Boyd Biking & Adventures

Sewing and Modelling...

2012-01-11T21:29:00.002-07:00

Katie got a sewing machine for Christmas and has quickly put it to good use! She's been busy sewing for Ms.Megan and by all accounts she has impressed! Here's a quick pic of our little girl strutting her stuff for our camera.

Yes, she's already worn it to daycare -- with tights and a top...'cmon people its winter afterall! LOL.

More to come - enjoy your week!

New Year Developments...

2012-01-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Happy 2012! Hope everyone is doing well. We have enjoyed some amazing warm weather in Calgary. Record highs of +13 last week...crazy that we can see the grass @ this time of year! But the snow is coming and we will welcome that too as we miss snowboarding, skating and sledding!

Our little girl is keeping us busy and laughing! Today @ Gymboree she showed off a new skill. She will now jump into the foam pit. It was Fire fighter day (Scott was thrilled!) and Megan had to climb to the top and jump to save people down below. She watched a couple of others do it and then took the plunge after she counted to three! A great way to start - dad was very proud of her and she loved the new skill!

Also part of daddy-daughter day was a trip to the Mall. Megan has been asking to wear the same outfit over and over and over. So the plan was to get her some new dresses (no sense in fighting it any more - it's all she will wear!) So as we were picking out the dresses, Megan found some shoes! And while dad said 'no' to several other items, the shoes became part of a negotiation...shoes if she will sit for a new passport photo. I mean really, when is it too early to bribe your kids?? Worked like a charm!

Tonight she did a fashion show for mommy and insisted on wearing new shoes and a dress to bed over her pjs! Lucky for us, she asked for it off by the time books were finished! So begins 2012 and the many new developments we are sure to have in store for us!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T07:50:00.004-07:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just a quick snapshot of the start of the unwrapping! Megan really got the "Santa" part of Christmas and it was fun to watch her explore her presents...

New Skates! And a Helmet from Great-Grandma (thank you!!) Megan can't wait to hit the ice!

Daddy got a 2012 Calendar with photos of his favourite girls!!

Purple Toque!

Sled and Snowman!

2011-12-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Despite the rather mild winter we have been enjoying, there was enough snow @ the lake toboggan hill to put our sled into action. It was a present last Christmas for Megan from Nana and Baba (thanks!!) This year she was VERY excited and understood its full potential for SPEED!

She loved the experience (I'm sure her smile gives it away!) It was all about the speed this year!

We must have gone a dozen times! Megan walked up the hill by herself about 3 of them (where does this kid get the energy?!) And then daddy & mommy pulled her up the rest of them. She also liked to watch daddy go down the hill by himself. And when he pretended to fall off the sled and roll down the hill...her laughter could be heard from top to bottom!!

We also took time to build a snowman. It was the first of the season, but if we get more snow there is sure to be more requests.

Megan wanted to give the snowman a hug and kiss good-bye when it was time to leave...OMG so cute!

After a hard day of snow racing and building - it was time to relax on the couch. Mom got a new helmet for skating this year. And Santa is scheduled to bring Megan one too...it looks like it won't be a problem to get her to wear it!

Gingerbread Train...choo...choo!

2011-12-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year! Megan picked the train over a traditional house - not surprising when you know how much she still loves Thomas the Train!

Here's the final product...not all the candies "made" it to the train. But taste-testing is a sign of any great Chef!

Here is the Chef/Artist in action! Pretty sure she is singing along to some Christmas Carols that were playing in the background. And she knew she was gonna be messy - so she asked to have her shirt off.

"Daddy...no more photos...I'm trying to work here!"

Lets Go To The Movies

2011-11-27T20:52:00.001-07:00

The Muppet Movie was a huge success! And while Megan didn't really enjoy the previews, once the actual movie started, she was all eyes on the big screen! For the adults - this is a funny movie you'll like too! For any Big Bang theory fans out there..."Sheldon" makes a guest appearance - very funny!

Our little girl loved the music and dancing. And she just couldn't hide it any longer. When Kermit and Miss Piggy did their final song together - Megan got down from her seat and bust a move in the asile. WOW - we could not contain ourselves...she was too cute! Her hands were waving back and forth and she was twirling and smiling. She is such a little girl...

She saw a poster for the Puss In Boots movie - so we're sure she'll be back!

A Morning at the Science Center

2011-11-26T13:21:00.001-07:00

Since Uncle Adam had to work this morning, we decided to invite Roxice, Sierra and Reid to the Science Center for a little fun. We were there a few minutes before Roxice arrived with the kids, but that's OK, Megan made sure to tell the lady greeting everyone that "Sierra is coming!!!" We passed the time hoolahooping and watching the door for Sierra. When they arrived, you would think the two girls hadn't seen each other in years (they did have a visit yesterday!)...the two girls ran across the lobby, arms outstretched yelling "Hi Megan/Hi Sierra" and then hugged with death grips...so cute!

We spent the morning exploring the science center and managed to get to a few additional rooms we hadn't seen before. The girls love it. So did Reid! He was happy to watch all the fun going on around him. One of the new exhibits we saw dealt with the human body...and there was a camera! Although Katie looks a bit like a terrorist no one seems to mind. We even got Reid in on the action...

A great morning spent with family! This afternoon we are planning to take Megan to the new Muppets movie. It will be her first movie so wish us luck. Here's a quick video of "best friends"

Have a great weekend!

Cupcake Factory?!?

2011-10-29T20:57:00.002-06:00

We were out and about today - enjoying the sunshine! Megan was such a good girl that we took her for an afternoon treat. If you follow the blog you know the significance of Crave Cupcakes in our life. So today, we took Megan to the Crave store for the first time. She thought it was the best thing - a whole store dedicated to cupcakes...are you kidding!?!

We walk in and tell her that she can pick anyone she wants - all to herself. She looked at us and kinda smiled and then yelled..."Wow Big One! Pink one mommy!"

No surprise she picked the same kind as her mom - va va vanilla! And they eat their cupcakes exactly alike too...focus on the icing!

We finished her big girl bedroom tonight...photos tomorrow and we will see if she is interested in starting to sleep in her new room...fingers crossed!

Finally, An Update!

2011-10-22T19:13:00.007-06:00

We've been hearing a few complaints about our lack of updates lately so we thought it was time to get back to blogging. A lot has happened since our Sep 4th post - Scott's birthday, Megan's birthday, visit with Nana and Baba x 2...

But first lets go back to our zoo visit with Adam, Roxcie, Sierra and Reid. Megan was so excited about seeing Sierra that we had to tell her the animals and Sierra were still sleeping so we didn't have to listed to "Sierra, Sierra coming, Sierra" for 3 hours until the zoo opened and we could finally meet up with Sierra! The fist photo gives you an idea of how much the girls like hanging out together!

Megan enjoying the hippos!

The girls with their Daddy's riding the carousel...

Scott had a birthday the day before Megan's but unfortunately we don't have any photos of the pink cupcakes we made for him (leftovers from the ones we made for Megan's b-day at daycare!). But there is a very cute photo of Megan and daddy cuddling in bed after a nap! Happy Birthday Scott!

We do have a photo of Megan's birthday cupcakes though!

We were lucky enough to have Nana and Baba here for Megan's and Scott's actual birthdays, and again when we had Megan's birthday party - 2 weeks later. It was a great visit and I think Megan kept them on their toes. She LOVED playing with them and really misses them both.

When Nana and Baba got back from their visit to Winnipeg and New York, they came with gifts...Megan's favorite, new boots! Princess is the theme - for both the winter boots and cowboy boots (the cowboy books light up too!). Megan prefers to wear them with ONLY her undies, but we did manage to snap a few photos of her in clothes:)

And here's a few more pics of her birthday party...

And here's a photo of Megan with her "Lee" side coming out!

Can I have your number....

2011-09-04T19:14:00.003-06:00

Today @ the lake, we were joined by some kids playing next to us. Katie was showing off her Engineer skills and had designed a wicked two-tier waterfall sandcastle with a fun S-curve into two pools. The kids loved running to the lake, getting some water and and fill up the pools to watch the fun!

The funny part was when the other moms were trying to get their kids packed up to go home, one of the kids was crying and came up to Katie and said, "Can I have your numbers, because my mommy doesn't know how to build this!" His mom was so embarrassed...but we all laughed!

It's not every day a 6 year-old hits on your wife and asks for her number...LOL!!

Painting...

2011-09-04T18:50:00.003-06:00

Of all the landscapes to paint, Megan has fallen in love with toes. Ever since our trip to BC, when Nana painted her toes, Megan has been asking for painting almost every day!

This weekend, in between lake and other activities, mommy and Megan painted their toes! She loved it and was quick to dance around and show off her new paint!

The real fun began when Megan then turned her eyes to daddy and wanted him to paint his toes too! True love comes in the form toe painting...daddy thought he was picking the less bright of the colours...but it backfired as the pink was just as bright or more bright as the purple that Megan and mommy had picked.

Today @ the lake was fun as the other parents were staring at Scott and wondering what his deal was...too funny!

BC Holla-Day

2011-08-29T19:59:00.005-06:00

We had a great trip to BC to visit family. Yes, it was a few weeks ago & we are sorry for the delay! We were able to celebrate Scott's parent's 45th Anniversary while we were there - Congrats!

Megan LOVED spending time with her cousins. She doesn't get to see them very often, but became instant friends with Colin and Wesley. The morning after we got back to Calgary, she actually asked to call Wesley...so cute!

She was in a very funny mood the night we had dinner out - she wanted to have a photo-shoot...lol! This was one of her many poses...strike a pose!

We had a great visit with Nana and Baba and great Grandma!

Cheese!

We got to spend a couple of days @ the lake. Auntie Heather let Megan drive the boat...

Do you think she liked it?!? Beep-Beep...thanks Heather!

Tons of fun on the water with family.

We also spent some time @ the beach. Megan loved exploring all the sea life!

And playing with the boys looking for lost treasure!

Megan also LOVED her time with Nana & Baba! Nana quickly won Megan over by painting her toe nails. When asked what colour they were...Megan responded, "Hot Pink!" Where does she come up with this stuff?!

