busy picture taking day....

believe it or not, there are days that go by and sometimes a week or so when I don't even pick up my camera! It's just not very convienient....it's heavy, clunky, have to change the lenses....etc, etc. But FEB 23rd was different....I think it was by my side the whole day....here is the result!

Fun in HAMILTON!!!

...so we got here safely on Tuesday! The kids were fantastic in the airports, on the plane and we had to wait an hour for my brother in law to pick us up...due to a bad accident on the 401.....but the kids were GREAT!!!

We went to Ange and Andrews first and my mom met us there!! Then she stayed with Isla while Ezra, Matthijs, Valerie, Meredith, Ange, Andrew and I took the kids to Neil and Shirleys, a very sweet couple from my Ange and Andrews church! They have a farm and had 22 baby lambs that were just a week or so old! Neil captured one for the kids to pet and feed...they loved this! Ange also took the plunge and held a baby lamb!!! We also got an up close look at the cows! It was a fun visit!

Ange (my sister) and I had a BLAST at dirty dancing yesterday...My mom did terrific with the kids, Isla even took a nap for her!!!!! It was a lot of fun!!! Ange and I had a great time in our travels to and through Toronto together!

Today we are meeting my sis in law, Sarah and my 2 nephews Nathaniel & Jacob as well as Sherri, Josh, Eli and Leah at an indoor playplace! Its going to be a lot of fun!!!

Anyways...here are some pictures!

Daddy, I tried hard to do this just for you! I know how much you miss us! We miss you too! We will see you on Sunday...

Enjoy the pictures!

9 month Isla (yesterday on Valentines Day)

Crazy...Isla has spent the same amout of time outside of me as she has INSIDE of me!!! Yesterday she turned 9 months....

* Very happy
* Love being near your family and dislike when mommy leaves your line of vision.
* All you want to do is walk, walk and walk some MORE (holding our fingers)
* Still not crawling and I don't think you will...
* You have cut 4 more teeth in the last 2 weeks...TOTALLING 8 teeth
* You have been sleeping STRAIGHT through the night for the last week at least! 11-12 hrs!! THANKS BABE!!!!
* Waving bye-bye all the time
* Claps on command...yeahhhhhhh Isla

Can you feel the LOVE???

Happy Valentines Day (yesterday)!!!
We had a great day...dressed in our pinks, reds and whites!!! The only down side of our day was that Matthew had work the whole day....and Matthijs was pretty sick with a cold...Ezra is starting to get over her awful sick week...with high fevers and is now getting a cold as well. Matthew has had a nasty sinus infection for the past couple of weeks! Isla and I are the only ones that seem to be healthy!
We still enjoyed our valentines day. I made supper (a real treat for Matthew) and we also had lava cakes with PINK dream whip and red and white sprinkles (Ezra and I worked hard at removing all the green ones!)
Anyways...hope you all had an enjoyable V-day!!! We did!

Power of suggestion???

So Ezra has been pretty sick for a few days now....we've been to the doctor twice in two days...shes being treated for an ear infection...had temps reaching 104.5 at one point. I was so scared!
Anyways...she's pretty dramatic when taking her medications (like her mommy always was and still is)...she's doing good but when it came time to giving her antibiotics she was losing it! Matthew was trying to tell her that it tasted like jolly ranchers....well after that didnt work I brought it up a notch....I opened the fridge took out the med. and started reading the ingredients out loud.....hummmm who wouldve thought???
Amoxicillan - Jolly Ranchers, Jelly Beans & Smarties.

Ezra face lite right up! Then Matthew says, "isn't it made by Willy Wonka mommy??" So I checked out the fine print...whatdya know,,,WILLY WONKA MAKES AMOXICILLAN!!!!
Guess who drank back her medicine in no time flat!?!?
The power of suggestion...I think so!

When Ezra's at school

They get more special time together!
"You're my best baby sister Isla" - Matthijs

OUR BARE MAPLE...

Just one of the signs beauty, winter, and that spring still feels tooooo far away!!!

Party like a ROCKSTAR - Ezra

Ezra was invited to a rockstar photo shoot birthday party! It was so much fun! All the kids were done up like rockstars and they had a photo shoot with rockstar music!!! Ezra had a blast with half of her class!!! I had no clue how to put together a rockstar outfit...did I do good??? Either way she still look soooo cute...I mean, ROCKIN'







Close up of Ezra wearing for the first time dangly earrings....they're mommys from Auntie Sherris wedding!!


Ezra AFTER her party!!!

the best and worst of Isla

The joys of teething....



Isla in her glory...totally skipped crawling and ONLY wants to be on her feet walking around (while holding our finger(s)



Still....just a beauty!

Soooo Thijs....

I don't seem to get many pictures of Matthijs....but on this particular day...he was LOVING IT!!!
He is so darned sweet!!! My handsome prince....