More Summer

What a terrible blogger I have been. The more that happens, the farther behind I get because I know how long it's going to take to catch up. I have decided that I should maybe just set one day a week and blog about something... then I'll stay on top of things.

We have been having a great summer, look forward to ALOT of pictures. Starting with WW's 2nd birthday party. My little boy is now 2, and we had such a great time with family and close friends to celebrate with him. He is having a big summer too... we've been potty training, and enjoying the weather with bike rides, park play dates and short family trips.

(Above) my sweet birthday boy!!
Splashing in the little pool my sister set up for WW's party. We were so lucky because my sister allowed us to have his party in her beautiful backyard. It was the warmest day, and then we had the craziest storm right after. The party was perfect except everyone rushing to get home before the sort hit.

(Above) WW and his best friend AH sharing a snack! They are just the cutest together... WW hasn't quite figured out how to play with kids his own age, but the two of them have always been close and have always played well together.
(Above) The cake!!! My sister and I slaved all day friday on this cake. It turned out just perfect!
(above) Those two cute kids again, holding hands on the way home from their park play date.
(above) Just last week we had our last family holiday of the summer. We were so lucky to be able to spend lots of time with BJ's family. CF and JF and the girls live in Airdrie now and so they are in the perfect location for us ALL to come visit. BJ, WW and I drove down Tuesday and spent a couple nights with them... and then we went to the Calgary Zoo Wednesday with most of the Fixsen family... and then continued onto Banff with BJ's parents for a couple of days. It was a great trip! Lots of pictures following.
(above) WW's sour face. It is really sooo funny!!!
Cousins. The cutest kids I know. We were sad we didn't have the other three with us... next time we'll have to plan it so everyone can come.
(above) SF. What a handsome little guy!!
(above) CF- Can you believe how old he looks here. So handsome!
(above) BJ liked this picture because it shows me scowling... the things he has to deal with married to a red head. I must give him this look alot because he was pretty happy to have it on the camera as proof.
(above) Beautiful BF. I just love this picture!
(above) Sweet CF. What a stunning smile.

(above) BJ and his brother CF.
My sweet boy!!! What a cutie!
(above) our little family in the flower gardens in Banff.
WW and Papa Fixsen waiting for our day to start.
Our family on the top of Lake Louise. We took the gondola up. WW came with us on the open chair lift. We looked so hard for bears but didn't see any. Papa on the other hand has quite the eye for wildlife and saw two. We just weren't quick enough.
(above) WW and I on the chair lift
My handsome husband on the chair lift.
I like this picture, because there are so few pictures of WW and I because I always have the camera... it's nice to have proof that I was on the trip too.
My boys throwing rocks into Lake Louise
Matching hats. I am so lucky to have such wonderful boys!

Hiking up Johnston Canyon. WW and I didn't get very far because he had had a little too much gatorade and peed his pants... twice.
My sweet husband carrying all the heavy stuff. What a trooper!
WW peeing in the bush. He really enjoyed peeing where ever we were, but had trouble coming home after and remembering to pee in the toilet again. Funny kid!
One last hug for the bear before we headed home. It was really nice to spend some time with BJ's family and his parents. The weather was just perfect. We are very lucky to have such wonderful families that we get along so well with. Summer is almost over but we have lots of things to look forward to in September... swimming lessons, library classes and much more. Stay tuned. I'll be better at this... I want to have this record for my family to read, so I better work on it.

Summer Holidays... so far

We have been having a great summer so far, I'm looking forward to the months to come. I have made a decision with myself to be open to whatever, and have been pleasantly surprised at all the fun we've been having. I feel sorry for WW and BJ sometimes because I feel like a party pooper quite a bit, being the 'level headed' boring member of the family. So changing my outlook has been good for me to learn to let loose and go with the flow, and also great for my boys who get to experience more, with the momma tagging along.

We went camping to Crimson Lake with MF, HF and the boys. We went camping with them last year too, and it really is the best camping you can do. We do have to sleep in a tent- but BJ bought a sweet new air mattress so that wasn't even so bad. We do everything else at their site, camp fires and meals taking advantage of all their stuff, and their beautiful trailer. I've never eaten so well away from home as I do when we are with them. Breakfast is the best, eggs, bacon, hash browns and a HUGE fruit salad. I'm hoping this will become a yearly tradition. We brought our bikes and the Chariot and got out riding. It was beautiful!

We were away for WW's actual birthday, so HF and MF brought a gift and a cake so we could have a little party for him while we were away. They were just way too thoughtful, BJ and I didn't bring him anything :)
Checking out the falls, I don't remember the name. They are about 15 minutes outside Nordegg. It was a treacherous hike to get down to the bottom, but WW encouraged us all to keep going... easy for him though because he was being carried. I think we were all glad we did it though. So beautiful!

