Thursday 1 January 2015

Happy New Year 2015!


Here are the family's new year's resolutions for 2015:

Rebecca:
-My writing and publishing goals which are listed on Imagine! Create! Write!
-My fitness and weight loss goals which are listed on Skinny Dreaming.

Robert:
- Spend more time with the family.

Angelica:
- Find work I enjoy.

Gabriella:
- Learn to save money.

Isabella:
- Learn to swim.
- Learn to swim with a mermaid tail.
- Learn to cook pancakes.

Connor: 
- Learn to be more positive this year.
-Improve my self-confidence.

Cameron:
 - Improve my skills playing video games.


Wednesday 2 January 2013

2013 New Year's Resolutions - the Kids

 photo taken by Fyfe Photography (many years ago)

I asked my youngest four children what their goals for 2013 would be. I had to explain that goals were things they wanted to achieve or learn during the year.

Here are the answers they gave me:

Gabriella (10 years old):

 "I want to earn more money from my shops."  (I asked her how she planned on doing that. She answered:)
   - "drawing and adding new designs to my stores"
   - "letting more people know about my stores"
 (Her stores, with her designs on gifts, can be found at:
Through Innocent Eyes (Printfection)
Through Innocent Eyes (Zazzle)
Gabby's Art and
Gabriella's Art

Isabella (7 years old)

"I want to be a hairdresser and a writer." (I asked her how she planned on doing that. She answered.)
    -"practicing cutting hair" (getting old wigs from second-hand shops, old Barbies, or, when allowed,   
     practicing on Cameron)
   - "writing more stories"
(Bella's series of fairy stories can be found on her Tangle Fairies blog.)

Connor (6 years old)

"I want to get better at my video games." (I told him I am not accepting that as a proper goal, so I talked him into agreeing to this variation on it:)
"I try not to throw tantrums when I can't reach levels in my games"

Cameron (4 years old)

"I want to learn how to jump over houses." (Not very practical, so I asked him for one more. He answered:)
"I want to learn how to read all by myself." (Now this one I can help him with!)

What are your children's goals for 2013?


Sunday 1 January 2012

Happy New Year's Day 2012!

Happy New Year to all of our friends and family!

We spent New Year's Eve as a family playing board games and snacking on party food, and then moved into the living room to watch the New Year arrive on the TV with a fireworks display in London.

Fyfe Family Children New Years 2012

This was taken with my mobile phone right after we cheered the new year. Robert was beside me so he didn't make it into the photo, and you can just see Kayla in the bottom left corner.


This is the tail end of our "Happy New Year's cheer:


And just after:


Some New year's wishes for you from the youngest four Fyfes.

From Cameron (age 3):


And because he wanted to be on video again:


From Connor (age 5):


From Isabella (age 6):


From Gabriella (age 9):


It's a sort of tradition in my family on New Year's Eve for everyone to say at least three things that they want to achieve in the new year.

Here's the list my children gave me, from youngest to oldest.

Cameron (age 3):
- to see fireworks (His siblings told him there would be fireworks last night, so that is what he had on his mind.)
- to get more hugs and cuddles
- to go to school

Connor (age 5):
- to see fireworks (see above explanation)
- to go shopping more often
- to see Nana and Grandad more often

Isabella (age 6):
- to learn more at school, especially in science, reading and numbers
- to see Nana and Grandad more often
- to get a new pet kitten

Gabriella (age 9):
- to learn to maintain her bike (cleaning it, oiling the gears, etc.)
- to start walking places on her own
- to go to a special art school
- to learn to shade better in her drawings

Kayla (age 17):
- to learn at least 7 different languages
- to learn Judo
- to learn ballroom and Latin-American dancing
- to get her driver's license and a car for the family
- to become a firefighter when 18

Angelica (age 18):
- to join Parkour (a kind of running and fast-movement group)
- to learn martial arts
- to increase her muscle tone and increase her flexibility through exercise
- to pass all of her University courses
- to start the cat army invasion (inside joke with her flatmates)

Victoria (age 20):
- to finish writing her novel "Bark Lord"
- to learn to play the ukelele
- to start a writing YouTube channel

Josh (my son-in-law, age 22):
- to start on a bookkeeping course
- to learn martial arts
- to start a tree climbing YouTube channel

And here's the list from Robert and me:
Robert:
- maintain job security

Becky:
- to achieve specific writing goals
- to get the ten pounds I gained in the middle of 2011 back off
- to do more crafts with my children

It's good to make goals for yourself, whether they are goals for the year or goals that you hope to achieve in a more long-term sense. And the new year is always a popular time to set those goals.



Sunday 25 December 2011

Merry Christmas (with Christmas carols)!

The children all wanted to sing Chrismtas carols as their present to our family and friends this year.

