Loot and lockdown (Week 9)

Yeah, they got loot. They did more houses this year, and discovered the traditional pillow case carryall sack, which they lugged about. It was a great night, the air crisp and cool, so many folks out in our neighbourhood, I wish we had such events more often. The rest of the year we are all cloistered in our respective houses, hardly a Hello to each other. I long for a more neighbourly-like neighbourhood. Not that I want to leave mine, I just want to revamp our whole culture.

I didn't get fab pics of Ivy, but I got some. Oh man was she cute, she looked like a bank robber more than a cat. She tricked with her good buddy Cohen, who was a puppy. Her tail was a big hit.






Later on we sorted out the loot (crap we toss and the chocolate we keep) and they dug in. By the next morning they were ready for more, though I insisted on breakfast first. I uphold an eat-it-and-get-it-gone policy, rather than encourage saving it for months. The sugar dose is so hard on the immune system why drag it out? They are always happy with this point of view.




And of course now they all have a cold. I love it when what I preach is reinforced as fact.

We skipped gymnastics this week, but did hit up the always fun aikido. Here is Leif working on his rolls.







And neither pouring rain nor darkness will keep Hannah from her soccer class, which is so great. She is developing a love for being keeper, but also has a mean kick that nets her many a goal on the other team. She looks really grown-up here doesn't she? Yeah, she is growing up, no matter how hard we try to stop her.






Skating started this week! They have been really looking forward to it. For me, it was fun to watch, they were very cautious and did EXACTLY what their instructor told them to. It was like watching baby birds learn to fly.



She's plowing through book three of Harry Potter, carrying it around with her and asking us to read it all day. She should have more time now that we're in a no-screen-time lockdown. Yeah, it happened. I confiscated the gameboy, vetoed the laptop time and gave the DVD's back to their owner. It just got so crazy, they'd watch all day and not notice the passing of time (as tv does for all of us). And yet, once I shut down the scene, they adapted just fine. Now they wake up and read, draw, do puzzles, play the piano. A balance of sorts. Tv is fun and has it's place, we just need to find that place and not let it take over.

We chatted this week about Gordon Campbell, who the children know pisses me off to no end. This week our talk was about his legislating the EMTs back to work, and ffering a 6 cent pay raise. I find it hard when we talk about things our gov't does that we disagree with, because I've also taught them that our gov't works for us, that we choose them, and that they are supposed to represent our voices. The kids will ask Why are they doing such nasty stuff? And I have nothing positive to say. That sucks. I don't want to give them rose-coloured glasses, for sure, but it'd be nice to not be so frustrated with our province so often.

On the flip side we ran into a friend of mine who is an MLA. I've told them his story, that I knew him when we worked together, and how he has worked so hard to move up the ranks of politics, that he believes he can make positive changes (and has!) and that he is someone we can trust and believe in. I just wish we lived in his riding.


Always one to follow her siblings lead, Ivy can be found in bed reading her Lego catalogue often. And falling asleep looks like this:



The rain has begun in earnest now, and with the colds and the weather, we'll be playing a lot of card games this weekend.

Kisses

C