We went public skating again at school this week again. I am as fast as one of the boys in my class who plays hockey!!!

He said

With last weekend focused on Valentines and Family Day and just us, Emelia started this week in a much better place than she ended last week. That said, Danielle did get a chance to talk her teacher about the secret banana grams and was able to share Emelia’s experience. While we were pretty certain she wasn’t the only one who didn’t get a gift –and that was confirmed – we did hear the initiative was a little sloppy and our feedback was shared to hopefully make it a better experience for all next time around. Though, honestly, to be expected in the life of a nine year old, by Tuesday this week, Emelia had completely forgotten about it.

My week was like every other this month, focused on getting to the gym to get my exercise points for the Wellness Challenge at work. I am very happy with the results so far. I am seeing the weight scale go in the right direction and my muscles have stopped hurting too which is also a good sign. I am looking forward to the challenge finish, because to be honest I am eating more than I am used to just to get the points and it’s starting to feel less like sustenance and more like process. Out of anything when this challenge is over, I look forward to the getting to the gym being routine and less ‘breakable’. Plus the cool bamboo cutting board I will get too!

This week Danielle and I got to have a grown up night out on Friday to see one of my favourite bands Operators play at Call The Office. We had seen them this summer at Wolfe Island Music Festival and while I was already a fan of their music, I was blown away by their live show. The band’s driving force Dan Boeckner was in another personal favourite of mine called Handsome Furs who I never got to see live before they unceremoniously broke up. Thankfully, Operators picks up right where Handsome Furs left off and while the lineup changed a bit, the main ingredient in Boeckner delivers the same torrid-paced synth post-pop. And all my anticipation of the show was paid off in spades in other fantastic energy-filled night complete with all the songs I wanted to hear. The only downer on the night was they didn’t have any copies of their new record because it isn’t released until April 1st.

Knowing that we were having a night out, and knowing how Emelia can be, we started planting seeds early in the week that Danielle and I were having a night out and that she was potentially having a sleepover at Poppa & Grandma’s. Most of what we hear from Emelia when have these nights boils down to she doesn’t like to be surprised by it, so the remedy of plenty of conversation leading up to the day seems to be the resolve. She loves going over to Mom & Dad’s but it can be a little bit of a ordeal when we spring it on her last minute when my planning leaves a lot to be desired. This time however, that was not the case.

But, the best part about it was when I called over to Mom & Dad’s earlier in the week to make sure it was okay (like it ever isn’t), Emelia grabbed the phone and proceeded to have a fifteen minute conversation with Grandma & Poppa without any of my coaxing and completely on her own. They got more from Emelia on the phone than even I am able to! I am sure Mom & Dad were beaming as much as I was after the call. While there was some mild unrest from Emelia after school Friday as Danielle broached the subject of packing her overnight suitcase, but that was more protest out of thinking she was going to have to go right away and get no post school play with the daycare kids time which she really does enjoy. Once it was settled that she wasn’t going right away, all was okay with the world and drop-off was uneventful.

This week I am off to Toronto on Thursday to catch the album release for a friend of ours Jim Bryson, as he brings his new album Somewhere We Will Find Our Place to life. It will be a great night with our friends Dawn and Johanna, but it will be bittersweet, as it is a school night, meaning Danielle couldn’t come what with the daycare needing to be open and ready to go first thing Friday morning.

Thats all for me this week, next week we’ll have lots to talk about cause we’re going to have a weekend visit with our nephew Marshall which we’re all over the moon about!

She said

In the scheme of our weeks I would say this one was more low key. I had a week with the daycare kids still recovering from a virus the daycare week was take a toll on the children which meant our normal learning was more about quiet play and keeping the children rested and happy. By the end of the week the kids were more themselves and back to themselves and all was right in the world.

The week for Emelia was thankfully a lot less eventful, it was much calmer on a social front with school friends. I had a great talk with her teacher about the events of Friday and her teacher was agreeing with the concerns we had as well as giving us some help with Emelia on a social level at school. I am so happy that Emelia has the teacher she does this year, she seems to really ‘get’ her. Ms Brouwers is actually very much like Emelia and they seem to have a great connection. I do love having a chance to talk to her and get the insight she has for our little girl in school and with her friends that we just don’t get a chance to see.

With the shortened week before we knew it the weekend was almost upon us, Emelia and I had a few trips to the gym, her gymnastics and in a blink of an eye it was Friday and we were packing her overnight bag to stay with Poppa and Grandma. Although she wasn’t one hundred percent happy about the idea of being away from mommy for even the slightest of  moments, she got over that quick and by all accounts had a great night with her grandparents.

Our night out was all about remembering that we are adults! We went to Call the Office to see The Operators and man it was amazing. They are an incredible band and put on an absolutely amazing live show. The night was great and it was what John and I needed: a night out not being parents but just a music loving couple. And being up well past our normal bed time. It even took us some time on our way home to find an open 24 hour grocery store for bacon and eggs for the morning’s breakfast!

Saturday morning we had a glorious sleep in! It was much later than we thought and after jumping out to bed in time to get to my hair appointment we then rushed off to get Emelia for her Saturday gymnastics. John had to go off to work and Emelia and I went on with some fun just her and I. The focus for Emelia this weekend was planning out gifts for her best friends upcoming birthday. The twins have their birthday in a few weeks and Emelia has put in lots of thought what she is going to get them. She has settled on a bought gift for Anna but the big thought is a homemade gift for Grace. She and Grace are both Harry Potter obsessed and once Emelia told Grace about the homemade magic wand we made over the long weekend Grace wanted to have her own. So we have researched Grace’s favourite character’s wand and how to make it. It will take a bit of work and took a fair bit of research but this week we will be in craft mode to make the perfect present for one of her best friends. She’s pretty excited!

Today John had the day off so we took the day at a quiet pace to start the day as a family. In the middle of the morning we got a text to see if we wanted to meet up with Aunt Bonnie for lunch meeting up with Helen and Doug as well. This would give Bonnie and I a chance to quietly discuss details about the trip for the girls. It was an incredible visit and has really made us even more excited about the upcoming trip.

This week will be another busy week, John is away Thursday night and on Friday he is bringing our nephew with him back from Toronto so he can come stay with us for the weekend while Todd and Charlie have a much deserved adult weekend away.

We cannot wait!