A Cousin Sleepover

The dads went away and the girls decided to play!

We had a cousin sleepover last weekend with Jacey and Auntie Alyson.  It was fun to have Jacey play with us, sadly for Al it wasn't very restful.  It was a good time over all.  We watched a few girl movies, ordered in dinner a few times and even snagged Nanny Bird for a few hours so the mommies could escape one evening.  It was a pretty fun cousin sleepover.  I love this pic of us chilling out watching a show before bed one of the nights.

 

 

~ Mrs. P



How do I love you...let me count the ways

 Stella Bella

You are one of the most determined women I know!  This character trait will be an asset to you as you grow, I just hope to be the parent you need. I love it that you smile and say "cheese" anytime I pull out the camera, you are a bit of a ham which is another endearing quality of yours my sweetheart.  I love the morning cuddles/cling you give and really try to treasure times you ask to come "up plez", even though you ask like a thousand times a day. Daddy has also become a favourite person and I LOVE IT!!   You are becoming such a big girl but  when I ask if you are still my baby you will say "yes" and nod.  You are growing before my eyes and want to be like your big sis, often copying what she does.  How blessed we are to have you our Stella Charlene Polischuk!

 



Amelia

Sweet is the word that first comes to mind.  Oh our brown eyed beauty you are such a sweet girl.  You are sensitive and a wonderful leader, an excellent first born.  You are eager to please us and do the right thing, often flashing me thumbs up when you remember manners or do something we've been working on.  Gosh how you rock! You do have a stubborn side which I kind of like (except when it is directed at me), you appear shy but look out once people get to know you because you are actually quiet outgoing!  You love books and will bring books to me asking that I "read the letters" and I love snuggling with you, reading.  Right now we are reading Charlotte's Web and I am so impressed that you sit and listen.  At church you happily go off to your Primary class and I enjoy watching you sing, comment and sit with your friends.  You are truly becoming an independent little girl and it is a pleasure to be your momma!

 

Mr. P

I really got lucky in this whole marriage gig.  I am forever grateful for my summer student laborer job which enabled me to meet you.  17 years of living on the same street but it took that job for us to connect, how blessed.  I have loved watching you as a father, there was a ton of love there before but seeing you in this new role the adoration has grown.  I appreciate the kindness, thoughtfulness and encouragement shown me, gosh there are often times where I would be lost without you helping me tackle life.  You totally have my back.  I also dig your excitement for our dates, love that you still like to hang out with me!!! :P  Forever will be good with you, cheesy but true!!  (hey that even rhymes ha)

 

~ Mrs. P



Great Grandma's are Grand

I feel so, so lucky that my girls have their Great Grandma's in their lives.  What a sweet relationship to be treasured!  Last week we were able to hang out with both.  Gramma Hudkins had come out and stayed over night to help with a chocolate dipping Relief Society activity at my house (I could not have done it without her!).  It was really great to see Stella actually going and asking to sit with her - this was new!!!!!  A few days later we headed out to the farm to visit Grandma Hinko and check out her newly painted house.  She won them over with tickles and snagged some smiles! 

Definitely relationships to be treasured.

 

~ Mrs. P

Family Day Fun

Family day dawned cold but we made a plan to still enjoy the day together and get out of the house. I had been away for the weekend at a scrap booking retreat and Graham would be heading away for a hockey filled guys weekend, so family togetherness was a must.  We are hardy Canadians after all!!  We enjoyed omelette's for breakfast and then headed off to the Legislature for the afternoon. They had a Family Day Festival called WINTER FETE.  The real draw were the wagon rides, as we knew the horses would be popular with our girls.  It ended up being quite bitter cold with the wind so we were glad that everyone had enough gear to be bundled up and warm, oh except only one of my mittens made it....boo...at least it was my mitten not one of the girlies.

 

 

 

There were tons of fun kid centered activities, they had face painting, balloon animals and more but honestly after the wagon ride, some crown decorating, a polish dance show and a fun puppet show we were all ready to head home.

 

 

Dinner was actually in the crock pot BUT we opted to save it for leftovers and stopped for A&W, a potty break turned dinner stop.  Yummy root beer and onion rings, I was easily swayed.  The restaurant was empty and they ended up being chased around by their dad, such fun!

 

 

 

For real running around the restaurant being chased!!!!  The ladies working there just laughed, we were all laughing actually.  The girls love being chased, love hide and seek and frankly love anything where we try and get them.  Oh they are a blast!

 

 

 ~ Mrs. P



Slackers

 

Ok in these pics a few family secrets are coming out....we sometimes eat in our king size bed while watching movies...we sometimes have slack Friday's and stay in pj's until we have to leave the house.  These photos were snapped on one of those days, but the cuteness just had to be recorded on our blog.

 

 I can not get over the cuteness of their smiles as they sat chilling in our bed, gosh how I love them.  And the pics below, oh my sewing assistant.  Amelia is always interested whenever I pull out the sewing machine.  I have been trying to work on her new bedroom quilt since the fall, boo!  I must finish it.  I LOVE the pic of her and I looking all slacker and the tiara, priceless.



