Hallooo

What a GORGEOUS day! We spent the day with Lisa, Ronan and Liam! I had a hoot! We kicked it old skool style. Riley Park just like the old days! Lisa was much faster than me and posted a great blog so check hers out!

The day went like this,



Riley Park





Kits beach for some serious sand play!

Said gbye to the Doucettes and opted for a prenap potty visit. Walked maybe 2 feet away from the facilities and Madigan is crashed in the buggy. Looks like we'll be staying at kits for a little while longer! Maeve looked like she had a blast playing in the sand while Madigan napped. She was pretty far away from me and I was a little nervous. She of course face plants right at the shoreline! The good news is I've never seen her jump up and spring to action faster! The badnews was her jeans got a little wet.. no biggie! I managed to transfer sleeping Madigan from buggy to carseat and we picked up Daddy! Now Daddy is reminding me there are only 4 days left before we move! sweet mother of mary I better get packing!

What a rainy week!

Wow, what a monsoon! The weather here is really the pits! Ok ok, a few of these pics are from last week when the sun did pop its welcome self out!

Poor Auntie Erin and Uncle Don had to move in this rain. Blech! So, I haven't blogged in what seems like eternity! Sorry. I know there are some of you out there that check my blog daily... I mean some of you other than my Mom who checks it hourly!! Casa Mussellam is getting all packed up and boxed up for our big move to Mt Pleasant! I can't wait!! Recently we've had a few hiccups related to the purchasing of our first home but Michael is doing a really really great job sorting it all out and getting it all solved. Michael is pretty amazing. Poor guy had alot of growing up to do of late! Now, before you get all mad at me those are his words not mine!!



The girls continue to be wonderful human beings. Madigan is so cheeky it is unbelievable! What a girl she is. I'm not sure why but she seems to be going through some sort of separation anxiety. Bloody child almost breaks my heart this morning calling, "cuddle me Mama.. cuddle me Mama.. Mamaaaa" I had to go to work and I was really sad leaving her. I know she will be ok without me but man can she pull on the ole heartstrings!



Maeve is very quickly blossoming into a very unruly teenager.. what the??? Is that normal? My gosh she can get miserable fast! Lucky for us she comes out of it just as quickly as going into it! Maeve is our resident beautiful ballerina and can frequently be found in front of the tv... not necessarily watching it but watching her reflection in it! ha what a girl!




I am doing well. My work situation could be better. I had no idea how much it would blow working on the weekends. Don't get me wrong, Michael is an amazing father and he and the girls seem to have a wonderful time.. its just that I'm getting ALOT of grief from my supervisor regarding requesting time off.. you know, to move and whatnot! Sheesh lady, give me a break! It turns out that my Early Childhood Education License to Practice expires Dec 11/07! What? Where the hell did the last 5 years go'? So, I am enrolled for my emerg first aid Nov 1, I have 2 workshops and I need to find another 4 before Dec 11! YIKES!!



Cathy, I need to know if I have a really good career move coming my way!

Here come the Mussellams, a day late and a dollar short! How unusual!









We love you Papa George! Hope your birthday was the best!


For the record we did film this on your bday but since we are so slow to post around here... day late.. dollar short.. everyone should know how we Mussellams roll!

Wednesday!

So today we had a great day! It was GORGEOUS out! Cold but sunny.. brisk and beeyootiful! We met up with the Doucette family at Cambie St Park and it was pretty great. When we got there they boys were throwing rocks in the ocean! Everyone made their way to the playground where Maeve and Ronan played as tho they haven't been apart a day in their lives! It was really really great! Liam is adorable!! He is super cute! Ronan is such a little surfer boy with AMAZING gymnastic ability! Around 4:30 or so, the Doucettes stuck out for home. The girls and I hung around the park waiting for 5:30 to pick up Daddy!

You want video?? Oh I'll give you video........

Here is some video of our day!


Maeve knows every single word to every single song on this album. We now skip over the songs that have naughty words in it!

Maeve is such a ham! I was aiming for Madigan when the show stealer popped into view! What a turkey!


My children are so beautiful to me! Never mind the birdseed on Madigan's face.. it is actually a very healthy granola snack that Mrs Kwan D'Eon made for us! YUM!







Madigan also knows the words to Gwen Stefani. LIke her sister before her, she demands tick tock be playing at all times in the vehicle. I am so sick of Gwen Stefani! We are coming up on 3 years of overplay here people!

This week

Hey gang... big thanks go out to Ang, Theo and Milo. We have had 2 playdates with them at their place and it was great! Ang got a new couch and it is... well... the best couch I've ever seen! It totally beats our fagelbo! It has a flip down table and the chaise part reclines! How sweet is that!





The girls and I have had some major running around to do the last couple of days so it was really nice to hang out with team Kwan D'Eon. Yesterday we had brunch with the lovely Melanie Snagg and the always adorable Carter! He is so adorable I can't believe it. I thought only girls were sweet and cute, turns out Carter is both and more! Its funny how babies just seem to capture your heart with seemingly no effort at all! You should have seen him gurgling and making raspberries.. He is one clever boy!

Warning... total brag...

Do not keep reading if you are offended by bragging...

Please.. if my bragging insults you, check back here tomorrow for less....


This is your last warning... last I tell you...



Ok, here goes!

My children are so obviously geniuses... or geniusi.... whatever.. it is clear they didn't get it from me!!
Today we were working on our letters again. Lots of kids her age go to preschool and work on letters,colours and stuff but poor Maeve doesn't get to attend.. Instead she gets her first learnin' via homeschooling!! Anyhoo, we have a workbook and we work on letters mostly. Its not something we do militantly.. we have only made it to letter "b" in the alphabet. Anyhoo, since most kids we know can already spell their names I tried to see if she could... guess what.. .she is so fricking smart! She can do her name and one of her favorite cousin's name too!




Sorry for the bragfest! I guess part of the reason I think she is so amazing is that I don't really know how to teach her the alphabet. Colours, numbers those are easy because we sing about them and point them out all the time. Yes yes, I realize I am a certified Early Childhood Educator but they didn't teach me how to teach children how to write. How to foster a love of reading, writing and rithmatic sure but not how to actually do it! I wasn't sure if I should hold the pen in her hand and help her make the letters or what so... I decided just to write out the letters and see if she could copy them... in the beginning that didn't really work too well but she did manage to copy the letter E really well. I really didn't want to hold her hand in mine because I didn't think that was really her doing the writing.. soo.. I did a combo of copying and dot to dots! Whenever the letter has a straight line I get her to do it and then I dot to dot the rest. Looks like she is really getting these letter things! She sometimes drifts off a bit while we are practicing and I have to stop and do something else because I don't want to push her or force her... I guess her school teachers will do that enough when the time comes!

Happy Birthday tooo youuuuu!


Happy Birthday Madigan Beatrice Mussellam! We sure love you!!








This is how it played out; Auntie Sara and Jakers arrived last night... awesome... stayed the night and were up at the crack of dawn! I put the cake in the oven and left for work at 8:30 am. Left Michael, Sara and the kids to it and I went to work! Came home and Granny Grace, Auntie Erin & Don and Papa George came over for a rocking bday party! I"ll put some video up later.. until then,,. here are some pics!

Bad blogger... BAD!

Haha Ok, so I can't exactly blame blogger the company.. just the blogger me! I have been so busy. Not really a good reason but thats what I am going with!

I'm so excited about the Doucettes moving back to Vancouver! Can't wait for the kids to meet each other again! We are having a family party for Miss Madigan Beatrice who turns 2 on Saturday! I can't believe she is 2 already! Where has the time gone!!! We all have colds and are all tired and cranky! Don't ask me how we did it but Madigan, Maeve and I logged an almost 3 hour nap yesterday.. it was GREAT!

Here are some pics of Maeve. Michael is trying to capture her "angry" face for a game that he is making for her. Everytime he goes to capture her "angry" face she starts laughing or smiling. He isn't interested in those looks.. but he is after the elusive angry face. I haven't told him but she gives me the angry face about a hundred times a day! ahhaah






Here is Miss Madigan courtesy of Miss Maeve. Clever girls they are! Maeve managed to capture the angle that best highlights the glistening snot on Madigoober's nose! Ahhh winter!

Random Fun Fotos

Howdy doody. I got my first paycheque! Yahooo Phil&Teds here I come!!! Anyhoo, here are some random photos




Birthday cake fun, well more like birthday pancake!! hahaha Poor Erin!


Circle time at the Vancouver Aquarium


Mommy/Mad snuggles captured by a random tourist at the vancouver aquarium

G'Morning

Hello faithful readers and welcome to BIRTHDAY WEEK!

