Choir Performance

With drama wrapped up, we're moving into singing season! The choir has been working on several pieces and had a couple of performances on Saturday at the school fundraiser. The girls enjoyed last year's 60's themed medley so much that I don't think anything is going to compare, although they are looking forward to doing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy!

It's funny when they come home and tell me all about the "new" song they've started working on. They are shocked each time I'm able to jump in and sing along with them or give them the next line before they sing it. "How do YOU know THAT song Mummy???" Muahhaha, I know all, I see all dearies!!! Plus, I'm like, really really old and stuff. haha!

Science Week!

Science week also known as tear-my-hair-out-week! Or it would have been if reinforcements hadn't shown up! We started these projects well ahead of time. The experiments were performed, data collected and pictures taken. All that jazz was out of the way and so I thought we were out of the woods on this! Murray worked with them mostly, he's better at this stuff and handles the high tension environment better than I! However, even he threw in the towel one night when Honey was giving us the gears while practicing her presentation.

Luckily Nanny had come for a visit to see the big Wizard of Oz performance! (Since they were calling for a lot of snow, Grampy stayed home to keep the driveway cleared.) Also to our advantage: a sick day plus a snow day! Sweetie was home for a couple days not feeling well and but was well enough to sit at the table and put her poster together. She and Nanny were at it those two days for hours and hours while the other 2 were at school and made some good progress on the layout. It was a good thing Lovey's teacher hadn't assigned a project. There's no way we could have gotten all 3 done at the same time! Honey & Nanny logged a lot of time on the snow day and got it shaped up quite well!

Sweetie's:

Honey's:

 

Since she was in town and all.... we wanted her to really enjoy her visit and not feel like we only wanted her for her science talents! So if you're looking for a good time, you know where to come! I was never so happy to run to the hardware store in my life! Woohoo! A dishwasher that doesnt' crash and slide out of its own volition AND a microwave stand that doesn't wobble and tip? Sign me up! We're not sure if she'll ever come back after her little encounter with our slave labour guest house approach but we definitely enjoyed having her!

Instrumental Project

Honey & Sweetie were assigned a project last month. They had to invent/design/build a musical instrument. I am not creative with these things and always cringe when these assignments come home. Luckily, they have no such qualms and came up with their own and made them with very little help from Murray or me.

Sweetie used two plastic containers and I glue gunned them back to back. She added the decorations and stapled a piece of balloon around one end and filled the other side with rice and put the cover on. The balloon side was for plucking to create a drumlike sound and the rice side was for shaking.

Honey's was called a FlipStar or en francais une Tournetoile. She taped some small spindles together to create the triangle shape, wrapped tin foil around it and filled it with beads and added the outer starry decor. When you hold handles and turn the instrument, the beads rattle around to create the sound.

Honey

Interview!

Honey had a school project for her English class on family traditions. She didn't want to do the same one as Sweetie so she chose to do a video interview with us about the annual family golf tournament to celebrate my grandmother's birthday each year. She had lots of good questions but was a little nervous going through it.  After a couple of takes, she had it the way she wanted and presented it in class this week.

Her classmates were amused at Murray's statement that the food was his favourite part and they all giggled at my face in the freezeframe as the video ended and I was stuck on screen with my lips all pursed at the end of saying "Thank you".  Don't worry Honey, I'm sure it won't be the last time your parents embarrass you in front of your classmates!

Grade 4, where'd you come FROM!?!?!?

Well that's it. Summer vacation is officially over! School is back in and Grade 4 is our life now! There was a downpour this morning so I didn't get a good photo while they waited for the bus. I'll try and get the individual pics by the door tomorrow if there's time.

They woke up raring to go and were ready and out the door well ahead of schedule. Nothing like first day enthusiasm. That'll be in short supply from here on out no doubt!

They came home raving about their class and teachers. Lovey is excited to be back in Acorn's class. Honey is pleased with her class too. Sweetie is in the same class as Honey this year but says most of her friends from last year are in Lovey's class. I'm sure she'll find friends in this class soon though.

Lovey's planning on lots of school clubs and activities. The newest one is drama. You can't be in that until Grade 4 so she's raring to go now! Honey thinks she'll go back to book club and maybe some others too. Sweetie didn't have much to say on the subject! LOL

Traditional first day of school cake. Simple decoration this year, but tasty!

Happy 9th Birthday Girlies!

After all the anticipation, THE day finally arrived! Lovey had asked me a couple weeks prior: "Mom? do you think this year we could take cupcakes to school on our birthday like the other kids???"

