bedtime

I have a sticky note attached to my laptop with a list of blog posts I want to write up so I can record for our girls (and ourselves) the events of our lives, the things we do and experiences we have. I'll get to it next week when both girls are in school for the morning - what what!!!!!  Graham just started another shutdown so I basically on my own and as I sit typing this I have 3 baskets of laundry I need to fold and a to do list from today that is only half done, I may just get to that next week too.  I tidied the kitchen changed the laundry and decided to clean off my phone pictures, avoiding everything. Looking at pictures makes me happy. I try to clear my phone at the end of each month so that things stay organized.  I also love being reminded of what our month entailed!

 I took these bedtime pictures tonight and I thought I would quickly blog about these women and what bedtime looks like around here.   Some nights they can be absolute goofballs!!!!!  I don't know if it is exhaustion or a delay bedtime strategy but tonight they were posing and goofing around, generally just being hilarious darlings.  They are basically the same size right now so all of the pjs are in one dresser and they create their bedtime outfits.  Amelia told me after tonight we should pass down the cinderella nightie to Neely.  Tonight we had to order ballet clothes at the dance studio so the girls had their bedtime snack in the car on our way home from that.  One of my favourite parts of the day is bedtime snack and scripture videos on the ipad, everyone mellos out and if they have just had a bath it is when I brush out their hair (which I love doing).  It is sets such a peaceful tone in preparation for bed.  On nights like tonight when we are a little more rushed we will just recite Articles of Faith.  Each of them has a print out of them taped on the backside of their bedroom doors so we can make sure we are keeping them in order, I kinda love doing that too!  Both girls can almost do all thirteen which is pretty cool. We do brushing teeth, flossing, clean earings and potty.  This weekend Graham put Stella's bed back in her room, every night this week they have been begging to sleep together.  It is honestly kind of heart breaking BUT they get to share on the weekends and they sometimes get a little carried away, so in the interest of a good nights sleep they are in their own beds on school nights. We have read probably a dozen classic chapter books; Charlotte's Web, The Trumpeter Swan to name a few and in preparation for school starting I have a collection of 'Back to School' books - Yes I am a nerd like that! I treasure doing this with them.  I also love giving each girl 'Butterfly Kisses' and then 'Eskimo Kisses', getting giggles from them and having some tight squeezes before I go read.  Sometimes from there it is hard to stay positive and upbeat if they start pushing the bedtime procrastination buttons, like silliness becoming a stall tack tick, I really try to have patience but rolling solo can mean I may have a depleted supply of patience.  Stella has her kindergarten orientation tomorrow and I think we both have some nervous excitement. She asked me to come and hold her hand after stories tonight, so I did.  This is a common request for her.  After Stella finally nodded off Amelia called me to her room asking me to rub her legs, so I did that until her eyes finally closed.

Tonight bedtime went from silly fun, to a bit frustrating, to falling in love with them again in their angelic sleeping state. Ahhhhh motherhood!

~ Momma P

Grade Two Gal

This woman was so excited to be off to school.  I am so proud to be her momma! She is diligent, creative and has a good heart.  She's got a great attitude about school and knows that practice makes progress. Her teacher seems kind and she knows a few kiddos in her class so it was a great first day!  Stella and I walked her to class, with a hug and a kiss Amelia hung up her stuff and found her seat.  She is amazing and we sure love her. 

It is sad having both of my babies at school but such great things are ahead. Grade two science is so fun and this little woman and her story writing, I can't wait to see what this year holds.

Our big girl is off and we are so proud!

~ Momma P

lovin summer, had us a blast!

'Easy going' isn't a phrase I would use to describe myself but summer makes me feel light hearted and the lack of schedule means life is more chill...I am striving for easy goingness. We have been loving summer and having a blast.  We have had so many adventures, most of which I have tried to capture on the blog, some I still need to.  I had high hopes when we made our 'Summer Bucket List', it turns out though some of the best things we did weren't even on our list ;P    My friend has changed up the list idea so instead they record the fun things they end up doing, next year perhaps we will do it that way.  I like completed lists!!

I wanted to highlight a few of the things we were really 'into' this summer and a few things we tried out.  

