Brown Betty Brew

Recovering...

2012-01-30T04:29:00.005-05:00

We had our first double sleepover this past weekend, and I am still in recovery mode. There are a few pictures in the cameras, from the weekend, but they sit gathering dust while AC and I catch our breath. Having two little munckins for a sleepover at the same time tends to keep one hopping I must say. I'll post these pictures from last week for Grandmama now, and will get to the weekend pictures in a day or so.

Pretty

2012-01-27T05:30:00.003-05:00

After days of dreary, grey, rainy weather it was nice to have this colourful sunset the other night.
Days are getting longer too...yahoo!

JJ's sunshine

2012-01-26T05:28:00.002-05:00

Yes, JJ spreads his own special sunshine throughout the house on these dreary January days too.
Don't these pictures just make you want to smile?
Yes, sunshine indeed.

Morning smiles

2012-01-25T05:22:00.005-05:00

On these dreary rainy January mornings we need to manufacture our own sunshine. Smudge does her best to spread her sunshine first thing in the morning while she and Buppa have a chat before it is time to get on the school bus.
We tried a new hair-do this morning, and smudge thought it was pretty neat.

Just because...

2012-01-24T05:25:00.006-05:00

...I like these two pictures. This is very typical of both kids these days. Smudge playing quietly on her DS...
and JJ enthralled with the Robin Hood video.
I put strict limits on both these activities every day when I am with the kids, but it is only going to get tougher as they get older. I can hardly believe that we are dealing with time limits on electronic gadgets already and they are only 2 and 4!

Ahhhh, sweet indeed.

2012-01-23T05:12:00.005-05:00

JJ has such a good nap when he is at our house that I have to wake him up when it is time to go back home so we can meet Sister at the bus stop.
He wakes up all curly headed and rosy cheeked...sweet indeed.

Buddies

2012-01-20T05:15:00.003-05:00

Not only does JJ help Buppa in the kitchen, he is also a big helper when Buppa works at the computer.
I think he is doing some photoshop work here.
Then it is time to keep Buppa company while they relax and watch Robin Hood together.

Being silly

2012-01-19T05:41:00.001-05:00

You just never know what Smudge is going to get up to when we go over to get her on the school bus in the morning. Here she is giving Buppa's head a rub after she has had a story.
Then it's time to pose for the camera...
and ham it up with brother.

Helping Buppa in the kitchen

2012-01-18T05:15:00.002-05:00

JJ loves to help in the kitchen. He especially likes to keep a close eye on things when he and Buppa heat up something in the microwave. Buppa lets him push the timer and start buttons, then they both wait patiently for the bell to ring.
JJ gives a fist-pump and a resounding "YES!" when timer dings...
then he helps Buppa check things out.

For Grandmama...

2012-01-17T05:01:00.002-05:00

I know AC has already posted pics of the girl's first violin lesson, but I thought I would add a few more pics for Grandmama's pleasure.

All set...and ready to go

2012-01-16T05:14:00.002-05:00

Tuesday was a big day for the Smudge this week. She and Buppa set off for her first violin lesson, and she was very excited from the moment she got into the car.
They arrived at her teacher's house rather early, so she had time to say hello to the bunnies in the front yard.
Time to say good-bye and head in for her lesson.
Doesn't she look pleased to be there?

Two more

2012-01-13T19:28:00.001-05:00

The old folks patiently waiting to open gifts on Christmas morning. Asha was keeping a close eye on us...
..and JJ joined us from time to time to help us with ribbons and wrappings.

Pleased as punch

2012-01-12T05:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I shared pictures of JJ with his favorite new toy on Christmas morning, so today I thought I would post these of the Smudgster with a gift that brought a twinkle to her eye.
Oh wow, her very own make-up kit.
I think Mommy is telling her that she can use this (all except for the nail polish) all by herself.
In no time at all, she and Mommy were digging in to see all the goodies.
Every time I looked over at Smudge during the day, she had this kit on her lap, and she was either combing her hair, putting lipstick on, touching up her eye-shadow, or slathering cream on he hands. Oh my, and she is only four!

JJ's new toy

2012-01-11T05:39:00.003-05:00

While the others in the house were very excited about new electronic toys, JJ was pleased with his new train.
We watched the "Polar Express" on Christmas Eve, and after the gifts were opened on Christmas morning JJ went up and down the hall with his own "Polar Express" on a trip to the North Pole.
The flatbed car had two little cars that could be removed, and they were taken on many a journey away from the train and back again.
The best part about this gift for me is that it was all hand-made by our neighbour, Al. The workmanship is absolutely amazing, and long after JJ has outgrown it as a toy, it can grace a bookshelf as a piece of art.

New Year Activity

2012-01-10T07:10:00.002-05:00

Guess who got electronic gadgets for Christmas.
Father and Daughter will have to set time limits spent staring at screens during the new year.

Not yet....

2012-01-05T07:35:00.003-05:00

I thought I would be up and running by now, but...no...not yet! I have been in a knock-down/drag-out fight with a nasty nasty cold germ since Boxing day, and was knocked down for the count for the whole holiday. Groan! I still haven't quite managed to scrape myself up off the mat yet, but am making a valiant effort.

Hopefully I'll see you again in a week or so...stay tuned.

So long for now....

2011-12-22T05:41:00.002-05:00

Things are getting a tad busy around here, so I'll sign off for now and be back after the holiday weekend.

Have a warm and wonderful Christmas.

More dance class pictures

2011-12-21T05:19:00.003-05:00

I can't resist posting more of the pics we took at the dance class open house on the weekend. The little pink ballerinas just filled the room with joy and made us all smile.

Here we see them greeting one classmates little sister.
They went from standing tall and jumping high....
to getting down...
and then even further down.

Oh I can see a budding ballerina extraordinaire in this photo.
They all have the robot moves down pat in this dance.
Time to line up for a snack before going home.
Checking in with Buppa to make sure he got lots of good pictures.

Dance Class

2011-12-19T12:19:00.009-05:00

The family was invited to Smudge's dance class on Saturday morning to observe the class going through its paces. Oh joy!

Our little ballerina was very excited and eager for the class to begin.
Partners were chosen; last minute instructions intently listened to...
and warm-up moves done.
Buppa was all set with the camera...
and when Mommy and Daddy arrived with JJ he wanted to join the dance circle too.
He was content to sit with Mommy and Daddy though...
and the class was about to begin.
It was just too cute for words.

Doing a thorough job

2011-12-16T07:56:00.003-05:00

This kept JJ busy for quite a while the other day...tightening all the imaginary screws on the Snowman blanket. Each button and snowflake had to be tightened to perfection, and he did a thorough job with his handy-dandy drill.

Such a nice neighbour

2011-12-15T05:10:00.002-05:00

The other morning I heard a knock at the door, and it was the neighbour across the street. She had missed the garbage pick-up at her house and was wondering if she could put her garbage in front of our house. Sure, no problem. Once that task was taken care of, she asked JJ if he would like to help her walk her dog. JJ, was more than happy to do so and waited anxiously for her at the front door while she took her blue boxes back inside her garage.
Then they were off on the great dog walking adventure. JJ even got to hold the leash.
What a nice neighbour.

Christmakkah Cookies

2011-12-14T05:26:00.008-05:00

We celebrate Christmakkah at our house every year, and D3 is the most expert Christmakkah cookie decorator in all the land. Even though the girls were only here for a weekend, D3 made time to decorate some cookies for us. Here we see her hard at work creating masterpieces on tiny ginger cookies.
D2 keeps her company at the kitchen table, and they work on a crossword puzzle together while D3 works her magic with the icing.
D3 loves doing this task, and it shows.
Below is a selection of Christmakkah cookies she decorated for Simon, my Jewish hairstylist extraordinaire! He loves getting this gift every year.
If you look closely you will see holly wreaths around a dreidel, a Christmas tree with dreidels underneath, a Christmas tree with menorah candles on it, candy canes and dreidels and two others that I just had to go in for a closer look at.