My handsome husband. I couldn't leave this one out. I realize everyday how incredibly lucky WW and I are to have him in our lives. I fall more in love with him everyday. We had our first date anniversary on Canada Day- 5 years together. We drove to Ardrie for the night so we could go to Drumheller the next day, and the whole drive we reminisced about what we remember from way back then, first impressions etc. It was a good laugh to think about all that silly dating stuff.
Canada Parade in SP, we biked over to the mall and watched the cute little parade. WW absolutely loved it, and would not agree to go home until every single thing had passed. It was nice to see how many other people came out too. Canada Day afternoon we went out to Camrose to celebrate BJ's Grandma's birthday. It was so fun to see her, and all the aunts, uncles, cousins and now 2nd cousins. That family is so close, and are all so wonderful. It's so great to be a part of it.
Waving to the people in the parade.
Waving his flag.
This was the best float, a real buffalo/ bison whatever it is, in this car driving down the road. They kept it distracted with the food bowl on the hood.
After the parade, after Grandma Drever's party we drove down to Airdrie to see the fireworks with CF, JF and the girls. Then we slept over and went to Drumheller for the day. WW is really into Dinosaurs lately and so this was on my list of things to do this summer. It was great to see family, and lots of fun that they could come share the day with us and the dinosaurs.
WW, BF and CF.

I've decided it's time to start potty training WW to add to all the fun this summer has in store. I just couldn't help but add this picture of him in the cutest little boxer briefs I've ever seen. He is proud of his big boy underwear, but we have had some accidents. I just have to stay positive and motivated and I'm sure he'll pick it up really quick.

We'll that is our summer so far, I have been working a little bit like I mentioned in my last post, so we are keeping very busy. I'll let you know what else we have planned for the summer when we find out :)

Work

My posting has become very slack lately, and I do have things to post about- our camping trip to crimson lake, Canada Day, Grandma Drevers party and Drumheller... but I seem to be lacking hours in the day.

I worked at the SVC before I had WW, and since then I've work very casually for them whenever I'm needed, and more importantly when I have been available. This month one member of their staff had surgery and so has to be at home to recover, so I've stepped in when I can. BJ is so wonderful and because of his great schedual, I'm able to work when he has days off, and then my also wonderful mom steps in when we need some backup. I've only been working 3 days a week for the past couple but I can't even believe how few hours you have left after you get home. All those moms out there that work full time... you must be superwomen. I am enjoying being at work, having a change of pace/ scenery but it's always nice to come home to my boys who have missed me "this much" (arms spread wide) I don't think I'll ever work full time because I can't seem to keep up, but I really appreciate what these shifts this month have done for me.

Hopefully I'll find some more time soon to blog, and then I'll catch up on the day to day goings on of the B&L Fixsen family (There are two other Fixsen family blogs you can read on my attachments- both worth blog hopping to.)

Another thing I should write down so I'm accountable is that I'm re-motivated to work out and spend some time for me due to family experiences in the last few weeks/ months. I found after I had WW that I needed some time to myself but didn't really have anywhere to go by myself... I would head over to Millenium place alone and spend my hour or so I had at the gym and I have always found that working out is both healthy for my body and my MIND. So we're back at it, a few months of working out and we'll see where we are... ALSO none of my clothes fit... literally none of them. I must have been wearing lululemon and scrubs (for work) too much because they just expand with me. Hopefully I don't have to go anywhere soon :) Hope the summer is treating everyone well. Enjoy the rain, it is so good for the grass!!!

New York!!!

I have been procrastinating this post because I know it will be a long one, but I don't want to forget any part of this trip... so here it goes.

We left Edmonton on a 730am flight and since we needed to be there 2 hours early for a international flight, plus 45 minutes to drive to the airport, plus some time to get the last few things together meant getting up at 3am!!! insane.

The first flight to Toronto was great, although I didn't exactly remember how terrible landing was... I survived... but from Toronto to New York was only an hour and a half and I felt SO sick the whole time ( I blame it on the pizza we stuffed down 2 minutes before boarding) anyways you may guess where this is headed... but I puked 3 times on the plane... in the puke bag. It was TERRIBLE.

When we got to New York though I was ready to start the adventure. We had pre-arranged transportation from the airport and even had a nice taxi driver with a little "FIXSEN" sign awaiting our arrival. The only thing that was an adjustment right away was the tipping. Everyone was SO willing to help, but wouldn't let the tip go... they were so forward saying things like "so I'm finished with your bags..." hint hint... what was the most insane was that the norm is to tip 1 dollar per bag... we had about 11 bags with us with stroller and stuff... so to tip 11 dollars for the doorman to bring the bags from the curb, and then ANOTHER bellman to bring them from the lobby to our rooms... it was immediately looking like it was going to be an expensive trip.

