Charlie starts Kindergarten!

I can not believe my little baby boy is in kindergarten.  I tried my very hardest not to cry, but I was not successful. He, on the other hand, was so incredibly excited and did great. He had a great first week, is making tons of friends, and loves his teacher.

He got up on his first day with his alarm clock, made his bed, brushed his teeth and got himself dressed.  He was so proud, and so were we.  Its a bit of a shock getting up at 6:45, but he is doing great (as am I!).

Kisses for a very emotional Mommy

Kate was very excited too!

Kate is 3!

Kate turned 3!  She is such a sweet, independent little girl.  She is our little Minx!  She is so loving and snuggly, but at the same time so independent.  Keeping up with Charlie is what she loves more than anything.  Although, she is into princesses and her baby doll.  Pink and purple are her favorite colors.  She is trying to pick out her own clothes now and get herself dressed.  I love this age, and am enjoying every second of it - except for the potty-training.  However, its done!  Kate is so proud.  She loves her princess underwear (of course!).

She was so excited for her birthday.  All she wanted was princesses, princesses, and a "pink princess cake."  We celebrated her birthday at home, and then had a party for friends at a local pool.  The big kids got to go off the diving board, and the little kids got to play in a pool with a little water slide and all sorts of sprinklers.

So excited to be 3!

First of many princesses

 Homemade blanket for a baby from GG

Princess backpack for school from Mema

Pink princess cake!

At her birthday party

Vancouver - Family Pics

We got to spend a lot of quality time with family. So nice for us, and especially the kids! They got to spend a lot of time with family they do not get to see so much.

Swimming in Kits Pool with Tamz and Daddy

 Tamz, Nick and the kiddos

 Watching the Beluga whales at the Vancouver Aquarium with Tamz

 Crossing the streets with Mike - who may have had the kids laughing more
than I have ever heard them laugh before!

Feeding the fish with Uncle Grant

Family Picture at Deep Cove

Charlie and cousin Claire - Charlie took an immediate infatuation with his cousin

Aunt Lisa and Kate

Snuggles for Daddy

Paul and Harris

 Claire and Kate

Vancouver - Beaches & Parks

We went to Vancouver for a week this summer to visit with family.  We got to see Grandma, Tamz and Nick, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Grant, Harris and Claire, and Aunt Judy, Mike and Jane.  It was a very nice week, in a beautiful city!  The weather could not have been more beautiful.  Besides my hospital stay, it was a perfect vacation.

Here are some pictures on the beautiful beaches.

In Stanley Park

Playing in the sand at Kits Beach

 Charlie at Kits Beach

 Tamz and the kids at Kits Beach

 Kate having a rest

Cuddly kids

Tamz and Kate

Deep Cove - in West Vancouver.  Absolutely Beautiful.

 Kids playing in the water in Deep Cove

In a huge hallow tree

 Quite the backdrop for a park

Camp

Charlie and Kate went to summer camp at the local JCC.

Charlie swam everyday, played sports, had color wars, and then got to put on a talent show. They performed a dance to Octopus' Garden by the Beatles.  At the end of the song, they got to do their own little dance.  Charlie had the very crowded auditorium in hysterics when he started to beak dance in the front!

Kate just went two days a week, and played in the water, made crafts, and got to dress-up and play in a room full of very cool toys.

Charlie got recognized his first week of camp for having such a great attitude!

 Face painted with an octopus all ready to dance on stage

Fourth of July

On July 4th, we watched our neighborhood parade and then headed over to our friends' for a barbecue with water-slide for the kids.  It was a very fun day!