Our California Adventure to the Kosmynka's

This past weekend we went to sunny California.  It was beautiful.  Beautiful weather, flowers, trees and friends.
Our first visit was to Santa Monica pier.  It really is an awesome spot on the ocean.

Then we went into Santa Monica to get Trystan from work.  The girls loved the Dinosaur shaped water fountains and just running down the open sidewalk chasing pigeons.

The next day we decided to go to Venice Beach.  The beach was beautiful.  Leah was afraid of the ocean.  Even when we carried her into the water she was still crying.  I guess it is still to big and scary for her.  Venice was a little interesting.  Especially when you see some one get a bike thrown at there head.

Leah did love her huge ice cream though!

On Sunday we went to Disneyland.  It really is an awesome place.  I have to say, Disney goes out of there way to ensure that your visit is perfect.

A Success 6 months in the making

On Sunday, two of the greatest motivators in my life motivated me through 5 km of glory.  But first, a background story.
In March, I decided that I needed to get into shape.  For the first time in my life I was going to start running.  So, I went to the most athletic person I know (Breanna) and asked her if she would run with me.  Breanna, being a runner, accepted right away and the Couch to 5 km Program began.  At first, it wasn't so bad.  A couple minutes of running followed by a couple minutes of walking.  I thought this isn't gonna be so bad.  After a few week and a bit of peer pressure we got Katie to join us and the Lew Crew running group was formed.  Three nights a week, after our babies were in bed, the three of us completed our running program 30 minutes at a time.  With Breanna leading, Katie and I blindly followed putting our trust in our friend who had done this before and hoping that we didn't pass out in the middle of the neighbourhood.  We did each of the 9 week program with success and never regretted what we had started.  Although, there was plenty of complaining along the way.  Breanna moved to LA once the program was finished and it was mine and Katie's goal to continue running through the summer.  We would try and whimp out but remembered our friend who moved to sunny California and knew she would be proud that we continued on here while she ran along beautiful ocean front views.  (We would silently curse her for having a much better view than us)  Then the slumps came.  I didn't want to go, and bless Katie's slave driver heart, we went.  She would show up at my house and I knew that was it.  I had to go.  Couldn't let Kate down.  After a month of running without Breanna; Katie and Breanna thought it would be a great idea to end our summer running program in a 5 km race while Breanna was in town in September.  Thus, the Heart Run idea was born.  Katie (who I have affectionately enlisted as my running manager) sent me the information and I literally blindly signed up for the race.

What a race! Katie and I ran that race harder than we have ever run. (I say Katie and I as we kind of run together now and have really weird quirks.  Like, I can only run on Katie's left side and we breath in sync like we are in labour.  Drive Breanna crazy!)  The hills were something we had never experienced before, passing people was a new concept, and they ran out of water at our half way point.  But we didn't care.  We were doing it!  Our goal was complete and we were doing probably our last run on the season.  All things considered we finished in 36 min 23 secs.  Success!  Considering we had never run the River Valley before I say Hooray!

So a big thank you goes out to my running girls.  Lew Crew.  Breanna thanks for inspiring me to run and telling me that I "look like a runner."  For telling me that I could do it.  Katie thanks for keeping me going.  Helping through the rough patches and dragging my butt out there every week.  I honestly thought that this was something that I never ever would have accomplished in my life and I have you two girls to thank for it!

The Team, Garry, Katie, Me, Breanna, and Brenda

Leah trying to run away from her smelly mom after the race.

Katie and I seconds before we crossed the finish line.  And some other random person.

Breanna seconds before she finished.  Her running shot was much better than ours.

Success 6 months in the making!

Eeeellllmmmmoooo? No Elmo!

Have you ever watched the movie Dude Where's My Car?  If you have you will completely understand how funny and annoying this is.  Leah loves Elmo.  Loves him!  Everyday and I mean it, Everyday.  We get up, get dressed, coming downstairs and Leah runs into the living room, grabs the remote, points it at the TV and says "Elmo?".  And every morning I say "No Elmo"!  I think it has mostly become a game.

