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!! :)
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
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!!! :)
Saturday, February 14, 2015
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!
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!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Fall Update!
Woah! Somehow a few months got away from me!! We've been very busy with school and lots of activities and can't believe it's almost December!!!
We had a really fun day in October with friends picking apples, making soup, making and more importantly, eating, apple crisp. Not to mention we also carved pumpkins! It was a delightful day spent with amazing people!
Ayla and Sophie spent a day with Aunt Karen, Grammy Robin and Amelia making really awesome fairy gardens. I had no idea how involved and intricate they could be! They were made in large bowls and are decorating our dining room and kitchen until the weather is warm enough to have them outside. Trevor, Corinne, Lincoln and I met up with them in Freeport for the annual Pumpkin Festival. The girls had their faces painted, carved more pumpkins, play games and marveled at the thousands of pumpkins all over the sidewalks.
Halloween this year was interesting now that Lincoln is walking. He is very independent and doesn't want to be carried anywhere. Chasing him around and scraping him off the pavement every time he fell, got old rather quickly. His night ended early with me nursing him in the car while Trevor followed the girls from house to house trick or treating. Corinne marched with the band in the Halloween parade and went trick or treating with a friend.
We just had conferences for all three girls and couldn't be happier. Corinne led hers by going through her portfolio with us. She has some great writing pieces that had me in awe (a science narrative) and made me laugh out loud (a story about sniffing cocoa powder). I was proud of her ability to show me her work and explain what she's been learning. She doesn't offer much at home, so it was a great insight into her world at school.
Ayla's teacher expressed her happiness at how Ayla's focus and attention have been right on target. She is completing her work and doing very well. Sophie is also doing great! She is solid across the board with academics and is also starting to open up more at school. She has been raising her hand to contribute to class discussions and making and playing with new friends.
Corinne is in the second round of her manga drawing class. She is working on finishing the writing for her graphic novel and putting final touches on the drawings. Her teacher has mentioned publishing to her on several occasions and she seems excited about the possibility. She started guitar lessons again, after a few weeks of her teacher being unavailable. She continues to do really well and enjoy it.
Ayla's Girl Scout troop put a ton of work into a celebration for veterans. She continues to enjoy Girl Scouts and also hip hop dance class. Both her and Corinne have their dance recital on the 18th. I'll see what I can do about recording it for all of you to see.
Corinne and Trevor have enjoyed time together hunting the past few weekends. They both love being out in the woods, in the quiet, observing. They have only seen one deer and are anxious to get one in the last few days up at my mom's.
Lincoln is getting funnier every day. I love this age and seeing his personality emerge. He loves running around the house and being chased by his sisters. He loves playing Ring Around the Rosies with Sophie and riding on Corinne's back. He has a contagious laugh and lots of energy!
We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with family in Bangor this week. Not that I'm counting, but if I were, I would know there are only three weeks left of school before a two week winter vacation!! I have a great class this year and am trying hard to keep everything balanced, which is always a juggling act!
Another month and I'll be writing about the end of the year as 2015 begins! Happy Holidays!!!
We had a really fun day in October with friends picking apples, making soup, making and more importantly, eating, apple crisp. Not to mention we also carved pumpkins! It was a delightful day spent with amazing people!
Ayla and Sophie spent a day with Aunt Karen, Grammy Robin and Amelia making really awesome fairy gardens. I had no idea how involved and intricate they could be! They were made in large bowls and are decorating our dining room and kitchen until the weather is warm enough to have them outside. Trevor, Corinne, Lincoln and I met up with them in Freeport for the annual Pumpkin Festival. The girls had their faces painted, carved more pumpkins, play games and marveled at the thousands of pumpkins all over the sidewalks.
Halloween this year was interesting now that Lincoln is walking. He is very independent and doesn't want to be carried anywhere. Chasing him around and scraping him off the pavement every time he fell, got old rather quickly. His night ended early with me nursing him in the car while Trevor followed the girls from house to house trick or treating. Corinne marched with the band in the Halloween parade and went trick or treating with a friend.
We just had conferences for all three girls and couldn't be happier. Corinne led hers by going through her portfolio with us. She has some great writing pieces that had me in awe (a science narrative) and made me laugh out loud (a story about sniffing cocoa powder). I was proud of her ability to show me her work and explain what she's been learning. She doesn't offer much at home, so it was a great insight into her world at school.
Ayla's teacher expressed her happiness at how Ayla's focus and attention have been right on target. She is completing her work and doing very well. Sophie is also doing great! She is solid across the board with academics and is also starting to open up more at school. She has been raising her hand to contribute to class discussions and making and playing with new friends.
Corinne is in the second round of her manga drawing class. She is working on finishing the writing for her graphic novel and putting final touches on the drawings. Her teacher has mentioned publishing to her on several occasions and she seems excited about the possibility. She started guitar lessons again, after a few weeks of her teacher being unavailable. She continues to do really well and enjoy it.
Ayla's Girl Scout troop put a ton of work into a celebration for veterans. She continues to enjoy Girl Scouts and also hip hop dance class. Both her and Corinne have their dance recital on the 18th. I'll see what I can do about recording it for all of you to see.
Corinne and Trevor have enjoyed time together hunting the past few weekends. They both love being out in the woods, in the quiet, observing. They have only seen one deer and are anxious to get one in the last few days up at my mom's.
Lincoln is getting funnier every day. I love this age and seeing his personality emerge. He loves running around the house and being chased by his sisters. He loves playing Ring Around the Rosies with Sophie and riding on Corinne's back. He has a contagious laugh and lots of energy!
We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with family in Bangor this week. Not that I'm counting, but if I were, I would know there are only three weeks left of school before a two week winter vacation!! I have a great class this year and am trying hard to keep everything balanced, which is always a juggling act!
Another month and I'll be writing about the end of the year as 2015 begins! Happy Holidays!!!
Friday, October 10, 2014
September
We all survived the first month of school and have settled into our routines! It's a little crazy with the girls all at different schools this year and different after school commitments each day, but it keeps us all on our toes!
Corinne has started a drawing class that is focused on graphic novel type art. It's exactly what she is into and she's been loving it. Her instructor has already told us she could be getting paid for what she's doing. It's about time she started pulling her weight around here, so I told her to get selling! It's an introductory course that runs 8 weeks. It's almost over, but she'll be continuing each Saturday for an hour and a half with the intermediate course. She also applied for GT Art at school, which means she completed a portfolio and if she gets in, will have studio art time during school.
Corinne is continuing with guitar lessons and has even written a song. She hasn't put it to music yet and says she won't sing it, but maybe Trevor can help her out with the vocals. I offered, but was shot down.
Ayla and Corinne are taking a hip hop dance class in Brunswick. They are both enjoying it, but have been very reluctant to show us any moves. A family dance off is in the near future!
Ayla started the month by celebrating her birthday (late because of other weekend commitments) with a sleepover. Five girls at our house in addition to our normal crew was pretty intense. (Or really "obnoxious and loud" as Corinne put it.) They ran around outside for most of the afternoon and enjoyed eating dinner at their own table in the kitchen. They all slept in our huge tent in the backyard and after Trevor and I both used our stern voices many times telling them to go to sleep, they finally did. Despite the late night, they were up early and still had plenty of energy left. Ayla had a great time and we enjoyed seeing her so happy with friends!
Can you believe Sophie is in Kindergarten?! It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was meeting her, not even two years old, learning to walk and talk!! Her teacher has told me that she is definitely coming out of her shell and has been raising her hand and interacting more with other kids. She is still very shy, but I was happy to hear her engaging in class. She said her favorite part of school is recess and her favorite special is P.E.
We really enjoyed all three open houses for each of the girls. Sophie showed us everything from the nurse's office and specials to the cafeteria and playgrounds. Ayla was also excited to show us her classroom and where all her specials are. Trevor went to Corinne's and completed all the paperwork for her to have her own Macbook Air that she takes to and from school. He enjoyed meeting her teachers and spending time one on one time with her.
Lincoln is finally walking, although he often doesn't choose to. We are finding out he has quite the temper and doesn't do anything unless he wants to. He must get that from Trevor. He is babbling and saying a fews words- mainly Mumma and more (referring to food), which are his two favorite things right now. Something else he got from Trevor.
Trevor and I had an awesome time with two other couples in Boston at a Paolo Nutini concert. He was AMAZING. It was by far the best concert I've ever been to. He couldn't possibly sing with more passion. We had an awesome time, although getting home at 2:30 in the morning is a lot longer recovery time than it used to be!
Trevor spent four days in Canada at a conference, while the kids and I had fun apple picking with friends. Corinne made a delicious apple crisp we all enjoyed. She said it was her first "fancy" thing she had ever made all by herself.
It's already the 10th of October and so you'll be hearing from me soon with another update at the end of the month!
Corinne has started a drawing class that is focused on graphic novel type art. It's exactly what she is into and she's been loving it. Her instructor has already told us she could be getting paid for what she's doing. It's about time she started pulling her weight around here, so I told her to get selling! It's an introductory course that runs 8 weeks. It's almost over, but she'll be continuing each Saturday for an hour and a half with the intermediate course. She also applied for GT Art at school, which means she completed a portfolio and if she gets in, will have studio art time during school.
Corinne is continuing with guitar lessons and has even written a song. She hasn't put it to music yet and says she won't sing it, but maybe Trevor can help her out with the vocals. I offered, but was shot down.
Ayla and Corinne are taking a hip hop dance class in Brunswick. They are both enjoying it, but have been very reluctant to show us any moves. A family dance off is in the near future!
Ayla started the month by celebrating her birthday (late because of other weekend commitments) with a sleepover. Five girls at our house in addition to our normal crew was pretty intense. (Or really "obnoxious and loud" as Corinne put it.) They ran around outside for most of the afternoon and enjoyed eating dinner at their own table in the kitchen. They all slept in our huge tent in the backyard and after Trevor and I both used our stern voices many times telling them to go to sleep, they finally did. Despite the late night, they were up early and still had plenty of energy left. Ayla had a great time and we enjoyed seeing her so happy with friends!
Can you believe Sophie is in Kindergarten?! It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was meeting her, not even two years old, learning to walk and talk!! Her teacher has told me that she is definitely coming out of her shell and has been raising her hand and interacting more with other kids. She is still very shy, but I was happy to hear her engaging in class. She said her favorite part of school is recess and her favorite special is P.E.
We really enjoyed all three open houses for each of the girls. Sophie showed us everything from the nurse's office and specials to the cafeteria and playgrounds. Ayla was also excited to show us her classroom and where all her specials are. Trevor went to Corinne's and completed all the paperwork for her to have her own Macbook Air that she takes to and from school. He enjoyed meeting her teachers and spending time one on one time with her.
Lincoln is finally walking, although he often doesn't choose to. We are finding out he has quite the temper and doesn't do anything unless he wants to. He must get that from Trevor. He is babbling and saying a fews words- mainly Mumma and more (referring to food), which are his two favorite things right now. Something else he got from Trevor.
Trevor and I had an awesome time with two other couples in Boston at a Paolo Nutini concert. He was AMAZING. It was by far the best concert I've ever been to. He couldn't possibly sing with more passion. We had an awesome time, although getting home at 2:30 in the morning is a lot longer recovery time than it used to be!
Trevor spent four days in Canada at a conference, while the kids and I had fun apple picking with friends. Corinne made a delicious apple crisp we all enjoyed. She said it was her first "fancy" thing she had ever made all by herself.
It's already the 10th of October and so you'll be hearing from me soon with another update at the end of the month!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
July & August
July and August were packed with lots of summer fun!!
Corinne spent a week at the Maine Youth Fishing Game Association summer camp and loved it. She stayed with Grammy Robin for the first few days and then the last two nights were camping overnight there. She had fun with archery, shooting .22 rifles, fishing, learning how to start a fire, and how to flip over a capsized canoe. She had fun doing a ropes course as well. She made some great friends and enjoyed being outdoors.
Ayla went to LL Bean's day camp the same week Corinne was gone. She had a blast paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking and playing games. Her favorite was paddle boarding, although she said since all the water sports were in the ocean, it was a little cold!
Corinne also went to a writing camp, which obviously was absolutely PERFECT for her. Her only complaint was that it was too short. It was great for her to be surrounded by other young writers who are as passionate as her about writing. She loved her teachers and promised to keep in touch and publish her writing. She's been sharing a few pieces each night with Trevor and I and we are blown away. She writes with vivid description and has an amazing vocabulary. We've finally convinced her to start typing some of what she's written into google docs so that, one, she and anyone else can read it (handwriting isn't her strong suit) and, two she can share it with anyone who has an email address. She has been really excited to share her writing with us and it's been a great topic of discussion each night before bed.
