One month until Christmas!!

Today is November 25th - it will be Christmas in one month! I think I am more excited than the kids this year. Perhaps it's the new house that is bringing back some awesome Christmas memories or that I feel I have a handle on the shopping etc - either way, I'm pumped! I've been trying to deter the kids from watching too much tv - with all the commercials for new toys I was getting tired of hearing "I want that one - oh, I want that one too"! I remember being that excited but I would not have had a list as long as my arm like my kids do! I guess you are only 5 and 3 once right?

Some updates...we have been in the new house of almost 3 months now. We love it! The commute to work is nice and peaceful - no highway traffic to contend with. Charlie is loving his new school and is actually sad when he doesn't get to go. The boys are adjusting to their new daycare and Cam is so happy! He has some work to do with the basement. There was a flood when the storm drains were installed by the township so Cam has had to rip everything out of the basement and he will properly be installing new everything! Currently - there is cement floor and cement walls!

My parents are currently in Florida. Mom decided to join dad for a couple weeks. I will be picking her up from the airport on Tuesday. I'm excited for her to come home and help me start decorating the house for Christmas! We are going to have a full house this year. Besides The Evans' clan and my brother and his wife, the four of us will be there! It will be busy but amazing to be able to spend so much time together.

So besides the excitment of Christmas I'm also daydreaming about my trip to Florida in February. The boys and I will be going down a couple days before Cam. Cam has to help execute an outage at work before he can join us. Hopefully it is on time - his flight is booked! LOL!! The last couple of mornings I've had to scrape ice off my car windows - while driving to work I dream about being in the car on the way to the beach. I like winter and spending time at the cottage however, nothing gets me more excited than the thought of hanging out at the pool or beach in Florida. I know the boys will have a great time this year too - my dad bought a golf cart! Gotta admit - I'm excited to drive around on it too!

Okay - here are some pictures from the last couple of months! Enjoy!

Where has the time gone?

At the cottage thank you very much! It's been great! We have had so many fabulous vacation days at the cottage and the weather has been amazing - truly an awesome summer so far. Our house is stil for sale (boo) but we are moving anyway at the end of the month (yeah) - Charlie is to start school in Prince Albert in less than a month. New daycare, new school - hoping for a well adjusted kid - pretty exciting though!

So - we have been at the cottage, being horrible - not remembering to take lots of pictures...here are a few though....Updates when we move to come!


Cam geared up for "Boys Camping Night"


Charlie showing off his jumping skills

Sam enjoying his nightly skinny dip

Making Mommy have a heart attack by sitting on the top of the jungle gym!

Nudey Tudes!

Easter Weekend Fun

April Update

I usually only update the blog when I have photos to share however, it's been a couple months with no update so I figured it was time. We have been busy but no photographic proof (yet). We have been packing and purging our house for sale! Fun times! There are some projects that Cam has to get done before we can list (privately) but we are hoping for a May 1st open house! My mom is going to help me stage - she is fabulous with that stuff - not really my forte. I've been purging for the past couple months and I can not believe how much junk we have aquired over the last 4.5 years. I've taken 6 trunk loads to Value Village in the last 2 months - I think they are going to black list me soon...bringing way too much stuff!

We are purchasing my parents house in Port Perry and we are very excited to be in a bigger house with more property - the kids like the extra room to run around and with a large backyard, we won't worry so much about traffic, etc. My parents bought a place in Florida so they will be around half of the year and will live in the addition with Bizzy! We will be 1.5 hours away from the cottage which is another bonus - I think I will be more likely to scoot up for a day or two being that close!

The kids are growing like weeds (which is a good thing). Charlie is over half way through JK and he is doing well - he seems to really like his teacher and he has learned so much - printing, reading, counting, etc. Amazing really! He is registered to go to Prince Albert Public School in September - that is where I went to school - kinda neat! Sam is 2.5 and talking up a storm - he's really starting to assert himself more - letting us know how he feels. He has a temper but he is very affectionate and seeks it.

Cam has been busy and is now working at Darlington site for a month doing some cross-training and bench-marking. I think he is enjoying it - he's only been there a week and has been sick as a dog since he started. He has been smacked with every bug that has come through our house this winter. I guess working part time has exposed me more to the bugs - I haven't been sick (knock on wood)! My part time contract has been extended another year! I'm so excited! I will continue working part time until May of 2012. Sam will start JK 5 months later so I'm glad that I will have been able to spend extra time with the boys before they both get wrapped up in school.

Updates with pictures of our staged house to follow....

Florida was AWESOME!!!

