three years

My baby boy is three! Christian has grown up so much over this past year. Ever since my inlaws bought a train cake pan he has been asking for a "choo, choo" party and finally, last week, he had one. The poor kid doesn't have many friends since he's the third born so he only had three other kids there -but he didn't care, he still had fun. I made him a train cake, the kids each painted their own wooden train and then we played a few games. It was fun and easy!

Christian is preener - it's not unlike a tween but younger. The poor kids is caught up between two worlds - that of a preschooler and that of an elementary aged kid. When asked what he wanted for his bday he said - choo, choo in one breath and then in the other - Darth Vader and his space ship. The train answer is the usual 2/3 year old answer - the Darth Vader not so much!! He also loves to watch Scooby Doo - Ethan would NOT have been allowed to watch that show.

Christian is a wonderful little boy. He is so full of life. Christian loves to laugh, he is thoughtful (sharing candy), he loves to give kisses/hugs (to anyone), he can't wait for "his class" to start, he has an answer to almost everything and he is all mine (well and Rich's). He also knows how to push buttons - especially Aiden's. He is happy to tag along with the older kids -even if they really aren't paying him any attention. He has to show our friend Coreen everything- in fact he would go live with her if he could. He has some classic sayings: " How too?", "my house", "take that", "Giddy -up bad boy", "where's Callia", "Callia sleeping" "Callia eating" and "choo, choo" for everything. Today he had wet undies and he told me that it was okay b/c they would dry - guess he had a point.

I love him to bits and can't wait to see how God is going to use him. He has a personality that draws people to him. Happy birthday Christian.

First Attempt

We had a family bday celebration for Christian and his cousin so I made cupcakes. I decided to try to do it a little fancier than my usual slapping on of the icing. I borrowed a friends icing tips and bag and gave it a go. I have to say it was pretty easy - they're not perfect but I was satisfied for a first attempt. I'm looking forward to buying my own stuff and giving it a go. I never thought I would ever get into decorting cupcakes and cakes but it's fun - even when they' aren't perfect.

4 months

Here are Callia's stats for month four!

• 11lbs 5oz


• 23" long


• rolled over from tummy to back


• giggles


• enjoys standing


• has really found a cute high pitched voice


• has gone swimming outside a few times and ejoyed it (well didn't cry)


• grabs toys and puts them into her mouth


• trys to suck her thumb while eating


• can spin herself all around on her back


• seems to love music


• grabs hair - Ethan didn't know what to do when she first did this to him
• smiles all of the time

Sometimes I get a little funny feeling when I think - WOW I have a girl! Oh- it's a good funny feeling.

Pancakes

When I was a kid I used to HATE pancakes as a dinner, however, as an adult I love them. I love them b/c they're easy to make and they are always enthusiastically received by the kids. We add some fruit to them and there you have it a gourmet dinner. (or not but hey did I mention they're easy and the kids love them?) I found a recipe for pancakes online and they are delicious -so sweet that you can eat them without syrup. Though now I have tweaked the recipe in order to make it a little healthier. Here are both of them. I don't know how many pancakes they make but I make it for five of us and we have leftovers (a few). The boys have never once complained about the newer version. The new version is just as good texture wise just not as sweet.

Fast and Easy Pancakes I

2c milk
3/4c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. veg. oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2c flour
1 1/2 tbl. baking powder

Place milk, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in blender and mix. Then add flour and baking powder and mix again. Blend until smooth. Heat lightly oiled frying pan and use 1/4c to pour out batter.

Fast and Easy Pancakes II

2c skim milk
1/4c sugar
2 eggs
1tsp. veg. oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbl. baking powder

follow same directions as above.

If any of you have a great recipe please share - we're always up to trying new things.

Maybe a bit too much?

Rich and I used to watch Gilmore girls - however, we found during the final season that the show was jumping around to diff. days and times so we stopped watching it. With the lack of summer tv we decided to borrow the final season from the library. The upside to that is it's free, the downside is that you only have two weeks, thus we had a LOT of Gilmore Girls for two weeks. It was a great season! We began to think that we were maybe on Gilmore overload when Rich was at Krause farms buying berries (duh, what else) and after he phoned me regarding prices some girl that worked there said to him - Wow, you sound just like Lorelai and Rory from the Gilmore girls. Yikes!

Growing up can be fun!

