Monday, July 26, 2010

Family Fun Day 2010

Posted by eljamieson at 12:45 PM 0 comments
We don't often get time away as a family but every summer we try and do a few days together doing something fun. We usually head down to Calgary to the Zoo but this year with Matt working on the house there wasn't enough time. It doesn't really matter though because 1-2-3 Imagine with Elmo came to Captial Ex this year and we had a gift card for ticketmaster which equals 2 happy kids going to see the one, the only Elmo! We also discovered that our Elmo tickets included admission to Capital Ex so we planned our Family Fun Day for 2010 with Elmo and Vaughn's first time experiencing the midway!

We told Vaughn a few days ahead of time that he was going to see Elmo and so we counted 'night time sleeps' until the big day. I love telling him things ahead of time because it just gets so excited! The morning of Elmo he woke up and said, "Mommy we need to have breakfast, get dressed in my Elmo shirt and go see Elmo!" It's so fun now that he really understands things!

I packed a lunch and snacks for the kids, and we headed off to see Elmo. I knew that Vaughn would love the show but I hadn't anticipated how much Greta would love it. I guess that's why they charge for 1 year olds. Vaughn's little face just lit up when the characters came out, it was priceless. Greta danced, clapped and 'sang' along with the music. She was so fun to watch, she was mesmerized. After intermission the stage was turned into the Elmo's World set much to the delight of all the kids. Vaughn sang along to the theme song and was thrilled to watch 'real' Elmo and Elmo's World. The show was a little too long for Greta and well, for me too but it was so worth it. Vaughn singing along to "if you're grouchy and you know it' was one of my favourite parts of the show!

We left the freezing Elmo live show and headed into the boiling hot Capital Ex (it was hovering around 30, that's hot for Edmonton)! We started with lunch while waiting for the Fifi and the Flowertot's show to start. It was too hot to sit and watch, so we decided to skip the show and head straight for the midway. I didn't know if Vaughn would be too scared to do any of the rides but he surprised me and was more than game. He wanted to go on all the rides even the ones he wasn't tall enough for! I guess there was one exception, he did NOT want to go on the swing ride and I couldn't really blame him I hate that ride too!

Greta was sound asleep in the stroller while Vaughn rode 3 rides, played 3 games and generally had the best time. I love our family fun days because I love my family!

Pictures to follow when iphoto decides to work!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

What's your sister's name?

Posted by eljamieson at 9:47 PM 0 comments
Vaughn was asked what his sister's name was at the park the other day and this answer was . . .

"Her name is, she eats my supper!"

You can tell there was some residual bitterness that he had to share 1 of the 3 peanut butter sandwiches I'd made them to share for lunch that day at the park!

Greta's Birthday

Posted by eljamieson at 9:24 PM 0 comments



Greta had a birthday week extravaganza or at least it felt like it. We had her party on Saturday with some good friends that love her and were thrilled to celebrate with her. Sadly, she was sick on Saturday so not really in the party girl mood.

I decided that the theme for her birthday would be Ladybugs. Can I just say that I made the completely right decision, from the cake, to the decorations, to sending my Mom to Bonnie Togs for the perfect lady bug outfit complete with antenna, it rocked! The party turned out better than I could have hoped!



Her first taste of cake was a hit, opening presents without too much help from her big brother went over great. It was a great day with great friends for a most wonderful baby girl. We had a family party for her the day before her birthday since Daddy was home for dinner that night. Vaughn soloed the Happy Birthday song and did a tremendous job! She opened presents from us and one special lady bug toy that Vaughn picked out just for her. Her actually birthday fell on our church friends park day so I made some mini banana chocolate chip muffins and celebrated with a perfect morning at the splash park, complete with a round of Happy Birthday to You!


She has been well celebrated and gets to head to Ontario to celebrate again with our family there and especially with Great Grandma since they share a birthday. How amazing is it that my baby girl shares a birthday with one of the woman I most admired and strive to be like in my life. If she can be even 1/2 the woman my Grandma is she will be tremendous!


I can't believe she is 1 already, it feels like she was just born. She has been a more difficult baby than Vaughn but I don't resent or wish away any moment, even the sleep deprived ones and there were a lot of them. I wondered if I would be able to love another child as much as I love my Vaughn. Mothers always told me that you do but I have to admit I was nervous. I know now I shouldn't have been, it's amazing how the Lord designed Mothers and our capacity to love. I don't love Vaughn an ounce less now that Greta is here but I love her equally with Vaughn. She is the light of my life, the joy in my mornings. I count myself blessed to have such a beautiful, special gift from God in my children but especially Greta since this is her birthday blog. I love her more than I can say and I can't wait to see the journey that the Lord takes her on in the years to come. I would pray that they be pain free and easy but I know no matter what comes her way we are a family and there is nothing we can't do when we do it together.

