our worker bee Mr.P

Love this picture of Mr.P at work.  They are doing are unique photo art collage in honour of the shutdown he is working on and this was his official picture.  I think he looks pretty handsome!!! This is what he looked like the summer we fell in love, I was a summer student at Syncrude and we both had coveralls and matching hard hats.  We sure miss having him around and can not wait until he done work (I am pretty sure he is looking forward to finishing too).  It is kinda fun to have this picture of him, it is like a glimpse into his work world. Love this guy!!!!

a kiss heals all

 

My sweet ladies have been fascinated with the couch pillows recently.  They will pull the chairs over from their little table, pull off the couch pillows and dive off the chairs...for real.  I don't allow them to jump on the upstairs couch but I have kind of given up fighting them on the pillow play.  They get giggling and laughing, how can I stop it?!  They have such fun.  Today though Stella bit her tongue as she took a dive into the pillows and had a bleeding tongue.  Usually all wounds can be healed with a kiss from Mom and her tongue was no different.  She had a cuddle with me then asked for me to kiss her tongue better, then stuck it out.  I tried to get her to close her mouth for a kiss but she kept her tongue out then we both started laughing as she tried to lick me.  Ahhhhhh!!!! What a funny girl.  It is so sweet though how a kiss and a cuddle can bring such comfort.  I cherish the opportunity to heal their hurts this way, I know it won't last forever and that hurts will be more then a bit tongue as they grow.  Oh man! Sure do love them.

 

~ Momma P

JOY SCHOOL

 

This month we started up our Joy School group again and I just had to snap a few pics of my big girl with her backpack, being all old.  Up to this point we have had our Joy School be a parented program but with the kiddos going off to Kindergarten next year we felt like making this an unparented, once a week gig was a great stepping stone for them (and frankly us - well ME anyway).  The beauty of the Joy School program is that we discuss topics and vocabulary not necessarily typical for the age, but definitely great concepts to introduce.  It sounds a bit granola but this month is the JOY of Work, Discipline and Dependability...would I make a point of teaching these principles to my four year old otherwise?  Not likely. We are also incorporating Animated Literacy this year. I love Joy School and felt those tingles as I dropped her off for the first time and again when I hosted last week.  It is a mom run co-op so it is work, each family hosts a month each taking a turn, but it is worth it. It is a good fit for our family.

 

I just love how pumped Amelia was the first day, eager to get going. 

She came home just as thrilled and enthusiastic about the activities she had done and the letter 'P' she had learned about.  Little sis doesn't quite know how to handle all of her alone time with me, while she actually naps during Joy School so that is cool for me ;)

 

~ Mrs. P



staying a float

Can I just say that basically shutdowns are NOT COOL! Sure, sometimes there are benefits but they are mostly not cool.

We seriously miss Mr. P and I have been feeling like I am barely staying a float.  We are on week four of our dad working A LOT and it is not fun at all....for any of us!!  This will carry on for a few more weeks, boo.  There is my little slip into negativity.  I totally had many moments today where I was not my best self, I was a pretty bad version actually, ugh and it pains me thinking about how I handled things.  Here I have these precious little women and have many good things in my life, yet I get bogged down, react poorly.  It was pretty bad by dinner time and as I sat down again trying to gather, encourage and rally a family meal I felt a bit defeated before it really started.  Stella maybe had two bites, tossed half of her rice to the floor and Amelia kept getting on and off, on and off her seat, fluttering around like a butterfly.  I sent a few texts trying to snag a sitter, forget it being Family Night - I needed out.  No one was free but my sweet, sweet sister Alyson called in the middle of my melt down and came over to stay with the girls and sent me off....the picture below is from a much better day!!!!

 

 I hit the mall for some retail therapy (perhaps not super healthy) but we needed a few groceries and I wanted to hit Target to check summer clearance items.  As I walked around alone I totally thought about different points in the day where I could have reset the course we were all travelling.  As hard as it is for Mr. P and myself, the girls feel it too.  I know they feed off of my energy and attitude. I came to a few conclusions:

 

1) They totally miss their dad too!  Having him around makes us a better family and we all feel it when he has to work a lot.  I need to empathize a little more with them.

