Summer has finally arrived in Vancouver.

Yay, summer has finally arrived. Wet and dreary June has come and gone, July has started with quite a bang, sunshine and temperatures hovering around the high 20's. The kids absolutely love summer. They've been outside everyday, playing at the water park, swimming at the pool and really soaking up the sun. It's only the first week of summer vacation and they've already been to the beach, various water parks and the local outdoor pool already. They're also planning a trip to the waterslides this weekend. Here are some pictures of the Granville Island Water Park. With the onset of summer, it's also allowed Roger to resume his "Vancouver After Dark" project. He's been going around town taking long exposure night shots of famous spots. Here are a few of his recent ones:

Roger's Birthday and stuff.

Wow, another year another birthday for Roger. I know this entry is a bit late, but you know what they say better late than never. Roger had two celebration events, the picnic at Malcolm last day of tee-ball and a family celebration where Tracey kept everyone home from school and took him out to lunch at Save On Meats. Getting older is a frame of mind, but the problem is the body doesn't always comply. Now that Roger is in his forties (gasp), things take longer to heal, injuries seem to hang around longer as well and overall he's more tired. I don't think Roger ever really expected that his first born would graduate from high school when he was 52, but that's the timeline. Especially since, by the time grandpa Harry was his age (41) Roger was already in the 10th grade! If that isn't evidence that people are having kids later in life I don't know what is. Maybe what they say is true, forty is the new thirty.

Getting out of the house.

Certainly, getting out of the house can be a lifesaver. Having the kids at home sometimes fuels their combativeness. Tempers flare, annoyances increase and overall it's not a good situation for all involved, especially the parents. Yesterday, the family went out on an expedition to the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, Cleveland Dam and topped it off with robo noodles on Broadway.

Dancing and the tooth fairy.

Every Saturday Melody has dance class. Melody's teacher Lisa was nice enough to let Malcolm join in. I think Malcolm really got a kick out of participating. Melody always has a great time there. The dance class itself is very free and open. If you were to ask me I'd say it's more of a human movement class with jumping, rolling and running around the Judo room at Bonsor Community Centre. Poor Tracey has to carry the kids around and do all sorts of stuff. On Sunday, we had another milestone... Malcolm 4th tooth. His lower middle incisor has been loose for weeks now. It was coming to the point where it could wiggle to and fro. Well, Roger pulled out the old dental floss and gave the tooth a little tug, unfortunately the tug caused the tooth to fly in the air. They looked everywhere for it, but low and behold it ended up back in Malcolm's mouth where he then accidentally swallowed it.

Happy Victoria Day!

Despite the less than fantastic weather for the past weekend, the family was able to get out and enjoy some time outdoors. Roger took the day off on Friday to watch Malcolm (he had a pro-d day). They managed to run some errands and visit grandpa Harry. On Sunday they even went out to meet uncle Glen at Garry Point Park to fly kites. Also, the family met up with the Lee family for brunch and a playdate at the park. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Happy Mother's Day.

The day started ok, but I think there was a feeling that things weren't going to go well. Still Melody is exerting her preference for Mommy over Daddy. When she's in a mood, there's nothing that Roger can do right. Throughout the day there sure were some touch and go moments, but she managed to save the best for last. She took a stand tonight against having a bath and let's say that she had a mother of a tantrum (just for Mother's Day) this evening. Then, to add insult to injury she was very upset that her Rapunzel tattoo had washed off in the bath. Seriously, you don't know how strong this girl is when she's trashing, kicking, screaming, hitting and scratching, it's hard to keep her still. So after literally two hours of fighting with her, she finally managed to go to bed. Not quite the typical day when you think about Mother's Day. Roger did try his best to have a good Mother's Day for Tracey, too bad the kids had other ideas. All in all, between the fights, sibling rivalry and super tantrum, Tracey can surely wait a whole 364 days till the next Mother's Day. Next year, they'll probably eat at home and save all the expense and anguish. Here are some pictures from the brunch at Grouse Mountain.

Whoa nelly.

It's been a fantastic weekend with respect to the weather. We've had temperatures in the mid 20s and sunshine galore. The kids played in the backyard with all their water toys and coordinated with Camila and uncle Nick for a playdate at the park. On Sunday, the family decided to go to the beach, but it was kind of a bust. Anyway, here are some pictures from the weekend. We've still been struggling with Melody's bedtime especially on the days when she's had a nap a daycare. Friday night was pretty terrible with Tracey going into her bedroom throughout the night trying to calm her down. At one point Tracey even ended up sleeping on the floor. Oh, what a glamorous life parent live huh? Anyway, it's all a phase we all know it. Even potty training has come to a screeching halt because she's just not interested in trying. '