When I opened up our picture files the first ones to pop up were from the Fall. Above is Xela with her class all dressed up for Halloween. I was a little out of sorts this fall. Sophie and Leah pulled together their own costumes and Xela found that old (too small) Pocahontas costume in the basement. I guess I'm over trying hard for Halloween. Thankfully my girls are capable.
Xela really loves her class and her school. In many ways it has been quite a blessing to move to Canada. Xela was under immense pressure at her school in Maryland to perform and meet benchmark standards. This year we had her tested and we found out she is dyslexic. Her school has been very supportive and has given her so much attention. Her reading and memory acquisition skills have really improved. It has opened up our understanding of how she learns.
Sophie and Leah are now both in Middle School. Each year students participate in a school musical. This year they performed Alice vs. Wonderland. Sophie was the 7 of hearts card and Leah surprised us by getting the part of the Mad Hatter? They both did an amazing job. These two have enjoyed their experiences at their school.
In the picture above they are in the dining hall. Their school reminds me of Hogwarts from Harry Potter. In fact I'm almost 100% sure the staircases in their school move around just like in the books. I've have gotten lost in that old building so many times. There are many twists and turns and nooks and crannies. I'm on the verge of getting my girls cell phones, just so I don't have to run around that school to find them.
In November Derek and I were able to attend the US Marine Ball. It is a formal affair, obviously. I had a really great time trying to find a dress. Many people spend a couple of hundred dollars to purchase their gown. I'm such a cheapster that I refused to spend a lot of money. I happened to stop by a Salvation Army in Watertown, NY. There was a rack full of brand new "brides maids gowns". I found this dress and it fit like a glove. The orginal thrift store price tag was $40, but it was just my luck that it was 1/2 of day. So I purchased that dress for $20. I went on line and found the same dress being sold between $125 and $175, so I think I did pretty well. Derek looked amazing, but renting a tux is NOT cheap. His rental tux set us back $200, but he looked amazing and we had a great time, so it's all worth it in the end!
Tommy loves to go on walks. His favorite spot is a little waterfall by our house. There is a great place to throw and skip rocks. He literally could spend all afternoon there on a nice autumn day. He tries to climb up all the rocks which is lovely when we are alone as a family. But when others are around I can see the panic on their face as he tries to climb some of the rocks. I trust his abilities though. Love that kid!
There is a canal by our home as well. If you walk alongside it you can reach downtown Ottawa. There are still boats that use the canal. Derek and I liked to wake up early Saturday mornings and take the canal walkway. On this particular morning I couldn't resist the beautiful reflection of the small cottage and trees. I'm so glad cell phones take fairly good pictures nowadays.
