Summer Lovin'

We are really growing to love Edmonton, especially with all that it has to offer in the summer!! It's also been wonderful to live closer to family and reunite with good friends. We're really loving our quiet, peaceful neighbourhood ... it's just a slight change from Bowness! Although we miss our dear friend Yogi (aka the ferocious dog that lived next door), the rabbits and squirrels around our place are much easier to get along with. Our neighbours are all pleasant Senior's and they have been so welcoming. As previously promised, here are just a couple pics of the front our little bungalow...

Zach loves to sit on the couch and look out the front window, to watch all the birds, cars, or people pass by. I don't know why I buy him any toys when his favourite entertainment is free!!

Trip to Calgary

In June, Zach and I went to Calgary to visit friends, go to Zach's friend's 1st birthday party and to attend a triple baby shower for some gals at work. It was definitely a fun-filled weekend!! Here's Zach at Everee's party enjoying the swimming pool full of balls!! What a great idea!!

He's usually quite timid around dogs, but it didn't take Zach long to warm up to Angus at the baby shower. Poor Angus was looking a little annoyed by the end, but he was a good sport. Zach couldn't get enough of him!!

Father's Day

We got back just in time to celebrate Father's Day with the Corie family. It feels great to finally be able to entertain in a back yard of our own!

Along with a few other camping accessories, Dad Corie loved his mosquito net. Haha!! It was actually supposed to be more of a gag gift, but I guess it actually came in handy on their last camping trip.

First Family Vacation

Zachary really spoiled his dad for Father's day this year with a couple days in Jasper. It was my first time being there and since it was so much fun, we ended up extending our stay another night. Jasper reminds me a lot of Waterton (my favourite place on earth!), but it definitely has a special feel of its own. It was so nice to have time to relax as a family and not have to worry about moving, unpacking, renos, etc. Mark had six weeks off after his graduation and this was our first, and only chance to actually get away together before he had to begin his residency. We spent the first while in Jasper just exploring the town site and had to go on a search for Jasper the Bear. Apparently, he'd been moved since the last time Mark had been there. Here's some pics of our few days of family fun . . .

Hair Cut vs. Torture

Zach has been growing 'side-wings' for sometime now, and I finally decided they needed a trim. Because I have no skills with scissors I thought the electric trimmer would be a safer bet, but clearly Zach didn't agree. I think it'll be awhile before I try that again.

Fun in the Sun

Zach could spend all day in the pool out back! We're really enjoying the nice weather that has finally arrived this summer. Although I always love a good thunderstorm, we can't get enough of the warm weather!!

Zach was really tuckered out following an afternoon in the pool. He does this all the time now when he's tired or done eating.

Zach is definitely on the move these days. He can't walk by himself yet, but he cruises all over the furniture and loves to explore anything and everything. About a month ago, I came into the living room to find that he'd crawled right into his toy basket. I have no idea how it didn't tip over when he was climbing in, but I had to snap a picture!! That same week he pulled himself on TOP of the electric piano by stepping on a box of music I had under it. Unfortunately he slipped off before Mark and I could catch him, but luckily he landed on his diaper-padded bum. I will definitely need to keep a closer eye on my busy little guy.

Mark's parents recently bought a chariot and have been so kind to let us borrow it for family bike rides and so that I can train with Zach for the 10K run I signed up for at the end of August (I'm crazy, I know!!).

At a picnic in Hawrelak Park, Zach decided that he wanted some of my licorice. Yum Yum!

Lesson learned . . .

My parents came up to Edmonton for a visit, and while they were here we decided to take them on a bike ride to show them some of the beautiful bike paths and parks in Edmonton. Although it had been raining that morning, we decided to take a chance and headed out when it had stopped for awhile. Since it wasn't raining anymore, we didn't see the need to put the plastic cover over the chariot. We had been biking for almost an hour before we took a break and it wasn't until then that we realized our error ... we forgot about the puddles - Oops!! He was covered from head to toe! As you can see from the picture below, Zach wasn't all that impressed with his parents...

Later that day (after giving Zach a badly needed bath), we decided to take in some entertainment at the Street Performers Festival downtown. There were some incredibly talented performers there! We had a blast!! I'm looking forward to seeing what the other Edmonton's festivals this summer have to offer!

Since Mark was back at work, I decided to head down to Lethbridge for a visit. My mom was kind enough to drive down with Zach and I for the 5 hour drive. Even though we stopped to visit with the Smith's on our way through Calgary, Zach cried for over 1/2 the trip. Mom and I both had to take some Advil when we finally arrived to Lethbridge! If anyone has any advice on travelling with infants/toddlers, I'm open to anything!! The trip was worth it though and we had a great time visiting with family and friends for a week. We spent a lot of our time with Kaleigh and Brody, even though Brody was sick most of the time (poor guy!!).

The boys decided they wanted to play a duet for us, and it was quite the performance!

We also had a nice lunch over at Kaleigh's with our Great-aunt Ruth and Aunt Mary.

Zach LOVED to play on Ruth's walker. It was like a mini jungle gym!

We had such a nice visit and I sure love these amazing women!!

Afterwards we went with Kaleigh and Brody to meet up with some friends at the Raymond Swimming Pool. It's quite the amazing pool, although it was pretty cold for Zach. He was shivering within minutes, so the actual swimming didn't last too long.

The next day we went over to the Stirling 'Settler Days' with Kaleigh and Brody. I had honestly never heard of Settler Days before Kaleigh moved out to Sterling, but it's really quite the party! They had a chili cookoff, a cake walk and a baseball tournament going on the night we went. Here's the boys learning to 'share' Brody's toys before we headed to the celebrations. They both have a ways to go before they get the concept of sharing :) It was good for a few laughs though. It's sooo much fun to have boys so close in age. They're both motoring around now, so it doesn't leave us much time to sit back and relax. The fun is just beginning though - so watch out world!!!

Zach enjoyed watching some of the baseball game with Grandpa Bennett.

Although I don't have any pictures, we did attend the big Smith Family Reunion by Champion on our way back home. It was great to reunite with extended family and cousins!

After surviving the trip back to Edmonton alone, we headed straight to a friend's wedding. Here Zach is hanging out with Grandpa Corie.

I apologize for the long, random post (as usual), but it's really been a busy, fun-filled summer. I wish it wasn't flying by so fast, but there's still so much to look forward to. Until next time ...