THE EAGLES' NEST

Christmas in Pictures 2011

2011-12-29T12:21:00.001-08:00

Opening Christmas morning stockings!

I LOVE this picture of the kids unwrapping their piano, with Kiley under all the paper...

Trying it out!

Cody was thrilled to get his very own Woody doll!

And Buzz too! (He hasn't put them down since Christmas morning)

Kiley with her new Ariel doll

The new doll house that daddy spent most of Christmas eve putting together

& the swim goggles that Kiley insists on wearing whether we're swimming or not :)

Caedon LOVED his little puppy

And his Lego table!

Christmas #2 @ my parents' house

Kiley's Barbie art desk from Nana & Papa

Caedon's Uncle Joel & Auntie Jess gave him this fun crane!

Uncle Dan & Auntie Jodi gave Cody some great new books and some stylish new clothes.

Pre-dinner nap with his new snowman

Amazing Christmas dinner, thanks to my wonderful parents!

Charter Christmas #3 with my dad's side of the family... we were stuffed by day 3!

The kids, trying out the new fishing game...

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-29T11:36:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Eve tradition now starts at the Airdrie Festival of Lights. It was spectacular, yet again. Three bundled kids in their snow suits, hot chocolate, and more lights than you can imagine! It's such a gorgeous light display. The pond is always full of kids ice skating and playing hockey. Our kids just like to slide around on the ice. We have to splurge on the $10 Polar Express train ride around the park as well. The kids love it and it gives us a great view of all the light displays. As our kids get older, Christmas just gets more and more fun. I love that they look forward to our traditions and ask about them now.

We ended the evening at home, decorating cookies for Santa in our new Christmas jammies. The kids didn't fight one bit at bedtime. David assembled Kiley's dollhouse, which took him until 3 a.m.! And I had fun playing Santa... stuffing the stockings, wrapping presents and getting everything ready for Christmas morning. The looks on their little faces Christmas morning made all the effort worth it. Awe, amazement, excitement.... I love Christmas and boy do I love my little family!

Beautiful lights @ the Airdrie Light Festival

the best picture I have of the 3 of them @ the festival :)

Daddy & his boys on the train ride

Kiley & mommy, riding the train

Each year, they have a big heated tent set up in the middle of the light festival where the kids can make crafts, decorate cookies and write letters to Santa.

Back @ home in their cuddly Christmas jammies

Cookies decorated with love, for Santa!

Merry Merry Christmas!

2011-12-17T19:16:00.000-08:00

Our New Wheels!

2011-12-17T09:15:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago on our drive home from Banff, we were in a very scary car accident. A young girl who was just learning to drive pulled out in front of us on a busy highway and just stopped right in the middle of the lane. We had very little reaction time and had no choice but to smash right into the back passenger side of her car. My first thought was for my babies in the back seat, who were a bit shaken but seemed fine. Kiley was scared but the boys didn't seem too upset. And physically we all felt OK. The other driver wasn't injured either. We are so thankful that no one was hurt. Our van was completely smashed up. Chunks of metal were hanging off the front & the police told us it wasn't safe to drive it back to Airdrie. We called my parents and sister & her hubby who came to our rescue and drove us back home. We took Monday off work to begin the long process of trying to replace our van. The other driver was found at fault in the accident, but it still put a ton of extra work on our plate- the phone calls, driving to and from Cochrane to pick up & sign documents, reserving a rental car and then shopping for a "new" vehicle.... It would be a ton of work at any time of year, but right before Christmas... it just added so much craziness to our already crazy lives! The police never sent us the promised accident report and the insurance company was telling us that we needed to return our rental before we even had a replacement vehicle. We just had the one vehicle and we use it for EVERYTHING! Kiley had to miss some school and we relied on some wonderful friends and for family for help just to carry on with basic life. It was very stressful to be without a vehicle, even for just a little while.

We were finally able to get the documents we needed for the insurance company to give us funds to replace our van. We found the sweetest older man who was selling his company van. It is 2 years newer than our previous van & in excellent condition. He was a sweetheart and went out of his way to help us purchase his van. He even had it thoroughly cleaned & filled it with gas and then wished us a Merry Christmas when we were finally able to pick it up.

We are so thankful for God's protection. And while it's always hard to see it at the time, there was good that came out of this yucky accident. We found the perfect van for our family and were blessed by the sweetest man imaginable who sold it to us for way under what it was really worth.

Here is our new van, which I know we'll put to good use!

You just can't beat a White Christmas!

2011-12-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

When we lived in California, I always missed the snow at Christmas time. To me, it just feels more like Christmas when you look out the window and see the beautiful snow everywhere.

Yes, it can get old fast... especially when it's still snowing in May and sometimes JUNE! And don't get me started on the snow suits and all the work it is to bundle, unbundle and rebundle three squirmy kids.

But in December I love and appreciate the snow. Our kids can spend an entire afternoon playing in it and will still whine when it's time to come in. I love that they are part beach bum Californians/ part snow bunny Canadians. It makes me so happy!

Cody, off to explore the snowy back yard!

Kiley loves making snow angels, building snowmen and sledding! A true little Canadian.

And Caedon is the one we have to drag in at the end of the day. He just can't get enough snow time!

The previous owners of our house have 4 boys and built these awesome slides that come down off of our deck. The kids love them. In the winter they love to slide into the snow, and in the summer they like to set up the sprinkler and turn them into watersides.

Hard at work building a snowman!

Banff Christmas Weekend Get-Away

2011-12-12T21:33:00.001-08:00

Our first weekend in December will be spent in Banff from now on... at the Banff Christmas parade. We had such an amazing time creating some wonderful memories with our precious kids in the most gorgeous place imaginable. I just love Banff!

Dinner @ the spaghetti factory... yum!

When the parade was over, the Santa from the parade came to our hotel lobby & Kiley & Caedon got to sit on his lap. Kiley loved it this year, for the first time.

Caedon took awhile to warm up.

The kids were thrilled about this loft in our hotel. David and I were thrilled about it too. It was like our own little house with the cutest loft for the kids to sleep in upstairs. We had to pretend for just a bit that we actually lived there.

David helped the kids roast marshmallows in the fireplace. S'mores taste so delicious on a snowy night!

Kiley had fun coloring in the little book that Santa had given her.

Gorgeous view from our hotel balcony...

Chef Caedon, making us some breakfast!

Kiley pouring Caedon's syrup for him...

Happy Cody after his big breakfast

The hotel's outdoor pool was amazing. It was freezing cold outside but the pool is body temperature, so we were able to spend several hours playing in it.

Beautiful view from the pool...

Daddy & Cody, enjoying the warm pool

These crazy kids kept getting out of the pool to perform for us.

This was seriously the most perfect weekend I could've imagined. We had such a great time with just our little family. Unfortunately, we had a pretty bad car accident on our drive home, due to a very careless new driver. We're still in the process of replacing our van. I'm so thankful that no one was hurt or killed. It could've been so much worst!

