Vancouver & Calgary

Hello Everyone,

I will be in Calgary as well from Thursday, Feb 26th until Saturday, Feb 28th. I am involved in the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) regional competition. We are staying at the or Westin which is downtown (320 4th Avenue SW · Calgary). My sister will be in Calgary that weekend visiting her friend Holly for her 30th birthday. We are meeting for Breakfast on Saturday morning. I don't have an itinerary yet, but I will forward on any free time I have in case the Garcia family has the same free time.

Before Calgary, I will be in Vancouver for the weekend of Friday, Feb 13th until Monday, Feb 16th. I would like to plan a pub night again to visit with friends (may a veronica samwiche...haha). I haven't thought about the details because I am competing with the weekend of LOVE.

FYI: I am not a fan of Valentines' Day and try not to celebrate the day. Valentines' Day to me is one big commercial occasion to raise the price of flowers, chocolates, jewelry cards, dinner, and probably fuel. Any who...

I have to get back to school work, so I'll keep everyone updated (blogger or facebook) on my trips.
I have to come in to Kelowna for the next two weekends, so maybe a brunch could be arranged. I'll call you, Keira.

Sammi

Pictures of Roman (with commentary of course)

Roman hates to be restrained; in the carseat, stroller, shopping cart or highchair. Since I started sitting him in a big person chair at the table, he is willing to sit for a whole meal. It's pretty funny-looking, a one-year-old at the table with no booster seat or anything.

Eating the bubbles out of his sister's bath

He's so proud of himself (see below)...

...for getting his own snacks out of the pantry. Those are raisins. And he does like to eat onions too!

He looks so fat and sweet when he's asleep.

Moving Day Part 1 is Approaching

On Wednesday, we're moving in with Matt's family for a month to avoid double mortgages. That's 3 days from now! I can't believe after this week we will never see this place again.

We'll be living out of our suitcases for a month. Unfortunately, they don't have a home phone there (everyone has their own cell phone) and I'm not sure what the internet situation is (everyone might have their own laptop). I'm going to find and activate my old cellphone that Matt got me for my 21st birthday. I'll email out the number when I have it.

It's so soon!

Dates

Ahh, puke in my face. I had forgotten that beautiful memory, so thank you, Sammi. Did you know Steph's younger sister Nichoel? She is married now and just had a baby. Say hi to Chris for us. Wow, you guys loooove to go to school!

The big move is getting close now, and we have dates for everything. We are staying with Matt's family in Kelowna starting on January 29th, and then flying away on February 27th to Calgary for 2 days, then on to Oshawa! That only leaves us a few weekends left to do brunch, or whatever!

Happy & Merry

Hello everyone,

I enjoyed the Garcia Happy New Year's picture card of the family; I treasure the 'family moment' theme of the card and how it doesn't seem staged with everyone in their places. Who took the picture?

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Dave, Cam, & I went to Tubetown (Silver Star) for New Year's Eve evening and came down the mountain around 9:30pm to play Guitar Hero - World Tour (which is very similar to Rockband) at Ang & Bryce's place before midnight. It was a fun night.

I am in the swing of school again, and I believe this will be another busy semester again. I am in Stats 124 with an old classmate of Matt & Keira...Chris Goodnough. My fondest memory of Chris was at Stephanie White's New Year's Eve many years ago. I remember talking to Kiera outside when Chris flew out of the door while puking, and Keira got some of the puke acid in her eye. This, of course, was after Ang had left because her beeper had indicated a so-called emergency somewhere (she was working that night but come on).

I caught him up on the Gracia wedding and the addition of two beautiful children. I also mentioned that the family is moving to Oshawa, Ont for Matt's new job in March. He says, "Hello to the Garcia Family and wishes you all the best with your big move." Chris told me that he resigned from the fire dept and is now with Search & Rescue.

I can't wait to see Gina and baby Roman again. We should try to do brunch sometime soon.

Sammi

The Baby of Christmas Present (and Past)

Angelina has always liked to pretend she was a present. Now she closes herself up in a box and jumps out.

Christmas '06

Christmas '08

Baby Loves Shoes

Thanks Lindsay!

