Catch it!!

Summer is half over and I'm not ready for it to be done!! We've enjoyed our summer so far and I want more time!! It is so nice to be able to be outside almost everyday. The kids enjoy being outside more, they sleep better. So far we went to Auntie Erin and Uncle Steve's and the boys were so excited to get a personal tour of Uncle Steve's fire hall.

We are also very lucky to have a zoo that is free to the public. It is not huge by any means, but it is lots to be able to spend a day there. Here the girls are looking at the ducks. It has lots of animals, a train ride, a splash park and multiple playgrounds appropriate for various ages. Here is a shot of the girls, I don't get many these days of them together as they are on the move. They won't stay still to get their picture taken together.

And here is our our newest favourite. The boys (and girls) love their new trampoline!! They spend alot of time out there jumping their jumpies away!!

We still haven't taken a big day trip together as a family. We usually do a big zoo or science centre sometime but our weekends seem to fill up so fast. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will make it to one.

15 month check ups and life.

So the girls went for their 15 month check ups yesterday. (3 weeks late, but whose counting) They weighed exactly the same (21.8 lbs.) and she measured them as Paige was a 1/4 inch taller but I don't know about that as they were pretty squirmy. (Rachael at 32 1/4 inches and Paige a quarter inch taller) I'll have to try to measure them here. Man the time goes so fast. Their not babies anymore. They are toddlers now, with opinions!! They have also decided that they do not like to share a lap. They try to push the other off when they are having to share a lap. I try to give them plenty of alone lap time, but it doesn't seem to matter!! Oh well, this too shall pass.

Starting to work with Tyson a little on his letters. He can say the alphabet, but doesn't know his letters by sight yet. I'm not pushing it by any means, just trying ways to make it fun and a game to help a little. He doesn't have as much interest as Blake did when he was this age in art and letters and numbers and such. Learning more about my children everyday and how different they are. Let's celebrate that.

Blake has 3 more days left of SK. Where has the year gone. He seems to be excited to start grade 1. We will see when the time comes. He really doesn't like new things and change. Don't get me wrong he is getting better but it takes him some time getting settled into a new routine. Looking forward to having the summer to spend together!!

What to do with all that art? (again)

Well it looks like I accidentally erased my last post so here goes again. Blake is now 5 so you can imagine all the art we have collected over the years. I don't have the heart to get rid of most of it. So I have come across an idea that I think I am going to try. It was to scan in or take pictures of the art then make a slide show out of it. I think I will try this and take pictures of Blake with some of the art. Kind of a documentation of him as well. I'm going to hopefully try this soon as the end of his school year is coming up and then try to do this yearly after this. I will try to do this for Tyson, Rachael and Paige as well. I'm going to invest in a good slide show software as I also like to do a yearly photo slide show as well for Father's day. We'll see how this all turns out.

On another note Rachael was giving good night kisses out to everyone last night. It was so cute to watch her go back and forth between the boys sticking her little bum out as she leaned in for a kiss. The boys also thought it was so cute and kept calling her back to them.

What have we been doing?

Well it is the end of May already. I need to get better at updating. We have been spending more time outside as weather permits and it is so nice!! It is so much easier this year with the girls than last year, as last year they were not mobile. Here are some pics of recent outside time.
Blake and Tyson in the Cozy Coupe car:

Rachael on the deck playing:
Paige on the deck playing:

Tyson riding his bike:

Blake riding his new bike:

Blake only has 4 more weeks of SK and then summer holidays. I am looking forward to the summer. The boys are both taking and enjoying Sports Mania right now. We'll see what I can get them into for the summer. Hopefully I can get Tyson into a nursery school in the fall and do an activity with the girls. That's it for an update. My goal is to update at least once a week if not more. We'll see when I am back next.

I am a procrastinator!

As the title says it. I will put off tons of stuff. Which also usually means I have clutter everywhere because I put off putting it away. I am trying to get better at this. I am getting more stuff cleaned up but I still am not that great at putting it away in the first place. To my credit, it can be hard to do everything right when I want to when there is also 4 kids to look after. But I can't always use that excuse. Hopefully when they get older it will get a little easier but for now I am content with the fact that I am trying.

Blake has had a funny rash the last couple of days. It seems to be a reaction to something but I can't figure it out. Hopefully it goes away on its own. Rachael figured out how to climb up to the back of the couch today even when I raise to cushion to try to prevent it. What a monkey. Paige was tired today as she took a really long morning nap that I lost rack of time with so she didn't sleep this afternoon. I had to carry her everywhere tonight. I will miss these days when they are gone!!

Mommy Guilt

Who hasn't felt Mommy guilt? I certainly have. Many times over. However I once heard someone say that if you feel Mommy guilt then that means you care and you are doing a good job. I like to think of it this way, but I still feel Mommy guilt. I feel guilty that my 3 other children will never get the same attention that my first got. I feel guilty that I have twins and then will never get the attention of being the only baby at one time. I feel guilty that my older 2 don't get the attention that the girls get because they are twins. I feel guilty when I take some time to myself during the day as taking care of 4 children can be exhausting. All in all I think I am doing a good job. Will the Mommy guilt ever go away? I don't think so but I can live with that.

