July 2011

Long time no see.... luckily we have been having a great summer.   My favorite part so far is that in the mornings we get up when we want to not when we "have" too.  I usually wake up before the kids and exercise, then Nathan and the Lucas.  It's another way that Lucas takes after his Dad, they both like to sleep in.  We have also been keeping busy, Kelowna and the zoo and bugs and the pool in our backyard. 

Kelowna was tough this year because Lucas got sick right before we left.  He threw up on the way there, which we are thinking is a combination of the medicine and wondering if he has motion sickness.   He did have fun with his friends there, but often just watched them.   Last week we went to one of my favorite places, the zoo and walked around.  We learned lots about gorillas at the talk they did about them too. We have also been going to the waterpark they have here in our community and the bookstore and the pool.  So far it's been a great summer.

Hope your summer is going well too.

Jenn

Great Music in A Beautiful Setting

A couple of months ago (on my way to Europe in fact) I saw that one of my favorite bands, Great Big Sea were playing a show in Banff.  I emailed Tammy as so as I saw it and asked if we should go.  One of the best parts of it was that we could bring the kids.  It was an outdoor venue and the kids tickets were only 10 dollars.  So Tammy and her family and Darryl and I and the kids all headed up to the mountains yesterday for an awesome day.  Here are some picture highlights from it.



The reason for the concert was the Parks 100 anniversary, so there was the park beaver for the kids to enjoy.

Family One

Family Two

If you have never been to a great big sea concert you may not get it, but Great Big Sea concerts are some of the best, even if you don't know who they are or don't love their music.   When you watch them play and even if you've never heard the music you'll love it.  And they love it, they get the audience involved and so much of their music is so upbeat that you can't help but get up and dance.  And Canadians are so nice and polite that in most concerts there is very little standing or no standing at all.  But when Great Big Sea plays they tell everyone, get up!  Vertical Movement! Dance Around!  At this point Canadians then feel okay to stand up.  "Well the lead singer told me to, so I better" =)    At a GBS concert you can't help but clap and dance.  Even people who are non clappers, or not big GBS fans, they will have sore hands by the end.   If you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend it.    As you can see from our pictures we had a great time dancing around.  Especially Nathan. =)

Till Next Time

Jenn

March Break: Part One

This week Lucas is off from school on March break.  He was a little disapointed by this as he loves going to school and loves learning.  It is amazing what a little sponge that kid is.  The other day we were talking about vowels and how each word has to have at least one vowel.  About an hour later he saw something with my name on it.  He says "Mom I know the vowel in your name.  It's 'e'. "  For the rest of the day we continued to play a game naming which vowel was in a word.  What's the vowel in the word chin? What's the vowel in the word table? (a hard one) etc.  He would get most of them by sounding the word out and know what the vowel is.  The other thing my smartie has started to do a lot of is writing sentences.  Yesterday he drew a picture that said " I love my mom and dadee"  and another one that said " "The tabl is over there"  Really I can't believe how smart that kid is. 

We have been enjoying Lucas being off from school.  Today we all slept in till 8:30!! Even though I still am working we have tried to make my days off lots of fun.  Sunday we all went bowling,which the kids both loved.

Both boys smiling when we were done in their bowling shoes.

Someone was pooped after the zoo

Our next activity was the zoo, which I always love.  And it was  really beautiful day out too.  We went with our best friends. 

The boys looking at the python

Love this photo the boys in the foreground and girafees in the background

The boys watching the prahnas.

The otters!

One of the days I worked the boys went and spent it with their good friends, who are usually in school too.
 
So I think all in all it's been pretty fun for them.  Not sure what's on the agenda today, but there may be a train ride involved. =)

Hope everyone else is enjoying there week.

Jenn

Best of Friends

These four boys are the best of friends. Luckily their parents are really like each other too, but by some stroke of magic they all get along as well.



I feel so lucky to have them all in my life.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Stampeding

I love the Calgary Stampede. I love how the city gets into it. My favorite part is the coke stage. There are free acts there every night. And usually quite good, I've seen Chantal Kreviauk, Trews, Mariana's Trench, Len, Amanda Marshall and last night we saw the Barenaked Ladies there.




The foursome
Ed rocking it out.
The acoustic set.

My favorite part was the encore where Tyler came out an sang alcohol. He impersonated Steve and did a hilarious job at it. All of Steve's funny moves. Man it was great. My other favorite part was hanging out with Tammy and Alexis. I love those ladies, they make me laugh.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Helping Out

This week a friend of ours father died. It was sad, although the dad had lived an awesome life. He had lots of kids and was surronded by lots of love, even in his passing. So our friends and their children had to get from Alberta to Ontario for the funeral. My parents and aunt and I all pulled together to make it happen. I was so proud at how they all stepped up to help out our friends or adopted family. It's so hard to lose someone you love and I was happy we could be there to help them out. Man I have great friends and family.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

The Weekend in Review

Having 3 days off with Darryl was great fun. Friday we woke up early and were at the zoo 10 minutes after it opened and gone 2 hours later. It a fun time and a beautiful day, but by 11:30 it was very busy. It was nice because it's usually just me and the boys, but Darryl got to enjoy it as well.







On Saturday we spent lots of time outside enjoying the nice warm weather and playing with Auntie Lexie.





Sunday was an Easter egg hunt and turkey dinner. For dessert we had a birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday to a baby who was amazed at people singing for him.






Hope you had as much fun as we did!

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Chinese Wedding Adventure

This weekend Darryl and I were invited to his friend, Corin's wedding. Darryl, Corin and his new wife Jessie all play volleyball together. So we were happy to attend their wedding. And I love an adventure. The day started at 11 with a church cermony. It was beautiful and I didn't think I would cry, but I did. I must be getting soft in my old age. Then their was a Chinese tea ceremony (which the non asian guest were not invited to) and then the reception. The reception was a a 12 course meal. I was super excited and had a great "eat till youwant to throw up" dress.

But it wasn't that kind of meal. No chicken balls, no beef and brocolli, no ginger beef. It was all more traditional Chinese food.

The menu

The first meat platter. Ham, beef and some squishy noodles.

This picture at the end was of everyone eating it: Scallops with walnuts and snow peas.
The famous crab balls. See the little "beak" sticking out, that is surrounded by crab seafood and then deep fried.

Chicken Shark Fin Soup. Took us some time to figure this out; was it chicken? shark? A small, scaredy shark?
The abalone (large sea snail) on top of large dense mushrooms and bok choy.
Lobster in a cream sauce (not enough butter)
The whole fish. That they de-headed and deboned at the table.

The rice, the only carbohydrated dish of the meal...

There was no dancing at the wedding (which made me sad, I love the dancing), but there was lots of different games. Here is a picture of one of them. The "non" asian men of the wedding party had to take a bunch of gross things like anchovies and mini crab and move them from a plate into a bowl. The key was they only had 10 seconds and could only use chops sticks.

Jessie in her red dress and Corin.

To have the bride and groom kiss you had to act it out and they would copy you or sing a snow, by yourself or as a group and they would kiss. If i knew them better I would be all over this (note to Alexis for when she gets married), but I don't so I left it. But one of his brothers got up and him and his daugther and wife sang "the more we get together". It was so cute. But Corin and Jessie asked how they were suppose to kiss, they needed something to copy. So the brother picks up his little 2 year old and gives her a big raspberry on the belly. Everyone laughed like crazy waiting for Corin to give Jessie a big raspberry on her belly - which he didn't.

It was a fun adventure.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn