First Day of School Tears

Well, I did it!  I survived two first days of school this week and I'm proud to say that there were minimal tears.  I didn't let them see me cry.  :)

Mr. Man was ready for action on Monday and walked into the preschool like he owned the place.  He was happy to see some old friends and meet some new ones.  We were sad to learn that the most-loved teacher, Gil, has moved on to bigger things, but our big guy has already welcomed his new circle teacher, Faith, with open arms.  The teachers reported that he had a great day and they were so impressed at how well his speech is coming along.  He chats up a storm and loves telling stories. 

Papaya had to wait awhile to start school.  We met her teacher, Mrs. Lombardi, last Friday.  Papaya had to make a crown to wear on her first day and she received a "Kindergarten First Day Kit" filled with essentials for a successful first day and school year.  I already love the teacher!

Then after a long week, today was finally here.  We had walked down to her bus stop and met her bus driver, Marilyn, a few days earlier so she knew what to expect from the bus and was pretty excited to get to ride it to school.  We told her that her friend, Max, would be on the bus to help her if she needed him.  She informed me, in a very grown up way, that "I'll be fine, Mommy.  I can take care of myself."  When did she get to be so grown up?!

So off we went to the bus.  She got on and she didn't look back - which is a good thing because she would have seen me a little bit weepy.  :)

After dropping Sam off at preschool and watching him run off with his friends and not look back, I spent the morning wandering around, not quite sure what to do with my free time.  There's always lots to do, but I didn't feel like starting anything.  Instead, I put my feet up and had a cup of tea.  Another first to add to the list! I could get used to this!

Picked up Sam at 11:30 and rushed home to meet Maia off the bus.  She got off, happy and chattering away like a little squirrel, telling me about the new friends she had made and the fun things she did.  She wasn't sure she wanted to go back though, as she had to leave her new indoor shoes behind in her cubby and she didn't like that idea at all.  I convinced her that she would have to go back so that she could wear her shoes again.

It sounds like she had a lot of fun playing with the dollhouse and the playhouse and reading all the new books!  She also did some colouring and practiced printing her name.  Here is her first ever kindergarten art - so cute!

A good day was had by all.  Now we get to enjoy the weekend!  Seeing this awesome apple makes me think we should get out apple picking.  Pictures to follow.  :)

Love you all!

Here Comes the Sun!

Today was the day!  Recital day!  After weeks of practice and dress rehearsals on Wednesday, the class was ready for their big performance. 

After leaving our Divine Miss M in the dressing room, Chris and I took our seats in the audience and waited with butterflies in our tummies.  I was so nervous and excited for her! 

We sat through the first four numbers and when I heard the first chords to "Here Comes the Sun" and saw the girls take their first tentative steps onto the stage, tears came to my eyes.  They were so cute!

The routine seemed a little rough at first but after some initial confusion, they pulled it off!  They melted the hearts of everyone in the audience and received a big round of applause.

When I went back to get our little ballerina, I ran into her teacher, Miss L, who was flying high on adrenaline.  She was so proud of the girls and was gushing over how amazing they were.  Apparently the little ones often freeze on the stage, start waving to their parents and don't do a lot of dancing.  She called her girls "prodigies" and hopes that they all continue dancing and stay together as a group.  It was Miss L's last year of teaching dance and she was so happy that she had this group and that they worked so hard.  :) 

Hope you enjoy the video!

Papaya's Day Out

Happy Long Weekend Everyone!  Hope a good time was had by all.  :)

It's been awhile since I've posted to the blog - but today's pictures are too cute not to share!

Poor Papaya had a rough start to the weekend when she received her first mosquito bite of the season.  Our hopes that she'd outgrown her bad reaction to the bites were soon squashed when her foot swelled up to twice it's normal size, turned purple and she broke out in a fever.  She's been pretty miserable for most of the weekend but there have been some moments that have made her smile.

Today's trip to Pinto Valley Ranch was one of those moments.  Our friends Treena and Max treated Miss Papaya to a pony ride for her birthday!  We left it as surprise until this morning when she played a guessing game to see what adventure she was going on.  She was very excited to learn that she would be heading out for a ride on a real pony!  It's funny because when Treena asked her yesterday what she wanted for her birthday, she had replied "A pony!"  A ride is the next best thing!

