MAY LONG WEEKEND ROAD TRIP

May long weekend we took a road trip to...Vancouver! I took one extra day off work so that we'd have enough time to drive and play.  We left Friday after Marty was done work and arrived in Kelowna to sleep at Gramp and GG's house at 11:30pm.  Marty and I had a quick visit, but we were exhausted and eager to hit the hay ourselves.  We woke in the am and after a quick visit and some good hugs, we piled back in the car and headed to Abbottsford where we hooked up with Marty's cousin and her Family.  OMG!! Ryder had the BEST time ever playing with the boys!!! He was in heaven!! (His daily life he's surrounded by girls. His day home is full of them, so this boy time was a real special treat!)  Payton had the best time keeping up with them and they were soooo awesome about including her in the fun!

 Sure wish we could see these guys more often!!! The day of fun ended too quickly, but boy did everyone sleep soundly after all that keeping up with the big kids!!!!  In the morning, once we'd woken everyone up extra early, we headed into Surrey. 

 We did stop for breakfast at a diner, cause road trip pancakes are awesome!!!!!!

 

In Surrey, we visited Marty's "Papa." He was surprised and happy to see us!! We also wish we could see him a lot more.  Hope he knows we think about him all the time!  

 After a great visit with Papa, we completed our drive by ending up in Vancouver at Marty's cousin Alexis' house!  Her family took us on an afternoon adventure that included a ride on the sky train and sea taxi!! Lots of fun memories made!

Waiting for the sea taxi!

 Snack break!

 Feeding the ducks.

 After our afternoon adventure we went to Marty's Gramma's house where the entire family gathered for a huge meal all at one table (love that) of Chinese Take out! Yummmm!!! It was so great to see the whole family and to catch up with people we love but do not get to see often enough!! After a dessert of DQ, the kiddos went to bed and Marty and I got to listen to Gramma tell stories about the past.  Such precious time well spent! :)

In the morning, Alexis' family took us down to Kits Beach after we had said all of our good-byes to the Aunts and Gramma.  We were hoping to wear out our kiddos before stuffing them back in the car for the long drive.

 Payton was fearless when it came to the water. She just kept running in! Falling down, laughing, running! Sooo stinkin' cute!

 Awesome memories made with awesome family!

 We spent Monday night, after our beach morning in Vancouver, with grampa and GG back in Kelowna.  WE had a wonderful, short visit.  So greatful to have that as a half wayish point.  We were there such a short time that I didn't get any pics!!!!  We slept well, though never long enough, ha!  We were on the road by 8:30am.  We stopped a few times on the way home, once at a beautiful beach!  Bye bye sunshine and beaches!!

After several LONG hours in the car, we made it back home safe and sound, thanks to Marty's driving!!! Payton still isn't the best traveler but she's getting better and to her credit, she didn't have one single Pee or Poop accident the entire time.  Infact, she even told us when she had to poop and did so in a gas station, Tim Hortons and on the grass beside an outhouse that was "too scary mommy" to actually poop in!! LOL  I am sooo proud of her!!!
Bring on Summer road trips!!!!
 

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and take your family, screamers, poopers and all on road trips, it's where memories are made!

MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND!!!

Ahhh!! Time flies!! Feel like we just got over the flu (Thank God) and it was Mother's Day!! I always feel ill prepare for Mother's Day, like I want to get my Mom something super meaningful, and I intend to, and then the day creeps up on me and I find myself (along with everyone else) in the super market buying a hanging basket (not a bad gift at all,) just not quite what I always think I want to get her.  My mom means more to me than I ever seem to be albe to convey, but somehow hope she knows (mother's always get the short end of the stick this way, don't they,) everyone always jsut assumes "Mom will understand how crazy life is, after all, she had kids too" but it just doesn't seem fair!! Even now, I'm dying to dedicate this blog post to my mom. To tell her story and how she has impacted my life, yet I'm writing from work (it's almost 8pm) cause it's the only place I have reliable internet and I have been working here since school ended and I am exhausted!!! I have pics to upload of the fun Mother's Day weekend (at least we spent part of it with my Mom) so instead of writing some kick ass words about a super important woman in my life, I'm going to post pics of my kids, cause after all I am a Mother too and I have lots of pics of my kids, whom are also, obviously super important to me!!! :) 

