Katherine and her parents go to Ontario

 Well, it's about time I was an only child and received the time and concentrated affection I deserve....and now expect.

Daddy and mommy packed their bags, patted Mathey's head, prayed a blessing over Me am me and Boppa and kissed the stuffing out of Benjamin and Alexander, as they left the boys at home and with me in tow, flew to Ontario for Great Grumps 80th birthday!

 Don't they look sad?  Like they are missing their boys?  We did miss my brothers very much, I kept my crazy smiles for only them, and focused my energy at meeting my Grump and Tattoo for the very first time! 

We hit it off like ice cream meets a tongue! 
And then Tattoo even took us for ice cream, along with Uncle Craig, Aunt Jennifer, Colin, Ella and Great Grump. 
I met mommy's cousins and auntie's and uncles.
I smiled lots at Auntie Samantha and beautiful Hannah
(Joshy stayed back for harvest, and Uncle Vince stayed back to tag along....we saw them from the airplane on the way home)


We went on a river boat cruise with Grumps family, what a blast
and had dinner with Nana's family, what joy!
We stayed with mommy's cousins, boy do we like them!  I think we've found a permanent place to crash....rental car included!

 mommy's childhood friend and her very pretty daughter played with us too!  such a good time!

 And home again we came!  Refueled, relaxed and ready to be a family of 5 again!  (funny how daddy took right off to work :)
Alexander dressed up the next morning to celebrate my coming home, Benjamin followed suit.  very pretty, big brothers.
and now we are all settling back to our squealing, zooming, up a few times a night, rock me to sleep, help me go poop, kiss my knee, get me some milk, change my bum, feed the monster, and read me a book routine.

and then make breakfast!

xoxo
Lady K.

Alexander our JOY JOY JOY

 Daddy's taking us to the zoo tomorrow,
and we can stay all day!

To celebrate our beloved Alexander making it through first two years of his life, we invited Me am me and Boppa to spend the day with us at the Saskatoon Zoo and Forestry Farm.  What a blast!

Alexander's top picks included fish, goats, deer, sheep, trains, gophers, and food.

Benjamin's top picks also included food, along with monkeys, foxes, NOT the porcupine, bobcats and balloons.

Katherine enjoyed the snugli and daddy.

After walking through the zoo and riding the train, we had a picnic full of animal plates, animal napkins, food and kazoo's!

Katherine and Boppa
talked politics and golf tactics.


Post supper was a quick affair as our new 2 year old was getting sleepy....

until he saw what Auntie Wu and Uncle Cam sent him.  That woke him up bit.

A hasty happy birthday
a scoop of icing or two
(decorated by the boys the day before)
and we were home jig a dee jig!
for some recoup.





A wonderful day to celebrate a boy who brings us laughter
brings us excitement
brings us conversation and books on the knee
brings hugs and kisses
brings Benjamin the best of friend
and instigator,
brings us blessings to have him as our own, our Alexander Mark.  our joy.

What Uncle Jonathan has dubbed....

the DennThune AnderVanderBack Family Reunion! 

(mommy swears she's going to write a play with that title some day)

 Uncle Vince, Auntie Samantha, Hannah & Joshy came with their 5th wheel, parked in our exclusive 'beside the fence' campsite and held games and crafts in the trailer when all the 5 and unders wanted a change of scenery.

Uncle Vince decided to teach Alexander how to dress like a farmer, which includes wearing the ball cap perched on the top of the head as opposed to actually on the head. He also seems to think farmers wear short shorts....  who knew.

 Uncle Jonathan, Auntie Stephanie, Amelia & Edmund came to stay indoors at hotel Loback (except you cook your own meals here, so not much like a hotel), and Amelia graced us with her presence in a carriage ride...


...ok it was a red wagon ride, but it was almost like a carriage.....rumbling down the lane
sweaty animal near by
lots of laughter
lots of "no standing in the wagon!"

 Nana made it down
and let's face it
no Denn Thune (you know the name)
family reunion is complete without a Nana.

