Family Home Evening

Yesterday was one of those days where you wonder if you are going to make it through the day. And it wasn't because the Blue Jays' chances of grabbing the Wild Card spot in the Playoffs is growing dimmer and dimmer. Though, that is a concern.

But, toward the end of the day we had our little Family Home Evening. As usual, Emma sang a few made-up church songs. We had a lesson, then did a little bonding activity. We went to the Tattoo Parlour. OH YEAH!!! Well, kinda. We got Emma these packs of rub-on "stamps" (we call them that, instead of Tattoos...I know what you are thinking...but it was me who insists on it, actually).

So it started with Emma putting one on, and she wanted me to have one, too. I didn't want to, but ended up saying yes. Then Kelly was gonig to put one on, so I thought maybe Morgan should have one, too. That way, we are a family united in fake tattoos. We rule!! So here are a few pictures to show off our way, way, way coolness. ps-I love that mine is a Dinosaur. Love it. There were no GI Joes or He-Men in the package. Dinosaurs. I'm doing alright.

Family Gatherings, Photo Shoots, and...Pink Bunnies?

Well, this weekend we travelled down to Digby for a family gathering (my Mom's side). It was nice to get together, especially since food was involved. Oh, and the famil y part was good, too, of course. Emma was excited to get to see her "swing sisters" aka my twin cousins, Sarah and Carrie. This is a picture of her with them and their little sister, Jen. Classic Emma.


It was nice to have all the kids together. This is all but the babies. Emma also loves to play with her cousins, Ethan and Shaylee. It was Shaylee's 3rd B-day on Monday. She is getting so much older. I remember when she couldn't talk. Now she is giving Property Law speeches at Yarmouth Town Hall.

We took the opportunity to take some pictures of Morgan in my Aunt and Uncle's backyard. They have a nice view. It is great that she can sit on her own for these pictures now. I was getting tired of putting on my "grass" costume and laying down holding her. It always seemed to make the lawn look more bumpy than it really is. Plus, I had tons of ants trying to nest in me. Oh, thanks to Kelly for taking a Hornet bite to the leg just to get these cute pictures. She's a real trooper. I think we will have to amputate though. I'll get the knife...

We went down to yarmouth for a couple nights, after Digby. After church we did another photo shoot at my folk's place. They have some good picture spots. Like the barn...the barn I helped build...the barn I poured my life and soul into. Anyway...we got some cutes ones of the girls at the barn. We had to bribe Emma big time to even let us take pictures of her. I think she was anxious to go inside and watch a documetary about George Washington Carver. I mean, who wouldn't? The guy invented Peanut Butter!!! Here's a couple cute pics...

This is a good one of my hand. See it?

I think we are going to send this one to Prime Minister Steven Harper, and ask for some extra child tax benefit...since it costs so much to bribe Emma to take good pictures like this one. I wish she smiled this good for all of them. They look to cute together.

Well, that afternoon, Emma got to play with all the kids again. We were having a relaxing time watching Job and Morgan play, then out of nowhere came this flash of pink. I thought we were in the movie "A Christmas Story". There he was...Ralphie...nope...Ethan in a pink bunny outfit. It was the funniest thing. He was hopping around the house in it. It was a little small...the tail was half way up his back.

The most exciting part of the trip for Emma was that the kids were going to camp out in a ten overnight at Grammie and Grampie's house. Emma's first time sleeping in a tent overnight. It was a four man tent, and held six kids comfortably. Well...a little squishy. I guess some of them were telling scary stories or something, cause the three youngest ones ended up coming inside, and didn't want to sleep in the tent. The older three stayed, and roughed it for the night. Emma didn't get much sleep, I don't think.

We came back to Halifax in a hurry. We were giving Mark Oliver a drive up, too, and he had to be there to meet a shuttle van. So, we tried to make good time. The thunder showeres made it almost impossible to see the road for a while. Lots of people were pulling over. Not me. I was not giving up. I had to keep eating junk food to stay awake (severly tired out on the way back). But I didn't mind. It was a good excuse, anyway. Well, we are home again now. Only one more big trip left this summer. Sad, really. Next stop PEI. NOT PTI.

