It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Our Christmas tree is up, stockings hung, snowmen scattered throughout the house and the fireplace is on....When you go out to the mall Christmas seems to have landed there too! The Christmas decorations are hung on the lamp posts down South Fraser Way...yes it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...and it is only NOVEMBER 22.

James made me a new Christmas CD, which I promptly placed in my car. Linden and I love it. I have also enjoyed a few Christmas Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks...mmm my comfort in liquid form! I was hoping for a little snow this weekend, just enough so that we could take Linden sledding. With this FREEZING cold weather (feeling like minus 10-14 or more!!!) I think we are bound to have a little snow. I LOVE playing in the snow. But it is hard when it keeps you from doing things and going out. I go a little stir crazy with Linden at home. I was fine by myself, but Linden needs a little more entertainment! We may just head to the mall or something just to do something but stay warm. It is sunny, but freezing and windy...not park going weather!!!!

Linden has been going through some sleep issues lately. He wouldn't go down to sleep in his own bed. So yesterday we let him cry it out for about 20mins total...not resulting in him sleeping by himself, but last night he was so tired that he only fought for maybe 5mins and fell asleep (LATE...like 10:20) and he is still sleeping now, at 9:20am. I'm sure he'll be up soon. I'm still tired but my hungry tummy woke me up!

I feel like starting my christmas baking now and freezing some to give away in December. I know most people do this but I never have...does it ruin the flavour to freeze them? What is the best way? I feel like it may be a little early, and usually the part of the day where I actually have time to do it, I'm exhausted!! haha Ah well...I'm looking forward to Christmas and December and the business and excitment that brings...the rest of November looks like it could be boring...but you never know what exciting things may lay in wait :) I'll keep a positive outlook!

Well, I better wrap up before my little guy wakes up!

A few pictures from our Trip

Linden LOVED being tossed in the air! Look Mom, I'm flying!


Walking on the dangerous side with Oma....someone has to let him do the fun things! Thank goodness for Oma and Daddy!!!!

Wearing Uncle Chris' expensive sunglasses....careful Linden!!!

Mexico Baby!

Well since I posted last (Long long ago) us Bergens have been on an adventure! In about the middle of August we were pleased to find out we will be adding an addition to our family! A baby due to arrive late April :) Of course we are overjoyed, but it's been a rough go...as first trimesters tend to be! I didn't have it as bad as some, but worse than others. Just lots of nausea and exhaustion!!! I am happy to be past that part and am enjoying feeling a little more normal!

For months now the Siemens family has been planning a family trip to Mexico. Thanks to the generosity of Oma and Opa we all hopped on a plane last Tuesday and flew to Huatulco. Being the worrier I am, I was not too keen on being pregnant flying and staying in a place where diarrhea runs wild and there is minimal food for me to eat. Not to mention having to stay out of the sun and heat and being uber careful about the water. But I spent MONTHS praying daily about this trip and I know my family did too. I felt totally covered with prayer while I was there and it ended up being a good time! Linden and I both stayed healthy...sadly James had a bit of a struggle with tummy trouble! Luckily he had antibiotics along!

Both airplane rides went amazingly well. Many people commented that they didn't even know there was a 'baby' on the plane...and that he was fantastic! He slept most of the way home in James' arms (poor James couldn't move at all!). Despite a bit of turbulence things were great! VERY thankful!

Most of our days were spent poolside. Linden LOVED LOVED LOVED the water and his rashguard swimsuits worked well! He was well protected from the sun! He napped one day by the pool but the other days he had good naps in the hotel room. We got into a pretty good routine of breakfast (omelets mmm toast and bacon...this is the meal I ate at!) swimming came next followed by lunch, then a two hour nap, a quick visit outside with those who were still swimming, dinner then a show. The three sit down meals a day got to be a bit much for Linden, but under James' care (and oma's too sometimes) nobody else would have been bothered. He really is a great boy!

My favourite meal was at the Asian restaurant. I was a little nervous to eat there but after the Gassers were fine, we tried it. YUMMY! I felt so much better after this meal.

Overall it was super fun hanging with the family and chatting with the cousins. Linden LOVED it and got tight with the cousins too (They were great with him!). I got a vacation from my "job" (since Linden wanted to be with everyone but me!! But really I missed him and playing with him). I'm glad we went and I'm happy to be home. Eating 'normal' food, talking with people in English, feeling the crisp air, being able to shower and brush my teeth without worry, having my own bed, seeing the Christmas Tim Hortons cups, playing with Linden and falling back into a comfortable routine! I love my home :) I'm very blessed and feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful place with safe water!!!!!

