Some recent pictures and news...

So Jeff is now 45 years old. His birthday was on the 16th. Olivia and I made a cake, Briar grew a tooth and Jeff and I went for dinner while our friend, Sheila, (Angus' mom) watched the kids.
Olivia has been pretty excited that Spring has begun and is very enthusiastically pointing out every possible 'sign of Spring'. Today, she and I had a little Spring tea party and decorated the front walk saying 'Welcome Spring' with chalk-drawn flowers, plants and animals.
Briar has begun standing briefly by himself. He has gotten very fast in the crawling department and stands while holding onto furniture and cruising every waking moment. I have to remember to close all the toilet lids after finding him splashing in the bowl. Good thing he has a very anal mother regarding cleaning....(No pun intended...)
Jeff is still working on various activities on the boat. He's pretty tired when he gets home. I do think he likes this job, though. He likes to be busy.
I am freaking out a bit anticipating our iminent move. I know it will be easier than last time seeing as I won't be 8 months pregnant and Jeff should be home to help, but I HATE moving. The only thing good about moving is that you get rid of things that you don't use. I LOVE that feeling. Pretty soon we won't have anything...Okay, that's a gross exaggeration, but I really am realizing that we have WAY more than we need. I have been purging since we last moved and I still manage to find things that don't have a spot in our house anymore. Are they multiplying?????
The dogs are doing well but I am concerned that Eli is going a bit blind. My poor guy seems to have developed a fear of the island in the kitchen and will do his utmost to avoid it. I can't explain this sudden fear. He will timidly walk past it if I go with him but otherwise, he'll take a 'longcut' through the livingroom even though he knows that he isn't allowed. It's hard not to laugh watching him gingerly creep through the livingroom with his ears and head down watching you through the corner of his eye trying to avoid detection in the 'NO DOG ZONE'. It's like he's thinking 'Don't see me. Don't see me. Don't see me.'
Well, I am off to bed now that the little ones are asleep....and the big hairy one (not the dogs)....
Olivia's imitation of a piece of paper....

This face reminded me of the monkey face you make when you put an orange peel in your mouth...You know what I mean, right?
Freckles LOVES any attention. Including camera attention.
Not Eli. He does not like his picture taken. Odd. He looks away almost everytime. Do you think it's the flash?

Briar cooking up a Desert Storm....
Mommy's little cowgirl on her noble stead that Daddy built for her...
Grandma and Briar share a snuggle....
Now THAT is tired!! Imagine falling asleep with your mouth full!!!
Our Spring Celebration Tea Party. Peppermint tea and chocolate heart cookies.

These pictures aren't in the order that I had hoped but this is the "After" picture from Jeff's birthday. For those of you who didn't know, Jeff was refraining from shaving and haircuts since December or January until his 45th birthday. Many people asked "Why?". I say "because he can"? (Jeff finds amusement in ways that the general public finds confusing...)
Pre-Birthday haircut and shave....
Liv picked out the candles for the cake. (I only now noticed that the '5' is backwards. Pretty awesome for a four year old!)
Hiding Daddy's present (a Louie Lamore book and a case of beer...she couldn't carry the case of beer herself...)

"What? Yeah, I can cook!"

I know I put tonnes of these pictures on but I just could decide which one I liked the best. You can just see what he's thinking! It's lucky that we have such a mellow cat!
Must...Get....WWWWWWhiskers!!!!!
Oh, look! A sign of Spring!!!
Me and the sign of Spring!!!

JJJJJust a BBBBit FFFFFFFurtherrrrrrrrr......
Doesn't he look like a little boy?! I swear he morphed into a toddler in hyper speed. What happened to my tiny baby boy?
Man, is she cute! What a lucky mommy I am. I sometimes look at our kids and am amazed by what a gift they are. I love them so much, I could *POP*!
Yup, I even thinks she's cute here....

P.S. I had my hair fixed at the hair dresser the other day. Much better.... I am just happy that Liv didn't cut my hair to the scalp....I'd have to go all 'Britney bald'.

