I spent last weekend in Michigan at a Banjo convention. Now you may be thinking, "Hey I didn't know you were a banjo fanatic!" Yeah, well the thing is I'm not. I am not the teeniest tiniest bit into banjos. However, my nine year old daughter, who all evidence points towards having been swapped at birth, is. She is banjo obsessed and has been for years. Banjo is her … [Read more...]
I am a Lost Girl from Neverland… Free T-Shirt Design
I made my daughter her own special t-shirt, based off of the lyrics from Ruth B.'s "Lost Boy" song. Back in June Gracie came home from school singing a new song she'd picked up off other kids on the playground. She told me it was her new favourite song ever. She sang part of it to me and I had to admit I'd never heard it before. "I am a lost boy from Neverland. Usually … [Read more...]
Lunchbox Amnesia, When Your Kids Forget How to Make School Lunches
My daughter has lunch box amnesia. I'm talking the big kid here, Rainbow, my eight year old. The other day she refused to pack her own lunch for school. Not only did she tell me, in some rather questionable tones, that I had to do it for her but she also insisted that she had never, ever, in the entire history of the world, packed her own lunch. Never. Ever. And well, she's … [Read more...]
Rescuing a Friend…
After Rocket made a hole in the leg of this favourite stuffy Rainbow decided to sit down and stitch her friend up, instead of getting angry with her little sister. While I thought that was pretty awesome I'm left wondering why I can't get this kid to sew her own darn Scouts badges. … [Read more...]
Banjo Cat is Where it’s At
Here's what happens when Rainbow dons face paint for a play at school, and then wants to keep it on to practice banjo, and begs me to take photos of her as "Banjo Cat"... … [Read more...]
Mon Petite Chat Angora
So, Rainbow has been practicing for this play that she's taking part in at school. We are not talking about the type of thing where they perform on stage in front of the whole school, or even where the parents are invited to come watch. Her class is just performing for one of the kindergarten classes. However, my girl has been taking this VERY seriously, practising her lines … [Read more...]
Artist in Training… {sort of Wordless Wednesday}
The only thing the 8 year old wanted for Christmas this year was art supplies. Here she is "playing" with the pile of goodies Santa left for her. Things to note: 1) I can't get Rainbow to sit and draw at a table. She insists she is comfiest curled up on her bed. 2)The kid amazes me, at 8 year's old she already draws as well as I did in highschool. (Maybe I should have been … [Read more...]
What a Load
Three giant bags of stuff, two nights at Scout camp. I can never get over how much they require the kids to bring (and yes, every piece of this was on the "absolutely must bring or else we will send your child home" required list). Granted one entire bag is her winter wear, so when she goes to spring camp it's one bag less. Still a crazy amount of stuff. I find myself wondering … [Read more...]
Racing Vultures at African Lion Safari
One of the highlights of our visit to African Lion Safari back in September was when Rainbow got chosen as a volunteer during the Birds of Prey show. And she got to race with vultures. Only she was too distracted with staring at the birds to actually run fast, and ended up way behind all the other kids taking part. Still biggest grin ever, think she had a good … [Read more...]
I Have Banjo Guilt – Motherhood Confession
So you can file this under strange things I have mommy guilt for -- I've yet to arrange banjo lessons for my eldest daughter. My daughter Grace wants to learn to play the banjo. She is obsessed with it, For me, this is one of the great mysteries in life -- why the heck is she fixated on the banjo? Neither myself, nor any of our close relatives, is a fan of country music, yet … [Read more...]
The Joker Fish, Bizarre Kid Art
Creepy, right? Sometimes my daughter's art terrifies me. … [Read more...]
On Raising a Reluctant Reader…
We live in a house of books. There are books everywhere you turn. If you manage to draw your gaze past the clutter of toys, the place could easily be mistaken for a lending library. Reading with my girls is one of my favourite parts of being a mom. I sit and read with them pretty much whenever they ask throughout the day, and every night we snuggle down and read a full chapter … [Read more...]
Like a Fairy…
Isn't this how everyone watches TV at grandma's house? Link up and share your Wordless Wednesday posts... … [Read more...]
Finishing the Puzzle
Note to the Easter Bunny: A 1000 piece puzzle is not actually age appropriate for the 7 year old (or maybe even this 40 year old). Our team effort took an entire Sunday. No exaggeration, we spent the entire day on this darn puzzle and barely finished in time for bed. "Grown up" puzzles are a bit more challenging then I remembered, that's for sure. … [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...]