You are Amazing God....

Check out this blog if you are wondering where God is or if He still works miracles in peoples lives.
I don't normally link to other blogs this way, but this one has touched me.

Gooey Goodness

Last year, Anthony and I made caramel apples. So what did Anthony want to do this year?? Yuppers, make caramel apples. It is much easier with one child than with two BUT...if you're going to make them with two kids you might as well invite friends over and make them with 4 kids :) Next year, Owen will be old enough to er, help...we will see how that works :)

This is the best part!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I don't know about your kids, but mine, especially Anthony, are super excited for tonight. He has been asking for over a week if it was time yet. Yesterday didn't help with his JK class having their party (which was fun and I will have pictures). Tonight we are going over to friends for dinner and then we will take the kids out over there. Anthony the dragon and Alexandra the lion. There's something to be said about Trick or Treating. I love that people, who are normally so involved in their own lives, take an evening to answer their doors and hand out treats and talk to their neighbours. It is a time, especially in our neighbourhood, where people visit with one another as they take the kids door to door. I love that kids (and adults) can take a night a dress-up out in public, I m,ean my kids wear costumes whenever but it's a night where they don't get comments about it!! So have fun and be safe tonight, whatever it is you may be doing!!

Pumpkin Fest

Last Saturday, the older kids and I braved the drizzle and chilliness of the weather and headed out to Gammondale Farm for their annual Pumpkin Fest. Anthony has been asking since August if we could go so, we went and despite the weather we had a blast. I was however, thankful that Troy was home and able to stay with Owen, it meant I could have some time with just the big ones. This time of year is wonderful with all the things that are going on for kids, and I am happy that my kids do enjoy doing things like this (cuz their mom still enjoys doing things like this but shhh...don't tell anyone!)

They wanted to climb this, but it was a little too tricky,

especially since neither one wanted to actually touch the straw with their hands!

the no left turns maze....they made left turns!

Alexandra LOVED this, she rode it 4 times

(I was just happy I didn't have to squeeze into a car with her this year!)

Racing duckies

Wordless Wednesday

Concentrating....Look what I can do...
...or maybe not!

Waters of Thankfulness

There is something about water that has always filled me with peace. I don't know what it is but I LOVE the water. So there was no better way for us to spend Thanksgiving morning than at a beach in Toronto. It was wonderful. I love the sound of the waves as they break against the shore, the way the sunlight sparkles off the top of the water, the smell of the beach. All of it makes for one very happy momma! It's one of the reasons I swim, there's something to be said about diving into the water and being able to forget about everything, having the water wash over you as you swim. It's my favourite place to pray as my mind holds onto nothing when I swim, I can just 'be still' and listen. I love it. If I'm grumpy or worried or frustrated, I need the water, it's how God has wired me and I'm not sure I could ever live somewhere that didn't have easy access to water. I am hoping to be able to instill a love of the water into my kids so that they enjoy it as much as I do.

My mom and dad, Anthony and Alexandra

This morning was hard. The kids were up far too early and it took Anthony close to 2 hours to finish 5 pieces of chicken nuggets for breakfast (he had refused to eat for dinner last night, and he LIKES chicken). We had a rough start to the day, but then we ran up to the store, bought apples and popsicle sticks came home, had friends over and made caramel apples. That was fun! The day is turning a corner. There were even some flakes of snow in the air today was we walked. Sleepign children are not sleeping (though they should be) so I must go and be a Mommy once again. Somedays I get so weary.....thankful that my God never leaves me and that He provides the strength to make it through the days.

You're Gonna Miss This Moment

This blog has the and I've decided to join in....

One day Anthony will be too old to find this fun, he's not going to want to help, it will be boring to fill pumpkin leaf bags in the fall.....Being buried by Grandma will no longer be considered 'cool' and will not be met with 4 year old belly laughs.....

And sitting with a younger sibling while Mommy takes pictures will DEFINATELY not be on his list of things he would consider thrilling, but they bring my joy today and I will try to treasure the memories..... For I really will miss these days when they are gone. I will EVEN miss the 40 minute hissy fits Alexandra throws because I have asked her to, oh I don't know, pick up the box of Lego she dumped on the floor while laughing at me about it (should have caught that one on video, it was definately a keeper, cuz there is one day where I WILL miss that....right?)

Memories

I love watching Anthony and Alexandra when we first arrive somewhere that we haven't been in a long time. In this case at my parents house. It is really enat to see what they remember from the previous time and what they don't. Or the things that they are excited about compared with the things that they really don't care about. My parents had a dog up until Juneish when they had to put him down. We didn't tell the kids, mostly because they only see him once in a while and I wasn't sure that they would understand so we were going to wait until we were there to talk about it. Alexandra didn't notice at all and it took Anthony until about half way through the second day to ask where Patches was. I told him and that was that. He never brought it up again, which surprised me. But hey, he's a kid and they usually find ways to surprise me.

We hadn't even made it out of the airport before Anthony was asking for this:And he asked for this, as soon as he got out of the van:
This was Alexandra's first time on it and once she got over being cautious, she loved it!

The kids and I are back home and settled into the routine of home today. It was a fantastic trip. The kids were surrounded in love and kisses and playtime and I got a very much needed break to just be. And being is wonderful. I am now refreashed and ready :) Although this morning threw that for a test run....Anthony is missing Grandma and Deda and he really (read kicking screaming, hissy fitting, refusal to get on the bus) really didn't want to go to school. Didn't get on the bus so we had to drive him, and then I proceeded to spend 5 minutes trying ot get him to remove the deathgrip he had around my neck! His teacher called about 11:30ish to let me know that he settled down pretty well but that little things (like the librarian not being in the school today) would get him really upset. But he took the bus home and he was a happy, content little boy when he got off. So we are ready for the rest of the week.
Owen is sitting, I do use the term loosely, but it is sitting. Just resting on his arms as they are resting on the floor between his legs!
And yes, for everyone that has noticed, I am aware the lincoln is spelt wrong in my header but I can not fix it as photoshop has stopped working on my computer (for whatever reason!)
But I must go, a screaming baby is letting me know he is hungry and the yelling from the basement is letting me know that Max and Ruby is over and they want to know if they can watch the Backyardigans :)

Zoo Trip

We are headed home tomorrow. We most definately had a wonderful time and I will write more about it once we are settled. Until then, enjoy the pictures from the zoo :)

Pony Ride

When we went to the zoo, Alexandra had her first pony ride. And did she ever love it!! Anthony decided that they were too smelly to ride (my sensitive nose boy!)