Last Sunday we had a day to work on the house before guests arrived on Monday night. Our babysitters parents borrowed us their trailer for the next couple of weeks so we could be comfortable with all our visitors. 

After setting up the trailer I asked Danika to watch amara and she watched her for over an hour. It was amazing and have Steve and I the opportunity to prune trees, do some wedding and cut the grass again. I really want my kids to learn to work hard before play and treats! But it is so hard to be consistent. 

Danika took care of Amara and adessa helped pick up all the branches. 

Then we packed up the girls, went and fed ducks at the pond and then for icecream at DQ. It was a great day! 

Random shots of spring break

The last week of spring break was nice, but went by much too quickly! Here are a few shots of what went down...

Making an airplane from my new pots and pans box! The girls were occupied a whole day by this, and had fun giving Amara rides around the house. 

Went for a playdate at the Bastians and I fell in love with the trampoline, can't wait until we have a big enough back yard to get one! It was like a giant play pen for Amara! 

We went and played at the ocean a couple of times. Always fun exploring at the beach. 

The Rock eels they wanted to show me so badly

Love these girls

We went and played at the park a bunch of times... Amara is at such a tricky age because she does not yet walk, but no longer wants to be contained. So all her pants have stains on the knees and her hands are always filthy!

One afternoon my friend Meagan offered to take Danika to see the new Lego movie in Nanaimo. When they came to pick her up Adessa had changed into a beautiful dress and was bawling her eyes out because she wanted to go so badly! So Meagan took 5 kids to Nanaimo and then to McDonalds to play in the play place afterwards.
So the following evening I took her 3 kids for the evening so her and her hubby could go on a date. They are so well behaved and we went to the park and they all ate all their spaghetti and then of course we sat down to watch Frozen. 

Adessa has "helped" me in the garden a bit when Amara naps and I can tackle the ever-growing weeds in my garden beds. She found a whole family of worms and built them a little home. Later when I got Amara up she was showing her all of them by sticking them to the window. *sigh*

Our guest home for the next couple of weeks. We borrowed this fifth wheel from our friends as we have a few weeks of company arriving! 

Meeko's sleepover

We were working on the yard this evening a bit and Meeko was outside with us, when we came in for dinner we realized Meeko was gone. We yelled for him, then I took the van and started circling the block. I saw 2 ladies and they said Meeko just followed them up the street and then continued on walking when they turned off. I knew exactly where he was headed! I called my friend Crystal who watched him while we were in Mexico and sure enough, she looked out her window and Meeko was in her yard!!! Their family was ecstatic! He even got a sleepover out of the deal... what a dog!!!

Danika had her third sleepover Saturday night, this time with her good friend Madison. The girls watched the movie "Frozen" and sang their little hearts out to each song... even Amara joined along. It is such a great movie... I love it too! 

Sunday after church Steve wasn't feeling so great, so he stayed home with Amara while she napped and I took the three girls to the pool in Duncan. It was SO fun... and so special to spend time with my older 2. I often feel so impatient with them as I feel so stretched between the 3 girls and Amara requires so much of my attention, so it felt nice to just have fun with them. We did the water slides several times, played in the wave pool, went around the lazy river and then did the diving boards. Danika no longer wears a life jacket and even jumped off the 3 meter diving board. She mentioned to me that she would like to and told her to try it... she climbed up top, walked to the end and didn't even hesitate, just jumped right off! I was so suprised! And so proud of her! I didn't even do it! 

They also had a running mat out on the water that the girls kept doing over and over... I thought I would give it a try as it looked so fun, went to run out and it instantly sunk and I went under... how humiliating! But I got right back on and tried again and we used it like a slip n' slide. The girls also love sitting in the hot tub so in between each new activity we went and warmed up. We spent almost 3 hours there! 

Monday I said no to all play date invites and we just had a home day with no electronics whatsoever... it was just what the girls needed. They had been bickering quite a bit, so just some one on one time was good for them... I kicked them outside with there dolls and they played for quite some time- ending with a popsicle break... 

Sweet sister love 

Monday afternoon we went and met the newest addition to our life group. Millie Reese Geiger, born March 15, 8 lbs 12 oz. She is a little sweetie and the girls fell instantly in love.
Danika has been raving about her ever since! 

