Picture Perfect - a blog full of pictures (and I mean 'full' of pictures!!)

As we count down the final days til Christmas (7 more sleeps) and to our trip to Mexico (5 more sleeps), we've been keeping ourselves quite busy and having fun doing it.

Last week, the boys opened one of their first christmas presents of 2006. It was from their cousin, Isabelle, and their Uncle Ronan & Auntie Suzanne, who are in Boston. The boys were asked to wait til as close to Christmas as possible, but they (or should I say 'Mum & Dad') got too excited to see what it was.

After ripping off the paper (it won't be used for wrapping any other gifts!!), they discovered it was an A to Z 'Little People' Animal Zoo.





They've played with it every day since opening it, so it was definitely a 'loved' gift from Boston.




Just today, the boys had their first taste of candy canes (toothbrushes came out soon afterwards)...




...and after the sugar rush, it was time to venture outside for some playtime on the deck. Keegan and Connolly ran races with their cars...



...while Josh went back inside to stay warm. Although it was 4 degrees outside, the wind was quite cold. Josh doesn't like to be cold.


Keegan & Connolly tried their best to convince Josh to come back out and play, to no avail.



So Keegan decided it was time for a bit of golf...


(Connolly did join Keegan, but I have no picture of Connolly with his driver)

After playtime on the deck, it was back inside for a warm, sippy cup of hot chocolate, and a treat of sitting on the couch in the LaZ-boys.

Irish Stew and the Wiggles

First it's Gma Tricia's famous Irish Stew...

Josh


Keegan


Connolly


...and then it's time for the Wiggles.

Connolly takes a moment to have his picture taken


Keegan enjoys a beverage while being entertained


Josh (looks sad, but is just very into what he's watching!!)

*Pics taken today, December 8th*

Connolly gets excited about his snack



Josh takes a seat (twice)



Keegan smiles big and shows off his squat dance move

Dapper Young Men

*Pictures taken on Sunday, Dec. 3rd (6 days shy of 19 months old)*

Keegan


Josh


Connolly



And the out-takes...

Keegan


Josh


Connolly

Update: December 7, 2006

I've been getting in trouble (Kristy!!!!) for not updating since Nov. 22, so here is the latest on the boys.

We are slowly but surely getting ready for our trip to Mexico, leaving on the 23rd and home on the 30th. It will be the 2nd time flying for Josh and Connolly, but Keegan's first experience. I'm sure he'll be fine. He struts around the house like this cool dude and has definitely set his place as being the oldest brother. That one minute is very important, you know!

Despite going to Mexico in a few weeks, the boys have brand new pj's to keep them warm during the Calgary winter, courtesy of Gma & Gpa Gamble. The boys will need to grow into the pj's, which are size 24 months, a bit more , but they fit well enough to wear them now, at 19 months.

We have started attending a new church congregation (closer to home), and the boys really enjoy the instrumental music. They have also done really well in the transition to the new nursery class. We have yet to be paged because the teachers needed us (*knock on wood*). We have yet to meet them, but we've heard there is another set of triplets in the congregation. We have met a set of twins, age 16 months, Colton and Madison.

The boys continue to love The Wiggles (even with Greg, the Yellow Wiggle's departure), but they have also discovered their love for Barney. As much as I tried to discourage their excitement for a big purple dinosaur, it couldn't be helped. Why? Because Barney is all about singing and dancing and we all know that Keegan, Josh & Connolly have an intense love for singing and dancing.

Did I mention we've taught the boys to say 'Go Flames'? It doesn't quite come out phonetically just yet, but they do yell at the tv (just like daddy) when the Flames are playing.

That's about all that can be written, so here are a few pictures to go along with the update...enjoy.

Watching the Wiggles with Gpa Dennis


The boys hanging out with Gma Sherry


We've got Calgary Flames Flag ghosts in our house (this is one of their favourite games)


Lounging in their Lay-Z-boys


Trying to flip their Lay-Z-boys


Their new pj's

Update: Nov. 22, 2006

Keegan, Josh & Connolly have had their fill of immunization needles. At least for the next 3-1/2 years. On Monday, Nov. 20th, the boys took their final 2 needles (1 in each arm), their 'gift' for turning 18 months. They do not have to go again until they are 4-1/2 years old.

Keegan was his typical 'hard man' self. He cried for about 10 seconds and then he was fine and playing with the toys the nurse had provided as distraction. Connolly and Josh did not recover as fast from the poke, but they did ok.

Their weights/heights were pretty much the same as they were when we visited the paediatrician in early October. Keegan - 24 lbs/30 inches, Connolly - 24 lbs/31.2 inches, Josh - 23.5 lbs/31.5 inches. Their height has now become a factor around the house, as they are tall enough to reach all the door handles.

The boys were given their first snow-suits this past week. Despite the colder weather these days, they haven't worn them yet, but they have worn their new winter boots and have been trudging around the back-yard in the dirt (one day) and snow (the next). When playing in the yard, one of the boys' favourite activities is to watch all the geese fly over head. This past week, we must have watched over a 500 geese go by - the boys, especially Keegan, were very excited.

As a family, we have tried to make a weekly tradition of taking the dogs with us and going to Beddington park to walk and watch the airplanes fly overhead. The boys love the freedom of being able to walk on their own...as do we.

Here are some pictures we've taken so far this month (November 2006):

Getting ready for the geese


Here they come...


How many are there?


Just a few of the hundreds that flew over


Going for a leisurely walk


Off the beaten path


Waiting for the airplanes

Too tired to finish the walk


Connolly modelling his new boots


Keegan struts his stuff in his new boots


Josh loves his boots, but was not a happy camper for this pic


Getting taller every day

Playing in the snow


The slide works even better with snow on it

Back inside, warm, cozy and enjoying their (upside down) comfy chairs