Decorating for Christmas!

2011-12-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

This Christmas thing just gets more fun each year as the kids get older and understand more and more. There is nothing quite like seeing Christmas though their little eyes...

Kiley & Caedon hung most of the ornaments this year

Cody had a great time putting the tiny ornaments on this little tree.

The singing snowmen. They love these things. I love when the batteries die.

Ready for CHRISTMAS!!!

A bit of Catch Up.... OK, more than a bit!

2011-12-09T13:27:00.001-08:00

Hello lovely blog readers,

Yes, it's been 8 months. 8 very busy months. I've had some very persistent friends and family asking me what the deal is.... So here we go.

Our trusty Dell computer bit the dust a few months ago. We have yet to save our pictures and documents from that computer, so I will do a quick update with the recent pics we DO have on our new computer.

June 16, 2011 we celebrated Cody's 7th birthday. It was perfect. His first birthday party with friends from school. It was a Finding Nemo theme. Can't believe my baby is 7!

Cody with Papa & his Nemo fishy

Kiley's very 1st dance recital was the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life. The theme was "In the Garden" and all the little girls were dressed as ladybugs, butterflies, dandelions etc. There were a few little boys who were cockroaches. Kiley took ballet & tap for her first year and did so well! Here are some pictures from the day of her recital.

Auntie Jess was Kiley's personal make-up artist.

Cutest little ladybug ever.

Kiley & her friend Peyton, just after the show

For the 4th of July weekend, we drove down to California which we have missed greatly ever since we moved away 2 and half years ago. It was beyond wonderful to see our best of friends and to take our kids to Disney Land! They had such a blast and continue to talk about Disney Land daily and ask when we can go back.

Our little Beach Bums @ Huntington Beach

Burying Daddy

Cody, all set for Disney Land!

Kiley, in her element... waiting in line to visit Minnie @ her house

She also got to meet Belle & Ariel, two of her very favorites!

Caedon, watching the 4th of July fireworks (which were AMAZING!)

He thanks Jesus for Disney Land every night when he prays. I think he might have loved it just a bit!

Back in Redding, California! Our home sweet home! We celebrated in style at In n Out.

Watching 4th of July fireworks w/ the Wilders

We had to visit our Sun Dial bridge.

Many many hours were spent in our hotel pool.

Cody, our little fishy.

Visiting our friends, the Warkentins!

Eating pizza with the Tumino boys, just like old times

We got to see Tyler & Wreth, Isaiah and Lily and meet baby Tatum too!

This was truly an amazing vacation and the perfect mix of visiting Redding (our former home) and mixing in some Disney Land and beach time. We can't wait to do it again soon!

August was wedding month! My sister Jodi and Daniel Reid were married out at beautiful Nakoda Lodge. It was a beautiful, picture perfect day. Kiley & Caedon had the honor of being the flower girl and ring bearer. Julie, Jess and I were bridesmaids. It was a very special day!

My sisters & I. I love them all so much!

FAST FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER...

The kid's first day of school!

Our big Cody, in 2nd grade this year!

Kiley's 1st day of kindergarten!

Caedon's 1st day of preschool @ Munchkin Academy! :)

Caedon turned 3 on October 7th. We had a very BOY party with bugs, snakes, lizards, tarantulas and every creepy crawly creature you can imagine! What really completed the party was our very own reptile party (Calgary Reptile Parties). The girl was awesome and reminded us of a female Crocodile Dundee. The kids got to "pet" and hold lizards, snakes and spiders while most of the mommies watched from a very safe distance. :)

FALL/HALLOWEEN FUN!

The Calgary Corn Maze & Pumpkin patch has become a favorite fall tradition for our family.

3 little spiders exploring the web

This big balloon jumpy thing is always a favorite. We usually spend most of our time here!

Dressing up was tons of fun this year. The kids are very into Toy Story these days, so Cody was Woody, Kiley was Jessie and Caedon was Buzz.

"Howdy partner!"

Our sweet little cowgirl

To infinity and beyond!

Kiley turned 5 on November 4th! As mentioned above, all three of our kids are obsessed with Toy Story 1, 2 & 3 at the moment, so Kiley requested a "Jessie" party. We had all of her little cowgirl friends over for some great party fun! Magic, a cute little pony from Butterfield Acres, made an appearance at her party and the kids got to ride him around the backyard several times each.

Visit from the Neufelds

2011-04-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to see my friend Lindsay and her family! They stopped in & spent the night with us on their way back to B.C. I've known Lindsay since we were little kids living in Africa. We got to meet their triplet boys and see Jesse, who's all grown up now.
Hoping we can see them all again soon. The best part about friends like them is that it's so easy to pick up right where you left off....

Kiley & Bailey or Cole... I couldn't tell Bailey & Cole apart :)

West Ed 30th Birthday Bash

2011-04-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my 30th birthday, we spent the weekend at West Edmonton mall. My parents, Jess, Joel, Dan & Jodi were there too, which made it extra special. We spent all day Saturday at the amusement park and Sunday at the water park. The kids (& adults) had a pile of fun!

This was Cody's very favorite ride. He LOVED this!

Cody on the hot air balloon ride. I just love his smile!

Kiley & Caedon

Caedon fell asleep waiting in line for the choo choo train ride. Nana provided lots of cuddles.

Kiley & Nana

David & Cody went on one of the monster roller coasters that Cody was barely tall enough for! He loved it- he's such a little thrill-seeker.

Uncle Dan, Auntie Jodi & Kiley playing the water gun game. They won a Nemo fishy that they lovingly gave to Cody.

Auntie Jess & Caedon

Yummy cake that my sister Jess made

Our family @ Swiss Chalet

The Water park- Day 2

This water park is amazing! Cody was determined to swim to the waterfall.

Happy little swimmer

Cody on one of the huge waterslides, again showing zero fear & begging to go again and again.

We called this slide the "toilet bowl." It dumps you in the pool at the end. Another one of Cody's favorites. I'm pretty sure he was the smallest kid on these massive slides. :)

January & February 2011

2011-04-09T17:42:00.001-07:00

It's been a dreadfully cold and snowy winter. We still have been managing to have fun. There are so many fun indoor family places around Calgary that we're never bored!
And thankfully, our kids LOVE the snow. So we took every chance we could to play in it!

Kiley's first movie theater experience... we saw Tangled!

Just hangin out

Winter fun @ the park

These kids love the snow!

Go Cody!

Wheeee!

Kiley's dance class (She's on the far left, font row)

Switching shoes... they practice tap & ballet in her class

Kiley's in the middle... very focused and quite the perfectionist

Sweet little ballerina

We love going to the leisure centers in the dead of winter. There are several around Calgary... this one is the kids' favorite because it has a big wave pool!

He's always been a water baby.

