Are they twins?

Our ladies are very very close in size and they get asked numerous times a day when we are out if "they are twins?"  So a few weeks ago Amelia suggested that they get tshirts made so people wouldn't have to ask, they could just read the shirts.....genius!!!  A friend from church is my go to tshirt maker and these turned out so cute, the girls absolutely love them.  

Even though they aren't twins there is a special connection with these two sisters. Sure they fight like siblings do and absolutely do things that frustrate each other BUT they have similar interests in music, they love to create together, they both love babies and so play family together all of the time and don't even get me started on their joint LOL Doll collection.  They are incredibly lucky to have one another and they know it!!! 

~ Momma P

coloured hair - they care!

A fun birthday gift evolved this spring and we made it happen....

the girls coloured their hair!!!!!

Our friend Brianna is at hair school in the city just off of Whyte Ave and so our little ladies had a salon date (previously we had only gone to Beaners the kid salon).  We have little hair colour wands that we use at Halloween and at other times but when Amelia asked  about adding colour I knew Brianna would help me figure out something a little more permanent but not permanent, Stella wanted in on it too!!!!  It became part of their bday present from us.  So this 20 wash dye is what we went with. In roughly 20 washes it will come out, I can live with that.  It turned out so pretty!!!

I had a friend growing up who was one of seven kids and her and her sister were forever colouring their hair or playing around with style, I am shocked that neither became a stylist because they were that good.   I remember their mom saying that hair grows and if they wanted to express themselves this way she supported it.  I have always thought about how hair is non permanent and can be a fun expression.  I love doing my ladies hair, it has honestly been one of the sweet pleasures of motherhood for me but as they are growing they don't really want briads or intricate twists so this salon date was fun for me too!  I totally dig how great the smiles were!!!!

~ Mrs. P

Stone Soup Actress

Our Amelia came home from school a few months ago and said she wanted to join the school play and I was thrilled for her!!!  Her music teacher Mrs. Zap chose a wonderful play with a message of  cooperation and kindness.  We were proud of Amelia for wanting to join and having the courage to perform. Leading up to the performance meant lunch recess practices and weekly after school rehearsals, dedication was indeed required.  

The cast performed for the school's volunteer tea (Neely and I were able to watch) and then the next evening the Cast performed Stone Soup in the evening for an excited audience.  The group did AWESOME!!! Our Amelia did AWESOME!!!!

  

 It was pretty special to have GnG Hudkins join us to watch Amelia.

Amelia knocked our socks off with her speaking parts and singing so lovely, so proud of her. 

~ Mrs. P

cute little chickies

Well we did it again, we hatched chicks!

It is wonderful, nerve wracking, magical, terrifying....we do it for the kids but it seriously makes me nervous every year.  I feel like we do get better at our hatching routine.  The kids LOVE it and when they start hatching it is pretty incredible.  We still as Gma Hinko to come out, just to make sure we have some expertise on hand and gosh are we grateful she agrees to come. 

It is pretty amazing that in only 21 days you go from an egg to a chick, such a lovely lifecycle for the children to see.  This year the nerdy teacher that I am had the kids graph the colours and then make a graph with our predictions of chick colour. So special!

Lots of watching on day 21!!!!

Lots of chick cuddling!

The smiles make it worth it!

~ Momma P

Mother's Day

Lots of love on Mother's Day <3 p="">

It is the best job I've ever had. Hardest, causing the most growth and by far offering the greatest joy. Grateful also for our mother's, the women they are and the examples they set in how they live their lives. 

~ Momma P

dedicated

I wanted to just take a minute and document some parental pride ( I have absolutely expressed this to them too) BECAUSE doing something for 9 months of the year takes dedication!!!!  Both of the girls wanted to do ballet again this year.  They also started with violin and then when their teacher had to go on bed rest for her pregnancy they took on piano with Auntie Alyson.  I have been so impressed this year with how dedicated they have been!  They are six and eight years old, many grown up people struggle with being dedicated to something. Growth with an instrument is directly related to the daily time and effort you put in, it is on you how much you improve.  Dance requires weekly classes, performances and spring festival season, all of which require effort.  You are part of a team of dancers and are responsible for doing your part.  As a credit to their dance teachers (who are wonderful), they have lots of fun but I know it can sometimes be physically hard for my girls because they have said so.  With our muscle condition it is the endurance and repetition that is hard as our muscles tire quicker then the average person so when they are rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing and the other dancers are tired, it is guaranteed more exhausting for our girls.  I am so proud of how they push themselves but yet listen to their bodies to slow down or rest when they need too.  It just makes me so happy as their momma to think of all that they are learning through these things they choose to participate in, yeah for growth!!!