While D3 was decorating one evening AC jokingly said "I think you should make one with Moses parting the Red Sea while holding a menorah in one hand and a Christmas tree in the other."
Yes, she did just that! Amazing huh? Especially when you remember that it is on a tiny cookie!

She even did a couple of scrolls with Hebrew writing on them.
Below are the family cookies for us to eat on Christmas Eve.
If you can't tell from the picture, I am the snowlady wearing the fabulous green shawl and the string of pearls.

Family Breakfast

2011-12-13T05:25:00.003-05:00

The day after our tree decorating party, we all gathered at the kid's place for a family breakfast. The gals really like this because the guys do the cooking. Yahoo! While they get prepared in the kitchen...
...the rest of us grab a cup of coffee and a comfy spot on the couch to await the feast.
All the adults relax while the kids bounce from one of us to another.
By this time the guys are cooking up a storm and are in a haze of smoke as the bacon snaps and crackles in the pan.
The sisters find time for a snuggle...
...while JJ has a serious confabulation with Auntie Ally and Asha.
JJ and Auntie soon move to the hall for a rousing game of hockey...
...but JJ hurts his finger and goes to Auntie Alycia for a hug.
He then moves on to sister for some comfort...
and finally ends up with Buppa for a story.

Sometimes a girl has to stop for a rest

2011-12-12T05:58:00.001-05:00

At any family gathering Smudge gets very excited, and goes like a house on fire. She spins and dances and twirls from one activity to another with great energy and enthusiasm. Eventually she runs out of steam and just has to stop for a rest. Buppa is always ready to give her a quiet spot for just that.
Next it is Amma's turn to snuggle with the girl. By this time Smudge has her jammies on, and is quieting down for bed.
She's still my baby girl, and enjoys listening to Amma sing her a lullabye.
Ah, what sweet times.

Tree Decorating Party - Part Two

2011-12-10T05:21:00.003-05:00

JJ looked very bright after his nap, and was eager to help with the tree decorating.
Sister helped him choose just the right ornament...
and he did a good job finding the perfect spot for each one.
After all that hard work it was time for a relaxing game of cards with Auntie.I found the snack tray, and munched a cracker or two and sipped some wine. MMMMM good.
The Aunties and Molly visited on the couch...
and then it was time to open some presents.
(Have you noticed in a lot of these pictures that Asha is right in the middle of all the activity. Abby is hiding under a bed somewhere, but Asha loves to be where the action is and sit right in the middle of it. What a strange but friendly cat.)

Father and daughter enjoy a quiet moment...
and Auntie Ally looks cute for the camera.
The three grandmas gather in one end of the room for a chat...
while the kids settle in on the couch to watch a movie.
Smudge soon gave up her seat on the couch for a more comfy spot...on top of Daddy. She stayed there for almost the whole movie.

Tree Decorating Party - Part one

2011-12-09T07:58:00.023-05:00

I have been a bit under the weather this week, so mail and blogs have not been tended to. Cough, hack, sneeze! I think I picked up a bug at the mall when we went Christmas shopping, and I did my best to fight it off so I could enjoy all the festivities during the A Team visit, but the late nights and whirlwind activities did me in and I have been down for the count this week. Hopefully I'll get caught up on my mail next week. Stayed tuned....

When we arrived on Saturday afternoon for the Tree Decorating party, Smudge was all dressed in her finest...
and even had her toenails painted a sparkly and red and silver for the occasion.
Auntie Alycia was the most excited kid of all, and could hardly wait to start decorating the tree. This little Jewish girl sure loves to celebrate the tree decorating side of Christmakkah, and was bubbling with excitement.
Molly, waited a bit more sedately for the festivities to begin.
Ally and I enjoyed a visit on the couch...
while Marielle and Monique relaxed and settled in for an afternoon of family fun. Finally it was time to begin. Auntie Alycia and Smudge worked as a team to put the ribbon garland on the tree, while the rest of us watched.
Once all the ribbon garland was on to everyone's satisfaction, Smudge thought it was time to wear the ribbon box on her head.
When she turned around to ask her sister Molly what she thought of her new hat, she got a resounding nod of approval.
Then it was time to go back to the task of decorating the tree, and Smudge and Auntie Alycia happily did just that.
Soon the whole gang was getting involved...
JJ was up from his nap by this time, so he added a few finishing touches he thought the tree needed...
then Smudge helped Daddy and Auntie Alycia put the Santa topper on the tree.
Part Two...on its way to you tomorrow....

Wishbook with the Aunties

2011-12-08T05:47:00.001-05:00

After Smudge's hair was designed to perfection it was time to get down to some serious business...studying the Sears Wishbook!
Auntie Ally was the page turner...
but Smudge and Auntie Alycia gave lots of help.
Smudge then got her paper and pencil ready...
so she could write the wishes down for Santa.
JJ came over to see if he could help too...
and soon everyone was on the couch adding items to their wish lists.

New hair do

2011-12-07T05:54:00.002-05:00

When the Aunties arrived on Friday night the kids were very excited to see them. After hugs were given all around, Smudge let Auntie Alycia give her a new hairstyle. Clips, elastics and hair pins were gathered, and a comfy spot was found for Smudge so Auntie could work her coiffure magic.
Smudge dutifully sat very still while Auntie combed, clipped, brushed and flipped her hair.
Oh, almost done.
Let's get Mommy's approval, and then pose for the camera.
Very pretty Smudge. Good job Auntie Alycia.

Monday morning

2011-12-06T05:22:00.002-05:00

I have a mountain of pics from the weekend to slog through, and I am operating at half-steam from lack of sleep, so weekend pics will take a little longer to put in some sort of order for a blog. In the meantime, here are a couple of pics from this morning.

JJ was still sleeping when we arrived today, but Smudge was up and raring to go. She is sure full of energy first thing in the morning, and puts Buppa through his paces.
He doesn't seem to mind at all.
Things soon settle down, and a few quiet minutes are spent before it is time to head out to the bus stop.

Whirlwind weekend

2011-12-05T06:27:00.002-05:00

The A-Team was here for an early Christmas celebration this past weekend, and as always, we were in a bit of a whirlwind trying to squeeze in every possible minute of celebration with them.

Why does the visit go by so quickly? They didn't arrive until mid afternoon on Friday, and at 6am this morning, they were on their way to the airport again for the flight home. Sigh! Here I sit, with my early morning cup of coffee, in the middle of the muddle of their departure trying to quiet my emotions. It's so hard to say good-bye when they live so far away.

We took lots of pics, but they are still on the camera. When I catch my breath I'll post a blog or two. Stay tuned.

Morning shenanigans

2011-12-02T05:06:00.001-05:00

While I bustle around getting school bags ready, coats and boots lined up at the door and other last minute things organized, Buppa keeps the kids entertained. Floor play starts out pretty normal, but soon turns into shenanigans.
Smudge wants to get a whole new perspective on the day...
and wants to make sure that Buppa knows that she is where she is, as he continues to play with JJ and his trucks and cars.
I think Buppa knows she is there...
and doesn't seem to mind!

Read me another story Buppa

2011-12-01T05:50:00.001-05:00

This little guy sure likes his books and never tires of just one more story.
Buppa is always more than happy to oblige.

Isn't it neat Buppa?

2011-11-30T05:47:00.002-05:00

Better than TV!

MMMMM, tea and cookies...

2011-11-29T05:21:00.002-05:00

...at Amma and Buppa's house.

