Saturday, July 31, 2010

Rocky Mountain High

How much have we been up to? SO MUCH... 


I'll do better updates soon but in the meantime, Banff was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I used to think that the Tetons were a little slice of heaven (and still do) but I think the Canadian Rockies might be a little bit bigger piece of heaven pie. They are simply stunning and no words could do them justice.



Since the kids will never remember being there, we might as well prove that they were...


Our stupendous travel mates. 

Would you want to sign up for endless hours in the car with a potty-training two and a half year old and a nine month old? Me neither... 


Lake Louise... not a bad lunch backdrop (sorry Greg and Meg, we had to do it). 


I'm not climbing that. Ever. 


What's the mountain air doing to this guy?

Monday, July 19, 2010

Your Smiling Face

I think summer makes people around here very happy. I've got some grinny mcgrinny kids lately. I do realize that many of these pictures were taken while sitting at the table and I think it's because it's one of the only times that I have a captive audience. While not every day is cheery and rosy, sunny (and not muggy, sorry easterners) days are some cause for minor celebration.

She's chanting "teach Jack to clap. Teach Jack to clap..."

You can glimpse Jack's snaggle-tooth grin here. One of his front teeth broke through over the weekend so this look is about to be officially retired. 

I guess the camping bug hasn't worn off yet.

Nothing wakes you up in the morning like a big laugh attack. 

"Will this look get me out of trouble because I'm about to touch your phone?" For the record, no.

Once again, if I need Jack to cheer up, I just trot Molly out. 

Hot, sweaty, and happy after playing and swimming.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Ain't Life Grand

We've seen one half of our grandparental unit out here this summer and are awaiting visits from the other half. Really, I'm not sure who loves to have the visitors more -- me or the small ones. It was great to have my parents here to explore some stuff that requires more than just my two hands, not to mention having the opportunity to do some adult sized activities (have I mentioned how many wineries are around us?). Having daytime company was a real treat, not that I don't love the topics that Molly comes up with for us to discuss. The kids... well, who wouldn't be in heaven to have extra people to tickle, love, giggle, chase, make laugh, sing to, ask questions of (and we're at the point where some of the questions are more than G rated), get pushes from, and everything in between that grandparents are willing to do?

I don't know if you've noticed but Molly looks and acts almost nothing like me. The things she did inherit, however, are my short fuse (unfortunately) and my memory. She holds onto to EV-ER-Y-THING and long after my parents left is she remembering things that they say or do or did... whether it was on this visit or many moons ago. Whenever I say "sound like a plan?", she adds "Stan... that's what Grammy says!" or if she's done some stinky business she says "WOOO-WEEE... that's what Grampy says!" So, for all upcoming visitors, you may want to think ahead of time what you'd like your legacy to be.

Reading together.


Geeking out together.


Hugging together.


Standing tall together.




Acting silly together. Please note that the mastermind of this situation was not caught dead with a silly hat on her head. Those are for the other suckers. 

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Sticker Shock

Does this seem like a good idea to you? NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I think it went a little something like "hold still Jack Jack. I have to get this thing just right."



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Music To My Ears

This may fall into the category of only being funny/cute to mom and dad (and grandparents) but tough noogies, you get to see it too. Molly is pretty obsessed with singing (and singing, and singing, and singing...). We spent our lunch hour tuning up the old pipes (mine are clearly still rusty, please ignore my prompts) and while we only planned on recording Oh Canada, somebody felt that Auntie Mary deserved another birthday serenade.

I think I fixed the video... there go my attempts to be Captain Privacy.


Monday, July 12, 2010

Ants Go Marching

One thing that you'll never lack for around here is the opportunity to get outside. There is more hiking, biking, swimming, climbing, strolling, floating, boating, camping, paddling, etc. than you could shake a stick at. It's also all pretty close by, to boot. When my parents were here, we drove a whopping ten minutes from our house and got to this glory...




