Some exciting news - We are moving to Sparwood, BC at the end of March. Jared got a job as a Employee Relations Coordinator at Elk Valley Coal. The company has been great so far - providing so much to help us make this decision - plus it's a place where we have always hoped to live someday.
We visited there a few weeks ago (the reason for this trip and why we stayed in such a nice hotel) and it is a gorgeous area - perfect for our outdoorsy family. The town only has about 4000 people (but it has a ward! which we went to), it's about 20 minutes from Fernie, 90 minutes from Lethbridge and we are excited to start house hunting!
It will be hard to leave Edmonton. It has been so fun being close to my family these past two years and we have made some amazing friends here. Sad to move away but...you'll just all have to come visit us in Sparwood!
Shocking, I Know
Vancouver Trip
Jared had this whole past week off. We had originally planned to go to Mexico for the week, but some last minute things got in the way of those plans. We were bummed, but decided to still take advantage of the time off and babysitter and go somewhere not-so-international for the last part of the week.
Jared and I went to Vancouver/Victoria for 5 days and left the kids with my parents in Sherwood Park. We did so many fun things and I'm so glad we decided to go on a whim. It was literally less than 24 hours between booking the vacation and boarding the plane.
We spent 3 days in Vancouver first. We walked everywhere - downtown, the coastline, Chinatown, and East Hastings Street - oh my gosh, that place is crazy. We also went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. That was pretty neat. A little scary when the wind blew. But neat.
We also drove out to Horseshoe Bay and rented a 15 foot, 60 hp boat for an afternoon. That was really fun. We cruised around on the ocean, between all the islands, looking for whales and sea lions. There were some really nice houses on the shoreline.
Then, we boarded the ferry and headed to Victoria for 2 days. There, we walked some more around downtown, seeing the sights. We also drove around Victoria and Jared was able to find (by memory) his old house that his family lived in when he was in Grade 4. That was pretty cool.
We drove out farther West, past Sooke, to French Beach Park. We were pretty much the only ones on this beach and the view was so pretty. The tide was starting to come in so we watched the waves for awhile. We explored there for hours - hiking up to see the view from the top, exploring rock caves, walking all along the beach, watching the sunset, (my mom said that last part sounds like a singles add in the classifieds - haha) - ya know, all the stuff you can't do with kids in tow.
The whole trip was so nice. We really appreciate my parents watching the kids for us. It was wonderful not having to haul around a diaper bag, come back to the hotel for naps, take turns doing things while one stays with Hayley, figuring out where to make bottles, stopping to take breaks, etc. Things sure go alot smoother when it's just adults.
That being said, I missed my kids! We were glad to get home and see them again, especially because Hayley had been sick. My family had a rough couple of days with her. She kept throwing up and when that stopped, it started out the other end. She hadn't eaten anything the whole time we were gone. My mom had to take her into the medi-center because she was getting dehydrated. She seems a bit better today and actually ate something last night for the first time. Poor girl.
She was even acting a little bit mad at me for leaving her. She wanted me to hold her, but wouldn't look me in the eye and kept turning her head away when I talked to her. Funny.
Carter, on the other hand, was sad when we came to get them. He was like, "No, don't come home yet!". He always says that when I come back. Having too much fun at grandma and grandpa's, I guess... I try not to take it personally.
Family Day
Monday was Family Day here in Alberta. We went downtown to Churchill Square and took part in some of the activities going on. They had lots of things for kids to do - building snow forts, crafts, street hockey, cooking Bannock, street performers, music, food, etc.
For one of the performers tricks, he called up "the guy in the white jacket with the bed-head". That was Jared. He gave a scarf to two little girls, and tucked both ends into the front of Jared's pants and told the girls to pull on the scarfs. Tied to the ends was a pair of men's underwear. It was pretty funny.
Just for fun, we took the bus from our house to downtown. The kids loved it. Or maybe they just loved not having to stay in their car seats. The weather was actually really nice, too - a nice break from the -40 stuff we've been having.
Tobogganing
We thought today would be warm enough to go sledding at a nearby hill.
We were wrong.
We froze and only went down a few times before deciding to call it quits. Having to take your kids to the ER for hypothermia is not how we wanted to spend our Saturday - kidding, it wasn't that cold. Jared and Hayley were the tough ones that wanted to keep going, but Carter and I are apparently "fragile" (according to Jared) and just wanted to be warm. And drink some hot chocolate.
