Time to Celebrate Another Year of Life!

Steve celebrated his 36th birthday on July 8.  We are so lucky to have him as our husband and father - he is a GREAT man!  

Since I'm having all my dumb complications and issues and don't have the ability at the moment to really care for my boys (well I can, just can't lift Ryder or walk with them), once Steve went back to work, the boys went to stay with my parents, while Mckenzie and I continued to chill at home.  On Steve's birthday though, Mckenzie and I had "moved" to mom and dads, so Steve came that evening to blow out his birthday cake and stay the night with us as well.  I'm so glad that it worked out for him to come and celebrate with us....it just didn't seem right for him to be by himself on his birthday when the rest of us were only 40 minutes away!  The boys were super excited to see their daddy!

Birthday photo...but someone is missing!

Oh!  There she is - much better birthday photo!

Ryder getting to eat the icing off of the beaters!

Water fight :)  Okay, really just Ezra trying to get other people wet!

Finishing the BEAUTIFUL evening off with a little campfire time!

Water Table and Wading Pool Fun

I had a physio appointment the other afternoon, so after mom dropped me off at it, she headed over to Nikki's to let the boys loose to play.  And they had a ton of fun playing with their cousins, Sawyer & Cooper, in the water table and in the wading pool.  We are so lucky to have cousins for our children that are close in age and one's that they so enjoy to be around!  

Nothing like Ryder giving the stink eye after getting sunscreen put on him :)

My boy, Ryder, loves to drink!  Even if it's dirty water in the water table :).  In the background is cutie pie Cooper.  

Ezra and Sawyer playing golf.  

Grandma got the bubbles out....Sawyer and Ezra blew bubbles and Ryder drank the 

bubble mix :)...like I said, the boy loves to drink!

There was some ice cubes in the small blue container....Ryder thought that he would drink the cubes but discovered that ice cubes are too cold!

One of my favourite pictures of Ezra and Sawyer - they just adore each other!

Our Oldest Pride and Joy! - Ezra 2 3/4 years old

It amazes us each day how much Ezra teaches us about who he is.  He is kind, gentle, considerate, smart, loving, and a bundle of FUN.  Here are some pictures of the past few weeks: 

Working the "Candy Store" at Mrs Trina's and Mr Emile's cabin on Canada Day.  

Such a FANTASTIC IDEA!!!  Trina had Emile build this little cabin and several times throughout the day, the "Candy Store" opens....someone mans the candy store...kids line up and are given some money...they pay for the candy with this money and voila...they have gone shopping at the candy store.  Isn't that such a fun idea!

Ezra was super excited to find out that Great Grandpa was coming out to meet Mckenzie.  He really enjoys hanging out with Great Grandpa.  The next two photo's shows them trying to put the ear muffs on Ezra (they are a little small and kept snapping closed).  

Patiently waiting for us to fill the pool up on a hot afternoon!

It's hard work being just about 3 years old!

Note: if you are ever around Steve, be sure to ask him about the video of Ezra falling asleep at the table.  We are trying to figure out YouTube, but until we do...the picture will have to do!

And this is how you end an afternoon at McDonald's for cousin, Catherine's, 

birthday....hold hands with cousin, Sawyer.  

Staying cool at Auntie Nikki's in the wading pool on a very hot afternoon!

Our Middle Child - Our Fun Child!

Here are a few snapshots of Ryder at 13 months:

He has crawling mastered...and is oh so close to walking!

The easiest way to entertain my middle child is to let him into the games drawer and be so very patient when you discover that he has dumped out the cards!

Some crazy cousin love

And this is about how close we allow Ryder to get supervised :)  

Gentle is a hard word to learn :)

Ryder was a trooper on Canada Day!  Late afternoon and he was getting pretty tired!

Waiting for daddy to fill the pool!

At cousin, Catherine's, birthday party at McDonald's

Keeping cool at cousin, Sawyer & Cooper's, house on a hot afternoon

Ryder's new beach hat!

Mckenzie's First Two Week's at Home

Here are just a few snapshots of our little sunshine's first two weeks at home:

Meeting cousin Sawyer for the first time at 10 days old..

 The next three pictures are of our great friends, the Willis', girls.  The first photo is of sweet Hayley.  The second two photo's are of loving Hannah - she is a little mother hen herself at a sweet young age!

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Celebrating Canada Day - all decked out in my Canadian Princess gear!

Great Grandpa Oliver - 2 weeks old

Chillin' at cousin Catherine's birthday party (which was also her first - and probably many - trips to McDonalds).  Holding her is Catherine's great grandma Irene Waring

Ready for nap time - the knit blanket and the gloves that she is wearing were mine as a baby!  So nice to have these special items to pass onto my baby girl...Thanks Mom!!!

All dressed and ready for Church.