We left for Mom's house Friday after work.  We go there in time hang out for a couple hours, go to bed and get up to take the kids to the Mother's Day horse show to be in the lead line class.  This was the same Mother's Day show I used to show in myself. The show has been happening for 30 years, (well, next year it will be the 30th anniversary!) Having my kids be in the same show I rode in was pretty special to me. Payton even rode on the same horse Nic used to show in that same show on!!!!  My good friend, Andrea, who also used to show with us in the same show was going to be there too!!!!  To Mom, Nic, Andrea and I this was a pretty special day.  The kids loved it too.  Marty? I'm not sure he totally understood the whole concept, but he is always a good sport and ever so patient.  :)

We had time in the morning, to groom our steeds.  Ryder is brushing Maverick (yep, he's standing on a stool)

 The kids were amped to get their numbers!

 Marty, being a good sport!

 Ryder, in the ring. I'm sooo proud! Mom is leading and I am walking beside him (it's a requirement to have two handlers per horse for this class)

 Payton on Bobby. Nic is leading and my good friend Andrea, is walking beside Payton.

 Ribbons!!! Everyone got first place!!

 

Happy friends, reliving memories!

 Everyone got first place and a stick horse!!!

We left right after the lead line class, though Mom stayed to volunteer at the show. We had a 30th birthday party to get to and then a 5km walk/run to do the next day!

The birthday party was for Marty's buddy's wife. They've acquired a new home and had a baby since the last time we saw them, so our visit there was special too.  The kids had a blast playing with all of the other kids and Marty and I actually got to enjoy some social time together.  Eventually, though, meltdowns started and we had to get our tired little angels home to bed, afterall they had a race the next day!!!  

We got up early, loaded the chariot into the car and Marty drove us downtown.  Ever since I have become a Mom, I've participated in the Sport Check Mother's day run.  Some years I've actually run (ok, once, but I had Ryder in the chariot and it was not an easy feat to keep him in there while I ran) but most years, I walk. I walk 5km with a couple other Moms and their kids. We walk, so we can visit. We walk so our kids can participate with us and we walk so it can be a leisurely, enjoyable experience for all of us. :)  It always is!

Here's our 2015 crew right before the race began.

Here are me and the kiddos, ready for a "race" adventure!

 Both Ryder, Payton and their little buddy had to pee on a bush during the race. I'm actuallyu really proud of Payton's ability to just squat anywhere. :)

Ryder at the 4km mark. Almost done, one more km to go!  He walked the whole thing, minus a 3 minute ride with Payton in the chariot (she DID NOT like him in there with her.  Payton on the other hand, sat happily (shocking I know) in the chariot munching on a bag of trail mix I had packed. The bag was supposed to feed all of the kids, but because it kept her quiet, I let her chow down...for 5 whole kilometers! LOL

 After the race, we went home for naps, while Marty and one of the other Dads went to our old house to take down and move our "club house" out to the Sunshine Ranch! The kids are sooooo happy to have it back in our own yard!!

 After we got home from school Monday, Ryder couldn't wait to get out to the clubhouse!!! I was slow to get out to the back yard, but when I did, I found that Ryder had helped Payton up onto the Dusty swing and he was happily pushing her. He is the best big brother ever!! Ever!

 After dinner that day, the two of them made yummy dirt chocolate dessert....yummm?

It was a great weekend and it's been a great week...well it's almost over.  We are staring down the barrel of a long weekend road trip adventure to visit Marty's family!!! Ryder is crazy excited!!!!!  It's actually all he can talk about! I love this kid!!! 