Actually, to be more accurate we could call it birthday MONTH! Parties parties everywhere! All our friends and family gain a year this month!


Without further adieu here is Maeve's Birthday morning so far









What birthday would be complete without your sister trying to sneak a ride on your brand new bike?



Or without a rousing knock-knock session!

So here is Maeve's cake. Not as "fantastic" as last year though! We fully believe in child labour so, in keeping with tradition, Maeve helped to ice and sprinkle her birthday "cake"! We waited for Madigan to nap so we could come up with this fine creation! There would have been more cupcakes had two cheeky monkeys not swiped them earlier this am while I was busy. Sneaky little buggers! Cupcake crumbs from one end of the kitchen to another!

Blog Update: Michael rotated the images.


It's done! We forked over the downpayment and are now in hock for the rest of our lives! Wahoo! A whopping 1060 sf! :P

Note: Furnishings aren't ours. :)

Front Hall:




Master Bedroom:


Master bedroom with hims and hers closet.. also bathroom with skylights!


Girls bedroom. Note it shall be pink!


Living Area:



Laundry!


Kitchen:




View: Vancouver's Heritage Museum where we attended the nuptials of the always entertaining Mel and Monkey!


Balcony:



Lisa, I didn't manage to snag a pic of our best balconey view... you know, the view of the Five Point! Yes, we'll be there chillaxing and drinking a mighty fine martini! Maybe we'll even grab some sitters and invite the mens! haha Nah! forget it.. VIVA noche de las señoras!!

Thirsty Thursday

Howdy Y'all! Sorry for the sporadic postings these days. My mind is in a zillion places! We seem to be chugging right along for our new home purchase. Getting all the financing and whatnot sorted is Michael's job. Poor him! The girls are doing well. Driving me nuts most of the time.

Since the big kids are back to school, we get all our old haunts back. Yay, today we met up with the Kwan D'Eons at the aquarium. Good times. We were swarmed by wasps.. ok, not everyone mostly Theo. It was pretty scarey. We picked up and moved on, those Kwan boys' lunch is sooo good that even the wasps were all over it.. literally!

We went below ground to watch the dolphins. They must have been in a weird mood or something because in my opinion, they were freaking out! Jumping up in the water and then swimming soooo fast back and forth to their secret lair! It was pretty neat.

After the dolphin viewing we hit the park. Not sure what they call this one. I'm sure you do Ange! Its the one near Malkin Bowl... I think! It was cool.. Madigan snoozed for like 20 mins.. boo.. should have been longer but she woke up to pee.. and did... on her sheepskin.. double boo! Oh well c'est la vie! Maeve and Milo walked to the park together. Tres adorable






We said goodbye to the Kwan D'Eons they headed home on foot and we made our way back to our car. I thought for sure the girls would crash in the car.. no such luck! On our way up to the apt I informed them of the rules.. no computer and no tv. The computer rule doesn't apply to me and they were not happy at all. Madigan is washing the windows and Maeve is having another snack! She must be growing!

Here are some cute Kwans

Big news!

So sorry for being MIA here on our family blog. We Mussellams have been busy little bees! Some of you knew that we were looking to buy a place of our own, sooo we did it! We have an accepted offer for a condo of our own! Pretty good news right? Well there is more!!!

I got a job! I know, crazy! I am now gainfully employed by FITNESS WORLD! The best part you ask? I get to bring the girls with me! We work in the childminding department at the Cambie Fitness World! Today was our first day and the children all got along great! I work Mondays with Mel (my boss) and Friday with Jessica. Saturday and sunday I work with Julie! Everyone else brings their children too.. it is the perfect job for me right now! It doesn't pay well and it will be pretty crummy to have to work weekends but hey, whatever I can contribute is even more important now that we will be home owners! There are a few perks which are great, namely bringing the girls with me! I also get a gym membership! Yay! The hours aren't too bad either, 9-2 for each day I work! I am pretty lucky!


but guess what? there is more!!

SO when we rudely moved away and took the girls away from everyone we love, some very good friends moved too, only further. Well I miss them. Since moving back to vancouver I've missed them even more! So I'm sure you know my good news... they are moving back! I'm so excited! It is still a long way away because they are going to have a much deserved vacation before coming back to the WET Coast!

In conclusion, I'm happy to be alive, have friends and family that I love and so very thankful for all the wonderful things that have been happening!