Christmas Countdown

I've been so busy trying to get several different Christmas projects done that I haven't had even two seconds to get any new pictures on here.  But I've finally reached the home stretch and I know that I'll be able to get everything finished and under the tree before Christmas Eve so I thought I'd take a minute tonight to post some of our Christmas happenings along with the not so Christmasy happenings.

This year I started a new tradition and added little activities to our pretty little wooden advent calendar.  Each day has something in it for the kids to do.  I've learned that next year it will take a great deal more preparation on my part as many of the days the kids would come squealing to me about what little activity they got to do and I would think "Crap!  I don't have anything I need for that."  Anyways, most of the days have been successful and I think it's a tradition the kids will look forward to from now on.  Here are some of the things they got up to.

Trimming the tree

Christmas cookies.  

This little gingerbread man Lillian is decorating ended up with so many sprinkles on it even she didn't want to eat it.

Pizza picnic in front of the Christmas tree. 

This one was my favorite because it meant Allan picked up pizza on the way home from work which meant I didn't have to cook.

Gingerbread house decorating.

Lillian was already in the tub getting the icing cleaned off of her at this point.

We've also been to the Festival of lights at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, searched for the best Christmas lights in the neighborhood, made and played with gingerbread play doh, gone caroling at an old folks home and had a Christmas movie marathon.  Luckily the days leading up to Christmas are a little less work for me.

For Emma's birthday Aunt Haley and Uncle Des got she and I tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet.  I think I was just as excited as she was to see it.  It was so fun to spend the evening alone with her and to give her my undivided attention as she chattered away about the sets and the orchestra and the sugar plum fairy (her favorite part).  We were both completely enchanted  by the beautiful costumes, familiar music and elegant dancers.  

AND we were in the seventh row from the stage!  It was amazing!

Violet continues to be the favorite toy in the house as the kids would rather play with her than anything they own.  She's a good sport and for the most part can't get enough of the attention (unless it's from Lillian, that is).  

Walker loves to snuggle with her as long as she isn't spitting up on him.  He still think she's pretty disgusting a lot of the time.

She has started eating rice cereal and Emma's favorite past time is to feed her.  She's gotten very good at it too and has figured out a way to keep her from grabbing the spoon and getting food all over the two of them.  

This is one of the few moments that Lillian wasn't pulling at Violet's face or covering her head with a blanket so we got a couple of smiles out of her.

Violet is still just a tidbit of a thing, weighing in at 13 lbs 6 oz at her shots last week.  That puts her in the eighth percentile for her weight and 5th for her height.  Walker was this size when he was four months old but I suppose, given the fact that he is only 3 pounds away from his 8 year old sister now, that that shouldn't surprise me.

Christmas is just four sleeps away and I think I might be more excited than the kids.  There are few things more exciting than Christmas morning.  

I love this video and reminder from lds.org

Winter Woes

I realize that it wasn't long ago that I spent a whole post complaining about our Edmonton winters but after the weekend that we had I need just one more post to whine about it.  Over Thursday and Friday we got at least 40 cm of snow.  On Friday after a great deal of protesting from Emma and Walker I convinced them that we were in need of a snow day after I went outside and started shovelling this mess.

 I find the "selfie" trend horribly obnoxious which is why in three years of having this blog I don't think I've ever posted one on here.  However, I took this one in reply to a picture that Allan sent us of himself on the beach to show him what he'd be coming home to and it's just too funny, with Emma face down in the snow in the back ground, not to post.

The snow finally stopped and the temperatures promptly dropped to -40 with the windchill.  I had no choice but to pull all of our baby coats out for Violet and, despite the fact that she's not crazy about them, she looks so sweet.

This one's my favorite!  She looks like a baby seal...or a marshmallow.

These pictures are from one afternoon that I had to wake Lillian up from a nap to pick the kids up from school.  She was so miserable and grumpy I couldn't help but laugh at her, which made her all the more miserable.

I love her funny pouty face.

Winter Moon

November 15th is always the date I set aside to pull out our Christmas movies and music.  The kids anticipated it all week and on Saturday, before I was fully conscious, the kids were begging me to find the big box in the basement.  We listened to Christmas music while we cleaned and organized the playroom and while I made "Big Breakfast" and then they picked out their first Christmas movie of the season..."How The Grinch Stole Christmas".  

Last year I found a new favorite Christmas album by Mindy Gledhill.  Her song Winter Moon is my favorite.  Allan and I started dating right as the Christmas season began back in 2003 and it made that Christmas so memorable.  This song takes me back there to our winter walks and cold nose kisses and Christmas themed dates.

Winter Arrival

Winter has hit us hard after a very mild autumn, complete with half a foot of snow and too cold for recess temperatures (that's -22 with the wind chill).  After 26 years in Canada and 8 years as a mom in Canada it still catches me off guard.  On Monday I had to race out with the kids to find a new snow suit and mittens for Lillian, boots and snow pants for Walker and a toque for Emma.  I forget every year how much more difficult winter makes things.  A trip to the school to drop the kids off takes 15 minutes to prepare for because everyone has to be outfitted with snow suits and mittens and hats and then squeezing Lillian into her car seat with said suit on takes another 5 minutes.  At grocery stores I almost need a whole other cart dedicated to hauling winter gear that the kids refuse to wear because it's itchy or hot or hard to move in.  Despite these difficulties the kids are always so excited about the snow it's hard to not let it rub off on me.  The hill in our back yard is the perfect little sledding hill for the kids and I love that I can watch them from the warmth and comfort of our kitchen.

Lillian in her new snow suit.  Given that the one we just retired was for an 18 month old she needs to grow into this size 3 a little bit.

One of the other challenges of winter is finding things to keep the kids busy when they can't spend the hours outside that they did in the summer and fall.  On the coldest days last week I took some pictures of the things that I allowed the kids to do that I never would have allowed on warmer days.

A painting project that turned into a war at our kitchen sink.

Walker insisted on using the murky paint water as his "swamp" for the enemy.

And then later at the top of the stairs.

Lillian playing "family" with the paints.

 Face painting

I love that Lillian has her mouth wide open while she paints teeth on Walker.

I think she's supposed to be a tiger.

One afternoon I looked into the living room as I rushed the kids out the door for kindergarten and couldn't help but laugh.  I spent the morning mopping and cleaning bathrooms and in my desperation to get it done without interruption I let them do this to the living room.  Luckily it was Thursday, early dismissal, and chore day so it got cleaned up after school.

Winter also means that Christmas is on its way.  I'm so excited my stomach hurts!!!

Baby Face

I feel like all of my pictures lately have been either group pictures of the kids or individuals of everyone but Violet.  So here's a whole bunch of just our pretty baby.  

She's just three days away from five months old and has barely cracked 11 pounds.  She certainly is a light weight.  

I'm not sure why Lillian always thinks she needs to squish and pull at her cheeks.

Patient Bridgett

She can't fall asleep without having something in her hand.  This little owl teether is one of her favorites.

Trick or Treat

Trick or treating weather was amazing this Halloween.  The kids didn't even need snow suits!  I'm not sure I remember the last time that happened.  All four of the kiddies looked adorable.  Walker was Captain America, a costume that we bought at Costco.

  My mom helped me make all of the girls' costumes.  Emma was a Care Bear, Share Bear to be more precise.  But not just any Share Bear, Share Bear with a tutu. 

 I found a really easy way to make tied tutus and whipped one up for both she and Lillian.  Lillian was Rainbow Brite and Violet was her Little Sprite, Twink.  Remember, these guys...

They were so stinkin' cute!!  I was so pleased with how their costumes turned out.

Violet loves being held by Lillian.

We made our usual stop at my parent's place where my Dad got some very cute pictures of the four of them.

Rainbow Brite and Twink with Auntie Haley of the grammar police.

Emma and Walker decided to switch costumes for a little bit.  They were pretty sure that they were the funniest people in the world.