Family Portraits

So we finally got organized and had some family pictures taken with a local pro.  Cassandra Hamilton Photography was recommended by some friends, and we spent the morning a few weeks ago with her.  It was awesome.  Something about dad not trying to get the kids to listen, pose, be in a certain position, and of course catching all 4 of us in 1 pic.

Awesome photos, we are so pleased.

 

Immy at School

Immy’s teachers have been amazing at sharing photos from her days at Bright Horizons.  Here is a small summary of what she gets up to every day with Jasna.

Memorial Day Weekend

So our plans to head north were altered last minute by a little bridge blow out on the I-5.  So, staycation it was.  We did the ProClub swimming pool, big breakfasts, the Exotic Car show at Chateau St Michelle, the Museum of Flight Historic plane day, Kirkland park, library and Zeeks, and a ton of giggles.  Here are some photo highlights.

 

 

Shaking their sillies out at dinner time….. to JT.

Gavin enjoying the drivers seat of a 2003 H1 Military grade Hummer. 

Then, the Bugatti Veyron.  In Orange.  It could be any cooler.  Only 1.5M

Then the Italians……..

Plenty of funs and sillies all weekend.  We caught Gav having a set of giggles at dinner…….

And there’s Immy in the pilot seat of a jet. 

Immy takes her Dolly to School……

Immy loves to take her Dolly to school, and occasionally her blanket.  Well, this week Jasna helped her make a little bed in her cubby for naptime!  Great pics, worth sharing.

And, she got into playing some hoops in the yard this week!  We loved how hard she went to the hole……..

Soccer Saturday!

Now that the Shutterfly 2012 photobooks are ordered, its back to Blogging.  This past weekend, I took Immy over to soccer.  she rocked it! 

The class is right in her age range, and she was really into it.  We start both the kids again June 11th, so BOTH are very excited to get going again. 

 

 

 

Of course, pancake breakfasts were required at the clubhouse….

Happy Birthday Gav

Back to Blogging.

This week Gav celebrated turning 5, and it was a real milestone for everyone.  I cant believe 5 years ago I stood in our bedroom arguing with Daph who was doubled over (in labour) who was claiming it was ‘indigestion’.  HAHA……Its been an awesome 5 years, but I cant believe how quickly it has passed.  From that scene to where we are now, looking at Kindergarten , school districts, yet another pair of shoes, taking the training wheels off the bike, managing the iPad and TV time……

Gav has grown into a (tall) kind and gentle little fella, who has a good natured heart, soft personality, and affectionate approach to things.  He also has serious wheels .  Of course daddy is taking the credit for the hops, (lack of) and the physical ability, sarcasm (don’t ask mommy about that)   Maybe some of that goodness is from being the first (and the nurturing first time, learning parents give) but we would like to think some of it rubbed off from his parents .   He is an amazing little guy.  Just amazing.

He was counting down the big day for about a week, telling us (and random strangers) that next Tuesday he was turning 5, and he was going to be older than his sister.  (he already was older).  The night before the day arrived, and he could barely contain himself.  On the weekend he had stumbled on his sister and mom wrapping his presents, and although he didn’t see anything, the idea he was going to get some presents excited him to the bone.  He was so excited he was visibly shaking, jumping up and down, running to tell daddy he was going to get some presents for his birthday. 

While he slept, dad pimped out his bedroom right under his eyes.  Balloon bouquet, streamers, hanging banners, and covering his door in more streamers.  Kitchen too.  When he woke up, he was speechless……

Birthday breakfast was a trip to the Pancake house in Kirkland before school.  Of course, that had to wait so he could tear into his pressies.  Lego city, and a Buzz the size of his sister. 

Off to pancake house, then to school.  At school, he was swarmed with his friends hugging him to say happy birthday.  It was so warming to watch, they all lined up to hug him, and he had this huge smile on his face.  Jane (who has celebrated all his bdays with him) probably gave him 10 hugs….  Later that day, dad got back over to celebrate with them and have some cupcakes.  Immy even joined the party in his class.  Everyone sang happy birthday 2x, before we headed out for dinner at home.  Birthday dinner was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, followed by a huge chocolate cake, and candles……Of course, Gav and daddy got to finish the lego build out, that only took an hour. 

He went off to bed completely exhausted, and with an ear to ear smile.  Big hugs for everyone, and thank yous. 

We love you Gav, happy birthday big guy.

(more pics later these were all taken from phone)

Big Girl Bed…..

This weekend Immy got her big girl bed.  We are on the 2nd night, and its taking some adjusting.  She was very excited about it, but is hesitant and keeps getting up and putting on lights, and walking down the hall.  It was funny the first 20 times….

 

 

 

Summer’s End

I noticed I had a few pics that hadnt been blogged.  Sorry everyone!  (well both of you readers out there)…..

Family Visit

Last weekend Mark, Jen, Jessie and Alex popped down for the weekend.  It was a great few days, the boys bunked in together, and the girls, well, didn’t. 

Lots of great food, (thanks Mark and Jen for cooking!), some nice wine, and lots of activity for the kids.  Zoo, walks, and tons of great food……

 

 

Fondo Pics

The RBC GranFondo Whistler was an awesome event.  A-Rod, Hutts and myself had a blast riding among 7000 others from downtown Van to Whistler Village.  Amazing day.  Here are some pics.

 

 

And the Garmin data from my bike.

Canada Day

So in all the blogging mayhem this week, I totally forgot to post the cool Canada Day pics from 7Trees.  We all went to Gibsons and had a great holiday weekend together.  Awesome weekend…….

The kids having some home made ice cream popsicles at Osler on the deck.  Even Abbie got a lick…….

Up to 7Trees…

Check out who is off for a ride in the background…

I grabbed a pic of Gav a year ago at this same place.  One of our fav pics we have.  I added the old one for a comparison. 

Taken 7/7/2011 (he was 3yr 3mos)

Taken 6/29/2012 (he was 4yr 2mos)

We had this rain storm as we went for a walk, and then just when we got to Chaster House, it cleared, so it was Family Portrait time.  Some didn’t start out so well……..  

Some Favourite Canada Day pics, taken on the porch at 7Trees…….. Complete with Canada Olympic shirts…..

We took a field trip in Bothell just before heading to Van, this is the Bothell Hippy Family Village, complete with mini train.  Gav had to ride in the caboose, and made mommy climb in with him. 

Back to School, Harvest, Anniversary and some Bike rides

September got really busy quickly.  The holidays ended, and every single car in the pacific NW was back in the road.  Immy moved to her new 2’s class at Bright Horizons, and Gav moved with 9 others to the Pre-K class. 

Jeff and Hutts did the 2 day SEA-Vancouver RSVP ride, and also the RBC GranFondo VAn to Whistler rides.  Both were awesome rides.  The Whistler weekend was capped off by Daph joining in the Village so mom and dad could celebrate 11 years of amazing marriage.  Kids not included.   Well, they were included, sort of, but they were left in Van with GP and El.  Awesome weekend of ziptrek, some great food and rest.

Whistler ZipTrek.  It was freezing, but we had a lot of fun!

 

Our anniversary dinner was at Barefoot Bistro.  What an amazing night.  We sabre’d a champagne bottle in the cellar, where there are 17000 bottles of wine.  The bobsled.  Crazy story.  When the Germans smashed their sled at the Van2012 Olympics, they partied pretty hard after at the BF Bistro.  They donated it the next day to the restaurant, as they didn’t want to keep it.  Now its kept in the cellar.  Amazing. 

Afternoon cocktails at Araxi Whistler.

The start of the RSVP with Hutts and Andrew, who was to blame for our 24mph average speed the first day (115miles).  Daph and Jeff at Cactus English Bay in Van after the ride. 

RBC GranFondo. 

Immy’s Birthday…….how lucky are we.

In August Immy turned 2.  It seems like literally a week ago she was born, and here she is throwing us complete sentences, asking questions, and stating the odd opinion.

We had a little garden party for her, and she got a new helmet and scooter, to keep up with big brother.  Awesome day, awesome weather, awesome little girl.

 

The Redmond Classic Car show……

So Daph was away one weekend in July, so I took the kids to the weekend Redmond Farmer’s Market.  Who knew there would be a Ferrari display on at the Redmond Town Center?  WHO KNEW there would be a California Spyder on display?  And WHO_KNEW, there would be not 1, but 2 250GTs?  Unreal.  Capped when the amazing owner of the 430 invited Gav to get in and relax.  “Im not saving it for the next owner, I drive it”.  My favorite Ferrari owner quote ever.  Not that I have many to choose from.

The new Backyard

This July we also had our backyard professionally landscaped.  The guys at Living Earth were awesome, and are coming back in Sept to take on the front yard.  Here are some pics, including Gav’s ‘thinking rock’

July and the Wettlaufers

Ok, its been a while, and we have been a little distracted from blogging.  We have been outside enjoying the amazing summer weather.  Anyway, Jeff started back at Microsoft, (the other reason for no blogs ) and we have had some travel.  Cottage, some US Domestic stuff, and I think Daph went somewhere in China.  We did make it to some local fireman’s breakfasts and joined the Huttons in the annual Kirkland July 4th parade.

 

Father’s Day

We had an awesome weekend, and Sunday was great hanging with the kids.  For Father’s Day dad got to goto the Zoo to ‘see the penguins’ and then to the pool swimming at ProClub.  Good fun.

A very lucky father indeed.  Immy took a special photo at school, apparently when they told her it was for daddy she started to smile.  Then she framed it, and gave it to daddy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We fed the giraffes, which threw Immy at first, but then she loved it after she realized all they wanted were her leaves she was holding.  The guys were impressed with the tongue as well.

 

 

…. and a couple of other gems from Immy’s class.

Weekend and a train ride

Just posting a few pics of the kids.  We went to Country Village here in Bothell and rode the train.  The kids loved it.  Daph especially………

 

 

 

 

Daph loved riding in the Caboose on the train.  It fit her perfectly.

 

This pic was taken right before Immy learned about G force. 

We got a storage box for the patio, and the kids turned it into the perfect fort.  Then immy turned it into a garage for her stroller, and a music studio.

Trip to Van, and some other pics……

So for the long weekend dad took the gang to Vancouver for some fun.  Leaving mom behind didn’t get the protest from Daphers like some had expected .  Even though the weather was ‘ok’ in Van, we had some great fun at the Aquarium, Sea Bus, Osler St and Kitts.  Plus there may have been a birthday to celebrate (but who is counting).

 

 

Believe it or not we have actually had some decent weather until the past week.  Some pics to prove it.

Gavin’s Birthday in Bothell

Some pics from Bothell in April, and Gavin’s birthday!

 

April 16th was Gavin’s 4th Birthday, and we celebrated in a few ways.  We took a pile of cupcakes to BH, lead by Dad taking Gavin out to a huge pancake breakfast, and this coming weekend we are having a bowling party.  More pics to come, there is a rumor some cousins are visiting!