last week of summer!

The weather definitely changed in Kamloops this week, and fall is heading our way.  We still have some hot days ahead, but our nights and mornings are cool.  I'd have to say this was the best summer in many years.  I am so happy to be living our life in Kamloops! 

 Elliott has wanted this Car for many months.  He asked on average 2.5 times a day when he might get it.  The challenge was that it literally hasn't been available- anywhere.  So I ordered it on-line, surprised him one day, and he is SOOO happy. He sleeps with his car every night, plays with it every morning, brings him where ever we go.  All that for $5 plus shipping!

Elliott and his buddy found a catipillar last week.  They rode their bikes together all morning, but this was the highlight!

 Trying out safety equipment at home.  Never know when you might fall over.

We caught a rainbow yesterday- it ended so close to our house.  I almost suggested that we go find it (but then I remembered...)  Elliott is away right now- I'm planning to get some gardening done and closet cleaning, and cooking, and maybe some shopping!  But first work.

great strides

 Elliott has made a big leap developmentally this summer (in my opinion).  He is now addressing and conversing with familiar adults independantly of me.  And he is happy to play with his pals independantly of me (I don't have to even be in sight the entire time!).  I am so happy for him, and it is really nice for me too- I think that we are both more independant now.  I'd like to think it is my efforts, but probably just a developmental change for him.

 Here he is Sunday morning on a bouncy castle with a friend- they had it to themselves for a whole 2 hours (I think all the wake boarders were still hung over at 8am!).  My girlfriend and I sat in lawn chairs, drinking coffee and chatting- nice!

This doesn't have to do with the heading, but I like the splash!  It was a hot weekend here in Kamloops and we spent a fair time in our little pool and on the slip and slide.

Boys and Girls weekend

Recently, the boys went to Vancouver for a night to attend a family reunion and I went to my girlfriend's wedding.  We all had a lot of fun.  It was the first time in many years (like 22!) that glen was all together with his step, half and full siblings from his mom's side.  There is an awesome picture of them- I'll try to get it. 

Here is a picture of the counsins from that side of the family together.

 And here is Elliott feeling comfortable on his playground motorcylce.

I've lost the photos of my wedding, but I had a lot of fun getting dressed up and attending with my girlfriend as my date.  My friend had literally made everything for the wedding (including her dress!) and they were so happy to get married.  It was a really special event to attend.  And that was the weekend baby Gloria was born, so I spend some very quality time with a new born in my arms- ahhhhh!

This is just an unrelated add-on.  Glen was teaching Elliott how to use his retractable screwdriver.  An important lesson- but more importantly- what a good Dad!

a new friend! more camping!

 Our good friends just had a baby girl!  Baby Gloria is lovely and we've been so happy and lucky to spend some of her early days and moments together. (those are the photos I am sad to have lost).  Gloria and her family came camping with us to the Shuswap this last weekend- at 8 days olds she lay on the sand and had a looooong nap.

 Glen taught Elliott about lighting a fire. 

 I taught Elliott about not touching public toilet seats, and instead bringing your own potty seat!

 Elliott has a new bike!  He seriously wears a helmet 95% of the time.

 The boys enjoying a day at the beach.  Elliott swam for so long, and got so chilly, I had to do skin-to-skin contact with him for 15 min!

Ahhhhhh summer.  The boys are out there in a dingy. 

sorry no blogging!

I have been having some difficulties with my blackberry software, and sadly seem to have lost a lot of photos.  I can do a catch up with the others that I have.

Learning to Swim

We spent a few glorious, relaxing, fun days at my parents house last week.  It was so sunny, and we ate delicious food and we spent almost the whole time in the pool- it completely felt like summer (heaven). 

 My mom bought Elliott a swimming vest (NOT to be used as a lifejacket!).  He loved it and from then on, would only swim by himself.

Everyone relaxing- notice my toes in the foreground.  Notice glen working on the white shirt!

camping

We went camping for a few days last week to a small Provinical Campground called Otter Lake.

  It was so pretty and quiet.  We shared some pretty special memories together- my favorite one not captured here, we let Elliott stay up one night to see the stars.  We sat around the campfire and told stories.  Elliott's stories were by far the best.

 He really seemed to have no conscious of the fact that he wasn't playing cars lying on our clean kitchen floors, but a very dusty campsite.

