April 2nd, 2009

Maclin celebrated his 1st birthday this month. His parents, Haley and Liam threw a great party for him.

It was awesome to see everyone and spend more time with all the kids.

Last weekend, Nicole, Jacqueline, Elliot and I drove up to Surrey BC to help Ross install the hardwood floors upstairs. Ross and I worked for two days and got about 600 square feet of traditional tongue and groove hardwood in. It was great to learn this, because we'll be doing these floors later for our own house.

In other news, we're getting ready to do some major yard work. We're having 50 yards of topsoil and 15 tons of rock delivered in the second weekend of April.

Then I'll be using a Skidsteer Bobcat to move the dirt, and a mini-excavator to pull out the ugly shrubs and place the rocks to built up our retaining wall 24 inches.

The plan is to level the backyard by in filling, then build a really good fence using "ipe" wood.

-Rob and Nicole

Maclin enjoys a story from Hawk, while Cora listens in.

"Sing us a song Mr. Piano Man! Sing us a song toniiiiiiiight!"

Charlie does her best Elton John impression, later admitting that without the oversized pink windshield-wiper glasses and sweaty white bell bottoms, the whole thing is a bit challenging to pull off.

Amelie isn't sure who Elton John is, but she rocks the piano anyway.

Mac gets a big yellow truck to play on!

Happy 1st birthday Maclin!!

Paisley and Amelie share some of the cake.

The next weekend, Rob cuts hardwood floor pieces for Ross.

Elliot gets to practice his hammering skills... which will come in handy a few years from now.

"Wow, you mean I can draw right on the floor?"

Elliot paints another piece de triumph.

He really concentrates when he draws and paints. We love watching him at these moments, because he's so absorbed and doesn't know we're watching him.

Nicole, Jacqueline, and Elliot spend some quality bubble-blowing time on the back patio Sunday.

Mac uses his thousand-yard stare to penetrate the wrapping paper of his next gift.

Haley and her Maclin having some tickle-time on the couch.

"Yo dad, touch this glass and it's basically 'poop everywhere'... so yeah, back away... back away slowly."

The ladies inspect Charlie's card

Elliot troubleshoots the crazy remote-controlled flippy car with the soft tires...that seems to go a bit too fast and, well, crazy.

"Pappa, you can have a small bite... actually eat this handful!"

"Wow I can eat a lot of cake!"

Morgan turns the charm dial up to 11 with his rubber-face smile.

Ross operates the flooring nail gun. It was very loud, but saves us several hours of painstaking nail-hammering.

"Ok, did you get a good picture that time? What was that, like 22 attempts? Can I have some freakin' breakfast now?"

Caught this one of him using the "hang down" method. You hold the camera down near the ground and aim it by basically guessing if the subject is in the frame. After being humbled recently to the point of humiliation watching the Annie Leibowitz documentary, I've been trying to break away from the standard "composed" look to my shots. This is one attempt -by having the camera away from my eye I can't compose the shot and have to go with my instincts. I think it kinda worked. I'll keep working at it.

Elliot dips his "Super Bubble" wand into the bubble bucket.

He's in heaven, as the bubbles stream from his wand.