Family Day (with Thomas)!

We have been really busy work wise. We have three weddings in the next three weeks, so we took today off to just spend time together as a family. So good. Yesterday was super busy as I went to a football playoff game and then rushed home, got ready, and then photographed a wedding all day. My feet were sore:)

Okay, so today we went to Squamish to spend a day with Thomas the Train. The boys are totally into cars and trains, not necessarily Thomas, but they were so excited. We heard Kai before 6am, downstairs. Gary went down there and Kai was already dressed and had our snacks ready for the trip. Amongst the snacks he packed were; four red peppers (one for each of us!) and a bag of mini marshmallows. He's so cute.

{Please note that it just looks like Kai's legs are longer because it's at the bottom of the frame of the wide angle lens:)}

It takes just over an hour to get to Squamish and we stopped at Shannon Falls for a bit to run around. I think the kids would've been happy just playing there all day. So many rocks to throw. So many trees to climb. So much dirt to roll in. I cannot wait to just camp and explore with them this summer. They are such a great age for it!!

The kids were hilarious. When we going over the Port Mann bridge, which is maybe 10 minutes from our house, the kids were like, `Wow, this is so amazing!' `Have I been here before?' `This place is so cool!'. You would think we never take them out:)

Koen made it in undies all day long, yay Kokies! Koen is, uh, a little bit of a monster these last few months. He was our super laid back boy and now, well, he can get grumpy. Really grumpy. I'm not sure if it's because he's two and a half, or teething (two molars have poked through), or because he's been sick for 3 weeks, or because he doesn't nap but needs it but then he's up til 9pm. Anyway, usually from about 2-6pm, Grumpy Koen comes out.

Kai was so excited to go to Squamish. I think he was imagining that we would be riding Thomas the Train very fast over very fun terrain. This was not to be.

So, we went to the railway museum there where everything was set up. It was expensive but we knew that and went for it anyway. Some people had told me it was a waste of money but another friend reminded me that it's not to impress the adults, it's really all for the kids. The kids really liked it.

There was a `professional' photographer taking pictures of the kids so of course they looked at his camera and not ours:)

There were cool trains, not Thomas related, to look at and walk through. Not to sound nerdy but I found the old mail car pretty cool. It showed how they used to put all the mail in various bags with towns from all over BC. Anyway, the kids could also write a letter to Thomas and apparently Thomas will write them back.

There were lots of stations like face painting, bouncy castle, Meet Sir Topham Hatt (oh my goodness, that costume looked ridiculously huge and hot), play with Thomas the train sets, play with stamps, colouring etc. We were actually there for 2.5 hours before our ride on Thomas the Train.

The half hour train ride was okay. Kai was a bit disappointed because it was so built up in his head which could've been my fault. It didn't go very fast or very far.

The conductor did come and stamp their tickets.

They got their `Junior Engineer' certificates. Koen doesn't seem to be impressed by a piece of paper.

You can't tell but the train was packed full. There were sooooo many people there. Most kids were probably 4 year old boys:) There were actually two other boys named Kai there and we've never met another one in our life.

They made balloon animals for the kids on the train.

Overall, it was just a great day. It was so worth it when I was getting Koen into his pj's tonight, he said, `Thank you for the train ride, Mommy.'. Wow. Without me asking him to say thank you! He's getting so big.

So nice to just spend time enjoying such a beautiful place with Gary and the boys. It made me totally excited for summer, I can't wait!

The train yard that we parked in, right next to the Railway Heritage Park would actually be a super cool photo location. Not sure if they'd allow it but ya, very fun buildings and trains there.

We're heading back up that way, to Whistler, this summer. Yippee!! Looking forward to some more hiking and outdoor exploring with the boys.

Have a great week!

Louise

What's In Your Wallet?

The other day we were waiting at a light with a train that took forever, so, I just looked through my wallet. Here are some interesting things I found:

1. My wedding dress receipt. It's dated Feb. 9, 2005. I spent $1068.18 on my dress. That was 1/5 of our wedding budget:) I was just going to get a simple dress for our somewhat casual outdoor wedding but decided to get a real wedding dress. My mom helped me pick it out.

2. A Valdez Fishing Derby sticker from our honeymoon in Alaska (August '05). I love Valdez. Gorgeous.

3. A 5000 shilling bill from Tanzania (I think worth $10) from 2004.

4. A raffle ticket that cost me 20 shillings from Kenya. It was to win a chicken and the raffle was to raise money for a church. I didn't win.

5. Two `love notes' from Gary. One written while we were engaged and one in the first year of our marriage. Some Gary-ish lines in them?

`I think you're hot when you get mad at me'

`I love that you get excited about little things, like saving 50cents on pecan sticky buns.'

`I promise you're smart'.