 Daddy got it into his noggin' that the moment Uncle Christopher, Auntie Sylvia & Julia arrived was the best time to say a fond farewell to James, our green Mercedes.

And they farewell'd it!  Around the field, up over the hills, doughnuts in the grass, helmets on, four daddy's crammed in style bumbling over the prairies of Central Saskatchewan....

...until they destroyed the radiator.

The oldest of the eight grandchildren!  Almost as thick as thieves!

Looking forward to many many more memories with them.




It makes one want to smile very very big


even if he does have tomato all over this beautiful face!


xoxo - us

bows n' carrots, carrots n' bows

 Every day is a lovely day when Grammie comes to visit.

However, she never leaves without helping out in some wonderful way or other....this time it was helping AnderZander and Minamin pick garden fresh carrots!

  Auntie Wu was helping too,gathering fresh peas and zucchini


we wear our best smiles when Auntie's stop by.

we show them new paint jobs by mommy

and beg aunties and uncles to run the loop... 

Mommy and Me am me took us to the grand opening of the big bridge that will change daddy's home trip from 45 min. to 25!

we sure do celebrate that...


and yes as usual we made Me am me take a 'short cut' back to the truck....only getting a little lost thanks to mommy.  as usual.




AnderZander and Minamin both were able to ride an old firetruck parked to celebrate the bridge.  and of course there was a bell!

They also came back with two huge balloons, and Alexanders made it until contact.....with Alexander.

so now we clean and practice our best photo faces for the coming family gathering of all our cousins!

and don't we look nice:)

the ins and outs

 on the screen behind me, says the fair Katherine, is the blog updates.  I help out mommy with her one handed skills

sometimes I let her use both hands.

 Benjamins first time choosing everything he wanted to wear...



right down to the in style leg warmers

 almost time to get out of the bassinet!

 Two in the car.

Never a problem:)

until it's time to get out

 Grab mommy moments when you can fit them in.

 A wee chilly out, makes for hood day!

Fresh bread almost ready to go in the oven!

in daddy's arms.

to snooze or not to snooze

My family is having a blast with me!

Mommy watches the birds as she rocks me to sleep, I snooze about 3 or 4 times a day, sometimes I go to sleep ON MY OWN in my bouncy chair (I have found my thumb, and thank you, it's delicious!)

However, more often then not, I prefer to be bounced then rocked, so mommy looks at the birds, and the trees, and the odd Mastiff who walks by the window, and thanks God for her many blessings.

Daddy had me come and watch a sport that he says I am going to love someday soon.  He took a 2 day intensive course on intermediate and advanced canoeing techniques, skills he already knew, but enjoyed sharpening up on.  Look out rapids!  In the picture they are practicing rowing up quickly to a pretend dock and then stopping right beside it without bumping dock or canoe!  Pretty awesome stuff.

Sometimes squeals and thumps and bumps and yells and kisses and hugs are what wake me up from a snooze, and sometimes the culprits come in for a closer look!  followed by a kiss and a poke (not necessarily in that order)

My big brother Benjamin was surprised with a get well card from Great Gramma B!  It made him smile and not only because it was sent from so far away, but because it had things he could recognize on it all by himself!  Cars, trucks, street lights, stickers, the letter B.... all things he loves!  He opened the envelope all by himself and the rest of us watched as he danced and skippered and smiled around the room, showing us and pointing out all the details of Great Gramma B's thank you card!  Thank you Gramma, what a gift!

All in all we are doing well!  I am loving my family!
I love the loops around the house
the sand in the sandals
the continual attempts at making dinner time an enjoyable affair
the water that doesn't stay in the tub
and
the kisses and hugs that I'm never tired of.
did I mention I'm rolling on my side?

Love
Katherine

lobacks at the cabin

Step 1 to cabin life (through the eyes of Katherine)


Be enthusiastic.

 Step 2

Find yourself one heck of a good lookin' family.








Step 3

Do things together with said family.










Step 4

Tie up the dog.

Step 5

Spend as much time outdoors as possible

Step 6

Dress for the occasion.








Follow these simple steps for a guaranteed wonderful time at the cabin.

Devotedly yours
Katherine Rose