Well, I wanted to get an update in here while I can. I mean, Kelly has me on a strict diet of cooking, laundry, watching the kids, etc. So, the only time I have free is when she is asleep. Okay, maybe I don't do ALL that, but I do my fair share. Well, I do a share.
Anyway, so here are some updates...
Morgan is crawling faster, and learned how to get up stairs now. Wow, that is fun to watch, especially when she falls backwards (don't worry, I catch her). She is walking along the couch now, too, holding onto the couch, of course. She has gotten so active. I am thinking of putting her in a basketball league. Really though, we have to watch her carefully. She is still not the most balanced, so she bumps herself a lot on things. She's a tough one though. Oh, and she got her first two teeth this past week. Yeah!!
Emma had a photo shoot the other day, for her school photos (which Kelly did). They were much cooler and economical than the ones she got done at school. We shunned the school-done ones. I heard Emma was quite good during Kelly's photo shoot with her (due to some intense bribing). We were pleased with a lot of the pictures, here is one below.
Well, the most fun part of the past week was our big huge Yard Sale!! We had a yard sale Saturday at Ralph and Debbie's (my Father and Mother in-laws). It was great of them to let us come there. We had a bunch of stuff out that we were getting rid of, so even if we only made 60-something dollars, it was good. The rest of it went to Value Village. We are going to have one there this Saturday, again. We found a bunch of good stuff in our storage closet that we can put in the sale. So if anyone is in Cole Harbour Saturday morning, come on over. There will be signs all over Colby!! WOOHOO!
Just Another 12:47am Update....zzzzzzzz
We Went to Mexico!!
Well, we finally did it...Emma and I finally went to Mexico!!
Whenever her and I are on our way to the car, and we are waiting for Kelly to get in gear and get out, I ask her if we should just take off to Mexico. Of course, we have never done it. I mean, who in their right mind would leave thier wife and take the kids to Mexico?? Lucky for Emma, I don't have a right mind!!!
So we hit the road for Mexico. Let me tell you, Emma sure is good at driving!! There were times when I couldn't stay awake to drive, so I had to let her take over. WOW!! For a five year old, she stayed on the road for like ten seconds. We had to get towed out of the ditch, of course...a few times.
So when we got to Mex (now that Mexico and I have a strong bond, I like to call it "Mex"). So when we got there, we went to see my great grandma Guadalupe. She's so sweet. She couldn't remember me, and was yelling something that sounded like "policia". Not sure what that meant. She didn't seem to want to catch up on what is going on with her Canadian relatives though. I think she's getting old...senile old. This is a picture of her...
Well, after that I thought I would take Emma to do something fun. So I found a guy who was selling ponies for about twenty dollars canadian, so I bought her one. She always wanted a pony!! Then I got her dressed up in Mexican garb, painted her face to look like a Mexican child, and took her through the city on the pony (which she named Feo). She loved it!!! We had a blast. Here's a picture of her...
So just before we were leaving, I took her for a campout in the woods of Mex. Well, it was great, but then all of the sudden out of nowhere, this guy jumps out and is yelling at us. He kept saying his name, and telling us that he was tired of getting dirt kicked in his face. Anyway, he challenged me to a wrestling match. I told him to meet us in town in an hour. Needless to say, I didn't meet him. We took off back to Canada.
The crazy guy in the woods
Well, it was a fun trip. Emma missed the week of school...but does it really matter, she's in grade Primary?? Anyway, Kelly was shocked when we got back (i forgot to wipe the paint off Emma's face). Kelly thought I adopted a Mexican child. Silly Kelly!!
Bike Wrecks, First Days, and Great Corn
Well, just to recap the past few days....
Tuesday I took my bike to work (I know what you are thinking...he's a manly man, he must mean a motorcycle...well, sorry to dissapoint. It was just a bycle. But it's a mountain bike, and I take it on the tough trails sometimes). Needless to say, I was coming around a corner into the back parking lot at work, and I went down too low for the turn, and SMACK!!!! I ate the pavement. UMMMM. Yummy. Not really. It wasn't too bad though. I got up and looked around (to see if anyone witnessed the catastrophe...everyone does this when they fall or trip, or wipe out...just to see if you have to say to anyone, "I meant to do that").
So anyway, when I got inside I noticed some bad scrapes, and noticed that I couldn't move my left thumb. Yeah, it was sprained. Both hands were a bit sore. Anyway, after getting some sympathy from the girls at work, and having Barry tell me to get training wheels, I cleaned up and went to work. It's nothing though. I am getting better. It helps having hurt thumbs though. I get out of giving massages to Kelly, and giving baths to Morgan. HAHAHAHAH. It won't last long though. We all know it.