`You smell nice on most days'

`You always know the time'

(there were some sweet things in there like `your smile lights up the room' and `you challenge the way I think' and `I love that you look out for and care for other people' and `you are open about who you are'.).

Anything random, yet special, that you carry in your wallet or purse?

Football

Today was my last game of the season. I love playing football. A lot. I was only able to make about half the games this season so that was a bit sad, but still, thankful to play! We are one of the only teams that do not have a coach (not by choice, our last one moved away a year over a year ago) so it's a bit tough to grow as a team, especially as we are getting just a bit older and possibly slower:) I've been playing with these girls (ha ha, girls! The average age is probably 33 or so?) for 6 years and hope to continue playing.

Gary came with the boys today. He doesn't usually come as it's about an hour drive (in Vancouver). Gary took a few photos, while playing with the kids, and I realize now how hilarious I look. You have to wear your shirt tucked in and in every running photo, my face looks like it must have when I was giving birth.

{I would edit the purple off of our faces below, but that's the actual colour of our faces. It was HOT! I just like that we are both suspended in the air:)}

Good times. Now, to get in super fit shape for the fall season!

The Mask

Kai will put this mask on all the time and at random times. I check him out in the rearview mirror while driving, suddenly it's on. I check on him playing outside and it's on. What a goofball.

In other news, I need to start exercising more. Not sure where that time is going to come from but once I'm better, I'm serious. It's not because I'm 15lbs over what I should be (I am), it's because I crave it and need it. Do you know how good it feels to be in shape? I did know and hopefully I will again. How to stay motivated and accountable? Not so sure. I think I need to pay for something because I'm the kind of person who likes to get their money's worth:)

Have a fabulous weekend! I have my last football game this weekend. I'm missing playoffs for a wedding the following week but I'm thankful that at least I get to play one more game AND the boys are going to come watch.

Bon nuit.

Louise

Fresh Air

Yesterday I was pretty sick. Like, lay on the couch and just tell Kai to get his own food and whatever Koen wanted too. We survived. At one point in the morning I felt so terrible I started crying. Kai looked at me and said, `Mommy, are you crying?', I said `Yes' and wondered what sort of sweet thing he would do for me. He threw a pillow at me. I think he has Gary's style of dealing with emotional events.

We made it. I had to run one errand and while doing that, the two kids fell asleep in the van. That's how tired they were too. So, I left them in the van while I quickly ran in. I also went to Booster Juice and got a warrior juice thingy. All I can eat are smoothie type things and it has immunoboosters so that sounds good to me. So yummy, too. Please don't tell me it's all sugar. I made my own smoothie today with of oil of oregano, yikes, that stuff doesn't go down so well.

Today, I woke up feeling a little more alive. We got into the van and got our free Subway breakfast. Then, we went to the beach. It was so easy. I just sat on a log and they got all sandy and muddy and we left an hour later. Perfect. Then I didn't feel like such a lousy mom. It's been a tough couple of weeks. I have such a hard time just `existing' through each day when we are sick. I feel like it's such a waste of a day because I want each day to have something fun and adventurous in it. Not trying to sound dramatic but I always feel like I probably have about 20 years left because my mom died at 53. I want each day to count. By the way, I'm no crazy thinking this way. My dad just wanted to make it to 51 because that's when his dad died. Yup, I've got great genes.

The boys are on their way to be healthy. They just have these lingering coughs. I put Koen back into underwear today. Yikes, back to square one with him. There was no way he could've worn them while he was sick as he was passing out all over the place and so out of it. Now he just has to remember what to do...hopefully it doesn't take a whole month again!

I love that we live just 20 minutes away from the beach and it totally makes me look forward to this summer.

I'm really hoping Gary doesn't get sick because right now I need him to do a lot. Make dinner, put the kids to bed etc. Poor guy.

I'm just so happy to see my boys returning to normal. I'm trying to figure out how to boost their immune systems because they get sick so often. Koen was laughing today which made me so happy...he had a rough go of it. He always does. He is also non stop `A says ah, B says buh, C says kuh, Y says yuh etc.' and he knows all his letters too. Smartie pants. Fridge magnets I tell you.

Have a great night and enjoy the game tomorrow! I'm excited:)

Love, Louise

**I taught Kai at dinner tonight that when someone is crying, you can give them a hug or ask if there is anything you can do for them. Now, every time I cough, he comes running and asking what he can do for me. Kinda cute:)**

Active Weekend

1. Friday Gary came home safe and sound. Awesome. That was the day we found out that we were also both sick with whatever the kids have (minus the pink eye). I'm so congested, the pressure in my head is unreal.

