magic irish boots

Ruby is convinced that she can Irish dance.  Somehow, one day, without any training, she just magically knew how to do it.  You should she her perform, it is incredible.  And, who knew, all she needed were her magic boots.  She makes me smile every day.  I don't know how I could live my life without her in it.  I just love her, and her irish dancing!

Best Friends

One of my greatest joys in life is seeing my babies get along.

Ruby and Noni really are the best of friends.

Ruby is so good to Noni and Noni is learning to be good to Ruby.

They are just sweet little siblings and I love to see it.
I mean, they have their moments but on the whole the really love being together.

One day Eldy will be big enough and all 3 of them will have to figure out how to fit on one chair- but I am sure they can do it!

It may be a challenge trying to fit this chubby old man baby on there, but I know they will find a way!  Love can conquer all! 

One In A Minion

I found the minion costume while I was going through some stuff recently.  I think Eldon pulls it off pretty well.

He is One in A Minion.  

Vay Cay

We were able to take a week off and head to montana.  It was a great vacation where we were able to enjoy family, play with cousins all we wanted, shop to our hearts content, eat at delicious restaurants, enjoy great weather, and leave the real world behind.  

I even found these great shoes-  At an unbelievable 24 dollar price!  I'm not sure if that is because people have tried them and hate them or if it is because they are super awesome and I am one lucky girl.  I guess time will only tell.  But I will say they are a lot harder to put on than I thought!

 I was reunited with my long lost friend- target.  I am excited for it to make its way to the Hat.  Yeah, it may not be as good, but anything is better than Zellers.  Am I right?  Or am I right?  But Target is awesome so how bad can it be?

 And we successfully inserted Noni into his own bubble.  He really needs some protection.  He is just a little bit insane.  In a good way.

We all had a great time and we can't wait to go back.  It makes me a little nostalgic for Ohio.  Even though you couldn't get any more opposite, they have the same stores and it makes me reminisce.  

Now back to real life and spring!!!  I hear springtime in Medicine Hat is going to be awesome for the Snells!!!

Eldon's Blessing

Eldon was blessed on March 3, 2013.

Justin blessed him and he did a great job.
I am so grateful for Justin, I really love him.  Do I say that enough?  I don't think I do.
I am also grateful for my babies.  I think they are awesome.  I love all their quirks and oddities.  I love all their normal moments too but quirks are what make kids awesome.  And my kids are awesome.

I am grateful for my family.  For the sacrifices they make for me.  Like travelling all the way to Medicine Hat for Eldon's blessing, or for allowing 22 people to stay at their house so everyone has a place to stay, or for renting a hotel room because they love us, or, the greatest sacrifice of all, letting us live with them.
I have an awesome family.  And I feel truly blessed.
I am grateful for good friends (who feel like family).  Good friends who support us continually and have no problem driving 3 hours early in the morning and then leaving the same day.  Good friends who are always there for us when we need them.  Good friends who make me happy.

Eldon's blessing went great, we had crepes after in celebration of Candlemas.  They were delicious.
I couldn't ask for more.  It was a great weekend.

Ruby was sick and so she wasn't able to really enjoy it, she also didn't make it into any photos.  The next weekend I dressed them all up in the same clothes to take fake blessing photos but I had the camera set to manual by accident and none of them showed up.  So perhaps next week I will get around to them.
I am happy to report that everyone in this house is finally healthy and feeling good!  Let's hope it lasts!!

Room Service

We just got back from a great weekend in Calgary filled with fun memories.
Justin was asked to attend a conference there and was treated to a hotel room and room service.
It was awesome.  We didn't get there until around 9 so we has already eaten but who can pass up some free room service?  We ordered some cheesecake and some fruit, and were treated with some delicious chocolate cookies.

 Twelve dollar cheesecake.  We expected it to be a little bit larger, but it was enough to quench our sweet tooth!

The prince and princess and our room service tray.  Justin and I have never had room service or stayed in a fancy hotel.  So this was a treat for us too.  We stayed up late with the kids and just enjoyed the night.  I think we all had a great time.  Just outside our window was the Calgary Tower.  We were right across the street from it.  Noni had a little bit of a scare looking out the window (we were on the top floor) at the Calgary Tower.  He would not let Justin let go of his hand.  He was so cute.  It was just and unexpected and fun night.  Justin kept saying to Ruby  'Remember this night' and she kept replying 'I can't'.  I hope she does. She has the best memory of anyone I know- so I am confident she will be fine...

