5 kids?

So we have Cam and Kandace's kids staying over while they are away in Calgary dirt biking and shopping etc. They were all pretty good today, and all went to bed well too (I'm knocking on wood!) We even stopped at Rob's store with all 5 of them for a few minutes to get suckers for them all and say hello, then to Gramma Sheila's house for a quick play and back here to play in the yard until Rob got home. The girls are having their campout in the living room and the boys went right to sleep.

I was looking back at old post and sure like reading what Ivy was up to when she was littler. I really should have kept it all up with Ira! Anyway, if I hadn't mentioned it yet, he's about 33" and about 29 pounds (19 months) which is above the 100th percentile! He can imitate (or try anyway) just about any word you try to get him to say, and definitely knows where the roof is vs the floor, legs, feet, lips, teeth, hair, etc. He's starting to work on colors and shapes. He really like BOO (blue) and RIANGO (triangle). He also loves running around the island in the kitchen/living room just as much as Ivy. He may have had a much later start to walking than she did (17 months vs. 9 months) but he's definitely making up for it now!

Ivy is starting to write her name on her own (3 years 4 months) and can draw a stick man if you ask her. Mostly she likes to draw something, then tell me what it looks like (today was a potato and corn on the cob lol). We were also making crafts again today (sewed tulle on to a headband with some ribbon and made bride veils!) I finally finished the strawberry shortcake blanket I had started about 2 years ago and have been sewing/mending all kinds of things since I had the sewing machine out. Hence, we're doing some crafts that involve sewing things lately too. Ivy thinks she should be able to cut all the threads/ribbons, and help me with the pins (we're doing TEAMWORK mommy!)

They are lots of fun, oh and Ivy and I were watching princess videos on youtube and she was just vibrating she was so excited! They were mostly just home videos of people's kids meeting the REAL princesses at Disneyland, and she could hardly contain herself! They are going to have so much fun while we're there, and I'm glad both of the sets of grandparents are going to be able to see them too! What fun!

Anyway, since I have the 5 kids asleep, I should probably head that way too, as one/more will likely be up in the night lol. Wish us luck! Have fun C&K!

September already?

Where has the summer gone? Wow! We have been working a lot I guess, and I've finished up my 4 session of bootcamps (done for a little while now!) and finished up outdoor soccer (had a blast - even with a few minor injuries here and there).

The kids are doing great, Ira is transitioning into a big boy bed (straight from the crib - skipping the toddler bed, only because we got a good deal on a bedroom set for him!) Ivy loves doing crafts lately, anything with coloring, gluesticks, stickers, ribbons, cutting, taping, you name it! Ira tries to color a bit and says A,O,E A,O, A, E while he does it which is pretty cute.



(Thanks Amy for taking this cute picture of Ira with the Snow White hair hehe!)


Just a quick note for a great site on tips for cutting back on 100 calories without even knowing it: SparkPeople Check it out! I am already going most of those things without thinking about it anymore, but there were a few little tips that I learned (i.e. if you're going to splurge, eating a piece of apple pie instead of apple crisp saves about 100 calories!) Little things definitely add up and make it count! If anyone has questions about any little diet/exercise things, make sure to call or message me!!! I haven't been going quite as hard at diet/exercise for the last couple weeks now, but still am dropping a few pounds here and there :)

Anyway, we are looking forward to our 7th anniversary next week, a Pharmasave retreat in September and a Disneyland/Cruise trip with Pat/Danny and mom and dad in October. Lots happening! I may be going up to Lloyd for a visit this week as Rob has to work a few days in a row and we don't have any other plans, so that should be fun.


This is a picture of Ivy at about 20 months (right around Ira's age right now!) I seem to remember her seeming so much older at this point than Ira does. Maybe because she walked so much earlier?? (9 months vs. 17 months? lol!!)

Wow Summer is here!

I can't believe I've not posted in so long now! Facebook is taking up a lot of time and pictures are on there...but for any of you who still maybe check this and not facebook, I thought I'd update you on what's been happening!

Ivy turned 3 in May and has been fully potty trained for about 6 months (it's awesome! one day (after months of potty training mind you!) she just decided that she was a big girl and wasn't going to wear pull ups any more (night or day!) so that's been great. She loves doing letters/words (spells mom, dad, jump, stop, bed, cry etc. for about 8 months already!) and really likes doing crafts...anything with markers, scissors, glue, paper, paint, you name it! She is about 38 inches tall (3'2") and about 31 pounds now.




Ira is just about 18 months and is running around and climbing everything! He's a busy little boy but very well mannered and behaved at the same time. He makes a really cute little frowning face if he's shy or embarrassed. And he still really likes his sleep (12 hours at night and usually a 3-4 hour nap during the day!) That's probably partly why he's still growing so fast...he got to go on the rides at the fair - even though they are supposed to be 2 before they ride...no one even asked how old he was while getting on. He is about 34-35" tall and about 30lbs.



I'm only working 1-2 days per week and Rob is working full time (4-6 days per week lately!) We have bought into the Pharmasave in Redcliff here so he's always busy there. We also had sold our Sunrise Road house in March and moved into our existing house last October (6 months previously!) We are starting some laundry room reno's right now and hopefully the major upstairs/kitchen etc. are going to be starting in September.



We have booked a trip to Disneyland and a 4 day Carnival cruise for the fall. Both my parents and Rob's parents are all coming along too so it should be a fun adventure for all! If only all our passports would show up, it would be a little more reassuring!

Anyway, I'll post a few pictures and hopefully update the site a little more often!

Merry Christmas!

