"Wilson!"

I like Canada. Canada is like that neighbor on Home Improvement, Wilson, who everyone knows is really nice, but we have absolutely zero information about. Kyle, me, and the girls drove to Canada last weekend to visit Taryn and her beau, OJ. He lives in a fancy downtown apartment in Vancouver, and was kind enough to welcome all of us into his home.

Our first planned activity was a botanical garden on the campus of the University of Vancouver. Taryn and I were giddy as we arrived, certain we would spend our afternoon "oooh-ing" and "oh my gosh-ing" at a plethora of blooming flowers. We even payed extra for a canopy walk--- an aerial view to satisfy two girls who grew up in a floral shop!

Much to our amusement, the botanical garden was actually a forest of trees, and the canopy walk, a suspended tree house. The ropes holding the narrow canopy walkway were so unsteady that we could barely stand on them. Our bodies were whipped from side to side, and we flailed like rag dolls, dizzy from motion sickness, and hysterically laughing. Thirty minutes later, the canopy walk finally ended on solid ground. Not a flower in sight. Oh Groupon... a 5 star review? At least Taryn was there to see the humor in an impossible situation and find absolute enjoyment with me!

We walked the trendy streets, dined in the posh eateries, and shopped the farmer's  market on the water. Our final afternoon was spent at the beach, which is lined with rows and rows of perfectly placed---- logs??? London played in the sand while Elle ate it, and the grown-ups basked in the final rays of a northern summer.

 It was wonderful.

Three.

For two short hours, on one short day, 364 days in the making, I get to shower my sweet London with a birthday party. There is something really special about birthdays, in my opinion. It's a day set apart from all the rest, where as a mother, I can reflect on that blessed little girl God gave to me. This year, she was very clear: she wanted a fairy birthday.

We chose a clearing in a patch of trees by the lake, and set up tiny tables and chairs for her fairy friends to sit in.

I made each little boy and girl a head wreath made from wildflowers, and ordered fairy wings in all the colors of her party.

I cut stencils of tiny butterflies, filled them inside clear balloons, and tied the ends with pink tulle.

The tables were decorated with blush pink roses and wildflowers, and tiny pink crystals. London and her friends dined on pink mother-goose popcorn, ants on a log, fruit wands, sparkling strawberry-lemon punch, pixie stix, and funfetti fairy cupcakes.

London opened her presents, and the kids pranced around in the trees blowing bubble guns.

Sometimes, me and Kyle each pick one of her cheeks and we kiss it a thousand times, and London laughs and laughs. Once she settles down, she'll say, "Guys, thank you for my kisses!" When she does something naughty, London sends herself to time out, and returns after settling down, crying, "I'm sorry for not making good choices, Mom. I always want you." [ALWAYS is her way of saying "really" or "a whole lot"... I always love you, I'm always hungry, I always want to cuddle with you, etc.] She is thoughtful, graceful, particular, friendly, and jovial. She has a stutter that comes and goes every couple of weeks. London woke up the other morning and announced she "probably wanted spinach and broccoli for breakfast". I am in constant wonder of her growing mind and her desire to understand the world. I am in love with her tender spirit and her goodness. My baby girl is a 3-year-old.

Busy Girls

My husband turned 30 last month. He was bothered about the whole thing, worrying that he would no longer be cool once his 20's had passed him by. So I did the only thing I could think of to cheer him up, and planned a surprise birthday party. As soon as Kyle walked through the door, he held me and kissed me and said,

 "You must've worked so hard! You probably ran around like a crazy person all day! Thank you!" Clearly, this guy is secretly taking a "Perfect Things to Say to your Wife so She'll Feel Loved and Appreciated" online course. Isn't that strange, how doing something for someone else feels so good that it's actually like doing something for yourself?

The following weekend, we drove to Portland to visit Kyle's mom and step-dad. On our first day, we took the metro to the waterfront, where the delectable aroma of weed and hippies blends with the fragrance of hundreds of dogs. We walked along the water, pushing our giggling girls in their strollers, until our feet were sore. July 4th, I was looking forward to a huge fireworks show in the hills outside the city... Unfortunately, it didn't start until 10 pm, two hours past the girls' bedtime. I weighed my options. It was easy enough to keep London awake, but did I really want to wake up sleeping Elle, who might even be scared of the fireworks? Ultimately, I decided to go. When the show began, and our little family gazed up at the sky in wonder, I knew I'd made the right choice!

The waterfront.

Meanwhile, Elle FINALLY got two teeth. She does this.

And this.


All day long.

Our house is baby-proof once more.

Taryn and her boyfriend came to visit us! We took a scenic drive into the mountains to pick raspberries at a quaint little farm, introduced them both to Settlers of Catan, and the boys played the new FIFA soccer game.

 I recorded this gem on the drive home:

And to top off an already eventful month, Nani and Papa spent a day with us. We woke up early to walk the path along the nature reserve by my house--- and I brought a single piece of pita bread to feed the ducks at the lake. Papa warned that feeding them wasn't a good idea, but we didn't see any signs warning otherwise, and London was enjoying herself!

Thirty seconds after this picture was taken, the grounds-keeper came out on his John Deere and politely asked us to stop. Papa nearly wet his pants laughing at us, and befriended the grounds-keeper in the process. Then we walked to the playground on the other side of the lake, where Nani slid down the slides and Papa went on the swings. The rest of the day included sushi and shopping.

Summer is treating us well, so far. Between family visits, the park, the lake, the pool, and the library, I am pleasantly surprised by how busy our family is here.

Shampoo the Dolphin.

London and Payton in Oceanside.

"Hi! What's you're name?" 

"______"

"Oh! Nice to meet ya! I'm London! We're going on a-airpayne to Nana's house. And I'm going to pay wis Uncle Noah and Aunt Maeci, and go to the beach!"

Elle and Cambria.

This is the conversation I heard eight times at Sea-Tac Airport. And everyone else she saw but didn't get to have a conversation with, she gave a beaming smile and a "hello!" to. It's, dare I say, easy to fly with my children...which is really good because I am such a stress case about the whole thing. 

When did the "petting zoo" become
 "feed animals behind this fence"?

London and Brookie at the Fair.

San Diego is perfect this time of year! The *kids, as I affectionately call my younger siblings (who really aren't kids anymore), were still in school, so staying with them involved all my most favorite things: packing lunches, picking out outfits, styling hair, advice about boys. We went swimming in the pool almost every day, where London learned how to float on her back! The trip was filled with family, our wonderful friends, authentic Mexican food(!!!!), the Fab Fair (*seriously?), the beach, and Sea World. 

Shampoo and Dolly!

London came back from her first trip to Sea World with my sisters, and two stuffed animals. "Look, Mom! It's Shampoo the dolphin and Dolly the dolphin! And they're REAL."

The Shark Encounter.

But the best part about coming home is watching my girls interact with my family. My girls are showered with praise, attention, and adoration every second of the day, by half-a-dozen people. It's like a 90's sit-com. By the end of our two-week-trip, Sierra had London repeating, "Mom, can we live in California?" on cue. Now we're looking forward to having everyone visit us in Washington this summer!