"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Santa brought you a GIGANTIC cardboard castle for Christmas.  It came needing to be coloured (or painted) and assembled.  We started this project this evening.  You and I spent about 40 minutes on it.  I was rather impressed with how long you attended to this time consuming work of art.  We only managed to get about four pieces painted - there may have been a dozen.  While we painted we discussed the colours we were using which included red, green, yellow and blue.  You realized that you were missing purple and orange.  It was so much fun to mix the colours together to figure out which colours made more colours!  It was learning and fun, all in one!

"A diamond tiara is forever." ~ Marilyn Monroe

On Boxing Day, you and your sister spent the afternoon crafting.  Mostly, you made sun catchers, tiaras and wands out of construction paper, pipe cleaners and endless wads of glue.  After hours of cutting and pasting, both of you hung your sun catchers proudly in bedrooms.  However, according to your highness' opinion, the tiara you had assembled with creativity and precision was to be worn with pride by your father.  And with pride he wore this tiara!  Before we knew it, both he and "Prince Robert" were discussing politics over tea at high noon.

"At the age of four with paper hats and wooden swords we're all Generals. Only some of us never grow out of it." ~ Peter Ustinov

It was November when we attended the Santa Claus parade in New Minas.  Your brother, Robert, took it upon himself to buy all three of you hats to wear  You wore them so proudly.  You loved them!  I think you left them on for an entire month straight!  Once at the parade, people commented on how wonderful they looked; even the elves walking though the street did.  You all fit in so well, we could have thrown you on a float and no one would have noticed that you weren't apart of it ;-)

“I always feel like I'm on a roller-coaster, but I never want to get off! There's a certain high you're always on.” ~Leonardo DiCaprio

We spent Thanksgiving , 2012 in Moncton at a friend's apartment.  That weekend, we visited Hopewell Rocks twice, watched a lot of cable and spent 6 hours at Crystal Palace.  It is safe to say that most of that time you, Mackenzie, spent on the only roller coaster there.  The first ride made you a little nervous  but you insisted on going on again.  And after that, we couldn't pry you off!  "Let's do it again!" you would shout after ever ride.  You rode that coaster at least 50 times, most of which were in a row.  I think it may have been just the high you've been looking for.  I can hardly wait to take you back for more :-)

"One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" ~ Dr Seuss

...And we called you "The Fish Whisperer".  That was your name for an entire day!

On our weekend away in Moncton, we spent some time at Hopewell Rocks.  It may have been one of the most glorious sites I had ever seen.  You and Mac got all muddy, you climbed rocks, and as you should have it, you saved the life of an ocean deprived fish!  It was laying there on the ocean floor, far from the water line.  When we spotted it, we thought it was dead until  you, Robert, noticed its body expand and contract.  "Save it!" I said.  "Put it back int he water!"  I'm pretty sure your swift movement was accompanied with an eye roll  but you know I wasn't going to let this fish die so, you scooped it up and off you went; releasing it back into the Atlantic Ocean.  You really saved the day; or at least, a fish :-)

“I really want to play Princess Leia. Stick some big pastries on my head. Now that would be interesting.” ~Ewan McGregor

After a lengthy discussion, we decided that it would be perfectly appropriate to play "Princess'".  We made a list of things we would need to prepare for this afternoon:

1) A shower (Clean is good.)
2) Lotion (Why not?)
3) Deodorant (Thank GAWD you thought of that one!)
4) Make-Up (Including blush.)
5) Gowns (Can't go without those!)

Your Aunt Heather brought you many princess dress' this summer, so you were well equipped.  I, on the other hand, had only one.  And since I had only worn it for one day, it seemed quite reasonable to bring it out again and give it a good spin!  It took us about 1 hour to prepare and we played outside for a similar amount of time while our 'garcon', Robert (say it with a French accent) took photos.  It was incredibly hot in our Princess gowns, but we put up with it given that we hadn't done this before.  We had a blast, but your favorite part may have been when I spun you around upside-down!  After all, what else is a princess suppose to do in the middle of the summer?

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

I never thought that the two of you would be graduating at the same time.  Both of you so proud and one of you a little relieved.  Mackenzie, you were ecstatic to know that both you and Robert were graduating together.  The both of you were always inseparable, and now you've made milestones together.  Each of you were so thrilled to be attending one another's graduation ceremony.  And despite the length of Robert's, the two of you held yourselves together remarkably well.  Congratulations to Robert and Mackenzie-Joe.  We knew you could do it!