The Belbin Brigade

Sunday, May 10, 2009

A Million Pieces

The tulips in Kai & Bumpa's special
garden that bloomed for Mother's Day

This past weekend encompassed all of the best moments of parenthood. We were together, the sun was shining and there were a million little moments that added up to make it the most special Mother's Day I could have asked for. Some things were broken, a big mess was made and there were a few tantrums thrown in for good measure. But, there was also a 6-man tent set up in our living room for a very rowdy sleepover, fears conquered, and some of the most simple, fun & proudest moments of our lives.

Drew broke this by accident while helping me pitch the tent in the living room.
He then painstakingly put it back together with scotch tape. "All fixed!"
(Bumpa, we may need a new one next time you're in Japan)

On Friday, Kai had a sleepover with her friends Amy & Kaitlyn from school. It was a first sleepover for both girls and I kept the nervous mothers updated throughout the night with photos & emails. I took the girls to the movie store & they were convinced everyone thought they were triplets because they were all wearing jammies, holding dolls and they were all wearing gold medals around their necks (?). Their constant chatter & High School Musical madness was hilarious...until about midnight when they finally fell asleep.

On Saturday morning we packed up some tired girls and set off to the BMX track for "new racer day". Drew & Aidan each got to practice & then race three times. Drew was very nervous ("I'm so anxious it's eating up my insides!") but after a few practice rounds he was ready. Kai, who was "not tired at all" fell asleep in the bleachers while Drew came in 2nd in all three races and was awarded his newest prize possession - his trophy.

On Sunday Drew & I were up early to run the Big Brothers/Big Sisters 5K race together. Drew was the only kid in the race which got him a lot of attention! He was high-fived and cheered the entire way. I finished the race in 3rd place in the female division, 5th overall & Drew finished in 40:40! Watching him run through the finish line all sweaty and proud of himself was a chest-bursting moment for me. Afterward we collected some prizes, ate donuts and enjoyed the sweet feel of victory...for a few minutes. Then we were off again! Dad, Kai & Mara had a huge Mother's Day breakfast waiting for us at home before DK had a gymnastics birthday party to get to.

Here are a few randoms from the last few weeks...

Hi-tech baby

Music Girls

DK's soccer tournament in our back yard.

It was an intense competition

Kai's shot of Drew & Mara at Coombs Market

Mara loves her ice cream

Our biggest & best boy

Mara's first mullet tamer

Showing Kai how it's done

It's tough to have it cut when you're trying
to grow it like Hannah Montana

Easter dinner at cousin Heather's...

...was also, Nanie's 96th Birthday!

Monday, March 23, 2009

A longtime coming

Between visits from Bumpa & Nana, a 4-day stay in Vancouver & seeing Annie on Broadway with Kai (!), spring break, cleaning Mara's artwork off the walls, picking up junk and generally going out of our heads, we realize the updates are few and far between. It sure doesn't mean there hasn't been a lot going on, it just means that most of the time I haven't had my camera where it should be.

Now that the weather is improving, slowly, we're out and about more & there will be more photos to come - like this one of Drew below. Bumpa shot this one while I was in Vancouver & it is one of my favourites. We are sure lucky to live where we do.

Monster on the beach!

When Nana came to visit we did a tour of Cathedral Grove. Not only is it a breathtaking place, it is also a very special place for me. My parents stopped there on their last trip together & my dad shot a beautiful photo of my mum that now hangs on his wall. It feels good to go there.

On the way home from visiting CG we saw a sign for a 5K run to be held the next day in Qualicum Beach. Sue Anne agreed to enter it with me and after a hilarious trip that night to find her some running shoes, first thing in the morning we were off! Grant & the kids were on the sidelines to cheer us on & take some photos. We had no idea what to expect, but it turned out to be a sunny day, a nice trail - and, more importantly, there were cookies and hot chocolate to be had afterward.