New Traditions

Traditions - what a word. It can bring comfort and joy at the expectation of something that always happens, or it can do just the opposite. I've always loved traditions - the Easter egg hunt at Easter, dressing up for Halloween, roasting marshmallows while camping, going to the beach and eating fish and chips, turkey at Thanksgiving, and buying a beautiful scented Christmas tree every year. As our kids get older new traditions are evolving, especially at this time of year- lighting candles for advent to remind them and us that Christmas is about Christ's birth, buying them each a new decoration every year and a new one for this year - each night each of our kids opens up an advent box filled with either just a candy or a candy and something to do with advent. Some traditions carry on from childhood -each child receiving English chocolate in their stocking, opening presents Christmas morning, going on the Stanley park train. We started going on the train when we started dating, and have carried it on since. Of course now we're married and have three kids to bring along, which makes it a lot more fun. We've also added friends to the equation. For the last four years we've had a great time going with our friends the Janssens. We go to the Spaghetti factory for dinner and then head to the train. This year was fantastic - with 5 kids (one was missing at dinner) we were actually able to visit at dinner time and then we went to the train. All the kids were so great waiting for the ride (not that we ever seem to have to wait long) and had a great time on the train. Christian wasn't that fascinated by the lights -he was more fascinated by the engine. Once I got in his way and he told me off once I had moved back into my seat. The other two loved the lights. They all loved the petting zoo. We finished the night off with some yummy popcorn. Yep, traditions are good as long as they are guidelines and not the "rule". A few years ago I didn't see the need for traditions to change but as my family grows they have to - our trip to the train wouldn't be as much fun or doable if we did it the exact same way as when we were dating. Thanks Janssens for being a part of this tradition for this year and the previous three -we'll see what next year holds - you may want to venture out on your own once number four comes along!:) When blogger lets me I'll post the pics.

Weekend away!

Not the toilet in the Westin but on the underground tour.
Rich in front of the first starbucks. They are everywhere in Seattle.

A couple of weekends ago Rich and I were able to go to Seattle all by ourselves!! The weekend started a little rocky since we had to wait five freakin hours at the boarder!! After that the weekend was smooth sailing. It was so much fun to be able to what we wanted, when we wanted. We stayed at the Westin to celebrate the first time we had been away for two nights in a row for 6 1/2 years- very nice hotel right in the middle of downtown - each morning Rich got us a yummy McDonalds breakfast. May not be yummy for all but we love their breakfast food! We did some shopping and sightseeing. We did the underground tour - highly recommend it - it was a lot of fun! One night we ate at a delicious Mexican place and the second night we ate at the Space Needle - great food too. It was so awesome to get away and reconnect again - just the two of us.

The boys stayed at Rich's parents place and had a fantastic time. The went to a model railraod show one day and then the next they went to the driving range and to Jungle Jacks. They loved it. The cutest thing was that Christian found a lady from their doll house and carried it around with it calling it mamma. He brought it home with him and will still carry it around and call her mamma!

Thanks Mum

Okay about a year ago, maybe not quite that long ago my mum in law gave me this slipper/sock type things. I never knew what I was going to do with them or when I was going to wear them as I don't like socks, let alone slipper type things. Well, let me tell you I now know what I'm going to be doing with them. We installed laminate flooring this past summer - very nice in the summer but FREEZING in the fall and I suppose even more freezing in the winter. So I pulled out the socks/slippers last night and put them on. HEAVEN! It was the first time all week that my feet were not freezing. I am also wearing socks under these things. The nobby bits on the bottom feel kind of cool too. Thanks Mum. I loved having warm feet. Now I just need an all over slipper to keep the rest of me warm. Been freezing ever since I became prego.

Pumpkin Patches

The year everyone in our family went to a pumpkin patch, however, we did not all go together. Ethan had a field trip to the Apple Barn so Rich took him and on the same day I took Aiden on his field trip to Aldor Acres with Christian. Everyone had a great time - even in the mucky rain. Christian fell frontwards and backwards in the mud! Rich survived a bus load of grade ones! Aiden found the perfect pumpkin.

