Thursday, July 28, 2011

Here we go again, only amplified.

In the past 24 hours, we have signed Mallory up for ringette and gymnastics, and also taken the kids on a tour of the new YMCA that is opening on Saturday. Ever since she quit swimming lessons last year, Mallory has maintained that she will start swimming lessons up again "when the new Y opens". This is one of those silly things that she obviously overheard us talking about and had no idea what it meant. I mean, why would she want to swim in one place but not the other? I did expect her to back out of this promise of sorts, but last night she was enthralled to see the new pool, and the last time we were in the water at home she was showing off some moves and telling us she was 'practicing' for when she starts swimming lessons.

It came down to a choice between ringette and hockey, and given her lack of experience on the ice (one year of half-hearted skating lessons aside) and the better ice time hours offered, ringette seemed to be the way to go. Well, that's how I think of it, anyway. We let Mallory decide and that's what she picked (and despite my initial concerns, I don't think the fact that her beloved Nicky plays ringette factored into her decision all that much.) When we pulled up to the arena and she saw tables set up to process the registrations outside, Mallory skipped right over to them, she was so excited. Hopefully that's a sign of good things to come.

Once the ringette ice times were confirmed I was able to call the gymnastics place this morning and book her into a timeslot that will work. Gymnastics is run as three 10-week sessions so at least if she decides she hates the first one, I will only have to bribe her to continue for a couple of months before we are done.

Liam still needs to get signed up for hockey (that's Chad's area of expertise) and both kids need to get registered for swimming lessons when that opens up at the end of August... and I am considering whether we should start Liam in piano... and then that will do. And then, if I thought getting them all registered up was bad, wait until we're living and breathing all these activities every single day. Please tell me I'm not about to lose my ever-lovin' mind.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Hot fun in the summertime

The heat is making me too lazy to write anything. Pictures'll have to do.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Pretty good at getting what she wants. Including the players' treats at halftime at her brother's soccer game.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Jonah's baptism

So... is it hot enough for you?? In addition to the joy of melting at home (despite the air conditioning) and swimming in a pool that is no longer refreshing because it seems to have turned into a bathtub, it's so warm, work has been a paradise on account of the heat, too. There's nothing quite like half a continent of people firing up their air conditioners simultaneously to put a smile on my professional face. NOT.I digress. On the weekend we went to see baby Jonah get baptised. Liam was actually invited to his good friend's birthday party at the same time, and the sweetheart wanted to go to the baptism instead. He and Mallory certainly get a kick out of their cousins. And hey, Mallory didn't pee on the rug this time!

Plus, we got a pretty good family picture out of the deal, too. A few more photos on Flickr.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Returning to the scene of the crime

I know I've been away a lot lately, and what can I say? I've just been enjoying summer. Spending long days on the computer for work purposes, I have been taking more of a break from it lately in my off time.

(Vacation planning purposes aside. Ahem.)

So these pictures date back ten days or so, to my last Friday off. It was hot and muggy and we wanted to do something fun. So we threw together a picnic and headed off to Mitchell's Bay. Yes, this was the site of Mallory's Big Accident, and Mallory has been upset ever since that day that she missed out on the Mitchell's Bay adventure that the rest of the kids got to enjoy. I'd told her I would make it up to her, and I did. But first I made her point out the offending piece of playground equipment. Yup, there it is. That matches the shape of the scar on her forehead alright.Then, we had our picnic...And horsed around in the water. This bay is lovely because it's clean, warm, and shallow as heck for as far as the eye can see. The kids can roam far and wide without me worrying too much.

I *ADORE* this picture of Liam. Even though it's hard to tell it's him. I might print it really big.Mallory came to the conclusion that she really does like splash pads, after all. (Good thing: next weekend involves another one!)There was never any doubt that Liam likes them.Finally, an ice cream cone before we piled into the car and went back home. From this angle you almost can't even see the scar. (Now that the wound has healed, I break open a Vitamin E capsule twice a day and smear the oil over the scar. For some crazy reason, Mallory LOVES this ritual. "Is it time for my oil yet?" she starts asking every night after dinner. It cracks me up.)I'd hoped to get out to Mitchell's Bay again this summer, but I feel it slipping away from us. Weekends are booked, flex Fridays are spoken for... I don't know if we can make it happen. Hoping perhaps for an Indian Summer that extends the warm weather past Labour Day - that might be our only chance.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Look who got lucky

While we were at the Fife Animal Hospital the other day, we filled out a ballot to win one of two themed gift baskets, one for cats and one for dogs. It figures that we got a call two days later saying Captain's name had been pulled from the jar of ballots. I've never won anything... Captain enters one draw and he wins!

