Take Your Parent to School Day

I am blessed to be able to help out in Hannah’s class a couple of times each month!  This day was special because it was ‘Take Your Parent to School’ day so I was able to slip off my volunteer hat (as much as I enjoy that too) and spend time with Hannah in her class.

Hannah and her friends enjoyed some math

and science time with parents watching on and giving things a try for ourselves.  I will say that Hannah’s boat building skills put Mommy’s to shame and her boat held a lot more coins than mine did before sinking.

Hannah has a wonderful group of friends at school!  Many of them were in the ballet performance with her.  Unfortunately YouTube is giving me grief so I can’t get the video to upload but I’m going to keep trying.

Yay!!!  I figured out how to upload videos (see next post) so here is Hannah’s ballet.  Thankful to the teacher at their school who taught the children ballet at lunch.

Hannah and her best friend Riley.

Apple Picking 2017

This weekend we enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends.  Saturday we enjoyed a turkey dinner with family at my parents.

Sunday afternoon we met up with friends to enjoy apple picking.  This is an annual tradition that Hannah and I look forward to each fall and the weather this year was absolutely amazing! 

Hannah with her friend R and her little brother K.  The girls were in grade 1 together and are excited to be in grade 3 together now. 

The kids’ mom Melanie and I enjoy hanging out together too, especially when we’re at the gym each week while the girls are at their gymnastics class. 

Hannah lost her final front tooth earlier that morning.  It changes her smile so much and suddenly she’s looking so much more grown up. *sigh!*  Too fast!!

At home we made our traditional apple crisp.  A yummy treat each year.  I enjoy spending special times with my little baking buddy!

First Day of Grade 3

It’s hard to believe that Hannah is already in Grade 3!  Wow….slow down time, slow down!!

Don’t you love that fancy sign!  Oye!!  I will admit to being a bit VERY distracted as the first day of school approached as we were preparing to go to Disney 3 days later – and Hurricane Irma was deciding to visit Disney too.   I was trying to pretend all was well when behind the scenes I had so much on my mind trying to make the best decisions for Hannah and I when at the time it was too early to decide anything.
Back to the first day of school…

Hannah and I were both excited when we’d found out the week before school started that Hannah would be back in the class with her same teacher from last year whom we both loved!   (And yes, along with forgetting the sign I also forgot to take a picture of Hannah with her teacher the first day.  Can you say
d-i-s-t-r-a-c-t-e-d???)

Hannah was also excited that one of her best friend’s from first grade was back in class with her!  Hannah and R.

Have a great year sweet girl!  You’re going to rock Grade 3!!!

Playing Around for a Worthy Cause!

A friend of ours is a paramedic and she and some co-workers are raising funds to go on a medical mission to Africa in the new year.  (Sadly as we were on one side of the world raising money a terrible tragedy was taking place on the other side of the world, close to where they will be going.  Praying for safety already!) 

One of their fun raisers that we were invited to was a pig roast with games, food and pony rides.  That had our names written all over it!!

We headed out as soon as gymnastics was over hoping each km of our long drive that the weather might improve.  We’ve been experiencing a beautiful fall with warmer than normal temps and lots and lots of sun.  Sadly this day started out as the exception to the rule, so much so that our first stop after gymnastics was to purchase new boots for Hannah as she had outgrown the ones she wore in the spring.

We took advantage of being close to another friend and her sweet daughter Grace and enjoyed lunch with them.  Suzanne and I met about 6 years ago while we were still in the early stages of waiting for our daughters and now they’re both home and had fun splashing in the puddles together!

Many of Hannah’s clothes are hand-me-downs from M3’s girls and in turn we share them with Grace afterwards.  I’m thankful both to have clothes given to us and also someone to share them with afterwards.  It’s fun to look at Suzanne’s blog and see Grace in outfits that Hannah once wore.

After lunch we hopped in the car and headed to the pig roast to meet up with Hannah’s best bud Ben and his family.  We hadn’t seen one another in a number of weeks so there were hugs all around.  The kids quickly set off to find the games and check out the prizes that could be won. 

