We're home!

November was all about packing and saying good bye to all of our Canadian friends. Blenheim welcomed us into their community with welcome arms and we won't soon forget all of the amazing people we met. The Richards, in particular, "adopted" us and truly made us feel part of their family. We are so grateful for that.

After much discussion, Trevor and I came to the decision that we need to be in Maine closer to my family. So, once again, we packed everything (truth be told, some stuff was never UNpacked!) and loaded it into the huge moving truck. Before we left, Corinne was able to participate in her first swim meet. She competed in the 100 meter free style, backstroke and butterfly. She didn't place, but we were impressed with her time for her first ever meet!

The drive back to Maine was made much easier because Grammy Robin came out to get Lincoln and flew him back with her. It was a win-win for everyone! My car ride was much calmer (with only Sophie chatting my ear off) and we were able to get in way more driving hours. Grammy and Pop Pop loved having Lincoln to themselves for a few days. Lincoln rode the tractor, fed the chickens, collected eggs and really just soaked up all the attention!

We're now settled into our Sawyer St house in South Portland are loving living less than a mile from my brother and his family, less than a mile from the beach, and having the greenbelt (a 7 mile bike path) right beside our house. 

Corinne's teachers reported she has found a good group of girls to hang out with and she is excelling in her classes. Ayla is making lots of friends and is doing well academically, despite some reminders to stay focused. Sophie loves having her cousin and now bff, Ava, in her school. They're in different classrooms but enjoying spending recess together. 

We went to an open house at Baxter Academy in South Portland, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) charter school that Corinne wanted to check out. She has a few friends from Brunswick who are interested in going as well. You might think it odd that Corinne wants to go to a STEM school, since she is so intensely interested in reading and writing, but it's the allure of something different that drew her in. She loved the open house and has fingers crossed her name is drawn in the lottery at the beginning of February. We have arranged for her to have a tour of South Portland High School to ensure we're helping her make an informed decision about where to spend her high school years. 

Ayla and Sophie are starting gymnastics in December. They're both excited to get back into it. Corinne and Ayla are starting guitar lessons again next week. They're taking them at the Maine Academy of Modern Music, which has opportunities for them to join different ensembles and/or bands. There are lots of other opportunities to get involved with at the school as well. 

Lincoln is enjoying his new daycare. They've already asked to take him home! He's in a classroom with kids ages 2 1/2 to 5, so he'll stay in that room until he goes to kindergarten. They're outdoors twice a day and Lincoln loves his "job" he's assigned each day. 

I've been subbing every day in one of the elementary or middle schools in Portland. It's fun to be able to work with kids and not take any work home! I have accepted an HR Coordinator position at Maine Medical Center and I'll be starting December 7th. I'm super excited to be working with my previous manager from Mercy Hospital! I already know it's going to be a great fit! The schedule allows me to be at home two mornings a week so Trevor and I are splitting the mornings between us, which means Sophie and Lincoln are home until we drop them off at their schools. 

Trevor is settling into his new practice and is already booking up very quickly! He's enjoying spending time working with people who are motivated to get well and stay healthy. He's excited to be able to make his own schedule and is looking forward to making his office his own space. 

All in all, we know we are where we want to be: home. Maine is home and we've already seen more of our family in the past month than we've ever seen before. The girls and I enjoyed my cousins bridal shower where I got to visit with my Gram, aunts and cousins. We've had lots of get togethers with my brother and his family. We've also been able to get together with a few friends. 

We spent Thanksgiving at my mom and Mark's house with my cousin and her husband. It was a great second Thanksgiving spent with family! The girls and I made it to the movies with Grammy Robin and Kelly over Thanksgiving break as well. 

It's hard to believe my next post will be wrapping up the end of 2015. It's been a crazy whirlwind of a year, but we're on the path and looking forward to what's next!

September Update!

We had a great end of summer camping trip to the Pinery Provincial Park. Bike rides, the beach, hiking, kayaking and roasting marshmallows were the ingredients for a great family vacation! It was so nice to be outdoors in our element! The weather was great and we enjoyed every minute of it!

Corinne joined the swim team and is excited for her first meet in a few weeks. She's been learning how to dive off the block, complete flip turns and has worked on stroke improvement. She'll be competing in the 100 meter freestyle, backstroke and breast stroke.