Helping with the Christmas shopping

2011-11-28T05:37:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year when shopping at the mall is much easier on a weekday morning than a Saturday afternoon. So, last week we bundled sister off to school, and then we headed out the door to do some Christmas shopping with JJ. Thank goodness he was more than happy to ride in his car stroller while Buppa pushed him hither, thither and yon.
They stopped now and then to closely examine one display or another, but JJ was content to stay in the stroller, while Amma shopped for almost everything on her list.
Yes, a good time was had by all.

Christmas Carousel

2011-11-25T08:59:00.009-05:00

Now that Sister is in school every day, JJ, quite often spends the day at our house. Sister is one bundle of activity and energy, and sometimes it feels like a hurricane has touched done after one of her visits. JJ on the other had, is much quieter, and things get a tad ruffled after his gentle wind of activity has passed through, but the house is not turned upside down.

The A-Team comes to visit next weekend for an early Christmas celebration with us, so I have started to get the Christmas decorations out earlier than usual this year. I want the house to look nice and festive when they arrive, and be filled with all the sights and sounds of Christmases past.

The Christmas Carousel made a re-appearance this week, and I had it turned on, with music playing, lights dancing, and animals twirling, when JJ got up from his afternoon nap. It caught his eye when he came down the stairs, and he made a b-line for this most wonderous thing. He climbed up on the couch, laid on his stomach with his elbows leaning on the arm of the couch and was mesmerized by the twirling, jumping, spinning sight before him.
He pointed at Rudolph, or the Polar Bear, or Santa as they spun by, but he didn't touch.
Mostly he just gazed in wonder, and kept saying to me " I love this Amma." "This is my favorite thing." and "What was his name again?"
"Rudolph." I would reply, and gazed in wonder at him.

Buppa's little helper

2011-11-24T05:24:00.001-05:00

He did a good job too.

Caught my eye.

2011-11-22T05:37:00.001-05:00

The other day as I was bustling around in the breakfast nook in the kitchen I looked up and caught this reflection of the dining room in the picture hanging on the wall beside me.
Neat huh?
It brought back memories from years ago, when I would sit at my mother's dressing table and imagine going into the mirror above it, to discover a whole new world there. I created another house on the other side of the mirror, but not just a house, it resembled Manderley without a Mrs Danvers in residence, and my Max deWinter was nothing but charming.

MMMM, chocolaty good

2011-11-21T05:04:00.002-05:00

Abby and Asha making themselves comfy

2011-11-17T05:43:00.003-05:00

These gals sure know how to relax on a cool Autumn afternoon.
Put a blanket down anywhere, and Abby is sure to find it and snuggle down on it.

It's that time again...

2011-11-16T05:06:00.004-05:00

Some days it seems like it will never click, then all of a sudden the connection is made and we are on our way.
Today was a good day. Maybe it has finally clicked. We'll see tomorrow.

Being Silly

2011-11-15T05:01:00.002-05:00

We went over to the kid's place for dinner the other night and Smudge thought Daddy should sit on Buppa's lap too.
Such silliness!

The latest activity

2011-11-14T05:07:00.001-05:00

The Christmas catalogue was delivered to the house last week, and Smudge has been spending hours, and I mean hours, making out her Christmas wish list. Page after page of paper is filled with the names of toys that catch her eye. In the few short weeks she has been in school, she has gone from printing her name and a few simple words to asking what every word she sees is, then copying it down on paper. I am amazed at what she is doing with pencil and paper these days.
While sister is busy at work with her list, JJ is content to snuggle with Asha.

Buddies

2011-11-11T05:42:00.003-05:00

When JJ isn't bothering Asha, she is getting up-close and personal with him.
From time to time Abby comes over to see what Asha and JJ are doing, but she keeps her distance.
Not Asha, she gets right on top of JJ, and he doesn't mind a bit.

When the cat's away...

2011-11-10T05:17:00.003-05:00

...the mice will play.

On the weekend someone gave Smudge a bag full of dress-up clothes to play with. It was overflowing with purses, skirts, dresses, jewellery and other assorted fun things to play dress-up in. When we went over on Monday morning Smudge was doing a hula dance in a blue grass-skirt from the dress-up bag.

As soon as she went out the door to catch the bus, JJ, grabbed the skirt and wanted to dance in it too, so I helped him fasten it on, and went into the kitchen to tend to breakfast dishes, while he played with Asha.
When I glanced over to see what he was doing, I noticed that he had something draped over his shoulders...
and was having a conversation with Asha.
He looked at me and said "I'm a cowboy Amma."
Well, if you're a cowboy JJ, you need a cowboy hat to finish off your outfit.
He promptly toddled off to his room in search of a cowboy hat. He couldn't find one there, so he made a b-line for Smudge's room to see if he could find one there.

When I followed him there to see what he was doing, this is what I found. Yep, that is the perfect hat to finish off your outfit JJ. It even matches your skirt.
I couldn't resist taking this picture of him walking back to the living room. Goodness he makes me smile.
He went over to get Asha's approval, and was quite pleased that Asha liked his outfit.
When Buppa came back from dropping Smudge off at the bus stop, JJ modeled the thing that he had draped over his shoulders while he was a cowboy.
Who knew that it was the most elegant embroidered dress?
All this had taken place and it wasn't even 9am yet! What next?

JJ and Asha

2011-11-09T05:47:00.003-05:00

Now that sister is in school everyday the cats are called on more and more to be playmates for JJ. Asha is a 14 year old cat who is very patient with the little guy, and she is the one who is called on most often to fill the roll.
She will take all the lovin' JJ cares to give her...
and even listens intently when JJ wants a heart to heart.
She could just jump down and go hide under a bed, but no, she wants to be where the action is...
and joins JJ for a game of cars.
JJ rolls the cars up her and over her when he needs to, and Asha doesn't move a muscle.

Our own little Mowgli

2011-11-08T05:22:00.002-05:00

His mouth is full of banana, and his hat is just like Mowgli's.
How can you tell that King Louie was singing on the Jungle Book soundtrack while JJ was having his breakfast?

Snack time

2011-11-07T05:56:00.002-05:00

These are some pictures left over from last week, and they are too cute not to post.

JJ, Winnie, Care Bear and Chicken are all lined up and waiting for their snack.
Then it was time to watch Jungle book, one more time.
JJ needed to snuggle real close to Winnie during the scary moments in the story.

More Halloween smiles

2011-11-04T05:05:00.001-04:00

I think it is a thing of the past for kids to wear costumes to school, but theme shirts are allowed, so Smudge and JJ were all decked out first thing in the morning and posed for a picture with Buppa.
JJ wore this hat all day and looked very cute in it I must say.
Smudge opted for a hair band, and tried the "no bangs" look for the day.
A couple of cuties for sure.

Some Halloween smiles

2011-11-03T05:34:00.003-04:00

We were coming in from the store on Halloween morning when we ran into our neighbour and her dog Liam. It seems that Liam heard that JJ was going to wear a Tigger costume on halloween night, and he came over to commiserate. Liam was NOT happy about his costume, but JJ was all smiles.
Please kid, you gotta help me get outta this costume. JJ listened intently, but sadly he could not help Liam.
As you can see, JJ was more than happy to be Tigger on Halloween night.
Smudge was Belle, and finished off her outfit perfectly with her red purse. She stood patiently while Mommy did some last minute adjustments to the hem of her dress so she wouldn't be tripping on it all night. Tigger looked on and gave his expert advice on the alterations.
At last it was time to head out the door, and Smudge was beyond wound up about going out trick or treating.

Busy, busy, busy...