Lunenburger

Well, yesterday I decided I wanted to take the family on a little road trip. I had the day off, and wanted to hop in the car and go somewhere we haven't been together. I first thought of Mexico...but assumed we wouldn't make it back in time for Emma's soccer game. So, then I thought of the next best thing...everyone's favorite ocean town...Lunenburg!!!!

The girls on a high-seas adventure, in Lunenburg harbour.


So we stopped to get fuel, and I let the girls get some treats at Irving. I usually don't do this, cause junk food gives them too much gas later on. But I figured it's a road trip, and we needed to make it a REAL road trip...tons of junk food. Am I wrong?

Morgan enjoying the fact that she can sit now


So we ended up taking the Mahone Bay exit, and strolled quickly through that town. We went to the Fisheries Museum. Kelly thought it would be a bit boring, but I knew there was no way you could be bored looking at old fishing skiffs, and sailor hats. Plus, when we got there, there was an aquarium with cool fish. We showed Emma the atlantic salmon, and told her that's what we eat sometimes. It looks better cooking on a BBQ then it does in a tank.



Emma liked steering our ocean cruiser (we nearly crashed)

We spent a few hours at the museum, and it turned out to be a fun time. I mean, it doesn't compare to the Fireman's museum in Yarmouth by any means, nor the Baseball Hall of Fame museum in NY. But really, it wasn't a bad time at all. The girls even got trapped in a gigantic lobster trap. Super Pops had to save them, of course. I couldn't let some smelly old fisherman take them home.



It was a nice visit. That town is so historic, it was cool to see all the old houses and styles around. My ancestors from France first landed in Lunenburg on their way to Canada. I tried to find the monument with my family name on it, but I had no clue where it was located. It's interesting to think that my ancestors lived in that town, and were part of its history.

Morgan getting splinters in her little cute bum

After Lunenburg, we took a long way back to the Highway, and travelled to Hubley. We went to hang out with Josh and Julia Blakeney at her parent's home. They have a pool that you can actually swim in, so you can imagine how excited Emma was! So we swam there for a couple hours in the afternoon. Josh and I were doing lots of dives and flips into the deep end. I guess we looked really really cool, cause Emma was trying to copy us. She was trying to do fantastic dives like us. She scared us a few times, jumping too close to the edge. One time Josh and I swung her into the water, and she ended up doing a back slap. OUCH! I blame Josh, it was his idea.

We came home and took Emma to her amazing soccer game. Usually I help coach, but I just sat on the sidelines this week...tired out.

PS-I think the junk food has come back to haunt ME, not the girls. Sorry girls!!

Poor Parenting

Well, yeasterday afternoon while I was getting ready for work, I was watching Morgan while Kelly did some errands. I had her on our bed, watching her as I cleaned up a little. Well, she was playing with a toy on the bed for a while, not moving around. So I took it a little for granted, and turned my back on her a little too long....

I looked back just in time to see her rolling off the end of our bed. WOWZERS!!! Man, it happened fast!! I rushed over to her, and picked her up. She was crying a lot. But we settled her down some, and checked her arms (since she has had an accident with her right arm before). Anyway, it was pretty limp...well, very limp...okay, okay..totally limp. So then we were worried. And she wasn't moving it at all.

So the old debate happened..."should we take her to the hospital, or should we just wait and see?" We did that for a while. I hate doing that. But she stopped crying, and was just not moving her arm. We even had her smiling, the little devil. But I said Kelly should just take her to the free clinic nearby, and see what they say. I went to work (and worried for hours).

Long story short....the free clinic Doc said to take her to the hospital to get checked and have xrays done. She was there for a long time with Morgan, and it ended up that she "kinked" a bone in her upper arm. basically, if she was older (say, emma's age), it may have been a fracture or break...but b/c she is so young, her bones are softer. Anyway, they put a sling on her (hence the pictures below). It's sad but cute. I felt horrible, of course....like the worst parent. But she seems alright. I think she's a bit frustrated about not having both arms available right now. But other than that she seems happy. She's a tough girl. She's got to be tough in this home!!

