backpack JOY

Today I had the girls quickly turn around before we left the house this morning so I could snap a backpack view. Amelia had school this morning and Stella had Joy School this afternoon.  

They are getting so darn big!!

 I can't even believe that our routine is so good that we had a few seconds to snap a picture....YES our morning routine has wiggle room....YES we arrive early everyday for school!!!!  I am excited about this because I have wondered before if I have a tardy gene in my DNA but nope when you actually really try you can be early, ha who knew?! :P   A bit random but good to record in our blog history none the less.

I just had to note how much they are loving school, it warms my teacher heart!  

During our Thanksgiving meal we always go around the table and each person shares what they are thankful for, Amelia said butterflies but then told me she was also "thankful for Miss Russell".  At bedtime we usually do a 'favorite part of your day?' and some aspect of her mornings in Kindergarten are often what she mentions as the highlight, it is super sweet.  Just this morning she told me that she was "so excited it was a school day and that every school day was a good day".  Goodness it is cool to hear the things she is learning and fun to hear her playing school with Stella. Stella and I enjoy the 'special time', the one on one time we get to spend together in the morning.

Oh our Miss Stella seems sooooooo big to me as she walks into Joy School each week. I really think it is the perfect step for her;  learning/crafting/singing/playing in a friends home, with mothers who know her and love her.  Sometimes she needs two hugs (today she needed three) but it is wonderful to pick her up and hear her excitement, filling big sister and I in on the awesome things she did. Such an inspired program that Joy School. I do love that on the JS afternoons it is just Amelia and I together having some special one on one time.

All is well. 

Stella was so proud of her pumpkin from Joy School and 

goodness seeing her all proud made me all proud!!

Love these backpack wearing women. 

(Side note: Amelia's backpack can be so heavy and she is so small 

that I only fill up her water bottle half way to save that little extra weight)

~ Momma P

Thanksgiving

It has been a lovely few days of family togetherness!  Alyson and I took off early Friday morning up to Fort McMurray and the dad's followed after work that night.  The weather has been spectacular lately so after many potty breaks on the side of the road and five hours in the car we pulled into Gramma's and ran to play in the back yard.  Part of our weekend plans included a Baby Shower for Max and Auntie Jenn, more on that in another post. The girls were so excited to see their cousins and Aunties, it is rather adorable.

A holiday celebration wouldn't be complete without some crafting of course.  It was a joint effort to make little turkey's for our place settings.  Jacey and Auntie Leslie put the eyes and beak on our birds, Amelia wrote out all 14 names, while Stella and I cut feathers.  We all taped them together and set the table with them.  LOVE getting to make things with my girls :)  

Some things that stand out from the weekend are;
* roadside impromptu picnic because there was no where to sit 

* TWO yummy turkey dinners

* Jon, Mikel, Graham and Kingston playing football (Kingman has some serious skill and they boys said they felt really Thanksgiving-ish playing with the pigskin hahaha)

* playing in Gramma and Grandpa's back yard

* the kitty Leia escaping and running outside an average of 12 times a day (no one is used to watching for her and she is quick)

* Jigs Dinner at Auntie Jenn's

* cuddling Baby Max

* church together as a family with all four grand girls in their matching dresses from Gramma

* Hinko girl dessert at Moxie's after bedtime

Darling baby Max!!!

Many things to be thankful for.
~ Mrs. P

Conference & Lac La Nonne

We started the day watching the morning session of General Conference.  Oh how great it is to be encouraged and uplifted.  It seems there are little nuggets of goodness meant just for me, things that will help me!!! We started a little tradition in the spring session of Conference where we picked different treats and then have a topic for each, good listening ears mean you can have one if you were listening. 

In the afternoon we took a drive out to Lac La Nonne, the Sibley's cabin to pick up our quad.  It ended up being so very lovely and I was sad that I only had our cell phones to capture pictures.  We went down to the dock and Graham did some fishing.

 The ladies did some fishing too!

 There was a deceased minnow on the dock and at first they watched vigilantly in hopes it would come back to life (explanation was required).  Then Amelia said she hoped it would be up in heaven with our puppies, Tony and Tula.  There is without a doubt an understanding of the Plan of Happiness and the process of life with that girl.  Some deep moments were shared over that minnow.

While daddy loaded up the quad we hung out on the new hammock and goodness I love when these girlies get smiling and giggling.  Took the opportunity to snap a few with me and them.  Goodness how blessed I feel.  For sure there are moments where my heart wishes for more littles but it is quickly flooded with gratitude for my ladies and the privilege it is to be their mother, have them in my life. I KNOW that Heavenly Father has a plan for us and we are so blessed to be the 4 Polischuk Peeps!

~ Momma P

creating

The ladies have moments when they are BFFs 

and then moments when it seems like they will fight to the death 

over a toy!!! oh siblings hahahaha

We have been adjusting to our new school life around here and it continues to be bittersweet. Bitter that our big girl is away for the mornings but sweet to hear her stories and excitement all the way home.  Truthfully I have shed a few tears.  The first time was the classic first school day sitting in the car after drop off (my tears only she is totally brave). The second happened when they sat down to paint the day I snapped this picture, gosh the tears began to flow.  I had a moment where I thought she was missing out on mornings of painting....yeah I was a bit emotional....she doesn't miss out, she gets to have a blast at school learning and growing there. Three cheers for growth!!!!

~ Mrs. P

games and a great-grandma

Had some fun with Great-Gran Hinko.

  An afternoon at the farm, some games of 'Spot It' and pizza.

Baby Grace joined us, oh and Beth, Jim and Ethan too.  It was a good afternoon and always nice to get to hang out at the farm.

~ Jenny

autumn is here

 It is officially fall and I LOVE watching the leaves change, 

LOVE when the chill makes you want to cuddle in sweaters and cute boots. 

Yeah for the beauty of the season. 

 I came across this poem, had to put it on our mantle.

 These two ladies they make me smile.  They hold hands often and goodness it warms it my heart.

There has been a lot of leaf crunching happening.  We also have a yard finally so have been enjoying grass...just in time for winter ha! No really we have been enjoying the nice fall weather and our grass.

~ Mrs. P

end of summer

Well we managed to cross a few things off our summer bucket list!  Not nearly enough, but a few things.  Summer rocks and we LOVE the freedom. The past few summers we made a list of all the fun things we wanted to try and do in and around the city.   We had many fun adventures, many of which we didn't plan or write down but goodness what fun summer has been :)  So as the leaves start to turn colour and I pull out mittens, down came this list :(  Bring on fall, bring on schedule.

~ Mrs. P