Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. The food, the family, the time of year, the memories. This year was no exception. I'm thankful we we're able to get together with family and have a great weekend. (I'm also thankful no one was injured in the moving of the piano from the basement upstairs, so it can come to my home in Calgary. Thank-you again men of my family! I would have pictures of this amazing feat but I was warned they would would drop it in the middle of the staircase if I attempted)

Have you heard of .....

Well, you may have guessed it already if you've been to our home, but that roof is ours! They gave us the official call this week and we're tentatively scheduled to have the new roof installed at the end of the month. Not very often do you win something for being the very worst. I'm just really glad we didn't have Calgary's 2nd worst roof! If anyone here in Calgary needs a new roof they should have the lovely people at Guns and Hoses roofing do it, seriously I love them.

9 months

.... and a couple days. Really this is just and excuse to post pictures of this darling little boy. He is busy BUSY, is crawling like a mad man, walking with his walker, biting with his 2 new teeth, and I'm loving watching his little but BIG personality emerge a little more every day. If only we could run away to never never land and he could stay my baby forever! I cherish every day and feel truly blessed to have him as my son.

This is after repeatedly trying to rock him to sleep, finally I gave up and put him in the jumper and he was asleep within minutes

Baby Skeletor

Best dollar I ever spent

At the zoo. He LOVED the butterflies.

Backyard fun

He LIVES for the bath and water time. He'll crawl into the bathroom during the day just to try and get into the tub.

Betrothed

True love, can you see it? I'm thinking a summer wedding of 2033 sounds good. Keep your calenders open!

Love these two!

So long summer time...

It's officially been 10 weeks since I've spent a night in my own home. What does this mean??? A couple of things:

1. That I'll be really grateful to be back there, hopefully this weekend!!
2. That I owe a big thank-you to all our friends and family who have so graciously allowed me to stay at their place
3. That my husband is overworked and underfed with no wife there to feed him
4. That I don't want to pack, live out of, lift, or even look at a suitcase for a really long time
5. That this summer has been one continuous holiday it seems!

Here's a summer picture summary. I apologize for the overload but if you didn't want to see the pictures you probably wouldn't be here anyways!

I spent a week in Seattle at my fabulous Aunt Marni's. She talks, looks a little like, thinks, and even wears the same PJ's as my mom so I love being there, for the opportunity to spend time with her (and her fam) and for the physical reminder of how great my mom was. This is my cousin Callie who is 15 and should be a supermodel.

Pikes Pig!

Don't you just want to squish that face?!

Next stop was Sandpoint, Idaho with all the Bowden clan, which we've done for as long as I can remember. (Sorry I'd flip this picture but I just don't know how to from here)

My G-pa and G-ma are the greatest ever. Seriously. Mr. Smith standing over my Grandpa's famous, to die for, homemade root beer.

Magrath days! Petting zoo, kid races, Snowbobs, parade (minus the deadly water balloons which are now banned due to the Dahls), beef on a bun, visiting with family and friends, town fireworks, family fireworks, who could ask for more!

Watching the fireworks

Sunday in the Balderson's yard

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Balderson!

Just for the record I don't approve of this but Carter loves it

All tuckered out after the big day

There were plenty more fun activities around Calgary and Lethbridge that I've left un-photographed such as barbeques with friends, zoo trips, waterton trips, a day at Park Lake, splash park visits and what not. Oh summer time how I'll miss you....

8 months

Carter boy is officially 8 months. Here's what he's up to:

• Army crawling like there ain't no tomorrow
• Up and rocking on his knees, also goes up on his hands and FEET a lot and rocks
• Eating real food that's mashed up
• Mimicking things that I do then laughs hysterically at himself for doing so
• Still no teeth!
• Playing interactively (if we're playing peek-a-boo he'll put his head down then pop it back up and smile - SOOO cute!)
• Getting into everything, he especially loves electrical cords which is a bit of a concern
• Climbs single steps
• Loves bathes, water, and splashing
• Is in an upright car seat because he is definitely over 22 pounds!

I've always wanted to be a mother but had no idea how great it would actually be. Carter is such a joy and I love spending every day with my little man!

(If you're thinking these pictures mean I'm back in our house it's not true, I broke down and put them on my in-laws computer)