The Livingstone Family: September!

September started with the Livingstone Family Reunion at Sheerness (Prairie Oasis Campground) organized by Steve and Leanne. We did not have the best weather, but the rain held off! So we bundled up in the cold, but enjoyed a fabulous time. There were all kinds of tournaments happening. Sock toss, koob (this new game with the sticks and a king piece in the middle), bocce, ladder ball, basketball and volleyball and guessing the amount of candy in a jar. It was organized so well. THere was a large poster with the matches set up. You could find the partner you had to play anytime and just go play. So it was just steady playing, not everyone around to watch because that would take forever! And then you'd go put who won and they advanced to play the winner of the group under them on the poster. So genius! The koob was played by families. We played Kevin/Tamara's family and almost won....but then we lost. The pictures are all out of order thanks to annoying blogger.

playing Koob

Teams for volleyball and basketball were set up on your own, but we tried to add little kids to teams with adults. Even with this crazy competitive family, everyone was a good sport to play with all the levels.

My favourite part by far was the super giant BIRTHDAY PARTY! Everyone had to bring a present. Everyone got hats and leis, we had cake and we played the dice white elephant game. If you roll doubles you get to trade with someone. Theres a time limit and when the timer goes, what you have is what you get! We had a game for the kids and one for adults.

Lots of winners guessing the numbers. I do not have that skill!! HAHA

These two tied.

Funny us girls are all in red pants!

Brian's present from the birthday party - golf BBQ tongs

The outdoor movie watching Indiana Jones

It was too scary for Lexi, so she watched a movie in the trailer

We played hours and hours of 9 square! Fun for all ages!! This is the best game for a big group!

more koob games.

It was a fabulous weekend. Well done Steve & Leanne!

Normally I don't go to Brian's Denturist Convention and he has a good group of friends he always hangs out with and they all bring their wives. It just doesn't seem to work out for me to go so early in September and get someone to watch the kids. One year I brought the kids but the weather was Awful, so I didn't plan to take them. Well, I decided to SURPRISE Brian on Friday. I asked Jordana to have the girls after school and for a sleepover. She is such a great friend and happily agreed! In the morning, when the kids went to school I drove to Canmore and waited in the lobby until he walked by and saw me! It was so fun to surprise him! and he was shocked and very happy I was there! Most of his friends had never met me and were convinced I didn't exist. They teased Brian he didn't really have a wife since in 9 years they had never met me! And he's been going to convention for over 5 years and I had never been. It was hilarious to meet them and get a little teased that I do exist! They didn't believe Brian at first when he was introducing me. That I was just a random girl he asked to pretend to be his wife. When he dipped and kissed me, they believed him! It was so funny.

Friday night the convention had a casino night planned. We got an extra ticket for me and had a great dinner then had TONS of fun playing blackjack and craps with $100,000 in Monopoly money each. So much fun laughing and playing with Brian's great group of friends.

Before we left Saturday afternoon, Brian and I went for lunch and a walk in Canmore.

I love this picture. Lexi misses us so much when one of us go away. Brian was gone from Tuesday to Saturday and she really missed him! She was just sitting on his lap telling him something and I don't think she even realized she was stroking his face! It was funny and cute.

Also, in September (right after the family reunion) was the first day of school!! This year was a breeze. There were no nerves or jitters because they both had a repeat teacher, they know who is in their class and no new schools. Easy peasy! Grade 6 & 3!

This picture makes me laugh!! Brian carried Lexi into school like a baby!

One saturday in September, we planned to go to Edmonton for Hodder family pictures. Well they got cancelled since we were getting so much SNOW!!! But we decided to go up anyway to see my family and take the girls to the Waterpark on Friday (they had no school).

When we got to my parents house on Thursday night I was looking up the hours to the waterpark and saw it was CLOSED for renovations!!! Bah!

We had a super fun time with my parents on Friday instead, Brian and Dad went to Cabbela's and came back and made us a delicious lunch with their new purchase (a deep fryer), we saw the movie 'Christopher Robin', went for dinner at West Ed, and shopped for makeup with my mom and got a treat. It was a great day. Its not very often we get Nana and Papa to ourselves!!