Duet

Lovey & Murray played a duet at the full house Christmas Eve service! There were so many people, I thought she'd be nervous. It was definitely the biggest crowd she's ever played for. As if that wasn't challenging enough, she asked Murray to request that they sing along if they knew the tune. Seeing as how it was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, she got a pretty good participation rate! She's never played while other people sang and I was afraid it might throw her off and she'd get distracted watching the crowd and lose her place. She's a performing whiz however and never missed a beat and played through the whole thing perfectly with the biggest grin on her face the whole time. She loved every minute of it, especially that people DID sing while she played. Beforehand, she wasn't sure if they would or not and couldn't have been more pleased with the results!

Here's our little rockstar in the making, with her favourite accompanist, Daddy.

Checkers anyone?

Everyone's been wanting another dog for quite some time so Murray & I started stalking the fan page of the breeder where we got Murphy and sure enough, more puppies were coming around Christmas!!!  Keeping this gift a secret was SO hard!!! The excitement was killing us but we really wanted to surprise the kids so we managed to hold it together!

This past weekend was the first time the puppies were old enough to visit so we loaded up the van and told the kids we were going to visit their grandparents. (technically true, we just didn't mention the detour to a kennel on the way :)

Being used to the 2 hour cottage trip, they got bored on the 5 hour journey, especially after the batteries to their iPods died. (they are apparently incapable of entertaining themselves for more than 5 minutes without the aid of electronic devices and filled the rest of the time with "why is it taking so long? are we almost there? How many more minutes??? wash, rinse, repeat!)

By the time we arrived, I'm not sure if I was more excited to go see the dog or just to get OUT of the vehicle!?!?!?

Along the way Murray took a wrong exit which was at about the point we should have been leaving the highway to go their grandparents but of course there were no familiar sights and they started asking our ETA all over again. We got back on the highway quickly and told them we'd made a mistake and had to get back on the highway. They were unhappy that the driving wasn't done but not overly suspicious.

Finally we pulled into the yard, which of course was NOT the yard they were expecting. I told them we just needed to make a little stop before going to their grandparents. "ohhhhhh nooooooooo. What do we have to go  here for? Where are we? What are we doing?..." Then Murray told them to read the sign on the barn. "Labrador Retrievers & Puppies". They read that and Lovey burst out " Are WE getting a PUPPY?!?!??!?!" Sweetie echoed her question with just as much volume and enthusiasm. I answered quickly and told them we were NOT getting a puppy today and then grinned and said " we're just picking one out!"  

The screams and questions of "REALLY!?!?!? We're GETTING A PUPPY?!?!??!" rocked the van but then I noticed one little girl was not sharing the excitement. I jokingly asked her if she was disappointed with the news and she burst into tears and stammered out "Murphy! I feel like he'll think we're replacing him!"

Poor little thing was terribly worried about Murphy's feelings.  Sweetie told her that Murphy would be happy because we were getting another lab and that he'd think "oh they really liked my kind!" but that didn't turn her around. Knowing nothing cures sadness like a warm wriggly puppy, we got her inside and all concerns quickly dissipated once she had this little guy in her arms. Not another tear was shed, only smiles all round.

 We had 2 puppies to choose from and both were examined and cuddled thoroughly. I'm not sure which pictures show our guy and which are the other. It was a tough call. In the end we picked the cute one. haha!

It was a tight fit in there with the breeder, the five of us, two whelping boxes, dog supplies and 18 puppies but we spent an hour jammed in there happy as clams!!!

 In the end we chose this little one and the girls got to pick a ribbon to put around his neck so the breeder could identify ours. We had thought about naming him Buddy but in the van on the way home, Lovey said "Buddy is just sooooo... common" so we brainstormed about other possible names. She promptly supplied every name she'd read in her puppy books, Buttons, Lucky etc but those are just as common as Buddy! so we kept thinking.

 Then I thought of his little black & white ribbon that reminded me of a checkerboard pattern and suggested we name him Checkers. It definitely wasn't common! It took some pondering but in the end everyone decided on that one. Well, Miss Contrary wasn't sure but in the end she got on board and we contacted the breeder to tell her the final decision!

 Checkers is only 3½ weeks old so will be staying with his mum for a bit longer and we'll be able to bring him home in January. Meanwhile, we have to retrain ourselves to be puppy proofing all the time. Hopefully a few weeks will be enough time to prep! We're so excited and can't wait for him to be here!!!

High Falutin'

While her sisters were out for hockey last night, Sweetie got a last minute invite to a play at the theatre downtown! Boo had an extra ticket and no one to be her date so Sweetie stepped up! We got our supper done and started picking out an outfit. Sweetie called Boo to see if she was wearing regular clothes or dressing up and planned her attire accordingly.

Teena picked her up and they headed to the big city! The show didn't start til 7:30 so it was a late night and she almost fell asleep before it was over and was all curled up in her seat! She dozed all the way home and slipped into bed in record time! I was surprised this morning when she dragged herself out of bed and never had any whining at all!!!

Trimmin' It Up!

