busy busy days......with your friends the backyardigans.....

I know I'm not always the best at keeping up with my blog, I do try and I'd really like to write in it everyday, it hard to find things to write about sometimes and it's also hard to find the time to just sit and write. Ok I guess it's hard to get myself to sit and write, lol, it's not that I don't want to I'm just tired from other things. I will try and do better though, so to catch up....

The past few weeks have been pretty busy, T* started Senior Kindergarten as well as ballet, so we have that during the week. I also try and get to the library for new books to read, then because it is T*'s second year in school and she knows all the kids in her class (well most of them) from last year, the birthdays have begun! So far we have had one for the past 2 Saturdays, and another one this coming Saturday, and those are just the school birthdays! I also have to start thinking about friends who's kids have birthdays, and family birthdays as well. Then you add on that it's October you also have to think about Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas isn't that far away either. You would think they would try and space things out a bit better so that you didn't end up with it all packed into a few months.

T* has already decided what she wants to be for Halloween, and we have her costume, so that is one thing down. I'm starting on the Christmas lists, it's funny, I always say that I am going to start my Christmas shopping on boxing day and just get things whenever I see them so that I'm not rushing around, but it never happens that way.... maybe next year....... For birthday's there is only one more that we are invited to, so far anyways, the year is still young. Of course there will be pumpkin picking soon as well, then carving or colouring, roasting pumpkin seeds (mmmmm....pumpkin seeds....). Then I like to make play dates for the days T* isn't in school so that she has something to do (not everyday, I'm not that crazy). Of course there are the "special" days in school, just this past Friday was crazy hair and outfit day, sooo funny, T* had a blast with that, all kinds of colours, funky clips in her hair, it was great, then of course there was family pizza night at school so that parents could meet the new teacher, and in a few months there will be the Christmas Pageant. All in all the rest of this year looks like it's going to be really really busy. Is it just me or do you end up doing more the older your child gets??




This past Sunday was great though. A very good friend of mine (T* S*) called me last week to ask if T* still likes the Backyardigans. You see, my friend had 4 tickets to go see their live show and she needed to find someone to take them. Of course I said yes, I mean who would pass up tickets to take their daughter to go see her favorite show live??? So I called on my friend D* to see if she and her daughter wanted to go with us. It was great, the girls had a blast, their eyes were shining, mouths smiling, they kept telling us "they're real! not on a show but real!!' it was great. T* was singing along here and there, she knew what episode every song was from, it was too cute! T* is already talking about the next time we go see the Backyardigans, she also wants to see The Wiggles now. I would live to take her to more shows, the excitement on her face and the enjoyment she got form it were priceless! Because she's in ballet I'm actually thinking of taking T* to see The Nutcracker. I figure she is old enough to sit through it and because she loves dancing I'm sure she will enjoy seeing it performed, it might even move her to really and truly want to be a ballerina when she grows up, you never know!

So that has been my last few weeks, busy busy busy, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. We have a play date tomorrow and school Thursday......... oh well, as long as T* is happy!

The picture T* drew of Tasha.

My little ballerina

T* has been in various dance classes since around the age of 3. She has always really enjoyed it, she loves to dance! It's been really neat watching her come into her own with regards to her confidence in dancing and the way she has changed with listening to the teacher. When she first started dance she was all over the place, talking, not paying attention, not listening, sitting outside the room I would hear the teacher call T*'s name more than anything else almost, it was kind of funny in some ways, and horrifying in others (oh my god, my child does not know how to listen, and can't do as she's told!). Now though, she is completely different, she's become this perfect little girl, never talks when she's not suppose to, always does as she's asked, tries her best. It's great to see, school has helped in that department a lot, so have all the other programs that she has been in.
Today she started a new dance class, it's the same teacher she had last year but in a different studio. The class sizes are a little smaller and the teacher is great ( I think it helps that she has two little ones of her own). I'm looking forward to seeing how this 'term' goes. It will be a new experience this time as the teacher is really focused, she works with them to make sure that they understand everything and they are learning all the proper moves. T* has done ballet with her before but this time they actually have the mirrors and the bare to work with. It's really cute to see these little 4 and 5 year old's doing all these ballet moves. I am so happy that we are able to put T* in these kinds of things, especially when she really enjoys it, so far ballet and swimming are the only 2 things that she keeps going back to. It's grate to watch her grow in both of these things. Today was cute as well because we got all T*'s new ballet stuff, her leotard, her new ballet shoes, and her new skirt, we are just waiting on her tights and her new dance bag. As I said, this dance class is a little different. We need to have all the proper clothing this time, no going to the department store, luckily we got discounts by ordering through the teacher, that and the store she uses has pretty good prices anyways, it's also not that bad because T* can use everything but the shoes for a few years. I love watching her dance anyways so it's all totally worth it, the look on her face is priceless. I can't wait till the recital at the end of this term, it's going to be great!

