Hope all who find themselves reading this, enjoyed the holidays.

This year , was my first attempt at redefining Christmas, which was challenging to do , because Christmas always means MOM, and all that she did for the holidays.

Now,

I'm the 'mom'   (and doin' it 'solo' without my own mom).

 

 

 

We enjoyed ourselves this Christmas, we did many 'christmassy' things, we got to bask in our childrens marvel and awe, the 'glow' children get with Christmas. It's not just the gifts that excite them. Eryn & Aiden both,  love all the decorations, and all the extra sweets, and the Christmas trees, and the singing, and all the lights, plus there's Santa...and ripping open the pretty wrapping paper to find new toys.

 

Eryn asked Santa for a purple crown  (so she could be a princess) and a purple horsey  (a my lil' pony). She was very excited that Santa remember what she asked for.

Today, 2 days post Christmas, first thing this morning, while still in her bed,  , Eryn says (very excitedly); 

 

Mommy, I saw Santa in my rooooom, he left me presents!!  He got me purple 'cown' and purple horsey and I so happy!

Mommy,  I want  find Santa and give him a really really really big hug to say thank you

Mommy, can we find Santa?

 

 

what mom wouldn't have their breath taken away with that??

purity & love thru and thru......sigh....

 

 

Aside from my daughter's inherent sweetness,

I learned many other things;

 

I learned that if you're serving Yorkshire Pudding for dinner, be sure that ALL your guests are seated first, then slowly remove them from the oven and serve instantly, piping HOT, before they can deflate.

 

I learned the importance of forcing the kids to eat breakfast BEFORE any gifts are opened  (aside from the stocking stuff)

 

I learned the importance of double checking the camera settings, when trying to capture once in a lifetime holiday moments.

 

I learned, that for Aiden's sake, the less sticky tape I use to wrap the gifts, the better for everyone.

 

I learned that I CANNOT leave out my Christmas cookies, that  took me a week to make, because my husband will EAT THEM ALL, forcing me to make MORE  (next year I hide them)

 

I learned the importance of slowing down, it's easy to get caught up in the  'rush rush' of the busy season

 

I learned I need to UNpackage the kids toys from that godawful adult proof shrink wrap inducing wrap-rage, and then return them to a simple box, and wrap them for the kids.  THAT is a big one! 

 

 

As satisfying as Christmas was, I'm just as pleased that it's behind us.

All done until next year.

I'm already itchin' to put the decorations away.

BUT
I can wait til new years Day

 

Here's some more photo's from the xmas holiday, including one of my gorgeous Yorkshire Puddings, fresh outta the oven....before the deflation....and also a couple of the kids with their cousins, Christian & Justin, and Eryn & Isabella playin with the bloody rainbow crystal princess pony palace  (ugh)

enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's here

Christmas has arrived

We have all our shopping done, our 'fidge' stocked,  our tree all trimmed,  presents wrapped up with pretty strings, and tucked under the tree.

We even have our cup (s)-a-cheer

and some homemade christmas cookies to spare for Santa   (maybe even some organic baby carrots for his reindeer)

We are officially 'ready'

bring it ON, Santa!!!

Fill our stockings!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was very young

my older brother

did a typical sibling 'move' and fed his baby sister a 1/3 cup of gasoline, telling her to drink the 'kool-aid'

which little sister did  (don't ask me how he got ahold of that, or where the supervision was at the time)

I was about 3yrs. old then.

Apparently after surviving the incident of chemical pneumonia, I became quite a chatter box, and was nicknamed  'motor mouth',

on top of the other family 'pet' names.

 

 

Eryn has become her own little motor mouth lately.

At the family table, Gary and I can seldom speak with each other without her interrupting in a vie for attention.

Or

She'll flat out say;  stop talking, talk to ME

or

What you guys talking about?

and since she can't really converse with Aiden yet, we're IT.

