Barf

Well a new portion of my Mommy Training has begun. The "Barf" training. I must say that I am failing miserably in this course!

Skylar was not herself on Friday when she came home from school. Feeling a bit rough. But she desperately wanted to play outside with her friends so we dressed her up in her Winterpeg attire & off she went. I had plans with my best friend Melissa Friday night & came home to a very sick little girl. She was running a fever & was not feeling good to her tummy. I got out the 7Up and the cold cloth & tylenol and worked at getting her fever down. Thankfully her tummy calmed & she was able to sleep for a bit.

Saturday morning Skylar wakes at 6am & is not feeling good. I move her into the living room & get her a bowl & within seconds my girl gets sick. Well I did my very her best to keep Sky's hair out of her face, rubbed her back - BUT - I was gagging like a mad woman & it was not good. Thankfully she had nothing in her tummy except 7Up so things stopped quickly. I excused myself to empty the bowl & spent some time in the bathroom "gathering" myself. She didn't seem to notice me "gagging" behind her back thankfully but still . . . .

I thought that as a Mommy I was suppose to have a stomach of steel when it comes to my girls? I can handle (somewhat) diapers although out of the ordinary accidents (spillage, change in texture, etc) not good. I gag, my eyes water - it is quite sad.

I think of all the times my Mom cared for me when I was sick & I have a whole new respect & love for her. I remember her wiping my face with the cold cloth, rubbing my back as I was sick, and taking care of my every need. Oh and did I mention she never gagged? She had a stomach of steel!

I pray that my girls feel the heartfelt care I work my best to give (despite the gags) and don't notice my shortcomings as much as I do. I may not have a stomach of steel but I will shower my sick little girls with love & pampering just like my Mom did. Cuz that is what I loved when I was little!

Sleep . . . .

As I turn the alarm off at 7:30am I think to myself "tonight - I have to get to bed before midnight." Once I am up & my first cup of coffee has been consumed - my desire to run back into the bedroom & jump under those warm & cozy blankets begins to fade.

Shortly after supper the need for my cozy bed begins again. I can hear her calling once all the dishes are in the dishwasher - Sadie is bathed & I sit for a moment to collect my thoughts. But then moments later it is time to fold laundry, put Sadie to bed, get Skylar in the shower, read with Skylar & get Skylar to bed. As I read with Skylar I can hardly keep my eyes open - Come to bed with me Mommy - you look so tired. Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh it is so tempting!

I get Skylar off to sleep & move to making lunches & suddenly I have energy & want to watch all my taped shows, read my book, play my DS, check out face book, chat on the phone, and the list goes on & on.

Dang it - here we go again - it is Midnight!

I guess the draw of "me" time takes precedence over sleeping. The moment the house is quiet & no little bodies are following me around the house or crawling on me I get a new wave of energy. I love these few hours when all is quiet - the girls are snug & safe in bed & I can do my thing without interruption.

But oh boy - tomorrow morning I will start things all over again with "Tonight I am definitely going to get to bed before midnight!" Mmmmhmmmm sure.

Halloween!

After a delightful dinner of hotdogs & carrot sticks the Halloween Fun began!

Skylar & Sadie suited up in their Fairy & Lady Bug costumes & ventured out. After a quick trip to Pa Pere & Baba's D'Arcy dropped off Sadie so that Skylar & him could effectively cover the neighbourhood. They had a plan!

Sadie absolutely loved all the visitors we got & came to the door with me each time. Saying goodbye to all the cuties that came to the door. Although she wasn't as fond of closing the door once they left. I think she thought it would be better to just stand in the doorway & wait.

Skylar & D'Arcy came & went, came & went, and then came & went. When Skylar was thoroughly exhausted they returned to assess their candy stash. I think Daddy loved going out as much as Skylar - both had such huge smiles when they came in. Rosy, Rosy cheeks but huge smiles.

After many treats & sorting Skylar was off to bed. I love our new life with Skylar & Sadie. Each moment is a memory I cherish. Today was awesome.

Halloween Fun! Saturday - Decorating

Skylar & D'Arcy have been planning the Halloween decorating for weeks now. They have spent Saturday mornings drawing out plans on where everything will go on the lawn & window. And spent hours shopping for decorations. It has been a great project for them!

Saturday the plan got put into reality & Skylar could not have been more excited to spend the day decorating & prepping for Halloween. Baba & Pa Pere came over to help out too.

