Move Along, Little Doggy

The other day driving home from the school at the end of the day I heard Girlie say "Mom, I don't want to move."

When we told the kids a month ago that we'd be moving back to Alberta this summer there was so much excitement.  The initial reaction for everyone was happy happy happy! It took Sergeant half of a second to process the fact that he'd be moving away from friends. It took Smarty the same but half a second after that he was talking about the friends he had left when we moved out here that he'd be able to connect with again. The girls were just excited that they would be moving back to the city they were born in, never mind the fact that I had to remind them that all of their toys would be moving with us.  They didn't have to say goodbye to their stuffed animals!

Having moved around a lot when I was younger I know the bittersweet that comes with a relocation. Missing friends, learning to depend on your siblings, the incredible importance of that core family unit, adventure meeting new people, never really stop missing the people you used to play with all the time. I still think occasionally about the kids on the block of the PMQ's in Trenton when we were there. The ups and downs of elementary school friendships when we were in the BC lower mainland. 

But everyone processes things in different ways and at different speeds.  Monkey has been a literal monkey and has decided that she doesn't really want to be social anymore.  I gave her a week of just mommy Monkey time and then I took her to a parent and child play group. She screamed and screamed and would not let go of my neck, kicking her feet when I tried to take her shoes off. I dropped her off at the casual care at the MFRC (Military and Family Resource Centre) and she pitched a fit like she did when she was a baby and didn't want to be left anywhere without mommy. 

Girlie has been in need of more cuddles than before, more talking calmly to her when she starts crying faster at little things. Far more whining than she used to do as well. 

The boys are dealing better, but they remember the move that brought us here. The girls wouldn't really. So this is essentially new to them. I know it helps that this is a good move for us as a family unit and we talk  about it openly. The boys ask Dad about what he'll be doing on an army base compared to a navy one, we talk about what we are planning to stop and see on the drive out there. They keep adding to the list, and are getting excited about seeing so much of the country. They don't quite realize the scope of the distance, I don't think, but they will by the end of it. Some of the sights they want to take in will have to wait for other postings because, awesome as Ripley's Aquarium is, it's just too far out of the way for this trip!

There are days that I feel emotionally stretched with dealing with two very emotionally needing girls. Daddy can't go anywhere in the house without having someone on his lap or on his back for cuddles when he's home. He sat on a chair on the front porch yesterday for a total of 5 seconds before Monkey came out of the house and just climbed onto his lap. Just because.

Moving is really exciting for us. The adventure is what we signed on for. Even before the military we would talk and plan for living in as much of the country as we could. I love having the broader scope of life and experience and I'm really excited to share that with our children. They've put their toes in the Atlantic ocean! They've played in the red sand of PEI. They have driven along the Bay of Fundy, visited Peggy's Cove, driven through Cape Breton, and lived near those amazing ships that get sent out. 

As a "westerner" those are pretty fantastic experiences. We've taken pictures, collected shells and pretty rocks, sat listening to the birds in the yard, watched the leaves turn gorgeous shades of red in the autumn. We've made some very special friendships, both in the service and outside of it, and this time will be remembered fondly. It was here that we cut our teeth on living the military life. But that will likely be another post. 

Little Boots

A couple weeks ago I had a sad day.  Well, not sad sad, but one of those day when you realize that the dinosaur rain boots you bought in Calgary back in the summer of '08 when the oldest boy was 2 and have been worn and muddied and splashed in by him that summer and the next, then by his brother the two years after that, and the first sister after that, and now the youngest little Monkey is wearing them and you see a couple little holes in the soles.  Not all the way through, the socks are still staying dry. But holes nonetheless.

Those boots saw countless kilometres walked through the dinosaur exhibit at the Calgary zoo, trying to sneak away to climb up onto some terrifying lizard's back. They saw walks to and from the park a block away, a move across the provincial border to a new house. The boots got muddied in the river sand in the South Saskatchewan river, jumping in puddles there, bogging up the incredibly soft back yard we had there, digging for worms, giving Tonka trucks baths and "painting" the fence with wet sidewalk chalk. They were worn on the road away from that house to yet another, back to Alberta, where that little boy trudged new paths in a new back yard.

