July 15

What is the best way to have one last bash with good friends before everything changes? Well… if you have kids a trip to the best zoo in the province is definitely a way to go! And, on top of that, allowed us to use up our zoo bucks (a Christmas gift from Kathy and the only way we would have been able to make it to this particular zoo). We even convinced Esther to join us in the fun!

Waiting on the rest of our group

So after we made it into the zoo itself and the Bleau family caught up with us it was time to see the newest attraction at the zoo (and one you would remember from the LAST time I went to this zoo with just Kathy and the girls)… the penguins! This time the line up was short so we went INTO the exhibit where you get us really close to all the penguins they have. It was noisy and splashy and the kids LOVED IT! 

My big kids

Close up and personal

Out from behind the camera… it was not an overly warm day which was PERFECT for zoo visiting.

Don’t forget the peacock who was right at the front entrance… on the way back he was showing off ALL his tail feathers… so we got the best display ever!

Checking out his reflection

Purty

Even with 5 adults it was a bit like herding kittens but we managed quite nicely. With so many little and not so little boys we HAD TO run through the new dinosaur exhibit. So much excitement running here and there with Darryl at the front of the pack egging them on! 

What a group!

Echo with a favourite aunty

Strike a pose

The leader of the pack

That left Sharon, Esther, Echo and myself to bring up the rear. With the aunties more than willing to walk the baby. Note that miss Echo went through MULTIPLE costume changes during our 3 hours at the zoo… for some reason zoo and walking and all that means pee through ALL your clothes!

Miss Esther

After dinosaurs it was time to see more animals. And a variety of those there was to see!!!

Zebra

Emanuel was amazed that there were so many types of animals in the “same box”

Gorilla

Add in a bathroom break in the African exhibit.

VERY necessary

And a play break at the playground…

Birdies at the park and super close

With her god mommy

Baby and the Beasts

We managed to visit my favourite exhibit – the butterfly one. And with less kids in the zoo it was MUCH calmer which meant better pictures of butterflies at rest! I will share more of my favourites in a separate entry. 

A 5 day old moth

So many on one bush!

After the butterflies it was time for Emanuel’s most requested ELEPHANTS!

Emanuel and his super special pose

We took a photo together here our last trip to this zoo together… when Emanuel was less than a year old!!!

Riding the stone elephants

And then after a few wrong turns… the baby tiger was out for show! 

Baby tiger AWWW

With the tigers our crew was done in and it was time to head back home. Of course with a stop off half way to see Karyn, collect passports (yup EARLY) and have lunch at Quiznos. YUM!

We took up 3 tables!

Hungry and tired

Definitely a day to remember. And I have the souvenir penguin to add to all of that! I am so glad that I got the chance to take our kids there and with such good friends too boot!

Siblings of the heart

July 12/13

Back to the Bleau family with boys in tow. So how do we start our time together as a family??? You got it – repeat performance at the splash park! Seriously whoever came up with these deserves a medal. We could LIVE at one! 

Back to the splash park

Cups, boys and daddy and all… lots of splash and run and play and smiles… what a great way to celebrate being together again. 

With Daddy

Mr. Emanuel

With Mommy

Oh and stopping to smell the flowers…

Pretty

Then back to our home base and the chance to hang out with another family we have missed who are up temporarily visiting from California. The Davey family. It is the first time in years that we have all been together… 11 kids in total! Catherine and Trinity were instant buddies. 

Catherine and Trinity

Although at first it was just the Davey 3 and our 5. After all, the Bleau 3 had their program at the swimming pool. 

Some of the kids

The next day it was the Reinsch-Johnsons and the Daveys at the splash park. With the wildfires in other areas of Alberta there was some smoke coverage but nothing too horrible. That did mean the splash park was empty of all but us though. Definitely a nice situation! 

Splish

Splash

Catherine and Trinity

Jeff and Zack

Amanda and Chris

And then Sharon joined us after her lane swim.

Sharon and Echo

Which meant that she and Ken banded together and drug me into the park and soaked me good. All in good fun of course. 

SOAKED

And then for lunch… McDonald’s thanks to Jeff. And for the afternoon/evening… we got to watch the guys fix a kitchen faucet. It really DOES take 3 programmers to do so! From the dismantling, trip to the store and then to the final installation. But what a lovely faucet indeed!

Under the sink

Work in progress

Success

Don’t forget supper around the table… 11 kids at one meal! It was so much fun!!! Our last chance to have all 3 families together for possibly years and years!

BBQing

Full table

And then the evening free of men as they went to Spiderman. The night before as well, just us girls watching movies and hanging out. It was so much fun!

Hanging out

We even had the guys hamming it up for us after their showers and our girls in their first sleepover party!

Emma, Trinity and Catherine

It was so nice to be with old friends. I hope that one day we can do it again. But it will be quite a long time…

Our big boys

July 11

I have some of the best friends and family… seriously! And again, they surprise us! This time with Holly (my sister in law of course) up and planning a mini birthday party for our Echo (August 13). Since we are not going to be local for her actual day she decided this was one birthday that she, James and Jimmie we NOT going to miss out on! 

Just for Echo!

The boys’ comfy bed

The showing off of the fish

Add to the fun Jimmie’s Gammie (Holly’s mom) up from Texas and some presents for all of us and it was AMAZING. But first there was hellos. catching up, hugs, cuddles and play time.

Gammie braiding hair

Then a walk to 7-11 for their special free 7.11 oz slurpee day – JULY 11, 7 11… Of course I had to get a bigger one but still… slurpees for ALL!

Free slurpees?

Of course we want those!

Gotta hold hands on the walk back

Yum!

And THEN it was time for the party fun. CUPCAKES… made by aunty, with purple icing and a candle and singing and everything. Of course we stripped the birthday girl down to her skivvies and she had to have her own cupcake. It was so much fun!!! Thank you Holly SO MUCH! It meant the world to have a birthday party for our baby with you as well!

Happy EARLY birthday Echo!

We received some lovely gifts from our family, and I even got some wonderful hugs from my not so baby brother. 

I got a hug too!

It was hard to say good bye to them once again. We HAD TO get a group shot of course.

Hugs

Cousins

And just like that our family was reunited! What a crowd we are!!! It is just too bad that it was ROASTING out and we couldn’t really go and play in the park with Jimmie. BUT we could stop at Victoria’s on the way home to have dinner with her, Karyn and Lauralee! With the kitties too!

Hello Kitty

We love you

Supper!

And after supper… well the splash park of course! Where else does the Reinsch-Johnson family go to beat the heat??? And with friends it is ALWAYS better…

Splish

Splash

Spray

Fun!

The girls

Though there was a shoe break…

Shoes!

Drying off

And then another good bye before the drive back to Sharon’s and the knowledge that there was still almost half a week to go before the weekend and MORE activity… SERIOUSLY!!

And Magnus the kitty as well!