Vent of the Day...

Boy Oh Boy where do I start...My mind is going to explode thinking about Schools...This process of deciding on a school for Alyssa has been going on at least 8-10 months...It took me months of research, a meeting with a Principal and countless conversations with other parents about where they send their children etc...I thought we had come to a decision and Alyssa and I even paid a visit to our chosen school and registered her for next year...This is not a decision I take lightly...this will ultimately shape her whole future and who she becomes...and I'm the one responsible for the decision... I say I, but its really we...Kirk is pretty trusting that I have all of our best intentions at heart and trusts my mothers intuition...

To back up a bit, we live in a nice new community in the suburbs...the problem is our designated schools are not super close and the one that is had a horrible rating... I went to one of the schools and check it out myself, I met with a Principal, and left with a feeling that I for sure can do better than that for my kids...I don't have to send them to a 4 out of 10 school that is ranked 500 out 520 schools in the Province...surely in a city of over a million people I should have better options...Why should we have to settle for something that is well below average...The truth is there really isn't a perfect option, and we don't have many choices to begin with....It was so frustrating to have no choice but to send my child to a poorly rated school or not close by where bussing can be longer than an hour! I have heard about people moving so their kids can go to a good school...I get that now...some of the charter schools I checked into have a 3-5 year waiting list!?! What?!? So when your baby is born register them for kindergarden!? Who knew!

We thought about it long and hard...we researched all feasible options decided on a Catholic Spanish Bilingual School...We had heard rave reviews from other friends who love the school...there is bussing options from  here should we need it down the road, and with Alyssa being almost a full year older than lots in her class we thought it would be a good challenge for her, her teachers now thought she would excel at picking up a second language...I never would have thought of putting her in a second language school until we had no options, and now the idea is exciting! This is the only year its an option, you can only decide in Kindergarten..

Alyssa and I went to the school to register, I teared up walking in with her and felt excited when we left...This also happens to be the school Kirk went to when he was a kid (although it wasn't a Spanish school then). This school isn't very close by however, meaning it will be a 25 min drive there and back each day, twins in tow...plus the start time for Kindergarten is horrible, starting at 12:20 everyday...How do we fit lunch in there? But if thats what it takes for Alyssa to get the best Education...so be it!

So yesterday as I was driving up our street there is a Big huge sign up saying that one of our designated schools has been changed...The new school happend to be close to home, 2 minutes from my parents, has bussing options available...It is not a Catholic school, nor is it a 2nd language school...I've sort have had it in my heart thats where she would go...Plus she is really excited about learning Spanish...

Just when I thought I could put this decision as rest, my whole plans gets a great big wrench thrown in it...

If any parents out there have any advise to send my way PLEASE! I'd love to hear it!!!

If you have small children and are unaware of schooling options for down the road...check it out now! Save yourself the trouble when its too late!

Christmas Morning...

I have a sick feeling that our old Digital camera with all of our Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning pictures, was lost amongst the wrapping paper, boxes etc...It is Missing!! Since I was so in love with my new camera I didn't give the old one much thought, until I wanted to find it so I could post pictures!! I think I'm going to have continue on without it, incase its never found..sniff sniff...Thankully Kirk took a video of the kids first thing in the morning...I think its funny how they walked right by the train table without even noticing it...It is now a permanent piece of furniture, it was suppose to be moved upstairs but they love it so much for now it can stay...The houses were moved to the basement though...All of the Santa presents were big hits!

Fingers crossed I find the camera soon!

Home Sweet Home!

I am back from Vegas!! We had an amazing time but I sure missed my little ones & Kirk, I was happy to be coming home...We did lots of shopping, learned to play a little Craps...

We had 7th row seats at the Garth Brooks concert at the Wynn...Amazing!! It was a great show! What a talented man! We happened upon the last 2 tickets to the Celine Dion concert at Cesars Coloseum...They just happened to be Front Row!! Wow!! Jane and I were completely star struck with her singing just feet away...what a beautiful powerful voice, we spent a good portion off the show with tears in our eyes...At one point she walked right over to us and shook our hands...The show was Incredible!!! Best show I've ever seen!

