Dancing & Singing

The last video from our digital camera (hence the not so great quality). It seems like anytime I want to record the girls, our video camera is dead so I use our digital camera. Our one digital camera takes pretty decent quality videos but Ron has that camera in Ohio with him so I'm stuck with our other one (which takes better pictures so that's obviously more important).

It's hard to believe Ron is in his last week in Ohio. YIPPIE!! I can not wait until he gets home. I know the feeling is mutal - he's tired of being in a hotel room (aka jail cell as he calls it). He has his graduation and banquet on Friday night so they will be leaving on Saturday morning to come home. It's about a 6 hour drive - depending on the border crossing time, too but at least he'll be home at some point on Saturday.

Today is a statutory holiday in Ontario. It's Family Day. So I've been hanging out with the girls all day. We've had fun - playing downstairs in the play room, playing upstairs in their bedrooms and then playing in the living room and family room as well. I'm ready for a nap...is it bed time yet? :) While the girls were playing in the basement, I painted the doll highchair that used to be mine as a little girl. It's still in great shape - just needed a fresh coat of paint and it kept me busy, too!

I had my first night out (since Ron went to Ohio) on Friday night. Some friends and I went out for dinner and then to see a movie. The movie didn't start until 9:30 and I think I was ready for bed at that point. Then on Saturday night, Donna & my Mom came over for a few drinks and some great conversation. It wasn't a really late night - only 11:30 but when you're used to going to bed earlier than that, it felt like it was about 3am! The girls and I didn't do much yesterday. My in laws came for dinner and that was about it.

I still haven't had Natalie's 1 year pictures taken. Every time I make the appointment, something comes up or she has a bruise on her head! lol That kid bruises easily - hopefully it's not a sign of something more serious. She's just more clumsy than Rachel ever was. She banged her head on the wall today so now she has another new bruise...that's because I was going to get her pictures done this week. I think I'll make an appointment for next week and if she has a new bruise by then or something else, so be it. We'll just remember her being like that at one ;)

I haven't had a whole lot of time to read the blogs I usually do but with Ron coming home next weekend, I hope to get back in to doing that. I feel so out of touch!

Take care and have a great week!

Say CHEESE

You know your kid gets her picture taken a lot when she says 'cheese' as soon as she sees the camera :)

I don't always say 'Say Cheese!' when I take their pictures but sometimes it makes Natalie laugh so hence the reason why I'll say it.

Thought you would get a kick out of this one, Ron!

Rachel counting

Rachel can count to 13 on her own but trying to get her to do it on video is quite the task! I think she only gets to 6 or 7 in this video but we wanted to post it so Daddy could see it.

Look out world - Natalie's walking up a storm!

Kind of crappy quality since I was using our digital camera (note to self - always make sure the video camera is charged!!!!) but it's so darn cute. I love it when little ones are learning how to walk :)

Still keeping busy and hardly have time to think about anything else other than taking care of the girls after work. Ron will be home in less than 2 weeks...BRING IT ON!!!! :)

Video of Rachel skating

Since Ron couldn't be there with us, we took a little video with the digital camera (hence the poor quality)

Rachel's 1st time skating

Grandad putting Rachel's bob skates on
Grandma helping Rachel

Natalie looks quite warm, doesn't she? :)

Granma & Rachel skated together while Mommy took Natalie around the rink a few times. It was a beautiful outdoor rink at Storybook Gardens. There were lights in the trees, music playing and even some of the animals were out (we saw 4 seals). It was a perfect setting

Checking out her skates

What a big girl - standing on her skates by herself. I know they're bob skates and they are relatively easy to stand on but the ice was VERY slippery.

Rachel didn't want her picture taken with me. She kept saying 'Skate Mommy skate!!'

Me & my girls after a fun evening of skating.

Where have I been?

It's been a very busy couple of weeks and I honestly just haven't had the time or energy (no I'm not pregnant) to blog.

Ron is in Ohio until the end of February so that means I'm a single Mom. Holy crap in your shorts - do I ever have a new found respect for single Mom's. I think with working full time that definitely adds to the mix as well. I'm up at 6, at work for 7, running my tail off there until 3 (ok, perhaps I'm not running my tail off EVERYDAY ha ha), get home around 3:15 (if I leave on time), play with the girls, get dinner ready, give them a bath if it's bath night, and then in bed by 7 (Natalie) and 7:30 (Rachel). Then I go back downstairs to clean up, make my lunch and get other stuff ready for the next day (including having a shower), chat with Ron online for a bit and then go to bed so I can start all over the next day! He's only been gone for a week so far but it sure feels a lot longer than that at times. I'm thankful I have my parents around to help out but keep in mind that they've been with the girls all day so they're ready to go home for a break, too :)

I'm so thankful we have 'good kids' because otherwise I'd be going crazy with Ron gone. They're loving my cooking though (I don't usually cook - Ron does but I keep the kids entertained while he cooks) but I'm finding it challenging to actually COOK while they're running around. Ok, let's be honest - they're not running around - they're sitting at my feet or trying to climb up my leg (Natalie would be the one who does that), etc. The other night I just wanted to finish cooking dinner in peace and quiet so I gave them some wooden spoons and some flippers to play with. They played with them alright...right at my feet! lol :)

Anyway, I don't want this to be a 'bitch' post because I'm really not bitching. I just want to document this point in time. 4 weeks is a long time to be without your family and I feel bad for Ron. Even though he's busy with this course for work, I'm sure it's harder on him. The one thing that really sucks is that here in Ontario we have a statutory holiday in February - it's our 'Family Day' - that's really what the stat holiday is called. Guess what - Ron won't be home for it. That's fine - he's in his course and he needs to be there, etc. I'm fine with that. What I'm not fine with is the fact that his boss won't give him a day off in lieu of that holiday (as the labour board states you should). Ron has asked for the following Monday off work so he can spend time with the girls & I (I would use a vacation day)...kind of ironic that it's for the family day and he'll have been away from his family for 4 weeks at that point but they won't give him the day off? UGH - don't even get me started! ha ha

Ok, now it's turning into a 'bitch' post so it's time I stopped...lol

Natalie's 1st birthday

We celebrated Natalie's 1st birthday on Sunday, January 18th (her actual birthday). We had a big party and she got lots of fun gifts! Of course she was more interested in the cards and wrapping paper :) My friend Ann took a ton of pictures - 169 to be exact so it's hard to pick and choose. I've posted a couple of favourites but if you want to see more - go here

The yummy cake I made for her. The party was a 'Princess' theme so I had to make a crown for a cake :)

Wow - a card!
Funny note about the t-shirt she's wearing...Rachel wore it 5 months prior on her 2nd birthday!

Happy 1st Birthday, Natalie! We love you!