Ayla and Sophie have been loving gymnastics. Ayla is in the more advanced group and practices two hours a week. Sophie, who didn't want to do it AT ALL, is, of course, loving it!

Corinne and Ayla continue to enjoy guitar lessons. Ayla wrote her own song and wants to write lyrics to it. The teacher is very impressed with both of them.

Trevor and I had a weekend away for a three day conference in Ottawa. Corinne spent the weekend with Dave and Trudy, which are Dr. Jamie's parents. It was a teenagers dream- sleeping in until noon, unlimited internet, and clothes shopping (without her nagging parents telling her to pick something out that isn't black!). She also came home with all kinds of baked treats (gluten-free of course!).

Ayla, Lincoln and Sophie spent the weekend with Betty, an amazing family friend who is great with the kids. They went to the beach looking for sea glass, painted bird houses and enjoyed a two-night sleepover at Betty's house.

Trevor and I had a fun weekend away made possible by knowing the kids were in great hands!

We're looking forward to our first Canadian Thanksgiving this Monday. We have plans to go to a friends house who also have four kids. In total we'll have 11 kids and six adults- it should be fun!!

The End of Summer...

We’re wrapping up summer and getting ready for school. Where did the time go?!

The kids had one week to hang out after back to back Grandma visits before heading off to camp. Corinne went to OELC (Ontario Educational Leadership Centre). She was nominated by her teacher and principal, which was a big honor. She went during the “Arts” week and she had to choose a major. The options were creative writing, dancing, theatre, and music. Corinne went for writing, but loved being able to have time to explore the other majors. She made some great friends and really enjoyed developing confidence and leadership skills. She said she definitely wants to go back again next year. 

Ayla went to Forest Cliff Camp and she choose arts and crafts as her main activity. When we asked her what her favorite part of camp was, she told us all about banana boating, which is riding on a banana shaped tube behind a boat. She enjoyed the girls in her cabin and all the outdoor activities. She also made some really cool arts and crafts and won an award for one project. She said she wants to go back again, too. 

Sophie went to day camp at the local rec. She did NOT want to go, but of course, had a blast! A lot of parents use it as daycare and she said to me, “Mumma! This is the last week and some kids got to go all summer. I want to go again!” They swam almost every day, went to the splash pad, the playground and had a field trip to a park with inflatable bounce houses and slides. 

So, we were definitely three for three on camp this year- YAY! :) 

Ayla choose to bring two friends to Springz, a huge indoor trampoline park for her 11th birthday. They had a ton of fun jumping and we finished with ice cream. The actual day of her birthday, Heather, the nanny, took all four of them to Adventure on Wonderland, which is a huge indoor playground. Heather said it was hard to tell which of them enjoyed it more. It was definitely a very fun day!

Lincoln continues to entertain us on a daily basis. It is crazy how much he is talking and how full of personality he is. He is starting to get freckles across his cheeks is the perfect combination of Trevor and I both in his looks and behavior! 

Trevor and I completed the Blenheim Mud Run this weekend.  One of the coaches from our gym did it with us and we had a lot of fun getting dirty! We finished the weekend off by competing in the Suns Out Guns out competition at West London Cross Fit. It was a super fun team event with a yummy potluck lunch. During the competition the kids had fun playing with sidewalk chalk, putting on tattoos and playing with each other. 

We are super excited to be going on a four day camping trip to Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron the first week of September and the last week before school starts. You’ll hear all about how much fun we had with my September update. 

June/July Happenings

June seems like a really long time ago, but I'm going to try to make sure I get in all the high lights!

Sophie celebrated her sixth birthday by having three friends sleep over. They enjoyed time at the splash pad, birthday cake, a movie and playing outdoors. They fell asleep at a pretty decent hour and everyone had lots of fun! I still remember rocking Sophie to sleep and cuddling with her in the morning before she could even talk. Time flies!!

I participated in the 24 hour Survivor fundraiser for the Blenheim Youth Centre. It's based on the tv show with two teams, challenges, people voted off, etc. It was a lot of fun and allowed me to meet a bunch of great people. I didn't win, but I was voted favorite player and won a weekend cottage get-away!

The kids finished up the school year with good grades and excited about their teacher for the fall. Corinne is in a 7/8 class, Ayla has the same teacher for 6th grade (whom she loves) and Sophie is looking forward to 1st grade.

