Lovin' the great weather

 dueling sidewalk chalk artists

 Perennial Bowl that I looooove

 Ella tearing around outside

 Jack's new wheels. 2011 sportage

 some of my finished pots

 pot out front

 my Mayday tree bought with Birthday money from Nan and Colin and Heather and the kids...thanks guys!!!

 best buds sunning themselves

Mandevilla climber that I loooove.

 another pot

Graduation Day!

 Ella and Daddy waiting to get into the classroom.  Note to self: should have brought the stroller for miss Ella....what a party animal.  She had a BLAST and I worked up a sweat trying to wrangle her.

 Ella on the run...

 Emma, Amelia and Kailey watching the slide show they had playing during Grad.

 BFF Makenzie - she is going to Holy Cross as well so they can continue their friendship...so adorable.

 hugs for very special Ms Patti

 Getting her diploma...tee hee

 from the slideshow - Kailey showed up a LOT, but this one is too funny...

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEE!!!!!

click below for all the pictures!!!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150268535230569.374901.691905568&l=864ec73517

I have to say...35 feels GREAT!!!!!!  I can honestly say I feel better than I did 10 years ago.  I think I owe it to my girls for making me feel young...overall....trust me by 9pm I am cooked and ready for snoozville.  Kailey flew into my bedroom this am telling me she picked out the best 'Mudder (mother) card ever in the whole world'.  Then she was vibrating waiting for Ella and Jack to wake up so I could open their presents they picked out for me.  A quick breakfast and an awesome call from my Brother and his family and off to Lloyd we went in the new wheels.  We spent 3 hours at the zoo in total then hit up Booster Juice and Arby's and headed home.  Ella was more than hilarious at the zoo.  Once she was freed from her stroller it was ON.  She ran everywhere.  She had a blast.  Kailey was so excited to show her Daddy all the critters. 

 Just take after we got back from Lloydminster and before CAKE!!!

 Alex the camel...not Alice after all.  Still was Kailey's favorite part of the day.  He is young and learning the ropes with grooming so he was making a HUGE fuss when they had him tied to the fence to groom him and Kailey had a fit about it.  She thought they were hurting him and we found the owner and she assured her that he was just being a grumpy adolescent....she dropped it finally after that.  SHEESH!!!!  Animal right activist in the making for sure.

my little guy I bonded with last time.  He was sucking on my earlobe for a while.

 She just got finished petting this little one on his head....did I mention how much I love goats?

Ella's favorite animal at the zoo - a little pot belly pig.  She was a little nervous being in the pen with the critters so she admired them from the other side of the fencing!!! 

 this one cracks me up...she is peeking in at a snake of some sort - not my bag at all.

goat kisses are the best!!!  So glad I have Bob - he is kind of goat-like.

one of the babies eating Kailey's hair...whoops.

This gives you an idea of how fast and all over the place Ella was the entire time! lol

Lloydminster Petting Zoo...best time ever!

All these years of going to Lloyd with Marley and I had no clue that 8 kms out of town this gem of a zoo was hiding in the trees.  OMG - it is awesome!!!  Kailey was able to touch and interact with more animals than ever before.  She touched some turtles, goats, reindeer, baby cow, ponies, ducks, sheep (they were rude), camel, pigs...I know I am forgetting something.  They had a pair of lions that were hilarious.  They both were zonked out on their back with all four paws in the air...calm as can be.  There were lynx, bear, timber wolf (Kailey wanted to play with him as he looked like Zoe kind of...hahaha), a talking parrot that amazed her (she told me that it said, how is Bridget``...yeah ok) and they had a reptile house complete with an alligator even.  I normally do not support zoos - not hardcore PETA type, but really feel that some animals should never be caged...I have to say though, I was pretty happy seeing these critters so calm and happy.  Still think the lions, the wolf and bear would be better off in the wild, but what an opportunity for Kailey to see these critters.  It was really clean as well which is awesome.  There was a little concession stand and gift shop...not all the `bang`that a city zoo would have, but this was more interactive and had a down home farm feel to it and the staff were amazing!!  I think we are going to go back as a family this weekend for my Birthday - totally how I want to spend my 35th...holding that little goat again and seeing Ella burn around there.  Jack will love it as well.

in love with this picture. I will have to print this one for sure!

 
one of about 3 good-byes to Alice.