Kiley makes friends everywhere we go. :)

Caedon @ Let's Play... another one of our favorite indoor places

We were laughing so hard at how Caedon would tuck his hands in his overalls... better momentum maybe?

Yummy hotdogs after all their hard work/play

Kiley's New Room

2011-04-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

Our 4 year old was really out-growing her toddler bed, so we decided to do a room make-over.

Here's the BEFORE:

AND AFTER:

Kiley picked the purple color for the walls and I found really cute bedding to match.

She loves it!

Caedon approves too. :)

Christmas Memories

2011-04-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, Christmas 2010 was 4 months ago... but I'm determined to catch up! I know how much I enjoy looking back at pics of the kids and what was happening in our lives a year or two or three ago. So... here we go!

This was our second Christmas in Airdrie. We are really starting to feel more at "home" here. While there are still oodles of things and people we miss in California, we are slowly but surely building a new life here. We spent Christmas day with just our family of 5, followed by several days in a row of extended family fun. That is one of the things I love the most about living here. I love that the kids have their aunts, uncles, Nana & Papa near-by. Even though we're all super busy, we make sure we're together at special times like Christmas.

Daddy & Cody @ Airdrie Festival Lights- our new Christmas tradition

Me & my babies @ the Festival of Lights

Kiley, working on the Christmas cookies

Three little cuties in front of the Christmas tree

Getting Santa's cookies ready

Christmas morning stockings

Cody loves his big puppy. He sleeps with it every night.

Our little princess was so excited about her vanity center. She loves putting on her own make-up.

Caedon's new choo choo train. He & Kiley love riding around the house on it.

Caedon & his cars

Christmas #2 @ Nana & Papa's house

Caedon opening his "airport" from Uncle Joel & Auntie Jess

Auntie Jodi, Uncle Dan, Caedon & Chloe

The kids got to try out their new ice skates on Nana & Papa's pond.

Wobbly little Caedon did pretty well!

Cody LOVED it! Especially when Uncle Dan helped him go extra fast...

Kiley, very focused and determined!

A Heartfelt Blog

2010-11-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

As those of you who read my blog know, I tend to use it as an online photo album- mostly keeping track of my kids' activities, birthday parties, family trips etc. through pictures. While that is great, I think that in looking back at the blog years from now, I'll also want to see what was going on below the surface of the happy, smiling pictures. So here goes my first attempt...

Our FSCD appointment was on Wednesday. FSCD stands for Family Support for Children with Disabilities. It's a great program that helps families who have kids with disabilities get some respite, time away... a break from the stress that often comes with raising a child with a disability. Because we were on the clock and had all of our munchkins downstairs playing, I had the meeting upstairs in our bonus room with the FSCD worker, while David entertained the munchkins downstairs. I've had so many of these meetings from Cody's diagnosis at age 2 1/2 on... But for some reason this one hit me hard.

She started asking all the questions these people always ask. "What does Cody like to do?" "What are his strengths?" "What are areas that need improvement?" "How does his disability affect your family life and in what areas?" "Tell me some ways in which Cody is not a typical 6 year old...."

I calmly explained to her that autism pretty much runs our family. We can't go out in public as a family, or there will be a melt-down, a tantrum, people staring.... It was easier to pass off when Cody was 2, even three years old. But he's six now, so when he tantrums, it's not easy to pass off as "oh, he's just tantruming like all toddlers do!"

We found an amazing church but can't go anymore, unless we have a sitter for Cody. He is easily over-stimulated in new environments, which results in screaming and sometimes throwing objects. He's usually put in the toddler nursery at church so he can play and won't interrupt the lessons being taught in his age group Sunday school. But he's quickly out-growing the toddler room and really our only option is to leave him home with a sitter. Or just not go. We've been going with the latter lately.

If we're invited to a party or event of any sort, our family is immediately split in half. David or I will take Kiley and Caedon to the event, while the other adult stays home to entertain Cody. It's not that we're ashamed or embarrassed to bring him to these events- it's just too much for him and it ends up making the whole event no fun for any of us.

Cody is a runner. We had to call the police at least four times this past summer when Cody ran away. He has no awareness of danger and will run right onto a busy freeway, laughing the entire time. It's a fun game of chase for him. Even with child locks/bars on every door and window, he found a way to escape through a window on the TOP story of our house, then jumped off the ROOF and ran away. Another call to the police....
On Cody's first day of school this year, he escaped and ran away. Police were called and searched the neighborhoods around the school till they finally found him, playing behind an apartment complex. Cody's guardian angels work over-time every day of his little life.
It's gotten to the point where if we are playing outside in the backyard, one of us has to physically be right beside Cody, ready at all times to grab him if needed because he can scale the backyard fence in 2 seconds and be gone!

His siblings have really started to ask questions. Hard questions. "Why does Cody do that?" "Why is he screaming?" "Can you please make him stop?"

She asked about pretend play and what Cody likes to do. He doesn't pretend play. He stims with long objects like sticks or pens. We don't understand his fascination with these objects is but he gets so excited about them. And if he's not stimming with these objects, he's RUNNING full throttle, up & down the stairs, around the house, jumping on the couch and on the beds. He ignores kids around him unless there's some kind of chase game going on, then he happily joins in.

Cody has a vocabulary but uses it when he wants to or is able to. If he has a tummy ache or a tooth ache, if someone is teasing him at school... these are things he can't tell us about. And that just kills you as a parent. Not being able to help your child when they need you. All of these things are just locked inside him and it's so frustrating for all of us involved. There are times where it is obvious that he is trying SO hard to communicate something to us, but just doesn't have the words to tell us.

Watching Caedon pass Cody up development-wise has been heart-breaking. Little 2 year old Caedon using full sentences, being so social, playing make believe with his sister.... We've been completely THRILLED with each and every milestone that Kiley and Caedon reach that we haven't experienced with Cody... I have hope and faith that we WILL experience these with Cody, but only after a LOT of hard work, time, patience....

With all the chaos that comes with Cody's diagnosis, there isn't a lot of time to just sit down and reflect on the things that make him different. We just deal with it, day in day out. Hold him down while changing a poopy pull-up, try to calm him when a song comes on that he can't tolerate and makes him cry, chase him through the neighborhood @ 6 a.m. while he's just in his little pull-up and it's freezing cold outside, beg him to stop screaming when we're in the car on a trip and his siblings (& all of us) are ready to lose are minds...

I explained all this to our FSCD worker, with tears in my eyes. I told her that we obviously LOVE little Cody to bits and we want the very best for him. We would give ANYTHING to help him in any way we can. But our lives are FAR from typical. And he is a long way away from being a "typical" 6 year old. We're OK with that. We were in denial for a long time, but have come to term with the fact that our lives will never be "normal." And there are days that are harder than others... days I want to curl up in the fetal position and cry and just not face the world. It is usually on one of these days that Cody will come up to me, sit on my lap and with his huge, beautiful Cody smile say "Hi Mommy." Melts me everytime.