And Eldon was there- whether he enjoyed himself or not is still unknown...

Gallets

When Ruby was young she used to call glasses goggies and noni called them gallets.  Now they both call them glasses.  (They are getting too big)
There are a lot of perks that come from Justin being an optometrist, like for example, we are finally MAKING money.  (It has been a long time)
One of my favorite perks is being able to go and try on glasses.
There is nothing better than a little kid with a pair of glasses on.  They are just way too cute!
Ruby loves it too.  She has her set favorites- the glow in the dark ones but I like to make her branch out.  There are some incredibly cute ones there!
Here are some of my favorites from the last time we were there.

 Is this not the cutest picture you have ever seen?  He reminds me of the old man from UP.  I just love his mouth and the way he is standing!

 Ruby loves purple.  As she should- these glasses look so awesome on her!

 Eldy isn't really a fan- but that cute cry face is awesome.

What a cute little head.

Mustaches

I was asked to do a booth at a relief society activity. It was to be geared towards having fun with kids.

It wasn't until I started to plan it out that I realized 2 things.

Number 1:  I used to have fun with my kids all the time.  We used to do really fun things, and life was good.

Number 2: I have been slacking a bit since I got pregnant- a year ago.  I was just so sick, having fun was the last thing on my list.  Life is still good but we really need to get the fun back into it.  

So here I go to 'Carpe Diem'

I love mustaches, I just love them.  Not real ones mind you.  I don't want Justin to actually GROW one.  Please no.  But I do love fake mustaches.  I really do.

My kids tolerate them.  (They love them deep down I am sure.)

I printed out the props- (I found the free printable here)

And we got to work having fun.

 Noni didn't have as much fun as the rest of us.  I guess he wasn't in the mood.  He kept crinkling all the props and after this photo was taken he promptly ripped those glasses in half...  I just turned them into a monacle...  when noni gives you lemons make lemonade- right?

 Ruby was such a good sport!  And isn't she the cutest thing you have ever seen?

 Eldon is awesome.  Look at that little guy- he is SO AWESOME!  He didn't even cry or complain.  He as quickly learned to endure...

This was so fun.  and you get some awesome photos from it for memories later.  We will do this again soon. I just need to find some more mustaches....

Bulk Barn vs the Babies

It all stemmed from my desire for sanity.  The desire to get out and smell the fresh air and to make my delicious granola.  So I took all the kids on a walk to bulk barn and to say it was the worst decision I ever made is definitely an understatement.  I will never do it again.  Never.  Eldy knew right away it was a bad idea and he made sure I knew.  

He cried the whole time unless he was held.  So I had to carry a crying baby  16 pound baby (yes he is 16 pds now) in one arm while pushing the stroller in the other and keeping an eye on my 3 year old who was very curious about the bulk utopian paradise...

At one point he even stuck his whole arm in the sesame seeds.  I did my best to scoop out what he had touched- like that is even possible.  At another point he reached into a bin and grabbed an m&m and started to put it in his mouth.  I quickly told him he couldn't eat it because we hadn't paid for it- so he started to put it back in the bin.  So I quickly told him he couldn't do that either and eventually relented and told him to just eat it.  Talk about mixed signals....  At least he was kind enough to share half with Ruby.  Ruby as always was an awesome help.

  Luckily she can hold the bag while i scooped, it was a little hard to do it all while I was holding Eldon.  Don't worry, she was rewarded with any candy of her choice.  She choose some weird banana candy that turned out to be incredibly delicious.  Noni got Swedish fish.  We survived, barely.  So bulk barn and the fresh outdoor air are complete opposites in my mind.  Sanity versus insanity.  The point- we will be walking as much as we can and we will avoid the bulk barn like the plague (at last when I am by myself).  I really like the bulk barn under normal circumstances, I will just have to go with back up next time...

(Can I just say I think my kids are awesome?)

Sanity

What I like most about winters here are the chinooks.  They make winters bearable.  We have been enjoying an extended chinook (or dare I say the end of winter is nigh?) lately and it has truly helped with our sanity.  We enjoy the crazy amounts of mud and large puddles.  It is awesome.  Ruby and Noni love it, and I love it.  It just feels good to be out in the fresh air again.  Eldy is getting used to it, he sleeps through it mostly.  When we are outside I can feel the sanity return to my veins.  And I forgot how much I love mud and puddles.  I am looking forward to blue skies and warm weather but for now we will take the slight chill and the mud.