We have officially been back for almost a week now but our family vacation to the Fort Myers area of Florida was amazing! My parents bought a carriage home in a gated golf community last summer and they have been enjoying it since then! We flew from Detroit this time as our tickets were cheap. We went up the night before to visit the Wilder's in Tecumseh which was so great. It was a great visit with them and the boys had a hoot entertaining Gerald. They slept well and then the next day after a hearty breakfast we drove to Detroit to catch our plane at 2pm. It was a breeze getting through the airport and the kids enjoyed running around playing on the moving floor! A little gravol in their lunch and they were sleeping for the whole flight - it was a great flight! :)



We arrived around dinner time and went straight to my parents place - had a meal and just relaxed. The boys loved their new room - thanks Nonna & GP!
Sunday saw sunny skies and Dad and Cam hit the links. Mom and I took the boys to Target and to Costco to load up on treats for them. In the afternoon we went swimming at the clubhouse pool - and of course, the boys loved it!

Monday was a beach day! I had no idea how much Sammy would love the beach. He entertained himself for hours! We just watched him playing in the sand while resting comfortably on our blanket!



Tuesday we rented an 18 foot pontoon boat and we travelled the bay off the gulf coast in Fort Myers Beach. The day was cool in the morning but the sun came out and I lapped it up. Sammy caught the only fish of the day - a catfish - and the highlight - Cam squeezing the fish and it pooping on his toes! Ha Ha!
We saw some dolphins, stopped at a beach for a walk and the boys ate the whole 4 hours we were out! Great day!
Tuesday night had Dad's friends from work over! The Moore's have a place on Sanibel (which we visited later in the week). Lots of wine was consumed!

Wednedsay was our trip to the Naples Zoo! The weather was favourable so it was a good time to go. Last year we went and it was too cold - almost all of the animals were off display. This time -they were all out! The kids loved the jungle gyms, the animal show and the gators. They also got to ride a camel - how cool is that? We also went out for dinner that night - the boys were great and I have never seen Charlie eat so much in his life! Millers - our fave restaurant!

Thursday I got to golfing with Dad, Cam and George. I had never played a full 18 holes before and even though I shot a 107 - I was pretty proud of myself! It was a hot day but I loved being out there and definitely cool spending the time with my dad. Mom and Marilyn watched the boys for the morning and they stayed for the day and had supper with us too. The boys really liked having more people to entertain. they were great though -they played in their walk in closet in their room!

Friday - invloved some much needed shopping time. Mom and I hit the outlet mall right across the street and the boys went to the Playland in the mall. Cam did the best of the day - new shirts, jeans, sweater, etc. In the afternoon we spent some time by the pool - by this point it was pretty much what we did every afternoon!


Saturday was our trip over to Sanibel Island. We drove over around 9:30am and there was so much fog we were worried our day would be a little gloomy. 15 minutes after getting to the Moore's condo the sun burned off all the clouds and we had a wonderful day. We walked the beach, hung out in the sun, had a swim in their pool and then the boys enjoyed some ice cream. Both boys fell asleep on the way home and I think Cam might have too!






Sunday was the Superbowl! Cam's team vs My Team. My team won! Go Packers! We just hung around most of the day - went swimming, did some shopping etc. Then we hankered down to watch the game and thankfully I didn't wake the boys up screaming over our victory. Yes - the cheeseheads rock! Despite his loyalty Cam won $20 on the game - he figured my team would win. :)

Monday we went to the Fort Myers Beach with mom. Again, it was foggy in the morning when we got there but teh sun burned it all off. The boys really liked this beach. it's more maintained so although their were not a lot of shells - the sand was softer. The walk into the water is very gradual and Cam and Charlie spent a good 1.5 hours just playing in the water - chasing waves, etc.


Tuesday was our last day in Florida so we did it up! It was actually the coolest day there - only reaching a high of 70. Still pretty nice compared to what was happening at home. We took the boys to Lakes Park - it's a regional park - very well maintained and the kids loved it. They got to play on a couple of jungle gyms, ride on a miniature train, walk the boardwalk and path and have a snack. It was a great way to end our trip. Later that night we took mom and dad out for dinner. During the meal an older woman came up to Cam and complimented him on the great manners and behaviour of his children. Definitely a great moment!

Wednesday morning our flight left at 7:30am - so the rest of the day was spent travelling back to our house. All in all a great trip. Can't wait to do it again next year. Here are a couple more pics for your viewing pleasure!

