Christmas 2016

It was an excited race to Arizona to get what we really wanted for Christmas this year ... Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Colleen!

MOMENTS: Family Fun and Presents too

Kids had a great time getting into the Christmas spirit in the desert with some of their favourite people. This included a trip to A Christmas Carol production for Tavish, some crafting, and putting out some treats for Santa and his reindeer. Gift giving was *almost* as exciting as gift receiving. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Concerts 2016

This was Keva's first ever concert where she was a participant! She was not only a penguin, but also an elf! You'll have to see it to belive it! Tavish dazzled us with his french song about a small snowflake (or 'petit flacon blanc'). These kids were true show stoppers!

MOMENT: Stealers of the Show

Over two separate nights, the children of the neighbourhood brought down the house! The entertainment was the perfect balance of sweet and festive. We are truly ready for the holidays now and you will be too after a glimpse at these two in action with their classmates...

Christmas Season 2016

The month of December brings many excitements and plenty of anticipation!

Gift Getting

Gift Giving

Tree Time!

This is Us

Festive Family

Celebrating with Grandpa

MOMENTS: All Fun and Games

Tom had to do a bit of travelling in December for work, but we made it work. The festivities continued and the tree was up and ready to decorate the minute he walked in the door! Christmas is a season for giving and for family - we are blessed to have it all!

Changing of the Guard

This is tough. Our beloved caregiver of 2.5 years, Caeli, has decided that for various personal reasons, she needs to move on from childcare with our family, and childcare in general. Our family will look a little different when 2017 starts and she will be missed but held forever in our hearts...

Caeli's last day with the kids

MOMENT: Unfond Farewell

December was a hard month overall. Tom was out of town for work and Caeli appreciated any recpite she could get, so I missed a lot of work. Alysse, a former student teacher from my work, had been pinch-hitting one afternoon a week with Keva since the fall because Caeli had requested working four days instead of five. She was also stepping up to help fill the blanks where she could. Turns out, she will also need to move on in the new year as well. Things are a bit upside down, but we will surely surface at some point, but will no-doubt miss these two wonderful women in our family. A genuine thank you for all they did to enhance the fun, character, and crazy of our family...

Keva & Alysse playing doctor in the backseat

Fort building with Alysse

Cooking with Alysse...

...and playing with her dog, Fritz!

A play at Allan Gardens inside...

...and outside... 

...whee!

Guest? No, Grandpa!

Sometimes we hang with Grandpa at his apartment. Sometimes he hangs with us at our place. No one is ever really a guest, but it is still so much more fun than not hanging out at all...

MOMENT: Grandpa Guest

The kids really benefit from having a grandparent nearby, even if it is only part time. They clearly enjoy it... and I think he does too!

Swimming in the Swimming Pool

We tried a different approach to swimming lessons this year, skipped out of City lessons and opted into Jack of Sports...

Swimming Siblings

Warm up & rest stop with Mommy

MOMENT: Double Lessons

There's no doubt that the water in that pool was cold. The kids braved the temperature and kept warm by moving. They do love swimming, swimming in the swimming pool...

Know What?

This sometimes just comes out of nowhere and, it's the best...

Keva: "Know what Mom/Dad?"
Mom/Dad: "What Keva?"
Keva: "I love you"

Mom/Dad: "Know what Keva?"
Keva: "What?"
Mom/Dad: "I love you"

Such a sweet soul with a loving heart...

Book lover 

Adventurer

Baby Carer

Scooter Seeker 

Bat Swinger

All-around Great Kid

Pit and Cherry

It's a lovely family tradition we started a number of years ago around the dinner table. Everyone shares the "pit" - the unfortunate part or bummer of their day, and their "cherry" - the fortunate or awesome part of their day. Keva can now participate with us too...



MOMENT: Pits of all and pits of baths

Awhile back, we had a family dinner that included both Auntie Colleen and Grandpa Mike. Keva had become interested in Pit and Cherry, so encouraged us all to do it. All of the adults included enjoying the meal together as their cherry for the day. For a solid month or two after, even amid moments of tension with Tavish that would certainly have qualified as a "pit", Keva would report...

Pit: "ummm, I don't think I had a pit today"
Cherry: "my cherry is this lovely dinner with my family"

Not original, but genuine - or at least we would like to believe...

For the past 2-3 Wednesdays (swimming lesson night), Keva's reply has been this ...

Pit: "I don't think I had a pit today"  (pause) "can I have a bath tonight?"
Parents: "not tonight, we just had a shower after swimming"
Keva: "aw! that's my pit!"

Partying with the Fellas

Keva received her first birthday party invitation from someone we don't know as a family. A boy from her class, Haris, also in JK, invited Keva to his birthday party at his house. I went along and was tickled to see that she was the only girl invited... Aw.

Crafting with the Crew 

Crowding around the Cake

Yum, Cake.

Keva and the boys celebrate Haris.

Bedtime Games

This is Tom's story, it's a chuckle and worth a share...

MOMENT: Lengthening Bedtime

Every now and then, Keva tries to extend bedtime with needing to go the washroom or, most commonly by calling out "I need to tell you something!" or "I just need to tell you one more thing!" Tom's favourite so far (the sucker fell for it too):

Keva: "Dadddddyyyy!"
Tom: "what is it Keva?"
Keva: "ummmm"
Tom: (waiting impatiently)
Keva: "ummmm"
Tom: (shifting his weight, dreaming of putting his feet up)
Keva: "what's 1+1?"
Tom: "2"
Keva: "That's right!! Good night, Daddy"

First Field Trip

Keva went on her first field trip at school, of course - I just had to go and be a part of it! Off to the pumpkin farm we went!

MOMENT: Pumpkins and Pals

I won't fib, it was a longer ride on a bus than I was expecting, but there was nowhere else I'd rather be than joining Keva on her field trip. There was a hay ride, a bus ride, a pumpkin to pick, and some animals to follow around...

Bus boarding

Hay!

Hay ride!

Chicken

How does your garden grown?

Pumpkin!

Talking the Truth

Keva: "I did a farted!"

At least she's honest ...

BOO 2016

Ahhh, Halloween - the season of make believe, parties, parades, and oh-so much sugar! And fun, so very much fun too...

MOMENT: Vampire and Chef

The kids had a really good time carving pumpkins and getting into their Halloween costumes this year. Tavish had slicked hair, vampire teeth, and a cape ready to do his thing at a moment's notice. Keva had flour on her cheeks, a chef's hat on her head, and utensils in her pocket ready to bake or cook at a moment's notice. What a lovely holiday for them!

Thanksgiving 2016

Fall colours are my favourite. Getting away for the long weekend with friends left the whole family full of thanks...

MOMENT: Thankful

Out of the city and off to a cottage. We had a lovely weekend again this year with Megan, Paul, Xavier, and Keir. The colours were lovely and the company lively.

Check out those leaves! 

We are pretty excited, it's crisp and cool!

Venturing out for a hike...
 with a ball in hand!

Keir & Keva making tracks

Tavish splashing around

Paddling pals

Megan and her crew

Giving our thanks together

Biking with beauty

Beach play

Drawing our thanks for the cottage

Catching some zs on the way home