Play Time

After our day of good food it was time to head back outside and run off some of that energy. Just down the road from Kait and Matthew's place was this great little park with a rec center, running track, big fields and playground for the community. It was outlined with these huge cherry tree's that were blossoming and a quiet community. The kids played around at the park for a while until the soccer ball came out and then Matthew, Ryan and Brayden picked up some random kid and had a game of adults against kids. The girls continued playing on their own while the boys had it out on the soccer field getting in that last bit of sunshine before we'd have to head back to the hotel and crash. So while the kids played I sat back enjoying the huge smiles plastered on my families faces and soaked it all in.

Token Trip to Lonsdale Quay

I think that as a kid finding out that today you get to go on a train, a boat AND all without having to wear a seatbelt would be the most fantastic news ever. Heck, it's pretty awesome for me now and I'm 31. One thing I have to do every single time I'm in Vancouver is make a trip up to Lonsdale Quay so I can sink my teeth into a Beaver Tail. It's kind of a pain just for a snack but for me it's totally worth it and since Ryan is such a great sport and fab husband he goes along for the ride so off we headed Friday morning to North Van via sky train and sea bus and of course we had to sit right in the front of the boat so we could see exactly where we were going. As the sea bus slowed down to dock at the Quay poor Maddy started to get really nervous thinking we were going to crash and started whimpering. Finally after the boat stopped moving and the doors opened she realized we were safely docked and she celebrated with a big smile and an excited "mommy! We didn't crash, we didn't crash" and off she ran.

Once we got off the sea bus and onto solid ground the sun was out and warming the dock on the Quay so we walked around outside admiring all the boats and the great view of the city. The kids splashed their hands around in the fountain, threw in some change to make a wish and looked down the railings into the water. They counted the tugboats that were docked along the side of walkway that lines all the little shops inside the Quay while running up and down. There was someone playing some instrument that sounded quite nice while trying to sell his CD's and other little trinkets that of course tempted little fingers. We slowly made our way inside to see what the market would offer us today and we checked out the big fish for sale, the octopus and different fruits and vegtables before heading upstairs to check out some more of the little shops and to let the kids play in the inside park.

Once the kids had some fun hiding in the ball pit it was time for the best part of Lonsdale Quay ... Beaver Tails. I guess I have this big weakness for fried bread but no matter how many times I try to duplicate making beaver tails at home they just aren't as good. Since sharing one was out of the question Brayden, Sydney, Kait and I ordered our snack and watched anxiously as the girl flattened the dough, cooked it in the fryer and topped it with deliciousness. Brayd, Kait and I got the classic cinnamon, sugar and a squeeze of lemon while Sydney opted for something a little more dessert like: icing and oreo cookies! We then took our 'snack' outside onto the patio part of the dock and sat in the warm sunshine and chowed down our Beaver Tails. There is nothing like these fleeting moments of enjoyment where everyone is quiet and happy, sitting in the warm windless sunshine breathing in that fresh air. I love Lethbridge but I really do love taking a break, especially from the wind that sometimes is absolutely relentless. And so after our late morning snack we hopped back into the city to get ourselves some lunch of freshly fried Fish and Chips from Cockney King's, the fish and chip restaurant we would go to as a family with my Nana and Papa when I was growing up. If you've never been, it's 100% a must. Seriously, it's so good!

You Have Arrived At Your Destination

We arrived in Vancouver before lunchtime and check in time. We decided to take a chance with the hotel and see if they'd put us in our room even though we were early. It was perfect! I had rented the room using priceline.com so although we got an amazing price on our room we weren't really able to specify that we needed more then one bed. The kids are used to making due with what we have after our many travels around Southeast Asia I wasn't too worried about it. When we checked in the nice guy at the front desk saw that we three hyper kids and so upgraded us to a suite for free! Not only did we have enough beds but I love having our own bedroom so yay for us and thanks to the Hilton for starting our vacation of perfectly. We hung out in the room for a little bit to veg after the long drive and then headed to the mall across the street for some lunch and waste time until Auntie Kait was off work and could come play with us. She lives about 10/15 minutes from the hotel so after arriving to meet us we took off to her apartment for a nice home made dinner and a place to relax and stretch out our bodies in.

