Putting it on ice

Roman will be starting skating lessons next week. I know. How could any good Canadian take this long to get their son onto the ice?

Personally, I prefer my sports related water to be thawed rather than frozen. Regardless, in an attempt to get Roman out the door today on a drizzly grey, not so wintery day, I suggested he go out to play hockey on the driveway which is suitably slippery.

It was his suggestion that perhaps he could try his new skates.

The driveway is icy but not THAT icy so off to the local rink we go. It's a very nicely made, volunteer maintained outdoor rink at our local library. Being only a kilometer away, you can't really get much more local!

There were guys of all ages playing hockey including what looked like a grandpa and a 4 year old boy kicking some serious ice butt.

Lacing up

Holding on

Taking a break and smiling for Mama

Celebratory hot chocolate with marshmallows

Hot chocolate for Lauren too (Rice milk... not as tasty... especially without marshmallows)

Overall, Roman did great. Papa didn't give up and Mama and Lauren stayed warm enough. At home Roman was excited about hot chocolate and a bit more time on the Wii. Of course the marshmallow sugar chocolate buzz crashed a bit later but it was worth the moments.

Whoville's been ransacked

I did it.

Yes. Me. I'm now the Grinch.

I just ransacked my kids rooms and the toys shelves and the basement.

Copious amounts of toys have been purged.

Some will go to KidsAbility, one I think I'll sell, one garbage bag (and it's not a small bag either) goes eventually to GoodWill and one tote to be kept for future generations.

Yep. Gone. Out-of-my-house-Thank-Goodness!

Now the bag that will eventually be donated will wait a month or so in case I've grabbed something the kids really do still want. I'm using the Out of Sight Out of Mind principle. If they don't see it, they won't want it. However if they don't see and and DO want it then I'll dig it out....

next time I'm in the barn...

if I remember...

Family Celebrations

Christmas Day

Christmas this year was a bit more relaxed. Not much but a bit.

While Christmas Eve involved a lot of running around, Christmas day, was much less chaotic than some years.

The kids were up and happy. Santa had filled their stockings to the rim (and past since Santa put one for Roman under the tree) and the presents under the tree - which had been there for a few days - were finally up for grabs.

Lauren with her overflowing stocking

 One memorable quote from Roman after unwrapping all his stocking stuffers,
"Woah. I have too much stuff!"
"Guess all those presents under the tree can go back to the store?" says Mama.
"Nooooo. That's okay. It's not TOOOO much."

Lauren proceeded to put every single Hello Kitty silly band on her arm. She has little arms. Those things practically reached her elbow.

Present opening waited until after breakfast. Lauren, at nearly 3 years old, is starting to get the idea but was soon overwhelmed but all that was before her. While we were generous, we weren't excessive in our gift giving but by the end, Lauren entered into the "rip-tear-look-find another one" stage of overload.

Grandma and Grandpa were able to join us for waffle brunch - chocolate soy waffles for Lauren, standard waffles for the rest of us, with bananas, strawberries, real maple syrup, whipped cream, jam for Roman... oh.. and sausages.

We had a wonderful, relaxed visit, G and G each had a nap and the kids played with their games, read books, played with legos and Lauren insisted on playing board games over and over and over and...

Our memorable Lauren moment was when she brought her light-up rabbit and put it with Grandma while she was napping.

The day ended with turkey dinner at AB's with all the cousins home from their various cross country locations.

Boxing Day

Boxing day is both Christmas Day with my family and my sister`s birthday. We grazed our way through the morning and let the kids open Christmas presents from Tante Moosie while we awaited the arrival of the rest of the family.

Passing the time with Tante Moosie

Over the years we`ve tried various gift ideas and usually try to play a family game during our time together. This year we combined the two. Everyone bought $10 gift cards for everyone else (omitting Roman and Lauren. They`re still young enough that actual presents are preferable to them), wrapped them up and popped them in a big pile. From there, we passed the dice and could pick a present for each pair rolled. Hubby had all the luck ending up with a huge stash.

