Christmas concerts

Kyla has been apart of two Christmas concerts this year. The first was at Church with our Thursday morning group of kids korner. They were so cute. With two of her closest friends beside her...a girl friend from school in red and Sam hugging her!





The 2ND was a School. There were so many preschoolers. All so cute. Kyla in her new Christmas dress, was proud as punch to sing her two songs and say her poem. She was great at preforming in front of all those people.

1st Christmas

We have a daughter that seems to think she is a hobbit(Lord of the Rings series)...She has first breakfast and second breakfast...she has 11ees and 1st and 2ND lunch...Some times that is an exaggeration but often that is honestly how our little skinny girl eats. Why am I telling you this...our family has also started a Christmas tradition the last few years and have a 1st Christmas, 2ND Christmas and sometimes a 3rd Christmas. It sounds a bit crazy but we love when family comes to visit early in December. We would much rather family come and celebrate early with them then not at all. That is exactly what happened again this year. Mom came from Wpg early this year and we had our 1st Christmas.


We planned on having Turkey Dinner with Grandma while she was here and invited Gramma and Grandpa to join us.

Grandma and Mark wanted to decorate our table for Turkey Dinner and I didn't have any napkin holders....what would most people do? Go without. What would two greatly creative people do? Make napkin holders just an hour before the guests arrived. They turned out great and even more, Mark was so proud of his first time using the hot glue gun on his own (with supervision!)

Great job both of you...it make the table look great!

Tea Party

Kyla decided she needed a girl party. A "just because" party. She invited some of her friends and 2ND cousins. Each girl was asked to bring one of their dolls. The girls had real tea at their tea party and the dolls all sat around their own table.
After the party some of the girls dressed up as princesses and played puppets.






What a fun party "JUST BECAUSE". They're girls, what other reason do they need?

Skip-Bo

I grew up playing this game and honestly it's been years since I played it.

Some girl friends brought the game to the recent women's retreat and I can't even tell you how many times we played...quite a few to say the least...

Our kids both can play which makes games more interesting when adults and kids can both enjoy the same game.

The crazy thing is that there are so many of us girls into this game right now that we've already planned a Skip-Bo tournament in the new year.

Halloween

Although neither of us were raised to participate in this holiday we both feel pumpkin carving is Innocent enough.
We allow our kids to dress up as long as it's not scary. Actually it was animals only for the first few years or something they want to be when they grow up. More recently allowing a few characters like Batman or Spider man. Mark's answer to the "What do you want to be when you grow up" question, remains to be "A DAD" and he didn't want to dress up like that.

We have taken them to a church carnival idea for the last few years and hit a few houses on our way home. This reminds me of what we did a number of times as kids. We often did not trick or treat as kids but attended a function that we got candy at.
Why fill our kids with candy they don't need?
Why participate in a holiday that endorses evil?

Thanksgiving in Ontario

NIAGARA FALLS!!

The biggest surprise of all was a great experience of fun at the hotel! Hours of laughing, running stairs and splashing with the kids, and catching moments in the hot tub!

went to see Mikaela at work...thanks Auntie Mikaela

The kids sure loved the animals around...but did the animals love the kids???

Dad took Ray, Mark and I for a walk. These crevasse were amazing!

This cat supposedly doesn't like males but ray got it to come and cuddle by the end of the weekend...a true cat lover!

after thanksgiving dinner, grandpa and mark compared roars!

Only a true server can carry three pies...the competition was on to see which pumpkin pie was better...good think Mikaela's work place won!

This year we wanted to spend time with my Dad and family. We really hadn't spend very much time with Jessica and Mikaela in the last three years so it was definitely time, and time to come to Dad and Carolyn's home instead of them coming our way!

Each week we are on skype with Dad and Carolyn but it doesn't compare to the time spent in person.

playing with Gramma and Grandpa

Every day life often does not get recorded. We have been to Gramma and Grandpa's house a dozen times a year and the only time the camera comes out is for holidays or birthdays. Ok I am refering to my own camera. Gramma's camera is out a lot more often thank goodness. We love to see those snap shots!!

I just wanted to record a few of the favorite things that happen for my kids at Gramma and Grandpa's house.

Our kids come in, give Gramma and Grandpa a hug and run downstairs. If Grandpa isn't at the door Mark goes off looking for him.

For Mark, Lego is the toy of choice. Ping Pong, Cars and games will come close behind. Mark can spend hours building, especially if Grandpa is playing with him.

For Kyla her choice is the doll house. Hand built by Grandpa years ago it has been played with by all the grandkids. Kyla's next choice would be creating with Gramma. Making cards, drawing and sorting buttons.

Thanks Gramma and Grandpa!

Happy Grandparents Day!!

First day of school

First day of preschool

I remember all these toys!

"Kyla's only play with Sam's and Sam's only play with Kyla's"...good thing the teacher will change that!!

First day of school

Now do I look like a real Grade one kid?

Look at all my school supplies!