2009

thanks everyone for a wonderful 2009!

till tomorrow

Jenn

Christmas 2009

Well it's 11pm on boxing day and another Christmas has come and gone. Lucas is sleeping here beside me while Darryl is downstairs playing one of his presents. As most people know about me I don't really like Christmas. I find it to be a lot of work and pressure for the rewards, but I was determined to make the month fun and enjoy Christmas this year. The kids are at a fun age and really enjoy all the aspects of Christmas. We did the countdown calendar with all different activites. Lucas really enjoyed most of it and even though it is done he will still often ask what our activity for today is. Some of the best ones were the simplier ones, like make snowflakes or have breakfast for dinner. I think we'll do it again next year.

Lucas did get quite sick on Christmas Eve day. He threw up and slept most of it, so we cancelled our original plans and stayed home and ate pizza. We wrote a thank you letter to Santa (what a nice kid I have) put out the cookies and milk and went to bed. Darryl and I went to bed early as well as we had no idea what time we'd be up in the morning and we had been up late the night before wrapping presents.

Christmas morning came, the boys were up at 7ish and were so excited to see the presents from Santa. Grandma, Pop and Auntie Lexie came over with breakfast and we spent the rest of the morning opening presents. We did some videoconferencing with Darryl's family (who LOVE christmas) and watched the boys open more presents. Then came the playing and the cooking. Later we had our friends and more family over for good food (Darryl is such an excellent cook) and fun. It make me so happy to see our house full of people who all get along and have a fun time with each other. We then played Hedbanz and laughed at the boys who thought everything was a wig. And laughed at each other who found the game harder when it was their turn and the game wasn't all that easy.

Today was filled with sister shopping, tobogganing and more great food.

Although I don't like all the hoopla of Christmas I do enjoy the being together and excuses for that are just fine with me.

Merry Christmas to everyone who reads the blog. I hope yours was also filled with people and good food and fun.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter: Month Fifty Two

Dear Lucas,

Happy Birthday buddy. Things continue to be great this month. Most of the time I look at you in awe. Whether it's how big your feet are or the smart things that come out of your mouth. Mostly I can't believe I get to be your mom and how quickly this is all going by. Some cool things from this month include:

You love the countdown calendar. You love to check it in the morning and love to do the activities. Well most of the activities. I'm not sure how fond you were of the "give to others" and the "clean out your toys" activity. But most of the stuff you love doing: making cookies, watching movies, gingerbread houses.

Lucas and Nathan washing dishes. Not one of the activities.

I think you have been enjoying the snow and cold. You love to play in the snow and you love to be inside. We have been spending lots of time inside, which you also love. You definitely picked up that "homebody" gene from your dad.



You are really enjoying crafts and coloring. It is probably your favorite thing to do. We probably spend some time everyday coloring, this is fine with me because I love coloring. You love coloring pictures and love coloring things on white papers as well.

You love the iphone. You like to play the different apps/games. You are getting quite good at them as well. You hand eye co-ordination is really coming along with it.



You make friends quite easily as well. You are still shy, but will warm up to kids your own age very quickly. You make friends with kids at the pool or Kaelen, my friend Allie's son. Although I wouldn't call you outgoing, I would call you friendly.



You continue to get more brave, whether it's with swimming or sitting on Santa's lap or the fire at Japanese village, you are growing and getting bigger. And although I'm glad that the fears are not rationale, but at the same time it makes me realize how quick you are growing up.

love mommy.

Tidbits from the day

Happy Birthday Alexis! I love having you around. The boys love having you around. Spending time with you is one of the best parts of Christmas.

I did a lot of driving today. I was on the new Stoney Trail (which i know means nothing to those of you don't live in Calgary- it's a new big road on the other side of the city) and I can't believe the urban sprawl. I know it's everywhere in Calgary, but with the hills in the north part of the city it is so well demonstrated.

I am not usually a mean person. But sometimes you have to mean to make a point.

I bought Darryl his last Christmas present at a store I love to go to.

On the way home today, the Deerfoot is closed right before my exit. (Again I know that means nothing to people who don't live in Calgary but it's a highway I take home) People were going crazy, making their own lanes, cutting other people off, playing bejeweled on their iphones (yep that was me)

If you are not listening to Ingrid Michealson, you should be.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Music on my ipod

The people in this picture make up the marority of the music on my ipod lately.



Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Swimming Lessons

Lucas has been taking swimming lessons for the last couple of months. It has been a really good experience for him. He has gone from enjoying the water and maybe putting his face in, to swimming underwater with his eyes open. It has been a really good experience for him. He did everything in his "level" and most of the next level as well. He is even loving being in the water and doesn't want to leave when it's time to go.