I'd have to say one of my highlight happened yesterday during Linden's nap when I felt the baby move for the first time! So magical! :)

Pictures to come! :)

A post again....

Well I've been bad and I haven't posted in eons!!! Mainly because I like to post pictures and then write about them...but I'm still needing to clear my computer so there is space to download new pictures!!!!

Tonight we had our first thanksgiving dinner at Oma Siemens and it was amazingly delicious...I even got leftovers...which I have already indulged in a little!!! I also made my Auntie Audrey's chocolate peanut butter squares (recipie on my other blog) and they are amazing....TERRIBLE for you...but delicious..mmmm. I shared them with the family and they also seemed to enjoy them. It was nice to hear that others enjoy your hard work!

We met little Kenzie (Mary and Mary's baby) last Saturday and she is so beautiful! I can't wait to see her again! Little babies are so cute!!!
Hopefully I can get some pictures soon

I'm off to help James now with some Bergen Farms stuff!!!!

Dinotown fun, cleaning, and other summer stuff....

So I have been busy these last couple nights I've been cleaning and I just finished my laundry tonight. Sorry I haven't written much! Yesterday I had a great time with my mom and Linden at Dinotown! It is kind of run down, I guess why put money into it if it is closing?!?! But Linden had a great time! We went to Harrison first to walk around a bit because Dinotown wasn't open yet, oops guess I should have looked that up first!!!! Sadly there is swimmers itch there so we didn't do the water!!! After dinotown we went to Wendys for some lunch then home. Linden slept in the car and I was sleepy when we got home! :)
Well I'm off to watch Big Brother, James is home now! I'll write more later!
Enjoy these pictures

A mouse and a Wedding

So this last week James has had more time available to spend with us which has been AMAZING!!!!! Last Tuesday we had another mouse in the house...James found it and killed it for me! My hero!!!!I set a trap in the garage now by the door so hopefully if there are any more they will be caught out there instead of in the house...YUCK!!!

I have also been enjoying the cooler weather, although it is supposed to get hotter again!!! Last week we were Nanaless :) well kind of, she was helping out at the dycks. So we did our own thing. I can't even really remember now what we all did...parks...shopping...farm visits...more of the usual!

Friday night we watched Date Night with Maria and Darren and it was hilarious! Laugh out loud funny! :) Highly recommended! It was fun to hang out with them and chat! It always gets late really fast with them it seems...before you know it it is 12:00Am!

Saturday James had most of the day off for my friend Megan Brauns wedding! It was BEAUTIFUL! She looked AMAZING and it was a fun time! Linden did really well, but was exhausted by the end of the day and so was I! haha

I am ready for September to arrive...although I am sad that Mom has to go back to work, because she has been amazing! I love to hang out with her and Linden LOVES it too! Maybe when September starts I can start a regular every day walk to get in shape...anyone want to join me???

Bergen Farms and Family

So I have gotten a bit behind on my blogging. Not that I've lost interest yet, just that I've been really busy. In most of my spare time (when Linden sleeps) I have been putting together a pamphlet and advertisement for Bergen Farms frozen Berries. It has actually turned out to be a lot of work, but I think that the end product turned out well (well I'm actually not sure if it is totally finished yet). It really isn't my specialty and I want to do a good job for them. It is just hard because I was trained on the other version of photoshop and this on is totally different! I'm not very good at just figuring it out!
I also had a cousin come out from Holland to visit so that was fun too with a few family dinners (although we missed the Dyck clan!). I even hosted a meal and made spaghetti, corn, bread and salad...I think it went over well!
Today we tried to go to church but it was just SO HOT!!!!!! and Linden was tired so we decided to go home for a nap! We really just stayed in most of the day to keep cool!!! I made a ground chicken shepherds pie that was really good and Linden LOVED it...he just downed it (although he picked out the peas). He did a really good job of eating all by himself...which makes it easier for me!! OH that reminds me of the terrible Red Robin dinner yesterday with my family. I realize that JAMES is the BEST with Linden when we are out. He makes it look so easy!!! He just takes such good care of him and it is so much more relaxing for me. Linden just wanted Nana the whole time (no shock) and to go and explore. Trying to give him small pieces of food and eat my own meal was a challenge (I'm a slow eater at the best of times)...then I put him on my lap and felt a warm sensation spread across my lap....yup he peed all over me (and himself too)...so that was the last straw and we were gone...I felt badly but I just wanted out of there!!! I sometimes just feel like I'm a terrible mother...well maybe not terrible...but there are times when I feel like I'm just trying to survive the day and forget to find all those "teachable moments" and savor all that cuteness! I think it is especially hard because he is trying to talk but he can't make himself understood...so it's kind of a one way conversation...ALL DAY LONG and that can be tiresome...I'm not a very good conversationalist and rely on others to do a lot of the work...well there's only me!!! haha ah well...Some day he'll learn to talk and then he'll never stop!!! :)
Now I wait for my overworked hubby to come home and we can visit for a bit and watch Big Brother! Then off to bed...Tomorrow is fast approaching and we do it all again!

