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Friday, 10 June 2011

June 5, 2011: Matt & Megan

Jon, Ben, Jacob and I headed out this past Sunday to our old church in Coquitlam, Blue Mountain, to hang out with our second church family and spend some QT with Matt & Megan! As much as we love Jericho Ridge, we really grew connected to the people at Blue Mountain and love going back to visit. They are such amazingly welcoming and down to earth people and our hearts are still very much with the youth there that we used to work with and went to New Orleans with. Matt & Megan went on that trip with us and, along with so many of the other awesome youth (who are now young adults) at Blue Mountain, we consider them great friends.

The day started out fairly well, except for the fact that we were late as usual, when I dropped Ben off at the Sunday school, fully thinking that he wouldn't stay without me, and he did! Megan's mom and Cheryl Waine were teaching the class and they got Ben involved with some cool crafts/puzzles so that I could escape and it was a success!

Being that it was Grad Sunday we were treated to a yummy hot dog lunch after church and then we headed over to Blue Mountain Park with Matt & Megan for some playground time with Ben and just general relaxing in the shade with Jacob!



Ever since Ben was little he's had a special connection with Matt so we often joke that Matt needs to stay away from Jacob so Matt can have Ben and Jacob can be Megan's!



Matt & Ben goofing around...typical :)



More of Matt & Ben.....4th cousins, I think ;)

Loaning Ben out to fun 'Aunty Megan and Uncle Matt!' for a quick pic :)



I couldn't resist :)

It seems that the best way to get Ben to want to be in a photo is to say I"m going to take a picture of Jacob and then he's all over it..... I also love how Jacob could just sleep in the middle of the craziness. Seriously a blessing of a baby :)

Me & my boys - thanks Megan for taking these pics!



A few family shots while we had someone else to take the photos. Jon is literally pinning Ben upright so that he doesn't flop over. Later on Jon grabbed one of the little buttercups and taught Ben the 'momma had a baby and its' head popped off' rhyme and the laughs he got were over the top - if only we'd known that during these photos I think we could have had some huge smiles but we'll settle for half looking at the camera :)

Me and my Megan :) Love you so much Megan! You're an amazingly beautiful woman inside and out and I have been privileged to know you over the years and spend time with you. You have such a wonderful heart for God and I can't wait to see what your future holds as we continue to spend time together and share great days like this one!



A few of Ben and Jon goofing off!



I'm not going to lie but I kind of like the first shot because it shows off Jon's muscles a bit - I think it's ok to say that about my husband ;)



Our skinny little Ben is constantly pulling up his pants but, at least now he can do it on his own!



Thanks so much, Matt & Megan, for sharing this day with us. Thank you for being such great people and such great friends and for loving our boys. We appreciate you more than you can know and are blessed by your friendship! Here's to more awesome days together.

June 3, 2011: My boys in yellow :)

Even though I didn't make it for the entire session of "Her Connecting" at our church this spring, the times I did make it out were super great. I started to tell Ben that, when we went there on Friday mornings, I was going for an adventure with the other mommies and he was going to have an adventure with the other kids. Finally, by the last one of the session, I dropped him off with the kids and there were no tears! He just went in and started playing with Dane and Jonah. Super great but also made me laugh a bit since it was the last one until the fall and then we'd probably go through the same routine! He only ever cries just when I leave so I've perfected the 'get him busy doing something, even for a second, wait till his back has turned and then run away' routine.

This particular morning was the wrap-up brunch and, after some fun  times with the other moms and kids at the Events Center Park, we headed home for some lunch and got a few pics in before nap time! I love the way Jacob is looking at Ben in the far right photo :)



Ben was actually quite into getting photos with his little brother today!

Ben is all about giving Jacob 'smooches' and, most recently, has made it known that he's 'taking care of Jacob,' which could mean a wide variety of things from giving him kisses, to trying to push him over depending on the day :)



A few in Grandpa's chair, while he's at work! You think I take a lot of pics of the boys now, just wait till Jacob is sitting on his own. There will be no stopping me!



A big thanks to all of the ladies I've had a chance to connect with at 'Her Connecting.' Even after a few short weeks of attending, I felt so welcome and really appreciated what you all had to share from week to week. I"m looking forward to next year and learning more about the awesome women in our church!

Thursday, 9 June 2011

May 31, 2011: Baby Mania in North Van

It was Tuesday again and time for a visit in North Vancouver at the Whitaker residence. As you can see, Jacob was quite excited to hang out with his buddy Hudson and Ben was super stoked to see Sofia! Here are a few of the little guys only 5 weeks apart!


We decided to get all of the boys involved and even Asher peeked in for a photo! (Pretty sure Gina would say that Asher is like her third child and second toddler!). Ben was a little pre-occupied with some bunny ears that Sofia had been wearing so he didn't manage to look at the camera for these shots but it's still super cute! I love the one of the three youngest boys too - Luca, Hudson and Jacob. Luca and Hudson look like they're ready to box and Jacob just has his silly grin on, as usual!



