The Longest day of the year...

Well maybe not technically but at my house, for my kids,  Christmas Eve definitely feels like the longest day.  First thing this morning they were up tracking Santa with NORAD.  Troy has already cried about wanting to open presents right now (and it's only 9am).  I need to set up some seriously entertaining play dates for these kids asap!  Iain was smart going to work today. 

I'm actually probably just as excited as the kids are for the Christmas festivities to get started though.  Tonight we are heading to my brother and sister in laws house for some chinese food and Christmas drinks.  From there we bring the kids home and get them to bed then we have a wrapping party in our basement with my other brother.  We drink more wine, wrap the kids presents and watch National Lampoon's Christmas and A Christmas Carol-the original black and white version.  Not my first choice in movies but it has become a tradition that I still look forward to every year. 

So excited to see snow they raced out with their snowsuits on.

Troy's skating class had a very special visitor this week.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas Eve and a magical Christmas Day!

It's DECEMBER?!?

I have no idea where this past year has gone.  It's honestly scary how quickly time passes now. Even on lazy Sundays like this past one, when we don't leave our house we can look at the clock and somehow hours have passed without us realizing it.  Sunday we got our tree up and decorated while we watched movie after movie in the background.  A very relaxing day to say the least.  I have a feeling it will be our last for the next month though looking ahead at our calendar for December.   

All that's missing now are the presents.  I really better get on that... 

November is a blur to us now but here are a few highlights...  

I snapped this picture outside my parents house - a very rare sight for us.  

Troy spent an evening at build-a-bear with my mom and came home with this little Monkey he called "Rockstar". 

Ty won MVP at his first hockey tournament of the season.  

It has been a busy month for Troy- last week he passed his level in swim lessons.  I'm giving him the winter off from the pool but in turn have signed him up for skating lessons to fill the time gap. (I have a problem with allowing free time to happen... something I need to work on in the new year)This past Friday he entertained us at his school concert so enthusiastically singing and dancing up on the stage.  He is such a little ham.  Also this past month I got all my baking done - way ahead of schedule and given Iain and I are still not eating wheat therefore not eating any of my baking,  it may actually last all month so I can bring it to Christmas get togethers and share it with family and friends. I got all my Christmas cards mailed out!  So happy to be ahead of schedule with that :)Iain and I were finally able to book a night to meet with my brother downtown and enjoy a DELICIOUS meal at Lee  OMG yum!  Highly recommend it - and they even had a seperate wheat free menu.  We're so lucky eating wheat free is so trendy right now.  


Coming up in December...
Vanessa has her first recital of the year for her hip hop, jazz & acro classes
We are taking the kids to Iain's work Christmas party 
More hockey with the boys
But most importantly I HAVE to get on that Christmas shopping!  I really only have 2 weeks before the kids are home so I really really must do it.  I HATE shopping! :(

In the meantime I'm heading out for lunch with my friend Sheryl today and my friend Nicole tomorrow - Loving my life right now.  So nice to have great friends and time to spend with them :)  It really has been another great year so far - one more month to go then I am ready to make 2013 even better! 

Fall Fun!

We have really been enjoying this beautiful fall.  (my favourite time of year as I've mentioned many times)  I celebrated my birthday with a nice quiet dinner with Iain at one of my favourite restaurants.  Thanksgiving we had a delicious turkey dinner at my parents house with my brothers,  my sister in law and nephews. The kids always have a great time together.  

 Iain and I particularly enjoyed this meal because earlier that week we had both decided that we were going to jump on the "Wheat Belly" band wagon.  I've been reading the book out loud to him - parts of interest anyway and we stocked up on our wheat free groceries and jumped in head first the day after Thanksgiving.  It has been 19 days so far and I have to say it's really not as hard as we anticipated. Neither of us feels it has really benefited us in any way so far but I will say I don't often find myself feeling hungry or craving foods at all anymore.  On the plus side I have been trying and discovering sooo many new delicious wheat free recipes. Coconut & Macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi,  Moussaka, Zucchini Lasagna, Almond Parmesan Chicken, Roasted Cauliflower soup... and fortunately for Iain Franks Red Hot is wheat free so he's able to enjoy every meal I attempt.  :)  

Last weekend we decided to play hookie from the boys hockey and head up to the cottage for the weekend.  It was supposed to be a "Muskie fishing weekend" but it turned into the weekend not a single fish was caught.  We still had a great time raking leaves, playing cards, I finished my book while Iain took each of the kids out on the boat and we even snuck in a quick campfire for the kids to cook hotdogs and marshmallows.      