Bye Bye Baby

2010-11-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

The first hair cut.

My Caedon baby is officially a big boy. I held strong until she actually picked up the scissors and clipped the first snip of his baby wisps. Then the tears came. He looks so grown up now- like such a little man.
The hair cut was needed. He really was starting to look like a little girl. And the mullet was really bad. David nick-named him MacGruber. So the mullet HAD to go.
I remember bawling when Cody had his first hair cut too. In my opinion, it's the milestone that officially turns your baby into a big kid. So that was hard for me.

But he sure looks adorable. And distinguished.
Such a cutie pie- mullet & all!

A better shot of the mullet (& the sweet baby wisps of hair)

He did quite well! (Sat pretty still and chatted about Thomas, cars, trains...)

Snip... snip... snip...

Doesn't he look distinguished?

He got to sit in the Thomas train when he was done. He was pretty happy about that.

New little hair cut from the back

Such a big boy now!

Kiley is 4!

2010-11-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Kiley's 4th birthday Strawberry Shortcake style & oh what fun we had. She LOVES Strawberry Shortcake right now, which makes this mommy so happy. I loved playing with my Strawberry Shortcake dolls at her age. My mom made me a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake for my first birthday, and I had so much fun making one for Kiley's fourth! I am enjoying every second of watching our sweet little princess grow. She brings so much joy and PINK to our family! She has such a tender little heart and sweet spirit. She asks so many questions. And she started READING the night before she turned 4! I'm such a proud mommy and so thankful for this beautiful little girl we've been blessed with.

Sweet little birthday girl on her REAL 4th birthday (Thursday Nov 4th)

Posing with her cake on party day!

Crafts & snacks

Jumphouse fun!

Birthday girl taking a swing at the pinata

Cody's turn... so cute how he was determined to hit it with the opposite side of the bat

Blowing out the candles

All the little party friends

Kiley's new Leapster!

Playing with the loot!

Happy 4th Birthday Kiley Michelle!
We love you sweet girl!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween... in pictures....

The kids in their little skeleton shirts. Caedon's was especially cute- it has candy and apple cores at the bottom of the "tummy".

Carving pumpkins with daddy & mommy. Here David is carving Caedon's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" pumpkin- that's what he ordered!

Mommy helping Kiley with her pumpkin

Of course the boys were fascinated with the pumpkin "guts".

Kiley with "her" happy pumpkin

More pumpkin carving @ Jess & Joel's Halloween party- so FUN!
David & I were grapes, but couldn't handle the purple balloons for long- it was hard to do anything- walk, eat, carve pumpkins.... so the balloons came off pretty quickly. Our faces are still bright purple though.

Picture of all the little Munchkins at the big Halloween party- they were all so adorable!

Our three little cuties on Halloween night- Caedon the puppy, Kiley the Strawberry princess & Cody the fireman!

Trick or treating!

A final stop at our friend Rylan's house

Wiggling with the Wiggles!

2010-10-23T10:33:00.001-07:00

You know you're a parent when... your Friday night is spent at a Wiggles concert and you end up having just as much fun as your kids!
We decided very last minute to take the kids to see the Wiggles, who are a big favorite in our house. We all know all their songs and the dances/actions that go with them. It was a great show, complete with Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Captain Feathersword. The red wiggle was home for family reasons, so there was a fill-in red wiggle. Still a great show, and the kids are still talking about it. I think David and I had so much fun because we were having so much fun watching our kids. Another fun memory- I'm glad we went!

The kids and David, rocking out with the Wiggles!

Pumpkin Time

2010-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

I LOVE fall! And one thing I must say about living here... fall is absolutely beautiful! It makes fall even more wonderful.

The traditional corn maze/pumpkin patch visit is always a must. The kids loved it. The petting zoo, jumping for a solid hour on the huge balloon jump thingy, mazes, tractor rides, pig races, and finally picking a favorite pumpkin... hard to beat such fun! I think I say this every year, but I love this time of year!
The tractor ride we took through the corn maze

Cody loved this thing. The other two did too. They could've jumped all day.

Kiley jumping & making friends- always the social butterfly.

Caedon the jumping bean.

Brushing the goats

Kiley & Caedon watching the pig race

Watching the pigs race= true entertainment
It was so funny to watch.

Happy little pumpkin

The kids helped daddy set up our big pumpkin for Halloween. (This was on a much warmer day).

The Binkie Fairy

2010-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

The "Binkie Fairy" visited our house and we have one happy little girl to show for the visit. Unpopular to many parenting styles, we chose to let Kiley keep her binkie (soother/pacifier) until her fourth birthday. The dentist said it was fine and we limited it to bedtime only. We started telling her about the binkie fairy a few weeks ago to prep her for the visit and she was so excited that we decided to have her come a few weeks before her birthday.

Kiley found all her binkies and put them in a little plastic bag.

Then she hung them on the tree in our front yard.

This is the spot you hang binkies when you're ready to give them to the binkie fairy and the babies that need them. (apparently :))

David took the kids to 7-11 for slurpees and when they got back, the Binkie Fairy had made her visit! She had taken the binkies and left a gift in their place.

Kiley was thrilled. The binkie fairy brought her an Upsy Daisy doll and bed that she likes to chase. (This is from In the Night Garden, a kids' show quite popular in Canada.)

She immediately got busy taking care of her Upsy Daisy doll

I am really glad that we waited till she was older for this transition. It was actually FUN, she was so excited about the binkie fairy coming to take her binkies to the babies that need them. She tells everyone we meet all about it. And she hasn't asked for her binkie once since the binkie fairy came. YAY!

Caedon Turns 2!

2010-10-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Our little Caedon turned 2 on October 7th and we celebrated train-style that weekend with all his little friends. Talk about train heaven! The weather was BEAUTIFUL and we had the most FUN train party at Iron Horse Park. It's this amazing area of land owned by a retired couple who absolutely love trains and have turned it into a train park. There are miles of track and two miniature trains kids and adults can ride on around the park. The staff at the park dress up as train conductors and the cute little red building where you buy the tickets and have the party is set up like a train station. Seriously, the cutest thing I've seen- and especially for train-lovers!
As for Caedon, our big 2- year-old- I'm just amazed at everything he is saying and doing at 2. I'm sure being in the playschool environment and having 2 older siblings helps. He is speaking in full little sentences. Draws and colors as well as many of the older kids. Loves his books, trains, cars and animals. He's two going on twenty-two. He's my little ray of sunshine and I just love him to bits!

Here are some pictures from his train party!

Caedon with his Thomas the train cake, all dressed up for his party!

Caedon Joel, our big two year old!

Eating pizza with friends

Here's the conductor, helping Caedon start the train.

Everyone loaded up on the train, ready to go!

Caedon and all his birthday buddies
(I think he was a bit busy looking at his train ticket in the picture :))

Papa & Caedon waving at the camera

Blowing out his two little candles, with help from his friends!