Next step was to open all the presents to see where all the cards were from.

Send the dice around gain for a while and now, with each pair, you could choose what gift card you wanted from whomever had it. Poor Chris soon had to part with all his LCBO cards. Not that he`s old enough to use them but it was humourous that he ended up with 3 or 4 after the first round.

After 15 minutes of rolling, each person with more than 8 cards (because that`s how many adults each person had purchased for) could pick their preferred 8 and the rest were back in the pot for whomever still needed more.

Uncle Mark with his sock puppet gift card wrapping

Of course by the end there was plenty of joyful trading so everyone ended up with something they could use.

It was definitely a fun and rousing way to spend sometime together.

Roman and Lauren then opened the rest of their gifts and I`m pretty sure the Zhu Zhu pets from Cousin Mike made him King of Christmas. At least for the day (and yesterday morning).

As a mom, the quilts Tante Lise made for the kids definitely win... Thanks Sis. You rock!


Dinner with my family is often nontraditional given Little Sis' birthday and this  year was the best - barbequed prime rib steaks, twice baked potatoes, cowboy baked beans, wine, bear, tarts for dessert and happy full bellies all around.

I am so grateful for all my family - both sides - for how generous and loving they are to each other and to my two monsters.

Christmas Eve

Roman and Lauren have been trying really hard lately to listen and do what they are told. Well, Roman is trying. Lauren is trying to make sure she pushes every button she can find.

I, however, have been making a concerted effort to be more patient especially this week given the holiday. I admit to resorting to the Santa reminder - the "remember to do as you're told or Santa won't come. He'll come for Mama and Papa and Lauren..." statement that has variable results. Usually I would see the wheels spinning then the "hmmm. is she teasing?" look. I'm never quite certain how much Roman actually believes in Santa especially since Santa only does the stockings in our house.

In advance of Christmas Eve, we had anticipated letting them open a present or two depending on how the day was going. True to expectations, the excitement was affecting behaviour. Roman, in a particularly tough moment brightened right up when I suggested perhaps it was time to open a present.

I chose the presents they 'got' for each other - a game called "Rivers, Roads and Rails" for Roman and a play medical kit for Lauren. Roman and Papa played the game for a hour, spent some time wrapping presents (for me) then returned to the game. Lauren and I ran errands around town, buying gas (at a frightful price) and dropping off presents and kid supplies. Later Lauren spent time checking all our hearts and ears and even checked the kitty's hearts with her stethoscope.

Dr. Lauren at work

When dinner prep started to push the limits of what our kids had patience for, we opened a family gift and Wall-E kept them both happily occupied for the time needed. Even Lauren remembered it and declared "Wah-WE!" with delight when the movie started.

Cookies out for Santa, Twizzlers for Rudolf and the kids were happily tucked in bed for the night. Wine in hand and Mama and Papa were happy to watch a movie. Hooray for Christmas Eve!

Stockings filled and Santa cookies eaten

So.. where are they?

I am stunned by the lack of Christmas spirit in my neighbourhoood. Okay. It's the middle of nowhere but there are a surprising number of people living here in Nowhere but none of them are showing any Christmas spirit.

Seriously! Okay, not entirely NONE of them but the vast majority of homes are dark outside. Not an LED to be seen.

Which begs the question, where are the lights? It can't be that they're too expensive to have on (because the LEDs, while not quite the same, really don't use much energy) and catch the right sale (like TSC last week) and the LEDs themselves are downright cheap.

So how has the Grinch managed to invade so many homes? Even his heart grew and the lights went back to Whoville...

What a week

And here it's only Wednesday!

Saturday Roman had friends over for his birthday party. One guest had to leave after only a short visit (for a family event), another was sick but the one who stayed was amazing. The two of them played trains, trucks, whatever for the whole time they were inside and I had the most peaceful, productive afternoon. EVER.

Roman (far right) with his SK buddies. The snowman stood in for the friend who was sick...

