Summer's Arrival

Funny how I always seem to post at a season change. The arrival of Summer is the best of all. My family seems to come to life in Summer. All Winter long the kids and I have talked and dreamed about being able to walk out the door with out piling on layers. Slipping on a pair of sandals, crocs, flip flops and running out to the sunshine. And now, those cold snowy days are behind us and we are in the midst of our reverie.

I am blessed to have this Summer with my children. I have had no luck on the teaching job search and have accepted it. There is no room for frustration, anxiety or manic job searching when looking after two kids who only want your attention. I am thrilled to spend the next two months playing in the sun with my non-stop son and my busy little girl. I am dedicating myself to them and our pursuit of daily Summer fun! Who wouldn't kill for an opportunity like this? I am a very lucky Mommy.

Maxwell has one more day left of JK. My baby boy is finished his first year of school and what an amazing year it has been for him. His report card (received today) begins with "Maxwell has had a very successful year in junior kindergarten" told by his teacher Mrs. Lemere. I couldn't agree more. A perfect report card (2 for 2) tells Daddy and I about what a social, well adjusted, smart little man we have. These are things that we do already know about Max but to hear them confirmed from someone else fills us with so much pride. Max is very popular amongst his classmates, confirmed when Audrey and I walk him up to the kindergarten gate and a group of kids are already calling his name asking him to play with them. It is his ability to be so well rounded is what keeps me in awe of him.

He is smart, friendly, athletic, caring, energetic, loving and most important of all, happy. Maxwell is everything I dreamed he would be and so much more. He's the cool kid who flies into the school yard on his scooter waving to the older kids he knows. Takes off his helmut puts on his under armor hat backwards, throws his lands end lacrosse back pack on his shoulders and then crouches down and kisses his baby sister on the lips, gives her a big hug and wishes her a good day. Then follows suit with his Mommy. I want to grab onto him and beg him to freeze and never grow up. I want him to know that I am so grateful God has given him to me and feel blessed every day to be "Max's Mommy". I want him to know that he is truly an amazing person and I can't believe his Daddy and I made something so precious.

The kids are very excited about this Summer and everything it is going to bring. We are going on a family camping trip in a few weeks to Turkey Point which we have been talking about and planning for months. We have company and family picnics on the calendar, visits to the Crosbie's trailer, Canada's Wonderland, the Science Centre, the zoo, the beach, Canada Day in Cobourg and lots of swims at Pappy and Papa's pool. It won't be just the big day trips that we will remember but the days at home playing with the kids on the street, licking at popsicles and they run down our arms, slathering them up in sunscreen (or as Audrey says kun-kreen), giggling as we run through the sprinkler, playing at the park, waiting for the ice cream truck, drawing with chalk on the driveway, riding bikes and scooters and generally just soaking up as much Summer as we can to get us through the long Winter months.

First day of Summer was yesterday. According to Phineas and Ferb there are 104 of Summer vacation. So, 103 days left of pure Summer fun with my family and I couldn't be more excited to spend all of them together.

Maxwell - 5th Birthday

Has it been a year already my beautiful boy? Are you really 5?

Please excuse Mommy as she struggles with the idea that her tiny, perfect baby boy is now a whole handful. 

Audrey's First Skate and Maxwell's First Hockey Game

Friday I took Audrey out to parent and tot skating at Rickard Arena to try Audrey on the ice for the first time. She was cute in her helmut (she calls it a headband) with Hello Kitty (pronounced Allo Kiddy) stickers on it. Audrey was very persistent and didn't get frustrated at all. She could even stand for a few seconds on her own, and with help march along. I think she'll be much more of a natural on the ice like her Daddy than her Mommy. 

Maxwell has been in the Frostbite Hockey program at The Ice Shed. Since September, every Sat morning he has had 30 minutes of power skating instruction from Cynthia and then 30 minutes of hockey skills with Jordan. But now, the kids are in big arenas, mostly the Legends Centre and are doing a bit of skills with Scott and then are playing a game. We are so thrilled with Max's enthusiasm about playing this year. Last year he lost interest and we took him out but this year he has initiated wanting to play and he is having so much fun. His skating has really improved and he is scoring goals and getting into it. It looks like we have a hockey player!

