First Day of School

Summer went by much too quickly. Here we are another school year. In spite of their moaning and groaning about going back, they were pretty excited this morning.

The traditional first day of school pose on the front sidewalk. My mom had me and my siblings pose like this every new school year. I, of course, have my kids do the same pose.

Piers Island

For Spring Break our dear friends, the Freedmans, invited us to spend the week at their beautiful and spacious cottage on Piers Island, a quaint tiny island located north of Victoria, B.C., Canada. We had a glorious time on this little getaway. First, we drove a suburban (which Den found) for the Freedmans up to Vancouver, Wa. where we spent two nights with Den's lifelong friend, Jeff and his wife, Rebecca and their new baby, James (a precious son who took ten years to get here). Sadly, I did not take one picture there. Ahh! We attended church with them (Easter) and then had a wonderful meal with some of their ward friends. The next morning we drove to Port Angeles where we (car included) all boarded the ferry for a 90 minute ride to Victoria. The Freedmans picked us and all our luggage up in their fishing boat in Canoe Cove Marina and ferried us to their gorgous home on the beach. We all had a fabulous time and did not want to come home. The weather cooperated too. Not too cold or rainy, as was predicted.

Bill took us crabbing and prawning. First, the pods attached to buoys and containing bait of salmon, chicken and lures were thrown into the water . Several hours later we would return and retrieve the pods. We caught around 12 crabs (but had to release the females) and countless prawn. Bill steamed or scampied them for us each night. They were divine! Dipped in drawn butter or cocktail sauce the prawn tasted like a cross between shrimp and lobster--out of this world! I must have eaten twenty or more each night.

The kids had so much fun in the hot tub. Can't beat this view.

We awakened to this view each morning

Getting ready to go catch more crab and prawn

More photos to come later ....

Jo Jo' 16 month check up

Last week Jolie had a well baby check up. She is healthy and progressing well. It is so sad for me to see my baby growing. This has truly been the fastest year of my life.

Weight 19.86 lbs (6 %tile)

Height 30.25 inches (32 %tile)

She is tiny.

She also had to get two shots-not fun. She only cried for a second, though.

Jolie is at a very fun stage right now. She communicates what she wants very well.

She says quite a few words now:

Mommy

Daddeeee

Hawyee (Holly)

Co ee (Cory)

baby

ba ba

sssss (shoe)

Be (when she wants to turn on the light switch. Not sure where this came from)

na na (banana)

grow (gross--when I change her diaper)

ewwww (" ")

chee (chesse)

numnum

hi

uh oh

When something is hot she will blow (fire, stovetop, etc.). The other day I put her in the bathtub and it was a little too warm for her. I took her out and she stood on the side and started blowing into the tub.

A couple of days ago I had a bag of flour sitting open on the kitchen floor (mistake!). She dipped her hand into it and of course, got flour all over the floor. I said "Uh oh". She went over to the garbage cupboard and pulled out a tissue and began to wipe it up. It was adorable.

Jolie also got the box of dishwashing soap and took it over to the open dishwasher to try and fill the cup. I let her close the cap after we fill it and she loves it. She also loves to help me empty the dishwasher--clean or dirty. She loves to throw the silverware and plates on the floor.

She is such a sweet baby. We all adore her. The kids all love to play with her. Every morning Cory goes into her room to get her up (He will wake her intentionally if she is asleep. Drives me nuts!) Holly is such a good helper. She will bathe her every Sunday for me.