Mmmmmm cake!

A quick family pic

SO tired after the big party!

We ran out of time at the train park to open presents (we just had a 2 hour time-slot there and used most of it to ride the trains!) :) So Caedon opened his presents after his nap and had so much fun!

Playing in his train tunnels that his "girlfriend" Rylan gave him :)

A new bike from Nana and Papa!!!

Happy Birthday Caedon Joel!
We love you SO MUCH!

The Big Boy Bed

2010-10-06T08:24:00.001-07:00

Caedon Joel spent his first night in his big boy bed last night. He did surprisingly well. He slept all night, stayed in his bed and waited for us to come get him in the morning. (We'll see how long that lasts. :))
He and Kiley and have become the best of friends sharing a room and have been known to "party" late into the night together. We're hoping they'll both get a bit more sleep being in their own rooms now.
Cody is now downstairs sleeping in the bedroom we have down there. Kiley has some big plans for her very own room now- we're getting ready to girly it up! And Caedon's room will be decorated in what he loves most- trains, cars & trucks. I'll be sure to post pics when we're done with their room make-overs. :)
My baby boy turns two tomorrow! It's weird to be taking his crib apart and getting his room ready for a big 2 year old. Two years have sure gone quickly!

He looks so tiny in his great big car bed.

So proud!

2010-09-30T20:12:00.001-07:00

Cody can SWIM!!! On his own! No life jacket. No water wings. We had no clue. We've always had the life jacket on, just to be safe. The other day we were at the pool and decided to practice without the life jacket and he just took off swimming. All the way across the pool and back! It blew us away. He's such a determined, amazing little boy. And we are PROUD parents!

Here he is, swimming on his own!

Kiley & Caedon on Cool Hat & Shades day (Munchkin Academy)

First Days....

2010-09-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

After some big-time fighting, we were thrilled to hear Cody had been accepted into a wonderful school in south Calgary. His school specializes in helping kids with special needs. The one downside is the long commute. His little bus picks him up at our house and he makes the 40 minute drive to school. He seems to enjoy his bus routine now and is doing really well at his new school. We're already noticing improvements in his speech and behavior. YAY CODY!!!

Handsome little Cody on his first day of school
Cody at his new school!

Little Miss Kiley is our social butterfly and is thrilled to be back at preschool, two mornings a week. She's making friends and seems to enjoy every aspect of the preschool experience. She's growing up so fast!

Here's Kiley on her first day of "school".

So proud of her butterfly lunch box, which she really doesn't use. But she likes to pretend that she gets to use it.

Nope, he's not in school yet. But he's sure keeping up with the big kids. Speaking in full little sentences, kicking soccer balls and COLORING! Oh he loves to color. He's just such a cute little person. We're having so much fun with him!

Our baby big kid

Summer Snapshots of our Sweeties

2010-09-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

Fall has arrived!
Therefore, I am about to do a large Summer Snapshot dump....
Enjoy!

Here's Caedon, belting it out at the top of his lungs. Loving his little personality- he's so much fun!

Here he is again, playing in our backyard "river"- the big water drain.

A rare shot of the 3 together- they're usually all running in opposite directions.

My little sweetie pie

Picnic lunch @ the zoo- we enjoyed doing this several times this summer!

Kiley, collecting leaves @ the zoo

Exploring!

David and Cody bike-riding- another favorite summer activity

Fun @ the park!

He's always moving...

Caedon & Auntie Julie cuddling/eating popcorn
It was fun having Auntie Julie here for several months.

Our Cody David

Kiley on the carousel (Callaway Park)

the airplane ride @ Callaway Park

"Hmmmm, how many Cheetos can I fit in my mouth?"

Lake Sikome

Caedon LOVES trains- he could spend all day at the train table

Kiley giving daycare friends a wagon ride

Posing :)

Kiley with friends @ Munchkin Academy

Pork n bean face

Just Us.... and a bit of Banff!

2010-08-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

David and I had the most wonderful weekend get-away to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. We realized that we haven't had a kid-free weekend like this in over 6 years! (since before Cody was born) My parents and Jodi were so kind to watch the kiddos for us and we enjoyed a weekend of sleeping in (gasp!), shopping, soaking in the hot springs, white water rafting and taking in the beautiful views. Banff has to be at the top of the list for one of the most beautiful places in the world! We loved it. It was so nice to enjoy adult company without having to worry about nap-times, diaper changes or tantrums. Pure bliss!

the exquisite little town of Banff... it's a must-see for sure!

Gorgeous views...

Delicious food!

This place served the most exotic fondue menu I've ever seen- rattle snake, alligator, bear, shark, caribou....

White water rafting the Kicking Horse River in B.C.- this was thrilling!

The BEST part of all of it- it was just US!

Lake Fun

2010-08-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

We are still learning our way around the Calgary area. I have lived in Calgary before, but years ago... so it's been fun to rediscover everything with our little family. Sikome Lake has become an instant favorite. It's beautiful, perfect for kids and has plenty of nice white sand for the kids to play in.

Beautiful Sikome Lake

Caedon lovin the water

Happy little beach bum

My dad, starting on the sand fort

Kiley, bringing buckets of water for the sand fort

Cody & Papa enjoying lunch together

Nana, Caedon and some cuddle time

Our New Munchkin Academy!

2010-07-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Our HUGE project is finally completed! Barry Roberts, a wonderful family friend, completely finished our basement for us- and designed it specifically for our Munchkin Academy preschool. Once the basement was finished, David and I spent many late nights painting, assembling furniture, decorating, organizing and getting it "perfect" for the little munchkins. It's amazing! Better than I had even hoped for! The kids and their families are very happy with the new set-up and it is already making our job 10 times easier!

David painted the coolest mural... trees, clouds, and the cutest monkey. The bright colors really brighten the room and create such a friendly atmosphere.

The Munchkin Academy tree... I love the monkey.

We filled the playroom with toys that encourage imaginative play- a doll house, a play house, train table, school bus... It's so cute to see the kids play and see their little imaginations come to life!
I love these shelves & toy bins because they help hide and organize a lot of the toy mess!

The little kitchen and the tool bench

This caterpillar tunnel has been a hit! There are kids all over it just about any time of day...

This view shows our changing station, art easel and reading center. We have circle time in this area.

The eating/craft/preschool area, and the kids cubbies are on the right

Pictures of the munchkins...

Artwork board...

Changing station

Bathroom

Nap room...

Jess' Big Day!

2010-07-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Jess & Joel's wedding could not have been more perfect... GORGEOUS weather, beautiful view, and such an amazing couple finally MARRIED! We were thrilled to be a part of it. I was a bridesmaid, along with two of my sisters and two of Jess' friends. Kiley was the flower girl and Caedon the ring bearer. David was an usher and helped with Kiley & Caedon too.

