Ethan and Erik at the park

A few pics of Ethan and Erik on some trips to the park.

Jen and Erik stopped by one day and we walked over to the park.  On the way we saw a mouse run across the sidewalk.  The boys had fun chasing the mouse around.  Yes, the boys are wearing cowboy hats - Erik is a hat lover and that was all they had in the van so Ethan had to wear his cowboy hat also.

Snacks at the park one day.

And the boys watching the digger across the street from the park.

August Long Weekend in Edmonton

We decided to head up to Edmonton to see friends and visit some of our favorite spots and thought the August Long Weekend was a good time to go.  Wade even took a vacation day on Friday to make it a 4 day weekend.  This would be Abby's first night away from home and also her first trip.  We were impressed with how both kids did.  Although Abby just doesn't eat as well away from home, she did okay and she slept well.  Ethan also did very well over the weekend.  He tried to take short naps in the car when we told him to so we didn't have an overly tired boy but we didn't have to cater to his nap time.

Friday night we stopped by the office to see everyone, checked into our hotel, and then went over to Wade's old boss's house for dinner.  The Zapernick's are always so nice to us and their son Will is such a good sport about entertaining and playing with Ethan.

Saturday we went to the Old Strathcona Farmer's Market, rode the streetcar on the High Level Bridge, stopped into the Streetcar Museum which we had never done before, went to the downtown Farmer's Market, and then went north of town to the Jurassic Forest (Ethan finally rode on the coin operated dinosaurs).  Our friends Andy and Mary tagged along with us for the day and it was great to spend some time with them. 

Sunday, we stopped at the Hobby Wholesale store that is one of Ethan's favorites in Edmonton.  Wade and Ethan played Monster Mini Golf while Abby ate and then we headed west of town about an hour.  The Pardely family had invited us out for dinner at their campground.  Ethan had a blast running around with all the other kids and playing on the playground there.

Monday, we had brunch with one more friend and then headed home.  The only bad parts of the weekend were that Ethan lost his toy combine and I hurt my back somehow. 

Month 4 Photo

We've been struggling a little with Abby's weight (she's gaining a little slower than she should be) but this month we seem to have moved in the right direction and hopefully we can continue that.  At 3 months she was right along the 3 percentile line and at 4 months she was up to the 10th percentile.  She is laughing now and really loves to watch Ethan.

Britt's Visit

Wade's brother Britt came for a visit in July for a few days.  He flew into Spokane, WA and drove to Calgary arriving on Canada Day (July 1st).  He meet us at Heritage Park in time for the fireworks and then went and picked Wade up at the airport coming back from a weekend trip to Kansas getting the keys from our old renters and turning them over to the new renters. 

Abby and I stayed home but Wade took everyone else up to the mountains.  They ate lunch in Banff, went on a boat ride on Lake Minnewanka, and finished the day with stopping at Lake Louise. 

We went for brunch at the top of the Calgary Tower.  I still couldn't make it all the way out on the glass floor but I made it further than last time.

We also went to the Royal Terrell museum again.  We had two cars so Abby and I headed home a little early because she wasn't eating very well that day.  The rest of the group went for a short scenic drive through some of the Alberta Badlands.  Britt and Edith also went down to the Stampede one day.  They picked up Ethan a cowboy hat with a whistle (I guess that is a Stampede thing). 

We were happy to have Britt here for a few days and show him a few of the sights.  Britt drove back to Spokane and took Edith with him to fly back to Denver and eventually Edith flew to KC. 

Stampede Parade Critter

I happen to see a post by the City of Calgary on Facebook and immediately thought this was one we would have to make it to see.  Here's the article since it explains it better than I would.

 

We went to a local park area and there was a summer camp that was taking their snack break outside in order to look at the street sweeper.  Ethan was taking in the situation and hanging back while the older kids were there but as soon as they went back to their camp, he got his turn.  He even got a ride around the parking lot in the street sweeper since he was the only person around for awhile.  The things he talked about the most was how there were two steering wheels and when one turned the other one turned and the button that made the engine louder.  I was right that he loved it although he didn't seem to really care that it was dressed up as Samson the bull.

 

Since 2001 the Roads Maintenance Critters have been cleaning up along the Calgary Stampede Parade route. Now, after 13 years of service, Dixie, Samson, Rocky and Alfalfa are hanging up their cowboy hats and heading for greener pastures.

The Critters were created by a local puppeteer back in 2001 and have been placed on a street sweeper every year during the Calgary Stampede Parade to clean up after horses and humans along the parade route.

The 2014 Calgary Stampede Parade on Friday, July 4 will be the Critters’ last. Next year you’ll see four new faces in the Stampede Parade but before we send off Dixon, Samson, Rocky and Alfalfa you’ll be able to see them and say good bye at a variety of City of Calgary Parks over the next couple of weeks. - See more at: http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2014/07/farewell-critters-calgary-stampede.html#sthash.CTG3BVNN.dpuf

Farewell Critters! Calgary Stampede Parade street sweepers prepare for retirement - See more at: http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2014/07/farewell-critters-calgary-stampede.html#sthash.CTG3BVNN.dpuf

Farewell Critters! Calgary Stampede Parade street sweepers prepare for retirement - See more at: http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2014/07/farewell-critters-calgary-stampede.html#sthash.CTG3BVNN.dpuf

Farewell Critters! Calgary Stampede Parade street sweepers prepare for retirement - See more at: http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2014/07/farewell-critters-calgary-stampede.html#sthash.CTG3BVNN.dpuf

 

Farewell Critters! Calgary Stampede Parade street sweepers prepare for retirement - See more at: http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2014/07/farewell-critters-calgary-stampede.html#sthash.CTG3BVNN.dpuf

Calgary Stampede

Wade was offered tickets to the Calgary Stampede evening grandstand show.  I wasn't sure I wanted to attempt it but he convinced me to try it.  Ethan had a blast riding rides.  It seemed to be the same carnival group as was in Edmonton last year for K Days.  He rode all the ones he rode last year but he was also willing to ride by himself this year. 

The grandstand show every evening is Chuck Wagon Races.  They didn't start till 7:45 which means it was already late for the kids.  Abby was tired and fussy so Wade took her inside the grandstands to walk with her and get her to sleep.  Every time he tried to come back outside, the announcer would wake her up so he only was able to watch one heat of races.  Ethan and I watched four heats and then we decided it was probably late enough so we went and found Wade and Abby to head home.  The light rail ended up being a wise choice because there was a station really close to the grandstands so we got out pretty quickly.  Ethan had a great time although I'm not sure it was as fun for the rest of the family although Wade and I can now say we've seen Chuck Wagon Races. 

Engineered Air Family Day at Calaway Park

It took me this long to get photos from Wade's phone only to find out there weren't that great.  Back in June, Wade's company sponsored a day at the local amusement park, Calaway Park.  It was a rather nice day, mostly sunny and the temperature was very comfortable.  Ethan had a blast riding the rides.  Abby slept most of the time we were there.

Ethan got to pick a snack on the way out and he of course picked popcorn (he takes after Wade on this because I would have picked something sweet).  He was so exhausted though that he fell asleep in the car while eating the popcorn.