Cooking, crafts and crashing cameras

It was a stay at home weekend.  We kicked around the house enjoying each other's company, even if our Saturday started at 5:54 a.m.  I have this thing about getting up in the 5's on weekends.  I don't like it.

Here are some of the things I cherished this weekend:

Sprinkles gone wrong while making Rice Krispie balls

Crafting and colouring

Family Movie Day:
We went and saw Tangled this weekend.  Sarah had been counting down the days until the big event.  It was going to be a Daddy/Daughter date, but at the last minute she decided she wanted us all to go together.  Jack saw his first movie and he loved it.  He sat through the whole movie.  I loved watching their faces as they enjoyed the movie.  Sarah whose movie chair almost does not stay down, tiara on, eyes glued to the screen, hand reaching blindly into her popcorn and a big grin on her face.

Sarah just had to dress like a princess for the princess movie.

Weather that was nice enough for us to play outside.

This is before I clued in that he should have his boots on

An afternoon in Steveston, where we welcomed Santa.

Jack getting ready to welcome Santa.  He fell asleep before Santa arrived and missed the whole thing

Watching Sarah's cute face as she waited in anticipation for Santa.

Sarah and Captain Canada dancing to the music after Santa arrived

This may be the last picture that you see of the Captain on this blog.  Shortly after I took this picture, I dropped his camera and shattered the lens.  I have vowed never to touch his camera again.  Ouch, it still hurts to think about it.

Girl Time

Tonight Jack fell asleep early.  Right after dinner, during stories, he fell asleep sitting up. So Sarah and I tucked him into bed and we declared it girl time.  She wanted to bake cookies.  When I asked her which part she wanted to help with, she replied, "The eating part."  That's my girl.

It was a fun evening.  We baked cookies.  Sarah got to have a bath time all by herself.  And on a night when Captain Canada gets home late, Sarah and I got to have a leisurely bed time routine.  I was not running back and forth between the two rooms like a chicken with my head cut off.

After several Fancy Nancy stories, I snuggled down with her.  She has a fluffy and warm duvet that is very inviting.  I tickled her back and we talked and she stroked my cheek the way I often do to her.  All the sudden it was an hour later.  I had fallen asleep.

It was a great evening.

Wordless Wednesday- The Mommy Snuggles Edition

A Little Introspection- Reflecting on 39 Years

I turned 39 on Sunday.

We celebrated kids' style by riding the Canada Line, saying hi to Santa and ordering take out for dinner.  Throughout our adventures I stared at my family and grinned.  I feel so incredibly blessed.  I have a great husband and two kids that I love to bits and bits and bits.

Saturday night we had a family birthday celebration.  My sisters made us a delicious dinner and the most terrific homemade chocolate cake.  A few highlights from the night:

Sarah and Emma love playing together.  They also are both very strong willed and there are some battles and will continue to be battles in the years to come.  But it so much fun watching how much they enjoy each other's company.

Once in a while, Emma stops playing long enough for me to get in a quick snuggle.

Jack loves checking out the new and different toys at his cousins' house.  Although they aren't his toys, he has a hard time sharing them sometimes.

Emma and Sarah both love spending time with their Auntie LB.

Emma and Sarah are natural care givers and love taking care of babies.

Declan taking a break from practicing his standing.  I just love those green eyes.

In the past, when blowing out my candles, I would close my eyes and make a wish.  I wished for things like a cute boy, some kids and a nice place to live.  Now that I have those things, I let Sarah and Jack make their own wishes and help me blow out my candles.

Recently I was reading a blog that I really enjoy and the topic was a five year plan.  It got me thinking, what is my five year plan?  What are my goals now? I am happy with where I am in my life.  I am proud of my accomplishments and what I can do.  For the past three years, with the help of my craft group and Ali Edwards' one little word, I have worked to make little changes that make me happier and what I hope is a better person.  But right now, I don't have any explicit goals.  It is something I hope to work on in the coming months.
Do you have a five year plan?  If you do, I would love for you to share it with me.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We woke up to a snowy wonderland outside our window Saturday morning.  I was excited to take the kids outside this year.  Sarah is excited about snow and has been asking when it is going to snow for the past few weeks.  Jack didn't really get to experience snow last year and I was looking forward to watching him go crazy in the snow.  So after a quick breakfast of puffins, (a pancake baked as a muffin, so delish) we headed out.