Here are some pics from the beautiful day....
(missing quite a few that you can find on Facebook... these are what I had on my camera)
Congrats Joel & Jess!

This was actually taken at the rehearsal, the night before...

Kiley, the beautiful little flower girl!

Kiley with her auntie Jessica

Sisters.... I love them!

After the ceremony...

The fam

Good lookin couple

David & I @ the reception

My cousin Sarah & I

Sunset pic, near the end of the night...

GO BRAZIL!!!

2010-06-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I was actually dreading world cup starting this year. I always say how thankful I am that it's only every 4 years because I literally LOSE my husband when it starts...
However, I have to say it is growing on me. How can it not when I see how excited he gets? And I've actually been watching the games and they are truly entertaining. Grandma Eagleton brought these cute Brazil t-shirts for the kids when she came for a visit and they wore them with pride today as we watched our team win... AGAIN!!! GO BRAZIL!!!

Has it Really Been SIX Years???

2010-06-20T19:27:00.001-07:00

Six years ago, we welcomed our precious first born into the world. All of those sweet memories seem to fade the older he gets... those first wobbly steps, first words, his first day at school...

Oh how I love this boy! He has such a sweet, loving nature and always has the hugest smile. He loves to cuddle, loves to be read & sung to, loves his siblings, and continues to favor Veggie Tales and dinosaurs over everything else...
We celebrated his sixth birthday last night with my family. Superman theme for my little super man! He was thrilled to be with his Nana and Papa and his aunties who love him so much.
We love you Cody David! Happy birthday little man!

Catching Up...

2010-05-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

May has been a busy month at our house. We're looking forward to the summer, with Jess & Joel's wedding coming up, and hopefully some nice camping weather.
Here are some random pics that didn't really fit in the other "categories". :)

A tired little boy, after his busy day...

Can you guess who taught her this???
Hint: Daddy

I'm sure the parenting books would use us as the worst examples ever in potty-training, but right now I could care less because I'm so completely THRILLED that Kiley is officially potty-trained!!! She's been mostly potty-trained for quite awhile, but was scared to death to poop in the potty. We tried everything we could think of to encourage her, while trying not to make a huge deal about it. We finally resorted to bribery and told her that if she pooped in the potty we would take her to 7-11 for a Slurpee and a treat of her choice. A few days later, it happened! And she hasn't stopped since! Bribery can and DOES work....

He loves his bubble baths, and I love his bubble beards :)

Some sibling love- stories and cuddles

Little Dancer

2010-05-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Kiley, I dreamed of painting nails, pretty bows, lots of pink, and I'm pretty sure Dance classes were right up there! She just started Kinderdance- a beginning dance class and I don't know who's more excited about it. She really enjoys going and it's so fun to watch all the cute little girls dance around in their tutus.

Callaway Park

2010-05-31T08:51:00.001-07:00

I grew up going to Callaway Park, when we were home on furlough. It was so fun taking the kids. We got season passes for a great deal and will be spending most of our summer there. It's not Six Flags, but it has some fun rides for all ages, some great roller coasters for when the kids are a bit bigger, and a fun theme park atmosphere. We spent an entire day there and LOVED it. The kids are tall enough to go on a select few rides, but the ones they were able to go on we rode over and over again.

Cody & Kiley waiting patiently

This guy was amazing- we stopped and listened to several songs.

My handsome men

French fry break

Caedon's "airplane" ride (He wasn't tall enough to go with the other two)

A Barnyard Moosical

2010-05-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

Cody had his first school presentation- a Barnyard Moosical. The kids were dressed as cute cows, funky chickens, goats and farmers. They sang the cutest little songs, complete with actions. Cody seemed to really enjoy himself- he sings the songs by heart and was all smiles! I was such a proud mommy.

Cody is the cute cow in the far right corner.

Cody waiting patiently at the end of the show. He did SO well!

Mother's Day Tea

2010-05-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Kiley's preschool put on a Mother's Day tea for all the mommies. Of course it was the cutest thing you've ever seen. The kids sang a few songs about mommies. Then they served the mommies tea and presented the cards and pretty necklaces they'd made. Such a fun memory...

Kiley carrying the tea SO carefully...

A Date with my Baby Boy

2010-05-31T06:10:00.000-07:00

Our schedule during the week is non-stop and absolutely CRAZY some days... We've made it a priority for our weekends to be spent showering our kids with lots of one on one special attention. I took Caedon to the park, just the two of us and oh what fun we had. I don't think I've ever taken JUST Caedon anywhere, so it was some special bonding for the two of us. He is becoming quite the little chatterbox. And he is SUCH a monkey- climbing, jumping, and exploring everything in sight. We took his big yellow ball to the park and kicked it around. It was a good several hours of entertainment and I'm pretty sure he was happy to have mommy all to himself!

A popsicle, my wagon and my big yellow ball- what else could I possibly need?

Showing off his jumping skills

Walking home- he insisted on carrying his ball that's almost as big as him :)

Gymnastics

2010-05-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

Kiley started her first gymnastics class a few weeks ago and is LOVING it! She's in a class of 3 and 4 year olds and goes once a week. She loves to show off all the new things she learned when she gets home. She has quite the little personality and loves to learn. We're having so much fun watching her grow and learn.

Happy 30th Hubby

2010-05-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

We celebrated David's 30th birthday in Cochrane with my family- we had a wonderful BBQ, despite the snow. Nana babysat the following night so we could go out together.

Happy Birthday to my love!!!

Dad & Jess out BBQing steaks in the snow

Happy 30th Hubby!

Papa & Kiley

Jess' Bridal Shower

2010-04-24T13:48:00.001-07:00

Jess' bridal shower was a TON of fun. Jodi and I threw it at my house. Lots of friends, family, food, games & fun...

Jess, the beautiful bride-to-be!

I couldn't flip this picture for anything, but hopefully you get the idea... little bikini cookies :)

Jess & Jodi, my beautiful sisters & their bikini cookies

I think the favorite game was the toilet paper wedding dress competition.

The brides modeling their TP wedding dresses

Playing "How Well do Jess & Joel Know Each Other?"

Opening gifts

Mom, Jess, Jodi & I

The Cutest Kids...

2010-04-24T13:42:00.001-07:00

So yes, I'm a bit biased, but they really are the cutest...

Cody David, 5 1/2

Kiley Michelle, 3

Caedon Joel, 18 months

my three little loves

Easter Fun!

2010-04-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit behind... but here are some pics from Easter. I forgot to take pics at our family dinner- my family came out from Cochrane and we had a great time together. Sunday the kids opened their baskets from the Easter bunny, then we went to the park for the Easter egg hunt. They had face painting and other little activities, but our kids were happy just to play the afternoon away. We attempted the Easter bunny at the mall, but all three of them were terrified. Maybe next year? :) Happy Easter!!!

All dressed in their Easter best!

Look what the Easter bunny brought!

Mommy always makes us wear the silly bunny ears.

Filling up on chocolate!

Easter egg hunt @ the park

Wheeeeee!

This is as close as we got to the Easter bunny. :)
The kids were not impressed. He is kind of creepy looking though, isn't he?

Cute Easter basket cupcakes that my sister Jodi made. She's the cupcake queen!

Let's Play!!!

2010-03-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine told us about this great play land in South Calgary & we decided to check it out. We spent most of our Sunday playing there... such fun for three little monkeys! David & I had fun too- chasing the kids through the 4 level play structure, jumping in the ball pits and sliding down the slides.

MARCH!

2010-03-21T10:25:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the air and we've been enjoying some beautiful weather! The snow is melting and we've had some brief snow showers, but spring is definitely well on it's way!
These pictures are not in order, but show our cuties having fun this past month...

Still our girly-girl, Kiley LOVES dresses, having her hair done, nails done, and wearing every accessory in the book

Sibling love :)

Caedon peeking at me through the window (St. Patty's Day)

Kiley enjoying her green lunch on St. Pattys- green mashed potatoes, green beans, and green parsley chicken! We even dyed the kids' milk green. Such fun!

Cody playing with Kiley & her petshop

Cody has been amazing lately (a future blog will be written with details)....

3 little monkeys in the tub

Cody enjoying the sunshine

The snow melting in our street.... the little hockey players have fun hitting the ice chunks around

Our little on-the-go boy, always moving!

Papa & Kiley

Nana & Caedon (Nana and Papa babysat so we could go on a date for my bday!)

Beautiful roses from my wonderful hubby

The shirt says it all!

Our little bookworms

Kiley's Special Day

2010-03-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Kiley turned 3 in November and we decided to enroll her in a local preschool in January. She just goes two mornings a week but they are definitely days that she looks forward to! She has made a big new batch of friends and comes home with new songs and crafts and stories each time!
We had debated preschool- mainly because we run one right out of home, along with our dayhome. She already knows her letters, their sounds, all her numbers... she is close to reading at only 3. In our dayhome we have mainly boys that are around her age and we thought it might be fun for her to have her own special place to go and make some GIRL friends her age. It is more for the social aspect than the educational one. And now we have two little girls starting at Munchkin Academy who are Kiley's age. So she really has the best of both worlds!
I was able to sneak away to enjoy Kiley's special day at school at the beginning of March. Once a month, Kiley gets to bring a snack to share and something special to show and tell. On her special day, a parent or relative is invited to come watch.
It's really been fun to watch her take off socially with her new little preschool adventure. We're so proud of her!

Cute as can be for her special day at school!

Kiley at show & tell... she brought her crown and sash that she won at the pageant she was in in California

Kiley helping for the days of the week song

Circle time!

Free play- Kiley really liked the "house" station

Making her craft...

with friends Sophia & Avery

Kiley with Payton & Duncan

Kiley on Crazy hair day @ school

Oh Caedon.

2010-02-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

Any ideas for how to keep an almost 17 month old OFF our kitchen table? We have to keep the chairs pushed away from the table now because he will climb up and just make himself at home on our table. Cody was a bit of a monkey & still is at times.... but I have NEVER seen a kid climb like Caedon does. Little stinker. And no number of spanks and "no's" seem to do it either!
David grabbed the camera when he found Caedon in his usual place on the kitchen table trying to feed his big brother. I love Cody's expression in this picture... a mixture of humor and disgust! :)

Family trip to the Zoo!

2010-02-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

We were so BLESSED at Christmas when some very generous friends gave our family an annual zoo pass! It is an amazing zoo that you can easily spend the entire day at. We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit on Saturday. Jodi and I had taken the kids in the summer, but it was fun to show David all of our favorite exhibits. And all three kids were SO excited this time around- even a few months can make all the difference in what they understand and get excited about! Of course I took my typical 5 zillion pictures, but here is the very condensed version.

I really loved the gorillas. They have such funny little personalities...

The dinosaurs in the dinosaur park can move & roar now, which really scared Kiley the first time she saw it.

This was in the great big greenhouse. I was surprised that the kids were as interested as they were in all the plants and flowers. It was warm and brought back Africa memories!

My boys

Snow leopards. Kiley REEEEEALLY wanted to see jaguars, so we eventually lied and told her that the snow leopards were jaguars. I know, I know....

Cody LOVED the elephants!

They badly wanted to climb right in for a closer look!

MORE FUN in the snow....

2010-02-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

I guess now that we're living in Canada, you'll be seeing plenty of snow pictures. It hasn't gotten old with our kids yet at all. They love it and beg to play in it daily! We've had some nice warmer weather lately, which has made the snow play even more fun. It's still funny to me to see David BBQing on a snow-covered deck, but it tastes just as wonderful in the winter!

HANDSOME little man!

Making snow angels!

Caedon keeps up well with the big kids, refusing to be left behind!

Little cutie pie. :)

Little Canadian...

2010-02-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

Cody went on his first Kindergarten field trip today! David was able to tag along as a volunteer, so of course I sent the camera. He said Cody loved it and was all smiles. We'll have to take him regularly, now that we know he loves it AND it's a great way to use up some of his never-ending energy. Go Cody! A true Canadian, eh?

True Friends...

2010-01-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

Every year for as long as I can remember, it has been TRADITION to have our New Years Eve party at the Wilders. Of course this was in California and we now live in Canada. I have really been missing my friends.... even more than I thought I would. But New Years was especially lonely this year, because we knew all our friends were together and we knew what we were missing. David and I sulked and felt quite sorry for ourselves for a good part of the evening, then decided to watch a movie and enjoy a bottle of wine together. Just as our movie began, the phone rang and I heard my friends on the phone. All of them! It just made my night. Then my friend Erin photo-shopped me into the picture of "the girls" at the party. She did quite well, eh?

I miss you my wonderful friends! You have no idea how much....

So Proud!

2010-01-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

Kiley's first picture of her "family." Large circles for heads with spots for eyes and two legs growing out of the heads. And I've never been more proud! She tells us this picture is of mommy, daddy, Kiley and her "sister." I guess she's wanting a sister? :)

My Baby Heart Attack

2010-01-02T10:24:00.001-08:00

For those of you who watch LOST, you'll understand why we call Caedon our "baby John Locke." We've decided that if they paid us enough $, we may even agree to cast him on LOST if they ever need an infant version of John Locke. He is John Locke's mini-me.

He is also our little monkey. Every time I turn around, he is on top of a table, a couch, a wobbly toy... He never stops!

The pictures are the proof!

On top of the futon... the very top... walking across it like it's a balancing act in the circus
This is the most typical Caedon spot- standing in the middle of the train table. I think he has better access to all the trains and tracks.

And he always sports the biggest smile- so it's hard not to laugh when telling him "no."

At "Our" Pool!

