O Canada!

Days in Canada: 15
Hours spent in airports or airplanes: 32
Strangers who became friends with Luke in the airports and airplanes: 374
Rental cars: 4
Lost bags: 1
Retrieved bags: 1
Luke's average nap length (in minutes): 20
Relatives we visited: 27 (including Hailee, the family dog)
Relatives we miss: 27 (yes, we even miss Hailee)
Pictures taken: 452 (so let's get on with the show)


With an hour layover in Denver on our way to Winnipeg, we treated ourselves to frozen yogurt and even let Luke try it out. He got addicted.


Oh, how our little Luke loves books. Anytime, anywhere. Clifford, Giggles with Daddy, and Goodnight Moon were what got us through those hours and hours and hours of airport/airplane time. It is the only time he will stay still.


From Denver to Winnipeg, after a nice little screaming session, Lukey fell fast asleep. Mommy's arm cramped up and locked itself in that position. Nevertheless, he was asleep, so we were all happy...


Zzzzzz.


Arriving to Winnipeg, we were delightfully surprised with about a week of great weather. It got up to 24 degrees! (Celsius. Ha. Tricked all you U.S. folks.) Luke's coat stayed put in the closet most days. Can you guess which one is his?


Blob.


Plop.


"Look, Mom! No hands!"


Worried about something?


Sticks and stones may break my bones, but sticks and leaves are yummy!


Luke's panic face. Aaaaa!


Luke's sweet face. Awwww.


Enjoying the Winnipeg sunshine.


And enjoying the Winnipeg auntie.


Luke loved Hailee, the Jack Russell residing at 57 Santa Clara Crescent. Hailee assumed the role of Mom, following Luke around and acting like the protective Mama Bear. She glared at us whenever Luke would be in our arms crying. (Okay, fine, Hailee, YOU try to calm him down!)


Wrestling with Daddy, what fun!


Taking advantage of the great weather, we headed out to the nearby park with the whole gang of us. Tony and Mom bought a great jogging stroller for our time in Winnipeg...


...but someone else besides Luke wanted a free ride!


Enjoying the park with Grampa Tony.


Richie, get off that rope!!!


The gang of us at the park: Mandie, Richie, Bethany, Luke, Tony, Patti, and yes. Hailee. (Notice how Luke's name doesn't end correctly with that EEE sound?)


Two days after we arrived in Winnipeg, it was Bethany's 27th birthday. Richie had the whole day planned out, but Luke ruine... Um... Changed our plans. We drove out to a cool little farm town for breakfast, sat down, got the menus, swordfought with spoons, then realized that we had a major grump on our hands who needed to go home and sleep.


The birthday girl and her baby, before he completely lost it.


Waving a spoon wildly can only keep a baby happy for so long...


Birthday festivities continued in the evening, when Patti's sister Susan and her daughters came to help us celebrate. Here, her oldest daughter Holly (Richie's cousin, Luke's "first cousin once removed") holds the little guy, who was in pretty grumpy form that night. So much for good first impressions.


The girls at the birthday table.


More girls at the birthday table. (Tony and Luke being the exceptions, of course.) (Richie, outnumbered for a looooong time now, is very thankful for these males in his life.)


Aunt Susan's necklace, for some reason, was extremely fascinating to Luke. He thought if he pulled hard enough, it would come off. (The same tactic broke two of Bethany's bracelets while we were there. Fortunately, Aunt Susan's necklace remained intact.)


Finally to the age where the candles won't fit on the cake, Bethany noticed that the Armstrongs cheated and used a big 2 instead of putting twenty extra candles on the Dairy Queen ice cream cake. (The best cake in the world, by the way.)


The smoky aftermath.


The silly aftermath: Bethany's helium balloon tied to the dog?

A lot of pictures to catch up on, eh? Don't worry. We have lots more to add to the blog. Check back soon...