Cheers,
Alicia

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year all! We had a 50/50 christmas. Half of it was good and the other half stunk! We were all sick for about 2 weeks and that just drained everything from all of us. The other half was excellent because it was christmas! The kids were ecstatic that Santa knew what to bring them and they loved being around all our family and friends. My Aunt and Uncle from Halifax were visiting as well as their 3 daugthers. Also we got to spend some time with my brother and his wife. I love the family time around Christmas - just wish I could have enjoyed it a little bit more. My cousin Angela was at my parents place too but it wasn't until a couple days later that we actually got to sit and chat - due to my illness. Man - I hate being sick! Here's hoping that the new year brings less sickness. Charlie has been hit the worst - after his hospital stay in November he has been sick twice more since. Poor kid - I thought daycare would help his immune system for school but apparently I was wrong! Oh well - he motors on - at least he knows when he needs to barf and makes it to a bowl or toilet in time...small victories....

We are excited because in 3.5 weeks we will be going to Florida! First time the family has vacationed together in a couple years so it will be nice to go to my parents new place as a family. Got a great price out of Detroit - hopefully the weather cooperates. We will be there for 10 days so we hope to hit the golf course, the zoo and of course, the pool.

Sam is talking up a storm - he acts like a 4 year old - mostly because he is facsinated with everything his brother does and wants to make sure that he can keep up. He's even decided that he doesn't need to nap if his brother doesn't - that alone is an awesome reason to go back to work full time! A 2 year who doesn't nap....mon Dieu!

Speaking of full time work - I'm going back full time in April. I loved working part time but we need to get in a better spot financially so I'm going full time again. I hope to actually get a shift job - doing 12 hour days - Cam isn't sold on the idea but I'm hoping it would work. More money and time off during the week which would be great for spending that extra time with the kids.

So I will update after Florida! Hope all is well!

Cheers,
Alicia

Monthly posts aren't too bad right?

Okay - it's been about a month since I last posted so I figured I should update everyone! Things are okay here - just getting over a bout of the stomach flu - both kids were puking yesterday - good times! Cam and I have both been fighting a cold for over a week now - Cam is on week 3 I think. He just finished a forced outage so I think the long hours have been keeping the bug in the lead.

We are in full Christmas gear here! Tree has been up for weeks now, cards have been sent, most gifts wrapped and we are planning on hosting Boxing Day dinner. Cam's family and mine will come to our place for a feast. It will most likely be our last big hurrah with everyone here as we will be moving in the spring. My parents bought that house in Florida and they want to spend some time there so we are expediating our move to Port Perry. I'm really excited to move - bigger house, volunteers to look after the pool and garden (mom and dad) and lots of my friends willing to help us use the pool this summer! The drive to work will be longer, however, it's worth it - more property for Cam - he can go sledding from our front yard!

My trip to Florida was awesome! The weather was so beautiful everyday. We went shopping every morning and then hung out by the pool in the afternoon - had some cocktails and then had dinner. When we arrived there has just been a huge gas line explosion so the first two days saw us eating in....but we managed to survive. The place is gorgeous and the "secret" beach my parents told me about was heaven! I can't wait to go back with the whole family in January! Let the countdown begin! We got a great deal flying out of the Detroit - yes, we have to actually drive to Detroit, but the price is worth the hassle!

Here are some new pictures that I've added to FB recently, but are too cute not to share!

Cheers,
Alicia

Movember

While I'm keeping my mustache in check, I believe that Cam has let his grown in - not so much to support prostate cancer (which Movember is dedicated to) but because it's hunting season - well the end now, but still! So Cam has been gone 3 of the last 4 weeks hunting. One week of moose (no bodies) and deer (many casualities)! He had a great time and he's had great weather. Today is 13 degrees here! Pretty nice for November. However, it's not as nice as what the weather will be in Florida when I arrive in 1.5 sleeps!

I'm shipping out with Jenn to my parents place in Fort Myers and then on Monday my friend Cheryl is coming and then on Wednesday - Sara comes! The 4 of us will do some shopping, tanning and probably a bit of eating and drinking. No kids! This will both the first time that Sara and I are away from teh kids for a whole week! I will miss them for sure, but the bliss of having some alone time will be greatly appreciated!

So by now, most people have heard that Charlie was hospitalized last week (Nov 1-2). He had a nasty stomach bug that got out of control - he was admitted with gastroenteritis and dehydration. After 30 hours of IV fluids and careful montioring of his stomach and bowel sounds, he was released. I think the worst part of teh whole experience was when Charlie got his IV removed - not because of the needle, but because of the tape! He screamed bloody murder when the student nurse took all the tape off. I think I saw tears welling in her eyes!
I took Charlie to emergency at 8:30am, by 10:30 he had his IV and was waiting for the pediatrican to see him. The pediatrican admitted him immediately and while waiting to be transferred up - Charlie slept. My mom was with me which was a huge help - mostly to allow me to leave the room without feeling guilty. Cam arrived at 7pm and stayed the night with Charlie while I went home and showered, got food, etc.
I arrived back at 8am and Charlie was a different kid! By noon we were home and he was having a proper lunch. He dealt with some "runs" afterwards for about 4 days which kept him home from school for the whole week. He's back to normal now - thank goodness no one else got it!