A simple question but man, I wasn't looking for any more jobs that week!!! But on the other hand, it's not their fault they're triplets, if it was one kid, I'd totally send cupcakes on their birthday. I'm always trying to avoid any "injustices" of being a multiple sooooooo one late night of baking & icing won't kill me. Plus, as long as I do it once, they can't say they "never" got to do it right?

So after the pizza supper, prom visit, ear piercing, DQ treats and bedtime shenanigans, I fired up the oven and cranked out 4 dozen cupcakes, let them cool, got them frosted and packed up and went to bed. Since it had been a late evening after the mall trip, I let them sleep in and drove them to school so I could deliver the cupcakes unscathed (48 cupcakes on a bus=disaster). 

The kids got home from school and Grammie & Grandad were here to kick off the celebrations! Shirley was also able to make it to the birthday dinner so we had a quiet meal! Or as quiet as it gets in this place anyway! We had lots of favourites for supper, herb & tomato grilled chicken, Caesar salad, TGIFriday's Potato Skins, potato salad and everyone ate their fill. It was hard work getting that cake in afterwards but we did it!

Present time came up next and they were thrilled with all the gifts! Since we'd just put in the pool, we didn't add much to the pile and kept it simple. Between the grandparents and friends from the birthday party, there were still plenty of gifts around here! They're well loved!!! However, once a year for their birthday, I get them junky cereal and wrap it up. Needless to say it doesn't last long!

Nominee!

Honey's teacher told her awhile ago that the principal had asked for the names of the hard workers in each classroom and that she had put Honey's name in. That day she came home from school flushed with excitement and trying to be inconspicuous, waved me over so she could tell me privately. The principal was going to take some students out for lunch and would be selecting the names. Honey didn't want to say anything out loud because not everyone gets to go and she'd been asked to keep it quiet. She was very honoured to have her name put forth!

Sweetie overheard the conversation and very quietly slipped away from the table and went in her room and shut the door. I had a feeling she was upset and went to find her, crying in her room, bewildered as to why her own teacher hadn't picked her. It was a tricky situation. Honey had had a horrible start to the year, had been at the point of wanting to quit the French program and had worked hard and really turned things around. Sweetie and Lovey are also great students who do their work, are helpful in the classroom, get along well with the other kids etc etc etc. I explained that she was doing great at school and we were very proud of all of their efforts, work and marks. She was disappointed and didn't want to ruin Honey's excitement so tried to hide it but was so hurt not to get this opportunity. She handled it as best she could and I reminded her of the rough start Honey had at the beginning of the year.

Lovey was unfazed by the whole thing but seemed happy enough for Honey. The differences in personality are so evident sometimes!!!

In the end, Honey did get selected to go out for lunch with the principal! She was so pleased to get the invite and the actual day came this week. They went to a buffet and she got to pick out her salad and pizza and dessert. Such a fun tradition and it really meant a lot to her. Maybe the others will get an opportunity another year.

My principal did something similar in our school, but only in grade 6 and it was open to anyone. As long as you kept a 90% average for the year, you got to go to Ponderosa with him at the end of the year AND you got a silver dollar. We talked about it, worked for it and waited for it ALL year. It was a BIG DEAL and everyone wanted to go. I did get to go (the things I'll do for a dollar eh Dad?) and it was such a special honour and so much fun. Eating at a restaurant without your parents! For Free!!! Hopefully Honey will always have this special memory too!

Choral Competition

 

The girls' school participated in a choral competition last week. They've been going to practices every week for months now. Almost all their friends are in the choir. Honey hadn't joined in the fall and was the only girl left in the classroom at lunchtime. Her teacher felt bad for her and let her go eat with her sisters next door. Once the Christmas concert was over, Honey and Lovey didn't hesitate, they wanted in on this choir business! Since they returned in January they've been working on their pieces. The music teacher emailed them the songs so they could listen & practice the words at home.

Their french immersion classes sang a French song together and the choir (90 kids!) did a separate number that compiled a bunch of songs from the sixties.

The music teacher is a choral competition pro! She always adds simple yet effective touches for wardrobe, actions and music that consistently impress the judges. This year, the judge told them that they'd made him forget to that he was judging and instead found himself just enjoying the performance. Their school won all their categories! They were flushed with pride at their placements and the high marks they received.