Updates on the kids are:

• Signed the boys up for Sports Mania at the local YMCA today. See how they like that
• Rachael is getting 2 new teeth, bottom in front and a top molar.
• Paige is getting on new tooth, bottom in front. She still hasn't got one of her top side ones.
• Tyson misses Blake when he goes to school and is bound and bent that he is going to school too!!
• Blake went to the local fire hall with his class on Monday and had a great time.

Plugging away at life

So it has been awhile. We have been going on with life. Braden went back to work last week so that is taking some getting used to . We had him all to ourselves for 4 months so the boys don't like that too much.
We had a blast at Great Wolf Lodge. We will go back for sure. The boys had so much fun and it was so much fun to watch them. Tyson keeps asking when we are going on bacation (what he calls vacation) again.
I am slowly working away at cleaning the house a bit. This task is never ending. I keep telling myself i will get there one day!
The girls are doing well. Into everything. Doing very well at walking now.
TTFN

Another Week

Well another week has gone by. Blake is back at school after sickness and March Break. Tyson some days is lost without him. It is nice when Braden is home as that gives Tyson someone to play with.

The girls are starting the transition to sippy cups and we are getting there. They only have bottles in the morning and night now. It seems forever when you are in the middle of it.

Blake is looking forward to his friend Hunter's birthday on Sunday. They are going bowling.

In one week we will be at Great Wolf Lodge. Looking forward to it.

Vacation Fun

Well as it turns out the flu bug did hit everyone again last week. No fun. It continued until Friday night. But all has been well since then.
It got cold again today after a string of nice days.
Braden cut our big elm tree in the side yard down this week. Very sad about that, it was a huge tree but it had died. We are going to plant some more this summer.
He also went to the Ottawa Sens game on Tuesday night with work. We hung out here, made some muffins, the boys went swimming with Nana and Papa.
Nana's birthday is tomorrow and we are all going down to Erin and Steve's and the girls are going to see Sound of Music.(Me, Nana, Auntie Judy, Erin and Lindsey) Looking forward to that.
Then in 2 weeks we are going to Great Wolf Lodge for 2 nights. That should be a lot of fun. I think all the kids will enjoy it but especially the boys. We will also pick up our new stroller on the way there in T.O.
I shall check back in after the weekend.

The Last Couple of Days

Well, we have been busy the last couple of days. Friday was gorgeous (15 C) so we decided to make our first trip to the zoo this year. The kids had a great time. It was nice to get out of the house and outside with everyone. Saturday, Braden helped a friend move so we hung around the house. Sunday Braden put new brakes on my parents car so again we hung around. Monday we had some freezing rain so Blake's bus was cancelled. We had the girls first year pictures (will put them up when I get them back) so we went to that. It seems the flu bug has hit our house again this year!! Rachael was up last night and Tyson has had it this evening. No fun for anyone!! Hopefully I don't get it again this time and it leaves our house quickly without anyone else getting it!! Don't have much on for tomorrow so we will see what the day holds!!

Ok I think I may have this picture thing figured out. Maybe!! Here is a picture of the boys outside yesterday. Ok may be I don't have it figured out. The picture is not going where I want them to go. I will figure it out sometime. Hopefully sooner rather than later!!

Here is the after picture of the girls with their cake, see this was supposed to be the last picture but it is the first.

And here is the before picture. So cute!!

So today, just another regular day. Blake went to school today. Tyson and the girls hung out with Braden while he kept track of the hockey trades on TV. I headed out to do some running around and get the kids SIN #s so that we can set up their RESP. Blake and Tyson tried chicken breast tonight!! Another step in the right direction!! Yeah for normal family stuff!!

A Summary of the Day

Oh for spring. I can't wait for spring, nice weather, open the windows, clothing on the line, and getting rid of germs!! But it also means that Braden goes back to work and we don't like that part. We have enjoyed an extra long winter with him, going on 3 months now and it has been nice. Just hanging out as a family, him here to help put the kids to bed every night. Today was a good day. We did some fort building and more fort building (they are really into that right now), computer, Wii, and some rowdiness which led to the boys spending some time outside. It was cold but they needed to burn off some energy!! We were also successful at getting Blake and Tyson to try meatballs (no small feat) and they liked them. Here are some pictures from Rachael and Paige's 1st birthday party on Sat. and one from today. Ok as it turns out I need to perfect this adding a picture thing. The pictures will be added soon!!

So it Begins

I am starting this Blog as a personal memory maker. It will be a way to look back and remember these days. My children are still young. These days go by so fast. I want to remember the little things, things they said and little milestones. Hopefully this will be something they want to read when they get older as well. I hope to add a little post at least everyday. Signing off for now.