Need an Addition

I think that we need to make an addition to our house cause with all these things we are moving in for Landen we are running out of space. For being the smallest person he sure has the biggest and most stuff! I am at the stage where I am still not ready to give things up for him, like the swing or bouncy chair. It still makes the day a little easier having those items around to use. Soon we will be packing some things up and taking them back out to the shop. As of yesterday I brought in the highchair to get him used to sitting at the table with us while we are eating. It will only be a short few weeks here before we start giving him some food.

Landen testing out the high chair at 5 1/2 months old

"Okay, where's my steak?"

I couldn't resist posting this picture below.....deer caught in the headlights! This is a picture of Jaren's first time in the highchair. He is just shy a few days of being 5 months old in this picture. I've often thought that Landen seems to be a bigger baby and now by looking at these two pictures it shows it. There's only roughly 3 weeks age difference between the boys in these pictures and Landen fills out the chair a little better than what Jaren did!

Severe Alberta Weather

These pictures were from an email that was sent to me showing a TERRIBLE wind storm that happened around the Medicine Hat, AB area July 15th, 2008. Thank goodness none of that touched us around here. Medicine Hat is just over 2 hours from us. This is getting a little close to home for me!

The email read:

I bet you'll get a kick out of these photos, this was of a storm that went through Med Hat and took out 80 structures (power poles) about 20 feet in the air. Some of these bales are rolled over 5 miles apparently and some are just sunk to the bottom in the irrigation canal.
FYI, not a tornado but a wind storm with similar wind speeds as an F2 tornado (113-157 MPH). The Pictures with the round bales are amazing!

Growing & Growing...5 1/2 Months Old

I was in Consort yesterday morning so I decided to stop by the health unit to weigh Landen. I was curious to find out how much he has gained since the beginning of July. I didn't fully undress him but he had on a sleeper-like suit and a freshly changed diaper. The scale read 14 lbs 15 oz! He's gained just about 2 lbs in 1 1/2 months! (He was an even 13 lbs on July 6th) What's he gonna do when he starts incorporating "real" food into his diet next month? He'll pass Jaren's weight before Christmas! :) We are so glad that Landen is such a healthy happy little guy - what a blessing!

Grandpa Ron's 64th Birthday

Today was Ron's 64th birthday so we all went over there for lunch to celebrate with him. Also for dinner was a man who used to work for Ron for a few years, Clint. So for a special treat in the afternoon Clint brought his team of miniature donkeys to take the kids for wagon rides around the farm.

Clint gave Kevin the reigns to drive the little team. Who knows, maybe Kevin will take up a new hobby? With the price of fuel these days this might be a cheaper way to get back and forth to work!! :) These little guys move!

The 3 musketeers

Jaren had fun but he'd still much rather push around the dump truck! I don't think I'll ever have to worry about him taking up rodeo of any sort. If it doesn't involve a motor he doesn't want to have a lot to do with it!

Even Landen was lulled to sleep bouncing around in the wagon. Clint will have to come back next summer when Landen's a little older and knows more about what is happening.

Landen and Grandma Letniak

Getting Ready for the 2012 Olympics

Today I dusted off the Jolly Jumper and Landen REALLY seemed to enjoy himself in it. He just loves to be sitting up which he can't yet do on his own. He hopped around in the jumper for about 40 minutes until......... I heard these funny little noises and looked to find him sleeping in the jumper. I guess when you've had enough, you've had enough!! We'll do a little more training tomorrow!

Our Expanding Farm

We have a little addition to our farm....two new kitties! They were part of the crew of 8 kitties at Ron and Connies but ended up going for a ride in a neighbours truck?!? Kevin went by to pick them up and now they have not been taken back but have made themselves right at home here. The two little guys seem to "rule-the-roost" over Keesha and our other two females. Hopefully they'll make themselves useful and be good mousers.

Jaren named the orange kitten Duncan and the Tabby kitten he named Tipper.

We're up 2 kitties but down one bunny. Tonight I let Hoppy free. He was just getting to be too big and you couldn't get near him. So I thought it was only fair that he be freed and be able to get ready for the cold winter when it arrives upon us before we know it. He's got to be able to survive on his own and be able to find food. Jaren misses Hoppy and was a little sad & I think that Floppy is a little depressed too.

Since being home Kevin has been putting in very long days. We are right around the corner of going into harvest full-steam. They have been combining the peas, swathing mustard, silaging, and getting ready to combine the winter wheat. Then comes the rest of the wheat and barley crops!!!! So maybe we aren't right around the corner - I think harvest is here! This is going to be a long couple of months!! :)

New Lives Joined Together

Before leaving for Terrace we attended a family wedding in Red Deer. It was great to see family again that we haven't seen in a long time and get acquainted with some that I have never met. Can't wait to get together again hopefully sooner than later!

Congratulations to Laurel and Sheldon!

August 4th, 2008

While at home the next weekend my cousin Heather got married.

Congratulations also to Heather and Wade!

August 9th, 2008

Jaren's 3rd Birthday

While in Terrace Jaren turned 3 years old. So to celebrate the event and have friends over we copied the idea of our neighbours and had a Pirate Party for Jaren instead of a "birthday" party. Fun was had by all - thanks to Auntie Randi and Uncle Trent who took the time to bring all the supplies for the birthday and create a fun treasure hunt for the kids. So now my little boy is a big 3 year old now - no longer my baby! Where does the time go???

The fierce Pirate Jaren
Practicing our ship driving skills

Our Trip to Terrace

We've safely arrived back in Alberta from a wonderful 2 weeks up in Terrace visiting family and friends. The boys and I flew home on August 5th and had a absolutely wonderful time doing many things with my mom and dad. So here is a slight re-cap of our summer vacation. It was hard to go through the 1000 pictures that my dad took and make a "short" summary of our trip.