Sadie spent the whole time following Skylar around & mimicking her every move. She thoroughly enjoyed rolling around on the grass too & absolutely loved it when Skylar joined her for some fun too.

Halloween Fun! Friday Nite - Pumpkin Carving!

The minute Skylar woke up on Friday she asked if we could carve our pumpkins. After supper we chimed & she gave the long sssssssiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggghhhhhhh. All right.

Home from school she quickly gets into her "okay to get messy clothes" and asks to help with supper (I think to rush it along). After supper the fun begins & we carve our pumpkins. Sadie enjoyed just watching & getting to play with the pumpkin goop & Skylar made an amazing Cat.

Thanksgiving Weekend Fun!

Well there is alot to be thankful for this year. We have two beautiful healthy & happy daughters, a whole new bundle of extended family who we adore, and a marriage that I am thankful for daily. Life is good and I am thankful.

We started our Thanksgiving weekend by heading out to Steinbach for some fun at a corn maze. They also had hay bales, combines, hockey nets, and so much more fun things. We went with the Bowden clan (my sister & her family) and fun was had by all. Sadie loved the little hay bale maze she was in there just moving around & collecting leaves for a good hour. Skylar's favourite was the racing bikes. She rode around that track til I was tired just watching her. But they had so much fun running around & just being wild & crazy kids! I loved watching them.

Today we headed to Baba & PePere's for more festivities. Baba bought the girls gift bags of goodies - books, crafts, clothes, and of course chocolates. So they had a great time colouring with their new gifts and just being crazy at Baba's. We ate & ate & ate & ate & then took home a car load of leftovers.

And can you believe that we still have two more Thanksgivings to celebrate! Yipee! Next weekend my Mom & Dad are gonna have a turkey & the following is fun at the Siemens. God is so good!

The Sermon is on What???? SEX

Funny Story

So we have not been the best over the last three months on regularly attending church. We have good intentions but don't seem to follow through. We have been meaning to get back into things & finally this week decided to get up & go.

So our children's birth Grandparents came in from Rosenort to go to church with us (okay so now you know why we finally decided to get up & go). We get to church on time (amazing!) and in good spirits. Everyone is dressed nicely & no spills/vomit etc. I take Skylar down to Sunday School - all is good. Drop Sadie off at Nursery & miraculously all is good. We head into the service & after some worship music the lights dim.

Across the screen "Boom Chicka Wa Wa". I kid you not. I think okay - maybe this means a variety of things & I have used this term incorrectly - nope. The topic is sex. Now I have no problem with talking about sex but I am now concerned about the Grandparents. I am engrossed in the sermon when my husband taps me & says - isn't that Sadies number they are flashing - ooops - yep that is & I have to leave (rats - I might have gotten a few tips). I stay with Sadie who suddenly becomes quite alright & playful when I arrive.

Once the service is over I catch D'Arcy's eye & he grins - too funny. Thankfully the Grandparents seem unscathed & get a chuckle out of the whole thing but goodness God has a sense of humour! I guess that is our punishment for being away so long. Gonna do our best to get back into things & to church on a more regular basis. After all he gave us some pretty amazing blessing this last year - Sadie & Skylar.


Thankfully

Over & Over & Over & Over & . . . .

Do you ever get the feeling that your day is filled with things that you do over & over & over again?

I was just doing laundry for the 700th time this week (okay maybe not 700 but it sure feels like it), then loading my dishwasher, making my bed, tidying the bathroom, putting all the towels in the hamper, rinsing the toothpaste splats from in the sink, picking up toys, picking up socks, picking up cheerios, putting away shoes, hanging up jackets, putting jammies in the hamper, putting nightly water glasses in the sink, picking up books, picking up the paper trail (Sadie loves to help Daddy read the morning paper & take pieces all over the house!) - when I realized that I had done each of these tasks daily thousands of times.

So here is what I was thinking. Maybe I should put a small fee onto each of these tasks & bill the appropriate parties. I could make so much money! I mean threatening, mentioning, complaining isn't working so why not charge a fee & make everyone happy. Even if it was a penny I could easily make $5.00 a week. That could be coffee money, ice cream money or maybe even buy a smutty rumour magazine money.

I think I might be onto something here! I just need to make up an easy billing system . . . . . . Hmmmmm - Maybe I could sell the system to other moms? I could be a millionaire & then pay someone else to do these repetitive tasks. Well something to dream about while distracting myself from thinking about doing these things over & over & over & over again right?

