Sharon's Birthday!

For Sharon's birthday, there was a slumber party that was planned up at the camp. We were able to takeover one of the lodges, and it was perfect! There was a full kitchen, living room with a fireplace and TV (for dancing of course!) and we each had our own bed with bathroom! It was a nice little retreat. Lots of laughs and lots of food! And I met some wonderful new ladies!

Playing Dance Central on X-Box Kinect... the back-up dancers are figuring out how it works!

We made a picture of finger painting... something to remember this awesome evening!

The chip provided 'texture' to the painting.. and no I did NOT eat it!

So fun to paint with your fingers!

The completed artwork!

Happy Birthday my dear friend... you are a very loved woman!!!

Thrift Store Thrills

Yesterday I went to the Bible for missions thrift store in Duncan, and spent a long time there. I came home with a few large bags and a big smile on my face. I explained to Steve that nothing thrills me more than checking out a thrift store, finding many things on your checklist and paying almost nothing for them! I would much prefer a thrift store to a mall! Unless you are outlet shopping in the states, of course!

I was able to pick up a brand new punch bowl, a cookie press which looks like it is from the 1940's, but has never been used, lots of new childrens books (3 for a quarter!) a new looking pyrex dish for a buck! And lots of craft ornaments for the girls to paint. It was rather adrenaline pumping!

Today was a rainy, dreary day so this afternoon after school the girls and I turned on the fire, blasted Christmas music and made whipped shortbread to put through the new cookie press... it was SO much fun! And the cookies turned out great!

Danika 'was' happy....

Yummy cookies! The girls LOVED them... they tasted just like Christmas!

Googly Eyes

Trying out there goggles for the first time in their bath... they both couldn't see anything, and I couldn't stop laughing, so what does mommy do... take a picture of course!!!

Slumber Party!

This weekend we had some good friends come stay for the evening. They were from camp Qwanoes and we became pretty close with them both. Steve was the best man in their wedding this summer... we haven't seen them since! So it was wonderful to get together, catch up and laugh. And I LOVE that they love our kids. Amelia disappeared into the bedroom with the girls for over an hour for a tea party, and it just made the girls day! We hope to make this happen more often!

Supporting Movember...

Adessa and Amelia

The boys with their 'staches'

The serious look...

The weekend ended off with dinner at the Burdges... we had lots of fun and laughs, as always!

The Last of the Apples

Today was the perfect fall day. The sky was blue, the sun shining and just a great day to do some outside chores. My friend Heather came over this morning and we FINALLY picked the rest of the apples... we decided to make fruit leather, so spent the morning prepping 40 cups of apples. Then this afternoon after having a meeting at my church, I came home- raked leaves and cut grass. Then heather came over again and we poured our apples into trays to dry out for 12 hours... I sure hope they turn out! Adessa was such a great help today and I am really loving the twos. I mean there are definitely moments when the 'terrible twos' shine through, like in her moments of using her new favorite word (no!) But she just loves to play, and help. This past weekend we had a wonderful family day and took the girls to the pool and then afterwards we went out for a late dinner, and the girls were both little angels. And we ended up visiting and laughing, and not getting out of there until 8 pm!

The other night we used up some of our apples by making caramel apples... they were quite a hit!

Can you tell...

Heather climbing in the apple tree, rocking her 'Hunter' boots!

The final apples for making fruit leather

Adessa helping me clean the backyard... she was such a good leaf picker-upper!

Such a GORGEOUS day!

Where Danika is at...

Danika is 5 and a half and fully emerged into kindergarten and LOVING it! It has been so nice that she so fully enjoys herself. This morning I got a call from Mrs. Mitchell (Kindergarten teacher) and we had a little interview regarding Danika's struggles. I wanted to post what I remember to see how far she comes in a year... and I hope she doesn't hold this against me when she is older!

- Struggling with writing her name in the proper 'case', (probably my fault as we taught her to spell it in capitals!) So she is having a tough time switching which way to write it.

- Holding her pencil and crayons properly, and not resting her hand on the paper

- Alphabet she always sings k - j, and can't seem to remember it is j-k

- Recognizing letters and numbers

And the one in which she struggles both at school and home... being a tattler. Mrs. Mitchell sweetly (and she is VERY sweet!) mentioned that Danika likes to tell her whenever a child does not listen, or does something wrong. She is the same way with her little sister... must be an older sibling syndrome and something I am hoping to find a solution to!

However on the positive side she LOVES school, she is making lots of friends and loves everyone in her class. She loves to sing and do actions at school. And she is progressing well and enjoying her one on one time with her speech therapist. This week we had a little friend from school over and they played so well together.

We were so nervous about this school, but are both extremely happy with the teaching, the kids in her class and the nice short walk to and from school.

Another wonderful milestone my big girl hit is that she no longer sucks her thumb! We are so very proud of her. One day Steve said she was too old to still being doing that, Danika agreed to give up her blanket for a couple of weeks and the thumb sucking stopped! So the giant callous on her thumb is going away, but the downside is that she wakes up at night and has a tough time falling asleep, but we will get there soon enough! We are just so proud of her!

Halloween Weekend

Sunday after church the girls were invited to the Pastor's sons 'Magician' birthday party. They invited the whole town and then some... it was pretty fun for the girls and they got to dress up like princesses...

Kailey and Lize

Pretty good cupcake!

After school we headed out to camp imadene for a halloween carnival. Danika loves the little plasma cars

So does dessa!

The race was on....

The boys... racing on the huge bmx race track

Sharon and I.... Dr. Seuss'- 'Thing 1 and Thing 2'

We had lots of fun

I realized I SO do not suit short hair with bangs... especially blue! haha, but it was fun!

He still loves me even with blue hair!

My little Monkey!

Family shot