Rute

Almost 2 years ago, I proposed to Tom that we get each other the best christmas present ever. This was a it of a stretch because we used to be so thoughtful and effortful in our gifts to one another until, well ... life). Anyway, my idea was to hire someone to help with deep cleaning our very busy home every 2 weeks. Enter Rute into our lives. The floors, bathrooms, and dust bunnies did not stand a chance! We have concluded that this is indeed, money well spent and a VERY thoughtful 'gift' to one another!

Then it happened... we are away at a hockey tournament in London, staying in a hotel. After a second busy day at the rink, we return to our hotel room. The cleaning staff has already been through. Without missing a beat, Keva says "has Rute been here?" Hahaha.

Halloween 2019

Another Halloween season and another bought of great costumes, creativity, and crazziness...

Grandma gets in on pumpkin carving crazziness

Kitty-o-lantern

Cat-o-lantern

A (not so) wicked witch

Killer Bear & Queen Elsa

Coady Crew in Costumes

MOMENT: Queen to Flash, Frightening to Frighteninger

Keva kept pace with the past and opted for costume diversity. The plan and focus (at least so far as I understood it) was to be Elsa. Turns out, that was just for the school Halloween situation. For the pre-Halloween-Halloween party, she would be a witch. For trick-or-treating, trusty ol' Flash came out. I like the diversity in costumes ... demonstrates her diversity and creativity. This year too, for Tavish just one costume would also not do. He opted for the consistent theme of gore and horror. He sat out the pre-Halloween-Halloween party this year for a sleepover with a hockey pal, but he managed to diversity his gore all the same. He was a killer bear for school and something even scarier for trick-or-treating. The common theme was blood. The special effects which were cool added touch for the bloody devil. Costumes are fun.

This year also brought the bonus of Grandma being in the house with us. We put her to good use preparing the pumpkin seeds for us to later gorge ourselves on. The extra cool part? Grandma and Auntie Colleen like shopping for a deal, so you can expect our decorating game to be upped next year from all their discount bin finds!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tHxcgyu9w6c" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Gratitude Jar - Year 2

Another year of gratitude captured in a wee-jar in our dining room. It is not filled often, but one year later, on the eve of Grade 5 (Tavish) and Grade 2 (Keva), we looked back at some of the things we were grateful for the year before....

MOMENT: Sharing Gratitude

Some highlights include...

Sept 4, 2018
Dad - grateful I get to drop kids off at school and that I now know where to go tomorrow!
Mom - grateful that Ms Pan seems very kind and that my work is flexible so I can walk to school with the kids on their first day!
Tavish - grateful that today was the first day of school and that we got to go for ice cream at Ed's!
Keva - grateful that we went for ice cream and that Amy will pick us up tomorrow and I'm excited to see Vannder!

Sept 23, 2018
Dad - grateful for Tavish helping Keva clean up the living room, it was very kind
Mom - Grateful for Keva's positive attitude and effort when she tries new things. Also grateful for Tavish's kindness to others when they need it most
Tavish - grateful to play my first hockey game and that Keva gets to try hockey
Keva - grateful that I tried hockey. Grateful that I love Mommy, Daddy, and Tavish. And that I love myself.

October 1, 2018
Tavish - grateful that I made the soccer team at school!
Keva - grateful and proud of myself for running really fast to help Daddy and today, I was cold!

November 5, 2018
Dad - grateful for the help of friends and family over the past few weeks; mostly to take kids to and from activities while Mommy is at the hospital
Mom - grateful for the doctors, nurses, and medicine that are helping Grandpa recover

November 19
Dad - grateful that Grandpa Mike is in town again after being gone for only 2 weeks!
Mom - grateful that Grandpa Mel is feeling better so I could go to school to pick up Tav & Keevs
Tavish - grateful for being on a hockey team and getting to do a 3 on 3 scrimmage at the end of practice today
Keva - grateful that Johnny did not butt in line today and that I got 2 fuzzies from Ms Pan

Feb 3, 2019
Dad - grateful that Auntie Colleen was so kind to let us use her car because our car was towed away
Mom - grateful I was able to have not one but two naps this busy weekend!
Tavish - grateful for Superbowl dinner
Keva - grateful I did my exercises properly because I did well with them [vision therapy]

Feb 26, 2019
Tavish - grateful that I got to skate outside at home!
Keva - grateful that I got to go to Ivy's birthday party today at her house

