FAMILY PHOTOS

We had a friend of our we are lucky to have take some family photos the other day.  Honestly I did not have a lot of expectations.  Not because of his ability but with three young children you just never know what you are going to get.  We knew we wanted to be outside and thankfully the weather cooperated with us considering it was the beginning of November in Eastern Canada!

Here are a few unedited shots until we decide what we love the most!

It was tough getting a family shot where we all were looking even OK.. though I do like this one

One of many great ones of Charlotte

Ruby oh my sweet gentle Ruby

Jazzy was a bit harder to get a natural shot she is such a poser!

Last Days of Summer

I wish my brain was in writing mode and full of wondering, nurturing, and thought provoking words.  The type of post which would make you want to grab a cup of coffee (if you drank it) and put your feet up and nod your head with understanding about how life is with children and a husband and being a Stay At Home Mom (with a home based Scentsy Business)... But it is not.. 

Instead however, it will be a recap of what I have been doing this summer with the said children and wonderful husband.  I seem to have many strengths and many weaknesses.. One of those weaknesses I have come to realize is my inability to keep my blog updated even for my family and truly for myself.

I think of all the cute things the kids have done this summer and said this summer and wonder if I can remember half of them and how terrible of a mother I am for not writing things down right after the moment of cuteness.... or moment of sincere love, but alas, once again I have not.  I will say though that this summer has been amazing!  Not only amazing in the amount of traveling and "camping" and day tripping we have managed to do either as a family and sometimes even alone, it has been amazing because of how much the girls have grown and how much fun they are at this stage.

So here are some summer fun photos... 

Please keep in mind these are all from an IPhone

The twins LOVING the Newly ReOpened Renovated Aquarium in St Andrews!

Both Girls REALLY wanted to touch the Giant Fish as they called them!

This the reaction each of the girls got after touching one of the Skates (look like Sting Rays) Charlotte Left was crazy excited and Ruby was seriously not sure what to think!

Adam and I get away alone twice a year normally for 2 nights each.. This year we went down to Old Orchard Beach and took in the sites and did some shopping for Adam and played some golf!  It was WONDERFUL!  What was not great about it - I did not take enough photos!

Adam got a good kick out of how much I do NOT like Ferris Wheels.. Seriously do not like them !  Somehow I still go on them!  Not quite romance in the air when I was nearly shaking!

Need I explain the sheer enjoyment?

Back to School Shopping (or in their case helping mommy get Scentsy organizing supplies!

Who doesn't enjoy lunch outside with friends?

Sometimes they like to pet ponies! 

Or Feed Lamas 

Charlotte has taken to sleeping in the closet - Though the last couple of mornings/naps they have been on the floor laying together with their faces almost touching!

They have mad climbing skills!

Jazzy is growing up fast! These are Adam's friends Kids from our cabin trip to Cap Pele!  It was sooo cute!

Cap Pele - 6 hours a day on the beach.. happy children.. no melt downs.. no naps it really was wonderful!

RUBY

CHARLOTTE

Irving Nature Park Walks

Trying out their new helmets!  I know not a clear photo but I love it!

Last but not least!  Who doesn't love washing Gnomes at Nanny and Gramps house with toothbrushes!

So, We Went CAMPING

There are many things I thought about wanting to do with my family long before I even had a family.  I knew I wanted to make memories doing things together as a family and regardless of how much work and how much stress it could possibly be, I still wanted to do them.  Camping of course was on that list.  Do not get me wrong, I LOVE CAMPING!  I love the smell of a campfire, and the sound of the zipper from the tent zipping and unzipping!  I love the sticky mess marshmellows can make and the ice cold water you would use to try to get the sticky mess off.  Above all, I love the freedom children can have to run around without a care in the world, getting dirty, getting wet, but most of all having fun!

We went camping in Mactaquac and I must say that the camp ground was very children friendly and their facilities were excellent for someone in a tent.  Our disturbingly loud and foul neighbours were not a welcomed addition to the first night but honestly it poured buckets on us the first night so I am not sure if I would have gotten many more hours of sleep worrying if I was going to wake up with the children soaked.
We decided that even though the twins are in their big girl beds they would still sleep in their playpens inside the tent which was the best decision we could have made.

The trip was certainly not all it planned out to be.  My in Laws were along for the ride and my Brother who is home for two week break from the OneAsia Professional Golf tour, along with my mother came up for supper and the night with hopes of us all golfing in the morning.  The Heavens which just continued to open on us sent my mother and brother packing home at 730 in the morning and the rest of us to the mall in Fredericton to run the three girls around until the rain hopefully stopped.  Thankfully it did and we were able to enjoy a lovely afternoon and evening around the camp fire!

