Settled?

Everyone keeps asking if we're settled. The short answer for me is no, but it isn't a one word straightforward kind of thing. We moved August 25th and then had a long weekend and it was off to school. Off to long drives on the 401 to Woodbridge, exhaustion, errands, trying to get settled, adjusted.

I'm not settled. The garage is still filled with boxes, and trying to figure out stuff that was bought for one house fitting into a different house, it's a process. The girls rooms, the kitchens, our room, it was all done pretty quickly. The office has boxes, the main floor has boxes, the front hall has boxes, but we're getting there. I've given myself permission to take my time. We packed for three months, why not unpack for just as long or longer? I don't want to be unpacking forever, but I'm really in no rush either.

The girls are settling into their new schools. Fiona is doing really great, Kate and Alice are coming along. The biggest adjustment for Kate is the workload of grade 2 - the absence of play. For Alice the challenge has been that she constantly compares Tottenham to Carruther's Creek.  She's getting better, and she is coming home happier.

Kate had her meet the teacher on the 21st - we went to meet Madame Khattab. However, we found out the day before that Kate would move from a 2/3 to a straight 2 and that they were hiring a new teacher. Madame Khattab seemed really sweet and was glowing when she talked to Kate. She asked which one of us was Francophone! Go Kate!

Alice's meet the teacher was the 22nd, and the school was a zoo, but we had fun playing in her classroom. The girls and I had been in to meet her teacher previously, and Ms. White is awesome.

So far, we've visited the White Feather, walked by the beach, played at the park, eaten out, had a Pickering Ward Primary trip to the temple, gone swimming at Grandma's. And every once in a while we unpack something...

White Feather

 

A Fiona-Mommy trip to buy shoes for Mom and then a pop into Chapters.

Visiting the park across from Alice's aftercare at Carruthers Marsh.

 We walked from the park down to the lake.

 Dinner out at Boston Pizza. There have been a few too many dinners out lately.

 

Kate and I had a fun shopping trip at Old Navy. She pretty much picked out her whole fall wardrobe.

Pickering Ward primary had a trip to the temple. It was really great. The Primary president Sis. Yates is so lovely and had really cute activities planned.

After the visit to the temple we went swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Another walk by the water. This beach is closer to our house, at the end of the main road we live off of.

Another trip out to eat. This one tonight. It was late when we finally went out to eat at McDonald's. Kate and Fiona howled like wolves. 

And Alice wore her Bat girl glasses the whole time.

Beeton Fall Fair

What better way to pretend that you haven't moved, then by going back? I made the plans with Michelle in the summer. It was Michelle that cracked me! Up to the moving date, all through the process I just kept pushing any kind of emotion down. When Michelle told me how sad she was about the move - I can't remember when in the summer we had the conversation, but it was the first time that anything got to me. There has been so much to do there hasn't been time to be sad. I broke down on moving day when it was finally real, and I've had some sad moments the past two and half weeks, but I also wanted this day to look forward to! And here it is.

The Beeton Fall Fair is small. There are animals, a dog show, a magic show and rides. The forecast for today was rain. And it rained - but thankfully we did have a break and the girls all had some fun going on rides.

Poor Fiona, she completely had an accident and I didn't have any clean clothes for her. Ken drove up to Walmart in Alliston and then Fiona had dry clean clothes, and she got to go on her first ride. She was such a good patient girl before that. And she loved the rides! All the girls did.

After the fair we all went to Michelle and Alexei's house and the girls played, we ate dinner, and we had a lovely time. I will really truly ache for Michelle next summer when we're not around the corner from each other anymore, but I'm so glad that we can still get together and keep this beautiful friendship going!

The First Day of School

The first day! I told Ken that he had one job, this job was to ensure that first day pictures were taken, posted, and tagged! And, success!

Alice was first. Her school is the closest to our house, and her start time is 9:00. The plan right now is that she will complete SK at Carruther's Creek Public School, and next September she will join the French Immersion program at Southwood. Alice's teacher's name is Ms. White, and her DECE is Mrs. Fayaz. We were able to meet them last week and see the classroom. They both seemed lovely and I'm confident that Alice will have a great year.

Next to drop off is Kate. Kate is starting grade two at Southwood Park Public School in the French Immersion program. Her teacher this year will be Madame Khattab. Her school starts at 9:05. It was so crazy near her school that she told Ken that he could just drop her off and she would figure it out. My big girl. And she did!

Last but not least Miss Fiona. When we went to check out daycare's earlier in August, the first place we visited was Edukids on Salem and I felt the spirit when we walked out, and just felt reassured that this was her place and that all was well. Then we went and visited three other places, and the same feeling persisted. The first place was the place for Fiona. Ken dropped her off and she was okay, no tears. Her teachers are Ms. Sheryl and Ms. Bonnie. Fiona will be in the preschool program.

Ken will do three different drop offs this year. And I will do three different pickups. Fiona first at Edukids, then Kate in the PRYDE aftercare program at Southwood, and then Alice at Helping Hands daycare in their aftercare program as there was no room at her school's aftercare.

It's going to be busy running the kids around but everyone is where they are supposed to be. Everyone is in the best place for them to grow and thrive and to have the learning experiences that they need. I'm proud of my girls for being so brave and happy today.

