Westerner Days 2010!

So...we missed the parade with the M & M's (I took the ESL students that I am teaching right now) so there was no way that we were going to miss the rides and stuff too!  After Miss. Matea woke up from her nap we loaded everyone up, and packed some little snacks (just in case Miss. Matea had an aversion to delicious fair food!) and LOTS of water - it was hot...guess what I forgot at the front door when we left?  Yep.  My camera - no worries though Uncle Jer to the rescue - thank you "google machine" (iphone) so while we did not get pictures of the world's biggest temper tantrum (Big Mack had a little difficulty exercising some patience while Daddy went to purchase some wristbands - he's three and cute = FORGIVEN), no pictures of the 35th time Big Mack and Daddy went on the "Mardi Gras" fun house, and no pictures of Miss. Matea after she massacred ice cream, french fries, popcorn, and mini donuts - apparently she enjoyed the food at the fair :)

Anyway Uncle Jer managed to capture the 27th time Daddy and Big Mack came down the slide

and his first "haunted house"

Really good times, special thanks to the Nana & Bampi for coming and hanging out with us, and of course Uncle Jer!

Definitely going to be a baller....

So....in a completely different life, way back in the "old days" I used to be a basketball player....the operative word there is used to be :)  Played in high school, and then played for a few years in college (not always well) and then pretty much gave it up - other than playing with the little people - weird I know.  Can you spot me in this "team photo?"  Ugh.

Then things get even weirder (if you can believe it!) and I married a guy that is CrAzY about basketball...seriously crazy, in a good way of course.  Anyway Bob-a-licious has been playing basketball for forever.  In a weird twist of events he too played college basketball...at the same school I did....one year after I stopped playing!  Sigh...we were meant to be...puke.  Can you spot him in his "team photo?"

and of course he would want me to include a picture like this one :)

Bob still plays basketball ALOT, although he would tell you he doesn't play enough - but you should have seen his face when the Nana & Bampi showed up at our house Saturday afternoon with a new toy for the M&M's....he was very excited.

How cool is that?!?

So back to the title of my post....

Definitely going to be a baller :)

The Thomson's came for a visit!

I have been a "lazy blogger" lately - boo me :)  the following pictures will TOTALLY make up for it...

Our super good friends (that we don't see enough) The Thomson's came for a visit to RD - there was a tasty lunch, some fun times in the backyard, and Miss. Matea's first official (caught on camera) bullying offense (poor Sadie).

Sweet Sadie Jae...

Sadie and her Daddy

Miss. Matea testing out the water in the pool....doesn't she look like such a little girl?

The first bullying incident I was talking about...she was very possessive about the door to her playhouse

I know one day they will be the best of friends :)

Sadie LOVED Jada!

Awww...The Thomson Family!

Enjoying a little dip in the baby pool

Big Mack loved sweet Sadie - sharing Cheerios's

Going in for a big smooch!

We love the Thomson's - ALOT.

I read the coolest thing....

Yesterday I blogged about losing Miss. Matea, and visiting my sister's family up in the "Great White North" - I only say that because I know it would make make her (Jen) roll her eyes.  It was Grande Prairie, not Alaska!  Anyway going to my big sis's house is fun.  She is an amazing cook - there is always GREAT food to eat, (which kind of makes me feel bad because I cook for her family when they come to visit us, and I am not going to lie, it is less that great in the culinary department) lots of baking, there is ALWAYS coffee any time of the day, and very tasty "grown up" drinks!  In addition to ALL that she also has super cool magazine's that I always look at when I am at Chapter's, but always seem convince myself that they "aren't for me" (mostly because of the non-creative-ness in the kitchen).  Anyway I was reading one of these awesome magazine's and came across a really cool article.  The author, Kyran Pittman is a blogger and contributing editor for Good Housekeeping, she is a mom to three boys but wrote a post about Advice she would give her teenage daughter.

Now if I can just work on not losing Miss. Matea in the next 16 years or so....

Advice for a Teenage Daughter

1. Even if you have just been shot with a tranquilizer dart for elephants, don't sleep in your makeup. Or contact lenses.
2. What separates a professional eyebrow arch from the amateurs is scissor-trimming. This is the least important item on this list, but It took me 38 years to find out, and I have to pass it onto somebody.
3. Wear the bikini every chance you can, and use the sunscreen.
4. Every year you can possibly delay having sex will ultimately make sex that much better. Think of it as the difference between spending every allowance on cheap shoes that don't last, or saving up for some really fabulous Jimmy Choos.
5. As long as you are in your teens, avoid dating anyone more than three years older than you. At your age, a romantic relationship with an older man is actually neither romantic or a relationship.
6. You look ugly when you gossip.
7. Throwing up drunk is not a good look for you.
8. Save this for later: the person you are now is not the way you behaved then.
9. Someday, a girl who is horrible to you now will request to be your Facebook friend. And though your cursor will linger a long and delicious moment above the "ignore" button, you will click on "accept" instead, and know that you have grown up.
10. Go to your prom. Wear the corsage. Stand under the arch. Get the pictures. Really.
11. Don't waste youth and resiliency. Have adventures. It will never be more appropriate for you to be inappropriate, and society will never be more forgiving. But avoid risks that will narrow your future. Skinny-dipping: yes. Filmed skinny-dipping: no.
12. Most importantly, hang around for womanhood. I promise, the best is yet to come. 

