We're Fines Thanks: August 2008

Thursday, August 28, 2008

More fun & games

Here's me, trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible in the tiny wee bit of time remaining. I think I'm "funning" them to death.

So... last week, after returning from camping & triathalon, we had a pleasant day (or was it 2??) at home, then on the road again. This time, it was Splash Island at Portage la Prairie, then visiting in the interlake, then to Winnipeg for Tinkertown. Tinkertown: what a great place! The kids had a blast!

We've been home a solid 2 days now, time to move on again. Tomorrow it's camping locally, to enjoy some fun in the sun, swimming, campfires with friends. Ahhh.

The Labour Day weekend is upon us ... then it's back to fall-time routine. *sigh* If only summer was six months long.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The House is Listed!!

I was beginning to think we would never be done - but finally, the house is listed, and we can now enjoy what's left of summer. Cross your fingers for a quick sale.

I am so thankful to our friends & family who shared so much of their time & effort to get these things done in the house - I can't imagine how long we'd have been toiling otherwise.

Activity-choosing time!

Yep, that's about it - magic wand & all. The kids have SO many interests, it poses some serious challenges as to which they can pursue.

This fall, E would "like" to do gymnastics, figure skating, karate/tae kwon do, guitar lessons, climbing, musical theatre, and dance. Gah!

M would "like" to do gymnastics, skating, musical theatre, swimming, and climbing.

Needless to say, neither one will be getting their entire wish list - they'll have to put some thought into which ones are most important to them. But just the figuring out of when/where these things are, how much they cost, etc - what a job! Some days I just wish they weren't such well-rounded kids! (j/k of course)

Bear-y Fun Camping trip!

Q: "Aren't they CUTE?"

A: "Not when they're just a few sites from your own."

Folkfest fun!

In July we took a weekend out from our house-fixing-up life to enjoy the local folkfest! (And to simultaneously run our garage sale, but that's another story).

It was SO appreciated & enjoyed ...

(hmmm ... don't know why one pic came out sideways ... but I'm sure you get the idea)

Quotable Quotes

"Some people think it's about giving and being with the people you love, but really it's somebody's birthday!" - M, sharing her inside knowledge about Christmas with her new stuffed doggy.
"Avril Lavigne is the BEST DAMN THING!" - M, all of five years old - at first mis-heard by me to be something really cute, then I realized what she was saying. *gulp* Avril's album & tour & such are called "Best Damn Thing", and E bought a souvenir flag at the concert, which sports this sweet little phrase. *sigh*
"Do not poke your peanut butter & marshmallow sandwich with a chop stick!" - me - this belongs in the "things you never thought you'd hear coming out of your mouth" category.
*sigh* "I love my principal. And I love my teacher more than you, Mom." - M, thinking fondly of her school days.
"Hey! Why did you give me COOKED salad?!" - M, with a scowl on her face, when presented with a plate of stir-fry.
"I'm the perfect size for everything!" M, exuberantly exclaiming when we returned to a playground we hadn't been at for a while, and she discovered she could reach everything now.
"If a woman chooses not to breastfeed, is she still a mammal?" ...E, while playing 20 questions in the car on the way to school, after I defined "mammal" as an animal who gives birth to live young (not eggs) and breastfeeds.

Achievements & Cool Stuff

School BBQThe kids had fun at the school's family BBQ the other night - E ran 3 races (pillow sack, egg in spoon, and three-legged), and won a prize in two of them; M ran the same 3 & won a prize in one; and M won the door prize draw! (A basket of coffees & teas ... which she kindly donated to her mama).
Safety PatrolE has volunteered to be a safety patrol. (o: YAY for her! I was a safety patrol when I was a kid, and really liked it. Hope she will too.
Long Overdue Update I see that we haven't been here since April. *sigh* Such is our life - too busy for other stuff these past few months. But no more! So ... a quick summary of their "cool stuff": First, their notariety: M was in the paper in June with her face painted & hair going wild as she slid down an inflatable at the annual Childrens' Fair; E was in the paper (no pic, but lots of cool quotes) during the local Folkfest. Next, their activities in a nutshell: E had a fabulous ten-day trip with Grampa & Brenda to BC! Lucky kid. She also attended Mini U (loved it!) and Y Gymnastics camp (loved it!). M attended Y "Bouncing off the Walls" camp ... she has a love-hate relationship with it. )o: Um ... very little homeschooling stuff to talk about - M's going to school in a couple of weeks... Oh! E did a triathalon! Her third - WTG E! ... While there, we camped & M spotted a mama bear & her 2 cubs, who were rummaging at a campsite very near ours. We headed to town for lunch that day. No doubt there's more, will post it when I can think of it. For now, we're frantically taking trip after trip to make up for the lost summer...
Performance Time! The kids were both in the Mecca Productions presentation of Bugz tonight - E in a role as a horsefly (with 3 lines!), and M as some cute little unidentified bug or another. They both did a great job - it was fun to see them sharing the stage - I'm really glad that they were in Musical Theatre this year. Perhaps the experience has had its impact on them - E is eager to take up an instrument & start a band (okay, not exactly musical theatre, but performance-related nonetheless), and M stated to me quite matter-of-factly yesterday that when she grows up, she's going to be an actor, and is going to win an Oscar. You go, girls!
Adjudicated Music Festival Both girls participated in the music festival last night, with their musical theatre groups, and did great! It was their first time in an event like this, and I'm pleased to report that both groups achieved an A for their work! Most importantly, it was fun! Way to go, girls!
The co-op group made the paper! During the Voyageur Games, the photographer came along & sure enough, the next day, a great picture of 4 of them including M was on page 2!
E got a JOB! She is a volunteer in the YMCA homeschool gymnastics program! BRAVO!

We're Fines Thanks