Recitals, Sports, Braces, Malibu, Gramma and Awards - whew, that was a mouthful!

Navia was looking forward to finally having her recital, which is also my Music for Young Children recital as she is my last child that I'm teaching.  She decided to memorize her song (the other kids in her class played with their music) and did an amazing job!  

It's kinda neat being able to give your own child their certificate - as she has now graduated from Sunbeams 2 into Sunbeams 3!

For the first time I actually played in my own recital.  I haven't played in a recital in probably over a decade now, but it had been requested from a few parents and the kids loved it - so it definitely will be something that I do again.

Navia had a Grade 1 celebration that I was able to attend as she got to show me all the work that she's done through the year.

Kaleb also got a bit of a change . . . BRACES!!!  At first he was in tears about getting them, but having a cool guy orthodontist and a cool guy teacher who both talked about how great he looked all blinged out made it so that he's really proud to have them.  Yay!!!

Brade had a work trip to Los Angeles that he needed to take and well, our great friends just moved to Malibu in August so they invited me to come along - so fun!  We got Gramma McGifford to come up for the week to watch the kids while Brade and I took off on a Friday to go hang out in Malibu with our friends.  It was a lot of fun!  We didn't do the sight-seeing thing because that's not what we were there for.  We just hung out at the beach, their house and few really great restaurants.  

Surfers at the beach - so much fun

 Cynthia, Trish and Carrie

We met up with a group of friends (who also work at Fuel) and went out to a Comedy Club where a co-worker was doing stand-up as well as Brian Callen (actor) and then headed to the House of Blues and ended the night at Mel's Diner. 

3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica - there was a MAC area and so Cynthia, Amanda and I all got make-up makeovers - fun!

Braden had to stay longer for meetings so I came home on the Tuesday morning (took the red-eye flight - ug!) and he stayed there until Friday.  While he was there he went to an NHL play-off  at the Staples Center - Kings vs Blackhawks, which was fun for him.

 While Gramma was down we got to celebrate her birthday.  Emma made a fondant cupcake for Gramma and the kids made little presents and cards for her.  We spend the evening at baseball - which there is a lot of right now!

Emma was at the Hudson Sargent Relay at the Terry Fox Center - the 8 x 50m.  They came in 3rd and Emma was quite happy - she started off the relay group.

The school had a Spring Concert in which Navia sang in the Grade 1 Choir and the Junior Choir - which she is loving!  Kaleb's class played a couple of recorder songs and they both did really well.

 

Emma also had Track and Field, which she was in the Long-Jump and the Ball Throw.  This is the first one that I wasn't able to attend due to piano exams, so her friend took video and pics for me so that I could see how she did - and she did really well!  She got 6th place in Long-Jump, which is something that she's never done before and wasn't even able to practice ahead of time, so we're pretty impressed!

I don't have any pictures, but Emma and Kaleb have finished their piano for the year, taking their Grades 3 and 4 RCM exams.  They both did really well, although I haven't received their scores, but I got to sit outside of the exam room and could listen in, so I know they did well :)  They had a great teacher and loved taking lessons, Kaleb just wasn't so keen on practicing, but they both did it and are now in Grades 4 and 5 RCM.

Emma actually participated in every sport that was offered this year (there weren't as many as usual due to a teacher's strike) - soccer, bordenball, Hudson Sargent Relay and Track and Field.  Today, unknown to her, she was award the girl's "Sportsman of the Year" award for the Junior classes (Grade 4-6).  She was really happy about this and her teacher was so proud of her - you can tell by the big hug :)  Brade and I knew about this ahead of time so we kinda snuck into the assembly so that we could see her moment.

Kaleb was so proud of his big sister, giving a big thumbs up when her name was announced and then wanting to take a picture with her afterwards.  Emma, well, with all her friends around, I don't think this was a picture that she necessarily wanted taken, but she did for him.  Awwww.

Piano Recitals and Jr. Girls Borden Ball

Last weekend was Kaleb and Emma's piano recitals - and they did amazing!!!  They both played 2 pieces, and although you can see their books, they were fully memorized - as they have their exams coming up and need all 5 of their pieces memorized :)

Today Emma got to play hookie from school as she got to play in her last Borden Ball tournament ever.  She's pretty sad about it because she loves playing, but it is only a Jr. sport and next year doesn't happen.

