Monday, February 28, 2011

Don't you love it when


your kid falls asleep in a funny way and you can take picture to remember it. =) So Nathan was eating popcorn and must have fallen asleep. Torin took the opportunity to snuggle up too.

Till next time

Jenn

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Family...

This weekend was family day weekend here in Alberta. It's so nice to have the extra day off and I always like to do something together as a family. We didn't do anything overly special, but the weather was nice so we all went outside and slid down the toboggan run Darryl made. It was great fun to be outside getting some fresh air, especially because we are in a cold snap now.

But what I was most impressed about over the weekend was how well my boys got along. Most of the time I'm in awe of the two of them. They play really well together. I'm sure there will be phases in their lives where the don't get along very well, but I'm so glad they will always have each other. Whether they always have a friend to play with, or they need to vent about their crazy parents, I'm so happy they have a built in friend to share their live with, who has many of the same experiences. I hope they are always get along as well as they do now.






Till next time

Jenn

Friday, February 18, 2011

Some Recent Photos



Lucas and Nathan play alot with our best friends kids Matt and Shaun. Matt and Shaun are older, so they have a fair bit of influence on Lucas and Nathan. Matt and Shaun are very into airplanes, hence all the airplanes and the aircraft carrier.



This is a picture from dinner last weekend (or maybe the weekend before). I love it anytime I get all three of my guys together.


Here are Lucas and Nathan playing together again. I'm so fortunate that they get along so well.



Me and my buddy. Not sure if it's because he's the youngest or if it's his personality, but this kid is a lot like me. We both love to be out and about...

Till Next Time

Jenn

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Funny Kid Tales

Lucas is working really hard on his reading. At bed time we often do I read a book to him and he reads a book to me. I have to help him sound out some of the longer words but he is doing really good. The other thing that comes along with the readying is the spelling. So I haven't heard the word Mom in a couple of weeks. It's always M-O-M or D-A-D. Today we were on the couch and it was I l-o-v-e you. I l-o-v-e you too. M-o-m

When I read books to Nathan I've started telling him the author. He always repeats it back to me and in a sing song questioning voice. Give that Back Jack by Phil Roxbee Cox. Nathan: Phil Roxbee Cox?

When Nathan hurts himself, he'll tell us by saying: Something hurts. I'll ask him: what. And he'll tell me "his knee" or "his hand" or what ever he thinks it is that hurt. So the other day Mom and I were talking in the morning and Nathan says "something hurts". So I ask him what, and he says "my feelings". It was so cute.

Till Next Time

Jenn

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Jodie...

This weekend I got a phone call from a long lost friend. Jodie and I were best friends in high school. We continued being best friends for a while after that, but our lives moved on different paths and eventually we drifted apart. I haven't really talked to her since I've had kids (my fault, but those babies take up a lot of time and energy), so I was super happy when I got a phone call from her on Friday night saying she was in town and we should get together this weekend. It's a novelty I don't really have by moving out of the city I did most of my growing up in. I don't accidentally run into people I went to high school with at the mall. I can't go to lunch with them and reminisce about people we use to know. Don't get me wrong I'm fine with this, I wasn't crazy about highschool so rather then running into them in the mall I may be running from them. =). But that is why I was so excited about the phone call and our lunch date the next day.

On Saturday I felt a bit like I was going on a first date. Excited but also a bit nervous. Would she like the kids, would we still get along, what would we talk about. But as soon as I saw her face and got a hug from her I knew that deep down we were essentially the same people who were best friends so many years ago. We talked about plans for the future and beefs we had and what our lives were like now. She brought her new boyfriend and he is so stable and kind. You can see how happy they are when they sit together. There is such satisfaction to see friends you've know for a while so happy and in love. Anyway it was a great lunch and I was happy to learn she is thinking about moving out to Alberta, so if I'm lucky there will be many more lunches to come.


Till Next Time

Jenn

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Grammy and Two of My Favorite Bands.