The other day Dave and Leah were playing.  Leah looks at Dave "Eeeellllmmmooo?"  Dave looks at her and says "No Elmo".  Leah:  "Eeeeelllllmmmmoooo", Dave: "No Elmo!"  This can go on and on for three to four minutes.

The other Dave looks at me and goes "Aaannnnddd Thhheeennn", me : "No and then"!

I know what you are thinking. Stop letting your child watch so much TV and she won't want Elmo so much.  But the truth is if she gets to watch one to two 15 minute episodes of Elmo a week if she is lucky.   I guess there really is something about that little red monster that kids really do love.

Leah loving Elmo at the Space Science Centre Exhibit.

Leah is Elmo's World heaven!

Harry Potter over? I think not.

This one is for you Andrea.
Oh Harry.  I was sad, upset and a little bit in disbelief on July 15 when the last Harry Potter movie came out.  The movie was excellent and the crowd was awesome.  Poor Joelle.  I think I said every possible stupid thing during that movie that I could.  The appearance of Dean.  Dean!
So in honor of Harry Potter being over and the fact that summer tv is horrible, I have taken on the task of watching all of the Harry Potter movies from start to finish.

So far, this is what I have discovered.  Ten years ago, special effects looked like they did when ET was created.  The characters age rather rapidly in the first three movies.  I love Ron more and more through every movie.  Ron and Hermionie's love affair started in movie three.  Giny was a foolish little girl.  Nevelle is awesome.  I am pretty sure that I don't know how to spell the characters names.

So my challenge to all my Harry Potter loving readers.  Which I am pretty sure I only have about two readers.  Is this.  Don't re-read the books.  Re-watch the movies.  So entertaining!

Growing So Fast

I know it is completely cliche for me to say this, but our little girl is growing up so fast.  She is really growing.  Items that were once safe on the table, dresser, night side table, side table are no longer safe.  Simple instructions are easily understood and followed.  For example, Leah can you go get Brandi two cookies and take them to her bed.  I realize that she grabs two because she grabs one in each hand, however, she knows where Brandi's cookie container is, how to open it, where Brandi's bed is and that she is drop the cookies infront of Brandi's drooling mouth.  If the cookies drop on the floor Leah will pick them up and place them back on the dog bed.

It really is amazing to watch her interpret what we ask her to do, describe, and read to her.  Leah's new love in life is books.  She loves books.  So much that she can tell which book is which by the cover.  Another example, if  you ask Leah to get you Hands Hands Fingers Thumbs she will go to her basket of books and pick out each one and look at the cover until she finds that book.

She continues to amaze me everyday.  It really is incredible to watch her grow and learn about her world around her.

Now if I could just convince her that diaper changes really are not worthing throwing a hissy fit over.

Staycation...It's gonna have to start being an annual thing!

This week has been the first time in four years that Dave and I have taken a whole weeks worth of vacation together.  I know it's kind of hard to believe.  We have not taken more than an extended long weekend off together since our honeymoon.  Which actually means that Dave has not had more than four days off in a row in 4 years.  That is even crazier than us not taking vacations off together.

I earn my four weeks of vacation off a year and use at least two of them.  This is both from my own desire and the encouragement of my manager to take vacation.  I enjoy time off.  It gives you a time to relax, recharge and enjoy the little things that you miss when you work full time.

Our week long holiday has been excellent.  The best part so far has been just spending time together as a family.  Leah hasn't spent this much time with her daddy since the week she was born and I guarantee you they are both loving every minute of.  I am loving every minute of it.

It makes me miss being home with her all the time.  It also makes me wonder if I would enjoy being home with her everyday.  I think I would love it and hate it all in the same breath.  Who wouldn't love being home with there children everyday.  However, I would miss my job, the adult interaction, the look of pure happiness on her little face when I pick her up from dayhome.

But we have discovered that we need to take this time for ourselves as a family.  Maybe even more than once a year.  That's right everyone!  Dave Lindgren may actually have to start taking vacation more than once every four years.  I wonder home he is going to cope with that?