Brayden immediately gravitated towards Matthews guitars and picked at them a little bit until Matthew sat down with Brayden and got him set up to do some jamming.

It was so great to get there, to eat a real meal (thanks Matthew and Kait), and just watch the kids have an absolute time with people they miss and love. Yay for vacations.

Westward Bound

What's the perfect remedy to a bunch of people feeling a little cabin fever? A few days out of town, that's what. Since school has started last September we've pretty much hung out in Lethbridge. I did go to Calgary one day for an hour to shop at Ikea and we've done a day trip or two down to Waterton but that's about it for the kids and I. Ryan has gone to the Philippines a few times and Florida for a work/motorbike trip but I'd like to think that there was something missing from those trips that didn't make them as fun as they could have been (more specifically, me). We decided that we needed to get out of town for a few days so that our sanity would stay in tact and give us that extra boost of energy to get through the last bit of cold days until spring officially sprung and the warmer weather starts making an appearance. We decided that we would take our chances with weather and go out to Vancouver and visit my sister and her boyfriend since we haven't seen them since Christmas and weren't sure when the next opportunity would come to see them again. So Wednesday after Ryan got home from work we all piled into the van and started the drive out west going through the States and visiting Seattle for the first time. We arrived in Seattle around 5:30am and got us some Krispy Kreme's right off the rollers, still hot and melt in your mouth delicious (and this from someone who doesn't like donuts). After filling our bellies with warm goodness, taking a potty break and splashing from fresh water on our faces we set out to explore what Seattle is like at the break of dawn. Well, Seattle at 6am is just like most places at 6am ... dead. We did hit Pike Place Market which was just starting to set up for the day so we got out and stretched our legs exploring a little.

There were a couple of people there setting up their stalls with beautiful fruit displays, colourful flowers and getting the ice ready for the fresh fish they anticipated selling that day. The visually appealing stalls reminded me a little of the stands set up on street corners in the Philippines with all the different types of fruits were perfectly stacked with an assortment of colours and options. The girls ran around enjoying the freedom from the van and letting out some pent up energy. I guess the bronzed pig is a famous spot at Pike Place Market so we had to check it out. I guess the only bummer of the pit stop was that because it was so early in the morning there wasn't anyone out buying fish so we didn't get to see the fish being thrown around and flying in the air but there is always next time, right!?

After our legs were sufficiently stretched we got back into the van and headed north to Canadian border and onward to Vancouver. With daylight upon us again we were able to enjoy the views filled with lush greens we have been missing in dry, brown Southern Alberta, creeks, mountains and mysterious fog. Blossoms were out on all the trees and it was so nice to see that although maybe spring hadn't hit Lethbridge yet, it was indeed on it's way. I loved it. The best part ... no rain, just sunshine!

Fairy Love and Our 6 Year Old

For her sixth birthday Sydney decided she wanted to go with a Fairy theme and we thought that renting the gymnasium at one of the local schools was going to be WAY more fun then cleaning the house top to bottom before and after a party! Sydney also had requested the use of Nana's gym for her party so it worked out perfect, especially with it being just across the street. Easy to pack up and load all the birthday supplies to the school for the part-ay. The only concern was our poor birthday girl was battling the flu and we weren't too sure if she was going to be able to make it puke free for the afternoon. We had a couple people attending the party who are immune sensitive so this is kind of a big deal and was kind of stressing me out after spending so much time into prepping her the perfect cake and getting the gym all booked. Thankfully she woke up birthday morning with a little more colour and although she was super quiet, not especially hungry, she was no longer puking! YAY. So we loaded our balloons (and lungs) with helium, put everything in the van and took the 10 second drive across the street and set up the gym.

Each of the girls got a set of Fairy wings and a little pixie skirt to wear for the party and everyone got a little pixie house to decorate so the Fairies around their houses would have a comfy place to live.

