Peek-A-Boo

Kymberly makes me laugh. She loves to play peek-a-boo. She plays it when you change her diaper, when you put her to bed, with her bib when she is eating, or by herself when she's playing on the floor. Last night I was going through a box of clothes that my sister had given me for the girls, Kymberly was just playing on the floor when I heard her giggling, I looked up and saw that she had her blanket over her face, she was kicking and giggling uncontrollably. It was so cute, I couldn't help but play along. She is just too cute...take a look yourself.

PeekabooKymberly

I have nothing to write...

...I wish I did. I envy those of my fellow bloggers that seem to often have inspirational or thought provoking posts. I've been sitting here wishing that I could come up with something of that sort, because I really feel like writing something. But nothing has come to my mind. So I sit here thinking...wasting time...just sitting...with no real thoughts of any kind...so I guess I'll go to bed. Better luck next time.

Traditions

When I was a kid, one of our summer family traditions was to go camping at Wasa Lake in BC for ten days or so. As a family we loved this area, we would spend countless hours on the beach, creating sand creatures and playing in the water during the day and in the evenings we would go to the amphitheater and watch a presentation about the wildlife or plants or just stuff about the area and then we would sit around the campfire until Mom and Dad made us go to bed. We would spend a day at Fort Steele enjoying the historical street plays and learning about how Fort Steele died because of a decision to send the rail way to Cranbrook instead of through Fort Steele. Now Cranbrook is a live and well and Fort Steele is a tourist attraction that I love. We would often take a day to go to Kimberley and enjoy walking around the Bavarian Village. And often a trip to Fairmont Hotsprings would be included on a cold and rainy (sometimes even snowy) day. We almost always took our bikes and we would ride down to the convenience store and buy candy...and wonder now where I got my money from, because I am sure I sent a lot of money at that convenience store. Sometimes we would have other family join us, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins from the Paxman side of the family. I loved these numerous vacations, I loved the area.
So when we moved back to Lethbridge in 2005, we decided that summer that we were going to start taking real summer vacations and go camping. Our first camping trip was Labour Day weekend, we didn't even have any of our own camping gear so we had to borrow everything from my brother Jace and my sister Chrystal (mom and dad were already camping). Kathryn was 3yrs old and Tansley was 4 months old. We headed up to Kikomen lake, but it was full, and the ranger suggested that we try Norbury lake. So that is where we headed. We loved it. It Looked just like Wasa Lake and was only about 20 minutes away, and just 10 minutes from Fort Steele. We set up camp and enjoyed every moment. We have been back 4 times since and every time we have taken someone else with us. In 2006 we went for the long weekend in August and took my Mother in Law, we had a blast. In 2007 we acquired most of our own camping gear. We made two trips, one on the May long weekend and took Breanne Sheilds (a family friend who was 15yrs at the time), It rained most of the time, but we still had fun. We went again for Labour Day Weekend and took Craig Sellars, a friend from High School, Daniel's Best Man and and adoptive uncle for the girls (he likes to spoil them at Christmas), that trip may have been my favorite, the weather was perfect and we had so much fun with Craig. This year we again took Breanne with us, and we enjoyed perfect weather.

A tour of our campsite

It looks like we have started our own summer family tradition. And although we only spend 4 days camping, we tend to pack in a lot of fun. There will come a day when we will go for longer stretches of time. Many people think I am crazy as it is, taking three little girls camping. But they love it and look forward to it. I love it, Daniel loves it. It's just great fun all around. And although camping presents some interesting adventures, like Tansley peeing all over the floor of the outhouse because she waited to long or Kathryn pooping on the floor of that same outhouse a day later because she's holding the door shut so that Tansley won't come in because she wants her privacy (that particular out house ended up being cleaner than any other in the park), it also presents some advantages, like Kymberly started sleeping through the night while we were away camping....that is the best side effect ever!
We love Norbury Lake, it is generally less crowded and not as big as Wasa, but it is still close enough that we can enjoy the beach at Wasa Lake.  This trip we didn't make it to Fort Steele, it isn't completely up and running until July 1st. Kathryn was some what dissappointed about that, but we told her that we would be coming again later in the summer and we would go then. Instead we went to the underground mining railway in Kimberley. That was kinda cool, you rode on an mining rail train and it took you underground to see what the old Sullivan mine would have looked like. Underground you stopped and a miner that had worked at that mine for 36 years gave you a tour and told you all about what goes on, and then you get back on the train and head out of the mountain and up to the Kimberley Ski resort and see some amazing sites. It was worth it's money. We enjoyed the day in Kimberley although the girls were disappointed that the singing clock was not working, well, we were told it was still working on the hour, but somebody had crazy glued a quarter in the money slot and you couldn't make it sing on demand.