We were hoping for a nice weekend to do our annual trip to the pumpkin patch but unfortunately the weather is not co operating for us so Iain finally gave up and resorted to the grocery store pumpkins. The kids are so excited for Halloween this year.  The house is all decorated and the kids have their costumes ready to go.  The countdown in on...3 more sleeps.  Hopefully Iain and I can stick to our wheat free diets.  This is one holiday that could be a real challenge for us.  Come to think of it I better start looking up some wheat free christmas baking to do soon... Although, I think I'd like to enjoy one holiday season at a time for now and I am definitely enjoying this Fall.  

Settling into the new fall routine

We are a few weeks into the school year now and the kids fall activities have all begun.  Not having rep hockey to contend with this year I fully expected the fall to be pretty relaxing bordering on boring but I have to say that is not the case at all.  I seem to have filled the time gaps that Ty's hockey took up last year.  I realize it's a bit of a problem I have - I can't seem to leave a free night free.  When I see a blank space on our monthly calendar I immediately begin to think of activities the kids could be doing to fill that time. So here is our fall schedule...

Sunday - Ty and Troy hockey

Monday- Vanessa horseback lessons, Troy swim lessons

Tuesday- Vanessa acro and Hip hop, Ty Judo

Wednesday- Ty hockey development

Thursday - Vanessa gymnastics, Ty Judo

Friday - FREE NIGHT (although I've been taking the kids public skating after school)

Saturday- Ty and Troy hockey

The difference between last fall and this fall is that this year our schedule is totally predictable.  What you see is what you get.  It is much easier to make plans with a schedule like this for example this weekend after the boys had hockey we were able to take the kids to see a movie (ParaNorman was a great little movie btw).  Also the kids were invited to 3 birthday parties this weekend and were able to attend all 3!  That did not happen often last year.

Troy and his best friend Adam are on the same team this year - this reminds me so much of when Ty and Adams older brother Ryan were on the same team at this age.  :) 

Ty was thrilled to start Judo this summer and was so proud when he earned his first stripe.

Vanessa is loving gymnastics - especially the shiny outfits she gets to wear.  She is already talking about competitive gymnastics...maybe next year.   

 The boys love picking Vanessa up from horseback riding lessons...

And here are my 3 little monkeys on their way to school one morning.  

This predictable fall/winter schedule will definitely take some getting used to but I'm hoping we can make the most of it. In the meantime the kids are enjoying a free Sunday evening outside.  

A few summer moments before heading back to school...

Its that time of year again... :)  I do love the fall, love that the kids start school and their new activities, love that the air smells crisp and fresh, love pulling out the fall clothes, shoes and boots,  love getting back to the arena to watch all my boys play hockey. Love apple picking, trips to the pumpkin patch, Halloween, not to mention my birthday... so much to look forward to.  

To wrap up the summer we were pretty busy with trips to the cottage, a wedding, trip to the African Lions safari, St. Jacobs... Here is a quick look at the rest of our summer.  It was a good one and went by very quickly but I always welcome the fall with open arms.   

Our annual August long weekend at the cottage

 Having fun at Dave & Lisa's Mexican themed wedding

 The kids had a blast with their grandparents, cousins & family friends back at the cottage mid August

 A Labour day weekend trip to the beautiful St. Jacobs 

 As always, Iain walks the kids to school for their first day.  

My Cottage baby 5 years later...

It took 3 months but we got thru all the birthdays this summer. (Vanessa-June, Ty-July and Troy-August) We celebrated Troy's 5th birthday and this year we FINALLY let him have a birthday party with his own friends and everything. His first real party- how sad is that? :(   He was so excited to have all the kids he considers to be his best friends together for a night to celebrate with him.  