Game day

I have been waiting for a while now for T* to be old enough for us to play board games. We had a few little kids games that we played a couple times but I wanted to get the better ones. Now that she is 5 I figured it was time. She can follow directions and count and such so it now makes it a lot easier. Today since she wasn't in school I thought we would make a trip to Walmart and see what we could find. I lucked out, we were able to get 3 new games to play, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Pop & Go (pretty much the same as Sorry but has Dora on it), and Candyland. I never actually had any of them as a kid but loved to play them at friends houses. The games went over great! Because it was raining out R* wasn't working so the 3 of us were able to sit down together and play all 3 games. It took around 1 and 1/2 hours, but it was a lot of fun. T* had a great time, she actually won 2 of the games, R* won the last 1, but it was a great time. I look forward to playing many more games and finding new ones that we can try out as T* gets older. There are so many different ones to try. I'd like to get Chutes and Ladders next( I even saw a 3D version!), then when she's a little older I'd like to get Pictureka, it looks like another fun one. It's nice now that T* is a little older and we can get into things more.

Fair Day

I love the fall fair, other than the fact that I end up spending a lot of money. It makes for a great afternoon. This year we were able to go as a family with some friends and their two kids. I met D* about two years ago when we had our daughters enrolled in the same soccer program, we were the only two mothers that only missed one class each and since the girls got along with each other and we got along as well we started getting together for play dates, two years later and we all know each other and get together whenever we can.

Now that T* is getting bigger she is able to go on more of the rides. She has always gone on the kids rides but this year she was able to go on some of the "adult" rides, she was tall enough for the little roller coaster, the bumper cars (though I had to do the driving for that one), and even the tilt-a-whirl. It's really neat to see her growing up and coming into her own more, she has always been the type to try all kinds of different things and show no fear, and that hasn't changed yet. I love watching her face light up as she goes on a ride, it seems like the faster the ride the more fun she has. I'm looking forward to the day that we can take her to Canada's Wonderland again and she is able to go on all the rides, we did go once a few years ago, kiddie land was the best for her, she went on every ride possible (though waiting was something she didn't do to well). I love going to the fairs more though because they are a lot closer and not as much of a full day trip as Canada's Wonderland. I like checking out all the different stands they have and watching all the little kids run around. I love that they have games just for the kids, that way T* can play them on her own, it's more exciting when she wins a prize all by herself. Each time I have taken her to the Fall Fair we have found at least one 'carney' who is just really really nice. Two years ago the one 'carney' helped T* a gold fish, you should have seen her face, she was sooo excited. This year the 'carney' at the 'fishing pond' let T*, and my friends kids all play for the price of one and gave them all 2 toys each. It's so nice to find people like that, who seem to care more about the kids having fun than with how much money they can make. It's nice to know there are people out there who are still like that. After the fair we went back to D* and C*'s for a BBQ, all in all it was a great day, lots of fun. It's always great to be able to get kids together for a play date when you get along with their parents, it's like a giant play date for everyone!!

We put the FUN back in dysfunctional

Yesterday my oldest brother (I have two and they are both older) turned 35 (Happy birthday), so a bunch of us got together today to throw him a party. It was nice and relaxing, calm with a lot of laughs. It's strange to see us all getting older and having kids (each of us has a daughter funny enough), I mean we still fight like siblings whenever we are together, we all want to be right and no one wants to concede their point, we still make fun of each other and joke around, we can throw out insults just like we did as kids, but no matter what we are always there for each other. I can always count on them when I need someone and we do get along really well despite the fact that we push each others buttons whenever we can. We have kind of always been that way, we had a rather odd upbringing. Our parents started out as hippies, living in the bush in a tent (I've always like to say that I was born into civilization because I was born in a house with a real doctor), then moved on to an off the wall religion, I remember living in an old school bus around the time I was 1, we lived in a 500 sq ft house for a number of years, that was fun with 5 people. Like I said it was a bit of an odd upbringing. My parents religion taught that everyone has to make their own choices in life, but I think they kind of forgot that part as each of us decided to go out on our own and leave the religion. As a result of that none of us have much to do with our parents. We are at the point now though that we can look back and laugh at it all, we can see the funny side to growing up that way and bond over it. We also have all our aunts and uncles (our mom's side, we never really knew our dad's side) and together we all make up a funny and dysfunctional bunch. We try and get together a few times a year (kids birthdays, Christmas, etc...) and we make up a fun filled group. As odd ball as we might be there are always a lot of laughs when we get together, our aunts and uncles argue and tease each other just as much as my brothers and I do, we a crack jokes about everyone else, I honestly can't remember a family get together where we didn't laugh most of the time. It's always funny the first few times someone brings a new girl/boy friend to a family function, we get a few weird looks until they get used to how we interact with each other. We may not be perfect but we are family, we all love and support each other, we all get along. I guess that's what a family is all about when it really comes down to it, being there no matter what and enjoying the time we spend together! I love you all!