Happy Birthday to My Murray

Last year Murray turned 30 and we had quite a large party with all his friends and family. This year he was... well ... just 1 year older.  We still celebrated but on a smaller scale.  Murray and Zachary went fishing together in the morning.  Then we headed out to Warburg for a weiner roast.  It was a perfect relaxed Murray type of day.

 
Murray and the kids playing with Murray's new rocket launcher.

Murray, his boys, and his nieces and nephews

The cake Zach and I made.

My handsome husband on his special day.

Happy Birthday Murray!

P.S Look at that hair!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Look out Trevor Linden!!!

Sadly, a friend's mother passed away recently.  This has led to a few death conversations in our house lately.  Zachary has asked where you go when you die.  Murray and I have talked with him at lengths and just when we think he understands he says...

"when you have white hair it means you are going to die, but you get to see God"

Okay not exactly. Thank goodness I plan to colour my hair for a long time!

Then the other day we are watching the hockey game (like everyone else) and there is an interview with Trevor Linden.

Murray simply says " uh oh Trevor Linden better look out he is in trouble"  

Me "why is he sick?" (thinking Murray is up on some NHL news I haven't heard yet)

Murray says "no, but he is getting white hair so that means he is going to die soon"

It was pretty funny.

Wishing you good health and rainbow coloured hair.

Happy Friday!

Drumheller

Zachary has been Dino Crazy for a while now and with my sister visiting over the long weekend we thought it was a great opportunity to take her and him to see the Royal Tyrrell Museum.  

We have been reading so much about dinosaurs and Zachary knows all the dinosaur names but Murray and I didn't think that when we talked about how big the dinosaurs actually were that he could comprehend their size.  A trip to the museum was exactly what he needed.

He was sooooooo excited.

Outside the museum. (this is the face I get for pictures now)

Checking out how we measure up.

Up close and personal.

Grandma Lisa also came along on the trip.

The whole crew.  Ok, I won't bore you with all of our pictures but you get the idea.  It was a lot of fun. While down in the Calgary area we were able to go to Calaway Park and meet up with a side of my family we don't often get to visit.

Zachary and his cousins taking a boat ride.

 My Auntie Cori and her two kids went down the big log ride with Murray and Zachary.  Looks like fun!

Too cute.  They don't get to see each other very often so it always amazes me how fast they bond.

And lastly my Grandpa Thompson with his 7, count them 7 great grand kids all 5 and under.  Wow!

A big thank you to my Auntie Cori for housing us all the Saturday night, even after she had just, and I mean just moved into her new house.

Happy Friday!

Just Because...

If I had more time I could fill a book with all the funny things Zachary says. Instead I will put them here until I find a better place for them.

This is a follow up to the Biggest Loser Contest that I won recently.

Devon Total Fitness approached me about being in the Devon Days Parade and handing out tatoos since I won their biggest loser contest.  I said ok.  The night before the parade I was trying to explain to Zachary why I would be in the parade and not sitting with him, Elliott and Daddy watching it with them.  Murray walks into to the room and Zachary shouts out at him...

"Dad, Mom lost her big fat belly pounds so now she gets to be in the parade!"

Murray and I had tears in our eyes we laughed so hard.  I still smile to myself when I think about it.

Happy Thursday!

Soccer Man

Let me preface this post by saying there is nothing more entertaining then watching 3 year olds try to play soccer!

Zachary has been playing soccer for a few weeks now.  At the beginning, he just ran around the field with his head down "body checking" every player on the field, including teammates!  After a couple of serious talks about not body checking he is actually starting to get the hang of it and he seems to really enjoy it. 

He frequently runs through the house with he soccer stuff on shouting "I'm a soccer man."

During breakfast his usual 'What are we doing today Mum?" is now followed by "Is it a soccer day today Mum?"

I think he looks a lot like Uncle Michael in this picture.

Don't they look like pros? 

Action shot

After scoring a goal!

Oh and he falls down a lot, intentionally and unintentionally.   We don't know why. 

 And when one person falls on the field they think its funny to all pile on top! Good times good times.

We are off to a soccer tournament this Saturday.  Should be interesting, wish us luck.

Happy Thursday!

 

Elliott @ 9 Months

Our little man is growing so fast now and he changes everyday.  At 9 months he is really good at going from sitting to crawling and from crawling to sitting.  He has tried to pull himself up a couple of times and even though his upper body is strong enough his legs are still too shaky to support his weight.  He is eating a lot more table food and enjoys feeding himself which is messy but a lot less work at meal times.

At the Royal Tyrrell Museum checking out Dinosaurs.

Elliott on his first ride at Calaway Park (Zachary pouting because the egg wasn't blue).

Elliott and his cousin Benjamin.

This is one of my favourites.  You can't see it in the picture but Elliott is actually drooling on Ben's arm.  

Eating toast.  Yum!

More posts of my sisters visit and Drumheller to come soon.

Happy Tuesday!

Who's the Biggest Loser?

ME!

Finally after 3 weeks after the contest has ended I got the phone call telling me that I won the Biggest Loser Challenge that I participated in at Devon Total Fitness over the past 12 weeks.  

No, I didn't have a lot of weight to lose but I did have the last pounds of baby weight (the hardest to get rid of) and with my competitive nature I thought this would be the perfect way to motivate me to shed the pounds. 

It wasn't easy.  

And because of my heart rate monitor I know that in the last 12 weeks I have...

worked out just over 87 hours (5 to 6 times a week)

burned just under 18000 calories

for a total loss of just under 20 lbs.  7 inches off of my waist and 4 1/2 inches off of my hips!

I do get a free membership to the gym for winning the contest but the real prize it feeling like myself again. A fitter stronger me who also fits into her pre-pregnancy jeans YEAH! 

Originally I wanted to do this so that I could compete in triathlons this summer (which I am slowly working on) but I am not sure if it will happen as I still have some back issues from being pregnant with Elliott and its a big time commitment that I am still not sure about making for this summer but hopefully triathlons will be something I can do again in the near future.

I have to say a big thank you to my husband. I did spend 87 hours working out which means he rearranged his schedule and made sacrifices so he could help with boys.  And although he was not on a diet, he did not complain about the healthier meals (he even admitted he liked them and was feeling better too).  He never ate his late night nachos and cheese in front of me.  Through the entire 12 weeks he never complained once!  I just want him to know that all of this did not go unnoticed and that I never could have done it without his support.

Happy Monday!