A Little Catch Up

Its time for the blog game I like to call-
A little catch up

aka- a year in a nutshell

I was recently going through this last years photos and I just can't believe that we made it.  It was quite the challenge at times.  But one thing I did notice was that on the whole it was amazing.  We had some challenges and hills to climb but we still had fun doing it.  I know there will always be challenges and I am forever grateful for the family that I have to help me through them.

Ruby's first day of school.  It was hard for me, but she is doing very well.  She is making great friends and has a great teacher.   I just love her so much it is still hard for me to say goodbye to her each morning.  I am always happier when we are together.

Here we are drowning my school sorrows with frozen yogurt on the second day of school

If there is one thing that Noni loves it is nerf guns.  He just thinks they are the best (and lets be honest, they are)

The after effects of Noni feeding eldy a fudgesicle.  Sometimes moms have to use the bathroom too, and apparently dads think it is a good idea to arm a three year old with a fudgsicle and head to work while mom is doing just that.  It made me laugh so hard, this is what I came out to.  Myers said- 'He kept moving his face!' So he couldn't get it in his mouth!!!

Squinkies up the nose- enough said.

Sharing a milk shake at Child's Play, the best milkshakes ever.

I picked up some sod for our front lawn, justin had had enough of the hedges.  Our van is amazing!!

Getting ready to lay the sod.  Don't be fooled, they didn't do much.

New sod!

Sleep Eldy, my view every night as a I rock him to sleep...

Starbucks always makes the cold rainy day blues go away.

Caramel steamed milk, my favorite...

Noni's new sheets, they were on a crazy clearance at target, I love that place...

More starbucks, this time while we waited for Ruby's dance class to be over.

I love our front porch.  Absolutely love it.

Sometimes a dad just has to ride his daughters bike.

Target Halloween wigs, look at that sweet face!

Noni the Geisha

Justin's Mowvember.  I love this man.

Pumpkin picking at Kathy's, that was one of the best days!

Noni really wanted a hoodie this day, sadly he had outgrown all his hoodies.  Luckily he is good at improvising!

Ikea, we all survived!

My most favorite target purchase.  Look at that cute eyeball boy!

Eldy didn't want to be left out.

Myers loves to put stuff together and work with tools.  This kid put this whole shelf together!

Ruby concentrating on reading, look at that cute concentration forehead complete with dimples.

I love to get Noni to try on glasses, I mean seriously, he is adorable!

We love to hang out at the park after school!  This particular day they made a lady bug house for their new found ladybug friend 'Chariot'

This sweet baby naps about once a day for 20 minutes, then he gets so tired and ends up like this!

Spaghetti head!

I am so grateful for my family and for digital photos.  I love being able to look back on the memories of the past while and remember the best of times.  It is important each day, each moment to choose to be happy.  It makes life better, it makes everything better, and it CAN BE DONE!

Styrofoam Head

To complete our Halloween festivities we actually decorated this year!!

We made clay eye balls for Justin to bring to work, I mean there have got be perks to being an optometrist and one of them is definitely your ability to decorate with eye balls on Halloween.  But don't worry, I have some Christmas eye ball decorations up my sleeve!

No Halloween is complete without the annual pumpkin carving.  We were lucky enough to get some awesome garden pumpkins from my sister!  We each got our own!

 Ruby even did all the carving herself!!!  It turned out so awesome.  That girl is my favorite.

 The styrofoam head (she really needs a name)  found Justin again.... mwahahahaha

 We decorated outside too.  The bats were my favorite!

 But I also love the caution tape, the monster face that Ruby and Noni designed (complete with mustache) and the wooden pumpkins that were a complete pain in the butt...  but turned out better than I could have imagined!

Halloween was so fun this year!  We were able to trick or treat with some great friends and my mom and dad came and handed out candy for us.  It was the perfect weather and the perfect night.  We had a blast.

Popcorn Head

I'm finally getting to my halloween post, but before I begin and just so I don't forget I have to mention that Eldon took his first step today!!!  It doesn't mean he is walking- he's still a long way off, but he took his first step!!  This little baby of mine is growing UP!

Halloween was a lot of fun!  I love Halloween.  It makes me happy.  It is when the creative juices are free flowing and I get to sew whatever my kids hearts desire!  This year was probably the easiest of them all.  Noni got a store bought costume (gasp- I know) I am usually one for purely homemade but I saw the ninja costume was on for 15 dollars and I knew I couldn't make anything for that cheap- so I bought it.  He added his own homemade twist when he requested a popcorn head.  So he became our popcorn head ninja.  And he pulled it off!

