Lion Safari - with G. too!

Today the boys had eye appointments and it was an early dismissal day, so I just kept G. home. So we went to the Lion Safari! It was so much fun and we were there all day long. Even though the weather wasn't super warm, the boys were in the water and had a great time.

Birthday pics and Birthday flowers

A few presents from P. and the boys. Lots of fun opening them in the a.m. Please excuse my freaky morning hair!

G. and I worked hard this afternoon buying and planting flowers in the garden and pots. Thank you to those who helped me to buy the beautiful flowers! And my bestest friend surprised me with flowers too!

My favourite present. I can't wait to try it out!

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Around this time of the year...

May pictures from last year...

May pictures from 2 years ago...

Videos from Seaside

This was a little house beside the toy store. The boys must have played in it for almost an hour. I love their giggles.

Paul taped this on the tower at our house (Sugar). It perfectly captures the peacefulness and beauty of Seaside.

T. loved the pool!

Sparklers!

T. and Grandpa having a great time.

G. showing his swimming skills!

Mid week pics

Hard to believe it's already Wednesday. I love long weekends - they make the following week seem so short! Here are a few pictures I've taken the past couple of days of the boys.

G. riding to school, T. in the stroller

G. waiting at the path for me - and for one of his friends - they ride the path to school together. Sadly, right after this was taken, G. had a big tumble off of his bike and got some 'road rash' on his hands. He was not too happy, but seemed fine a few minutes later.

Tonight, G. taking pics of T. in the bath. I will never get tired of these pajamas. I love them so much!

I just really like this picture.

T. carefully washing Diego's hair with real shampoo.

G's tooth is SO close to coming out. Any day now - of course we've said that for about 4 weeks!

Last night we had our first taste of corn on the cob this year. YUM!

No more booster seat for this big boy! He sits in a chair just like the rest of us now!

We had a great loooong weekend!

How was yours? This time of year, I really appreciate our backyard and deck. Right now the grass is rather muddy as we're overseeding, but I'm hoping in a few weeks it will be more lush and less mud. Still, even with the mud, we had a lot of fun!

Building character?

G. tried out for the school talent show yesterday by doing karate.
He didn't get in and almost started to cry as he was telling me about it.
"They didn't even let me finish my kata, they just told me to stop and I wasn't even done".
I wanted to wrap him up and put him in a bubble and tell him that he never has to face rejection again!
Of course, neither of us would like that.
So I told him that I think he is the best and most talented boy in the school and that sometimes we don't get into everything we want.
And that sometimes it doesn't really matter what judges or others think, as long as we're happy with how we did.
He seemed ok with that answer. Actually I think his eyes glazed over after 'best' as he watched Sponge Bob Square Pants and ate his snack.
And today he told me that when he tries out next year, he'll try even harder to get in.
So I guess it was more traumatic for me than it was for him.
I think that is just the way it is, being a parent! We internalize so much of what they feel and experience that sometimes it is worse for us than it is for them!

One little plant at a time...

This afternoon while T. was napping I dug out all of the weeds in this spot behind the shed and planted my first herb in our new herb garden! It's mint. I can't wait to plant more! I have no idea if stuff will grow here or not, but I guess we'll see!

Doesn't it look so cute and lonesome there just to the right of the fern?

Grow little mint plant, grow!

One of my favourite spots in our backyard. Lots of ferns will grow here over the next month or so. And I'll soon put out my shepherd's hook and hang a flower pot from it. I love spring!

Lion Safari!!!

Today was our first visit to the African Lion Safari this season. It felt so weird without G., but thankfully T. distracted me by being so amazing and so excited!

I can't believe how fearless he was feeding the goats. He put his hand right in there!

The elephants came out just as we were walking by. Isn't the baby cute?

T. and his two friends watching the elephants. I love this picture. Such little boys!

T. watching the elephants

T. on the train - probably our favourite part of Safari - other than the water park which opens this weekend!

Watching the train coming to pick us up.

Playing in the ball pit

Jumping in the ball pit

What a great day! Thanks T. - we'll take G. there with us very soon!