The proud mommy... Alycia has been very special to our family. During my month of bed rest with Amara she organized all meals and childcare and then when I was in the hospital she came and slept at our house with the girls for a couple nights. It is so neat sharing life together and now welcoming sweet little Millie with her. 

Amara is at such a fun stage, this morning when the girls woke up they took Amara into the playroom and I got to stay in bed a bit longer. Danika's friend stayed most of the day and I also had a friends 2 kids. It was a bit crazy! 6 kids... But half of them were mine! 

Little Faith loves meeko! The Matter family watched meeko while we were in Mexico and there daughter fell in love with him. She asks for him all the time, and they come pick up meeko at least once a week for a walk. 

The shirt I got Steve for St. Patricks day! 

SUN

This morning we went to our neighbours for a play date we have been trying to plan for months. It was a gorgeous day... Felt like summer. Danika got picked up by a friend for a play date and adessa and her friend Ayla played outside for a couple hours. They found a mud pit and so proceeded to take off shoes and socks and get good and muddy! They got it everywhere... The trampoline, the slide, handprints on the deck- but they loved every minute! Amara on the other hand was being summoned to the deck with the moms and was not to happy... She wanted to join in the fun too! 

So badly wanting to leave the deck... Big bad mom keeping her on! 

Muddy hands! 

Bath in a bucket. I had a lovely visit with my neighbor... She fed me yummy cookies and delicious coffee... The way into my heart! ;)

When we got home amara went for a nap and I headed into the backyard to pick up a winters worth of dog doo and then decided to lawn mower our foot long grass. I was in capris and adessa came out in shorts and a t-shirt. When amara woke up we picked up Danika and her friend, Hailey and went to the dog park and then down to the beach to play. 

Hailey came for dinner and then a sleep over. The girls really wanted to sleep in the play room, but someone else beat them to it...

Meeko is so loved- instead of the garage tonight looks like he gets a sleepover too! 

It was such a warm, wonderful day, sure gets us all excited and talking about summer plans! And the weather couldn't be more perfect for spring break! 

First day of Spring Break!

Monday kicked off the first day of Spring Break, and it was a great day! The sun was shining and it felt so warm! We planned skating with our life group at the Duncan arena. The girls were very excited. 

Steve and I both strapped on skates for the first time in YEARS. I was able to bring Amara onto the ice, so it was a nice excuse to have a stabilizer! 

My view for most of the time. Amara was totally content sitting in the stroller for the full hour and a half. 

Steve met us at the arena for his lunch break for a quick skate with his girls, and we packed a picnic lunch

Best buddies skating together

Caroline skating with the girls

Nicole and Rowan 

My Adessa Mattie... she improved so much from last year. We only went once last year and she lasted only 10 minutes on the ice. This year she spent the whole time on the ice... half on the stroller and the other half she was actually skating really well!

Danika was trying so hard... didn't want any help and could boogie quite quickly with the pusher.. and she let go of it and tried hard without it. She has improved a ton too!

In the evening instead of meeting with our life group to do our study we had our social night at the Brew Pub in Duncan. It was a really nice day out hanging with our group. The ladies in our group were trying to decide on a hobby we could all do together as the guys watch UFC fighting together and have all really gotten into fishing. So we decided that once a month we would get together and go for a long hike together, without kids. I am looking forward to it! 

Spring Ahead!

Today was lovely. We went to church, had some friends for lunch then packed up the family and went hiking up maple mountain on a new trail. We are pretty sure it takes you all the way to maple bay, but we weren't willing to try with the kids or we wouldn't have made it home.

The girls did incredible! We were on the trail for at least 2 hours, not once was there a complaint. The girls giggled and played, splashed around in the puddles and were best friends. It was wonderful! 

So happy Steve snapped this picture.... Me and my 3 girls, such special memories.

Daddy and his 2 big girls at the waterfall we found

My happy little sidekick

At the waterfall! 

We ran into Duncan afterwards to grab a few groceries and a $1.50 movie rental at Safeway. I love that box... Such a great deal! 

We came home and Steve grilled some steaks... It was such a gorgeous day! It was a great kick off to the next 2 weeks of spring break!  

Amara is such a little goof! She loves playing in the play room with her sisters, waving at everyone she sees and making funny faces in the window!

First pigtails!

