Some more pics to enjoy

Just some pics to get you through until I can wrap my head around the last 6 months!  Enjoy!

Our Mermaid on Halloween

 Brooke's Farm!  Pumpkin time!

 Pictures from our amazing, awesome, fantastic Disney Trip

 Rowyn and Lily

 Swimming lessons!  She's doing so well and loving it since she learned how to swim when we were in Disney

 Summer fun at Dear Lake.  Rowyn and Ty on the swings

 Swimming with Grandma!

 Happy Birthday Princess!  Look at all that loot!

Summer Wedding

We had a fantastic time at Brett and Robin's wedding at the beginning of August.  Enjoy some pics!

Turning 5

Rowyn turns 5 this weekend coming up! Happy birthday to our girl!  Although she already thinks she's 5.  We had her friend party a few weeks ago earlier on in the summer before everyone goes out on vacation.  This year was a gymnastics party with tumbling, a trampoline and lots of kids!  The party was a hit but for having it at a place other than our house I sure was tired afterwards!  Rowyn had a great time and everyone was so generous with their gifts.  Now she keeps asking me if they are all coming with her to the new house or if we are going to throw them in the garbage.  I've diligently been telling her that nothing is going in the garbage, everything is coming with us.  I'm not sure she believes us!
I can't wait for her birthday this Saturday.  We're finally going to tell her that we're taking a trip to Disney at the end of August.  It's been booked for oh... about 10 months and we've kept it a secret so we can surprise her for her birthday.  I can't wait to see her reaction when she finds out she's going to go on a plane!  I think that will be the highlight.
This summer has been extra busy for us.  I have two more classes before schools out for the summer (Ugh it's been a long year!) and we can concentrate on packing up the house.  We've spent some great weekends up north.  The summer is turning out to be nice and hot and sunny.  Couldn't have asked for more!
Rowyn is actually at the cottage this week with Grandma and Grandpa swimming and lapping up the attention.  I think she was a little nervous for us to leave, but from what I understand she's having a great time.  Feels weird to not have to rush in the morning or to make sure there is dinner planned or to have a little voice asking you for some milk.  Sigh, yes, I miss her but she's making wonderful memories.
Rowyn's going to summer "camps" this year.  I thought it would be fun for her to experience a whole bunch of different things this summer rather than stay in school and do the same program.  So far she's done a "Arts and Crafts" camp which she LOVED and a kids camp which was a bit of a miss.  Upcoming is gymnastics camp and another kids camp!
The summer and time if flying by.  We're loving every minute of it but I wish it would slow down!

Daddy's girl!  Getting ready for her first "big wheel" ride!

 All ready to go!  I don't know who was more excited....

 Off to the races!  And she LOVED it!

 Paddle boat ride with Auntie

 Canada Day Celebration with family and the Johnson's

 Ahhhh.... beautiful!



The Juggling Act

Rowyn has been a busy bee these last few weeks with ballet recitals and school concerts, finishing swimming and wanting to invite friends over for sleepovers.
We've also been busy as well!  We found our next house and while it was a struggle to negotiate we got it!  Brad found it online and it looked amazing and just a little beyond our reach until Brad the master negotiator stepped in and made it happen.  We decided to take a look at it cause it had just the right combination of yard, garage and house for us.  It's just on the other side of town from us too!  7 km's away.  Rowyn will end up having to be bused to school but we're ok with that.  We'll be living on a dead end street and we'll be the last house so we have the entire court to ourselves!  Next door to us are some chickens and a really loud rooster.  We're so pleased!  We have to do a lot of cosmetic updates (can you say 90's with the paint and wallpaper!) but we'll get Rowyn settled and slowly bring it into this century.  We bought this house before we had even thought about listing ours.  So now we were faced with the dilemma of owning two houses and paying the mortgage on both!  We hustled and busted our butts and got everything into tip top shape in about 4 days - including painting walls, A LOT of trim, the garage doors and fixing little things that we've left over the years.  I was dreading the cleaning part and poor Khaos had to go to Grandma's house each day in case there were showings.  We didn't have to do that for too many days.  After only 48 hours we were presented with an offer of list plus!  We took it and now we have a nice sold sign on our lawn.  Whoohoo!!!  Packing here we come (trying not to over stress that part but hey - you know me!).  Rowyn knows we're moving and says she doesn't want to move. We took her with us while looking at the houses so she's seen the new house twice and her new room. I hope she'll warm up to the idea once the boxes start coming out and we start emptying the house out.

Rowyn and Brad made a special Mother's day breakfast in bed for me.  Rowyn said to me "I have a surprise for you Mum, but don't look behind the drapes.  I have to water it every day for you but you can't know what it is".  She was SO excited to bring me breakfast in bed and I loved it!  And loved the little seedling my chic had planted as well (that's still living by the way!)

 Only full on house shot I managed to take.  Not sure why I didn't get a better one!  More to come soon anyway and I'll sharpen my photography skills.

 Theatre in action!

No photography skills needed here.... She's beautiful all on her own.  Taken tonight when we arrived home from her school play.

