Under the weather..

Actually it's a beautiful clear sunny day outside today but I'd be enjoying it more if I hadn't gotten some sort of Flu bug last Wednesday. Not a cold and fever flu bug either I don't think of colds as a flu. At our house the flu meant, to put it nicely, food not staying in your stomach were it belonged. This one is really hanging on, probably on account of baby #3 and all. We're looking for better days ahead as I drag through packing, today is definitely better than yesterday. Tomorrow we leave for our week in Klamath Falls with all of my immediate family. Looking forward to that and hoping I do not share this lovely flu with anyone else. It's been 4 days since I came down with it and the little men and My Luv still seem to be doing great. So here's hoping it stays that way. Anyway hope you have a good week. Later.

Queen Elizabeth Park

Saturday after another lazy morning we finally decided on Queen Elizabeth Park for the day. It had Pitch n Putt Golf and a Disc Golf course plus tons of other sports options. After wrestling with the directions mapqwest gave and a few circles we finally found it. As an added bonus Nathan and Family were able to join us and met us there. Pitch n Putt ended up being rather spendy so the guys went to play Disc Golf while we ladies and kids toured the gardens and went to see about a conservatory that was rumored to be there. They were beautiful and covered many acres very amazing. This post will be rather picture laden but hope you enjoy.

We started in the rose gardens and then meandered on up to...

The conservatory with cool fountains in front that were forever changing patterns.

(In the back ground) one of the probably 6 different wedding parties we saw while there. It must have been the place to take pictures. It was certainly a beautiful day for it.

No doggies today.

A vibrant Begonia!

The landscaping was beautiful with lots of rockery as there was once a large quarry there which is now full of gardens and flowers.


The boys found a large rock just right for climbing.

And we didn't know it before but apparently lions like to climb rocks, they're a great place to roar from. Just ask Nathan.

An aside on the above pictures there was a group of Oriental ladies (lots of tour buses stop here) observing the boys playing together and from their gestures (they weren't speaking English) they seemed to be trying to determine if the boys were twins until Chatty set them straight. :0D

A peek from the path above down into the large quarry.
A duck pond, with some ducks who might enjoy a few pebbles for lunch.

And some more beautiful flowers. I think I liked the vibrant colored one in looking back at my pictures and there was an abundance there.


About here Baby Cakes got hungry so we went and found the small quarry which was less visited. It was on the shady side of the park so didn't have as many flowers but lots of rocks for the boys to play in.

Attempts at rearranging the landscape.

Nathan meeting an earthworm or vis versa.

One of the few flowers growing there other than Impatients which like the shade.

Once Baby Cakes was done we meandered back up to the conservatory, it was getting later and the guys were soon to be done with their game.

Chatty and Leroy posing for a self portrait.

We ended back at the fountains were we played around till the guys found us.

One of the moments where the fountains completely disappeared.


Nathan and Leroy having a chat.

One more flower picture in front of some colorful fall grass.

We then headed out for Granville Island as it was not far from there. It lived up to all Chatty's post about it and would have been another fun place to spend some more time. But we just made it there for dinner and a quick visit to the main market. I of course didn't manage any pictures.

Vancouver, B.C. Space Needle.
I don't know what this really was but it sure resembled the Space Needle.

We ended the evening with a little unplanned adventure when the alternator on the Mr. and Chatty's car went out. With only a 20 minute wait on AAA during which time the boys slept it was a rather fun and funny ending to a fun day.

Sunday was spent with the saint's in Richmond and we got to go play games at Nathan's house that night with the YP from up there. Again no pictures but a fun time. Thank you Chatty and the Mr. for having us.

Our Visit to The Mr. and Chatty's

We arrived on Thursday night late, so Friday was a relaxing morning where we got to sleep in as long as the boys let us, which was at least 9 something.

Good morning Leroy!

Here's Phi observing Petra though the glass door.

A Great Blue Heron that made his appearance in the pond out side the back yard.

As the morning wore on Phi began teasing Petra through the window with toys, naughty little man.

The morning Ba'ba'. He holds his own which is good and bad. Good for Mommy, but bad cause I don't hold him as much when I think I'm busy.

Leroy meeting Petra, he likes dogs and animals in general much more than his big brother.

It was a beautiful day, so after a delicious breakfast we left the guys to decide what to do with their day while we took a walk to the beach. This is only a 5 minute walk out the back door, very neat!

