I finally figured how to put in and take out contacts! I don’t have to wear glasses any more!
He said
This week wrapped up my final week for #Movember. When I started the week I was on pace to fall somewhere between my fourth and third best years for donations. But, with some incessant posting on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and by week’s end I landed with the second best year I’ve ever had for donations at $880 raised! I have now participated eleven years and in that time I have raised $6,505! This year I set both monetary and move goals for the month and I blew by both of them. Of course the rower helped with that!
On the topic of rowing, that has been going great! I have managed to row every single day that I don’t already do some other form of exercise (read: hockey). It’s ridiculous how much enjoyment I get from that half hour of going hell-bent-for-leather trying to beat the ride distance from the day before. Everyone I know, hates the rower and only do it out of obligation. I crack a good sweat and I feel amazing after every single session. And the best part is the weigh scale that I stood on when we got the rower is consistently telling me I am 7 lbs less!
This Saturday was a really special day for Danielle and I. Friends of ours had tickets out for Stars: Together – a play put on by the band that chronicled their very arduous past 20 years. And our luck/their bad luck landed those tickets in our lap as they couldn’t make the show. Stars has been one of our favourite bands ever since our friend Judyth tipped us off about them what seems a lifetime ago when she lent us their album Set Yourself on Fire. We’ve seen them a bunch of times and even had some special moments with them at our favourite festival Wolfe Island Music Festival. Well… the play was everything we had hoped for and more. It was an intimate theatre, we were 3 rows from the stage and part of the play happened in our row. It was just the perfect afternoon for Danielle and I.
Before we could leave for Toronto there was important errand for Emelia in the morning. She had a ‘teach’ for contacts at our optometrist, where if she was able to put in and take out tester contacts 2-3 times in the hour, she would be cleared for contacts. She has hated her glasses for the last few years and had been begging for contacts as long. She’s had a couple of unsuccessful tries at this already so were doubtful it might work. But, her tenacity won out and she came home and immediately put them in for her day spent with her bestie Kathleen while we were in Toronto.
It’s funny how mature she is getting… This week she’s already let us know that she really understands the magic of the Christmas season. And, her Christmas list is obvious that toys are behind her in lieu of more girl things. The list is smaller and a lot more meaningful to her. And she’s excitedly signed on to be the Elf on the Shelf liaison with the North Pole and the daycare kids this year. While this might seem like sadness that our little baby is growing up, I find I am loving it all the same. Every stage we’ve gone through reveals us who she is growing up to be and I soak each new stage in with the rose coloured glasses of being her Dad, and I actually get excited that there’s more to come, despite more to say goodbye to.
She said
Well it is feeling a lot more like Christmas around here. This week I felt like we were really getting in the Christmas spirit. With lists in hand over the last week I went from only one or two things purchased to having two things to purchase. I feel in great shape and know that I can get things wrapped and ready to go. I feel great being this ready this early in the season. I lucked out with some sales on Black Friday and was able to get everything in place.
This year it was even more obvious that Emelia is no longer a little girl. Two years ago we were still buying toys this year there isn’t a single toy on her list. She admitted a few weeks ago she knew the truth about Santa. She has been loving hearing all the stories about how we have brought some of her most treasured Santa presents under the tree. This year, her wish list is very teen girl but she is still all little girl with her excitement level.
So with Christmas well organized, John and I could head to Toronto for one of our early presents to each other. A few weeks ago John was approached by a friend of ours asking if we were interested in tickets to a play by one of our favourite bands. We were beyond excited. The play was written and performed by the members of the band Stars. The play was the story of the band and their dynamic relationships. It was the perfect blend of emotions, personality and music. It was pure magic. Extra bonus we were able to quickly meet up with our friends Jennifer and Dawn who were both at the play as well.
Thankfully the play in Toronto was yesterday because this morning we woke to an icy mess. John had to work but Emelia and I were home. Originally today would have been a training day for Emelia. But with roads covered in ice we opted to skip practice and stay home. Emelia had a huge school project that she needed to really get on so we took a free afternoon and got her on track for that project. She made great time and figured what better way to move our Christmas spirit to the right level, we dug out the decorations and Emelia and I got the tree up and the house all festive.
Emelia is in Christmas loving heaven and the house feels like we are really in the festive season. The countdown is really on now!