In 2008:

• I watched my babies turn 4 and 2 and wondered how time can pass so quickly
• I got to walk away from my terribly unfufiling job at the hospital
• all 4 of us went camping for the first time and laughed as we just got the tent up before it poured
• cheered Max as he played in his first soccer, lacrosse and hockey games
• finished weekend trips to Buffalo
• took a $2,000 Spanish class, got 85%, yet learned nothing
• student taught an amazing grade one class and a inner city grade 6 class
• I learned to be grateful for what I have
• felt stress like I have never before in my life
• finished writing an 86 page capstone and got my life back
• loved watching Audrey learn to talk
• saw the magic of Christmas in my children's eyes on Christmas morning
• felt blessed and happy with my amazing husband and beautiful children.

In 2009:

• I will graduate with my Master of Science in Education
• Get paid to do what I love - teach!
• Create more family adventures for us (big and small) and cherish every memory
• Look after myself better
• Nurture my friendships
• Find joy in the everyday little things.

A new season, time to write...

It's summer. My last post talked about enjoying Spring's arrival. Yea, a post is way overdue!

Life is busy. (biggest understatement ever). Every little square in our calender has things in it; school, lacrosse - both Max's and Steve's, soccer, yoga, dr's, dentist, optometrists, massage, chiropractor appointments, birthday parties, preschool trips, and swimming lessons. That's life right now.

And somewhere among all that Steve and I were able to squeeze in a trip to Paris for a week. Yes, Paris France. I went there. Still can't believe it. So dreamy and romantic. Loved it, and I'll be back. This will be a later post.

Maxwell and Audrey are great. Very funny, busy and challenging. Max started lacrosse this spring and did really well. Unfortunately he was much more skilled than the other kids and with only doing drills for weeks he became bored and unmotivated. His last day of lacrosse they played a game. Of course that was the week Steve and I were away. Guilt, a great part of parenting but comes with the job. Max scored 3 goals and he will tell you that one got called back as he was in the crease. But amazing and he loved it. Next year he'll be in paperweight and that will be so much better for him. 

I'm busy with school and looking forward to not having to travel to Buffalo and getting to be with my family on weekends.

That's all for now!

Spring

The sun is shining, a high of 18 today. We have played outside everyday for almost a week now. On Saturday as I wrote a NY state exam, Steve and the kids played outside for 3 hours. They have been so wonderful. They are happy, active and sleeping so much better.

I heart spring!

Last we were playing outside with the neighboorhood kids when they heard a little song jingle. One of them yelled "ICE CREAM" and from then on it was literally mayhem! They were screaming at the top of their lungs - I laughed so hard! Their was parents (with their money)retreival, me running in to grab the cameras and then standing in line waiting our turn. The kids were getting these huge slushies with ice cream and big ice creams covered in sprinkles. Max told the ice cream man, he wanted one too and the man said to me "he's too little for those. I'll make him something special". He made Max chocolate ice cream in a dish with lots of sprinkles. He was beaming, so excited! I got Audrey a vanilla cone and let her have at it. She loved it and didn't make a huge mess. So much fun - Spring is here.

Parenting

It is the most difficult job in the world. One day everything is great, kids listen to you, are loving and go to sleep without issue. The next, you wonder what possessed you to think that you were going to get away with it that easy. This week, is the later.

The kids are both sick with colds (Steve and I are too) and they spent the weekend at the house of indulgence also known as Grammie and Grampy's. I want to say first that I am beyond appreciative that I have two awesome parents who are always so willing to watch Max and Audrey. They truly believe there are no two more special people in the world than their grandchildren. However Max has known this for some time and Audrey is quickly catching on. They know that their wish is G and G's command. So things like sleeping in bed with them, letting them stay up late and not making them eat what they should is standard when staying at G and G's.

I know that this is the role that many Grandparents play. They are supposed to fill them with sugar and love and then send them home to Mommy and Daddy. However, this week we are paying for this in a big bad way. Both kids have no intention of sleeping by themselves, doing what we ask them to or have a screaming fit if they are forced to. Needless to say, it's not been a great week.

However, I don't want to dwell on this as it's not in my nature. I want to move on and try to make things better. To start, the sun is shining and there is a hint that Spring may be waking up and will be joining us after all. It has been the longest, coldest and the snowyest (??) Winter that I can remeber. I have never been so looking forward to Spring before. Our kids are active outdoors types that need to run and play, so the fact that it's going to be 12 degrees this weekened gives me hope that this week is going to turn around yet.

With Max starting soccer and lacrosse in a few weeks and Audrey starting Salsa Tots I think my active little ones are going to get their outlets they so despretely need. And in turn their parents will too.

This parenting thing, it isn't the easiest but we're working on it.