Easter

It seems like so long ago, but as I try to get back into the swing of reality after our holiday I found that I neglected to post about our very busy Easter weekend. I had been so busy getting packed and laundry done the week after, that I forgot to write this post.
Our Easter actually started out the weekend before when we had the Strachan Easter. It was kind of nice to have this one in advance, because the actual Easter weekend was SOOO busy for us.

Friday:We had the Robinson Easter, and like every other Good Friday, Curt had to work and was not able to join us. If only Easter was in May...he would actually be able to enjoy the long weekend and some great family time. We were at my uncle Ron and aunt Lois's on Good Friday for our gathering, and of course our annual Easter Egg hunt for the kids. This year Jaxon was so fun with it. He actually got it, and was so excited to be let out the door to hunt for his eggs and special bag.

Saturday:Jaxon met his girlfriend Jazlin at the park because a local real estate business puts on an annual Easter Egg hunt for all the kids. Jaxon was so excited because he had just done this the day before, and knew exactly what he needed to do. They had the whole playground covered with eggs, and the area taped off so that the kids did not enter until it was time. They let the small kids start out first, and they managed to gather all the eggs just on the inside of the tape before they let the big kids loose to gather the rest.After the egg hunt they had face painting and coloring and music and hot dogs and juice and goody bags for all the kids, and of course we were not getting out of there without some play on the playground equipment.
Saturday afternoon we had the Omand family Easter at Sid and Lois's and Curt has a cousin that is getting married in the summer so the ladies were in the house for a shower for her, and the men were in charge of the kids outside for a while.When all the boys finally got there, Poppy Sid took them for a ride around the year on his tractor and wagon. They had a ball. With all the Omand kids, there is only 2 girls, and the rest of them are boys, and with the exception of Jaxon, they are all farm boys so they loved to get a little of the country with the tractor and wagon.After the ladies were done with the shower inside, it was time to have an egg hunt for the kids. Well, by this time Jaxon was an old pro at it, and he had his bag full before some of the other kids had time to get an egg in thiers. After I said that he better stop and save some for the other kids, he would still go around to find them, but then yell at the others when he found them for them to come and fill their bags. What a little helper!!!After the eggs, it was such a nice day we got some bubbles out for the kids, and they had a ball until my kid had to go and ruin it by dumping all the bubble water out, and putting an end to the fun for the other kids.Sunday:Finally, after weeks of talking about him, and reading about him, and doing crafts of him, the Easter Bunny came to our house. Jaxon had been talking about what he was going to bring him for weeks, and I am sure he did not disappoint. His dad told me that it looked more like Santa Clause had come, but really I said, why should Santa Clause be any more important they the Easter Bunny. They are both giving people!!!The bunny has carried his tradition on from when I was a little kid. He put a few Easter eggs filled with candy in Jaxon's Easter basket that was in his bedroom, and they left a trial of eggs leading him to his pile of gifts.A tent, a new 4-wheeler, some coloring stuff, a new ball glove, and of course chocolate. Jaxon loved it, and I loved watching him look through all the stuff that he got. After he sorted through it all, he threw it all in the tent and we did not see in for the rest of the morning.
Easter 2011 was great, and Jaxon is still talking about what the Easter bunny brought him.

Obsession

So for the past couple of months my son has had a major obsession with the Zamboni. We play hockey and after every goal we have to clear the ice so the Zamboni can come out and clean it. We park the Zamboni every night under our pillow so that it can sleep with us It has even come to us not being allowed to park our vehicle in the garage anymore, because that is where the Zamboni parks. I love that he has such a love for something, and such an imagination sometimes about it, but really? I think this has got a little too far.

A couple of months ago Curt played in a hockey tournament in Howick and Jaxon's poppy Sid took him into the Zamboni room and tried to get him to sit up on it. There was no way that he was getting any where near that thing. He loved it from afar, but up close it was way too big for him.

