Halloween 2016

MHalloween is always a favourite around our house. We broke out the decorations on the first of the month, and it exploded all over our tiny living room. Sara, our "friend", the full sized skeleton took residence up in the couch for a while with her 2 un-named children. They eventually ended up sitting on the floor in front of our tv area. The kids ended up riding the 2 bulldog skeletons. I won't lie, I was glad when  the Saturday before Halloween came so we could move it all out to the garage where we displayed it on Halloween night. Our kids have been scarred for years of the "zombie pictures" we display. They are pictures that change as you change your angle. And there is a button you can push and the eyes light up red and a creepy voice talks. Anyway, the kids were starting become afraid again, do we decided that the pictures needed names and stories to go with them. So now, the woman is Sara's (the skeleton) mom Susan, the male is Sara's father, Jeffrey. The final picture is in colour and we have named him uncle bones. Now the kids are not afraid one bit of these pictures. Yea!

Here we are trick or treating with our neighbor and friend Kaden. Sylas was SWAT team member, and Naomi was a black cat.

Not a great photo taken on the phone, but you get the idea. This year I added the floating candles and I had a blast getting labels and such for the potion ingredient bottles. 

The front yard not shown here was a graveyard with a strobe light flickering. As usual there were many who would not go up the garage (we had creepy music playing as well). But there were compliments about our display. I sure have fun putting it all together. Aric guesses about 200 kids came. People are starting to come looking for our display. My favourite part though is, after it starts to really slow down, we take it all down and put it away before the night is over. It's been a month, and that is long enough. Time to make room for the Christmas decorations to go up after Rememberance Day.

We hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween.

The rest of summer, and into fall

So we took the kids a little trip this summer. We went to Utah to attend my cousins wedding reception in Park City Utah. What a fancy shin dig! Gondola rides to the top, the dinner and dancing. It was beautiful. The kids did not attend this part of the trip, but had a blast at our friends house in Spanish Fork Ut. So many kids to play with!! They had a ball. 

On our way down we stopped to stretch our legs in Idaho Falls. We came across a Hastings store with a closing out sale. The kids had a ball trying on these masks.

The kids enjoyed temple Square for the most part. The were excited to see the most famous LDS Temple. They were excited when we could see it from the freeway. They were also pretty impressed with he Christus statue too.

My cheese balls in front of the Temple.

Sylas was just so excited to see the stage of Moroni on each Temple. He was happier to find a replica to stand next to that he see up close.

We went to the Museum of Natural curiosity at Thanksgiving point one day. They had a "Kid-opolis" for the kids to play in. They had a ball. There were all sorts of things for them to do and play with. This was the bank.

Naomi found the climbing wall.

I got to meet up with my mission companion Candice Packer.,it's always a good time with her. The evening even ended with pulls freshly made that day that her bro-in-law had picked up when he was in Minneapolis. What a fun time. 

Right after we got home from our trip to Utah, we headed out on a camping weekend with our friends the Murphys. They brought an air soft BB gun and he kids had a hoot. Ok I did too 😉

Kara and Naomi chillin while others take turns with the BB gun

School came to fast after what seemed like a very short summer. Naomi is in grade 1 these days and  it. She loves her teacher Mrs. Ball

We took an evening and cleaned out most of what was left in the garden boxes. Sylas was all too eager to use the sylas sized shovel.

Naomi taking the leaves off of the thyme for daddy to dry.

Aric turned the big 35. We celebrated with friend and family over for pie and games. I made sure to put 35 candles on, so it looks like the entire things is on fire 

His girls loves horses. We attended the wards corn bust and chili cook off at the church and they had horses for her take a ride on. She was so excited she was in line before we knew where she was. She got to ride a good half hour before sylas due to the number of people in line. She knew what she wanted and she went for it.

He enjoyed his ride too. But he wanted mommy to walk beside too since he was not sure about it once it got going.

Aric and I took a much needed 2 days away for our anniversary. We headed to Banff for some easy camping. I say easy, because after having the 2 kids with us before, it was a walk in the park. We didn't have to entertain the kids, we could just chill and enjoy being with each other.

Apparently the Strathmore Youth Club puts on a drive in movie once a year. We didn't go last year, but the kids enjoyed it so much it will have to a new tradition.