Upon arrival at the Terrace/Kitimat airport

The kids travelled extremely well. I was soo thankful!!

Our little seasoned flyer below!

Once we got to mom and dad's my cousin came by with his newest son Lucas. Lucas is 2 months younger than Landen but they were very comparable for size!

A quick thought passing through my mind as this is what is would be like if I had twin boys! YIKES!!!

The weather was gorgeous for a lot of the time while we were in Terrace so we took as much advantage of the lake as possible.
Pictured above (left to right & down each row)

1. Cousins - Jaren, Brooke, Laryssa & Josh

2. Jaren

3. Cousin Brooke, Jaren and Auntie Randi

4. Grandma Sparks getting Jaren wet

5. Jaren and Cousin Brooke

6. Cousins Landen & Lucas (2 months apart in age)

7. Cousin Laryssa holding Landen

8. Auntie Randi & Landen

9. Auntie Randi & Landen

Pictured above (left to right & down each row)

1. Great Grandma Hovland with the boys

2. Cousins Laryssa & Brooke with Landen

3. Jenn & Landen

4. Mom & Landen

5. Cousin Heather & Landen

6. Auntie Faye Sparks & Landen at the Lake

7. Great Grandma talking with Landen

8. Auntie Barb Hovland & Landen

9. Cousin Jodie & Landen

My best friend Jenn was able to be home for a couple of days while we were there so we spent one day with her at the lake as well. She took Jaren fishing off the dock for awhile but we only caught weeds :)

Then auntie Jenn wanted to spoil Jaren by eating Smores! Something that mommy doesn't ever do! We had to peel him off the walls after!
One day Mom, Dad, I and the boys went to Prince Rupert for the annual fish & chips feed! The weather was perfect and the food was delicious!
Uncle Walter took the time to teach Jaren how to drive his back-hoe while we were at the lake.

Some more lake shots.
Jaren got to spend 2 nights camping at the lake with Grandpa & Grandma while Landen and I came in for the evenings back to town.

It was soo much fun being out at the lake and seeing everyone. That is one of things I miss most about summers in Terrace is Lakelse Lake. It is only 10 minutes out of town and the water is beautiful. You don't find waters like that here in Alberta (and so close to home!). I am really glad that Jaren got to experience it with all the warm weather that we had. Hopefully it will be one of the many highlights of his summers spent in Terrace.

Pictured above (left to right & down each row

1. Jaren & Denham (I went to highschool with Denham's dad)

2. Myself, Jaren and Cousin Kara

3. Jaren & I

4. Jaren and Cousin Jamie

5. Jaren

6. Landen

7. Uncle Walter and I going for a quick ride

8. Jaren putting cold water on me!

9. Our cutie Landen enjoying the beach!

4 generations
Myself, Grandma Eva Hovland, My Mom, Jaren & Landen

A very special set of Grandparents!
We miss you terribly already & look forward to the next time we're together. Thanks for the best time ever!!

Grandpa and Grandma Sparks with Jaren & Landen

Update

Sorry for the infrequent updates but we've been having soo much fun with Grandpa and Grandma Sparks that we just haven't had time to post anything. When we get back to sunny Alberta next week I'll go through the million pictures that Grandpa has taken and hopefully re-cap some of the many highlights of our trip this summer to Terrace.

Another Baby Girl!!

Congratulations to Matt & Leah Lyle!!

Halle Gloria Lyle

6 lbs 1 oz

19 inches long

July 29th, 2008( Leah and I took dental hygiene together)

Soon To Be 3!

Since we are not going to be here for Jaren's birthday this year, as we'll be at my mom and dad's, we decided to let Jaren open his birthday presents early. That way he can at least enjoy them for a couple of days before we board our flight next week. He was quite excited at both the gifts he got from us and from Grandpa and Grandma Letniak.

A Ford Super Duty truck with a goose neck trailer from Grandpa & Grandma Letniak. Now Jaren can really go farming like Grandpa.

From Mommy & Daddy.... a wooden train set. As Jaren said "Just what I've always wanted!!"

All set up and ready for some locomotion

We are quite excited because at Grandma Sparks' place we decided to have our own Pirate Party since we had soo much fun when we went to one out here. So then Jaren will have an opportunity to see some of the kids his own age in Terrace and they'll be able to celebrate his birthday with us. Jaren's actual birth date is on the 9th of August, next Saturday already. Where have the past 3 years gone??

Our Week So Far

This week has consisted of "trying" to get things done around the house so we can be ready to leave this weekend for a wedding in Red Deer and then off to Terrace next Tuesday for 2 weeks. At the beginning of the week Jaren and I went for our hair cuts and then had a good visit with the Hagens family afterwards for a couple of hours.

Osten Hagens holding Landen

Yesterday Kevin and I went to Red Deer to do a few things before attending a 50th wedding anniversary in Lacombe that evening. We even got a couple of visits in with some friends. We were able to personally meet the newest Murphy family addition, Nadelle. She is now 3 weeks old. Looking at Landen now compared to the newborn, it is so hard to believe how much they change in such a little time.

Landen and Nadelle getting to know each other - holding hands ALREADY at such a young age. We're gonna have to watch these two in a couple years!! :)

Then we headed off to celebrate 50 years of marriage with Larry and Vicki Shipowick. I used to live with Larry and Vicki while I attend CUC for 3 years so they are like another set of parents to me. We were so glad to be able to be part of this milestone in their lives. They have since moved to Kelowna so we don't get to see them as often but it was wonderful to visit with them and many other people that evening.

Vicki and Larry

I sure hope we look as good as they do celebrating our 50th anniversary!! They are amazing!!