Simpsons Movie/Goodbye Josh

Yeah, so my buddy/old roomie Josh Gallant is flying to Korea tomorrow, to teach there. So yesterday he and i went to the Dartmouth Crossing theatre and saw the Simpsons Movie. I didn't really know if it would be super funny or not, but i bought some kool-aid, so that i would laugh easier anyway. you know, all the sugar...

So anyway, right from the get-go, the stinkin' movie had me in a fit of laughter...that's right...a fit! yeah, it was just like seeing a Simpsons episode, except longer....and better. of course, as usual nowadays (thanks to having children who wake me up so early after a late night at work) i was drifting to sleep a few times...trying desperatly to stay awake so i didn't miss the fantasticness. i swear...i never fell asleep during movies at 12 in the afternoon before i had kids.




so, to any true simpsons fan, i say SEE THIS MOVIE. it fell in love with the simpsons all over again. kinda like how i fell in love with kelly, then she dumped me, and a couple years later we got back together and fell in love all over again. but this time is was for keeps...just like my love of the simpsons (for which kelly does not approve).

So we recently had a visit from Greg and Jocelyne. They even brought Job with them (I guess he still can't stay at home by himself yet). They were on their way to PEI...the Island of dreams...and stopped in overnight to visit. Kelly and I decided that we would let them stay in our storage closet. Job, of course, we let sleep in the sink again. He loves sleeping there. Just kidding. They actually got to take over Emma's room, since she was at a sleepover at Grandma and Grandad's.

When Emma came home the next day, she was very excited to see her cousin Jobey. They had fun playing together, as you can see.


Job has been getting so big, and doing all the things that we are anticipating Morgan doing in a few months...like sitting up good, eating more cereal, changing his own diaper, and even singing show tunes. Well, maybe not the latter two. But he even did a bit of a crawl while he was here. We were all so excited. It's funny...I mean, I can jump, run, and do cartwheels...but it's not cute. But when an 8 month old crawls, it's amazing. Not fair...I deserve more praise!!!




Morgan played a bit with Job, and they had to be watched, since they both were discovering the other. Job was trying to pat Morgan's head like a drum, and she was trying to pull his face. So cute, so cute. I think Morgan liked playing with him. Pretty sure they will be partying together for years to come.

Emma is growing up so fast. We watched a little video clip (taken with a digicam) on our computer. It was from Christmas 2005 (wehen Kel and I were just dating...I gave her the camera for Christmas...she gave me a frying pan-which I love). Anyway, she seemed so young, and couldn`t talk as well, but her personality was there all the way. She sung `Jingle Bells`, but did the words her own way, in her typical fashion. She sang `Jingle Bells, Jingle all the Klenex.` Anyway, she is so much bigger now, and I think this picture really makes her look like an older kid.

Well, it was a nice visit. Greg and Joce are going to be back on Sunday, as they pass back down to Yarmouth again. Wish they lived up here. Wish I was a little bit taller...wish I was a baller. Ah, nevermind.

Barfing Baby

Yeah, so this morning...not only did Morgan wake up at 5am, and not go back to sleep, but appearently she drank too much milk from mommy. I am laying there in bed, wishing i could get back to sleep, and thinking about how the Ward Picnic would go (mmmm, the six foot subway sandwiches were yummy)...and i hear "uh oh".

So of course, I ask "What happened?" Well, Kelly said Morgan threw up, and asked me to hold her while she got something to wipe up with. So i am holding Morgan (who I love, and realize is just a baby, and doesn't know any better) up in front of me when she goes for round two of puke-a-mania. YUCK!! She threw up right in front of me, and on my chest and on our comforter. I was it all come out, even through the little girl's nose. Poor thing. But she was happy as a lark afterwards (which kills me). Anyway, I thought she just got the comforter (there was a pool of white puke in front of me on the blanket, which was sick!), but when i got to the bathroom, I noticed it soaked me all the way through my shirts.

Bottom line.......THANKS for the puke, Morgan, and good morning to you, too.