The really nice thing is that these places aren't overrun with other weekend warriors. It's not like 5,000 people are vying for the same two square feet of space and you have to wait your turn at scenic vistas. You can actually get out and enjoy some solitude and only share it furry, four legged (or rattling, no legged) creatures.  This is actually a new provincial park and it's primarily geared for rock climbers because there are faces like this all over the place:


but since those folks need ways to get amongst all the rocks, there are, naturally, hiking trails there too. And although we decided to save our badassness for another day and keep our feet firmly planted on the ground, we spent a beautiful day away from the hustle and bustle of the little city just enjoyed what mother nature cooked up for us. 

We couldn't end our day up in the clouds, though, and decided instead to end it in the water. Pay no attention to those un-hardy folk with jackets on. Two of us agreed that the water was perfectly swimmable. 

 
Jack's thinking that perhaps because hurricane Molly is on premises that someone might forget that he has 20 years and 4 months to go before he can actually get at the vino that he wishes were in the bottom of his glass. 

Here she goes, out into the wild blue yonder.

Picnic dinner

Even John sampled the lake water... and you can see someone flying out of it after, perhaps, a deeper than expected dip. 

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Oh Canada

Molly would seriously sing happy birthday to a brick wall. The little wild thing wants to celebrate someone's arrival day all the time -- tonight she sang happy birthday to a dog (it really was her birthday), a few weeks ago she sang to Paul McCartney (remember, it's her favorite Beatle), and she happily obliged in making Auntie Mary a belated happy birthday video. We didn't, obviously, celebrate old Uncle Sam's birthday on the fourth but she did get to sing both happy birthday and Oh Canada on her adopted homeland's big day on the first. A little red and white suited her just fine.







The little man even got in on the action. No singing for him... just a lot of squealing. 

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

My Guy

Okay, I'm completely and utterly the worst objective judge of this but isn't my boy so stinking cute? He may have some junk in his trunk and be a little short on top but the smiles! The eyes! The overwhelming desire to please! 

He decided to grace us with his ability to go forward, THANKFULLY. After a month of getting stuck in various places by going backwards...




he finally got his ducks in a row and started moving the way nature really intended us to go... where our eyes can see. He also thought he'd throw in a few other tricks while he was at it. He likes to...


pull up and check things out. I'm sure the crumbs in the bottom of his stroller would make any mom proud. 

He also likes to...
wave and say hello (and stand up with the table leg).

And, of course...
crawls. Ready...

really, mom? Are you sure? I'm skeptical... 

and here I go. 

Monday, July 5, 2010

Chugga Chugga

My parents left today and I haven't had a chance to compile the pictures of all the fun and interesting things we did, and we did a lot despite some iffy weather for a couple of days, Before they got here, though, we indulged the budding train conductor and went on a little train ride on the local steam railroad. Aside from (accidentally, I hope) kicking her friend in the face, it was really cute and fun and Molly was a big fan of the trip. Someone else I know also got a kick out of it...






We hope everyone had a happy and healthy fourth of July. We missed having the holiday up here but are looking forward to celebrating it next year (presumably)!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Ice Ice Baby

I'm not sure what inferences I want to draw from our two new family traditions (some things are better left unanalyzed). Being an equal opportunity family and all, John and I each contributed one activity to our Friday afternoons. John instituted playing the lottery each week and I decided that each Friday afternoon is ice cream Friday. I have to pat myself on the back because I think my tradition has more popularity votes in our family... but I don't know how long that will last if we actually win several million bucks. That might drop my tradition, even in my own book, down to about the same popularity level as sitting in the grocery cart.

We welcome interlopers to our family traditions. If you come visit, we even buy you a lottery ticket!
Poor Jack, he doesn't get to participate in any of the fun. I'm sure he thinks his little matching snaggletooth would emerge much less painfully if he could have some ice cold goodness on his little gums. 


Two new recruits to the gamblin' and lappin' treats.