March 27, 2019
Dad - grateful for Mommy's extra efforts at home when I was busy at work
Mom - grateful that my voice is slowly coming back and that I otherwise feel very well
Tavish - grateful for my birthday celebration the other day and for getting to go out with my team on my actual birthday too
Keva - grateful for Sophie's party and wishing I could go on an airplane with you guys [Mom and Tavish heading to Fort Frances to see Grandpa Mel and Grandma]

April 11, 2019
Tavish - grateful for food and water and having our needs met
Keva - grateful that I go to be in an assembly tomorrow ["I will always tell the truth, even when it's hard to do..."] and for this dinner

June 26, 2019
Dad - grateful for getting to play catch in the Roger's Centre with Tavish
Mom - grateful for the sunny weather and Keva finding her balance on 2 wheels with 2 pedals! And that the outdoor pools opened early!
Keva - grateful I'm getting more used to bugs, but not really

Aug 12, 2019
Dad - grateful for summer and that as a family, we get to do a lot of things (yesterday was baseball - subway - baseball and Keva biked up a big hill on her own; day before we went to a pool party at Quinn's!)
Mom - grateful for family biking, swimming pools, flowers growing, comfy outdoor furniture, and a safe neighbourhood
Tavish - grateful I get to make a slushie after dinner, that I'm signed up for baseball camp again, and that I get allowance money!
Keva - grateful that I get to go camping with Mommy and that Daddy will put me to bed tonight...I love Mommy and Daddy and that's all.

Sept 1, 2019
Dad - grateful that when we travel for tournaments, that there are parts of the event that the whole family enjoys
Mom - grateful that I get to spend the summer with my kids and that I'll continue to have more time because I am not back to work this year!
Tavish - grateful that I made it to the OBAs [provincial baseball tournament] and that I'm a good catcher
Keva - grateful that we went to a hotel... I loved the hotel and am happy we stayed 2 nights and that I got this necklace! I'm grateful that we will go to a Blue Jays game and also, I love Coach Rob so much! I love swimming at all the girls from baseball.

Ballet Music

Keva has a cd of mostly classical music that came with a ballet book that she plays often. She like to dance around the livingroom to it. While in the car in Kingston searching for a radio station, we came upon the classical station. Keva asked to listen to it. A few minutes later from the backseat...

"Mommy I feel like I'm going to cry. Want to know why? Because this music is so beautiful and because you're going to come down the waterslide with me today". ❤️

Our Room

We are not really a co-sleeping family. Sure, each of our kiddos were either in our bed or in our room through the early months as babies, but for the most part, kids sleep in their kid room, parents sleep in the parent room.

MOMENT: Sleep Shift

When Keva had pneumonia back in late 2017, she understandably made her way into our room in the middle of the night when she wasn't feeling well. It did not take long for it to stop making sense for both parents to be awake listening to her cough in our bed throughout the night, so one of us would retreat to her single bed. That got old after awhile - enter double bed. Somehow this situation morphed into her coming into our room to get Mommy at some point every night (Daddy is a louder sleeper). Sure, there are a few perks for Mommy... like a darker room and a quieter sleep partner for the light sleeping hours of the morning, but I still had my own room with my hubby!

This new 'system' evolved into traveling sleep situations too. Seemed less stressful for Keva to know one of us would be sleeping with her when she was in a new place, so we went with it for those situations.

Flash forward to our drive back from Ottawa this March Break... where Mommy did accompany Keva for sleeping during the night at some point while we were away...

"Mommy! We get to go home! We can sleep together in our room again!"

Our room?! Mommy has her own room with Daddy ... (sigh) Here's to hoping this rings true to make the mobile-Mommy-sleeper worth it...

"Sleeping next to someone you love,

makes you fall asleep faster,

reduces depression,

and helps you live longer."

Halloween 2018

Halloween is a favourite time for the kids in our family, and despite Mommy being at the hospital with Grandpa a lot lately, we were together to celebrate in our traditional spirit! 

MOMENT: Paper Bag Princess & a Man in Black

Keva was Batgirl for the neighbourhood party and for school, but busted out the crown and tattered bag as a the Paper bag Princess for Halloween. Tavish stayed strong as one of two "Men in Black" with his buddy, Riley. The house was decorated, the pumpkin carved, and it wouldn't be Halloween without a visit from the Switch Witch!

https://youtu.be/jIdHm7LCXIo

Saying NO

Keva: Stop! Tavish, stop doing that!

Tavish: No.

(Pause)

Keva: What? Don't say no! 

(Pause)

Keva: I said no to Ms. Pan today... she did NOT like it.

(Ivy gave me a rock and I was supposed to get it back at the end of the day and forgot)