(Ahhhhh if only this would work hey?)

Date Night

So my husband decided to plan a surprise date night for me. In preparation he made reservations, booked the babysitter & decided he should maybe just let Skylar know the plan so that she is prepared tomorrow for the surprise also.

Turns out that telling her today was not a good idea. So I am bathing Sadie & Skylar & Daddy are hanging out in the living room. D'Arcy whispers to Skylar that he has a surprise planned for me tomorrow night & that he is taking me on a date. He said her face dropped immediately & tears began to well up in her eyes - But Shelby your favourite babysitter is coming . . . . Skylar comes running into the bathroom crying & when I ask her what happened she responds "I can't tell you what Daddy said".

Children are interesting that way. She plans each night & has friends come & go continually through the week. She plays from basically after supper to bed time as she should. But if I go for coffee with a friend (which believe me is like never) I get tears & "but you just went out" (18 days ago!). Half the time she is trying to get us out of her way so that her & her friends can use the living room but if we plan a date we get "Don't you want to spend time with me Mommy?".

I am continually reminded by D'Arcy that kids have a limited vision of life. They think primarily of themselves and are learning to broaden their understanding of others & learn empathy.

Goodness complicated little creatures they are? Do they spend this much time deciphering us? I think not. I often wonder who indeed is in control - are we really or are they just leading us to believe we are?

There was a time that I did some important tasks in my day. I created a work solution for mailing bills to clients that saved my employer thousands of dollars on a monthly basis. I would do across Canada presentations to a room full of Service Reps. I hired/fired/promoted and the list goes on & on.

Today I have purchased some clothing for my girls (75% off - very exciting!). I picked up toys for pretty much all of my day & moved Sadie out of the bathroom probably about 10x (she loves the toilet). I have made a delicious & healthy supper of chicken wraps & rice - with fruit & cool whip for dessert. And I just made 4 "Tinker Bell Posters" for Skylar's Tinker Bell club.

Yep - there are times when I have a few moments of quiet and I think - Is this for real? Am I really doing this all day? Shouldn't I get a bonus for this? Can I have a closed door meeting please? When do I get to go for lunch? Maybe I should shower/get dressed.

The life of a Mommy is a tough job. Not alot of praise but thankfully lots of love. Hang in there girls! We will make it through.

Suppertime!

I think my absolute favourite time of the day is suppertime. We all are together & it is just us - no interuptions - no distractions. We get a chance to see how everyone's day went & We also get to eat!

I am fortunate in that I have a husband that always praises my meals & thankfully our daughter Skylar is very gracious in ensuring I know how yummy dinner was. As a mom/wife I find this extremely satisfying. Pleasing my family (yep I think I am turning into a Baba) gives me much satisfaction.

We giggle & hear about the good things in our days - I tell all the silly things Sadie has done that Skylar & D'Arcy missed & we get a chance to just sit together. Sadie loves dinnertime. She loves to point at what we are eating & try new things. We love to see her experiment!

Tonight as a treat we had a little dessert. Apple & Banana pieces that we dipped in chocolate. As you can see the girls LOVED this!

As a Mom I am going to really try to keep this time together "ours".

First Day of School!

Yikes!

I honestly thought my friends were crazy insane when they stressed out & cried when their little ones went to school. I always thought - shouldn't their kids be stressed out not them?

Fast forward to my new "Mom" life & I honestly don't think I will sleep tonight. All I can think of is Skylar going to her new school. I am thinking about whether she will remember the way to her class, whether the lunch I packed is "appropriate", whether I remembered all the forms, whether she has all she needs supplies wise, whether the kids will be nice to her, whether she will find someone to be her lunch buddy, whether she will see the board with her new glasses, OMG - I am a mess!

Thankfully she is sleeping peacefully & though a little nervous she is calmed by my continuous affirmation that she is the absolute cutest & friendliest kid & her only problem will be too many friends. This brings a huge smile to her face & seems to calm her. Now - what can I do to calm me???????

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think I would honestly pay $1 Millions dollars for 2 days alone in a Radisson (love those sleep number beds) to sleep, sleep, sleep. No "Mommy - when you getting up?" or little hands knocking on the door "ma, ma, ma, ma" or running up & down the hall like little elephants singing & dancing & screaming - No Daddy - No.

