Babies and Flowers

What else is there? I mean, yeah, there's more to life...but not that much more...at least for me! These are two of my big passions right now. Flowers? Passion? Well...if you were to look around my house and yard you'd see a lot of them. Cushions, curtains, pictures, potted real ones, fake ones, napkins, dishes, linens, shower curtain, throw... And of course, my babies are a passion, and they always will be. I do have other passions and interests, so don't worry about my life being so unbalanced that once the kids move out and summer's over I'll have no reason to live. OK - this post is getting too deep - here are the pictures:
Eli's getting better and better at the jolly jumper. I remember getting a lot of use out of this thing with James!

What a little sweet heart!

James needs a hair cut - but he just flips out these days if we bring the scissors anywhere near him...maybe he'll have a pony tail for Uncle Nathan's wedding...


Getting better and more use out of the bumbo these days:


The flowers (I'll miss them when they're gone...who wouldn't?):




These are new. They're called Solomon Seal (I think). They're the long stalks growing under the rhodo. I walk past a house with a gorgeous yard everytime I go to Save On (every day), and yesterday I chatted with the lady and asked her some questions about plants, and she offered me a whole bunch of her stuff. I came back with the car and picked up about 5 big clumps of solomon seal, some iris', some black eyed susans, and a couple other things that I don't know what they are (but I do know they're perennials - so they'll be back). I really hope they all live and thrive!


A lady bug ("bagh" if you're James) - almost as facinating as worms ("oourgm"):

So far, these are the only flowers that James has picked. He's squashed a few tulips with his feet, but he hasn't tried picking them... yet...

Hopefully this time next year there will be more solomon seals to show off. And more tulips.. I love tulips. But probably not more babies (make that a definately) although I do love babies.
Jacki - I'm reading the following books/recently finished because I don't like reading more than one book at a time:
- When Sinners Say "I Do" by I don't know and the book's in Eli's room and he's sleeping. About being a sinner and being married to one.
- Attonement Child by Francine Rivers: novel, really intense, really feel good at the end.
- Bible (James, Proverbs)
- Saint by Ted Dekker: novel, action packed, little on the weird side, very addicting - typical Ted Dekker book.
- Obsessed by Ted Dekker: see above.
- Hood by Steven Lawhead: novel about Robin Hood, little old-englishy (but don't tell tristan), christian themes
- Scarlet by Steven Lawhead: part two to Hood

spring in the back yard

Spring is definately here in Ladner. It's GREAT having a back yard to hang out in! We love it. James especially - he can't spend enough time looking for bugs, collecting sticks, and stomping on my flowers!!!

Return of the ExerSaucer

It's back.
The ExerSaucer has made an other hit at the Schoepp household. After seeing little Joshy Balfour in his exersaucer I decided to see if Eli could handle it.... he's still a bit young, and doesn't last long...but he likes it! And mama likes it too.

Les Boys

Here are a few recent shots of the boys.
Things here are going pretty smoothly...we're just waiting for the next developmental whatever to disturb our toddler at 2am or irritate our 3 month old...hmmm..maybe teething for Eli? Who knows. Not that I'm a pessimist, but if I've learned on thing from the last 22 months with James, it's that when things are going smooth - don't get used to it!
Other than my bad/realistic attitude, things here are great. The weather is good, the flowers are blooming, I've racked up a lot of km's on the double stroller. James is saying new words everyday. Today's word/phrase is 'big weed'...only it sounds more like "ig eeeed". Yesterday's was 'lawn-mower', only "mo-more". Eli is smiling a lot more too and gurgling - which makes this job A LOT more fun!

Keats

We were able to get up to Keats for a couple days over Easter. It was very exciting to get away....but while we were there we thought a lot about how it would be nice to be home. And when we eventually got home it sure felt good to have a well insulated roof over our heads, and to not to have to worry about who's going to put wood on the fire at 2am. I don't think I've ever appreciated my glider the way I did our first night home from Keats.
Enough complaining. We had a good time overall. It's always great to be able to get up to Keats, regardless if your 2-year old is puking, your 3-month old is too cold to sleep, and if it's snowing....in March. Once James got healthy he had an AWESOME time throwing rocks and sticks in the ocean, looking at all the boats, picking up sticks on our walks, and playing with the classy cabin toys. Eli got hauled around the island in the 'metro wrap'. I had to show him around. It was his first time to Keats. We went to Salmon Rock twice, Bonfire Rock, took a tour of the camp, and almost made it to Sandy Beach. I wanted to take him to Highest Peak, but that's when it started snowing. Jed demolished the deck on the 'new' cabin next door, went for a dip in the ocean, smoked 3 cigars, and drank a bit of scotch. My parents were up as well. Poor nanny was in the wrong place at the wrong time when James decided he didn't want to digest his dinner. She did a lot of laundry. My dad was happy to get the deck off the cabin and to have a big fire (to rid of the deck and some other things from Jacks....)
Here are a few pics of the trip:
The beautiful view from the deck...sometime around 8pm:

Eli enjoying a bath in the sink:

The snow's a little hard to see in the picture, but it was really coming down! Puzzled and perplexed Papa.

An other bath in the sink:

Fairview toys:

James, enjoying some breakfast. The rest of us, praying we don't see it again.

This kid was pretty fussy the whole time we were there....unless we were outside. Made for a lot of time in the metro wrap. He loved the hikes - and being able to look out and see where we were going. (What a chubster!!)

The boys taking care of the deck:

Demolition can be exhausting:

I still can't believe he went in. He's pretty proud of himself.