Hike

The past couple of weeks I haven't gotten outside to hike too much due to the weather, but today I packed up adessa and amara and we headed out on my new favorite hike. We leave the house go up around maple mountain, come out at Osborne bay and walk home. It takes anywhere from 1 hour to 2, depending on who is with me. Today it was on the latter as adessa hiked half the time and explored. She found a couple huge worms... 

 And held  onto them for quite some time. She put one in each hand while she sat on the edge of the stroller and giggled her head off because they were "tickling her hands!" She is amazing... I hope she never finds them gross and stays my little explorer! Half way through the hike meeko took off... I took my eyes off him for a minute and he disappeared! We literally yelled for 20 minutes and I thought hed been eaten by a cougar. Adessa and I started to pray and we started walking away and he dashed out right behind us! Must have found something to eat! Little stinker! I am thankful he was ok, but it just shows that he still needs exercise every day, because when he is well exercised he stays close. I have such a love-hate relationship with him at the moment. He is blowing out his winter coat so I don't want him inside, because amara tries to eat his fur balls, but I feel guilty because I don't let him in and he doesn't get much exercise at the moment because amara still naps twice a day! But oh well... He is invited to a birthday party tomorrow so he is very loved still! 

Dr. Seuss Day

Yesterday I ran into a mom from Danika's school and she mentioned it was dr Seuss day Friday! I remember doing it last year and still had the costume for the cat in the hat but Danika really wanted to be Cindy Lou who. So this morning I grabbed an empty water bottle out of recycling and whipped up the hairstyle. It was easier than I thought! We never had time to do up a costume and I already packed up her red cape, and after ripping through a few boxes I gave up. But I think she turned out pretty darn cute! 

Snow week!

This past week the island was shocked with a crazy snowfall. Last weekend it started and the girls woke up both Saturday and Sunday morning, got their snowsuits on and headed to the hill behind our house to toboggan their mornings away. I love that I can see them from the house! Saturday our babysitter, Meagan offered to take the girls to the swimming pool at the chemainus hotel. It was wonderful! Steve and I are slowly trying to pack up the house to list it, so to have a few hours to ourselves with only one child was such a treat. We cooked up some appies for dinner, drank wine and packed up!

Monday morning we were woken up by squealing girls as it had snowed all night...

Now to most albertans you wouldn't think it was a big deal, but here it was a snow day!!! The kids were ecstatic! They bundled up and played the day away, built snowmen, an igloo and tobogganed all day. Meagan came over in the afternoon and played with them and then brought movies, popcorn and whipped cream for their hot chocolate! It was a great snow day. There was tons of snow, and you could actually stay out all day because it was warm enough.

The snowman Danika, Adessa and a few neighborhood kids made. Frosty didn't end well... as Adessa ate his nose and Meeko jumped on it and it fell over. Danika wasn't too happy!

My happy baby... she sat in her little toboggan and got pulled up and down the street and was perfectly content!

Meeko was losing his mind! He LOVED the snow! and Chasing the toboggans down the hill!

Amara and I watching from inside! 

It was a super short week of school for Danika as her school is doing swim lessons for the kids Tuesdays and Thursdays. And then Wednesday was a half day with a child led, p/t interview. Danika seems to be doing quite well. She is were she is supposed to be for grade 2, but still needs to work quite hard. Her happy reading club said she could graduate out of the extra help but Danika's teacher reccomended to keep her in as it is 5 days a week of extra help for Danika and she is doing well in it. I am very happy that she gets to stay in as it is boosting her confidence in her reading ability. 

We do continually need to work on her reading and math, but we are getting there! 

Friday was no school, so the girls and I had a much needed home day. However it didn't last long until I was losing my mind! I am finding it very stressful trying to pack up the house, having a husband work full time from our kitchen table and trying to raise 3 kids! And things around here have been high stress with Steve's work as one of his clients have been threatening to sue! 😞 my poor husband! 

It wasn't long until I packed up the kiddos and dog and went for a long walk to the ocean... My happy place!

The girls can fight like cats and dogs at home, but there is something about being outside and exploring that makes them so happy! It was a gorgeous day and the snow is almost all gone! 

Adessa had a rough day... We were walking up the street and she looked back and walked right into a pole and then after lunch she fell off her stool and smashed her chin on amaras high chair and bit her tongue in 3 different spots. Poor kid... So I ran out for Popsicles, but it seems like nowadays anything we eat, amara has to eat too... So she had a bite of her first Popsicle!

There is a little update of our crazy little lives!