Who's the dirty rascal?

I'm the King of the castle?

A day off.

At the beginning of the month, I had the opportunity to take Sheldon and his friend into the City for 'Take Your Grade 9 to Work Day'.  Instead of sitting beside me at my desk all day, they had a chance to tour the Courthouse, including the jail, watch a drug trial, meet a Judge, Crown Attorney, and Court Clerk, visit the Legislature, and hear about some career opportunities in our Ministry.  

Would it surprise you that the first thing they told me was about how ridiculously big the boardroom table was that they ate lunch at?  

What struck me though, as our train arrived downtown and we walked up to the Courthouse, was how much these two boys were in awe at the size of the buildings and the sheer number of people, cars, and bikes on the streets.  I decided then that I needed to bring my small-town kids downtown more often.

Fast forward to last week when both the kids had PA days at their schools.  I thought it would be a great chance for an adventure to the City.

We drove downtown, parked the car, took some time to check out the Christmas windows at Holt Renfrew, and then hopped on the subway to ride for a couple of stops to the Mall.  There we saw gigantic reindeer covered in little white lights, and a huge lit Christmas tree.

After stops at Indigo and the Apple Store (where I wasn't sure I'd be able to get the kids off the iPads before the store closed) we hopped on the subway back to have some dinner (at McDonalds - kids choice for quick and fun!?!)

We met up with Peter and spent the evening at the museum where, first, we enjoyed the Ancient Egypt exhibit, especially the mummy.  Juliana has been studying Egypt in her social studies class at school so she was able to tell us about some of the things that we were seeing.  We also braved the Bat Cave, experienced historical bling in the form of gems, minerals and a meteorite specimen, and checked out the new exhibit of drawings on iPads and iPhones.  

All in all it was a great day.  But as we walked back to the car, Sheldon said to me: "I'm glad we're going home now.  There are just too many people here."  

You can take the boy from the small town, but you can't take the small town from the boy.

Usually he just jumps through hoops...

I thought about it after I wrote my last post.

I didn't include Peter or my Mom in the photos and I really should have.  Unfortunately, Mom was a little camera shy and so I didn't capture her impressive talents on film.

But, Peter?  Here he is in all his glory:

(Sorry, ladies.  This talented guy is taken.)

Best. Birthday. Party. Ever.

"Hooping is magic...you just have to believe..."

That's what Jessie told the girls as they spun hoops 'round and 'round at Juliana's birthday party.

We discovered Jessie's talents back in the spring when we saw her perform in a local production.  She mesmerized both Juliana and I with her skills and Juliana pretty much decided then that she had to have Jessie teach her.  Lucky for us, I've got a bit of an 'in' since I know Jessie's mom so that's how the idea for her party was born.

Jessie arrived with an arm full of hoops, including a special one for the birthday girl to keep.  She danced for our group and we watched, a little in awe, while her hoops were spun, twirled, and tossed to the music.

And then she taught the girls.

First they learned the secrets to spinning the hoop around their waists.  Then they learned how to spin the hoop in one direction and their bodies in the other.

They spun the hoops around their arms and then passed the hoop to a partner - sometimes while tossing it in the air!

They jumped, they cartwheeled and, before I knew it, they were incorporating their own dance moves into what they had just learned.

I think that I spent the entire time with a big goofy smile on my face just watching them move - the confidence, the giggles, the run-away hoops, and the shocked laughs that came when a tricky move worked out for them.

Jessie inspired them to try things that they thought that they wouldn't be able to do.  She taught them that in order to succeed, they had to first make mistakes.  And she taught them to believe.  To believe in the hoops and to believe in themselves.

And before long, they were making magic.

Sheldon, who spent most of the afternoon using his scooter as a tracking dolly to videotape the fun, didn't forget to get in on the action.

After she left, Jessie let us hang on to the hoops so that the girls could play around with them again after the presents and craft.  We closed out the party with a little more hooping, some cake pops and a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday".  

And so I've been driving around for the last two weeks with a van full of sparkly hula hoops.  I've felt like my van was full of good, happy karma.

Today we returned the hoops and all that's left in the back of my van are some grocery bins and a sleeping bag.

But Juliana has been using her hoop out on the front lawn insisting that she is going to keep practicing so that she can become as good at hooping as Jessie is.  She's already figured out that all she needs to do is to play the music and move with her hoop.

It seems as if some of that sparkly, happy karma will be sticking around after all.

Birthday surprises.

On Friday my baby turned ten.

She had a party with her friends on Sunday, she had cupcakes and presents flowing all weekend.

But the best birthday surprise came on Friday night when Leah arrived for a surprise sleepover.

Leah and Juliana were born into a friendship.  They lived across the street from one another and Leah's mom and I were friends so they spent their first 9 years shuffling between our homes.  In March, our dear friends moved one hour away and although the distance isn't far it isn't always easy to get together.  So imagine Juliana's surprise when I brought Leah home with me on Friday night.  Time just melted away as soon as they saw each other.  And I spent the rest of the night listening to the chatting, the giggling, the whispering, and the laughing.

A very special birthday, indeed.

All things Hallowe'en.

First, let me start with the cupcakes.

They were easy.  And there were 15 for the class.  (Even though Juliana told me afterwards that she didn't eat one.  She had one from the cupcake lady's son.  Of course she did.)

It was a quieter Hallowe'en this year with Sheldon not dressing up.  But he still inspired us with his mad skills at pumpkin carving.

Then the bats and mice came out, the orange lights went up, and we were ready for the trick or treaters.

For months Juliana said that she was going dress up as the girl on the side of the Borax box.  Seriously.  Once she realized that even though she looks like the girl on the side of the box most people probably wouldn't recognize her costume so she decided on being a cowgirl.  Two weeks ago she changed her mind again to a fashionista detective complete with a blinged-out magnifying glass and trench coat.  Finally, days before Halloween she decided on being a zombie princess.  Her costume and make-up did not disappoint.  She recycled an old princess skirt, ripped up some clothes, put coloured extensions in her hair, donned a tiara and the requisite zombie make-up.   

Oh, and the loot.  They don't trick or treat for no reason.....

Hallowe'en success.