Karate

Way back in November, Zech and Isaac went to a karate tournament in Saskatchewan. They both did really well and Josh put together a video for each of them.

Isaac


Zech

And just last weekend, they went to another tournament - the MB provincials. Zech got 1st in both his kata (individual) and kumite (sparring). Isaac did well in kata, but in kumite he unfortunately made contact with his opponent's head - automatic disqualification.

Isaac


Zech

They both did really great this year, even with an accidental head contact!

Ski trip!

The kids had a school ski trip in January. Josh was able to stay with the younger kids so I could drive the older ones this year! It's so fun to watch them work so hard and have a blast! This year was PERFECT weather, right around zero, so the kids skied for hours before even coming in for a break. Noone got too cold or too wet, just had a lot of fun!
Isaac


Zech


Ruth

Ruth's band concert

Ruth had her band Christmas concert in early December - they have come a l.o.n.g way since last Christmas!! Wow!
(she's the flute on the end)

phone pics ~november~

blurry, but her new(to us) winter coat

and still growing room in last year's fleece suit!


all her idea! her very own desk!


reading - wherever does she get this from?!


Movember, anyone? Piper joins in.


She is such a "little mommy" ❤



And even a few videos from the month!
Zech & Piper playing with mommy's phone


Piper playing - love the goofy walking!


Piper got to be Levi's friend for "bring a friend day" at gymnastics - she LOVED it!!

Our "artist in the school" this year was an african drummer! The kids absolutely loved working with and learning from him!! At the end of the week, they even put on a little concert for parents, to demonstrate what they had learned through the week - very neat. Levi and Piper loved it too!
Zech & Isaac's class


Ruth's class


Even Levi got to try! (and yes, Piper fell while trying to climb onto the stage from my chair. She's fine!)

phone pics ~ june

Piper on her rocking horse... and bossing Myles around!

All packed up and ready to go!

Piper-zilla!

Levi had a "visit day" at nursery school. He loved it and is SO excited to go in the fall!!

Father's Day - Daddy & Miss Pea

swim suit trying on - fun when you're 1!

Ruth and Zech at the science fair - they did great!

The kids found frogs and caterpillars at the park with Grandma


Piper likes to help Grandma and Grandpa load the dishwasher!

and our back yard at the end of the month - water front property?! hope they don't increase our taxes!

phone pics ~ may

May 1
Ruth's gymnastics group at a goodbye dinner for their assistant instructor (red head on the right)

May 2&3 - Miss Piper

May 9 - tiny painted piggies!

May 11 - a birthday present - Olaf! (made by our good friend!)

May 17 - more ruffles!


May 21


May 22 - her new ride?!

always climbing. always.

Ice Show

So, I had this post all made, saved it... and then forgot about posting it! So, it's old, the ice show was a couple months ago, but still worth sharing!

Our town had the annual Ice Show for the skating lesson kids a few weeks ago. This year only Ruth and Levi did actual lessons, so they are the only 2 in the show. The boys did mini-sticks (not-so-serious-hockey) and had a great time, but it's not part of the show. And I never thought to get videos of them playing. Because I'm busy running after Piper at the rink. But they did really good,had fun, played 2 games, lost the away game and won the home game.
(And, in the spirit of forgetting things, I remembered the video camera but not my camera. So I have the kids' routines, but the only photos of them are from my phone. I swear, I used to be able to think and remember things.)
Ruthie did great, as usual for her. She really enjoys figure skating and learning new footwork and jumps. Levi, though, came SO far this year!! He was on skates once last year, never got up and going. This year he started all over again, started out not being able to stand without holding someone's hands and certainly no moving alone. Now look at him!!
Levi's group (i tried to get him in the center of the shot most of the time, hopefully you can find him!)

Ruth's group

Ruth's solo

Happy Easter! (Piper's 1st!)

Happy Easter! And we realized that, since Easter was early last year and late this year, this ends up being Piper's first Easter!
The Bunny came to our house last weekend - the kids were so excited (not sure why?!), even wanting to go to bed early Saturday night so the bunny could come. Anyway, they had a fun day!
They woke up to baskets and a little egg hunt...
Piper's first easter basket!



looking through baskets


egg hunting!



she found her first egg - so happy she danced!





Nana & Papa sent music cards for the kids - Piper loves them all! She loves to dance to them!

We made it to church that morning, then went to Grandma & Grandpa's for lunch. After taking the kids for a frozen yogurt treat, we came back and found a treasure hunt for them! We got a nice walk around the block, and the kids got to run and find clues - they love that! It led us back to their garage, where the kids found... a trampoline!!!


Piper loved it!

saying thank you!

more jumping!

**on a sad (honestly, heartbreaking) note - on Wednesday we had a lovely wind/rain storm and the trampoline blew into our neighbours' deck. There are some broken poles, and it obviously was taken apart. The trouble is we really have no wind-cover in our yard at all. We've searched and read online, and we're pretty sure we've got a plan that will make it work and be safe (even in wind) in the yard; anchoring it to the ground, but we still need to get some poles fixed and get the stuff to make the anchor system.
So, those photos and videos are the only time the kids really played on the trampoline. Since they all had so much fun, we're going to work hard to get it fixed and up again asap! (it's been rainy and wet since the storm, so we haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet)