Skating!

 I opted out of making a rink myself this year. The kids were not pleased. So I promised to take them skating outdoors elsewhere. Regularly.

 The first place open was the skate trail in Richmond Hill. I think we showed up the day after it opened. During the week...so it was pretty quiet.

 I attempted to help an adult during her first time skating. She was grateful, but I felt inadequate.

 We checked out another potential site on the way home but it wasn't ready yet.

 The skate trail was great -- nice smooth ice, nice natural environment. It's just a shame they have speakers of radio music blaring when you could hear the birds maybe, if it was off.

 They had the pushing things for learning with, which was really good for Evelyn. Even better for me, 'cause then I didn't need to help. It's awkward trying to hold someone!

 The loop wasn't as long as I'd imagined from being told. And fortunately I didn't see the "helmet" and "one way only" signs and we weren't told off. Rules are best if you don't know about them. ;) We also tried an arena...but didn't risk Richmond Hill or Aurora because of their "helmet rules". Maybe they'd overlook our lack of helmets, maybe not. But it's not worth packing everyone up only to be disappointed! We did find an arena that wasn't so fussy. :)

 We enjoyed tag on the skate trail...but I had to remind my kids to not do it around other people and to slow down around them (especially when you are going the wrong way!).

It is nice to be outside!

Almost December and first half of December

 We enjoyed some lovely warm days. Time to walk on the golf course -- it is finally closed for winter!

 Free lollipop licks. :p

 Jennifer was only making her bed when she banged her head on the headboard. The skin just kinda split open...not too long and wide...probably not quite long enough for stitches. So I attempted closing it up myself.

 It's not as bad as it looks here, because it collected blood under the bandaid.

 And finally a big snow fall! What fun!

 Daniel doing dishes again? Well...sometimes it's just doing dishes STILL. He isn't always efficient and can be "doing" his chore for a very long time.

 Melanie with her nose in a book.

Nathan's argo completed. He's showing off its skid steer features to me.

Daniel is Eight!

 Near the end of November we celebrated Daniel's birthday.

 Melanie made the cake and let Daniel decorate it. Such a relief to not have to make the cake!

 Evelyn had a stack of cards. Some may have been ready since Jennifer's birthday.

 

 To prepare him for his future career Melanie made a vest.

 To prepare him for acts of violence Nathan made him a knife. (Fortunately it is wooden. ;)

 His choice of birthday activity was to go visit a friend his age who had moved away about three years ago now.

 We met at a McDonald's Play Place.

 I was worried they might be shy together, but as we do see him occasionally on Sundays visiting family, they still knew how to play together. (Maybe they would anyways. :p )

 As we did our get together on Saturday I took half of the children along. We had a different atmosphere and different chats than normal, which was nice!

Daniel has really grown in the last year. Physically and otherwise. He is really trying harder to please people, he is working harder, and generally better at obeying. We are thankful for Daniel!

It is hard to imagine that it was eight years since he was born as a not so tiny baby.

Colder

 Evelyn likes to interfere while Nathan tries to get his work done.

 We had a little snow in early November.

 I hadn't purchased any crazy carpets yet (they never seem to last past one year!)

 So we shared the GT

 and found what we could around the house to slide on.

The snow was only just barely deep enough...we were happy with what we did get!

Beautiful Fall Weather

 We had some beautiful days in fall. As motivation to get school work done, and because I can leave the kids briefly (to go bring the bikes in the van before bringing a load of children) we did a new kind of outing. After all, Evelyn can bike now!

What a beautiful scene it is to ride through brightly colored trees with the sun angling through it.

 You can smell fall and the leaves all go crunching under your tires.

 Evelyn did have trouble keeping up, and felt like quitting a few times...but overall did very well.

 After having gone a couple of times, the older kids brought Matthew's walkie talkies. They left one with me and explored the maze of trails at their own pace while I plugged along with the younger three.

Anyone wanna buy me a hitch for my van and a trailer that can fit seven or eight bikes in easily? (Think of all the trails we could explore if we didn't need to return home for a second load!)

Melanie is 11

 Melanie, with Matthew's help, made her own breakfast on her birthday!

 Some of us just waited patiently until it was ready.

 A treasure hung was made. It involved a lot of code breaking

 and a lot of help.

 Perhaps it was a bit too tricky in places, but the kids worked through the whole thing!

 And because it was on the weekend we didn't have to wait until after dinner to open gifts.

 In the evening we went bowling.

 Melanie had never gone before and wasn't sure what to expect. She certainly enjoyed it!

Eleven years have flown by. We are thankful for the years we have had with Melanie, for her help and her company.

October

 Reading...an excellent pastime!

 The games became interesting again

because we got a cabinet to put some of them in, so they were reorganized. It's like getting new toys again. ;)

Grandma's Pictures!

 I have gotten somewhat sloppy about taking pictures when company is around. Fortunately Grandma is more diligent than me!

 After the first day of water sliding, the sliding got a bit more complicated...as most games do to stay favourites.

 

 When you try to find our place, I usually tell people our house number and then "look for the big rocks at the bottom of the driveway". They are big rocks. A neighbor who has been around for many years told me that our road got damaged when all the rocks got delivered to our place. :o

 The go-cart was quite a project!

 No school when we have company, but chores still have to be done. :(

 The coop has been in its under construction state for a while now but it is making headway! You can see that the "brick wall" now has a purpose. It looked so lonely otherwise!

 Grandma has a beautiful tradition of placing grandchildren in wildflower scenes and taking pictures of them.

 Visiting grandparents in their apartment is extra special!

 Ah yes, the walk...from Grandma's perspective.

 Mom was going to take a family picture of us while we were in our Sunday best...but somehow this is as far as she got.

 Another trial run in progress!

 Grandma and Melanie went for a bike ride and Melanie saw her first ever (not-live) porcupine.

 A picture using the timer.

 Hanging out in the teepee.

 The kids loaded up the van so we could go to our moms support group...these are play things for the kids that my older children help provide.

 My friend and her older children also also help with the play items, and mask making was provided! That was fun!

One last walk before it is time to go...with photos to go with it.

Goodbye!