Bar U Ranch

We enjoyed a day at Bar U Ranch on September long weekend. It is a fabulous place and the kids just had a blast. If you have a National Park pass admission is included with your family pass.

 Rachel enjoying the wide open spaces

 Our little barn animals

 Liam hitching a ride

 Katie's photo of Mommy & Daddy - we look awkard but she did a good job:)

 Typing a letter - no computers

 In the "stud man's shop" - me makes leather items - saddlery, belts etc

 Enjoying stories around the campfire with old cowboys

 The statue at the front of the ranch

 A family shot

 The old ranch homestead

 Licorice & Smudge are a pair...I don't remember which one this is

Katie learning to lasoo

1st days of school

September is already half over, and that means that we are now well into the school "routine", early mornings, packed lunches and home reading! This week is the start of activities....by Octoner we should be "settled in" I figure.

 

Katie started Grade 1! She was a little nervous the first morning but when I saw her at school later that day she was settled in like June was just yesturday. She has the same teacher this year in the K/1 split. The 1s were on their own until yesturday, giving them time to establish their routine. She is sure happy to be back with her friends - 5 days a week now:)

Ready for the bus, with a buddy to give her courage

Off she goes with Maddie & Eric to school

 



Liam is off to preschool 3 mornings a week. He settled in much faster than I expected. I think it helps that it is in the school where he will go til grade 8, and he spent a lot of time there last year so there are many familiar faces. Miss Aileen is just lovely and he is making friends already - so much so that he can carpool (which makes Mommy happy as it is lots of driving). This will be our test year to determine if he is ready for K next year.

No serious pictures for this little jokester

Liam's school bus

Rachel's Christening

Rachel's Christening at our House August 25, 2012

With Auntie Lorie

With Grammy & Pastor Marjorie



With Mommy, Patti & Doug (God Parents) and Daddy

Patti, Grandma, Mommy, Katie, Grammy, Doug, Pastor Marjorie, Daddy, Rachel & Liam

13 months (3 wks late)

Rachel is a happy healthy 13 months old! She can walk, CAN being the operati ve word, but chooses not too. She takes 5 or 6 steps at times, but mostly crawls.She is chattering away - "hi", "bye", "done", "boo", "iam" (Liam),"isss" (sis). She tries so hard to emulate sounds we make.

She has adjusted pretty well to me being back to work, but after about the 3rd day (I tend to work 4 days in a row) she gets a bit needy. She thinks she is a big kid - wants to ride Liam's bike, loves the trike, tries to ride the skateboard. She is too big for her britches!

Little miss went for a ride on the quad with daddy. She had been playing in the yard with no shoes on, her helmet on as she had been on a bike and a sweater. So I passed her up to Bryan to sit in his lap, with no shoes on. Her little foot dangled at just the right spot to touch the exhaust and she got a nasty burn. This was 2 days later:( She is coping well, has figured out how to stand up and now that the pain has subsided is content.

Trying out Liam's bike

August Candids

After a busy July we've spent August mostly around the property. Bryan was away from Aug 1-14 so the kiddos and I were on our own. They had a week of daycamp in that time and fun with grandma while I was at work, so there aren't too many pictures, but lots of fun was had:)

 Rachel enjoying her raspberries - it is a small crop this year, just enough for a taste here & there

 

Katie lost her 1st (and 2nd) tooth - that is raspberry juice on her face

My 3 little loves

Liam has a small obsession with spiking his hair

This one is a little crazy

Feeling a little corny?

Liam always has to be different

Rachel walks!!

Crazy kiddos

She desârately wanted outside with the big kids

Lego candy creations

Enjoying our own apples

Happy 33rd Birthday Daddy!

Tiramisu Cheesecake - the ladyfingers should have been outside, surrounding the cake but I didn`t have enough as my pan was larger than the recipe called for.

A new handpainted pilsner glass for Daddy`s cesears. He loved the `fire` themed cake:)

Stampede

Grandma & I had a little stampede fun with the kiddos. We went to a breakfast at Ranchman's, kids loved the live music and face painting.

 Rachel kicking up her heals with Grandma

 Katie enjoyed the party

 Liam the little tiger

 Mmmmm pancakes and sausages

 My little cowboy down on the grounds.

It was a big deal to go down to the grounds with the kids as we NEVER go down - once in 11 yrs prior to this year. I actually went down twice as I had a ticket to Garth Brooks (best concert EVER). Bryan went down that night too, to the chucks with friends. Then Mom & I took the kidlets down on the last Sunday. They LOVED it. I don't have many pics as I forgot my camera. Mom brought hers but many of the photos are out of focus:( I don't think I need to photos to remember what a great day we had - TAILS show, Super Dogs, corndogs, visiting animals in the rain, riding the C-Train.

 Liam loved the guns at the military display

 Rocket riding by Katie & Rachel

 What's a rodeo without some animals

 Liam looking good buddy!

 Sargent Katie

Giddy Up