Ikea Fun

Yesterday was such a fun day! My mom came over in the morning and Heather and I headed off to Ikea. If you can believe it, this was my first time driving across the bridge! It went well, although there was a lot of traffic. We didn't spend too much money (which probably made our husbands happy) and we went to Cactus Club after for an amazing lunch! It was just so great to get out just the two of us and chat! Thanks Mom for the opportunity to go, and thanks Heather for going with me! It is amazing that I have had the same best friend for like 20 years!!! :) She's great!

Today I hung out with Melodie! I was so excited to get together with her and see where she is living now! She is only like 4 mins from my house! we are definitely going to have to hang out more often!

Tired and Cranky...

I SO want to go to this!!!


(vegetables from my garden!)
So lately I've been really tired and cranky...I think that the wear and tear of summer is getting to me! I'm having a BLAST with Linden (don't get me wrong) but it is a lot of energy that is needed to do things every day. I've been lucky to have help from Marian and my Mom though. It was so great, last night James and I went to see Toy Story 3D. I really enjoyed going out to a movie with James! SO GREAT!!!! I was also able to do a little shopping yesterday and found some good summer wear deals! We got home from the movie around 12 so needless to say James passed out ASAP and I followed...although I actually made it upstairs! haha.

I think my problem is nights. From dinner to bedtime I just feel like it is such a high energy time! Trying to get Linden fed...and me...which means a dairy and soy free dinner must be made (Linden seems to know what he can't have and if I'm eating it he wants it...) Even though things have gotten A LOT better with bed time...and I mean LEAPS and BOUNDS...it is still a bit stressful. Bath, Diaper, Teeth Brushed, Books Read, Prayers and To Bed...
I guess it is because I know what I all need to accomplish in such a short period of time...I'll feed Linden, find something to entertain us for a bit, walk/feed Bruno (a dog who jumps, doesn't listen, and runs away), then bedtime, water flowers, clean up kitchen, do a load of laundry, clean up toys...breath a sigh of relief...Unwind with writing my blog!
Our Daily overview...
Linden and I had a pretty low key day overall. Started off EARLY so he got tired and cranky fast. We were going to be going to the zoo with friends but Courtney got a migraine so Heather and the kids just came here...and she brought STARBUCKS!!! mmmm...that didn't last long, then Linden needed a nap. In the afternoon we visited at the farm, did a little errands, then went to the park...swinging and sliding. Then we came home for dinner and well, you know our evening :) I'm looking forward to having my Mom back...and James back...eventually!!! :) He is supposed to have some time off tomorrow...so hopefully that will happen!!
I'm pretty sure he can say "I did it!" because he says this a lot after he accomplishes things!

More Zoo

So without Mom around it is harder to find fun things to do! We NEED to be out of the house...we decided to hit the Zoo again which was very fun again...the Lion looked right at us and walked towards us roaring...it was actually a little scary!!! I'm sure glad there was a fence there!!!! WOW!!!

It was great to have another fabulous meal at the farm with Marian and James. Linden was exhausted by the end of the day because he only had a one hour nap today!!! I hope that tomorrow will be a fun day!!!! :)

Sorry I can't write more...I'm just completely exhausted...I've been go go go from 7-10 basically with a tiny break in the middle...I'm going to need a nap tomorrow i think!

BBQ, Family time and Agrifun...