A little crack.
think our friend took this cute pic.
Ethan and I waving a hello in the middle.
we buried all of the boys and shaped them into mermaids

A couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon at Aldergrove Lake. We had such a great time. We built sandcastles with the kids,filled up the "river" and then Ethan wanted to swim across the lake. I said okay and off we went. Ethan took the float board in case he got tired and off we went. I wasn't sure if I would make it b/c I haven't really swam in a long time but I thought I gotta try. It was fun. We swam all the way across and back (and I was completely fine, even with all of the tredding of water I had to do while Ethan relished being in the middle of the lake). It was so great to do a big kid thing with Ethan that his sibs. couldn't do. It was a taste of how life changes as the kids get bigger - it's fun -it's fun to do the things I enjoyed doing like swimming or one day having to go on roller coasters with them, or biking or playing games. It's special to have a little baby to cuddle and coo over as well as a big boy to swim across a lake with!

One of the best.

A few weeks ago we went down to Seattle for a couple of days. We had a great time -minus the ride down when we felt like throwing our bickering boys out the windows that don't open!:) We had a fanastic time at the Woodlands Zoo- park like setting, huge habitats and a lot of walking. We enjoyed Day out With Thomas - a little hokey but the boys didn't seem to notice. However, this post is about the hotel we stayed at - the Embassy Suites. Wow! It sure was a step up from where we stayed last year in Edmonton - though that's not hard. The suite was beautiful, the pool was clean but what impressed us the most was the breakfast. It was so delicious, not your typical, included continental fare. We had made to order omlets, srambled eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, cereals, toast, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee, tea and pastries. Normally I'm pretty cheap and want to stay in the most reasonable place possible (the bomb in Edmonton) but this was the only one in the area that would take 6 people to a room and man I'm glad it was b/c we stayed somewhere I normally wouldn't have picked. Let's say you get what you pay for and I'm moving up from cheap for our next trip! (maybe)

Always my baby boy!

Christian is obsessed with our swing. He loves to turn it on and climb into it. I don't really care since it doesn't really work that great and is probably about 12 years old! It's funny that he does this b/c if anyone EVER calls him a baby he goes ballistic. He isn't even a little boy -he's a big boy. My baby boys turns three next week and when I asked him what he wanted he said Darth Vader and his ship. I thought WHAT - an almost three year old should not know who Darth VAder is - don't think he really does but he hears that name a lot from Aiden. Though after saying that in the toy store he went right on playing with the Thomas Train and then came to where we were carrying two huge train boxes saying 'these for my party". He's already stuck between being a big boy and being a little boy - didn't that happened until the tweens?

Dedication!

Last Sunday was Callia's dedication. I pray that we raise her and the boys in such a way that they know in their hearts that God is real, and that He is all powerful. I hope that it's not religion that they see but a relationship. I am thankful that God can touch their lives even though Rich and I may (okay will ) make mistakes in how we raise them.
Our day was great. Callia wore a dress that my mom knitted when we were pregnant with baby number one but when Ethan came out my mom was wise and realized that there was NO WAY we would put a boy in a long gown for his dedication. Even though the dress is not my typical "style" it was neat to have her dressed in a more traditional way. Her little arm was adorned by a bracelet her Grandad and Nana gave her. Ahhh, she could have been dressed in rags and she still would have been very cute (not biased at all). We had both sets of Grandparents at church, my Nana, one of Rich's sisters (and hubby), his brother (and family) and friends from England too. We all came back to our place for a yummy BBQ. It was a good time -even if Callia did sleep for most of it. I loved hosting everyone - it was great to be able to give to the people who support us in raising our kids.

Perfect Day

Last Saturday we had a perfect day! If you have kids that love to hike and be outdoors then let me suggest Lynn Canyon to you. The kids LOVED hiking all around the trails. We enjoyed it way more than Capilano (and not just b/c it's free) but b/c there are way more trails for you to go on. We were there for two hours and didn't see most of the area. We discovered where you can get right down by the water (go to the left when you come off of the bridge) - the boys enjoyed looking at the river and throwing in sticks. Then if you have an entertainment book you could go to Maplewood Farms just a few minutes away. Every year I see the coupon ,but we aren't going to drive into North Van for just that. However, we decided we would go there after the hiking - the boys totally enjoyed it. Ethan loves animals so he was so happy to spend as much time as we would let him in the petting zoo. The ducks put on quite a show too. Some of our best family outings are just going out and enjoying nature. The boys love being able to just run. We love watching them be entertained without toys, tv, movies or computer.