We made memories - the twins had a great time chasing after Jazzy and learning to throw a frisbee with minimal damage to the local trees and foreheads!  Was it the best camping trip I have ever been on?  Perhaps not, but it was the first one with my wee ones and even if they won't remember stinking up the tent with their farting all night from the mixture of marshmellows and camping food,  the rest of us will and I am thankful for even just the one day of sunshine as it allowed us to create a lifetime of little memories!

The twins getting set to partake of some camping food! Charlotte (L) Ruby (R)

I REALLY wish I could have known what they were talking about.. Ruby on the left!

PIGGY and ELEPHANT just HAD to experience camping along with the twins!  They sleep with these little Scentsy Buddies and we were NOT leaving them home!

Throwing Rocks in the River is a favourite of my children - I think of any children!

Just because I think it is a cute photo of the twins!  I could not begin to tell you which one is which.

Charlotte digging for better rocks

Ruby wondering why Mommy has the camera in her face while trying to pick up rocks

Jazzy is extremely hard to get a good photo of!  If she knows you have the camera it is the ultimate cheese crazy person smile with the hand on the hip.  I surprised her with this one and it is the best I have!

The long walk back from the river to the playground and camp site.  Next time we go we would for sure stay closer to the playground and water.  We had a beautiful site with a cute brook running right along it, but too far from the river for my little ones!

OH CHARLOTTE

Because I plan to become more consistent with my blog posts I really wanted to make sure to blog about the cute and fun and unique things my children do as a way to record for my blog book later on.

So today was a great one in my books.  Adam and I are thankfully on the same page when it comes to parenting and Time Outs have become a useful tool for us with the twins.  However, today I think it lost a little bit of its effectiveness this is how it went down.

Mommy sitting putting in a Scentsy Order
Charlotte and Ruby eating popcorn and watching Tangled
Charlotte comes over to Mommy
"Mommy, I needs a time out"

Mommy "Why Charlotte"

Charlotte "I going hit Ruby"

Mommy "thank you for telling me"

Charlotte then proceeds to put herself in a time out in the time out chair for thinking about hitting Ruby and not actually hitting her.  I tried to explain to her that she did not need to go in a time out for something she did not do, and thanked her for being honest about wanting to hit Ruby.

Inside I was dying of laughter but the moment was too precious to ruin with a laugh!

Oh the fun things our children do at the young age of 2

HARRY POTTER

Saturday night Adam and I went to see how it all ends (at least in Movie form) of Harry Potter.  I can only say it was amazing and heart felt and my favourite part of the book was done so absolutely beautiful that I was crying plenty of tears!  There were a couple change ups that perhaps as a HUGE fan of the books I was not a huge fan of them onscreen but after much discussion on the way home with my husband we both agreed that it really would have been difficult to pull off exactly how it happens in the book - on screen.  I won't say what they are for those who have not read the books or seen the final movie yet.

If you are going - bring kleenex for sure!

In other Harry Potter related news because I am sure I'm the only one who has not shared this.. but well um at least he is not a teenager so I can say is anyone else's mind blown away by this!  Neville LongBottom you have come a long way in the books and in real life!! (Matthew Lewis is the actors name)

THE VOW

I get teary eyed every time I even watch this trailer.. I am a sucker for a sweet romantic feel good movie!

WHOSE YOUR MOMMY?

The twins have been growing so fast it seems, and their vocabulary and smarts are really kicking into high gear.  It is so cute to listen to them talk and especially talk to each other.  When they speak to each other they speak so much faster and with such cute little words and their little voices get higher and higher!  Jazzy has been enjoying the twins so much more as well which is a wonderful thing to see and hear.
The hardest part we are dealing with right now is their possessiveness of Mommy.  I am happy they love their Mommy and Daddy so much, but when they are whining over me - oh that is not any fun for anyone involved!  Yesterday up at the pool was for sure a first!  Ruby was hanging out at my feet and eating her snack and Charlotte came over to try to get close to me and Ruby put her arm out as if to almost clothesline Charlotte and said in a very Firm and loud voice, "NO THAT'S MY MOMMY"!   It went back and forth between the two of them claiming sole ownership of me and if the voices had not escalated to yelling at each other, it actually would have been quite cute!  I should soak of the days of them wanting to spend every minute in my site, because I am not looking forward to when I am no longer the coolest person to hang out with!

What we have been doing..

I have been really terrible at updating my blog and my goal is to get better at it so that I can use this as my journal and do a blog book, but so far my attempts have come short and today will not be much different except for a few photos.

Adam and I after three years of our first generation IPhones have finally made the purchase to the new IPhone 4!  We are so happy we have if for only the reason being the much better camera.  I never remember to take my camera when we go do things as a family, but with our phones we are good to go.  They are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they are better than not having photos and really they are not terrible!

So - this has been what we have been up to this summer so far!

Wordless Wednesday - Sisters

P.S must give the Iphone credit and my husband for this one!

Not So Sure Anymore

I used to think the twins look like me, but I'm not so sure anymore.

What do you think?