!!!  They were on the big screen 8 times (according to Kaleb who counted each time), they almost won a dance competition and Navia had a fun time with one of the cheerleaders in which they switched pom-poms and Navia did some cheerleading cheers with them all.  The kids had their faces all painted and were loud as can be.  Oh, and the OHL did win . . . they've never lost a game to Russia so why start now???  10 - 7 this time!

June to October in Pictures

Braden is the Account Director at his job and his client is McDonald's Europe.  This means that he is going overseas usually once a month for a few days.  This is a photo of June in Paris.

The kids love baseball so Braden took them to an Ottawa Fat Cat's game and they LOVED it - I have a feeling more will happen next week.

Our anniversary wknd - kids to "The Landing", first time eating calamari for the kids (Emma didn't like it - hehehe!) then to a Medieval Festival to see sword fights, try stilts, catapults and so much more.  Oh, and the kids locked Daddy and Kaleb up and threw water sponges at them - so much fun!!!

The kids love it when Brade reads to them.  He had a trip to Russia so this was his last night before he left for the week.

While he was gone Gramma McGifford came to look after all of us - seeing that I wasn't up for looking after the kids by myself yet.  We had a lot of fun and she kept the kids soooooo busy - camping in the backyard, picking raspberries, feeding ducks and more. (oh and weedings - hours and hours of weeding!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 (i had to put this one in - sorry mom, but it was just hilarious when a boat's waves started knocking the little dock around mom tried to get the ground fast, but i think the rocking dock helped her there faster than she anticipated - and i laughed - yep - laughed and laughed and laughed!!!   hmmmm..... i guess i'm not that sorry for putting the picture in!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here are a few pictures that Braden took while in St. Petersburg, Russia for the week. 

When he came home we got to still have Gramma for a few more days - which meant family pictures :)

The kids were stuck outside in the rain and put a tarp over the playhouse so that they wouldn't get wet - creative children!!! 

They also decided to have a lemonade stand outside our house - selling freshly squeezed lemonade and homemade chocolate cookies.  The neighbor kids came over to help too and they actually made a bit of money - they even had a car stop to purchase - so funny!  Their advertising . . . signs on the little brother and sister - hmmmmm.

Our neighbours were moving so let us have the pool for a weekend, in-between them leaving and the new neighbours moving in - the kids loved it!

  

Hockey season starting in September and we have weekend passes for the Ottawa 67's (OHL).  The kids are loving it and have so far been to 5 games with many more to come!

  

First day of school came after Labour Day weekend in September.  Emma is in Grade 5, Kaleb in Grade 3 and Navia in Senior Kindergarten.

Great Gramma McGifford came up for the weekend so we got to hang out with her and had a lot of fun.  Even took her to 'The Landing' for ice cream - yummy!

Emma was in Cross Country again this year - but this time had to run 2.2 kms.  She did well and is wearing the blue tank top number 3 with maroon t-shirt under it.  She came in 47 out of approx 140 grade 5 girls.

October started with Navia's first field trip of the year - to Valleyview Little Animal Farm with all her friends!

Grampa Bailey came up for a week in October and Emma was really excited because she'd finally have someone besides us cheering her on.  Emma made the Jr. Girls Soccer team and had an all-day tournament that they came in 3rd.  She played hard and they only lost after an extra inning, regular shoot out and then a final to-the-death shoot out.  She loved that Braden took the day off work to see her play, along with Grampa and even Kaleb got the afternoon off of school!

Grampa spent a couple of days at Braden's work, just seeing what he was doing and checking out the local record shops - which I guess are pretty good around his work.

We did McDonald's breakfast - as the tradition has been set - and then went to find the perfect pumpkins!

The kids had a hard time with him leaving, but are glad that we're going to Saskatchewan for Christmas! Yay!!!

Emma's class did a haunted house and Emma's spooky short story was the idea behind the entire event.  She had a lot of fun reading the story to each class as they came to see it - 900 students in all!!!

Then it was Halloween time - the kids carved pumpkins (and Braden dremelled them as the designs were a bit intricate.)  We had a cowgirl, black ninja and Princess Belle.

And now I am officially caught up - and you are officially tired of looking at waaaaaay toooooo many pictures - hehehe!  Hopefully I'll be going back to regular posts now!