Something to make you smile......

As many of you know or have found out by reading this blog, I love taking pictures and documenting the happenings in my life and the lives of our family by scrapbooking each year of memories.

The last couple of nights I have been going thru pictures from this spring, getting ready to reprint pictures so I can scrapbook some more pages. I found these two pictures that I took while staying at my aunt and uncles down in Washington State!! Their neighbors are clowns, and were arriving back home from clowning just as I was leaving. I just couldn't resist taking some pictures so they gave me a 'red nose' so I could fit in!

Needless to say, I can' t help but smile when I look at them....so I thought I would post them here and make you smile today too!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Happy Canada Day to all of our Canadian Friends!

We had the day off work today so Dave and I decided to run away and head into Vancouver. Although we weren't exactly sure what we were going to do, we headed into Stanley Park.
One of things that has come out of losing Debbie has been a renewed commitment to enjoy times together and not take life and love for granted. So we did something we have never done before but often said we should do some day....we took the Horse-drawn Carriage tour of Stanley Park!!

It was so much fun to learn all about things that we have often seen but not known the story behind them and for this trivia-lover, that was awesome.

There were a couple of cruise ships docked at Canada Place....probably headed for Alaska.
We got a front row seat and had a great view...
Afterwards we walked along the sea wall and headed to White Spot for lunch....sitting on the patio was perfect!
We marvelled again at how blessed we are to have each other...and to enjoy spending time together. Once we were finished eating we walked back to the car and took the long away around the park before heading for home.....I always love this view of the Lion's Gate Bridge.
And of course you have to stop at Prospect Point and see if there are boats coming under the bridge...this big freighter was headed out to sea.
All in all, it really was just a perfect day all the way around.

It doesn't get any better than this.....

With renovations happening at their house, Megan and the boys have been coming over for some uninterrupted nap times the past couple of weeks. Of course, there is always some play time required because you can't just go to Mimi's house and go straight to sleep.

Last week Aidan was in the living room when he yelled....Come!!
Of course all of us, including Jaxon came to see what all the excitement was about.

The boys could NOT believe their eyes....both of them jockeyed for the best position in the window....
Can't get any closer than this!
And there it was....the most amazing thing of all! A Snort in our neighbors yard!!!(you have to enjoy Dr Seuss to really appreciate this moment....from 'Are you my Mother?")
It just doesn't get any better than this!!! There it was...in living color!!

Me and My Pa

In honor of yesterday being Father's Day I just had to post a couple of pictures that I took of Aidan and his Pa on Saturday. Dave and I had been working outside most of the day and then Dave cleaned up the garage. He decided it was time to take down the old tricycle that our kids had learned to ride on. It had been hanging up, waiting for such a time as this.

Aidan wasn't too sure about getting on it at first, but once he tried it, he was so thrilled....
He was riding it all on his own!!! When they came over for Sunday Dinner yesterday he announced as he came in the door, 'come on everybody, come see me riding outside!'

After Dinner on Saturday they had been outside riding again when Jaxon decided to crawl to the front windows....and this is what we saw! Pa and Aidan watering our flowers....
They even sprayed the window in front of us with water....
It was just a very special day all the way around for Aidan and his Pa....more amazing memories!

Saying Goodbye never gets easier

Dave and I both decided today that saying goodbye never gets any easier.....but say goodbye we did and tonight we are home again and far away from our Texas kids.
We have met and had our hearts captured by our newest granddaughter....
....and capture our hearts she did indeed!
This litte baby doll is so precious.
This morning Bupa was holding Lexi and Caily and her baby bear decided to climb up into his lap as well....I loved this picture! She is holding her baby exactly the same way Dave is holding Lexi!
Caily is Daddy's girl....no doubt about it!
Lexi is opening her eyes a bit more these days.....
Caily and I had to compare our bracelets today.....she got hers from her Auntie Heather and she was so impressed by it and even kept it on her arm all day yesterday!
Dave caught Jody and I and the girls today.....mothers and daughters, how very special.
As we headed for home, this memory will be forever in our hearts.....Caily and her Daddy, checking out the ranch!

Thanks again Jody and Darin, for letting us come and share your lives! We love you lots and miss you already!

Padre Island

With Jody and Darin's anniversary yesterday and ours on Sunday, we decided to take advantage of an offer to come down to 'South Texas' and spend a couple of nights on Padre Island with friends of theirs. It's been an awesome day enjoying the surf and sun along with a great pool. Dave captured this scene this afternoon, complete with the sailboat in the distance! Don't you wish you were here too?

Dave and I were coming back from a great walk on the beach when we saw these two watching the surf.....
Caily was surprised to see us on the beach! Here we were watching the birds flying over the water....I am looking very windblown but we were at the beach afterall!
Lexi had it best....sleeping in the sling out of the sun!
We took Lexi back to our room so Jody could spend some time playing in the sand and water with Darin and Caily. I just had to capture these wide awake eyes....we haven't seen them very much! She really is such a good baby that she spends a lot of time sleeping.
Later on in the day we went back to pool with the kids.....Caily loves the water.
I couldn't resist this little bathing beauty!
Dave held the sleeping Lexi so that Jody could get into the pool with us! Caily sure had a great time!

Cherished Moments

Thank you to all of you that commented on my last post! I must admit that it really encouraged me to realize that you are checking for pictures and reading about those cherished moments that we are having here with our girlies.

Caily always has either a 'baby' or some sort of stuffed animal in her arms. Here she is loving on her 'bear' who is being cuddled and rocked just like Mimi was rocking Lexi. Notice her crocs on the wrong feet...odds would lead one to believe that she would get them on the right feet 50% of the time, but those odds definitely don't hold true with this little miss.
Gotta love this smile! And how about those cute pigtails?!
Miss Lexi looking her usual cute self. I can't get enough of just staring at her, knowing that in 4 short days we will be saying goodbye again.
Here she is wearing a little sunsuit that her Mommy and big sister wore! As one of the neighbor girls said when she heard that, 'that means it is really old!'
The other night after dinner we went down to the river which was refreshing and beautiful(it's cooler down there)
Caily loves the water and especially when she can be having fun with Daddy at the same time!
Here's a picture of Lexi on Tuesday, 3 weeks old. She often has her little arm under her chin like this.
Yesterday morning we met the newest arrival on the ranch...this little colt had been born just hours before. Caily loves horses and asks to see the baby horses any chance she gets. This other colt is 3 weeks old and also very cute.
Horses, sheep, goats(also with new babies), dogs, cats, deer and buffalo...what else can a little girl ask for?!