Don't get me wrong I love that my kids have fun & that Daddy is so much fun to play with but could they not turn it down a notch when Mommy is sleeping in? Well i use the term sleeping in loosely - when we were DINKS (Double Income No Kids) I would sleep in til noon. Roll out of bed - have breakfast & sometimes I would go back to bed. NO MORE! Now I am lucky if I get to sleep in til 9 & that is with a continual 15 minute wake up asking if I am still sleepy & did I know when I might be getting up.

Yep - Radisson - clean fresh comfy sleep bed - darkness - noise free - whole bed to myself mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Well a girl can dream right?

Play Time!

Wowee - I have adopted a socialite! My girl Skylar can go non-stop with friends from morning til nite!

From the moment she came to live with us our house has been filled with young 8 & 9 year old girls. My day now consists of Zhu Zhu Pets, Webkins, Fashion Shows & High School Musical Sing Alongs.

I do remember playing alot when I was younger but I honestly don't remember playing every hour of the day with friends. Don't get me wrong I actually admire the amount of friendships she is able to juggle & her ability to be a good friend through such long play dates. I am the type of person that needs "personal" breaks from others. A bit of a loner. Not my Skylar! She can go, go, go.

I am so thankful for our neighbourhood & the amount of kids within a one block radius. Some pretty amazing little girls live around us & I am thankful they have opened their homes & friendship circle to my Skylar.

PS - For those mommies entering this stage - ensure that when a fashion show is starting to ensure you set a time limit! It can truly go on all afternoon!

Disappointed

Let me preface this with the assurance that I love my girls & will love them forever & ever.

The day was a bit rough today. Limits were challenged & challenged & challenged. Mommy was fragile. So we go to a movie tonight Beezus & Ramona (a must see! Loved it) and all is well. We laugh we cry we hug. Skylar then says something that absolutely crushes & disappoints me. Something I never could believe she would say or mean. I can honestly say I was not angry - I was truly sad & disappointed.

I am really trying to balance discipline with love. It is a tough pendulum. Specifically when you adopt an 8 year old. You want to ensure you are building her up & giving her a safe & comfortable environment but you also want to ensure that you are giving her enough discipline to ensure that she is a little girl that is well liked & seen for the true beauty she has within.

My childhood came rushing back tonight - I distinctly remember coming home late from the skate park (yeah I was sort of cool - well let me dream) and I was met by my Dad on the front steps. I was so scared. I put my bike away & walked up to the steps where he sat & all he said to me was - Michelle - I am very disappointed in you. He then got up & went into the house. I still remember the horrible feeling that came over me. I was ready for a stern talking to but not at all prepared for those hurt eyes that met mine.

Tonight I felt that same disappointment. I now know it was pure love. Love towards a child that my Dad knew was so much more inside. I felt that same love for Skylar tonight. I want her to feel good about herself & get attention because of her integrity & inner beauty. Not from the "shock comments".

Tonight I pray for guidance - for love to overcome my disappointment and for a beautiful little girl who still has not learnt how truly amazing & beautiful she is - without all the attention seeking.

Girls & Sleepovers

Why is it that girls are obsessed with sleepovers? Or shall we call them what they really are - wakeovers.

Skylar was invited to a sleepover birthday party by one of her BFF's Angelina & all week it is all she has talked about. One moment she was not going - the next she was going but only til midnight, the next going but taking a cell phone just in case. Finally I had to tell her that it wasn't fair to keep Angelina hanging & she needed to make a solid decision & stick with it. Only half an hour before the party did she finally make her final, final, final decision - she would stay the whole night & both her & Angelina were giddy!

She packed her 4 bags (yep for one night & she is only 8) and then off she trekked across the street. I was kind of sad to see her go & worried about if she got scared, homesick, if she was going to walk in her sleep - I was more stressed out than she was!

D'Arcy & I placed bets on when she would be coming home but she wowed us both & came home the next morning with nothing but smiles! Now she of course had next to no sleep (much like mommy!) but I was so happy to see her just enjoy being a little girl. She needs more of that & I love that she is slowly letting go of her self protection & enjoying having fun with kids & being a kid!

I guess now it is my turn to invite some of her BFF's for a sleepover? Oh Lord have mercy! Maybe when both Skylar & I catch up on some much needed sleep!

Blah . . .

Well the past few days I can honestly say I have not been the best Mommy I should be. I have been so tired I could cry & it is almost like the girls can sense that & go on the attack!