We headed out right away which is where the photos begin...

This above is the Ferris wheel INSIDE Toys R Us in Times Square. My niece IF came on the trip with us and she had her own list of important things to do and see in New York... this was one of them. We started off our trip on the right foot finding toys and souvenirs for the kids back home as soon as we arrived in New York.
My sweet niece IF enjoying a New York delicacy Pretzels from the street vendors.
First night at the Empire State building. 85 floors up makes for a pretty incredible 360* view of New York city. The top photo was looking down on the traffic below. The lower photo shows a great shot of Times Square... can you see all the lights shining. It was alot of lines... line to pay, line for the first elevator, second elevator, to see over the edge, to get down both elevators again. It total we were on the top for maybe 15=20 minutes but it was worth it. One of those things you just need to see.

This picture was at the Met. Figure 5 in Gold it was called. One of IF's favorites. HF, IF and I took a short guided tour of some of the items found in the Met. It was insane the amount of things you don't even notice in the art until you hear from the experts. I found the tour much more rewarding than just wandering around myself... I felt as though the pictures were esthetically pleasing, but there is just so much more to each one. I have always wondered though... who decides the symbolism, or what the artist meant by "this" brushstroke? Alot of the art is so old, there must have been someone deciding what meant what... that wasn't necessarily the artist. Any thoughts?
The outside of the MET. JF met a few employees of this museum who had worked there for over 14 years and still hadn't seen everything. You cannot even imagine how HUGE this place was. HF and I needed a GPS to find our way out :)
Wednesday night on our way out to WICKED. It was just the most amazing show. Highly recommend it!!!
Back late from Wicked... HF and I had a room service party. It was the first time I had ever had room service. It was delicious... and just way too much fun.
HF and I took a scary trip to China town... We had heard about these little shops that sold these incredible knock offs... so we had each promised some baggage to people back home so made our own special trip.... luckily (I would have felt guilty my entire life if we had put those two sweet kids in any danger while we were away)

Here's the story... we get off the train and are on the correct street "canal street" and are immediately bombarded by these little Asian ladies standing on the street who whisper the brands of bag they have available. We initially get whisked into this tiny closet of a back room where there are all these coach bags hanging from the ceiling we each buy a bag and are sent back to the street with our black bags carrying our "goods". Every step we are asked about our bag needs. The next lady who catches our attention has a cell phone walkie talkie that she is using to tell someone else about our eminent arrival... we follow this lady about a block then through a back doorway, up a tight steep set of stairs to this stuffy upstairs loft with another large selection of beautiful bags. HF buys a few more and we are off to look for my sister's request Louis Vuitton ...We find a lady offering them, follow her 3 blocks which she is radioing our next contact who takes us down off the busy canal street another 3 blocks to a big white van awaiting our arrival. She opens the back up rushes us in and turns on these dingy fluorescent lights in the back of the van. The pressure was insane... wanting to get out of the van etc. so I pick one out for my sister and the lady asks her husband (the driver) if it is safe for us to exit. He says it a go, she pushes us out of the van and they drive off... I feel terrible that I put HF at risk... what a dumb thing to do... but we are alive to tell the tale... what an adventure. It became super uncomfortable to walk down that canal street after we had a few black bags... we were obviously looking like tourists and every single step someone else was whispering in our ear trying to sell us the next best thing.
While in China town JF had taken the kids to the statue of Liberty. JF was absolutely incredible trekking her two kids in and out of the subway, and around New York by herself every once in a while. It was nice for all of us to be able to do some of the things we had come to New York to see without forcing the same stuff on everyone else. HF and I also made a trip to ground zero before we had to meet up with JF. The families of the victims have set up this beautiful visitors centre... it was sooo sad, but done very tastefully. the above pictures are of the actual location which you can't see much of. It is under construction and blocked off really well... the other picture is one wall in the visitors centre of the hundreds of "missing person" ads. HF and I fought back alot of tears in that place. I just cannot even imagine the horror of being there, being in the subway and having no clue what was going on above you.. or worrying about family that you know is there.
Lombardi's pizza in little Italy. The real deal including a loud table of authentic Italians sitting right next to us. Delicious pizza, perfect atmosphere.
HF and I had the privilege of visiting the Manhattan temple while we were there too. It was just so beautiful, and places on this busy street but once you get inside it was perfectly quiet and just stunning. Definitely a favorite memory of the trip.
HF spent the day in Connecticut with a good friend of hers on Friday and missed out on another favorite memory. JF and IF were just too fun to watch at the American Girl Doll Place. Above is the two girls with their dolls (JF's was 20 years old) standing in the rain in line for the store to open.
The best little traveler in the world. Is he not the cutest kid ever???
Brunch with the dolls. Have you ever seen two happier girls in your life? They just BEAMED the whole time we were there. They had everything for a young girl and her American Girl doll.. matching clothes, pet shop, hair salon, accessories, stories, movies. It was so much fun... made me wish I had a little girl to share the experience with... I honestly almost bought WW a little baby doll there, but I wasn't sure what BJ would think of that.