And Baba was his playful self - making Megan laugh at every turn!

Thank you to everyone - we had a wonderful time and it was great to see and catch-up with everyone! XO

The Boyd's Biking...

2011-08-01T22:05:00.003-06:00

We love to bike - hence the blog. And today we started our journey back to biking together. And added the trailer, so all members of our family can enjoy it! Katie hooked up the chariot trailer to my Marin hard tail bike today - did a few tune-ups on our bikes and got ready for an afternoon ride.

The funny part is that Megan showed more signs of being so much like her mom today, it was crazy. Katie is far more likely to 'build' stuff than me - the Engineer in her enjoys it. So it should come as no surprise it was her putting the trailer together and getting stuff ready. But what was surprising is that our 'little princess' couldn't wait to be beside her with a tool in hand working away.

I'm sorry I don't have any photos of it - I was consumed with enjoying the moment myself, watching my girls fix and build! Meg was keen to hold parts and tools for mommy and then mimic her actions on another piece of the bike - so cute!

When the girls had done the tune-ups, we hit the pathways and ventured to a play park that is too far of a walk for us with Megan - but perfect distance on bikes. It's really well thought out and Megan loves playing there. She very much enjoyed the bike trip in her trailer - talking to us the entire trip, snacking, looking out her plastic windows and enjoying the sunshine. She's not a fan of the bumps - but we may look at adding a towel or something for her to sit on, so it softens the ride.

We had a great afternoon at the park, enjoyed our snack there and came home for more time on the slide in our backyard before dinner. A very nice way to end our long weekend!

Headed to BC soon to visit Nana and Baba for their Anniversary - looking forward to it!

A Great Long Weekend That Isn't Over Yet!

2011-07-31T20:48:00.014-06:00

This weekend started with a trip to the lake with my BFF's - Paisley and Kaylee! My day was made when I saw my friends in the parking lot, so when I saw the water and realised I was going to get to share the fun with my friends, you can only imagine my reaction!

After all that playing in the warm sand and water we were more then ready for our picnic lunch. After lunch all the mommies said we had to leave because it was nap time, but we were all pretty tuckered out so we didn't mind too much.

I must have been a very good girl lately because on Sunday morning Mommy and Daddy took me down to play in the creek. The best part was that Grandpa showed up to play with me...I sure love Grandpa!!! We had a great morning catching minnows, splashing about in the water and throwing stones! Daddy tells me I have a pretty good arm...whatever that means?

Now you might be thinking that my weekend couldn't get any better...well it did!!! On Saturday Grandma and Grandpa's neighbor was having a garage sale and they bought me a new doll stroller (which I love by the way) and a new bike!!!! Mommy snuck out while I was having a nap and got me a helmet so when I woke up it was time to try out my new bike. Mommy picked out the best helmet...pink with red lady bugs...so when I saw it I had to have it on right away! Once I had my helmet on I couldn't wait to get on my bike!

Since it was 30 degrees today, I was more than ready for a drink after all that riding...and then off to the sprinkler...but I liked my helmet so much I refused to take it off while running through the sprinkler!

After such a great weekend it's no surprise that I was exhausted...this is a picture of me chilling on the couch after all the fun.

Our 2nd Annual Duck Race!

2011-07-31T20:24:00.006-06:00

Our Lake had their annual Duck Race on Tuesday evening so we decided to leave work a little early and get in on the action! We purchased 5 ducks (for charity) and although none of them won the race we still had a great time.

After the Duck Race we headed to the park for a little play before dinner...

And then to the puddles!!!!!

Feeding the Goat...

2011-07-23T19:21:00.002-06:00

Megan really loves animals. And while she is cautious to approach, once she gets warmed up, starts to laugh, she always wants' MORE!'

Strawberry Festival!

2011-07-23T19:10:00.003-06:00

Today we went to a Strawberry Festival @ a local farm. In addition to having yummy strawberries (some dipped in chocolate!) they had a great play area for kids.

Megan was still too little to enjoy the climbing wall, but she managed the stairs by herself and was happy to have trips down the slide with mommy or daddy.

They also had lots of farm animals for us to visit. Megan loved the little pigs and the baby goat.

They had tractor rides around the farm for us!

And Megan liked to explore the top of the castle which had a pretty good view of most of the farm.

And, of course, lots of flowers to smell & touch...and when we weren't fast enough...to pick!

Gotta Love Hot Summer Weekends!

2011-07-17T19:15:00.007-06:00

This weekend was absolutely beautiful in Calgary...high 20's, hot sun and minimal wind! Great weather for enjoying Lake Chaparral...which is exactly what we did...

On Friday evening we met up with Adam, Roxcie, Sierra and Reid for a dinner BBQ and swim at the lake. The girls had so much fun splashing around in the water and building sand castles - so much fun that the mom's and dad's were able to get caught up without the constant "Mommy" or "Daddy" that usually interrupt our conversations!

On Saturday we did much the same and met up with some friends (Kirk, Tracy, Ethan, Karissa and Josh) for a morning swim and lunch time BBQ at the lake. Megan was once again in her element splashing around in the water. She couldn't always remember Karissa's name so every so often we would hear her say "girlfriend"...hahahaha, we have no idea where that one came from!!!

On Sunday Scott got some chores done while Katie took Megan over for a visit with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa took Megan to the protected wetlands close to their house to feed the ducks - one of Megan's FAVORITE activities!!! After a fun filled morning they were home for nap time. In the afternoon it was time for some outdoor painting and fun in the sprinkler! We taped some paper to the fence and let her loose...Megan loved it! Since it was quite hot, clean up was some play time in the sprinkler. We weren't sure if Megan would like the sprinkler, but sure enough she did!

Canada Day!

2011-07-02T18:08:00.003-06:00

We spend Canada Day @ Heritage Park with a couple of good friends. The 'heritage town' was in full swing with lots of characters playing their roles and tons of activities to keep everyone busy. The weather was amazing, which always helps!

The radio flyer wagon was very popular with the kids!

She LOVED her snack while riding the train!

And we took the opportunity to get a family photo. Can you guess what was happening in the background to make her excited? The train arrived - choo-choo!

Hope you had a great Canada Day weekend!

To Eat or Not to Eat?

2011-06-25T17:07:00.003-06:00

Megan couldn't decide if she was more hungry or tried so she did both at the same time!

Stampede Party @ Lake

2011-06-25T16:46:00.004-06:00

Today we went to our Lake Community Stampede Party! Stampede is still 2 weeks away, but it gets very busy in our City - so the parties start early. They made some great changes to the party this year - there was a talent contest, line-dancing and many more activities for the children to try this year.

We started by breaking Megan out of jail!

She then had to try the ring toss.

She played enough games that she qualified for a prize. She, of course, picked bracelets!

She then took some time to watch the line-dancing with grandpa.

All of the emergency service people were there to show the kids some of their unique equipment. Megan didn't want to see the firemen...just Police! She makes daddy so proud!

We also visited with the Mascot 'Harry the Horse'

She talked mommy and Grandpa to going for a little swim too. The lake is still very cool...but she didn't care!

There were tons of rides for the kids to try - a great day!

Game 6 - Boston Trip!

2011-06-14T21:03:00.002-06:00

The Boyd brothers hooked up in Boston last night for some game 6 action. A big thanks to brother Paul for the tixs! It was an amazing visit and we had a great time at the game. 2 of the brothers chose to wear Canuck Blue. They would be the ones to also wear ketchup stains by the end of the night. The third brother wore black and gold and he negotiated their safe exit out of the danger zone! LOL! Thanks for the great weekend fellas - lots of laughs, and more!

Go Bruins!

Weee-eee!

2011-06-06T20:04:00.003-06:00

Sorry the video is on its side - but you get the point!

Our favorite is when she says, "Don't Fall" and "Weee-eeee!"

Just another fun filled play time...

Paint By Numbers...kinda!

2011-05-29T19:25:00.003-06:00

We headed outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and do some painting today! Katie found a kid-friendly paint recipe and we put Megan in her smock and let her creative side take charge!

They paint @ daycare, so she was so excited just to see the paint.

And when the colours started being mixed - her excitment changed into laughter and glee!

Add a sponge to the mix and there was so much to touch and see.

A Masterpiece!!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

New Nephew!

2011-05-28T20:30:00.003-06:00

Reid Aaron Lee has arrived and we went out to Adam & Roxcies to see him! Katie couldn't get enough cuddles and time to hold him!

He's been a great baby and is very cute. Congrats!!

Swing Swing....SLIDE!

2011-05-28T20:17:00.003-06:00

We built a play area in our backyard this past week. We started last weekend, but had a few days of rain delay! Today we were able to finish it.

We thought it would go together much faster than it did - but there were lots of pieces!

We were happy to have Ed to lead the project for us! We built the pieces in the garage...

And then moved them to the backyard to put it all together! For the last few mornings, Megan has been helping us open the blinds to the backyard and always says..."Wow!"

Wait till she wakes up tomorrow!

She played on it a little this afternoon - she loves the slide! Katie has big plans to turn it into a waterslide later this summer!

Wagon Wheels & Hunting!

2011-05-14T18:26:00.005-06:00

Megan woke up this morning to a new wagon! The All-Terrain Radio Flyer Wagon to be precise! She loved it and couldn't wait to take it for a spin. First stop...the park of course! Along the way we stopped for 'flowers' (dandelions!) and we each had to hold onto ours for the duration of the walk! We then made it to the lake for a quick stop and then back home before heading out for her second love...shoe shopping!

It was Megan's Spring Music Concert this afternoon - and her group did, "A hunting we will go..."

Megan caught a Cat and put it in a Hat...

We were so impressed with her - she was ready to go when her turn came and didn't want to leave the spotlight! What makes the video even more funny is that she was holding a dandelion...uh, we mean 'flower' the whole time and once she put the cat in the hat - she wanted people to see the flower too!

Her group was first - but she was content to sit on the steps or with Grandma & Grandpa to watch the other kids perform. More video on Katie's Facebook page!

