Kay turns 15!

Snow hit!  We didn't get as much as everyone back home, but we got a good load of it.  I had taken a nap, when I awoke, Kaylyn had decided to shovel the lane and play in the snow with Emma and Daisy!  Emma thought that is would be a good idea to have a snow ball fight!  She kept finding LARGE balls of snow and asking if she could throw it!  Lol!  They both flopped down on the front yard after and made snow angels.  I remember doing that, now, I remember how cold and wet I was when done!  I left the angels to them so I could take photos! 

Holy cow! Where does the time go? Today Kaylyn turned 15! Man o Man..... For her birthday we kept it pretty low key. She is going to Europe next July, so that is pretty much her big gifts for her birthday and Christmas. Still got her a book from the Pretty Little Liars set she is reading and a couple of shirts though. I had typed out some trivia about the 3 major places she is going to visit. The girls built a gingerbread house while Kay's favorite dinner cooked! Steak, mushrooms with onion, BBQ garlic potatos, corn and asparagus! Yum! After dinner we headed out to the Ice Dogs hockey game. It was a great game even though we lost in the shoot out by 1!

 

These 2 are too cute!  Emma wanted to buy something with her own money, so when I told her she could shop through the stuff I had bought she got upset.  She decided to give Kaylyn her special coin she has.  It's actually a GNGH token to get out of the parking lot!  But she was proud and wrapped it in a bubble gum wrapper!  Kay got it!  She knows how Emma "collects" money! lol!

I always liked the sparkler candles.  Emma and I thought it would be great to put them on Kaylyn's cake.  Well, they gave off sooooo much smoke, they set off the smoke detector!!  I laughed!  Told Kay that she was now officially old!  Too many candles! lol!

Teased Kay that she has 1 boyfriend becaus the last sparkler wouldn't go out!  She didn't think that was too amusing! 

Scott trying to get the smoke detector to stop!

Holidays Begin!

We have started the holiday season with a bang!  We visited with Santa this past Monday and had our family pictures taken with him.  Emma was very excited to see him.  She had many minutes to tell him her deepest wishes.  I tell you, her list grows longer every day!  Last week she told me she wanted to start over because I had mentioned that I was forgetting half the stuff!  Typical 5 year old!

Last night we had a great family night in London.  We all went to see Joseph and The Technicolor Dream Coat.  Emma was great through the whole thing!  There were some students participating with the play.  At one point Emma turned to me and asked "When is it my turn to go on stage?"  Too funny!  She was dancing in her seat.  I seen the are performing The Hobbit in April.  I think Kaylyn and I may make the journey to see it.  Will see if Scott will join us, but I think it is a little over Emma's head. 

This past Saturday was the Niagara Falls Santa Clause Parade.  Kaylyn participated with her cheer group.  It was bitter cold and windy, but they kept warm walking and cheering!  Her friend Kayla who takes cheer with her, walked with her as well!  She is staying with us as a house guest.  Her Mom is on a vacation in Cuba, so instead of being home alone, she is staying with us!

Kaylyn attempted her Bronze medallion this past Monday.  She received her Emergency certificate, but didn't receive her Bronze medallion. She was very concerned about getting her swim time down from 14 minutes and 33 seconds to under 14.  The day of the exam she swam 13 minutes and 33!!  I am sure Kay learned a lot and hopefully will achieve her Bronze Medallion soon.  She hasn't been taking swimming consecutively like most of the kids that were in her class, but she did great non the less!

This week is Scott's regional Christmas party.  Should be a good time, it has been the past 2 years!  Sunday is the Broadfoot Christmas in Thamesford.  Hopefully the weather holds up for the travel!  Crazy, it's the beginning of December and I feel so far behind!  Half of the Christmas baking is done, most of the shopping, but it just seems like something is missing!  We wait to put up the tree until after Kay's birthday on the Ninth.  Man, she turns 15!  Where does time go?

Halloween

Okay!  Finally!  Some photos from Halloween! 

With these last couple of nice days, Scott has put up the Christmas lights.  I think the last couple of years putting them up after a snow storm in freezing cold weather has taught him to do it early!  He's so proud!  I upset him though, by telling him he can't turn them on till after November 11th!  Lol!

We have been curling every other Tuesday night.  It has been going well.  There is enough time in between games for our bodies to heal from unused muscle soreness, just in time to do it again!  It's good though!  Gives us a much needed night out together!

