We are terrible bloggers!

Just in case you can't tell, Tyler is a fireman, JJ is a bat, and Emilee is a Lovebug, and we had many candy brakes along the way, this one is Emilee eating smartie's

Family picture at the pumpkin patch

So sorry to all who read our blog. There are a couple of reasons that blogging has been difficult. One we have been too busy. Second, we have had some problems with our computer, we haven't been able to upload our pictures onto the computer, the ones from our trip. But I will post a few older ones.

My Wife is Gonna Hate Me!

sorry for the bad blogging habits. we are very busy, kellee is getting a small business going (that is going incredibly well btw) and I am having a busy fall....anyways, funny video that she wont want on here...

Camp Awesome!

Once again for our third annual camping trip to Point Roberts, WA, USA...it was a blast. We have named our camp...Camp Awesome. It is awesome because we: eat too much, play all day, have fun, have races, relax in the afternoon sun, swim, stay up way too late, and attempt to sleep in. Here are a couple of the pictures that I was able to take.

Some of our Summer Fun!

Us and Nemi...our Japanese student

Camping at Beaver Lake

Skylar, Amy, Shawn, kellee, Pete, Brenda, JJ, ATyler, Chris, and Emilee

wedding cake i just did

Tyler and JJ

here is the video of tyler and jj performing at their kidz kamp wrap up...well jj isnt really doing much, but tyler sure did a great job!

Kidz Kamp

It has been a while since we have blogged. Sorry about that...

Life was very busy for us for a little while. Kellee was very involved in our churches 2 weeks of Kidz Kamp. She led the preschool portion of the program, and did a fantabulous job! And in the midst of all of that we had a japanese exchange student here for 2 weeks. That left dad running people all over the city and still try and get his own stuff done....but that is all over now and we are breathing a big sigh, just in time to welcome some visitors.

In about 2 hours my dad, brenda, and skylar will be arriving for almost 2 weeks. And in the middle of that Shawn and Amy will be coming for a few nights...so our 3 bedroom townhouse will be very full with 10, thats right 10 visitors...yikes.

well here is a little video of Kellee leading some songs at kidz kamp and as soon as youtube cooperates there will some really cute video of Tyler

I'm 6 Right Dad!

Tyler was a little confused on Friday. We celebrated his fifth birthday with a basketball themed party. That was not confusing. The confusing part was that we celebrated his birthday with Shawn and Amy the Saturday before his birthday, then he had his birthday on Monday, then we had another party for his friends on Friday. So all day on Friday he kept asking me with a confused look, 'I am 6 today right dad?' His logic was he turned 5 on Monday, how could he be turning 5 again? We helped him figure it out and had a blast at the birthday party. Here are some pics:

Tyler with his brand new air hockey table

Ty sporting his new favorite Lighting McQueen helmet from Shawn and Amy

Emilee playing with her new doll house.The boys shooting hoops at the basketball birthday party. Dad was the ref!

Playing hot potato. The big kids were invited from the youth group.Ty's cake.

July 5th 2003

It was five years ago today, around noon when our lives were changed forever! I remember it so vividly, spending several hours at the hospital, waiting, wondering when our little, soon-to-be bundle of joy was going to come bursting out. Then it happened, the doctor broke Kellee's water, and we were off to the races. I remember there being some panic. A constant monitoring of his heart, counting beeps and watching of numbers (couldn't they turn the beeping off???). The nurses came rushing in, the doctor came rushing in, and it was time for Kellee to push. There was a brief interruption when Dr. Glenn's cellphone rang, I answered it for her at her request, and it was her daughter, 'Is my mom there?' she said. 'Well she is, but she is delivering my baby right now?' I replied. 'Oh!' she responded. Dr. Glenn actually took the call if you can believe that.

And a few minutes later, Tyler came bursting out, purple and crying, sort of looking like a jellyfish, but cuter. I began to cry, Kellee cried, and we had a Tyler. Lucky us!

Tyler is an amazing boy. He is very smart, not in the traditional way, but in other ways. He can do puzzles, lots of them, and big ones, ones that his dad can't really do without getting a headache. He likes to know how things work, like the mechanics behind his bike, things like that. He is very orderly for a five year old. He likes things done a certain way, and when a babysitter comes over for the first time we tell her if she isn't sure of something to ask Tyler, because he will know. And we assure her that he won't lie to her, because he is very honest. He is athletic. He loves to ride his bike (which he could do without training wheels at the age of 3) and play a bunch of different sports. He can climb trees, pretty high ones. He has muscles, like biceps and pecs, and abs, he has been doing crunches since he was born. He also has a soft side, he gives out kisses at will and he is very affectionate with his words. I do believe he is going to be a very good man. He shows signs of that already. He embraces his role as the big brother, and sometimes when all the kids are outside playing we can hear him sticking up for his siblings, reminding them that those are his little brother and sister they are picking on and they better stop right now. He is well behaved, and will be the kind of man who opens doors for lady's and says please and thank you all the time. The kind that you would actually want to take home to meet your parents and you would be proud of him.