Being a Mommy is the absolute best thing in the world but I can honestly say it is also one of the hardest. Today I just wanted to crawl into bed & pull the covers over my head & hide or better still call a sitter & check into a hotel for a night BY MYSELF!

But just when I think I am not going to make it to the next second I hear Sadie saying Ma Ma and Skylar gives me a necklace she made that says "MOM". She hasn't yet called me Mom but today that necklace meant the world to me. You forget they are just kids - and you forget they truly aren't trying to push you over the edge they are just trying to make it to the next second too. I forget that too often!

Well off to cuddle with my Skylar & read some books. I love bedtime!

Elmo!

Each day it seems Sadie shows me a new piece of herself & her environment. I love the new coo's, words, facial expressions & hand movements.

This morning was a little quiet & I think she was missing her big sister Skylar (who is visiting for a few days with Grandma Siemens in Rosenort). Although I must admit she was pretty excited to sit on Skylar's bean bag chair without getting shooooed off by Skylar.

I decided to put on an Elmo DVD. She plunked herself down on her princess chair & pointed to Elmo - "O" - "O". I couldn't help but smile. She then clapped her hands & jumped up & down. Too Cute!

I cherish these small moments in time.

Playing with my Big Sister.

As a big sister I do have very fond memories of playing with my little sister Colleen. She followed me to around & as any big sister I was often annoyed to have her follow. I loved her alot & was her protector but a girl needs her space!

Now I see the same thing with Sadie & Skylar. Sadie follows her around the house non-stop. If Skylar is in her room with the door closed Sadie sits outside the door waiting for her to come out. If Skylar is eating Sadie is right there begging for food. If Skylar is playing Sadie is right there wanting to play.

Skylar can get annoyed but she is also a great big sister. She lets Sadie play with her from time to time & Sadie LOVES it! (So do I - can bring me to tears at times).

This morning when I got out of the shower I found Skylar having a tea party with Sadie. Sadie was so excited she couldn't contain herself. I had to take pics!

Yesterday Skylar was playing with her girlfriend Angelina & they decided to let Sadie be the "baby" in their game of house. Sadie was very willing doing all she was told & snuggling up on Skylar's beanbag with her pretending it was bed time. Could Mommy or Daddy ever get her to sit still for one moment. Nope - but Big Sister Skylar sure can.

I am so happy to have two girls. I love my sister to pieces & would do anything for her. I pray that my girls have the same relationship that me & Colleen have.

Sadies 1st Birthday Bash.

On Sunday we had Sadie's birthday with all the extended family and many friends. Thankfully it was a beautiful day & we were able to enjoy the weather & hang out on the deck & in the back yard.

Sadie loved having so much attention & Skylar loved having all her cousins & friends over to play with & swim with.

Elmo was the theme & Sadie loved it. As I was putting up her decorations in the morning she sat on the floor & clapped. She just loves Elmo. I attempted to be creative & make an Elmo cake & cupcakes. They turned out not too bad - the kids loved them at least. And the birthday girl loved them too - isn't that what counts?

I cannot believe all that I have been able to celebrate this last month. Skylar turning 8, Skylar's Adoption & now Sadie's 1st Birthday. God is Good!

Skylar's Adoption Ceremony!

Today was a very important day in the Lussier family!

The day began at 7 am with the decorating of our Forever Family - Hello Kitty Cake. Skylar was so excited to be able to decorate it herself & she did a great job. Next it was off to a Nursery to pick our "Adoption" tree. As a family we are planting a tree to commemorate today! Getting the tree into the SUV was very interesting but thankfully my sister Colleen came along & helped each step of the way. She also painted a beautiful "Forever Family" stone to put in front of our tree. LOVE IT!

Next we dashed home & prepared for the party. At 2pm Louise & Mel - Skylar's Foster Mom & Dad from the past year & a half arrived with her Foster Sister Sydnee. Next Grandma & Grandpa Siemens who have so lovingly cared for Skylar over the past 8 years keeping her safe & loving her greatly. Grandma Siemens would wave each morning as her school bus passed their farm to ensure she knew family loved her! Skylar's social worker Andre came bringing a beautiful life book for Skylar full of her story & pictures all beautifully scrapbooked. And our CFS social worker Nelda came with all the official papers.

