Back at'er

well......it has been almost two years since I posted last! Did someone just snap?? literally snap their fingers and make time jump two years? That's how it feels.....when I decided I wanted to blog about business, this one came up too and I couldn't believe it had been that long since writing on it. Many things have changed including our season in life. Can I have all my toddlers back please?? just say'in........big kids bring big schedules and wow! I love our kids ages, but I am pretty much running off my feet all day; but it's a good 'running off your feet all day, falling into bed late at night with achy legs and maybe even a bit of drool on your pillow cuz you're so tired!!'

Anywhoooo, what have we been up to? Brett is ten (yes, we have a child in double digits and that is c-rrrrr-azy!) Mostly it just means that we're old.....Braden...aka: Brado is 7 and is quite the thinker. Kylie is 3! She's not a baby anymore.....and she is losing her baby chub. So SAD! I love that baby chub. I'll just have to squeeze random babies when I see them to get a hold of some. I could squeeze my own love handles, but what's the fun in that really?

My handsome hubby Brad is doing great. He's working hard; got a promotion and is doing more project leading (mostly allllll project leading) rather than drafting these days. He does very well keeping up and not skipping a step when he comes home after a 12 hour day jumping into the chaos with us. I love him so much.

In my last post of October 2008!! (yikes) I was excited about purchasing my new slr digital camera. That feels like forever ago. In the spring of 2009, I decided after some persuasion from family and friends that I would officially start a low key photography business. I would pick a name and just put it out there a bit. Well, goodness gracious! It has been amazing really to see how something that was a faint idea, turned into an actual business. When people ask what I do, I have a hard time spitting it out actually.....I always say "I'm a stay at home mom" and then after much hesitation I sort of mumble..."and I started a photography business awhile ago". Juggling the kids, being a wife, mom, friend, daughter and running a business is nuts on paper!! I don't like to write our schedule down, because then it's real and that scares me. But seriously, I thank God every day for making our life run pretty seamlessly. I think He adds extra hours into our day so we can get everything accomplished before drooling:)

Well, that's a little update from the Friesens for now. I will try and keep up to this a bit more regularly; it actually feels great to put some of my random thoughts down on 'paper' :) Talk to you soon.....

Dana

photographer in training......

I ventured out recently and purchased a new slr digital camera in hopes to improve my photography fettish a bit. Thanks to friends and family in town, I've been practicing a bit over the last few weeks and here's a bit of what we captured:)

My little niece Keira being the perfect subject on a beautiful fall afternoon......

:smiles:

Miss Kylie (7 months)

It was time to set up a mini photo shoot in the living room once again. Can't we just freeze time once and awhile?? Because our kids are growing up and changing soooo quickly. Kylie's new trick lately is sitting. She's proud as punch and has caught on to this whole thing very well. She loves to just sit near her big brothers and play. Gooing and cooing all the way....

Mom and Braden (4)

Mom and Brett (7)

Proud Mama:)

Brett has joined the running club at school this year. You're not actually supposed to start until grade 3 but for some reason he was allowed. He took part in a couple of district wide runs this fall. The first one was at his school and the second one was the District Championships at Pacific Way Elementary. I went to watch ........WOW! This is definately one of the perks of being a parent. Watching your kids during sporting events; I have always said that this is definately one of the things that I am looking forward to as a mom. I did everything I could to keep myself from crying and was very glad that it was windy and chilly outside so that it just looked like my eyes were watering from the cold air:)

Watching Brett be a little nervous waiting for his turn to run made ME nervous waiting for his turn. Watching him wait for the gun to start the race made my heart pound with anticipation; but most of all watching him come in just metres away from the finish line after running nearly 2 kilometres made me well up with pride, tears and smiles. "That's my Brett"! He's the one giving it all he's got to cross the line with the best time that he could get. Oh my goodness; it sounds cheesy I know. But I also know that all you parents have felt the same way at one time or another watching your kids excel at something they love. It turns out that Brett came 45th out of 80 grade 3 boys.......might I add that he is only in gr.2! Can't wait till Brad can experience this new parenting moment with me on a day off.

Trick or Treat

Shrek, Tigger and a REALLY scray Lion....Braden's "roars" were quite furocious! The kids had a fun time as usual dressing up and collecting their gobs of candy! Kylie, could really care less about the whole ordeal but smiled and looked adorable nonetheless. I decided that next year we are NOT going to buy costumes; we're definately going to be 'creative' as my dear cousins Darcie and Erin were with their kids costumes. Glad it's over and will be even more glad when we don't have two large bowls of teeth wreckers on top of the fridge! Until next year....

glimpses of our summer

One of our highlights of the summer so far is checking out the open house at Brad's place of employment.....Highland Valley Copper. It was absolutely fantastic and I don't think it gets any better for a bunch of little boys than to be around these HUGE mighty machines:) This is the wheel of one of the loaders at Highland Valley Copper.

During one of the tours of the mine pits, Grandma was asking Braden what he thought about daddy's work.....his response was a big 'WOW' as he gazed out at all the big dumptrucks and loaders working.

Copper

Ryan, Brett, Braden and Payton looking so awfully tiny in the bucket of the mine loader

BIG dumptruck. One tire on this dumptruck costs approximately $30,000

crazy sister-in-laws waiting in tour line-ups

Brett turning 7

Braden turns 4......nice lid!

Brett learning how to kayak.......and absolutley loving it!

hang'in out with some of the cousins at the lake

clam hunting

lot's of swimming

learning how to cast

"weeeeee-hoooo!"

loving our camping trips

"

Yummy baby feet:)

Our sweet baby girl

I can't believe how fast time is flying by knowing that Kylie is indeed our last baby. I sometimes wish that we could just stop time and keep all our kids this age forever.......but then I snap out of it after we have a 'poop problem'. The other night I was letting Kylie have some 'free time' (no diaper) on her blanket in the living room. I figured we were safe because I had just changed a messy diaper.......NOT SO SAFE! While doing the dishes enjoying the quietness of the boys playing and Kylie coooing on her blanket; I soon realize that she is lying in something rather gooey.....did she spit up?? NOPE. The serene quiet moment vanished with my dear husband gagging in the background and both Brett and Braden yelling "OOOOH, stinky POOP!" Ahhhhhh, precious moments............