Those boots were passed on to a brother who had no front teeth due to an argument he had with gravity and a chair, who ran countless circles in those same boots with those same trucks in that new yard, They dug in new grass, went dinosaur bone hunting, wild life watching on new trails that ran through the beautiful place we called home. They discovered West Edmonton Mall, saw the river banks of the North Saskatchewan River, and caught fish in Minnedosa, Manitoba.

On the feet of a sister, those boots made the trip out to the east coast of the country. They stepped into the waters of the Atlantic, trudged through the rivulets that the rainy autumn brought.  They walked to and from school with momma and the littlest sister while Daddy was away at Basic. They ran around that beautiful back yard pulling siblings in the wagon, pushing the trucks around, having races. They walked dolls in strollers along the back paths to pick the boys up from school.

Those boots played at the playground of the MFRC preschool, splashed in the puddles of the parking lot, and dropped off her feet when she had to be carried (sleeping) into the house after. They were worn with frilly skirts and ribbons and bows.

Those boots were passed on to the final sibling to be used to "flat" slugs and worms, squish spiders and ants, and pick up rocks.  They climbed through the rocks in the back yard and ran to the park. They made mud, hunted for salamanders, picked chives and dandelions and the occasional tulip.  Those green cammo t-rex boots were worn with tutus, tights, and sparkles unashamedly.

Four sets of feet were kept dry by those boots.  Forty small toes. And now they are retired, no more steps will be taken with those T-rex boots. They have certainly earned a rest. And that is why I had a sad-ish day a couple weeks ago. Bittersweet reflections as I look back on all that those little boots have done, sweet because it has been amazing watching these kids explore and grow in them. Bitter because their role in our lives is done.

March Maddness

Life has been busy (when is it not?) and the seasons have moved forward. As we sit here under rain, fog, and more rain, I'm grateful that the weather isn't what it was this time last year, which had us buried under 6 feet of snow! I am really looking forward to things (maybe?) drying our for a little bit. Just long enough to walk int bare feet without getting them too muddy...

It's been warm, though! Hoodies this week, and some yard work. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, baking. Easter weekend was full of lots of church and friends. The kids and I made our yearly fondant eggs, decorated, and distributed bunches around the neighbourhood.  We attended Triduum services at one of the Lutheran churches across the harbour. One Thursday, one Friday, then their sunrise service followed by breakfast then off to base chapel for the service Hubby was doing. I loved sitting there through all those services, with the children following along, Hubby and I whispering to the littler ones about what was happening, what part of the narration was being told. They were fantastic through all of the sitting and sanding and sitting and standing. I felt fed. It was a really good time.

Easter Sunday brought chocolate, books, and ham dinner.  Yum.  We had a family over who has four young children as well, as well as a good padre friend from Hubby's team. Good laughs, lots of rice to sweep up, but no one spilled their cups (adults included!) and there were no huge meltdowns, so it was a successful day. We said "so long" to that family this week as they are starting their journey to a new posting, but I'm sure we'll connect again. 

I was lucky enough to have had some really good visits this week.  Monkey and I went and visited Judgey Momma (I believe I've mentioned her before, but you can find her here) and it was a great visit.  Monkey had fun eating cake, petting the "lion" (cat just got a hair cut and he has a mane and a tuft on the tip of his tail) as well as the hamster. The next day Monkey and I went put to Spryfield for coffee and lunch with another friend and her two little ones.  They busied themselves with blocks, stickers, play dough, and twirling while the mommas chatted.

 Fantastic timing on those coffee dates, because Sergeant woke up Thursday morning with a swollen eye and the white was pink.  Yup.  Conjunctivitis struck that child again.Not bad this time, polysporin drops, it was basically cleared by the time we got in to see the Dr at the walk in clinic. But he had a home day, Monkey was glad to have the brother company, and they played educational games on the computer while this momma did some sewing that has been staring at me for forever.  And then we napped,  Even Sergeant fell asleep (AWESOME!) and with myself wedged between them on our bed, I dozed for a little bit as well. 

