Coming To An End

Everyone says how time flies. We only notice when it's noted by certain achievements. Birthdays, ending of events, upcoming events etc. Well, my achievement is almost at an end. With only 1 more class left, I will have completed my Sign Language course. We have to go into have a 20 minute conversations on everything we have learned. I know I can talk a lot, but signing for 20 minutes?! I have really enjoyed the class and highly recommend it to anyone that has an opportunity or just wants something different. You will be amazed at how often you will use it. It teaches you more than just another language, it teaches you about another culture. I hope to continue with some private lessons so I can carry on to George Brown College in Toronto to be an ASL Interpreter. I need 200 instructed hours before I audition for the course, but I hope to achieve this by January. September would be ideal, but we all know what we are like over the summer. When the sun is shining the last thing you want to do is be trapped inside! Also, I kind of have a full time job!

Both Emma and Kaylyn are continuing their swimming lessons with great strides forwards. Kaylyn passed her last level at the top of her class. Emma is proudly swimming in the deep end! We have moved Emma's lessons to Tuesday so now I can cheer her on. After she finishes her swim out and back, she looks over to Scott and I for a 2 thumbs up and a blowing kiss! Kaylyn was an active part of the schools production of Cinderella. She helped out behind the scenes with lights and curtains. I know most parents are proud when their children are on stage, but I know how much of a help that Kaylyn is. She would be an amazing helper behind the scenes, helping to contribute to the flow of the show! Emma has her singing concert this coming Wednesday. She is a proud peacock! Can't wait!

I have been mentioning that I have been slowly updating our house. Even though it is only 9 years old, a lick of paint won't hurt anything. In a couple of rooms, it has made a great improvement! I have moved onto the "mud" room. It is the last area that is not finished. Scott came downstairs to see me pulling everything out and hanging a couple of sheets of drywall. With a snicker under his breath, asked if I needed help. Needless to say, it was much more effective with him helping! I can't wait till it is all done. I desperately need more storage. Mind you I have rearranged under the stairs and laundry room to accommodate the disheveled shelving units. Didn't realize how organized you can make a small area! Can't wait! Soon, the outside! Hmmm, already planning.... tax return better hurry up!

Spring Has Sprung!

What beautiful weather! Since we have lost our babysitter, I haven't been able to go in to help Scott at his work. So... lately I have decided to start touching up on the house! I have repainted and set up both the girls rooms. I haven't taken photos yet. I haven't hung their posters yet. They look GREAT! Emma has a little girls room and Kaylyn has a young woman's room. I also redid the toy room downstairs. I was a VIBRANT pink, but now is a beautiful brown. Relaid out with new bedding and curtains makes it a BRAND new room. It is now the spare room.

With the sun shining Emma and I started pulling all the furniture out of the doll house and toys out to play with. We have been out for daily walks. For the most part Emma rides in the wagon because we are walking with our neighbor Sabrina for a brisk walk. She thinks that's ok, she can play with her magnet board or DS. We have the trusty old wagon that I grew up with. Emma doesn't complain. She thinks it's great too! She has been so comfortable and exhausted from the fresh air, she even fell asleep once! LOL!

Next to here is the new spare room. What a difference. Sally thinks it GREAT with it's new feather bed on it.

My classes are quickly coming to an end. We only have 3 more classes. We have to make a 10 minute video conversation. The material was given to us, we just had to put the words into sentences we can sign. I have been busy practising with my partner Zsuzsanna. Emma thinks it's great! We usually go over to Zsuzsanna's house where Emma can play the Wii, bounce on the trampoline or play with many of the pets they have. They have a dog, snakes, lizards and guinea pigs. Last time there I was sitting at the table when Emma came up the stairs holding a Bearded Dragon. She was so proud!

A Dress Has Been Found!

Some other photos from our Staycation!












This was Emma's favorite waterfall of the day!





Here birdie, birdie, birdie! Nope! Nothing like the Butterfly Conservatory! They won't land on you! LOL!

Emma gazing down on the waterfall.

I finally took Kaylyn on an outing to look for a grad dress. Now, for those who don't know, I am not a huge fan of shopping across the border. BUT, my sister in law and niece were down last week and they had me take them across to look at dresses. They showed me a store called Deb. It has beautiful dresses at a GREAT prices! I just don't understand why, for grade 8 grad, these girls need such fancy dresses? I keep thinking, my goodness, what is Prom going to be like? I haven't heard enough about grad for the past 1 year and a half from Kay, I can just imagine how excited she is going to be to graduate from high school!

Emma had come along for the ride on both outings. Both times she asked when can she try on BEAUTIFUL dresses? I had her looking for dress sizes for her knowing that they were all too big. Well, smarty pants that she is, caught onto this. While out with Kaylyn this week, Emma states "These dresses are not my sizes. They are too big. We are going to have to go into the mall and find a store with my sizes!" I giggle to myself, but try to explain that we are here for Kaylyn's grad just like we were here for Allie's grad last week. She promptly explains to me "I have been a good girl Mommy. I think I should have a beautiful dress too!" Break your heart doesn't it? The only thing.... 2 weeks before I had taken Emma dress shopping to spend the rest of our gift cards from Christmas and she got over 10 dresses then! She loves her dresses and if she picks them out, she wears them non-stop. So, I thought I would take her over to the mall.... well, I created a demon shopper! LOL!

Once we were home, supper was cooked, but Emma and Kaylyn had to have a fashion show to show off their new dresses to Scott and I. Emma co-ordinated and Kaylyn modeled. Afterwards, Emma fashioned her Belle dress as well as her new fancy dress she got! Yeah, yeah Mom's a sucker!

