Chchchchanges....

Robin's mom moved to Halifax September 2009. We've all enjoyed having her around and have loved seeing her interact with Peter and Gaelle. She saves her calendar pages of cute animals for them, shares her gum with them, and will patiently sit and listen to them.



She also sits patiently with Snickers and scratches her back. Last week Grammy made another move. This time to Yarmouth. We're all so sad to see her go but hope this will be a good move for her.

We've also had another huge change in our family. Robin went back to work today. His 9 month family leave has ended and now we're all getting used to some big changes. It means more responsibility for Emily and Kaylin. It means after school care 3 days a week for Peter and Gaelle. And it means they stay at school for lunch every day.

BIG CHANGE. We will all miss the stability and steady presence that he has provided the past 9 months. But so far so good. Our first day went smoothly and the kids seem to be handling the change well.

EXCITEMENT

It never ceases to amaze me how excited Peter and Gaelle get over experiences that are new to them. They knew about Thanksgiving but really didn't know all it entailed. So as Thanksgiving approached, they were over the top excited... thinking it was going to be a great day. And it was. We all had so much to be thankful for.



So as we started putting dishes out on the table, the questions flew fast and furious. They had heard the words but didn't really know what they all meant. Stuffing was identified as cranberry sauce. Gravy was called sauce. And sauce was LOVED!



Sweet potato casserole was another favorite. Why not? It's almost like dessert. Yum.



This past weekend we switched the kids clothes around. Summer clothes away, sweaters out. Gaelle was literally spinning around the room with excitement. Can I try that? I want to wear that. On Sunday they both put on some new winter outfits. Don't they look sharp? They just love to dress up and it's so much fun to watch their excitement.

It's also interesting to see their lack of concern about old clothes being given away or even thrown out. They really don't care. As excited as they are to see new clothes, they just dont' get attached to much and so can easily watch us get rid of the old.

Maritime fall fair

And we thought Peter was the top gardener with his beans. But check out the giant pumpkin. Impressive.



All Canadian kids. When Gaelle saw this picture she asked if she was a girl or a boy. She's a girl and in Canada she can be a Mountie... even though she's a girl.



This pig was wandering around and eventually found its way over to this cow where it just curled up and went to sleep. So cute! Peter loved the animals while Gaelle kept her distance.



Peter and Gaelle weren't the target audience for the tractors but they had a blast trying them out anyway.



Lots of hands on demonstrations, even milking a cow.

Sunday afternoon jaunt

We have had some gorgeous fall weather and it feels so good to get outside and explore our community with the kids...and Snickers.



Peter discovered how much fun it can be to take an old shell and SMASH it. And there were plenty of shells around to send flying through the air.



Photo op. This anchor is a tribute to the men and women of the Canadian Navy who died during times of peace. The chains are truly impressive.



Another photo op in front of the Prince of Wales Tower.

Apple Picking

What would the fall be without apple picking? Gaelle was so thrilled to head out with her class to pick some apples. She learned to count down the sleeps until the widely anticipated day.



Time for the hay wagon ride.



Robin hauled out his old family apple peeler to "wow" the kids. It really makes the job so much faster.



Gaelle and I rocked the apple crisp. She loves to help in the kitchen and did a great job helping me with the apples. And the apple crisp was yummy. Love it.

Pretty as a picture

Today was school picture day for Gaelle, so you know what last night was for mom and Gaelle. It was hair night. I like to do hair on the weekends so we don't have to rush, but we made an exception for pictures. Anyway, Gaelle chose her outfit and we chose purple beads to match and away we went. And doesn't she look super cute?

Ok. Time for a Gaelle story.

Robin, Peter, Gaelle and I were out walking. We passed a dog that was struggling against his leash to make contact with us. Gaelle was holding my hand and kind of keeping her distance so I said, "Oh, I think that dog just wants to just lick you."

So Gaelle said, "Does he like chocolate?"

I said, "I like chocolate."

Gaelle said, "Do you want to eat me?"

So I proceeded to pretend to eat her up.

Reading on the bus

After a wonderful summer at home, I went back to work last month. I'm working in downtown Halifax with no parking benefits so I've been taking the bus again. I really don't mind it. It gives me the chance to read. And with all the warm weather, I've had fun sitting outside during lunch and eating my lunch and reading a book.

So, what have I read lately? None of them have been duds.



I had read so many rave reviews about The Help by Kathryn Stockett, so I was anxious to finally read this. I loved it. It was easy to read but also heart breaking and thought provoking. It's easy for me to look back at the culture portrayed in the book as racist and bigoted. But would I have the courage and backbone to go against my upbringing and face complete rejection from my family and friends in order to do the right thing?



Sarah's Key was a complete surprise. I just picked it up cold from the library. This is such a compelling story. I found myself tearing up several times because the story is just so tragic. Loved, loved, loved it.



This was mentioned on an adoption blog but I'm sorry that I can't remember which one. Usually I have to read books that are not very heavy on the bus. My attention span isn't that great with all of the distractions and noises, so I did end up skimming portions of this book. Probably the biggest idea I gleaned from this book is the idea that kids with trauma in their past are developmentally all over the place. They may have abilities in some areas that are far ahead of their peers, but then are so far behind developmentally in other areas. Not rocket science but one of the biggest challenges I face... allowing for those areas where the kids lag behind.



This last book was actually the first book I read when I went back to work. This was one my mom left behind for me and it really opened my eyes to a part of the world and a time period that I am woefully ignorant of. I was not aware of the conflict between Korea and Japan and the extent Japan went to to subdue the Korean people. A fascinating story.

Who was Mr. Uniacke?

We're still not sure but we had a nice time at the Uniacke Estate Museum on Sunday. We went just to get out of the house and have a little hike with the kids.



It turns out the kids got to try some old fashioned toys which they enjoyed. The pciture isn't very good, but believe me, Gaelle is playing with an old fashioned toy.



And here's Peter flying a kite. A pro.

Look at all the buttons

When we were trying to figure out a present for Gaelle for her birthday, we actually had a hard time. We knew it needed buttons. And when Josh suggested a laptop, we knew we had a winner. Unlike most parents, we didn't choose this for the educational value. No, it's all about the buttons.

And she is loving it.

T-shirts are here

The first shipment of t-shirts are here. Please visit Future for Five and consider supporting these beautiful children. Just a small investment from us can make a huge difference in their lives. T-shirts can be purchased online or you can send a message directly to Emily to arrange payment and pickup.