Meeting New Friends and First Swim of the Season

A couple of months ago a local TV morning show (Breakfast Television) offered opportunities to win trips to Walt Disney World.  You have to know Hannah and I were all over that and sent in our picture within minutes of the contest being announced!  We didn’t win but someone who works in the same building as me did win and through the friend of a friend of a friend, we were introduced. 
Check out this adorable picture they created and submitted.  It’s easy to see why they were selected!!

As Tammy began to prepare for her trip (a Disney newbie!) we emailed questions and answers to one another and quickly realized we should meet in person as we could accomplish much more in a short amount of time.  Well, emails and 1 lunch turned into more lunches, walks around the block at break and a wonderful friendship was born!  As we planned her trip we discussed our kids and quickly realized if we got them together we were sure they’d hit it off just as the moms had!
They went on their amazing trip of a lifetime in mid-April and Hannah and I were glued to the TV each morning to catch glimpses of them.  We saw them!  Cheered!  Took pictures and sent them immediately.  Modern technology can be such fun!

Needless to say they fell in love with Disney too and cannot wait to go back! 
When they returned home Tammy and I got together to discuss their trip and see pictures.  It was neat to hear about their trip!  We have continued to get together and it’s neat to realize that her winning a trip to Disney with BT meant a new friendship for the 2 of us.
Fast forward to last night when we finally got our kids together for the first time.  The kids had heard about one another but not met in person.  Tammy invited us over for a swim.  Hannah thought she was going to baton but you should have heard her scream when she found out it was cancelled and we were going to Gage and Payton’s for a swim instead!  Wish I’d have the video camera running then.
As we hoped, the kids hit it off immediately and were quickly ready for a swim.  First jump!

Adorable Gage

Sweet Payton

Hannah started off with 2 water wings as the pool is about 5’ deep and she hadn’t been swimming since last summer other than the wading pool on the cruise in Feb so I wanted to err on the side of caution.  Thankfully she was totally on board with this.

Then one came off when she jumped in one time so she swam with one.

I quickly realized her swimming was secure so I asked if she wanted to try swimming without them and my girl shone!  I couldn’t believe how calm and confident she was in the water and that she was truly swimming!!
Tammy and I are both so thankful for our new friendship and now the one that our kids share too.  I see more fun evenings together this summer!

First Filling

Our dentist Dr. Tim (a family friend from church) has been keeping an eye on one of Hannah’s teeth for the past couple of years as she had a little hole in the top of it up near the gum line and over time that hole began to get bigger and easily trapped food.

Since it is a tooth that she will have for a few years yet we decided to fill it.

I will say that Hannah has beautiful teeth which is evidence of how well her birth mother cared for herself while she was carrying Hannah.  I will forever be grateful to God for this dear woman who carried my daughter for the first 9 months of her life. 

Hannah enjoys going to the dentist so on Tim’s advice I didn’t make a big issue out of this and didn’t talk about it too much.  When we got there she showed him a bird’s nest she was taking to school for Show ‘n Share and then settled in for a little chat.  LOL – Pretty comfy I’d say!

The entire appointment was only about 10 mins in length and she was awesome from start to finish.

All done and looking fine!

Way to go Hannah!! 

Long Weekend…Family…Beautiful Weather….Perfect!!

This weekend was our annual ‘May 24th’ weekend which always makes me laugh as the 24th never falls on the holiday weekend!  Oh well, we’re thankful to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Birthday whenever they want to give us a long weekend!

Friday evening Hannah and I chilled together packing and preparing to head north to Nana and Papa’s trailer on Saturday.  We arrived shortly after noon, enjoyed lunch together and then we helped a bit with the opening of the trailer for the season.

Papa freaked all of us out a little bit as he unhooked the awning.

After helping out there was lots of time for relaxing

and cuddles.  Nana gave Hannah a reader that she was given by her daddy when she was just 5yo and Hannah loves it!  Much of it was read to her over the weekend.

We ran into town to pick up a few groceries and new indoor shoes for Hannah.  My kiddo has always loved balls and this time she climbed right in!

As we were leaving town Hannah ‘innocently’ asked ‘Are we near the candy store?’ 

‘Why yes we are!  Would you like to stop?’

‘Oh, that would be nice!’  LOL – She had a plan and mission accomplished!!  We love this old fashioned candy store and it’s a regular stop most times we go in to town.  Next visit I promise will include ice cream!!

Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day!!  We took the golf cart for it’s inaugural ride of the season as we rode it to chapel. 

After lunch Hannah and I headed to the ‘ship park’ to enjoy some fun in the sun.  There was a group of teens up at the camp for the weekend and they invited Hannah to play ‘Grounders’ with them on the ship and she had a blast!