Our Big Boy!

We decided to put Christian in to his "big boy" bed on Saturday. By this time the other two had younger sibs. so they had been in big boy beds for months. Rich took the crib down - it hasn't been down since we put it up 6 years ago but I was okay with it since we'll be putting it back up in 6 months. We had no problem with Christian going to bed - he crawled in and we didn't hear a peep from him. He did fall out at least once that we know of so we put our big pillows down for him. Last night was night two and when we went and checked on him he was sleeping on the floor by his door. Aiden used to do the exact same thing! In fact sometimes Aiden would be right under the bed (he didn't use this little white one- he went right into a real bed). When Rich put Christian back into bed he woke up a bit and Rich told him to go back to sleep - Christian said "Why". Thanks! Right after I put Christian down tonite I put a load of laundry in the wash and I could hear the monkiey playing with the door stop. I should probably go and make sure he's sleeping and not playing.

Doggy Party!!

Sometime in the spring Aiden decided that he wanted a doggy party. It is great to be so organized and to know what you want months in advance, however, when it is mentioned almost every single day it gets a little tiring.

Well, finally last Sat. Aiden had his doggy party. We invited 7 of his friends. When they arrived they got their faces painted like little dogs and made dog tags out of licorice and fruit loops. We then played a game where they had to each find four dog bones to match their collars. That was followed by a game of Doggy doggy where's your bone. They then went into the kitchen and made dog houses - the kids were really into this and did a fab. job. I found these little sugar dogs at Scoop n save so each had a dog to put on their house. We then had lunch, played trainer says and opened presents. The event ended with cake. It was the fist time I have ever made one of their cakes. I swore I never would make one since IGA does a good job and is yummy but I didn't think IGA would do what I had in mind so I ventured out. It turned out not too bad and I did discover Scoop n Save which could inspire anyone into making their own cakes/cup cakes -it's an amazing store. Anyways, back to the party - I think the kids had fun and I know that Aiden did. Thankfully, he has not mentioned next years party -yet!:)

Maybe it could be both?

I think the only comment of heard more than congratulations or wow (or the stunned silence with the gaping mouth) is "so I guess you're wanting a girl". ERRR! I guess it's a natural assumption that we want a girl right now more than a boy but we honestly don't. I had to come to a place where I didn't care or else when boy number four showed up I would be depressed ( I almost was with Christian). I think now that a boy would be more practical - sharing rooms, clothes and toys. A boy would give Christian a buddy and they could share a room forever. I also know what to do with boys - how to play with them more importantly how to change their diapers (they have way less nooks and crannies). Of course I would love a girl -no matter how "impractical" it would be. We would go into debt with the clothes I would buy - we would have so much fun babying her - she would definately be our princess (though with three bros. she would probably end of being a tomboy). Most importantly the mom/daughter relationship when she becomes a mom would be great. Rich is like me and doesn't mind either way. Christian has no preference - in fact when we ask him if he wants a baby he emphatically shakes his head no. Ethan wants a girl and has proclaimed that he is moving to a new family if he gets another brother. Aiden wants a boy.

We were out for lunch last week with my mom, nana and aunt from England when Aiden let us all know that he wants a boy. My mom said will Ethan wants a girl. So at first Aiden said we can have a boy first and then a girl. I told him I'm only having one more baby. Aiden solved the problem b/w him and Etha - he then said that the baby could be both. I said I don't think so - we would like the baby to be one or the other. I used to have nightmares about that when I was pregnant with Ethan. Thanks Aiden - but the baby CAN'T be both!:)

One of our biggest decisions ever!

