flying high

This morning I had one excited little boy jumping on my bed at 6:23 am (a half hour ahead of schedule), fully dressed and ready to go to the airport. Today was Aidan's big day, his trip to Ontario with dad. Aidan has been talking about this trip for months, and today was the day. He was so excited he could barely eat his breakfast! And judging by the pictures below (courtesy of Brent!) I think Aidan got to live out a bit of a dream today.....


...sitting in Captain Dave's seat! Aidan is one lucky fella! Talk about a lucky day!


I don't think that grin of his will be fading anytime soon!

When I chatted with Aidan once they arrived at Grandma & Grandpa Werkman's, this was the first thing that he told me about...was how he got to have his picture taken with the pilot, sit in his seat, and that he bought timbits at the Calgary airport. Priorities!

It's just me and the girls' hanging out at the homestead this week, and we too have a little fun planned for the week while the boys are away! Stay tuned!
Miss you guys!

waterton

Great weather, ice cream cones, nice hikes, 80 km/hour winds, and 39 special rocks. That pretty much sums up our fantastic weekend of camping down in Waterton National Park. I think we celebrated the end of summer in the best possible way by spending it in the mountains with unseasonably warm temperatures and clear skies. We had 2 days of a balmy 30 degrees (not bad for the end of September) followed by a Waterton wind storm, and then a typical Waterton morning that I so cherish of 1 degree. There is nothing like getting up in the morning, putting on hats and mitts and heading outside to take in all of that fresh mountain air. Talk about rejuvenating. We spent the days hiking, biking, playing at the brand new playground, enjoying ice cream, exploring the shoreline of Cameron Lake, having a look around the townsite, throwing rocks and taking in the spectacular scenery.

With Upper Waterton Lake being a rocky shoreline there is definitely no shortage of rocks to be thrown into the frigid waters. It also makes for some fantastic rock hunting, and the kids came home with 39 (yes 39) rocks....special rocks I might add...between the two of them.

Jenna and Bree got in on the action of rock collecting. Bree was absolutely fascinated by the feel of all the rocks and would grab as many as she could fit into her little hands.

All of our little rock collectors.

Dakota was one lucky dog as she took to the icy waters for a swim.

Aidan and Maelle biked as much and as far as their little legs would take them, and this path was their absolute favourite...along the Upper Waterton Lake shoreline with a view of the surrounding mountains.

Waterton Lakes has held a very special place in all of our hearts since our very first visit several years ago. We strive to make a trip down to Waterton every summer and we hope that this tradition will continue for many years to come. Thanks Waterton for delivering a fantastic camping adventure and we'll see you next summer!

hiking

Oh how I love the mountains! I so needed this little escape today to one of our favourite places along the Little Elbow river. We have spent a lot of time here over the year's and today was Bree and Jenna's very first time to visit this spot. I wish we could have spent longer hiking along the river but the wind coming off the surrounding peaks was a tad chilly and made for a bit of a windy trek. Nonetheless, we had a great time.


Bree riding in the backpack carrier for the first time. She quite liked pulling dad's hair and playing with his ears!


Jenna and mom enjoying the mountain views.


My little trekkers on the hunt for that perfect rock to throw in the river.

Someone (Bree) was just a wee bit tired from our little hike.

I have never seen anyone fall asleep in an exersaucer before! Too cute!

take out

"Hi! We're not doin' anythin'....just sittin' here playin'. Yep...nothin' to see here."


"I swear she fell over on her own....honest."


"Let's see how you like it....that's for pullin' my hair earlier!"


"I'm sorry."

Let the records show, that this is their first official spat. And like any good mom, I snapped a few pics then promptly removed them from the situation. Man was that funny!
Oh...in case you're wondering....Jenna was the one that fell victim to Bree's wrath!

a visit

What a busy few days we have had around here! Busy....but exciting! Grandma and Grandpa Werkman arrived on Wednesday morning and were immediately thrown into the craziness of our house...playing trains, building Lincoln Logs, cuddling babies, building puzzles, enjoying many cups of tea and yummy treats, reading stories....phew. That was just on Wednesday! The rest of the time has been spent at the Masters tournament at Spruce Meadows, antiquing in Nanton, Millarville Market and Canmore with Kylie and Lindsay, and many family meals and Sequence games. And would you believe that they still have to go to Vancouver Island and back? Talk about a jam-packed holiday of fun! Anyways....here are a few pics of the recent activities over the past few days.

Bree and Grandpa Werkman having a little chit-chat.


Grandma Werkman and Bree discussing the days events.


Grandpa and Jenna sharing a giggle or two!