Here you go, big sis, I'll put on your shoe

Hmm, could this shoe fit on my foot? (The answer is yes, they have the same size feet!)

Pause for a picture

Mmmmm, shoe

Beautiful Picture

Hey Matt and Keira, thanks for the New Years Card, I love the family picture. Hope christmas was excellent, take care,

December Pictures

Romy's Birthday

Wagon rides for the little people

Surprisingly, Roman was very tidy about eating his first piece of cake.

Angelina showing one of her Lego towers

I dont' know if he's playing peek-a-boo or licking his plate. This guy loves his food!

Roman's dragon cake

A Couple of New Pictures

Turns out my camara was not distroyed after all, whew! I will definately have to get a case for it, though.

This is at Matt's work Christmas party. The kids got presents from Santa and stuff; it was a blast. Surprisingly, Angelina loved this big ball that you sit on and bounce around (and fall off of).

And here's my little puzzle princess with her newest puzzle

My Kids are so Old!

Here is Angelina at her very first sleepover. Isn't she too young for that? She was at her cousin's/ grandma and grandpa's house. They watched movies and dressed up like princesses and stuff; she had lots of fun.

Roman is one year old tomorrow! He is so cool now. He can say a bunch of words and otherwise communicate with baby language and gestures. He can make a really tall tower, climb up on stuff, and play hide-and-seek. He is the most friendly and affectionate little dude I have ever met, and he has a huge, deep laugh that is contageous. He plays a game I call "I eats what I wants"; he can find food anywhere and eat it, even if he has to chew through a plastic bag or banana peel. Obviously that happens only when I'm not watching. He likes to choose a book and hand it to me to read. With his favourite book, he does the actions like pat your head and touch your nose.

They're not really babies anymore!

Cutie-Patooties

Thanks, Ang. Angelina had a terrific halloween week; all of her play groups that week had halloween parties so she got to wear her princess dress every day. For a few days after, she still wanted to put on the dress every day. We went trick-or-treating for the first time and she was so psyched that people were giving her chocolate. And they all thought she was so sweet, they were shoveling it into her bucket.

I can't believe it; a juicebox exploded in my purse and ruined my new camara!

Little Ella from playgroup

Climbing the fence to get the red leaves on our colour hunt

Roman always wants to do what his big sister is doing, and she always wants to help him out

Roman started a parade when his cousins Ethan and Kaidyn crawled around the house behind him

These last two pictures were at great-grandma's 85th birthday party. Look at these cutie-patooties.

AWWWH!

They are sooo cute!!! I want some!
Oh, and um nice head bands you guys!

Halloween Pictures

Cupcakes and Snapshots

I guess it's true after all what they say about kids and sugar. Sammi gave Angelina a cupcake after dinner the other night and after we got home she was totally wired! At 9:45 pm, Matt and I were just sitting on the carpet while she ran circles around us, singing and laughing like a maniac!

Me and Great-Grandma

Romy and Great-Grandma.

I like this picture; it captures their differing personalities.


My beautiful babies, together and sort-of cooperating for a picture



The happiest kid in town

Thanks for coming out

It was great to see the family last night. I wish it was quieter, so I could heard my interactions with Angelina. Both the kids are so smart; it is amazing to see Angelina and Roman doing things that other kids, their ages, haven't mentally reached yet. Roman is a funny little man; I love how he is always smiling.
We will have to set up a breakfast at the wooden nickel again (quieter location) sometime soon.

New Pics

Congrats on moving in, Sam. Are you still getting your puppy this weekend? I love the funny names. I finally got the pictures off my new camara, here are two.

Some people made this crown for Angelina at an Organic fair

Look at the detail my new camara gets

The New House

Yes, we bought the one in the fantastic neighborhood with the kids running around and the private park and nature walk. It's in such a beautiful area of the city too, and only a few minutes from the Oshawa Zoo and stuff. It's torture to wait almost 5 months to live there.

Pretty nice, eh?
We bought all of the furniture as well.
There are two dining rooms and two living rooms
Nice big kitchen
The dining room we'll really use

The family room
This is just one part of the big, bright basment It has a great big patio and a little garden and a tree. I can't wait to buy the kids a playhouse for the yard.