2011-11-02T05:11:00.006-04:00

That's what JJ is these days, busy, busy, busy. Talking non-stop ALL day long, he moves from one activity to the next, and Winnie is usually at his side...or back, as you see in the pic below.
When we arrived at his house the other morning he had his suitcase open on the floor and he was singing Row, row, row your boat. He and Winnie sailed merrily down the stream while we helped Smudge get ready to catch the school bus.
This game continued until it was time to pack up and go to Amma and Buppa's house for the rest of the day. Of course Winnie had to come along for the ride too. It was a chilly morning, so we all had to put and extra sweater on, including Winnie.
Once at Buppa's house, JJ settled in for story-time in the big rocking chair in Buppa's den. What fun to read Winnie the story of Frosty the Snowman.

After story-time it was time for a snack, so we all went downstairs and JJ set to preparing a feast for all of us...
including Winnie, Chicken and Care Bear. He sat them all down on the couch, gave them each a sippy cup with chocolate milk inside, while he enjoyed his plastic ice cream cone.
JJ can spend ages playing with this bag of plastic food.
You can't see Buppa or me in this picture, but we are on the other couch with plates of plastic food to chow down on too.

Confabulation

2011-11-01T05:41:00.003-04:00

Buppa has started to come over to the kid's place in the mornings to help me get Smudge out the door and to the bus stop on cold wet mornings. Here they are having a morning confabulation on the front steps while Buppa stops to tighten his shoe laces.
Smudge waits patiently and chatters away about this and that while Buppa fixes his shoe.
Later in the day, JJ and Buppa prepare for and outing, and they sit on the stairs at our house to put on their shoes. JJ is at the stage where he wants to do everything HIMSELF, so Buppa patiently waits while JJ attempts to put on his shoes...
but is ready to help when JJ asks for it.
The confabulation continues, and Buppa sits and listens until JJ is ready to put on his coat. Then it starts all over again as JJ tries to do the zipper up by himself...and so it goes...round and round and round....chattering all the while.
My goodness the house is quiet when JJ isn't here.

Jungle Book

2011-10-31T05:50:00.001-04:00

When JJ was at our house this week we put the Jungle Book DVD on to see if he would like to watch it. He has read the story with Buppa many times, so we thought he might like the DVD.

Well, he was totally engrossed in it. I think Mowgli was in trouble with Kaa at this point in the movie...
and when things got really tense with Shere Khan, he had to move over onto Amma's lap for some protection.
It all ended with smiles though and he was happy when Bagheera and Baloo sauntered off into the jungle and Mowgli was safe in the man village.
I think we will be watching this DVD many more times before this year is over.

Windy walk

2011-10-28T05:40:00.002-04:00

JJ has been spending the day at our house most of the day for the past little while because Mommy has been sick, and tasks like getting the fence repaired and plumbing work done, have required us to be at home to deal with workmen.

We are happy to report that it has worked out well for everyone. Mommy has had a quiet house to rest in, JJ has enjoyed playing with Mommy's and Auntie Ally's old toys, and we have enjoyed being home for most of the day.

Another treat has been our morning walk with the little nipper. He sets off at great speed to the end of the driveway, then stops and waits for us.
At some points he rushes ahead of us...
but mostly he dawdles, and needs encouragement to turn around and walk in the right direction.
He talks non-stop during the whole excursion, examines cracks in the sidewalk, bugs crawling up lamp posts, leaves blowing across the path, and anything else that might catch his attention. Neighbours out working in their yards get a cherry hello, dogs get a wide berth at first, but if the owners agree, they get a pat on the head.

The other day he was quite intrigued with his shadow, and how amazing it was that it followed him or walked backward in front of him for the whole walk. He laughed when it waved back at him when he waved, or lifted its foot just like he did. We played games trying to walk on each others shadows or grab them and make them stay put. Total fun for all of us.

Lots of happy memories are being made with this little guy. I wonder what new discoveries he will make tomorrow? I can't wait to share them with him.

Still his buddy

2011-10-27T05:35:00.002-04:00

Toys tend to come and go, but good ol' Winnie is still a favorite with JJ these days.
What is it about the tubby little cubby ol bear?

Monday morning smiles

2011-10-26T05:28:00.004-04:00

I usually go over to the kid's place alone in the mornings and get Smudge on the bus, then settle in for a morning with JJ at his house. AC takes over after lunch for the pm shift, and I head home for some me-time.

Daddy was on his own Monday morning and we thought he might need some extra help getting things organized, so AC and I both went over a tad early to help out. Smudge was very happy to see Buppa, and snuggled in for some major hugs...
before Buppa took her to the bus stop. JJ stayed home with Amma, but posed for a picture before Buppa and Smudge headed out the door.
It makes it a lot easier when Buppa comes over to help on these blustery mornings so I don't have to get JJ up and dressed in rain gear or other duds when he would much rather sleep-in and putter over breakfast on most mornings.

Everything old is new again...

2011-10-25T05:16:00.002-04:00

Mommy has been sick for the past week, so JJ has been coming to our house for the day instead of us going there because we wanted to keep our distance from her nasty germs. Actually it has worked out quite well. JJ is a quieter soul than his sister ever was, and will sit happily on a corner of the carpet and play with one toy at a time. When he wants to get another toy out, he diligently puts the current toy away before he delves into the toy box for the next one. What a treat!

Today I dusted off the old Sesame Street village toy that is well over 30 years old now, and JJ had a grand time playing with it.
Bert and Ernie are missing, but Big Bird, Oscar, Gordon, Maria and Mr Hooper are present and accounted for.
Good old Sesame Street...everything old is new again.

Wiggles hats

2011-10-24T05:18:00.002-04:00

Sorting through some old pictures I found these two of a couple of cool dudes in their new Wiggles hats.
Yes JJ, you are one cool dude.

Opeongo Trail

2011-10-21T05:33:00.025-04:00

OK, this is the last post of our Thanksgiving trip...promise. Grandmama will be getting anxious for pictures of the kids next week.

We set off for the 4 hour trip home from Riverwood on Thanksgiving Monday, and it only took us 7 hours! Yes, we did take the back roads once again and made many stops along the way to soak in the colour and visit a few historic sites.

We had a travel book that outlined the sights to see along the Opeongo Line, and it was not much out of our way, so we dusted off our maps, filled the thermoses with coffee, bought some delicious muffins for snacks, and went exploring along this historic route. The scenery couldn't have been prettier and the little towns were a delight.
Our first stop along the way was this old church in Rockingham. You can read more about it here. Rockingham Church
We parked the car, climbed the hill and wandered around the grounds before going inside to take a look around.
The old organ looked pretty good, but I couldn't get it to make a sound.
The fall colour put on a show outside the windows...
and memories of days gone by swirled around on the inside like falling leaves.
I felt like I was stepping into the past when I walked through the door and wandered down the aisle. I tried to picture the people sitting in these pews; what they would be wearing; and what kind of lives they had. The Opeongo Line was a hard place to try to make a living if you tried to farm the land.

We passed some old homesteads along the Trail, and I wondered what went through the minds of the first women to arrive as they got off their wagons at the end of a long journey and looked around. Nothing but dense bush everywhere you looked, thick clouds of mosquitoes swarming in the air, no neighbours, no corner stores, no electricity, no heat, no running water (or well)....and now they had to set up housekeeping in this isolated area. Where do you start? How do you get through that first night, those first few days, the next long years? My heart went out to those women.

One entry in the guest book in the foyer of the church was from a great grand-daughter of a lady married in this church. My mind wondered back through the years, and I wondered what the young bride wore that day; what kind of decorations did she have in the church; who sat in the pews to celebrate the day with her; what kind of reception followed and what did life hold for her after her big day. What were her hopes and dreams, and did she realize them?

