Spring is here

We really love the way spring comes so early to the island. The flowers start blooming by mid-February and now, by the end of March the sun comes out in force and we can pack away our winter jackets (I never pulled mine out this year) and enjoy the mild weather.

This year we purchased a tent trailer and are planning to give camping a try.There are numerous campgrounds all over the island and it may take us years to explore even half of them.

The first set of flowers to bloom in our back yard.

The kids love the tire swing.

We have been in our house now for a full year and are looking forward to enjoying the back yard for another summer. The kids are able to play out there for minutes at a time without needing mom and dad to intervene. Finally! We will need to pick up more sand for the sandbox - I have no idea where it all went but there's pretty much none left in there!

In April we'll crowd my family into our house (and tent trailer) for about a week. I think the kids are going to have an amazing time with their little cousin Sophia!

Christmas Photos

2 Kids in a Box

Who needs presents when you've got bubble wrap!

Putting up the tree.

Our Christmas room.

Christmas hike with the cousins.

Snack time!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Well aside from the fact that we were all hit by flu and cold viruses over the holidays, it was still a great Christmas for us. The kids are finally getting to the age where they can play together without parental assistance and constant supervision. This has led to some moments, not during nap time, when we didn't have to be entertaining them and has made me realize that I might actually have time for a hobby or something.

I'm not even sure I know what a hobby is anymore. Any suggestions? Don't say knitting because I tried that already and it's not going to happen.

The kids are also of an age that we can start some family traditions (Christmas evening drive to look at the lights) and do activities beyond hanging out at the playground or pool or kindergym. Oh, and it means that on play dates, we can actually have conversations with the other adults.

2013 is gearing up to be another event filled year. I'm working towards starting and running my own business once my term position with the university comes to an end. I'll be the owner and sole employee of Sage Memoirs and Writing Services. I'm hoping that my website will be up and running by the end of January and that I'll have a client or 2 on board by the time my job ends.

Kian will be starting kindergarten in September. That means our daycare costs will be cut in half and more importantly, the school has a meal plan so my nightly lunch-making duties will also be cut in half. Sadly, my afternoons will also be cut in half because school ends at 2:30pm out here.

We expect to host my extended family in April and will attempt to take up camping this summer.

Well, the Christmas photos are still on Erick's camera and when we get around to loading them onto a computer, I'll add a photo post for you.

Have a great 2013!

Halloween Fun!

We had a lot of fun with Halloween this year. We (and by we I mean Erick & the kids) carved 10 pumpkins to decorate the yard, along with a couple of gravestones, some spiders and some spooky glowing eyes in the shrubs leading up to the house.

We all dressed up as skeletons for the night as well. Erick dressed up so well that Keira refused to join him and Kian for trick or treating.

Long Awaited Photo Post

As promised, here are some photos of the family! These are all taken within the last 6 months.

At the 'crab beach' on the Vic West side of the Victoria harbour. If you lift up the rocks you can often find crabs hiding underneath. The kids get extremely excited when we find crabs. It also fun to watch the float planes and harbour hopper water taxis go by.

Tea time. Keira loves to put food on her little table and feed her dolls.

Potty training the teddy bear.

Reading books! We have to make frequent trips to pick up 'new' books at the thrift store so we don't get sick of the same stories, over and over and over and over and over again.

Kian played Blastball (t-ball) this spring. It was less like organized sport and more like loosely organized sporty chaos. We may even attempt to get him into soccer or something in the new year.

We love our new back yard and spent hours this summer in the kids pool, on the play structure, and at the water table.

We picked up a bigger kids pool this summer. There was enough room for all of us.

I have to say, the iPad is the most awesome travel accessory for keeping kids entertained ever! Nothing like sedating them with A Bugs Life for the bulk of a 2 and a half hour flight.

This was taken in the vacant lot at the end of the street. The kids love to go there and pick blackberries as often as we're willing to take them.