This morning on my way to work I hear that two of my favorite bands of the past year, Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons will be performing together at the Grammys this weekend. I'm already so excited. Check out two of these bands popular songs.





Till Next Time

Jenn

Monday, February 07, 2011

Dreaming

The last couple of weekends for us have been non descriptive. This is the part of winter I don't really like, it's the lack of things to do. Or maybe it's my lack of motivation to do things. I'm' just not crazy about the cold, so a lot of the fun things require going out in the cold. The one going out in the cold thing we've been doing is tobogganing which is just beside the house. It's great because we can come in when we are too cold.

Most of the past couple of weekends I've spent dreaming about other things. My parents and our best friends have been skiing every Sunday. It's making me dream about when my boys are old enough to ski. Skiing is such a fun family activity. I'm hoping our boys will want nothing to do with hockey and will take to skiing. I mean I'll let them do whatever makes them happy, but I'm going to encourage them more towards skiing, as I'm not that interested in going to the rink and watching them. I'd rather be in the mountains skiing with them.

The other thing I've been dreaming about lately is vacations. Darryl and I are going away for our 10 year wedding anniversary this spring and Alexis and I are going away this spring too. So I got some guide books and have let the planning begin. So far I've borrowed the Frommers and the Fodors guidebooks from the library. Darryl and I have our hotel and flight booked through Expedia, so trying to decide what we want to do when we get there. Darryl and I also love good food, so looking into the best restaurants the cities have to offer. Some of my favorite foodie websites are Chowhound and Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor is really good for any kind of trip "advising" . Alexis and I still need to book our hotels. So far my favorite website for that is Booking.com Does anyone else have a really good website for booking hotels? Really this is one of my favorite parts of vacations is all the planning and anticipation. Imaging all the fun things we are going to see and eat.

But next weekend I'm planning to enjoy the moment rather then dreaming about the future

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Contributor

I've started to blog for a local Calgary Blog Kids in Cowtown. It is a great resource for mom's who live in Calgary. Here is my first contribution.

Till Next Time

Jenn

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Monthly Newsletter: 62 and 63 months

Dear Lucas,

Things have been on the up and up with you for the last two weeks. You were sick for a whole week in the middle of January and it seemed to take a couple of weeks for you to get over it. You were very lethargic and had a fever for a week and then for the couple of weeks after that you were very emotional and we were walking on eggshells around you trying to figure out what was wrong. But it seems like you just needed some time to get over it.



The other day you read me a book. I couldn't believe it. We have been working on your reading, but you seemed to get it the last couple of days. We also read you a lot of chapter books, you really enjoy hearing a long more detailed story. You are sounding out words really well, looking at pictures to figure out what the story is and recognizing the same words throughout the book. Reading opens up a whole new world Lucas. I'm glad you have caught on quickly.



Christmas was good to you this year. It was a lego filled Christmas. You and Daddy had a great time putting together so many Lego sets. Often when I see you and Daddy playing together it makes me think of what many of my days will be like. You guys building Lego or playing video games. It's nice that you enjoy so many of the things that he does.



You continue to be a great, very nice kid. We have lots of play dates, you have friends, teachers like you. You are in gymnastics again and although you are the only boy you are loving it. You are also really enjoying crafts. We do quite a few crafts together. Sometimes they are guided and it's step one, step two. But other times it's you being creative and using tape and glue and paper to make your own things.



You are really enjoying playing out in the snow. Dad built you (and the rest of us) a great tobaggan hill. You love love to go out there and play. You and your Dad have had a great month together. You are getting into that amazing fun age where you are great to spend time with. Don't get me wrong you have always been a good kid, but now you are creative, do things yourself and your funny.

You and Nathan still get along quite well. Today was a really good day for the two of you. I think having the balance of being away for part of the day at school and then having the afternoons to play together is good. Sometimes he drives you crazy by his talking and repeating, but most of the time you make each other laugh by making funny words or saying pooh pooh.

We continue to do favorite parts every night and for your Dad and I most days our favorite parts have something to do with the time spent with you. We love you so much Lucas.

love mommy.