Perler beads were a big hit!  I have pulled them out before with minimal interest but this summer has been the summer of popularity!!!! We pull up patterns of google and copy.  We have a few Shopkins made up that are sooooooo cool ha

 I hope the day never comes when painting isn't a top creative choice for my girls.  They are lovers of painting, anything goes....canvases, rocks, paper, you name it they will paint it. I love their desire to create beauty.  Just a few of the creations that now grace our flower beds.

 Let the technology get used ;) Oh, this is always a bit of an internal battle for me.  There are great apps on the ipad, informative videos on youtube, shows on netflex that I like, some great websites used at school that we use at home but then I also want them to be playing in the backyard, using their barbie house, imagination and craft supplies.  The thing is they do ALL of it. Always seeking a balance with technology as the days ebb and flow.

 Amelia is a great a story writer and before she went to spend the weekend with Gramma and Granpa Hinko she wrote a story about a fire which caused us to evacuate up to Fort McMurray.  It was definitely a moment of insight into her thoughts, although we didn't have to leave our city or home in the spring she recognized and was absolutely aware that having our family living with us was because they had to leave and could not go home.

Two things we tried to continue to do is read daily, scriptures and have a bit of a morning routine.  We have NOT been super awesome at this but we try. I love these little women so darn much and want to always do my best for them, with them.  I liked this 'Morning Five' idea so we did, each writing the five things we would do every morning.

I also found this awesome list of '100 Places to Read'. The list is full of such fun ideas of places to go curl up and read. There is so many good ideas out there.

The crafting and creating really is a daily occurrence at our house.  The girls are getting to ages were they can use the scissors, pull out their paints and supplies creating with little direct supervision.  I do love Pinterest so if they ask to do a craft we will huddle around my phone and pick something they want to try from Pinterest. Truly no need to reinvent the wheel when other genius creative people have done something that we can just copy!

 One of my favourite things was when Stella asked to do a pretend Christmas (a girl after my own Christmas loving heart)!!!!! She drew a little tree and cut it would while I cut up a banner and we both drew snowflakes on it.  The real cuteness go going after we hung it up and the ladies went and got all decked out in winter gear, pretty darn cute.

We don't bike far, but we like biking together!  I am super pleased that I received a bike for Mother's Day so I can keep up to these gals :)

Fort building and bunny playing for the win!  Amelia wanted to have a pj day so I obliged. I am a wake up and get ready kind of person (unless I am doing heavy duty cleaning) so hanging around all day in pjs was definietly a fun novelty. I love these smiles!!

AND here is the collateral damage of our summer adventures...
tons of laundry and chaos in our house BUT it has been so very worth it.
We have loved having our extended family around us but were happy for them when they could finally return to their home.
We have loved seeing new things as our little fam of 4 and having some adventures this summer.

 

Love summer and am sad to see it go. I love having my babies with me everyday having adventures and even doing the mundane together. 
Our motto for 2016 is
FAMILY FOREVER ~
Work Together
Play Together
We really tried to live by that this summer in the things we did. 
I love this little crew of mine.

 

~ Mrs. P

the next steps...

*Shadow Box of Amelia's Giraffe, Stella's Wooden Fish and Gold toddler Shoes worn by the girls

**A favourite story that we can all recite from heart

It has been an emotional week at our house. 

 The girls were off at zoo camp, Graham was at work and I purged our baby/toddler stuff, putting things in donation boxes, to sell boxes and organizing mementos to keep.  My baby is 5, Stella is off to school this fall and I turn 35....both Graham and I have felt as though we are ready to close a chapter and open a new one.  It is both very sad and very exciting.  So it has been with tears and so many sweet memories that I made my way through precious baby n toddler toys and books.  I even ended up taking photos of things which I will put in our family album because they were special; the toy that hung on the car seat, the puzzle Amelia was obsessed with at 2, the crinkle ball I would wedge between Stella's legs when she first started sitting up and the little wrist rattle both of the girls wore when they discovered they had hands, oh the sweetness.  I may have went a bit crazy with the photos but I think I needed to do it to help me through the process.

