Christmas 2013 Part 1

For Christmas this year, we did it twice for the kids - once at our house where the kids opened their gifts from us, their aunts in Ontario and each other and once in Drumheller where they opened gifts from their Olfert cousins and Grandpa and Grandma Olfert. Here are some pictures from Christmas Eve at our house and then Christmas Day in Drumheller I will put in the next post.

Christmas Eve

 The girls in their dresses from KPea.

 Casey and his helicopter Hector Vector from Planes (the movie)

 Ethan and his plane Echo (also from Planes)

 Megan and her Anna doll from the movie Frozen

 Ethan and two more Planes characters - Chug and Skipper

Hannah-Rose and her Cabbage Patch Kid Liam "Leanne" Marina

 

 Megan and her Ariel toddler doll

Megan and her Easy Bake Oven

Ethan got Hot Wheels Wall Tracks and Casey got a Playmobile Fire Station

Trains!

Towards the end of September, Heritage Park, a local attraction that features life at the beginning of the 20th Century, hosted Railway Days sponsored by Canadian Pacific. As we have two train crazy boys, it was an easy decision to make as "Day Out With Thomas", which is hosted in the spring can be very expensive whereas for Railway Days, we only had to pay regular gate admission. Megan enjoyed the day too as she has some interest in trains but isn't as train crazy as the boys. Here are some pictures from our day at Heritage Park.

 One of two steam engines they had running that day.

The other steam engine.

Checking out one of the old train carriages that are on permanant display.

 

No trip is complete without a train ride! 

 

Everybody enjoyed the train ride!

Saying Good-bye to Crawling!

It's official! We are done with the crawling stage for the last time! Hannah-Rose is now walking more than crawling. I'm starting to feel a bit misty-eyed over this "small" but significant milestone. I managed to capture some video of her walking. Enjoy!

First Day of School!

It's that time of year again! Time for school to start again! This year marked another first in our family - 2 kids in school! That's right! Ethan is now in Kindergarten all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays like Megan was and Megan is in Grade 2. Both are enjoying school in their own way and I am enjoying the quiet that comes with having only 2 kids at home. I forgot to take my camera with me to school when I took the kids for their first day so I got a couple pictures after they got home.

 Grade 2!

Kindergarten!

Labor Day weekend at the farm

As typically happens in fall, we headed out to the farm for the beginning of harvest and the last long weekend before the start of school. The weather held for the weekend so lots of work got done on the fields and many tractor and combine rides were had along with rides in the new-to-us Gator!

 Sitting nicely with Grandpa at supper

 Ethan sneaking chips

Hannah-Rose the cool chick!

Casey in the tractor with Grandpa

Ready for a ride in the Gator!

Coming in from the field in the Gator!

Hannah-Rose is 1!

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the first year goes by! That's right! It has now been 1 year since we welcomed Hannah-Rose to our family and what a year it has been! As many people know, all the kids were delivered via c-section and unfortunately due to some unknown infectious agent, my incision took 5-6 months to fully close after Hannah-Rose was born. 

This year we chose to take the birthday celebrations to Drumheller and had it at Grandpa and Grandma's. We were fortunate to have a nice hot sunny day in Drumheller and took the kids to the spray park after the party was over. Here are some pictures from the day!

 Yummy hot dog lunch!

 Ice cream cake!

 Minnie Mouse chair

Toy from Grandpa and Grandma

 

3-in-1 Zebra to help with learning to walk!

August Long Weekend

As usual, for the August long weekend, we escaped the confines of the city and headed to the Olfert family farm in Saskatchewan. The kids as always had fun spending time with Grandpa and Grandma along with some cousins that are near by and Grandma tried to teach Ethan how to ride a two wheeler.

 All the girls in a "birds nest"

 4 little birdies!

Grandma trying to help Ethan ride a two wheeler!

 Hannah-Rose in the sandbox

Tractor ride with Grandma!

More Summer Pictures

As I mentioned in my last post, we drove out to Ontario for the beginning of summer to visit family out there. While out there, we took a trip into Kitchener and spent some time at a spray park there with the boys and Hannah-Rose while Megan spent time with her cousins. Here are some pictures along with a few milestones that Hannah-Rose accomplished this summer.

 Ethan enjoying the cool water

 Even the aunties got in on the fun!

 Hanging in the shade with Grandpa and Grandma

 Climbing the stairs at home!

Climbing the climber without help in the backyard!

Summer holidays!

This year for summer holidays, we drove out to Ontario, taking 3 days to get out there and 3 days to come back driving through the States. We had nice weather for the almost 2 weeks we were out there. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend the first week of our vacation at Wasaga Beach and were at the beach for 4 of those days. The kids had fun playing in the water and biking around the park where we were staying with their cousins. Megan and Ethan were able to greatly improve their biking skills as a result. Here are a few pictures from our vacation.

 Corner Gas anyone?

It's still there!

 Casey and his bear Brad

 Hannah-Rose on the beach

Ethan playing in the water

 

Cousins!

May Long Weekend

As we tend to do every long weekend, we escaped the city for the Olfert family farm in Saskatchewan. As you may remember, when we went out at Easter there was still HUGE snow drifts around the farm. Fortunately for us, most of that snow has now melted and seeding has begun full tilt! Due to the amount of snow we got this past winter, there was more than enough moisture to saturate the ground around the farm. In fact, the ditches are full of extra water! The kids had fun with Grandpa and Grandma as always and even Hannah-Rose was able to get in on some of the fun!

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Enjoying goldfish crackers!

 Trying Goldfish for the first time!

 Enjoying the swing!

 Looking out toward the yard from the front of the house.

 The ditch to the east of the driveway.

No trip to the farm is complete without playing in the sandbox!

Spring 2013

Spring has finally come to Alberta and with it some minor excitement at our house. On April 26 (last Friday), while playing in the backyard, Ethan broke his right arm jumping around. He was put to put to bed with some Advil after complaining about his arm hurting but with little visible swelling. The next morning, Daddy took Ethan to the Emergency Room of the Alberta Children's Hospital and was diagnosed with an distal radial buckle fracture. Basically, he broke one of the two bones in his right arm. Due to the fact that the orthopedic technician wasn't due to arrive at the hospital until noon, the doctor on call casted Ethan's arm and he was allowed to go home.

Now that we FINALLY have some nice weather, Jason took advantage of it to start with getting the front and side yards ready for summer starting with raking the grass with the help of the lawnmower. After that, with the mown grass raked into piles, the kids were given the task of picking up all the mown grass and putting it in garbage bags. 

NINE garbage bags later, it was all picked up and the grass was ready for fertilizer!

Since it was such a nice day out, the kids got to wear shorts and I got them busy cleaning up the backyard in preparation for it getting the same treatment as the front and side yards.

 Megan and Ethan picking rocks

 Introducing Hannah-Rose to the grass

Practicing bike riding in the back lane.