The kids were so excited when I told them. We had just enough time to drop by the office to pick up the prize on our way home that night. The gift basket is huge - many many toys, food, a bed, a blanket... a cat toothbrush that may or may not get used... the list goes on.

Here's one instance where you can say "Winner winner chicken dinner!" and mean it - two cans of chicken-flavoured cat food were included.

And here's another picture, just for fun. Captain was shaking his head and the result looks like he's possessed. Some days I'm sure my head spins like this, too. Only for me, I can't say the catnip's to blame.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The lizard tattoo

We've had another busy weekend, which included, among other things, a trip to the beach, swimming, a community service project, Ribfest, and a visit to the open house of a new veterinary clinic in town where we will probably start taking our disease-riddled cat. The open house was pretty awesome, with stuffed animals demonstrating how the operating table works, cat and dog-shaped cupcakes, raffles, treats for the pets, etc. The part the kids probably liked the most was the glitter tattoo artist working in the back corner. Mallory went first and got herself a pretty little pink and purple butterfly tattoo. Then it was Liam's turn. As he was browsing the sheets of stencils to select what he wanted, I think I got a little distracted by the meatballs on the oh-so-close catering table. It wasn't until I heard the tattoo artist say, "Excuse me, is he with you?" that I turned back. She wanted to show me the tattoo stencil that Liam had selected to make sure it was OK with me before proceeding.

It was the Playboy bunny logo.

I kid you not! There among the butterflies and dinosaurs and even skulls and crossbones... the little rabbit with a bow tie... and that's the one Liam picked.

I had to explain to him that the Playboy bunny means something different to grown-ups than it does to kids, and that it probably wasn't the best choice. I think he thought I was crazy, but he did go on to select this lizard instead.

Another crisis averted.

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Summer literacy

Liam's report card came home last week and he got outstanding reviews on his reading skills. This still amazes me. We read books together at bedtime but we've never done deliberate 'reading lessons' - we are not really flashcard-type parents - so the fact that he's picked it up still surprises me sometimes. Last night he was reading a Richard Scarry book we got at the library and he read the word 'mistakes' without hesitating. I couldn't believe it.

Today he was digging through some old toys and started playing 'restaurant' with his old play food and cash register. He cooked up this menu, entirely on his own. It cracks me up. I know exactly what he's written:As for Mallory, her drawing skills are really picking up now. This is her latest creation:It's a self-portrait of her on stage at her dance recital, which she says should be obvious because she is dressed all in pink (as if that never happens outside of dance!) and also because the stage floor was black. I love the little pink ribbon she added to her hair, just like she wore it for the show. I made the mistake, however, of asking whether she is wearing her tap shoes in this picture. She was quite offended and pointed out that all of her toes are visible - she is pirouetting on tippy-toe, which should have been obvious not only from the toes but also from the arm over her head and other curved out to the side. She is pretty sure that the Grammas and Grampas won't make the same mistake I did when she shows them this picture, since they were all at the dance recital, too. Be forewarned. :)

(And at the top, that says "To Mom and Dad". She is one for addressing her artwork like you would a letter.)

Saturday, July 02, 2011

The most wonderful time of the year

Canada Day is one of my favourite holidays, especially when it falls over a weekend. We kicked things off with an incredibly busy day yesterday on the holiday itself. In one day we managed to fit in a trip to the local festivities in the park; a party; a parade; a soccer game; a swim; and then the fireworks, which were at 10 p.m. This was the second year we went to see them with the kids, and the first year that Mallory actually stayed awake to watch them. She was just about as enthralled as you'd expect a four-year-old little girl who adores anything that sparkles to be. In fact, after the fireworks ended she was so high on life that she ran to the top of the riverbank and started log rolling down it. Which might normally be fine, except that this was a very short, very steep riverbank, and it was after dark. Luckily we caught her before she started swimming with the fishes.

Our plans for the rest of the weekend never change from year to year. Our TV flips constantly back and forth between the Wimbledon finals and the opening stage of the Tour de France, and tomorrow morning we'll have waffles on Championship Sunday. The rest of the day we will swim, barbecue, and otherwise enjoy our lazy selves. It's a great way to kick off the summer.