 My total highlight!!!!  This sweetheart is 6 weeks old and maybe weighs 3 lbs.  The entire time I was cuddling him he was grunting and trying to lick my neck....LOVE LOVE LOVE. I was as bad as Kailey and her camel when it came time to say good-bye.  This is what I hope my Heaven will be like...surrounded by animals of all types and if I could capture the loving adoring looks that Kailey had for the animals and replay them, it would be spot on!

 Kailey BFF Alice the camel.  This was the nicest camel I have ever met (not that I have met many mind you).  She was so gentle and Kailey fell hard for this massive creature.  It was the highlight for Miss K for sure.  She was nervous at first, but she soon realized that she was so fun to pet and feed dandelions to.  Kailey was heartbroken when we had to say good-bye to her.  It was pretty cool though...when she would spot Kailey she would leave the crowd of kids and adults that were feeding her to walk over to see where Kailey was.  I guess Kailey picked some really good snacks for her.  Kailey asked if we could bring her home or would we have to wait until Sandy the hamster dies....yeah. 

 sweet little calf -almost makes me never ever want to eat another steak again.  I have to just not think about those darling little eyes and how soft his fur was.  We are having BBQ burgers tonight and I think I just felt my stomach turn...oh-oh. lol

 Kailey and her 2 friends that went down with us.  Look at how tiny he is....

 so cute it almost hurts to look at him...

 they had a park and picnic area along with wagon rides...probably lucky we never got a chance to do the wagon ride...not sure if being that close to the horses would have set my asthma off.  The Shetlands didn`t bother me at all though so maybe next time as long as I don't touch them.

This little guy was is only a day old. Momma and the baby were behind a barrier to give them some quiet time.  Momma wanted out though to get some treats and I thought for sure she was going to jump the gate.

click the link below for all the pictures I took!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150263708405569.373337.691905568&l=e59502ff2e

Happy Long Weekend!!!

 running from Mom laughing after her bath - a new thing that never gets old...hahahaha.  Should have got a video actually since you miss the whole bum jiggly thing that is way too cute.

 had to include a close up of these darling little shoes.  She is loving shoes.  She can be totally naked, but will always want shoes on. 

 Kailey took this picture and she is so proud of it....she did a pretty darn good job if you ask me.

 Jack made this memento for me.  We traded in the Subaru for a new red sporty sportage.  The time had come where the Subaru needed some fixing and well.....we went this route, so now we have a great smaller more economical vehicle for highway driving and such.  It was really hard on me saying Bye to the little green wonder though.  It was my first vehicle brand spankin new from the showroom and I was so proud.  This was pre-Jack, pre-dogs, pre-babies....just me and my little car.  It was almost like saying Bye to the final link to my single life....weird I know, but hey, nobody ever said I was normal!!!!

 Another Kailey picture she is very proud of.

 Trying her big sister's shades on.

 doesn't everyone wear hula gear while gardening???  Major day of pot planting and greenhouse'ing....LOOOOVED today.  Kailey was very good at planning the pots.  She even found some Tinkerbell windmills to go in one.  She bought Jack one she calls a Caterpillar plant (chenille plant) that she is so proud of.  Also, nothing died over the winter; I am so thrilled about that.  My favorite shrub is still my Japanese Willow....amazing.

 totally a Kodak moment for me....my girls sitting at the Princess umbrella table.....bliss.

 proud of her mini-pansy pot she planted.  This is the `centerpiece`for her table apparently.

 our little fox.

blasted binky...oh well still a cute picture.  She loves pushing this around the deck and chasing dogs. ;-)