Monday, July 29, 2013

oops!

I am the queen of the swearing police!  I still can't really say the F-word without flinching.  I just never got around to that!

I taught swimming lessons, summer camps programs and riding lessons.  These things required me to come up with clever (to myself) new swear words. 

I used to use sugar all the time in replace of everyone's favourite 4 letter word that starts with an S!!

I have been known to use fiddlesticks in a harse way!! haha!

ANYWAYS!  The point to this is, I try so hard to make sure my children know what words I believe are acceptable for them to say and not to say.  I make sure I listen to all the songs first and have bought several Kidzbop songs to avoid some words.

This weekend, we were all snuggling on the couch just hanging out and the boys wanted some music, so I tried to pull out some fun new ones that I downloaded by Bruno Mars.  Love love love his song
Treasure

Well if you clicked on that link, you know that the intro says something about a squirrel and being a sexy mother f*&%er!!!  I had NO IDEA!

Joel and I reacted by laughing hysterically that I don't know the boys even noticed!  I was laughing so hard, I was crying.  I couldn't believe it!

So now I have to figure out how to get rid of that intro because I still love that song and think the boys would think it quite fun.

Haha, I hope everyone enjoyed my embarrassing moment of the weekend! 

I am still giggling about it and still loving the song right now!

Have monday!

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Photo Albums

Today I want to share with you one of my favourite things!

Snapfish is my favourite place to create photo books and other things!  I started doing this a few years ago when I wanted to make my mother a photo calendar.  I couldn't find any calendar's where I could put more than one picture for each month.  Snapfish was the solution.  I have a ton of pictures myself and wanted to include all her grandchildren, so I added lots of pictures for each month and then I can even add pictures to specific days.  Lots of things to look at each month!

Like most sites you join, I receive emails from them and one had a deal where you buy 1 book and get 2 free.  It was a few months before mother's day and I had a great thought, if I made the same book for each grandmother, I got one myself and saved a bunch of money on a wonderful gift!

Pretty much after that I was hooked.  I created a mini wedding album book because I didn't like my original. (that's a story for a whole other post!)

We had my talented friend Dani take some family photos awhile ago and she took so many pictures that I needed to see them more often than just going through the computer.  I wanted to share it!  So I created another photo book.

Then I had the idea to keep doing years of photos rather than have tons of loose photos around or buying albums and filling them in. 

These amazing books below arrived this morning!!  2011 and 2012 and the latest family photos Dani took for us!







It's so nice to have these books that we can look at and embarrass my children for years to come!!!

Do you keep your photo's on the computer?  Are you on top of your photo's?

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Staycation Vacation - Fredericton, NB

Summer vacation is always a fun time.  Usually there are trips all over, exploring new places and enjoying new sights.  This year, we decided we would have a staycation!  Of course it was sort of decided for us as we gifted ourselves with new windows and siding this year!!  So staycataion it was!!

My oldest son Liam told me after he had to get ready for yet another parents day (Father's day this time!!) that he wanted a kid's day!  I promptly told him that other than mother's day and father's day those other 363 days are really kids days! 

However, then he moved on to family day!  That I could get down with!  So our entire vacation was labelled by my five year old as family fun days.  I loved it!

Joel and I started out staycation vacation with a date night.  Golfing and supper sans children...more on that in another post!

We have the wonderful opportunity to use my brother's cottage that is about 20 mins from our house since he lives in Ontario!  It's very kind of him and his family.  Our staycation started with two days at the cottage, the city was a humid place to be but the lake was magical!!


Visiting with my friend Beth (check out her blog) and her family came to play.

Then Joel's family (some of them) came to play the next day.  We had lots of fun in the sun!



A day at the camp is always a good time!

After two full days in the sun, we decided to watch Despicable Me 2, it was so funny and I love to hear my little men giggling!!!!  I also giggled a little (or maybe a lot!!)



Then while the monkey's had a nap, I picked some strawberries because I love strawberry jam!!!


Perhaps another post for the strawberry jam, it's so easy and results in delicious jam all year!!


Tuesday we headed out to explore our downtown of Fredericton, New Brunswick!!


We started at Cora's for some waffles!     Next stop was Science East!
 
 

 
 
After a little break on a park bench
 


Since we rarely get the to library we thought we would venture in, we read some books, found some great readers for Liam to practice with and played!

To get the main course of our outside picnic (which was mandatory for family fun days!) in the park we walked to Jack's Pizza!  Yummy pizza by the slice!