 Glen found him this plastic lid to lie on.  More for my own comfort, I'm sure.

 No glen isn't wearing a white t-shirt.

On the second day I took Elliott out and he quickly fell asleep in the boat.  I paddled for more than an hour while he snoozed!

 We spent hours each day riding our bikes.  Elliott became so confident on hills and not using his brakes at all.  After the 3rd day he told me that he really wanted a big boy bike (pedals).  Initially we thought we'd wait until he was 4.  But on the next leg of our holiday we bought him one and he rode it so much he couldn't ride the next day his bum was so sore from the new seat!

He also started "mountain biking."  So cute- him and Daddy thought they were so hard core.

Morning sunrise!  We have black-out blinds at home for a reason.

Elliott

My favorite recent picture of Elliott- such a cute expression on his face.  He is showing off "Wingo" his new favorite car.

our 2 days

I don't work Fridays and glen does, as well as Sat.  So Elliott and I have 2 days together, that are very cherrished by both of us. 

 A moment of calm after the slip and slide.

He loves having his toes painted like mommy and gave it a go himself this time.

 Having a good laugh at a new playground that we have just discovered by the BEST outdoor pool.  Very fun Friday afternoons there.

Elliott ate my ice-cream (black licorice) and then his!  Delicious!

friends

We are having the best summer- even though it has been really chilly and rainy in Kamloops (I think that changed this past week though).  Elliott is developing some nice friendships and enjoys playing with his buddies. He reguliarly asks to see them- here are some of our friend activities this week.

Hair clips

My girlfriend is having her 2nd baby anyday- maybe right now actually- and yesterday at the Market Elliott and I picked out these cute clips for the first born.  He willingly tried them on there, and seemed to love the 'cute' attention. Not so much in this photo!

Trained!

Elliott is toilet training and we've worked out the kinks (as his teacher so kindly called them).  And he loves his underware- as you can see.  He is voluntarily wearing it on his head and snuggling it on the floor.

Penny

Elliott loves our cat penny.  Even more so recently.  He is always a little disapointed though that she doesn't want to play more or won't listen to his intructions.

Saturday

Elliott and I had a lovely, busy Saturday.  Here's what we got up to:

 We took a morning bike ride to Starbucks and were lucky enough to get the comfy chairs!

 

Our sweet neighbour B turned 4 and his amazing mom made 2 guitar cakes. 

 Here's Elliott and his friend "Gibby" enjoying the cake together.  Elliott wore rubber boots to the party.  It was 28 degrees!

Our tot pool (rather deflated!)  Elliott loved it this weekend.   We also started a new Mother Goose at the outdoor swimming pool on Fridays- so fun (thanks glen for agreeing to host there ;)

My Mom and Dad come over in the evening for dinner and Elliott and Bumpa were searching the patch for ripe strawberries.

Shuswap

We spent a beautiful sunny summer day at the Shuswap with some friends and Elliott and AA were awesome together.  They rode bikes and played ball and chase, went swimming, got into trouble and got lots of mosquito bites.  With sun-kissed  cheaks we are all looking forward to going to bed early tonight!

Happy Canada Day!

Glen had to work Canada Day, but Elliott and I sure enjoyed our local celebrations.  The weather was perfect, and we ended our park festicities by lying on a blanket for 2 hours watching live music and dancing.  Very lovely! 

Run Bike Run!

Elliott has really been getting the hang of his run bike through the spring. He's now 'balancing' and riding without his feet touching for up to 7 seconds at a time. You can totally see him 'getting it'. Here's a short video clip from Glen's phone from his practice session the other night in a vacant parking lot near our home.

Despite the abrupt ending to the clip, we can assure you he did fine - in fact, he did awesome!

staying home

Elliott is a real home-body these days.  All weekend he just wanted to stay home.  If we weren't in the yard, he was lying on the kitchen floor playing with his cars.  It was quite nice actually- I cooked and baked and gardened, and mostly enjoyed all the fun of playing with Elli.

 Learning to play baseball-  not bad aim!

 I wanted to get rid of this tiny sandbox recently, but Elliott refused.  So I bought new sand- makes the cat pee less offensive.

Smelling the roses.  Apparently these ones smell like pineapples!