This year, my 60th birthday coincided with the total solar eclipse on April 8th. Wendy decided that it would make a good human interest story (I wasn't expected to reach my 56th birthday). She contacted the CBC, and they were quite interested. This is the story they wrote (if you have a read it yet):
Fanfan had an early 6th birthday party with some friends and classmates - it would be hard to get everyone together if they waited until mid-July. With lots of planning on the part of Ying and Wendy, the "princess themed" event was set and the kids were all in the living room colouring pictures of (...you guessed it...) princesses. Although Fanfan was part of the planning, she had no idea that her dream princess was about to arrive at the party.
Fanfan was speechless!
Princess Belle swept in and proceeded to mesmerize all the kids. She kept them busy with some singing Disney princess songs and dancing. She also read them a few stories.
Singing and dancing to princess songs (Belle was a great singer)!
Reading a princess story
I don't think Jacob was quite as impressed as some of the girls...
Princess photo shoot in the back yard
Princess Fanfan and Princess Belle
A memorable birthday party, guaranteed!
After the party ended and the rest of the visiting kids went home, we had a family BBQ. Our 3 great nieces and 1 great nephew had a fantastic time and were well and truly exhausted by the end of the day.
For more pictures and some videos from the party, here is a Google album:
Halloween was a much quieter affair than normal this year. Of the three teenagers, nobody was going out trick-or-treating. We did get pumpkins (last weekend) and Thursday night was carving night. As expected, Parker bailed (it is too icky!). Adam, Stanley, and I carved our respective pumpkins in the kitchen. Maddy helped by trying to steal things to eat.
Stanley scooping out his pumpkin
All 3 pumpkins at once (notice Maddy waiting a stray piece to eat)
Eric's pumpkin had braces - in honour of Parker getting braces later in November
Adam's was minimalist. He never smiles, so his pumpkin did it for him!
Stanley's pumpkin had style, and leaned back a little...
Halloween itself was very quiet, mostly because Wendy and I were out until closer to 7pm. It rained off and on for the whole evening. Parker handled the door until we arrived home and gave away lots of candy. Just before 8pm, several older teens came to the door and asked if Parker was around. Apparently, Parker had arranged a low key get together at our place (he wasn't sure anyone would come) and ended up with 4 boys in our basement watching a movie! They took some of the extra candy downstairs, as there was little action at the front door. Adam had left mid afternoon to go to his winter field training exercise (camping in the bush) with the cadets, Stanley was in Toronto, so it was just Parker at home. After shutting down the pumpkins (2 with battery powered Dollarama lights, one with a candle), we went to bed reasonably early.
November 1st came early, as Adam forgot his alarm on. Again!!!!
At 6:45 we were rudely awakened by the crescendo of electronic horrors that Adam uses as an alarm clock (he doesn't wake up to it, by the way). A little fiddling with it made sure it was off for tomorrow, when the time changes. He returns tomorrow night - he doesn't have classes on Monday, so we expect he will sleep until just prior to Tuesday, no alarm needed.
Another rude awakening was the first hint of snow for the winter. We saw a few flakes coming down in the morning and it was cold all day. No freezing rain or ice pellets as were predicted. Guess I have to get the fireplaces set up for use and make sure the furnace is ready...