Well - the whole three of you that read this blog (if there are that many anymore) know that we are having another baby. Let me tell you this has been one our biggest decisions ever! We had wanted four when we first got married but then I got pregnant the first time and swore I couldn't do it three more times. But then Christian approached one and I couldn't believe that I was done with babies and that he was our last. Rich on the other hand was done. Every month I would hope that the need for feminine hygiene products would be gone and I would be preggo - but that didn't happen. I brought it up in the spring again and Rich said that he had actually been thinking about it. WHAT!?! All of a sudden my sureness of wanting number four went out the window but we decided that I would go off the old pill to give my body the needed three month break in case decided to go for it. I was still hoping that an oops would happen - it seemed people would accept it more than the fact that we actually DECIDED to have a fourth - but the oops never happened. So in July we decided to go for it - I knew right away that I was pregnant but we officially found out in August. It didn't take long to remember why I NEVER wanted to go thru this again - the nausea and more importantly I spot or more likely all out bleed. Even when we found out we were preggo I wasn't too excited and I had no desire to tell anyone. But then a few weeks ago (maybe three or four) it just clicked and I'm SO excited to be having a baby. I can't wait to hold a little new born in my arms - to smell him or her - to cuddle. I've had two ultra sounds and seen the little one. I'm glad that we made the decision to go for the fourth. I know our family will be complete and the nausea and stress of bleeding will be well worth it once I get to hold our new babe!

Ahhh, the rat race begins!

Only one more day of relaxation until the rat race begins. I'm torn with the beginning of school - I'm kind of looking forward the routine of life and the upcoming holidays but our schedule looks crazy! Ethan will be in full days, which I'm a little sad about the teacher seeing him more than me, but I'm also happy about being able to spend time with Aiden and Christian by themselves. Aiden starts preschool and I'm so excited for him. He gets to make his own friends and he is so pumped about it all - the crafts, friends, painting, playing outside and being away from brothers. So far with only one child in stuff we'll be busy Monday nights, Wed. nights and Sat. mornings - yikes -that's the rat race I'm not looking forward to. Oh well, I guess with two more kidlets life is only going to get busier. As long as we can still have family dinner and family time (and summer breaks) we'll survive this new phase of our lives!

Adventure number three, four, five etc!

Okay, I think I only have probably three people (if that anymore) that read my blog and so if ya want to see the rest of our summer look on facebook - the pictures are there and you're probably all my friends anyway. It takes forever for blogger to upload the pictures.

Adventure number two!

Lunching at lost lake.
Ethan's biggest thing is to build holes and streams into whatever lake we are at.
Rich was gathering water for the hole. Ethan told him he was just a servant not a slave since it was his birthday - no idea where he came up with that one.

My Mom was on a time out with Christian for once again mentioning the word Juice b/f he had eaten b/c once he hears it that's all he wants.


My mom and I took Jade and Ethan to the very top. Fine going up but a little nerve wracking when we were first going down.

Enjoying the hot tub - the boys loved the fountain - though Christian tried his best to keep his brothers away from it.
Mom with her birthday dessert..
going up the gondola.
rich getting a facebook shot.

Ethan - where he got his hole in one.
me and my dad
They had a big sprinkler so the boys cooled down after their tough golf game.
Cheese - we're a little wet!
out for my mom's special meal. Yummy food - not a place for a two year old.

My dad and mom.
Jade
Aiden loved this bouncy slide - he would jump part way down it.
Christian loving it too.
Christian had fine form on the mini golf course -at first he would tee off and then pick the ball up and bring it near the hole - after a couple of times doing that he just walked right up to the hole put his ball down near it and swung - and then if after a couple (sometimes a lot more than a couple) of swings the ball didn't go in then he put it in. It was a LONG golf game.

Here the kids are in search of Lost Lake - it took one huge hill and 45 minutes to find it - and no hills and about 10 minutes to get back to the town house.
Me and the boys waiting for more pictures to be taken.
Three amigos.
Ethan enjoying his bribe for behaving during pictures.
Me and my hubby!

Our second adventure of the summer was going to Whistler with my family to celeberate my Mom's 60th birthday. We had a great time! We got up there Fri. afternoon and left Mon. afternoon. We had a family picture taken, we hung out at the base of Blackcomb Mountain and took the gondala up Whistler Mountain. On the Monday we hung out at Lost Lake.