One of my favourite things to do for my kids on their birthday is to make their dream cake. I'm not too sure why since it causes a fair bit of stress and takes quite a bit of time but I really do love their reaction when they see the completed project. I remember some of the awesome cakes my mom would decorate for my birthday and I want my kids to feel that same excitement and anticipation, definitely worth the time, and stress. It's nice that the kids are all at this age where they know to keep their fingers to themselves when it comes to decorating and can actually be quite the helpers when it comes to kneeding the colours evenly into the fondant and then rolling it out into a nice flat smooth surface. I had a few different ideas swirling around my head for Sydneys fairy cake but ended up with this:

After running, playing, colouring, eating and then running some more to burn of cake sugars it was time to go. The kids each got some candy and a little bit of their own pixie dust to, um, sprinkle around at their own houses.

So I'd like to take a minute to let Sydney know she has been 6 years of an amazing time, filled our hearts with the sound of her cute little giggles and won our hearts over time and time again with her perfect dimples. Those dark endless eyes continue to fill me with awe that you somehow belong to us and that you feel we are deserving of your endless displays of love and affection. Sydney Jean, you are 100% one of a kind and I wouldn't change one second of life with you! Happy birthday to my 6 year old and here's to hoping the next 6 years are just as filled with love, joy and excitment.

Monster Card

I've been trying to be more crafty lately and so I thought I'd use some of this new found motivation to make Braydens friends birthday card instead of buying one. Brayden thought it was pretty cool so hopefully his friend thought so too:

The Fresh Stuff

There is something calm and peaceful about a fresh clean coat of snow blanketing the ground. It makes me want to but some wood into the fireplace, put on some fuzzy pyjamas and watch it fall admiring the big flakes slowly falling. Especially when it's a nice spring snowfall and I know it isn't going to stick around past tomorrow!

Hog Ride

I would have to say that one of the most missed things from living in the Philippines is the freedom with the motorbikes. Being able to ride everyday or pilling on as many of us as could fit when convenient. Since Ryan bought the Harley the countdown to motorbike weather started. Finally seeing as the weather was a few degrees above freezing he thought it was time to take the kids for their first ride on a Harley Davidson. Thankfully I have a freakishly small head so my helmet fits the kids heads perfectly so they suited up in their nice warm jackets and helmet and were ready to ride. The kids absolutely loved riding on motorbikes in the Philippines and this was no different except for the rosy cheeks and pink little noses caused by that cold wind blasting their faces. The only one that wouldn't get on for a ride was Madison. She was super excited for her turn until she realized how heavy the helmet was and she was turned off. I guess that's the negative that came with Filipino riding, she's not used to wearing a helmet, eek. She did put it on, glare at us a while and then refuse to get on the bike with it on her head. Thankfully, after a few days of sitting on the sidelines and watching her brother and sister have all the fun she sucked it up and willingly wore the helmet so she could finally go for a ride with dad.

Rainbows and More Rainbows

This time three years ago I was holding my new freshly 'popped' out baby girl in my arms and enjoying that moment where you get to finally meet that little person that was beating you up from the inside for a few months. Now she's all tucked into her bed after a busy day of family and partying. Time really does fly by. I've always enjoyed my kids and they all are my favourite for different reasons but today we got to celebrate Madison Moffat Beattie being chosen for us, a perfect fit to our family!
As per her request we gave her a rainbow party to the extreme. This week as I prepared rainbow jell-o, rainbow pudding pops, rainbow cupcakes decorated with rainbow icing I was continually motivated by her excitedness as she would jump up and down with the smile only Maddy can have each time she saw a rainbow treat made for her birthday. So I continued to work hard in the kitchen enjoying that smile. I even had an extra burst of energy and arranged skittles into a rainbow to let the adults take a guess at home many it took to fill the jar (846).
I'd like to point out that I proved social networking can work to someones advantage with this party since I took quite a few idea's from pinterest to pull off the rainbow magic. All easy but time consuming since I had to make 30 of everything in case every cousin, aunt, uncle and grandparent wanted a taste. I have to admit I thought the JELL-O was pretty! and the frozen pudding pops didn't turn out too bad either.

We made kool-aid ice cubes so they were rainbow-ish and filled cups with sprite and dropped the ice cubes in and Ryan topped them off with Rainbow licorice as straws, how genius is he!? Of course the grand finale was the cupcakes. I added food colouring to the cake mix and adding each colour individually causing the cupcakes to cook like rainbows and topped them off with rainbow swirls. Again really easy, just time consuming ... I cannot say enough good things about Wilton's colour gel when dealing with icing. Such vibrant colours!