Day With Thomas!

2011-05-07T20:41:00.005-06:00

We spent the day with Thomas the Train! And by doing so, we have officially become "Those People." You know, the type of people that talk about what a great day they had with some over sized kids toy...and they actually mean it! Tons of photos, tons of laughs and one happy little girl!!

The sun was out and we got tickets for the first ride of the day - perfect timing as all the kids were still happy.

All Aboard! We were lucky to get a great passenger car - and someone couldn't wait to get her window seat!

Our 20 minute train ride came with a commentary from our own conductor. And here's Mamma Engineer with Jr. Engineer...and a certificate to prove it!

Daddy and Megan taking in the sights!

Mommy, Megan and Thomas and his Friends!

Megan also enjoyed watching the horses!

Besides the train ride, there was lots of other things to do. Megan got a Thomas tattoo and in the arts & crafts tent decided to try out all the stamps. If it looks good on paper - it's gonna look great on my hand, right Megan?!

Of course, we had to make some time to play with the toy trains too!

This afternoon, after a very short nap, we headed to our park. Megan has become a great climber and can now go down the slide all by herself!!

For Mother's Day, Megan got mommy an Edible Arrangement - filled with fruit and chocolate covered fruit! Turns out Megan had ulterior motives - the picture says it all! Happy Mother's Day Mommy!

A hunting we will go....

2011-04-24T12:16:00.004-06:00

Easter Sunday brought with it an Easter Egg Hunt! As you can see, Megan was getting changed for the day and spotted an Egg that the Easter Bunny had left for her...so the entire hunt took place in just her diaper!

'Look Mom - there's an egg inside!'

The Easter Bunny did a good job hiding the eggs...but I found them all!

I followed the trail up the stairs!

'This is so MUCH fun!'

Needless to say, she enjoyed her first Easter Egg Hunt! It's an amazing day outside - so we've already been out to the park, back home now for a nap - but will head out again to enjoy the +15 weather. Hope the bunny was good to you too!

Outside...FINALLY!

2011-04-23T13:53:00.004-06:00

We've had a long, cold winter in Calgary. And tons of snow this spring...so the fact that we now have to look really hard to find any traces of snow is very encouraging!

We're making the most of our long-weekend together and doing everything and anything we can outside! Yesterday we were at the park with Grandpa and he showed Megan the 'rocks on the swing' game. So today for our family walk - she had to do the same at the park near our house.

Megan is also getting excited about the NFL season!

Megan insisted on holding BOTH our hands today during the walk - which is strange because typically she doesn't want to hold EITHER! Anyway - we captured the moment on camera.

Katie has been waiting for the day for Megan to be big enough to use sidewalk chalk. And today was a perfect day for it. Of course, the first piece of art to be commissioned was a butterfly!

Although Megan didn't try to eat the chalk, she did insist on trying to colour herself...at least its a step in the right direction...

Easter bunny comes tomorrow - egg hunt in the morning should be fun! Pictures to follow!!

Aggie Day Adventures

2011-04-09T20:48:00.002-06:00

We met Adam, Roxcie and Sierra at Aggie Days! Animals, music and kids...and some really big smiles!! So much fun with our little girl!

Some great fiddle music by a mother and her 4 daughters - Sierra and Megan loved it!

In addition to all the real animals, there were tons of plastic ones too. It was hard to know which ones they liked best!

"Excuse me, Mr. Sheep...please come here so we can pet you!"

Not all the animals were bigger then them...

She thought the bunnies were great. You can actually see her vibrating with anticipation!

And of course - the ducks! She loved all the birds!!

Katie was sure to dress Megan for the part!

Puddles!

2011-04-03T18:39:00.002-06:00

Calgary had a huge dump of snow yesterday (30cm in most locations) today the sun was out and the melt was on! Our little girl wasted no time in asking for her rubber boots and to head outside!

The anticipation of the boot hitting the puddle!

Marching thru the puddles...

Do you think she's having fun?!

Watching our little girl have so much fun actually made the snow storm tolerable!

Visitors!

2011-03-27T19:39:00.004-06:00

We've been lucky to have a few visits with Nana and Baba the last few weeks - on their way to NYC to visit brother Boyd and this past weekend on their way back! So here's a little bit of what we got up to...

Bubbles! Megan loved to chase around the bubbles - when she wasn't giving Nana dirty looks for not getting the bubbles out quick enough...LOL!

Both Nana and Baba got bath time, bedtime stories and sloppy kisses from Megan before bed!

Megan loves watches and typically gets Grandma and Grandpas when they visit...Megan made no exceptions and was quick to grab Baba's watch too!

A VERY happy girl with BOTH sets of Grandparents to laugh with!!

Nana and Baba brought Megan a present from NYC - rubber boots! She adores them - as they have butterflies on them. She couldn't get them on fast enough and was then content to march around the house checking everything out with her new boots! As you can see her mane of hair is, at times, uncontrollable...hence the more frequent use of pigtails!

We had a great couple of weekends together - thanks for the visit!!

Last Day of Crusin'

2011-03-05T13:04:00.007-07:00

It's our last day on the cruise - sea day - as we head back to San Diego. Thought we'd give you some random photos and thoughts to keep you up-to-date until we can blog back at home.

We took Megan to the Ship Day Care area this morning. She can't be enrolled in any of their programs, as you have to be 2 years or older. But they do open up their toy area between 8-10am each morning, so they can play with the toys with their parents. She met a little boy on the first day of the cruise - Ethan - so they have been hanging out a little and today they coloured together.

We were able to introduce Megan to one of the simple joys of ship life - coming back from dinner and seeing the towel-animals that your cabin steward has created. She loves them and Katie ran ahead this evening and put her own sheep on display too -- Megan laughed!

We forgot to mention that Megan LOVES the Carnival Cruise Line Oatmeal...picture says a 1000 words, right?!

We were up on the upper decks the other afternoon and saw a couple with a 'Flat Stanley' - taking pictures at one of our ports. We laughed because Katie's parents had taken a similar guy on their cruise. It's a grade 3 or 5 exercise where children are encouraged to give Flat Stanley to their grandparents or friends when they go away on a trip...have his picture taken...and then come back with the picture story to learn about new places...kinda cool. So we got our photo taken too, as they were very impressed we knew what they were doing!

Katie has been enjoying putting Megan's hair in pigtails this trip. She looks soooo BIG when it's done!

Mexico Cruise

2011-03-01T20:29:00.007-07:00

We are enjoying our Mexican cruise! The Mexican gunships and military presence greeting us at all the ports was a little un-nerving at first, but all seems to be well. They have cancelled our Mazatlan stop – citing an unstable level of violence potential – so we’re good with that decision too!

Megan has adapted well to the sea – no sickness or problems to report. Our first day was a day at sea - so a chance to explore the Ship and get to know others! We opted for a suite with balcony and it’s been the best decision – tons of space for the crib and a room we can put her in to help her get to sleep. She has loved the elevators with the glass windows (photo below.) She’d ride them all day, if we’d let her. She also likes to climb on the deck chairs and test each of them out in the sun! It’s also been a chance for her to wear her new summer dresses and bathing suits...and most importantly...her CROCS. Oh my – does she love her green Crocs. It’s the first thing she asks for in the morning and it’s a fight to get them off her when she goes to bed. She better enjoy it while the sun shines because it’s back to boots in Calgary when we get back!

Day 2 was in Cabo. Unfortunately, although the weather was warm – the winds were strong and made it too dangerous to tender to shore. Disappointing for sure, but we made the most of the day at the kiddie pool on the top deck! We had planned to meet our friends from Regina (Miles & Louise and their 4 boys) who have been in Cabo the last 2 weeks on their vacation. We were text messaging – but they figured out that we wouldn’t be able to visit when our ship started sailing away...lol.

Day 3 was in Cabo again. This time the weather was excellent and we made it to shore without any problems. We met our friends at a beautiful resort where they own property – we know where we are staying next time we visit...wow! We spent the day with them in their pool, having, lunch and taking a tour of the great facility – thank you so much for having us...you have a great place there!!

Today we pulled into La Paz first thing in the morning and we’re greeted to a traditional mariachi band at the terminal. Needless to say, Megan danced! (photo below). She loved them and the band loved the attention. Megan was also a Mexican peddler’s dream. She loved some trinkets in one of the stores on shore – but Scott loves to barter, so he was right in his element. Megan is flying with her butterfly in the photo below.

The weather has been great – not overly impressed with the variety of food, compared with other cruise lines – but we are “roughing it” – hahaha! We are back into Cabo tomorrow. Our friends have now gone home...so we will explore some of the City areas this time around!

Sea World

2011-02-24T19:37:00.004-07:00

We've spent the past two days @ Sea World - despite having her attraction to all the pigeons and seagulls, we managed to pry her away and take a look at some of the cool exhibits that are there too! We even got a "cool" out of her...so we think she's having fun - LOL!

By far - here's Megan's Top 3 Sea World Activities:

1) Feeding the sea lions. She would have done this all day. You can buy some fish and throw them over the glass or put them in a tube and the sea lions come right up and take it from you. She laughed and laughed as each one came for a visit and snack!

2) Elmo's Flying Fish Ride. Megan is a big Elmo fan - so a chance to fly in the air with him was not to be missed!

3) Wild Arctic Exhibit. This is really the greatest exhibit we'd ever seen. Sponsored by Ford - it's a journey into the North Pole region to visit whales, walrus & polar bears and a quick jaunt to the South Pole for some Penguins! Truly amazing the different ways they let you get up close to see the animals.

We managed to see one show - the dolphins, whale and bird combo. Megan really enjoyed it - but didn't really watch it! Rather, she looked into the audience, danced while the music was on, but always turned around and clapped after each act! We think the people around us enjoyed watching her more too! And while we didn't stay for the entire 25 minute show - Megan did make us stop on the back side on our day 2 visit to watch the 'actors' warm up for their show that day...

If there was any doubt - we are having a blast. Can't wait to get on the cruise ship tomorrow and see what adventures that will bring! We just checked the weather...-23 in Calgary...+16 here (except in the Extreme Arctic Exhibit!)