The box you see to the left of the window in the picture below really intrigued me as I couldn't figure out what it was for. It was at the front of the church in the opposite corner from the pulpit. The sides were about seven feet high, and there was a narrow opening in the back corner of the box, with just enough room for a person to slip inside. There was a bench inside, but that was all. No shelves, hooks or table. Just a bench. Hmmm, what could it be for? Maybe it was the minister's prayer closet. Or maybe wood was stored in there for the stove that sits just outside the narrow opening in the box.
After our visit to the church, we once more set off in the direction of home. We did make lots more stops along the way though. This spot was perfect for a wee picnic...
beside this lake. Mmm, the scene was more delicious than the muffin and coffee.
Next stop was the Ghost town of Brudenell. The old Costello hotel is still standing and is for sale. I wish I could have seen inside this interesting looking building. Oh the stories those old walls could tell.
Then we motored on down the road to Balaclava. Below is a picture of the old hotel there...
and the sawmill in Balaclava across the street from the hotel.
We made one more stop in Foymount, an old armed forces radar base from the 1950's. It had lots of abandoned buildings, but we didn't take any pictures there. The buildings were abandoned, but not interesting, so the cameras had a rest.

We were running out of steam by this time, so we got back in the car and made a b-line for home.
We will for sure take this route home again in autumn as the scenery was spectacular and even on this busy Monday of a long weekend there was no traffic. We had clear roads and free sailing all along the route.

Algonquin

2011-10-20T05:52:00.016-04:00

The day after we arrived at Riverwood, we packed a picnic lunch, and hit the road again. This time making tracks for Algonquin Park.
What fun to follow that ribbon of highway through more colorful rolling hills..
dotted with many beautiful lakes.
Just inside the gates to the park we came upon Brewer Lake and we stopped to stretch our legs and take a few pictures.
Please note that it was so warm and sunny that neither of us needed coats. What a fabulous weekend.
We toodled on down the road and stopped at the Visitor Centre to get a map, tour the gift shop...
...and venture out onto the observation deck to take a few more pictures.
AC put his camera to work.....
and seemed quite pleased.....
with the breathtaking views from the deck. Pretty huh?
On our way out of the Visitor Centre AC stopped to have a grand ol' howl with one of his friends.
It was past time for lunch when we left the Visitor centre, so we made a b-line for the closest picnic spot and found a shady table ...
on the shores of this beautiful lake. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the lake, and I left my map at the farm so I can't look it up.
After lunch we decided to go on a stroll along one of the nature trails. We perused the map, picked the shortest trail that promised a scenic lookout at the end of it, and set off. Oh dear, they never mentioned on the map that you almost needed mountain climbing equipment to get to the end of the trail. It was a steady climb, with some really steep areas to navigate. In the picture below you see AC taking pictures along the way. That is one huge rock beside him isn't it, and it was just one of many.
I don't know if you can get a sense of how steep the climb was from these pics, but take my word for it...it was a dandy.
We trudged on, and finally made it to the top. Puff, pant, gasp! I must admit that we had a spectacular view from up there and it was worth the effort to climb to the top, but oh my, what a trek. The decent was almost as hard as the climb.
By the time we got back down to the bottom of the trail and safely in the car it was 4pm and time to head back to the farm. At one of the cross roads we stopped at along the way we saw this store advertising gourmet butter tarts.
MMMMM, tired and hungry we just had to go in and see what they had to offer. Seeing as it was almost in the middle of nowhere, I wasn't expecting much. They did have some interesting chain saw carvings out front so I had a chat with a friendly family of bears before heading into the store.

Boy was I surprised when I got inside the store.
They had row after row of butter tarts of all descriptions - coconut, chocolate chip, raisin, walnut, pecan, coffee, and plain, just to name a few that I can remember. They also had lemon, coconut cream, pumpkin,and banana cream tarts. Shelves were lined with fresh apple, pumpkin and berry pies too. Good grief....how could we choose just two tarts from this selection?
We couldn't....we bought six!
AC wanted to back-track a bit and get a picture of this steeple without a church attached, so we headed back there, took a few pictures, then sat in a shady spot to sip our coffee and munch on the treats we had just purchased. MMMMM good.
Then it was back on the road for the return trip to the farm.
It was a great day from beginning to end.

The Playner Mill

2011-10-19T05:55:00.011-04:00

Once we arrive at Riverwood, we feel the quiet, calm magic of the place soak into our souls and we settle in for a good ol' relaxing time.

One of my favorite places to sit-a-while; sip some wine; read a good book; engage in stimulating conversation; or just stare into space, is the Playner Mill...an old planer mill that has been converted into a screened-in play room.

Below is a picture of it snuggled down in the early morning mist.
Below is another shot looking at it from a different angle so we can see the old barn too. The farmhouse is out of the frame, but off to the left of the old barn in this picture.
Just outside the Playner Mill, we have this view of the swimming hole, or Benchsward. Thus named for the Friendship Bench that sits under the willow tree.
Below is a closer view of Benchsward. If you look closely, you can see me sitting on the bench looking across the water.
Below is what I am looking at from the Friendship Bench. The Playner Mill is on top of the cliff, just behind the trees you see in the right hand side of the picture.
Below is another view of the river from the Playner Mill area at the top of the cliff.
AC took some pictures of the inside of the Playner Mill to give you some idea of why I like to spend so much time there. I am in the shadows in the picture below, but the fabulous view is all around me. The door in the centre of this picture leads down to the swimming hole.The door in the pic below leads to the old barn, and you can see the white walls of the farm house peeking through the trees, just to the left of the old barn.
From where I am sitting in the picture above, if I look to my left across the room, I see the view in the picture below...
...and this one is directly to my left.
Below is the view straight ahead...
...and the view behind me. Yep, a spectacular view no matter where I look.
Below is a picture of my favorite spot to sit in the Playner Mill.
I gather my books, journals, ipad and art materials...
and settle in for the day.
It is hard to concentrate on anything but the view though.
AC came down to spend some time with me in the Playner Mill and snapped this picture through the screen...
...and this one through the open door.
Once I get there, I never want to leave. With my handy dandy iPad I can check mail, write a blog, or surf the net. Very little time is spent doing that though because reading books, writing in my journals, engaging in stimulating conversation and daydreaming are at the top of the list.
Ben chooses a lounge chair, and spreads out while he is reading.
I prefer to sit up straight and prop cushions all around me. MMMMM, comfy indeed,and easier to get at my wine this way.
Another favorite pastime is chewin'-the-fat. We do a lot of that and once again, the Playner Mill is the perfect spot for it.
Thanks for all your hard work Brian. You did a great job turning this old planer mill into the most fabulous Playner Mill. It's the BEST!

Riverwood

2011-10-18T05:15:00.017-04:00

The day we set off on our trip to Riverwood for Thanksgiving weekend dawned sunny and warm. I threw our coats in the car, but we sure didn't need them. We had blue skies and warm temps all weekend.

We took the back roads for the entire route, and were treated to a twisting ribbon of highway winding through rolling hills full of colour.
I snapped lots of photos from the car window, but most were too blurry to post, and none showed the vividness of the colour. Here are a few to give you a hint of the scenery along the way.

We stopped often to take pictures...
and then hit the road again....
for many many miles.
We saw the two beauties below, standing in the road as we zipped by. We stopped, backed up and caught them on the camera as they headed down a side road.
They stopped half way down the road, turned and looked at us, then high-tailed it off into the woods. I hope they escape the hunter's rifle bullets as the hunting season is now upon us. Good luck guys!
We continued on our trip along the roads that touched the shores of many many lakes in the Kawartha region.
We pulled into the Hideaway restaurant in Coe Hill around dinner time and tucked into some delicious sandwiches for a late lunch/early dinner feast before driving the last few miles to the farm house. I like the blackboard wall used to display the menu choices for the week.
This row of bird houses beside the Hideaway caught our eye and was deemed picture worthy.More pictures to come tomorrow...say tuned.