Treena and Max picked us up at 9am and we hit the road, stopping at Tim Hortons for our road trip sustanance (Timbits, of course!).  We arrived at the ranch to be greeted by a bison, some llama, llama, llamas and a menagerie of other animals.

After choosing the ponies (Maia chose Peanut and Max choose Com - who happens to have a brother named Dot!), we filled out the obligatory waivers and off they went.  The girls leading the ponies did a wonderful job making the kids feel comfortable and I don't think they stopped smiling for the entire 1/2 hour.  They even set up a little obstacle course for them and had the ponies going around pylons and barrels and over little "jumps".  They even got to trot a little bit!

After the pony rides were over, we headed over in front of the barn where the owner allowed Maia and Max to feed a lamb a bottle, feed the pot bellied pigs, peacocks, etc and hold a chick.  It was a little animal party and the kids were thrilled.

We even had a little brush with fame when we ran into a local celebrity, Max Keeping, who did the CTV news here in Ottawa for ages.  He wished Maia a very happy birthday and she wished him a happy birthday back.  :)

Here are some pictures of the fun filled day.  Aunty Stevie - you would have been so proud!  We may have a little horsewoman on our hands. 

Moose the Clydesdale and Com the Pony - quite the size difference!

Little Peanut

Rudy the Lamb polished off his bottle in about 30 seconds!

The Animal Party!

We're Walking on Sunshine....!

Well, not so much today...or yesterday...but we're willing to overlook winter's rude refusal to just go already and are welcoming Spring with open arms here in the Nation's Capital!  No more snowsuits!  Weeeeeeeeee! 

It's been lots of fun getting outside and seeing our friends and neighbours again.  Everyone is out at the park, in their yards, and out on the sidewalks riding bikes, playing with sidewalk chalk, etc.  It's not the cleanest season but it is the most hopeful.  :)

Here are some pics of the kids having some Springtime fun.

St Patrick's Day Fishing in the Tub

Great cold day activity that kept them occupied for a whole 30 minutes!

Spring Break - still snow on the ground but the sun was shining so we were out enjoying it!

Annual outing to the Sugar Bush - pancakes, eggs, baked beans and pork in every form you can imagine....all topped with maple syrup!! 

Maple taffy in the snow

Like we didn't eat enough at breakfast?

Gearing up for a sugar high!

Are you fooling me?  This is where maple syrup comes from?

First sewing project - so cute!!

Of course fish eat spaghetti

First tricycle - can't quite reach the pedals but a wooden block or two will solve that!

Check out my new ride!  It has flames and goes super fast!

A little after breakfast workout

Loves the new bike!  Wants to ride it all the time - first ride was 2.5 km around Lac Leamy and not one complaint!

These boots were made for walking.  And look at that smile - that is our little man in a nutshell.

First Spring meal outside - food tastes so much better in the great outdoors

That's all folks!  Until next time....

We love you and miss you all.

xoxoxo

Waiting for Spring...

We are waiting for Spring...waiting and waiting and waiting.  Just when we think we've seen the last snowfall, we are hit with another one, bigger than the last. 

We can't wait to put on our rubber boots and get out to the park to run, play, collect sticks, rocks - whatever catches our fancy.  

Until then, we try to keep ourselves busy and have some fun.

Peek a boo! 

We built a snow fort in the backyard and after some design issues, we managed to put in some windows.

We can't play in the sand outside so let's play with Moon Sand inside!
Not one of my best ideas - especially for an admitted clean freak like me!  Oye!

Nutella (or Matella as it's become know around here) is so yummy!

Taking Elmo x 2 for a stroll

The picture of concentration.  Mr. Ants in his Pants was very determined to make himself a necklace.
He sat in one place and beaded for a good 20 minutes! 

Papaya was so excited to make her own necklace.

Check it out!  So proud!  He doesn't want to take it off.  :)

The finished product.  "I LOVE it!" she declared.

Ride 'em cowboy!

The dinosaurs that came to tea

Alakazoo, la magicado, la bippity boppidy boo!

This one is going in the keepsake box and pulled out at his wedding!

Perfectly perfect princess