Pictures, Surgery and More.

So some people may already know but I went in for a small surgery on Monday. Nothing major! I have been having abdominal pain and didn't know why so they went in to take a look around to see what was going on. Kinda strange but the doctor didn't come and talk to Daniel or me after the surgery so we still don't know what it was. I am recovering now and have had a lot of help from family. Mycousin's wife took Benson on Monday and yesterday and my Mom has been taking care of Benson today.

It has been nice to be at home and settle back into a normal routine after our vacation. Bens turned 16 months old yesterday and has gotten quite the sense of humor with it! He was hiding around the corner from us yesterday and played peek-a-boo with us. When he finally walked into the room he let out a loud "ha-ha". What a smart kid!

Benson super cute moment for the week though happened at church on Sunday. Daniel was out in the hallway with Bens near the end of Relief Society/Priesthood and they were walking towards the RS room. All of a sudden Bens started running towards this little girl and gave her a huge hug. He just stood there smiling and hugging her. Daniel came and got me out to see and then Bens let go and walked away. He turned around and ran back and started hugging her again. I think he is trying to learn from how his Daddy snagged me up or something! Now he has officially had his first kiss (around 9 months old he and a girl in our ward crawled to each other and kissed) and his first hug at church!

I can't remember if I wrote this while I was gone or not but my sister is getting married in September. We are super excited for Brooke and Aric. They got engaged just before I left for Utah and have decided to get married before Daniel and I go to Portland. We are glad they decided to do that for us! So that is all the big news on my front. Here are a few my favorite pictures from my cousins wedding as well. Enjoy!

Utah!

So Bens and I are enjoying our trip here in Utah. Our trip down took an extra 3 hours because of border crossings and a wrong turn! Oops! Bens did really well with traveling down.

My cousins wedding was really nice. I did a slideshow for them and that was a lot more complicated than it needed to be but it has all worked out and looks great. I will add some of my favorite when I get back to Canada. The Open House last night here at my Aunt and Uncle's house was really nice. The weather even cooperated. The wind died down just before the reception and it started to sprinkle ten minutes before it ended. We had dark clouds glooming around through out the day so it could have poured!

I should be going. I need to get ready for church. With just me with Benson I am only going to 1 hour of church so I don't go crazy! Have a great Sunday!

Home... for a bit!

We made it home after a wonderful vacation! Bens and I are only here until Thursday though when we go down to Utah for my cousins wedding.

We spent a week in the Okanagan and enjoyed the beautiful lake. Bens didn't like getting in the water but once he did he would swim around with his water wings. He liked to get into two man dingies and float around with his Auntie Rachel or Uncle Jordan. He was such a good sport! He has a nice little tan now.

Our first day at the cabin Daniel and I went across the lake with a bunch of his cousins and Aunts and Uncles to go cliff jumping. I have never been interested in doing that so I jumped off a rock that ranged from 6 to - 2 inches from water level. I was goofing around and therefore my thigh hit the water weird. Luckily I was the only one to have an "injury" of sorts.

On Benson's 15 month birthday (July 26) we went and visited Daniel's Aunt Heidi at her new cabin on the Okanagan Lake. We had a lot of fun playing in sand, swimming and just relaxing. Benson especially liked being able to play in the sand. He liked grabbing handfuls of sand and dropping them beside him. He was really cute!

Daniel and Daddy Danny (Daniels new name for his dad!) helped in the beginning stages of putting a play set together. Once all the landscaping is done it will be a beautiful little spot. There is a nice little swimming area shelter by rocks that we were able to play in.

On Wednesday we made our way to Edmonton and made it back in time to greet Jared at the airport. He came home from his mission in Carlsbad, California. It was great seeing him again. It was neat seeing Benson and Jared together as they had not met yet. Jared was good with him but unsure how to hold him.

We finally made back here yesterday and have unpacked and done wash. Now it is time for me to pack up for our trip to Utah. I am flying back next Thursday so I won't be gone from Daniel too long! It will be nice to home again but I am looking forward to the wedding! Anyways, I should be off. Have a wonderful week!


On our way to the Okanagan... what a cutie!



Having fun in the sun!



Bens wasn't too sure if he wanted to play with the pool noodle!



Having fun with Uncle Jordan and Mom on the water trampoline.



Bens loved being around Cocoa the dog... he would stick his hands in the cage and poke Cocoa. She was a good sport about it!

Vacation Time!

So last week Daniel and I celebrated our 2 Anniversary. We had a nice time having a "date" at home while my parents took care of Bens. We had a nice dinner and watched a couple of movies. Anybody who knows me very well knows that I love weddings and wedding dresses. I tried my dress on, which barely still fits, and didn't want to take it off! So that was on the 15, our Anniversary. On the weekend we went to see The Dark Knight in theaters and ate at Chopstix. Pretty good food!!


