More Fire Hall

Rylan even got to go the Fire Hall. It was a busy week.
Maybe one day we will have a fire fighter in the family. Rylan has the best facial expression when he is concentrating.

I know that it is early in the year but Rylan is adjusting so well to grade one and is having a great start to his school years. Hopefully it will continue.

Fire Hall

This was so exciting. Stefan got to go on his first field trip and it was to the fire hall. How cute is this picture. The great thing about living in a small town is that we get to walk to all of our field trips when they are in playschool.
Best buddies.

How cool is this. Stefan thought it was neat that he got to shoot over a cone.

I am so thankful that I get to be a stay at home mom and enjoy these moments.

Fun Canoe Day

We have had the most amazing weather this fall so we thought that we would take advantage of it. We didn't get a chance to use the canoe this year so we thought that with this beautiful weather that we would take it out on the lake and have a bbq.
The boys really enjoyed it and I loved sitting in the middle like Cleopatra. LOL

Once we got to the other side of the lake the boys were pretty excited to find this great hill to go exploring on.

Then it was time to roast some hot dogs. Darien was happy to get the fire going. It was a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon.

While Mom and Dad Are Away

While Jamie and I took a couple of days to go to San Fran the boys were having a blast in Winnipeg with their Uncle Tyler and Auntie Michelle. I wish that I could be a better Aunt/Uncle like Tyler and Michelle. They are so wonderful with the kids and love spending time with them. This year was the first year that they have taken all four kids. They have been working their way up to more children each year since Darien first went there when he was five.
This is such a special time for the kids and they look forward to their week long visit with their Aunt and Uncle. This year Ty and Michelle came out to get the boys and on their way home they stopped at a family reunion on Michelle's side of the family. The boys had a lot of fun.

Once they were in Winnipeg the fun really began. They keep them so busy and having so much fun there is no time for being homesick. LOL

This year each of the boys got to pick out a dinner that they wanted to make and then they would go shopping with Uncle Tyler to get the supplies and make dinner for everyone. They boys loved this. Darien got to make sliders (mini burgers).

He was pretty proud of himself and so when he got home he couldn't wait to make them for us and they turned out really well.

Keagan got to make spaghetti.

This is in their crawl space that they have transformed into a hang out place. Darien was so excited to hang out with Uncle John (Ty best friend who we have adopted). John is a great guitar player and taught Darien some things and even gave Darien a guitar. So cool.

Stefan enjoying some snuggle time with Grandma Charlotte. This is another adopted member of our family. LOL

Movie time.

Rylan's turn to make dinner. He got to make mini pizza from scratch. Can you tell by the smile that he was enjoying himself.

Adding the pizza sauce.

It wouldn't be a trip to Winnipeg without going to the amusement park. LOL

They got a little wet from playing water balloon fight.

Going on the bumper boats.

And best of all Go Carts. This is their favorite part. Keagan did great even though he had a broken arm.

Rylan was happy that he got to drive his own.

So did Stefan, not so sure that he was heading in the right direction. LOL

Making smoothies.

I think that they discovered that Stefan is busy. LOL

Stefan didn't make a dinner instead he got to make cupcakes with Auntie Michelle and Auntie Pam (another adopted family member)

We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people that love our children and that take time out of their busy lives to spend time with out kids. These are wonderful memories that they will have forever of going to Auntie Michelle and Uncle Tyler's house each summer for a week. So much fun.

One More Race

Darien was registered for two more races. Sadly, he didn't finish this one and the next one he was not able to go to. Darien was pretty excited about racing again and the word out there was that he was the one to beat. It was a beautiful morning for a race so we were all there to cheer him on.
He took off at the start and went up over a rise so we went to the finish line to cheer him on. As the first runner came past us and it wasn't Darien we were a little surprised but thought he would one of the next ones, but by the time we got the the 10th runner going past us we knew something was wrong so Jamie and I started walking us the course. Just on the other side of the rise we found Darien with one of the race officials crying holding his ankle. Sadly, he went over on it and the result was him being on crutches for the next 2 weeks, if you know Darien very well this was a slow torture, he is not one to sit around and the lack of mobility was awful for all of us. LOL It was very frustrating for Darien but he has recovered now and can't wait to race again.

Let the Race Begin

This was such a miserable day but the boys still went out to their cross country race. Darien and Keagan have been training for weeks for these races and were very excited for this day. But the weather was so cold and wet. As you can see the kids were soaked.
Keagan is such a good little runner. I wish that I could say that they get it from me but they get all their running talent from Jamie.