Ayla, Sophie and Lincoln finished swim lessons in June with out a ton of improvement. Lincoln passed his level, but Sophie and Ayla didn't. The good news is, we've been swimming A LOT in friends' pools this summer and they have all become great swimmers. Sophie swims underwater, by herself in the deep end and can float on her belly and back. Ayla needed to work on her back float, which she has nailed! Now that the water is above 80 degrees we can't get Lincoln out of the pool.

I'm working on fall activity schedules, but am hoping to have all three in swim lessons again. Corinne may be joining the swim team, but more info to come on that. Ayla, Sophie and Lincoln are also looking forward to gymnastics.

Ayla and Corinne have started guitar lessons and will continue in the fall as well. The teacher is very impressed with both of them!! Corinne plays guitar daily for hours, while Ayla needs a little more prompting. Their teacher asked them to each come up with a list of bands, songs, and genres of music they listen to so he can incorporate it into their lessons, which definitely makes it fun for them.

We started July off with some dear friends from Maine- the Luchies! We celebrated Canada Day with them at the beach and then a fire that night complete with s'mores! Following their visit came Corinne's good friend Emma and her mom, Beth Ann. They had a great time together exploring London (a nearby city), laser tag, picking strawberries, swimming and just hanging out. Although Emma is Corinne's friend, all the kids enjoyed both her and Beth Ann. 

We supported one of our coaches from The Underground Fit Club at a cross fit competition she was in at Port Stanley Beach. It was definitely the nicest beach we've been to here and we're looking forward to going again this summer. The sand and vast lake reminded us of home!

Grandma Connie was our next visitor near the end of July. The girls had a great first day with her in the blueberry fields. They came home with 22 POUNDS of blueberries!!! We've had blueberry pancakes, blueberry pie, blueberry smoothies and still have a freezer full! We spent a great day in the pool at a friend's house. It's so great to see all four kids swimming and not wanting to get out of the water. We spent a day in London at the farmers market, which was really fun. The girls enjoyed all the different crafts and vendors, while Lincoln enjoyed touching everything. We ate some great local food and headed off to laser tag. On our last day with Connie we went to Point Pelee hiking and kayaking. It was Connie's first time in a kayak and she did great! Corinne and Ayla enjoyed showing her the area and their own kayak skills. 

We took Connie to the airport on Monday and went back Wednesday to pick up Grandma Gay. We showed Gay around the area and she was able to spend time with the kids swimming, running around the splash pad and hanging out with friends. We spent a day at Greenview Aviaries Park & Zoo. The kids loved feeding the animals and reading about the places they were from. We played many games of dominoes and did some art projects with Grandma as well. 

In between all of our visitors the kids have been hanging out with their nanny two days a week. We couldn't ask for a more amazing person to be with our kids while we're at work. She is awesome with all four of them. They've been strawberry picking, swimming almost every day (indoors or out depending on the weather), going to the library, the fair, and lots of art projects when it was rainy at the beginning of the summer. We're very grateful to have her with us this summer. 

In August the girls are all looking forward to camp for a week. Ayla and Corinne's is both a week long overnight camp, while Sophie's is a day camp. We're hoping to squeeze in a camping trip before the summer is over too. So many fun things to do!!!

May Update!

May was another busy month for the Bevans bunch! I actually started this blog at the beginning of the month, but now that I have made time to finish and post it, I’ve realized June is already half gone!!

We’re almost done with swim lessons. I’m happy to report that Lincoln now loves it! He went with the instructor one day when I forgot my bathing suit and he’s also been once with Trevor and he’s been happy and cooperative every time. It’s so much more fun when he’s not screaming! :) 

Corinne had the best field trip she’s ever been on! Her class went to Niagra Falls and went on the Maid in the Mist, which is a boat that goes really close to the falls. They all got soaked, but thankfully it was a nice day out. She went to the Nightmares Fear Factory, which is a super scary haunted house. She went in with three boys and only came out with one. Two of them got too scared to continue and had to have staff people come rescue them. Corinne said she was really terrified, but was determined not to quit! She wants us to go back and have us do it with her again, but said she thinks it’s too scary for Ayla. They also went to an amusement park and she enjoyed some big roller coasters. I was pretty impressed with how much they packed into one day. Corinne was on a definite high from all the excitement when I picked her up that night. 