The Market

2011-10-17T05:48:00.006-04:00

We enjoyed a marvellous Thanksgiving break at Riverwood last weekend, but as you can tell from the lack of blogs all last week, I had a bit of trouble getting back into the groove after our little holiday.

We missed the peak of colour by one week, so most of the reds were gone, but it was still a very colourful trip and I took scads of pictures from the car as we toodled along the back roads on the way to the farm. As a result of taking lots of pics from a moving car I had a major culling job to do once all my pics were on the computer. I think I have them all sorted out now, so stay tuned for a blog or two of our trip away, in the meantime, here are a few pics from this past weekend at home.

Smudge was way overdue for a sleepover, so we had her over for one on Friday night. That meant we had the privilege of taking her to dance class on Saturday morning too. After class we picked her up and took her to Tim's for a drink and a snack, then it was off to the local Farmer's Market to see what was going on there.

What fun for kids and adults alike. The farmer's stalls were full of wonderful fall produce and home baking for the adults to drool over, there were pens of farm animals to entertain the kids, fiddlers were playing toe tapping tunes to fill the air with fabulous music, and the sun was shining brightly. All in all it was a delightful visit to the market.

In the pic below we see Buppa keeping a close eye on Smudge while she feeds the goats and lambs.
I think she is making friends with this particular goat.
(Just an aside about this particular goat...while we were standing there watching Smudge, a young girl came up to me and asked me if I would like to buy a ticket to play Goat Bingo. The funds would be used to help pay for a new roof on the Market building she informed me. I looked at her with a puzzled look on my face and asked her what exactly Goat Bingo was. She had a grid of numbers on a piece of paper on her clip board, and pointed to a corresponding huge chalk grid drawn on the ground in the parking lot.

At 11 am, this goat would be taken over to the chalk grid on the parking lot, and the number he pooped on would be the winning number. I reached into my purse and bought a ticket for #30. At 11:15 or thereabouts it was announced that the winning number was 27. What a hoot!)

After the goats we went over to see the horses and say hello to them.
Smudge was thrilled, but a bit overwhelmed and tucked her little hands inside her coat to protect them from the horses lips when they bent their heads down to look for an apple treat.
Here she is intently watching the horse chow down on an apple slice given to it by a lady standing nearby.
After the horses had their snack, it was time for them to go to work and pull a wagon loaded with people around the Market grounds. Smudge and I hopped on board and hung on tight for the bumpy ride.
What fun.
Then to top off the morning, when we got home, there was a big shiny fire truck parked on the street in front of Smudge's house. She went up for a closer look, and was quite enthralled with the hoses, ladders, lights, and gadgets on the truck. I wondered if there had been an emergency on the street, but soon discovered they were just visiting all the houses on the street as a courtesy to check smoke detectors to make sure they were working before the winter season sets in. How neat. I do love living in a small town.

Picture for Ava

2011-10-07T05:39:00.006-04:00

I am usually at the kid's place about half hour before the school bus arrives in the morning, so after we have tended to hair, we gather coats, boots and school bags, by the door, and then we have a few minutes to fill before leaving the house.

On this morning Smudge decided to draw a picture of herself and her friend Ava at dance class.
She had a chance to draw two pictures while JJ was still busy organizing the crayons.
I don't think he ever did get anything drawn that morning, but at least we got him out the door without a bow in his hair.

Barbies and Bows

2011-10-06T05:28:00.002-04:00

One of the last minute jobs I do each morning, now that Smudge goes to school every day, is fix her hair before she heads out the door to catch the school bus. We usually put it in a pony tail or poodle ears, but whatever we do, we always top it off with a bow.

We were ready early this one morning, so Smudge had time to play with her Barbies before it was time to leave. JJ joined her, and if you look closely...
you will see that he had to have a bow in his hair too. Seeing as his hair is only about half an inch long it is darn hard to get an elastic and bow in his hair, but he insists, so I do my best. We haven't yet managed poodle ears though.
When it is time to go to the bus stop, Smudge runs down the street to greet her friends...
and JJ, with bow firmly in place, follows closely behind.

Yee Haw....

2011-10-05T05:21:00.002-04:00

...I'm a cowboy Amma.
That's what I heard and this is what I saw when I looked up to see JJ coming into the kitchen.

Sure makes me start my day with a smile this little guy does.

Abby on the blanket

2011-10-04T05:10:00.001-04:00

Abby had a bit of an upset tummy last week, and wouldn't you know, she threw up on the bed, the carpet in the bedroom, and the floor in the hall. Groan! The next morning I found her once again curled up on the bed. Hmmmm, what to do? Surely she wouldn't throw up again, but....you never know. I found an old baby blanket on the desk, so I scrunched it up and put it next to her on the bed.
Good girl, she curled up on the cuddly blanket and slept there all day. At least if she threw up again, it might just get on the blanket and be a tad easier to wash than the huge king size spread.
Kids and Kats...you gotta love 'em

Feeding the beast

2011-10-03T05:04:00.001-04:00

While Sister was in Montreal visiting Grandmama, JJ came over to our place for dinner with Mommy. I think he was a hungry lion in the picture below...
thank goodness we had an ice cream cone on hand to tame the beast.

Koala Hatta

2011-09-30T05:51:00.001-04:00

I think somebody likes his new winter hat and mitts set.
It was a rather warm day when he arrived for a visit, but came into our house with his hat and mitts on anyway, and was all smiles.

Such a friendly soul

2011-09-29T05:27:00.008-04:00

We took these pictures a while ago, but I haven't had a chance to post them yet. Here they are before they get lost in the shuffle.

On Buppa's birthday he takes Smudge out for a date. How cool is that? She happily posed for this picture before they set off.
Then she moved right in for a big hug. She is such a friendly soul.
All decked out in her princess dress, she eagerly went to the car to leave for their lunchtime birthday celebration.
After a delicious lunch at McDonald's they went to the park...
for a walk...
and then they stopped at the ice cream shoppe for a treat. Below we see Smudge sitting with another family that had stopped at the shoppe for ice cream too. The amazing thing is that these people were complete strangers, but Smudge treated them like long lost friends.
She was pleased as punch to sit on the bench with them...
and make herself right at home in their family gathering.
She is such a friendly soul. She greets every child she meets and considers each one her friend.

Daddy's little helper

2011-09-28T05:23:00.003-04:00

Daddy came over to help us fix our screen door the other day...
and Smudge was right beside him to help him get the job done right.

This brought back sweet memories of spending time with my dad in his workshop helping him with his many projects. To this day, whenever I smell sawdust I think of him. Sweet memories indeed.

Little Brothers...don't touch!

2011-09-27T05:07:00.001-04:00

I walked into the kid's place the other morning and noticed this piece of paper taped to the kitchen table leg. I didn't know what it was so went in for a closer look...
Hmmm, what is the meaning of this?
I later learned that this was a drawing of JJ, and it was taped there to tell him not to touch the toy that had been sitting below it on the weekend. Before Smudge left for school that morning she again pointed to this picture and sternly told JJ that he was not to touch anything that had this sign on it. How creative and imaginative is that?

I must admit that I had a hard time keeping from laughing while I told her she wasn't to talk to her brother like that, and I would tell him what he mustn't touch during the day.

JJ didn't seem to be upset by it at all. He pointed to the picture at different times during the day and told me that it was a picture of him.

What next?

Gotta love the imagination

2011-09-26T05:17:00.003-04:00

I looked over at JJ the other morning and asked him what he was doing...
"I'm riding my camel Amma. " He said in a tone that implied I should have known because...isn't it obvious.

I ran for my camera!