 
We rounded out our tour of downtown with a picnic in Officer Square to enjoy the Calithumpians entertain us with a story about our beloved Queen Street!!



 
Wednesday of Family Fun week was a trip to the water park at Hartt Island Campground~  We added my niece in the mix for some added fun.  It's a simply little water park but the kids love it and it's easy to keep an eye on them!  Although I was forced to go down the covered water slide (which I hate) because my niece asked me so nicely to go.  I couldn't say no!
 

Thursday was our "rainy" day as Liam was patiently waiting for a rainy day to go to Kingswood Entertainment Park.  Where we play in the play climber, air hockey, arcade games!!  Always a fun time. 

Then they went to their favourite place......Nanny and Yaya's house!! 

Friday was our last weekday for family fun!!!  So we packed up a picnic and drove to St. Andrew's, NB (about 1 1/2 hrs away)

We collected sea shells



Explored a light house, played in the coolest park around and visited a candy store (always a favourite stop!!)


Before heading home we went to the St. Andrew's aquarium to touch some sea creatures!  I take pictures, they touch!!!





The weekend rounded out with Joel and Liam going to Hartland to pick up our wonderful babysitter for the night Kelsi!!  While Rhys and I had a date for market and errands!

Sunday we relaxed!

All in all it was a wonderful family staycation.  Normally we go away and have to pack up, drive, settle into a hotel or trailer and then pack up and drive back home.  This time we relaxed at our own home in between activities, saved money and remembered why we love this city!!   It was fantasic!

I love to explore new places but sometimes it's nice to just stay home!

What are your vacation plans?  Staycation?  Big family trip?  Romantic little getaway?




Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Summer fun

Summer is a term we are using loosely around here.  It's super hot one day, freezing the next, rain then sun.  But I guess that's what we expect in New Brunswick.  So summer classified as the time between the end of the school year and when the new one begins.  Regardless of actual dates or weather!

School ended and summer began, this is the Dickinson recap!

We had a little mix up with a photography session, so I snapped some pictures myself.  All was not lost, we will get some real photos in the fall!!!



I was escorted by two super heroes to Walmart to help pick out the much anticipated trampoline!!!  I haven't gotten any pictures of us jumping yet as it's rained for most of the time we have had it up!!!  AND the fact that I was so excited when it was ready to jump, that I jumped instead of documented it!!!  Living instead of taking pics on the outside....my motto for the summer!  And hopefully it will stick!



This past weekend in a freezing cold rain storm, my brave husband packed up the trailer, I gathered the kids and we heading out camping!!!



The weather perked up a bit the next day.  At least warmed up and only rained occasionally, we still had lots of fun.  Mini golfing, playing at new parks (because that is very fun!!), bouncing on the bouncy pillow, campfiring (new word?) and going on a hay ride!!



I don't know about your kids but mine #1 love to wear their bike helmets even when not on a bike, #2 don't like roasted marshmallows.  Liam is finally starting to warm up to them (pun intended) but Rhys is still a straight out of the bag marshmallow lover!



love this little guy




brothers!
 











 



Rhys loves to watch.  He did not want to participate in the songs or actions but loved watching everyone.  This is what he does, we went to the Hawaiian luau and just watched, no dancing, just watching.  Of course we had to hug Yogi and Boo boo, no picture, just hugs!

Finally a nice hot and sunny day!  The boys swam, visited with cousins and then hit the water slides.  Since I am very accident prone, no trip is complete without an incident!  I managed to fall down 2 carpeted stairs in our trailer and gave myself crazy carpet burn (pictures unnecessary, just know it sucks!) I figured the pool water would sting, so I sat back and took some pictures.  However, after taking these fun photos, I realized it was time to suck it up and get in the pool!  Soon the boys will not want me to participate in the fun, so I need to take advantage of it now in hopes that I will be fun enough later too!!




A little hick town back of the truck action followed the sliding!



I remember going in the back of pick up trucks all the time in camp grounds, back roads and sometimes city roads!  Did you do this? The boys think it's just as fun as I did!

The next day involved Joel being in charge of packing up the trailer because he's good at it! The boys and I visiting all the parks before we left (to stay out of dad's hair!)


Who doesn't love boys and Tonka???  So cute.
 
 
Our nation's holiday was on Monday and I bought some theme appropriate clothing for the boys.
 
 



As the boys are saying in the picture: "Happy Canada Day"!!

And for all those in the USA, I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!!!