Weekly Wrap-up (January 13th)

Lord I wish I would get some motivation back to start blogging again.  I know I have said this a few times last year but it is really bad this time.  I seem to alternate between having too many things to blog about (so I get slightly overwhelmed and don't blog anything) or I got nothing.

Even now this post is tough.  I just don't have much to chat about and that totally isn't like me.  So I will just throw out a few random things and see where that takes us.

The Kids:

Hayden

It's time to do school renewal forms and once again we are trying to decide what to do with the kids.  Hayden had interviewed at another private school and we have a 2nd interview next week to see if it is a good fit for them and us.  He doesn't want to move but they have a very good academic program so it might be a better fit for him.  As well, the school is only about 10 minutes from our place so logistically it would be easier drop off/pick up.

He has started skating lesson again through the U of C.  He loved it so much last winter and because he pulled some awesome grades for the first part of this school year we have added some extra curriculum activities back.

Laila

Our lovely Laila will be returning to Providence for a 2nd year.  She has come so far with her speech therapy this year that it really was a no brainer to send her back for her junior kindergarten year.  Not only has her speech grown she now knows her alphabet and has started to spell and recognize words.  She is crazy about learning how to read and will grab anyone who will sit with her to "read" her books.  She loves numbers as well so we are working on simple addition and subtraction.

Over these past 4 months Laila has taught me a valuable lesson that you should never let a person's disability define them and what they are capable of.  I honestly admit after being told Laila had severe speech and comprehension delays I had questions of what her future capabilities were truly going to be.  I tried to put on a brave face and say that it was  going to be okay but truthfully I had doubts.  The unknown can be a very scary thing to face but I can honestly say now I don't have doubts.  She has the determination and drive to succeed and this speech issue is just a small bump in her very long life journey.  I'm so excited to watch her blossom even more.

Sophie

As for Sophie I'm trying to find a program that she and I might be able to go to a few mornings a week starting next fall.  We are moving Laila to a morning class so it will be an ideal time for Sophie and I to do something.

I'm still having a hard believing that we just celebrated that little girl's 2nd birthday.  My baby is now a toddler and seems to change daily.  She has always been somewhat independent which I put down to be the 3rd child but now she is determined to do everything on her own.

What's Mom and Dad up to....

Faruq

He is up to his eyeballs in year end stuff at work right now.  He has work 12 out of the 13 days and the days are usually 14 hours or longer.  It's been a tough start to 2012 but the end is near and we should be back to regular programming within the week.


Michelle


I am back to my regular routine and couldn't be happier.  It was tough while my parents were visiting to workout as my gym is in the same area they were sleeping so I just tried to grab time when I could.  It's amazing to me how hard it can be to take weight off but how incredibly easy it is to put it back on.  I had a wonderful Christmas but by the end I found my jeans were starting to get a little snug again and I was generally feeling sluggish.  

I plan on doing a more in depth post about what I have been up lately with diet/exercise so I will save it until then.

The bright shiny mixer Faruq got me for Christmas has since been returned to the store.  I tried it twice and found while it was bigger it just didn't have a motor that was going to be adequate to handle what I was mixing.  So I made the decision to return it and wait until I could afford the one I really wanted.  My old kitchenAid is perfectly fine for now (My poor mom got the shaft as she was going to take the old one.... Sorry Mom).  When I told Faruq I wanted to return it he just started to laugh because in the last 20 years I have probably kept a dozen things he has actually bought me.

I am however loving my new camera and have been taking lots of new pictures of the kids.  I can't wait to play with it more.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend ~  I see from the morning news that Calgary is about to be hit with a blast of winter next week so we locals should enjoy the warmer temps while we have them.