family halloween bash

One of the best things about a family Halloween bash is hearing Jake say "we're going to a bash" all day long.    He had never been to a bash but was excited nonetheless.  The other best part was this smiling face in the toddler bouncy castle.  He had more fun in there than we expected.  And for a first-timer he was a pro.  There were lots of big unsteady bounces, lots of funny wipe-outs and lots of giggles.  We could hear his delight through the mesh.

There were games, balls, hoops, blocks and more set up on the indoor fields and it was a huge hit (all except for the parachute, maybe next time).  There was also cookie decorating, candy stations and a place for kids to play hockey, so Jake's first Halloween bash didn't disappoint.  

Next up, trick-or-treating.

grocery shopping

Sometimes grocery shopping makes me groan and since being back home, I've been missing those days where I would just walk out the door and seven minutes later be filling-up my stroller basket with my daily needs.  On the walk home, maybe we would sit by a fountain and snack on some pastries; or maybe we would peruse beauty items and the pharmacy; or maybe we would stop in one of the many boutiques that line those pretty cobblestone streets; or maybe we would do all three and stop at the playground too.  If I were to do the same here, I would be buckling and unbuckling the car-seats a hundred times (or maybe it's twelve times, but it would feel like one hundred) and clicking and unclicking the infant seat over and over (and over).

So when our new Urban Fair moved in, with groceries and coffee, we thought we should check it out.  

    

  I enjoyed a tea latte.  Jake enjoyed a muffin.  Avery enjoyed a nap - for all of ten minutes, but still a nap  (and I may have helped a little with the muffin).  

last week

The weather has been cooling and last week was a lazy one.  We made use of a little sunshine to go for a walk and collect some bright fall leaves.  The leaves were a hit but playing a little golf in the park and seeing a big digger on the way home was an even bigger hit.  To the big digger Jake said "that's an awesome strong big digger.  He's workin' real hard.  Good workin' big digger"  His compliments were so genuine and so darn cute I wrote it down, word-for-word, in the phone so I could remember it exactly.  

Can you spot tiny little Jake in these pictures?  He is 'putting'.  He thinks the dirt trench around the trees are 'holes'.  Given the size of these holes, his accuracy is pretty darn good :)  

Fall, we're loving your cool nights, vibrant colors and wearing our cosy sweaters, won't you please stay a little longer. Please.

oh, the sweetness

Feather soft hair (that sticks straight-up), elbow dimples, soft round tummy and that perfect baby smell - so delicious.

Throw in a smile, those bright eyes that don't want to miss a thing (by sleeping, for example) and some cute cheeks and boy oh boy...

And that's just the beginning.

Then there's toddler cuteness, which is impossible to ignore.  Knees that are much too big for those little legs, hands that hold yours tight when crossing the street, more cute cheeks, a fit of giggles, those little gaps between baby teeth, pronouncing the letter "L" as a "Y", and when they ask to "snuggle again" before bedtime and lean against you so you can wrap your arms around tight.  

What a marvel these sweet children of ours are.

I wish I could pause things here for just a while longer.  Stop time from passing by so quickly.  Just soak it all in, completely. 

the pumpkin patch

Well, the grey weather has arrived but it didn't stop us from picking the perfect pumpkin.  We went to McMillan Farm and found a lot more than just pumpkins.  

There was a kids hay maze.

(the entrance was as far as Jake got)

Horses, donkeys, a lama, bunnies and my favourite guy there 

- a pot-bellied pig.

  

The top attraction according to Jake was the corn pit (how fun!) 

and a kids car.

And we just couldn't miss out on this

And then, of course, there were pumpkins, pumpkins 

and even more pumpkins!

And during most of our visit, Avery slept.  She decided to wake-up at the end, so I could snap a couple pictures of her in her ginormous hat.   

celebrating four months

Oh my word, four months of cuteness is something to celebrate indeed.  That and the fact that these two kids of ours bring us so much joy.  Even on our most sleepless days.    

  

Avery is doing all the sweet stuff that babies do and of course, as her parents, we think it's all the cutest and most amazing.  Ever.  All the smiles, the coos, the sweet gazes, the roll-overs, those bright eyes taking everything in...  we just eat it all up!

We feel like Avery was truly meant for this family.  A perfect fit.  

And even though she woke us ALL up this morning at 6:22, we love her to pieces.  All the way down to those tiny toes.

14 pounds 3 ounces
26 inches 

a perfect day for some golf

Jake is always happy to practice his swing.  In fact, his golf club and a ball are usually tucked into the stroller basket, just in case an opportunity arises.     

And we happily enjoy a little walk on a warm, warm Autumn day.

Trying to soak up as much sun as we can before the grey winter begins.

happy weekend

Our Thanksgiving was full of family, good food and pie making.  And October couldn't be a more perfect month for the festivities, with just a hint of Fall in the air and the trees just beginning to be speckled with yellows, reds and oranges.  It's perfect.  

Four generations sat down to a delicious meal.  We enjoyed all the traditional fixings as well as some not-so-traditional-margarita's (made from scratch; lime zest and all.  And SO good even my Mom had one).

Jake was saying "hooray" here and Avery was taking a little catnap.  But the nap was short-lived, she didn't want to spend too much time sleeping and miss out on all the fun.

The other exciting news of the weekend was that Billy returned from his work trip.  We were so happy to give that guy a hug!  And Avery rolled-over from her back to her front for the first time.  Hooray, indeed.    

My only complaint is that I didn't take more pictures. I had great intentions of getting pictures of everyone but instead got carried away with visiting (and poking around in the kitchen and trying to keep track of a busy toddler).  But the visiting was worth it, of course!  Among other things, I learned that my Grandparents met on a blind date, how cute.  And how is it that I never knew this!?  Looks like more huge family meals are in order.             

it was a dark and stormy night

Last night, the wind howled. There was no moon.  

And then the power went out... 

for three hours!

My first thought was, I've got to text Bill.  And then realized that no power meant no imessaging on the ipad.  Duh!  Talk about technology dependant.  Luckily I had flashlights, candles and a couple Glee episodes on the computer.  So the babies slept, I watched Glee by candlelight and Hailey patrolled the house like a lunatic.

Today was far less interesting.  Jake "played" soccer with Hailey and whenever the ball hits her he shouts things like "good save Hailey" and "post!".  I cannot say that I love this game but the fabric soccer ball is the better choice over a hockey stick.  Later, we walked up to the future park to see some construction action and were happy to see some skid-steer loaders at work. 

and then there were three

that's right, it's just the three of us around here for the week while Billy is working in Vancouver.  I think my sanity will be determined by sleep - the kids and mine.  And if daytime napping goes as planned, I will be doing a happy dance.  Today has been lots of fun; we had a coffee date, played hockey outside while I snuggled with Avery in the bijorn and built a city with blocks and books and diggers too, of course.  Let hope the week continues on this smooth course.  

My only mistake was baking cookies with Jake for Billy to take on his trip.  I made far too many.  More then he could've possibly taken (and I sent him with A LOT) and have subsequently been enjoying cookie after cookie after cookie.  They are oatmeal, chocolate chip and almond; and couldn't be yummier.  I used this recipe here and added some dark chocolate chips. 

   

A lot of almonds were snacked on during the making of these and Jake has been saying "I probably want a cookie" all day