Counting & Dancing...

2011-02-24T19:21:00.002-07:00

We forgot to share a couple of quick stories....

Counting - Katie has been teaching Megan to count. And you never really know if it's just memorization or if she actually gets the concept. Well, we found out while we were on a snack break at the Wild Life Park. Scott was holding some crackers in his hand and Megan reached in to take some. Scott said, "Just one, Megan," and without hesitation Megan looked up at him and said, " No - two daddy." Sure enough she had two in her hands with a big smile on her face!

Dancing - Our little girl loves to dance! In fact, she has been dancing so much, that other people in Sea World have stopped and asked if she works there as part of the entertainment! And this morning when we arrived very early at Sea World, we found out that before the park opens - they pause to sing the American National Anthem - everyone except Megan who was....dancing! And at the end of the anthem couldn't get enough and kept asking for "more...more...more"

Her USA cousins in NYC would be very proud!

Sunny San Diego!

2011-02-23T16:03:00.005-07:00

We were greeted by the warm sun when we landed. The forecasted rain is no longer a worry and we are enjoying temps in the +16 to +18 range. Megan was such a good traveller. Best money ever spent was getting her a seat of her own! No naps, but she did very well and crashed hard our first night.

We woke the next day and had breakfast in our hotel and then took our rental to the Wild Animal Park!

Megan loves animals and so Katie took her into the petting part of the Wild Life Park. There were only goats in there - but she loved them and would have stayed hours, if we let her!

We went on a tram and got up close to lots of the 'big' animals. It was just as the park opened - so the animals were active in the morning and we got to see them moving around lots. If you've never been - there aren't really any animal exhibits at this park. It's a 1,800 acre park that basically just lets the animals roam. Of course, the predators and prey are kept separate!

Megan loved the park. but was probably most impressed with the birds. Yes, just the plain run of the mill birds - seagulls and pigeons! All this way and she was content to run around the park flapping her arms chasing them! She did however give us a "cool" when she saw the Rhino and her baby...so it was worth it.

This picture gives you an idea of the open feel - really neat concept and very well done. And here's the Rhino and her new baby.

While at the park, Scott also tried out their Zip Line. He was sick when we were in Honduras a few years ago and did a zip line trip - so he didn't get to enjoy the feeling. Considering this one is the largest in the Intercontinental USA - he was pretty excited! He reached speeds of 45mph and the two zip lines kept him busy for the hour tour while Katie and Megan visited the ducks and birds - considering that Katie is afriad of birds...it says a lot!

A full day at the park and another full day planned at Sea World tomorrow - so early bed!

Visitors & Dress-up

2011-02-17T20:24:00.002-07:00

We had Katie's brother, Steve and his girlfriend, Megan visited us the last few weeks. Our Megan enjoyed time with her Uncle and took to him right away!

Here's Katie, her 2 brothers and the nieces & nephew.

Megan and Sierra loved to follow each other around. Not many arguments over toys either - which is very nice too!

And then there is our little dress-up girl. On a routine basis, she asks to wear some of Katie's clothing. This past Monday, she wanted to wear one of Katie's night shirts and then dance around in the tub with no water in it. On this occasion, she wanted her clothes off and only to wear Katie's socks! She walked around on her tip-toes for at least 10 minutes - with a big smile behind her soother!

Only a few more sleeps before our vacation - yeah! Hard to believe there will be a +35 degree temperature change between what we have here and where we are going -- we can't wait! Tons to do before we leave - but we will be blogging throughout our adventure to keep you updated!

Snow Day!

2011-01-29T14:00:00.002-07:00

We were enjoying some warmer temps last week & took advantage of it by heading to the lake with our little girl!

She loved watching everyone on the ice - next year we will give Megan the chance to learn to skate. But for this year, she was content to have us push her around in her stroller.

It was great to see so many people enjoying the lake - dozens of families making the most of the warm up.

But someone also loves to be at home - in her chair!

But today we woke up to a LOT of new snow - so it's a good day to play inside! Also a good day to keep telling ourselves only a few short weeks before fun in the sun holiday - yeah!!

The Simple Life

2011-01-22T13:20:00.003-07:00

We made a trip to Adam and Roxcie's Ranch today. The weather is beautiful - sunny and warm (aka above zero at least!) Damien was there too and the girls loved to play together!

Sierra showed Megan one of her favorite games - Stand at the top of the stairs, with daddy at the bottom and then throw colourful balls down to him. Megan loved it too and they laughed and watch the balls go up and down the stairs!

The girls were so cute together. We think of Megan as our toddler now - but when you put her next to her cousin, you remember the difference 3 months makes at that age!

We had a great visit & grandma and grandpa will be home next weekend after a month away - so they are bound to see tons of changes in each of them!

Leaps & Bounds

2011-01-17T13:45:00.002-07:00

Just a quick update (without photos - sorry!)

Scott and Megan had music class today and they came home to report that Megan was very active in the class today. She typically is very social, likes to sing and dance - but Scott says today says she was so impressive!

She was doing actions to songs that we don't even sing @ home! Just just loved watching the teacher and was content to follow. Another big change was that she is almost always last to pick up the different music instruments. She likes to watch as the other kids get theirs and then will select one and run back to daddy. Not today -- she was right at the front of the line picking what she wanted.

Very interesting to see the developments. And who knows what next week will bring!

On the work front - we are celebrating a new job for Katie - yeah! She wasn't really looking for a change, but this opportunity presented itself and was too good to pass up. She starts Jan 31 - will work a few short weeks then then we head for vacation!

Let's Play!

2011-01-08T18:52:00.002-07:00

Today we have blowing snow and cold temps -- so we ventured to an indoor play park!

Our little girl had a great time exploring all the levels, climbing and watching the other kids.

A highlight was watching her explore the ball pit!

New Year - New Sled!

2011-01-02T12:18:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year!

We got a nice break in the weather today and the girls are finally feeling a little better - so we ventured to the lake for some morning fun! We tested out the new sled from Nana and Baba - Megan wasn't too happy until we actually got moving - then the smiles came out. She will have to learn some patience for the trudge up the hill!

We also watched the Zamboni clear the rinks on the lake. And saw some little kids playing hockey with their parents.

And then we took a break inside the club house for some snacks. There were lots of kids to watch, so our little girl was very entertained! A great family day outdoors!

Christmas Morning Videos!

2010-12-26T19:12:00.003-07:00

We started looking at what we were gonna post....but photos just didn't make the cut!

Hope these bing as many smiles as they do to us watching them!

Nana & Baba gave Megan a taboggan as one of her gifts this year - needless to say she loves it! We'll be sure to hit the hills and take some more photos!

Megan has a new-found interest in Thomas the Train - like most kids, right? Opening one of her gifts was captured in the video above. It exceeded all our expectations...do you think she liked it?

And what's better than opening the gift...playing with it of course!

Megan also got some Chef Boyd-ardee oven mitts and apron from Nana & Baba. Clearly she can't wait to get into the kitchen...

Uncle Paul and Auntie Amanda also gave a Thomas gift - you can't really hear the music from the toy...but you can tell she's dancing along...way too funny!

Christmas Eve Fun...

2010-12-24T19:15:00.003-07:00

We are at home for Christmas this year and likely will be for the next few years as we develop our own Christmas traditions. We have family coming over tomorrow for all the Christmas fun, but today we set out to explore something new. We found ourselves at Heritage Park and a rather new exhibit - Gasoline Alley. Tons of old vehicles and gas pumps. Plus for the winter season, they have some fun kid games set-up -- table hockey tournaments, milk jug curling and more.

Megan liked the mini-town they had set-up where she could ride a tricycle, fuel up with gas and explore the sights with the other kids. She also enjoyed sitting in the old vehicles - each one came with its own rendition of "wheels on the bus..."

This part of the display was set-up like a drive-in movie theatre. She liked watching the big screen while bouncing on the seats and daddy's knees!

They had a beanbag snowman toss set-up in one of the rooms. Megan loved the game - even if she was a little closer than the rules stated....lol. We ended the day in their restaurant with some warm soup and snacks - Megan was on her best behaviour while we were out!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Concert & More . . .

2010-12-12T12:10:00.004-07:00

Last night was Megan's first Christmas Concert! It was held at Mount Royal University where her baby music classes take place. We didn't really know what to expect - but it lived up to any possible expectations! The 300 seat theatre was filled with parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles . . . well, you get the idea - full house! Grandma and Grandpa Lee were in attendance and shared in the laughs as our little girl put on a show -- both on and off stage!

We took the opportunity to get a rare family photo! Megan loved her dress and more so her shoes! She is very much a girlie-girl as she loved to twirl in the dress and point out her fancy shoes to anyone that would listen.

Megan was thrilled when the other classes started going on stage - she loved to sing, clap, jump along with all the actions - wheels on the bus was a big favorite!

And then it was her class turn - they sang snow, ice, wind and hail go away! And played the xylophones (taking turns) to each of the verses. She did very well and wasn't stage-shy at all! It was a very fun night. Daddy and Megan will continue the classes in the New Year and hopefully Nana and Baba Boyd can come to the Spring Concert.

Megan and Daddy have been doing the "12 Day of Christmas" for mommy! On day 11, she received 11 red and green balloons...something that Megan liked even more than Mom! We found out that "balloon" is already a word she knew (although it is more like...baboon)

Katie had her dressed in a new outfit from last week's trip to Vegas and her hair in little pig-tails. Happy girl for sure!

Santa's Helper

2010-12-05T13:53:00.002-07:00

Megan and I spent some time at the mall this afternoon. It's still cold and Katie is in Vegas with a girlfriend, her mom and her Aunt. Plus, exposure to Santa before 'picture day' may help avoid a pooh-explosion like last year. Megan mostly loved the presents - bows, ribbon and wrapping. But she would sneak-a-peak at the jolly man in red once and a while too!

Maybe next weekend we will go and try the photo shoot?

