A BUSY JULY!!!!

Well, July has been a busy month around here. I have added a few posts showing you what we have been up to this last month starting with the kids learning how to ride their bikes with no training wheels all the way back to Canada Day.

We took the kids training wheel off one evening and by the next afternoon they were both pros at riding. You can see Joe helping the kids out at first and then they are doing it themselves. I think the last picture says it all...they were so proud of themselves and so excited!

SUMMER FUN!!!

Our 2 little fish!!! They both love the water and had such fun playing in the pool. Both have had some swimming lessons but us taking them to the local pool and having the little pool in the backyard has helped them with their swimming as well.

FAMILY NEWS

On July 6th we were unfortunately informed that one of Joe's nieces was killed in a car accident here in Abbotsford. Jenilee had been working with Joe for about the last year placing rebar so this news hit him quite hard as they had rebuilt a relationship over the last year. She leaves behind her mother, father, three younger sisters and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. There is a beautiful memorial set up at the site of the crash and the city has started work on straightening out the road where the crash took place. R.I.P Jenilee March 13, 1988 - July 5, 2008.







Something positive that came out of this tragedy is the fact that all of Joe's siblings and both parents all made it out to Abbotsford for a reunion of sorts. They came from as far as Regina, Northwest Territories and as close as Hope and Mission. It was great to see them all together again after so many years and myself and the kids met some relatives for the first time which was wonderful. It was a very impromptu reunion, but one that was needed! :) Here are a few pics from our time together.



Mom and Dad with the 5 kids.

Joe and his siblings.
Madison and Wyatt with 2 of their many cousins on Joe's side of the family.



Joe with his sister and her daughter from Regina.

CANADA DAY

Well, here is the family waiting for the Canada Day parade. The kids are all decked out with their tattoos. This has become an annual event for us for the past 5 years. After the parade we head over to Rotary Stadium for the family fun day, which the kids love!

Wyatt waiting patiently for the parade to start, doesn't he look thrilled?




Another thrilled child waiting patienly for the parade to start. You have to get there at least 1/2 hour early if you want to get a decent seat, so then you have kids asking when is the parade starting? But when they see the first sign of the parade they are happy.













Here are a few highlights from the parade. I don't take as many pics as I did the first couple years because it is usually the same stuff every year and how many pics do I need? right? We have the fire trucks, the horses, the cheerful clown (I think this lady comes every year) and of course the kids favorite float...MCDONALD'S.














Moving right along, here are some highlights from the family fun day at the stadium. There are bouncy castles, mini golf, slip and slides, arts and crafts and story time to keep the kids occupied. It really is great entertainment for the day and it is free. During the day there is also entertainment at the main stage and at the end of the day is the much anticipated fireworks display. Good fun had by all and what a long day!

Trampoline Tricks

Madison in mid-air doing her flip.
Wyatt doing his flip, he only learnt how to do this in the last wekk or two and is so proud.
Joe has even got in on the action, he taught Madison how to flip last summer.
Here they are taking a bit of a break.
The kids absolutely love it when Joe gets on the trampoline with them.
As soon as he is home from work they harass him to get on their with them.

Sportsday for Madison and Wyatt

Madison waiting with her team to go to the next station.
Madison in the pink hat helping her team with the tug of war. Her team won both times they were up at the tug of war, Yay!! go blue go!!

This was the first station for Wyatt, freezies and painting.
In the gym being pushed down and around the cone.
Here's Madison mid-air doing her flips.
Relay race time. You know Wyatt's Lightning McQueen shirt helps him run faster than ever! :)

The traditional sack race, Wyatt was really good at this one it must be all the time he spends on the trampoline.

Wyatt's Preschool Graduation

Here is Wyatt having some playtime before the kids did there little performance. I thought this was a funny shot of him through the magnifying glass.




Here are Wyatt and some of his classmates singing one of their songs for the parents. They were all so cute singing for us.

Here Wyatt is getting his little certificate from his teachers Mrs. Jackie and Miss Amy in the background. I can't believe my little guy will be going into Kindergarten in September. He has grown up so quickly, but he is totally ready for school. He has learned so much being in daycare and preschool, not to mention having Madison teaching him things. His big thing now is trying to spell different words with the fridge magnets. He is pretty good at it sounding out the words and when you ask him how he spelt the word he gives you the individual sounds of each letter instead of telling you the letter.

Yay!!! its treat time. One of the moms made these really cool pinwheel cookies. They were a big hit with all of the children.