In between camps we had a super action-packed week with Grandma Connie. We took her to Monkey-C-Monkey-Do for some fun on a ropes course and zip lines. We all had a lot of fun and definitely want to go back again. We also went to a water park and enjoyed the wave pool and water slides. We spent a day at the beach and enjoyed silly games in the pool. The week went by way too fast and we were sad to see her go, but glad that she was able to come for a full week and was always happy and excited to take on any adventure we threw at her!
Corinne has started guitar lessons with a local music teacher and is already pretty awesome. Her teacher is impressed by her ability and willingness to work hard. She practiced one day for 8 hours, no joke, only coming out to eat lunch. This is a good example of how being stubborn can be a positive! ;)
All three girls took swim lessons for two weeks. Corinne passed Level 3 Stroke Development and is at Level 4 Stroke Improvement. Ayla is on Level 3 and Sophie is on Level 1 Introduction to Water. Ayla was happy to participate, while Corinne was a little bored because her skill level was above most of the other kids. Sophie shed a few tears the first day, but tried everything the instructors asked of her, despite her trepidation.
I spent two days at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute at a science workshop for teachers. My partner teacher went as well and it was fun to mix up the summer routine with grown ups! I learned a lot and it was an added bonus that I even got paid to go!
We enjoyed a weekend with family at the beginning of August. The kids liked spending the night with Grampy Tim and Grammy Kelly while Trevor and I went to my cousin, Lindsay's wedding. It was nice for Trevor and I to have a night out and the kids were able to have fun with grandparents.
Trevor had a week of vacation near the end of August and we loved having him home with us! We spent the first few days getting things done around the house. We went to Sugarloaf and stayed at my brother's cabin for three days. We hiked to a waterfall, went on a few bike rides, (YES, Corinne learned how to ride a bike!!!!), and played in the river. Ayla and Trevor also went mountain biking and Ayla loved being able to use Corinne's mountain bike with gears.
Ayla was super excited to get a mountain bike for her birthday from Trevor and I. After our trip to Sugarloaf we decided her one speed wasn't cutting it and found a great deal on a nice bike. Her actual birthday is tomorrow, so she'll open her presents from grandparents then. She is looking forward to spending the day at a friends house, while I'm at school. She is having five girls over for a sleepover to celebrate her birthday the first weekend in September. They're planning to tent out in the backyard, so we'll see how much sleep they get.
Trevor, Jeremy and I completed the Tough Mudder, 10 mile, obstacle course along with other members of our gym. We had a ton of fun! The obstacles were awesome and we definitely got muddy. My personal favorite was the straight down water slide with fire at the bottom that you were catapulted through. Trevor enjoyed the human pyramid obstacle where we worked together to get over a high slanted wall. Jeremy found laughing at people falling face first into the mud after being shocked absolutely hysterical and commented that he could have watched them all day. All in all, we had a blast and would definitely do it again. A huge shout out to Emily Cote, who stepped up to the plate to watch three of our four children, when our babysitter cancelled the day before because of a family emergency. We couldn't have done the race with out her!
Lincoln didn't do swim lessons or go to any summer camps, but he was busy! He scoots around like nobody's business and keeps us all entertained with his hysterical faces and his continued fascination with playing the guitar and "singing". He can walk if he's pushing something in front of him, but we're thinking any day he'll be doing it on his own. It's hard to believe he's a year and a half in a few weeks.
Sophie is definitely the most excited for school to start next week. She has a good friend that she's played with several times this summer in her class, so I think that has helped with her excitement! Corinne and Ayla are neutral about summer ending and school starting. I'm always excited for school to start and get back into a routine.
Corinne spent a week at the Maine Youth Fishing Game Association summer camp and loved it. She stayed with Grammy Robin for the first few days and then the last two nights were camping overnight there. She had fun with archery, shooting .22 rifles, fishing, learning how to start a fire, and how to flip over a capsized canoe. She had fun doing a ropes course as well. She made some great friends and enjoyed being outdoors.
Ayla went to LL Bean's day camp the same week Corinne was gone. She had a blast paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking and playing games. Her favorite was paddle boarding, although she said since all the water sports were in the ocean, it was a little cold!
