Summer 2014 part 1

So I have a ton of photos from this summer. We have been busy!

 I believe this was after 2 spray parks and the park. He was tired.

 Ty took swimming lessons and it was a coincidence that he was with his best friend Cali. Ty loved his teacher Angi and it was fun to have him be more confident in the water for summer. 

 Camping at Payne lake with some Parker family members. 

 Eating dinner. 

 Babywearing my silly boy. 

 Yogurt for breakfast. 

 These boys sure love their Dad.

After 2 nights Ty was exhausted and fell asleep outside while we were packing up to go home. 

 My Mom and Bryan agreed to take the boys for one night this summer so Michael and I could have a night away. We camped in Waterton. It was an amazing evening despite some of my expectations being ruined. We got to our overflow campsite with no firepit (I had been so excited for a night around the campfire and no kids to put to bed) and set up our tent. Then we went and ate a delicious meal on the patio at Bayshore Inn. We have never done that but the view was gorgeous, it was an amazing evening, and it was so relaxing to dine without kids. We stayed a long time because we knew we were going to have to go right to bed once we got to our campsite for lack of campfire and lantern. So once we got back to our tent we chatted a bit and fell asleep. I was looking forward to sleeping the most. The idea of our trip was to have some time together and to be able to sleep in. Well it was insanely windy that night and our tent kept locking in on us. So I had tent poles pushed on me all night long. We ended up waking up at 530am (earlier than I would have gotten up with my kids) and headed for Waterton for breakfast. We planned cereal for breakfast but after a terrible night, we thought we deserved a hot meal. After breakfast we went to the visitors centre and picked the hike we wanted to do. We chose to do Lower and Upper Rowe. What a memorable hike for us. It was so fun to spend time with one another, and to see amazing views. 

 At Lower Rowe. We sat on a log and ate some snacks.

 Some beautiful views.

 This was my favorite part of the hike. It's a bad photo, but the wildflowers were incredible. Pink, purple, yellow, white, blue. I've never seen anything like it before. 

 I photographed the photographer.

 It was very windy and cold.

 Look who shared his jacket with his freezing wife. This is where we stopped to eat some lunch. 

 Then Michael and I basically bushwacked ourselves to this view. Man was it worth it. We could see the Lower lake below us.

 At the top. Michael was basically crawling because he was so afraid of the edge. It was hilarious. 

 Jumping in the snow for Ty

 On the hike you could see where an avalanche happened. All the trees were fallen in one area. 

 Look who we saw as we got to the bottom. My step brother Carter and my step Dad Bryan. They were on a hardcore hike. 

 Ty had his pirate costume on the other day and I turned the sprinkler on to water the lawn and he just kept running through.

 Feeding the bunnies at the Corn Maze

 Noah feeding the goats

 Devin and Amber came to visit this summer. We all had so much fun doing day trips with them. It was good to see them since we don't get to very often. They boys loved playing with them. 

 My handsome man with his ponytail. :)

 Going up the slide

 All aboard the cow train. I think I had more fun than the kids. I was laughing my head off at the end. That driver was crazy!!

Noah preferred it when it wasn't moving. 

Noah 16 months

My little boy is already 16 months! Man, he makes us so happy. He is always so happy and a bit of a show off. He likes to dance when he has a room of peoples attention. He loves to follow Ty around the house and they play together all the time. This summer he has loved being buried in the sand at the lake.

I weaned Noah about a week ago! I started by doing no daytime feeds, then I cut out night feedings, and then morning. He did really well and I'm happy I was able to nurse him so long. It was a wonderful experience, and as cheesy and cliche as it sounds, we really were able to bond.

The order of some of his first words has been Mama (yes!!), nana (for banana), da (for Ty. a huge emphasis on the D. He really works hard for some of his words and its hilarious), cheese (while smiling for the camera), night night, pease (please), anen (amen). I forgot how exciting it is when a kid learn to talk. I can't believe we are already at that stage. We have also been working on Noah's animal sounds. We have been really slacking in that department.

-Noah loves to smile for the camera. Unlike his older brother who is mostly not cooperative
-eats cheerios and a banana for breakfast almost every morning
-sleeps through the night but wakes up between 6-7!! (so hard to be up that early for me)
-loves getting his shoes when he knows we are going outside
-loves getting on my computer chair and slamming the keys and clicking the mouse
-hates diaper changes. It's been months of him trying to get away.. if he's not doing that, he trying to grab himself.
-hates getting his teeth brushes
-loves the lake
-loves going on walks. He will walk way further than Ty would at this age. He also loves being in the chariot
-LOVES his soother. He just goes and finds one in his room when he wants one.
-he loves to dance. One day we were on a walk and a car drove by and had music playing loudly, so Noah just merges his walking into dancing. It was the funniest thing.
-isn't interested in my iphone or watching TV like Ty was at his age (yay)
-has the cutest little mole (his first) on his left hip. It's been there a while but I wanted to write it down.

 Being a silly boy. We all got a good laugh out of this photo ^^

Canada Day 2014

Yep, here it is... the annual Canada Day post. The photos are the same as last year, just bigger kids, but Canada Day is full of tradition for us, so it doesn't get changed up very much. This year we started out with the parade as always. Then we popped in at my Uncle Reed's to say a quick hi and then to the Orr's for a lunch with Michaels relatives. We eat good food there and the kids get to play some games. Afterwards we head to Grandma Janices for some MORE food and to enjoy some company from some more of my family. Usually we are so pooped by the end of that we head home and rest the remainder of the day. The kids fell asleep on the way home so into bed they went (4pm) and I went to Henderson for a bit with Cassandra. We enjoyed some dancers and hula hoopers. Then we came back and got Noah while Ty continued to nap until 7pm!! We went back to Henderson and listened to some music and visited a bit... then back home we went and we put Noah and Aiden to bed. Michael and Ty went with Cam to the baseball game, and I stayed home with the babies so Cassandra could go back to watch the fireworks. Don't worry, I didn't miss out... I can see the fireworks at Henderson from my front step so I got a great view. Successful Canada Day I would say. Ty probably had the most fun day he has ever had. He didn't get to bed until 11:30 and we are paying for it now. :)

 Preparing for the parade. Noah sat in his chair the whole time and enjoyed the parade. SO cute.

 Our little family

 Ty was SO excited for the parade. He kept saying "we clap for candy"

 Observing

 Noah enjoying some pure sugar (Pixie Sticks)

 THOSE EYES 

 Enjoying his lunch of chips, and crackers.. 

 The 3 year olds preparing for their race.

 Noah wasn't feeling the greatest that day. 

 Cousins in their matching shirts.

And one last one... Grandpa Smith taught Ty to "water the trees"... Oh boy.