Moving Day

After three hours of sleep I woke up, looked at the clock and spent the next 45 minutes trying to fall back asleep. I should have just gotten up. There was still so much to do. The girls and I went to breakfast with Michelle and her girls. I consider myself truly blessed to have found Michelle. To have such a kindred spirit around the corner was such a blessing.

After our goodbyes I met my Mom at the school (Tottenham Public) and she took the girls. I then went home to continue packing. The movers had arrived sometime before 9:30.

Stuff! I purged some, not tons. There was just, there is just so much stuff. There were three guys hauling boxes and furniture. Getting the bunk beds taken apart proved to be the ridiculous experience of the day - poor Ken. Cheryl, a Tottenham resident and cleaning woman who I met through the swap came to clean. She was awesome.

Just before 3 the truck was all packed up. The movers left and shortly after Ken left. Then it was up to me to finish cleaning and get the rest of the stuff in the van and get out.

That's when it finally got real. There's been so much to do for so long, and not that I did a great job packing, but it's been a busy summer. And sweeping out the rooms and looking around them for the last time it was sad. Really sad. I really did grow to love that little house. It was a great house - a great first home. There were so many happy things that happened in that home.

I made sure to copy out all the heights on a role of paper and take a pic of the back door.

 And I took a selfie just before I left as I was really starting to lose it.

I have had such mixed feelings living in Tottenham. It never felt permanent. I never loved it, but I never hated it. It was a funny little town. I will miss the beautiful countryside. I will miss being able to walk to the post office and walk to the library. I will miss some truly wonderful people that blessed my life. I will miss 55 Lionel Stone. I will.  I think I will need to grieve a little while.

Driving to Ajax today, I took the long way - hwy nine through Newmarket and then south around Uxbridge. It was a long beautiful drive and I felt a little calmer as I got to Ajax. But I also felt a little frantic, a little beside myself, a little world turned upside-down.  Moving is a big deal!

Oh and one more thing - my silly fun! As I was driving through Newmarket, this happened.

The KEYS!

Today was another trip to the lawyers to pick up the keys, so of course we had to go by OUR house!

EEK! I can't believe tomorrow is moving day. How can you say, not ready?! Here we go!

So many goodbyes

The first gift that Michelle gave to me was Annie. I sill remember signing up for Kindermusik because I hadn't met a friend, and the first day, the minute I walked in Michelle and I were instantly best friends - or so it seemed! And I'm not sure exactly when she gave me Antoinette's information but it wasn't too long after we met. Antoinette wanted to watch the kids of teachers - then no extra kids at holiday time - only her own kids. Camden would be in JK and he would be home with Kate every other day.

Antoinette often sent me the cutest pictures of Kate and Camden.

Today Annie and Camden came to say farewell. We haven't seen them very much in the last few years. Antoinette watched Kate from January 2010 - March 2011, and then watched Alice and Kate from April 2012 - June 2013. I will be forever grateful to her for taking such good care of my girls. I never worried about Kate, or Alice. I knew they were loved and that they were well taken care of.

Happy Half-Birthday

ALICE!!! Is five and a half today. Alice is so independent, interesting, funny, strong-willed, sensitive, loving, intelligent, curious. She's such a great sister - big and little. She's our middlest sister and we love her to bits!

Goodbye Orangeville Ward

Last week we spoke in church - Kate, Ken and I. I played the organ. It was a great day. Lots of hugs and good wishes. It wasn't our official last week in Orangeville ward, but because there was a special broadcast today there wasn't a regular church service, so last week was a little bit like the last.

I wanted to take a picture of our whole family outside the church, but cooperation thy name is not Fiona, and I didn't ask anyone to take the picture, and well, I just didn't make it happen.

I got a picture of Kate, one of Alice and Kate, and one of Me and Kate.

And really. I think it's fitting. (Well, not the absence of Ken.) It is sad to me that at three years of age Fiona won't remember Orangeville. This huge part of our lives, our first home, our first so many things and Fiona just won't remember. I'm not sure what Alice will remember but I'm fairly certain that Kate will remember lots!

We have loved being part of Orangeville ward. We have felt left out sometimes - geographically, and of our own doing - it's hard being 25-30 minutes away from everyone else. It makes things in our busy world too much, but we have loved this ward. It's an amazing ward full of strength and good friends.

I'm glad I took some silly selfies last week. Last Saturday night we went out with three other couples - for the first time. I think it was Terri-Ann that said, "why didn't we do this before?" And it's true. Why do we wait sometimes? Why don't we take the time to seize opportunities to make memories.

Elder Ballard said today that grandparents are memory makers. I think this is true for everyone. All we do really leave behind are memories. I hope that I leave behind lots of good ones.

This is Erin, Me, Terri-Ann, and Kim. We served in primary together before Alice was born - I think I was called in Nov/Dec of 2010? I can't remember exactly. Kim was the president, and Erin was a counselor, I was the secretary and Terri-Ann played the piano. Now Kim is the song leader, Terri-Ann is the president, I was the piano player, and Erin is in YWs. We hung out lots doing play groups and scripture study and book club. They've been a big part of my life the last seven years.

I'm grateful that I have my summers off, and that Ajax isn't really that far away. I'm excited to see how our paths will cross as our kids all move into the youth program. They all have kids older than mine, but our youngers all over lap. Who knows who will be friends again as they go to camp and leadership conferences. I'm grateful for the gospel that binds us, and for social media to make the world small.