I know, I am bragging, but it is his birthday and my blog, and heck I am so proud of him!

It so much fun having a Tyler. And today on his birthday it was fun to celebrate him. He is a gift from God and I remind myself of that everyday, and I remind him (and JJ and Emilee) of that everyday.

Our Father's Day Festivities

We have started a tradition of making Daddy breakfast in bed. Tyler loves making his dad breakfast, and helping with the whole thing!
The best part is eating daddy's breakfast.
After a relaxing morning, we went to the Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, it was a blast, we really had a great time.

Waiting in line at the mini train.
Mom and Emilee didn't get to go for a ride...to bad!
So we waited in the grass, and made cute faces instead!

Tyler love his new Varnet sunglasses!

Great Day!

Today was a great day. I had the privilege of participating in a baptismal service at our church. For those who arent familiar with what baptism is, it is quite simple really...in the Bible Jesus calls all people to follow him. And to identify ourselves as his followers (or as a means of telling others publicly of our decision to follow him) he commands us to be baptized. The New Testament is littered with instances of people making a decision to follow Jesus with their lives and then being baptized.

Well today our church did something that we dont normally do. Following the sermon, the pastor invited anyone who wanted to be baptized to come forward and do so. We provided the change of clothes and towel if they didnt want to go home wet, oh yeah and we also provided the water.

It was a very fitting end to a sermon that our pastor preached on commitment. We were reminded this morning of what makes God vomit. Our indifference toward him. In fact he says so in Revelation 3:16, "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit (or vomit) you out of my mouth." Ouch. And our pastor asked a question that really resonated with Kellee and me...when this week did you have to depend on God? Sadly, I had to think about that, I have most of what I need, why do I need God?

And it was these same thoughts that people were challenged with as we gave our congregation the opportunity to step forward in baptism. Between our 3 services we had 13 people come forward for baptism. Most of them not planning that when they left their house in the morning. And I had the joy of helping these people take their next step in their relationship with Jesus. It was a great day!

My Arch Nemesis

It seems like every two years my arch nemesis rears its ugly head. And not only does it happen every two years, but it seems to happen at the worst possible moment!

About two years ago I was visiting Ontario and preparing to stand up in my best friends (Jay Grimes) wedding. It was the day before the wedding and Jay picked me up early in the day. It was then that I noticed I had a scratchy throat, sore neck, and just didnt quite feel 100 percent. But I knew that I would feel better after a day with the boys. So we did our thing that day, played paintball, had dinner, went to the hotel, shaved Jay's legs, it was fun. I still wasn't 100 percent but I certainly wasn't near death. We went to bed, had a good night sleep and then...

I woke up Saturday morning and I felt like I got hit by a truck. I couldn't open my mouth, swallow, or even breathe without being in excruciating pain. A friend of mine, Tim, drove me to the doctor, and I have very little memory of what happened after that, but the doctor told me I had tonsillitis. I ended up missing the wedding and spending the next 2.5 days in bed, pumping myself full of meds and trying to recover.

Well it happened again. I woke up Wednesday morning around 5am. I couldn't swallow, and something wasnt right. I went about my day, definitely under the weather, but I was alright. However when I woke up Thursday morning I was lights out sick, soaked with sweat from a fever, and decided to haul myself to the doctor. The doctor told me, that yet again, I have tonsillitis. I dragged myself back home and I am stuck in bed recovering.

This time I am not missing a wedding, I am missing our youth group's annual surf trip. Fortunately we were able to hire a bus driver to take my place for a mere $1500 and my leaders are able to hold down the fort. And my hope is that by Saturday morning I will have recovered enough to drive myself up to Tofino.

Curse my tonsils!

Happy Birthday Emilee!

And Happy Birthday Jacquee!

We have had a great birthday celebration. We have been working with Emilee for a few weeks now to hold up her finger when we say "number one...number one" and she does it, it's super cute! This morning when we woke up I sang happy birthday to her, and she seem to know that it was a special song for her.

After church we had a little birthday party for her. It was lots of fun! There are the things that Emilee really enjoyed from her day:

pink icing,
her new baby
Papa
tissue paper
"number one..number one"
her new (noisy) piano

We had a nice day, and it was a lot of fun for us Mom and dad to celebrate this day with her, she sure is a special girl and we love her so much. A special thanks to Amy and Uncle Shawn for coming, and Grammy and Papa and Uncle Brennen for sharing in the special day.

Here are some pictures capturing some of the fun.