~ Momma P

we dig the creative

We have wanted to check out the art gallery of alberta but had never made the point to go check it out, but we finally did!!!  It was rad. We aren't big 'oh lala' or 'this means that', no we just dig the creative and wanted to go appreciate.  Such a great way to spend an afternoon.  There were even a few exhibits that were interactive, where we could help create and contribute...it was pretty cool.

We came home an the women got creative in the drive way.  Gosh how I adore these women.  We dig the creative.

~ Mrs. P

in Sarnia for but a minute

Graham headed out after Easter for a shutdown in Sarnia!  We planned our next few months to be full of FaceTime calls, our weekly love notes for dad and lots of solo girl time BUT after only five days his work called him back.  We were pretty pumped up to say the least. He is still on shutdown, but he is home and we sure like having him around.  We had planned some family time out east but since he is home we will do something else, we are just super happy to have him home....sure love the guy.

~ Mrs. P

Easter just with the Ps

 We have had a busy spring with what seems like a blink of blissful family time between shutdowns for our dad.  The guy is an credibly hard worker, experienced, knowledgeable and everyone wants a piece of him, no one more then us!!!!!  His December/January shutdown lead almost right up to our Cruise in February and then we had March together and now he is set to take off to Sarnia, Ontario to help with a shutdown there for 6-8 weeks takin the rest of April, May and perhaps the first week of June because I always mentally plan for shutdowns to go longer. Truly he is very valuable! We opted to just have a little family time ourselves for Easter and it was very sweet.

The Easter Bunny came and spoiled our girls, our bunny and puppy - who received a little blue bunny peeps squeaker toy!! We had the requested breakfast of Puff Up Pancakes and I just couldn't help but snap a picture with the cute napkins (I may have a slight napkin problem because I just love cute napkins).  Anyway, the weekend was nice, the days were just us cocooned together and as cheesy as it sounds, being together with these people is my favourite place to be. 

~ Mrs. P

darling dancers

It is dance festival season which is very busy!!!! It means class is changed to a different night and it means costumes/makeup preparations.  It also means that the ladies might get to miss school (they are not too sad about this part either) hahaha.  Something special happened this year, they both danced on different days so we made 'Dance & Date Days'!!!!!  Each lady stayed with me the whole day. They danced at festival and then we hung out together the whole day...it was pretty special!

Amelia danced in St. Albert and decided on the Mutart.  I was so proud of the lady, watching her dance with her group "Baby Cloud'.  We then had lunch at the Mutart and took in the beautiful flowers and greenery in each of the pyramids, it was lovely!!!!  I just loved hanging out with her.   I love this woman, her kind and gentle spirit, with some sass in there for good measure. So grateful she is my daughter!

Stella Bella danced here in town at the DOW and opted to spend the morning at home together playing babies and school, I was the teacher hehehe.  Her 'Tiki Room' Dance was so entertaining, the costume so fun this year. We met up with the Crustancho girls and the Birds were there at the indoor play place, so that was fun. For snack she suggested that we wait and pick up Amelia from school so she could join us for ice cream, what a thoughtful girl. She is independent and kind, witty and clearly thoughtful. So thankful she is our girl!!!

While festival season is busy is also beautiful! All the years hard work is paying off and they really are darling dancers. It is such a pleasure to watch them and spend time with them.

~ Mrs. P

fur baby

This fur ball is seriously such a joy!!! Sometimes she still gets a little wild. Sometimes she still goes barking crazy at the front door.  She still sometimes does devious things, ahem eating the noses off of stuffies.  BUT she is a joy and a perfect fit in our family.

The girls and I were kind of giggling when we pulled out this library book to read and Tessa jumped up to join us.  Get it? hehehe

~ Mrs. P

cat cafe cuties

Our ladies are big animal lovers and a friend shared that they had fun at a cat café, so we planned a cousin date.We dropped our dad off at the airport and then headed to the hip strip of Whyte Avenue.  Auntie Leslie and Auntie Alyson joined us with their little people and we met at the Cat Café on Whyte to get some kitty cuddles in.  The cats are all up for adoption and the café works in conjunction with the Humane Society.

It was a puuuuuurfect activity to sidetrack us from missing our dad!