Still on duty

2011-09-23T05:10:00.004-04:00

Yes, Winnie is still on duty, and is doing a fine job keeping JJ company while big sister is at school. They both start the day on the couch while JJ has his morning glass of milk.
You can't see it too clearly in this picture, but Winnie also has a sippy of pretend milk...
and when it was time for JJ to have his breakfast, Winnie had to have a dish and spoon too. Of course JJ had to help Winnie with the spoon.
Good job JJ, Winnie had a great breakfast and he didn't get a speck of cereal on his bib.

A good morning story and snuggle with Buppa

2011-09-22T05:47:00.001-04:00

Buppa was called on this morning for a before school story. He was more than happy to oblige.

This is such a nice way to start the day, and brings smiles to both their faces.

School Morning

2011-09-21T05:38:00.005-04:00

I don't know how I will handle things on cold wet days, but during this nice weather, JJ likes to get ready to go to the bus stop with Sister in the mornings. We have to find him a backpack for the short walk to the stop, but I usually end up carrying it home. Groan!
Once at the bus stop JJ gets a Good Morning hug from his pal Evan...
then they all line up and wait for the bus. (Guess who is already carrying JJ's back pack.)
The bus arrives and JJ says good-bye to sister...
and she is the first one on the bus because she is oh so excited about going to school.

New Buddy

2011-09-20T05:30:00.002-04:00

Now that Sister is away at school every day, JJ was in need of a new Buddy to keep him company, and he found just the ticket in Winnie-the-Pooh. Here we see Winnie helping JJ with his computer problems.
He wanted to take Winnie outside with him this morning, but Winnie is strictly an indoor Buddy, so JJ settled on reading on the deck with Amma.
Once snack time rolled around though, Winnie was back on duty.

Dancing in Princess hat

2011-09-19T05:24:00.001-04:00

The weekend zipped by, and I don't think I had my camera in my hand once. What's the world coming to? Hence no new pics to share with you today. Here are a couple of old ones taken last week to tide you over.

Belle

2011-09-16T05:23:00.002-04:00

The little girl up the street passed this costume on to Smudge, and she just had to model it for me the other morning.
What a sweet princess she is.

While sister is at school....

2011-09-15T05:12:00.002-04:00

JJ plays dress-up...
Rockstar...
photographer's assistant...
studious student....
and expert story listener.

Tough work without Sister's help

2011-09-14T05:00:00.002-04:00

When the garbage man came last week, JJ had to carry the bins in all by himself. Sigh! It was tough work without his sister to help him. But he did a fine job toting...
and lifting...
and toting some more.

Good job JJ.

Second Day of JK

2011-09-13T05:30:00.010-04:00

On Smudge's first morning of JK, we could hardly get a smile out of her while she waited for the bus, but on this second day she was having a grand old guffaw with Buppa.
Then it was time for a few quiet words...
before posing for a picture with the sign Mommy made for her.
Daddy had to go to work early on Smudge's first day of school, but he was able to see her off on her second day. They stopped for a picture by the front door before heading down to the bus stop. Too bad I didn't pick a location for the picture that didn't put the sunshine right in Smudge's eyes.
She met a little friend at the bus stop...
...and went to meet her little friend's great-grandmother, who was standing on her porch watching all the antics at the bus stop.
She soon re-joined Daddy on the sidewalk...
and waited patiently for the bus to arrive.
Again, she was the first one in line for the exciting trip to school.
After the meltdown JJ had the day before when he saw all the other kids getting on and off the bus, Amma decided to keep him at home, and sit on the porch for a while, out of eye sight of the bus stop. Yes, that worked much better.
We enjoyed a nice quiet, tear-free, visit while Daddy and Buppa took Smudge to the bus stop.

First day of JK

2011-09-12T05:20:00.030-04:00

We arrived bright and early one day last week to see Smudge off to her first day of JK. We asked her to pose by the window for a photo, and she did. As you can see, she is quite creative when asked to pose for a picture. What a ham! For some reason, she seemed very subdued, and wouldn't smile for any of these pre-school pics.
Next it was time for a hug from Mommy...
then one with JJ in the picture.
We tried for another picture with Mommy, hoping for a smile this time, but no luck.
Next it was time for a cuddle with Amma. Again no smile, but it looked like one was on its way.
Mommy and JJ joined us on the couch for a group shot.....
and then we got Buppa in on the act too. JJ was sure having fun.
Time to pick up the back-pack and head out the front door...
get safely strapped into the car seat...
and head off to school. Smudge waved bye to Amma and JJ through the car window while Mommy and Buppa drove her to school.

Once at school, she got some last minute instructions from Mommy...
finally flashed Buppa a smile...
and headed off to find her classroom. Mommy and Buppa shed a few tears, but Smudge was all smiles and happy to be going to school.
At the end of the day we all gathered at the bus stop to await the student's return home.
Once again she was all smiles and bubbling with excitement.
She jumped off the bus and ran to give Amma a big hug.
then she had a little dance with Buppa...
and a twirl or two with her best friend Evan.

Everyone was rejoicing with the kids about their first day of school....everyone except JJ that is.
He was broken hearted that he couldn't get on the bus when all the kids got off of it.
Oh dear, he was not a happy camper.

Dancing Bride

2011-09-09T05:04:00.003-04:00

The other day Smudge asked if she could be a dancing bride. I hunted around and found the veil I made for Auntie Alycia's wedding party and it was just the ticket for a dancing bride.

Ice cream

2011-09-08T17:36:00.003-04:00

Buppa thought it would be fun to take the munchkins out for ice cream the other day, so we bundled them into the car and set off on a little drive in search of an ice cream kiosk near the water. This was a typical picture of our walk... Smudge running on ahead and JJ lagging behind at his own speed. Buppa tried to keep pace with Smudge while I lallygagged behind with JJ. From time to time JJ would ask me if he could run to catch up with the others, so Buppa and Smudge would wait for him...
look at the water together...
then continue on the walk while JJ took his time studying the water from all angles.
We all finally reached the end of the boardwalk, only to discover the ice cream kiosk was closed for the day. Oh well, it was a fun walk along the water...
and we found another ice cream parlor in town. Smudge had chocolate ice cream and didn't get a drop on her princess dress.
JJ had orange sherbert and he managed to escape without needing a change of clothes too. What an amazing feat.
MMMM, Amma enjoyed her ice cream too...
and a snuggle with the munchkins before it was time to head home.
They both wanted to ride this cow standing outside the ice cream parlor, but finally agreed to just pose in front of it for a picture.

Tires one out

2011-09-07T05:34:00.002-04:00

Most mornings when I ask Smudge what she wants to wear for the day she usually asks for a Princess dress. I don't mind finding the most sparkly one in the closet for her, and she twirls and spins through the day as only a four year old princess can.
All the twirling and spinning does tire a princess out though and she has to rest from time to time...
until her Prince brother comes along and sings her a song to revive her.

We won't be hot Amma!

2011-09-06T06:07:00.010-04:00

It was hot as blazes one day last week, and I was struggling to keep cool whilst doing almost nothing. The kids, on the other hand found, these elephant costumes from last year tucked in the closet, and insisted on putting them on so they could march around the house to the music from Jungle book. It made me hot just to look at them in these furry duds, but they were quite happy to spin and dance, and march and spin, while Colonel Hathi called out the beat...hup two three four, give it up two three four...

Smudge has almost outgrown her costume, but JJ still has some room to grow in his. He was quite taken with his tusks...
floppy ears...

trunk...
and tail.
OK, are you ready now? March...

Hup two three four
Keep it up two three four
Hup two three four
Keep it up two three four
Company sound off!

Ho, the aim of our patrol
Is a question rather droll
For to march and drill
Over field and hill
Is a military goal!
Is a military goal!

Hup two three four
Dress it up two three four
Hup two three four
Dress it up two three four

By the ranks or single file
Over every jungle mile
Oh we stamp and crush
Through the underbrush
In a military style!
In a military style!

