World's cutest electrician

I mean... electricians. :)

Fall activities

Yesterday was swimming registration day, and today was registration for all the other city's leisure programs. In an unprecedented move, I've registered the kids for.... nothing. For the first time (ever, I think) we have no fall activities planned (so far). I want to put Annika in a full year program of either dance or music, but I haven't registered her for anything yet because she keeps changing her mind as to which she wants to do. Hopefully we're not too late when she finally decides. Other than that, I think starting kindergarten and preschool will be enough for the time being.

Staying cool

Another busy day just trying to stay cool (I don't know how hot it got today, but it's still 30C right now at 8:30pm). We went to a play date this morning and the kids played in the sprinkler and the kiddie pool.  Then when we got home, I set up our kiddie pool for after nap time, and just as I finished, my neighbour invited us to come swim in their pool again!  We ended up swimming in their pool and playing in our kiddie pool afterwards, because Emmett really wanted to play in our pool (it's a little more his speed).

Ready, set...

... jump!!!

It was the perfect day for spending the afternoon at a friend's pool (Annika is at the end on the left, Emmett isn't in the picture - he's not one for jumping yet). 

Married to an electrician...

... who likes to try out new products in our home. Apparently my kitchen is now in the red light district.

Last day

Today at swimming lessons (last one!) Emmett amused himself by taking pictures with my phone. Oh yeah, and Annika passed Salamander!

My little zombies

After being out all morning and all afternoon, the kids were in need of a little "vegging out" time before we went for supper. And I may or may not have played Candy Crush the whole time they were watching tv.... ;)

Day 3...

... of another week of swimming lessons. Annika's loving it, and she's doing really well. Today she swam across the width of the pool (with the noodle), with her face in the water (coming up for air every now and then, of course).

Cooling off

We got out the sprinkler this afternoon, and the kids had a blast. Then, while we were outside, our neighbour invited us to come use their pool (a soft-sided above ground pool - sort of like a giant kiddie pool) while they were out for the afternoon. It was a little deep for Emmett, but perfect for Annika (and so refreshing on this hot day).

A week at the lake

It's been quiet around here because we were at the lake last week.  The kids and I went out with my parents on Wednesday morning, and Carey came up on Friday.  We got home yesterday evening.  It was a good week.  The weather was nice, the kids did lots of playing and swimming, and I got to have a little vacation too (thanks Mom and Dad for looking after all of us "kids").  The last time I went out to the lake with my parents (and without Carey) was 2 years ago, and I came home and said I'm never, ever doing that again.  Well, what a difference a few years make.  This time it went really well - the kids are a little more independent (and out of diapers - hurray!!!), and it worked really well to have Carey come out for the last half, rather than the first half (as we did in the past).  I didn't take a lot of pictures (after a while all those beach/swimming pictures start to look the same), but here are a few.

The three of us in the backseat, with all our gear.  It was a tight fit.

Annika had her first taste of roll kuchen and loved it.  What a good little Menno.  We couldn't get Emmett to try it, which was too bad, because I'm sure he'd love it too.

 Since the cabin is 100 years old, there are lots of relics from past owners.  This time around we dug out some "new" old toys that someone left there, and Emmett was in his glory.

Our annual family canoe ride.

Emmett went tubing (with Carey) for the first time.  He was pretty solemn for the whole ride, but afterwards he said it was a good tube ride.  We couldn't convince Annika to give it a try.  Maybe next year.

Annika and I went kayaking.  So did Carey and Emmett, but I didn't get a picture of it.

On the way home we stopped for ice cream, but the kids were far more interested in this play structure than their cones.  Let me tell you, eating 2 big ice cream cones may sound like a good idea, but it's not.  That was a lot of ice cream ('cuz we couldn't let them go to waste....)

Growing pains

Lately it seems like my hairdresser has been cutting my bangs shorter when I go in for a trim.  It's nice, in that I can go a little longer between trims, but the first 10 days or so after a trim I feel a little... exposed.  I like my bangs when they're just grazing my eyebrows, but of course, they're only like that for about 2-3 weeks before they're too long and in my eyes.  Today at supper Carey was making fun of me, and said that I should have a party and invite my bangs down to meet my eyebrows (and that's not even his joke - I heard it years ago from an old man when I worked at Smitty's and wore capri pants with my uniform.  He told me I should have a party and invite my pants down to meet my shoes). :P

Squish

Snack time in Annika's play tent.

40 years

Tonight we were at my parents' place for supper, celebrating their 40th anniversary. This is them 40 years ago.

And Annika and I had fun trying on my mom's wedding dress (can you believe the high neck and long sleeves in August?!?).

Menchie's finally

Annika has been bugging us to go to Menchie's ever since we decided not to go to the grand opening (and it didn't help any when I went without her), so we finally went as a family this evening. Yum. :)

Beans, beans, the musical fruit...

Okay, admit it - who finished the rhyme in their head??? ;)

Fresh from the garden. Delicious when smothered in cheese. Plenty more where these came from. Too bad the kids both decided (before even taking a bite) that they don't like beans. :(

All in a day's work

Put away 3 loads of laundry, vacuumed upstairs, sorted the toys, took the kids to the park, mowed the lawn... oh yeah, and ran 2.649 miles. Getting close to that 3 mile mark!!

August long weekend

Another long weekend at the lake.  This time we went with some good friends of ours and their kids. The weather was cool, but it only rained once.  The kids didn't mind the cold lake water, but it was too cold for my liking!  Still, we had a good time.

On the way out to the lake we stopped at "cellphone point" - the place where Carey proposed to me, just over 10 years ago (I actually don't know the exact date - just that it was the Sunday before the August long weekend in 2003).

 Story time

And more story time.  Emmett loves that truck book.

 My boys in orange.

Annika likes taking "selfies" already! :P

Another tooth gone!  And Emmett pulled it out again.  This one was also loose, but I didn't think it was quite ready to come out yet.  Carey was joking around with the kids and teasing Annika that Emmett was going to pull it out.  They were all rough-housing a little, and suddenly Emmett had pulled the tooth out!  Annika was quite surprised by that one (and I expect it probably hurt a little more than the first one), but she was quite excited when the tooth fairy came to the lake.

 Me and the kids.  

After reading this blog post, I decided to start taking more pictures of myself with the kids (I'm going to try for at least one a month).  Too often I'm the one behind the camera.

Getting ready for the tooth fairy to come.

He's still got it.

This kid loves watermelon.

Wrap it up

Yesterday I was helping my sis-in-law learn to use a baby wrap, and it made me a little nostalgic for my own babywearing days with Emmett, so here's a little "throwback Thursday".  So sweet and cuddly, to have babe all wrapped up close with you.  I didn't do much babywearing with Annika, but I did quite a bit with Emmett, and we both loved it.  This picture is from when Emmett was about 2 months old, and went on his first airplane ride.  He spend the whole time in the wrap and didn't make a peep.  Another highlight for me from that trip was tying the wrap in the airport - oh, the stares that I got!!  It made me feel like supermom. :)