Gabriella and Isabella:


Gabriella:


Isabella:


Isabella:


Connor (with a song he spontaneously made up for the occasion):


Kayla & Connor (Connor didn't think he culd remember the words without Kayla's help.):


Cameron (He insisted on joining in even though he doesn't really know any songs by heart yet.):


Cameron:


And this one is sung by Gabriella specifically for Grandma and Grandpa:



Thursday 24 November 2011

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

We went out to dinner at the Harvester, instead of cooking up a full-course Thanksgiving meal tonight. Here's a photo we had the waitress take with my phone.

Thanksgiving 2011


While at the restaurant, we asked the children what they were thankful for right now. Here are there answers.

Kayla (age 17):


Gabriella (age 9):


Isabella (age 6):


Connor (age 5):


Cameron (age 2, but turns 3 in 4 days):


Tuesday 21 December 2010

Santa's Grotto & Christmas Shopping

Today we went to Santa's Grotto and the kids got to talk to Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Santas Grotto


Santas Grotto1


Connor told Santa that he wanted chocolate coins. Santa asked him what else he wanted, and he said he wanted a racing car. (Later at home, he added chocolate syrup to his list.) Gabby told Santa that she wanted books that have to do with animals or animal toys. Santa asked her if she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, but she told him that she wants to be an artist who draws animals when she grows up. Santa told her that he would bring her paints and paint brushes for Christmas too. Isabella told Santa she wanted a Barbie for Christmas and some chocolate.





Then we did some shopping. One of the stores we went into was the Early Learning Centre. The kids love going there and playing with the toys. Gabby and Connor had me take their picture posing as the Early Learning Center elf.

Gabby Early Learning Center Elf


ConnorEarly Learning Center Elf


Cameron and Connor really liked the train set.

Cameron at the Early Learning Center


Connor & Cameron at the Early Learning Center


When we left to go home, we passed by a merry-go-round fair ride and the kids really wanted to ride on it, so we let them.

Cameron on ride


Connor & Gabby on ride


Bella on ride


Gabby on ride


Connor on ride


Connor on ride1


Cameron on ride1


Bella on ride1


Gabby on ride with Connor in background


Cameron on ride2






It was a fun day and the kids were happy with how we had spent it.



Wednesday 1 December 2010

Sunday 31 October 2010

Happy Halloween 2010!

Happy Halloween!

Youngest 4 Fyfes Halloween 2010


The kids loved dressing up today. Cameron started out the day wearing a jack-o-lantern costume, and then changed into a cheeky devil costume for trick-or-treating. Gabriella wore a batgirl costume and she seemed to think that batgirl was supposed ot be evil, so she made her "evil face." Isabella dressed up as Tinkerbell, and Connor dressed up as a vampire.

Cameron Halloween 2010


Cameron1 Halloween 2010


Isabella Halloween 2010


Connor & Bella Halloween 2010


Connor Bella Gabby Halloween 2010


Youngest 4 Fyfes1 Halloween 2010


Bella1 Halloween 2010


Connor Halloween 2010


Gabby Halloween 2010


Gabby1 Halloween 2010


Trick-or-treating Halloween 2101


Trick-or-treating1 Halloween 2010


Cameron trick-or-treating Halloween 2010


Trick-or-treating2 Halloween 2010


Trick-or-treating3 Halloween 2010


Robert even wore his mask and costume tonight for answering the door.

Robert Halloween 2010


Kayla dressed up as Wednesday from The Adams Family. Angelica, who has a bit of sewing skills, made her own fairy costume. Her friend Kerri came over and dressed up as a vampiress.

Angelica & Kayla Halloween 2010


Angelica & Kayla1 Halloween 2010


Kerri angelica & Mercury Halloween 2010


Cameron got to trick-or-treat with his brothers and sisters at five houses. then he came home and Kayla, angelica and Kerri took Gabby, Bella and Connor to some more houses.

I made some ghost meringues.

Photobucket


I also made a jack-o-lantern candle holder and a ghost candle holder.

Ghost & jackolantern candle crafts Halloween 2010


Photobucket


Pagan followed the children around while they trick-or-treated, so I took his photo when he came home.

Pagan Halloween 2010


Angelica decided that she and Kerri wanted a photo with Pagan in it.

Kerri Angelica & Pagan Halloween 2010


Photobucket


Photobucket


I did not dress up this Halloween.

Mommy & Cameron Halloween 2010


Other photos from tonight:

Gabbys jackolantern Halloween 2010


Bellas jackolantern Halloween 2010


Connors jackolantern Halloween 2010


Angelicas jackolantern Halloween 2010


Angelica & her jackolantern Halloween 2010


Angelica & her jackolantern1 Halloween 2010


Cameron & Daddy Halloween 2010


Cameron & Daddy1 Halloween 2010


Cameron3 Halloween 2010


Cameron4 Halloween 2010