I think, at one point, I swore I wouldn't dress my boys in matching clothes, but I take it back! When I saw these shirts, I had to get them for both boys since, if you know me at all, you'll know that I may have one of the biggest sweet tooths you've ever come across. Not many other 'almost-30-year-olds' still find Cadbury Creme Eggs delicious and not too sweet, but this girl could probably eat two in a sitting and not even blink an eye.

Either way, I'm pretty sure most people say that they won't do a lot of things before they become parents and then eat their words many a time so I'll just join the ranks! In my defense, it's pretty fun to, at least, co-ordinate their clothes and this particular day I couldn't resist. Plus, MEXX had a sale!



Keith and Gina had just recently got a trampoline and, we both thought that Sofia and Ben would be a good trampolining match, because they're both fairly timid! It was a total success and, as you can see from his expressions, he will be a repeat trampoliner for sure!

Sofia grabbed her stuffed animal (Lucy, was the bears name, I think) and Ben, of course, grabbed Milo!



I absolutely love this little sequence of Ben and Sofia and the way Sofia is looking at Ben in the bottom right picture makes me think 'Watch out Keith! Sofia has her eye on Ben :) ' In all seriousness, these two play so nicely together and it's fun to catch their interactions on camera!

It was great to be able to just let Ben run around and play with Sofia (or have each of them play by themselves because they both seem to do that better when each other is around). It gave me the chance to visit with all the moms at one point or another and have great conversations amidst nursing babies, crazy toddlers and shoving food in our mouths when we got the chance! (and the lunch was delicious - thanks for the great spread, Gina!)



Back inside for lunch, we just avoided the rain (of course it started to get sunny when we left but at least we got some trampolining in before the weather turned!), and I snapped a few of Ben and Sofia chilling at the coffee table.I love how Ben is lounging and I'm now just realizing that he snuck a foot on the table in one of the bottom ones...little rascal!



Even though life is so crazy with all of these kids around, I love that we still had time to stop and pray together and I love, even more, that I have friends who stop and think that prayer (however fast and occasionally interrupted it might be) should be a regular part of our gatherings - even if that means just sharing with one another areas that we need prayer and then taking those thoughts home and praying when we have a free moment. It was so amazing, but, as we were praying, both toddlers just quietly played amongst us and even the babes were quiet. God was definitely present in that moment!

Brita, Carlene & Gina, I am so blessed by your friendships. You are all incredible women of God and you sharpen me every time we're together. I will most definitely be lifting you all, and your families, up in prayer and I'm so glad that, even if I don't have time to finish a complete thought, that God knows my thoughts, knows my heart and hears my prayers all the same.

June 2, 2011: Ben & Keenan!

One of the couples from our 'SFU crew' of friends, Matt & Marsha, live out in Langley, literally minutes away from our house and finally, after a number of weeks where Marsha was laid up with back problems, we found a time to get together and let our little guys hang out!

I hadn't seen Keenan in a long time and it was so fun to see him looking like such a little boy! Even though the weather wasn't fantastic, we packed the kids up and headed to my favorite neighborhood park and the boys had a great time on the swings. I love how Keenan is watching Ben in the top right photo :)

My little man 'riding' the swings. Not super adventurous but getting better these days!



Hard to believe but, even though it was early June, it was toque weather and Ben was insistent upon wearing the toque the way he wanted to wear it :) That middle right photo is strikingly similar to some of Josh's expressions. Sometimes it catches me off guard!



Here's Matt & Marsha's cutie pie! Born 8 weeks early, you would never guess as he's totally caught up!



Ben entertaining himself with his toque and the swing. It seriously does not take much to entertain this kid when he's in a good mood :)



Here's some of the little friends. I still find it hard to believe that Ben sat for this long. Marsha, Ben must love your little guy as much as we love you!



Here's Keenan and his beautiful mamma! I love his little smirk :)



And then, just as it was starting to rain, Marsha snapped a few for me of Ben & I. He even managed to smile for one!



We walked/ran home and the rain had started at that point but, as we trekked inside and got settled, I couldn't help but appreciate the company and the friendship.

We had a great chat just as both our kids were winding down and needing naps and, I'm sure, in another life where we didn't have these little ones to dictate our schedule and we were transported back to Napier house, the chat would have gone on for much longer.

Thanks Marsha for such a wonderful visit. You are such a wonderful friend and I have so many fond memories of our times together in University and am thankful to have you close by so we can have many more memories in the coming years

I love you and I love your family and am looking forward to getting to know your hubby more and your little man as our boys grow up together.

June 1, 2011: Focus Graduates!

For the past 5ish years, I have been so blessed to work in the FOCUS program at Langley Secondary School. I am so passionate about this program as it gives students who don't necessarily fit into a regular classroom setting (whether it be for 'learning style' reasons or extenuating circumstances that affect their attendance) a chance to show others all of the things they are able to accomplish and the hidden potential that they have had all along.

