Cait's First Giggles!

Tonight at dinner Caitlyn started cooing at Mailee. We were all watching and listening to her little self trying to express her love. Soon her smiles and coos turned into little giggles. She had the entire family giggling along with her. We were all intranced by her cuteness!

This video is shakey and out of focus but you can still see her sweetness.

Mailee was really proud that she was the one that Caitlyn giggled at first.

My Boo

I can't leave Caleb out...Here is my handsome little guy having fun in the sprinklers. He is getting really big!!

Glamour Girls

The other day Mikayla gave her sisters make-overs. They were happy and entertained and
even avoided arguing for almost 2 hours! When they were done they asked me to take photos of them. What cuties.

Man, when they WANT to be in pictures, they can really ham it up!

Mailee-Mai
We took a few spinning pictures, it was their idea...I love how this one turned out!

Maddie's New Trick

Chatting With Caitlyn

This morning Cait was chatting up a storm! Here is a little bit of baby babble although the best stuff she said BEFORE I got the camera rolling...figures. Oh well, She's still pretty sweet in this! Caleb adds his two cents at the end just to remind us all that Cait isn't the only kid in the house:)

Three Months!

Our tiny girl is already three months old! What a sweetie she is. Three months have flown by and been so precious! I don't want her to grow, I'm really good at the baby stage :)

Hugs for Mommy.

Flying kisses for Daddy.

Three months old and oh-so-precious!

Good Times at the Beach

This weekend we packed up to head to the beach in town. When we pulled out of the driveway, it started to pour! We waited it out at Grandma and Grandpa's and a few hours later, we made it to the beach.

We were the only ones there which was very fun!

The boys brought the fun toys!

I just noticed even Cait's painted toes made it in the picture!

Mailee frolicking in the waves.

Caitlyn is my little kangaroo baby. She loves being in the Bjorn ("pouch").

I like to think it's because she loves to be close to me but I have a feeling it is partially that and partially the only place she is safe from her siblings!!

Under the Weather

Cait is not feeling great. She is congested, my little snuffy baby. It's so sad. Last night was rough but she seems better today. Here is our little dolly getting loves from Mikayla.

Never Gets Old

My kids are the best subjects. I love taking photos of them. They are always changing and growing. It's fun to try to capture the relationships between them and their different expressions.

Basement Update

Things are moving along in the basement. Here are some of the details..

This was a door to the garage. We have another door from the house to the garage so we decided to frame this one in and give ourselves more room space, less hallway. Goodbye door!

This was a door to the basement. This was almost always closed because of the horrifying state of disaster in the basement. Now that we will have bedrooms downstairs, we decided the door won't need to be closed...

So out it went! This opens up our entry way even more and should help to connect the kids that live downstairs with the rest of the fam that is upstairs.

Before the basement could be renovated, we had to get all the junk out. Mike put up tons of awesome shelves in the garage and got me some new tubs to store all our "stuff". It feels good to have everything in happy little rows, all labeled and organized.

Cait's New Playgym

Maddie and Caleb helped pick out a playgym for Caitlyn at the second hand store. They also helped her test it out!!

studying

look at those tummy exercises!

Cutie pie! I think she likes it!

Wee! So fun!!

Smokin'

There are a few fires going crazy in Kelowna right now. The first one started at 2:30pm yesterday in the neighborhood where Terri and Matt live. They are away for the weekend but their in-laws were able to get their computer, car and dog. Later that night, we smelled smoke at our place. We looked out and there was a second fire just a few miles up from us. Around 4am I got a call from a friend saying our street and neighborhood was on "alert" and that we should be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. We have our van packed with a few really important things and enough clothes for everyone for a few days but we are still at home and hopeful that the fire is being, well, fought!


This was the scene from Bylands nursery at 12:30pm last night. This is probably about 4 miles from our house. (Photo stolen off Face book from Ruth Anderson's album- thanks Ruth!!)

We are all fine and prepared to leave if need be. We will keep you all up to date :)

Anniversary Ring

Mike has lots of good ideas...this is one of my favorite so far!!!

Boys Will be Boys...

last week Caleb went down the driveway on his bike and tumbled into the sharp rocks on the side...face first. This photo was taken after about 4 days, it was already MUCH better. he keeps picking at his scabs. once he picks a scab off he cries and says he needs a band aid. I tell him "you had one that God gave you and you picked it off silly boy!". Do all kids pick at their scabs or is that a boy thing? I don't remember the girls doing that but I also don't remember them getting very many substantial owies!!

Caitlyn at 11 Weeks

Our little girl is growing so fast! She tried out her Bumbo seat the other day. Here she is at 11 weeks old.

"this is different...I'm upright"

"actually, this isn't so bad..."

"look at me Mom!"

Lemonade Girls

The girls decided to have a lemonade stand during the garage sale. They made some cute signs and even mixed the lemonade by themselves. When the traffic to the garage sale was slow, they hit the streets with their lemonade and sold it door to door.








Lovely ladies; my girls and their cousin Jenaya...they even dressed in matching shirts for the occasion.

I got a big kick out of their sign.

They ended up making close to $40, not counting the other "donations" that included gum and sunflower seeds.

A Work In Progress...

We are finishing our basement! We currently have 3 bedrooms upstairs. We are making 2 more rooms, one more bathroom and a "media room" (as Mike calls it...which sounds nothing like "craft room" which is what I was rallying for). Here is the progression so far.

Here was the basement BEFORE the big clean up= shelves and tubs in the garage/garage sale/trip to the salvation army.

Mike's brother Brian is doing the work in the basement. Mike and Caleb come down and help when they can. Mike's Dad is overseeing the entire project with a wise and watchful eye. The rest of us are steering clear until it is time to choose paint colors!

Thrill Seekers

I was so impressed with my family this trip to Disneyland. All of the kids wanted to go on bigger rides. Mailee is our most "safe" kid and she let us know when she didn't want to go on a ride but all the others were eager for a thrill. Caleb and Maddie loved Space Mountain. The family favorite was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We must have gone on that ride 7 or 8 times. They also really liked the "Go Coaster" in Toon Town. We did that one a lot too. Here is the whole gang sans me and Cait...


...with their hands up...ooooh! Daring!

Meeting Minnie

So Much To Say..

...Not enough time to say it all. I want to tell you all about our trip but I have been super busy at home clearing out the basement so it can be made into extra rooms for the big girls. As if that weren't enough, I have decided to do a garage sale tomorrow morning to sell all the stuff I cleared out! Hopefully I will get back on track next week.

Here's Caitlyn showing off her milk tounge. She is such a cutie!

Missing You...

It's great to be back at home but we really miss everyone in California too!!

So Much Swimming

The kids had a great time swimming in California. It is always fun to jump in the pool when it's 106 outside! On this trip, Maddie became completely "swim safe" and is now a little fish like her sisters. Caleb jumped in once without his life jacket when I wasn't looking and although he was terrified, he safely got himself to the edge so I know swimming without the jacket is around the corner.

Caitlyn loved the refreshing water on so many hot days.

Swimming with Auntie Kathryn who drove Grammie down for a few days. We had a great time! My kids love Kathryn