Missing

Last night I went upstairs to check Lucas in his bed and he wasn't there. This is pretty common as he often falls asleep in our bed, so I went to my room, but he wasn't there either. I went back to his room and checked on the floor beside his bed, but he's not there either. Panic starts to run through me, I go back to my room and check under our bed and in the closet. Nope he's not there either. I call Darryl, can you help me find Lucas. Darryl checks in Nathan's room, nope he's not there either. We start to call out his name. We check downstairs. But I had been sitting down there, and hadn't seen him come down. I check the living room, Darryl checks the pantry. Finally I find him hiding here........




Under a chair in the playroom. It's like his little cage.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

RIP Michael Jackson

He made great music. My sister and I would put on the Bad record and dance around the living room to it. That and the Whitney Houston album, I want to dance with somebody.



It was great fun. He made some really really great music, especially to dance to. I do hope his kids are well taken care of. It's weird to be living through a time that you know you will quote for years and years to come. I was doing..... when I found out Micheal Jackson died. I think the weirdest part of it all was was that I continued to check Twitter over and over until I found out.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

MiniVan Family

We recently acquired a new vehicle. We did lots of research for our "red licorice" and came up with a Honda Odyssey.
There are things I am missing about the CRV. Mostly it being a standard vehicle.


But "Red Licorice", has a great sound system and I do like that. The boys are loving it, but they mostly love that they can play in it. There is lots of space for them to move around (when the van is parked of course.). And Emma really loves that part as well. But I will miss that CRV, we had lots of adventures in it, but I'm looking forward to lots more in the van.


Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Fathers

This weekend was Fathers Day, so it seemed fitting that my two favorite men (who are both fathers) spent the weekend together. Luckily they were doing some thing productive and drywalling the basement. Mom was there helping as well, she's one of my favorite ladies. But from what I heard they were having a pretty good time being productive. It is one of my favorite things about Darryl, is how well he gets along with my family. We are all lucky that way.




When I asked Lucas what he would like to get Dad for Father's Day he said we should get him some lego, as that is there favorite thing to do together. So we went to the toy store and got Dad some Ferrari lego.



Even Nathan tried to get in on the action.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter - Month Forty Six

Dear Lucas,

Last week you had your monthly birthday. There have been a couple of really funny things that have been going on with you this last month.



You have been falling asleep in our bed. You have been quite fond of me and each night I tell you some funny made up story, usually it stars the kids at the day home. Mostly the girls, but some time your best friends. Then we talk about our favorite and least favorite parts. Sometimes you copy my favorite and least favorite parts. Most of the time your last favorite part is "doing this". Which you think is hilarious. THen I leave you and you most of the time go jump in my bed to fall asleep.



Your new favorite word is "actually". I'm not sure where you learned it, but you use it all the time. Especially when it comes to Nathan. Nathan will call something a dog, and you'll say "actually Nathan it's a horse". We'll be driving down the street and I'll point out a digger, you'll say "actually Mom it's an excavator". For the moment it continues to be funny, although I may be calling you a smart alec.

You and Nathan have not been getting along as much as I'd like. I often feel like I"m a referee between the two of you. You get upset with him alot and yell. It shows me that you have probably learned that from me, which make me disapointed in myself. But I am trying to teach you how to be more chill and more patient with your little brother.




I find you are growing and losing some of your fears. We went swimming this month and you are usually very cautious and not a fan of the water. But this time you were very excited about it. Or last year at Heritgage Park you wouldn't go on the ferris wheel, but this year you were the brave stoick one. Auntie Lexie also took you to a movie and we physched her up for all the bad things that could happen, but you were great through the whole thing.



Your smartness and funniness are coming through more and more. Whether it's writing letters or make live lists, you are a great funny kid. You are my kid, but I do really like you as a person as well. You make me laugh and you make me proud.





love mommy

Coldplay

Last night we were lucky enough to go and see Coldplay at the Saddledome last night. It was one of the best concerts I've ever been too (and I've been to lots of concerts).

First off Snow Patrol opened for them. I think they did a great job. I came home and downloaded a bunch of their songs. Open Eyes, Crack the Shutters, You're All I Have were all great ones. The lead singer was very animated and I love that. Tammy and I were discussing how you could tell he loved his job.

