Seven on Sunday

Wow, another week gone again.  Here it goes:

1. We made it through 4 more birthdays in our whirlwind of celebrations.  Everyone seemed to enjoy their special day and feel important and loved.
2. People who are willing to help out in the primary when we are short staffed.  That makes our job so much easier!
3. America's Funniest Videos.  We watch this every Sunday and spend an entire hour laughing together as a family.  Even Spencer and Malcolm crack up.
4. We have reached the stage where all of our kids are old enough to understand humor and be involved in most things we do.  Tonight we played the hot/cold hiding game and everyone can participate in all aspects of the game and have a blast.  Having them close together is starting to really pay off because right now the same things entertain them all.
5. Dan is one week closer to being done this crazy semester
6. Summer-like weather to enjoy.
7. All the new plants and flowers we get to see out here.  There are some truly amazing trees and bushes that I've never known before and it's great to have bulbs planted all around the trees and down the boulevards - daffodils are everywhere!

Sledge Hockey and a Birthday Turkey

Dan, Madison and Clayton were able to go down to UBC and see the sledge hockey game during the paralympics this past Tuesday.  They were so excited.  Dan was going with his disabilities class from the College and they had extra tickets so his Instructor let him bring the kids.  The game was the higlight, but riding the sky train wasn't bad either.

They got to watch Sweden and Italy duke it out.  Clayton had decided to cheer for Italy because his Grandpa on Dan's side was Italian, so he came home disappointed that Sweden won.

Yesterday was the last of our birthdays til the fall.  Malcolm has waited patiently through the other three until it was his chance to be the center of attention.  He wanted a train cake, so this is what we came up with.  He actually wanted Thomas, but I'm not that talented, so instead we just put a face on it.

As for the birthday turkey - we always let the kids decide what they want to have for supper on their special day.  When I asked Malcolm he told me he wanted chicken and potatoes, then took me to the freezer and pointed out a turkey we had hanging around.  So we took it out and cooked it for him.  Now we call him our birthday turkey (and I finally have room to put bread in the freezer!).  He was thrilled to be turning four, and even more excited to finally get his present from Grandma Scott.  Mom gave all the kids new towels, suits and flip flops for their daily run to the pool, so he knew that was what was in the gift and now he can use it.  He wore his flip flops all over yesterday.  They couldn't have come on a more perfect day.  It was 18 degrees here - like summer! 

We gave him a little Bumblebee transformer.  He has been asking for one since before Christmas, and around Madi's birthday he started informing us whenever he would see one in the store that he would be getting one for his birthday.  We let him open that last since once he did, nothing else mattered. 

So that's it for cake and ice cream for another year.  It's always fun, but quite a whirlwind to get through them all.  We just wish you could all be here to help us eat it and sing Happy Birthday.  But we sure are grateful for Grandparents who remind the kids how much they're loved and missed.  We're still trying to organize a pool party for one big celebration for all of them, but we never seem to find a good day.  Maybe during spring break...

Seven on Sunday

Another week of blessings to chronicle.  Here goes:

1. Being able to work with a new primary presidency.  They are excited and fresh, just what our little primary needs.
2. How things always seem to work out just when it feels like they never will.
3. The way children suck things up like sponges even when they don't seem to be giving you the slightest bit of attention.  Its a good things this is true, because otherwise my kids might not know anything about the gospel.  And then they pull an amazing answer out of thin air and you remember, "Oh yeah, we talked about that once in FHE.  I guess it stuck."
3. Having to prepare lessons which forces me to think about gospel concepts that I might otherwise skim over. 
4. Visiting teachers that are consistent and care about us, but don't overstay their welcome when they come visit.
5. Kids that are more excited for the paralympics than they were for the able bodied Olympics.  It's good to know they don't see differences as a disability.  Of course, being able to go to a sledge hockey game might also have something to do with it.
6. Lots and lots of parks to go burn energy on.  We just found a public bike park on the way home today.  Clay is laying in bed right now dreaming of using the jumps and the teeter-totter thing.
7. People who are just behind us in the whole raising kids business.  We get a good laugh at ourselves and it reminds me that its all just a process.  You grow a little everyday, and what worked once probably won't work again.  If you aren't adaptable then parenthood isn't for you. LOL.  Still, it's nice to see people trying all the same things you tried once and swore by.  One day they'll find out just like we did that everything changes, especially from one child to the next.

