Road Trip

This week the boys and I went on a road trip!  With the end-of-summer boredom that seems to happen near the end of August, it was the perfect time for us to get out of town.  Pete has been working quite a lot lately with construction season being in full swing, so sadly he had to stay home, but we still had a great time without him.


Jennifer, Cate, Eva, & Anna

My friend Jennifer and I have been working on getting together for a while now, but with her family living in Okotoks and our family here in Spruce Grove, it's never seemed to work out.  So this summer we were determined to make it happen.  The boys and I left early Monday morning to meet my friend Jennifer and her three daughters at the Calgary Zoo.  After spending the day there, we headed south and stayed at their house in Okotoks for 2 more days.  With all five kids in tow, we painted the town red.  We got to go sightseeing, we visited a honey factory, we played at 3 different playgrounds AND a spray park, and we spent time at their house too!  We came home Wednesday evening, and the boys spent Thursday and Friday coming down from all of the excitement.


At Big Rock

At the honey factory, watching the bees!






At the Zoo

Throwing rocks in Sheep River

Initialize

The "curse of the mechanic" as I call it, has been upon us again.  I say this lovingly, knowing full well that part of loving cars is owning more of them...
We've had our '93 Corolla (the boys named it "Yoda") for a long time now.  It's been dependable and easy to take care of.  We purchased that Corolla out of necessity, for something that would fit the four of us that wouldn't break down.  That car was good to us, but it was also the "dry white toast" of cars according to Pete.  About a month ago, a guy at the shop offered to buy Yoda.  Well Pete came home jumping up and down, because for the same price he was offered, he found his next car already.  With a knowing sigh I told him to do what he felt was right but this car had to fit the four of us and be RUNNING!  We already have a truck that doesn't run, and we can't run school and work without 2 functioning cars.  I asked Pete what his new car will be, and he says with a grin, "Get this, Christy.  It's an eight-six."


Real-life version of the Initial D AE-86

An eight-six is also known as the Toyota Corolla GTS, or the Toyota AE-86, one of the first affordable drift-racing cars.  It's an FR; front-engine, rear-wheel drive and despite it's age (believe it or not), it is a rare and coveted vehicle.  One of the reasons I already know so much about this car is because of the show Initial D, (get this) an anime show about drift racing in Japan (yes, Pete and I are geeks).  It's about Takumi, a humble kid who delivers tofu in his dad's AE-86 and becomes one of the greatest downhill street racers in Japan (see video below).  This TV show made the eight-six even more famous.  Now, the guys who previously owned Pete's car (also geeks) painted it to look exactly like Takumi's on the show with the exception of the "Fujiwara Tofu Shop" japanese writing on the side (and a few scratches/dents/rust spots).  Pete's plan is to change the paint-job eventually, but for now it looks just like the picture!  The boys love the car, their favorite thing is the pop-up headlights.

I have to say, I have honestly never ever had as much fun behind the wheel of any other car.  It might not look like much, and it might be from 1987, but this thing just flies.  It turns on a dime, and it's built to rev high.  It sounds fantastic.  Sometimes I find excuses just to drive it around.  If you can drive a stick, come by and take it for a spin sometime.

Samson's Secret...

The boys have just come back from their annual week at Grandma & Grandpa Heinbuch's in Rocky Mountain House, and they had a blast as usual.  They're still getting over it - I've been thankful that yesterday and today have been cold and rainy to allow for maximum rest.  Grandpa took Zack and Nathan fishing, and they both caught good sized rainbow trout (that are now in our freezer).  The boys love spending time there, and they love going to VBS each day of their stay.  Pete and I had a good time while the boys were away, and we went on a couple of dates, which was very nice.

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A couple of weeks ago, while riding in the car, the boys were asking me about the story of Samson, and so we talked about how a woman used her beauty to get Samson to tell her the secret of his strength.  Then Zack said, "so then the moral of the story is never tell women anything."

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The boys have been playing together well lately; only about 10% of their time ends in someone storming off.  Most of their playtime together involves police.  Either pretending the Hot Wheels cars on the car mat are catching bad guys, or pretending that they are police and/or bad guys themselves.  I caught a moment of this while cooking supper that made me giggle:

Zack (toting a Nerf gun and wearing a paintball mask): Nathan, you are under arrest... For being extremely annoying.

Baby Elli

Elaina "Elli" Grace is a pretty awesome little girl.  I've never really connected with the babies of other people, but having snuggled her each morning while visiting Amanda in the hospital and being able to enjoy cuddles a few times a week, I'm hooked on this little one.  The boys (and Pete) love to hold and fuss over her, too!  We've even babysat her for a couple of hours already while Mommy & Daddy had some much-needed together time.  I'm so excited to get to know the girl she will become!

Nathan reading "Yummy Yucky" to Elli.

Growing Up

After ten years of a thirty-five dollar IKEA fiberboard kitchen table (which was technically a desktop with screw-on legs) with cheap plastic chairs, we finally said goodbye to it and bought our first actual real wood dinette set.  Six chairs and a leaf so we can comfortably seat eight, and it's black-stained cherry wood.  So exciting!

Recent Savories...

I've been busy, and having fun, with lots of baking projects!  Between parties here and orders too, it's been crazy and awesome.   Here's some pics.



Ninjago "Ninjabread Men"

Lego Head Marshmallow Pops

Ninjago Cupcakes

Angry Birds Cake

Balloon Cookies

It's Aliiiiiive!!!

After the initial sadness that not all the plants I transplanted from my Grandma had survived the winter, what a surprise to find that now every single raspberry chute AND my white peonies are growing!  I'll put up pictures when they're more impressive-looking, they're a little tiny and pathetic right now...

The Next Day

Nathan is 7 years old now...  Hard to believe it, but it's true.  He is so excited about his birthday, and the party too!  But I think his favorite day has to be the day after the parties, when there's no one here and he gets to work on unpackaging and building all of his new toys.  Nathan is one of those kids that thoroughly enjoys every toy he gets, big or small, he cherishes it.