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and pretend eat as much chocolate dirt dessert as you can!

THE FLU THAT JUST WONT END....

It has been ten days of flu here at the Sunshine Ranch! 10 days of puke and poop...lots of puke and poop, sometimes both kids at the same time!! Finally though, (knock on wood,) both kids have been tucked into bed without any signs of pending puke or poop! Here's hoping that maybe, just maybe we'll all actually sleep all thrrough the night! Ha!

The flu started with me. I just felt "off" for the entire weekend Mom was visiting. I went to work Monday and Tuesday though I just didn't feel quite right. Tuesday night, the trips to the bathroom started and I couldn't stop worrying about whether or not I would need a sub. See, when you are a teacher, you can't just call in sick. Nope. You have to find a replacement and create a lesson plan for the entire day.  Between trips to the bathroom, I kept trying to mentally create a lesson plan, just in case.  Finally, at 3:26am I had to make a decision and it wasn't looking like I'd be able to go to work, so I got up, turned on my computer and started to plan Wednesday.  I booked a sub (thank God for online sub desks,) then wrote out a day plan that I emailed to my colleagues with hope that they would print it off for my sub.  Unplanned absences are the worst for teachers. I tried to visualize where all the papers the sub was going to need could be found in my room..ha!  Thank God, the kids know the place as well as I do and I knew they'd fill in any blanks I left.  Marty took the kids to the Day Home (thank God for the day home) and I slept and went to the bathroom all day.  I felt ok that night and intended to go to work Thursday, but....Ryder started puking at midnight and didn't stop.  So once again, I got up in the middle of the night, once I realized he wasn't going to stop puking and booked another sub.  I kept Payton home too, just incase.  Thursday was a long day, but it was a beautiful day and since Payton wasn't really sick and since I felt mostly better, she and I hung out in the sunshine for a while so poor Ryder could sleep. 
Spending time with just Payton, made me realize how big she's getting. How she's not my baby anymore.....

 She was so sweet.  She sure missed playing with Ryder, but she got in plenty of cuddles.

 Friday morning, Ryder woke up feeling much better. Here's the snapshot I got before I took us all to work (and day home) Friday morning.

 Friday afternoon, on the way home from the day home, Ryder asked me for a puke bowl in the car. Ofcourse I didn't have one and by this time, I figured he just wanted to make me nervous (they think it's funny when they cough and I think they are gonna puke) so I handed him all I had, a sippy cup.  I told him to take the lid off and puke in it.  He did not think this was funny and told me it was too small.  "I guess I'll just try to hold it in til we get home, Mom." Right, I though. Sure.  When we got home, Payton and I headed to the potty (our new ritual since potty trainging) she was on her little potty and I was on the big one. Ryder came in asking for the puke bowl.  I told him where it was. He went and got it, came back to the bathroom, put it on the counter, stood up on a stool and proceeded to empty the contents of his lil tummy into it!! What???? I couldn't believe it! He is the most mature, calm puker I have ever known, adults included!!! Turns out he was apparently still sick!  I was supposed to work at the school's spring fling, and I hated to leave, but Marty insisted I go. It was just for an hour.  By the time I got to school Marty had sent a text saying that Payton was also now throwing up! Ahhhh! Two puking kids!  I didn't stay to work my shift. I came home. Kids just want their mommys when they are sick, so Marty says. :)  As a family, we spent Friday night on the couch, cuddling, catching puke in bowls, watching crappy kiddy cartoons.  Payton ended up puking for 9 hours straight! Poor lil thing!!!
Saturday was a right off. The babes were sick, watching TV, whining and sleeping.  Sunday, they both perked up so we spent some time outside.  

