Happy Father's Day

To the best dad these kids could ever ask for 

Everyday I am thankful that he loves to play and teach and patiently love.

Today the kids sang him a song (found here) over skype to the tune of "I'm a little teapot" 

It went like this:

I love my daddy he's really smart

He's got big muscles and a bigger heart

When I get all grouchy and I pout

He gives me hugs and he never shouts.

Love you Mark.  Cannot wait to be together again.

Happy Father's Day.

And Happy Father's Day to this Grandpa & Dad.

Whom I have never heard raise his voice in anger.

Who taught me to "flick the switch" and enjoy hard work.

Who taught me to ponder & question the important things.

Who comes home from a long day and still helps mom do the dishes.

Who gave me my love for chocolate, ice cream, & popcorn.

Love you Dad.

Happy Father's Day.

Rock on Sista!

I have a little sister.  She's really tough.  She plays scrum half on her high school rugby team.  Rugby is my new favorite sport to watch.  Or maybe I just LOVE watching Attena play.  Last weekend we got to watch her team win the Provincial title for the 2nd year in a row.  They won the tournament 192-0.  

That is what I call

domination

A few of the fans.

The final game.  Attena scored 2 tri's.  The final score: 50-0

We love you Tena!  Congratulations!

Reunited

Mark is in town for the week.

Amazing how happy he makes me.

and them.

Brothers

Dear Wilson,
I adore you and love you.

Even when you poke my eyes out.

And headbutt me in the middle of church.

I still really love you.

And want to be just like you.

Love, Sam

Yard Work & Smiles

  I'm pretty sure that my little family has managed to catch every bug possible since we've been here.  The kids are troopers though and don't want to miss a single thing.  Between battling fevers, throwing up, sore throats etc. they still love to be outside and on the go go go.  They helped Grandma & Grandpa do some yard work & played in the last little bits of snow woman Flower.

The weather may not be perfect, but Southern Alberta is a beautiful beautiful place.  I love my prairies and I'm not going to lie there have been numerous times that I've wished I could just buy the homestead up the road and raise a big family on Rosie the II, (Rosie was my milk cow growing up) a big garden, & a flock of chickens, oh and Grandma, & Grandpa just a bike ride away.  But it's ok.  My kids will have their own childhood memories and whatever they are I hope they will be just as sweet as my own childhood memories are to me.

Our attempts to get that elusive smile on camera...

Fun at Grandma's

Here are a few of the things that we have been keeping busy at while we are away from Mark for so long.  (All I can say is he had better ace those board exams...)

snuggling.

Welcome to Wacky Day Family Home Evening.

Aunty Liz promised Zina that we would have a party.  This is what it morphed into at the last second and Zina loved every minute of it.  She giggled all night long.  We all dressed in the wackiest ways we could think of and played wacky games together after dinner.  Zina and Wilson helped Liz make the wacky day banner and they helped me make the name cards for the dinner table.  Zina and Grandma went on a drive to find the wildflowers for the centerpiece.  Everyone got treat bags with dessert and playdough in them afterwards.

More snuggles

And just a hint of a smile - some day we'll get that adorable thing on camera.

And thank you Alberta for holding out on one last snowfall for us.  I think we were the only one's excited to see snow at the end of may.  We gathered all the warm things we could find and headed out to build a snowman whom Zina promptly informed us was a female named Flower - quite appropriate for a "spring" snow woman. :)

I think the kids favorite thing so far has been Uncle Johnny's slide down Grandma's stairs.  It's really quite fun.  It was even more fun when the Shockey kids arrived.  Uncle Johnny was the monster at the bottom of the stairs and I don't think I have ever heard so many shrieks of delight.

We miss you Papa! Can't wait to see you on the 13th!