My handsome groom!


Bens also had his first sleepover at my Aunts house. He did really well. They let him stay up late playing so he would be really tired for bed. When we picked him up in the morning he had his breakfast I sent, oatmeal and applesauce with a sippy of milk, plus bummed some juice from my Uncle. He saw someone eating a banana so he had to have some and my Aunt eating Peanut Butter Toast and had to have some. My little mooch! I love him.

Today we are leaving for the Okanagan to stay at a family cabin. We are excited to get there! Bens and I are waiting for Daniel to come home from work so we can leave. Hopefully Bens will sleep most of the way there! A lot of Daniel's extended family will be there so it will be great fun! If I get the chance I will upload some pictures while we are on our trip.

On our way home we are going to go to Edmonton for a visit. Daniel's brother is coming home from his mission next week! He left just after we got married so it will be nice to have him around again. I am excited for Jared and Bens to meet. Good thing Bens usually doesn't play strange!

Have a great week and for those coming to Magrath a great Magrath Days weekend!

Horsin' Around!

I know that I already posted today but Benson was playing with a toy horse and it was really cute. This morning he walked the horse all around the basement. This afternoon he got distracted by the camera and kept having tantrums because he couldn't have the camera. Poor kid. I'll just put up the clips and pictures of him playing with the horse!



Giving his milk a ride!

Tricky Man!

So the past few days have been eventful here. We will start with Sunday night!

Benson woke up around 11:30 crying. It was a different cry so we went in and took his brace off and I sat with him for about 15 minutes just cuddling. In the morning I went in to get him up but couldn't open the door. I wish I had taken a picture because words can't give this justice. Bens had thrown the mattress out of the playpen so it was blocking the door. The sheet was on the opposite side of the playpen. His blankets and stuffed animals were thrown onto the ground as well. I looked at him and realized he had taken his socks (both pairs) and his pants were off! Too top this off there were holes in the side of the playpen that were a couple of inches in diameter and the mattress protector had some plastic ripped off. Yikes! So Benson started sleeping in the crib in the laundry room on Monday.

On Tuesday we went swimming at the town pool. Benson looked so cute in his water wings! I tell you I have never been hugged so much as when we were swimming on Monday! (That says a lot considering how Daniel and I started dating!) Benson started yawning in the pool so we came home and he went down for a nap. I started to clean the bathroom just as Benson woke up so I hurried so all the cleaning products would be away before I got him out. I walked into the laundry room and the crib was at an angle (we took the wheels off to stop him from rolling it around the room) and the crib was empty. I look around and see books and puzzles on the ground and Benson standing in his sleeping bag/robe holding a badminton racket! He then quickly made a dash out of the room!

The solution - He is back in a playpen and has a lightweight sleeping bag/robe (it's a sleeping bag that has arm holes and comes right up to the neck) to keep his brace from making holes in it. He is still throwing everything out if he is left in there too long!

Oh, well! Really all I can do is laugh! I wished I had gotten pictures of all this but I was stunned in the moment!

We went swimming again yesterday and Bens did a lot better! He let me hold his tummy and let him float around. I let him go sometimes while he concentrated on everything around him. He is doing really well! Hopefully I will have a water baby by the end of the summer!

Canada Day!

I put what has been known in our family as "Boops" on Benson recently. He has enjoyed them a lot! He will take off his socks and carry the Boops around until someone puts them on him. He is such a cutie!

Last week, on a little bit of a sad note, Bens got his fingers shut in the door of our van. I put him in his stroller and as I shut the door of the van he stuck his hand out. Poor little guy was so sad. We ran into Wal-Mart and the door greeter quickly got us some help. Luckily Bens only bruised on one finger and bled a tiny bit on another. Lesson learned that I must keep him far from the door when I shut it!


Bens loves to play on any bed... here he had been wrestling with his dad on the bed.


I hope everybody had a wonderful Canada Day! We had a nice day. We went to the Raymond Parade with Nana and Grandpa, Aunt Jacqui, Uncle Graham and Audrey. Benson loved going to pick up the candy but would cry every time we made him put it in the bucket. He would go get more and cheer up and cry again as he put it in the bucket. Next year will be a lot of fun as he will understand the concept more!


After the parade we came home and had a lovely lunch and a great thunderstorm. That meant we couldn't eat our lunch out under the metal gazebo though. My mom made a wonderful cheesecake with strawberries on top that made the Canadian Flag. All in all we had a great long weekend! We hope all of you did and that all our American family and friends have a wonderful 4 of July!