It was definitely a big budget concert. It was great because they sang little "sets" on both sides of the stage.
At one point they even came to the back of stadium and did a little set.
They also had screens and the "videographers" did a great job of capturing the facial expressions.

A couple of things that really amazed me about the show was how gracious they were. For being such big names, they said thank when most of the songs were done. At the end they bowed at all sides of the stages and at the end. But for being so famous, they were very polite. They also gave us a live CD as we left (which you can also download at their website)

Another thing was how energetic they were, Chris ran all over the stage and they were all sweating, but they continued to do it.

The other thing, that always amazes me at concerts, especially "big" ones is at how talented they are. I remember feeling the same way after seeing the Dixie Chicks. The drummer from Coldplay was so talented. He can really sing as well.

Here are some huge yellow ballons that came out when they played the song yellow.
Here is Lovers in Japan when confetti fell from the ceiling.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

A Day In My Life

I saw Dutch Blitz had recorded "A Day in Her Life". And thought it was a great idea. One of my favorite things about the blog is to look back and reflect on the past. So here is a typical day for us.

• Wake up around 8am (although it can vary from 6-8 and sometimes Lucas will even sleep past that)
• Eat breakfast and watch TV. Our favorite show lately is Sid the Science Kid. There is a song in there about "I love my mom, my mom is cool".
  
• Then we head out and do something, library, groceries, park, zoo, pet store....
• Come home have some lunch, lately out on the deck.
• Nathan has a nap, Lucas and I hang out. Sometimes play games, sometimes play outside
• Darryl is done work and we make dinner. Both kids are great eaters. They will eat most anything.
• Evenings are spent doing more... playing. Lately it's been outside, but sometimes it's upstairs in our rooms.
• Bedtimes are spent doing bath (always for Nathan, every other day for Luke) the books (4 every night) and a snack. Usually the kids are down by 8:30. It's earlier in the winter, later in the summer.
  

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Weekend Fun Times

This weekend was loaded with fun. I love this time of year. The weather is perfect. Hot, but not too hot. Today was 26 and that is a little too hot for me, but we went to a pool which was great fun. Friday we went to Heritage Park with one of my friends who has a son that Lucas goes to the dayhome with. The weather was perfect and it was a really fun day. Train rides, animals and wagon rides.






Yesterday we were suppose to go to another friends house to play in their community water park, but that didn't work out. So instead we had a water gun fight around the house. It was so great to hear Lucas laugh and shriek and have fun with both his parents as we chased each other around the house. It's so nice to have Darryl off on weekends.

Today we thought it was going to rain so we made plans to go to the pool. I usually swim on Sundays to train for the triathlon. Last week Dad and I had fun jumping off the diving board and it reminded me of Darryl and how he was great at jumping off diving boards. So this week we all headed to the pool. Lucas had the look of terror and excitement as he went down the water slide. Nathan was in a pool for his first time and really enjoyed it. And Darryl joined in on jumping off the diving board. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

And a great weekend.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Pure Joy

You know the sound of a kids laugh, that is a really genuine laugh

Or when you taste a really great glass of wine.

Or when you peak in at your kids and they are sleeping peacefully.

That feeling of pure joy.

We had that today when we took Emma to the off leash. We have not been to the off leash in over a year. And really it was not pure joy for me. It was lots of work. I packed Lucas's bike and a stroller for Nathan. Leashs, bags, balls, towels, snacks and drinks all packed up. We were off. We got there unpacked everything we just packed up. If Emma could smile at me she would have. There she was free, running and sniffing others dog butts. Running back and forth as though this was heaven for her. But the best part was coming up... the swimming. We usually go to this off leash because it borders the river. The moment she saw the water she went running for it. There she stood in the water watching and waiting for us to throw something for her. Once we did it was game over. Throw, run, swim and swim, shake and repeat. Nathan and Lucas has both dipped their feet in the glacier fed Bow River, threw rocks into the river, threw sticks for Emma and played with the sand/mud. Eventually we left. But on the way home I'm sure she wishes she could hug me.