 This is not Payton and a puke bowl. This is Payton pretending to drink out of the pot like a puppy. LOL

 Sunday night, Marty started puking. :(  Monday I took the kids to the day home. Monday night, Ryder puked once early on and around 2am Payton had a giant poop blow out in her crib. One that required bedding change and a tubbie!! I made a sub plan and stayed home Tuesday as Marty was still sick and wasn't able to look after the kiddos.  Tuesday was actually a beautiful day outside and strangely enough, both kids actually seemed fine once they woke up.  We spent the day outside so Daddy could sleep.  

Tuesday night, or Wednesday morning around 5am, Ryder got diarrhea. Bad!  He spent Wednesday at home, on the toilet.  Marty was feeling better by then so I went to work and Payton went to the dayhome but by 4:30, she had diarrhea too!!!!!  Luckily hers was short lived and by 7pm she was empty!! Today is Thursday, everyone went where they were supposed to go on Thursdays and life seems (knock on wood again) to be heading back towards normal! Thank God!!!!

I am exhausted. I need to go to bed just in case I need to get up to catch puke or poop (seriously hoping not!) 

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and soak up the extra cuddles as they are the only good thing about babies having the flu!

BACK TO WORK...KINDA

The first week back into routine after spring break was rough...for me. Getting up and getting going was rough. I sooo enjoyed my time off, at home with the kids. No rushing, no need to be anywhere.  But alas, all good things must come to an end.... and really I actually love my students and my job, so it wasn't that bad going back to work, just exhausting!  Mom had planned to come for a visit on the Friday, so I had something to look forward to as well...but I ended up getting the flu. :( Poor Mom came all this way and I couldnt' even really enjoy my visit with her. She did get a lot of Grandkid time in though which was helpful and fun.

She got to play soccer with Ryder (it snowed Saturday, so soccer was in the basement that day.)

She bought Payton new boots for her birthday (I got her the hat to match.) :)

Ryder already has a hat, which he loves!

Sunday, the sun was shining and I felt a little bit better so Mom and I took the kids to the river for a little adventure before she had to leave.

After Grammy left, Payton was tired. Too tired to keep it together. She had a few meltdowns. Somehow they are still pretty cute and comical. The whole production, the throwing her doll, the lying down, the wailing....

 Most of the afternoon while the sun shone, the kids played outside while Marty was in the garage.  This is what I love about kids: they don't need fancy toys. These two spent hours playing with scraps of wood, the watering can and water. LOVE THEM!

 Ofcourse they do still love stuffies and sparkly shirts! Thanks Grammy!

 And who doesn't love a good old fashion lawn mower ride!

 I still felt "off" Monday and Tuesday but I went to work anyway.  As a teacher, it is just too much work to miss work.  Plus, I hadn't actually puked or pooped yet, soooooo.  The sun was still shining so I figured we should take advantage.  Monday afternoon when I realized I felt "ok" I texted marty to see about meeting up for a family adventiure.  After school I picked up the kids and we met Marty and Scout at the Glenbow Ranch for an awesome bike ride/dog walk/stroller ride.  Tuesday during my staff meeting I texted again, suggesting we all met up at the Cochrane Ranch. This time Marty, Ryder and I biked while I pulled Payton in the bike trailer.  Love these kind of spontaneous adventures with my family!

 Tuesday night the flu got a hold of me for real and I spent the night in the bathroom. I made a sub plan at 1:42am and spent the night on the toilet. No fun! I stayed home and slept all day Wednesday while the kids were at the day home.  I felt quite a bit better by the time they got home.  Payton and I even baked cookies after supper while Marty and Ryder practiced soccer outside.  

I planned to go to work Thursday, today.  I really wanted to and I really did not want to write another middle of the night sub plan...but Ryder woke up at 3am puking, so here I am. Home with my lil cutie. He's watching cartoons and I'm catching up on things like my blog and baking.  Payton is home too...just incase she's sick too...so far she's not. Thank God!  Here's hoping that by the weekend we will all be back to our energetic, happy, rested selves!!!

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and don't feel guilty watching Netflicks when you are sick, especially when the show you are watching has the hottest leading actor you've ever seen. (Check out White Collar!)