Yesterday was a home day for the kids so we all ran errands together. Fresh fruits and veggies, dollar store for goodie bag stuff (Sergeant turned 8 a couple weeks ago and he's having his party this afternoon). I was able to finish a quilt top, we all went out to spend time with friends to celebrate another birthday and to simply be. Likely too late a night for the kids, but we'll deal with that later. It was a really wonderful way to visit and connect with friends that we really don't see all that often.

Hubby has been medically cleared to sail now. As long as he is still able to meet the surveillance appointments, so he gets to leave us this month for a couple weeks. It was supposed to be in the last half of this month, but they bumped it up to next Monday. Yikes! He will be doing his schtick, doing his thing, and then he'll come home to us again. The way things are set now it's only supposed to be 10 days, so we can totally do that.  We could do longer if needed, but I'm glad this one is a short one. He's crazy excited to be able to do this kind of work again.  It's been a long time, and we are so, so glad that his health has been cooperative to allow this again.

We have an official big girl!! Monkey is no longer wearing pull ups at bedtime! And she's only had a couple accidents, so I'm calling it a win.  Insane to think that, for the first time in 9.5 years I'm not changing bums! No diapers, no pull ups, only wiping her butt when there's poop now.  WOW! Next up will be her soother sometime this summer/fall.  Waiting until shes about the same age as the others when they gave up theirs. 

Girlie is ready and writing like crazy. She asks for how things are spelled and she writes it down on random pieces of paper, she will sit and read a book silently to herself, and read ahead of me when I'm doing stories with the kids. So exciting to have another reader in the house! 

Smarty is doing really really well with his music. The last recital was from memory, so they weren't allowed to bring their music with them. Totally nailed it! Next one, they've invited any parents who play an instrument to join in for one song, so I now have to practice music on my clarinet.  The kids are loving it!

That's about all for now.  I think I've likely ignored the children long enough for now. ;)

Service flights!

We survived the holidays! And we made it back out west for a few days after Christmas :) It was a wonderful adventure, going to the airport, checking in for the service flights, going up, going down, going up, going down, ice storm delays, swimming in hotel pools, and visiting family that it's been way too long since we've seen.

Every single day we were there was declared the best day ever by Monkey, for nearly two weeks after we got back we had the daily question of when we would go back. It was an absolute success.  The children did so incredibly well for the flights.  Smarty and Daddy got to ride in the cock pit for the whole flight between Ottawa and Trenton on the way heading back east. Awesome for them, lots of tears for the exhausted other ones.  But they survived as I knew they would.

On our way!

Delay means extra hotel time. And pizza :)

The terminal at Trenton had a play area for the kids. It was awesome!

Impromptu play time with some cousins

Everyone likes tea 

As much of the immediate family as could be there on my side

Ring around the rosie!

Newest cousin we hadn't met yet

Confetti and balloons at midnight for new years 

Confetti angels

Sledding New Years Day with the kids' cousins

Good visit! On to the next Grandma's house!

Fun at Amma's

Cuddling Amma's cat

Playing with cars that Daddy and Uncle used to play with as a child

Thank you, Tim Horton's, for helping us on the early morning on our last travel day headed home

up to date!

This one is more pictures, less writing. Back at the beginning of October we drove out to Wolfville with some friends to pick apples and check out the pumpkins, corn maze, and such.  It was a great day and we brought home four new pumpkins to gut out for Halloween. The story alluded to in my pic that had the finished products is this:

The 30th of October rolled around and after school the boys were going to start gutting and carving their pumpkins. I cleared the table, laid out the garbage bags to catch the mess, got tools and bowls for various muck and seeds, then I cut the hole in the tops for the boys to clean them.  They already had a few ideas for what they wanted to put on them, so I asked them to draw it out. They took a sharpie and started drawing on their pumpkins (cue my inner screams that they needed to figure it out on paper first or they'd have black marks all over their gourds!!!) Sergeant drew a Tree Rex Skylander, Smarty wanted his to look like a clone trooper mask. I basically left his design as it was, since he actually did an alright job of it.  But I had to explain to Sergeant how cutting worked. It was like cutting out paper. You can't cut out a circle for a face and expect the eyes to just ... be there.  So I got him to take the paper and he decided on a different design to cut. And he was really happy with it! 

