paging Dr. Jane

Introducing Dr. Jane Kantor. We thought she was just in Grade One but somehow she magically completed all her studies for med school. 

OR

Her class held a wax museum today and all the kids were dressed up as their future occupations. Press a button and - voila - they came to life to tell us in French about their job. David suggests we contact all the kids in 20 years to find out if they stuck with their Grade 1 dreams. Would be pretty exciting to say we met an astronaut and a rock star. 

dirty work

What happens when you constructively criticize Joe's work efforts.

prime

My basketball season is over and we didn't place last! (We were second last.) This was my best season yet, with some personal bests in the scoring department, proving that 45 years may be my athletic prime (or peak... we'll see how it goes next year). 

practically perfect

Annie and Henry had their play debut  (their "playbut" if you will) tonight in the school's performance of Mary Poppins. Their contribution was as part of their dance/choral ensemble for their classroom, but Annie may have caught a little bug for something more next year. In the meantime, here's Annie belting out Practically Perfect and Henry helping us spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (he is happier than he looks... he was just really concentrating on his dance moves...). 

Bravo!

singalong

This. Was. Great. That's all I can say about that. As an Easter surprise, we took the kids to Buffalo to see our favourite, Matt Maher, in concert along with Phil Wickham and Leeland Mooring. It was beautiful and amazing and my heart is all filled up. 

Leo used the opportunity to catch up on some sleep. Nothing like hundreds of people and blaring music to lull you into the deepest slumber you've ever had. 

facetime

Practicing some new smiles. Let me know which one you like best - 1, 2, or 3?

2556 days old

Celebrating Miss Jane LeRue today and all of her days. Happy Birthday to our sweet 2556-day-old! Today was a School Day Birthday so a quick brekkie of doughnuts then off to school. Wednesday evenings are busy with piano lessons over our supper hour, so her birthday meal of Harvey's was accompanied by the sweet serenade of her older siblings in their lessons. But a couple rounds of Old Maid, a movie on a school night, and some snacking made the day extra special. 

Here's to you, Janer, and all the big adventures of being seven! Let's go!

feels like seven

Tomorrow Jane is seven! Seven! On the eve of her birthday, let me tell you about this one. Strong and sensitive. Giggly and shy. Usually very itchy. Knows what she likes. Tells you bluntly what she doesn't. She is 90 per cent chance of joy and sunshine with a possibility of a gloomy cloud. A great big sister and a fun little sister. Confident. Just. Loyal. She's made her place among the siblings and it's an over-sized recliner in a fun colour where she can lord over us in a cozy, bossy way to tell us what is right and what is wrong. She is sweet and funny and she is ours. 

In her first semester of grade one, I met with Jane's teachers for parent/teacher interviews. They said such lovely things about Jane, about her focus, her efforts, her helpfulness, her care for her classmates. Finally, her French teacher said, "I know we shouldn't have favourites but..." and she trailed off with a twinkly wink in her eye. Everyone loves Jane, her teachers concluded. 

And it's so very true. We love Jane so very, very much. Happy Birthday Eve, Jane-la-roo!

leo's rule of life

Find a brother. Sit on brother. 

weather balloons

Happy Easter Monday! And welcome to Canada, where you have freezing temperatures one day and balmy teens the next. Was it tank top weather? Um that's debatable. But when you're little and a warm breeze blows through well, then, you better dig up all your summer clothes from the carefully organized bin under your bed. 

Welcome Spring! And a big shoutout to Annie and Clara, who spent over an hour of their day blowing up these water balloons so everyone could have five minutes of fun. 

feasting

We celebrated a few parts the Risen Lord and some other parts the Birthday Jane this evening with David's family. Food and prezzies and way more dessert than anyone ever needed... it's definitely not Lent anymore. 

Joe made Janie's cake for her this year, inspired by the cat pillow on her bed. My job has been usurped, but in the sweetest way. 

rejoice

Happy Easter! He is Risen, truly He is Risen!

vigilant

The Kantors divided up for the Easter vigil this year, one crew heading to Church to play the trumpet and serve on the altar, and the younger bunch having our own candlelit service at home with reading and music and, the culmination, chips. 

We wait, we pray, the tomb is empty, He is Risen, Alleluia!

egghast

Which egg pun haven't I used yet for egg-decorating posts? This one, I think. And it works. We were all egghast at the time and talent that went into decorating Easter eggs this year. Usually it's a slam bam all done in 10 minutes kind of activity. But this year, everyone stuck around the table to get a little creative with their eggies. Even Leo. I mean, he was done the dying part of all his five eggs in about 12 seconds flat, and then snitched some eggs off other people as well. But then he grabbed some markers to embellish and give names to all of his egg buddies. When he finally ran off from the table, I called after him, "Are you all done decorating eggs, Leo?" "Yeah!" he yelled back. "I'm proud of myself." Can't argue with that.