And this pic was taken on the way home tonight and just about sums up how I feel.

Quote of the day

We were sitting around the dinner table last night chatting and hanging out over roasted chicken with quinoa and kale stuffing.
Out pops this from Rowyn:

"I love you SOOOOO much!"

Me, thinking she was complementing the dinner and enjoying our discussion said back:

"I love you Soooo much too!" and Rowyn's comment was........

"I was talking to Daddy".  Humph

Eggs... of the Chocolate Kind

We had a great Easter weekend!  Was so nice to have a day off where we were all in the same house at  the same time and nobody had places to go or things to get done.  We didn't even get out of our PJ's until 11:00!  We had a super duper breakfast of all things yummy - yes that included bacon. 
I finally got our for a run as well.  First time in a LONG time and it felt great just to be out again.  We had some great weather for Friday.  Too bad it turned rainy and yucky for the rest of the weekend but we hung out outside as much as we could.
Rowyn has been sick again for the past week.  Sinus infection BOOO.  After a week off and a long weekend she's back to feeling better.  I'm glad too! 
The Easter Bunny brought Rowyn a new bike this year.  She's been riding around on a bike that is half the size of the new one.  The bike is yellow and orange and we were a little worried that she wouldn't like it because it wasn't purple or pink.  We were right - the first thing she said was "I like my little bike better because it's purple".  Oh well.  This new one has streamers on it and a little bike pouch for her to put some water in it. 
Here are some pics from the weekend. 

Spring has sprung

So many things are growing! Our front garden Lilly's and Vinca are starting to pop up and I can see all of the yard work that needs to be done.
Rowyn is sprouting as well!  My baby is growing up!  We got her hair cut last month and we went to one of those chain kids salons that have the cool chairs the kids can sit in.  They also have cool bribes for the kids that include sparkles in the hair and a small little braid with a bead at the bottom.  Of course it's extra for the parents but whatev'.  As long as Rowyn lets the hairdresser take off the 4 inches I was needing to come off it's all worth it! Her hair was so long that it kept getting thing like ketchup in it, and remnant's of spaghetti from lunch or yogurt from breakfast ewwww!!!  Needless to say - the one hair cut a year we get went smoothly and she felt like a princess after.

The after the hair dresser picture.... what's missing from the pic is the braid with the bead but you get the gist

I walked into Rowyn's class the other day and noticed about 30 little clear plastic cups all lined up on a tray.... I instantly knew what it was - the kids are growing beans in little cups with paper towel wrapped around the bean!  Don't you all remember doing that as a child?  It's got to be a right of passage or something....

Rowyn on the swing set last weekend after we went to the home show and she got her face painted

And what else is sprouting you ask? Hmmm..... for my nutrition peeps and friends..... I've been getting creative these days.  For school we have to take a mandatory cooking class - a VEGAN cooking class (Brad cover your ears) that includes all things beans, cumin and weird stuff - even weird for me!  BUT I must say - I'm learning alot and enjoying the recipes and the process.
So, I decided to get an old mason jar and try sprouting my own mung beans!  For those that don't know - mung beans are small green round beans that can be used in almost any dish - great for soups and for sprouting!  Who needs fancy sprouting kits, just use a big jar, add a handful of beans, water and rinse.  Over the next two days watch them grow! 
Benefits to freshly sprouted beans include:
Active plant enzymes which help digestion, provide essential nutrients, and are great tasting!  And side benefit - very cost effective to incorporate into your diet.  Love this as the family is forever taking a probiotic which can be quite expensive.  Oh mother earth!  You do provide the right things to keep us healthy!!
Upcoming events:
The countdown for the Easter Bunny is ON! 
A ballet recital in May
A school recital June
A wedding shower end June
Wedding August
New deck, new gazebo.... and Holidays - YES PLEASE!!!

Enjoy the pics and more to come soon

Sprouting Extravaganza with Green Mung Beans!

Mung Beans after the second day 

 Delicious on top of salad!



March Break

This is the first year that Rowyn's been aware of what weekends are and that means no school.  We routinely count down the number of days until the weekend and have a TON of converstaions about needing to go to school and how you can't stay home on Tuesday with Mum and watch TV.  Rowyn knows that I work from home and when she's sick she can stay home and watch TV while I try to get some work done.  That seems to have caused a bit of an issue.  Now every day there is whining and moaning about going to school.  She really does have a great time when she's there and comes home with all kinds of great stories about her friends and the new things she's learned.  I guess I can't blame her.  I myself need a break every once in a while from work/school.
Like today..... I've been horribly sick with the worst cold ever and was in Austin last week for work.  Not the best combination - being away and being sick.  I fell behind on both work and school.  So it's March Break.  Rowyn's off at Gymnastics Camp this week and I don't have school this week so I took today off to work on the 2 assignments, one presentation and a test that are all due on Monday.  I'm just hoping it's productive - but here I am writing on the blog... oh well, we'll chalk this up to this being my lunch break.
It's raining outside - a sure indication of spring.  Brad's disapointed because that means no more snowmobiling and that means mud and Khaos prints all over my floors, but it also means sunshine, green trees, longer days, and gardening!