So maybe it did not go quite as I envisioned.  You know those times when an event goes a whole lot better in your head than in real life?  Well this was one of those times.  Jack, who I thought would love the snow, cried most of the time and would not walk on the snow.  We had only been out for about fifteen minutes before Sarah started yelling her signature line, "Hungry, hungry, snack, snack."  But we did manage to have some fun and get some great photos.  Here are some of our best moments:

Sarah checking out the snow for the first time

Love this shot of Sarah

The ritual of making a snowman

Catching Jack during a non crying moment

A lot of dipping and spinning went into the making of this smile

More dips and this is what we came up with.  It's lucky he is cute.

After snow time, Sarah got decked out in her holiday outfit.  She looked too cute not to share.  Thanks Gram for the pretty outfit.

Any picture where she actually lets us do her hair, must be shared

What did you do in the snow this weekend?

Five on Friday

1.  Captain Canada hurt his back on Thursday.  He is in a lot of discomfort and has been unable to work for the past couple of days.  It has been very cute to watch Sarah, the natural care giver.  She rubs his back,  lays beside him on the floor to eat her dinner and winces as if she feels his pain.  Sarah was puffed up with pride as she fetched pillows and helped him anyway she could.

This is Sarah's Fancy Nancy outfit.  She loves it.  I am not sure how comfortable
I am with a tummy shirt for toddlers.

2.  Jack poor sleep habits continue.  In the past two weeks, they have gotten worse not better.  He has reverted back to sleeping on people and needing to be held to fall asleep.  Here is where my confession comes.  I have been a total enabler.  I have had a cold for four weeks.  One of the reasons that I can't seem to get better is I am run down from lack of sleep.  So I have been letting him fall asleep on me and doing whatever I can to help keep him asleep.

Jack getting ready for the annual holiday card picture.

3.  Drugstore Advent/Countdown to Christmas calendars are out for us because of Jack's nut/peanut allergies.  In my mind, I am going to make a beautiful re-useable Advent calendar like this one or like this one.  The reality is I will probably buy one from Etsy or hit up a craft fair.

4.  It supposed to snow tonight.  As I type this a few snowflakes are drifting down.  I feel some lovely snow photos in our near future.

5.  It is a birthday weekend around here.  My birthday is on Sunday and in true form, I like to celebrate my birthday for two or three days.  The kids gave me my first present tonight and I am looking forward to a family dinner tomorrow night.  Nothing says birthday like a big slice of cake with thick layer of icing.  Yum.

Happy weekend.

Wordless Wednesday- A Rainy Day of Fun

Boots meet puddle.  Puddle meet boots.

Later, our house turned into what looked like an episode of Mr. Maker

Snuggles, Smiles, Snoozes and Skating

Nana and Pa were here for a visit this weekend.  They played Santa early and generously bought Jack and Sarah skates.  Jack is still young, but wants to do everything his sister does, so we got him a pair of Bob Skates.  Sarah was very excited to try skating for her first time, until we arrived at the rink.

This is my Sarah girl.  She is all about familiarity and being comfortable.  Knowing exactly what is going to happen and what to expect is important for her success in any activity.  We already predicted that we will have to go to the rink three or four times before she is ready to don her skates.  Our children did not skate on this day, but there were smiles and snuggles and even a quick snooze.

Jack took a spin in the stroller as we tried to encourage Sarah to try out her new skates.

Playing peek-a-boo with Pa.

A quick snooze, despite the no shoes and no gloves, I guess he wasn't that cold.

Sarah was happy to watch everyone skate and snuggle with Mommy.

"I like my skates, but I am not ready to try them."

I love my snuggly girl!

Sarah did a couple laps of the ice in the stroller.  She loved it and that was the important thing for our first skating trip.  To make it a positive experience so she will want to go again.

Voices of Fall

We have our rough patches.  Those days where I wish I was a more patient Momma and less frustrated.  The days where I wonder is there something I could have done differently to lessen the meltdowns.  The days where I feel defeated and upset.  We carry on, push through because the next day bubbles with possibilities.  Well the next day dawned bright, crisp and clear.  We took to the park to take advantage of the weather.  We know that these days are numbered and when the rain comes, trips to the park will be few and far between.

At the park, I heard the voices of Fall:

Jack's voice rising above the breeze chanting, "Push, push, push."

The high school football team to take to the field with their chants and watched from our vantage point on the swings.

The crunch, crunch of the leaves beneath Jack's feet as he marched and laughed.

Sarah's giggles as she gathered and threw leaves with her friends from pre-school.

Those voices of Fall were just what I needed.  What we all needed.
Happy weekend!