I enjoyed my first ever quarter auction. I’m not sure if it’s a Canadian thing or not, but they seem pretty popular around here. You can bid on items by putting a quarter down and if your paddle number is chosen, then you win. It was fun to sit with some people that I was able to get to know better and I even won some lip gloss!

We bought three kayaks and have been able to go a couple of times. On a long holiday weekend we went kayaking with friends of ours who have three little girls. We looked like a pretty serious crew with seven boats cruising through Rondeau Bay! We explored little inlets, saw goslings, and some turtles and enjoyed fishing on the dock. 

Corinne and Trevor had a chance to go kayaking by themselves on a weekend day that Sophie and Ayla had play dates. We’re all very excited that we’ve made some great friends so quickly. It definitely didn’t take long to immerse ourselves in the community. 

I started on a women’s baseball team. It’s been a lot of fun playing again and hanging out with some local girls. We’ve lost some and won some, but had fun every time!

Trevor has had fun watching a few boxing fights with friends. He also played in a golf tournament, which has got him thinking he needs to golf more often! 

The girls are looking forward to summer- we’re jam packed with summer camps, visitors and family camping trips! Summer 2015- here we come!!

Another month has flown by!

So, we've been in Blenheim eight weeks now and I think we're feeling pretty settled. I just read my last update and I said we were feeling settled then, but now I know that we're really in our regular routine with me working, Lincoln in daycare and the school breaks over until summer.

Lincoln, Sophie and Ayla have all started swim lessons. Sophie was reluctant at first, but is loving it! She's getting braver with each lesson and will soon be swimming like a fish! Ayla is proud of her ability to bob in and out of the water many times with out plugging her nose. Lincoln has loved our unstructured time at the pool, going on the slide and doing whatever he wants. Lessons, on the other hand, are a different story. He has cried through the first two and screams to get out of the pool. I had assumed he would love it, so it's a little discouraging, but we're not quitting! He usually starts out happy and laughing, but after about 5-7 minutes he's done. The lesson is only half an hour, so we make it through, but it's not pleasant. I'm hoping it's not how all the next 7 lessons go.

Corinne was nominated for a leadership camp this summer. She can choose the focus she wants, whether it be academic, athletic or arts. She is choosing arts and is excited to go in August for her first week of overnight camp. She also received a "Roars" award at school, which is given to several kids each month who showed a characteristic the school was focusing on. They also have what's called "genius hour" where the kids are given an hour once a week to do a focused research project on their choosing. Corinne studied sleep and learned some really interesting stuff, including different kinds of dreams.

Sophie went to her first birthday party by herself. Normally, she wants me to stay with her, but I had an event at The Underground Fit Club I needed to be at for work. I prepped her for being by herself, without trying to scare her, and she was determined to do it. When I picked her up the mom said Sophie stayed by herself and watched for about half an hour, then joined in. She didn't want to go home when I got there, so that's a good sign. She's even talking about wanting to do an overnight camp this summer, so we'll see.

We're loving the beach being a 30 second car ride away (or a short walk/bike ride). We went the other day and after being dared by Corinne to go under, Ayla did it and came out screaming! Lincoln was mesmerized by a horse who was walked down to the beach with his owner. It's the first time he's seen a horse up close and he loved it!

As far as work goes, Trevor and I are both really enjoying Extraordinary Life Chiropractic. My schedule is perfect to be able to maximize my time with the kids. Trevor is working long hours right now getting everything up and running with Dr. Jamie. The Underground Fit Club is open and Trevor is excited about coaching classes.

We're looking forward to visits from both Grandma Gay and Grandma Connie this summer. Teacher friends of mine will also be coming for a few days with their kiddos. We've done some exploring and found lots of great places to go camping, so we're excited about that. We're still calling all friends and family to book their visit! We'd love to see you!! :)

Canada, eh?

We're here and we're mostly settled. Finally. :) 

I have sent a few updates to some friends and family, so some of this may be repetitive for you. 

My dearest friend, Emily, asked me to describe my new life in Blenheim in three words yesterday. Wow. Um. I had no idea what to say. I felt like I was back in school and doing an on demand writing assessment trying to impress Lucy Calkins (teachers know who Lucy is). AHHHHH! ;) 

I've thought about it more and my three words are: Community. Slow. Excitement. 

