Then and Now

We got the girls playing out in the snow for the first time this winter (and yes it is definitely winter here in Lloydminster with a good foot of snow)!  It is with the change of season where I notice the most how much my girls have grown up.  Inevitably Hailey needs a new snowsuit and boots each winter and Quinn remarkably fits into Hailey's old suit that I never would have guessed she would fit!  I went looking back through my pictures to when H was in Q's snowsuit.... oh how time flies!

Who is who?!? ;)

I'm looking forward to a bunch of 'firsts' this winter with taking the girls sledding, skating and all sorts of outdoor fun!  It just wasn't worth it in the previous years to drag the kids out when they were so little, and then I had a little baby last year!

Here are a few more pictures from playing outside...

My baby girl is going to be in nursery in 1 month!!!!!  I can't believe it!  And in 9 days I get to go on a solo trip to Switzerland to see my sister and new nephew!!!!  I'm excited for the trip but 9 days is a long time to be away from my girls.  I will miss my family terribly!

Anti-Halloween

I've never been a big fan of Halloween.  Probably because I don't like anything scary.  I only did what I had to do to get that candy, which was to put on something that would 'pass' as a costume and take my pillowcase to every door I was brave enough to approach.

I still don't really care about it, and I guess my children will likely sufffer for it but really it isn't a 'real' holiday.  I personally wouldn't care if the whole thing was canceled all together.  I can buy them whatever candy they want at anytime of the year!  But, until that day where we FINALLY teach our children not to take candy from strangers, I guess I will comply... with store bought costumes, a box of candy and one really sad looking carved pumpkin!

I do enjoy those cute pictures of the kids though :)

Does anyone else think Halloween is lame? Probably not!

Yogurt anyone?

I am trying to let Quinn 'self-feed'! 

Of course she has been feeding herself finger foods for a long time but I hadn't yet braved the 'semi-liquid' zone.  YOGURT! 

I put in a little at a time and she was doing great (I was getting ready for work and wasn't exactly supervising the eating process).  I came back after I put the last amount in and it was EVERYWHERE. 

Of course I was already late for work and then had to clean up this messy lady.  I pretty much ran a cloth through her hair and took her over to the babysitter sporting 'au de yogurt".  Come to think of it she still hasn't had a bath (this was yesterday).  She is in her high chair eating breakfast right now... maybe I should just give her another yogurt to 'practice' since she is already wearing it ;)

Are meals a frustrating time at your house?  My girls are terrible eaters!

Thirt-eeeeeeeK!

It's over......

My youth that is!

I am now officially old as I reached the big 3-0 last Friday.  I know most people say they don't feel any different, but I do.  Just hearing 'thirty' makes me cringe!

I did, however, have a REALLY great start to my thirties, thanks to Ian and his day full of surprises!  What A SWEETHEART!  This was definitely his (my) best birthday yet!

Ian took the day off work (I didn`t know till that morning when he told me I could sleep in).

He made me these AMAZING chocolate waffles!!!!!!

 

We took the girls to a babysitter (thanks a million Kalinda!) and we went to a new gym to work out
* this may not sound great to some of you but I have been trying to get Ian to come work out with me FOREVER!

Then we went to another friends house (HUGE thanks to Tiffany and Graham) to relax in their hot tub.  Ian brought some bubbly and chocolate covered strawberries he made himself!

cell phone pictures

Then we picked up our girls from Kalinda`s to get them home for lunch and nap.

After a relaxing afternoon (I didn`t have to clean or cook or change diapers) we got the girls dinner and did cake and presents.

This is my "I can`t believe you got me EXACTLY what I wanted" face!  
*I ordered my own birthday present online and had it shipped

Hello super cute camera bag/purse
(I had to stop here and figure out how my keyboard started typing in French but it is fixed now).

Then in came ANOTHER babysitter (Thank you Fyfe's) and I was told we were going out for dinner!

The Canadian Brewhouse is my new fav restaurant!

and then a  movie at the good ol' Lloydminster theater ;)  
 I bet your thinking, wow they are REALLY early for that movie!!!  Nope, it was "The Trouble With the Curve" and no one wanted to see it I guess *it was our only option for something not rated R.  It was okay but I wouldn't watch it again probably.

All  in all it was a FABULOUS DAY!!!!  

Ian you were so thoughtful and I loved having every part of the day a surprise!!!!  

Thank you to everyone who made my birthday special!

Quinn walking

This was still about a month ago but it was super cute.  She was trying to jump over the 'monies' just like Hailey (they are poker chips)

August

Our summer continued...

Grandma and Papa's - We went for a weekend visit at my parents house in August.

Tutu's - We (aka -'I') made lots of tutu's for Hailey and her upcoming birthday party.  She has been enjoying dancing in them!!!

Somebody learned to walk this summer!!!!!

She is much quicker and more stable now.  She is trying to master running!  It sure took her long enough as she was almost 15 mths old.

Hailey's 3rd Birthday - There were festivities galore at the end of August as we celebrated Hailey's 3rd birthday.  Just 2 more years until school *only somewhat joking ;)

For her party there was a bean bag toss, fishing, a teepee to play in and tutu's for our dance party.  I left it pretty open with no structured games.  They could just travel about as they chose.  Maybe next year will be the first 'drop-off' party where it is just me and her party guests!

July

There hasn't been much time for blogging since I started work 4 months ago!

I try to keep up with posting about the things that happen in the Isackson home to print out my blog in book form.  So I will try to catch up a bit on all the adventures of our summer.

July

Canada Day - was pretty low-key as it was Sunday.  We biked to the large park by our home and met up with some friends.  There was a huge slide that Hailey really enjoyed but the lineups for balloon animals and face painting were ridiculously slow.  We just walked around and visited then headed home around 9 pm.  Maybe next year we will try to stay up for the fireworks?  Naaaahh, probably will be a few more years till the kids can make it to midnight.

Water Table - this was the main attraction this summer (and what a beautiful summer it was)

Colonial Days Parade - This was the first parade EVER for the girls (yes I'm awesome like that ;)  They really enjoyed it (the candy mostly) and we will now be going each year.... though the 'floats' were pretty LAME.

Cardston trip - we made a quick trip to Cardston for my friends funeral, a sad, and very short trip :(

Library - we tried to make it to the library every week all summer.  The girls loved it!  Our library staff need to come up with a better summer reading program though...  LAME!  I remember ours growing up at the EPL they had weekly coupon prizes and charts and more... it was AWESOME!

Bike riding - We haven't been out enough for Hailey to master her push bike.  It was still a little bit big and wasn't easy for her to reach the ground.

Roseola (baby measles) - our girls caught this in July (and so generously passed it on to their babysitters kids).  Luckily it was very mild and didn't seem to bother the girls too much.

I'm not sure what else happened it July?

*if I don't have pictures of it, I don't remember it.