The Anker Fam·i·ly

We just got back (Yawn) from an evening at the BuskerFest at St. Lawrence Market downtown here in Toronto.  Elina and I rode downtown on the Vespa, then we met with the Malik family, had some food.  We got out and before we were settled, Elina found herself participating in a Belly Dancing demonstration then moving onto being an assistant for a magician on our way to our parked Vespa.

On the way home we saw the most beautiful orange moon on our way home.  We thought we’d get down to Queen Street and try to photograph it but before we could get to a spot, it hard turned a more moon white color and we missed the photo but we were both thought it was really beautiful!

Here are some photos of the night.

Thumbs Up

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 4

We made a super secret visit to Thunder Bay last week.  It was to attend a family wedding.  My sister from the UK and the Anker Family wanted to make our visit a surprize, so we kept it a secret.

Elina and I went to Thunder Bay for a few days of visiting with friends before making our way to Marathon for the wedding.  Herman arrived on Thursday AM and Donna & Ray (from England) arrived Thursday evening.  We make the 3 hour drive on Friday.

We had a great time, but it was a COLD start for us, quite a temperature change.  I know that I grew up in the North but living here in Toronto and quickly acclimatized to warmer temperatures.  The visit to Marathon and the wedding will be in another post!

Here are our photos

A Bear

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 7

Elina turned 7 today.  She went to summer camp as usual.  Elina had been anticipating her 7th Birthday for a while and knew she would be at camp this day.  She wanted to have a cake (we settled for cupcakes from a boutique shop in the Beaches here in Toronto) there.  It worked out wonderfully.  She wore her “Birthday Princess” hat today as well.

Elina actually celebrated her 7th Birthday party on June 26 along with 3 other classmates.  Instead of birthday presents she asked for donations  to a charity she chose.  The Sick Kids Hospital (Heart Department) got $371 on behalf of Elina.

Today Elina chose Boston Pizza and to celebrate it with Ronan her friend who was also born on Aug 9 – whom she’s known since she was 17 months old. She asked for a new scooter and  I hope we picked out one that she will enjoy for a few more years.  Elina and her Daddy often go for scooter rides together (Herman has one as well – a “man scooter – made for adults”.)

We also weighted her and measured her.  She’s 51.5″ tall (131 1/2cm) and 59.8 pounds (27 kilos).  According to the growth chart – she’s above the 95th percentile for height (95% of children her age are shorter than she is) and 75% in her weight (75% of children her age are lighter than she is).  We’ve learned that these high percentiles are normal – especially if they are growing proportionally – Both are equally high, so she’s … just perfect!

We are blessed and amazed at how much she has grown and how much she knows and how wonderfully sweet and smart she is.  She makes us laugh on a daily basis.  She is loved and is very happy!!!

So back in May Elina had some dental work and and we never thought we’d leave without one of her back baby molars but we did and her official lost tooth but not her official loose/lost tooth.

On the Friday while I was at Convention – July 23, 2010 Elina lost her first tooth.  It was wiggly for about 2.5 weeks and as we had our daily calls from Utah she told me that the tooth was going to fall out on Friday or Saturday and sure enough, on Friday while I was at dinner (there’s a 2 hour time difference from Utah (5PM) to Toronto (7PM), Elina called with exciting news to say her bottom baby tooth was out. She lost it at her summer camp and saved it in a wrapper until she got home.  Daddy made sure the tooth fairy knew exactly what to do.

Here’s her cheesey / beautiful smile:

Well, these will be a few of the last FULL baby teeth grins of Elina – this Canada Day – We started off with our morning coffee, then playpark, then walked over to Woodbine Park and Elina and I left there at 7:00 (spent over 3 hours there), then we met for supper at Licks, then home to pick up the Vespa then headed down to Ashbridges Bay for Canada Day Fireworks:

Here are some photos of the day:

[View with PicLens]

Hi Everyone.  I’m about to re-incarnate my craft and family blog – merge them both, you may find some problems with some posts, which I’m working on fixing. I am sorry!  I hope it will be worth it!

Elina finishes Grade 1 in about 2 weeks and to celebrate the end of the school year Elina and her friends Rhiannon, Breann and Ava are also celebrating their summer birthday parties.  Each girl had chosen a charity to donate what their friends would normally have spend on a birthday present.  Elina has chosen The Hospital for Sick Kids.  If you would like to donate to her cause you can do so by using the DONATE button below and donate via paypal.  Here is the website we created for the party. http://anker.ca/endofschoolparty/

Since this site has been a record of Elina’s first’s and such.  Today we are preparing for the Tooth Fairy – as Elina has lost her first tooth.  This is Elina’s first lost tooth and tonight we’re scrambling with the going rate of the modern day tooth fairy.

Elina was born with 2 little bubbles on her bottom gums and within 2 months she had a tooth and in 4 months she had 2 teeth.  Then started the gradual entrance of her first 20 baby teeth.  Last year she started 2 back upper molars but until today, she hadn’t lost any teeth.

Today we took Elina to the dentist for an emergency appointment.  She had been complaining of a tooth ache and it appeared to be her back adult molar but after an x-ray and a few prods, the dentist told us that Elina was going to have her tooth extracted.  He showed me and it was clearly “not normal” – so with the help of some laughing gas – she left with her tooth ready for the tooth fairy.  Next week she’ll be fitted with a orthodontic appliance around her two surrounding teeth, to help with teeth shifting.

Long story – she lost her first tooth – sort of!

Here are a few snapshots of our Disney Vacation.  We spend the first day settling in and then off to Gatorland.  Then we went to Disney for two days.  Then, hanging by the pool – with the warm sunshine!

Will write more – off to pick up Elina

[View with PicLens]

I never thought I’d love the Florida vacation so much – would definitely return there!!