And so as my baby girl isn't a baby anymore I'd like to take a few moments and share why she's just so special to us:
A smile that melts our hearts - she has this look that our other kids didn't really have that I can hardly resist. She's always smiling (or screaming but mostly smiling).
She's our entertainer - Maddy LOVES attention and loves doing funny things to get it.
She's a dancing queen - She has always loved dancing and can't resist a good tune, she especially loves dancing in front of a mirror or watching her reflection in the television. It's hilarious.
She is so polite - She thanks me for every dinner, almost always says please and thank you and loves to help set the table.
She likes me to sing to her when I tuck her in - I've sung to each my babies even though I'm tone deaf but Maddy recently has been asking me to sing to her the "Child of God song" or "Family" or "Temple" song when I put her to bed. It makes me feel good inside to have her like those moments with me.
Her eyes always sparkle with happiness - I believe that my kids will never be able to deny they are loved. They are surrounded by people who love them and want them to be happy. Madison's eyes are always sparkling with an inner happiness and I can even catch that glimmer on the camera from time to time.

So, yay for Madison and her turning three. We love her and I can't imagine our little family without her being a part of it. She definitely is something special.

Winterfest 2012

What do you do when there isn't any snow to play in? You go and find some!

We took off to Waterton National Park to celebrate Winterfest 2012 for the day. We weren't too sure what to expect as far as weather but as we started getting closer it looked like the mountains were lost in a dark grey cloud which promised snow! As soon as we parked the kids were out of the van and playing in snow like they'd never seen it before. The sled came out and all three kids squished on and Ryan pulled them as we walked up to Cameron Falls. The falls looked pretty amazing with the huge frozen icicles falling and the water running underneath. The kids took off up a hill and took turns whipping down, it's the first time they've been able to go tobogganing this year and they definitely were pretty excited about it ... Well, Brayden and Sydney at least. Madison seemed a little freaked out about the whole thing. Not a winter lover but who can blame our little Filipina? Made for the tropics.
We made our way back to the lodge for a warm up, filled our tummies with some food (FYI: wouldn't recommend the yak steak) and took off back to Lethbridge. Over all nice day trip out of the city!
Happy Family Day weekend everyone!

Ry's Not The Only One With a New Bike!

Since we moved back to Canada we've been trying to get a couple things that we kind of missed out on being in the Philippines for 5 years. A few examples being: our super amazing van, our new big TV with surround sound and of course most recently, Ryan's Harley. It's been nice to finally get some of these 'toys' after dreaming about them for so long but I think one of the coolest things we got were these two little pocket bikes for the kids. They are awesome! No bigger then their bikes now, no heavier and just fast enough to make me worry (up to 50 km/hour). Brayden is in heaven! He loves that he can ride his very own motorbike just like dad but he does kind of think it sucks that he can't drive it anywhere but the farm or the mountains. I think he was hoping he'd be able to drive it to school or to the park ... UM, my worst nightmare. Watching him drive around the farm with a big smile on my face is hard enough. Thankfully he can't see my toes curling up in my shoes and my fingers nervously clenched into fists as he rips around on that thing while I'm giving him encouragement and whooping and hollering with enthusiasm. Just a little bit of mixed emotions going on for me, that nervous excitement. *sigh* I suppose that's parenting.
Now if we could only get Sydney going on a two wheeler so she can join him!

Gotta Love That Deep Rumbling of a Harley

Well ... Ryan decided it was time to add a Harley Davidson to the family so he patiently stalked the online auctions until he found one that would suffice for a time. I'd like to mention that I was the one who technically did the bidding and won the bike but under his direction of course. He's not too sure that this is the bike for him but it will be a start for the season and give him something to ride once the weather turns a little warmer. Of course it's nothing like driving around the Philippines with all the laws enforced in the true north, strong and free (Canada), but I guess the open highways at top speeds will make up for the lack of weaving in and out of treacherous traffic!
I like the bike, the kids like it but I guess it's just not quite 'big' enough for him. It came with some nice soft bags which I love, no big scratches or anything like that. I guess the only thing I think has to go is the leather tassles ... unless of course it's going to be my bike one day, then they can stay!