Friday night he was at the Junior B game with his dad and I guess after the game the guys took him back to the room to see that wonderful machine again, and this time he was ready to sit on it. He played with all the sweepers, all the snow that it had gathered and examined it all around a couple of times. Finally he was comfortable enough to sit on it and drive.Jaxon's love of the Zamboni has evolved to everything hockey. We eat, sleep and live hockey at our house. He wants to stay outside every day and play. I have resorted to clearing out the garage and setting up the big net in there and closing the garage door when I am cooking dinner so that he can stay out and play. We had to go and buy him a 'real' hockey stick, and get it all taped up just like his dad's. When I play with him I of course have to be the goalie, and even when his dad is playing with us I still get stuck in net. It is not too bad when Jaxon is shooting pucks at me, but I might have to get some pads if I am going to continue to get stuck in there when his dad is shooting on me.

Now that hockey season is coming to a close, I wonder if we will have a new love of baseball for the summer, or if we will continue to play hockey all summer long?

Breaking the Silence

What a couple of week we have had around our house!!! We have had celebrations and enough tragidy for a life time all in the matter of 3 weeks. Now I just need to get caught up with some housework, some family time, and my pile of stuff at work and I will be back in full mode. Chat soon....

V-day treats

So I realize that I am a little late with this post, but I did not take a picture of the final product until I remembered this morning with 1 of the 3 that we had left.
In my January's Today's Parent magazine there was a cute idea for these little suckers to attach to kids Valentine's Day cards. They looked easy enough so I thought that would be something special that I could put together for Jaxon to give to his class They can not take anything homemade because of peanut allergies, so these would be perfect because the candy is still in the wrapper, and peanut free.
I set up shop at my mom's house one Sunday to put these together after I had spend the night on Saturday night cutting the hearts out, and it turned out that my aunt Lois and my grandma were over in the afternoon. In no time we had 50 of these things put together.
The next week the list came home for day care with all the kids name on it for Valentine's and it turns out there are a lot more kids that go to day care then I first thought. After careful consideration I decided that only the kids in Jaxon's butterfly class would be getting Valentine's this year, and the rest would be distributed out to family and friends outside of school. I was not going to spend another 5 days cutting and putting more together for kids that Jaxon did not spend the day with...sorry.
So, here is the final product, and I received a lot of complements. They were super cute.
I do fear for my second child when/if he/she comes along though. I will need to be more prepared and start whipping something like this up 2 months in advance when there are 2 children that they have to be made for.

Round 2 begins

Congratulations are in our for 2 very special families close to us that are expecting.
At Christmas we were told that we would have a new little addition to our McLaughlin clan. Clint, Trisha and Reed are expecting a delivery in August. We were told the news then, but were not allowed to tell anyone until she was further along, which was a good 6 weeks of keep our lips closed.
A couple of weeks ago we then had a visit from Rob, Beckie and Hadleigh to let us in our a little secret they had for themselves. Hadleigh was going to be a big sister in September. They too told us early and we had to keep it hush hush for a couple of week (or until my husband got drunk one night and decided that he was going to tell everyone).
This brings the beginning of round 2 of babies around us. We are still waiting for a few people to still have their first, but come the end of the summer we will have little babies around us again.
Congratulations to both families....we are soooo very excited for you!!!

Happy Birthday Jazlin

On Saturday we had a very special Birthday party to attend. Jazlin will be turning 2 on the 9th of March, and Saturday night we were delighted to go and celebrate with her.Jaxon spent Friday night at Curt's parents place, and from the time that they dropped him off at 11:30 until the time we got in the car to go to the party that is all he could talk about. We even went out to get groceries and drove by their place on the way to the store and he was very upset that we were not going to the party. He has a very special place in his heart for Jazlin, and loves it when he is able to see her.Nicole had a game planned for the kids, and Jaxon really got into it. They had to sit on the balloon and try to pop it, but all 30lbs of them were not having that easy of a time getting the task achieved. It was not until Ryan got the fork out to assist that they got the job done. It shocked them at first when they balloon actually did pop, but they after it did they wanted to do it again. The looks on their faces was priceless. Every time it happened it was the same thing...it scared the bejesus out of them, and they they laughed their heads off.The kids had a great time. They play together so well. They are getting to an age where it is nice to get together for a play because you do not have to sit around and supervise them. They can go off and play on their own, and the we the parents can have a visit as well.Auntie Wawa made the cupcakes for the celebration, and did not disappoint. They were great!!!
After dinner it was present time, and then between the 3 of them they had to pretty much get every present that Jazlin received out and play with it. They had a great time breaking in all of Jaz's new toys for her.Well, the baby of the group is know 2...oh how time flies. Happy birthday Miss Jazlin!!!