We have gone to the Rocky Horror Picture Show this year.  It was a BLAST!  Scott has never watched the movie nor knows anything about it.  heheheh!  This was a live theater play.  The lead actor was fantastic!  He interacted VERY well with the audiences participation if you know what I mean!  I was horse the next day!  I think next year I am going to buy a table and expose MANY others to a great night out!

Kay

We have successfully moved Kaylyn to a doctor in Hamilton.  After many years of traveling to London for follow ups and maintenance appointments, we decided to move her appointments closer to home.  As much as family visits were great, they were often too short or not at all.  This way instead of a 2 day adventure we are there and back in half a day.  The new doctor, Dr. Arora is fantastic!  He is realistic and down to earth.  We liked him as soon as he stated that he was going to get all the test results from London instead of running new ones.  Kaylyn was ecstatic to hear there would be NO needles this time!  This way she has both of her specialists in the same hospital.  Makes matters easier to address!

Sunday, Kaylyn had volunteered at the Niagara Marathon.  It was an all day event, followed by cheer leading.  Needless to say, she was exhausted by night time.  She had completed 37.5 hours of her 40 mandatory voluntary hours for High School, but because they were in August, the school won't recognize them.  So, now, she has to start over!

I have ordered the "You're My Hero" books that our story is published in.  We are patiently waiting, and waiting.  Can't wait to read the rest of the stories in it as well!

The girls are both healthy and enjoying the weather while it's nice.  They decorated for Halloween on the weekend.  Emma can't wait to carve the pumpkins!  She had gone on a class trip to the pumpkin farm and received a free pumpkin. 

"Can we carve it yet?"

 "Now?"

"Today?"

I found a larger version of the one she picked and a nice round one for Kay to carve.  That should give them something to do on Saturday!!

Emma has started piano lessons.  She is really enjoying them!  She is doing really well as well!  I think it has perked Kaylyn's interest again..... we will see!

Emma Turns 5!

I have finally uploaded my photos from the beginning of summer! As I go through them, I will post some of the good ones I like! I found a great one of the girls on the first day of school! Wow! Kay's in high school! Crazy stuff!

After many years of extravagant parties, we broke out of our regular pattern and held Emma's 5Th birthday party at an indoor play facility. It was the best idea of all! The kids ran around and played (not creating a mess in my house), they ate pizza (made and served by them!) and ate a wonderful Hello Kitty Cupcake Cake (made by Aunt Tanya!). In the end, we packed up and went home. NO clean up for me! It was great!! Having to work both the nights before and after the party, made it so much easier for it to fit into schedule without disrupting the flow of the week!

We started the week with a visit from Grandma Bishop, mid week and Birthday cake with Grandma and Papa Broadfoot, visit from cousins Ali and Brad and ended the week with a party with all her friends, Aunt Tanya and Uncle Phil as well! I say, Emma is a lucky little girl!

When we asked Emma what she wanted for a birthday dinner, she replied "Spaghetti tacos!" She's been watching a little too much iCarly I think! So, the rest of us had spaghetti or tacos, while she ate a spaghetti taco! Interesting!

We had a little Turkey for Thanksgiving. I have NEVER seen a turkey so small! It was a 9 pounder! LOL! But is was just right for the couple of us here. Kaylyn had gone for a visit to her Dad's, so there was one less mouth to feed. Emma has a field trip to Warner's Pumpkin Farm tomorrow, lucky me (and Scott maybe) get to chaperon! The best part of kids in school! Now, if only I can find a way to chaperon Kay's trip to Europe!

Wups! It's now October!

So, I guess I have been neglectful of my blog! Shame on me! Lots has happened, not if I can remember to recap....

Let's start with school. Emma is in half days Senior Kindergarten and LOVING it! She is still getting used to the thought of some of her classmates (the notorious Olivia) have moved onto Grade 1. She has the same teacher as last year, Mrs. Clegg. We really like her. She is stern with compassion. Well respected by the children.

Kaylyn has started High School. She LOVES it. She is going to Westlane High School just down the street. Most days she walks with a girlfriend, but on rainy she usually gets a drive. She is enjoying it so far.... let's just see in a couple months! Lol!