Although Troy is still very much the "baby" of the group - no thanks to me I'm sure - this past year we have seen him become much more independent.  He always prefers to do things on his own but becomes very frustrated if he can't quite manage. He has a bad temper and will snap without warning.  I find myself walking on eggshells somedays just to keep him calm so we can get moving in the morning without him throwing a fit.  He has had a busy year attending the Montessori school 4 days a week, playing hockey on the weekends and skating lessons twice a week (yes he was on the ice 4 days a week...) He played lacrosse this past spring and has been enjoying various summer camps including a hockey camp and a gymnastics camp.  His sense of humour still cracks us up and his memory for song lyrics surprises us all the time - we have to be very careful with what we choose to listen to as he will repeat EVERY lyric he hears.  

People are still shocked by his blond hair and blue eyes when we are all together and comments about who his real father are get thrown out to us regularly.  Although their colouring is so opposite Ty and Troy are very similar though in their mannerisms and facial expressions.  Troy gets along really well with Vanessa - the two will play together for hours with no conflict. 

When he is a happy boy playing with his friends with everything going his way he is an absolute delight (who wouldn't be though?) lol! Fortunately we are finding he is happy a lot more of the time and we're hoping this will continue as he matures.   

 

 Troy  being silly with Adam - his BFF since he was 1 year old

  Troy and his best school friend Parsa - reunited at Troy's party after not seeing each other all summer.

In September Troy will go back to the Montessori school for one more year.  He is registered for more hockey, of course,  and I'm hoping to find time to add swim lessons again to his schedule.  He has become quite the little fish this summer and I would like for him to continue to progress with that.

I am accused regularly of letting this little man get away with too much and I suppose that might be true but in return he always comes running to me, he trusts me to be on his side - which I'm sure was subconsciously my plan given he is my baby.  I will cut the strings eventually, he's only 5 though and I intend to enjoy every last moment of this little guys childhood.  

Tyski is 9!!

I'm just a little behind since Ty actually turned 9 years old back on July 27th - but better late then never.  It has been quite a year for Ty.  He has been as busy as ever and still does everything with a smile.  This past school year he was awarded a "leadership" award which both surprised us -given his easygoing nature,  and made us very proud.  He had a very successful school year landing him his first A+ in Math :)     This past May he was dealt a pretty big blow when he was not only cut from his hockey team but then proceeded to get cut 2 more times from teams below that and finally ending up with the option to play house league next year.  I have to say that has probably been the hardest thing I've ever gone thru with him... watching your child's heart and confidence break repeatedly and not being able to do anything to stop it is not easy but it wasn't long before Ty shook it off and was back to himself again - all smiles and positivity.  He is an amazing kid that brings such happiness, fun and entertainment to our lives. He has us laughing and smiling daily. We are so lucky to have spent the last 9 years watching him grow and I can not wait to see what the future brings for this sweet boy. 

Our annual trip... Boston this year

Coming right off of our big trip to Scotland/London I can't say I was really looking forward to going away again quite so soon but every year my brother offers to take my kids for the July 1st long weekend so that Iain and I can plan a getaway on our own.  This year we decided on Boston...  it was a very relaxing trip of sightseeing, eating delicious seafood and bar hopping...  We even got a little shopping in on our last day.  Another check off of Iain's bucket list.  :)

 Enjoy the scenery on a bus tour of the city on our first day.  

 Touring Fenway Park

Enjoying a spectacular view of the city while eating dinner at "Top of the Hub"

Quincy Market- we hit every bar and pub in this area- our favourite night time hang out spot 

 Sitting on a patio - Boston at night

 Touring Harvard - we decided that if Vanessa ever decides she'd like to take a year off to "find herself" we'll allow it,  but only if she moves to Boston to hang out at MIT and Harvard for the year. ;)

 Dinner at Clink - a former prison and very nice restaurant.  Yum!!

Downstairs from the Clink was a very cool bar - Alibi

 Shopping on Newbury Street the last day...Iain did very well. :)

  One last drink before heading home to detox... 

If ever the song "Home for a rest" applied, it is now.  I'm quite happy to be home for a rest but very thankful to have gotten the chance to check out what Boston has to offer.  :)