Kirk and the Grandparents made out ok with the kids, and now Erv & Joyce are down in Mexico for a little vacation too! Kirk is back full swing at work, still working on some big big things and has already had many late nights...

I sadly missed out on Alyssa's very first Hockey Ice time while I was gone...She loved it and looked so adorable in her full hockey gear...She will be playing every Saturday afternoon for the next 10 weeks...I can't wait to go watch her, and I can't wait to spend many years at the rink and to be a hockey mom!!

 

Now that we are into the full swing of 2012, I need to play catch up for December and post about our Christmas...Slowly I'll get there!!!

At the Beginning of December a new little Elf came to our house...He arrived from the North Pole to keep a watchful eye on the kids...Every night he flies home and reports to Santa how the children have been that day...And on Christmas Eve he returns home for the year and will return next December...Alyssa named him Chirpy and man oh man did we have some fun with Chirpy...You can't touch Chirpy or he loses his magic, and you aren't allowed to see him fly...

 The first morning we found Chirpy in the Cheerios...

 Alyssa just loved the little guy and couldn't get enough of all the crazy places he would hide...

 Alyssa's Ballet class is in a closed room so we don't often get to see her dance...Every week she says she forgot what she did, so it was pretty cute to see her dance, and do really well at it!  

 Alyssa had a Christmas concert at her school...Grandma Leanna and I went to watch her sing some Christmas Caroles, and even daddy was able to sneak away from work to come...the little ones had fun running around...and we went back to her class after for some snacks...Leah felt pretty special to be at school with Alyssa and I think Alyssa was happy to have her brother and sister sitting with her too...it was a special day!! 

A snuggle from my boy...

Still lots more to come!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & all that Jazz...

Merry Christmas & Happy New!

 The build up of Christmas seemed to last so long, and now in a flash it's all over and back to reality...We had an amazing holiday with Kirk off for a full 10 days...he barely checked in the whole time which was a nice treat! We had a lovely time together and the kids had a blast on Christmas Day and so did we!

Kirk has some big things happening at work, he started back yesterday with some
 major presentations, he's going to be a busy guy the next few weeks...

I am off Thursday with my Sister in law Jane to Vegas!! I am very excited to be going, I am a little sad I am going to miss Alyssa's first day of Hockey which is going to be this Saturday, but she'll have her daddy and her Papa's cheering her on!

I'm trying to get my house back in order after all this Christmas Craziness and get everything perfect so I can leave with a clear conscience... I thought I would highlight our Christmas vacation and when I get back I will post some pictures..Kirk bought me an awesome new Nikon 7000 camera for Christmas, its amazing!! Don't ask him what he got :(

Christmas Eve Dinner - Was spent at Kirk's Sister house...we had a lovely dinner with our Traditional Meatless dishes
Christmas Morning - We spent at home the 5 of us...Santa left Blake a new Train Table complete with all the accessories one little boy might need...The girls got Cardboard playhouses with a ton of crayons and markers that they can color themselves...Alyssa also got an Easy Bake Oven with some cake mixes, and a Princess Celestia Pony...Leah got inside her house and Abby Cadaby Doll and a Princess Dress of her very own, complete with all the accessories one little princess might need...I got an amazing Nikon 7000 camera that I can't wait to figure out!
Christmas Dinner - We spent with my parents at their house, we had a lovely turkey dinner and the kids loved running arounds Grandma's house
Boxing Day - There was a slight change in plans that day that ended up with Kris, Jane & kids over here for lunch and gift exchange...The kids were in their glory with all the new things to play with and dress up in!

Through the week, Kirk and I had a Date
We bought Kirk some new suits for his meetings, me some new clothes for Vegas, had a lovely dinner out and ended with Drinks with Kris & Jane while all 5 grandkids slept at Mommas....