I forgot about this pure joy for Emma.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

A Flock

On the weekend we watched a robin build these:



Yep, thats' right, 6 nests under our deck. Wonder what is going to happen next?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Nathan's Monthly Newsletter: Month Fourteen

Dear Nathan,

Happy Fourteen Month old birthday baby. It has been a really fun month with you. Really most months lately have been fun. Your sleep has gotten a little more consistent this month which I appreciate. Not that every night is perfect, but more of them are getting better. You are also able to cry for a moment and then fall back asleep too. The next step is to try and get away from the bottle, which we still give to you every night to help you fall asleep.



I think the thing I've noticed this month is your funny faces. You make such funny faces. That and you love to dance. You love to boogie, whether it's dancing in his car seat or shaking your legs while standing up.


On a good note you are really enjoying the day home now. You don't cry at all when I drop you off. You continue to play when I get there. We are into a good routine of some working and some staying home.


Soon you will be walking. You love to grab my fingers and try to walk around. Or if I'm sitting and you want me to stand up you push my back away from the chair to get me to stand up. Then grab my fingers. Now we've been thinking that you'll walk for a while and it still hasn't happened, but I'm still enjoying the crawling.



You still love to be outside. We spent lots of time outside. You love to play in the sandbox and go down slides. We have to vacuum you room lots more because there is sand in your shoes. You also don't seem to mind the cold or the wind, like Lucas does.


You are getting better at showing us that you understand the world around you. You can point to your ears, and nose. You can find pictures of common things in books. You love things in the sky. Birds, airplanes and helicopters.

love you buddy

Sarah Slean

Tammy and I are becoming concert fanatics. The cruise did it to us. We love live music. The question is how do I get a job with itunes? Or a professional concert go-er. So last weekend we went to a Sarah Slean concert. It is amazing how so much voice can come out of such a little person. It was also a very different crowd then the Weakerthans concert. She has a famous song on radio, Sweet Ones (which she didn't play) My favorite one of the night was this song



Looking for Someone was also a great song as was Parasol. Which made me want to move to Paris.... oh one day.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Lucas's Life List & Almost Walking

Lucas today was making a list of stuff he was going to do when he was 5.

pick up a turtle
like grapes (he doesn't really like them now)
play in a band
climb a tree
fly an two kinds of airplane
ride a cow

He was putting away blocks with different pictures on them. But it really made me laugh.

Nathan is also getting so close to walking. His favorite thing to do is grab my fingers and then reach around and grab my other hand with his hand and try to get us to walk. He is also taking a couple of steps on his own though, but not really walking yet.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

I Let My Kid Get Messy, Do You?

I let Nathan eat his oatmeal by himself this morning. It was a major mess.



Luckily we got it cleaning up before it hardened.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Trying not to get in a fight on Facebook, so instead I'll post about the Triathalon.

Coming up in August my mom and I are going to do a triathalon. Not an iron man or anything intense, but a sprint. So 750m of swimming 15km of biking and 5km of running. So the training has started. I am trying to exercise everyday now and incorporate it in when possible. Like yesterday we biked to Lucas's soccer game rather then driving. Then in the morning if I wake before the kids I'll go for a run (although the running is my least favorite part). If anyone has any running tips, I would love to hear them. I don't like running. I may be walking the running part. I'll let you know how I'm doing as it gets closer, and you can all cheer Go, Jenn Go!

Oh yeah, here's the status update of my "friend" which I'm trying not to get in a fight over. I could just unfriend her? Can you do that?

"You don't have kids. Nasty!" is what the sticky note said on my car. Does anyone fully read those "Expectant Mothers" signs anyways? You DON'T have to have a child to park there. I can park there...I'm an expectant mother. I'm EXPECTING to be a mother...just not ANYTIME soon! I think you have to actually like children before you have them.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Letters

This weekend Lucas and I were making cards and he asked me how to spell Matt. I told him M-A-T-T. He wrote all the letters.
Then he asked how to spell his name So I spelled it out L-U-C-A-S. He wrote all the letters. Then he asked how to spell my name M-O-M. Again wrote all the letters.



I've never seen him write a letter before. I couldn't believe it. He has getting better at coloring, but I was amazed at how well he did with the letters.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn