Korsan Crew – Page 7 – Just another WordPress site

Cars, Planes and Everything that Goes!

One place that Sean and I have wanted to venture out to with the boys is the Reynold’s-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin. It’s a very cool place dedicated to everything that goes — cars, planes, farm equipment. And as Owen and Brandon are fascinated with vehicles of all types, we thought this would be right up their alley. Grandpa H is also a big car guy, so we thought it would be only fitting if Grandma and Grandpa H came along with us. It was a wonderful place filled with so many different kinds and types and very old vehicles. There were some you could sit in and pretend to drive.

Once Owen and Brandon realized they could sit in some of the cars, they were done with looking. They were on an adventure to find the next car. Grandma and I trailed Owen and Brandon, while Grandpa stopped and read about all the cars and Dad took advantage and took him time taking pictures.

After lunch, we headed outside to the airplane and helicopter hangar, there were a few airplanes that people were taking rides in and Owen and Brandon thought it would be super cool to go too. Dad and Mom nixed that idea…one it was in a bi-plane with an open cockpit, two the cost and three more than likely Owen and Brandon wouldn’t have made it close to the airplane – from the noise. So they (and we) enjoyed the view from the fence line.

More Summer Holiday Fun

Owen and Brandon are endlessly in awe of the different vehicles on the road. Who drives the concrete mixer, the trucks and the motorcycles, the yellow bus? One thing they do know is that Grandpa drives the city bus. The big blue city bus. Lucky for us, Grandpa drives in our area, so there have been a few mornings on the way to daycare, that we pass Grandpa by driving the city bus. While on our holidays, we thought what would be cooler than to take drive on the city bus with Grandpa driving. Grandpa was very excited to see us, I think the Tim’s coffee helped too. We rode part of the route; I think the boys thought it was cool they didn’t have to be buckled into their car seats to be on the bus! Thanks Grandpa!

The day of the bus ride, the weather wasn’t as warm and sunny as we had hoped, so our outdoor plans were squashed (that and it rained the night before so everything was pretty wet). So we went to our old stand-by — Telus World of Science. It’s one of our favorite places, there is always so much to see (we rarely see everything in one visit) and each time we go it seems like Owen and Brandon picked up on something new.

Like the big piano with it’s keys on the floor. You can stand and run and make music with your feet!

Dad having a little self-portrait fun…

Water Fun

Our summer while has been sunny most days with temperatures that we really can’t complain about really hasn’t gotten that hot. We haven’t seen a week’s worth of +30 temps that find you sweating when you go to bed and just as sweaty when you wake, with windows wide open in hopes that a breeze will come through the windows to cool the house, when you cringe at the thought of turning the oven on and when the trip to DQ for a blizzard happens every day! We’ve seen a lot of rain, which I guess isn’t so bad, we didn’t have to water the lawn and garden all that much. But one result of all the rain, is that we haven’t had to water the grass and when you don’t need to water the grass, well how do you run through the sprinkler!?

Not to deprive Owen and Brandon, one hot afternoon, Sean set the sprinkler up on the driveway….yup if you drove by our place that sunny afternoon, you would have seen a sprinkler set up on a concrete driveway and two boys running back and forth (shirts, pants and runners) through the sprinkler laughing and squealing and getting very very soggy.

And all that running makes a boy thirsty…it’s water right? you can drink it right?

Now what was that? Do you hear the music? Wait for it. Whoa look who turned the corner on our street! Ice Cream Man, Ice Cream Man!

How better to end an afternoon of running through the sprinkler, than a popscicle!

By the way, anyone ever try to dry running shoes in the dryer? It takes FOREVER!

Happy 3rd Birthday Brandon!

Wow, I am 3 yrs old today. I weigh 38.80 lbs and I am 39.25 inches tall. I am wearing 4T tops and 3T / 4T bottoms (depending on the store). I wear a size 10 shoe and have worn through more shoes than Mommy expected in the past year. I am still needing my afternoon naps and they are still just as long as last year. I am a little more stubborn when it comes to admitting I am tired but once I give in, I am out in a snap! I sleep with my blue teddy (Mommy’s blue Cholly doll) and like the hallway light on.

