RAINWATER RAMBLING

The girls were up pretty early this morning, 5:45 am to be exact. They opened some of their presents before going to church.

Angela looking pretty excited.

Gillian and her Pixel Chix.

Angela and her Giga-Pet.

Claudia and her Pixel Chix.

After getting back from Church the frenzy continued.

Angela took a picture of me while I was opening her present.

Susan opening some presents.

This year one of the fathers (Jim C.) at school offered to record the school choir and produce a CD. The CD contains Christmas songs, most of which were sung at the Advent Mass. Both Angela and Gillian are in the choir this year. Here is the cover of the CD.

Here a few 30 second samples of the songs. Click on the link to download or use the controls to play.

Feliz Navidad - the full choir sang this one. (300 KB)

Santa Clause Is Coming To Town - the Grade 3 & 4 students in the choir sang this song. (300 KB)

I'd Like To Teach The World to Sing - the Grade 5 & 6 students in the choir sang this song. (300 KB)

Today at the school they had a Student Recognition Award Assembly. Each term students from each class are recognized for their hard work in the areas of Personal Growth, Religion, "Arts / Athletics / Music", and Academic Learning. We had been tipped off by Gillian's teacher that Gillian had been chosen for one of the Academic awards. Yesterday when I was at the school, I found out Claudia was receiving one as well. Our Principal Mr. Carnevale doing the introductions.

Claudia and Angela were in the Primary Assembly. Claudia was the first student to receive an award, her's was for "Personal Growth - Self-discipline, hard work and determination to improve".

Claudia, not sure on what she is suppose to do!

All of the "Personal Growth Certificate" recipients.

Angela receiving her "Learning/Academic Certificate - Commitment to academics and school generally". I almost didn't get this picture because we were surprised when her name was announced, we had no idea.

All of the Learning/Academic Certificate Recipients.

At the end of the Primary assembly, they did a group photo by grade. Here are the Grade 1's.

Angela and the Grade 3's.

We had to wait for the Junior grades to come in for their turn. Gillian received her certificate for Learning/Academic as well. After the Primary assembly, the principal came up to us and said 2 out of 3 so far. And after the Junior assembly, it was a congratulations on 3 for 3.

Gillian and the Junior Academic recipients.

After school we went to get frames for their certificates. Notice Claudia missing another tooth, freshly out today.

We are very proud of the girls. It is nice to see them get recognition for all of their hard work.

After a busy couple of days, things are slowing down. We had Susan's work party on Friday night and then on Sunday we had some of my work people over for dinner. Last night was the school Advent Mass at the Church.

Here is a picture of our Christmas Tree.

Looking from the front door into the living room.

I forgot to post this one last week, I took the girls to see Santa on the 7th. Susan had a function at work, so the girls and I went down to the mall for dinner and a Santa visit. One of them thought she was too old to see Santa, but she had to sit with him anyway. The deal now is if you go out for Halloween, you go for a picture with Santa.

I had to make a service trip down to Kejimkujik in Nova Scotia yesterday. I'm sitting in the Halifax airport updating the blog. This is a sign I pass on the way to our site, it is out on Highway 103.

When I'm down in the fall, I usually see them bundling the trees up getting ready to truck them across the world according to the sign.

I finished painting the walls and trim, still have to do the doors. There are no shortage of doors in the upstairs hallway.

We brought the Christmas Tree in today and the girls got right on it to decorate.

Of course it was under the close supervision of Mom.

I took our photo of the girls for the Christmas Card. Here is a nice picture of Angela, posing while I was trying to find a spot.

The girls had their final swimming lesson today. Gillian passed her level Swimmer 6 (equivalent of old Aquaquest 8) and the next level is Rookie Patrol, but she wants to take a break, so we didn't sign her up for January. Angela was in Level 5, but only needs to work on her eggbeater and whip kick on her breast stroke and then she can move up. After many sessions in Swimmer 2, Claudia is going to Swimmer 3, because she is small the instructor was reluctant to move her up in the past, not that she has suddenly grown, but her swimming has improved a lot. Angela and Claudia will be back in the pool in the new year.

It has taken a few, or many, months but I started painting the stairwell yesterday and aim to finish by tomorrow. It will be the same colour as the main floor hallway. In between coats was a new light for the kitchen, one for the power room and a coat of paint for the powder room ceiling. Can you tell we're having a party next week?

Angela and I went to get our Christmas Tree today after school. We picked it out and then the dude (an Angela term) cut it down for us. It only took a second and all he was using was a knife. We bought it at Agram Garden Centre on Dundas St. at 9th Line. They have a whole bunch of trees tied by twine to the rafters side by side. You can walk around them, spin them, see it all spread out, it is pretty neat. You pay a pretty price, but it is a nice tree, I don't think we have had one like this since the year Gillian was born. Ours is a seven foot tree, it started closer to eight feet, but after cutting the trunk and some off the top to fit in the house, it's just right.

Tonight Claudia, Gillian and I went for our flu shots. Susan and Angela had gotten their shots a couple of weeks ago. Nobody cried.

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Gillian turned 11 today, hard to believe it's been 11 years already. In honour of her birthday I have the last 6 years of her and a cake. It only goes back as far as the digital camera era.

Gillian on her 5th Birthday.

Her 6th Birthday.

Then came 7.

Eight was great.

Nine was fine.

Then it was Ten.

Here's to Eleven!

We discovered at church that Father Leo shares the same birthday as Gillian, that's the 4th person we know who was born on the same day. Although I doubt there are any that were born at 12:03 on 12/03.

Today was Gillian's 11th Birthday party, she decided she wanted to do a bowling party. Her, Angela Claudia and 7 of her girlfriends had a good time bowling. We went to Streetsville Bowl.

Angela

A gaggle of girls?

Angela won the first game.

Claudia in fine form.

Gillian throwing a strike, well maybe not.

The final score on Lane 1.

The final score on Lane 2. Claudia finished third.