Pretty in Pink

Matching dresses and shoes. We tried to take their photos. This was the best we could do.

It was a great Easter. We enjoyed good family outings, a wonderful church service and festive food with our neighbors. I haven't felt much like talking this winter. Lots of processing to be done for the move and daily life is busy at home. But spring is here and things are looking up.

How are things?

I haven't had much time on the computer so I'm going to write as much as I can in a short time. It won't be pretty, but it will be informative.

How are things?

WinterFest on "The Hill" - food, sled dogs, cookie decorating, live music

Location: We are really falling in love with our new community. We enjoy all of the good things, but also feel strong burdens for the broader community of Detroit and its current struggles. I feel as though it is no accident that we are here in this place at this time of such uncertainty for people. It has made me so aware of all the blessings that I have and all I have to be thankful for. We really enjoy walking and driving around our area. We live a 5 minute walk from "The Village" which is one of the retail areas for Grosse Pointe. It is a couple of blocks of shops, including a grocery store, hardware store and big book store. One of our new favorites is Trader Joe's. Isabelle loves it because they have kid-sized shopping carts that she gets to push, and a treasure chest full of free suckers. She wants to go every day. The houses are fascinating. They have such history and are all so different. It is also wonderful to live by a body of water again. I often take the kids on an extended drive after being at the library or on an errand simply to drive by the water. It reminds me so much of home in Ontario. Our rental home has been an absolute gift. Although we have had a few challenges baby-proofing the place, there is plenty of storage and living space. And it is nice.


Church: We are getting to know our new church and it is lovely being in the honeymoon stage. Ben's installation was a very joyful day and the church hosted a really nice lunch for us at a community center. People took turns holding Charlotte so I could talk. I find that I am very excited for Sundays and the kids are as well. Isabelle is transitioning to being in the service and she attended Children's Worship for the first time this past week. In the service, she always wants to clap, especially after prayers, choir anthems and songs. This past week we had a guest choir and after their two offerings, she clapped and shouted out "Thank you for helping us worship!". My heart sung. People giggled. Ben is enjoying his work. His rhythm is very different from his last post in that he is alone in the building a lot and gets out to go meet people instead of people dropping by all the time. I am going to be doing some music leading and planning for Children's Worship, as well as helping with connections for children in the morning service. I found it so funny that I was SO excited to get on the nursery list and get involved with Children's Worship. It feels like a privilege because I couldn't do it before.



Home: We are mostly unpacked, but the last 15% has been the hardest bit. My energy and mood has been low since after Christmas and the kids have been squirrels. They don't seem to play by themselves but I am seeing improvements each day. We are all adjusting to being together full-time. I joined a community playgroup on Tuesday mornings and we have been twice. The kids love it and it is a 5 minute walk from here. Isabelle is doing swimming lessons for 8 weeks, and I signed up for a Cardio Circuit class for 8 weeks at the public school across the street. I figured winter was the time to do activities b/c once it is warm we can do so much more on our own.

I think my time is up.

Birthday Bash

We celebrated the girls' birthdays together since they are only two weeks apart. There were balloons, presents, aunties and uncles and most importantly, lots of sprinkles.

Final Days in GR

I'm going to squeeze in a quick post while taking a break from packing. Did I mention the house is being dismantled? At least I've decided not to clean AT ALL this week. No picking up toys. No nothing. Only dishes. It's just going to be one chaotic mess all week. Packing is going okay. The kids have had some terrific play dates with friends while we've worked.

Some recent activities included playing in the first snow, and a visit to Meijer Gardens. The Christmas displays and trains are up so we enjoyed being out and escaping work at home. Did I also mention that Ben's idea of dealing with the move is to avoid it by watching movies and going on outings?????

Highlights

So not only do we have moving, finishing up work, a surgery and other forms of unusual stress, this week the kids have had a major bug. But as always, there are funny moments that break the tension.

Charlotte just threw up on the carpet. Again. Isabelle says, "You've gotta be kidding me!".

I'm putting Isabelle down for a nap and reading her stories. At a certain point I look over and Charlotte is asleep tummy down on the carpet.

Me: Do you need a drink of water?
Isabelle: Nope. I'm good.

And try keeping your house ready to show when it's full of icky laundry. Forget it.

Big News

Charlotte has been taking a step or two unassisted for the last week, but tonight took three steps! And did it a few times. We couldn't capture it on video....Isabelle was bonking either of us with a huge ball and it was pretty funny. But we tried!

Isabelle asked to sleep in her twin bed for the first time on Friday night. She has been sleeping in the crib until now. She's been in it for four nights now, including naps, and she has not gotten out of bed ONCE. She likes how it is "so cozy".

Now if we could just make the potty cozy and we'll be all set. :)

Back to the Gardens

My parents were the next to visit in late July. Mom and Dad helped us get some much needed work done around the house, as well as babysitting for us while we went out to dinner. Of course we went to Meijer Gardens again during the visit, so that's where these photos were taken.

Isabelle was thrilled with the opportunity to dress up as a ladybug and proudly displayed her costume.

The highlight of our visit is always a huge splash in the fountain at the end. I always bring a change of clothes for Isabelle so that she can just get totally wet. I love her face in the final picture. I know the first one is washed out - but it is such an awesome picture and I couldn't seem to retouch it (suggestions, anyone?).



This was moments before she had a big fall on the paved stones near the big horse. Last night (two months later) when we walked past the plaza she said, "I had a big owie." She remembered even though we have not spoken about it since that day.

Dad's 60th

My dad turned 60 on June 29th. We took a week of holidays so that we could be at the family cottage for Canada Day weekend to celebrate. It was really wonderful to have all of my dad's family together - although we were missing a few significant others for the cousins.

Grandpa with his girls

Grandpa Ed with Lia

Charlotte trying to grab the cake!

My dad's parents - Grandpa Ed and Grandma Jean

Charlotte in the pool

Lia loves the water!

feeding Charlotte

Dad gives his sister Mary Ann a hug

Dad and Alison

My younger siblings wake boarded masterfully and enjoyed the company of their cousins and friends.

Brother Ben

Blaise

Joanna

The sleeping was a challenge. Ben and Isabelle slept in a tent just outside the front door and we quickly discovered that she would not be able to fall asleep when Ben was in the tent. So each nap time and evening he left her to kick and read books and then joined her when she was for sure asleep around 10pm. Except for the last night, when after he started to unzip the door, he heard, "Hellloooooo!!!!" and she was standing straight up. He had to leave and come back at about 10:40pm.

It was really fun going through tons of old pictures for Dad's video (which Joanna and her man Blaise did a superb job on!). I made this collage of dad with both of my girls. We were trying to write a song for my dad and it ended up being a cool, funny beat poem with my brother Ben playing a funny riff on the guitar and Alison chanting the poem that included the repeated phrase, "Richard. Richard."

Writing the beat poem/song

Performing the song/beat poem....

Isabelle and Charlotte both loved seeing Lia, their much loved cousin. Lia is so joyful and full of life that I almost burst with happiness when I think about her! Here is some footage of all three girls.

Our traveling for the week went amazingly well. Yes, there is always that 30-60 minutes at the end of the trip when we are so close to home we can feel it, that both seem to cry unceasingly.

Canada still feels like home.