Kimbi

I find it hard to believe that anyone would voluntarily hang out with us. Yes, we do on occasion pay Kimbi to babysit, fold laundry (no wonder she got hired at a clothing store she is the best folder in the world!), and assist in my photography endevours but quite often she comes just to hang out, watch movies, and play guitar hero. I am sure she is probably working on some research paper to get into a class at U of R and she is really just studying us.

Next week Kimbi is graduating from High School and we are so proud of her! She is an excellent student and a truly gifted athlete. The best part is that she is following in my footsteps and going to U of R to be a teacher! (then she will eventually become a photographer and get married and have five kids and slowly lose her mind... ok well she doesn't have to follow in my footsteps exactly.) Maybe in four years when she convocates she and I will start our own school. My baby will almost be ready for Kindergarden and Levi will be in grade 11. I wonder if we can get that approved for her internship work experience. Kimbi and I have coached Olivia's and then Kelsey's soccer for the last 3 years and she will be a fabulous teacher. She has patience, enthusiasm and a real love for kids! We wish her all the best in her future ( ok secretly I hope she drops out before Christmas and comes back to be my full time Nanny before I have this baby. No really I know she will do amazing and I already have her booked for her four months off in the spring summer.)

When we lived on the southside we were only three doors down from Kimbi. The first time I met her she was a wide eyed grad eighter. She was running past when I called out:

"Excuse me do you know anyone around here that babysits?"

She should have ran down that back alley as fast as possible and never looked back. Instead she replied with a cheerful:

"I babysit. I think my mom works at the Credit Union with your husband."

The rest is history....

Coach Kimbi and Olivia in soccer Coach Kimbi and Kelsey Team Skunks!

Here is our this year's Christmas Card. One evening at supper we voted on the theme for the Christmas Card. I thought with Colton and Kimbi hanging around and Olivia and Kelsey in love with High School Musical that we should have a "High School Musical" Christmas Card. We won the vote because Carson was the swing vote and he will put his hand up for anything!

Here is a never before seen image from the "behind the scenes" making of the Christmas card. I had Kimbi run over at lunch time with her basketball gear. Just look behind her at Carson holding her ball. That is not the only ball in the picture. She is a true pro and isn't even phased by the distraction. She is used to the chaos.

Here is where I helped Kimbi win an ipod through a Honda contest. We took these pictures right in the middle of Kelsey's 4 year old birthday party. There were kids coming and going I had a session showing up to order right in the middle of it all and somehow Kimbi managed to back her car into my clients van. I recall Neil telling her "It's ok Ricky Bobbie your not on fire" Or something like that.

Kimbi really is a part of the family and if we are lucky our kids will grow up to be just as fabulous of a person!

Levi's Lawn Care

His face is as sweet as the ice cream!

Mower in training.
Deliriously Happy.The potty train outside!

We had a busy weekend with ball and golfing. The power went out Sunday night during the last hole of the US open. What is a family to do when there is no power? Clean the backyard and eat the icecream out of the freezer before it melts.

Pat is teaching Levi how to mow the grass and after one succesful job Levi is ready to start his own Lawn Care business. He is so much like his mom that he went right upstairs to make slogans. My favorites are "Lawn and Order", "You Grow, I Mow".

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day and for that we definitely have to celebrate! I will be the first to admit that I am one lucky lady to be married to a guy who cooks, cleans, makes soup, bakes bread, plays with the kids, entertains friends and family and things I am gorgeous even in my dirty old beer shirt! All those things almost make up for the fact that he is golfing three days in a row this weekend! Right in the middle of his golf game yesterday I had to call him on his cel because our water heater sprung a leak and was gushing water four feet sideways! It doesn't even phase him anymore. I think he is more suprised when he drives home at the end of the day to see the house still standing! (Just look at this picture! What a hunk no wonder I keep getting pregnant who could resist that face!)

Today is also a day when I think back and remember my own Dad. This Father's Day marks the 15 anniversary of the day my Dad passed away. I know that I get a whole lot of my personality and good looks from my Dad. He was always the life of the party and quick with a joke. I think of it now that I am pregnant with our fifth child that my Dad was the youngest of five boys and I guess if my Grandma Shaw hadn't had five kids that I wouldn't be here. So I guess five kids won't be that bad after all. At least I am not having five boys in seven years. My dad was a pretty special guy and our family will always be proud of his legacy of playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and winning the '66 Grey Cup. They played one his old games on TSN late one night a few months back and we taped it so the kids could see their Grandpa in action.

Before With No After

Today is our seventh day of rain and both my mom Vanna and hubby Pat are golfing. Vanna is golfing in Davidson in a "Red Hat" Golf Tournament. For those of you that don't know the Red Hat Society is for women over 50 who are proclaming their impending senility by wearing mismatching purple and red outlandish outfits. (at least that is how I understand it) Mom asked me to go down to the local co-op and pick up a doll she had seen for a prize for the tournament. When I asked the clerk about the doll she told me there were none left but upon further investigation we found the display model and I bought that. My mom was displeased because she was missing the signature "red hat" I ask you in all honesty is that the biggest thing wrong with this picture? Ok I am just giving them a hard time all the power to them to get out there and have fun!

Now for my before and afters. Well yesterday I started the long and never ending process of cleaning my house. Below is a shot of the guest bedroom. I also took a shot of myself at 11:00 before I had a shower. The frightening thing is that this is almost noon so this is how I would be answering the door if a delivery man, neighbor, or god forbid an unexpected client dropped by. The truly disturbing fact is that there are no after pictures because it doesn't really ever get much better!

Last summer I made the bold move of selling all of my baby clothes and maternity clothes so since I am now 20 weeks pregnant my wardrobe consists soley of lulu lemon ( more like lulu watermellon) bronco sweats and beer shirts! I can't dye my hair because of the baby ( come on it is not like I want a hit on the crack pipe just give me some Miss Clairol) and my face is broke out worse than a teenagers (that is why I think I am having a girl).

Here is the Rokochy guest room. Doesn't this scream tranquil and inviting? I think I might have to offer them Olivia's room. Since Colton left this room has turned back into a laundry room/dumping grounds. And can you believe I ever had the nerve to tell him to clean up his room???

All Aboard - The Potty Train

The sun is shinning and it is finally a beautiful day but somehow we are off to a crappy start already. I put a show on for the kids and came to download yesterday's sessions. When I went to the washroom I found suspicious looking brown chunks in the sink with my dish cloth. Upon sniffing the mystery substance I confirmed it was indeed poo (this year's New Year's resolution don't sniff anything in the house!). Kelsey informed me nonchaulantly that Car had pooped on the couch so he naturally grabbed the dish cloth and scopped up the poop off the couch and promptly flushed. Ahh it is going to be a great day! (Yes I did throw out the dish cloth!)

On a nicer note here is an image from Olivia's musical debut in "Alice"

Ok upon further investigation I have now found poo in the upstairs bathroom on the mat in front of the tub which leads me to believe it is this time the dog but my CSI skills are lacking so it is hard to know baby or dog. That seems to be Daphne's favourite place to poop in the house because the mat is quite grasslike in it's texture although I must say she doesn't limit herself to only pooping there.

The interogation of the 2 year old goes something like this...

"Carson, come here."

"Who's poop is this?"

"Ewwwww... I danow"

"Is this your poop or Daphne's poop?"

"I danow.... Dapers poop"

"Where did you poop? Where is your diaper?"

"I poop couch"

"Where are you supposed to poop?"

"I poop potty. Potty treat!"

"No honey no potty treats are only for pooping on the potty!"

Now off to clean the house as my cousin Jaimie and his wife Sharla are coming to stay for a ball tournament this weekend. She owns a professional housekeeping business "The tidy timesaver". Man have I got my work cut out for me before they come. Now I just need a visit from a shrink or supernanny maybe!!

Feeding Time at the Zoo.

Sometimes when mom is on the computer the kids take it upon themselves to get a snack. Let's keep in mind he is only 2 and made quite a healthy choice! Hey what does Dad say about eating in the living room? At least he is wearing his big boy gotchies!!

The King and I

*** Disclaimer- By reading this blog you agree to not turn me in to any authority for the mass destruction and chaos that takes place on a daily basis in my house! No children were harmed during the writing of this blog!***

Well here is our first family life post. Most of the things that go on around here are unendingly amusing to anyone who doesn't live her so it is my pleasure to share the daily goings on of our slightly loony home. First I want to show you what a typical morning looks like at our house. As you can see everyone but Levi at some point during the night will inevitably make their way over to our bed and Olivia grinds her teeth and has an aversion to both covers and sleeping in a vertical manner. Kelsey has issues with not only peeing our bed but on a rare, lucky occasion he has been known to pee me! Carson is a cuddler which I guess is a good thing but no matter how you slice it by 2 am it is a full house (three jacks and two queens!) Oh yeah and there is also the dog who insists on sleeping between your legs at least she sleeps on top of the covers. No matter how many times Pat pulls the kids to the middle or his side they all end up squashed up against me. I took this picture on Friday morning when I got up early to go to Cypress to do a wedding. I kid you not I got up and took the picture. No one moved I sleep on the side of Olivia. Look at that bed. I am not a small person at the best of times and currently I have packed on a fair amount of girth in the stomach area. I don't know how that doesn't defy the laws of physics! Keep in mind this is a King sized bed!!

Hey Kelsey pretend to be asleep you are runing the moment! This was two seconds later. Just look at how much Olivia and Carson moved! We really have to lock our door at night!