 

It is no secret our journey to be parents was long but worth it, absolutely worth it.  The heartache and desire is such a contrast to the JOY we now have with our little women and the HOPE we feel for the babe we lost. Super grateful for eternal families.  Grateful that these relationships will be perpetuated beyond the grave. 

As I look at the last seven years I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be their mother.  I couldn't help but reminisce and get sentimental.  It has been worth it to be with them, have them, the pain of the journey to get them....all worth it, every single sacrifice. The trade offs for me to stay home with them have been worth it, sometimes a challenge but again the supposed sacrifice has been worth it.

At one point during my purging I even texted my mom to ask if it was weird that I was thinking about grandkids (we have a lot of cool toys)?!?!?! She said no totally normal ha.

The girls are at really fun ages. They are independent but still love to cuddle up with me.  The things I enjoy the most are sitting around the kitchen table with them crafting or snuggled up on our grey couch reading together. I love when we are reading scriptures or watching mormon messages and we all feel the spirit or they speak up sharing a beautiful insight,  I so desperately want them to know the Lord loves them and that they are ladies with great diving potential.  These young years are going by so quickly.  Each stage/age holds it own challenges but one thing is certain, they pass...the ladies grow and we find great joy in being their parents.

 

 ~ Momma P

temple date

It has been far too long since Mr. P and I were able to go to the temple TOGETHER, so we booked a sitter and went on a temple date Saturday morning. There is a peace and calmness that really makes it a refuge from the world.  The things that were spinning around in my head incessantly, they almost immediately became clear and I felt peace with some of the decisions we have made.  I'll get all sappy here but marrying Graham nearly 14 years ago was easily the best decision I have made in my life.  He is solid, dependable, the best listener but speaks up with good insights in the very moments I need it.  It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning.

~ Mrs. P 

zoo camp

 ZOO Treasures Camp happened this week.

We came home from our family road trip to Winnipeg on Sunday and they were booked to attend camp at the Valley Zoo for the week starting that next morning, Monday from 9am-4pm and to be honest, I didn't want them to go!!!! We have had a busy summer in a good way but selfishly with school starting soon I just wanted to keep them to myself.  This growing up business is heart breaking BUT as we must do, I said a prayer each morning with them and then by myself for them and sent them off.  

They went and had an absolute blast!

 I had read in a parenting book once (I have a night stand full of parenting and self help hahahaha) that a three year age gap has psychologically shown to be the best between siblings, most people want two years, some plan for less......well we just got what we got!!!   Two years apart for our two women has proven again and again to be a blessing.  They share many of the same interests and are both big animal lovers.  Luckily they could attend the same program Zoo Camp Treasures, pirate maps and lots of close encounters with animals.  We counted throughout the week and they were able to touch, like actually touch 13 different animals.  It was pretty awesome! The animal journal they brought home at the end of the week is a treasure itself. They were also rather fortunate to attend with good friends Nathantiel (a womb buddy - his momma and I were pregnant together) and Finley a long time friend.

I asked them to act like their favourite animal, they are hilarious!!!

When I dropped them off they hugged me, smiled and went to start colouring. Goodness!!!  stella did say she wished she had more time to play at home but happily went to camp each morning because it was so darn cool and everyone cam out with big smiles and lots of stories.  Worth every penny.  I also want to note that each day the girls wore some kind of animal clothes and the adorableness was off the charts :)

~ Momma P

Roadtrip to Winnipeg

 

Graham and I like to road trip, we had a lot of driving adventures before the girls joined our family.  Nothing like watching the landscape change through the car window.  Last summer we attended a friends wedding in Vancouver and then drove down through to Montana. It was the first really long road trip we had done with them and we were so impressed and knew we about to have a lot more driving adventures with them.  This summer Graham gave the girls some choice as to where we have this summers adventure.  I picked up some maps from AMA and one night when I was out Graham spread them out for the girls.  He gave them a sphere encompassing Winnipeg on the far east side and the girls chose to go there!  Sounded pretty fun since I have never been there and Graham had only really driven through.  So I returned from an evening out with an adventure planned to Winnipeg in August.

