Trampoline

Every day for the last 3 weeks, the girls bundle up to jump on their
new Trampoline.

Valentine's day party

Afton left for school with treat bags for all her classmates. She is so excited for today!! Happy valentines day to my family - My 3 sweet girls and of course to Jeff.

I love you all.

mittens

I have finally made an indoor mitten clothes line for my girls. It seems everyday when it's time to go outside to jump on the trampoline, we are always missing mittens. Some 3m hooks, some bakers twine and clothes pins and away we go!

Afton can re-hang her mittens but at least Tiv can get them off the line and bring them over to me when it's time to go outside and this way we all have our mittens ready.

How I wish i would have done this at the beginning of the season!

Birthday Party

My girls are so very lucky and spoiled. We did 3 birthday parties for them last week. Yes 3.  One with grandma and grandpa foster on Afton's birthday.

Then one later in the week for the Willner side and then Afton's first friend birthday party.

Afton and Tiv were so excited for party day(s) and the fact that we ate 3 cakes in one week should be impressive enough.  Tiv and Afton love their singing Justin Beiber dolls! Tiv has also been throwing around her baseball, football all week and loves using the baseball for her hockey games.  Afton has been busy making necklaces and bracelets for everyone, she loves her sticker sets she got and has made up people faces to hang all over the house!

We've used our new markers, play dough, coloring books and the girls have been fighting over polly pockets, bratz dolls. It seems we've entered the age of tiny toys - some pieces so small that i'm sure that hadley will eat a good 10% of these and we won't even know.

For afton's first friend birthday party - we kicked out her sisters and opened the house to the girls of afton's class. It was crazy fun! Dance parties, barbies, make up, nail polish, coloring and of course cake!

Everyone had lots of fun and thank goodness my sisters where here to help. There is no way I could have done it by myself! Happy birthday Afton and tiv!

five

it's official. Afton is five. She has been waiting and asking for about a week when the exact date of her birthday was. She woke up telling me she finally feels older and how happy she is that she is now 'big'.

Once she work up - we did the usual measure on the door. She's really sprouting up and is no longer the shortest in her class!!

The night of her birthday, we did a small birthday supper for her with grandma and grandpa f. Afton is all about her 'guests' these days as she's learning being big means having nice manors for company.

Since tiv's birthday is right around the corner - why not have her practice blowing out candles too??

Happy birthday my sweet Afton. I hope five is a magical year for you. You are creative, imaginative, passionate, and a wonderful big sister.

I hope kindergarten is all you imagine it to be. Poor afton was just devastated that she had to go to '4' year old school today and not kindergarten. She told me that she is ready to be bigger and older but her teacher said she had to wait.

Afton, you are already so big! mommy, daddy, tiv and howie love you very much.

2 years (almost!)

As tiv is fast approaching the big '2' - I have been updating her baby book and finding that she's almost the exact height and weight that afton was at two.

Her speech is getting better each week although there is still lots of ewok speech in there. She's also been doing pretty good on the potty. We have a bad habit of her peeing on the chair when Jeff comes home at lunch time. It's been our only accident all week but it's like a puppy excited to see his master and she seems to forget to go pee when Jeff's home at lunch.

She's a quarky little kid and is pretty good at making a silly face or doing something goofy to try and get out of trouble. She's addicted to Justin Beiber music videos and begs for them all day. I'm about at my breaking point for how many times I can listen to it a day.

The girls don't really watch any tv at home any more - it's all music videos on the apple tv.

I forget how much she resembles her sister at this age as I see their personality differences more than anything.

happiness

 Happiness to Hadz is some play time after her nap. Spinning on her tummy - surrounded by her sisters and toys.

Happiness to Tiv is when I say she can watch justin beiber videos. again!

afton dance

This is Afton's first year in dance. She loves it! Dancing, twirling, pink - what's not to love. Last week was parent's watch day and they showed off some of their routine - showed their warm up (chicken dance) and this was their cool down song.

hadley sneaking away

Hadley reminds me a lot of Afton. Very strong and determined. She now rolls all over the floor and can do a spin on her tummy to change directions she's facing.

She does a weird back wiggle flop thing and can move herself along the floor. She has also discovered this works well for her play chair and carseat so now we can't just put her in the chair to hang out - she always needs to be strapped in or she tries to get away.

She can't get herself out of the bumbo chair, yet, but wow she is so close. Tiv hung out in these without ever trying to escape.