This game was a favourite of all the kids.  Hehe!

The kids found the craft table

although the jury is still out on whether more paint got on the paper or Hannah!

Each game meant tickets to be entered into the prize draw.  They quickly found our friend and she became the kids go to gal to have their names written on their tickets.

At the end of the day the Cinderella bag was filled with about 98% of tickets containing Hannah’s name so she won the prize she’d worked so hard for.

Unfortunately Ben was trying to win the prize that every other boy in attendance was and he was not successful.  Poor sweetie.  It was a lesson for both kiddos to learn the hard way.  Ben was heart broken and Hannah was suddenly in a quandary as she was happy for her own toy but felt badly and offered hugs to her buddy Ben.

Towards the end of the day when the rain stopped and the sun came out a pony and horse arrived for the kids to arrive and they were in their glory!  The first time she rode a pony she was just 18 months old and since then each time the opportunity arises she’s excited to ride again!

Check out her smile!!

In spite of the cold, rainy start we had a wonderful day with our friends!  I love the friendship Hannah and Ben share!

A Month of Birthday Parties!

It seems Hannah shares her birthday month with many of her little friends!  She was invited to 3 parties over a 4 weeks period and hers is next week!

The celebrations began as Molly was the first friend to officially turn 3. 

Ice painting

I love this pic.  She’s either dreaming of what it will be like to be 3 or….scoping out how to snag some icing without anyone noticing.

Big breath!

Happy Birthday Molly!

The next party was for Emma, a special friend as she and Hannah shared the first 8 months of their lives together at the DaoXian SWI in Hunan, China.  Emma’s party was at a play place with lots of Disney decor and Hannah was in her glory!  It was great to see 4 of her China sisters there!!

Hannah enjoyed this slide and would make her way to the top and then throw herself down over and over again.

Dora made an appearance at the party and she was a huge hit!

Hannah with Dora

Happy Birthday Emma!

Birthday party #3 was for Hannah’s special friend Noah who is the little friend she spends each day with at daycare.  It is his amazing mom who cares for Hannah each day and they share a great friendship.  Ange and I often tease that they’re like a little married couple as they’re best friends one minute and pestering one another the next!

Noah’s party was a Super Hero theme so we borrowed one of his shirts and added our own personal spin to it.   Here Hannah is adding her ‘H’ to his card.

Owen and Hannah checking out the great cupcakes that Ange made for Noah’s birthday.

Happy 3rd Birthday Noey!!!

The last birthday party was for our special friends Tor Tor and Josh.   (Tor was such a good sport and wore the stickers Hannah put on her.)

There is one more birthday party this week and it’s one we’re super excited about!  Hannah’s th-th-third birthday party!  How can it be that my ‘baby’ is almost 3??!!!

Hannah chose a Mickey Mouse theme for her party again this year and requested that the party with her friends be held at ‘Mickey Mouse’s House’ (aka Walt Disney World).   Since that wasn’t to be we’re going to another location that every parent of a toddler needs to endure experience – Chuck E Cheese’s!  I know it will be a wonderful time of celebration Hannah’s friends!  Unfortunately ‘her Ben’ won’t be able to be there and he’ll be missed but her other sweet friends will be there and I know they’ll have a great time!

A Birthday and Bowling!

Sunday Hannah went to the birthday party of a little friend.  It gave her an opportunity to celebrate with Ava and try bowling for the first time too!  Hannah and the Birthday girl.  Happy Birthday Ava!! The party was a Mickey Mouse theme so Hannah dressed the part.  Most bowling alleys in Canada are 5 pin alleys and the great part is that from a young age kids can lift the bowling balls themselves.

I tried helping Hannah at first

but I was quickly told, ‘Mommy!  I do it all my-self!’

Hannah tried a variety of methods of getting the ball down the alley

First it was kicking but that wasn’t overly successful when the ball stopped partway down the lane.

Eventually she got her groove on and found out that an overhand throw works best for her. 

Happy Birthday Ava!  Hannah and I had a great time celebrating your 6th Birthday with you!