Genevieve's Crazy Life

Here are YouTube links to the two videos I've taken of Genevieve in the last month (both this week). I looked at them tonight for the first time and just thought about the general craziness she is a part of everyday especially when she's around her brothers!

Genevieve Bathtime

Genevieve Crawling..Sort-of

And here are a few of the nearly 250 pictures her cousin Athena (age 9) and sister, Gabrielle (age 8), took of Genevieve (with a little editing by mom) one day last week while I was taking a walk around the field during Cade's soccer practice; some very sweet ones and some funny ones...

I love the little chub and soft skin and the eyelashes

She's always playing with or trying to figure out how to put the nuk in right

I think I like these pictures because they are at a different angle than
I often take them plus I haven't fixed her hair or cleaned her up at
all like I would normally do before a picture

I just love this shot!

hanging out on the chair (eek, I hope they were close by) with
what looks like a full diaper :)

chewing on a dirty flip-flop!

A funny little expression

She is such a happy girl

I love her smile and checks in this picture!

Last Day in Vancouver & Back Home

Yesterday, we enjoyed a harbor cruise in Vancouver and a walk through downtown and the waterfront before our eight hour drive home. I always enjoy our drives (aside from the occasional fight between the kids); Chad and I got to talk (a rarity these days!), we listened to a book on CD which we all enjoyed, the kids begged us for stories and it's fun to hear the kids talk to each other and watch movies together. Plus, I have to admit I enjoy the fast food indulgences along the way (we made a DQ, McDonalds AND Burgerville stop; with the last being at 11 pm)!!!

Tonight Cade played in his Kidsports tourney baseball game which they won which means we have another tomorrow night (and Saturday and then Sunday if they keep winning)! After the game the kids made schmores which is always fun! I love summer!

On the harbor cruise

A cool tree on the Vancouver waterfront

Roasting marshmallows!

Nice, Athena!

Suspension Bridges, Gondolas & Ziplines! Oh My!

We arrived in Vancouver B.C. yesterday and spent the afternoon at the Vancouver Aquarium which the kids enjoyed but they were more excited about our hotel and the big buildings in this 'big city' of Vancouver! I love how our kids are so excited to be in another country and a new city. Today we made the best of a rainy day and started with a stop at a great cupcake shop just down the block from our hotel. YUM! We then went to a really cool suspension bridge which swayed over a 230 foot canyon. Cade wanted to make it sway more while Gabrielle was a bit scared but still managed to cross it a couple times. Willem pretty much followed what Cade did!

Next stop was Grouse Mountain which included a mile long Gondola ride to the upper part of the mountain. From there we visited a couple of grizzly bears, hiked around a bit and then Cade and I went ziplining while Chad and the other kids stayed warm in the lodge with hot chocolate. The ziplining was a blast! It was a scary soaring at 60+ mph 300+ feet over canyons and above the tree tops. It was crazy and fun and wet! Cade was even scared but told me, "you've just gotta face your fears, huh, mom". For you 'Bachelorette' watchers, these were the same ziplines and the observatory that Jillian and Michael experienced on their date!

The other fun thing we've done here at our hotel (Hyatt) is play in the heated pool and adjacent fitness center. Cade, Elle and Willem have been so cute enjoying the really nice fitness equipment here with built-in TVs and mileage, calories burned, etc information on the machines. It is a really nice facility and usually at American hotels they would not be allowed in the gym but here they can and they've thought it is really cool (ok, they definitely are our kids)!

Tomorrow we plan on doing a harbor cruise and then will probably start heading south toward home!

Excited to be in the big city of Vancouver:


The Vancouver Aquarium:

baby whale

Genevieve kept reaching for the plants at the tropical exhibit

The Capilano Suspension Bridge:


Grouse Mountain:

No, it wasn't this nice today...we were mostly in the clouds!

But the kids still enjoyed the ride

Scared but ready to zipline!

With our crack-up English and Aussie guides

Me and Cade on the first of five ziplines

In the hotel room:

Relaxing and watching TV in the hotel room

Cade had to bring his ball up into the room and Nev enjoyed it too!

Our sweet Genevieve; she's been such a trooper on this trip!

Tournament Wrap-up

Cade's EMFC Boca Jr soccer team is used to winning which is why I think they were sent to this regional tournament in Burlington. They needed to be challenged and to realize that there are some really good teams out there that they can aspire to match up with if they are willing to work hard and learn over the next year. The team ended the weekend with one win (3-1) and two losses. I'm not sure if they have ever lost 1-6 and 0-4 like they did this weekend. But, though they didn't win this tournament, it was a success. The boys and their coach learned a lot and I think they will play those teams a lot tighter next time they come up here. Cade still had a good time and I think overall played well.

We are now off to Vancouver, Canada in the morning!

Working hard at right midfield

Learning from Coach Joe during the game

Cade and his teammates

Listening to coach after the game today

Our Soccer 4th of July

Happy 4th of July to all! We spent the day at Cade's soccer tournament in Burlington, Washington but also managed to squeeze in a great small-town 4th of July parade between games, a yummy dinner at Applebees and a swim. The fireworks do not start here until 10:30 pm and with the early game in the morning we are staying in watching a Star Wars movie marathon with hopes of being asleep before 10:00.

Genevieve has been so great on our trip. She barely let out a peep the whole six hour drive yesterday, slept well last night and just hung out all day today enjoying all the activity around her and taking naps in the stroller and in my arms.

Cade's team won their first game and lost their second. There's a lot of great competition here and they are learning a lot and doing well. It's been fun watching Cade play well (at outside midfield) in his first tournament with his new team.

Team huddle

Cade worked hard and played all of the first game and the first half of the second game

Half-time talk

One last soccer shot!

Enjoying the parade

Willem enjoying parade candy

Willem was happy there were tractors at the parade

Genevieve was just mellow checking it all out

Our kids stand just like their daddy!

Genevieve hanging out at the parade

Genevieve fell asleep mid-parade!

Genevieve has been a toe-sucker lately!

Sucking away!

She looks guilty like she was just 'caught' sucking her toes!

Discipline & Math

Cade's new soccer coach, Joe, has been great and I especially appreciate him for his quiet discipline. He never yells at the boys but he has complete control (I've gotta figure that one out) down to the fact that the boys (ages 9 to 11) line up their soccer bags on the sideline as they place them on the ground before practice and they all tuck in their shirts and pull up their socks all the way to their knees. It always startles me a little to see all the bags lined up so nicely (I wish Cade's room was so polished :). I also appreciate Joe because Cade is learning a lot and really enjoying himself on his new team. We are off to Burlington, Washington tomorrow for a big tournament and then a little vacation to Vancouver, B.C.

Another theme that's been playing out lately is Willem's fascination with numbers. I come from a math family (lots of accountants) and I have a few weird math habits myself like I often find myself counting stairs as I step up them. Well I seem to have passed this on to another child in Willem (Cade is definitely afflicted as well). Willem seems to be counting everything lately including the lined-up bags today and he then informed me of how many total boys there were in practice by adding two to the number of bags because two boys didn't bring bags. He also figures out how many minutes or hours it is to anything I am talking about. And so on and so on! I think we have the makings of another accountant here!