Diaper bag trial plus more baby stuff

I thought that this time around it might be kinda fun to make my own diaper bag. Usually i just use a backpack but I've been enjoying using my sewing machine lately so I thought maybe I would try to make an actual diaper bag. After some online searching, I found this pattern. I wanted to do a trial run first so see if I actually liked it and to get an idea of the size. So, I went through my tub of extra material and found some that I had enough of and "voila", this is what turned out!

I definitely need to use some stiffer material for the next one and I'll make a few other little changes but otherwise, I think I'll like it! It is kinda hard to see, but there are pockets all the way around the middle. I'll also think about what I want to use the pockets for, and size them to fit the objects (water bottle, wallet, wipes, etc.) I almost forget what I need to use in newborn diaper bag!! Now I just need to search for some material that I like! Not sure what I'll do with the trial one. . .

Here are also a few other projects that I've made in the last little while. It was fun to sew for a new little neice!!

Ric rac baby blankets:

Baby Blankie pacifiers:

Kendra + baby = happy!

We had a few new people to meet on this trip and Kendra was very excited about this! She first got to meet her new little cousin Ivy and couldn't wait to hold her! She was beautiful and Kendra did a great job being very gentle with her!

Then she got to meet Carrson, who was a little bigger than her newest cousin! He was very fun and loved to laugh and giggle when he was played with. Kendra learned some great lessons from Jarrett, Ciara and Madison about being a great older sister! Kendra is very excited to try out some of these things when her own little brother or sister arrives in December!

Fort Edmonton

We spent one of our days out at Fort Edmonton Park. What a great place for kids (and adults) to explore and experience a little bit of history. There were lots of people around in period clothes, acting their parts as if they were part of that time period. The kids enjoyed a train ride, a horse and buggy ride and Kendra even got to ride her own pony! A great day!


Owen was fascinated with the chickens who were digging holes in the dirt!


Carole and Ciara - our companions for the day!

Trip to Alberta

A few weeks ago, my mom and I and the kids headed off on a road trip, bound for Alberta. I had some friends that I hadn't seen for a while and a few brothers to visit with, a fiance and a new neice to meet! We split the drive up into 2 days and the kids did quite well. Portable DVD players work great when they are getting a little antsy!

While my mom stayed with my brother, I bunked out with my good friend Carole and her family. It was great to finally meet her newest little addition, Carrson and to see her other kids too. My kids had fun playing with new toys, learning Hannah Montanna songs and playing 'babysitter'. Thanks for putting up with us for a few days!

After about a week, it was time to head back. We made a few more stops on the way back but the drive again went well! We stopped for a pit stop at Mount Robson Park. There were a few clouds but the mountain still looked beautiful!

We also stopped at a little antique store just outside Barrier. Not the greatest place to take two kids into but they had fun exploring the flowers outside, picking a few apples off the apple tree and Owen loved watching the train go by!

Family trip to Port Townsend

For a few days this week, we decided to take a little family holiday down to Port Townsend, U.S.A. We drove through Deception Pass on Whidbey Island and then took a little ferry across to Port Townsend. It is a cute little town that is one of only 3 remaining Victorian style port towns left in the US. They have worked to retain the "old world feel" of their down town. We stayed in a nice little hotel right along the coast. The first day we spent just walking through the downtown and looking for shells along the beach.

We had a bathtub on the deck outside out hotel room. The kids thought it was very fun to have a bath outside and be able to see the ocean at the same time!

The next day we decided the kids needed to have some space to run so we spent the day at Fort Worden. The kids had a great time exploring through all the doors and tunnels of the old military fort, Kevin loved all the military history and I just enjoyed being outside and having some family time.

Fort Casey - some more military stuff for Kevin.

Miracle!

The whole process of how life begins and develops and grows has always struck me as such an amazing miracle. Only God could orchestrate all the things that have to work together to make a perfect little baby. The fact that God designed that tiny little life to grow inside the body of a mother was an pretty cool idea (okay, maybe not the very ending part!) I always think that this is probably the one time in my life where I feel like I am helping God out with His miracle! We had our 18 week ultrasound today and I was again blown away the miracle of life. We were able to see very clearly our new little baby moving around and kicking his/her arms and legs around. We could see the features of the face, the fingers and toes and all the parts of the spine. I still have a hard time believing that all that is inside me but there it was! What a gift! Here are a few of the pictures that they were able to print for us. You'll have to wait until December to meet the little person for real!
"For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14

They call this one the "alien face". I think it looks beautiful, but I'm a little biased!

An arm and a leg.

A good shot of one of the feet and toes!

Deception Pass

On Canada Day, we packed up our camping gear and headed south of the border to Deception Pass. Kevin's brother Randy and his wife Shelley had been camping there for a week and invited us to join them for a night. This was our first experience tenting with both kids and it worked out great. They were SO excited to finally get to sleep in their sleeping bags. We had a great time just spending time at the beach by the ocean, hanging out with Randy and Shelley and just being outdoors for a few days! Here are a few pictures of our little getaway: (I know there are lots of pictures but I just couldn't decide!)

Kid + water + rocks = hours and hours of entertainment! I don't think Kendra is going to be making any baseball team soon though. We might have to work on her throwing form!

The kids loved walking along the rocks and we posed for a picture on the top.
You can see the Deception Pass bridge in the distance. It is such a beautiful place with great views of the ocean, the rocks and just great big trees.
Enjoying some chips in their camping chairs. Happy Canada Day!

Later around the campfire, enjoying their first experience with roasting marshmallows! They got a little messy of course but that is all part of the fun!

We went for a walk along the beach after supper to watch the sun set. It was very beautiful and Kevin snapped some gorgeous sunset pictures.

Hopefully next year we can go back for a longer stay!