Conference in Kananaskis

 What a fabulous weekend. This is the first conference we have ever attended where not only the hotel and their staff but also the conferences' schedule was tailored to the family.

The hotel gave the kids each a surprise bag with games and toys.
Austin learned how to play checkers on his little board and loves it. 

 There is a lot
to be said for two rooms with our size family.
It is rare that we are not all crammed into one room but this time around Eric and I had our own suite off the main room and the two queens were perfect for the kids. It beats me going to bed at 8pm with the kids and Eric going out into the hall because it is just too early for him.

 The hotel had a great size indoor pool and an indoor/outdoor hot tub.

                           The view from our room.

The ski hill near us.

          Sledding

 We had such gorgeous weather the whole weekend.
  Eric was done by noon each of the four days which allowed us to spend lots of time with him.
 The hotel had sledding hills, outdoor hockey rink and skating rink, an indoor play place for the kids and free hot chocolate and food for kids under 6. Isn't that fantastic.
  Two nights we had a dinner with the other attendants and the hotel offered free child care and dinner for the kids. The kids were split up according to age. Olivia and Austin were together, and Madeleine and Justin were together.  Livi got a fever the 2nd night while with the child care providers.  It only lasted one night though!

The weather, food, activities were all just fantastic. We look forward to this being an annual event.

Piano is put on hold

 Piano recital a couple weeks ago Madeleine and I had our last piano recital for a little while (b/c of the baby).  This Fall/Winter we have continued to take from our teacher in Lethbridge which has meant two Saturdays out of the month we head in for an extended lesson.  Not only have the lessons been enjoyable but it has been a great opportunity for Madeleine and I to chat and have time together.

If Arlene does not move then we will continue with her in the Spring/Summer. 

 Ninja Beads
This is what we were told they were named. These are the beads that you iron.  The kids got them out when we went out a couple weeks ago. The babysitter managed the iron and the kids spent the evening creating. Then they decided to hide them for us to find.

 I was surprised to find them in the cups, the tissue box, the flowers, under tables etc.
I thought it was so cute so I had to take some pictures.

Our entry way gets a personality

 My friend from Lethbridge has a sister who is an interior designer. She has been helping with some of the rooms in our new home. Here her son came to help set up the templates for the collage of pictures to go on the wall.

Here Eric is trying to make all of it come together by drilling holes etc.

Eric was such a good sport. It took hours to get all of these hung as some were designed for tabletop and not the wall so he had to invent a way to hang them.

We had one casualty. We hope to be able to glue it together but we'll see.

I love the way it turned out.  The whole wall gives such a welcoming and warm feeling to our home. I sure love my family!!!!

 These two little kids are such GOOD friends.
 They spend most mornings laughing and chasing each other.
 Austin loves to make Olivia laugh.
 Olivia adores her big brother and copies whatever she can.

I couldn't ask for two kids that got along better....what a blessing.

The other morning Olivia had hurt her foot and Austin had found a bandaid and applied it...making everything better.

     Photo time
For some reason they wanted their picture taken this morning. 

 We've been playing with Play Dough a lot lately.  The kids can play for hours and make the neatest things.

Madeleiene and Justin rarely got along when they were younger (still struggle now) but it really was a challenge to manage and so I really appreciate the peace and love these two bring into the home. I hope that when the baby arrives Olivia will love and adore him just as Austin did with her.