Just hanging out with his popcorn head.

Ruby started off wanting to be a spy. Not a special spy, just a spy that wore black- and that's it.  No mask, no name tags, no gadgets, just black.  Eventually her ideas changed and she wanted to be a vampire spy so I was able to make her some bat wings and I snuck in a name tag.  She loved it.

(Here she is with our trick or treating partner (the other Ruby))


And here she is during the costume parade with Noni and surrounded by Hulks!

Eldon still has no say in his costumes, which is just the way I like it, so he became popcorn.  I knew I would be wearing him in the Ergo so I wanted something that would work with that.  Plus 2 birds, one stone.  I instantly became a popcorn vender, or a movie critic or simply a girl who loves a whole lot of popcorn.  It was great.

Justin was a giant eye ball.  I found it at target and I couldn't pass it up.  My only regret is that I didn't buy two.  Hopefully they will be back next year....

And I also made my dad's costume this year.  The 'What Does The Fox Say' song is really popular at his school and I thought I could make that come to life.  I made this awesome fox hood and freezer paper stenciled on the saying and we were done.  It was quick and easy and wonderful.

If you want to check out other halloweens you can check them here and here and here.  I love halloween, I love making costume dreams come to life...  Until next year my friends...  And now ON TO CHRISTMAS!

Pre Halloween Apocalypse (Is that a little dramatic?)

This is what our day looked like yesterday.  We spent the morning, while Justin was out saving the world one eye ball at a time, decorating for halloween.  Which I have never really done, but really love.  Ruby and Noni had a great time too figuring out where they wanted the caution tape and the bats and how they wanted to create the door monster.  (I of course added a mustache, nothing is complete without a mustache- except Justin I prefer his face to be mustache free)

 Take note of the pumpkins in the background- A good friend and I made those together and I love them!  They look so amazingly awesome.

 The weather was so terrific we sat outside and rode our bikes and played and decorated outside the entire morning. It was amazing.  In fact I almost forgot that I lived in Canada and thought we might have an enjoyable Halloween this year.  Then it snowed this morning.  I mean really?  It ruined almost all of our halloween decorations, a few of the bats are missing, the monster face is water damaged, the pumpkins are blown over and everything is covered in a thin layer of snow.   And we are all inside cozy under blankets.  I hope I can survive this winter....

On a positive note- I am excited to for the kids costumes this year.  I just let the kids decide and be whatever they wanted to be.  Ruby decided she wanted to be a Vampire spy, Noni decided he wanted to be Ninja with a popcorn head and a green eye and Eldy decided he wanted to be popcorn.  (I know that Eldy is so clever)  More of that to follow.  I have high hopes that I am back on the blogging train!!

Painted Piano

Best decision ever made!

Ruby Lou Conquers the Bike!

This little Rublet has learned to ride a two wheeler (in May).  She is incredible.  I love watching her ride, it reminds me of when I first learned.  She was brave and persistent, just like she should be.  I think she is awesome.  We rode from our house to my parents house (5km) and she did it all herself.  It involved a little bit of coaxing and some 'you can do it' chanting but she did it!   Noni is still working on learning how to steer his tricycle but he will get there one day... right?  He is awesome too.  Eldy is getting used to the bike trailer and slept the whole time instead of screaming at me- so that was a great improvement I would say!  

Farewell Summer Friend

This summer has been good to us.
We were able to vacation with friends and family.
Have cousin camp.
Enjoy the great, sunny, beautiful weather.
Spend all our time together.
And get settled into our new home!!
We are going to miss the summer...
The first day of fall is tomorrow.
And we all know that only lasts a day (maybe 2 if we are lucky)
Then onto the first day of winter.

Pictures of my kids crying should cheer us all up.

 Noni doesn't cry all that often so it is hard to catch it on film.  I'll just post this awesome picture of him enjoying a vanilla bean frappuccino on what may be the last day of good weather we see in a while.  I miss Ohio...

Kijiji fiend

I have been a crazy kijiji fiend as of late, I frequent the site looking for awesome deals and the perfect furniture for our house.  Which for the most part I have done pretty well.  I am still looking for that one amazing gem, but when I find it you will know.  Anyway, in my site visits I have seem some interesting things.  This one, however, wins first prize. 

Hair of Micheal Jackson, http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-art-collectibles-Hair-of-Micheal-Jackson-W0QQAdIdZ499067412 Price: CAD 100.00

Someone was selling Michaels hair, 40 dollars per inch.   A good buy I say if you are planning on cloning him... I guess then we would be able to verify the true source!