another day, another birthday

Well, we've gotten through birthday number 3 of our February/March birthday run.  Clayton had a good time turning seven.  He was given some ramps and half pipes to go with his tech decks and those have been keeping him busy.  He requested a Superman cake, but I convinced him to settle for a Superman logo.  I tried to make it look alright, but here's my pathetic non-crafty attempt:

Clayton told me as long as I tried my best it was good enough.  Big vote of confidence.  Oh well, it still tasted good.

And here's just a fun picture of Malcolm falling asleep after begging for a sandwich at bedtime.  That always makes me laugh.

Seven on Sunday

Here we go with the list for this week:

1. Beautiful spring weather that has rejuvenated everyone.  We'd better not take it for granted because they're calling for snow this week.  I realize this will not be prairie snow by any stretch of the imagination, but when you don't get more than a dusting all winter, the thought of it is kind of depressing.

2. Speaking of imagination - it's great to have kids that can dream up so many stories and games. They keep each other and me entertained.

3. The ability to read.  I have been reading the Lightning Thief series and I realize how grateful I am to be able to take myself away from life for a brief period of time and be anyone, anywhere, doing anything imaginable.

4. A husband that tries to hard to be everything he needs and wants to be.  He works so hard at school, and at work, then comes home and strives to be a great father.  We wouldn't trade him for the world.

5. The ability to work and the blessing of employment, even if it is infrequent. 

6. Having been taught how to work when I was young and not being afraid to tackle it head on.

7. Sisters who inflate my ego a bit when they call me to ask questions about kids and household things because they think I might know something after having been there.  I like to think I've learned something, but somedays I wonder.....

First BBQ of the year

Today was such a nice day we decided to take a break and head down to Barnet Marine Park for some crabbing and hot dogs.  The picnic was great, the crabbing was cancelled because the tide was waaaaay out, too far to be able to throw the lines.

You can see all the pier posts and get right underneath to the water.  Below is a picture of all the starfish hanging out on the posts and rocks.

We had fun just wandering the beach exploring, building sand castles, and stopping to see the flowers. 

Monkeys and Blossoms

These two monkeys are really keeping us on our toes lately.  After spending a day cleaning up flour from someone stabbing it with a pencil, erasing pencil off the walls, breaking up fights and hugging them when they fall out of the trees, it's nice to take a moment and enjoy the beautiful blossoms coming out all around us.  Dad asked me to put on a few pictures of the flowers as they appear, so here's a start.  The cherry blossom trees just opened up this week, and our greenery in the front patio has little purple flowers peeking out from under the leaves.  It's a real breath of fresh air in March when even the plants are ready for spring. The landscapers were even mowing the grass this morning!   

Seeing Double

For three weeks of every year we have two boys who are the same age.  This year they happen to be three.  What a crazy time!  For anyone who has twins, I feel your pain.  It seems the minute Spencer turned three he became three times as stubborn, three times as cranky and a whole lot more independent.  We've been dealing with this with Mac for a year now, and we thought we had it figured out.  But Spencer has spent the year watching and waiting - and he can lay it on pretty thick.  Malcolm, on the other hand, has let Spencer fill that role and has reverted to wanting help with everything.  He apparently can no longer get dressed on his own, his legs no longer work and he can't manage to lay down in bed and go to sleep alone anymore.  And this was our best sleeper!  We, of course, will ride it out and see if things get any different once Malcolm turns four on the 19th.  Some people say change is gradual with age.  I don't know.  This time feels like we were hit by a truck and it just keeps going!  We love them though.  All I can wonder about is what it will be like when they are teenagers....HELP!