The Classic School Christmas Program

Brookie and her class were the finale in the Caronport Elementary School Christmas Program. They counted their way through the holidays with each child taking part in one of the numbers. Brookie was partnered with her friend in grade two to bring us all “two Christmas wreaths to hang on our door with mistletoe and holly and ribbons and more.” She said her line very clearly and with a big smile on her face. My favourite part was at the very end after they took a well-deserved bow, Brookie looked right at me, smiled and waved. She was so proud of herself and was so glad I was there to see her. There is something so poignant about those moments with your child. They are perfectly happy, knowing that you are there.

It is going to be a good Christmas.

~Mandy

A Rosie Christmas

Today Sean and I joined all the other parents at Rosie’s preschool to watch a Christmas program. It was a collection of songs that the kids had learned over the past few weeks to share with us. Rosie dressed in her fanciest dress for the occasion and even picked out the shirt she wanted me to wear. But when it came to the actual songs, our wee Rosie was . . . well, quite bored. She took part in the ones she liked but felt free to kind of sit out on the rest. She doesn’t buy into the whole thing even when there are people watching. She does things her way and that is that.

 

The jingle bells and “Jesus songs” and wishes of merry Christmases made for a festive morning. We had a wonderful time watching our little Rosie shine (when she wanted to) and she has started this Christmas season off well. Thank you, Rosie!

~Mandy

Brookie’s 6th Birthday Party

It was a frigid Saturday in December when 10 excited, little girls and two adults left Caronport for the Kinsmen Pool in Moose Jaw. Brooklyn Grace Davidson was having her birthday party and we were going swimming for the afternoon. There were a lot of details to remember: car seats for everyone, the cupcakes, a lighter, candles, napkins, swimming stuff for everyone, presents, goodie bags, hats, mittens, extra blankets in case the vans broke down, music for the vans, and a camera to commemorate the occasion. So I remembered almost everything. Care to take a guess on what I forgot? Well, let’s just say that we needed to get napkins at the pool. We pretended to blow out the candles and I will need to sketch the pictures by hand. Yes – that’s right. I forgot the camera. But in a way, it is a good thing. You will get to practice using that imagination!

So imagine here is a picture of all the girls bundled up in the van, anticipating an afternoon of birthday fun.

And here is a shot of everyone at the pool, ready to start swimming. Brookie is the one in the middle with that green and pink bathing suit on. Rosie is the one leaving the picture to go down the waterslide.

Here are all the girls playing with Robert. Robert is the young, capable lifeguard we hired to entertain the kids for an hour while Sean and I soaked in the hot tub.

Here is a great shot of Sean and I in the hot tub.

This one really captures the excitement of climbing all those stairs to ride down the waterslide.

Here we are playing in the shallow end all together just before we stopped for cupcakes.

The girls all loved sitting poolside for drinks, chips, present-opening and cupcakes.

And here we are wet, tired, and ready for our drive back to Caronport.

See! Who needs a camera?

~Mandy