Whew!

Roger's computer has been out of commission and luckily he got it back yesterday. That thing may be on its last legs, so far the mother board, circuit board, hard drive and now video card have all been replaced. From the looks of things, the LCD monitor is going next. There is some yellowing (which doesn't help photo editing), but the technician told Roger that there is no way to tell how long it's going to last. The family has not put up all the decorations in preparation for Halloween. I think the front yard looks great, with the addition of another blow up pumpkin, spiderweb and giant spider it looks super spooky! In light of the good weather the family even got together to have a quick photoshoot in front of the house. With the reward of Menchies dangled in front of them, the kids were very good. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to know that they fight as much as they do. Here are some images from the weekend:

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Hard to believe that Grandma will be turning 80 in a couple of days. Mel and Nan just celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary a couple of days ago too. There seems to be lots to celebrate this time of year. It's just too bad that her arthritis is acting up. She's been having some difficulty with her knee which has affected her mobility a lot. She's going to have a knee brace fitted next week, we're all hoping that this will give her some relief. So far the drugs haven't really been helping much. Anyway, it was nice to have the family over this weekend to help celebrate the big milestone. The family pitched in and got Grandma some new bar stools too. We surprised her on Sunday morning. Tracey and Roger even put together a special ice cream cake for Grandma. It's fitting because ice cream is one of the few foods she's actually able to eat.

In other news, Roger did very well at the annual shooting competition shooting 21/25 and 24/25 taking first place overall. Albert took second place and Grandpa Harry placed third. Pretty good showing if you ask me. Roger's never been able to shoot 25/25, it's a very illusive target.

Roger even managed to fit in a quick headshot session for Nicole, she needed a headshot for an audition she's going for next week. Naturally, all the kids wanted their picture. Murphy's law isn't it, when you want them to take a picture they resist. Here are some pictures from the big weekend:

Gymnastics in full swing.

The kids started their gymnastics classes yesterday. It's a total zoo at the Arenex, but they seem to enjoy it. Despite Melody suddenly developing cold symptoms, she managed to power through and jump around with the best of them. Malcolm actually needs some activity that will allow him to burn off some energy and gymnastics is a good outlet. Here are some pictures from yesterday:

Malcolm's Annual Fundraising Carnival.

There's a quote that is especially applicable to people with kids: "The days are long, but the years go by fast".  As we see the kids everyday, it's difficult to see their growth, but when you look at pictures from the year before there certainly is a difference. Last night was the annual fundraising carnival at Malcolm's school. There were a bunch of vintage rides and games there. This year Melody was able to get on the rides, last year she wasn't very willing... oh how things change. Here's a link to last year's blog entry 2012. Here are some pictures from this year's carnival:

Starting the 2nd Grade.

What a difference a year makes. Last year we had a lot of tears and anxiety to start the first grade. This year he got dropped off at school and it was no big deal at all. It's a combination of him growing up and getting used to exploring things on his own. He's been involved with a number of different activities where he's there to fend for himself, reading camp, science camp, trampoline, swimming, and skating. 

It's difficult to see children grow when you see them everyday, but it's the changes, the growth, the development you notice afterwards make all the difference. We're still dealing with the sibling rivalry and from time to time he and his sister fight like cats and dogs. However, when they do get along, it's a sweet to watch. Here's to you Malcolm in starting the 2nd grade. Good luck my boy, make us proud. Hard to believe that this was just a year ago: grade 1.

Summer is winding down for sure...

Well we've been spoiled for sure regarding the warm and sunny weather. If the recent camping trip was any indication; fall is definitely right around the corner. The family got pretty wet in their tents on the second day. After enjoying many weeks of sunshine the weather in Vancouver is definitely changing. The family recently went on two trips, one to Harrison Hot Springs and the camping trip to Cultus Lake. Both trips were with multiple families which has really enriched the experience for all. The family spent a lot of time in the pool at Harrison Hot Springs, and luckily the kids all got along very well. Roger even ran into some friends from elementary and high school. Camping was fun, it's actually the first time Roger and Tracey have gone camping since having kids. Can you believe they waited almost 7 years! Here are some pictures from Harrison Hot Springs and Cultus Lake:

Malcolm's summer.

Malcolm has had quite a summer. It has been the summer of milestones. At the top of the list has been his development in swimming skills. He's now able to dunk his head and submerge underwater. From his current lessons, he's able to push off the wall both on his back and face-down to be able to swim for a distance. It's hard to believe that this is the same kid that freaked out when he got water in his eyes from the bath, leaps and bounds I tell you. Also for the first time since he's eaten solid food, he ate a regular hamburger. Mind you he started off with one of the very best (in Roger's opinion), the In and Out in San Diego. Now as long as there's only ketchup on the burger, he'll eat one. Lastly, he's been able to pump on the swings. This is a huge relief to Roger since he doesn't have to push him on the swings any longer. Despite the few behavioural meltdowns, Malcolm has had a great summer. He's certainly learning a lot of new things and having a lot of new experiences. He started a long laundry list of things to do over the summer and with only two weeks left, there are still a number of items still to be checked off. Hopefully, the family will be able to knock a few of them down before the start of school. The boy is starting the 2nd grade, wow how time flies.

Sechelt 2013

We had a wonderful time in Sechelt and this time I mean "we" cause I went too. Tracey managed to find a wonderful house in Sandy Hook, the house was pretty well stocked and six bedrooms to boot. All the kids got along so well. There was a significant challenge in trying to eat all the food we brought, but we managed to do a pretty good job. A great time was had by all.

Sechelt 2013 from Obiwanhavanese on Vimeo.