~ Mrs. P

olympic pride

There is something about the Olympics that makes me feel all global citizen, peace is possible, united in passion across the world....basically it gives me all the feels. After our cruise we came home and caught the tail end of the Olympics but with technology we were able to catch up on the opening ceremonies, figure skating and ski jumping (my favourites). I feel like this might be the year that my girls have also fallen in love with figure skating.  We watched Canadians Scott and Tessa with tears in our eyes. School had a tshirt day were you sported a country of your choice and then snapchat had a fun ski filter so we played around with that.

Love these little women of ours. 

Love our country.

Love the Olympics!!!

~ Mrs. P

St. Patricks Celebrations

We aren't Irish but we celebrate!!!!  We actually have a stash of St. Patricks gear and this year we added some scarves from Target (we love us some Target), so fun.  I love the festiveness that we make of every holiday.

The school had a fundraising dance so Amelia and I went (sadly Stella wasn't feeling well so stayed home with Dad).  I love community events or in this case school community events because it is such a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents, to catch up.  There are a few families we have known since Amelia was in kindergarten so it is pretty special that we have watched our children grow together in their school careers. I loved watching kids come running for her when we entered the gym. 

The days can be long with bickering or repeatedly teaching, modeling, feeling like you are falling short but goodness when I look at these photos of our two little miracles with their goofball antics and smiles it absolutely wipes the tough parts of being a parent to the side. We must be doing ok because these are some pretty great girls! 

~ Mrs. P

the constant, the pulse

I don't know if it is a bit of the post trip blues, February sadness or what BUT I have felt emotional and have been a bit grumpy this past week...ok now that I really think it is perhaps PMS ha. Today I pulled out bananas from the freezer because we needed more school snacks.  I then started dinner in the crockpot, did more unpacking, put in some laundry, finished up some work phone calls/emails, worked in the afternoon with my NEWBEE group and then when I picked up the girls from school we had a post school commitment.  Afterschool snacks in the car.  Just lots of hustling!!!!! I looked at those bananas so many times today but I didn't get to them until 7:30 tonight while Graham read to the girls.  I was not the mother tonight I should have been.  Coming back from vacation and unlimited family time is always hard on our girls, I know this.  They say they don't want to go to school and would rather be with us, oh my heart. They were just really grumpy and sassy before school and then again after, ugh so frustrating.  After I pulled the last batch of banana muffins from the oven it was 9pm and I went to check on the ladies, they were sleeping so peacefully.  I had wasted some of my time with them after school and this evening being grumpy back at the grump they were dishing out, not cool!!!  This quote has came to mind, push myself to be the pulse of the home that our family needs.  As the mother around this place I am the constant, I know this and I want peace and love to radiate here.



I think often how I get to build them up at home that they might go out into the world and be strong, share their light. It was just one of those days were I rested my head on the pillow reflecting and refining my mothering, BEST and TOUGHEST job ever!!!!!

~ Momma P

#4 our toothless wonder

Oh our sweet Stella Bella can no longer take a bite of a sandwich, the woman lost her other front tooth!!! The tooth fairy has really been paying out this week.  Graham was in the bathroom helping her but the woman is so brave!   We read Silverlicious this time by Victoria Kann because it is all about the Tooth Fairy, so fun.  Stella hung the tooth pillow up and put her tooth in the little pocket and then in the morning when I asked about it, she went running hahaha the lady had forgotten to check.  There was a big toothless smile! Love this lady.

~ Mrs. P

swinging

Way back when we built our house I knew someday we would put some swings in our basement! There are two large beams and they just looked like the perfect places to hang swings for the girls.  We kept it under wraps and wanted to surprise the girls Saturday morning, it was the best!!!! They woke up and we told them to wake us before going downstairs, they were shocked and so excited. Our babies are growing up and our playroom is evolving. The girls are thrilled and so are we!

~ Momma P

date day duos

There are lots of awesome things about only having two kids (I would have loved more but it is what it is) sooooooo one of the best things other then cheap travel is that we can easily have special one on one time with our ladies, we each take one!! Graham and Stella had a special Oilers Skills Competition so Amelia and I decided to run some shopping errands and have lunch.  I must say that hanging out with these big girls is super great, they are funny and kind, we have a good time. Growing up is so darn bittersweet.  I hope they will look back and treasure our special dates, we do!

~ Mrs. P

keeps on growing

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
❤️❤️

~ Momma P

toothless smile

Oh this little darling, the toothless wonder!

She lost her third tooth today at the end of school. Apparently it was rather exciting and very dramatic!!! The other front one is also very loose.  Goodness this girl won't be able to bite off anything.  Love that enthusiastic smile of hers. 

~ Momma P