Fourth of July Block Party

We spent the fourth of July with some friends of ours from Canada outside our house where we were also having a block party.

Yes, our neighbors are pyromaniacs! They put their fireworks inside plastic bottles and lit them off in the streets. Thankfully we moved our own cars so they didn't get damaged.

We had the wimpy fireworks in our driveway but the kids loved them and for those Canadian friends of ours that were over, it was more than they had ever experienced in Canada where any sort of street fireworks are illegal.

Maya LOVED holding the sparklers....

And Declan LOVED throwing the poppers....

Me, Miriam, and Yvonne all met in Edmonton, Alberta and here we are in America celebrating the 4th of July with a Boston Cream Cake....

The kids and I on our neighbors lawn watching the loud fire-bombs...

The kids in their RED, WHITE, AND BLUES...

Maya and I checking out our fireworks...

Declan with his sparkler...

The End of June and Summer Finally Begins!

Seeing the kids are past the regular doctor check-ups stage, Jeremy and I decided to check online to see what percentages they fall into and this is how they both line up:

Declan is in the 75th percentile for his height and 73rd for his weight.

Maya is in the 50th percentile for her height and 25th for her weight.

They have both remained pretty steady in their growth but Maya seems to have lost a couple of pounds over the last few months. She has been eating like crazy but I'm pretty sure her energy level keeps her weight down....or at least steady. Declan only likes to snack. There are a few meals that he will sit down and eat but he mainly likes to munch on fish crackers, carrots, and fruit during the day. They are both starting to look more like kids rather than toddlers....which is surreal for me to see.

We have had some great weather lately and have taken advantage of it for sure. Lots of park time, yard time and yes, even some boating...

And we had a wonderful father's day celebration with Jeremy's dad and mom...

Beach Trip #1 For 2010

The short if it, yesterday was a warm day so we had to hit the beach!

Camping and Bike Graduation

We camped in our backyard last night and the kids had a great time. They especially liked jumping on our blow-up mattress! Maya acted like a grown-up, sipping her drink by the fire & eating popcorn. Declan loved his kiddie camping chair and Maya wouldn't stop spying on our neighbors, I mean BIRDS, with the binoculars.

And we had to say goodbye to Declan's tricycle. He graduated to a big-boy bike and the transition was so smoothe. He rides it like a pro!

Clean Teeth

For the first time in years, I had a clean Dentist report today. Usually there is some issue with a tooth that requires an extraction or some other crazy work. The cancer screening turned up negative and overall the Hygenist was very impressed by the way I take care of my teeth. On my way out, I had to make an appointment for Maya and she even let me make one for Declan too so he will see the Dentist for the first time on Tuesday.

At a previous Dentist appointment, she checked to see if I qualify for Invisalign braces and apparently I do. This is something I have wanted to do for years....straighten my teeth. I know I am 32 yrs old now but I don't want to live the rest of my life continuing to hide my teeth. Because our Health Insurance does not cover Orthodontics, I will have to save up before I do it. This is something I know I have to do so I might start saving now. Afterall $3000 is not just pocket change to us.

A special thanks to my dear friend Sarah for watching the kids today. I was so happy to hear that they didn't torture you too much.

Private

I have gone private. I have been wanting to do this for a long time. You can never be too careful with internet settings. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Let The Competition Begin

Declan figured out how to zip his coat today. I was so proud of him! Unfortunately, this caused his older sister to get very upset this afternoon when she tried zipping and failed. Looks like we are reaching a stage in life where the youngest sibling is learning to do things that the oldest one hasn't yet mastered. Otherwise known as a competitive stage.