We had a great long weekend full of family and fun! Saturday Cousin Mandy and her family along with Auntie Audrey and Uncle Derek came out! It was great to see them all again and chat...they are so great! It is just too bad that we don't get to see them more. I was glad that Mandie finally met Linden. I feel like she knows him though, through the world of facebook!!!!

Sunday we had a family BBQ for Sarah in the afternoon. Sarah is such a great girl! She just fits so well with our family :) We had a very relaxed birthday party, then it was off home for a family BBQ. I hadn't seen "the gang" in a while and it was nice to have them all over again...like the good old days...when hockey was still on!!!! haha. Both the girls are getting bigger as their beautiful babies are growing inside them. I'm so excited for the new additions to our group!!!! I know they will be adorable and I can't wait to meet them. It is such an amazing time in your life when you are carrying a child. Yes there are many uncomfortable, painful, and annoying things, but I think generally we just remember the good things like: hiccups, kicks, turns, heart beats, and high fives :) I'm excited for Mary and Glenda.

Today we went to the park in the morning with Nana (we had to soak up every last minute with her before their trip). The Delair park was the choice today and it was great! Small and empty!!! I like that. In the afternoon we went to the agrifair with Oma. I can tell that Linden misses her. He was so excited to have her come over. He wanted to show her all his toys...I think he would have been just as happy to have played with her all afternoon! Although the agrifair wasn't stellar, I found it fun. We saw some animals, which Linden enjoyed and watched a little show. It was just enough. Too bad it was so hot and muggy...I don't do well in the heat...I need some water to cool off with when it is that hot! This evening my family was over for pulled pork...MMMMMM my new easy favourite! It was nice to have the whole family over here. Linden was going CRAZY running in circles and dancing and just having a good old time! He crashed pretty much right when I put him to bed!!! haha I think Hudson had fun too with all the new toys he could explore!!! Then it was off to water flowers and walk the dog...now I'm waiting to see James :)

I think the thing that made this weekend so wonderful was that we were able to see James for large chunks of time!!! How marvelous it is to see your hubby and daddy! It starts to feel more like our "normal" life....I hope the extreme busyness will be over with and we can start to see James more and go on little outings as a family! Here's hoping!!!

Water Park, Swing, and Family Fun

Linden Falling asleep tonight!

My super cute Nephew! He's a crawler and climber now!!! :) So fun!!!

So this afternoon after Linden's nap I was trying to think of something fun to do...go to the beach? nah too far...shopping?? who has the energy....hmmm water park? We haven't tried that yet..so off we went! Linden was wearing his long sleeve swim shirt and new swim shorts with water shoes. He was a little tentative because there were a lot of children there. He's never quite comfortable with a big crowd. Probably because he is so small. Once he got a little more comfortable he had a blast! The water sprayed him right in the face and he looked up at me with the biggest smile! haha Then we went to the park beside it for a bit and he went on the swing for like 15mins straight!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! I kept asking him if he was done and he just kept saying "more"...hey I shouldn't complain though, it was easy entertainment and relaxing! I think he was almost asleep when we left!!! He probably would have swung his way to sleep if I let him...which reminded me of the old days of the baby swing last summer!!!! He was sad to get out of the swing (which I eventually made him do). He laid his head on my shoulder, gave a little whine, then waved his Linden Fond Farewell with kisses and all! I just find that so cute and funny when he does it! He's so serious too...waving goodbye and thanking the park for such a great play time! haha...it was a good hour plus...then we were off to our Thursday dinner at Mom and Dad's. Poor Nana had Linden clinging to her the whole time. I know it isn't easy to prepare dinner with a toddler screaming at you and clinging to your leg begging you to play!!! I tried to occupy him, but he knew what he wanted. Nana is so good with him. She took him so I could eat! Then I tried to return the favour.
Then it was off home to bed! James came home for a little goodnight story then he was back to work. While Linden was falling asleep I could see him in the monitor reading books...so cute! It was a good day! Now just waiting for James' laundry then I'm off to bed too!

Kitchen and White Rock Fun in the Sun

Watering Gramp's Flowers (not really though dad...don't worry!)

Thanks Oma for the ab fab shoes!!!! They were awesome!!!!




So today I got Linden a play kitchen and dishes/food from the swap and he LOVES it!!! I can see hours of fun being had with this toy! :) I think it was a good deal too! I think that imaginative toys are so much better and more interesting than push a button ones (although they can be fun too).