Next the girls were called up for theirs, but when we went outside to bring their squash in we discovered that they were rotting.  Yup. Rotting pumpkins the evening before Halloween.  I should mention that this happened to us last year too. But it was Sergeant's pumpkin and mommy tried 5 stores before finding something remotely suitable. This year Daddy took to the roads, trying store after store. Texting me with update after update. There. Were, No. Pumpkins. I got onto the computer, searched Reddit for info on anywhere that might still have some left.  Made a couple phone calls and texted Hubby. There were some pumpkins left all the way across the city, but they were selling pretty quickly. Off he went and came home to make two little girls happy :) But their carving would happen the next morning.

Smarty has been taking Cello lessons and had his first recital a couple weeks ago. He did so well! And he's been practicing and loves using his bow :)

 The kids saw Santa at a Unit Christmas party a couple weekends ago. Something we discovered last year is that Monkey is afraid of Santa. She would not go to him last year at all. So when he came in this year, she clung to Daddy and scowled at him. When Daddy said that she wouldn't get a gift unless she went to the big guy in red, she hopped right down and sat with her siblings.  All three of the older ones answered Santa's question "Have you been good this year?"with a resounding "Yes". Monkey got the same question and, bless her heart, she answered very very honestly with "Not really." 

Our house became very very festive November 22 this year. Hubby had a busy Sunday of services and such so the kids and I brought up some boxes from the basement and started setting things up. Nativity scenes, sparkly baubles, winterscape candles. Then the tree. I was hands off for the tree, only putting it together and fluffing the branches. 

I confess, I did help rearrange the garland, even though now you can't tell...But the children kept busy and didn't fight! 

And the boys made sure that there were ornaments on the very bottom of the tree too. There was only one casualty this year. One of my glass nativities that hangs in the tree fell and shattered within minutes, but I'm counting that lucky so far. 

Last week was crazy for school. They had Tuesday and Thursday off. Happily we were able to have much needed pajama days. And played with Lego so much! Both the little Lego and the Megablocks. They all (and it really was all four of them) played so well together. Sorting and building, playing with the characters. 

 

We also got our yearly Perogs made. Yummy yummy bacon filled buns!!

And the school Christmas Concert was this week too. They did so well, sang loud and with the group, All dressed up and shiny. They really are growing way too fast!

Okay. That was way more writing than I anticipated. ;) But I think that more or less brings thimgs up to date! 

technical difficulties...

Okay, I've been fighting with technology enough and (fingers crossed...) I have it figured out. I've been working on getting pictures from my phone emailed to myself to download onto the computer to post here and I've gotten so frustrated! Likely my own fault. Whenever there are technical difficulties I'm more apt to blame myself than the equipment. Maybe...

But here are some pictures!!! For Halloween this year I was asked to make some of the costumes, So I actually did! This is really the first year I've done it and I am crazy proud of myself and the patience shown by this amazing crew.

Monkey wanted to be a caterpillar. That was easy enough, she was one last year and the costume is still too big for her. Excellent!

Girly wanted to be the character Scratch from Skylanders (google the image. That's what she wanted). Okay... I can see what fabric I have on hand for that and can kinda see how the pieces should go to fit together...

Sergeant wanted to the Pop Thorn from Skylanders (again, google that. Here I was really REALLY at a loss for how to make it work). I took a deep breath and told him I'd try to figure something out, but please have a back up plan, just in case.

Smarty had two costumes. He had a history project due the last day of class before Halloween and he was to dress up as the person he was researching (he'd chosen Si John A MacDonald) and then he wanted to be Sheep Creep from Skylanders. Okay, that was probably the easiest off all the crafting costumes this year. So okay!

First up, I tackled Girly's costume.  Some felt, some elastic, hot glue for the mask and claws. Thrift store for wings. Hunted in the fabric box for the rest, and I started sewing. I used another costume as a very, very loose template and went to work.

I cut out legs and belly and started sewing and then I realized I didn't have quite enough for the arms and the tail! Thankfully a crafty friend, Judgey Momma (over here) was able to help me out with a close match that absolutely thrilled the girl! 

Doesn't she look pleased!!

