Remainder of October

Before we know it, it will be Christmas!!!  7 more Friday's until Christmas ... wow!!

We had a great October, full of school, work, hockey, swimming, dance, date nights, dentist appointments, birthday's, meetings and more!!!

All 3 kids visited the dentist for a check up and cleaning and all 3 did fabulous!  Reese has 2 bottom teeth that have fused together.  I did not know this was even possible!  Our dentist predicts an orthodontist visit in the future but nothing to worry about quite yet!

Cal is playing hockey again this year and had his first game at the beginning of the month.  It's a nice ice time and only once a week, which works well with our schedule!!  This month I finished my kettlebell class.  I've been registering for session after session for almost 2 years now.  I'll miss the class but hope to drop in now and then.  In the meantime, I'm going to make better use of our YMCA membership, going to boot camp and other classes!

The kids swimming lessons finished up at the end of the month.  Blake passed on to the next level, Reese will begin unparented lessons when we register next and Em is going to take the same level again.  The only item not checked off on her report card was an unassisted back float.  She sinks like a stone when she tries to go into a back float!!  If the teacher starts her off and lets her go, she floats like a pro ;)  They're not registered in the next session (much to their dismay!!) but will start up again after Christmas.  They sure love swimming!!

Cal and I were a little bit spoiled this month with a lot of date time!  One night a little shopping, dinner and a movie, another night dinner and an Oilers game and then an afternoon of shopping, dinner with Cal's brother and his wife and the Brad Paisley concert!!  So nice to get out together, it's been approx 6 months since our last date.  Now our babysitter is off to SK for a University placement but she'll be back in January, thank goodness!!!  The kids love her so much, the last time she babysat, she said they danced around the living room singing about how happy they are we went out and they love it when Mom and Dad go out!  LOL!!  The day of the concert, the kids had a great time with Grandma D.  We all went to the Mini Monster Bash in Stony Plain and then she brought them back to our house for dinner and bedtime.

Cal's Mom's 60th birthday was October 9th.  I really wish we would have been able to spend it with her but she is in Grande Prairie and is a busy lady these days.  We were thinking of her though and hope she had some time to herself on her big day - she rarely takes any time off or to her self, Lord knows she deserves it!  She did have a nice dinner and cake at Carmen's that night, which is nice :)

My Dad's birthday was on the 24th and Carmen's birthday was on the 29th!  It's a busy birthday month in our families!!

We celebrated my Dad's birthday this evening.  He was away working on his actual birthday and the kids would not let a birthday go by without a proper celebration!  We had a delicious dinner and carrot cake!  Linds and Connor Facetimed with us during the birthday song :)  When we were leaving Emerson said, "Thanks for inviting me to Grandpa's party, Grandma!!"  Too cute!

On the 28th I accompanied Em's preschool class on their field trip to Safety City.  It was an awesome field trip, the kids learned a lot and we all had fun in the mini-city!  Emerson couldn't believe there was a little Tim Horton's and McDonald's ;)  She also loved riding the battery-operated quads around the little city and following the street signs and lights!!

On the 30th I volunteered at Emerson's preschool Halloween Party, while Mom, Dad and Reese spent the morning together.  It was a fantastic party!!  Those teachers sure put a lot of thought and planning in to their day.  The crafts were so cool and fun!!  Reese had fun with Grandma and Grandpa and later that week told me, "I like Grandma and Grandpa from Stony Plain, they can come to my birthday party!"  Good thing, since they were invited anyways!!!

On the 31st the girls and I joined Blake's class for a few hours during their Halloween party and school parade.  I love that we were welcome to join in!  We had fun and I enjoyed spending some time in Blake's classroom.  Blake was sad because his friend Addison's last day in his class was Halloween Day.  He's had 2 classmates move since the beginning of school and being the sensitive boy he is, he is not fond of someone leaving :s   A few weeks ago when we were driving home from school he said (in an angry voice with a scowl on his face), "When are we moving."  I told him we are not moving and he said, "Good.  Even if we do move, we have to move somewhere so I can go to the same school."  I told him not to worry!  I had no idea why this even came up until 2 days later when he told me (in a sad voice with a sad look on his face :( ) that Addison was moving.  Another life lesson.

Halloween night was great, the kids collected more candy than anyone would ever want and have put a major dent in it (with some help from Cal and I!)!  We also donated a large bowl to TELUS and re-filled our own candy bowl for our trick-or-treater's!!  It was a late night, but tons of good 'ol fashioned Halloween fun running from house to house in the neighbourhood, some time spent with our good friends the Parenteau's and chatting with friends and neighbour's!  We all love Halloween!!!

Hope you had a great October, I see that white stuff on the ground ... looks like Winter is officially here!  So funny how the kids are all excited when it snows and most of the adults are complaining ;)

~ Tracy