Grammie was able to change her work schedule and come watch the shows and Shirley made it too! They were excited to their fans. Unfortunately Murray was away for a work trip and couldn't make it. Please take note of Lovey's last minute pencil skirt! We bought the materials and being the master seamstress I am, I figured I could just use heatbond for the bottom hem and glue gun the back seam and elastic waist band and Velcro closure. WRONG! As soon as she started walking, the back seam slowly started peeling apart. We were 2 seconds away from a traumatic wardrobe malfunction when I called in reinforcements and got Penny on the job. She quickly zipped around with her sewing machine and saved the day. Note to self: glue gun NOT ideal for load bearing seams!!!

Cookie Monsters

Since it's hard to buy presents for people you don't know well, and because teachers are always so busy, we make treats to give the girls' teachers at Christmas time. 

Honey, Lovey & Sweetie all take this job very seriously and really concentrate on making beautiful designs for their teachers they love so much! It is so cute to see them so focused and dedicated to the task. It's VERY important not to mix the cookies up so that each girl can ensure HER teacher gets the cookies SHE decorated. We also add in some other stuff I make, Butter Toffee Crunch, some Deluxe Party Mix and sometimes some fudge. This year I scored some gorgeous and festive baskets 70% off at Michael's (occasionally procrastination pays!) and made the whole gift look fancier than it really was :)

Here are my little elves, hard at work again, lucky for me they love this stuff! and check out the definition on Sweetie! Those arms are really toning up from all the cartwheeling, handstanding and walking on her hands lately!

SKOOL DAZE

It's that time of year again! Summer, or at least summer vacation anyway, is over and we're settling back into routines! The girls started French Immersion this year in grade 3 and Lovey & Sweetie are together in one class and Honey is in the other. (there are only 2 FI classes)

So far everyone is happy with their teacher and they're enjoying seeing their friends again. Now  that they're in grade 3, they're on the late dismissal and the bus doesn't get here til almost 4pm! Considering they get on at 7:10, that's a long day for a little girl! We're already seeing some effects of the transition from sleep in every day to the 6:15am jumpstart mornings. Honey tonight had a huge meltdown over whether the name Hercules is pronounced Herc-u-less (she's adamant that this is correct) or Herc-u-lees (everyone else is pretty sure she's wrong). Eventually she dissolved to the point of just crying "I CAN'T be wrong!!!!" Sorry chickie, it happens to the best of us, get used to it!

Their first day was rather dark & dreary, not to mention wet!!! It poured rain all day! They survived though and have already learned a few French phrases, beginning with est-ce que je peux aller aux toilette? Gotta cover the necessities first right?

We had a great summer of fabulous weather, lots of beach time and many hours in the pool here too! 

Murray's still running most days and doing some contract work in the evenings and I'm keeping busy with the kids and my photography business and the gym! Never a dull moment here!

School's Out for Summer!

We played some Alice Cooper tonight at supper to celebrate the start of summer vacation!

They were all wild with excitement today for the last day and to meet their new teachers for next year. I love that they get to find out BEFORE summer starts and are already familiar with their new classroom and who their classmates will be etc. Lovey is quite sad that Acorn isn't going to be in her class anymore but Honey gets her so we'll still be in touch! There are only 2 classes next year so Lovey & Sweetie are teaming up and Honey stays on her own which is perfectly fine with her!

They had a great year & really enjoyed Grade 2. They all LOVED their teachers and that tells me that they must have been pretty awesome. We have been so blessed to have wonderful teachers who have really taken the girls under their wing and helped them thrive and love school each year. Would it be too much to hope that this streak continues a few more years???

I picked them up today and delivered gifts to their teachers and they were all sad to say goodbye but at the same time, pretty revved up to start their vacation! Unfortunately we had lots of stops and errands to do on the way home and I "wasted" all of their vacation so far!!!  Hopefully I'm not as inconsiderate tomorrow!!!

Million Dollar Words

At school, the teachers are encouraging the kids to stay away from "boring" words in their writing. Instead of "she said", use "she exclaimed" etc. So now they  like to play "million dollar words" at home. We all take turns making up random sentences with as many big fancy words in them as possible. We receive  point for every fancy word we use. I usually end up with a bunch of points but then lose them all when  I say or do something they dislike.

The last time we played, they hauled out the scoreboard and had me compete against Ginger, M-somebody, Sweetie & Bunny. I was doing quite well in the game and then suddenly it all went downhill and I lost all my points again. I'm pretty sure it was rigged!  sooooooooooooooooo unfair! ;)))