Morning Hair & Playtime

2010-11-27T09:15:00.005-07:00

Megan's hair can be very wild - mostly first thing in the morning. But the other day when she woke up it was extra CRAZY! She thought it was funny to have the camera out so early in the morning, but was more than happy to give us a few big smiles!

And of course, she likes to walk the 'runway' and have photos taken then too. "Miss Megan is wearing Superstore Joe Fleece Pajamas with little deer accents. This winter's special accessory is a soft pink blankie we call Rags...notice that big hair is making a comeback..."

And these were taken after dinner the other night - she loves to be chased! And as soon as she notices the camera, she comes over to see the photos/video.

Grandma & Grandpa are scheduled to babysit this afternoon as Megan and Sierra play together and the parents spend a lunch getting caught-up. Both mommy and Megan have been sick to their tummies the last few nights, but we'll see if everyone is feeling better today.

Have a great weekend!

SNO-VEMBER

2010-11-18T10:37:00.003-07:00

We've been lucky that the snow didn't hit Calgary until mid-November. But it came this week and hasn't decided to leave. Here's some of what we are dealing with. Temps are in the -20's. It's always the first blast of winter & the brutal drivers that make you wonder why you don't live somewhere warm year-round!

No pictures of Megan this post - but when it warms up and we venture to play in the snow, we'll be sure to provide an update.

Other than that, life has mostly revolved trying to get over colds. Katie and Megan had it last week and Scott has fought it this week. Hopefully we're done now! We will try and get out and about this weekend - something blog-worthy : )

Halloween...maybe next year

2010-11-03T15:10:00.004-06:00

I'm sure all of you are wondering where our Halloween pictures are...well, Little Miss Megan got a pretty bad cold on the weekend and was WAY too tired to head out trick or treating. We tried to get her into her costume for some photos, but this picture says it all...

We did get our pumpkin carved and handed out some candy, but it was a pretty low key Halloween...maybe we'll have more to post next year????

On a happier note...here's a cute picture of Megan sporting her new slippers!

Music Class

2010-11-02T20:14:00.002-06:00

I was able to snap a quick photo of our little girl during her time on the Xylophone with the teacher. Megan is loving the music class and we see her development in each class. So far we have played the bongo drums, bells, triangle and egg shakers. She is learning new rhythms and learning stop and go as the music stops.

She is very tired at the end of the class - that's for sure!

Megan's Off to School

2010-10-28T09:36:00.008-06:00

Apparently Megan has a thing for backpacks! I was getting her things together to leave for daycare this morning and she decided she wanted to wear her backpack...her real backpack! So what could I do..I put it on her and grabbed the camera!

She spent about 1/2 an hour wandering around the house happy as could be. Fortunately all I had to do was remind her about Rags and she gave up the backpack so I could get her coat on and put her in her car seat :)

Speaking of daycare...we received our first piece of authentic "Megan" artwork the other day. The kids were doing some arts and crafts for Halloween and I found this wonderful piece of modern art in her cubby when I went to pick her up. She also decorated a paper pumpkin with eyes, noes and mouth....but that one was up on the wall so we don't have any photos of that one.

Happy Halloween! We can't wait to hear all your scary stories!

Sunday Thoughts from Megan...

2010-10-24T18:58:00.004-06:00

On Sunday, daddy and I try to watch some football in the afternoon. We love to cheer good plays and see all the highlights from the games. Mommy thinks we're cute and wants us to pose for photos, but I don't want to miss any of the action!

I got a new toque from grandma and I actually like to wear it! It keeps me really warm.

One of my favorite things to do is chase mommy & daddy - especially when one of them carries me and we can go extra fast!

Picking a Pumpkin

2010-10-23T17:36:00.002-06:00

Tis' the season! We went the Farmer's Market this weekend and explored the pumpkins to bring home. We now have one and will have to think about our carving design this year. Little Miss Megan loved wondering the aisles, talking to strangers and snacking on a yummy cheese bun for her morning snack.

It was a cool weekend in Calgary - still no snow, so we have nothing really to complain about. We also went swimming, had some nice walks and play time at the lake and parks. We were fortunate to have Grandma and Grandpa babysit for us this weekend too -- we met some friends in Bragg Creek at our favorite German food Restaurant - mmm...Schnitzel!

We are back on schedule at work this week too. Daddy will have Megan on Monday and do their music class together - then day care for 3 days and home with mommy on Friday! Another busy week ahead, but it's sure to be fun with our little one!

Hard to believe that Halloween is next weekend - boo!

Megan's New "Backpack"

2010-10-16T11:44:00.003-06:00

Now that Megan is a walking machine and sometimes even does a short stretch of running - usually away from us - it is time to invest in a child harness...or as we tell Megan, her new "backpack"! We know this is a bit of a controversial topic amongst parents, but Megan is all over the place and isn't afraid of ANYTHING...including passing traffic, big dogs, and strangers (we have a lot of work with "stranger danger" ahead of us!).

Fortunately she loves her new "backpack". She even brings it to us in the house and wants us to help her get into it!

Geocaching

2010-10-11T18:23:00.003-06:00

When Katie went back to work earlier this month, her boss told her to go and get a new cell phone. So she bought an iphone4. She loves it and each day shows me something different it can do. And today, while the Turkey was cooking, we tried something new on it -- Geocaching!

It has GPS and all the gizmos you'd ever want. We downloaded a Geocaching Application (App) and voila! We were off to discover some new adventures. We live really close to some great areas and made the most of our chilly day in Calgary.

Megan was eager to help us find the geo goodies, but was easily distracted with puppy dogs! She LOVES animals and has no fear - so we make up what she lacks : ) We told her we weren't trying to find the dog and we continued on our adventure.

The iphone4 GPS got us within 3 feet of the geocache each time. This one was in a camo box and had twigs/leaves covering it up.

And while this one was in a clear Tupperware container, you had to be on the right side of the tree. We filled out each of the log books and took some time to read some of the other comments. We plan on placing a couple in our neighbourhood and track who is comes and where they are from!

Do you do any geocaching?

Happy Anniversary

2010-10-02T19:56:00.006-06:00

We celebrated an Anniversary this weekend. Hard to believe it was only a few years ago that we were in Tahiti! And who can forget a couple years before then when we met on a May Long Weekend biking the Golden Triangle. ~ Love ya!

We put Megan in daycare and went for a morning spa massage, followed by lunch - very relaxing! And last weekend we went to Zooza - the latest Cirque du Soleil show to tour Calgary. We've been to a few of the Cirque shows, but this one was most impressive. The 2.5hrs just flew by and it was very entertaining! If it's touring near you - we'd strongly recommend you check it out! Our favorite act was the Wheel of Death - be sure to check out the video clip!

Happy Birthday!

2010-09-27T16:03:00.013-06:00

Our little girl turned 1 on Monday! We've heard parents over the years ponder, "where did the year go?" and we now find ourselves asking the same question! But what a great year we've had with Megan and we celebrated her birthday with friends and family at home on the weekend!

Megan was lucky enough to have a couple of little ones to play with at her birthday party too - Cousin Sierra was happy to show her the ropes when it came to new toys and little Lincoln was another great play mate!

Althougth Megan was far more interested in the wrapping her gifts came in, we did manage to grab her attention long enough to read a couple of cards.

Because Megan probably wouldn't be here without Crave cupcakes, we thought it fitting that she have them for her 1st birthday! OK, maybe mom had something to do with the decision :) Anyway, Megan doesn't really have a sweet tooth so we weren't sure how the cake would go...but we decided to undress her just in case!!! As you can see from the photos, she probably would have preferred a candle on some strawberries. Don't worry all you Crave fans, mommy made sure the "Happy Birthday" cupcake didn't go to waste!

I should also mention that Scott didn't mind having his birthday hijacked (forever more) by his little princess! Happy Birthday Scott!!!! We didn't have a cake for him, but he did get to open his presents :)

We were lucky enough to have Nana and Baba here for our household birthdays and Megan thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Lots of giggles for Baba and even more cuddles and story time with Nana! Here's a shot clip of just how much Megan enjoyed their visit!

It's Offical...I'm an Officer in Training!

2010-09-17T17:30:00.004-06:00

A little while ago Mommy said that I have a social insurance number so I can get to work and earn my keep any time. Because I'm such a good little girl I asked Daddy to help me apply to become a police office just like him - I think my Daddy is GREAT! Here are some photos of me filling out my application online - even though I'm not quite one yet, I'm still a wiz with the computer :)

A few weeks later, and maybe a little help from my Daddy, I was accepted to the academy to start my training! We've been working really hard and I've been learning a LOT. Good job I've been walking for a little while or I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up! Because I'm a little smaller than the other recruits, Daddy has been helping me at home to make sure I don't get left behind...here's some photos of me chasing down Mommy yelling "Stop or I'll poo!"...oh, I mean "Stop or I'll shoot!"

I'm pretty happy with the "Officer in Training" outfit they gave me too!

Getting Ready for Her Birthday

2010-09-05T10:04:00.002-06:00

Last night we went for dinner with some friends while Grandma & Grandpa came over to babysit. Megan loves it when Grandma & Grandpa come over because it usually means LOTS of fun...and they didn't disappoint! Grandma stopped at the Dollar Store on her way over and got Megan some party blowers to get her ready for her birthday. As you can see from the video, Megan found then hilarious!

Megan's Latest Haircut

2010-09-01T18:48:00.004-06:00

I took Megan for another hair cut today - I'm stating to get accustomed to the idea now that we are on haircut #3, but Megan sure isn't. I had to pin her to my chest to get her to sit still and she cried from the moment they put the cape on her. But before we left she was already smiling at the lady who cut her hair so apparently there are no hard feelings :)

Now all we have to get accustomed to is how old she looks! Her cute little bob makes her look much older than the little girl she still is.

11 Month Update

2010-08-28T19:35:00.004-06:00

Our little girl was 11 months this weekend. And we had a full weekend of fun activities to keep her busy! We took her to get weighed and measured. She is now slightly more than 20lbs and is 28.5 inches long. She continues to develop her walking abilities and, on the right surface, she will now even try running!

