Foam Festivities.

July 16 2016

It all started when Rachael, Kristin and I were with our kiddos cheering "Go Dad Go!" at the last bike race. Our husbands were buzzing with adrenaline at the finish line and were checking out their medals...we decided that we needed to do a race and get our own medals. The only problem was that none of us really had time to train for anything that actually required much physical stamina. They don't give medals for picking up toys off the floor or making it to preschool drop off on time (never mind, I never make it on time anyways). But we really wanted to do an event together AND get a medal for it which began our search for something just made for us....

Then Rachael found Foam Fest. When we signed up for it, we didn't know much about it. Just that it would involve inflatable slides and some foam and it was in Sun Peaks which meant ROAD TRIP!

We found a perfect house in Sun Peaks that fit all three families with enough bedrooms for 6 adults and 6 kids - and it had a hot tub.

We were envisioning that race day would be a sweltering hot day and we would be frolicking in the foam over some little obstacles and then gracefully gallop towards the finish line. Well on race day morning it looked like it was going to rain and it was cold, SO cold but we had bought matching tank tops and if we opted for warmth and wore hoodies we wouldn't match anymore. So of course we made the only logical decision - we opted for fashion over function and we shivered our way to the starting line.

 It actually ended up being a good idea to ditch the hoodies because we got soaked in mud pretty much 5 minutes after we started the race. There were rope obstacles to climb over and under, foamy water slides and sinking mud pits that we crawled through. Brian (Kristin's husband) tried to follow us through as much of the course as he could and took most of these fabulous action shots. There was also one section of the race where the kids were able to see us and cheer us on. They just looked really puzzled and asked us why we were so dirty...I guess its hard for them to understand that sometimes mommy needs a break from being mom-like and just have some foamy fun!

 It was so fun to do a race where it really wasn't about setting a fast record but laughing through each of the obstacles and of course we all got our hot pink medals and much deserved soak in the hot tub after!

Oh and apparently this is the only obstacle course race in B.C. where the minimum age requirement is only 8 years old so in 3 years we might have a little Foam Fest entourage trailing behind us....just wait and see!

no-so-little anymore.

Dear Nallie-bear,
You just graduated preschool and you probably won't even remember but you were so excited leading up to your graduation ceremony. You sang your graduation song "We are Ready" so many times that even Noah was singing about being ready to leave preschool and going to kindergarten. We picked out the prettiest dress ever (from Value Village of course for $4.99) and Grandma even drove 6 hours to watch you walk across the stage and get your 'preschool diploma' and kids bible. I am thinking you probably won't remember this (it's OK I don't remember mine either) so that I why I am writing this now.

You have grown so much in this last year. This preschool has been so good for you. I look at this picture of you from September 2015 and your cheeks are still so chubby I want to munch on them. You were excited and nervous to start at a new school. This time you had one of your best friends at your side. That makes all the difference. Plus your teachers were so kind and nurturing. There never was a day of not wanting to go to preschool.  After your not-so-great experience with 'old preschool', I was hesitant to put you in any program and I am so glad I did.

And last couple of weeks have been epic growth for you (and me). I realize how much of an introvert you are. You had your first week of church camp. I knew it was going to be intense to do all those field trips with a big group of kids that you don't know. It was  hard to let you be away from me all day. You knew one friend but didn't know any one else. It was hard to leave you every morning. You would cling onto me and I would have to peel you off. Some days tears would be streaming down your face because you were scared and anxious about being at camp. Part of me wanted to scoop you up and just take you home but I knew you could do it and if I took you home you wouldn't know how brave you could be. So I would pray for you and leave you sobbing. That part sucked.

Good thing my mom-instincts were right.

Every day on the ride home, you would be chattering about the songs you learned, the craft you made and that you wish you could go to camp every day. But somehow every morning, the nervous butterflies set in again and drop off at 9:00am were a teary affair. One day I heard you praying aloud before camp, "Dear God, please help me be brave today. Amen." That made my soul smile. I am so proud of you my love.

This week was another camp at a different church. I was worried for Noah since it would be his first time going but it was actually you who was  anxious  every morning. You are such an introvert. Such a sweet, gentle, beautiful spirit. You take in everything from the sidelines and when you get home, you are a non-stop chatterbox showing me everything you did at camp. You know all the actions to the songs. You can recite the bible verse. But apparently at camp, you are too nervous to say anything. That's OK sweetheart. I love you just the way God created you.

You just turned 5 today.

It was a fabulous perfect day. We did rides all day at Playland. You were fearless today. Its so ironic that dancing at church camp is more frightening to you than any roller coaster.

You are starting kindergarten soon. I can't believe I only have one more month left til you go to kindergarten. You are going to rock kindergarten. I know it. But I am also dreading it because I am going to miss you. Like SO much. I feel like life is on fast-forward and I would just like to pause it or freeze it permanently because it's beautiful and I am not sure what is ahead. Life with you two is so loud and exhausting and messy and sometimes unbearably whiny but its also so enriching, fulfilling and altogether life-giving. I love it. I really do. I am scared that things are going to be different when you aren't here with me all day. Noah needs his big sister. I need my little girl. But I guess you aren't so little anymore. Wasn't it yesterday that I was letting you hold my fingers as you took your first steps in our old house? Wasn't it yesterday that we used to slide you back and forth across our kitchen floor like an air hockey puck? (seriously, you totally loved it) Wasn't it yesterday that you were signing 'more' with your pudgy hands? Wasn't it yesterday that you were my shadow and I'd vacuum the house with you glued to my hip?