Keagan has come in first for all his training runs and was really nervous for this run. He took off and was in the lead and was doing really well but as he turned the final stretch he slipped and fell and could not get up. I think that the cold and nerves got the best of him. Darien was there trying to encourage him to keep going but he couldn't catch his breath. Sadly, he ended up towards the end of the pack, he was very disappointed but he did great and I was really proud of him. This was his first race and a good learning experience for him. Next time will be better.

Thankfully the weather let up enough so that Stefan could get out the stroller and play in the puddles. We were at the track meet all morning and so it was a lot of waiting for Stefan but he was a good sport about it.

Darien felt really badly for Keagan after he fell and so he said that he was going to win first place for Keagan and give him his medal.

And that is exactly what he did.

Darien came in first in his race. He had to work really hard for it and he did give Keagan his medal. Such a proud moment.

Darien ran in another race the following weekend and was doing great and position to take the lead when he went over on his ankle and sprained it really bad. He ended up on crutches for the next two weeks. Sadly he had to miss his final race also. I am so thankful to have active kids. I wish that I had been more active growing up so I will continue to encourage my kids to stay active.

Chef Darien

Baking and helping in the kitchen is one of Darien's passions. It is great to watch him watch the food network and gets excited about making something new. I think it is great when he helps out in the kitchen I know one day it will help him for when he goes on his mission for the church or moves out.
His favorite things to make are desserts. This was his version of a cookie pizza. I must say that it was great. Later that week he made two batches of naniamo bars. My taste buds are thanking him but my hips aren't. LOL

Washington & New York City

As has become the tradition. Jamie tries to take each of the boys away for a father son trip when he can and this year was Keagan's turn and boy was he excited. Their trip took them to Washington DC and New York.
Upon arrival they met up with Jamie's mom. This was the same trip that Jamie and his mom took with Darien 4 years ago.

Their first day was spent at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

This is one of Jamie's favorite places. He is such an airplane fanatic, thankfully he has a mom that is such a good sport for going with him so many times to this one place. LOL That is true motherly love.

They took so many pictures that I had a hard time choosing which one to put on the blog. LOL As you can see J's mom was in wheel chair, she fell down some stairs back in the summer and sadly broker he ankle pretty bad and has had a long recovery. But she was a good sport about it.

Such a cute boy. He had so much fun just spending time with his dad. It is such a great thing that they get to do.

There is so much to see at this museum. I have no idea how they squeeze it into one day.

Keagan had a great time taking some of the pictures too.

They had a great time seeing all the different monuments.

It is so hard to believe that they got to see all these wonderful things. These are things that I have only seen on TV.

The reflection pool.

The White House. They went to visit Obama. LOL

After a very fun filled couple of days they were on the train for New York City.

They said that they train was way better than traveling by airplane, they had a ton of leg room.

Time Square. This is were you can get cheap tickets to the Broadway plays. Keagan was so excited when they got to go see Lion King. It is an amazing show and he loved every min. of it.

Jamie loves markets and was so excited to find this on. They closed down the street for about 16 blocks.

This is how they park cars in New York. Amazing. LOL

Taking the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty.

They went up the Rockafeller Plaza and saw the amazing views during the day and then later on at night they did an evening tour.

The famous Stage Deli for their corn beef sandwiches. Keagan and Grandma shared one. LOL

This is at the very large Toys R Us were you can ride a ferris wheel. Keagan thought it was so funny that he got to ride in the Little People one.

Taking the hop on hop off bus tour. This is the best way to see New York. The bus does different routes and you can get on and off where ever you want. Even better because Penni was in a wheel chair they got to go to the front of the line every time. LOL

I am pretty sure that this was the same guy that we saw when J and I went to the FAO Swartz toy store 2 years ago. LOL

You can not help but have your picture taken with the lego Chewbaka.

Penni was so excited to go for a horse draw carriage ride around Central Park. Jamie said that it was just a cash grab. LOL

Kids could spend a whole day climbing on the rocks in Central Park.

These are the memories that the boys will never forget. Darien still talks about his trip there and now Keagan can do the same thing. So great memories. I am so thankful for a husband that loves to spend time with his children and make these special times with them. They have so much fun and it is a great bonding time.

It was a fun filled 5 days and I was glad to have them home safe and sound. I know that Keagan can't wait for his next father son trip.