All good thing must come to an end.

We had Shane, Kaddi, Jake, Meg and Luke here.  It was wonderful to spend 2 fun filled weeks with them.  We tried to jam pack as much fun in as possible before they left for their new home in Nebraska.

We paid a visit to the climbing wall.

Explored the beauty of Red Rock Canyon

A personal favorite of mine... using Shane as target practice.

(Anne here is your belly picture... HUGE)

Riding the Quads. 

The kids all made tye dyed shirts, which they all loved and they all look so cute.

The guys got lots of work done on the Tree House.  Starting to look Great!

One of my Favorite Quotes

"Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" 

-Margorie Hinckley

I've thought about this quote lots since I first read it.  It created a shift in my thinking.  When I thought I'd been snubbed by someone, or someone had said something a tad unkind or failed to notice me and wave;  instead of thinking what a nasty person they are, I think maybe they are having a bad day or a secret struggle I know nothing about. A change in perspective is a beautiful thing.

No baby yet

I know it's sad.  I thought he would have made an appearance by now, but no such luck.  On the upside, Shane and Kaddi and their family are here, so we've been able to do lots of fun things with them.  I just hope the baby counter doesn't start moving into the pluses!

Court Family Gathering

A couple of week-ends ago all the Courts gathered down at Writing-on-Stone.  It is a  fabulous place to bring families together and create memories. 

The kids love to climb and explore the Hoodoos. 

I think this is right after his dad dumped him in the river.

It was a perfect day to take a leisurely tube ride down the river.

Play in the sand and build all sorts of wonderful creations.

Thanks so much to Cam and Amy for organizing this great week-end!!!

Birds of Prey

 A while back we took a trip to the Bird of Prey Center in Coaldale.  Funny how I lived in Coaldale for all of my growing up years, but never went.  The center was on our list of activities to do this summer and the boys have been asking for a while now.  It was great.  The boys petted the birds, feed the geese and watched a flying lesson with a falcon.  The staff there are wonderful, if you have a chance go!

1. Jarom Loves to comb his hair in all sorts of different styles.  Most days it looks worse then before he brushed it, but since he was always pleased with his hair style and himself; I sum up all my self control and resisted the urge to brush his hair back into place or at the very least ruffle his do up with my fingers.

Lately I've noticed that the front of his hair was looking particularly strange - big gap in the front with long hairs falling on the side of his forehead.  At first I thought it was just the way he was styling it, then I realized in an effort to get his hair to go the way he wanted it, he had cut the front of his cowlick off. 

There was no other solution but to shave his head.  He loves the new style!

2.  Recently I checked a book out of the library where someone had gone through and edited all the grammar.  Totally weird.

3.  I've just finished reading The Postmistress - I would recommend it, although not to everyone, some shady parts.

4. My cousins from far, far away came to visit last week and it was delightful to see them. 

5. My mom and I, with the assistance of Nolan, did up 7 batches of strawberry jam.  It looks like tons, but since it is the family favorite we will see how much is leftover come next spring.  I love canning as I think nothing looks prettier than row after row of jars of preserves.

6.  Spencer and my dad tried to climb MT Cleveland this week-end.  Dad wanted to do it for his birthday.  It didn't go so well.  After 4 hours of bushwhacking they turned back and headed in another direction.  We've decided Mt. Cleveland is my dad's nemesis; this was his 3rd attempt.  Nolan was secretly ecstatic as we wants to be there when they finally reach the summit.  We told him he couldn't climb Mt. Cleveland until the summer he graduates high school.

Our Life

1.  Yesterday I felt was the perfect day. It was hot hot, so we invited some of the kids buddies and headed out to my parents to enjoy the coolness of the pool.  As I sat there watching my youngins play in the sand and listening to their shrieks of laughter escape the sides of the pool, I was so thankful for this time I get to spend with them making memories and watching them grow right before my very eyes.

2. Spencer has been gone to scout camp the last few days and we are all excited for him to come home.

3. I just baked a batch of bran muffins and forgot to add the baking soda and salt.  I shouldn't bake when I'm tired.

3.  Today Nolan participated in 3x3 basketball at the Southern Alberta Summer Games.  They played 6 games in all and remained undefeated.  The championship game was closer then I would have liked and poor Nolan was forced to endure his overly competitive mother sweetly yelling suggestions from the side lines.  Not to worry folks, he just started to ignore me after awhile. 

Just the way we like him!  Sweaty and worn out from a great day of basketball!

July Long

With school being done, it's our favorite time of the time year.  It's Freedom!  We stay up late, we sleep in, we eat when we're hungry and we escape to the mountains! 

We all needed a bit of a get away and even though my get away was more geared to shopping in the U.S. of A, the men in the family had a bit of a different plan and directed our mini vacation to the mountains.  Spencer loves the mountains and so do our kids. 

The men of the family headed down a day before me and my mom and did a hike to Iceberg Lake.  I was very nervous about Jarom and the distance, but I was assured he would be feed and watered properly and he hiked the trails like a champ.

The guys also hiked up to Apikuni Falls; very big and beautiful.  I was very sorry to miss out on this little hike. Waterfalls are amongst my favorite things.