2. Saturday I had two football games. Then, I got home and showered and Gary and I went to the Keg for our 6 year anniversary dinner. My dad, who is a germaphobe, and Joanne, babysat our sickly kids in our germ infested abode. My dad let us take his convertible which I think Gary really liked a lot:)

3. Sunday we did the Run For Water in Abbotsford. We just did the 5km run and Gary pushed the boys in the stroller. Kai was great and Koen cried the whole time for me. He is sooooo not himself. It was a good route but it drives me nuts weaving in and out of people who run and then walk. My biggest pet peeve; people who slow down running down hill. Get out of my way people!! My time wasn't great (32 minutes) but I'll take it (I was 45/178 in my division). My niece got first place in the 13-19 year old division and ran it in 22 minutes! Crazy kid! I came in 1 minute after Gary and what's the first thing Kai says to me? `Why were you so slow mommy?'. Thanks kid.

4. I am going to try to get Koen into the doctor tomorrow because he has not been himself for a week now. The fevers are gone but the cough is unbelievable, he can't catch his breath. I'm hoping I feel better tomorrow because my there is so much pressure in my ears.

5. Had a gigantic family session today (extended family made up of 5 kids and their families) which was in a beautiful yard. I still have another wedding that I haven't started editing so it will be a busy, busy week. Looks like Kai won't be able to go to preschool tomorrow, due to his cough, which is so frustrating as he's already missed a whole week.

If you have any tips for draining your sinuses, let me know! Koen's got our humidifier so I think I'll just have a shower before bed to try to clear my head a bit. So annoying to have a head cold when it's 18C out!

The end.

Louise

Complainer Pants

I just need to say that Gary has been gone all week. He's hiking the Cape Scott Trail with his class (so awesome!). He'll be home at 11pm tonight. I am done. I can take care of the kids on my own, no problem. IF THEY ARE HEALTHY. Yikes. Normally there are our routines which include hanging out with my sister and her kids, going to preschool, going swimming, going to the park etc. When the kids have to be home because they are contagious (pink eye...Koen is still contagious with the green goop even though using an antibiotic ointment for the past 5 days) and sick and tired (croupy coughs/fevers), the days take forever.

Also, more importantly, they are not themselves. If they just sat on the couch and recovered, that would be one thing.

{Koen not wanting to be far from me. He has never fallen asleep like this before. I paid for this nap with him being up until 9:30pm.}

This is Koen all day long:

`I NEED SUMFING TO DWINK. I NEED SUMFING TO DWINK!'. I give him various options and fill up two sippy cups; one with milk and one with water. He takes them both and throws them away saying `I WANT NUFFING TO DWINK. I WANT NUFFING TO DWINK!' Over and over. He hasn't eaten in days so I know he needs to drink which I why I cater to this.

If I'm out of his sight `MOMMY! WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED YOU! MOMMY! CUDDLE ME!' which means I can get nothing done. And, he has coughed in my face about 723 times this week. I'm holding him right now while he finds various letters on the keyboard and coughs all over it.

{Koen is also back in diapers for this week. Please tell me he'll be back to being potty trained once he's better. He hasn't even complained about wearing a diaper which means he is out of it.}

And then, the nights. I had Kai in my bed several nights and also up several times for being sick. Koen has been up every 2-3 hours for the past 4 nights, crying and needing me. Did I mention they have been getting up at 5am for the day?

{Koen actually ate some ice cream. I thought it would cool him down and he actually ate it.}

Fortunately Kai is almost all good. Koen, on the other hand, is a couple of days behind him. When that kid gets sick, he gets sick. For my anniversary tomorrow, I just want to sleep in. I don't care how tired Gary is from his hike, he can get up at 5am.

Louise

Our Marriage

On Saturday, Gary and I will celebrate 6 years of marriage. We're not doing anything too exciting to celebrate, just going out for dinner with just the two of us. Should be lovely and I'm excited. I love getting dressed up and going out! We are also having a photo session, with just the two of us, by Megan, sometime in the next couple of months which I am totally looking forward to. Like, a lot.

I have to say that it's been easy to be married but it hasn't been easy to have a good marriage. We're totally fine but I know we could be so much better. The main thing is that we let the busyness of life get in the way and that totally takes away from the time and energy that we need for each other. We do not have enough time for the two of us set aside. We get a sitter once every week or two, but that's for photography or our care group or something. We were supposed to go on a date on Monday but the boys were in the depths of their sicknesses (Koen is still in the depths) so we had to cancel. I know we need to set aside more time to have fun as a couple.

When I look back on our marriage, I think the lowest point was when Kai was born. Doesn't that sound terrible? My mom had died three months before and sleep deprivation was in full force. I wanted my mom around and she wasn't there to help. All I had was this annoying husband (I'm easily annoyed by the way). Once Kai started sleeping better, at 6 months, things improved greatly. Gary also had to deal with feelings of jealousy, in a sense. This little (10 lb) kid was getting all of my love, energy and attention and I was left with little for him to have. We made it through:) The second time, with Koen, was still tough, but so much easier. We knew what to expect and although sleep deprivation sucks soooo much, we had more patience for each other.