The month of February and early March...

Olivia and Jaiden in the carriage... This is what happens when your kids are quiet...too quiet....Supposedly, he's (Angus) a puppy.
Olivia is an inch worm...Do you see her yellow mandables?
Briar enjoys the swing immensely...

The girls in the crocus patch....
Us with the horse, Chris, after our carriage ride through downtown....
Olivia and "Mother-Earth"....
Goat lovin' girl...

Something about Briar apparently attracts goats....
Olivia, the statue...
Checking out the sun-dial...

The kids with a whale...

Olivia looks a bit unsure of the mammoth....
Two little stars!!!
Brody and the pea-cock... Is it just me or does that sound like a kid's book?
Matty in his section of the double Bob stroller...

Gabe in his....
Olivia had her face painted at a school carnival...
Briar in his Bob...

Two BOBs at the beach...

Matty, blue-eyes...
Gabby, brown-eyes...
Moe the cat, psycho-eyes....

Olivia and Angus awaiting the cookies...

Grandma and Matty...
Grandpa and Olivia play piano...
Papa and Briar....
Briar couldn't find his cookie...Tell him where it is!

Super Briar in his white cape...
Swingin' Bean...

Well, a whole month has passed since I last wrote. I'll try to sum up quickly...We've been sick off and on (mostly on) with various ailments for the last month. I am SICK of being SICK!! Anyhow, it seems that we are just about clear of this latest cold.

Jeff has been working on gear for a boat in town for the last week. It's nice to have him home at night. I guess this is what 'normal' families feel like.

I have signed Olivia up for kindergarten here. I am still struggling with my decision, though. We may still homeschool.

Briar is MOBILE!!! He is crawling, pulling up on things, cruising the furniture and occasionally will let go a stand very briefly by himself. This has all happened in a week. Argh! I am happy for him...Not so happy to try to babyproof in a house with a four-year old big sister with an affinity for toys that come with ridiculously miniscule paraphernalia.

We'll be moving at the end of April. The house we're in is up for sale. It's sounds as if we'll be going back to our old place. I am happy to be closer to our Nanaimo friends; BUT I am going to miss it here A LOT. I love the sense of community, the fresh air, being close to the beach, all our friends, being close to family and to town. I definitely see family more often while living here and I will miss that. Oh well, that's the way it has to be...

My friend, Marnie, and her kids came down for a visit last weekend and we had a fabulous time doing the "Tourist in your own Hometown" thing. We even went in one of those horse-drawn carriages!! I have ALWAYS wanted to do that! The kids had a blast and we even managed to go to an IMAX movie. It was "Happy Feet". I don't know if you've seen it, but basic message (much to Jeff's chagrin) is that the penguins are starving because the aliens (people) are fishing with huge nets and depleting the fish stocks. She's been giving Jeff grief ever since. She's insisting that he can only go fishing if he uses hooks or if he can't do that he can "build houses by the sea since he loves the ocean so much". Yay Olivia!!!!!!!!

On Monday, I had to cancel my haircut appointment because I was too sick with a cold. Olivia and I laid on the floor to read a book. When we were done, I put my head on the floor as well. I was resting when Olivia started brushing my hair and putting barrettes in it. It was so lovely and relaxing! When I went to sit up, Olivia exclaims, "I'm SO helpful!" Not knowing quite what she meant, I briefly agreed until I noticed two clumps of my hair on the floor. Olivia figured that I could get my hair cut as planned so she did it for me!!!! There were two three inch long sections chopped from my hair....Good thing I have long hair and some to spare....

My sister, Kirsten, and her family came out for a visit a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, they go sick with the flu while they were here. (I was secretly a bit..um...happy that they got it since they had to extend their trip to recuperate allowing me to see them more often than I would have). It was a wonderful visit though and made me realize how awesome it would be to live close and have the kids all grow up together like we did with our cousins, Tim and Trisha. It was amazing having the three baby boys together! It was BUSY!!!! Olivia loved it. Big sister to ALL!

Anyhow, here are some pictures of our recent exploits...