GROSS!

I just watched Cooper catch and eat a fly. At least it's not buzzing around anymore. Can you tell I am bored today? I've already made dinner and it's not even 3:00 and Brad won't be home until after 7. I don't know what to do to fill these days and no, I haven't gone for a run yet.

Real Age

I had my real age calculated yesterday and it turns out I'm really 24.9 years old. I was thinking that this isn't what I felt like at 25 but then at 25 maybe I was really 22. If this is what 25 feels like, I am not looking forward to 30! Go and check out your real age at www.realage.com . It's free and it'll tell you how to improve yourself!

What a letdown!

Here are some pictures of Joel from today. As you can see he is very proud of the fact that he can stand and he has found a new use for his exersaucer. He also gets very tired and ends up just laying his head on the floor - SO CUTE!! Tonight I got a phone call telling me that I had won a trip. I never win anything so I got a little excited, but didn't quite believe it. I entered a draw at the Night Market this summer for a trip to Florida and the Bahamas - and I won!!! Well, I think everyone that entered maybe won because they still wanted $399 per person right away, over the phone. Well, Brad isn't stupid and told the lady if we couldn't think about it then we weren't interested. Not interested!?!? In going to the Bahamas???? I'm interested!! But I also don't want to get caught up in some time share thing which is what this was. It wasn't like winning on Regis and Kelly. I hope they call me one day. Boy, that phone call almost made that $30 parking ticket we got that night worth it. Anyway, we're all good here. We are almost back to normal health and I will get to see Katie by Friday! Brad is going to the Island for the day tomorrow and Joel and I have nothing planned. Maybe I'll try going for a run again - it'll have been 2 weeks and I need to get back into it if I am going to register for this half marathon in February. Registration is soon and that makes me nervous. Right now it's still relatively easy to go running seeing as the weather is very summer-like, except that it gets dark so early now. I am not looking forward to training in the rain that is destined to come. Okay, I am just rambling on and on. Welcome home Mom. Look forward to talking to you again. 

7 Months!!

Joel is 7 months old today. He also had his first tooth pop through yesterday! Where has my little baby gone? Oh yeah, he never was a little baby, except maybe the first week after he was born. He is lots of fun now to play with. It's amazing how much he understands. His real love though is for our cat, Cooper. He reaches for him and laughs and smiles and tries so hard to get to him. Unfortunately, the only way Cooper returns his love is by the odd swipe, running away and then returning out of curiosity. He's a funny cat. He's the same way with Joel as I am with spiders. I can't stand them but when I see one, I can't stop looking. I am extremely fascinated by something I am so freaked out by. I really hope Cooper learns to love Joel back.

Another girl!

Congratulations to Jen and Aaron on the safe arrival of Katie Elizabeth on September 23. She weighed 7lbs, 110z and all are doing well. I'm so annoyed though that I can't go see them because I am sick! The same thing happened when Isabella was born - WHY??? I really need this cold to disappear! I just feel like it's not normal to get sick this often. Again, I hope you are all doing better than I am.

Go Canucks, Go!!

Poor little guy, has no choice in who he gets to cheer for. Too bad the Canucks have lost all of their exhibition games so far!
Yay, today we are getting new neighbours! The ex-grow-oppers are gone!! The new people are a youngish couple, no kids yet and no plans for a grow-op. We couldn't be happier! I thought that place would never sell. 

Aargh!!

I am sick again. This is really driving me crazy. 4 times in 5 months is a little much. I thought I just woke up with a cold yesterday, but I ended up throwing up all day. And now today I definitely have a cold. All these times I have been sick, Joel has never caught it! Something to be said for breastfeeding! I hope you are all doing better than I am.
By the way, thanks for all the comments about the floor. I think the result may be carpet. I just really want to get the kitchen done first, then worry about the rest.

More painting

On Friday night we completed more painting. The darker green is now done and the place looks soooo much better. No more white patches on the walls!!! Now, the trim and floors. Not that we're painting the floors but we are planning on redoing them, especially the kitchen. I need some opinions from those of you who know our place. Should we do laminate tiles in the kitchen? The one we picked is quite light and it's not like mom's. It has grout lines and the piece of laminate is actually 4 square tiles. Then the living room, we are trying to pick between new carpet or wood laminate. The wood laminate would look really nice as it is the antique colour, but we all know that carpet is much nicer to live in and to have little boys running around on. My concern about carpet is the cat. He already loves to scratch what we have. And then how far do we go with new carpet? Do we have to do all the stairs and the upstairs hallway and what about the bedrooms?? I don't really know what to do. HELP!
p.s. the light green paint does look better now that the other green is next to it! I don't think I hate it anymore.

