SNOW!?!

Elvis is back!

I think we are the only ones who weren't shocked to FINALLY wake up one morning to snow on the ground.  There was at least 25 cm, too!  The boys ere so excited to get outside that getting them to have breakfast was a challenge.  Kian was afraid it would all melt before he got to go out and play.  It didn't melt, it stayed for 4 days and I did have to shovel the driveway, and 4 others as well.  I felt bad for some of our older neighbours so I shoveled their driveways and walkways as well.  I did open my door the next day to find a thank you note and a bottle of Bailey's so I guess it does come back to you sometimes :).

Julean loved the sled ride this year and Kian got to try out his skis.  He LOVED skiing so I'm sure next year when we tell him that we are going to the really big hills he won't mind.  He wouldn't come in to eat dinner at night, socking wet and tired!

My three boys

First run, needing a little help from dad

Trekking off to a bigger hill.

February Update - actually more like January Update!

Ok I.m just trying to keep up with the kids I really don't know when I will get time to keep up with the blog!  

January flew by and I really can't remember what happened, actually so did February.  I think that is becoming a theme for this blog.  Julean is officially walking, trying to run after his brother.  He thinks he is faster than he is, or maybe I think he should be slower than he is.  That is more likely the case.  He tries to do anything his big brother is doing, as I'm sure all younger children do, including the cheesy grin that Kian used to give when I take the camera out. 

Kian is still loving preschool and has officially stopped saying goodbye to me now when I drop him off.  Teacher Sue gets a really big hello though....  It's hard to get him to leave too.  Some days there are tears.  If only I could leave him there all day....  He is back in gymnastics, during the week this time so we could free up the weekends to spend with dad.  He is in the gym bugs class which means that I have to try to entertain Julean on the sidelines while he watches his brother do all kinds of fun things.  I have noticed that the listening-to-the-teacher skills are really starting to improve.  I just wish that they would improve with me at home!

At the end of January we had a visit from Angela.  It was great to see her and catch up on old times.  We miss the old neighbourhood, at least all the neighbours, although I can't say one bad thing about the neighbours we have now.  We tried to entice her into moving to the west coast by showing her the mountains and the ocean but alas she went home.  Hopefully we will see her again soon :).

Mark and I are doing well.  The weeks seem to fly by and I don't have anything to show for them.  The renovations are slow going.  I got a quote from a drywall guy for some insane amount to just plaster the holes and tape the seams.  Looks like we will be doing that ourselves, too.  At least all the drywall is now up and ready to go when we don't feel so tired....

Some photos to catch up with our lives in the last couple months.

Ang feeding the peacocks

Boys in the Cyprus tree

Having a cuddle with Ang, alright, her phone!

Making stew

For two

Walking at Boxton Green

Picnic on the rocks

A harbour seal waiting for fish scraps from the fishermen who just came in

Having to fight the seagulls for them and losing out to them.

Opa's visit 

Mom and Julean on the "boinger" - that's a teeter-toter with large springs underneath

Julean enjoying the swing with Opa

and some CHOCOLATE that Opa brought....

Kian sweeping the patio

I'm pretty sure this was a bath night....

Julean at gymnastics

My Two Little Fish

The boys LOVE the bath and getting them out is a real challenge some days.  Some photos of the little fish.

Julean's goggles belong to the swimming puppy they were given for Christmas but he has decided that they fit him better.

Christmas 2010

My boys!

In the middle of all our renovations Christmas happened.  We tried to get as much done as we could but the despite that the walls that were partially up were still raw.  Mark had been out of town for a good 2 1/2 weeks at the beginning of December which didn't  help the renovating but we made out pretty good anyway and the kids didn't notice one bit.

The boys had a blast and were completely overwhelmed with all the gifts that they were given.  In particular after auntie Renee came over with all the stuff Santa had left at their place.  We had a wonderful dinner with Bruce and Treana at our place on Christmas eve and with Auntie Renee and Ed and Cheryl and their two kids, Bella and Alex, on Christmas day.  Ed and Cheryl and family were in Victoria for the holidays.  It was great to see them!  Kian informed Mark and I that he would be crying and crying when Bella left, he has such a good time.  It's unfortunate that we couldn't spend more time together.  Both Kian and Julean ended up with the norovirus that was going around here on boxing day and it lasted until new year's day.  It knocked them flat.  All the plans that we had were pushed a side and it was actually a nice quiet holiday, apart from cleaning up vomit and lovely diapers, I mean.

We are now over all of our illnesses and getting back to normal.  My dad was out here briefly on his way out to Kelowna skiing.  We haven't seen him in a year so it was a nice visit.  I think he was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more work going on in the house to help with.  We are only getting back to it now.  Hopefully it will be done by the time he gets back at the end of March.

We are also on the hunt for a new car.  Not a job that I enjoy at all but ours is starting to show its age and require more work then it's worth and, being and east coast car, the rust is starting to creep into more places than we would like to admit.  We will keep you posted on that one.

Some photos from the holidays.  I didn't actually end up taking all that many because the boys were sick.

Julean all dressed up

So happy to get an entire bowl of popcorn to himself!

Decorating the tree

Helping empty the boxes

Renovating, but dressed up!

My chair is back!  It must be Christmas!

Santa brought presents!

A forklift to help with the drywall!

A fireman to put out the fires!

And a doctor to fix all the boo boos!

A builder to help fix the house

And a pirate ship to rob for gold to pay for all the renos!

Music Maestro!

Simon and Kian 

Some good friends

Cuddles with Sozi