Next up was going to either be Sergeant's crazy costume or Smarty's relatively easy one. I opted for starting the easy one while looking online at anything that might work for Pop Thorn. I cut up an old bed sheet that wasn't going to get any more real use, and I did what I could think of for a sheep. Stuffed and stuffed and stuffed! Bearing in mind, this crafting was mostly done while the older three were at school and I didn't have them around for measuring. 'Cuz, You know I'm crazy like that.  

So with the help of Monkey and a friend of hers that I sometimes look after, we stuffed what I thought would look like a sheep. And it would have too if I put the cotton batting around the outside. But Smarty decided that he wanted to put a halt on that for a bit because he was going to just go with being the Father of Confederation for Halloween. 

I was absolutely most nervous about creating Sergeant's costume. Inspiration did strike when a thought formed around paper mache and my exercise ball. So I started looking up different recipes, trying to figure out what would work best, dry relatively quickly, and then I got started. Monkey was sad when she saw me rip up some old colouring books for it. But once she saw and understood, she was great about it.

I made a horrible mess!

 

It got goopy, messy, and very pasty.  I'd never worked with paper mache before so I was kind of just going with my gut. I had no clue at this point how I was going to make spikes or wings, but I knew I had to at least get a couple of base layers down first.

Took a lunch break and came up with an idea for the spikes!! I taped some other colouring pages into a cone shape, cut the bottoms so it could be mached to the base! Aren't I smart?? So Monkey helped me with the tape and a few minutes later we had enough spikes to surround the sphere with space left for arm holes and wings. 

Woohoo! Then I got to deflate the ball, wash it, and sweep up the mess. I cut some arms out and started painting!!

Cut wings out of cardboard and smothered them with paper mache as well and hung them to dry.  Then I got to paint them as well and hot glue them to the finished body.

Made some straps for his shoulders as well to make wearing it easier. I lined the inside with spray adhesive and duct tape and he was good to go! He wanted his face painted blue for going out trick or treating, but that was easy peasy.

The actual pumpkin carving might be a post for another evening. But here are our finished products this year!

And the crew, ready to bring in tons of sugar! 

food!!

Food. Food, food, food.  Something that the whole family enjoys. Both the preparing and the eating. It is a real source of smiles when we're out at a restaurant and the boys in particular suggest that we try making some of these at home. Doesn't matter what it is, but they are sure we could figure out a way to make it at home from scratch., Awesome :)

Yesterday we made wraps. Not the first time we've done them, but it really is much easier to simply buy flour wraps instead of make them. But I wanted the home made ones yesterday, so I got the kids involved. Lots of flour and giggles later we had a nice stack of about 16 or so warm on the counter under a cloth napkin.

As I started wiping up the paste, I mean flour, the kids's imaginations just took off. They were grabbing wooden spoons, hunting for the toy dishes (ended up using some of our actual dishes), some forks, the empty juice pitcher... so many things left their spots in the kitchen and moved to the living room.

They had dialogue with each other about who was making what food, what everyone's order was, then they sat down, prayed, and had a "meal". As far ass I could tell, they had eggs sunny side up, toast, juice, and who really knows what that Monkey prepared. They did pretend bed time, pretend wake up, then the game morphed into restaurants, where Smarty made a logo for his "hamber mania" that was his burger place, Sergeant had a soup restaurant, and Girlie had a fruit place. They made little menus (like 3 or 4 items on it and crazy prices!). When I told them they had to take their playing downstairs Smarty decided that they absolutely NEEDED the coffee table down there so he convinced his brother to take an end and they actually got it down without marking up the walls!

They played and played. Working on the menu (Smarty NEEDED it printed off from the computer so he typed it out himself) and making a grand old mess, but they were happy, they were busy, and I was able to get as much of that fine, powdery white flour off of as many surfaces as I could. Then set about to finish preparing the meal. Hubby came home from work in the midst of this, Ran the printer and encouraged them to add more (who has a restaurant with only 3 things??)

yummy chicken salsa tacos!

Everyone had lots to eat, going back for seconds. After forcing some toy and dishes clean up and then having some ice cream cones we all went to the park to play catch. Even Monkey hit the ball (Daddy might have helped) and they were all tired by the time came to put pjs on and brush their teeth. Hooray for a great crew!!