Staycation Day 1

Tuesday was our (Emma and I) first day of our Staycation for March Break. We started the morning at the Butterfly Conservatory with Daddy (Scott). We had lunch then as Scott headed back to work Emma and I went to the Bird Kingdom, followed by the Botanical Gardens.

It was a gorgeous sunny day to do it!

Part of the excitement for Emma was to get a Butterfly to sit on her. She tried and tried. Finaly I think 1 of them humored her and allowed us to put it on her. She was in Seventh Heaven!

For some reason I am having trouble uploading more photos, so I will try later. I have a couple beautiful ones of her smelling the flowers at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens. It's a cute one!

It was a great day all around! Only thing missing was Kaylyn!

Emma is showing the sign for Butterfly! That's my girl!

Mid March Madness

Wow! I am glad the nice weather is finally here, but it just reiterates that time is flying by. I guess that is what happens you are busy! Spring, comes Spring clean up! I think this year it would be a good thing to pay someone else to do! Lol! The yard will be ok..... looking forward to the gardens, but the back grass is a different story. Picking up the dog poo will be the second last thing for that I know I have to do, to help get over the losing Toby. The other will be heading to the cottage.

Kaylyn has started shopping for a grad dress. Wow, am I NOT a girly girl! She has been on the Internet looking around.... now as it gets closer... I guess I have to take her out! Lol! Craziness! I think Emma will of more help than me! She is a lot like Kaylyn. They LOVE sparkles, pink, frill and flash!

We go this Thursday to Hamilton for one of Kaylyn's yearly check ups. This one will tell us how she is growing and how the process is doing. The doctor we are seeing is really good. He is funny!

Our house is going through after shock from the Olympics. We had them on non stop for 16 days! Scott has fallen in love with curling. He has decided to look at joining the local curling club to learn to play. I am happy for him. I will think about joining him... in time. It is nest to see how different looking, how our home has changed since Scott has left the casino and started his own business. He is doing REALLY well. Also it's great having the flexibility, but even better to be able to participate in things like the curling club. The little things we take for granted! Shift work is one thing, having odd days off with it is another. Better late than never!

Gotta go! The Oscars are on!!!

February's End

I checked today to see if Jazz (our cat) had been adopted yet. We surrendered her January 7Th after having discovered pee in the house. Through much debate, we thought at least Jazz has a chance at a new forever home. She was taken to the Niagara Falls Humane Society. They have a no kill policy.... makes it a little easier. She was put up for adoption on February 11Th (ironically the day we put Toby down) and she was adopted that Saturday, February 13Th! I am VERY relieved to know that she is being loved again by someone. She was a very sweet cat. We still have our Sally. She is not too sure what she thinks of all this change. If she's not sleeping on the back of my chair, she is trying to meow (she can't) and pawing at you for attention. She STILL thinks that she should sleep on Emma's bed, but she wants nothing to do with it. I think it has something to do with Sally want to to LAY ON Emma! Hehehe! Kaylyn has always wanted her to sleep with her, but she sleeps with the door shut all the time! Sally likes the freedom of coming and going. The problem is since she can't meow, she knocks everything around making enough noise for you to get up!

We got Kaylyn's grad photo's ready to order. She looks FANTASTIC in them. I can't wait to get them. We upgraded the package so we get the disc with all 4 poses on it. She is starting to get tall. She will literally always be my little girl, but it's weird to see her grow after not growing for so long! She is very excited about going to High School next year. I tell you, if I make it through grade 8 graduation I will be amazed! She has been excited since last year.... planing the grad party, designing the dress, hair..... man, I am NOT a girly girl..... this is new to me! Funny too! She graduates June 24th. I hear we get a dinner with our ticket.... hope so at $25 a seat! I can't wait... I have a feeling she will win an award of sorts! I am just very proud at how she has picked up, buckled down and improved her grades! She is doing GREAT! She is still determined to be a vet. Scott and I have tried to help her stay on course. She is not too keen on the thought of practising math all the time. She doesn't seem to flinch when we were in the science lab at her high school orientation and there was a baby pig there to be dissected! Bleh! I wouldn't do it in high school when it was a frog! Bleh!

Kaylyn and Emma are both in dance this year and enjoying it! They have a recital may 30th (day after Patti's). Fortunately they are in the same 5:00 show time! That makes it MUCH easier! I think that Emma should go on stage for her singing! Man o Man! Kaylyn used to the same thing! Singing non stop! Emma has taken on a whine in her singing.... she thinks it makes her sound beautiful! Lol! I tell you, we are VERY patriotic in this house.... she sings O Canada at least once a day! Some days NON STOP! Lol!

Our house has been pretty quiet. I swear I still hear Toby every now and again. His presence will be missed for a very long time.

Scott has been very busy with the RRSP season almost at an end. I have continued to work with him 3 days a week trying to help where I can. My school is going great as well. I really like my teacher. He is helping me figure a way to get my hours in so I can go to George Brown College to be a certified Interpreter.

With March Break coming, we haven't decided what we are going to do. Emma would REALLY like to go to the Bird Kingdom, bake sugar cookies, play lots and lots of games and swim at the YMCA. Kay's not too sure what she wants to do yet.

I am sure it will all come together!

Sad Day

So, our sad day has arrived. Last Thursday we put our loving dog, Toby, down. It has been a very difficult time. He has been fighting many different medical issues. In the end, we believe he became diabetic and started peeing in the house. He was a loving, loyal, friendly, funny, family pet. We miss him terribly. The cottage will be very different without him!