My eating habits have changed but am more willing to try new foods than my big brother Owen. While I will eat most anything, I am particular about how I eat it. Pasta MUST have parmesan cheese but no sauce. My eggs MUST be on my toast (just like Mommy does), not beside it and there has to ALWAYS be milk on my cereal. Some of my favorite foods are — pasta of any kind, meatballs, strawberries and raspberries (because I can put them on my fingers), cucumber and tomatoes, carrots and broccoli (but only when cooked in a stir fry). Then there is my favorite flavor – vanilla — I like vanilla yogurt, cake and ice cream (just like Daddy). I think my favorite meal would be a toss up between hot Kraft Dinner and train (or now dinosaurs) ham sandwiches.

I am struggling to be independent and many times I get frustrated that I can’t keep up with my big brother. I can eat my meals on my own, but I love when Mommy and Daddy (and sucker Grandma) help me. I like to pick out my clothes and try to dress myself, but sometimes I am in such a rush I get so frustrated and then I tell Mom and Dad – it just doesn’t fit! I go to daycare with my big brother; we are in different rooms but get to play together a lot during the day. I have so many friends and love all the activities we do all day – swimming, music, baking, counting, library time, gymnasium time and nature walks. There are some weekends when I tell Mommy and Daddy that I miss my daycare friends.

I am working hard to use my words and express my feelings and wants through words instead of crying, screaming, hitting or throwing things. I love Curious George and one of my favorite books is Curious George and the Chocolate Factory. When Curious George eats too many chocolates and gets a tummy ache, I get really upset and feel very sad for George. My favorite Curious George show is when he goes to the movie theatre.

My words are getting easier to understand, I string together sentences like a pro. I am into the why phase – I ask why about everything I see and then ask why after Mommy or Daddy give me an explanation.

Potty Time has been one of my biggest accomplishments this year. I have moved from pull-ups to underwear and am learning to tell when I have to go potty and to go on my own. Mom and Dad were potty training Owen earlier this year and I was really interested and wanted to be just like my big brother, so Mom and Dad let me try the potty thing too. I am doing so well with it, that I know I am a big boy!

I am still doing gymnastics and have moved from Parent and Tot to Kindergym (doing gymnastics all on my own). It’s exciting to do it on my own but a little scary too – so Mom or Dad or Aunty stay close by. Now that I am 3 yrs old, I can do my swimming lessons at the daycare. I love to swim and splash! Next month Owen and I will start skating lessons – we are very excited about it, Mom and Dad took us skating a few times this spring and summer and we really liked it.

My new likes are Superhero’s (Spider-man, Batman and Thor), Bob the Builder and Tonka, Elmo and pirates. Of course I still like Cars, Toy Story (Buzz Lightyear and Woody), Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse. I also love anything to do with trucks, tools, building or fixing things, listening (and singing and dancing) to music. I really really love pretend play – dressing up as a cowboy, fireman, policeman, doctor or cooking in the kitchen or building forts to keep the monsters and ninjas away.

My birthday party will be Tonka / Bob the Builder with a bouncy house at my Aunty’s this year.

Check out Sean’s post for more pictures and details about Brandon at 3.

Fort Edmonton Park

For our summer holidays this year, we decided to take a few days off and do some activities around the city. Fort Edmonton Park is one of our favorites and so of course it made it to our top 5 list. Owen and Brandon enjoyed it much more than I expected this year. I am especially proud of Brandon, as he walked the whole park with us — there was no stroller this year!

Wow that is one big train!

Onto the train…and now we wait…boys and brothers trying very hard to sit still.

Owen and Brandon found the fort amazing, the tall walls and the idea that it was built to keep bad guys out, was the best idea ever. Just after the fort there was a small farm with pigs and chickens and goats. Owen and Brandon found climbing the fences to peek over a lot of fun.

Part way through town, Owen and Brandon started to slow down and get cranky…must be snack time. The bench outside one of the shops was a great place to stop. You could still see what was going on while eating.

Nearing the end of the town we stopped for lunch.

After lunch, we were ready to keep going. The boys found a playground tucked away behind the Fire Station. A see-saw, swings, slide and monkey bars..what more could you need?!

Onto see what else Fort Edmonton has to offer…Daddy you coming right?

Wait, they have a carnival here?! There were games and rides but the one that caught our attention was the carousel ride.

Day one of our summer holidays was a hit. Sunny, warm weather and tuckered out kids!

Capital Ex

OMG I am so behind with my posts. The summer got away from me, having too much time doing things and taking pictures but not having enough time to send the pictures out and talk about them. So here we are mid-September and I am trying to remember all the fun we had this summer.

It’s that time again, Capital Ex is here again for the summer (or as most of us lovingly remember it to be Klondike Days). Most everyone we talk to, get these big eyes and then want to shake our hands when we tell them we took Owen and Brandon to Capital Ex this year. I know I know, it’s a lot of people and crowds, long line ups, cheesy rides, crappy food and costs $$$. But it’s an experience that everyone must have and it’s what you do in the summer. With our Sesame Street Live tickets we got gate admission, so that helped entice us. We started off with lunch in the air conditioned building of brand new Expo Centre and had semi-crappy food and then the fun began.

The carousel was the first ride, always a favorite in my books.

Then onto some rides more up the boy’s alley.

Owen got a little tired, so Mom joined him for a break on a nearby bench.

Then it was onto the games. Owen really enjoyed playing the games…and he seemed pretty good at it too!

Showing off their prizes.

It was a fun day, tiring but fun. Thanks for coming along, Aunty Claudette and Grandma K.

Sesame Street Live

Sesame Street came to Edmonton again this year. Last year Sean and I debated on whether to take the boys or not, we opted for not as we didn’t know how they would fare at 3 and almost 2 yrs old. This year Sesame Street came again and we jumped at the opportunity to take Owen and Brandon. When we gave the news to our family, Grandma K and Aunty Claudette jumped at the chance to come along with us. Owen and Brandon were excited to have their Grandma and Aunty sitting beside them at the show.

Not only did they sit beside them but they got to pick a toy and a balloon from the show.

Brandon thoroughly enjoyed the show, clapping his hands and smiling at the characters of Sesame Street. Owen enjoyed the show as well, just with a little more reserve, sitting and taking it all in!

And of course we can’t forget, Owen and Brandon inspected the Wayne Gretzky statute outside Rexall Place – of course the greatest hockey player ever!

Ice Cream!

It’s summer and with summer comes ice cream and even better than just ice cream, is ice cream in a cone. One particularly hot July evening, Owen and Brandon had ice cream in a cone for dessert. Of course the ice cream choice is chocolate, as it is not only the tastiest but also makes the best mess on your face.

Owen is a little more neat than Brandon when eating his ice cream cone, he licks the ice cream slowly but then wipes his hand across his face, smearing ice cream along his cheek.

Brandon dives right in and eats his ice cream cone, resulting in the perfect chocolate goatee. That’s right, and darn proud of it too!

Alas, what is better than eating chocolate ice cream in a cone making a mess, but doing it along side your brother!

Capital Ex Parade

It’s the end of July and that means that Capital Ex (formerly Klondike Days, which most of us still refer to it as) is in town. Owen is 4 and Brandon is just a couple months shy of his 3rd birthday and Sean and I thought it was due time to take the boys to a parade. Unfortunately the day of the parade fell on a day that Daddy couldn’t get off work, so Aunty Claudette jumped at the chance to join Owen, Brandon and I curb side. It was hard to explain what a parade was, but I think my explanation was enough to get them excited.

Owen spent most of the parade sitting on his Aunty Claudette’s lap – can you tell Aunty is beaming!?

Brandon was happy sitting on the folding chair by himself (leaving Mommy on the curb), lunch bag in hand.

First up were the cars, Owen’s favorite was this one…

and Brandon liked this one best…

From the whole parade, Brandon loved the marching bands (or as he calls it, the singers). Brandon clapped and bounced in his seat to the music.

Owen thought the MONSTER TRUCKS were super cool. I think we will be going to see the Monster Truck show next year!

And they both agreed the army tanks were really cool.

And of course there is always room for popcorn at a parade.

After the parade we headed to the legislative grounds for a lunch picnic and some splashing time in the wading pools. I was very impressed with how well Owen and Brandon did all day and yes, by the time we got home they crashed hard for a late nap.

Family Time at Aunty Claudette’s

Happy Engagement Aunty Claudette and Uncle Phil!

Aunty Claudette and Uncle Phil held a big family dinner at their place one Saturday in July. It was a dinner for Uncle Phil’s family and Aunty Claudette’s family to get together and meet each other, since this time next year, we’ll be on big happy family. And as Owen put it, Why is it taking Aunty and Uncle so long to get married?! with a big sigh.

Owen and Brandon were a big help, helping Uncle Phil stock the beer cooler – by telling Uncle Phil which kind of beer everyone likes (and really we don’t drink that much!).