We returned from Vegas late Sunday night and were so eager to go pick up our little women.  Mom and Mikel met us in Wandering River with the girls, they had such fun with Gramma and Grampa!!!  We were all pumped for our road trip.  Graham works with a lady who had found a big book on Winnipeg so we read a bit and we listened to music a bit and we visited alot, hearing about the fun things they did up in Fort McMurray.  We missed them so much! 

It was so pretty to drive through the prairies!  I have never been to Manitoba so it was a first for me too. I had picked up some books from Scholastic that had a book for each province talking about the history and major landmarks, super informative (I'm a nerdy teacher that way).  My family humors me so we read them for bedtime stories or in the car.  The girls also scored some new headphones to go with the portable DVD player.

Our creative ladies do whatever it takes to stay entertained, making paper jewellery came about and even dad needed in on it.  It didn't quite fit his wrist like it did the rest of us. 

We had heard good things about the Children's Museum and it did not disappoint!  Down by 'The Forks' was where we spent most of our time and I was so taken by the great vibe, the history and the cleanliness.  It is such a great place!

One of the highlights of the trip for me was the boat ride down at 'The Forks'.   We had a guide take us up both the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, telling us a ton of history - LOVE it!  Super cool is that as we passed the Manitoba Legislature Amelia pointed out the golden boy , which the guide was surprised at :) she had read it in the book on Winnipeg from Graham's colleague. Go girl!

The Assiniboine Zoo was a much anticipated destination.  We had heard about how special the polar bear exhibit was.  Our girls are big animal lovers so we enjoyed all of the critter we were able to see.

 

Our view of the polar bears wasn't amazing, they were staying in the shade when we were there BUT the exhibit was amazing, so much information and a wonderful interactive experience.  About 12 years ago Graham and I had an opportunity to fly to Churchill Manitoba (an amazing place to view polar bears in their natural habitat) with friends but for some reason we had to pass and we regret it. It is definitely on our wish list to do with our girls. 

There are many beautiful creatures in this world.  I am proud of our girls and their tenderness towards them, their desire to protect.

 

This guy was just the cutest!!!!!

 Something special about Winnipeg is that my grandparents lived here while engaged and when they were first married.  They had given me a rough idea of where the chapel was that they first attended, we found it. My Gramma Hudkins was actually baptized at this Academy Road Chapel.   Even though it was a Wednesday afternoon the doors were open because it now has the mission office in the building.  There is no longer a baptismal font but it felt very special to be there and know that is because of my Gramma's choice to be baptized that I have the gospel in my life.  My little ladies are now the 4th generation of people to have the gospel of Jesus Christ as a guide for them in life if they so choose. I am super grateful for that!

Oh my the National Human Rights Museum was another much anticipated stop for Graham and I.  We knew that it may be heavy for the girls but knowledge is power and one is never too young to start learning. They have a wonderful facility and it was incredibly interactive and informative.  I am thankful we were able to go.

There were many times when I got emotional.  

It made me think and want to be a better person.

This goofy girl and her smiles! Another highlight of this trip was being able to meet up with my dear friend Mary.  She is tackling the RCMP training in Regina and it was so wonderful to be able to meet with her and her family whom we have known since both of our early married years up in Fort McMurray.

We met up at the Regina Science Centre and it was great!  I really wish I had taken a picture of  all of the children together, her 4 and my 2....in earlier years we both longed for motherhood and have been blessed tremendously.  Mary is a wise, wise thinker and combined with her tender heart, a tremendous friend to have in your corner.  Many positive thoughts and prayers her way as she tackles the training, what an example!!!

We took a bathroom break in Saskatchewan at a little town that my Great Grandparents lived in.  My Great Grandpa worked at the train station and it was actually still there so we snapped a picture, pretty cool I'd say.

So riding on the suitcases became a 'thing' on this trip.  Bless their dad, he is a champ.  Really though wouldn't we all enjoy just being wheeled from place to place?

It was a much anticipated trip and did not disappoint. I had made up duotangs with maps and few little sheets for the girls, it is to go along with their travel journals.  We sure love these little women! Love having new experiences with them and helping them see beyond their own lives.  I am pretty grateful for a partner who shares my love of travel.  Many more adventures to come!

 

~ Mrs. P