Kaylyn is taking French and through her teacher is organizing a trip to Paris, Provone and Barcelona next July. She is VERY excited. I have found a fundraiser through Patti's dance studio that people can help support her trip without spending money on things they wouldn't already buy! It's a gift card program through Fundscrip.com. It basically has 86 stores that you can buy a gift card for and they give her a %. It's fantastic! We order our gas and grocery monies through it, and they send Kaylyn the money towards her trip! Much better than trying to sell chocolates or magazines!

We have sold our SUV and have purchased Scott a new toy. We got him is Volvo C70 convertible. It's a nice car! Emma cried when we sold her red car! Lol! She is slowly getting used to the new one, but always comments about visiting our old car!

We also have a new addition to our household! This is Daisy! She is a Yorkiepoo. Born June 30 this year. The girls are in love with her! She is just the right size for the two of them! Emma plays chase with her and Kaylyn loves taking her for walks and runs in the park. She has the come and sit thing almost mastered, well at least with me. The peeing in the house needs some help, but we are trying to teach her to ring the bell. She doesn't bark, except at Sally, so knowing when she needs to go out is a bit of a trouble.

My schooling is on a bit of a hold. Having a bit of trouble trying to find somewhere to take the next part. Everything I am doing is just to give me a bit of a head start if I go to George Brown College next September. I am still getting to use it at work. We have a couple of deaf or hard of hearing people that work for us. I have also come across some deaf people visiting the Casino. It is a slow process, but I am trying to keep on top of it!

Scott's work has picked up again. Summer, everyone has conflicting schedules, so it gets hard to get together. But he is back on track! And doing real well! He keeps learning more and doing better! I am so proud of him for taking a chance with his new career! He and I have signed up for curling on Tuesdays. It has been a LONG time since I have stepped on a sheet of ice for any reason! I think it will be fun!

With only 2 weeks before Emma's birthday, we have decided that this year would be a good year for the many rambunctious 5 year old children play somewhere else! We think we may take them to Cheeky Monkey, where they can play for 2 hours, eat cake and head home. No clean up for us! We also tend to have a small party planned and it turns into a 50 plus crowd! Lol! Emma keeps trying to plan her own surprise party! It's too funny! "Mommy, when you go get things for my party, just tell me you are going to buy groceries. Then I won't know that you are buying things for my surprise party!" Too funny!

The girls schedule has been filled again! Kaylyn is doing Cheerleading and going after her Bronze medallion. Emma is taking swimming lessons, tap and ballet as well as gymnastics. They are loving it!

Scott won 2 season tickets to The Niagara Ice Dogs. The girls and Scott have standing dates now! We enjoy the OHL, the girls get right into! They went last night and help celebrate the win! There are only a couple of dates that I can go, but the 3 of them have a blast! Our neighbors Al and Phylis have 4 season tickets, so often the girls will go and see them in their seats. They are great people. They have offered to take the girls to a couple of games as well. Even though winter causes most people to shut in, we tend to find more to do in these months.... crazy!

August????

Wow, every time I think to sit and type I end up 10 away doing something else! It has been an interesting summer so far. Kaylyn has stayed with us all this summer. Her Dad is having issues, so we have welcomed her staying with us! It's really nice having her around. Emma is very happy, they're great together! Kay has started her YMCA counsellor camp this week. It runs for 3 weeks, the last week she helps run a week of camp. She is really enjoying it!

Emma had 1 week at camp the second week of July. She goes next week for her second week. She liked it, she was a little disappointed that they don't have closing circle like last year. That is where they sang with ALL the other campers. Oh, the joy of camp songs non-stop from a 4 year old!!

We had almost a week up at the cottage with family. It was nice. Rained a couple of days, but that only stopped them from golfing! Scott turned everyone onto Geo caching! I tell you, I think he has a new hobby!

We have had a couple of day trips to Marineland, been home to Thamesford a couple of times and Kay & Emma have had picnic lunches at the splash pad. Been busy, busy, busy!

Back in the spring I had wrote a 600 word essay on Kaylyn being my Hero for a book that the Girl Guides are publishing for the 100 year anniversary. It is now out! I hope it turned out good! One of the founders for the book co-authored "Cup of Soup for the Soul". I think it will.

I have completed another course for my Sign Language studies. My teacher is a great teacher. He sent a letter (email) to the 2 teachers at George Brown College helping me plead my case for a course override for this fall. The course that I want is full and there is no waiting list. Being a 4 year course I hope to start as soon as possible! I am really enjoying it.

Well, a quick note and I'm gone again. Hope to write again soon!