We had a hard time finding a good night for our tree trimming party this year! Normally we have it on a weekend, take our time on Saturday getting it ready, prep the hors d'oeuvres and various munchies and do it up in style!

This year it seemed every weekend had hockey or other parties already. So on Monday night we went down the street and picked out a tree and had our party Tuesday night. The upside was that we actually had guests this year! Grammie & Grandad came down to lend a hand and get in on the chocolates!

With so many helpers the treats decorations were done in no time! There was even time for some live musical entertainment!

I didn't think the girls would be able to sleep after all the sugar and excitement but they actually settled down fairly well! Apparently they wore themselves out! (just the way we like 'em!)

Thank you to our special guests for making the trip!

Lost & Found

Lovey got a little gift from Acorn earlier this week and has refused to take it off since!

Tonight at the end of her violin lesson, she noticed the heart charm was missing and was terribly upset. The next student had gone in for her lesson as Lovey was telling me about it and I looked quickly but didn't see anything on the floor. We checked the waiting room carefully, examined the driveway as best we could and the kids searched the back of the van where Lovey sits. She cried most of the way home but was hopeful it would turn up in the house. We checked the rooms, near her chair in the kitchen etc. NO sign of it anywhere and she dissolved into a sobbing mess.

Not only was she upset to have lost it, she was afraid Acorn would be mad. The rest of us almost burst out laughing! Acorn? MAD??? We've never seen it. I even said as much but Honey corrected me. "Well, she gets mad at Connor!" (he must REALLY be applying himself!!!)

Lovey was still inconsolable so we phoned Acorn up and she assured Lovey she wasn't mad and THEN Honey found the missing charm and we all slept happily ever after!

Showtime!

Hustling and bustling is upon us! Some activities are winding down (hooray!) and others seem like they're never going to take a breather! Art class is finished, gymnastics wrapped up tonight, only one more dance class, I think only one more week of basketball! Violin is still going though and their concert is in 2 weeks so there will be some practices for that! and of course hockey is unending because real hockey players don't take vacations! LOL

Today was a doozy! Lovey & Honey had hockey in the morning so Murray took all 3 to that so I could go to my class at the gym. Then we all got home and threw down some lunch and headed off to the high school theatre for their dance show. We zipped out of there and grabbed an early supper so we could get ready for Sweetie's gymnastics show and then came home in time to put them to bed! AND we skipped a party, so it COULD have been busier! actually, no it couldn't, the party overlapped the dance show so it wasn't really an option anyway.

The kids were pretty excited about their shows and are looking forward to their school concert next week!

 Doesn't everyone sit like this when they're watching shows?

Girls' Game!

Yesterday the girls had their first game with the girls' team they've been working/practicing/training (whatever you call it...) with all season. They usually mostly do drills and not much actual game play. Honey has been quite excited for this event and it's been cancelled a couple of times so by Saturday she was completely psyched up! Lovey was looking forward to it but had a few little games during her week of hockey camp so wasn't as hyped up.

With no knowledge of game rules (positions? where do I go??? offside? whaaa???) other than what Murray managed to throw at them in the dressing room before the start, they hit the ice and managed to stay upright more often than not!

Their team ended up winning 6-5 and they really enjoyed themselves!

 Grandad maintaining his position so he could get a picture of Honey if she got a goal!

 and she sure tried!!!

guess whose kids won "best posed player of the game?"

Trick or Treat!

(began this post 2 days after Halloween and that was as far as I got when I heard the distinctive sound of vomit splattering all over the bathroom tile upstairs, and then the flu took over our house for awhile and I got swamped with photography clients. We have mended and business has slowed down a bit and I hope to be back more often now!)

So 2012 will not go down as "best Halloween EVER!!!" We had costumes, the hurricane wrapped up and left us alone but alas, we cannot say the same for the flu!

Sweetie complained of stomach pain in the morning but often when that happens, she's just hungry. I gave her breakfast and she got ready for school without further problem or complaint. Well, until 10:30 that is! I got a call from her from school. She'd gotten sick during the Halloween party that morning (but not IN her classroom luckily!) so I went to pick her up & bring her home. She rested for the afternoon but wasn't sleepy so didn't get a nap. By supper she felt like going out but didn't have any appetite.  By this point Honey was mentioning stomach pains also. Impending doom for sure!!!

Mum & Dad came for the traditional pre-trick or treat supper and to see them get ready. Costumes this year were a little minimalistic but they thought they were awesome so let's go with that! (PS- Nanny you're on the hook  next year for that hedgehog costume you mentioned being able to do! although there's a good chance she'll change her mind about that sometime in the next 363 days).

Once their friends arrived they hit the road and after 3 houses Sweetie was done and just wanted to come home. Murray brought her back while the other kids stayed with Tulip's father and then he rejoined them once Sweetie was home with me. We convinced Murray to trick or treat for her so she wouldn't miss out

on the fun and the goodies!

Early Party!!!

