Dots of Life

dogwood

  today the kids and i finally got out for our annual trip to collect christmas greenery and dogwood.  we always look forward to this little adventure... climbing over fences, searching for just the right branches.  it is surely a simple pleasure... but of course those are the best kinds...

 

strings attached

ben was excited to make the volleyball team this year... his first team sport at the school...last year recess was always way more important than trying out for school teams...

BUT  the offer to be on the team came with strings attached.  the coach is ben's teacher from last year and when she offered him a spot on the team she also added..."but you have to keep your mouth shut ben".  ummm, this may sound a little harsh... but she is a really fun and good natured gal, who obviously knows my son.   so, congratulations boo.... AND... good luck!!!! LOL

terrific two's

happiest of birthdays to our little man...

i snapped this pic on sunday when griffin was opening his gifts.  it was hard to get a shot of those beautiful baby blues, as (in true 2 year old fashion) he is constantly on the go.  as you can tell from the picture though... he still has his serious/inquisitive side.... what 2 year old "reads" their birthday cards??????

  oh, how i wish they lived closer and that we could spend some more time with "the griz".  he loves his "benny" and ben just thinks griffin is the funniest kid.  he loves sports (not encouraged by his dad at all) and is always up for throwing a ball around.  he is really in to trains and he loved the cars and trucks that he opened on sunday.  he is talking alot now... at that fun stage when they always surprise you with what they say.  hope you have a terrific year little buddy!

bowling with da girls

on sunday, members of the "children with diabetes support group" gathered at quinte bowl, for an afternoon of bowling and board games.  what a fun afternoon for the girls and i.  riley came along with us while, ben and matt had a hockey game in stirling (we lost 14-1, but guess who scored the only goal????)

the girls absolutely loved bowling.  hopefully we can get daddy and ben out for a game sooner or later.

 

the dunlops

we were treated to a double scoop of the dunlops last week. on saturday, miss molly and elaine stopped by for lunch and a nice visit and then on monday, elaine, molly and "my boyfriend" mike stopped by so i could take a few pictures for their family christmas cards.  can't wait to get my card!  

flickr flashbacks

i recently re-activated my flickr account and have access to hundreds of pictures that i took a few years back.  since i bought my first digital camera about 3 years ago, i admit that i haven't printed off any pictures, except for the ones that i frame or give as gifts.  so it is so funny to look back and remember some special times.
like our trip to gananoque/1000 islands.  this was a really fun family day trip.  i think every family should do this at least once... so funny to look back (and laugh) at what we looked like. ya, i think i will never die my hair red, myself, again!!!! lol!
   

sugar free advent calendar

as a kid, one of my favourite parts of christmas was my chocolate advent calendar... i couldn't wait to wake up each morning and rush to open the advent door and get my chocolate.  my kids share my advent calendar love.  although, i do not encourage chocolate with breakfast on a daily basis, we do make exceptions for the month of december.  but i was thinking that the chocolate advent calendar was not the best thing for adi and her diabetes management.

our local scrapbooking store was advertising a cute little "make your own" advent kit and i thought this would be the perfect solution to my problem.  so i bought the kit, spent a few hours putting it together... and voila....

adison is thrilled and i can't wait to fill it with things like sugar free gum, money, barretts,  hair clips, etc.  now my only problem is that ben and anna pearl want one too!

hockey

bens hockey season is flying by... we have lots of hockey in our life and i love it!  i am truly loving every moment of being a hockey mom.  ben is on the stirling blues atom ae (b) team, and it is exactly the right pace for us.  not too much travel, not too many practices... and not too serious.  for us, it is all about fun and ben is having such fun. he loves his team and his teammates.  actually, there is one teammate in particular that he is quite fond of...

sam is the only girl on the team. she is such a cutie-pie.  it became obvious to matt a little while ago that ben and sam seemed a little "keen" on eachother, and it has also become obvious to her dad and some of the other parents... sam denies it... ben just smiles!  i think that says it all!

sista-love

my girls... just watching john and kate plus 8.  lovin' eachother up.  they didn't even know i had the camera!

woohoo!

so proud of ben for being entered into the regional competitions for the royal canadian legions "annual poster and literary remembrance contest".  both his remembrance day poem and his poster were chosen to represent foxboro school at the regional competition.  he is very excited and we are very proud. good work boo!