Heather's first day at pre school

Heather has been so excited all summer about starting pre school and eventually that day arrived. We had chosen the morning program from 08.30 - 11 am. In the light that my kids are generally early risers and that Heather does tend to get tired in the afternoon, however does not nap. Another reason was that it would leave the remainder of the afternoon free to do activities in the winter when it has eventually warmed up. The afternoon program starts at 12.15 so I would really be having to give her lunch around 11.
So mornings it was.
But ohhh how stressful that has been to get them up and ready and to school for 8.30am . The first week I was having to wake Heather at 7.15 to get ready...this is the girl that spent the summer waking at 6.30am. The first week we were always running to the school doors, with friends and parents walking out the doors smiling with a knowing smile!! However we were feeling good about walking to school despite the fact it was always a rush and we live too close to the school to qualify for the big yellow school bus and it would take longer to drive by the time I bundle everybody in and then bundle everybody out!!!

Heather had stated that she wanted to take the school bus and I had always had my reservations about letting her go and also knew that we lived too close. However I thought it would be a great idea on a Wed for her to get the bus from school to the daycare just once a week. On inquiring we found out that there is a minimum weight restiction and the child has to weigh 40 lbs. We weighed heather knowingly and you guessed it she is only 30 lbs. Not even a few rocks would weigh her down!!!!

Rocks in that backpack

The second week the sticker chart was started with simple tasks that the kids had to complete before leaving for school, get dressed, eat, teeth, hair. This worked a treat for the first few days and then I succumbed to waking them up at 6.45 am with porridge already prepared, snacks done and Mum showered because I had dragged myself out of bed at 6 am. We are still managing to walk/run to school which the kids love and we have even been known to be standing at the classroom door waiting for the teacher, again along with comments of congratulations from other parents!!!! Finlay and I collect Heather at 11 for a 30 min play in the school park for unwinding and then she loves to cycle back home for lunch.
So as you can guess, WE ALL LOVE FRIDAYS!!!! and get to sleep in. Nothing is scheduled for Fridays, we have our own agenda and just enjoy not having to rush quite as much.
Heather is also enjoying ballet on Monday afternoons and gymnastics on Saturday mornings. Finlay and I enjoy music and movement on Monday mornings and we try to take them swimming once a week.
Fall has been a busy time, James is back to work full time after injuring his back and doing roofing again. I have just completed my Neonatal resuscitation course and am trying to study for my trauma nursing course. Which I must say is just not happening these days!!! To try and have time to study along with two kids is quite the challenge. I also have enjoyed a short evening course on photography, which was pleasant and finished in a local bar with a glass of wine!!! Sad thing the course was only two nights!!!

Granny, Grandad, Gr.uncle Jeff and Gr.anty Kath

When the oldies came to stay Heather and Finlay were looking forward to showing them all about their Canadian life......And how Canadian life outdoors is Ccccccold !!!!

.....but they know how to enjoy hot water in the outdoors.

Everybody has to get wet!!!

Hiking in the woods and doing some wild life watching on nature trails is a must....edges are optional!!!!

We have beautiful lakes to admire, walk round, throw stones in or paddle. Somehow everybody got out of the paddling this time round.

Taking time to sit and share stories is always enjoyable and is usually done round a campfire.

And of course when you are with the Gunn family the hiking goes on again and again and the kids go on and on and on with even more energy.

Highland Games

Well after the down pour at Heather's birthday, the rain continued into the next morning. It was the Highland games in Canmore and everytime we have gone the weather has never been the same. The weekend that Heather was born it was 30 degrees, when we had Finlay there was snow on the ground and this year there were lots of puddles to enjoy for the kids and a beer tent for Mum and Dad seeing as I was not pregnant or breast feeding!!!!

Heather had her first go at ceilidh dancing.....

Heather's 4th Birthday

Heather has been so excited about turning 4 and starting 'big school' and talked about it every night for weeks before the event. She had decided that she was going to have a Tinkerbell and pirate party.

So being an obliging Mum. I set about the arrangements and sent out some invites to 14 of her friends. It turned out that every one of them were able to attend along with a few siblings and parents. The plan was to have the party early in the play park on our street and have some theme games and running around. I borrowed a play parachute for added fun. Made some pirate cookies, fairy wand cookies and also bleeding fingers at Heather's request!!!....the cake...was ordered this year!!!!
It all started so calm......the sun was shining....it was a warm morning.


Everybody met at the park and as we started the first game I felt the dreadded spots of rain, we continued with 'What's the time captain hook' and were about to start 'Fairy tag' when the rain became heavier and heavier. We still continued hoping that it would blow over and enlisted the parents to hold up the parachute and played 'pass the parcel under the shute'. While I was mentally going through how we were ever going to fit over 20 bodies into our house for a birthday lunch, praying that the rain would lighten up...it did ....for a few minutes, but then just came back heavier that ever. So we abandoned the games and trudged back to the house under the parachute



So this was going to be the test, 14 kids, 14 adults,3 siblings in our small house, recipe for disaster, you would think, however the kids were amazing and played so well together, no tears, no fighting, good sharing and the adults were just laughing about the whole situation.
Meanwhile James and the dad's were out on the deck rigging up that parachute again, so that we could feed the kids and what a great job they did


Everybody had a good laugh, lots of fun and I think the kids will remember heather's 4 th birthday party for along time. I certainly will!!!

Heather ? ....Well she enjoyed every minute of it and at last she was 4.