Ps--I know there have been MANY "Matea" posts - not to worry, Big Mack still gets lots and lots of love :) and I will hopefully figure out some way to talk to him about S-E-X other than comparing it to expensive shoes :)

We LOVE to swim...ALOT

Remember I said we has a super fun "Family Fun Time" weekend over the long weekend up in Grande Prairie?"  it was fun.  We got to hang out with the cousins, and I think it was the first time in a LONG time that ALL of us (there are 11 of us now - crazy.) were in "the Great White North" at the same time :)  So yea, we got to hang out with the cousins, celebrate Uncle Jer's birthday, have busy family meals together (thanks to my sister Jen) and of course go and see "Eclipse" - I'm not gonna lie, that's what Uncle Jer wanted to do for his birthday

....Dear Uncle Jer...you are sooooo sparkly like Edward :)

So we don't have any "cool" Canada Day pictures like everyone else, mostly because we were travelling across Alberta (600km with a 1 year old and a 3 year old) listening to "The Wiggles" and stopping at random parks along the way....oh and how could I forget the ever memorable "peeing on the side of the road/van tire (Dad's idea) extravaganza's!"

I had to help because his shirt was too big :)

ANYWAY...like I said...we love to swim

Thanks to Nana & Bampi we had a hotel pool to swim in WHENEVER we wanted...

much to the dismay of all the other hotel guests :)  We could clear that pool pretty quick!

Miss. Matea "doing laps"

Our little "daredevil" or as uncle Jer called him "death wish baby!"

Corbyn, Alex, Big Mack, Nana, and Aunt Jen

All four of the cousins in one place!?!

Miss. Matea doing some more laps with Daddy

mommy and Miss. Matea - I am starting to realise that I very rarely post pictures of myself on this blog...well here I am...in a swimsuit...ew.

this is photographic eveidence that they are friends, and they do like each other....9 months apart, it has taken them awhile to "warm up" to each other :)

Cutie pie - Miss. Matea

How cute is this guy?!?

Corbyn - 5 years old...and adorable.

I love freckles.

Surprise!!  More laps.

Snuggles and snacks with Bampi after swimming.....

Like I said....we love to swim.

The day I lost you

The following is journaling on the attached page...by far my worst "Mommy moment" so far....

"I am pretty sure that EVERYONE who reads this will judge me, and you know what? That is just fine. I would judge me too :) All four of us went swimming at the end of June, so the same pool we have been going to 3 times a week since Big Mack was born! usually we use the family change room, but they were “under construction” so the boys went to the boys changeroom and the girls to the girls, we had a super great swim and then it was time to go. Now I am not going t o lie, trying to get you dressed is kind of like wrestling a raccoon. Anyway I got you all set up with a snack and our bags on one of the benches, and realised that I didn’t have a towel, I turned my back for 3 seconds and you were gone! I was so scared! I thought someone had taken you, I was crying my eyes out when another Mommy asked me if I was “missing round, blonde, cutie in a blue suit...” apparently you were making your way up the stairs to the waterslide! When I got out to the pool one of the lifeguards was trying to “steer” you towards the changerooms. When I reached you I was having a complete breakdown, I apoligized to the lifeguard and assured him that we are always so careful, and the 17 year old’s reply? “Don’t worry M’am, you really are a good Mom, your sons swims really good!” There are a few tears while I am writing this, just remembering the day I lost you..."

A little M & M fix!

C'mon I know you have been missing us :)  One full week of "blog-a-rific" silence?!?  What can I say?  We have been enjoying our summer holidays!  Here are a few snaps of some backyard fun times!

Some M&M cuteness for ya!

Big Mack LOVES to pee outside!

He has his own "pee spot" in the backyard.

Cute Matea photo shoot....

Getting ready for nap time...

Getting set up for a little "Toy Story' time on the couch

Hello blue eyes!

Practicing winking--cute.

Now don't get too excited BUT we went to Grande Prairie for the long weekend...so there are more "Family Fun time" pictures to come :)