So we have celebrated Sam's and Charlie's birthday since last update. Our computer finally got fixed so we will be able to upload pictures soon. We have been taking them - just slow to upload and share.

Ciao,
Alicia

September

Hey,
It's the 24th of September today. One day before my 6th Wedding Anniversary and 4 days before my "baby" turns 2 years old! We have been settling into our new routine of Charlie being at school every day and we are adjusting to the fact that summer is over. The pool is closed up and hunting trips are being planned. Not me - I don't hunt - it's slightly barbaric if you ask me, but you didn't ask! Okay - so Sam is currently getting his 2 year molars - man it's been the hardest teeth for him to cut. He's constantly jamming his fingers in his throat and his demeanor has been "challenging" lately. He's pushing the boundaries and authority and mommy is tired! Cam is currently in Florida with my dad doing some tiling in their new home. Dad will be staying down there until November with Mom visiting for 3 weeks in October. I'm going down for a girl's week in November - very excited! My trip will be the tail end of absentee parents! Cam is hunting one week in October and two weeks in November - I will be due for my vacation!

Wow - that paragraph was packed with information....let's digest....

Okay - so we are doing Sam's birthday dinner on the 29th - just a small family thing - he will help Charlie party on Oct 25th when we do Charlie's bowling party! Charlie has been asking for a bowling party for two years now. Sam can't really bowl but I know he would have been heartbroken if he didnt' get to try so we held Charlie off until this year. It should be fun!!

So my friend Fisher is getting married tomorrow! I'm excited to be going to her wedding on my anniversary - I will be alone, but it will be fun! I will come home to an empty house and I'll get to sleep in. The simple things in life really are my fave right now!

Charlie is super excited today too - his school fun fair is tonight! "He" has donated mint chocolate brownies to the kinderbake sale - hopefully they are too repulsive! LOL!! I'm not a baker at all!

No new pictures - Cam and I have been slacking....we are in the midst of our bathroom renovation. Lavender purple tub, sink and toilet are gone (shed a little tear, I know you want to)! However, I've decided to pay homage to the bathroom and my accent colour now is eggplant - in the purple family realm! I'm excited for the finished product - just some cosmetic work to do yet. I'll be putting Cam back to work when he gets home from his working vacation! ;)

Okay - Hope everyone is well!

Cheers,
Alicia

Summer of Fun!

It seems like a lot has been going on - time to update the blog. We have some new pictures that have been sent via email and posted on various media social tools, but a little story to go with the pictures is always nice!

So we have been keeping ourselves busy at the cottage. Grant, Cam and Scott have been plowing away on the shoreline and the basement getting things all fixed up. The shoreline at the cottage looks great - new grassy area and huge beach area for the kiddies to play. I'll get some pictures this weekend to share. The two extra bedrooms being built in the basement are almost done. The guys have been adding the finishing touches. A homey pine ceiling makes the rooms look so cozy.

Charlie started school last week on August 10th. He now goes everyday for the morning. He is having to make some adjustments and has been a little emotional about it, but he is great in school and the teacher said he is a pleasure. He is in a modified school year program which means that instead of 8 weeks of summer holidays they get 4 weeks and the other 4 weeks are spread out throughout the school year. Much easier on the working family! It was a little sad driving him to school though when Cam and Sammy were at the cottage on holidays! Hopefully he keeps adjusting well!

First day of school

Sam has been growing like a weed this summer and loving spending time with everyone! He loves his brother and is a little sad that he is in school but I think he likes the extra attention he gets! Cam finished his outage in late July so he had a couple weeks off and spent most of his time at the cottage. Sam grew a little too accustomed to daddy being in charge....don't worry - I got him all sorted out now!

Wearing his brother's new sunglasses

In early August I went on a little trip to New Orleans with my friend Jenn. It was an impromptu trip that was very enjoyable despite the horrifically humid and hot weather. I'm not quite sure what I actually expected going to a sub-tropical state in a heat wave, but the good food and good company made up for the heat.

Exciting news! My sister-in-law Ally and her hubby Scott had a baby on Tuesday morning! Owen Scott as 8lbs 9oz and 22 inches long. He is a cutie! They went home from the hospital today so we will see how his big brother Andrew likes the new kid in the house!

Owen

Some pictures:

Scott and his fish - heard it was delish!

Charlie, Sam and Andrew - Three Muskateers!


Sam wearing the coyote!

"Do I get a treat if I'm cute Daddy?"

Cuddle Time