Community- I love the small town feeling of when I walk into the bank and the tellers say, "Jenn! How's everything going?" I love that the girls have all made friends at school and feel a part of the culture. Corinne said this is the fastest she's ever made friends at any school. I love that we have dear friends half a mile away who feel like family. I like being able to walk from the coffee shop, to the Life By Design Centre, to the post office, the library and the bank all within two minutes. 

Slow- The internet. The mail. What internet, actually, since we STILL don't have it at home and may never have it at home. Stay posted on that. The mail- takes about two weeks for anything. I'm telling myself the relaxed pace is good for me. No need for the crazy fast paced American life. :) 

Excitement. Received my first email today from the Life By Design Centre welcoming me to my new email account as their Community Outreach Coordinator.  Trevor and I are both beyond excited about seeing the Centre come together. The final touches are being finished for Extraordinary Life Chiropractic and the Underground Fit Club will be next. It's exciting to be part of this amazing opportunity from the very beginning.

So, Emily, there you are. That was what I was trying to say yesterday. I just needed some time to process it. :) 

Our house is great. I'm actually enjoying living in the smaller space. We're loving the amazing lake view each day and can't wait for it to warm up enough to swim! We don't have water access from our house, but our neighbors have steps to the beach, so we need to friend them! We can also walk or ride bikes to the beach that is only half a mile away. We have met all of our other neighbors though and everyone is very friendly. Corinne's enjoying her mini-apartment in the basement. Trevor set up the futon, coffee table, tv, wii, entertainment center last weekend. It's a nice space for the girls to hang out. 

School. As I mentioned, all three girls are loving it. Ayla's class has gone ice skating a couple of times and she is getting pretty good. Sophie likes that her class is Senior Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten, which is 4 year olds. She likes being the older one. Ayla has met a friend that is from Florida- the two Americans clicked right away and her mom told me she can't stop talking about Ayla. Corinne told me her whole class is one big group of friends and she likes pretty much everyone. 

We went swimming at the rec pool and had a blast! There were tons of kids there since it was spring vacation and they had lots of cool floats to play on for older kids and toys for the younger ones. Lincoln was an animal on the slide- often throwing himself down before I was even ready to catch him. He kept pushing my hands away thinking he could swim on his own. I'm going to sign him and Sophie up for swim lessons to prepare us for the summer. Sophie is resistant, but I'm hoping she will overcome her fear of swimming with out a device by the time it's over. 

Lincoln's daycare is awesome! It's super flexible, which is perfect! He only has to go a minimum of two morning a week to hold my "full time" slot. I only pay for when he's there and I have four weeks of vacation where I don't have to send him or pay. The women who work there are great and they have a website they update daily with his activities, nap times, meals, pictures, etc. He's loving playing with friends and I'm enjoying a few moments to myself to catch up on email, grocery shopping and unpacking/organizing the house. 

It seems like forever ago, but we enjoyed Niagra Falls on Corinne's birthday. Even though it was pretty cold and there was a lot of ice, it was a pretty amazing sight! Corinne took a hundred pictures with her new iPod she got for her birthday. 

Lincoln turned two! Where has the time gone? We celebrated with Jamie, Dana and baby Andie. Lincoln could not be any more in love with her. He is so cute with her. We had them in the backseat together on the way to the mall and he held her hand the whole time. So precious.

Our amazing family threw us an awesome going away party at my brother's house before we left. It was so nice to see everyone and spend some time relaxing and visiting before the long trip. We were reminded of all the great people we would be missing and it was definitely very bittersweet. 

All in all, we're getting settled and adjusting to our everyday schedules well. We're looking forward to visits from family and friends this summer. Remember, we live ON THE LAKE and are open to visitors any time. We would LOVE to have you!!! :) 

New Year, New Beginnings... January Update!

If you haven't already heard, we're moving to Canada! In just two weeks we'll be heading out for Blenheim, Ontario. Trevor has an amazing opportunity working at The Life By Design Centre. Check it out, Life By Design Centre and here Life By Design Centre Facebook.

The best word to describe it is really bittersweet. We love Maine. We love the people in Maine. We love my family. BUT, we have to take this once in a lifetime opportunity for Trevor to be part of an extraordinary centre that is a total health solution combining three world class businesses under one roof- a functional fitness facility, a chiropractic office and a by design cafe.

