When we walked into Canada's Wonderland on opening weekend the very first ride we went on was the Carousel. The big kid was super excited. I helped her on to one of the "moving up and down horses" and then snapped a few photos. See, happy kid, happy to be on the carousel... I swear this child begged me to ride on here, and loved it. But then there is this out take … [Read more...]
The Pirate Pout {sort of Wordless Wednesday}
Will I come sit and eat my lunch? No I will not! Will I pick the crayon up off the hallway floor? No I will not! Will I keep my snack in the dining room? No I will not! Will I clean up my toys? No, no, I will not! I'm a crazy zebra pirate! And... pirates don't listen to Moms. … [Read more...]
The One Where My Kid Begs Me to Let Her Clean the Floors, a.k.a. The Grandma Effect
My girls stayed overnight at my mom's place Friday night, giving hubby and I a chance to sneak out for date night. We ate out, tried out a new local brewery that opened recently, and then went home and played board games until almost 2am. Wild. Night. Out. The next day I pried myself out of bed at ten something in the morning. My timing was impeccable. Pretty much the moment … [Read more...]
At Seven the Box is Still the Best Part {not so Wordless Wednesday}
There were two empty delivery boxes sitting by the front door. Looking at them I would think they'd be something that just might cosily hold a cat. The next time I walk into the room the seven year old has folded herself up inside one box and is using the other as a desk. I've been told most firmly that this is the only truly comfortable way to do art. … [Read more...]
Do Mennonites Play at the Splashpad?
On a hot sunny Sunday in August we took a ride out to the county and visited the big park/beach/splashpad that lies along the shores of Lake Erie, somewhere between Kingsville and Leamington. I sat at a nearby table watching as my daughters splashed and played. I noticed a handful of young girls with their hair carefully tied back, dressed in home sewn dresses. I would guess … [Read more...]
So Big! Ahhhhhh! Run Away!
The other day the four year old was happily babbling on about what she would do if she had a pet dinosaur. In one of those "oh dear, mom is trying really hard to keep a straight face here" moments, my much more pragmatic seven year old said "If someone handed me a pet dinosaur I would tie it to a sign post and I would just leave. Leave!" (Okay, okay, I may have … [Read more...]
On a Windy Day You Can See the Polka-Dots
One of my big kid's masterpieces, "A Windy Day". You know, just your average three-headed monster hanging out the laundry to dry. Man, I love kid art. … [Read more...]
Kid Logic {Wordless Wednesday}
4 year old: "Mom! Come see! My friends are all playing together!" Me: "Oh, how cool! I see your friends are all sharing a cookie." Her: "What?! No, silly. The cookie is waiting for her turn on the slide!!" Me: "Oh, yes, ummm right, of course." … [Read more...]
Fish Who Can Fly & Other Bizarre Christmas Wishes
I sat in the front room helping my daughters write their letters to Santa. The seven year old was busy carefully copying out all the words I had helped her spell, putting in her request for a new Snap Circuits set. The four year old was more hesitant, she didn't know what to write. After asking about whether Mr Claus celebrates Halloween and thanking him for his previous … [Read more...]
I’m Not Ready For Christmas Yet. Like Seriously, Can’t We Wait Until December to Start This Thing?
Last week it started snowing. Big fat fluffy flakes that instantly melted as they hit the still warm ground. My children cheered and jumped and spun and screamed the entire way to the bus stop. They tried to catch each fuzzy round flake on their mittens and their tongues. I thought their snow excitement was cute until I realized that my kids equate snow with Christmas. Since … [Read more...]
Little Miss Attitude
Camping with Tigger
A few weeks back I went on a camping trip with my mom, my sister, and both of the kids. Something about camping transformed my youngest child into Tigger. T-I-Double G-Errrrr. You know, non-stop bouncing trouncing fun? And well the most wonderful thing about Tigger is that there is only one. Whew. Great news that, because while I love my daughter dearly I … [Read more...]
My 4-Year Old Engineer in the Kitchen, Tales of a Reluctant Baker
My eldest daughter is an artist. She loves to draw and create, and her art skills have been remarkable from a very young age. She loves to sit and look at books. She loves to quietly observe. She watches the world through her artist lens. She loves to cook, and quite literally begs me to let her cook more often. My youngest daughter is an engineer. She loves to build things … [Read more...]