Hup two three four
Keep it up two three four

Musical Morning

2011-09-02T05:15:00.002-04:00

When Smudge got up the other morning she wanted to wear her costume from her dance recital and she twirled and spun around in her room until she got distracted by the cat. Abby rolled around on the floor and Smudge danced around her.
Smudge thought Abbey the cat needed a foot massage at the end of their dance session.
Meanwhile JJ was making music of his own out on the side deck. He is the Rock Star in the family.
Yes, it was a very musical morning and I enjoyed every heart lifting note.

We don't need toys...

2011-09-01T05:12:00.002-04:00

Let's find new and exciting way to climb the front steps
and then practice our alphabet and numbers while trying to keep our balance on the stones in the front garden.
Nope, we don't need toys, we have lots of other neat things to play with.

The bikers

2011-08-31T05:07:00.002-04:00

Before the kids went to the park with Buppa the other day they got all ready to ride their bikes for a while, but had to wait patiently at the end of the driveway for Buppa to be ready to watch them closely.
What a cute pair.

The ride home

2011-08-30T05:52:00.001-04:00

I am getting ready for my bike ride home after a morning of babysitting, and both munchkins want to come out to the front of the house to say good-bye. I walk home during the winter months and it takes me 40-50 minutes depending on the weather. During the summer months I enjoy the bike ride and I am home in 15 minutes. That's so much nicer on a hot day.
On this day, Smudge wants a ride on Amma's bike. It is quite the feat to get her up on the seat...
and holding onto the handle bars.
She doesn't like it up there at all, and soon wants down.
What a hoot trying to get her off the bike...
while trying to hold the bike upright, and she is all arms and legs catching on everything.
Next it is JJ's turn. He is easier to get into the seat and seems quite comfy up there.
He is quite willing to go for a ride even though he can hardly reach the handle bars.
So we take a spin around in a wide circle on the road while sister watches.
Then it is time for both kids to get down, ring the bell a few more times...
before Amma waves goodbye...
and sets off for the ride home. The kids run along side me part way down the street...
waving and yelling the whole way.
They soon have to go back and stand with Buppa, but they wave and yell good-bye until I am out of sight when I go around the corner at the end of the street. They yell, and I wave over and over again. What a circus it must seem to the neighbours if they happen to be looking out their front doors.

Soul food

2011-08-29T05:15:00.002-04:00

Soul food indeed. After a busy week with the kids, it was nice to enjoy a relaxing bike ride to the park and sit by the water for a spell this past weekend.
Onward and forward into the new week.

Guardians

2011-08-26T05:47:00.003-04:00

These gals sure make it hard to get in and out the door these days.
What is it with cats always being on the wrong side of the door?

Lunch at Amma and Buppa`s

2011-08-25T05:44:00.003-04:00

No words are necessary....enjoy.

Wildflower walk with Buppa

2011-08-24T05:42:00.002-04:00

There is a wooded area right behind the kid's house, and Buppa often takes the munchkins for a walk through the woods to the park in the afternoon. The kids love exploring all along the walk.and Buppa loves to take pictures.

Big Event

2011-08-23T05:35:00.010-04:00

Yes, every week the kids get very excited about a big event that happens on our street. Even before they have breakfast they wait patiently out on the front lawn for the jolly visitor to arrive. We rush around getting dressed shortly after I arrive, then we head out the front door to take up our places. The kids sit by the tree on the front lawn so they can get a clear view of the street, and be alerted to the visitors arrival long before he reaches our front door...
and I sit on the rocker on the front porch keeping a close eye on the action. What is the big event you ask?
The arrival of the recycling truck. The kids stand as close as they dare to the noisy truck, and watch the visitor go through his paces. On this day the nice man let each kid through a tin into the bin...
and then he helped JJ carry the blue box up the house, while Smudge managed her box all by herself. The kids were thrilled that they got such special attention, and I think the garbage man got a kick out of it too.
After the tuck left, the kids went across the street and carried the neighbour's blue box up to their house for them.
These two sure make me smile. Hope they bring a smile to your day too.

Meeting Mommy at work for lunch

2011-08-22T05:54:00.003-04:00

Smudge only has two more weeks before she is in school full time, so we thought we should make a special outing to Mommy's work, and meet her there for lunch before school starts.

Mommy was all smiles when we got to her office, and had big hugs ready for the kids.
The munchkins stood still long enough for a hug...
then wanted to explore Mommy's desk...
and play with the adding machine.
Soon it was time to head down to the dining room for lunch, and the munchkins were rather awed by the whole experience. They walked quietly, and held on tight to Mommy and Buppa's hands.
We found our reserved table in the dining room and got ourselves settled in.
Smudge looks really pleased doesn't she?
JJ was thrilled too.
We had sippy-cups with apple juice in them for the kids, but Smudge thought the water in the stemmed glass tasted much better. She didn't spill a drop.
We sorted out plates, spoons and glasses...
and then waited patiently for our food.
MMMMM, this is delicious soup, and we even get it served to us in beautiful china dishes, on linen table cloths. Wow!
After lunch it was time to help the receptionist at the front desk. Hmm, not much going on there.
We soon let the receptionist get back to work...
and took an elevator ride to the top floor, so the kids could dash down the hall and get rid of some energy before the ride home.
One last twirl at the end of the hall....
a peek out of the window...
and it was time to return to the main floor to say good bye to Mommy.
What a fun day, and what wonderful memories we made.

Coffee in the park

2011-08-21T08:56:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride yesterday, so we dusted off the bikes, stopped at Tim's for a thermos of coffee and set off for our favorite bench in the park.
What a treat to sit under this tree, sip delicious coffee, watch the geese and boats on the water and just glory in the day.

Let's go to the park

2011-08-19T04:55:00.007-04:00

OK, let's get ready and go. First of all we have to -

Pack a bag with - juice, snacks, water, diapers, wash cloths, sunscreen, bug spray, and camera.
Lather on sunscreen and bug spray
Make sure Smudge goes potty and JJ has a fresh diaper
Find wagons, bikes, helmets, sun hats and myriad other things for the trip...and... we are ready to set off. (Actually, I'm ready for a nap by this time) I start off pulling the wagon with JJ and all our gear in it...
but Buppa soon takes over.
Smudge and I lag behind and I help her keep her balance and get on and off the sidewalk as needed.

We arrive at the park and JJ heads right for the big slide. He zooms down without any hesitation...
and is soon up to his elbows in sand.
Smudge takes a little more time to contemplate her decent on the big slide...
but soon is zooming down the slide too, and climbing up the monkey bars without any fear.
I think she is wondering why Amma looks so worried.
"I won't fall Amma. Relax!"

She didn't, but neither did I!

Herding chickens!

2011-08-18T05:41:00.005-04:00

Yes, our walk the other day was just like trying to herd chickens. That's the picture that kept popping into my head anyway. Let me explain. One day last week the kids were playing at the front of the house when a very nice neighbour came out of her house to walk her dogs. Smudge and JJ ran up to her to say hello and asked if they could help walk the dogs. This very nice, patient and kind neighbour graciously said yes, so we all set off on our adventure. Smudge holding one leash, and JJ holding the other.
We only went around the block, but it seemed much further than that...
as Kind Neighbour and I tried to keep kids and dogs off the grass, away from the road, and leashes tightly clasped in little hands. We were tripping over kids, dogs and leashes the whole walk.
Please note - Smudge got herself dressed on this particular day, and insisted on wearing her plaid coat with her striped pants. Buppa nor I had anything to do with the wardrobe, dear Mommy. She was happy and comfy and looked rather colourful and spiffy I must say. The perfect outfit for our dog walking/chicken herding adventure.