Sunday we attended a potluck lunch for the families who help with music for Sunday morning services. The kids had a great time. The family hosting has four kids all of whom are so generous. Lauren came home with a tiny plush pony and Roman received a loader and a car. They weren't new gifts but rather toys out of their own collections that they gave to our two, just because.

Next was Roman's piano lesson. His teacher continues to be stunned that he JUST turned 5 last week. Guess our guy has some talent when he manages to apply himself. Now I have to figure out how many screen-time reward minutes work as incentive vs plain ole bribery.

Monday was a school day for both and SO COLD! Hubby left for Toronto before bus time meaning Lauren had to be bundled too. The day itself wasn't so bad but the wind out of the north was brutal. I took our giant golf umbrella as a wind break and could've sworn the kids were hanging on and pulling. Nope. No hangers on, just a full force gale acting out my inner thoughts trying to push us back to the warmth of the house.

Pick up at 4pm was just a bad so I loaded Lauren into the car to wait on the driveway til Roman's bus arrived. Yep. I admit it. I contributed to global warming that day and happily. At minus 21 Celsius I let that engine run while waiting for my son to get home and would happily do it again. Funny thing? He didn't want to get in the car but was happy to run behind us up the lane.

Tuesday we took the toys Roman's birthday guests brought to the local toy drive. The local free paper collects toys to give to kids that are spending Christmas in the hospital. Given how much time we spend at doctors waiting, being poked, measured and prodded, I have a soft spot for kids having to go through more of it especially over Christmas.

Wednesday - well, that would be today - Roman had his Christmas concert at school. He's grown up SO much. He was standing with his best friend, smiling, waving at me, singing the songs (in French) and doing all the actions. It was amazing. Grandma and Grandpa were able to come too which made it all the better.

Roman had also asked if he could cross the road by himself when getting off the bus. For many, this is a no brainer but with the high speed traffic on our road, I'm leery crossing just to get the mail. His bus driver (who is amazing) was supportive and coached him to look at her when he gets off to get the okay to cross. I can't explain how proud I am of him. He stopped, looked at her, smiled and waved when she okayed him to cross and he bolted to me with a huge grin on his face.

It was absolutely amazing. The growth, the independence... what a guy!

What a week. Tomorrow is Lauren's preschool Christmas party and she's been practicing her songs all week - happily singing to herself. Fingers crossed it'll be as fun for her as Roman's was for him.

Happy 5th Birthday!

Hard to believe it's been five years. The weather was vastly different today then it was that morning - only a dusting of snow instead of 6 inches...

Here's how our family day went:

Mmm Croiscents. Birthday Boy's favourite breakfast

Yep. Someone was actually listening when you said you wanted signals for your trains.

Chocolate layer cake just like you ordered. Notice all the boxes have wheels of some sort...

Now that you're five, you're big enough to help Mama cut the cake.

And eat it too

It was a happy day for our guy. Lots (and I mean LOTS!) of Hot Wheels, some Legos (a car of course), books, and so on. Enough to make a 5 year old almost overload but not so much that he can`t enjoy it all.

Big hugs to all our family who came to play. He sure is a lucky, well loved, little (okay... BIG) boy.

Sick. Again.

My favourite guy is sick. Again.

I know it's the season for colds and I know that at his age, he's going to get a lot of them but seriously? This is the third year in a row he's been sick for his birthday.

Okay, so he has a few days til then and I HOPE things clear by then but the poor little guy.

We top him up with meds to try to keep the phlegm and coughing at bay enough for him to sleep. Today we added polysporin eye drops to the regimen because his left eye is showing signs we don't want to see for long.

I've already written off tomorrow as a school day. Unless there's some miracle brought on by eye drops, he's out for the count.

Thankfully hubby is working from home so I can take Lauren to preschool without directly exposing all the tots to these nasty germs.

Fingers crossed today`s the worst of it.

On a good note, both kids spent the afternoon with Grandma and Grandpa at a Christmas party. No parents allowed. Just kids and grandparents. And Santa.

They both had a great time which is saying a lot given how Roman must`ve been feeling.