We are so proud of our little swimmer.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Holidays

Holidays are going pretty well here. This is what is done:

• Tree up, decorated
• Cookies, many different varieties made: sugar, chocolate chip, Darryl's favorite cherry balls, bad fudge
• Most presents bought
• Presents sent to Ontario
• Cards made, pictures bought, cards sent out
• Stockings hung by the chimney with care. Decorating done
• Christmas music bought and on a playlist
  

Still to do:

• Get Nathan a stocking
• Wrap presents
• Buy stuff for Christmas dinner
• Plan videoconferencing with Ontario family
• Celebrate Alexis's birthday
  

I think that's it.... anything I'm missing Darryl?

How are your Christmas festivites coming along?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Winter

Winter has come in with a vengeance just over a week ago. On the days I work my car feels like my second home. Spending a good hour to get to work and another hour on the way home. This week there has been the extreme cold temperatures too. -27 on Monday was just too cold. Poor Emma has not really been out for walks because her paws can't take the extreme cold. I did take her out tonight because it's only -15 out . The snow is higher then her belly but she loved jumping around in it and smelling for anything in the freezing cold. The boys are also loving the snow (when it's somewhat warm enough to go out). It will be fun once it gets even warmer and the snow will stick together. It will be a White Christmas out west.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Nathan's Monthly Newsletter: Month Twenty

Dear Nathan,

This month has continued to been an exciting one. You are talking more, playing more and getting more fun.



You have started to play more independantly. It's so cute and so nice. You'll go off to the playroom and play with the farm or the cars. It's very sweet to see you doing things all by yourself.


Your speech has been very slowly coming along. Your newest word is "dop" which means stop. It's so funny, which causes me (and others) to do things (like tickle you) to say dop. You are also getting better with other words too. When we ask you about Santa you say "ho, ho, ho". When we ask you about most farm animals you can make their noises. Moo, baa, neigh are all part of your vocabulary.



Things with Lucas have been quite good. You are getting along reallyl well. Don't get me wrong there are still times you guys fight, but it's more that you can't tell him what you want or more so, what you don't want. But usually you enjoy playing with him and copying him. You are pretty good at sharing with him (and him with you) expect when it comes to the Wii Fit. Then it's mine mine mine.




You really enjoyed gymboree. It is crazy expensive, but you love the songs and the playing. You have also really enjoyed the swimming. We do it with Lucas every other week and you really enjoy the water.




We did lots of activites this month, classes, zoo, spending time with Grandma and Pop. You are so crazy about them. You can say Pop, and do say it over and over again, but I know you are just as crazy about grandma, but just can't say her name yet.

love you baby

love mommy

Weekend Update

There was a major storm on Friday so the snow and cold kept us inside for most of the weekend.

We did go to the grocery store on Sunday to buy our food bank items but other then that we stayed inside. We put up the Christmas tree (that was our Saturday activity), Watched the movie the proposal, which was very funny. I've never really seen Ryan Reynolds in a movie and he was quite funny. Listened to this Pearl Jam song over and over. Reminded me of being a teenager and listening to Pearl Jam endlessly.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Values

It's important to me that my kids are good people. I want them to be happy and healthy, but I also want them to do the right thing. So today we had a couple of instances where we had the opportunity to teach Lucas the right thing to do and our cashier was quite surprised. The first instance was Lucas wanted this mini snow globe. While carrying it around the store he accidently dropped it and broke it. When we got the till we had her ring it in and we still payed for it. She said it wasn't necesary as it was just an accident, but we insisted. THe second instance was also at the grocery store (and was our advent calendar activity today). It was buy food for the food bank. So for almost everything we bought for ourselves we also bought one thing for the food bank. It is more then I have ever bought for the food bank, but we felt good doing it. And I think it's important to show Lucas about giving to others. We have another activity this month that is buying a toy for a kid in need.

Hopefully we are showing Lucas how to do the right thing.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Well if the rest of the month is going to be as fun as tonight I am going to love the Christmas season.

Tonight we did puppet shows as our bedtime stories. It was hilarious. I was the tiger and Lucas was the salamander. I was trying to find something they had in common, what they eat, where they live, what they do for fun, Lucas was not getting my drift, so finally I suggested "do you drink water". No he/the salamander replied. Which made me laugh to no end. The end of play then ended with the Tiger and the salamander not being friends.





Till Tomorrow

Jenn