She can talk non-stop about horses, unicorns, animals of all sorts, her favourite movies, sing a few songs for you, talk of Christmas and Santa and her hopes of getting a purple crown for Christmas. She will talk a blue streak.

maybe the chemical pneumonia had noting to do with it, just good ol fashioned genetic code, a loquacious gene must run in the family.

and Aiden is showing signs of it too, if his amount of gibber-gabbling is any indication.

 

I'm trying to 'brace' myself for it

 

 

 

 

 

What a crazy weekend!

We had no power most of Friday.

We had our last swim lesson Saturday morning.

We went to Baby Koen's welcome party 'after naps'

Then

for dinner

we went to Gary's work Xmas party.

A step up from last year for SURE

though last year was nice too..

but

this year

the party was at Seasons Restaurant in Vancouver.

and

because I was a 'tour bus' driver in Vancouver, I'm full of ridiculous bits of city trivia

like;

both Clinton, Yeltsin and Queen Elizabeth have dined at this restaurant...among various other celebrities.

We filled one of the party rooms.

I drank the second best wine I've ever had in my life, but definitely the most expensive wine...

Was pure bliss to sit, and eat leisurely, fine gourmet food with that fantastic velvety wine.

Conversation  (NOT about kids), sitting, gorgeous view, all for free, including drinks  (I had my share of Kahlua cocktails aside from the wine)

pure bliss

we had a fantastic night.

business must be good.

 

Just before leaving for our first of 2 parties of the day..

Eryn & Aiden got into it, and Eryn sunk her teeth into his soft backside, nearly breaking the skin.

The beginnings of sibling rivalry...

least they're not the same sex, then it'd be worse..

After  THAT drama, we drove to the other side of the mountain and had a fun afternoon visiting with Rick & Catherine, while watching our kids all play together. Their kids are so delightful, and lil' baby Koen is Mama's boy FOR SURE, looks just like her, looks just like a doll 

Gary & Rick go way back almost 20 yrs. now, not only high school friends, but they worked together too.  Gary's so fortunate to be so close with so many old long time friends.

Just a couple hours there wore the kids out.

The rode quietly home in the car...sigh....

We got home just in time for Gary's mom to arrive.

We changed and left for Queen E. Park

well, I've already recounted that blissful night....

 

and today, only the slightest bit 'hung'

 

Here's the pic's of the day, including pics of new Baby Koen  (love the name):

 

 

 

 

 

Whew;

We survived the storm.

The one that hit us here on the west coast with +100kph winds.

I heard it hit at 3am, even asleep with ear plugs in, I could still hear the storm;

the trees and bushes hitting the window panes above our heads, the ROAR of the wind as it swept across our slope of the mtn.

I remember thinking;  nice, and we still have power..right on...

I looked out the window at the enormous looming trees just a few blocks away, and saw them dancing and 'gettin' down' in a way I'd never seen before...

I returned to bed, and about 45 minutes later...

tzzzzz.....

and the sound of the whole house going silent...dead...no power

no heat

no lights

NO COFFEE

no shower

no tv for the kids in the mornin

 

Eryn awoke crying , shortly after, because her windowless room was pitch black,

I went to leave in the morning,

and half of our fence has been blown away, some of the kids outdoor toys were across the yard...

so our backyard is no longer 'secured'

 

The power was OUT all day long.

I spent most of the day away from the house

I returned at 3:30 (left the car running, but just dashed inside to check the power)...still no power..kids were still asleep in the car, so I drove around till they woke, and THANK GOD, by then the power was back...

THANK YOU BC Hydro guys!!!!!

 

On my drive around, I did a few loops over Burnaby Mtn,

and the damage was surprising..there was sooo many trees down in the forest..it looked like all the deciduous trees had their canopies ripped off, and all that was left was broken match sticks , sticking outta the ground...incredible amount of trees down!!

 

It's over now though, apparently the harshest storm in living memory, and the wettest fall in written history...

yep

seems the Earths' climate is indeed in flux...

but we survived...

and the power is ON !!!!!!!!!!
yayaya

 

 

 

 

ok... I've been 'tagged' again...to name some wierd,  'kwirksome' things about me'

Here we go:

 

 

 

I'm 'anal' about how my bed is made & I can NOT stand for wrinkled sheets, hence I ALWAYS make the bed.