Aidan learns how to work the "dutch way" at Spruce Meadows.


Maelle has a go at carrying the milking pails. I am so going to find the kids some wooden shoes. Maelle absolutely loved hers!

The Spruce Meadows Masters tournament wouldn't be complete without indulging in a little ollebollen!

Having some fun with the family photos.

I am sure that I'll have more pics and stories soon, but that should cover it for now!

daydreamin'

Just soaking up those last little bits of warm sunshine before headin' off to bed.


Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

updating

So, I figured that because we moved (and yes we are still unpacking!) I needed to update all of our picture frames and take new family photos for our main "family" wall. Now, I take a lot of pictures...usually daily (ok hourly) and I realized that this little "project" is going to take some time. I have four (yes four) rather large boxes full of frames. Yikes. Talk about a big project!

We usually get family photos professionally done, but this time I figured....hey...I can do this. I'll save a tonne of money and this way I can change up the pics as the kids grow up. Problem solved! So...I thought I would share a few of our new pics with you. I still have plans for others but here's a sneak peak!

No....that's not my garden in the background. I wish it was though! That's our neighbours stunning garden. We need to get a fence up so I am hoping that over the next few years, I can replicate the same thing.

Bree (left) & Jenna (right)

Thank goodness the kids had fun with this "mini-photo shoot"!

I think they're getting used to me chasing them around with the camera! Just part of the day to day around here!

strawberry jam & a horse...of course!

Phew! What a day! I bet you're wondering what on earth we did today that could involve strawberry jam and a horse. Well, let me tell ya. We started off the day with a family outing to Spruce Meadows. Brent biked over with Aidan and Maelle, and I took Bree and Jenna in the truck. We actually live even closer now to this fabulous venue, we could even walk! Anyways, we spent some time at the playground, had a wander through the stables, and sat down under a tree to have a snack and watch a few horses in a nearby practice ring. It was here that Bree and Jenna got to share a special moment with a curious onlooker...

Fascinated. That pretty much sums it up!


After lunch, the kids and I decided that we needed to make jam. This is where the strawberry jam part comes in! I have wanted to make jam for some time now, and today was the day! We needed a recipe that was quick and easy both for the kids and myself, so we resorted to a strawberry freezer jam. This was a great choice as Aidan and Maelle actually did most of the work!


Step One: smash up the berries & add the pectin.


Step Two: assemble the lids



Step Three: fill up the jars and put the lids on.


Step Four: clearly label all of the jars




Step Five: Enjoy jam with fresh just-out-of-the-oven biscuits! Oh how I wish I could have shared this yummy treat with you all! Oh...I guess I should mention that you keep a few jars in the fridge and the rest go into the freezer to be enjoyed in the up and coming winter months. Yes...I said the word winter. It's always at this time of year that I get a little antsy for the cooler months. The onset of fall is one of my most favourite times of the year!



And then finally, to end the day....we all headed outside for a family walk to one of the nearby parks, and they just have enough swings for everyone!

the big day

I did it! I managed to hold it together. I did my best not have tears on Aidan's first day of kindergarten. Despite the big lump in my throat as I waved good-bye and watched him take a seat next to a few of his soon-to-be new friends, I kept my composure. Such an exciting time for Aidan. I was lucky enough to see his new classroom and I tell you it was awesome. I wish I could go to kindergarten! Everything was neatly organized yet still intriguing for all of the curious kids that carefully took a look at their new surroundings. A train table, a sand box full of rice and little toys soon to be discovered, the story time area and it's comfy chair, the art centre just waiting for someone to start painting & drawing, the pint sized table and chairs that would soon be occupied by the new students, and there were even goldfish that sat in the centre of each table capturing the attention of everyone. What a fun place! I could tell immediately that when Aidan looked up at me and was all smiles that he was going to have fun. This was going to be a good year!


A practice run with his new "Lightning Mcqueen" backpack complete with a small lunch sack that is perfect for his snacks.


Our little guy on his first day of kindergarten!

Aidan came home grinning from ear to ear, telling us all about his very first day at kindergarten. One of the activities he did (and I think that this is a fantastic idea) was making a friendship bracelet. The best part was he had to give his bracelet to "a new friend" and he received one in return. Instant friendship. Now...I must tell you that Aidan traded his with a certain young lady and I think the young lad is smitten once again! Even though he can't seem to remember what her name was, he refers to her as "his new friend".



All in all it was a hugely successful day not only for Aidan, but his teary eyed mom who managed to hold it all together!

when did this happen?

Sitting? When on earth did this occur? This means that you are not babies anymore....you are....infants! Sigh.