 Stella loves music and totally soaked her little paper horn but enjoyed every minute of it. 

Yeah for slack days!

~ Mrs. P



Simple Pleasures

So I totally had a moment where I was reminded that I need to be still

and thus really enjoy some of the simple pleasures of life with my children!

 

* Singing a favourite song - even if it is 'Wheels on the Bus'

* Reading in a comfy spot - even if it is mostly pictures in the book

 Adorbs right??? Oh our blue eyed beauty.

I usually spend a few minutes playing or setting up or pulling out puzzles and then run off to work on my next task.  This day though I was so smitten by my ladies and their cuteness that I had to just hang out with them in the den, being with them and all of their cuteness.  I totally had that overwhelming feeling of love for my sweet women. 

Be Still and Enjoy the Simple Pleasures Jenny!

Let yourself have that feeling more frequently.

 This furry girl is always there. Perhaps I should aspire to be like Tula, except I just can't fit that many naps into my schedule.

~ Mrs. P



Vday prepping!

I am nerd and I know it!

Again, I will say that I love the holidays, well any excuse to get crafty and decorate.

 

 

Auntie Al and Jacey came over to melt crayons and cut out hearts. It was quite fun, we also worked on vday cards and pictures another day with Kingman and Jacey. Oh our little peeps, how they are adored! Also so darn big sitting at the table together for snack.

 

We also did some pre vday painting with Joy School. Our Joy School group is fabulous and we enjoy gathering together each week at one another's house to learn about a new joy.  It is seriously such a good program, in fact I often get such happy vibes when we meet. So good!

 



 

Just painting some valentine hearts for our mailboxes.  Coolness!

 

 

Mia's friend Finley girl also came over with her lovely momma for a visit and a project, the girls got a little silly.

 

 

~ Mrs. P



the POPULAR pops

Our pops is sooooo popular! 

I love these pics of our ladies with their dad, sword fighting with popsicle sticks and riding on dad's 'head' (as our ladies would say).  The anticipation starts around 4:00pm and by the time he walks through the door there are cheers and screaming, oh what a fan club he has.

 



 

The other night we had some cookies and milk, even then they wanted to share with their dad and Stella just had to sit on his lap.  Love it!

  

 

~ Mrs. P



Goofing after baths...oh the silliness!

I think I have written before that my favourite time of day is bath time, it really, really is one of my favourites!!!  It feels like any of the grumpiness or loss of patience is forgiven after baths, everything gets washed away with the dirty bath water.  They come out fresh, clean and sweet smelling and even if I was ready to sell them on Kijiji earlier in the day - ask me post bath and they are worth a million dollars with no chance of a sale.   Mr. P is working regular hours right now and it is sooooo nice to have him home for the evenings, we usually take turns with cleaning the kitchen or wrangling the bathers. I decided that I wanted to take some pics of our little sweeties in their adorable bath robes (they have almost outgrown them), ha didn't get one shot with Stella's face and she was naked by the end.  Oh well life with a toddler I guess!  Love the smiles we did snag though. Of course not all nights are like this, total smiles and laughing.  There are sometimes late nights and grumpy parents or kids, even after baths but it still remains at the top of my favourite times of day...plus we are usually all together...who doesn't dig that?!

 

 

I must also record that our little girl Stella Bella has really become a champion at bed times.  It is most amazing really!  Previously there was a bit of fear with her - I mean FEAR ON OUR PARTS - wondering how bed time would go down.  Sometimes it would be a loooonnnnnngggg process.  However, she has recently started even saying "nigh, nigh" and reaching for her crib...wowzers who is this kid!  It makes me super proud of her.  Also a reminder of how important her routine is, she is certainly a kiddo who does better knowing what is next and what is expected of her. 

 

Oh and also to be noted, Graham is ALWAYS the one they want for the final cuddles/story/songs.  I think that it has to do with the word 'sucker', oops I mean 'love' or perhaps both!!!!!

 

Gosh how we love these two ladies we have been blessed with.

 

~Mrs. P

It is SNOW fun outside

 I have always enjoyed the snow....looking at it through the window that is! Ha!! Having little people really helps you find joy in things perhaps you have forgotten or convinced your self you don't like.  It has been snowing quite a bit this week and the other day the snow was a bit sticky, perfect for snow balls.  Usually we are hustling to and from the vehicle but I promised some play after our excursion.

It was so fun to play and the ladies loved it!!!  I thankfully always have the camera in my purse and relive the joy every time I look at these pictures.  I seriously love them and their beautiful smiles!  I am so lucky that they are mine, well 'ours'.

 

 

 

In an effort to be in more pictures we did get a few goodies.

I just LOVE these with the ladies and I!

Interesting fact: I always comment on the beauty of falling snow, making the earth look so beautiful and white.  Graham always comments on the shoveling required!  Ha!  Oh how experience has us percieve things differently, not that we don't see the others' view BUT our first thoughts are always the same.  Really though, Graham now has a plow on his quad so perhaps he will start getting excited for snow.

 

~ Mrs. P