Rain Rain Go Away

Holy Rain Batman!! Its been raining for like a week straight! Well at least between me being here and in BC I have been in rain for a week...I could sure you some sunshine and fresh air!!!

The truth is, that for some reason whenever I come home from a few days away...I always seem to be a bit grumpy...not sure why, just am! Add in a week straight of being in cloudy rain, I'm self admittedly a bit crabby! Perhaps coupled with a looooong cold winter and now a rainy yucky spring, I'm just really ready for some extended periods of nice weather!

My weekend away was nice and relaxing...For the last 5 years I've been sticking pretty close to my nest, and my cousins have faithfully come several times a year to visit me in my little world...They have come for births and birthdays, baptisms and just because...It was so nice to go seem them in their world...Jana has a brand new little guy Mason, who is just adorable! He has about 3 times as much hair as the twins, he looks like a little man!!! Jannelle has a brand new home in Maple Ridge BC...that is where I stayed...we did dinner out, staying up late and a lot of hanging out being goofy, which seems to be what we are best at!! We did baby snuggling and a trip across the border for some shopping bargains...A manicure/pedicure and a whole lot of junk food...Made for a perfect relaxing weekend!! It is soooo beautiful there, so lush and mountainous (is that a word?) it really made me want to move there!

Thank you girls for such a lovely weekend! (and other halfs for letting me hog your girls!)

Cutie Little Mason!

 Such a sweet boy with beautiful blue eyes!

 Me with proud new Momma Jana & Mason

(and Jannelles gorgeous kitchen!)

 Add in Jannelle...man I look hideous, it could be the completely relaxed vegged out state, and although I was excited about showering in peace, I was happy to just be a bum... there was no fancy hair do's!

 Kirks parents ending up coming for the weekend to help Kirk out, he was sooo happy to have them here to help out...he said it would have been really hard without them...so Thanks Erv & Joyce for helping him out, made me relax that much more knowing Momma Slone was taking care of things at home! I missed my kiddies, but not too much :) 3 days was enough for me to be ready to come home!

I'm back!!!

I'm back from my wonderful long weekend away!! I had an amazing time, but am happy to be home with my kiddles and hubby...I've been busy getting caught up on laundry etc, and I don't have the energy to post more at the moment, I still need to transfer my pictures,  perhaps tomorrow!

Top 10

Tomorrow I am off for 3 days in Vancover with my cousins...By Myself!
For the past 5 years, I have been in my own little motherhood world, not ready to adventure too far away from the nest...I always have a hard time being away from my family, it just doesn't seem right to be apart...I do know however that sometimes for a mothers sanity it can be a good thing to have a few days of downtime, refocus and recharge our batteries...and come back fresh and ready to dive back into the trenches of parenting. 

I will be thinking of my family every minute I am gone, and will wonder what they are doing...but I am also looking forward to my break, and in honor of my trip...here is today's Top 10

"Things I Can do while I'm Away"

(since I am equally exicted about all the them,

 this isn't really a particular order)

10. Hog the bed!

9. Have a shower in Peace

8. Have enough time to "Do" my hair,

other than a ponytail

7. Eat my very own meal,

 even 3 meals a day if I want!

6. Eat while sitting down,
 probably even consectutive meals

5. Carry a cute little purse that doesn't have a sippy cup,

diaper, or crushed up crackers in the bottom

4. Go to the bathroom by myself 

3. Stay up as late as I want and

not worry about what time I have to wake up

2. Sleep through the whole night!
No crying babies, no letting the dog out, no snoring,
or beckons to find Meme (Alyssa's Blankey)

1. Relax!

I hope everyone has a wonderful May long weekend!!
Bon Voyage!!!

Horseback Riding!

It is our little niece Sophie's Birthday tomorrow, so this past weekend we went out to Jane's sister Christine's Ranch for a "Horse" Party. They have a huge Ranch and lots of Horses. This adorable little horse Dancer was hooked up to a little cart and pulled all the little kids around, they went around and around laughing and having so much fun.

This is Alyssa, Sophie and Sophie's other cousin Lucy...

We even gave the babies a turn, they loved it too other than the wind and dust in their eyes...

Here is Me with Blake, Cousin Bennett and Sophie...

Daddy and the boy...

Mommy and the girl...

After the little pony pulled the kids around, Jane's BIL Darren saddled up the Big horses for a real horseback ride...WOW some of these horses were HUGE! I was pretty leary of Alyssa going on such a big horse, and truthfully I thought she would be leary too...but I was wrong and she got up there like and old pro and didn't look back, off she went...a slow walk at first then Grandpa Murray helped her go around a little faster and she kept on laughing and wanted to go faster...Kirk and I were nervous watching her bounce around on this big ole horse....

Bennett and Lucy (who live there) were on those horses so naturally and rode around like seasoned pro's...

I was pretty darn proud of my Big Girl...

Papa Murray walking her around...

Sophie was a little scared at first, but her daddy took her on and she did great,

she did end up going on after by herself too...

I wanted to go on too, so Alyssa came with me and as we walked around ever so slowly Alyssa kept saying "Mom lets go faster"..I said no way we are going slow! This horse was Gigantic!

Maeve and Leah sat nicely together on the ledge of the barn watching the action...

Check out Maeve's little Cowboy boot Robeez!

Sadly after this my camera battery died and I missed out on the lovely inside pictures of Christine and Darrens beautiful new home and of Sophies cake and presents...

Thank you everyone for the lovely day, we all had such a great time...

The Best Buddy's from their sleepover at Sophie's last weekend,

Ewww worms...



Not much...

...to say today...we've been spending lots of time outside which leaves me less time for blogging...and more  exhausted at the end of the day in which I have to do my inside chores that have been neglected...such is the way life will be all summer long I figure...Oh well, chores schmores :)

Grandma and Grandpa were here for a few days, of course we all loved the visit...

We have been playing lots in the backyard and going for lots of walks, the kids crash pretty hard at night after all the fresh air and exercise. I have to catch Leah on Camera but she can climb all the way to the top of the Playhouse up the ladder! Then she proceeds to stand on the chairs and play peak out of the windows and send herself down the slide..she is crazy and has no fear, infact the faster and crazier the more she shreeks "WEEEEEEE"...we are usually so petrified of what crazy stunts she'll pull there is no time to grab the camera...

This little guy on the other hand will just sit in one spot for 1/2 hour straight and play with a few rocks...you literally can leave him which is good since both eyes need to be on Little Miss Thing... 

 Such a sweet boy...

 Alyssa did some more online shopping and we got for the very first time matching dresses..Ok these ones are different colors but we do have some the same...I don't have the chance very often to dress my "twins" the same so I though I'd have some fun with the girls...

 Cheeky baby....

This picture is for Papa Murray, who gave the babies their adorable Calgary Flames Jammies for Christmas, they finally fit them...Alyssa had to get in their too with her Minnie Jammies...

 LOVE when the 3 monkies hang out together...They must be like their momma, I can usually get some nice sitting together in the mornings for milk and pre-breakfast puffs...they all sit nicely together and watch cartoons...

 The babies practising their self feeding...they do surpisingly well since I don't let them practise very often, I just hate the added mess of dumped out bowls of apple sauce etc...little bits here and there supervised of course and I'm sure they'll get the hang of it soon...

 Leah not impressed with me...I promise she picked up the swifer herself, I was not submitting her to child labour...

Usually when we are getting ready to go in the car, we all go into the boot room and close the door as we load so we don't have any escapees, guess the door wasn't quite closed...I came back after putting the other 2 in the car and found Leah in the office on the desk. She stands on the computer CPU and up she goes...She is "pretending" to hand me something to divert the fact she is on the desk...this happens often when she is in trouble she will try and give kisses or give you her cutest little "Hi Daddy"...Little stinker...



Shopper and Hockey Boy

Leah's Walking Debut and some shopping...

You are loved!

I read this great blog post (thanks to Julie for the link) about parenting and the mistakes we make along the way, and how we all beat ourselves up over these mistakes, and how we should forgive ourselves and know we are all human trying our best to parent the best way we know how.

At the end of her post she asked this question:

What is one part of parenthood that you are REALLY good at?

It really made me think about it, and I thought with Mother's Day approaching it would be nice to reflect on what we are Good at, and remind ourselves that we ARE good parents. I thought hard about my list, (ok its more than one) and it seems its harder to admit what we are good at, and have no problem knowing what we are bad at...Perhaps we could focus more on the good! A lot of my points seem to lean more towards Alyssa because as a 4.5 year old I can see the results, but I know full well my other 2 are the same, I try to be consistent.

1) My # 1 thing is, my kids know that "You are loved"... I can whole heartedly say that without a doubt my kids know they are loved...Not only do I tell them a 1000 times a day, but I very make a concsious effort every day to make it clear, I am always saying to my kids..."Do you know how much you are loved?" Alyssa often will reply with "Yes mom, I know you love me, farther than the moon and back and even bigger than a rainbow"
You can see her eyes rolling...but I don't care...I also talk with her lots about other people that love her... Daddy, sibilings, Grandparents, Aunties/Uncles, Cousins...Alyssa and I have secret signs with each other that we can tell each other from across the room...she knows at a glance that She is loved...I guess if I were to die tomorrow, that would be the most important thing on my list...it goes beyond just the words...my kids know that They Are loved!!

2) Not necessarily my # 2, but just next I could think of...Nutrition...I try very hard to make sure I provide my children with 3 nutritious meals a day, plus snacks...I  make sure I think about what they've eaten that day and provide the proper recommended servings of each food group...I also think about what they've eaten that week and what they might need more of...

3) I am rather a goof by nature (oh my poor dear Leah!), and I just love Being Silly with my kids...Dance offs, silliness and jokes and laughing all around...I love it, I get even sillier the more they laugh!!

4) I take a great deal of pride in my children's Appearance...It might sound vain, but the truth...I love to take my children out with cute, clean, non stained clothes. Hair combed and looking their best...Strong parenting point? I'm not sure, but I am good at it!

5) Appreciation  - I am literally over the moon to parent these 3 completely different little beings...I am so grateful everyday to be given this job as their mother! I like to celebrate BIG...I love to over due holidays, birthdays and Valentines and Easter etc...I know the # of years they will let me is limited...

6) I understand that my sole job as Mom, and the short amount of time I have them as small kids at home and as their influential source is limited, I find it
 gives me more Patience to deal with the daily frazzles of being a parent...and believe me when I say I have my fair share of frazzled moments! One day I will be begging to be brought back to the innocence of their childhood...

I am not anywhere near a "Perfect Parent",
 and I have a WAY longer list of things I completely suck at would like to improve on,
but this is me just doing the best I can...
I wish everyone a Happy Mothers Day,
and may you embrace the qualities that you kick butt at!!
I'd love to hear them!

Happy Mother's Day to All!!