Thursday, June 27, 2013

Big Week

Twins turned 6, finished kindergarten, and Jacob broke his collarbone. That's a big week.

Collarbone snapped today, falling off a zipline at a friend's house. His first words (besides ouch) were, "Baba, you were supposed to catch me". Once the pain subsided at the hospital, and he got a sling (who's superpowers, Jacob believes, must explain why not a single tear was shed at the hospital), he recovered his sense of humour and started teasing me mercilessly.

Example 1: "This reminds me of the time Baba slammed my finger in the door". Okay, he was like 2 years old at the time. There's no way he remembers this incident. And, he totally did the change directions and put his hand on the door jam at the last second thing. It was totally his fault.

Example 2: "I wonder what bone I would like to break next. Maybe once I decide, I'll tell Baba, and he can help me break it". This one made him laugh so hard his collarbone hurt. The little punk.

Here are a couple of shots of him in the hospital.






Molly and Jacob also had their last day of kindergarten today. After two wonderful years with Tracy and Julie, they're both reading well and they're smart, confident kids. Next year they're off to French Immersion for grade 1 at a new school. Their future teacher hosted an info session for the new class/program on Tuesday night and it looks like it's going to be awesome.

And yesterday afternoon, we hosted 9 kindergarteners (plus our own 3 monsters) for a birthday party, who's horribly gendered dual themes were hockey and fairies! After a segregated beginning of the party, where the boys decorated mini-sticks and played some hockey, while the girls decorated fairy wings, everyone came together for an obstacle course which included tasks such as learning to fly on the mini-trampoline, and giving the panda bear referee a hug. As a final task, everyone hurled petalfuls of dewdrops (water balloons) at The Evil Zdeno Chara (played just this once by Jacob). And then everyone got to put their name on the Stanley Cup and take a victory lap. I think a fun time was had by all.





- Check out Molly's form on her two-handed backhand


- If enthusiasm counts for anything, he'll be Carey Price's replacement by September






- Zoë did all the stenciling for Jacob's new pillowcase, recognizing the Habs greats between the pipes, past and future. 


- And finally, a few catch up photos from last weekend. Following Kate's Huntsville triathlon in the super-heat, we went to Bala Falls for a dip and an ice cream. Yes, that's Jacob on the rocks right in front of the DANGER sign. But that's not where he broke his collarbone!





- And here's a shot of Jacob out for a swim, almost getting run over by 3 cars. But that's not where he broke his collarbone!


Monday, June 10, 2013

Busy Weekend

Kate was on call Saturday, but we packed lots of fun into the weekend. I took the kids to Chinese on Saturday morning. My big year-end exam is next weekend, so all the studying I should have been doing all year will have to be crammed into this week. Just like old times. We had a picnic at a park near the school in Markham, and then back home for some books, and heading to Couch Beach for playground and ice cream. The twins watched the first period of HNIC, deciding to cheer for both Chicago and L.A., since we were going to have to cheer for one of them against the "meanie" Bruins in the finals.

Sunday was filled with a hike in Scout Valley, some street hockey, swimming/kayaking, and dinner and more ice cream down at the lake.

Kate leaves today for four nights in Calgary at a conference. The kids and I have agreed to do all the things we're not normally allowed to do when she's here. Now we have to figure out what those things are.

- Jacob with one of the local bunny rabbits. If they're that tame, they're not going to survive our cats for long.



- the 3 kids exploring together in Scout Valley




- Kayak adventures. Jacob spent most of the time unintentionally turning them in circles.


- Until we put Zoë in with them. Then he just fell out.



- But Molly seemed to get the hang of things.




Friday, May 31, 2013

Chilly Swimming

The warm weather may have arrived, but the lake's still pretty cold. In anticipation of a summery weekend we got the water trampoline inflated and out on the lake. I needed a wetsuit to brave the water, but the kids seemed fine.

- Here's Kate doing her best Amelia Earhart impression


- The kids on the trampoline. I'm just holding Zoë's noodle for her. It's not like I needed it in addition to my wetsuit, in 6 feet of water.



- I missed a photo of an enormous stork on our dock this morning. But how about some love for this mother duck - 14 chicks in tow!! Kate (a mother of multiples herself, after all) says the duck's cheating as its babies are all grown up after a few months.


Soccer Starts

First week of soccer. Much excitement in our household.

- First here's Zoë, whose first game was in the cold drizzle of Tuesday night, hence the hoodie. I think the soccer itself was secondary, as the highlights were the cool uniform and the people-watching. Coaching a team of four year olds game me an even deeper appreciation for kindergarten teachers.




- And here are the twins in their Houston Dynamo (??!!) uniforms, flanking little Yoda. Jacob scored twice and his goal celebrations could become legendary, if only for their excitement level. And Molly was speedy and awesome.






Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Ottawa long weekend

We spent the long weekend with Kate's family in Ottawa, celebrating her mom's (and twin brother's) 70th birthday. I'm clearly out of blogging practice, as I have no pictures of any of the festivities, and none of our old friend Claudie, whose house we stayed at for the weekend.

But, the hit of the weekend was the Star Wars Identities show at the Aviation Museum. I don't think Jacob has stopped talking about it since. And I have photos of that!

- The kids with Anakin's pod racer


- Anakin all grown up


- Here's my Star Wars identity - a bounty hunter Wookie, with a bit of a crush on Queen Amidala


- Zoë at the Museum of Nature, trying not to get eaten



- Jacob, with a backyard hockey injury



- Zoë getting into the Ottawa spirit. Embracing the tulip experience, and the Senators




Big night tonight, as Zoë has her first ever soccer game and the twins have a piano recital...


Thursday, May 16, 2013

January Photo Catch-Up

Checking out the Owl Howl in Toronto



- Who would know these two are mother-daughter?


- Twins reading in bed


- Sometimes the whole lake is our skating rink








Photo Catch-Up from February


We'll start with Zoë's 4th birthday, back in February. This video is awesome. Zoë trying the hula hoop at her birthday party.



- More birthday shots







- For the sake of my future, failing memory, at Zoë's 'nastics party, clockwise from Zoë it's Jacob, Daniel, Ayden, Jacob, Savannah, Rhys, Oliver, Carmen, Anna, Ella, and Molly




 - Our February trip to Niagara Falls






- A very rare photo of yours truly


- Tobogganing at the golf course




- CNY at Chinese school with the twins' Tina LaoShi


- Zoë rocking my old cub scout hat