This afternoon Linden slept for 2.5hours. I almost think it was too much sleep because he woke up really cranky!! He REALLY wanted to go see James at the farm and play in his water table so I decided to do that. Just before we were off to the beach Marian gave us some water shoes!!!! PERFECT!!!! I had been looking for water shoes for Linden and they were AMAZING at the beach!

If you know me, you know how big a deal it was for me to go to white rock just the two of us!!! We said a prayer in the car and were on our way. It was a pleasant ride in, with only a little traffic. We parked in the big open gravel lot because I thought maybe we could play at the park...it was a little too old for Linden so we moved on our way. We walked through some sketchy parts, but soon hit the beach...Linden LOVED it!!! The tide was already on its way in because it was 4:30 when we got there. I couldn't believe how WARM the water was!!!! I'd say as warm as a pool for sure! And the little tide pools were like hot springs! Linden just kept running in and out of the water...laughing with no fear. He plopped down on his hands and knees a few times, dispite me being right beside him and holding his hands...His tentative side came out when a few kids joined us, but he had fun still! Once the tide was almost in we packed up and I changed him on the grass area...which he did not like at all! He waved goodbye to the ocean and blew it kisses! We headed off in search of gelato, which he didn't particularly like...had a bit to eat (snacks we brought) then headed on our way. I was tempted to do the fish and chips dinner, but figured I'd save that for when I have someone else with me. 2 hours was a perfect length of time for us but we could have spent longer walking down the strip :) I love white rock. I'm glad that he enjoyed it this time. . What a difference from a few months ago when we went with James...he didn't like the water at all then and just cried when he got sandy! (see video)... Oh my boy is changing and growing so much. He even had 'messy hair' after his nap today. haha it's a tad bit longer....if you look closely.

So, even though I thought to myself "What the heck are you doing Amy?!?! Going all the way to white rock on your own?!!?" It all worked out wonderfully!!!! We had a blast and will have to go again this summer.

Oh and it was funny because I was pretty sure that Linden expected to see Nana pop up somewhere haha :) That would have been nice...next time maybe!

The Perks...

So these are some of the perks of being a berry farmers' wife :) Yummy! The island berries are looking good! Glad to see the black bear family hasn't eaten them all!

On the Go...

These days feel so long and full! When I try to remember back to how the day began it feels like ages ago!!! Linden slept from 7:15 last night till 6:45 this morning! It was amazing! Hudson and Lyra came over for a visit last night which was nice. We had a great visit! :) Hudson is SO cute! and SOOOOO strong! He's just so fun to be around...growing so fast...I can't believe he is almost a year already.

This morning we hung out with Nana again (I'm SURE she must be getting sick of us...) Then Linden went down for an early nap so that we would be in fine form for Bennett (and Courtney's) baby shower! He woke up an hour and a half before we had to leave and was in a great mood. We headed off to the shower to socialize with the other toddlers and moms...but to my surprise Linden was the only toddler there!!! Their house was BEAUTIFUL (Dale and Jody) and they have 3 kids of their own with a great playground. Unfortunately Linden wanted to touch everything her shouldn't (it was like being in a magazine!!!) I really just ended up following after him and watching him the whole time. For a while he sat on my knee and ate snacks...that was all he gave me! I was happy that I got to see Bennett though! He is SO CUTE. He looks like a boy already, not just a newborn...I think he'll be a heart breaker for sure!!!!

My house has seemed to exploded again and I spent a good chunk of time cleaning up toys and food! Dinner was kind of a disaster...which put me in a bad mood. At least my cracked rib seems to be a little better tonight. It doesn't send shooting pains when I breath anymore! BUT I hit my head so hard on the cabinet door tonight..ouch! Now my neck hurts...just can't win!

PLUS I'm pretty sure James hasn't stopped once today...I worry for his health! YOU NEED TO STOP WORKING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE DAY AND TAKE 5 MINS TO EAT SOMETHING MAN! :) Listen to my wise words! I know it is hard to do though...especially since he is the go to guy for everything! He's doing such an amazing job there. They are certainly lucky to have him! I'm so proud of him, and all he accomplishes....he is the hardest worker I know!!

Mouse Drama

Well as you know I have a mouse in the house...well actually I haven't had a sighting of it ever since James locked it in the wall...I am ridiculously afraid of mice...I now see every shadow and think it's a mouse....or every fly landing on me I freak! Even Linden's light touch can be mistaken for a mouse....I am hoping that I won't see it again and that it will be gone for good! I just can't relax completely in my own house...

