Weekend project

We got Cooper and Hudson a basketball hoop for their birthdays and this weekend the project of getting it up got started. Friday afternoon, Tony got home early and the weather was still good so the digging began.

A 2 feet-deep hole takes quite a bit of time to dig, especially considering the ground around our place tends to be more rocks than soil. But there were a lot of shovels in that whole, so many in fact that at times Tony took to being just supervisor. Looks a bit to me like child labour, I'm just saying...

Notice her tongue is out again.

Finally, it's deep enough....for Taggart.

Hudson is MIA in all these photos because he was feeling very under the weather. He hung with my in my perch of the back of the truck with back door wide open and the music on. Joshua Radin is making me very happy right now and I have been playing him over and over again. Waiting for the kids to kindly tell me to turn it off in the very near future.

Saturday was concrete pouring day but it poured with rain most of the day, much to Cooper's disamy. He is more than anxious to get this thing up. Sunday the day started promising so Tony and Coop went out to mix the concrete. Unfortunately the rain didn't hold off but now the job had been started so it had to be finished. You can't see it in the photos really, but there is actually snow mixed into that rain. It was cccccooooolllld out there. But the boys were not deterred and the pole was set. Not sure how long it's going to take to dry in this wet weather but we are on our way.

A winter picnic

I wished for sun this week and so far I've got it. Monday and Tuesday though, the wind was so icy cold that being outside for more than a minute sent me running for the door. Yesterday the wind went away and we actually felt the warmth of the sun on our skin. Enough so, that we had a picnic lunch and didn't head in again until dinner time. Some might have said that we were crazy to have a picnic on the grass in 7 or 8 degree weather but 'outside-crazy' is better than 'inside-crazy' any day.

And for the first time this year I saw this familiar scene out my kitchen window as I did the dinner dishes. Kids playing, Dad's chatting and the house is quiet. Welcome spring, I've been waiting for you.

Budding artists

All the kids have always been happy to do arts and crafts with me. Cooper and Hudson, when they were little, could keep busy with crayons and a coloring book. Reagan has spent more time with crayons or a paintbrush in her hands than I could care to count. Then came Taggart...

He thinks he likes coloring but it never captures his attention for more than a minute or two. Coloring in the lines is highly over-rated in his opinion. So you can imagine my joy today as he gathered his paper and crayons at the kitchen table and proceeded to draw something. Actually draw something - not just a series of scribbles in his one and only color of choice. He started it and finished it and was very happy with the end result. Yipee! There's hope for this one yet. Crafting and coloring with the kids is my favorite together thing to do so it helps if we all want to be involved.

Limited edition; 1 of 1; Titled: The Monster

The challenge with this one on the other hand is trying to pry her away from her artwork. She really wants an art table for her birthday so I am trying to figure out how and where. She should definitely have one - she deserves a little art getaway haven from all the boys around here.

I love how she stickes her little tongue out when she's concentrating. Something her Oma always used to do.

FPOTM - February

Oops, I forgot about Favorite Photo of the Month for February.

I don't know why this one's my favorite but it just is. It think it's those eyes.

Birthday, birthday, and more birthday

Just finished up a busy, delightful, full four-day(sort of) weekend. Thursday was my birthday and Friday was Hudson's so Tony took both days off. The easiest way, like always, is to give an overview with photos. So here it goes:

THURSDAY:

We all walked the kids to school in the morning and then Tony encouraged me to take off for a while. For someone who doesn't usually just take off on a whim with no real purpose for the trip I wasn't sure what to do. But the thought of having a few hours to do whatever I wanted was very appealing so I set off. I spent a few hours in Fort Langley, browsing the antique shops and the book store and then since the day was still young I headed into downtown Langley and went to Old Navy and did some shopping for the kids. I got home just around the same time that the kids got home from school feeling very relaxed and ready for my afternoon and evening. They spoiled me with handmade cards, flowers and gifts... and lots of hugs and kisses. :)