This opportunity will also allow me to stay home with the kids. I'm looking forward to stress-free mornings and afternoons hanging out with them. I'm excited to go to Tales for Twos at the library with Lincoln, enjoy the lake that will be right outside our door and spend more time with Trevor because he will have a much more balanced schedule.

Ayla is excited for a new adventure, Corinne is getting used to the idea, Sophie changes her mind day to day and Lincoln hasn't said much yet. :) All in all, I'm looking forward to us all being there, getting settled in to every day life and enjoying small town life in Blenheim.

We close on our house March 2nd and plan to leave that day. We'll be arriving in Blenheim Tuesday or Wednesday. My last day of school was yesterday and Trevor will work through the 20th. We'll have a week off together with the kids in daycare and school to get packed. Wish us luck! :)

Ok, so, January. Let's recap the fun things we did, besides deciding to move to Canada, putting our house on the market and giving our notices at our jobs.

We enjoyed both Corinne playing the clarinet and Ayla playing the saxophone at their school band concerts. Ayla also played a duet with her friend. Both concerts were great!

Corinne, Ayla and Trevor enjoyed two nights up at Oatmeal In a Bowl (Jeremy's cabin at Sugarloaf named by Ava). They skied Saturday and Sunday (thanks Grandma Gay for the gift card!) despite the frigid temperatures. With their ski masks bought after only a few runs, they were able to stay warm and have fun! They were all laughing hysterically at the mad libs they created on the car ride- good old fashioned fun! Sophie, Lincoln and I stayed busy that weekend at home having friends over and Sophie enjoyed a Frozen themed birthday party for a friend. She is already planning her own Frozen themed birthday party for June!!

We're looking forward to lots of time spent with friends and family before we leave. It's hard to believe my next update will be from Blenheim, Ontario!

2015 Here We Come!!!

December was filled with friends, family and great times spent together. We started the month off with the Holland Chiropractic seasonal get together at Maine Indoor Karting. Who knew Trevor and I were both so competitive?! We had a blast doing a fun run, a run for time and placement and then finally the actual race. Even though I started the race in second place, Trevor finished in second place with me far behind due to a seatbelt malfunction. We had so much fun and hope to get back.

We enjoyed a Christmas party at my cousin Lindsey's new house. All of the adults were marveling at how many grandchildren there are. We had fun dressing people up as Olaf with toilet paper, playing Christmas themed Family Feud and enjoying some REALLY yummy food. It was a fun afternoon and felt special to have everyone (minus my sister and her family) there.

Ayla did well at her dance recital showing off her hip hop dance skills! She has rhythm and a talent, so we'll make sure she keeps dancing! We were totally bummed because Corinne was sick for several days and unable to make it to the recital. She refuses to show us her moves at home, so we'll just have to wait to see her skills at a wedding!

The girls and I had a full two weeks off this year, which felt really long (in a good way). It was hard for all of us to go back on Monday. We mostly just hung out at home and enjoyed Trevor having a four day weekend with us around Christmas. We were fortunate to have my family come to us so we didn't have to travel. We enjoyed Grammy Robin and PopPop on Christmas day, then Grampy Tim and Grammy Kelly the next day.

Aunt Ashley, Uncle Justin and Hudson spent the weekend with us, which was nice to have so much time with them. The girls and especially Lincoln, really loved meeting and marveling at Hudson. Ashley and I tried to think of a fun activity for us to do, but when we realized we were 9 people, five of which were ages 3 months to 12 years, we couldn't come up with anything. The girls were content to hang at home though and the adults enjoyed visiting.

New Years Eve we had a family sleepover with our friends, the Browns. They were very gracious hosts and we had a blast with them. It's nice to ring in the new year with such great people!

We ended the two week vacation up at Sugarloaf at Oatmeal in a Bowl with the Benn's. The kids had fun playing together and Corinne especially enjoyed staying up late with the adults and winning Phase Ten! We went swimming at Sugarloaf's fitness center and were smiling to ourselves as we waved from the outdoor hot tubs to the people freezing on the ski lifts!

We are feeling excited about the new opportunities coming up for us in 2015 and knowing we'll make this an awesome year!