Chatty and Petra at the beach.

And Petra all by herself.

By the time we got back the guys had decided on racket ball and Disc golf and headed out to play. Chatty had received a new embossing set for her birthday (which was that weekend and I didn't even know it until that morning) which she generously shared. Once the kiddos went down for their naps we had a great time making cards which I failed to get pictures of. Embossing is a lot of fun, with the right tools and technique it makes a very cool looking card.
That night Drooler's family, the little Nuggets, and Dolly,PC and Emma's families came over for a delicious supper and games, X box and otherwise. That's how the following picture was captured.
Four guys on one small couch, enjoying themselves too!!

It kept some of the kids busy for a while too.

It was another fun, late night, bed time for the girls and kids some time around 12:00 or 1:00, while we cannot say the time the guys finally called it a night. Oh the competition!!

I was going to make this all one post, but Saturday we went to some beautiful gardens that I don't remember the name of, though I'm sure Chatty will and I have too many lovely pictures of the amazing flowers they had there. So hopefully soon we'll continue our narrative.

The Goblins are out early...

We don't actually celebrate Halloween at our house but this picture just cracked me up. He was amusing himself with this broom the other day such was the result.

Our little men

Borrowing sunglasses they won't wear their own.

Mommy's glasses

Cousin Kate's

And two of my favorite shots A. Sus caught on our camera a few weeks back.

Leroy @ 7 months

He rolls over occasionally, mostly in bed at night, he can get on his hands and knees but then he gets all worried and fusses 'cause he doesn't know what to do next. He is quite a chatter box and may just start talking before big brother does. At 27.5 inches he's in 75% av. for height but I don't think he out did cousin Kate yet!! :0)

And Mr. Phi @ 20 months

This small man refuses to pose or smile for cameras at this point in his life so this is a great shot to have. He was clowning around with Aunt Sus as usual and she snuck this in. He is finally trying out words "De" still means please but comes in handy for a lot of other words too. Some days he'll grabber on while looking at me quite earnestly and I have not a clue what we are talking about. He still loves to help and we hope that doesn't change any time soon. Very cute, when we were up visiting Chatty and the Mr. he attempted "Petra" in a high voice. (is that really what I sound like??) :0) "Dada" and "Mommy" finally stuck and he uses them frequently not really needing us just for the sound I guess. He has a hilarious little stride/strut he does when he's feeling "big" or like he did good.

Verse for the Day:
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in ever ygood work and increasing in the knowledge of GOD; Colossians 1:10

Among other things...

We're missing Miss Kate as her Daddy got a new job 5 hours away so she's not just across the river any more. We had to post some pictures of her just for fun.

A goofy grin as she enjoys the sand on the Oregon Coast.

Summer time fun with cousin Phi on a farm picking beans ... and eating them.

We've been busy obviously since our last post, one of the highlights though was a trip up to see Chatty and the Mr. for a four day weekend. I don't have the camera today or I'd have a few pictures at least. Chatty has an embossing set that she generously shared and we had fun making cards one afternoon while the kiddos slept and the guys played disc golf and racket ball.
We had some fun times with Drooler and his family and IOI and The little nuggets. We even got to visit Granville Island one evening. It was great. I'll try and do a post about it with pictures though as we went to some gardens at a park up in Richmond, very beautiful!
This last week Jon and Deb moved on Saturday but they wanted to be out of their house here Friday night so the carpet cleaners could do their job before they left. So we got to have a dinner for them and Dad and Mom B. and AJ , and Sus before meeting. Then J and D and Miss Kate spent Friday night with us, this was fun cause we didn't get to go along to help move since we'd already been gone the weekend before. It was our All day meeting here in town plus young peoples meeting (which we still attend ;) so it made for a busy weekend anyway. Now were trying to get plans under way for a week long trip to Kalamath Falls that we've had planned for a while now but we leave in 12 days or so. Definitely looking forward to that one, especially since it means we get to see Miss Kate (and her D & M) again so soon. Of course a week out of the ordinary sounds great too.
And now this little man had some news he wanted to share...

"I'm gonna be a big brother next April!!"

we're all looking forward to seeing who this little one will be!?!

Verse of the Day:
HE shall feed HIS flock like a shepherd: HE shall gather the lambs in HIS arms and carry them in HIS bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11