That's Hadley

The other day, Afton was introducing our family to a friend:

that's tivy - she's crazy

that's hadley - we mostly leave her in the truck

(oh goodness!!!)

my wall of fame

After talking about building my wall of fame for a long time, I finally started building it the other day. With a box full of nails and a hammer, I have started building the wall at the end of my hall with pictures, drawings, handprints of the kids, etc.

My goal is to fill the entire wall - top to bottom with as many pictures as I can fit in there. I need a ton more pictures and frames but the start of it is up and I like how it looks.

The kids love seeing the pictures of everyone there in one place to stare at. I am missing some family pictures!!! Please email me some pictures:

dave and kelly f
dave and kelly w
mom
kaelene (some new ones of the kids)

I love having one place to show off all of the people in our lives!

+4

Who would have guessed we'd have plus temperatures in january. This is crazy!!!

What is even more crazy is that I am missing the snow. I would love to actually be able to pull the kids on the sled without hitting cement all the time.

The other day, we did  a big walk, played on the swings and shoveled the driveway. Hadley still has a bit of  a runny nose so I pulled out my scarf to keep her warm. Although the picture looks like I am trying to suffocate her, I assure you - she could see over the scarf and was happy as could be.

afton then gave Hadley a 'fast' snow ride. (man i hate how i sound on video)

If this weather keeps up, I think we should set up the trampoline for the kids they got for christmas. Did you hear that old man winter - you give me snow or we setup summer toys!

4 months side by side

I love my side by sides of the kids. Tiv was smaller in weight but those cheeks!!! Hadley has been pretty sick the last week or so and still has her watery eyes to show for it.  Hadley reminds me more of Afton at this age. Very strong and determined. She can already wiggle off her mat to try and get at her sisters. She can roll and loves her jumperoo.

She is the loudest talker of all three. That scares me a bit.

At the moment, we are doing the bottle fight. You'd think after my battle with Tiv I wouldn't have done this again. With my england trip fast approaching- it's time we tackle that battle once and for all!

With her temper, the neighbours might hear our showdown. Another personality trait she seems to share with afton. That temper of hers. Wow!  If this keeps up, her and I will have another showdown at 3. ug.

Christmas 2011

 We welcomed Santa this year with lots of excitement and cheers!! Afton was very excited for everything and her excitement spread to Tivian.  Hadley didn't know it was a special day but she did enjoy all of her new toys! She flapped her arms while the girls ran around opening presents.

Santa came to our house and then after we had a few moment to relax, it was off to grandma and grandpa's house to open more presents with cousins.

 It was packed full of family and gifts! Who thought any of us needed anything!? Afton was excited for gifts and probably more excited to play with her cousins.

 Auntie Syd and Auntie Hayley tried to get a photo with all the nieces and nephews. Since hayley's grad there are two more additions and everyone is a bit older. Still a funny time to try and get everyone looking at the camera and happy to sit where we put them. We took lots of photos trying to get a good one.

We switched kids around to mix it up. the 2 year olds get board, the babies get hungry - we get to try again this spring for syd's grad.

 Great grandma with some of her great grand kids. I think i should invest in a wide angle lens!

 Hadz and Auntie Syd found a quiet spot to hang out

 This year the 'big' little kids all got to eat together. The adults hardly fit anymore at the kitchen table and with extra high chairs, it was a cozy meal.

The next morning, it was up and off to the foster side. The kids were still on the excitement from the 24th and 25th so it was easy to get them out to the farm for more cousins and more presents.

It is so much fun to watch the kids open their presents!!

Yeah more sparkle craft kids!

It was crazy fun! So much happening at the same time, it was hard to keep track of everyone opening what when! Add in one small blond what was throwing up all christmas and the event was a blur.

 That night - we went back out to the other side for one last visit. All the kids played so good. Afton was sad to see them leave. Here you can hardley tell Tiv barfed just moment before.

Before heading off to the saskatoon side celebrations, we had to get out the sparkle kit and make up some hair accessories!! What would christmas be without sparkles all over my home?

I love christmas!!!

A busy week

It's been a crazy busy week. the kids and I have been rushing to one event or another. I have put in some big hours at work and with the excitement of christmas and cousins coming, someone couldn't make it through supper today.

Thinking tomorrow it will be a quiet day with the kids and jeff as I am off to volunteer for Ronald McDonald House.