Is it Spring Yet???

I. am. so. sick. of. winter!!!!
I am a winter lover, but after 3 months of it, I am ready for Spring to be here. I am so sick of having to get bundled up, as well as getting Jaxon all ready just to walk 5 feet to the car to run out to get something. I will be so happy when all we have to do is throw on a pair of shoes and off we go.
Not too much has been happening around our house lately. We had yet another bout of the flu hit us last week. I was down for 2 days, and Curt for 1 night. Jaxon managed to escape unscathed. I think that is proof that the flu shot is in our future for years to come. We had decided not to get it this year, but I did break down and have Jaxon get it when I took him to the doctor's after Christmas for his follow up from his ear infections. We are thinking that is probably what saved him this time around, and after having it 3 times in as many months, we are believers in it!!!
We have been potty training at our house for about the past month. I had a few Monday's off in February because I had worked some Saturday's in January and thought to myself that it would be as good as time as any to get into training mode, with having a 3 day stretch of being home. The first weekend did not go very well. By about the 6th accident on the Monday I wrote it off and decided that we would take a 4 day break and get back at it the next weekend. It was much smoother that time around. We have been big boy underpants full time since then. Although there has been days where I hit myself upside the head and wonder if he will ever get it, I know that there is no looking back know!!!Well, here is to a short term forecast of above freezing temperatures, and rain. Hopefully this time next week we will not have anymore of that white stuff to have to shovel.

Family Day fun

This past weekend Curt was in a hockey tournament with some of his friends, so the most part of the weekend was spent in the arena.

Saturday Jaxon and I were invited to attend a Family Fun day for my mom's work. It was being held at East Wawanosh Conservation Area and was to be an outdoor day filled with lots of fun games and then a pot luck for dinner. We were going to head to the arena on our way home to catch Curt's hockey game then.

Well, as well all know in mid-western Ontario, we can not plan anything in the winter months that is set in stone. We woke up Saturday morning and started to head over to Palmerston to my hair appointment and it was quite stormy. When Jaxon and I come home around 11:30 it was terrible. If I would have had to drive over to my appointment in that weather, I would not have been going. So, needless to say the Family Fun Day was cancelled. We instead were invited over to one of her co-workers house for the potluck, since everyone had their stuff made for the potluck.

By supper time the weather had died down, so we were still able to make it out to Curt's hockey game. Thank goodness, because I would have one upset little boy on my hands if he did not get to go see his dad play hockey, and to see the Zamboni. Hockey and the Zamboni is what Jaxon seems to live for these days, and the work probably would have ended if he was not able to get out to see them.
Sunday morning we headed back to the arena to witness a bunch of hung over guys trying to play hockey. Needless to say, in their condition, they did not win the game and we did not have to stick around the arena all do for them to have to play in the finals.

We headed over to my mom and dads place after the hockey game to have a nice relaxing Sunday with them in honor of Family Day.Monday we were invited over to Curt's parents place to celebrate Family Day with them. Curt is heavy into tax season know, so he spend the day in the office and come home a little early so we could head over there when Jaxon woke up from his nap.

They have a hill over at their house that we have visted a few time this year. When Curt was younger his friends and him would always race down it in the winter with their GT Snowracer's, and he has really enjoyed reliving his youth through his son. Reed was there, and Lois had bought a new sleigh for the boys. It was great...they loved it. Jaxon has only gone down it in his wooden sleigh in the past, and this new one was super fast. He LOVED it, to say the least. He belly laughed the whole way down. Reed on the other head did not know what to think about it. He did go down a couple of times, but after they almost ran into a tree, he was done. Jax...no way. He wanted to do it again.

After our outdoor fun we made our way inside to have dinner and a visit. With it being winter, and full on snowmobile season we do not get to see Curt's parents as much as usual, so it was nice that we got the spend some time with them on Family Day.

Hope you all had to great Family Day with your loved ones.

