adison has been waiting for you to come and visit her. she was determined to get at least one of her two loose teeth out today.... her and her big sister worked and schemed together on the best way to get one out. they snacked on apples; yanked, wiggled and pulled. after about 20 minutes, they bore the fruit of their labour... one little, bloody tooth, two big smiles and a hole in the front of adi's mouth, just perfect for squirting water out of at her sister in the bathtub!
tonight we are celebrating bens first win of the hockey season... his team won 5-1 in the d final in the campbellford peewee tourney. ben had 3 assists and 2 goals and played really well. his team tried really hard and it showed. we were very proud of them.
yesterday ben brought home his tests from school for me to sign... and he had 2 A's and 1 A- in math, bellwork and spelling.... we are really proud of his work ethic and interest in school this year. he never hassles us about doing his homework and he eagerly works on projects and assignments. this is a big change from last year. his teacher even called home a couple of weeks ago to tell us that ben is considered a leader in the class and is very respectful. i love those kind of phone calls :) and this year he was part of the foxboro jr. boys soccer team that achieved a 2nd place finish at the county soccer tournament and he is currently on the foxboro jr. boys volleyball team.
we are seeing lots of "tweenager" characteristics coming out in ben lately... he is more concerned about what he wears and how he looks. he likes to style his hair and is currently growing it out... actually, his (girl) friend samm and her dad took ben out for breakfast last weekend and when they were finished eating the waitress asked ben and samm if "you girls are all done"... a little embarrassing when you are mistaken as a girl when you are out with your (girl) friend... but ben got a big chuckle out of it as expected (and so did samm)!
on the flip side... he is a little moodier than we are used to... he is liking his own space and wants a little more privacy at times, but he still likes to snuggle and cuddle with his mama when he feels like it! his social life is expanding and last night he went to his first ever movie with just his friends... no parents!!!! there were 4 boys and 3 girls. they went to see a christmas carol, but skipped out of the show early (with 15 minutes to go) and decided to walk around the mall for an hour before they got picked up.....!!!! i tried to get a pic of ben embarking on this monumental adventure (lol), but he would have nothing to do with it...his friend jonny got a kick out of it though, and ben was mortified that i was making a big deal out of it. get used to it ben, i am not letting you grow up on me that easily!!!!!
the last couple of weeks i had noticed that one of adisons front/bottom teeth was becoming quite crooked. nothing odd there, as i have crooked front/bottom teeth too. but then yesterday morning while i was at work, it hit me, that perhaps her tooth was loose? so when i went to pick her up from tara's, the first thing i did, was ask to feel her tooth. and it was loose! and i almost cried... litarally had to hold back tears! i exclaimed in excitement... adi... you have a loose tooth! i do?????? she felt it and couldn't believe it either. now it is all she talks about. when she came and snuggled into bed with me at 6 am this morning... she whispered in my ear, "mommy, i had a dream that my tooth fell out lastnight".
this is definitely a milestone for her and us... she is getting bigger, and our baby is growing up... just another reminder to embrace everyday and enjoy every minute. time goes by so fast!
well, for me anyways. it has been almost a month since i have accepted a position as a student supervision officer with the hastings and prince edward district school board. this was a dream come true for me and our family. since ben was born, i have only worked 2-3 days a week and had such a wonderful/flexible job that would allow me to be with the kids whenever they needed me, or when i needed them. ben is in grade 6, anna is in grade 3, and adi is in senior kindergarten... and i have never missed a school trip or special event (other when nanny jen or daddy wanted to go along).
it was always a dream of ours that once adi was in school full time, that i would get a job that would fit around the kids' school schedule. i always dreamed about working for the school board, but had already made up my mind that a bus driver would be a great and more easily achievable option. but, by the grace of God, i was blessed with this wonderful opportunity. my new job is at moira secondary school and requires me to work from 8 am-2:30 pm. my day is split into 5 periods... first period i am visiting with students in their classrooms to follow up on absences; 2nd period i relieve the librarian and i am loving every minute of my time in the library; 3rd period i am providing student supervision in the halls and the cafeteria and 4th and 5th period i spend in my office, following up with parents or the vice principal on matters of concern. i can`t believe how fast my day goes. i just love this new role and feel especially lucky to work with such a great team of staff and students.
though this change was very positive for me and my family, i must say that it does have it`s down side. unfortunately, i had to resign from my role as an employment specialist with northern lights canada. i feel immense gratutude to have had the opportunity to work with such a fabulous group of people for the last 10 years. i have learned so much from each and every one of my colleagues and also from my clients. i have said many times before... ``how much i loved my job and that i would volunteer and work for free if i could afford it``... and i meant it. not many people are as lucky as i am, to love what they do so much and i will be forever grateful for my time at nlc.
but as i learn and grow in my new job, i am beginning to feel as though, this is where i am supposed to be at this time in my life. it fits perfectly with our family and allows me afternoons, weekends, pa days, school holidays and summers with the kids. as a mom who has to work, but whose thoughts are always with her kids... this is the perfect fit!
catching up on the many things that have kept us so busy this month.... so busy that i couldn't even spare a few minutes to update here.
i was knee deep in organizing ben's stirling blues peewee tournament. so much fun for the kids and we raised over $1500 for each of our peewee teams.
i was also chairing our major fundraising campaign at foxboro school... our annual magazine campaign and as of thursday night we have already collected over $22 000 (yes, that is $22 000) for our school. we have awesome kids at foxboro...what can i say!
