Summer FUN!!!!

Only two weeks into summer holidays and we have been having LOTS of fun around here.  It seems with all the boys (and Josh) home it has been harder to actually get to the computer to load pictures or blog!  Our internet is being SO SLOW tonight so I will try to load just a few pictures from some of the highlights of our summer so far!


                                           

SO much fun with a hose!

Take my picture!!!

A trip to Lake Newell

Strawberry picking just days before a horrible storm (maybe even tornado) wiped out this beautiful farm!!!

Zack turned 10!!!!! and got a great new mountain bike!!!

Note to self . . . . . if you cannot find the boys . . . . . look up!!!!!!

A WONDERFUL day at Calaway park!!! I have a picture of me and my sister in these same boats when I was the boys age!!!!

Summer has just begun and already such fun memories!  Cannot wait for the rest of the summer to unfold. 

One Busy Day!

We had a very fun and busy day today. 

First- Walker, Levi, and I went to watch Zack at his district Track meet. 





 For those of you who know Zack, he gets SUPER NERVOUS (and slightly OCD!!!!!!) about "big" events in his life.  This is him before all his events (looking a little nervous). 

 Preparing for his 400 m heat.  He ran the 400, 800, relay and also competed in high jump.

Zack (and two of his friends) with all their ribbons!!!! Zack placed 2nd in the 400 and 800, got first in the relay, and fifth in high jump.  Way to go Zack!!!! 


















Then, the two little guys and I went to the school as Carter's class was having pet sharing day.  Carter was SO EXCITED to bring his pet- Spike-o-saurus Rango Gibbon . . . . .

Then, Zack and I went to his year end piano recital.  Josh was gone for the weekend for University (he's working on his masters degree) so I got a babysitter for the three younger boys.  It was great to be able to sit and enjoy the music and not wrestle with four boys bribing them to be quiet and stuffing treats in their mouth so they don't have time to make noise!!!!

(notice he got a haircut between the track meet and the piano recital!!!!)

And when we got back from the piano recital this is what I found . . . . .

A (very cute) monkey, swinging from the railing!!!!

Very busy day but wouldn't trade it for the world.  Loved being able to spend time with my boys and am now ready for a good nights sleep!  Thank goodness my boys are all great sleepers (knock on wood)!

Wow!!! Time Flies . . . . .

So it has been SIX months since my last post . . . . . let's see what's happened during that time . . . . .

My mom and dad left on a mission for our church.  They went to Nigeria and will be there for 18 months!  We sure miss them already!!!!!!

We had SO MUCH snow this year so when it melted our little town flooded!!! All this flooding was right beside our house.  Lucky for us it didn't quite make it to our house!  It was great to see all our community out working together to sandbag the houses at risk of flooding!  One of the benefits of living in a small town (actually village)!!!!!!!!

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A neighbours house



They dug up the road right in front of our house to make a path for the water to go. . . . . Good thing the road needed desperate repair anyways!!!

Having fun kayaking on the road . . . Who knew we had lake front property!!!!!!!!!!!

 Carter had a birthday and turned 7!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a tradition that on your birthday you can choose whatever you want for breakfast.  Carter chose crepes filled with ice cream and topped with strawberries and chocolate sauce.  I was not going to argue with that one . . . . YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Carter with his presents!

Carter's FAVOURITE birthday gift!!!!! Spikeosaurus Rango Gibbon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







For the Easter weekend we went to Fairmont, BC.  We met Josh's parents and grandparents and had a GREAT time.  The condo was beautiful, the weather was great, and the view was beautiful.  We had fun in the hot springs, going for a hike, playing in the creek and playing cards (even though SOME people accused me of cheating- can I help it if I win all the time!!!!!!)

Helping Great Grandma Caldow cross the creek!



The waterfall at the end of the hike. 



Handsome boys (and big guy) ready to go to Church on Easter Sunday!



Lot's more has happened but that is a brief overview (and the things I have pictures of)!  We are now busy with soccer and t-ball.  Gotta LOVE warm weather and being outside! 

The view from here

 This is what I saw when I looked out my front window this morning.  It really took my breath away.  The whole drive to work was amazing as EVERYTHING was covered with frost.  It made the ridiculously cold temperatures a little more bearable. It was a crazy morning (as it usually is) getting four boys up and ready but this made me stop, take a breath, and take a moment to enjoy the beauty around me. 

The Return of Snow Mountain!!!!

Ok, you can tell my boys have grown up on the Prairies when they refer to this as "Snow Mountain".  This week winter hit and it hit hard!!!!!  We went from quite nice fall weather to SNOW.  So, this is what happens when the church parking lot beside our house gets shoveled  . . . . . SNOW MOUNTAIN!  The boys were ecstatic for its return and had to go out and play on it even though it is FREEZING and getting dark!  Thanks Brad and Kristi for creating the much loved mountain!!!! 

OH .  .. . the return of boots . . . and not cute ones . . . practical ones!!!

Snow Mountain

So much fun!

Family Photos

We have been married for almost 11 years and have NEVER had "real" family photos done.  Have to say it was  pretty stressful leading up to the day.  I really don't like having my photo taken plus there was the added stress of what everyone was going to wear, making sure all the boys stayed clean, didn't fight, looked at the camera, and hopefully smiled every once in a while.  In the end it turned out to be a GREAT day.  Mandy did such a good job with the photos and the boys were all super well behaved (proof that bribery works!!!).  Here are a few of my favourite photos. 

Sure love these guys!!

Can't believe how big my little guys are getting. . . . they sure make me happy!!!! (and if we are being honest, a little cranky sometimes too!)