Oh...and yes...that was me. Surrounding you with as many pillows as I could find, covering all angles just in case you lean to far. Better to be safe.

Yep...now you are so full of giggles due to your newly found perspective on the day. Oh there is so much more to see and do when you can sit up on your own.

And there is even time for a little game of peek-a-boo.

And now we have a little game of "who's who?" for you!
Who is in the pink shirt?

Who is in the orange shirt?

We all love hugs and kisses from big brother Aidan, who is always around to lend a helping hand when one of you tips over.

paddlers in my midst

I think I have found a secret passion in my two oldest kidlets! Kayaking!!! And I am sure that they have never heard me go on and on about how much I love kayaking either;) Yep..I am positive that they found out about this fantastic love-being-out-on-the-water sport all on their own! Really!
We were lucky enough Saturday evening to take to the water and have Aidan and Maelle have a go at their first ever paddle...and....they LOVED it! Looks like a kayak purchase may be in my future sooner than I think!! Yippeee!!! I was also amazed at how much respect that both Aidan and Maelle developed for the water. Would you believe that they sat so very still and did exactly what I asked? If only it were like this on land!
A special thanks to the Thomas' for a fantastic beachside bbq and an afternoon at the beach! Thanks guys!





Oh...a big thanks to Brent too for snapping these pics! He managed to get some shots in while feeding Bree and Jenna at the same time! How's that for multi-tasking!

oh happy day!

"Yes, little Bree....welcome to my world!
I know, I know....the new IKEA catalogue can be quite exciting, but one needs to take their sweet time looking through it's crisp new pages so full of fun and exciting ideas. And then dear Bree...we make the list!"

settling in

Well....here we are! We have been in our new house now for one week and we are LOVING it! It is so nice to be able to breathe and to not be tripping over everyone and everything. Ahhh...the space! The move went really well, just a very long day. Thank goodness auntie Kylie and uncle Lindsay were able to take Aidan and Maelle out for an adventurous afternoon and bring us some yummy dinner! Thanks guys! Now....it's all about unpacking and getting organized. My favourite part! It's weird to have so much more living space (we have practically doubled it from the previous house) but I am sure we will still use every available inch. The kids have been having a blast exploring their new home, and are quite enjoying their own bedrooms. I think they are already making plans for the first sleep over and where it is going to be! Our neighbours are fantastic and we already have plans in the works for a joint fence building party. Now the only problem is they are quite chatty, so I am sure that this fence project won't be a speedy one!

Well I am off to see how many boxes I can unpack before retiring for the day. It seems like when you think you have all of one room unpacked, one more box suddenly appears out of no where. Wierd!

the end of an era

The time has finally come. The time to say goodbye to a house that has been our home for the last 8 years. So many fantastic memories have been made in this home, and although it is sad to leave our very first house, I know that our next home is just waiting to be filled with so many more special moments. As we close the door and turn that key for the final time and say goodbye to one very special house, we also will turn the key and unlock a new house. A new house that is just waiting to be filled. To be filled with the sounds of so many little feet running to and from each room. The smell of freshly baked cookies that so many little (and big) hands had a part in. The festive celebrations and special occasions that happen throughout the year. And perhaps most importantly...a family. A family that cannot wait to embark on a new chapter of life together.
So goodbye sweet house. May the family who will occupy your walls have just as many happy times as we have been lucky enough to have here. And hello to our new house. We look forward to the start of a new era that will unfold into many, many happy memories to come.

water, water, everywhere

It was the biggest water battle of the summer. And when I say big....I mean BIG! Everyone got involved Saturday afternoon as the mercury hit a whopping 32 degrees! Quite warm for us out west folks! But...there was no better way to cool off than to have the ultimate summer water fight. Auntie Ky and Uncle Lindsay showed up armed with their own water guns and they came equipped with about 150 water balloons just waiting to be filled with water. And oh were they filled! I wish that someone could have told me how much it hurts getting hit by one of those babies. Kylie and I both fell victim to an unexpected ambush by this man...


...the master himself was out and he took no mercy.


I think I ended up being the target for everyone this time because I was completely soaked in under 5 minutes. I should also mention that I somehow ended up with the water gun that leaked and had no pressure. How can I get anyone when my gun only could shoot about 3 feet of water?

Maelle contemplating her next move very carefully. She may look cute, but she is sneaky. Oh so sneaky!


Then came the free for all! I think Uncle Lindsay took the brunt here.


Ah yes. Never has there been such a fine water fight. Everyone was soaked but we all ended up in good spirits. A great way to spend a hot afternoon, and then follow it up with an amazing bbq. Here's to fantastic summer livin'!