Thinking of some of the highest points of our marriage, I would have to say that there are a lot. Buying our first home. Getting pregnant with each boy. Meeting our boys for the first time. Going on holidays (Tofino, Drumheller, Alaska etc). Hiking together. And this is a weird one, but, seeing how Gary was when I was really sick. He gave 110% and did all he could for me while being super steady emotionally. Also, going through the adoption journey together has brought us closer together. We have learned more about ourselves and each other through it. Starting a business together...although it's not always the best idea to be partners with your partner, we sure do have a lot of fun with it.

When we got married, I wanted to have kids right away. Like, starting day 1. My mom had about a year left to live and I really wanted her to be around for it. Talking to friends, they encouraged us to wait at least 6 months. We did. Looking back, I wish we maybe had a little bit more time with just the two of us. Obviously I love my boys more than anything, but, I would've loved a bit more `Louise and Gary' time. We didn't date long and I was in Africa for 6 months right before we got engaged, and then, we were just engaged for 4 months.

I'm thankful for Gary. I'm thankful for his patience (mostly with me), hard work, and support with the kiddos. He's totally not who I imagined myself marrying, but he is so good for me, and, I like to think I'm pretty good for him. I look forward to the years ahead and hope and pray that we will grow old and wrinkly together. I say that not because I don't think we would be together, but because I hope we both live long enough to be old together, if that makes sense.

Happy 6th anniversary, Kiboko! (ha ha, I used to call him that because I liked the sound of it...it actually means `hippo' in Swahili which isn't the most flattering:)

Nine Months

(I only have a few minutes as the boys have been super needy all day...I just took them for a car ride to put them to sleep:) Yes, at 4pm, risky. They are just so sick and tired and Koen has refused to let go of me all day.)

It has been 9 months since we have been active on the adoption list. I've never gone 9 months waiting as both the boys were early! I actually have in my head that `full term' will be more like a year so then I will really start to feel antsy.

We just got a letter from our adoption agency about needing to update our home study since we are approaching a year since it was done. My, how time flies! There aren't really any changes to add except that I am now healthy and our basement is finished:)

I go through spurts where I feel super impatient and think that we should go international or redo our birth parent letters (I think mine is too long and there were a few mistakes in it that I would love to fix.....trying to be cool about it and just leave it be), just trying to do something different to try to make it go faster, but that passes after a few days and then I feel calm again. We still may go through Florida but after talking to the agency, I don't feel like the time is right for that right now. I think I start to feel more impatient when I see all of our baby stuff in storage and everyone starts making the next season of pregnancy announcements.

In regards to pregnancy announcements etc, I feel so much for moms that have lost a baby or child. My heart hurts for them so much. Being involved with NILMDTS has made me much more aware of it and how common infant loss is. Although I know it might be easier to just not be a part of it, the reality is that there is a need and it's something that can be done to help someone.

Not sure how to end this but I will say that I sure am thankful for my kids, with their goopy eyes, congested coughs and all.

Return of the Pink Eye

Kai's fever finally broke (**edited: nope, it's not gone. Both kids now have fevers. Awesome!). Nothing like trying to figure out how to force your 4 year old to take some ibuprofin when he detests medicine. I asked nicely, I was the tough guy, I explained how it works, I came up with different solutions (like one sip of chocolate milk, one sip of medicine etc), and I called in reinforcements (Gary). What worked in the end? Some serious bribery. What else could I do when his fever was over 103F for almost 12 hours? He now gets to pick whatever he wants at Toys R Us. By `whatever he wants', I'm thinking something for $5:)

We now have two sick boys with pink eye too! Awesome. Kai's is just red, Koen's is goopy green and he looks terrible. It's disgusting. Looks like pure green mucus coming out of his eye. GROSS. Both are grumpier than ever. What sick kids don't sleep? Mine. Up at 5am. Seriously kiddos, you need your sleep!!! Koen is such a handful right now and they fight like crazy. I'm exhausted. Seriously. Last night I slept with Kai and Gary slept with Koen. Not a whole lotta work getting done right now.

Any fun plans are now on hold as we hide in our house. Kai missed an awesome birthday party and the rest of the family is missing a barbecue today (I'm going to escape for a few hours!). Getting eye drops tomorrow which should be oh so awesome trying to get them in their eyes.

Is there anyone out there that has a kid in preschool who does not get sick every month? I'm so sick and tired of my kids getting sick! They always seem to get something a whole lot more `fun' than a cold and I'm tired of it. Okay, I'm done.

H0pe your household is a whole lot more fun than ours this weekend!!!

Louise