Their team won the first game 15-1, lost the second 9-7, won the third 12-5 and took second in the finals 7-6 with the last goal scored 6 seconds before the bell.  Such a hard loss for the girls to as their ref wasn't the best.  You can only take 3 steps and numerous times the other teams was taking 5-7 steps without being called, he was giving the ball to the wrong team and didn't even call rough calls when one of our girls was bitten by the opposite team . . . hmmm.  I'm not 'that' mom, but maybe I'm starting to be - yikes!  But, through it all the girls had a great attitude and loved being able to finally play a team sport again and receive medals for it too.

 

Harlem Globetrotters

Years (and years) ago when I was a young teenager my dad took me to a Harlem Globetrotter's game and I loved it!  I can't remember all the tricks or exactly what they did, but I do remember the feeling of the event and it has stuck with me even now. 

The other week the Harlem Globetrotter's came into town and I was working so Daddy took the kids to the game and they came back soooo excited!  Emma says that we're starting a tradition - my dad took me, her dad took her and when she has kids maybe their daddy will take them.  Aw, so cute!

Some of the best moments according to Daddy, were watching the kids' reactions to what was going on - and Navia especially is very outwardly expressive!

After the game Daddy let the kids each buy their own special basketball (with their own money) and they got them signed by many of the players.  It was a great night for them and when they came home they just were bursting with stories of things that happened on the court.  

I'm so glad that our kids were able to do this with their Daddy and even though I was working they didn't have to miss out.

Happy First Day of April.

This week has been a busy, but a good one.  With only between 7-9 lessons left for me to teach I'm getting my students ready for their Spring Recital and also a few for the Conservatory Canada Grade One exam.  As well, Emma is prepping for her Royal Conservatory of Canada Grade 4 exam and Kaleb his Royal Conservatory of Canada Grade Three Exam.  Daddy has been having fun driving his new car and I actually got him to go to the Bulk Barn over the wknd - only if he got to drive his car - hehehe!  We've been going on a few dates with Emma watching the kids, which has been nice.

Over the weekend the kids had sleep-overs on Thursday night (Kaleb going to a friend's house and Emma and Navia having two sisters that are their friends over).  Friday morning was an early one as we went to the Good Friday service at our church and Emma was the LIT in the children's program.  We were so busy running around on Saturday that I did a first . . . I forgot to buy food for our traditional Easter Sunday meal . . . big oops!  Sunday came around and after church I looked at Braden and my mouth just dropped.  The stores were closed so no ham, no sweet potatoes, no pies, no nothing . . . yikes!  Brade was great about it and said that we would go out as a family and this way I wouldn't have to work to prepare anything.  So we went out and found that there are restaurants closed on Easter Sunday, and the one we found open, we were one of the four families eating there at 12:30pm!!!  So, it was a non-traditional meal for us this year!

Today is April 1st, which our kids have been waiting for.  And with no school it means that they've been able to keep on coming up with ideas to fool me with.  Emma made the milk into a 'wonderful' concoction this morning for everyone's cereal and Navia decided to serve me breakfast in bed.  A hotdog with a carrot inside, a drink made up of mustard, ketchup, soya sauce and some carrots, and a paper pancake that said "GOCH YA" on the back.  She was so excited!  (and I just knew the mess I'd be cleaning up in the kitchen!)  

Braden has to work today, just like the majority of the private sector, and I've chosen to have classes today as well, which will shorten the teaching year.  So, it's a lazy day at home for the kids, maybe with a bike ride or two put in there.  

Oh, and to all of my Saskatchewan and Alberta friends and families - um - have fun shoveling your snow because ours is pretty much all gone!  Yay!  I guess God was early with His April Fool's joke on you guys - lol!  Sorry, I just had to though!

Somebody's Happy Today!

Check out the SOLD sign!!!

Yep - Brade is now the proud owner of a 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe and he is a very, very happy boy!!!

His 2000 Ford Taurus has not been doing well - it got sick a while ago and although it keeps going to the car doctor it just isn't recovering very well.  Poor car - a door won't shut and in order for Brade to drive home at night he has to hit the headlights and hopefully at least one will pop on.  This meant that we knew we'd be saying good-bye to it soon and we were prepared, but I don't know if we thought that this was in our (or Brade's) future . . .