Renos

Here's a little picture of Joel enjoying the flowers in front of my mom's neighbour's house. He loves flowers (especially picking them - don't tell Lynn) and animals. Both things make him smile and laugh.
So, they are finally working on our place. I am really looking forward to the work being finished. I had a couple guys working on our front deck yesterday afternoon and they had to remove the indoor casings. Not a fan of men being in my house.
Next week things start up. Joel and I will be busy Monday mornings with mom's support group, Wednesday mornings with Moms and Tots and Thursday mornings with women's Bible study. Brad and I have also both gotten involved in the church a little more. He is doing Sunday School and All-Star Kids and I am doing the 3 year old nursery. I had fun last week and look forward to getting to know the kids a bit better. Small groups also begin tonight. I think life is getting busy again!

6 Month Update

Joel had his 6 month check up last week and he was 21lbs, 14 oz and 28 inches long. He's in the 100th percentile. Yes, I know, he's a big boy. And we love him that way! He is still such a happy boy and a great sleeper. No teeth have come through yet but he has been working on them for a while I think. Still no crawling but he can hold himself standing up against the couch and move sideways along it. I'm okay with him not moving around too much. I still need to babyproof!

Here's PG

Hannah and Maren on the firetruck.









Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids.














A very happy Joel!













Open up! Ethan feeding Joel - Yummy! 

FUN!

We had lots of fun when Frances, Chris, Hannah and Josh came for a visit. Here is Joel swinging at the playground for the first time and Josh and Joel together on the teeter-totter. Hannah was on the other end. The third pic is at Science World. We had a busy day there learning about how things work!


 

Summer

Here's some late summer/early September fun in the lake. This picture was taken at Berman Lake last weekend. We are home from our holidays now and are settling back into life. We had a wonderful time with family and as you can see the weather was really nice! It's hard to believe this was the day before school started. I'll post more later - Joel is awake from his nap. 

Busy, busy

Well, we have had a very busy few days. Last weekend we had Chris and Frances, Hannah and Josh staying with us. We had a great time, going shopping, wandering through Science World, making apple sauce. Joel just loves his cousins. Josh can make him laugh by just talking! Yesterday, Joel and I drove back up to PG with them and so now we have a little 2 week holiday up here. Joel was such a little trooper in the van. It probably helped that I was sitting next to him and he could also see Hannah in the very back. It sure is a long trip though! Brad will be joining us for the weekend and then he will be off to Alberta for work, back here for the long weekend and Hannah's birthday and then we'll have to drive home again and get back to reality.
As for the paint colour, we will not be repainting (too much work and it does look better with pictures up and the tape down). It's really not that bad, just brighter than before. I am now looking forward to getting the rest done. I guess that will be happening once we are back. At least all the really high stuff is done. Now it's mostly big walls and along the stairs. Maybe I should stop thinking about it and just enjoy my time away from it! It's nice just getting to relax now for a bit.

Hmm

Well, I think I don't like it. The green we picked is very minty and pretty much exactly what I didn't want. Maybe when it's done and the tape is off and the pictures are back up it'll be okay. I don't know. It kind of makes me sick but the thought of doing it over makes me sick too.

Painting

We are painting again. It feels never ending and yet now that we have done some, it's going quite quickly. We are redoing the light greeen right now and next will be the dark. We're doing almost the same colours so that makes it relatively easy. I am not looking forward to doing the baseboards, railings and fireplace though.

More pics from the farm

Joel and his Uncle Brent. Finally they meet!

 

Celebrating the long weekend at the farm

 

Snapshots

Joel and his cousin Rachel (notice that Joel is sitting unassisted! He fell over right after this pic was taken). Rachel will be 2 in just a few weeks and Joel already outweighs her! They are very cute together!


Cooper in his favourite spot, the highest reachable point in the house, on top of Joel's wardrobe.



My hanging basket that Brad and Joel got me for Mother's Day. I'd say it's doing okay!













Joel, after his bath, wrapped in his towel from Mo, one of my co-workers.

Tired

I think that we are a tired little family right now. Joel is sleeping and I could be. Last night we were at Kits Beach together with Annalise and her friends so we could all see her before she moves far away! Annalise and I have known eachother since kindergarten, that's 22 years! We had a lovely time (and don't worry Nikki, she'll be in PG at the same time Joel and I are there). The weather has gotten so nice again but I can just feel September coming. The air has changed. I love September. I think it's one of my favourite months when the weather is nice.
Tonight we are babysitting our 2 nephews and niece. Now I'll know what my mom went through with 4 kids. We'll have the ages 7, 5, 2 and 6 months. We have plans to walk to the park and then maybe watch a movie if there's time. It'll be a fun evening. Kids are always entertaining. Anyway, they should be here soon so, adios!