On the bulletin board behind my desk is a sign that reads 'Cheers.' This sign reminds me of one of my brothers favorite sayings and beside it is a picture of me and my brother, Josh, in high school. Even though I was the type of learner that fit perfectly into a classroom setting and thrived in such an environment, Josh was the opposite. So many teachers didn't give him the time of day - and I understand in a lot of respects as he was absent most of the time and probably slept the other half of the time when he was in class. However, he had an amazing potential and so many hidden talents academically that could have been brought out in a setting like the FOCUS program. He is a huge inspiration for me and my passion behind teaching these students. I see him in so many of them, even right down to one of my students a few years ago who walked in wearing a blue plaid jacket just like Josh's. I had to do a double take and catch my breath but, when I got a chance to get to know that student, he reminded me of so many of the great qualities my brother had. He was such a sincere, sweet kid when placed in the right environment, with teachers around him who had the time to really get to know him and help draw out the best in him. I am so blessed to work in a district where they make the financial decisions that are necessary to run a program such as this. I often worry that, one day there won't be funds to support this program, because I really feel like, right out of my teacher training, I have found the job that is tailor made for me.

Back in 2006, when I was hired and we first created this program and saw only a handful of students graduate, I never imagined we'd have a year where we saw 16 students graduate. All of these students, at one point or another, were close to dropping out of high school and not making it to this very special day, which makes all of the time spent and hair pulled out SO worth it and also made this day a little emotional as I watched them cross the stage.

Sharla has worked with Laurence and I since the program's inception and, I know Laurence will agree with me when I say, that she is INVALUABLE and has become such an important person in so many of these students lives. I can speak personally when I say that Sharla has been such a blessing to me and has been a huge part of why I love going to work each day.



Some more wonderful FOCUS grads (& Yasmin :) )



Amazing students who I have had the privilege of working with! So proud of these guys! (missing a few in this photo - Justin Schindel, Samantha Jacklin-Gould, Sherri-Lynn Stevenson, Amanda Giesbrecht, Peter Thompson.... I tried to catch them in the other photos!)



A huge congratulations to all of my FOCUS graduates (you know who you are!). You have accomplished so much and should be so proud of yourselves. I know you will go on to do amazing things and I hope that you will all stay in touch and let me know where life leads you.

While I LOVE my time home with my boys, I also am lucky to have a job I look forward to going back to.
I'm looking forward to the next group of graduates and so many more amazing individuals that I will have the pleasure of teaching in the coming years.

May 30, 2011: Painting with the Werdals

I am so blessed to have other friends who are home during the day to hang out with and Corinna is one of those great friends. Her two girls, Penny and Sophie are a joy to be around and Ben plays so nicely with them.

This particular day we headed over to their house after music class and we were greeted by the smell of banana bread baking and talk of setting up paints which, for my deprived 2 1/2 year old who doesn't have paints at home, was truly a thrilling prospect!

Ben was a little unsure at first - only putting big globs of purple or blue paint on his paper but slowly globs turned into swooshes and swooshes turned into finger painting to which the girls exclaimed 'you're painting like crazy!' My very sensitive little boy replied 'I am NOT crazy' in a very serious voice but, not to worry, because moments later they were all racing down the hallway on bikes squeeling with delight and being great friends!



Thanks so much, Corinna, for a fabulous morning together - for delicious baking, such beautiful little friends for Ben and such great conversation. I really appreciate your friendship and your family :)

Wednesday, 8 June 2011

May 28, 2011: Masons' Bday Party

A few quick pics from Mason's awesome 3rd birthday party at 'The Little Gym!' This was Ben's second time there but first time for a birthday party and he loved it. They had tons of great activities for the kids and a great back room when it was time for food.

 

Thanks so much for inviting us, Kara - we had a great time and that sweet fruit dip you made was amazing! I think I want to be part of your family after tasting that :) Hope to hang out lots more at the park together this summer!



Once we got home from the party, I got a few pics of Ben in his snazzy birthday outfit before heading inside!



Such a little character :)



I can't believe how long his hair is getting already! This kid has to have haircuts at least every 3 months as his hair grows into a crazy thick helmet and we're slowly getting him to the place where he doesn't scream for the entire 40 minute haircut. I will be so happy when we can walk into the salon and have a tear-free visit!





This kid loves his hats almost as much as I do :)

Ben hopped on my lap while Jacob and I were sleeping so we tried to grab the camera really quickly!



A few of Mr.Jacob just relaxing and, of course, more smiles :)

May 25, 2011: Bath Time!

Just a few quick pics of Ben in the bath. This particular night we were upstairs with Nana and Great Nana and Ben started playing 'I Spy With My Little Eye.' It was so hilarious listening to him say it over and over again and I couldn't believe how good he was at actually guessing what 'I spied!. I truly think that sometimes I underestimate what he's ready for or capable of comprehending because I still see him as being such a little guy. He's such a sponge and it's great to have reminders that I need to keep challenging him and throwing new things his way to help him learn and grow.

Here are a few pics of the little guy :)



Here's Ben in 'I Spy' action. I love how he says 'little' more like 'wittle.' So cute ;)



I tried to get Jacob to hang out in the bath with Ben at least for a photo op but it was a no-go! Jacob is still used to going in his little bath in the sink so I think it'll be a little while longer before the brothers have baths together. I have to try to remember not to rush Jacob as he's already growing so quickly - I can't believe that he's almost 4 months old! That's probably just the reality for him, being the younger brother, time goes so fast when you're running after a 2 1/2 year old!