CWIFFORD...as Jaxon would say

Last night Clifford made an appearance at your local library. Each month our Early Years Centre in Listowel has a night at the library where we go and sing songs, play games and read stories. Last month is was a story from the librarian, and last night Clifford the Big Red Dog come to sing songs and read stories with us.
Jaxon loves Clifford, and I guess he made an appearance at the Day Care yesterday, but Jaxon spend the day with his Poppy and was not there to see him. He got a ticket last week at school for an appearance that Clifford is making this Saturday at the library and they must have talked all about it because ever since he brought that ticket home all he wants to do is go and see CWIFFORD!!! He was so excited that it was finally the day, and could not even eat his dinner due to the excitement of going to see Cwifford. We got our pj's on and headed to go and see him. He was so excited that not only did he get to see Cwifford, but Jaz was there as well.

Clifford had not made it there yet when we go there, so we went in and read a story with Debbie and waited for him. After Debbie was done the story we called out for Clifford to come and join us and as the big red dog made his way over to us my little scardie cat came running over to me saying...I scared mommy, I scared mommy!!! When it came time to go and sit with Clifford there was no way Jaxon was going close to him. He would sit on my knee over int he corner and wave to him, and Clifford would wave back, but there was no way we were getting anywhere near that big read dog. When I tried to get him to get his picture taken to take home to show daddy he was clench on to my neck so tight I thought was going to rip my shirt.Oh well, he enjoyed himself, except for the party where his mean old mom made him get his picture taken with him. He went home and that is all he talked about with his dad.

Jaxon love to go to the library and get book and a movie, so last night it was all about Clifford. He wanted to get a Clifford movie (which they did not have) and he got 2 Clifford books. We will be able to talk about Clifford for the next week, until we have to return our book and then I am sure it will be all about something different.

First OFFICIAL trip to the Dentist

As some of you may remember, Jaxon had to make an emergency visit to the dentist last Christmas. Today he had an actual appointment for his very first check up. Both him and I had back to back appointments, and when we got there he wanted me to go first. I got up on the chair and get my teeth cleaned, and Jaxon felt that I should have been done after I opened my mouth and she looked at my teeth. He was not prepared to have me sitting in the chair for 20+ minutes having the dental hygienist working on my teeth.
We have been talked for about a month know about going to the dentist and the importance of brushing our teeth the that the dentist does not give us trouble when we go. We have been preparing him that he will have to open his mouth really wide and have the dentist look at his teeth, and that he is probably going to count them, and they Jaxon will usually show me how the dentist is going to count them.
So, after I got all my work done, and found out that I had no cavities it was Jax turn to get in the chair. No mommy...lets go!!! He did not want to have his turn, and he did not want to sit in the chair. I finally got him convince that he could sit in the chair, and that I would sit right beside him. He took a ride in the chair, but did not want the hygienist to clean his teeth. We decided that we would just call the dentist right in the check them, and that maybe the next time he would be read for a cleaning.
He probably only sat on the chair the way that he should for the time that it took me to take the above picture, and then he was ready to go!!!
Oh well...we will give him 9 months to prepare for the next trip to see Dr. Nuhn and hopefully he will co-operate a little better.

Hadleigh Turns 3!!!

This past weekend little miss Hadleigh had all of her friends over to celebrate her birthday. The little princess is 3. I.CAN.NOT.BELEIVE.IT!!! It seems like only a few months ago she was born.This was the first birthday party that Jaxon has been too where it was more geared for the kids, rather then the 1st birthday style with parents/grand parents/ect....there. Hadleigh got to choose who she wanted to come to her party, so she had Jaxon, Jazlin, her cousin Sam and her boyfriend Gavin over. She had a Tinkerbell and Pirate theme for her party, and she was the star of the show in her little Tinkerbell outfit.I stuck around the party too, to make sure that my child behaved himself!!! The party started at 10, and I tell you after lunch and cake rolled around I was ready for a nape. 5 little 2 and 3 year old can really tire a person out. I can not imagine how Rob and Beckie felt after it all.
(little miss Jazlin was ready for a rest after she ate too...she just put her feet up on the table and laid her head back...Oh, she is such a Johnston!!!)

HaPpY bIrThDaY PRINCESS HADLEIGH!!!