But we did get to try out Carter's new sled from Grandma and Grandpa, and now we can't wait until it warms up a bit more so we can go again!
Valentines Day
The other day, my friend Megan and her kids (Ethan and Mia) came over for a fun little activity. We made sugar cookies and then iced and decorated them for Valentines Day. I think more candy ended up in their tummies than on the cookies.
The boys decorated cookies while the girls ate every scrap that came their way.
Yummy!
Four
Yesterday was Carter's fourth birthday. We had a party for him last night and it was so much fun. We had a full house: Grandma and Grandpa and Carly came, as well as Jared's brother Tim and Gary, and Gary's fiance (yay!) Allie. We also had our friends, the Stevensons and the Purnells over. We just had everyone over for cake and ice cream.
And presents. Lots of presents. Carter got so spoiled.
I made him a Ninja Turtle cake. After the party, he told me that his cake was so awesome and he was so surprised. And I didn't even have to prompt him to say that. My head swelled a little :)
I love this picture of Skye!
Carter and his friend Ethan
The guys were all more enthralled with the race track than the kids were. It was hilarious! Carter and Ethan eventually got their turn, though.
I can't even believe he's four years old! Every year, his birthday reminds me of when he was born and brings back alot of emotions. After he was born, I had numerous medical complications and ended up being in the hospital for 4 months. That was a very hard time for our family; Jared was at a new job and couldn't take any time off, we didn't know if I was even going to get better, being away from each other all the time, enduring many medical tests and surgeries, needing tons of help from family members, them traveling down to Lethbridge to take care of little Carter, and not being able to be at home with our brand new baby. Even though it was a difficult time, we had so many amazing miracles happen to us and realized how blessed we are to have such wonderful family and friends. I am so thankful for that little baby who made all those trials worth the effort. He is an amazing kid and I am so glad I get to be his mom. Happy Birthday Donatello!
Hernie Fernie
This past weekend we went to Fernie. It was my first time there and, oh my gosh, it was so much fun. Carter called it "Hernie Fernie" the whole time. We're not really sure why, but it was hilarious nonetheless. The best part was definitely our hotel room. It was so nice, I don't know if you can even call it a hotel room. Seriously, it was almost bigger than our first rental place right after we got married. It had a bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room, huge bathroom, washer and dryer, dishwasher, etc. I just had to take these pics to show how amazing the room was. Not to mention the views up there in the mountains.
There was so much snow. It was so crazy. But the weird thing was it wasn't even cold. People kept apologizing for the "unseasonably cold weather" but compared to Edmonton, it felt like the Bahamas. Except with snow. Some of the piles were taller than houses. I have never seen that much snow in my entire life. There were even icicles hanging off buildings that were probably 10 feet long.
We played in the snow, watched movies, went swimming, sat in the hot tubs, worked out at the fitness center, ate at restaurants, and drank hot chocolate to our hearts content.
Oh and we got to see The Wold's Largest Truck. Now there's something you don't see everyday.
It was HUGE! It doesn't look that big from far away, but when you get up close and stand next to those wheels...
The whole weekend was just so relaxing and fun. We didn't even want to come back home. Why can't we do this every weekend? Oh wait, because we're not millionaires, that's why. But still... I am convinced; Fernie beats out Disneyland (and yes Lisa, it beats Chuck E Cheese, too) as the happiest place on earth.
Kidding.
Sorta.
I heart Chuck E.
Last week, my younger sister Carly starred in her junior high school production of "Guys and Dolls" so we got to watch her in that, and she did so good. Like seriously, this girl can sing. My older sister Lisa came up from Calgary with her two boys to see it and stay at my parents house for a few days. On Thursday afternoon, us gals all went to Chuck E. Cheese with the kids, and my friend Jeanne tagged along. This was everyone's first time (besides myself and my kids) and we had so much fun there together. As per usual. See, that's the thing about Chuck E. - he always provides.
Carly, Jeanne and sweet little Taylor
Carter playing the drums.
My cute nephew Josh.
Walking Update
Hayley is getting better at walking since taking her first steps last week.
And getting frustrated with falling so much...
Really frustrated.
Poor gal - life is so rough when you're a one-year-old.
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