Here's my loot. A new camera bag, tulips (my fave), a bunch of gourmet treats from Urban Fare, a bottle of wine and a gift card from Lululemon. Like I said, I was spoiled.Then we headed to Milestones for dinner. We haven't gone out for my birthday dinner for a long time. With the kids being little it was always easier to stay home and we would usually get take out. But this year we decided to go out and it was very successful. Everyone enjoyed their meal and it was a great time. And I got a birthday bellini. :)

The day ended with dessert at home. Chocolate cheesecake. What more could a girl ask for?FRIDAY:

Hudson started his day with breakfast at IHOP with Tony. Then he stopped off at home for a quick video game and to pick up his cupcakes to take to class and only ended up being about 45 min. late for school. After school he was greeted by his gifts set out on the table. Taggart stayed close by his side the whole time asking him at every gift if he could please help him open it. Hudson was very obliging.

His birthday dinner of choice was an easy one - homemade waffles with vanilla pudding and strawberry sauce. (He would eat this every day if given the choice.) And banana splits for dessert. A great day for Hudson. He said it was his best birthday ever and I would have to agree. Hudson has tended to get overwhelmed on his birthday in the past - too much excitement. But not this year - that smile was on his face just about all day long. SATURDAY:

Mary and kids (minus Olivia - we missed you) came for the afternoon and evening to celebrate with Hudson. He loves the new Olympics shirt - he wore it again all day today. And he also announced the time to us on many more than one occasion. The new watch is a big hit - thankyou.

And this photo is for Aunty Mary. Thought you would be proud of Taggart that he was very happy to share his new coloring things with Reagan today. (The face doesn't show happy but he was...really).

And as promised - an 'after' photo of the map of BC. Not that I wasn't happy to see it but you would think for all that work making that playdough they could have at least displayed them at school for a while. Nope, they came home the next day.

Now on to Spring Break - two whole weeks. Yikes. We are hoping for bright sunny weather because the park is calling our name. Wish me luck.

Random today stuff

A preschool skating fieldtrip. I tried to skip this one but Tag would have nothing of that. I am not a skater and was not sure how I would keep him and myself up at the same time. But it turns out they have these nifty things that go over your shoes so that you can walk on the ice. So I pushed him around for an hour or so with his little feet slipping and sliding all over the place but he had a smile on his face the whole time. He kept saying he wanted to start skating now. I guess he thought if we ditched this big red plastic thing he would just be able to skate around like a pro. So funny. He had fun and honestly I thought he would be a lot more wimpy with all the falling down but we had not one tear. Goodtimes.

Hudson told me at 4:00 today that he needs green, brown, and blue playdough for a project at school . . . . . tomorrow. So I put him to work.

This is the 'before' shot of a map of BC. I'll try and post an 'after' shot if I get to see it.

And just a little light reading before bed.

"She didn't come."

These are the words I sadly heard from Reagan's mouth on Saturday morning.
"Who didn't come?" I asked.
"The Tooth Fairy!" (snif, snif)
Okay, now this requires some very quick thinking on my part. I did my best to come up with a few reasons why the Tooth Fairy so horribly missed my little girl's tooth. And she did her best to wipe away her tears and believe me when I said that I was sure she would come the next night.
Luckily the Tooth Fairy did come the next night and thankfully she left a note exlaining the delay. All is right in her world again.
The letter reads:

Dear Reagan

I am so very sorry that I did not make it to your house last night to pick up your bright shiny tooth. You will never believe what happened.
There I was ready to come pick up your tooth, when bam! My wing fell out! Just like a tooth falls out, my wing just dropped right off. Well, as you can imagine I can’t fly with just one wing, so I had to wait a whole day for my new wing to grow in. Now I am as good as new. My new wing is working great and I can fly even faster now! So I hope that you were not too sad and that you didn’t think I had forgotten you.

Sincerely yours, The Tooth Fairy