I was lucky enough to have my husband home this evening! I'm glad that he is sleeping early tonight...boy does that guy need it!!!! Poor guy. We did a family picture of the family involved in the berry farm. That was fun...the format was too big for the blog at this moment so you'll have to check out facebook! :)


Oh, and I let Linden have some slurpie today...well that was a mistake...he was running in circles (literally) jacked up on sugar!!! Oh man! haha At least Daddy and Nana were there to entertain.

Also, I'm happy to say that I have a few pea pods on my plant!! YAY!!! Something is producing already!!! So fun to watch it grow...I hope it tastes good too!!!!

Baking and Gardening...

SO last night I was up late with Sarah baking DELICIOUS raspberry pies....mmmm...so I didn't blog about it then, but I will now! When Linden went to sleep last night Sarah came over and we proceeded to make her mom's amazing raspberry pies! Unfortunately they don't keep for too long...so I've been eating a lot of pie! Maybe someone would like to help me??? I had a lot of fun! It was so therapeutic, a great chat and some amazing pies :)

Earlier in the day I had decided to make Rollkuchen. I didn't have enough eggs, but tried anyways....they were no good...what a flop! BUT to my surprise Oma Bergen (Gross Oma) called and invited me over for Rollkuchen and watermelon!!! Mmmm her's did NOT flop and I enjoyed them! Linden LOVED them too! His new favourite thing is eating watermelon. It drips all over his clothes and mouth but he loves it!






Today I planted my pumpkins FINALLY! I really hope that I have some vegetables! So far things are looking good! I'm excited about that! I just want something to grow! haha

This afternoon I had to run to safeway for a few things and boy was that crazy. Linden is getting tougher to take out places. He wants to walk, but also wants to pull everything off the shelf or go everywhere he isn't supposed to! He has temper tantrums frequently and squeals! They are never too long or dramatic...I'm usually able to nip it in the bud pretty quickly. Ah well, I'm pretty lucky if that's all I have to complain about!

OH MY WORD....As I am writing this blog I see a mouse in my house!!! Out of the corner of my eye I see a black flash...now I have a HUGE fear of mice...I called James and he came running to my rescue....we weren't able to catch it but there is a trap set...I am praying that in the morning JAMES will find it and dispose of it before I can see it...sigh...I always feel like it will crawl on me as I sleep...oh man...yuck

You Can't Trust This Brain!!!!

Linden with his Daddy


Linden was so proud of the Bergen raspberries!


Seriously, I have the worlds WORST memory...ugh...maybe I need to be taking more omegas or something!! I feel terrible but I forgot a dose of Linden's antibiotics yesterday and today I was late in giving them...I feel like such a terrible mother! I guess it is because he is acting fine now and I get so busy it is easy to forget. I also need to be taking my calcium supplements but I can never seem to remember if I have taken them or to take them! I need a pill container maybe! Like an old person! I tried to keep track on a calendar on our fridge but I forget to write it down...jeepers....

This morning we went to Nana's and to the park by her house, which was great! Linden played with his Cookie Monster toy that he had be so fearful of a while ago! :) He is just growing and changing so much! It is so amazing to watch!!!

I had a wonderful surprise today...James came home for a few hours during the day!!!!!!! HURRAY!!!!! We had a gathering with our caregroup and Linden played with his Daddy at the park! I know he loved it! It just gave us a taste of how wonderful he is :) Also shows us what we are missing!

Missing My Nana

You know, every now and then I get really sad that I can't see my Nana. She was such an amazingly wonderful woman!! I would have loved for her to have met Linden...I know she would have loved him and he would have loved her too! Of course it would have also been great for her to have met Hudson too. I know that she would have been a SUPER Nana to them too! Love you Nana :)

Co op, Fish Trap, BBQ fun!

I am so excited to have a new shipment of yummy food from the coop from Lyra and Jim (and Hudson)!!!! It is AMAZING stuff...why can't Canada offer us the same things? At least we are lucky enough to live near the border! We pre ordered this time so we got boxes of stuff! Linden has already downed 2 coconut yogurts! And I have had a few of the chocolate dipped vanilla ice cream bars! mmmm....I'm very thankful for this food! :)

This morning was another weird morning with Linden. I'm sure that he knows that if he wakes up at 5:00am he is guaranteed to see James for a bit. When I go in, he hears James and points adamantly to our bedroom. He got up, ate breakfast, then went back to sleep! I sure am missing those full night sleeps. It is amazing how much better a person feels after a full nights, uninterrupted sleep! I never knew just how amazing it was before! haha...ah well, I'm SURE we'll have a full nights sleep again sometime...and I'm SURE we will revert back to sleepless nights too! That's the life of a Mother! And I wouldn't change that for anything!

