Eli is 3!!!!!!

Last Saturday, May 23rd, we were invited to Eli's third birthday party!  It was a blast!  A family only affair which sat Xander right next to Eli in the action seat!  There were games of creative invention such as tire rolling, bucket fishing and treats for the winners and the second place finishers!  Hamburgers, cake and good company kept adults and children alike entertained and a fire to wrap things up!

This is the tire rolling event!  The boys needed  a little help, but didn't mind!  Their tongues were sticking out the side of their mouths in concentration most of the time...I don't know if you can see that on the pictures very well.

Going Fishing!

The big boys needed to give the tire race a try as well....on a little larger scale!  I think Dad had the advantage  for most of the race and then lost it right at the end!

Avery and Jonah did great!  I forgot my kids hats which is why Jonah has temporarily borrowed one to Avery and he is left with a small one perched on his head...a bigger one was eventually found!  

A new slide was the big birthday present from Eli's Grandma and Grandpa Hogue!  It was quite a hit!

It was soon discovered that there were MANY different ways to go down the slide!

Monkey see, monkey do!

Sitting in their chairs, eating candy!  I love Eli's face in this shot!

The happy family with their two boys (now 3 and 6.5 months)!

Jonah's favorite thing!  A guaranteed laugh comes whenever Dustin throws him up on his shoulders and shakes him and tickles him!  It is hilarious!  I'm not sure who's having more fun here, though!

Eli had a great hockey cake made by Julia!  It was pretty fantastic!  After Eli blew out the candles Xander wanted to do the same, so Julia very patiently re-lit them and let Xander have a go as well! 

Thanks to all for a great time!  Welcome to year three Eli!  

Xander actually thinks he's three now, too!

Camp Cedarwood!

Another part of our May long weekend involved the Seeds church retreat!  We got there a little late, but enjoyed much of it still!  There was fabulous childcare, so Xander had a great time playing with many other kids!  We were set up in what would basically pass as a hotel room with our own bathroom which made life with two kids in a new setting as comfortable and easy as could be expected!  

The baptism was one thing we were glad not to have missed!  A few people got baptised...one of them being Greg who is in our cell group!  The water was cold, but they all pushed bravely on!  It reminded me of my own baptism in Lake Max in November....chipping away the ice earlier in the day!  I think its colder watching others dive into the cold because when your in the midst of being baptized there is so much adrenaline keeping you going!

Xander and Avery hanging out with Melissa Jede on the dock near where the baptism was taking place!  Melissa and Xander hung out a lot there....thanks Melissa!

I guess hearing the baptismal stories and prayers were not quite interesting enough for Xander and a few other kids short attention spans...but they found sand and rocks to keep things entertaining for themselves!

Xander loved being able to touch the sand with his fingers and toes....its been a long winter, we're all glad to feel the sand running through our toes again!

Avery in her pajama's all ready to go to bed after the baptism!  I didn't think to bring any toy to entertain her, but this little stick worked for a little while until there were chunks of it in her mouth...sharp little teeth!

Xander ran hard....and slept hard!  Its a fabulous combo!

There was a beautiful moment during the climbing wall time where Sam, who normally walks with a walker, got strapped into this child backpack and his dad managed to grant his wish of climbing the wall!  They made it the top and it was an amazing analogy of a fathers love carrying His children and the trust that we as God's children should really have in our heavenly Father!  

Here is Sam both giving his dad bunny ears and everyone else a thumb's up!  You can see the amazing character of this little guy!

Almost there...there was a moment about half way up where Sam said to his dad "its ok if you can't make it all the way to the top, dad!"  Look at that smile!

Getting strapped in....excitement is building!

Avery...any finger will do!

Yard Work and Wheelbarrow Fun!

Ok...May long weekend has come and gone and we packed in as much as we could!  This is all from Saturday with Giles' parents and we had a very productive day!  Thanks for all the hard work...next time we'll sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor a little more!

Getting rides in the wheelbarrow kept things entertaining for the kids...mostly for Xander!  Avery enjoyed the ride, but it was Xander who needed to make sure Avery got a turn as well!

Grandma and Grandpa came out with a little wheelbarrow for Xander and it was a hit!  He followed Giles or Grandpa pushing the big one wherever it went!

Xander AND his little wheelbarrow getting a ride in the big wheelbarrow!  

I made Xander turn around for this picture...can you tell?!?

Giles was tilling a new garden into the corner of our yard...this is my macho man playing it up for the camera...I'm not gonna lie, I'm enjoying these pictures!

Giles working while Avery and Grandma hang out on the yard!  Everyone did ALOT of work, but time to hang out and entertain Xander and Avery was a must!  We all appreciated the work and the child entertainment!

"hi Grandma"

Avery was quite mesmerized by the tiller...big smiles to keep daddy working!

"hi Grandpa"

a few more....

Nothing is coming in order....I guess that is only testament to my own disorganized head right now!  But here are a few more from the May long weekend.  

Xander is REALLY trying to tell me something....and from my face/body language...I'm REALLY not catching on!

A new adventure....both kids in the wagon together!  Despite Avery's grumpy expression, she really loves this new form of travel!  Xander is once again digging in deep for all the good boogers!!

Grandma Carol, Grandpa Dave and the kids enjoying a post supper cuddle time!  It was more than a little difficult getting all four of them to look at the camera....Grandpa is still making a funny face to entertain Avery, and Avery is still being entertained by the funny face, but other than that I think its a pretty good shot of the good times had by all!

Giles was giving Xander a bath (which is an adventure in itself) and all of a sudden Xander comes running out to show the rest of us what his hair was looking like!  

All I Need is my Boots!

We woke up the friday of May long weekend and while getting ready for the day ahead Xander decided that it was time to go outside and as long as he had boots on, he was just fine!  He started with a pair of Giles' big boots and then settled into his own rubber boots!

He almost made it outside, too!!!

Pondering all the boot possibilites!

Blue Nike Shoes

My brother, Todd, came home from a couple weeks visiting a friend in South Korea last weekend and Xander and Eli were the lucky ones who got gifts!  These are Xander's new blue Nike's...which he loves and only replaced recently with rubber boots because there were puddles to jump in.  

Apparently the shoes give extra speed to Xander when he drives his car or needs to run really fast!

I was playing around with the shoes and taking pictures...they're such a fun color, and Xander cooperated for a little while before he needed them back on his feet!

Thanks Uncle Bubbles!

Another Cold Day!

Well our unpredictable Manitoba Spring is keeping things interesting again!  We seem to be experiencing a little cold snap again...but that hasn't stopped my little sandbox master from wanting to get outside!  So, out we go!

He wanted REALLY BADLY to come outside, but ended up being a little lazy once we got there.  We forgot his mitts in the car, so he had to wear mine for as long as he decided to keep them on!

Avery is a very curious little girl who's favorite past time seems to be pulling everything out of the diaper bag, or the tupperware cupboard or ripping out the grass!  She doesn't technically crawl, but shuffles herself around and by the time we were all ready to go inside she was off the matt completely so she could really get at the grass!  Doesn't she look like she wants to just take off and crawl?!?

Very intrigued!

My spiky haired girl...pushing the hood off as soon as its on!