Well, Ivy is now 2&1/2 and talking like she thinks she is 4 or 5 haha! She loves doing her letters and numbers (counting, singing alphabet, doing letters on the fridge, eating alphabits cereal or alphabet noodles lol) You name it! She's saying funny things like 'this is a SPLENDID house', and surprises us with little things every day! She's just getting her last 2 year molars in and it's sure been easier than the earlier ones last year!

Ira is scooting around on his bum like Ivy used to do. He hasn't been very interested in crawling because as soon as he's laying down, he log rolls around hehe. He's saying YAAAAA and Daaaadaaaadaaaa. He's just started to wave to say bye bye now and really likes playing with mom and dad and Ivy (and Kennedy Hart is his favorite to make him giggle lol). He is still growing as big as ever too, he hasn't been weighed in about a month, but I think he's right around 25-26 pounds likely...so he's wearing 24 month old clothes (at 10 months remember!) I think Ivy is only around 30 or 31 at 2&1/2 and I used to think she was big lol (well she was around the 90th percentile for everything for the longest time, and Ira is just off the chart above the 100)

We've been busy playing board games with Cam and Kandace a lot (and a few times with Dave and Tasha, and Jace and Renee). Lately it's been Carcassonne, Puerto Rico, San Juan, The Bean Game, Tigris and Euphrates, anything we can find time for hehe. We've also booked another cruise with Cam and Kandace for in March. This time we're going out of LA and hitting Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas then back to LA on a 7 day cruise with Carnival. It's going to be a lot of fun (and we're again taking games with us!) We're going to do a zip line in Puerto Vallarta that I'm really excited about (but know I'll be absolutely terrified when I first get going!)

Ivy is up at the farm visiting a few days before we go up on Thursday/Friday for Christmas. It's going to be our first year since we're married that we get to go there for Christmas day so we're excited. Ivy is really excited for Christmas this year...she says Santa is getting her a BIG doll house!! She did AWESOME at her children's Christmas concert at our church. If I can get a hold of a video of it, I'll post it...she had to say "M is for Mary, His mother so brave, counting God faithful and mighty to save". She said it loud and into the microphone without even pausing (with a little bribing of a candy bag she was going to get from the church after!) She got lots of applause from the whole church! It was great (I maybe had a little tear in my eye from being so proud of her!)

Anyway, Ira needs feeding again lol. Merry Christmas and Happy New year everyone!

Ira cuts a tooth Nov 2007

Here are Ivy and Ira's Halloween costumes. Ivy is Deedee Doodle, Ira is Rooney Doodle and I'm Bus Driver Bob, all from The Doodlebops (a show on CBC weekdays in the morning lol). Rob had to go to work in the morning and didn't dress up this time.




Ok, so Ira hasn't shown much interest in crawling since the last time I posted that, mostly he just rolls around haha. But, he did cut a tooth this morning (Nov 10, 2007) and hasn't even been fussy. He woke up in the night once for the past 2 or 3 nights, but still slept 12 hours anyway. So, I'm sure it's feeling better now that it's through!

We're all doing well though, been doing a lot on facebook and reconnecting with lots of old friends (and family) that I hadn't talked to in quite some time.

Ivy is up at the Hozack farm over the long weekend so we're hoping to get a little more settled into the new house and get more unpacked while she's gone. She's a great unpacker when she's here...usually dumps the box out and runs off to empty something else lol.

Anyway, Ira is wanting more food...again...he's the best eater I've seen for a kid his age! He's only 9 months old, and now weighs around 25lbs! Ivy is 2&1/2 and weighs 30lbs so not much difference (except that she walks everywhere and I have to lug him around on my side!)

Ira starts to crawl!

So cute! Ira took his first 'crawling step' tonight as he reached and pushed for a ball just out of reach...my little boy is getting so big! He really loves to rock back and forth while sitting (on the floor or the bath!) when I ask him to 'dance' too, or when just the right music comes on. Rob is out at Tiger's hockey tonight with Dave Martin so he didn't get to see Ira move along, we'll have to try tomorrow and have the video out to get it recorded!

I'm heading out to a buffet dinner/comedy show at the Lodge tomorrow night with Leigh and her tech Tracy, Tasha, and Tasha's friends Denise and Linda. It should be a fun girls' night out...it's been awhile for me!

Our duplex selling is pretty much a done deal...just waiting for the money to transfer over etc. but we still haven't sold our own house. I think we're planning to move next week anyway, as it will be lots easier to show the house without having to tidy up everything with 2 little kids in tow!

Anyway, both kids are fast asleep so I'm taking advantage of a little downtime by myself. Have a great weekend and pray the right family comes to check out our house and puts in an offer!

Ira's checkup

We had Ira's check up today (he's 7 months old). He is 20lbs even and 30 inches long (2'8"). That puts him at 75-90th percentile for weight, and off the charts for height...in other words tall and lean :) But otherwise doing really well. I weighed Ivy while I was there and she was exactly 30 lbs.

Also, I just talked to my friend Beverly Gordon who moved out to Ontario with her husband Aaron and she's 10 weeks pregnant so we're really excited for them :) They are coming back to the Hat for a visit around Thanksgiving (right when we get possession of our new house!) so we're really happy about that.

Other than that, we've been busy with having house showings, an open house, selling our Elm Street rental and buying into Rob's pharmacy, nevermind having the 2 kids around! We're also on facebook quite a lot and I think it's a really cool site for reconnecting with people. I met up with my room mate Nikki on there and she came to town this weekend so we got together for a couple to visit which was great :) She is doing well, still living in Edmonton and works as a personal trainer. She's not married (yet :P ) but has been seeing her boyfriend Darwyn for about 7 years I think she said.

My parents are still away on their Alaskan cruise and I bet having a great time. I haven't heard from them since the day they left, but I think I missed their call 2 nights ago when we were at the Martin's place watching Blades of Glory. Anyway, we should get some late supper going here...that's the latest for us :)