 

It's almost impossible for me to consume chocolate WITHOUT consuming milk at the same time.

 

My fingers are all double-jointed.

 

Don't you DARE ...EVER  ...touch my food (incl. pots, utensils, etc) while I'm 'cooking' in the kitchen........EVER  !!!!!

 

I can NOT go to sleep at night, if I have not just checked on my kids, and 'tucked' them in again...

 

I used to ALWAYS be a breakfast person...but since having child #2....Now, I'm coffeee...alll the way...til 10 am ...then maybe eat something

 

I talk to myself...ALOT....but I hear that lots of people do that...myself told me that...

 

I DETEST loud  noises...especially loud SUDDEN  noises....  ( children screaming falls into this category)

 

I am very sensitive to smell   (gag me with too much perfume & insence, or smother me with B.O. or other such nastiness...and btw...my dog smells like crayons..not stinky doggy)

 

I have 'parking Karma'  I call it..I can 'create'(or find) my own 'parking', by just imagining the perfect parking spot appearing.

 

I have kept a journal (off & on) since I was in grade 6, and now have a box full of my lifes' journals.

 

Even though it's been over 10yrs since I had my brief 'stint' in Holland, I can still speak fluent Dutch.....  (maybe not write it anymore, but speak it, YES)

 

Oh,  and,  I'm a lefty...not  'wierd'  just  'rare'  (the 'lefty-ness' runs in the family too) 

 

 

HA  that's 13...

(beat your 6 Maddie...heehee)

 

cheerios!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I've mentioned before on this blog-o-mine..

I've been missing my mom LOTS

My counselor has been helping me 'learn to grieve', and yes there is a 'process' involved

so

this holiday season is a perfect opportunity for me to grieve at an intense rate..if such a thing is possible...

My mom was REALLY big on the Christmas holidays...

She created lots of magic for us  (me and my bro), many little traditions that I now find great comfort in.

Last year I denied the holidays..

denied my moms' passing

denied my hurt and pain

my loss

 

This year I want to celebrate her spirit, and 'bring her to life' in my home, surrounding myself with all her favorite Christmas treasures.

I decided, this week, to make some Christmas cookies. It's a recipe my mom  passed to me, one she always made, and one I always loved  (they're called Russian tea cookies)

After Eryn & I made them, I went looking for a Christmas cookie tin

the only proper home for Christmas cookies, after all...

I knew my mom had ample, she 'collected' them  (she 'collected' everything)

I dug into one of the several boxes full of her 'stuff'

I found a cute lil tin.

I emptied the contents of the tin, to make room for cookies.

The tin was previously full of tree ornaments.

At the bottom of the tin, was  a note

a note from my mom

in her precious, familiar,  handwriting

It said something about taking care of her treasured 'Spode collection'  (oops, sorry mom)

and it also said:

 

Remember I love you and especially at Christmas I'll always be near, love mom

 

I bawled, naturally

It did give me great comfort though,

and so the grieving continues....

but, this week, I found my comfort in a hidden message, left for ME by my mom.

 

 

 

 

My girlfriend, Edie, offered to come by on monday, to play for a bit (with her kidlets), because I haven't seen her in a while.

I also phoned Jenn, to see if she could 'come play' too  (with her kids)

Once both of them arrived......

it dawned on me...

as the noise level was escalating...

there were SIX of them...

and only THREE of us...

we each had 2 kids, (and each had a girl first)

SO

we HAD to line them all up on the couch to click a pic, as quick as I could.

 the kids range in age from 2 months to 2.5 yrs

my kids are on the outside of the photo, the beside each of them are Jenn's girlz, and in the middle are Edies' lil ones.

(Aiden, Gabby, Everett, Isabella, Julianna, & Eryn)

 

It was a fun morning..lots of laughter and giggling filling the house, funny what will send toddlers into fits of giggling....infectious giggling...

 

Here's some pic's from the morning: