Family Dance

My girls sometimes sleep in on school days.

It doesn't seem to happen that often on weekends, but that might just be me...

On Friday morning, Miss A woke up on time, and Miss G kept sleeping, so at about 7:20 am, I knocked on the door, turned on the light, and said, "Good Morning Miss G!  It's a school day, so it's time to get up."

She bolted up to sitting on the top bunk, and said, "Is it Friday?!"

Confused, a little bit, by her excitement, I said, "Yes." 

Usually she is most excited about Wednesdays because that's her Show and Share day.

"We're going to a dance today!!  No school for me," she announced.

I had almost forgotten about the family dance. 

But, I recovered quickly, and corrected her, "You are right!  The dance is today!  But, school is today, too.  So, we're going to go to school and play with your friends, then come home and have supper, a bath, put on a fancy dress, and THEN go to the dance!"

Miss G whooped, "Woo hoo!" and bounced down the ladder ready for the day.

After school, and supper and baths, the girls picked out their dance dresses.

They wanted matching ones.

These girls have some great moves, and they didn't really stop for the whole two hours! 

In fact, because the Family Dance attracts the littlest kids and their parents, I saw a lot more dancing at this dance than at the middle school dances I've chaperoned!

Miss A cut up the floor with her super awesome dance moves.

And, she loved dancing with Daddy! 

Miss A and all the kids from her Kindergarten class joined hands and looped around the gym over and over and over again. 

They were all so happy (and well-behaved!). 

They were happy to have Miss A join in with them, too, because she's awesome. 

They totally cracked me up. 

Fly, Miss A! 

When I bought our family ticket to the dance, I also ordered Miss A some pizza.

I don't think I've ever NOT ordered her pizza since my initial misjudgement at the beginning of the school year. 

Miss G asked me to pack a lunch box with her water bottle and some crackers for a snack at the dance, because she doesn't like pizza. 

She was so busy dancing that she almost didn't stop to have a snack! 

We had two cute and tired girls by the end of the Family Dance.

Totally fun.  Totally worth it!

The girls can't wait for the next one.

We're Melting...

It's true.

The snow here is finally beginning to melt!

We are getting long sunny days (rising at about 6:00 am and setting at 9:00 pm).

And, even though it's about -15 degrees Celsius in the mornings, by the end of the school days, there are very big (and very cold) puddles of water from all the snow and ice melting.

Splish, splash, splosh.

In fact...

Look what we saw on our court on our walk home one day this week.

That's grass, baby!!

The girls yelled, "Grass!!  Mommy!  It's grass!!"

And, I said, "Yes! It's grass!!"

We haven't really seen the grass since early October.

Miss G asked, "Can you take a picture of us with the grass?"

I'd never been asked that before...

"Sure."

And, I did.

Then, Miss A asked, "Mommy, when is Spring going to be here?"

"Soon."

Miss G sighed and said, "I sure wish the snow would just go now."

"It is!!"  I insisted.

"Oh, yeah!!!" she agreed.

"But, it's going to take more weeks."

"Oh."

I hope you are appreciating any Spring you are getting now, too!  I know we are.

Miss A's First Field Trip

Miss A is oh-so-envious of the kids who get to ride on the school bus.

I have assured her time and time again that she would, one day, get to go on a school bus, too.

Tuesday was that day!

Miss A's first ever field trip involved a bus ride to the fire station at the airport.

She immediately went over to show the firefighters her Lightning McQueen shoes that light up.

They were very impressed! 

She was a good listener, and was excited to get to visit the fire station. 

The kids got to go into a viewing room to see the runway, where they could see planes taxiing, landing and taking off.

I mean, really, what is better?  Fire station?  Airport?  Put them together!! 

Miss A loved looking outside, and she could see the big green Buffalo hangar that we visited a few weeks earlier with Nanny and Papa, across the way. 

Daddy had a little something to do with coordinating that big military airplane (C-17) in Yellowknife.

It was huge!! 

The kids all loved watching the business going on at the airport. 

Miss A's preschool teacher let all the kids have turns with the binoculars.

Miss A said, "I'm like Diego!" 

Their seats were unconventional, to say the least.

The firefighters were very easy going. 

The preschool then invaded the boardroom. 

Miss A took the head chair. 

"I bring this meeting to order." 

Here, Miss A is telling the fire fighters a very detailed story about Strawberry Shortcake. 

Miss A was very excited and interested in the firefighter. 

Miss A, then, invaded the Chief's office.

"Hi, I'm Miss A.  What you doing??" 

Then, FIRE TRUCKS! 

BIG TIRES! 

Miss A was a little nervous about loud noises, but it was actually a very quiet visit. 

Firefighter Josh let the kids see the Jaws of Life. 

Miss A was very interested in the big scissors. 

"That's a hose!!"

Miss A then told Firefighter Josh that she could use the hose to fill her pool, and she could wear her new swimsuit from the store. 

The kids were pretty excited to hold the nozzles and other tools. 

Firefighter Josh opened the hood to show the kids the diesel engine.

There was a big, "Whoa!" 

(Miss A covered her ears as a proactive sound barrier, but the engine was off.)

The kids all got to be up close and personal with the big engine. 

Miss A was pretty impressed. 

How excited is she?  

Then, it was snack time!  

Back to the fire engines!

Can you see my monkey? 

Miss A just hanging around... 

Finally, the kids got to go IN the fire engines. 

So happy! 

"Did you get a picture, Mommy?"  

Pretty big trucks! 

Happily, the kids got bundled up again, and got fire safety loot bags, and climbed back on the school bus. 

Fire trucks, airplanes, school buses, oh my! 

It was so much fun to go on the afternoon field trip with her!

Easter Visiting

Easter afternoon, we went to visit Gramma and Grampum, and the girls discovered that there were more eggs hidden over there! 

Gramma asked them for some egg hunting help, and the girls were happy to oblige.

They sorted through the contents of the eggs, and then hid them over and over and over again until we left several hours later, hardly taking a break for supper. 

Grampum read Miss A The Cat in the Hat, using the voices Daddy remembers hearing when the book was read aloud to him as a kid. 

The girls also got to try a few notes on Grampum's piano.

I was still eating my cheesecake at this point, and sadly could not treat the assembled to my awesome musical abilities.

Well, actually, they were spared listening to chop sticks.

It was a very big piece of cheesecake, and I need some extra time to finish it, but I did. 

I defeated Mount Cheesecake.

It was delish!

- - - -

I'll show you a few other Easter crafts the girls made this year...

Each girl made a Resurrection set, which I found on this blog.  

They were asking a lot of questions, and this was a kid-friendly way to explain the Easter story. 

The girls used water colour paints to paint the sets, then I laminated them, and taped them with white electrical tape in the back.

Miss G came home from school with this on Thursday, before the Easter weekend.

Me:  Miss, G, what is this?

Miss G:  It's a tomb.

Me:  Oh.  Did you make it with Mrs. F.?  It's very nice.

Miss G:  Yes.  I painted it black.  Open it up.

Me:  Oh, wow.  Look at that.  It's a beautiful angel.

Miss G:  Thank you.

Me:  Miss G, why is Jesus not inside the tomb?

Miss G:  (Exasperated by my stupidity...) 

Mommy, Jesus is gone. 

The angel came in and yelled,

"WAKE UP!"

So, He did. 

I think He went to see his Dad in Heaven after that."

There's the Easter story, according to Miss G.