So the next big thing this week is the first day of school for Emma and I. As you can see, we didn't want to have Morgan get too upset about Emma going to school, so we distracted her with the basket of unfolded laundry. I mean, that's why we take so long to fold it...for Morgan's sake. She loves playing with it. What can you do? We aren't lazy!!!!
So here are a fewq pictures from the morning of Emma's first day of school...EVER!! What a big day. I was pretty excited. I wondered if she would make the cheerleeding team or not, or if little Billy would ask her to the Prom. You know, the usual worries for the first day of Primary. Kelly was a proud mother, and sad, too. Though, she didn't cry in front of anyone. Way to go Kel!!
Emma was excited...mostly about the new clothes she got to wear...so much like her mother!! I mean, when my brothers and I went to school, the only thing we got was a threat from our Pops that if we didn't uphold the Veinot name and be good students, that we would get shipped to live with our relatives in China. Oh, you didn't know that Veinot is a chinese name? Not many do.
Anyway, so we put on Emma's new backpack, and kicked her out into the real world. We gave her the keys to the car, and let her go. Well, I drove. But it will be nice next year when she is alowed to drive herself to school. She is very excited in this next picture. She looks just grand.
So her class was packed with parents and kids. She later told us that one of the boys in class kept pinching her all day. I think maybe it was this guy in the photo. I've got my eyes on him! Anymore funny stuff, and I'm stealing his lunch money.
So that all went well. It was fun to see her sitting at a desk, having to listen to a teacher. Ah, the power. That's what I am in it for...the enormous amounts of POWER!!! So anyway, it was my first day of my last year of school, and Emma's first day of her first year. Emma and I have always shared crazy ironies like this; she's a girl, while I am a boy; she was born on the same day that I discovered the scientific uses for paprika; and she loves playing with barbies, while I have never owned one...well, I guess that's not true. But I shamefully wish it were.
And last night we had our Ward Corn Boil. It went well (except for the shortage of tube steaks). The corn was fantastic though. Thanks Farmer Clem...you are the best!! Oh, and thanks to everyone who helped clean up, set up, and deal with the hords of children trying to get the candy out of the pinata. The HFX ward is great for helping out at activities. Way to go, troops!! Well, that's all for now. Oh, and I finally watched Steve Boyd's self-proclaimed "Movie of the Summer" for 2005...Fantastic Four. Well Steve...it was entertaining...but I think I am going to have to go with "the Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl" on this one. What a thiriller!!
The Gentle Island part 2....the Island's Revenge
Well, this would be our first trip in a while in which we didn't have a portable DVD player for Emma to watch movies on. Let me tell you...pre-dvd player trips were usually about as pleasent as trying to give yourself a leg amputation. So was I nervous? NOOOO!!!! Well, the only saving grace was that we ended up bringing Katrina Quist with us to the Island. She sat in back with the girls, and not only played barbies with Emma (she plays Barbie like a professional), but she even saved Morgan from choking on a grape Emma put in her mouth. Phew!!!
Best part of the museum was this picture
Morgan bonking heads with me
Sunday we went for a drive to where Ralph and his family grew up. We walked in back to the field the family still owns. Kelly got very nostalgic. She was skipping around pretending she was 6 again. She even forgot to go to the bathroom, and wet her pants. Just kidding. That would be way too nostalgic!! We then headed to some more of Kelly's relatives for a few nights. We had a good time catching up with them.
Kel and the girls at the field of dreams
Then on Monday we had great weather so we went to the amazing "Shining Waters Family Fun Park". I had to go out early to a pawn shop and sell the rights to our next child, in order to pay for entrance to the family fun park. They love families so much there!! They realize how much you have to pay to make your family happy!! hahaha. We had fun there though. Kelly had a huge cold sore that felt so good with the sun beating down on it. Poor Kelly. We all had our turns on the water slides. Kelly and I tired quickly, and just watched Emma in the kiddie pool for a while. We roasted in the sun while we did so. Some people came over and thought we were BBQ of some sort. We were that cooked!!
Emma enjoying the water
Well, the next day we left early to get back home. I mean, there were a lot of small details I left out about the trip...but nobody wants to know about how grumpy I was, and how I was threatening the kids that we would leave if they didn't behave. That's the normal boring stuff, right? Anyway, let's just say in the end the trip was nice. And those potatoes on the side of the road...I have never seen those in Sobeys before. EVER.
My Girls Are Growing Up! Wait!! Does That Mean I Am Growing Up??
So today was a big day for Morgan. No, she take a bath all on her own or anything. But!!!! Well, yesterday she was almost crawling. We knew it would be sometime this week that she would really start crawling. But this morning she was for real realio crawling!!!
This is a blurry picture of her starting to crawl. Now she is going to be a little speed demon. Well, good thing we put up a gate on the stairs the other day!! Wouldn't want to have to take her to the hospital again!! So we are pretty excited about her progress.
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.