They really were the sweetest kids and were so kind to Hannah.  A few tried to climb this rope then Hannah took hold and up she went…and they all cheered for her!

I think she surprised a couple of them when she decided to flip upside down on the rope.

After we left she said, ‘Mommy, it’s neat that those kids were born in China just like me!’  Even though the ones I spoke with were born here in Canada, their parents had been born in China and it was neat for her to have this time with these kids!

The walk back up to the trailer included a stop at the little store.  A freezie was the perfect treat on this beautiful day!

Wanting to squeeze as much out of our first camping experience of the year  we jumped at the chance to join Japhia, John and their family for Smores around their fire!

Why only eat a smore when you can wear it as well?

Thank you Nana and Papa for inviting us to share this weekend with you!

On our drive home today we stopped at a local country store to pick up a few groceries since all the grocery stores were closed for the holiday.  The dandelions are in full bloom and what Mommy can resist watching her little one enjoy a sea of dandelions?!

I am so thankful for the weekend we shared together!  The first of many this summer!  YAY!!!

Mother’s Day 2015

Mother’s Day was absolutely perfect!  Hannah woke me with a sweet ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’ shortly after 7am.  She had created a scavenger hunt by hiding cards and gifts around the house the day before so our day began with a fun little hunt.

First I was asked to stay in bed while she ran to her toy room.  She then began to ask the spelling of words which I provided, all the while wondering what the treat that she was working on would look like.  She ran in and ‘hid’ it under a pillow but still insisted I play the ‘hot and cold’ game to find it.  Mommy’s acting skills came in handy as I looked in all the wrong places first.   Here is her sweet note:

(LOL!  This one you have to read by wrapping up at the end.  ‘I’m thankful for you Mommy that all that you do so hug me and kiss me.’ SO precious!!)

After this I found a gift in my closet before we moved to downstairs.   This sweet little box held a bracelet she had made, a bead tied with a ribbon, 4 paperclips in Canadian colours as we prepare to cheer on team Canada during the Pan Am games plus some of her Easter chocolates.

She also made this adorable little container that we have already decided we will use to save coins for our September Disney trip.

This is the last card that she made.  She cut up her Mylar Frozen birthday balloon to make it.  I love her creativity!

My beautiful girl – God’s most precious gift that changed my name forever to…Mommy!  Oh how I love you Hannah XiaoFen!!!

After church we shared a quiet afternoon at home together which doesn’t happen often and we both drank it in.  For supper we met my mom and dad at our traditional Mother’s Day dinner location and enjoyed a wonderful evening together!

Grandma and Hannah

Grandpa and our girl

Thank you for the most wonderful Mother’s Day Hannah!  Mommy loves you more than I can express!!! xoxoxo

Hannah’s Second Piano Recital

Monday evening Hannah played in her second piano recital and she played so beautifully!!

She’s been playing for about a year and a half now and is doing great!  We’ve incorporated practice into our normal morning routine which is a huge help.  The consistency of daily practice makes such a difference in her playing!

She started the evening by playing, ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ and it was ‘exquisite’ (using Nana’s term after she played.)  Her crossover was beautiful.  Unfortunately I missed the first bit on the recording as she was so excited to start Mommy just wasn’t ready.

After her first piece I joined her at the piano and we played a short duet together.  I think Mommy was more nervous than Hannah was but I can’t tell you how amazing it was to be playing a duet with MY DAUGHTER!!  We are so blessed to have one another and I am forever grateful to God for the gift of Hannah is my life!  I’m one blessed and thankful mommy!!!

The evening ended with Sharon’s (aka Nana) nephew Chris playing a medley of songs from he had composed from the movie, ‘Frozen.’  Chris is an amazing pianist and composer and it was great to hear him play again!  I often listen to his compositions that he has uploaded onto YouTube.  I didn’t have my camera with me when he played but this is a version of the same that he previously recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

At the end of the evening, Hannah won an award for 10 weeks of practicing at least 5 days a week.  My practice habits when I was learning to play were inconsistent and poor at best and I want to offer Hannah a better learning experience so I have made a 180⁰ turn when it comes to our practice habits. 

We had a crazy busy weekend and since it was also an hour after her bedtime, my sweetie was sound asleep when she received her award.  Awe!

It was a treat to listen to all of Sharon’s students play.  What a beautiful evening it was!

Hannah woke up in time to share a cookie with Papa

and to open her gifts when she got home.

Way to go Hannah!  You are doing so well with your piano lessons and Mommy is so proud of you!! 

Thank you Nana for the gift of music that you are instilling in our girl!