We went and saw our friend play in a Steel Drum band. Jen toured with the group on the East Coast of Canada this summer and they were excellent to listen to! Megan loved the rhythm and could be seen shaking her bum as she stood in place!

Scott is in a Slo-Pitch Tournament this weekend. His team is doing OK and will be playing in the 'B' Pool tomorrow for the finals. Scott has played really well this weekend - even had a home run in his first game this morning. Megan loved to watch her daddy and was there to greet him as he came off the field - very cute! The rest of the time she was content exploring the area with mom and meeting new people.

And here are a few quick shots of Megan playing at home this weekend. She knows and can mimic the sounds a dog and cow makes. Again, she loves to stand at the fridge and dance when the barnyard game makes noise!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend too!

Duck Race!

2010-08-16T09:28:00.006-06:00

This weekend was the Annual Duck Race at our Lake. We bought numbers 14, 20 and 40 and cheered them on while raising funds for charity. Here's a look at what we experienced during the race!

More than 200 duck contestants started off in the box - we quickly looked for our numbers to say some final encouraging words, but couldn't see them! They were then dumped into the water near the top holding pond at the Lake.

Initial scouting reports had all contestants roughly equal after the dump into the water - but the ducks quickly lined up with the current as they approached the first set of rapids.

Not being able to see any of our ducks with the leaders, we dropped back to try and cheer them on in the middle-pack. There didn't seem to be the same urgency with these ducks! But near the front, the leaders were already nearing the second-set of rapids!

We caught up with the leaders just before they went over the water falls! In review of the photos, we think our 3 ducks may have been the ones hiding behind the rock...too scared to go over the falls! The falls were a chance to once again spread out the field - with several of them just hanging out in the lower pond waiting for their friends to join them!

But for the serious ducks, they navigated their way down the small falls and third rapids before getting into the final stretch. But where were our ducks? Had they forgotten to put them in the bucket at the start?

Just as we had given up hope, we spotted a duck that truly look scared! With big eyes and body below the surface, it floated by near the front of the group. Could it be? Sure enough, #14 was giving a final surge towards the finish line with the top of the pack!

Alas, it was not meant to be the winner tho! You won't believe the top finisher numbers...#39 came first and #19 came second...so much for our #40 and #20! It was a great afternoon. Megan is going to love running with the other kids and cheering on her duck next year.

By the way, #14 finished top 10 in the overall standings!

Megan Is Walking!

2010-08-14T17:30:00.002-06:00

Megan has taken her first few steps! And then a few more...and then we went and got the camera!

Megan's a Movie Star

2010-08-14T13:26:00.005-06:00

Now that we have a camera the takes short clips on video (that isn't 100's of MB's) we can upload more video of Megan! Enjoy...especially to those of you who don't get to see her in action on a regular basis.

Grandma was "nice" enough to give Megan a new whistle...and lucky for us she already knows how to use it. The first time she blew the whistle she couldn't stop laughing, but she's now gives a little giggle & smile and keeps on blowing.

This one is Megan in the bath...Daddy should consider trading in his uniform for a stylists apron!

This video documents why Megan prefers to walk everywhere! Her Quasimoto crawl just isn't all that efficient.

Megan and Daddy do a lot of playing together...and she loves to chase anyone who is willing to run from her! Our favorite part of this one is at the beginning when she pokes her head around the corner looking for Scott, and then pops up standing to chase him. This video is right before bed so she's quite a bit slower getting back up...sleepy little monkey.

And finally, Megan showing off her latest walking skills - I only need one hand now daddy! Last night she did get so caught up in playing that she actually took a couple of unassisted steps on her own before falling!

Kelowna 2

2010-08-09T21:56:00.002-06:00

You have to tilt your head (sorry) but here is Megan taking a walk in the lake, with a little help from her daddy.

Kelowna

2010-08-09T21:40:00.004-06:00

We made an extra long weekend and headed to Kelowna to visit Jenny and her parents. Jen is there visiting them for a few weeks and invited us along for a few days. We had great weather and enjoyed our time on the beach, drinking wine and simply relaxing! Megan was an excellent traveller (again!) for us. Katie kept her entertained during the car ride and once there, the house cat ("Carl") and all the activities kept her well amused.

Jenn's folks have a beautiful home on the hills of West Kelowna and Megan loved to kick-back and eat all the fresh fruit from their orchard. Peaches were in season and brought big smiles each morning as her mom cut them up for her.

Megan also spotted Ogopogo, but seemed less than impressed!

We spent some time at the 'Nut Farm' (haha - short trip for us, I know!) But it's a very cool beach area and Megan enjoyed trying some of the equipment for the bigger kids.

Our little girl had tons of smiles and seemed to alternate between 'mommy and daddy's girl' depending on what she wanted : ) We had a great weekend - thanks to Jenny and her family!

Tour de Bowness

2010-08-02T20:29:00.005-06:00

Today, we went across the City to watch a few bike races in Bowness. We watched a couple different categories on the closed course. A Criterium Race - tons of laps (25-35) of a very short course (.75km) - making it a spectators dream!! We found a spot on a corner with tons of pads on it - and as luck would have it we got to witness a crash (not to worry everyone was OK!)

They have a pace motorcycle for all the laps and different laps carry with them cash or prize incentives - so you often see tons of sprinting throughout the race to make it even more exciting! Of course, the top three riders of each category get prizes too.

Megan loved to cheer on the riders and her new found skill of clapping came in very useful as they raced past her. In the large group they created enough wind to blow in her face - she loved that too and would turn to the side with a big smile as they passed our position!

Of course there was also tons of walking to be done. She had to walk past everyone to make sure they saw her! Dozens of the female riders who were waiting for their race stopped and talked with us and commented on our little girl. Megan, of course, loved the attention and had a smile for them.

And if the action of the riders and fans weren't enough, our little girl was distracted by each puppy-dog that went by too. It's clear that she loves animals. Last night at a friend's BBQ she crawled after a cat the entire night. And today it was dogs. She'd yell, clap or bang her tray to get their attention...and of course end up with a big smile.

We had a beautiful day out with our little girl. We hope she'll love biking too.

Rubber Duckies

2010-08-01T14:46:00.004-06:00

We are now less than two weeks away from the Amazing Chaparral Lake Rubber-Duck Race!

On our walk today we stopped into the community centre and purchased 3 ducks. We didn't get our ideal number selections, but we are remaining positive that one of them will WIN. We've selected # 14, 20 & 40.

On Saturday August 14, all 200 rubber ducks will start at the top of the Chaparral Lake waterfall. They will be released and go over the falls and then down the river towards the lake. The first duck to enter the lake wins. (Not sure what the prize is actually - perhaps just bragging rights!?)

All proceeds go to charity and for $2/duck - it's worth the fun!! We will be at the race to cheer on our ducks and we will be sure to have photos.

Clapping and Crawling and Climbing, Oh My!

2010-07-31T15:22:00.006-06:00

Although we were convinced that Megan would skip the crawling stage entirely, she has decided she would like some independence and started crawling - it's a kind of modified quasi moto crawl (on one knee and one foot), but she motors about without too much trouble. And since she has already mastered the art of pulling herself up to standing and walking along furniture she is remarkably mobile. Bring on the baby gates!

She has a fascination with the washroom - banging on the toilet seat and the side of the tub. Megan has discovered the toilet paper roll and thinks it's pretty cool to unravel it, but fortunately she hasn't discovered the toilet bowl...yet!

Grandma also taught Megan to clap the other day...now when I go in her room to get her up in the morning I go in to a round of applause - very cute! This new skill is also especially helpful when she's getting a bit cranky in the car - a quick round of "If You're Happy and You Know It" and she is back to smiling. This will come in handy when we drive to Kelowna in the coming weeks - although we might be sick of they song by the time we reach Canmore!

We have a few BBQ's planned for the long weekend, but for the most part we are just hanging out as a family...what do you have planned for the long weekend? Whatever it is we hope you have fun!

The Weekend to End Women's Cancers

2010-07-31T14:41:00.003-06:00

Last weekend I walked 60km with my Dad and Aunt in support of ending Women's' Cancers. We walked 35km on Saturday and 25km on Sunday...for those of you familiar with the Calgary area, that is like walking from Priddis to the Calgary Airport! The event was fantastic and we were lucky enough to get weather to match.

Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause...there were 1114 walkers and together we managed to raise $2.7 million! One of my mom's friends (she was the captain of our team and the crew chief for lunch everyday) is a direct recipient of the money in the form of a cancer fighting drug that would not be available to her if this money could not be raised - so once again, a BIG thank you to everyone who was generous enough to donate on my behalf.

It was a true family event! My mom volunteered and was there to serve us lunch both days...and Scott and Megan came to cheer us on on Sunday.

Needless to say, walking 60km in one weekend can be pretty hard on your feet. My Aunt only had a couple of small blisters and some hot spots, but still had feet that resembled a mummy. And that was nothing compared to the look of some feet! I was surprised some of them could even stand let alone walk!

Calaway Park!

2010-07-27T19:38:00.007-06:00

We went to Calaway Park on Monday - a great place for kids of all ages! We had a fun day exploring the park and the boys and Megan loved all the activities.

Wesley & Heather get ready for some water bumper boats!

The Nanaimo Boyds get into the AeroMax for 'take-off'

The bi-plane was the first ride of the day and they pretended they were spitfire pilots!

Grant was selected from the crowd to come on stage and help the performers. This was classic because our dad is famous for always being selected at these type of events - way too funny!

Megan got on a few rides with mom & dad too - cloud ride with dad and horse ride carousel with mom!

Megan gets to check out the park from a couple of different vantage points - and loves them both! She really wanted to crawl under one of the trees...mom thinks she's going to be a surveillance spy with those skills : )

Classic Megan - standing on the bench talking away to herself and then looks up to realize she is the star of mommy & daddy's show!

And of course, every star needs to kick back and relax...she does it well.

Swim Time!

2010-07-23T20:24:00.004-06:00

We have Grant (Scott's Brother), Heather and their boys visiting us for the week! Today started with a trip to the Police Station. The boys got to see prisoner holding cells, report room and of course a police car. They loved the lights and got to play with them and the sirens!