Skylar was able to visit with all the amazing people who had cared for our little girl over the past few years. People who ensured Skylar was able to be a little girl & enjoy life even if parts of her life were tough. People who loved her and celebrated her. To all these people I give a huge thank you. You have helped to raise a beautiful, well mannered & well balanced little girl. To this we will be ever grateful!

Today we became parents of 2 beautiful little girls. Welcome to the Lussier family Skylar! We love you so much!

Sadie's 1st Birthday

I honestly cannot believe my baby girl is 1 years old. Time goes by way too quickly. I look at the little girl standing on her own at the coffee table smiling & nodding 'no mama' 'no'. And I can't help but smile & be so absolutely thankful for all I have.

We had a tiny birthday party for Sadie on her actual day - July 21st. Skylar & D'Arcy & I gave her our presents & she got to eat Jeannie's Cake for the first time! It was small & quiet but to have the four of us at the table & to know we are a family is beyond what I could have even imagined!

Happy Birthday my Beautiful Little Girl!

Bedtime On Time - Seriously Possible?

I take comfort in the fact that I am a gal of routine & organization. As a new mommy this works well for me - generally.

Sadie has her bath & we plunk her in bed around 6:30 & she drifts off to la la land. She is amazing at bed time.

Then there is Skylar. We decided 8 would be her new bed time now that she is 8. I can honestly say that we have not once hit that mark. I honestly do try & she is a really good at doing what she is asked. But we just cannot seem to achieve the goal. With it being summer holidays I don't worry too much about her being up later. That is what holidays are about. I am concerned though that I we will have to start a bedtime routine at 7 to get her in bed by 8.

As I write this I think I might be slowing going crazy. Wow - what is the big deal right? Why am I so anal. Hmmmmmmmmmm things to think about. Maybe my bedtime should be 8 too? That might make things easier - I like that idea. My laundry & house does not.

Wowee Stuff!

Okay - I do understand that I am a bit of a neat/organizing freak. But I cannot believe how much "stuff" kids have.

Going to do errands isn't as simple as grabbing my purse & car keys anymore. It means ensuring everyone has gone to the bathroom, packing snacks, packing a bottle, packing a diaper, packing a few toys to keep Sadie busy & happy, ensuring everyone's hair & teeth are brushed, and the list does go on. Wowee! Sometimes I have more baggage than what I would take on a vacation & I will be home at suppertime.

Now all that stuff doesn't include the "stuff" that comes with kids. Clothes for all seasons, shoes, jewellery, toys, dolls, crafts, purses, books, stuffed animals, movies, every nic nac paddy wack you can imagine!

And everything has to be kept. This is something I must admit I struggle with. They don't even remember the toy yet they have to keep it. The cotton wad with one googly eye is their favourit-est craft ever. And lets not forget the valentines addressed to some boy in your class - he didn't want them & gave them to you so you need to keep all 40 of those too. AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGG!

Well I am inclined to wait til they are out & "purge" but I also remember being that age & doing the exact same thing & miraculously I don't have those nic nac paddy wacks anymore (well okay maybe a few boxes in the basement but no one needs to know that).

The best part of all? I have two gorgeous girls with TONNES of stuff that I get to complain about. Life is good!

Tents on Rainy Days!

My sister & I use to spend hours in our room creating tents out of blankets, chairs & clothespins. We would have so much fun setting up sleeping quarters and even eating our snacks inside of our tents. Playing pretend was definitely a great part of being a kid. Reality as an adult can sometimes suck.

Skylar decided to create her own "fort" as she called it out of umbrella's. Quite ingenious I thought! No need for clothes pins or chairs! She had a little sleeping quarter as well as a computer room. (Something for her generation I guess.)

Naturally Sadie thought this was the best idea ever & could hardly control herself. We had to keep dragging her out of the tent so poor Skylar could get it constructed. She did get to visit once everything was all ready though!

(Thankfully Grandma Murchison wasn't over. Having all those umbrellas up in the house - very bad luck!)

Help I Am Melting!

Okay - I am all for beautiful sunny days here in Winterpeg but the humidity I can do without. We have been visiting Baba Lussier & Pe Pere quite a bit this last week & taking full advantage of their swimming pool in their apartment complex. DIVINE! Thankfully both Sadie & Skylar love the water so it is something we can all do together & enjoy.

I am however getting tired of doing laundry each time we go only to use everything the following day & yes that is right the process begins all over again. But I guess the work is well worth the reward (at least that is what I am trying to convince myself of!).