So after a short morning "nap" we headed out to our favourite summer hangout (well any time of year really) Nana and Gramps' house (after a pit stop at my energy hub=Tim Hortons). We played there a bit...well I sat and drank my coffee and ate a delicious "Amy Friendly" muffin, while Nana entertained Linden! :) Boy am I ever lucky to have them...Then we were off to Fish Trap Creek for a nice walk around and play at the park! Linden loved playing with Gramps at the park :) "again...again" he would go up and down that slide all day! :)

We braved the mall again today since I had to return the hard drive and get a new one. Because of Linden's new found LOVE of the escalators there was no chance of a stroller. But of course, yet again I end up carrying him the better part of the time. We got a new hard drive and then went to Sears (up and down their escalator too)...not sure why I decided to do that but we did it! :) Unfortunately I have a bruised rib or something, so it got a bit tiring holding Linden! We survived though and had a good time over all...

Then it was off to Auntie Lyra, Uncle Jim, and Hudson's house for a BBQ. It is so fun to see the kids together. Hudson is growing so much and is learning more and more! He changes every time I see him! :) The boys shared some "Pooh liquid" -pictures pending...note the 'h'...This was uttered by Nana and it made us all laugh! :)
Linden had a melt down on the way home, just exhausted and hungry I think...the noodles and meat sauce I had prepared for him was a no go! So once I was able to change him and feed him he calmed down a little. He ate two pieces of toast while cuddled in my lap watching...of course "Sesame Beginnings"...then off to bed...
I'm waiting up to get a glimpse of my husband, then it's off to bed for me too! This little guy is AWESOME, but he can sure tucker a Mom out :P

Phase One of Clean The Bergen House COMPLETE!

So today was just another confirmation of how the Lord knows all and orchestrates everything! Linden woke up at 5:30!!!! AM!!!! Which, if you know me...is WAY too early! Of course his Daddy was off to work at 5:45...YUCK!!! :( He was cranky and sleepy but we did our thing. Then he fell asleep again at 8:30 and slept till 10:30! AMAZING (I did too because I was BEAT!). We both woke up feeling refreshed, renewed and in a good mood. Our super hero "Nana" came by with cleaning supplies in tow! It was time to tackle this house, and with her help it made it possible!

It is a difficult thing to try to clean and watch a very adventurous and curious toddler at the same time! He is really into flushing the toilet and taking all the toilet paper off the roll! But, sometimes it's tough to clean while he naps because a vacuum and banging in the next room will wake him. Enter Nana...Linden played with Nana while I could clean, and then I could play with him while she did! It worked out wonderfully!
I got the bathrooms cleaned (FINALLY) and the SHOWER (Angel's singing)...I was pretty sure I'd need the farms pressure washer to get all that soap scum off the shower, but with a little elbow grease and the miraculous Norwex scrubbing cloth mixed with their cleaning paste it came right off! YAY. Vacuuming was done and the floors cleaned too. Laundry and dish washer are on the go, and clean laundry sorted and put away. AH, how amazingly wonderful it feels to have a clean house! I look forward to getting the whole thing finished! :) Wish me luck :)

The Good and the Bad of Summer

We had a lot of fun this morning at the Zoo with my Opa and Mom. We really lucked out with the animals! We saw the bear swimming and playing and the cheetah sat for a picture! It was great spending time with my Opa. Man is that guy in good shape :) He walked around the whole zoo at 89 years old!!! I hope I have those genes in me! I think Linden found it pretty special to have him there too!

I also had to do running around and that is getting easier and harder to do with Linden now that he likes to walk. He is so heavy now! I find that I am carrying him more than before because we rarely take the stroller with us, but then he gets tired or goes too slow! haha

We also had our Harris family dinner tonight. Always nice to see the family, although it had to be cut short because Linden needed to go to bed. He got a rash on his legs again from the yogurt so I guess I'll stay away from Dairy a while longer. He also had a big fall face first onto the tile floor...ouch...his head is a bit bruised from that :( just trying to run too fast...poor guy...he's a tough one though! I enjoyed the visit with family and eating a meal without having to feed Linden too (thanks Mom!)