ben attended his first ever dance yesterday and he loved it. it was held in the school gym from 1:30-3:30. i stopped by to check up on him and i decided to share some of my dance moves with his friends. let's just say that ben was not too impressed that i showed his friends how to do "the sprinkler"...lol! (this picture is compliments of bens friend allie from facebook)
anna pearl began her indoor soccer season and she scored a goal in her first and only game so far. she still lives and breathes soccer and she (and we) are happy that soccer season is finally here again. she plays each sunday at 1pm, at the new indoor dome. another reason to love sundays! :)
i started a new job at the school board and i am loving it. i will be sure to post some more thoughts about this new adventure in the near future.
ben and i made a kite from scratch for his science project... and it flew, adison learned to do a headstand and you will often find her practising her new talent... on the floor, the couch, the bed and even in the van (no, not when we are driving). and anna pearl is as flexible as ever...what can i say... she is just like her mama... not!
but tonight i thought i would end off the month by posting some halloween pics....
carving pumpkins...
and halloween fun...
ben's friend jonny mcdonald and his mom brenda joined us again this year for some trick'r treating, along with the lightfoots and the bridge family. we also met up with the martins and recruited them for the journey along ashley street. it was a great night out... a little windy, a little cool, and the streets were lined with familiar faces. a great ending to a great month!
thanksgiving weekend re-cap...
saturday was spent at the macDonalds.... turkey dinner, family time, birthday celebrations (me and boo). so nice to have all of us together. little harper was so good, sleeping pretty much the whole afternoon. i made sure to get alot of snuggle time in with her!
on sunday, it was dinner at nan and dede's... uncle ron, aunt beth and cousins amanda and brayden joined us too... we really missed uncle shelley, aunt beth, julian and kelsey though! it just wasn't the same without ya's!
oh yes, and on sunday, someone just may have turned (ahem) 36ish!!!!!!!
monday was a lazy day.... well, as lazy as we get around here... a trip to the clinic with the girls, for the worst case of pink eye i have ever seen, followed by a trip to a local vegetable stand and a drive through the country side, with a stop at the cheese factory. later in the evening, matt and the kids went to the river to get some fishing in, while i took a much appreciated nap.
this thanksgiving we were thankful for so many things... our family, health, jobs, friends, our home, lovely weather, and the opportunity to be thankful! that, to me, is indeed something to be grateful for! oh, yes... and we are also thankful for orthodontic coverage.... verrrrrry thankful :)
when i think of ben turning 11 years old, i can't help but think of the kenney chesney song "don't blink"... "or you just might miss your babies growin'". it really is amazing to me that time has gone so fast. although he will always be my baby, he is really growing up.
physically, he is almost as tall as me and his feet are now bigger than mine. he needs to wear deodorant (it's not optional anymore...lol) and he is into having longer/cooler hair. he has also developed a small interest in fashion... aeropostale shirts/jeans and circus (aka: expensive) shoes. if only he would develop an interest in brushing his teeth, without me nagging him!
socially, he is busier than ever... we rarely have an entire day or evening when ben is home with us... he is usually roaming the neighbourhood with his buddies on their bikes, staying at a friends house, playing hockey or hanging in the backyard with some friends.
the thing i love most about my boy is that he still loves to cuddle and hang out with his mama when he gets a chance. he really is a great kid, who just needs a few reminders sometimes to keep his opinion to himself... but, ya know... the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!
the birthday started off with birthday wishes on the radio.... ben was not happy that i posted it on the radio... until he won a toppers pizza... then he was okay with it :)
adison and i surprised him with cupcakes for his class... i thought he would be totally embarrassed about this, being in grade 6 and all, but he, along with his classmates, were quite happy when we walked in with our arms full of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.
after school, aunt mimi, gigi, nan, dede and our family gathered for pizza and cupcakes! nan played a funny joke on ben... wrapping up a dollar store gun for him to open up. you should have seen the look on his face... can you say "fake smile". he was quite pleased when nan pulled out another gift, that contained the exact air guns that he wanted!
on thanksgiving we celebrated with the macdonalds... and he was so happy to get the ripstick that he so desperately wanted... now he just has to master it!
we haven't had time to host a birthday party with his friends, so lucky for him, he still has more birthday celebrations to look forward too. happy birthday boo... love you lots!
on sunday, while daddy and adison were at a birthday party, anna pearl, ben and i made a date with aunt liseanne, griffin and harper to meet at the apple orchard. they also brought along poppa bernie, melissa, suzanne, cameron and emily.
we picked apples, visited with the animals and enjoyed a haywagon ride. check out this adorable pic of the griz, with his main man cameron. such different personalities... same cuteness!
i thought it was cute that emily joined right in on the apple picking too!
before we left we were sure to grab up a couple of caramel and candy apples.... one of our favourite fall treats.
and what would a family outing be without at least one brother/sister squabble.... and i caught them right in the act..hahaha...
but we still managed to get a bag full of apples for some homemade apple crisp and apple sauce.
and one last fave of the day...
okay so maybe not a million dollars... but after a couple of trips to the orthodontist this week... it is definitely an expensive one in the making.
so far the orthodontist has ordered 5 teeth pulled, a spacer for ben's lower teeth and then braces... probably in the next year or two. lets hope the girls inherit their daddy's teeth!
for the past couple of years i have been trying to convince adi to play hockey, but she always insisted that she wanted to join competitve swimming.... until she watched her brother at hockey camp! on the last day of camp adi declared that she wanted to be a hockey girl... be still my heart. so on saturday morning, we dressed her in full gear and headed to the arena... and i don't know who was the most excited, adi, ben, anna pearl, daddy or me!?
ready, set...
go! she had no fear, no tears and she stayed on the ice for the entire hour. i am sure that it helped that her daddy was out with her (the big old softie..lol)
she was so excited that her blood sugar went from 17 down to 3.6 in a matter of minutes... so daddy did a quick blood sugar check...
... and adi got a treat for all of her hard work on the ice.
way to go adi foo foo... roll blues roll!
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