Halle and Lucca 2006 and 2012

Halle, starting to walk, October 2006

                          Lucca, starting to walk, October 2012

You can't really tell, but the jammies that Lucca is wearing are the ones Halle is wearing in the first picture!
It's so fun to pull out the next size of clothes that I had saved from Halle...and right away, when I put these on Lucca, I remembered this night of Halle, when she first stared walking.  Isn't it crazy how DIFFERENT they look?  There are moments when I think they kind of look similar, but for the most part Lucca and Sebastian look more alike and Halle is her own gorgeous self!

There's not time like the PRESENT!

Am I really doing this, after over a year of not...it's time to start back up the blog.  So here we go!  Our biggest life changing moment, the birth of Lucca...who's now one (as of yesterday) and walking...kind of, we're still in denial!

We welcomed our sweet Lucca Malulani (Under Heaven's Protection) to our family one year and one day ago.  It was a transition, going from 2 to 3 kids, a bit bumpy in the beginning, but now, a year later, I think we've got it under control...most days that is.  She is easy...talks so much and is just in the beginning stages of walking.  She is overly adored by Halle and Sebastian.   She can say, Dada, Mama, Papa, Halle, uh-oh, all pau (Hawaiian for All done), hi, bye, night night, ba (bath), apple, puh-tin (pumpkin), happy, pretty, no (while shaking her head), ep (yes), ny (nice), Aub-Bob, puppy (and barks), wee, dan (dance) and ma (more) and tons of other babble words that I'm sure mean something! She signs, more, please, and sorry.











I think the transition was hardest on Sebastian.  He wasn't the baby anymore and at 3yrs, 7 months, he was very aware of this role change.  But now, he is pretty much  back to himself.  He still needs to be reminded to be gentle at times...but what big brother doesn't?  He started his second year of preschool in September and loves it!  He also loves riding his motorcycles and being with his daddy! We spent Sebastian's 4th birthday in Disneyland...a place that he asks at least 10 times a day to return too! He was one of the first to be picked for Jedi Training School and was the smallest kid by far.  He was also the first to fight Darth Vader and man was that a highlight for not only him, but us as well!

Halle is thriving in grade 2.  Last year was a tough transition into grade 1.  Mostly my fault as she went to a French Immersion kindergarten and our experience was not what I had hoped for.  We switched schools and were blessed in grade 1 with the most loving, kind, encouraging teacher.  Halle LOVED school again.  She had a lot of catching up to do, as she entered grade one with really no skills in English.  So while her class was steadily moving along, she was playing catch-up. Her teacher was so patient with her learning and very encouraging as well, we just pray that we get to have her again when Sebastian is in grade one! This summer she finally started to get reading.  And now it's incredible to hear her read aloud...like brings tears to my eyes.  She loves art more than anything and can been found most days in her room, among a pile of paper, crayons, staples and tape.
Dean has been busy with a contract called Arktos.  It's a pretty unreal machine, just google Arktos Craft and you'll see what I mean.  He travels lots (which we all hate) but when he's home he's able to do the day to day life with us.  He recently got a new dirt bike and begs for time to ride in the bush.  I have learned, in our almost 8 years of marriage (10-23) that if I give him time to himself, he is much more helpful and appreciative of all that I do around the house and with the kids.  So it's a win-win.
I've been busy raising our 3 kids, keeping house, helping Dean out with his business when I can and feeling much like a taxi driver :)  Hopefully this is the first post of many more to come!  That is if I still have readers!

Baby Girl Bump...and my boys!

Baby girl is growing like crazy, and locked into position! We're busy trying to get our house organized for a home birth and while we've still got a lot of little things to get in order, we're pretty much done. I'm about 2 weeks away from my due date and feeling A LOT of braxton hicks...except this time they can be quite painful and regular. The other night I had contractions every 7-10 minutes for more than 4 hours...but I knew it wasn't really labor so I didn't bother waking Dean or calling my midwife. If this pregnancy was my first, I would have been packed and ready to head to the hospital after having such regular contractions, but with the third...it's a little different. I know that I'll "know when I know" that it's real. For now, I'm just trying to take it easy, drink my disgusting red raspberry leaf tea and mother's cordial and wait.

Oh, and makedinnercleanhousedolaundrydrivekidstoschoolhelpwithhomeworketc!(37.2 weeks)

As for my boys, they are enjoying a breezy and cool Sunday morning, washing Trials bikes and being cute!

fish n'chips and gelato

I can't believe that we almost let an entire summer pass without going to White Rock for fish'n'chips! A few weeks ago, on another night that I didn't feel like cooking, I convinced Dean (who had just put in a 13 hour day) to head to the beach. The kids were so excited and even came out of their rooms with matching shirts, all ready to go. It was a perfect night, just the 4 of us. We ordered from our favorite place, Coney Island and then ate out front while it was all still hot! We watched seagulls on the beach and a few trains pass before heading back to the car in search of a friends gelato shop. I hung out in the car with Sebastian (parking was no where to be found) while Dean and Halle made their way into the shop for a cold treat...and treat it was, our friends gave us lots of yummy gelato! All in all, it was a perfect way to wrap up summer!

Buddy's first day of preschool

A little before school treat!

His favorite things to do at school, playdough and glue!

Big boy backpack

Sebastian started preschool last week and was more than ready! He's been "going" to this school since he was a baby, but only for drop-offs and pick-ups of Halle. This year it's finally his turn and he LOVES IT! On the first day, most of the kids were extra clingy and there were a lot of tears...but Sebastian just marched right in and got to playing. I said goodbye, he waved...and I left. Such an easy transition for all of us.

BMX Boy

We have this great BMX track right around the corner from our house...a place that we used to visit a few times a month just to play around. When Sebastian started riding his bike without training wheels at the beginning of summer, we started going a little more often. Then one night, a few weeks back, Dean mentioned that he'd signed Sebastian up for a race...that night! So we called a few family members and friends and headed to the track. Sebastian was the smallest one there, on the smallest bike! He rides the half-track and after 3 weeks of practicing, he's doing awesome! There are 5 little boys in his class, of which he is the youngest. He LOVES racing, loves practicing with Daddy in the evenings and especially loves the candy bag he gets at the end. I've been having my forgetful pregnant brain most days and haven't taken any pics! Thankfully friends of ours showed up and took some great shots (thanks Becky!) and our neighbor Laura filmed his first race. We are so proud of you little Buddy...can't believe this is probably going to be our new life with you!

First day of First Grade!

Or Grade One as they call it here. Halle started her first day today, at a new school...and both of us couldn't be more pleased! Her teacher is great, her class size is small and the kids seem to come from some pretty awesome families! She can't wait to go back tomorrow! I found it much harder this morning to drop her off for first grade then I did last year with kindergarten...maybe because it's full days, or maybe it's because we had such a great summer that I'm really really going to miss her during the days. It made me so proud to watch her on the playground after school, playing and making friends with everyone-she's going to do great!

Barnston Island

waiting on the 5 minute ferry, or barge pulled by a tug!

cool tricks!

stopping on the side of the road to pick some apples, very sour apples!

32 weeks pregnant with baby girl!

"you can't catch me!"

Big yawns

We took a quick ferry ride across the Fraser River yesterday and found a little hidden gem in the city...Barnston Island. A community of 150 people, spread out over 2.5 square miles...a perfect 10K bike ride around it all. Halle was spending the weekend with Gran and Google, so she didn't join us, and probably better off. I know that she wouldn't have made it the entire 10K...she'd be too nervous with the traffic (literally we had to pull to the shoulder 10 times, that's it) but it would have been enough to make her nervous. Sebastian on the other hand was all over the fact that he got to ride on the road, pick apples and go fast! He did great, had a bit of a meltdown 3K into it, but kept those little legs going all the way to the end...when he promptly fell asleep as soon as he was buckled into his car seat. We can't wait to go back next summer with baby girl in the Chariot!The night previous we went blackberry picking behind our house after dinner. We picked a little over 3lbs in 15 minutes and got home just as the sun was setting. I thought, why not make a cobbler...so we did...and enjoyed it for a late night dessert and fabulous breakfast! You can't go wrong with the Pioneer Woman :)

In other news, this little guy fully potty trained himself this past week...we're super proud of him and his determination...he has had a total of 3 accidents, 2 of which were completely my fault. Way to go Big Boy!!! We're so proud of you!