We then went to the wave pool and the boys got to show off their swimming skills for Megan. Colin and Wesley both went down water slides, dunked their heads in the water and floated on their backs when the waves started - very impressive!

Megan, of course, not wanting to be outdone by the boys showed how she can dunk under water too - no screaming or fussing. She was very content watching them splash around and had a smile the whole time.

Daddy & Megan - Mommy & Megan

Wesley underwater holding his breath!

Colin swinging from the rope dropping into the deep end!

Wesley enjoying the water slide.

The Nanaimo Boyds then continued their Calgary adventure as the Calgary Boyds took Megan home for a nap. They went to the Calgary Tower and toured the downtown before coming back for 'homemade pizza night' We played in the backyard and Grandma and Grandpa Lee came over to see everyone and play with Megan before bed.

Tomorrow, Katie is doing the Weekend to End Breast Cancer - so she'll be walking 60kms in the next two days. The rest of us have a trip to the Zoo planned and maybe cool off at the lake, as it's gonna be hot finally! We hope to catch Katie at her lunch break and cheer her on!

Catch up soon.

See Horse Jump . . .

2010-07-11T19:30:00.005-06:00

This weekend we took in "The National" at Spruce Meadows - we only planned on going one day, but Megan liked it so much, we went both days. Beside watching the amazing horses and their riders compete for $100,000's of prizes, they make the entire day 'kid friendly.'

They have carriage rides, pony rides, live Dixie bands (which Megan absolutely loved!), an "International Food Fair" (OK, mommy and daddy liked that part) and lots of places to sit and watch people....another of Megan's favorite activities!

The rides were free and took you around the area. The band played all kinds of tunes. Megan's favorite was the drum solos - that'a girl!

And of course there was the horse jumping. Being that we had a buggy with a kid in it - they reserve front row seats in the bleachers for parents. And as you can tell from the photos...that meant we were up close for all the action! Our little girl just stared in amazement - with the occasional "oh..wow..oh!"

For any of you that know the movie, "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory" - don't you think these kids look like the Umpa Loopas? Anyway - we did and took a photo! As we walked through the ticket gate (free because of their 35th Anniversary) we were given these cool foam horses. We also got one for cousin Sierra and she loves hers too!

Speaking of cousin Sierra - we had a huge gathering tonight at the Acreage in Priddis with Katie's Aunt Eve. The cousins loved showing off their new skills (Sierra is now walking all by herself!) and Megan was doing everything she could to keep up - pushing her stroller. Megan used the occasion to wear one of her summer dresses - thank you, Grandma!

And after getting dirty and running around all weekend, we ended the night with our bedtime routine....which now includes a quick toothbrush routine. Fortunately she loves the feel of the brush on her teeth and gums and "opens wide" when she sees it coming!

You are up-to-date. Hope you had a great weekend too - be sure to let us know what you've been doing this weekend.

Crawl...I don't think so!

2010-07-09T19:22:00.004-06:00

Megan has a new toy! It has sped up her ability to get around and probably made sure she will never crawl. She LOVES the musical walker - complete with horn...beep beep...get out of my way! hahaha! She very much enjoys scooting around the house - finding a place to "dock" playing in that area for a little and then getting back on the move. She is so much fun to watch!

Let's go Streaking! She was playing in her pool and then decided she wanted to go for a walk. Unfortunately she flashed the neighbourhood in the process! We promise we will be more responsible, Officer!

Megan - 9 months, 18 pounds and 28 inches tall. Too many 'rolls' to count!

More Megan...With Teeth This Time!

2010-07-06T18:45:00.004-06:00

We've been busy with a bunch of activities and family events! But here's some updates of our little girl from the past few days and week - hope you enjoy them!

"I have two teeth on the bottom...two more poking through up top!"

"I love to pick-up my own food...don't even think of trying to feed me anymore!"

"Daddy has been away lots...so when he got home, I was excited and played myself out...and fell asleep in his arms at bedtime."

"Look at me...but don't try and stop me from grabbing the blinds, Mom!"

"I want to see the camera, please!"

"Just plain cute!"

Grandpa

2010-07-06T18:43:00.003-06:00

Grandpa Horrill passed away last week. Scott was in Vancouver this weekend for the funeral. Grandpa had been battling cancer for a few years and will be deeply missed. All the grand kids got up and shared a few memories during the funeral - it's what he wanted and it made Grandma happy too.

Katie and Megan went to see Grandpa in May and had a nice visit with him - shortly after he was hospitalized, so it was nice to see him in his place with his banjo.

Scott had a chance to catch-up with both brothers this weekend too - a quick visit, but good to see everyone!

Toronto - G20 Summit

2010-06-22T11:46:00.003-06:00

Scott has been in Toronto for the past few days. He has been on the Planning Team at work and they've sent more than 160 officers from Calgary to help keep the G20 sites in Toronto secure. He says that the citizens love Calgary officers - often stopping to talk about the "Flames" or their last time at the Calgary Stampede - you can imagine his 'excitement'.

They are working long hours, but he is having fun. The weather has been very hot the past few days. Rain is expected for the next couple of days, but will heat up again in time for the weekend and all the expected protests.

There are lots of protest activities already taking place and he thinks, once the G20 starts on Friday, things will get even busier. Here's a photo of him and some of his team - they are responsible for securing part of the most external fence within the site.

Oh - not sure if he got 'soft' becuase of his office job the past few years, or if its the extra weight of carrying a helmet and gas mas on his belt - but his hips and feet are already in pain!

Early Father's Day

2010-06-16T18:04:00.004-06:00

Since Scott leaves this weekend for Toronto (G8/G20 Summit), we decided to have Father's Day early. Lucky for him he has a little girl who knew he was looking at an amp for his drum kit -- whoo hoo! This makes it that much easier to mix his drumming with his iPod music...now it sounds like we have a full band in the house.

Megan got to listen to him play and she was kicking her feet to the beat - very cute! Happy Father's Day! xo

Windows & Doors!

2010-06-16T17:55:00.003-06:00

If you've ever been in our bonus room (not the photo shown!) then you know how the West facing room can heat up from the Prairie sun! We spent one summer with it and that was more than enough. So we did some research and brought in a company that does 3M window films. What a difference!

The film has one of the best solar heat reduction ratings on the market and we should notice the 48% heat reduction, especially on those long summer days! Of course, it also has the added bonus of keeping heat in during our winter months.

And to help keep things cool, we installed a Phantom Door Screen on our front door. There is already a screen on the back door - so this creates an excellent cross-breeze. We have tons of visitors coming next month, so you can thank us for the added comfort when you visit : )

Exploring Megan's Room

2010-06-04T16:26:00.003-06:00

So...our little monkey is eager to explore her room. This afternoon when she awoke from her nap - we walked into her trying to get herself into a standing position in her crib! It's time to drop the mattress since it's still at the easy baby height.

Anyway - we thought we'd take the time to snap a few photos once we helped her up - since she looked so cute!

She loves the butterflies and often talks to them as she is falling asleep or when she first wakes up...too cute.

Here she is showing off her standing skills! And she got a "my first chair" teddy bear when she was only weeks old - it's now a favorite hang-out for her.

Still no teeth - but tons of drool!

These were from last weekend when we were having a lazy morning due to the snow outside. Daddy-daughter fun!

Really, I Swear It's Spring!

2010-05-28T11:46:00.006-06:00

So you may have heard that Calgary was hit with some snow...yup, it's true! Hard to believe it's June next week! It's stayed on the grass and roof tops - but the roads have remained clear. Likely a weekend to just stay inside and play.

And speaking of which...our little girl is up on her hands and knees exploring the world. No crawling is taking place - just lots of rocking back and forth. Then she rests, ponders things and shows off for the camera!

Enjoy your weekend!

Megan's Bad Habit

2010-05-26T16:25:00.005-06:00

Megan has officially entered the "pushing the limits" stage. Recently she has learned to blow raspberries and thinks it's pretty funny to blow them with a mouth full of food! We do understand that most babies go through this stage, but what makes Megan a little different is that when we say "No" in a stern voice she gets this little smirk on her face, looks you right in the eye and does it again!!! If this is just the beginning we might be in for a little trouble when she's a teenager!

I'm pretty sure she takes after her dad :)

Megan's First Haircut

2010-05-21T12:46:00.006-06:00

Although we've been trying to delay Megan's first haircut until after her first birthday, her hair was just way to crazy now that summer is here...any time we went outside it would blow in her eyes and would be all over the place.

Since we didn't dare go near her with scissors (the nail clippers are difficult enough to keep out of her hot little hands!) we made her an appointment at Beaners. At first she really liked the place...lots of new things to look at, and a few kids to watch too. The beginning of the trim was pretty good also...but once she had had enough, the tears started :( Fortunately her hair was almost done so it didn't take too long for her to get back into Mommy and Daddy's arms for a cuddle. The staff at Beaners gave her a little certificate with a lock of hair on it to commemorate the day - and also gave us a few extra locks since she had so much!

Here are the before and after shots

They did cut the cute curly locks by her ears, but they should grow back in no time...and at least they will be the same length as the rest of her hair this time!

Welcome to the Zoo!

2010-05-19T12:00:00.004-06:00

Yesterday Megan and I went to the zoo with Roxice (my sister-in-law), Sierra, my Aunt Jean and Uncle Tom (they are visiting from England)...and what a beautiful day it was - sunny and 27 degrees!

The little ones seemed to enjoy themselves and Sierra even got to see what being a zoo animal is all about! It was time for Megan's nap so Roxcie and I went for a little walk to put her to sleep. Roxcie tried to get Sierra to sleep (by putting down the dark hood of her stroller), but what resulted was Sierra's "real" zoo experience!

She was so cute and seemed to really enjoy checking things out from the other side of the "glass".

Say Hello to Nathan Thomas Boyd

2010-05-17T19:07:00.006-06:00

Megan has another boy cousin!! Paul & Amanda welcomed their second son. Nathan arrived at 9:05pm on Sunday May 16th. He weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces & is 21 inches long. Mom and baby are all doing well and will be home tomorrow.

Matthew has already had a few visits and loves giving kisses to his little brother! And speaking of Matthew, we dug up a blog photo of when he was born. As you can see - they looked very much the same shortly after birth -- very cute!!

Nathan on the left, Matthew on the right. They are bound to be best friends and have tons of adventures together.

Congratulations - we can't wait to see everyone!

Fun @ the Park

2010-05-14T11:01:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year - time to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather! We are fortunate to have several parks within a 2 minute walk from us. So when daddy got home from work this past week, we were able to have some fun on the slides and swings before dinner!

Megan adores the swing! It doesn't have to move very much, but she has the big smiles as if it were the best ride at the park!

We have a picnic planned at the lake this weekend. With temps in the mid 20's it should be a great weekend outdoors.

What do you have planned??

School's Out!

2010-05-13T07:26:00.005-06:00

Scott officially finished his Master's on Monday night (congratulations Scott!)...and that just happened to be the day he received his new electronic drum set. I know this will surprise any of you who know Scott personally, but the first night he played for two hours - long enough to work up a sweat & feel sore, as well as get a nice set of blisters on his hands!

Paul, if you really want to do the reunion Skool Boyz tour, now is the time to ask! He'll take any excuse to play those drums!

Congratulations Scott - this is a well earned bit of fun after a long and arduous school schedule!

Megan's Island Advantures!

2010-05-03T17:09:00.005-06:00

Hi Everyone! While my mom is busy visiting, I thought I would write a quick blog to let you know what I've been doing during my visit!

I've been busy eating and trying some new foods. Nana loves to give me big servings, so I have to open up very very wide!

I've been playing with my boy cousins - -Colin and Wesley. I got to see Colin play softball and Wesley play catch with mommy.

Baba has been reading me some new books and I'm getting good at turning the pages!

I've been showing Uncle Grant my computer skills. Mom and Dad limit my time at home...but he let me touch all the buttons!

And Auntie Heather showed me something new! She was teaching me to play the piano - she's really good and I liked trying to follow her fingers...so much fun!

Today I am also getting to see my Uncle Steve - so that will be fun. Maybe mommy will post more photos later. Thanks for checking...enjoy the photos!

Ottawa Realizations . . .

2010-04-30T21:58:00.003-06:00

I love walking around downtown Ottawa. Tonight before I met with friends in the Market, I walked Major's Hill Park and the grounds of Parliament Hill. This photo (phone camera...poor quality) is from the park looking up to the clock tower on Parliament Hill.

I was struck by the history of where I was walking and as I reflected - I thought that this would be a great place to live with the family...

But then I remember each time I've ever worked along side the Feds (sorry, Grant!) and I know the bureaucracy of this city would drive me insane!

So we'll just have to plan a family visit instead! hahaha. In all seriousness, I think this is my next favorite Canadian City after Calgary. I really wish Calgary could duplicate the vibe and atmosphere of the Market here - Eau Claire is just so bland in comparison.

What are your thoughts on our Nation's Capital?

Time Away . . .

2010-04-30T10:24:00.003-06:00

We are nearing the end of the first week apart - Katie and Megan in BC and Scott in ON. Let's get you up-to-date!

The girls have had a great visit with Nana and Baba so far. They made a trip to Vancouver and visited with Great Grandma and Grandpa. She was a little shy - but warmed up to them at the end. Megan continues to impress Nana and Baba - trying new activities, etc. And wouldn't you know it - she said, "Da da, Da da" for the first time while she has been there. Scott can't wait to see her and put a face to the words!

They have both enjoyed their cuddle times with Megan and continue to help her explore all the West Coast Adventures along the way...which can be a tiring experience - so lots of naps are required : )

Scott's course is going well. And the weather in Ottawa has been beautiful (Yeah, we missed the Calgary snow storm!) He'll be doing homework on the weekend, but has a trip planned to Quebec to check out a show and poker tournament for some fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Captions!

2010-04-21T19:02:00.005-06:00

Dad surprised us with being home early this afternoon from work. We made the most of it by playing with our little girl and capturing some of it to share.

Here's some of our captions - but you can help by submitting your ideas too...from Left to Right, Top to Bottom #1 to #4....

#1: "Is there a lifeguard on duty? Because I'm about to swipe all my toys into the water!"

#2: "Life is good. Hand in my mouth and the other in daddy's"

#3: "Kick back and relax!"

#4: "Pause to ponder what's going on behind the curls."

After tomorrow we have an extra long weekend together - Katie's Birthday Bowlerama is on Saturday, we are volunteering at the Police Half Marathon on Sunday and then some family time on Monday before Scott heads to Ottawa for the better part of 2 weeks. Katie will be on the Island for most of it - so there should be some great blogs with Nana, Baba, Uncle Grant, Aunt Heather and the Boyd boy cousins! Stay tuned...

Birthday and Babies

2010-04-16T21:08:00.004-06:00

We were at the farm tonight celebrating Damian's 11th Birthday with the family. It was a cowboy theme party, so everyone got hats and six shooters!

He loved our gift -- Making Science Fun Kit -- Any time there are safety goggles...you know kids will love it! He couldn't wait to mix together some of the contents! Adam told him that maybe the Kit only works at Aunt Katie's house....where they have to clean up the mess : )

The girl cousins also had fun exploring and playing together. They are so cute to watch interact with each other. Wait another few months until Megan can crawl after Sierra!

Here's our little drummer! And any good rock star needs sunglasses!

Photos, Photos, Photos

2010-04-11T08:17:00.003-06:00

It has been the weekend of presents. Scott gave me my birthday present a couple of weeks early this year...a Canon Rebel T1i! I can't believe the quality of photos is takes without even trying - wait until we learn to really use it!

We were fortunate to get a visit from Adam, Roxcie and Sierra, and Grandma & Grandpa yesterday evening so it gave us a chance to snap some photos and test out our new camera...

We haven't quite figured out how to use the video mode yet (it takes HD video too!), but as soon as we do I'm sure you will be seeing more video of Megan (don't worry Heather, we will make sure to hold the camera in the correct orientation this time!).

Hope everyone is having a good weekend...and speaking of Birthdays...Happy Birthday Baba :)

Drummer Boy!

2010-04-09T19:23:00.003-06:00

Katie and Megan gave me an early graduation present!! She told me she's ordered an electronic drum set for finishing my Masters (4 more weeks!)

It's a Yamaha DTXPLORER. It comes with 32 factory kits, plus 10 user kits which you build from the 214 voices! It comes with everything you see in the photo - most kits don't come with a bass pedal, so this is unique - really a great deal. Plus, it has tons of pre-programmed drum lessons and an ipod input - to play along with your favorite tunes.

It's on order and should be here when I'm finished school...anything sooner will be trouble...as my concentration has already waned! I can't wait to set it up and teach Megan to play!!

If you want more details (Paul!) check out the Yamaha DTX Drums Site.

Thanks, Katie & Megan!! xo

6 Month Update

2010-04-05T14:30:00.002-06:00

Yes, we're more than a week behind giving Megan's 6 Month Update - but because we were fighting colds, we didn't get a chance to measure and weigh last week. We took care of that today and Megan is now 15lbs 3oz. and 27 inches tall.

She loves spending time in her bouncer - often she is in her own world. But when she realizes she has an audience, she shows off with a huge smile. Enjoy the video clip!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T07:54:00.003-06:00

Hope everyone is enjoying their Easter Weekend. We've been sick this past week...but everyone is now on the mend and looking forward to an extra long weekend. Scott doesn't go back to work until Tuesday, so it's nice to have 4 days at home instead of the normal 3 days.

We went for dinner with friends last night - grandma and grandpa babysat. It's a great Calgary Steak House and their special included some seafood which was a table favorite!

We have more walks planned the rest of the weekend and Scott now only has 5 more weeks of school before he's done his Masters! So we are trying to keep him motivated as he writes his final paper.

We'll have a small Easter dinner at our place with Grandma and Grandpa and a friend. Here's what else is going on...

Megan is getting better with her sippy cup. Katie has been getting creative in her sewing! She made a cat pillow for babies to play on in homes with hardwood floors. Her girlfriends have now placed their orders for a hippo, whale, butterfly and another cat! It's keeping her busy and she loves doing it.

Megan got a new toy this week from a friend who's child has grown out of it - she's enjoying all it has to offer. We put our names on a wait list for childcare. Scott's work has a contract with a company - guarantees you a spot, as long as you give 6 months notice. And since Megan turned 6 months a few weeks ago...the last half of mat leave will fly by quickly too!

Have a great weekend.

Family & Friends Photos!

2010-03-15T20:00:00.003-06:00

It's been a busy week - time to catch up. Megan got a high chair this week. Her inaugural meal in it was mushed bananas and avocado - which she loved!

We had a great visit out at the Farm this past weekend with her cousin Sierra. They hadn't seen each other in a few weeks, due to holiday schedules and such. So the two wasted no time getting back together, holding hands, singing and playing with each other -- very cute!

And the group of women Katie hangs out with a few times a week were at our place this week for lunch. With so many moms standing over top of their kid - none of them knew where to look...but it makes for an interesting photo!

Scott has a rare mid-week day off this week, so we are going to the Zoo tomorrow!! You may remember the Zoo from our trip to Hawaii -- Megan sees animal and cries. We're hoping she wants to try a new approach tomorrow...we'll let you know!! It's gonna be +18 in Calgary too!!

Shark Attack!

2010-03-09T20:31:00.005-07:00

OK- not really a shark attack, but these are some of the photos we took with a camera while in the water with the sharks.

Here's our view from the water & what it looks like when the sharks are swimming around the cage, before they tell you to get in the water!

This gives you a pretty good idea as to how they rub the cage and how big they were. We think the largest we saw was around 14 ft.

The crew films each of the cage adventures - so they stick their camera in the water from the boat and get video for you to buy.

Anyway - warm memories of our holiday as we got the pictures developed!