Clock dance2 from last year

I love going to the mountains. I love camping in out big huge tent. I love cooking out side. I love the smell of the food cooking mingled with the smell of the trees.  I love the cool nights, and cozy sleeping bags and blankets. I love  early morning walks with my girls. I love sleeping in and not having to be anywhere in particular. I love the fresh air in the morning and sitting by the fire at night. I love watching my kids play in the dirt and collect pine cones and rocks. I love to watch Kathryn take pictures, I'm sure she'll be a photographer when she grows up, at least make it a hobby like her Grandpa Forsyth. I love watching Tansley be brave and ride on the train, even though she is terrified of trains. I love remembering the things I did as a kid. But most of all I love that I am helping to create those kind of memories for my own kids, that I'm helping to create in them a love for camping like my own. I want my kids to look back at their own childhood and remember our summer family tradition and that we always had fun when we went to Norbury Lake.

Big truck in Sparwood

Daddy with his Girls

Cutey Kymberly

Down in the mine

Kathryn at Lucier Hotsprings

Tansley at Lucier Hotsprings

Kymberly not enjoying the hotsprings

Kathryn and Tansley

Tansley in the cold Norbury Lake

Kathryn tossing rocks...or posing

Oh So Much Fun!!

   Tonight we had a Mother/Daughter Enrichment activity with a Beach Party theme (I am the Enrichment Leader in our ward). Mothers and Daughters of all ages joined in the fun of Hula Hooping and Surfboarding and Hula Dancing and Beachball Volleyball and just hanging out on beach towels. It was so much fun, a riot really. Most likely one of the funnest Enrichment activities I have ever been too. Pictures speak louder than words, so here, you can see for yourself.

Hula Hooping

More Hula Hooping

Hula Dancing...of sorts

Hanging out in the Sun

Surfing

Happy Family

Kathryn that Hula Queen

Tansley playing in the ocean

Watching the Crazy Kids

more Beach Ball Volleyball

Beach Ball Volleyball

and More Beach Ball Volley ball

still more Beach Ball Volleyball

Sun Bathing

Mother's Day Spectacular

My darling daughters spoiled me rotten for Mother's Day. Kathryn has been excited about Mother's Day for two weeks and has been creating and wrapping presents for just as long. I was looking forward to Sunday to see just what kind of things she and Tansley had been creating. Sunday came, and brought with it a sick baby and a sick 3 year old, so the three of us stayed home from church and slept all morning. That was nice for me because I had been up numerous times in the night with one child or the other. When Kathryn and Daddy returned from church. Kathryn couldn't wait to give me all her presents, so I dutifully sat in the chair and was brought fabulous present after fabulous present. Here are pictures of their fabulous creations. Each one of them I will treasure, because I know that they were made with tremendous love and excitement. If I remember correctly, Kathryn's poem goes as follows, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, You are as sweet as blueberries because they are blue too." Kathryn made my key chain burgundy because she knew that it was my favorite colour.

Kathryn's poem and Picture Frame

Key chain made at Kindergarten

Kindergarten Card and Key Chain

Butterfly created at Kindergarten

Kathryn's(left) and Tansley's(right) tissue paper flowers

Inside of card

Card made at primary

Because Krista doesn't think I read her blog :)

1. Do you like blue cheese? I like blue cheese salad dressing on the right salad.

2. Have you ever smoked?  Not a chance

3.
Do you own a gun? Nope, But I used to shoot my dads at gophers and targets when I was a kid, I was a pretty good shot.

4. What flavor Kool Aid is your favorite?  The invisible watermelon kiwi, looks like water, tastes like Kool Aid.

5.
Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? Nope, I've known my doctor to long to be nervous.

6.
What do you think of hot dogs? They taste the best cooked over an open fire.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Muppet Christmas Carol, How the Grinch stole Christmas

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Milk, if I am ambitious I'll make a smoothy...doesn't happen often.