And you're 5 now? Seriously, where is the pause button, how did this happen?

Well sweetheart, as much as this growing up thing is scaring me....I could not be more proud of the beautiful, introspective and inquisitive little girl you are becoming. I guess you are not-so-little anymore....sorry it's going to take some getting used to. Happy Birthday my love!

assembling my superheroes #runforH20

Thank you for everyone who supported and came out to the Run for H20 event today. Mama got to run 10K and the kids raced in their Run for H20 capes with pride and in the end we surpassed the fundraising goal and raised $65,500 for families in Guatemala! That means an entire community of lived changed for the better!

Here's a recap of the day best told in pictures:

upside down pre-race stretch

Superman made a special appearance - he was such a hit with all the kids

apparently Nallie thinks that is a superhero pose

pre-race Zumba

when Nallie saw me at the finishing stretch, she ran out to cheer me on!

Racers ready: at the starting line of the Kids 1km race

Daddy and The Flash getting ready to run 1 km together

Nallie speeding past

so proud of this little one

The Flash ran the race with his ally Spiderman

The Flash coming making a speedy finish

Proud of my parents and the Bethel Fellowship for raising over $17,288!

Proud of my sister who has such a heart for the people of Guatemala

And that's a wrap!!!

reasons why my child is crying.

So now that I have been a parent for over four and half years I realize that there are things that you love and loathe about every "stage". I will confess that the baby stage wasn't my favourite. Although nothing beats a sleeping infant on your chest, I just couldn't wait until my kids could tell me why they were having an insatiable cry-fest. I can still remember rocking/bouncing/swinging my babies wishing they could tell me why they were up for the 38th time that night. Is it because you hated baby sing along group today? Is it because you detest being swaddled like a baby burrito? Is it because the elastic on your adorable little Robeez is cutting off the circulation in your chubby ankles? Is it because mommy smells like baby spit-up and puke? There are only a handful of situations I knew exactly why my baby were crying, most of the time it was a lucky guess. Looking back I only recorded happy moments, I can count on one hand the number photos I have of my babies expressing another other emotion than adorable, gleeful happiness which leads me to this misguided belief that my babies cried only 5 times in their infant year.


Because mommy made me try creamed corn.


Because its butternut squash.

So to ensure that I preserve a more accurate memory of this toddler/preschooler stage, I started documenting both Joy, Sadness & Anger. I know people refer to this stage as the 'terrible two's' and my husband refers to our 2 and 4 year olds as 'the two-nami (tsunami) and 'the four-nado' (tornado). Pretty accurate description as with this age, I feel that everything is amplified....when they are happy, they are hysterically laughing, good-for-the-soul belly laughter that is contagious but when they are upset, they are like a natural disaster of wailing, failing bodies accompanied by a tsunami of tears. But the greatest thing with this age is that most of the time, the trigger for the 'twonami' or the 'fournado' are totally irrational, flat-out stupid reasons. I used to get so irriated with these tearful episodes but I realized that if I just stayed calm that they might learn to not make such a stinkin' deal over non-issues. It also makes me feel better to take pictures of them in such episodes and know that I could blog about it later. There are less pictures of Nallie because I realized quickly that taking a picture of her while she is in such emotional state causes the meltdown to go from just 'loud and annoying' to Defcon 5. So in no particular order, these are reasons why my child is crying.

Because I have the keys but can't reach the key hole.

Because the small Mr. Potato Heads have no ear holes.

Because I didn't get to paddle the laundry basket boat.

Because a toothbrush is invading my mouth.

Because I am not facing the same way as my brother.

Because I can't reach the spoon.

Because my banana bread breaks apart when I hold it.

Because I wanted to wear my jammies all day.

Because the balloon is bumpy.

Because the cake keeps falling off my fork (and I refuse any help).

Because Dad gave the empty Kleenex box to my sister and not me.

Because I didn't open the front door.

Because I can't print the letter Y.

Because Mommy said no Cheetos for breakfast.

Because mommy didn't let me bring a princess purse with me.

Because I woke up and realized I was awake.

Because they didn't have Paw Patrol shoes in my size.

Because I wanted a 'big boy' bowl.

Because I had to wait my turn to sweep the floor.



 Because Mommy held my hand down the stairs.

And one of my favourites...

because we don't fit in the laundry basket together.

I am documenting these moments in time not to make fun of and laugh at them (although it is hard not to laugh sometimes) but to remind myself that this amplified emotional disaster over trivial issues is just a stage and as with any stage, it is an abundant blessing to be parenting little ones and I will miss it tremendously when this stage is over. And just as trivial issues will cause my kids to dissolve into a tsunami of tears, really insignificant things will also bring them great joy and uncontrollable laughter. Yesterday, the kids invented 'belly tag' and they ran in circles trying to crash their belly buttons together and were laughing until they were hyperventilating. And the things that cause them to cry might be a really big deal to them at that moment in time. At least it's a lot easier as a parent to console my sobbing toddler that it is OK to drink from a pink cup and the water will taste the same as it does in the blue cup than a sobbing teenager with a broken heart. I am not ready for that yet, so please by all means just keep crying over not being able to wear your bathing suit to school.