Natural History Museum- A Night at the Museum, Museum... recognize this dinosaur?
Central Park. There was just something about these lanterns I just loved. They were everywhere along with alot of dogs and alot of runners. It was so beautiful. So green... They actually block off alot of the grass for public use, and the stuff that is open is open limited hours. I'm sure it helps it stay so beautiful.
The architecture was amazing. Every building had very distinct features and none were the same. I loved looking up to see all the beautiful details on the buildings.
This is a famous building but I don't remember what it's called... Iron something? Sorry.
Times Square at midnight after seeing Billy Elliott. It was another amazing show, the little boy that stars in it (there are 3 or 4 of them) was unbelievable!!! The number of people flooding out of the Broadway shows was such a sight. The energy that night in Times Square was electric. HF and I satisfied some pasta cravings after the show and went to the Olive Garden, then walked the 8ish blocks back to our hotel at 1 in the morning. It was another one of my favorite nights in New York.
This above it Bryant park. We walked through it our first night in New York and HF fell in love with it. I think she said she liked it better than Central park. It was this little green piece of park a few blocks from our Hotel, in the middle of the city. Like it's own little Oasis. It also happened have the most beautiful public washroom we had ever seen. Fresh flowers, music, security and a plastic seat cover that rotated around the toilet seat when you pushed a button. Like nothing I had ever seen before.
I couldn't help taking a picture of the food carts. There were like 2 every block, and made New York smell delicious. I am not exaggerating or being sarcastic... as soon as the smell from one was dissapating you were right into the smell zone of the next cart. We never ate from any, they looked a little sketchy with the meat in the hot air and stuff, but they sure did smell great.
Grand Central Station!!! the subway wasn't my favorite part of the trip... I found it very stuffy and a little clausterphobic but it sure was handy. As long as you had ALOT of hand sanitizer!!!
Our last day spent in Central Park. It was a super hot day so I didn't quite last the whole time but it was just beautiful and we only got to see a small portion of what was there.

IF cooling off in the sprinkler.

New York was incredible!!! Will I go back... I hope so. I feel as though I've seen the big sights that New York is famous for (that I was interested in), but there just seemed to be so much more to explore. The cute neighbourhoods and their shops, the shopping, the food! I missed my boys alot, BJ especially because I wanted to share everything with him... but they survived without me, and BJ will have his own special trip to San Fransisco in September with his brothers and his dad. I hope he has as great a time as we did.

There is alot more that I'm realizing I haven't mentioned... like my first ride in a Taxi in my life, crazy/insane driving and pedestrians, the Frick Collection- an art collection like no other in a private mansion residence just down a few blocks from the MET. PAX food store next door to our hotel which fed us breakfast lunch and dinner most days we were there. What a great 6 days away!!!

I have been struggling to think of something to write about. I figured instead of not writing I would just add some random pictures of the boy and maybe then I'd get some flow and I'd think of something new to add as well.

Cute Mabey grand kids. WW and JJ.
WW and his Papa Mabey at West Edmonton Mall. A good friend of mine told me that kids under two can go on the rides for free... that is probably because there are only 2-3 rides that they are big enough to ride on. WW LOVES it, he'd ride those horses over and over and over. Luckily my dad was a good sport and came along, and joined WW on the rides. BJ and I don't seem to be able to stomach rides anymore.

WW and his Grandma Mabey making cinnamon buns for me. He is an impressive little helper. Love cracking eggs, stirring and using a "spatuala"
WW and Baby JJ in the chariot. JJ was a much better sport about staying in the stroller. My big boy wants to be just that, and walk by himself.

Well my big trip to New York is coming up very quickly and I couldn't be more excited. We leave for New York in just over 18 days. We have lots of fun planned... including seeing Wicked, Billy Elliott, lunch at the American Girl store, the Manhattan Temple... and hopefully lots of shopping and sightseeing. I am absolutely thrilled with who I get to travel with. I have such a great relationship with my sister in laws that I know we will have an amazing time together.

I am really excited for BJ and WW to spend some quality one on one time together. BJ will not only get a sense of what it is to be a stay at home dad, but I think WW will also learn that his Dad is just as capable as his mom. It will be good for them both. All the boys that are left behind have a camping trip planned to Miquelon lake. That makes me a little nervous, but I'm going to be caught up in the excitement of my trip to worry about what is going on at home... I hope!