Corinne also went to a writing camp, which obviously was absolutely PERFECT for her. Her only complaint was that it was too short. It was great for her to be surrounded by other young writers who are as passionate as her about writing. She loved her teachers and promised to keep in touch and publish her writing. She's been sharing a few pieces each night with Trevor and I and we are blown away. She writes with vivid description and has an amazing vocabulary. We've finally convinced her to start typing some of what she's written into google docs so that, one, she and anyone else can read it (handwriting isn't her strong suit) and, two she can share it with anyone who has an email address. She has been really excited to share her writing with us and it's been a great topic of discussion each night before bed.
In between camps we had a super action-packed week with Grandma Connie. We took her to Monkey-C-Monkey-Do for some fun on a ropes course and zip lines. We all had a lot of fun and definitely want to go back again. We also went to a water park and enjoyed the wave pool and water slides. We spent a day at the beach and enjoyed silly games in the pool. The week went by way too fast and we were sad to see her go, but glad that she was able to come for a full week and was always happy and excited to take on any adventure we threw at her!
Corinne has started guitar lessons with a local music teacher and is already pretty awesome. Her teacher is impressed by her ability and willingness to work hard. She practiced one day for 8 hours, no joke, only coming out to eat lunch. This is a good example of how being stubborn can be a positive! ;)
All three girls took swim lessons for two weeks. Corinne passed Level 3 Stroke Development and is at Level 4 Stroke Improvement. Ayla is on Level 3 and Sophie is on Level 1 Introduction to Water. Ayla was happy to participate, while Corinne was a little bored because her skill level was above most of the other kids. Sophie shed a few tears the first day, but tried everything the instructors asked of her, despite her trepidation.
I spent two days at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute at a science workshop for teachers. My partner teacher went as well and it was fun to mix up the summer routine with grown ups! I learned a lot and it was an added bonus that I even got paid to go!
We enjoyed a weekend with family at the beginning of August. The kids liked spending the night with Grampy Tim and Grammy Kelly while Trevor and I went to my cousin, Lindsay's wedding. It was nice for Trevor and I to have a night out and the kids were able to have fun with grandparents.
Trevor had a week of vacation near the end of August and we loved having him home with us! We spent the first few days getting things done around the house. We went to Sugarloaf and stayed at my brother's cabin for three days. We hiked to a waterfall, went on a few bike rides, (YES, Corinne learned how to ride a bike!!!!), and played in the river. Ayla and Trevor also went mountain biking and Ayla loved being able to use Corinne's mountain bike with gears.
Ayla was super excited to get a mountain bike for her birthday from Trevor and I. After our trip to Sugarloaf we decided her one speed wasn't cutting it and found a great deal on a nice bike. Her actual birthday is tomorrow, so she'll open her presents from grandparents then. She is looking forward to spending the day at a friends house, while I'm at school. She is having five girls over for a sleepover to celebrate her birthday the first weekend in September. They're planning to tent out in the backyard, so we'll see how much sleep they get.
Trevor, Jeremy and I completed the Tough Mudder, 10 mile, obstacle course along with other members of our gym. We had a ton of fun! The obstacles were awesome and we definitely got muddy. My personal favorite was the straight down water slide with fire at the bottom that you were catapulted through. Trevor enjoyed the human pyramid obstacle where we worked together to get over a high slanted wall. Jeremy found laughing at people falling face first into the mud after being shocked absolutely hysterical and commented that he could have watched them all day. All in all, we had a blast and would definitely do it again. A huge shout out to Emily Cote, who stepped up to the plate to watch three of our four children, when our babysitter cancelled the day before because of a family emergency. We couldn't have done the race with out her!
Lincoln didn't do swim lessons or go to any summer camps, but he was busy! He scoots around like nobody's business and keeps us all entertained with his hysterical faces and his continued fascination with playing the guitar and "singing". He can walk if he's pushing something in front of him, but we're thinking any day he'll be doing it on his own. It's hard to believe he's a year and a half in a few weeks.
Sophie is definitely the most excited for school to start next week. She has a good friend that she's played with several times this summer in her class, so I think that has helped with her excitement! Corinne and Ayla are neutral about summer ending and school starting. I'm always excited for school to start and get back into a routine.
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