Hallowe'en was a hit

 From carving pumpkins to be decorating the house, we had lots of fun!

 Boris got in on the action

 Boris and his famous bat man costume!!!!

 The boys....being UN peace keeping soldiers....had to convince them to be good soldiers

 Trick or treating with our friends..

 Terrific houses with lots of scary props....here we are infront of a ship....

 Max and Kyani and Santiago ready to go...

 Dad stealing candy from the boys

 Mom in her Medusa hat...

Okay, better!

October Fun

 Robertson Family Reunion: the Haggis before the toast

 Max eating cake; turning ten

 A beautiful cake made for Max's birthday

 Bruno looking serious

 Boys having fun

 Walkathon with the school

Parrots at the Aquarium

I have not posted in a while; September and October has been filled with school activities, Max's birthday, Walkathon, Thanksgiving, Family reunion, and fall!

9/11 Memories

I have been reading and watching about the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, and it has brought back such incredibly strong emotions for me.  Ten years ago, I was anxiously waiting for Maximilian to be born.  We had just moved into our first home, and we were about to be parents.  There were so many changes in our lives, and then the towers came crashing down.  

I wrote in my journal:

  I am still waiting to have the baby.  We made it easily through the move, and everything has gone well.  Yet, the world has changed forever and forever because of what hapened yesterday on September 11, 2001.

Max, you will read this someday.  Will you understand the horror of it all?  Yesterday, the World Trade Towers in New York City fell to the earth due to terrorist attacks:  planes acting as human bombs crashed into both towers.  

The world will never be the same again.

How will I understand the world you are about to inherit?  How will you understand this world?  How do we go forward?  How do we go on?  I am so saddened by the world we live in right now, yet I really want to meet you. I need you to begin your life and I need to give you everything that will allow you to have a good life and I hope you will live in a safe and happy world."

So, forward we have marched, and ten years have gone by, and actually, they have been such fantastic years because of my two special sons: Maximilian and Bruno.  
  
There will always be adversity and strife in the world, but I struggle with how to prepare the boys for this and make them resilient, and also able to question and wonder about how to make this world better.  Out of 9/11 came a strong urge to raise humble caring individuals that are not self-indulgent, self-absorbed, and pessimistic human beings.  I am still on this quest.....

Seattle Woodland Park Zoo and the Lego Store

 For Max's upcoming birthday, we took a day trip to Seattle.  
We love visiting the Woodland Park Zoo, and we never tire of seeing the animals.  Today on our adventure, this gorilla, Nina did not want me to take her photo, and came over to the glass and punched the glass infront of me!!

 Here are a few shots of the animals; my favourite is always the gorillas.  They are beautiful creatures.

 Here we are having lunch!!!

 Then onto the LEGO store, which is the main reason we travel so far...the boys love viewing the collection, selecting their purchases (money they have saved...), and collecting containers of lego pieces to build their own creations!

 We can never miss a lego opportunity, even if it is for a photo for Mum!

Why can't there be a lego store in Vancouver? 

Back to School 2011

No, I'm sorry Boris, you can't go to school this year....maybe next year they will allow poodles!

Mom is ready for classes to begin!

It's okay Bruno, Grade Three will be wonderful.....

The week went quickly with back to school, Meet the Teacher Night, and myself going back to work after a relaxing summer off! Already I am signing forms for volleyball practices, cross country practices, hot lunch, camp, and various other events that are part of school year.  Here we go until next June, when it will slow down again....

Hope everyone had a great back to school week!

Angelina turns One!!!!

My dear niece and the boys' only girl cousin is one perfectly beautiful and stunning baby.   Wow, Angelina, you are pure sunshine!