Christmas Concert 2010

The entire concert was really well done (but too long to post here). It was obvious that the school has a strong music program.

Quiet Time with Grandpa

Visitor of the Puppy Variety

Daisy Duke came to visit us last month. Meghan fell in love.

Sorry Moe, there's a new favourite in town.

Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween!

Hockey (well skating)

Today was week three of Learn to Skate and Play Hockey for Meghan. The progress from week to week has been remarkable, and all three of us are loving every minute of it.

Week One was a bit of a shock to Meghan. Daddy was playing in a baseball tournament and was not able to be there. Since this is her special thing that she shares with Daddy, that alone was a big enough blow. Plus when she got there she realized that there was no socializing and she couldn't be "special". And, since there were so many kids, she wouldn't be playing in the mall, like we promised her, but in a real arena. On the plus side she did spend most of the time on her feet and learned how to get up quickly when she fell down. Although she made it to the end of the session, I wasn't sure we'd ever be able to get her back

Week Two Daddy was back on board and Meghan was willing to give it another try. There was marked improvement. Meghan spent more time on her feet. Although she was still walking/running. Her favourite part was chasing and shooting the puck. And she figured out that she could shoot the pylons when she got bored (she couldn't keep up with the other kids).

Week Three Meghan really started to catch on. She figured out the gliding part and was keeping up with the other kids in her group. She won a number of races (some legitimately, some with mild cheating) and, more importantly, had a smile on her face the entire time. She can't wait to go back again next weekend.

In this video, Meghan is wearing a white jersey. She has black skates with white laces, a black helmet, and baby pink tape on her stick. She's intentionally staying at the back of the pack (about two kids in on your right).

In this exercise, the kids were to skate and stop on command, then turn and skate back when chased by the instructor. This was the fourth or fifth time through so Meghan had gotten wise to what was going on and didn't skate too far up the ice. We tried to capture her Scooby-Doo initial speed burst after the turn but were unsuccessful this time around. This time we got a fall instead, but at least you can see how fast she gets up. I can't get up that fast - way to go Meghan!



Summer Vacation

Our summer vacation this year was a three city road trip to Northern Ontario—during which we unfortunately took very few pictures.

First SSM:


 

Boat Rescue	At Camp
Fishing Goulais Bay	Bellevue Park

We also had a really great visit with the Diotte family and many many others.


Then we went to Science North in Sudbury:




Finally we crossed from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory on the ferry in crazy wind. We were okay—many others were not. The sea sick bags were put to good use that day.

The long weekend on the Bruce was chilly but still lots of fun. Again, no pics.

All in all a great vacation. We loved visiting with everyone and hope to see you all again soon.

Please help me name this fictional cat

I'd love some help naming this fictional cat.

The cat's owner is a borderline mature girl/woman in her early twenties. She works part time at her local library and part time as a marketing assistant (inflated title for a job she got as a favour from a friend). The name should represent something this character loves. My first instinct was to name it after a character from a beloved book from her childhood but didn't like anything I came up with. I'd like the cat to be male, but am open to changing it. I plan to fit the type and look of the cat to match the name.

Here's the (unedited) passage about the cat:

My cat, [name], (type of cat depends on the name), loves the south-facing wall of windows over-looking a daycare playground. Aside from watching kids and squirrels play in the sun, [name] holds the very important job of ridding the property of undesirables: pigeons, spiders, roaches, and unworthy suitors. Kenny, the geek across the hall, also known as Undesirable Number One, knows when I get off work. He often “runs into” me in the lobby at the mailboxes. Today I walked right past him. He tried to keep up with me up the stairs but quickly slunk into his own apartment the second I got the key in my door. I made the mistake of inviting him inside on the day I moved in. I’m not sure what [name] did to him that day, but 'geek-boy' has been careful not to cross the threshold since.

As always, [name] was waiting for me at the door. “Good boy,” I said giving him a scratch behind the ear. When I rescued [name] from the Humane Society he had been lazily named Kitty. I had believed it cruel to change an animal's name after adoption, but, in this case, it had to be done. After only a week with me, it was clear that a more fitting moniker was required.

My top two choices at this point are:
Alfred (Bruce Wayne's butler)
Chen (after Julie Chen - Big Brother host and house guest evicter)

I'm also open to suggestions. What are your ideas?

Thanks,
Marcie

Fi Fie Foe Fum

You leave your garden untended for just 2 weeks and the Jolly Green Giant moves in! Sheesh!

It took Meghan at least a month to get this long

Waterslide!

Fun at the Toronto Zoo

Hockey Equipment

The Continuing Adventures of Super Dad

Today was an eventful day for super dad. Among other things, super dad saved the day by reforging pieces for Meghan's broken stuffie bed, then he managed to return a movie in the nick of time, then he hit an equipment sale, scrounging up nearly all of Meghan's needed hockey equipment for only $90.

After a quick stop for a drive-thru lunch, super dad played a double-header in this heat. During which, he pushed Meghan on the swing during the innings he sat for, and was mommy's hero, sneaking out to grab an ice cap for her in between games.

Currently super dad is having a much needed icy shower, after which he will help make dinner and then participate in family game night.

Three cheers for Super Dad xoxo

Fun in Niagara Falls

July 2010

We haven't been very fast with the camera for the last little while but here are a few things from the last month or so that we did manage to capture. The terrible ones are from my phone: