Happy Halloween Party

Today was Arabella's preschool Halloween party, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend. Parents were not invited to the party, which is OK, I realize we can't always be invited to everything that they are doing. But today, I was given the opportunity and I jumped at the chance. (I feel like since I am so lucky to be having the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom to Arabella now that I want, no make that, need to be as involved as I can be. When we eventually move back to the States, I know that this may not be the case anymore so I have to take it while I can.) (PS - Jay - Thanks for giving me this opportunity, it means more than you know.) I covered room duty for another mom whose child was out sick today and Arabella was so excited to have me go to school for her party today. She couldn't wait to get into her costume this morning...it was the cutest thing! In class they did some of their normal activities and I was so surprised when they did parts of the class in French...Arabella knows a lot more than she lets on to us. Way to go Arabella, your French is getting good! The rest of her class was Halloween fun and games - pin the nose of the pumpkin, bobbing for donuts, playdoh spiders - and a scissors story (something that I had never heard or seen before. The teacher reads a story and cuts out shapes on paper and then at the end the the cut outs reveal a shape - today it was a pumpkin. Very cute!) http://www.amazon.com/Fold-Cut-Stories-Jerry-Mallett/dp/0913853267/ref=pd_sim_b_4
Because today was Arabella's special day (since I was a room duty mom) she got to help lead the class in some activities - days of the week and counting - in both English and French!
Circle time songs!

The beginning of the scissor story.

And how it ends...with a pumpkin!

Sorting ghosts and pumpkins!
"Bobbing for donuts"!

At the end of class they had fun Halloween themed snacks - oranges, carrots and dip, cantaloupe, spider cracker snacks, jello jigglers and cupcakes! Arabella and her classmates had some much fun. I had a lot of fun to, playing the games and seeing the smiles on their faces. Arabella was excited to hand out her cake pops and they were a hit! I am so happy that I was able to join in today.

Martha Moment

Tomorrow is Arabella's Halloween Party at school. I decided to make cake pops for her to give to all her friends and teachers instead of candy for a Halloween treat. She was so excited to help me make them and we had a lot of fin doing so. And they were pretty easy to make...

We first crumbled up a white cake that we baked.

Arabella liked using my pastry blender to really crumble up the cake.

Then we added a 1/2 cup of frosting and mixed it up good.

I then rolled them into balls, dipped a stick in melted chocolate and then inserted it into the cake balls. I then put them into the freezer so they could set. While I waited for them to set and while Arabella was napping, I melted orange candy melts.

I dipped the cake balls into the candy melts and then added a tic tac stem. Since I couldn't find the green tic tacs...do they make them anymore? or do they just not sell them here in Canada?...I took regular white tic tacs and lightly sprinkled them with water and then covered them with green sanding sugar. I actually like the way these stems look - they are prettier with just a hint of sparkle for some Halloween magic!

The final product - wrapped in cellophane bags and tied with orange ribbon and a cute little owl tag! I just think they are so adorable. Arabella and Jay taste tested one tonight after dinner and it was gone in a matter of seconds, so they must be good!

Let the Halloween magic begin!

Wordless Wednesday

Saying Goodbye

A few weeks ago, I received a shocking phone call letting me know that one of my friends had passed away suddenly. Jim was only 44. We had been friends since I was in college...at least 15 years...and he was such a wonderful person. He was a great friend and support in tough times and always full of positive thoughts and kind words. When I found out, it hit me really hard. It doesn't make sense that someone so young and with so much more to do and see could have passed on. It is times like this, that I actually start to question my Roman Catholic upbringing - if there is a God, why he would take someone so young and not an older person who has already lived a full life and doesn't want to live anymore. It also caused me to think about my life and how I need to take more time to cherish the little things...for we never ever know when our time will be up.

I received a card in the mail from a close friend when they heard about Jim's passing. They knew how much it upset me and it did bring me comfort and it has helped me to bring some closure on not being able to attend Jim's memorial service.

It was taken from the writings of A.L. Frink and read:

Near shady wall a rose once grew,
Budded and blossomed in God's free light,
Watered and fed by morning dew,
Shedding its sweetness day and night.

As it grew it blossomed fair and tall,
Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall
Through which there shone a beam of light.

Onward it crept with added strength,
With never a thought of fear or pride,
It followed the light through the crevice's length
And unfolded itself on the other side.

The light, the dew, the broadening view
Were found the same as they were before,
And it lost itself in beauties new,
Breathing its fragrance more and more.

Shall claim of death cause us to grieve
And make our courage faint and fall?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive -
The rose still grows beyond the wall,

Scattering fragrance far and wide
Just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side,
Just as it will forevermore.



Jim, I hope I was as good a friend to you as you were to me. I can only hope that you know how much you are loved and will be missed. I will always hold close to my heart, memories of you, rest in peace, Jim.

Pumpkin Picking

This morning, I joined Arabella and her preschool class for a trip to the pumpkin patch! Despite the overcast and windy weather (that turned to a very heavy rain on the way home) (You know it was so cold that it felt that at any moment the rain would turn to snow - yes, we do get snow in October and in fact the snow removal company markers are starting to show up at the end of driveways!) we had a great time! We visited LaBonte Farm which is one that we had not gone to before. I actually like it over some of the other farms that we visited...not sure why, but it was nice. All of the kids loved being able to pet the animals - there were goats, sheep, a baby pig, ducks, chickens, rabbits, a donkey and an alpaca! (I seriously think that the French is starting to sink in...as I type this, I am seeing the names of the animals in French, not English!) The spent a time feeding the them as well before we get ready for our tractor ride to the pumpkin patch!



Before long, it was time to head to the tractor. On the way to the patch, we sang songs that the kids have been learning in school. It is so adorable to hear them all singing and they just love it. The ride was bumpy but fun and Arabella was so excited!



After getting off the tractor, we did a small corn maze before heading out to find the pefect pumpkin. All of the kids loved running through the maze and even though it was small, I can see how you can get lost in a corn field...everything looks the same and the rows all start to blend together.

Arabella couldn't wait to look for pumpkins. The fields were muddy and it was starting to get colder, but it was worth it. I found a few pumpkins that were pretty cool looking - half orange, half green and they weren't good enough...she kept telling me "Pumpkin are all orange Mom!" Finally after some hunting we found one! And there was even a teeny, tiny one, that we picked for Ted! She was so excited about bringing it home for him.


Once we found the perfect one, we hopped back on the tractor for a ride back to the farm and we enjoyed fresh, hot apple muffins and fresh cider. They were perfect!

Before we knew it, it was time to go. We picked up some fresh cider and baked apple "chips" (that are nothing but apples) to enjoy at home. Thank you for a fun morning Arabella, Mommy is so happy that I can share your field trips with you!

Wordless Wednesday

Chief Top Leaf

Today, Chief Top Leaf, a Mohawk Chief, part of the Iroquois nation visited Arabella's preschool class today. He came and talk to the children about Canada's First Nations (I like this better than the term Indian) and the life, culture and traditions of his Nation. He brought many items, including a canoe for her class to look at. She was excited to show them to me when I came to pick her up. She told me about some of the songs and dances that he showed her. And she really liked when he played the drums. Chief Top Leaf also told her class about the food his tribe ate, hunting and how to giving thanks to nature. He also brought a doll to show the kids how mothers took care of their babies. It was a great experience for her - she was a little scared at first, but you can see how she warmed up to him by the time it was to go home.