Happy Birthday WaWa

This past weekend we celebrated Auntie WaWa's birthday with her dinner at mom and dad's.
In our family when it is your birthday you get to choose the menu and Auntie WaWa decided to tailor it around Jaxon's likes more so then hers. We had home made macaroni, chicken wings, meat balls, mini panzaroties and salad. What a great aunt, putting Jaxon ahead of her own taste buds for her special day!!! My aunt and uncle came over as well and my aunt made a wonderful coffee cake for dessert.

HaPpY bIrThDaY CARA!!!!

M-I-C-K-E-Y - M-O-U-S-E

Sunday was the day that Jaxon finally got to go and see Mickey Mouse. He received tickets from his aunty Trisha, uncle Clint and cousin Reed for Christmas to go and see Mickey's Rock'n Roadshow in London.I tell you, thank god Gammie sent Jaxon with some money so he could get himself a souvenir. Every 10 feet in the JLC there was a stand that was selling Mickey, or Toy Story memorabilia. We had stop at the first one when we walked in the door so that Jaxon could get his Mickey doll that he wanted with his money from Gammie. Well Gammies $20.00 did not just cut it and mom and dad had to throw in a few extra dollars. We then got to the next one and they had Mickey cups. He needed a new cup anyways, so I thought that would be prefect for him to get that. I got up and it come with a snow cone in it, so bonus...a drink with the cup, we would not have to buy that on top of the cup. Well, $14 we have a cup for him to drink his juice out of each day.I do have to say that it was all worth it thought. It is not Wednesday and he is still talking about going to see Mickey, and his just absolutely loves his doll. He has to get him every night when he gets ready for bed, and bring him down stairs with him for a snack. Mickey even gets fed the snack, and he gets to have drinks from Jaxon's Mickey cup too. He melts my heart!!!Reed and Trisha, as well as Reed's other cousin Luke and his mommy went to the show as well. We met them down there, and they boys were really cute. Jaxon was the most excited, I would have to say. He patiently waited for the show to start, and once it did he was ecstatic. He was locked into it for pretty much the whole thing. He got up and dances with they told him to, and was very interactive with the whole show.They had an intermission with only 20 minutes left in the show...probably to sucker some more parents into buying their kids their overprices merchandise. It was too bad that they had to take the intermission because Jaxon thought it was all over and wanted to go home. He was not into the second part of the show near as much as the first.It was a really good show. Jaxon loved it, and Curt and I did not mind it either. I just loved seeing Jaxon get so excited and involved in it. He absolutely loved it, and if there is another one next year (which it usually us an annual thing) I would have to think that we will go to that one too. Next year we will just take the doll he got this year and then we will not have to buy another one!!! (cheep parents)

First day of the New Year

We woke up this morning...too early for my liking. I thought that since Jaxon was out partying to the wee hours of the morning that he might want to sleep in the morning. Well mommy...were you wrong. He slept in an hour past his normal time for getting up, so by the time the afternoon rolled around I was ready for a nape.
We headed over to my mom and dad's to put Jax down for a nap and try to catch a few zzz's our self, but my mom had other ideas as to spend our New Year's day.
My aunt and Uncle come over, as well as my grandma and we had a game day. It was a blast. Once we got into our games I forgot all about having a nap.We had dinner and a few more games after and by that time I was beat...ready for my bed. If the first day of 2011 is a foresight to the year it will be a good year, with great times spent with wonderful family!!!

Happ New Year

Well, it is out with the old, and in the with new. Happy New Year to all...the year of the frog.
New Years eve was spent with great friends this year. We headed over to Rob, Beckie and Hadleigh's house for a fondue party. It was awesome. We did steak, shrimp and chicken as well as we had fruit and some salads to go with it. For dessert we had a chocolate fountain with fruit and goodies to dip in it. It was AMAZING. I don't know why we don't do it more often, but maybe know that we have done it once we will think of it more.Hadleigh and Jaxon were the troopers. Their sidekick Jazlin had to cash it in around 10:30 and was not able to ring in the new year with her 2 companions. I had got some campaign for us to all ring in the new year with, along with some campaign glasses which Hadleigh and Jaxon go some ginger ail in for their special toast.The two of them kill me. It is so much fun watching them as they grow up and become friends. They melt my heart.
Happy New year to all, and may 2011 be a great year. Hopefully you rang it in a great way surrounded my great people, as we did.