June 14-15

Mere days to go until a rather special day… if you can believe it, this year the 16th is not only our anniversary (12th!) but also Father’s Day!

But before that we had to end out the week and welcome in the first half of the weekend. On Friday we worked together with books, plants and Father’s Day learning.

Of course we spent some time outside… I love watching the kids work quietly at the same time.

We have been watching movies at night from Studio Ghibli. I had the kids draw pictures of their favourite movies to date. Gavin and I share the same favourite… Spirited Away. He reproduced the movie box cover!!!

We even snuck in a Wild Kratts!

Woodpecker

And amazingly enough the kids managed a game of Dora themed Candyland without tears and fighting!!!!

Oh and worked with Ken on cleaning up their ant farm… ants have been ordered.

Now for Saturday and… GIRLY TIME!! 

We had Caribou to drink…

And shopping to do, with a diaper change or two to go…

It was a great relaxing time out just Bree, Lily Bean and myself!

Baby in a carrier

April 27-28

What amazing things start with B??? Babies, Birthdays, BBQ… Buddies… ok that last one is stretching a little, but the first 3 definitely… ok no buddies are amazing too!

Saturdays are truly important now that Ken is working 5 days a week and pretty much from in office… and this Saturday was even more special with it being Trinity’s birthday weekend. With her party scheduled for the 11th (family party that is), we decided to do our Novak celebration right away.

But first… the errands! The library for a stash of Mother’s Day related literature… an attempt (note ATTEMPT) to pick up the last skein for the big (time sensitive) project… and a special stop off at the used children’s clothing store (KidsRack) for a birthday dress for Trinity’s party and a chance find of a 1.00 skirt for Echo! Then it was time to head to the Novak’s.

They were actually out helping move bricks at Andy’s work and we beat them there. Such a lovely day to be out in the sun!

Fun in the yard waiting on the Novaks

Of course we HAD TO take advantage! There is a park within walking distance from their house with the path going past a lake so of course we headed over. 9 kids, 4 adults and LOTS of sun! It was warmer than we thought I think!

On the way to the park

I do love a good shadow picture

Fun in the sun

Ken and Anthony

The guys

Darcy wanted to decorate for Trinity and put up some banners and streamers!

Snoopy was supervising

After our walk to the park and back (with minimal injuries) Darcy got a text from a neighbour to come see her daughter’s prom dress… something Trinity and Darcy could NOT resist! While they did that I stuck around with the other 8 and the guys went and got groceries for…. BBQ!

oooh another B… BEAUTIES

Manly work for our first REAL spring weather day… YUM! Then the day just sort of wrote itself from there… Minecraft, playing outside… presents! (handmade backpack from myself and Ken and 6 cupcakes, crochet… patterns HERE and HERE, a horse that drives a CAR from the Novaks that Darcy took Trinity to pick out!).

With her presents

Soon to be a remote car driving pro

Poor Echo and Andrew were the first to crash! Youngest and Oldest!

Out to the world

Here I am!!

Oh and did I mention CUPCAKES??? Trinity helped Ken and I make them in the morning… and then Trinity presided over them at the Novak’s. And then we handed them to the boys to eat OUTSIDE… they were super messy already with playing outside most of the day!

Birthday girl’s choice

Helping Daddy

The ones from the Hello Kitty machine

Birthday girl!

Baba and the done in baby

Sunday was MY day!

Snuck in the polka dot dresses

Ken dropped me off at Bree’s for over half of the day… post lunch and after dinner visit. My weekly Lily and Bree dose! I do so love my time with the girls… and this time we took pictures of the darling Lily in things I have made her!

She was passed out on the couch… I love how her chin in this one reminds me of my cabbage patch doll

With the lovely weather continuing it was time to go out and and about baby in hand. First stop… Caribou where we introduced Lily to co-workers where Bree worked before her current Caribou.

Caribou was started in Minnesota!

Meeting a friend of Mommy

Then it was time to walk and walk and well shop. The street Bree’s old Caribou was on had tons of wonderful little independent stores that were open on Sundays including a YARN store!!!! With a SALE!!!!

Walking with our cold coffee drinks

Just ONE wall in the yarn store!

We also checked out a baby supply store… saw the sights and walked a nice long walk. It was perfect! Then back home to pump, feed and rest up before…

Girl power for our Girly Day

Dinner at Noodles & Company… YUM!

Noms

And back…

Ken’s turn

One last snuggle for the drive

well we certainly did go out and about and my camera got a good workout as well. I am not sure when our next girly day will be though, Ken starts beer league soccer soon! Sundays of course! Hoping I can find another girly day to enjoy in the VERY near future!! Especially while I work on coming up with the next Lily accessory.

Did I hear you right??? There is going to be a LILY OVERFLOW!

April 13-14

Now we are definitely making our April weekends count! This whole Ken working outside the house (mostly but at the very least 5 solid days of work a week) is an adjustment for our family but we are coping well I think! Anyway… another weekend, another 2 days of activity.

Saturday was a rather special day… with Anthony being so ill during his birthday and the week after Darcy took Saturday to plan a surprise party. It was almost derailed by a reaction to his antibiotics. Thankfully Benedryl and the quitting of the meds seemed to start a slow but steady recovery. Anyway, we were part of the master plan.

Pouter’s corner…

After running our errands we went to the local to the Novaks McDonalds for a super special lunch out. We so rarely do this in restaurant and I still can’t get over that with the 1.00 large pops and lower price on nuggets we were able to feed the whole family for just under 14.00.

Lunch

Then it was onto the Novak’s house and time for some careful espionage. Ken was in charge of removing the birthday boy for a few hours, first to Andy’s shop and then some random shopping. Without his usual energy they certainly kept it tame but Ken really enjoyed some one on one time with our god son.

John and Maggie, Andy’s parents came with their grandson Kyle to make dinner… lasagna and spaghetti…

and Darcy and I did the decorations…

Andrew

The basement

Silly String

Snack table

Then the kids all ambushed him at the door with balloons. I think he was a little surprised…

Laying in wait

Surprise!!!

BUT the real surprise was when his friends started trickling in after dinner! He was so shocked. The big kids (Andrew was  gone to a different party) then went to the basement and the rest of us stayed up here.

We had cake of course, all together.

Cake!!

And opened presents…

Presents

But then the rest of us hung out, played, gamed and generally relaxed. After the last of the friends went home we stayed even later to spend some time with Anthony. We honestly did not get home until midnight! It was such a great day!

Such gamers

Our birthday boy (sorry about the glasses… contacts at the end of the month!!)

Sunday was an at home day for the kids… absolutely filled with Minecraft play… the real fun (in my mind) was on my side with my weekly dose of baby! Yup, fun with Lily and Bree!!!

Mommy and Baby

We had our first outing with Bree back behind the wheel to Target… of course I had to take pictures!!

On outing

And then drive through Caribou…

Fancy coffee… I so spoiled

Bree is taking the position of lead bad influence on me since our move … so sinful! We sat, chatted, breast fed (well they did), pumped (again NOT me), and had PIZZA together…

Noms

Oh and took MORE pictures…

Little Dolly

Sleepy baby

And made KEN take a picture when he came to visit… whee.

With Uncle Ken

Babies, Birthdays and all things good this weekend! What a joy! And what a LOT of pictures.. Overflow can be accessed HERE. But for now… 

BABYYYYY

Slightly fuzzy but who doesn’t want to end on a smile?