We've been shopping around and thought that a Ford Mustang was in our future, but there was a change in the air (maybe Mary Poppins is coming to help us too!!!).  We test drove it and it was finished . . .

Brade's first time driving the car - yes - I actually took a pic - hehehe!

It is beautiful and drives very nicely, but there are a couple of things that make this Daddy's work car and not our family car.  Firstly, it is a manual which means that I'm going to have to take a few refresher lessons before I can drive it.  Secondly . . . um . . . well . . .

See that backseat . . . it only fits TWO bodies!!!  So, we have a FOUR seater car for a family of FIVE!!!  Yep - this is not our family vehicle!

Hopefully on Thursday Daddy will be driving a new car and we will say good-bye forever to our Ford Taurus (and I can know that he will be safe driving home at nights!!!)

Brade peeking into the car after the SOLD sign went on.

 Can't wait for our first date night with the new ride!!!  Won't I look good in it?!?!?!

Good-Bye March Break 2013

March Break is over - Back to School - Back to Work . . . oh how we miss March Break!!!

We ended our March Break heading down to Niagara Falls, Ontario!  The kids have never been there and we thought what better place to go for just a few days - so that's what we did.  We found a place for Izzy to hang out - which she seemed to love.  It was a cage-free kennel, where she got to play with 14 other dogs.  I sure couldn't do it, but I'm glad that she was able to have fun while we were gone.

Izzy at the Dog Kennel playing with her friends

Braden took a couple days off of work so we were able to leave on Thursday by 8:30am - and if you know us that is amazing!!!  We decided to take the American route down to avoid a bit of traffic and made it there by 3pm!  Even with all the stops that we took!

We checked into Sheraton on the Falls - with a great view of the American Falls - and right away Brade took the kids to the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark while I waited for our room and them we all went swimming until supper time.

Navia looking out our bedroom balcony.

In the middle of the chaos is Braden, Emma, Kaleb and Navia.

Now you can see them!

Too many kids!!!

Navia and Daddy after the huge bucket of water rained down on them.

We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for a late supper and then we all went to bed exhausted, just to wake up in the morning to head back to the pool and spend until 3:00 pm swimming.  The kids loved the wave-pool and water-slides although Daddy did get a pretty nice bump on his nose when Navia's head said hello to his nose.  Can't believe that it split open, gave him a bit of a bruise and it kept bleeding as long as it was wet (which was the entire time swimming!)

Once swimming was over we changed hotels to the Hilton and were upgraded to a great room that had a hallway with the kids' room on the left (with 2 queen beds, tv, etc) and on the right our bedroom with a King size bed.  It was so perfect!  We headed out to supper, walked around the Falls and then back to the room for the kids to enjoy.  We put a movie on for them and while Emma babysat her brother and sister Braden and I were able to go on a date.  We kinda love this stage of life!!!

Our date view from the 33rd floor lounge.

The next day we went to the Journey Behind the Falls, which the kids loved, even if a couple of the openings to the Falls were frozen over.  

a frozen opening to the Falls 

Cheesy green screen photo - but at least it shows that all 5 of us were there :)

We then headed to St. Catherine's to visit with Grampa and Gramma Ralph at their new place.  We spent the afternoon visiting with family - which our kids thought was so cool.  Uncle Phil, Aunt Janny, Uncle Dan, Jon, Hollie and the kids had fun playing with Mason and Liam.  We haven't seen anyone for about 3 years so it was great catching up with everyone.  

We came back to swim at the hotel in the evening and pack so that we could leave bright and early in the morning.  We planned on heading back to Ottawa through New York again so that we could do a bit of shopping at the Waterloo Premium Outlet - which was definitely worth it!  I wish that we had outlet shopping closer to us!  Oh well . . . 

On the drive home the kids kept talking about how they had so much fun and they can't wait to go back and do it all over again - everything they did they want the exact same - hotels, activities and visiting with family.  So, looks like we just might be repeating this again!  A great March Break - and only 2 weeks until the next 4 day weekend - which the kids are already on countdown!!!