9. Can you do push ups? ummm.... the girly kind, kinda

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I don't have much jewelry, so it would have to be my wedding ring and anniversary set.

11. Favorite hobby? Being creative, whether that is sewing, cross stitching, creating B-day cakes, cooking, crafty thing with my kids, or even working in my gardens and canning delicious foods.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? No. I agree with Krista, that is a weird question.

13. What's your weight? More than I want it to be, by about 30 lbs

14.
Middle name? Kim, simple, plain, normal, nothing to be embarrassed about.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment.

I wonder what time my husband will get home tonight.

I can't wait to open all the little gifts that Kathryn and Tansley have been wrapping for Mother's day all week.

Why can't I lose this stupid baby fat?

16.
Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, Milk, Ginger Ale once in awhile (more often if it is diet)

17. Current worry? Is my baby going to be up all night with a fever again tonight?

18.
Current hate right now? Doing dishes by hand. I WANT A DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

19. Favorite place to be? In my new Beautiful yard.

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Playing a stock market game with Daniel's family.

21.
Where would you like to go? Camping anywhere in the mountains. I love summer time, I can't wait to get into it!

22. Name three people who will complete this? Hmmmm, Jaime, Amy and Krista, but she tagged me first.

23.
Do you own slippers? I do, they are cheap comfy ones, not much to them but the do the job.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Burgundy fading into a brightish pink.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I don't know, never tried them,

26. Can you whistle? Nope, pretty pathetic I know.

27. Favorite color? Burgundy.

28. Would you be a pirate? ummm...I don't think so, I'd likely be sea sick all the time.

29.
What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't. I just stand there and let the water run over me just let things shut down for a while.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Kathryn Love, Tansley Kaye, and Kymberly Lenae

31. Favorite boy's name? Hatch

32. What's in your pocket right now? Nothing

33.
Last thing that made you laugh? We were at the Library and Tansley had to go to the bathroom, when she was all done she grabbed a tissue and said "mom I need to take a sneeze wiper". What a great name for a tissue.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? What ever was on my bed, I didn't care.

35.
Worst injury you've ever had? When I was eight years old, on the day that I was baptized, I got my middle finger smashed in the door. I had to go to the hospital and get a big huge bandage put on my finger. It hurt like crazy, and put a bit of a damper on summer fun for a while.

36. Do you love where you live? I love everything about where I live. My house, my yard, Kathryn's school, the little grocery store that delivers, our ward.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Just 2.

38.
Who is your loudest friend? In University it would have been me, Recently, there is a group of us from my ward that when we get together for girls night out, we are all very loud.

39. How many dogs do you have? None, two cats though.

40.
Does someone have a crush on you? yep, my Sexy Husband

41.
What is your favorite book? Through out grade school it would have been Agatha Christies "Ten Little Indians" (also titled as "And Then There Were None"), oh and of course "The Princess Bride". But more recently I read a book by Diane Nobel called "The Last Story Teller". My favorite books change from time to time these days.

42. What is your favorite candy? I am so with Krista on the Twizzlers issue, it is simply not possible to just eat a few. After reading Krista's entry, I remember that Daniel had bought a bag the other day that we had not yet broke into. I fixed that pretty quickly. But as much as I love Twizzlers, I love chocolate more, rich, creamy chocolate.

43.
Favorite Sports Team?  I was converted to hockey and thus to the Oilers by a man who would not even pick up the phone to talk to me and have his mom tell me that he was busy when he was watching an Oilers Hockey game. I decided then that I would have to have him teach me about hockey so that this relationship of ours could continue in some normal fashion.....I married him three years later and we went to Three Oilers Hockey games on our honey moon, yes I went willingly and enjoyed every minute of it.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Anything that will make my family smile.

I tag, Amy, Jaimi, Heather, Daniel and Denise, and whoever else wants to play along and answer these interesting questions.

Pleasant Surprise

I just went downstairs to read a story to the girls and tuck them into bed, and when I walked into their room, they had picked up all the clothes that had been all over their floor. I hadn't even asked them to do it. There are still a few small toys on the floor, but they did it with out being asked, at least by me, I believe Daddy asked them to tidy up this morning before he left for work. But regardless, I did not have to nag them to get it done and It has completely changed my mood.

Thank you my beautiful children. You brightened my evening.