We had a great visit with my Grandparents in their new retirement home...Its awesome! I want to live there!

We went to our little Niece Maja's 1st Birthday Party...It's hard to believe she is already one! She is pretty close to walking!

New Years Eve - Kris & Jane and Kids came over and all slept over...after the kids went to bed we played some board games, played the kids new musical intruments and danced into the wee hours of the morning...It was a ton of fun, that is until the kids woke up! Thankfully they were pretty kind,the first ones up were Sophie and Alyssa at 8:15am

Alyssa had a sleep over with Sophie...We went to the Science Center, The Pet Store, Had family Pancakes, Napped together, Had movie nights and an all around perfect 10 together...

I can't wait to share some picture from my new camera!! I'll be back after Vegas!!! Still so much to share!!

Santa

We have been trying to go see Santa for weeks now, something always came up and tonight Daddy was home sick with the flu, so a Brave Papa Murray ventured to the mall with me, on what was I'm sure one of the worst days ever to go to a mall...

Alyssa was grumpy going and almost flat out refused to go see him...Leah was excited to see Santa but when it came time, Alyssa's little face lit up and she happily sat with Santa and chatted while the other 2 screamed...

The wait was 1 hour, the whole time with Santa was likely less than a minute...he handed them each a candy cane and off we went to collect our picture...The babies were very pleased with their candy from "Anta" and sadly Alyssa dropped hers not too long after...Not that fun of an hour but at least we got a picture!

Thanks Dad for helping me out, there is no chance that would have happened if you hadn't have come!

Just for fun here is last years

Winter time fun...

Time is just in fast forward over here the past 2 months, I can't believe Christmas is this weekend! Gulp! I have faith I will have everything ready and perfect but thinking about makes my head spin a little! I am mostly ready with the big stuff, (other than my Kirk who is likely getting a few IOU a gift at a later time kind of gifts...)

We had Kirk's Christmas Party out in Banff this weekend, it was a lovely time and it really felt like Christmas in the mountains, we woke up to a beautiful snowfall which made for a pretty slow drive home...

The babies have been having fun out in the snow, we haven't gotten them out a lot but enough for them to have had some time to play, get cold and come in for some Hot Chocolate...

Leah has had fun shovelling the driveway with Daddy...She lasts outside for about 15 minutes then she's done...She loves her Cow hat and mitts and almost flat out refuses to wear boots...I don't usually argue if its a quick trip but it was a big ordeal to get her in the darn boots...

 Blake wasn't too sure about the snow, he was a quite concerned that his car had snow on it...We had brought it inside before winter but he was getting so mad that it wouldn't drive on the carpet, we finally just put it back outside and a giant wind storm flew it off the deck where it got majorly snowed on...He did look pretty stinking cute in his monster hat...

 Alyssa loves the snow, she could stay and play out there all day...She likes her sled, her slide, her swings, making snow angels and building snowmen...I hope over the holidays we can get outside more for sledding etc...thankfully the temperture hasn't been to ridiculous yet...

We've had the tree up since Alyssa's Birthday, I just failed to post about it...It was suppose to be a magical night, we had our traditional Rum and Egg Nog, our favorite (or I should say my favorite) Boney M Christmas CD that I've been listening to since I was a kid...and pulled out all of our bins of Christmas stuff...Alyssa was so excited to put the tree up...she patiently waited to put on the ornaments and organized them and protected the breakable ones from the 2 little ones...We had some light issues and could NOT get them lit on more than one little section...It ended up turning into an 4 hour totally aggrivating night, the babies went to bed with an unlit, undecorated tree...and we let Alyssa stay up until 10:30 so she could actually put up some decorations... 

In the middle of this post last night, I was interrupted with a crying Alyssa who had just gotten sick in her bed...She got sick a few more times in the night...Please PLEASE fingers crossed we don't have a repeat of last years Christmas with all 5 of us sick...So far the babies are ok...Knock on Wood!

Happy of the Day...

This picture makes me Smile!!!