Summer is here!

The EX

Explain to me again why we are so excited to go to the Ex each year?

Having children this year we were very excited to experience the Ex. Take them on rides, food, petting zoo - you know family fun!

Well believe it or not the absolute best part of the Ex was getting caught in the rain storm. All of us soaked right down to the skin giggling & having fun in the puddles. Even Sadie loved it. Family isn't where you go or the things you pay for. It's the time together. Enjoying whatever life sends your way!

Note how Skylar picked the absolute best time to go on a ride. When the downpour happened on the rest of us!

Could She Be Any Cuter?????

Today Miss Sadie woke up with an amazing bed head. This is not uncommon for our little angel. She often has some amazing peaks & swirls & wings come morning. Today was no exception. I tried as best I could to wet it down & to no avail. So I thought let's see if we can do a little "do".

Well after many a tries I finally got a clip in her hair & have to admit she is the cutest thing in the whole world.

The first pic is an example of her common bed head issues & voila - a viable solution in pic #2.

Happy Fathers Day!

D'Arcy had his first Fathers Day & got to share it with 2 daughters! We had a family day of breakfast, swimming and a whole lot of fun.

To the Best Daddy in the World - D'Arcy - Sure do love you handsome!

Ride Home - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Silence!

Tinkerbell Extravaganza!

Today we ventured out to Rosenort to Grandma & Grandpa Siemens for Skylar's birthday party with her friends from school. The theme was Tinkerbell & we went all out. Tinkerbell cake, bags, napkins, cups, piniata, treat bags, balloons, and on & on.

The party began with the girls decorating crowns & fairy wands. We then had some fun on the trampoline as all fairies do. Hot Dogs for lunch with a yummy Tinkerbell cake (thank-you Mom Janae). Some beating on the Tinkerbell Piniata (Daddy D'Arcy had to kill it after the gentle little fairies had many a turns), some games & of course nail painting. Can any little girls get together in a group without breaking out the nailpolish?

The party was a success & we returned home a little bit more rosy, much more tired & blessed by many a little fairies.

A wonderful day!

Why Oh Why Don't You Listen!

Yep - how many times have I said "She just ate - you shouldn't play with her like that". Today - sweet revenge. Muaaaahhhhhaaaaa

One Can Never Have Too Many Grandmas!

Here is a pic of Skylar's Grandma's at her Birthday Party.

Grandma Siemens (Skylar's Birth Grandma) - Grandma Murchison (my Mom) - Grandma Lussier (D'Arcy's Mom)

Just for info too - Grandma Siemens is holding her granddaughter Kylee & my Mom is holding Sadie.

Gotta love the water gun art on my house hey? I am hoping it is a flower.

Birthday Fun!

All weekend I prayed for sun. I couldn't imagine having 25 people in our little house but God is in control & thankfully he sent Skylar an early birthday present of Sunshine & Swimming weather!

I started this year thinking the very first birthday party I would plan for my child would be on July 21st - when Sadie turned one. But again God is in control & we celebrated our first childs birthday on June 13th (her birthday is actually June 16th). Skylar turned 8 and we couldn't be more thankful for God's plan to bring her to our family.

We had over Lussier Family - Siemens Family (Skylar's & Sadies Birth family) - Murchison Family & dear friends of ours. It was a day of swimming, cupcakes & lots of presents given with much love. I was so impressed with all of our family and friends who embraced Skylar with so much love and generosity. I was teary eyed several times. I know that as a mom I have fallen deeply in lovee with Skylar & can honestly say that I have loved her since the day I met her. I couldn't imagine life without her here. But for friends and family to show such devotion to her really showed me how amazing each of them are. We are blessed in so many ways!

Skylar had an amazing day & today I got to do crafts, crafts, crafts - (thank you to all you mothers who bought her crafts. Just remember your children have birthdays coming!). She read her birthday cards over & over and was thrilled that 90% of them were home made.

Next Saturday we are having another birthday party out at Grandma Siemens in Rosenort. This is for all of Skylar's girl friends at school. I am excited to meet all her friends & see her interact with them. I know she is excited to show her friends her new Mom & Dad & also introduce them to her little sister Sadie. Tinkerbell is the theme & we have gone all out. Did you know they make Tinkerbell Pinatas? So stay tuned for the Tinkerbell Birthday Extravaganza Update!

