Where Has the Week Gone?

This past week has flown by with my mom and dad here visiting. It has been wonderful having them around and having the boy's attention diverted elsewhere for a change throughout the day! We haven't done much during the week except for PLAY, PLAY, PLAY! But we have all had fun doing it. Less than one week now before they fly out again - they will both be very much missed by all of us! But right now we aren't even going to think about that day!

After a day of shopping with Grandma and Grandpa!

Landen has got well acquainted with Grandpa and Grandma Sparks this trip and he has already figured out how to work them quite well!

Ready and waiting!

All this attention can just wear a guy out!

Always ready and willing to help when things need to be fixed

Playing in the laundry hamper

They're Here!

On Sunday afternoon Grandpa and Grandma Sparks flew into Calgary to come and have a couple week visit with us! All Jaren kept saying on the way to the airport was "I'm soo excited Grandma and Grandpa are coming!" He was estactic to sneak up on them as they were walking through the airport but as you can see pictured above, he wasn't quite as excited that he has to now share the attention of them with his younger brother!

Once we got home after our 3 1/2 hour drive from the airport Jaren couldn't wait to dive into Grandma's suitcase as he knew there was a surprise awaiting him in there!

His favorite..........

books and John Deere construction equipment (just like Uncle Walter's!!)

Now we've got a couple of weeks ahead of us to get in all the Grandpa/Grandma time that we can - they are going to have to go home for a vacation!!

Sunday Brunch

This past weekend the boys and I headed to Calgary to pick up my mom and dad from the airport. Rather than going there and back in one day, which is a VERY long day with kids, we decided to go in one night before to see friends and have a visit with our favorite little people before getting my parents! So on Saturday night we stayed with Sam, Corey and Mary and then Sunday morning we went to Celeste's where she prepared a wonderful brunch for 7 adults and 10 children! Needless to say she had quite a houseful!!

So pictured below are the 4 little munchkins that are all within 2 weeks apart. 2 of the 4 are on the move, Naomi and Ava, and Landen and Isabella still haven't quite figured out how to get those knees and arms moving in a coordinated fashion! It is soo much fun to be around other babies that are the same age and watch them interact!

Naomi, Landen, Ava (front) & Isabella (back)

Landen and 5 1/2 month old Halle

I put together some more pictures of our day together with the girls and their children. Watch and enjoy!

Already Longing for Spring

As Connie well put it..."Do you think someone is longing for spring??"

A Day at the Farm

It was thankfully another beautiful day today so Jaren went to spend the afternoon at the farm. Mid-way through his visit I went to check on him to see if he was ready to come home but by the looks of what was going on he definitely wanted to stay. He had Grandma racing up and down the ditches pulling him on the infamous GT snow-racer. It's a good thing he is only 30 lbs!! Poor Grandma! So Landen and I watched the entertainment for a short time before we left for home again.

Also at the farm the men were busy trimming the 2 yr old bulls hair and starting to get them ready for our annual bull sale that is held in March. With that day quickly approaching it only means one thing........that our little man Landen will soon be 1 years old! At least this year there will be no fear of me not making it to the bull sale!

Jaren hanging on tightly to Uncle Lawrence as to not get too close to those big bulls. He is not their biggest fan - THANKFULLY!

The bulls getting their beauty treatment for the sale.

The Good 'Ol Days

This week we have been busy with trying to get the house a bit more organized as my mom and dad are coming this weekend for a visit. That is the one thing that I like about getting company - it forces me to do the jobs that I have been putting off and never seem to be a priority from week to week until you know you are having people come to your house! So getting those things done as well as trying to get on top of laundry, which NEVER seems to stop growing (!!), has stopped me from grabbing my camera to capture any moments from this week. So instead of putting pictures of the boys once again......I thought I would put some good 'ol pictures from the past!

My cousin Chrystal and I getting squeaky clean at Grandma's house

(Please tell me that isn't a toilet brush in Chrys's hand!!)

My sister Randi (clown) and myself (farmer) at Halloween

Who knew this would be the life that I would actually choose some 20 yrs later!
(& Randi still is the clown!)

Randi and I relaxing after a hard evenings work building our snow fort. I absolutely love the salmon coloured suit I am wearing with the beautiful matching blue boots! What fashion we had in the 80's!

There you have it........a little blast from my past!

Winter Fun

We finally got a small break in the bitter cold temperatures so Jaren headed for the outdoors to burn off a little steam.Keesha even headed out for a bit to join in on the fun. I have realized in these frigid temperatures that we have a fair-weather Keeshond. She only seems to want to be outside when the temperatures are sitting at about -10'C. She's got things figured out!

Cleaning our face in the snow.

Puppy Love

Keesha braving the affections of 9 1/2 month old Landen this morning - brave dog!

Winter In Canada

WINTER POEM

It's winter in Canada

And the gentle breezes blow

Seventy miles an hour

At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Canada

When the snow's up to your butt

You take a breath of winter

And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around

I could never leave Canada

I'm frozen to the friggin' ground!

-Authur Unknown

(Thanks Auntie Nancy, I couldn't resist posting this - it is too true!)

A Real Predicament!

As I mentioned the other day this getting around business for Landen gets him into some real predicaments! He pushes himself in reverse on the floor and this is where I found out he had wiggled as I was cleaning the living room - under the couch! It didn't take him long to realize this was a place that he did not want to be! :)

Once out from under the couch he likes to take control over the vacuum cleaner. A much better position to be in! And a much happier boy!

All Said & Done!

Well, that's it....Christmas is over and done with so today I am attempting to take down my tree. I couldn't resist taking these pictures of Keesha as she found a nice sunny spot to lay and watch me but she could hardly keep her eyes open! She was relaxing to the fullest and enjoying the warmth of the rays (inside the house!).

Landen also had his fun as he stood all by himself for quite awhile holding onto the rubbermaid container. Pretty soon those little feet will figure out that if they move the rest of his body will follow! Watch out!

I am looking forward to getting my house back into a "somewhat" organized state and also getting back into a regular scheduled week. I love Christmas and all but with kids I LOVE routine just a little more!!

New Year's Day

New Year's Day was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Letniak's. It started out with a good meal at dinnertime and then afterwards the boys bundled up to hit the frigid cold temperatures and go for a long-awaited ride on the GT Snow Racer! Jaren absolutely loved being pulled on the GT snow racer with the quads - you had to pry him off to go into the house to get warmed up!

Julie taking her turn at pulling someone on one of the sleds behind the quad.

Jonathan and Jaren thinking about doubling up for a ride.

All the kidlets waiting patiently to open their Christmas gifts from Grandpa and Grandma on New Year's Day.

Our little Landen

You gotta LOVE this paper!!

Jaren receiving his long-awaited combine!! He is one of the wealthiest farmers in this part of the country with all his new equipment!

The Growing Boy

Our littlest man is finding it VERY frustrating these past couple weeks as he can not figure out how to get his legs and arms coordinated for this crawling business! He seems to manage to move around a bit by scooting here or there but it doesn't always get him his toy fast enough that way. Once we're on our tummy and not getting anywhere we seem to get quite upset! Then it's Mommy to the rescue! We're getting reverse figured out but that always comes to an end when he backs up against the wall or cupboards!

He's just happy as can be sitting and pulling off his socks!

Little by little he is also beginning to try and feed himself things that he can chew on and make good use out of those little teeth. It helps to buy me a little time when someone is VERY hungry and I don't quite have his meal ready yet!

Chowing down on a yummy cracker.