Gymnastics

Here is Morgan at gymnastics last Saturday. Paige was home sick, but I'll try to get some of her this week.
Pretty quiet week here so far. More snow=more shoveling.....kids are feeling better, but Mama bear is kind of cranky today ;(
Still haven't heard anything from the insurance, so I have no idea what is happening with the van.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain

I don't know who to give credit to for this quote, but I read it today at the footer of an email; and thought how appropriate it seems!
We had a pretty good weekend here. Paige stayed home from gymnastics because she still wasn't feeling up to snuff. Morgan had a great session though. I took some video, which I will post later in the week. Poor Paigie went to bed saying that her ear was hurting so we will see what the morning brings. I hope that she is okay - she missed three days of school last week. I'm also waiting to see what happens with the other two - Ella hardly ate anything today, and Morgan says her throat is hurting......
I'm off to read a book with one very snuggly kitty before I head off to bed. It is freezing cold here, which always makes kitties very snuggly ;)
xxxxxx

Here is Little Miss Ella helping me to blog! Paige is home from school as well. She has had a nasty cough, and a fever on and off - so she has been home since Wednesday. Unfortunately it is viral so there is nothing to do but rest and have lots of stories and snuggles!
It has been a busy month around here. I know, I know, when isn't it busy around here? We had Auntie Catherine here until mid-January which was great! The adult company during the day was lovely.
On a sad note, a few weeks ago we had to put our beautiful white kitty to sleep. She was very young, and had only been with us for a year. Sadly she had lower urinary tract disease, and we couldn't get a handle on it.
That same weekend, I was driving Paige home from gymnastics, and was hit by another driver who went through their stop-sign (I had the right of way). Nobody was hurt thankfully. However we are now doing battle with the insurance company. They want to declare the van a total loss. The van is new to us (I only got it right before Christmas!), but it is 10 years old. However it is in mint condition. What little rust it had, we had repaired before we brought it home, and it had really low kms (145 000 km on a ten yr old car), had one other owner who worked for the place we bought it from so they know the entire history of the van. Also it is fully-loaded - all it doesn't have is leather seats. The body shop that it was taken to has told Kev to fight the insurance company because for what they will offer us for it, we won't be able to replace it. So I think we are in for a fight!
Also in the last little while, Miss Morgan has completely taken off with her reading. She is now reading chapter books silently, and just devouring them! I am so pleased that she has found a love of reading. Must be in the genes!! ;) Paige is also excelling, and is starting to read to me at home. They haven't started the home-reading program at school yet, so this is something that we are doing together on our own, and she is loving it and doing REALLY well! They brought home their "popcorn" words which are the kindergarten sight words a couple of weeks ago, and she is ready to be tested on them. She knows them all; and following in her big sisters steps, Ella can almost sing the song. (Paige learned the song by heart when Morgan was in JK - she was younger than Ella - and sang them for the teacher, who still talks about it to this day!).
Well that about it for now, I must go and to attend to a very demanding, almost two year old!
Love to all!
XOXOXOXOXOXO

Of big girl beds, snowmen, and princess dogs!

Ella is out of her crib, and inton her big-girl bed. You can't see it very well in the picture, but her bed has Dora on it, and she LOVES it! This was taken her first night sleeping in it!


Last week the kids had a snow-day, and they played outside ALL day! Here is the snowman that they built.


The girls went to a birthday party last weekend, and when we came home I couldn't resist putting the hat on the dog....poor thing - she is rather tolerant!

Honey learns to play.

Over the course of the holidays, the kids spent a lot of time outside. One afternoon Honey went out with them and for the first time since we've had her, she played with them! They all had a great time!




They played for almost an hour, but I only got that few seconds on camera because my memory card was already full from Christmas pictures. It is true what they say though; there is nothing better than tired kids and dogs!

Happy New Year!

Here is to 2008 being a Happy and healthy year for all of our family and friends. 2007 was a very trying year, and the New Year always brings with it a sense of a fresh start. The people closest to me had great losses in 2007, and I hope that as we move into 2008, we can continue to heal.
2007 wasn't all bad though. Ella learned to walk, and talk. Paige started school and found a best friend. Morgan learned to ride a two-wheeler, started piano lessons, and Brownies as well as losing her first tooth! Quite big accomplishments all round!
Our love to you all!
xoxoxoxxo

Even more pics:

Morgan and Dad reading the manual to the digital camera that Santa brought her.

Miss Paige entertaining Mark.

Me cooking the bird.....

and Auntie Catherine and Ella playing with hair stuff!

Christmas continued:

Grandma with Morgan, Paige, and Ella on Christmas Eve before church.

Paigie with her baby "Elizabeth" which Santa brought.

Ella with her baby that Santa brought.

Dad with his new slippers and gloves from the girls.

Christmas 2007

Decorating of the tree.


Examaning the ornaments.


My constant shadow ;)


And viola; the tree.

Paige's Christmas Concert

Paige had her Christmas concert this morning and was an absolute star! The gym was packed, and we didn't have the best seats. However, this was the first year that they have used the stage - which was really nice! I tried to take some video of it, but I was holding the baby at the same time and it is a bit shaky and dark. I will post it anyway though. Paige is in the front row second in on the left!

Hot off the press!

After much waiting and anticipation Morgan has FINALLY lost her first tooth. She is the last one in her class to lose a tooth so she is very excited about the whole thing. It just popped out while she was eating her dinner!

Winter Storm

Here is the view from our dining room window on Sunday afternoon after the snow storm. The kids had a great time playing in the snow!

Happy 7th Birthday Darling Morgan :)

The cake that Mummy made, for our party at home. Auntie Catherine decorated it!

M and M, where one is - the other is never far behind!

Morgan also had a party with her school friends and here are Maddison and Paige.

The Birthday girl!!! I can hardly believe that it has already been 7 years! You are growing into such a beautiful young girl - both inside and out, and we love you very much!!!!
xoxoxoxooxxooxxo Mama.

Morgan's Brownie Enrollment

On November 1, 2007 Morgan was enrolled as a Brownie, by Tiny Owl. ;)

Here is the recipe of how to bake a Brownie:











Here is the oven that the girls were baked in:


And out pops a Brownie, specially baked by Maddison.


Here is Morgan saying her promise and law.




Here is the fully enrolled Brownie!

Halloween (better late than never)

Little Miss Ella was a fairy princess, and loved her costume; especially her magic wand!


Paige was Princess Belle!


Morgan the "vampire witch".


Three very happy girls after trick-or-treating.


One shy Halloween dog; she slept in her bed on the porch and helped give out candy.


M and M at their Brownie Halloween party.


The carving of the pumpkins...and yes before you ask - power tools were involved ;)








Paige at school. Every year the kids do a parade of costumes.