Water

What is it that excites kids so much? Water! Something so simple - so natural. Skylars eyes light up with the talk of water balloons, pools, water guns, water fights . . . .

She lays in the itty bitty pool - full of smiles & thoroughly enjoying herself. Such a simple pleasure. But that is generally it isn't it? The simple things are the things that we all love so much we just get distracted with all the "clutter" of life.

I remember hours of fun that me & my Lakie cousins had at my Grandma & Grandpa Lakies house. They had a sand box at the side of their house. They had a bucket full of little pots & pans. We were happy to play with the sand & bucket of treasures. But often Grandpa would fill our day with bliss by allowing us to use the water tap at the side of the house too. We would get soaked filling up items & mixing sand, washing things off and doing it all over again.

I am looking forward to more sunny days of simple pleasures with my girls! Hooray for summer. Hooray for water!

Hmpf

Life sure changes when little adorable girls enter your home. There was a time when D'Arcy would return from a business trip & bring me chocolates, flowers or Bath & Body Works goodies. But no more.

Alas today it all changed. D'Arcy returned home & granted when us three girls met him at the airport to pick him up I did get the first kiss. But in the gift department - I was left dry.

Skylar lucked out with a Hippopotamus T-Shirt - there of course is an adorable story as to why he got it - an inside joke between Skylar & D'Arcy. And as I peered into the suitcase I noticed my gift was a bunch of dirty laundry. Hmpf.

Spring Concert

My niece & nephews school in Kleefeld had their Spring Concert tonight so my mom & Sadie & I took the trek to Kleefeld & watched the play. It was absolutely adorable! I love it when teachers keep it short & sweet. The kids had cute costumes & the singing was fun & light & it was finished in 21 minutes. FABULOUS!

Now being Sadies first concert she was a bit taken aback when the lights went down - she began looking around & pointing at the lights. Only to be shocked into attention when the kids began to sang. At which point she seemed to think she was part of the choir & began screaming at the top of her lungs at every lull in the song. Now to me - adorable. To the others surrounding us not so cute.

My sister in her infinite wisdom decided a box of smarties might keep her quiet & occupied. Suddenly Sadie was also the accompaniment & vocal screamer in the play. Although I must say she thoroughly enjoyed singing along & watching the kids in their adorable costumes.

As all good plays must come to an end - so did the Spring Concert. Unfortunately Sadie also experienced her first round of appreciation clapped & nodded no through each round.

All in all I was quite proud that she lasted a few hours after her bedtime & that she got to see the other kids in their play & by my standards (not necessarily the grandma's or other mom's surrounding us) was very good. She loved seeing Chloe as a Turtle. Mind you she would have loved to see Chloe as absolutely anything as long as she was up on stage & accompanied by music!

My Gorgeous Girls!

Hmmmmmmm

Life is truly a journey! For 10 years we had tried for a family & had failures all along the way. Fast forward to year 11 & I now have two little girls. Sadie - 11 months & Skylar - 7 years old. They journey has been challenging but the end result is AMAZING.

D'Arcy and I are truly smitten with our girls. We often look at eachother & ask one another if this is real. How can we be so blessed! We cherish our time with our girls and can't remember what life was like without them. Home feel just right now. Can't explain it but it is just right.

Sadie has mastered the word "no" and jabbering constantly. She is beyond adorable and one smart cookie. We are thinking she is a genius but you know that is only our humble opinion. Naturally she is absolutely in love with Skylar. All she does is watch her big sister bop around the house.

Skylar is with us on weekends and we miss her terribly during the week. She will be with us forever in July. We can hardly wait. She is our little performer, singer and is absolutely beautiful. She is truly my daughter - she tidies constantly. She is great with Sadie but can't understand why she is always staring at her.

D'Arcy is in heaven in his new "pink" world. He is surrounded by girls & is loving every minute. It is so true that daughters have their Daddy's wrapped around their fingers! He is whipped by our girls. He is banned from going to a toy store alone. I have stopped even mentioning toys that might be nice or good because the next time he goes out he comes home with it. I love seeing him with them. It warms my heart to know how lucky our girls are to have such an amazing Daddy.

I am thoroughly enjoying just being at home & being a Mommy. I have waited a very long time & I am going to savour every single moment! I am loving dressing my girls & decorating their rooms. Planning birthday parties and hearing their dreams. Life is sooooooooooooooooo good.

Well that is my life. It may sound simple & blah but to me it is paradise.