He only had a one hour nap today so he was really tired at the end of the day, and so am I. I know this must be totally self centered of me, but I never realized just how hard it is on Linden to not have his Dad around to play with. Every time they "reunite" Linden melts into him, giving him the worlds sweetest hug! When we leave he always gives me this look that just breaks my heart...and I know we can't stay. Today was CRAZY at the farm! Every time we looked out the window there were trucks and trucks and more trucks. James started at 6:30 this morning and it is now 9:00 and he's still going. He doesn't have time for breaks or eating...to me, this is inhumane! They are sure lucky to have him though, because no other person would be able to stay sane through all that! I wish that they had someone to allow him to take a break and have at least a half a day off now and then... sigh...

One last whine and then I'm done...I got a external hard drive because I have too many pictures (shocking right?!?) and I have NO idea how to use it! I want to post pics from the day on my Blog (you want that too right?!?) but I can't download them...ugh...I now see I have to 'reformat' it to work for mac....and yet no instructions on how to do that. This is just another reminder of how much I need James to function!!! He is SUCH an amazing Husband and Father I am SURE lucky to have him...it is when he is gone like this that it is extremely evident just how much he does around here!!!!! Laundry, cleaning, playing with Linden, changing diapers, etc...really he IS my Super Man :)

Ah, now this is the life! :)

Although last night was a bit rough, Linden was up for 2 hours and every ounce of my being (and I'm guessing James' too) was begging for sleep! Poor guy, he's fighting an ear infection and has FOUR teeth cutting through! :( I'm hoping this passes too. I am SO thankful that he is such a trouper! He still plays and laughs and eats and runs! He's awesome!

This morning was early...so we snuggled on the couch for a bit watching Sesame Beginnings (classic). Then we looked outside and realized how gorgeous the day was already...yes it was a day to go to the lake! So after a SHORT visit to the farm to see DaDa we packed up and headed to Nana's (with a short detour to Tims!) What a PERFECT day...we walked along the lake and played in the water. Linden loved it and I did too. So much better than white rock because it isn't as busy or as far! Linden also grabbed a cat nap on the way and we enjoyed a nice country drive. After our fun, we headed home for Lunch and a nap. Linden spotted Oma through the window walking to get the mail. It was so cute. He pointed and said "Oma! Oma!" then waved (telling me he wanted to say hi). SO we ran outside to catch her! :) I'm hoping this afternoon will be just as fun!

Sesame Street and Sickness....

Well It has been a while since I last posted because this cold/ear infection has stormed our house! It is so hard to take care of a sick toddler who can't tell you what is wrong! :( I felt so sad for him. He really is a trouper though,and SUCH a sweet heart! He has antibiotics now and seems to be doing MUCH better. If only he could blow his nose!! haha
So here is a recap of some of the events of the past few days.

I had been looking forward to Saturday for weeks because we were going to SESAME STREET! haha Marian bought tickets for the "grandma's" mom and Linden to all go see the show. It was so well done and Linden LOVED it! It was so cute. He just kept pointing and looking at Oma "saying" "are you seeing this Oma!?!?!?!" He danced to the music and clapped along!! It was so cute!!! We left a bit early but he lasted 1.5 hours. In the afternoon we went to visit Megan at her u-pick. Her backyard was beautiful! Shaded with mature trees. There was a nice breeze and she laid out a comfy blanket for Linden to sit on and brought out some fun farm toys. We had a nice chat and Linden spotted a tracktor from across the way. We walked to it and he LOVED it!!!! I think it is in his blood. He's like Uncle Chris that way! :) It was hard to take him away from it!
Linden started feeling worse and had goopy eyes so I took him to the clinic. Sure enough the doctor said his ear looked red and gave us a perscription if things got worse on Sunday...and boy did it...poor guy got a fever and was so shaky...just not himself. We got the antibiotics in him and he's doing much better. My mom (thank goodness for mothers) came over and watch him yesterday so I could sleep (since I wasn't getting much sleep in the night). That was a HUGE help!!!!! I am so blessed!
I have really felt God's presence with me giving me the strength and energy right when I need it! I always remind myself that God will never give us more than we can handle! What an amazing God he is :)