2) I need to be doing what I know I need to be doing, really studying my scriptures and making sure that I am pumping up the spirit in our home.  If I do my part to ensure we are spiritually fed, I know that can have a big impact...I've felt it before.

3) Take care of myself!  I become this crazy night owl and do not eat properly when Mr. P isn't here.  I have a great routine for the girls but I don't often make it happen for myself. MUST do this!

 

Anyway a few little thoughts as we all continue to stay a float!

 

We have done some fun things.  Decorating and trying our new butterfly pancake mold, coolness.

 

~ Mrs. P

Unparented for the first time!!!!!

Before

 

After

 

Graham worked with a guy who's dream was to buy an isolated farm, be self sustainable and keep his children close.  He was a great guy but I remember kind of laughing when I heard that thinking 'what good does that do for your kids to smother and isolate them?'  BUT I get it now!!!!!  This seems a little silly but I kind of had a moment the other morning as I left Amelia and two of her little buddies at the pool for the first time.  There is a great little program they run there and it seemed like a good fit, so they get to have a fun time there each week.  She has been enjoying it and is eager to show me her craft and tell me all that she has done.  It has been a little growth and change to our family routine.  Amelia and Stella are rarely apart but it has been special for Stella and I to have time together, she says we are having a "date" - LOVE IT!

Having our big girl heading off alone makes me want to savour my time with her even more. Next year it is Kindergarten, crazy.  I cherish her and am so grateful that I get to be her mother.  It is beautiful to watch her grow and hear her stories, see her experience interesting things and knowing that she is going out, being a light in the world.

~ Momma P

Singing the Songs We've Learned

Our community has a fabulous program run by the Families First Society called Parent n Child Mother Goose or Rhymes n Story Time. It has been part of our little family's activities since Amelia's birth.  It is a beautiful program where parents gather weekly to learn songs, lullabies and stories that they can then sing at home with their little ones.  It is lovely!!!  The facilitators are fabulous, seriously so fabulous, they always make you feel like you are doing a good job as a parent (who doesn't need that).  Participating in the programs has been something I have really enjoyed and hope that my ladies will have a love for the songs/stories that have come into our home because of our attendance.  Some of the songs we have learned have become family staples; You are Wonderful, Shoe Fly, Ho Ho Watuna, The Moon is Round, Snakes, On My Foot...just to name a few!!!

 

A while ago the Bird girls and us Polischuk ladies were asked to share a story that we had learned at the Annual General Meeting.  So the other night we got everyone dressed up spiffy and headed out after dinner, yup it was an early evening meeting.  We were a bit worried but it went pretty well.  We waited patiently for our turn as we were near the beginning of the program and all went up together.  It was mostly Alyson and I doing the actions, even though Amelia totally knew it and Stella wanted to hold the microphone for us, so that was really cute.  The program and organization is truly an asset to our community, just a beautiful thing to be a part of.  

 

 

We tried to get a group shot of everyone but yeah obviously when people are usually asleep at this time of night we weren't going to get top notch posing girls.  It actually got a little rough for Amelia and Stella and I....Alyson reminded me to stay cool as I buckled two spazzers into the car.  Ugh but it really was a great night up to that point.

KEY TO THE KINGDOM

This is the key to the kingdom. (hold up thumb)

This is the kingdom.

In the kingdom there is a town.

In the town there is a hill.

On the hill there is a road.

On the road there is a house.

In the house there is a room.

In the room there is a bed.

On the bed there is a basket.

On the basket there is a blanket.

Under the blanket there is a BABY. (hold up thumb)

 

Baby under the blanket.

Blanket on the basket.

Basket on the bed.

Bed in the room.

Room in the house.

House on the road.

Road on the hill.

Hill in the town.

Town in the Kingdom,

And this is the KEY TO THE KINGDOM. (hold up thumb)

 

~ Mrs. P

Sweet Sisters

 

I am blessed to have two sweet sisters.

Each is dear to my heart in their own way. I connect with each of them and admire them for different things.  I think it was Leslie who said once that "her family is her backbone" and I definitely second that.  They give me strength.  Grateful for them.

 

~ Mrs. P