Bounce - Bounce - Bounce

Well with the snow settling into Winnipeg I decided it was time to find some healthy indoor activities for the girls.

I washed up some of the outdoor toys (the slide, spinner) and bought a playmat puzzle for the basement. The girls have been having fun in their new area.

I have two friends who both bought for their kids mini trampolines. Everytime my kids go to their homes they bounce away. So I headed to Walmart & looked through the fitness department for a mini trampoline. There it was for a mere $40. My girls have been jumping since. What an awesome buy! They love it. Right now it is in the living room so that they can jump under supervision & while listening to music - we will see how long I can handle that before it moves down stairs.

A great buy for getting rid of some winter energy!

Operation Christmas Child

Each year I take part in the Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive. I get my shoebox & fill it with treats & goodies for a little one somewhere in the world who needs a little love.

This year we took part especially for our girls. It is tough for them to grasp what it is like (well really for any of us!) to live in a third world country & the hardships children their age experience each day. Searching for food, clean water, yearning to attend school.

So last sunday we picked up our Christmas boxes at church & Friday night we headed to Dollarama to fill it with goodies. The girls loved picking items to send & really looked for something "their girl" would like. Sadie even picked out some really cute items for her box. When we got home we put the items into our boxes (and had to create another box since we went a bit overboard!) and the girls coloured & decorated their boxes.

This morning we sealed the boxes and the girls were so excited to bring their boxes to church for the Christmas box service. Sadie had to carry her box into church all by herself & she actually struggled with it but would not give it to us - she had to carry it. Skylar took the 3 boxes to her class & then during the service placed the boxes on the large pile at the front of the church. We then watched a video of the kids around the world receiving the boxes.

The whole experience was certainly two fold. Our children need to remember those around us who are in need. Even if those in need are halfway around the world. I want them to grow up socially aware and empathetic. I am also thankful we were given the opportunity to give our meager gifts to 3 deserving children in the world & pray they are blessed by our very small sacrifice.

Take the time to so something for a small child who needs something to smile about! Do a Christmas box for Operation Christmas Child.

It's Official - She is Stuck with Us

Well yesterday was a very important day for us Lussier's. Skylar's adoption was finalized & signed off by a judge. She is stuck with us forever . . . .

We started the day by getting ready & going to CFS where Skylar got to catch up with her old social worker Andre - who she loves. Andre came all the way in from Winkler for 9am just to attend Skylar's signing. It meant alot to all of us. We then walked over to the court house & into the judge's chambers where he welcomed us & signed the official adoption papers & congratulated us on our "forever family". Sky was really nervous but I am so happy we had the opportunity to be there when the document was signed.

Afterwards we changed into some "fun" clothes & then headed to Kid City for the afternoon. We had a blast. All in all an amazing day that I am so thankful for.

I've posted a picture of us all at the judges chambers.

Happy Halloween

I cannot believe that tomorrow is already Halloween! This year has just flown by. The girls are so excited & I am excited to see them enjoy tomorrow too!

This week we went to Boo at the Zoo and the girls had a blast. They went on rides & dined on mini donuts. Both were adorable in their costumes - Sadie is a mouse this year & Skylar is a black cat.

Tonight we had Grandma & Grandpa Siemens over & Tummy Mummy Janae to carve pumpkins. The girls had a blast. Skylar did an Angry Bird pumpkin & Sadie helped me with a Kitty Cat. Naturally they dined on way too many candies so bed time was very interesting tonite. I can only imagine what tomorrow night will be like!

Overall an amazing few days of family fun. I am blessed!

Snuggles

Last night Sadie had a hard time at bedtime. She was out of sorts & cried quite a bit which is very rare for her at bedtime. Generally she just gets in bed asks for books & says goodnight. But I actually love the nights she needs me. I love to cuddle with her & stroke her hair & have her so close & still. Now that she is so active these moments are few & far between. I often wonder if moms who haven't had a struggle to have children cherish these moments as much as I do. I could sit there all night and hold her.

After leaving Sadies room I crawled into bed with Skylar and had some girl chat with her. Things are so much more interesting when you are whispering them in bed aren't they? I love to snuggle up with her & rub her back while she tells me all about the cute boy in school and every little detail about Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber's visit to Winnipeg. I didn't have those early year snuggles so I want to make sure I get as many as I can now while she lets me. No doubt the older she gets the less we will snuggle but I am gonna fight hard to keep them going as long as I can!

Boo at the Zoo tonight - Pics to come!

Here is a pic of the girls on Sadie's birthday.  Aren't they adorable?

Waaaaaaaaaaaay too long!

Okay - I honestly cannot believe it has been this long since my last post! Shame on me. Well my girls are now one year older. Sadie is now 2 and Skylar is now 9. Time goes way too fast! Both are thriving & keeping me & D'Arcy very busy. I am loving that Sadie can now talk (although she goes on & on & on & on lately). Skylar is now so comfortable in her own skin that I cannot begin to say how happy that makes me. She is just being a little girl & letting us worry about "life" and that is so awesome!

I am gonna post two photo's of the girls. One of Sadie's new "thing" she loves to take anything with a smooth texture & rub it all over her face. Paint, pudding, whip topping, gravy - you name it. On this one posted D'Arcy & Sky & I were goofing around in the kitchen while Sadie finished off her pudding & Skylar turned to face Sadie & her eyes popped out of her head. We laughed so hard - I couldn't even tell Sadie was under all that chocolate pudding.


Well I will post again soon. Want to get back into writing. Don't abandon me - I will keep writing.

(((((((Hugs))))))))