Play time with Devyn

On Wednesday we spent a morning with Devyn and Kara on Devyn's new play set. The kids had a great time together.

Happy Anniversary

July 14th was our eight year wedding anniversary.

Us 8 years ago...or as we were saying last night 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 houses and 5 cars ago. There were only two...



Now we are five. I still can't believe we are a family of FIVE....who would have thought????






We were married at the Nottawasga Inn, so every year we go back there. The garden we were married in.




Riley and Simon pretending that they were getting married.





Looking forward to many, many more adventures together as a family of five.

Soooo close...

to being able to sit up. Cooper just needs to get his balance a little better.

Phelpston, Toronto, Stevensville, Fort Erie, Welland, Toronto, Cottage and back home

We went on tour this past weekend....after Liv's birthday party in Stevensville the kids and I went to Fort Erie to visit my grandparents. From there we went to Welland to have dinner with my mom and then back to Toronto to the hotel to meet back up with Jason. We spent Saturday night at the hotel and then on Sunday morning we came home to switch over our bags to head to the cottage.

When we arrived on Sunday evening the backyard was a field of daisies. Riley got straight to work picking bouqets for the table.


Monday was a full day of cottage fun. Simon was ready to try out his new fishing pole and tackle box.



Riley was more interested in holding the "cute little worms"


Daddy "broke our hearts, he cut the beautiful flowers."



We found toads. Nothing like a girl who will wear nothing but dresses but picks up and carries around worms and toads.





About two minutes after this next picture was taken Simon finally felt brave enough to try to touch the toad. He reached down and quickly touched it then started to jump up and down singing "he likes me, he likes me.' In his excitement he jumped on the toad. I will spare you details but it was not pretty. Daddy came to resuce the "toad with a big white boo boo coming from his mouth" and put him back in the grass "with his family." R.I.P. little toad.


We went fishing...another tramatic experience for Jason and Riley. Jason has not fished since he was a kid is not crazy about hooking the worms or the fish and I'm sure it wasn't any easier for him with Riley yelling "why are you putting holes in the worm?" and "would you like it if you got holes in you?"


But....he did it! They fished and each caught a fish. I'm not sure who was more proud, the kids or Jason.





And we fed a duck family.



We had a great day at the cottage and we are looking forward to heading back on the weekend.

Haapy 4th Birthday Alivia

On Saturday the kids and left the hotel in Toronto to go to Stevensville for our friend Alivia's birthday party. We all had a great time celebrating her royal birthday as princesses and kings.

There was face painting.


Pony rides on Cricket.



And a royal dance class.





Thank you for including us in your special day Liv.

We ask that everyone thinks of and prays for Liv this Friday, she is having surgery on her tumor. Liv recently completed 16 days of radiation that followed her 6 months of chemo. Sadly, the radiation did not change her tumor at all which makes this surgery very dangerous. We are thinking of you every moment. We love you to death. We can not wait until we are able to go on our girls weekends together again.

"Mommy take our picture"

As Usual....

Riley and Simon are right at home in the water.

Cooper's first swim

On Friday evening I took Cooper into a pool for the first time. I wasn't at all surprised when he loved every minute of it.

The three fish ready to go for a swim.



Coop chilling out on the lounger while I get Riley and Simon set up.



All that swimming sure is exhausting.

Parents Night and Bus Trips

On Thursday evening we went to parents night at Riley's summer camp. Riley and her little camp friends performed a song on stage for all the parents. The photo is smoky because they had dry ice that filled the church.




Friday was her last day at that camp and my baby girl went on a field trip...without me...on a bus...without me. Riley with her camp friends and camp leaders.

Let's rub each others backs for 20 seconds

Right now I am sitting in the dark at the Holiday Inn in Toronto. Riley and Simon are in the bed beside me whispering to each other. Riley asks Simon to rub her back for 20 seconds. He obliges. Priceless.

Happy 3rd Birthday Si Guy!

Wednesday was Simon's 3rd birthday. I know how cliche this is but....I really can not believe that he is three years old already. Time really does fly.

Simon requested an "under the sea" party for his birthday. I thought it was a great idea and it would be really easy to find decorations and such for the party...wrong again. Our local party store had nothing under the sea. I usually am quite organized with these things so I should have plenty of time to order off the internet...well not this time. It has been party central at our house so I was taking it one party at a time. This did not leave me enough time to order anything on-line. Time to get creative.

The loot pails.



The cupcakes.



The food included boiled octupus, ocean water, turtle eggs and sea plants.



It was so yummy Simon and his "goodmother" Nancy dipped in early.

The water games - water ballons, water squitters and the giant waterslide.






Time for dinner.





Pinata time....I personally do not understand this whole pinata thing...you buy and beautiful dolphin and then bash it to death with a stick??????





The candles.



I think they liked the cupcakes.





The gifts. Simon opened each gift then walked around the circle showing everyone just like he was doing show and share at school.





And the best part, spending time together.