The boys also did some fishing.  Nolan is big into fishing, although he won't touch the fish or take them off the hook.  He caught the most fish and the biggest fish.  Jarom caught his first fish ever on this trip.

This kid is so cute, I had to share this one. 

If you're wondering where me and my mom are, we are relaxing in the trailer.  My tummy is big, huge in fact and since the border crossing guard scared me into believing if I had my baby in the States they would keep my baby there and send me home to Canada, I was worried and tried to be very low key. 

Schools Out For Summer...

and we couldn't be happier!

 

Although the last day of school was a bit more emotional than I had anticipated.  Nolan was somber to be leaving this amazing teacher and school behind. He's moving on to Jr. High next year.  Yikes!

 

Both boys had incredible teachers this year, they learned lots! So lucky.

 

 

We have big plans for this summer, a little low key compared to previous summers, but still we hope to have lots of fun... will share more of our plans later.

Goings On

This amazing man celebrated another birthday.  He was surrounded by those who love him most and think he is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Spence took the day off work so he could be part of Nolan's grade 5 field trip.  Nolan was super excited to have his dad with him.  They travel to Calgary and took in the sights of Heritage Park, then headed over to a deluxe swimming compound to cool down.

Jarom had his sports day and loved every minute of it.

Today I am wishing that kids came with a magic button that turned their grumpy, cranky and just plain miserable mood into cheerfulness.

Yesterday I told Spencer he looked Hot in the outfit he was wearing.  Jarom overheard me and said he was going to tell his teacher she looked hot.

Another Season Come and Gone

This cute kid finished another successful season of coach pitch.  For all his wild ways, he really has such a fun personality, which I think this picture captures.  He is proud of his trophy and excited to play again next spring.

This is for Patrice

Patrice apparently loves my posts that really contain a bunch of nothingness, so in honor of her up coming birthday, I thought I would dig deep this quiet Sunday afternoon and share some more thoughts.

1.  The end of the school year is quickly descending upon us; my calendar is filled with end of the year fun activities that the schools are trying to cram in before releasing my angelic children for 2 months of total and complete freedom.

2.  My kids don't know it yet, but their summers are far from free.  Every Summer I make them do homework (don't want their brains going to mush) and house/yard work, yet they still always act surprised when I hand out the daily chore assignments and homework.  There is moaning and groaning and weeping and wailing and thrashing about all over the floor.  Lucky for them and me, I have super mom powers that make me immune to such behavior and in the sweetest voice you can I imagine I lovely encourage them to hurry up and get it done, so we can go and do fun things for the rest of the day.

3.  This has been true for previous years, but my growing belly and raging hormones are turning me into a completely different person and I am worried that my kids and all their whining will win out.

4.  I have a plan that I am hoping will help out.  A wise lady in our RS shared a program she did with her kids when they were little and I am planning to use an adapted version of it with my kids this summer.  When I get it all done, I'll share it with you.

5.  Speaking of the end of school, one of my favorite memories is the summer I finished grade 4.  The last day of school, Shane and I came home and my mom had rented West Side Story and Gone with the Wind.  We spend the rest of the day lounging on big over stuffed pillows, eating treats and watching the movies. Shane endured  238 minutes watching Gone with the Wind just to hear, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn". 

6. I love thunderstorms.  Thunderstorms are actually something I've missed since we move back to Alberta.  Winnipeg could always be counted on for some great storms.  I love the pounding of the rain, the flashing of lightening lighting up the sky and the crash of thunder.

7.  Robert Munch came to Lethbridge a few weeks ago.  It was fun to go and watch him tell his stories.  Jarom was way excited and enjoyed the show a ton, as did Nolan, even though he tried to pretend he was ultra cool and way to old to attend such a show.

After the show Robert Munch was signing books for the kids and since I am a mom that is so on top of things, we had to go and purchase a book, then wait in line, where we were 2nd from last, to get an autograph.  I tried many times to persuade Jarom into getting the heck out of Dodge, but he wouldn't hear of it and so we stood in line forever and now Jarom proudly possesses a autographed copy of Smelly Socks!

8. I've been working on this post for awhile now, I never seem to have enough time to finish it.

9.  So Patrice's birthday has come and gone as has Patrice.  It was great to see her and be entertained by her never ending wit!

10. I made this recipe Honey Chicken Salad for supper last week and we all loved it.  The pickiest little eater in the house even requested it again.  Score

First Trip to Waterton this Season

Sunday, the skies once again opened up and released tiny droplet of water, adding to the already saturated grass.  We'd been hiding in the house far too long and the troops were getting restless.  Spencer and I packed the van for all kinds of weather, herded the kids in and headed for the mountains.  We made a quick stop to pick up my dad and continued on our way. 

We all love the mountains and being amongst the vastness of the peaks; even the rain couldn't stop our spirits from being rejuvenated.  We deeply inhaled the glorious freshness of the cool mountain air. 

After a very wet and somewhat treacherous drive to Cameron Lake (Spencer likes looking at the mountains more than the road) we headed to the Big Scoop for a treat.  Don't worry, we would never think of buying something on Sunday - all the workers thought we were the most adorable family they had ever seen and gave us our ice-cream for free!  Can you Believe it?