Rowyn has been growing and continues to amaze us every day.  I asked her yesterday  morning on the way to gymnastics if she knew her home phone number.  She looked at me and shook her head.  I said that it's important to know it because if she wants to call me, she will need to know what it is.  At dinner we were talking about it again and then she just casually rhymes off our phone #.  We didn't even review it!  So she knows it, just doesn't want to say it.....  And Rowyn is reading!  I'm so proud of her.  This has been a bit of a slow process for us.  We've been working very hard on sounds, letters, and words since the summer.  Now we're on book 3 "Tim" and reading sentences and words.  We have a long way to go but we can see that she's really taken a leap forward. 

Hope everyone is having a great March Break and enjoying the warmer weather - rain and all!

Quote of the day

Two quotes today that I'd like to share with you all:
Rowyn woke up this morning and said to me

"Mum, is today another special Valentines Day?"

Cupcakes, v-day cards, candies, clothes, hugs and kisses - all in one day.  I'd want it to be Valentines Day today too!

A friend said to me today after I made the comment "I hope this isn't going to be one of those days" and the response I got was:

"It will be amazing"

 Love it!  So simple and so right.  Today WILL be amazing.

Snowday at the Soloy's

It snowed, it snowed a TON!  And we had so much fun playing when we got to stay at home for the day because school was closed.  Of course I still had to work, but we managed to get in some cool play time too.  Rowyn's school wasn't suppose to be closed - or I thought they would be calling the parents to inform us in the morning if it was going to be closed.  I wasn't mistaken - oh noooo.  Schools were open so Rowyn and I got all bundled up and spent 20 minutes brushing off the car and made our way into school to find it closed because there wasn't enough staff.  Oh the joys of a private school.  Where was my phone call like they said they would?  Needless to say, not too happy, so we turned around, stopped at the grocery store for some "goodies" to munch on through the day and made our way home.
Brad was too excited about all of the snow to stay at work so he left early and came home to take Rowyn tobogganing.  The two of them had a blast and came home covered head to toe in snow asking for hot chocolate.  I can do with a few more fun days like this that's for sure!

Working and playing.  We dragged Rowyn's little table into the office where I worked and Rowyn worked on doing a whole bunch of awesome crafts, some writing, some painting.  Needless to say, not a lot of TV watching and tons of imagination was used this day. 

 On the way out to tobogganing totally bundled up Canada style - scarf and all!

 Heading to the "big" hill at the back of the schoolyard and down to the river for an even bigger hill!  Smiles all around :)

Randomness from the last couple months

Finally have a few minutes to gather my thoughts and get pictures downloaded so I can post them again. We still haven't had a chance to get our home computer fixed, but we're managing (as Brad's cursing in he background trying to order something online from an iPad - it really does have it's limitations).  We've spent January doing a trip up north, Brad going snowmobiling, me spending every waking moment immersed in Ayurveda and Rowyn loving Ballet and Swimming.  Hardly a moment to take a breath but we love it! 

I caught a glimpse of Rowyn out of the corner of my eye at dinner today wearing a headband with her hair all pulled back and "styled" as Rowyn would say, those weird wrist band thingies - Silly bands - and a ring on her finger that used to be mine.  I had a moments panic and thought that 5 more years had passed in the blink of an eye.  Don't grow up to fast on me Rowyn!  Five is just around the corner - and yes, you can finally have gum when you turn 5.



Our Christmas Tree Expedition to Drysdale's Christmas Tree Farm.  So much fun!

So sweet having a Dad that can reach the top of the tree without a ladder! 

 Leaving milk and cookies for Santa and Rowyn kept reminding me not to forget to buy celery for the Reindeer's

Rowyn went to a Birthday party and got her face painted.  She wanted to pose with Khaos for a picture. 

  Our Princess Ballerina! Rowyn is taking ballet with her BFF Jess and is loving it!  She looks forward to ballet every week.  Brad was able to go watch her and take some pics on their Christmas Open house.  Unfortunately I was travelling, but enjoyed seeing the pictures and watching her through the little peep window in the class.

 Ummmmm..... Ben usually you're the trouble maker but needless to say, Khaos took the cake on this night.  I don't blame you for wanting a little wine!

Just a little reading I'm doing in my spare time

All kinds of fun

We have had all kinds of fun this Christmas. I wish I could share some pics with everyone but we are having some technical glitches. Our home computer decided that it didn't want to make the treck into 2011 with us. We managed to save all of our data but we don't have a functioning computer right now. Good thing I know someone that can help!
Thanking everyone that was so generous to us this Christmas. Rowyn is now the proud owner of an electric keyboard which she thinks is awesome, her first little computer, tons of books and DVDs, and a great jewelry kit plus all kinds of princess gear.
We had a great time visiting family and friends and are looking forward to 2011! We have weddings, babies(yay for J and Marty!) and vacations in the plans this year. Can't wait!