2009-12-29T15:00:00.001-08:00

Christmas "break" is here! Many of our Munchkin Academy families are away for Christmas and New Years and we are fortunate to have a very "light" workload between Christmas and New Years... Yesterday was just us (with no Munchkin Academy friends), so we enjoyed the day at "our" pool!

Cody is our little fish. He is so comfortable in and around the water and is a pro doggy-paddler now!

Kiley takes a bit more "warming up" in the water. We're hoping to get her into swimming lessons to help her feel more comfortable.

Caedon really enjoys the water too! He even tries to swim in the tub.

Cody in the river. He loves this!

All smiles!

Practicing "floating"

Kiley prefers playing in the baby pool with all the toys...

Look at my little fish!

And MORE Christmas...

2009-12-29T13:52:00.001-08:00

And for a few more pics from our 3 days of Christmas!!! Boxing day and the 28th were two more Christmases... my dad made two more wonderful feasts, his side of the family came over, birthdays were celebrated, games were played, more gifts were opened....
These gatherings all took place at our house so we could put the kids to bed and keep partying, and we have lots of room to accommodate!

Kiley asked me to take some pictures of her in her Christmas dress! This is actually her dress from last Christmas, but it fit perfectly this year.

I LOVE this one!

And one with Cody...

And the last one.... in front of the tree. Isn't she just precious?

The kids & daddy playing in the snow

Family get-together (my dad's side)

Uncle Vernon, my cousin Richard and their very cool piano cake that Jodi made

Eating.... again!

Christmas @ the Eagletons

2009-12-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

We were so blessed & SPOILED this Christmas! The highlight was having my family so close and spending three days straight with them. Of course there are oodles of pictures...

Our family stockings (Nana, Papa & the aunties' were added when they arrived)

As you can see, Santa was overly good to all of us this year!

Papa (my dad) making a scrumptious Christmas breakfast

David, wondering what could possibly be in this present!

Nana getting some Caedon cuddles

How cute are they??

Cody opening his stocking

Kiley posing w/ her stocking

Caedon's favorite stocking stuffers were his Smarties chocolate balls- he kept saying "Ball! Ball!" all day.

Cody's new bike from Nana & Papa!

Kiley got a Princess car, complete w/ cell phone! Watch out world!

And Caedon got his very own fire truck, complete w/ siren!

Thank you Nana & Papa!

Kiley with her new computer

Caedon's new farm

Jodi, Kiley & Cody jamming out!
(while Caedon plays on Kiley's computer)

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

All Was Calm... All Was BRIGHT!

2009-12-29T09:56:00.001-08:00

We started our Christmas Eve with the Airdrie Light Festival. It was very cold, but we were well bundled and the kids really enjoyed all the snow, lights and people! It was such a special time to be together as a family in our new little town and it truly "felt" like Christmas!

At the festival... the light displays were amazing, my pictures do them no justice. It didn't help that my camera battery was low and of course died just minutes into our time there.

A rare picture of me w/ Kiley & Caedon- this was on the ice rink in the park. We'll know to bring our ice skates next year!

Caedon toddling & slipping around on the ice rink. The kids loved it!

All three of them! (With Caedon leading them all, crawling on the ice. :))

Christmas Eve pizza, back at home
Cody fell asleep right after dinner, just as Nana, Papa & our aunties arrived.

Kiley, picking out cookies to set out for Santa. She took this job pretty seriously.

Caedon eating one of "Santa's" cookies

Sad that Cody wasn't in the Christmas Eve/jammies pic. My friend Nichole sent them matching Christmas jammies & they looked adorable!

Our "tradition" is that the kids open just one of their gifts on Christmas Eve. It is usually their Christmas Eve jammies, but this year they were extra lucky and got to open a toy. Caedon loved his Noah's Ark and Kiley still can't get enough of her puzzle.

Merry Christmas...

2009-12-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

and LOTS of LOVE from the Eagletons!!!

Caedon Joel (1) Kiley Michelle (3) Cody David (5)

It's PARTY time!

2009-12-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

Monday was our Christmas party at Munchkin Academy & what a party it was! 11 excited kids (counting our 3), with a mommy & grandma there to help! We sang Christmas songs, read stories, had a gift exchange, snacks and decorated gingerbread houses. It was so much fun to see the excitement on their little faces!

Dressed to par-tay!

Singing Christmas songs!

The gift exchange

Decorating gingerbread houses... isn't she precious?

A whole little neighborhood of gingerbread houses!

All of the little munchkins!

Santa's Workshop 09

2009-12-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

Santa's Workshop was a huge success this year! We came up with the idea of offering our parents a night out to catch up on Christmas shopping, house- cleaning, baking or just some kid-free hours together. We offered it twice during the month of December and called it "Santa's Workshop," as the kids were kept busy the entire time w/ cookie decorating, a Christmasy craft and a movie & snack. They LOVED it, and the parents seemed to enjoy their night out as well. We're hoping the word will spread and that it will become a yearly tradition that they all look forward to!

An excited Kiley, waiting for Santa's Workshop to begin!

Cookie decorating & eating too!

The kids made & decorated paper plate snowmen

Finishing the night off with Polar Express, popcorn & lots of tired kids!

Cody's Christmas Concert

2009-12-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

I was able to sneak away from work for an hour this past week to go watch our boy perform in his first Christmas concert w/ his kindergarten friends. He did so well & I was one proud mama!

Cody outside his class room- doesn't he look so grown up?

Enjoying some treats

The kids decorated ice cream cone Christmas trees w/ candy- Cody loved this!
The little boy sitting next to Cody, (Brendan) is Cody's buddy & such a sweet little boy.

Getting ready to start the concert

"Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star!"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-12-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

The tree is up, cookies are baking... Christmas is in the air! We are having fun getting ready- the kids have been so excited!

Snow Day!

2009-11-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

We bundled the kids up this morning and spent some time in our backyard snow! All 3 absolutely loved it. I guess we moved to the right place. :)

David brought out the wading pool and slid down the hill with the kids- they loved it!

Love love love this boy!

Little Eskimo babe

Sweet girl!

Warming up by the fireplace

And enjoying hot cocoa

November Photo Dump

2009-11-28T21:02:00.001-08:00

Being that it's almost December, I figured it's time for a quick November photo dump! We've been busy busy busy with our three beautiful kiddos... plus plenty more!
Here are a few pics from the past few weeks...

Mr. Cody... rarely sits still, except to eat! He is enjoying his school and has some great people working with him. We are so thankful.

Caedon Joel is officially on the go! He took his first steps just days after his first birthday and hasn't slowed down since. We love watching him toddle around, and he is really enjoying his new found freedom.

He also scares me constantly- he LOVES to climb on anything and everything, then just laughs as I come running to "save" him. Little stinker.

Here is Kiley, making her own pizza... one of our new favorites @ Munchkin Academy. Kiley is thriving... she can now write her name, knows her letters, numbers, shapes and just loves having friends at our house all day long.

Trying out her new birthday bike!