I'm sure many of you know a certain special someone has a birthday in our house this week!!! The excitement around here has been building and when they found out I had to be away on the actual date of said birthday, the girls were distraught and crying and the disappointment was crushing. I suggested we celebrate early and have the party tonight so we could all do it together! That appeased them and they got busy making up the invitations!

I did the baking this afternoon and prepped the meal. When the girls got home they whipped through their homework and started decorating. Sweetie spelled out a special happy birthday message with yummy snacks on a cookie sheet! They got out & hung up the happy birthday sign and even blew up a bunch of balloons for their planned photo op with the guest of honour!

Needless to say the preparations were exciting and happy! Birthdaying is big business at our house and one we take very seriously. You will no doubt want to pass on some birthday greetings yourself after reading this, in case you forgot it was coming up so soon!

It was a great party! The snacks got gobbled up, the dessert was delicious and everyone enjoyed every bite! One guest even licked their plate clean! A sure sign of success right?

So although it wasn't the actual birthday, it was enjoyed nonetheless!

Hockey x 2

Although I'm not a big hockey fan, I do have to say that the female hockey group here seems pretty fabulous so far. They helped out at Lovey's hockey school one day and spent a lot of time working with her and they also put on a free clinic today for any girls that wanted to come try hockey and see what it's like. They provided 24 sets of gear so parents wouldn't have to pay for equipment. They provided a free lunch for the players, their parents and siblings. They broke up the day and had games and activities so the girls could get to know each other. You could keep the gear for the year if your girl decided to join the league. Helmets, sticks, everything,  head to toe! They also put on a weekly girls' practice night for free. They realllllllllly want to get some girls on the teams I think!

Honey had decided to go check it out and the price was right for her noncommittal level of interest! This morning as I was braiding her hair, I asked if she was excited about going. She hesitantly said she "kinda" was. I asked her if she was a bit nervous too and she admitted she was. So I asked what she was nervous about and she replied that she remembered Tulip telling her that  she'd seen one university hockey player rip the facemask off another player and smash him in the face and Honey was afraid THAT was going to happen to her today! i assured her that fights like that don't happen at their level and then I promised her that no one would be smashing her in the face at this event!

She spent the day but had a fall early in the day and bumped her head. This soured her on the hockey experience a bit. (so much for assuring her of her safety!!!) Sweetie and I popped in to see how things were going after lunch and they were just finishing a break so we got to talk to them for awhile (and get in the all important photo op!). Lovey was having a great time and had been looking forward to getting back on the ice for days now. Since she'd done the week of hockey school and the rest were all beginners, she was actually one of the better players there (which I'm sure added to the enjoyment of the event!) Honey was about the same level as the others.

At the end of the day Murray asked if she wanted to play for the year and she wasn't sure. She was afraid if she signed up she might not like it and she was afraid that if she didn't sign up she might regret it. (She's already sorry she didn't sign up for gymnastics with Sweetie). Murray told her that more times than not, we regret the things we didn't try, more than the things we did. and then he wrote a cheque reallllly fast. :))) Sweetie, by the way, has no regrets and is very happy she has nothing to do with this hockey business. So as they say Murray, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Midweek Surprise!

Guess who landed on our doorstep the other night for supper and a visit! Grammie & Grandad! The kids had the day off and it was Mum's day off too so they were in doing some shopping (big event coming up so they gotta get prepared you know :))) and came to our house after they finished loading up the car (woohoo!) with purchases.

We had a rather rambunctious meal as my children have never sat at a table before, or used utensils, or been taught not to scream at the table etc. I wish the apes that raised them had done a better job on table manners... :S Oh well, no one will ever claim boredom at one of our "dinner parties".

After supper we took the dogs for a nice walk and the girls next door came along and joined us. You know you live in the sticks when you can pick up your road and take it with you for the walk right?

iPod Part II

So, Lovey gave the matter some thought (almost a couple of hours I think) and decided she too must have an iPod. She'd been saving her violin prize money from last year and then got the same cash influx when I cleaned house & sold off their toys/games/books so was easily able to afford the purchase. After watching Honey with hers in the van, she was pretty sure she needed one. By the time dance class was over that day and we were driving home, she was about 90% sure. By bedtime that night she was surely going to die without one!!!

On Wednesday that week we made a pit stop on the way to violin and snagged one for her and made her life complete ;))) I'm not sure that last bit is entirely true, but so far, she's definitely getting her money's worth.

Have Compass, Will Travel!

Or at least, we would, if anyone had remembered to bring a compass! We didn't let a little thing like lack of compulsory equipment stop us from entering and enjoying an orienteering race this weekend! That's why God made iPhones right? There's an app for that! This is why we hang around Murray's brother, he keeps us current :)

The kids had a great time tearing through the woods in search of the different stations or checkpoints or whatever they're called. It was a nice day for a stroll through the trees and my glutes got a workout on the steep hills!

The girls took good care of Mr Bojangles and got him through all the tricky sections when he got afraid that holes in the earth might suck him in.

We had a great afternoon in the fresh air, won the race (only 1 other family participated though LOL)  and got home in time for a fabulously delicious turkey dinner!!! Nice way to end a day :)))