Love you baby girl!!!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Posted by eljamieson at 8:41 PM 0 comments

Happy Birthday Greta

Posted by eljamieson at 1:12 AM 0 comments

Sunday, July 18, 2010

First Taste of Cake

Posted by eljamieson at 10:23 PM 0 comments

Greta playing with her new Froggy toy

Posted by eljamieson at 10:22 PM 0 comments

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Greta and her guitar

Posted by eljamieson at 7:01 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Greta singing along

Posted by eljamieson at 6:45 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Garage Sale

Posted by eljamieson at 1:14 PM 0 comments

Last weekend I had a garage sale with some very close friends. It's my first garage sale since elementary school where I sold a perfectly working snow blower for $5. My Mom likes to remind me of that story for some reason, it could have something to do with the fact that it was priced for around $40.

This garage sale, went much better than my elementary school one! I sold 6 boxes of theology/bible college text books. I put them out on a whim, hoping that maybe a few of them would sell and save me from lugging them to their final resting place. Apparently Millwoods is extremely spiritual and they were a hot ticket item!! I love selling stuff, it's addictive, every morning I would walk around the house looking to see what other stuff I could sell.

The weather was NOT our friend, it rained everyday. Thursday night we put all our stuff in the backyard and didn't tarp it because it wasn't calling for rain. 5 am Friday morning I sat bolt up in bed because I heard thunder. I ran out in my jammies and attempted to tarp our stuff, I did an adequate job but a few things still managed to get soaked. Friday morning it rained on us twice, so annoying! We tarped everything, uncovered it and then this little grey cloud came right over our sale and started raining again . . . I'm telling you the weather was out to get us! It rained every evening but we still managed to sell lots and lots of stuff!

I think that the best part of the yard sale was hanging out with some of my favourite people for 3 days. The afternoons were the best, the kids napped while Lori and I sat out enjoying the sun and talking to our hearts content. It was so awesome!

Next year we will actually have a garage for a real garage sale which will make it way easier if it rains, however Murphy's law states that it won't rain once we have a garage :)

The kids having fun playing in water and 'painting' the trees, house and anything else they could find with it

Yard Sale Snack Time!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Canada Day 2010

Posted by eljamieson at 6:34 PM 0 comments
It feels strange writing this before the day is actually over but it is over for us since our kids are too little to stay up for the fire works.

Matt had to work today but I decided not to let that stop me from taking the kids out to enjoy the festivities. I really didn't want to go by myself and luckily my friend Kim and her girls were also looking for a way to fill the afternoon. I did what I hate doing and I called her up to see if she wanted to take in the Millwoods Canada Day celebration with us. I'm so glad she did because it makes it so much more enjoyable with another adult to talk to!

We met at the church at 12:30 and walked over to the park. This is the first time I've been during to the celebration during the day and I have to say I was impressed. There were lots of activities and lots of volunteers to help out. The lines were CRAZY long so we didn't stay too long because trying to wait in long lines with an 11 month old, 3, 4 & 5 year old just doesn't equal a good time for the parents.

We hit up the animal farm and were luckily the first in line, unlucky for us all the animals didn't arrive on time so we still ended up waiting 30 minutes. Vaughn is terrified of animals, he has been for a long time. My current technique for getting him over his fear is exposure. I figure that if he sees enough animals that are nice he might eventually like them. My plan is to always talk up things like the petting zoo hoping that when he gets there his excitement will overrule his fear. It hasn't worked so far and today wasn't any different. He was willing to go in and see the animals as long as someone was holding him, he even got close to a bunny, I think that counts as progress. Greta on the other hand loved the animals, I think if I had let her down she would have tried chasing the ducks, chickens and roosters!

After the petting zoo we hit up a jumpy castle, the bean bag toss game and the grand finale bubble blowing station. The kids had lots of fun and even did great waiting in line for our turns. We didn't stay very long, my goal had been for Greta to have her nap in the stroller but it was too bumpy while I was pushing it on the grass for her to fall asleep. Don't worry though as soon as we were back on the sidewalk walking to the car she was out like a light. Listening to her cry through all the activities took a bit of the fun out.

I think we will for sure be back next year for all the fun and maybe Vaughn might actually touch the bunny!


We are proudly Canadian in this house and here are a few pics of the kids being patriotic

 

The Jamieson's Copyright © 2010 Designed by Ipietoon Blogger Template Sponsored by Emocutez