With Naomi gone at school, and I'm not babysitting anymore, we have more time on our hands. So we have taken up baking a bit more. My little helper loves to get right in there

We are currently working on getting our basement in a livable state. My dad came down in July and helped us put up studs and some electrical. We are now just getting the rest of the electrical done so we can move onto the next phase. Drywall. I'm excited for the prospect of having more living space in our house.

And that's the stuff happening at our house.

Summer fun... So far.

It's been an interesting summer so far. We haven't done as much as I would ideally like to do, but it's been busy at the same time. Aric's mom was up to visit for a month and I was baby sitting at the same time. We did go swimming, and out to Banff, but mostly we were working in the basement. We are developing a room for Naomi, a room for Aric and I, a bathroom and storage room. We are very xcoted about the prospect of getting the basement done and moving in in our lives.

We started off the summer with a trip out to Brooks for Canada day. You can see the joy in the kids face as we head to My cousin Joanne's house for boating and fun. Boating, followed by movie in the park and fireworks.

Sylas enjoying the ride

The next day water fights in the back yard

Naomi did so well on her soccer team

Sylas had fun pretending that he cared

For my birthday i decided that I wanted to do the luge at Vanada Olympic Park. It's basically real life Mario cart down a track on the side of the ski hill. It was a plast. The Gnomes and I enjoying the ski lift up

Sylas had an absolute ball if you can't tell from his face.

The kids enjoying the silts of Johnsons canyon in Banff.

With is new best friend

Next was Magrath days. Always a good time! More candy thrown from this parade than remember. There is a Definate parent tax. 

We went for the free pancake breakfast outside of the museum, then we decided to show the kids some of the history of the town. Here they are pretending to be horses tied to the hitch

In the evening before the fireworks we headed out to Aric's mission companions house in Raymond. We met up with another companion who was out from Quebec with his family. They had a ball reminiscing of mission times

Looking through photos 

Took the kids to their dentist appointments this last week. Boy they love going

He was too much fun with the spit sucker

Getting her X-rays, and she did so well.

Having fun with her own spit sucker, not really enjoying the Florida though

This last weekend we took the kids out camping. We went to a place called Wyndham-Carsland provincial park and loved it! Great spot that will definately go to again. The is have so much fun getting up way too early, and sleeping in the tent.  We got them a couple of air mattresses this year and they were in heaven!

This is pure joy right here

Can we get up yet?

we walked along the river and found a nice spot to throw some rocks I 

she refused to use the outhouse! So I stacked some logs for her to sit on and pee in the corner of the site. She was so excited about that

Poor boy had his first experience with with being bite my a wasp, and being stung with something that left its stinger in him. Here he is napping it off

We are going to try and fit one more camping trip in this year. But not unti, we head south for wedding in Utah. I'm e cited to take the kids around and show them Salt Lake City and all that it has to offer. 

Well TTFN

New contract

We are so happy to announce that Aric has been extend a probationary contract! What does this mean? Well he has been working on temporary contracts since he started teaching 6 years ago. We has been covering the same temp contract for the last 4 years, waiting for a contract to open up. One opened up just as the year was ending this year so he has been offered a probationary contract. This means all he has to do is put in one more year and turns to a permanent one next year. It's a hoop they have to jump through in order to get to the permanent. We know they like Aric and his teaching style as it is evident in him being re-hired each year. So needless to say we are ecstatic!  

We are gearing up for some Sumer fun. We will be going a couple of camping trips this year, and the kids are excited for that. We are planning on getting Naomi a room of her own built in the basement this summer too. Yay for splitting these kids up! We have already been out to Brooks to go boating with cousins, and they had s blast!

Naomi finished kindergarten this year and is very excited for the summer off, but equally excited for grade 1 next year. She did so well in school this year. She loves to read! Cutest "grad" photo ever!

Sylas has enjoyed the last year home with me and he 2 boys I babysit. He will have one more year home with me before he heads off to school too.  Sylas came on a quick trip to Utah with myself, auntie Chelsea and his cousin Taylor, for a wedding in June. He was so cute when he was telling me how he was in love with the bride. He kept sneaking into the photos to meet Kristin.

He loves to walk in the rain with an umbrella, as you can see below

Anyway, there is a quick update on us! 

I really suck at keeping up this blog, I apologize.