Organization - Jan 24

So I had meant to write about this ages ago but I guess the pictures slipped my mind. 
I have been trying my best to keep my house organized.  The ideas of being organized and having two small kids seems laughable, but there you go. 
Our last house felt very stuffed by the time we moved. Every cupboard was full, the closets were over flowing and every corner had kids toys. 
After purging as much excess as possible, I have been trying to make a conscious effort to; 1)get rid of what is not being used 2) organize what we have to keep things tidy and usable. 


Here is one such example. 
Before: The cupboard under the telephone is used to store kitchen gadgets, lunch bags and aprons. Nothing too exciting, but all things that can easily end up messy. 

Tada! This is what it looks like now. We found them at Lowe's. 
There are pull out shelves on both sides. One holds gadgets, the other side holds hot coffee mugs, aprons, and lunch bags. 
Love this. 

4500+ - Jan 24

I looked today, purely out of curiosity, to see how many people had viewed this blog. 
I am absolutely AMAZED to see that I have had over 4500 views. 
Thank you! 
I started writing, to no one in particular, really just to feel like I had adult conversation. 
I am touched that you have returned to read and or see photos so often!! 


For only 11 "followers", that's pretty amazing. 


Thank you! 

Apple guy - Jan 20

I'm amazed at how this kid can work his way around a computer. 

Jan 19

 

Just a cute picture to share.  It is so rare, and usually lasts only momentarily, to have them both sit still and be able to get a picture!

My turn - Jan 15

"Take a picture of me too"

I do take pictures of Jude too, I do.  Maybe it's more accurate to say I try to take pictures of Jude too. Elise is quick but Jude is fast! Too fast for my old camera, easier with my new camera, but still a challenge. 

When I can, I get him to pose for me. 

This one was his idea :) 

Elmo -Jan 14

Elmo. Everything with Elise is Elmo!
"Elmo" was definitely one of her first words, followed closely by "Abby".
She has a little Elmo doll she picked out on her birthday. It has been the first thing that is really hers that she has grown attached too. It has pretty much stayed with her since. She sleeps with him and carries him around the house, he does not leave her sight! 


We lost Elmo in the mall Christmas shopping and she called for him like a lost puppy as we back tracked and found him. Therefore, Santa brought her a second backup Elmo doll in her stocking, just incase we lost Elmo #1. 
She had gotten the similar "Abby Caddaby" doll when she was younger that I had forgot about. Once I looked Abby out, she now carries her around too. 
Pretty much the most adorable thing ever. 

Elise, reading 1 Elmo book, with 2 Elmo books beside her with Elmo and Abby there too. 

Birthday Fun - Jan 14

We had the opportunity to celebrate a very special little girl's 5th birthday. 
It was a party full of pink, princesses and pretty things. Despite the girly nature of the party, the boys seems to enjoy themselves too. 

Elise was so thrilled her cousin Emma had arrived. 

Jude enjoying some crafts.

Jude and Max.

All the kids loved these drums.

Little kid mayhem!

Alcina, the birthday girl.

Elise and Grandma 21 sharing cake.

Elise and Emma. Cousins.

Love!

My little helper - Jan 12

I had Jude write my grocery list for me. 

I'm so proud of his writing. 

New camera - Jan 10

I have upgraded my camera!
I have always had a Pentax SLR camera. Originally a film camera, when my nephews were born I splurged and bought a digital SLR. I loved my camera, it served me well. It's taken thousands of pictures. 
I have been taking lots of pictures of my cute kids ... but now they are fast! And unwilling to sit still for my pictures. 
I have a "fast" lens of my dad's from about 35 years ago. It is a 50mm manual focus lens. It takes really great pictures indoors, when you have the time to focus. But again, my kids are fast! 


I've moved to Canon. I love it! 
I'm not sure what al the bells and whistles do yet. AllI know is it takes amazing pictures and I barely have to think. 
After using a manual focus lens where I had to manipulate the ISO, shutter speed and aperture myself for so long, this is so so easy!! 

Haircut - Jan 6

I've always cut Elise's hair. Given it a trim here and there to help keep the back short and allow the body part to fill in nice and thick .... and then she got mobile. And, I kind of forgot about it. 
I'd run my fingers though the back of her hair and notice how long it was getting, but hadn't realized how "mullet-ish" it was getting until Daddy suggested I give it a trim. 
It must have been really bad for a guy to notice. 


Anyway, I cut her hair today. Quite a bit, by the time I was done and it dried. Mostly straight. She's got a pretty strong curl at the back so it hides my mistakes. 

Before.

After.

After it dried. Quite short!

15 months - Jan 5

I remember this being a really great age with Jude too. 
I love this stage!!

He's back!! - Jan 3

Milo's back. We were on a "break." He lived with my parents for about 6 months. During the whole packing process, he became unbearably anxious. 

So far, so good. Maybe he's just on his best behaviour because he knows now I'm not just threatening to get rid of him ;) 

Maybe. 

He has been calm and it has been such a treat. 

Fingers crossed he's FINALLY out of his puppy phase. 

Pancakes - Jan 2

Trying out Daddy's new Christmas presents. A new griddle for pancake mornings and a "pancake portioner."  It's great. We can do a whole family's worth of pancakes, in one batch. 

365 photo-a-day. Jan 1

So, when I started this blog last year, the intention was for it to be a photo-a-day blog with snippets of our life. Short and sweet. 
Apparently, I have too much to say. It's never been short. Oops. 
I will try this year to be more brief and post more frequently. 

Jude's comment the next day:

"Daddy, do you know why I like playing hockey?"

"Why Jude?"

"Because I love you"

Canmore - Dec 26-30

After a very long "home stand", we finally had some time to head to Canmore for a short break. 
With the unexpected move taking up most of the summer, before this trip, we hadn't been to Canmore since a very rainy trip for May long weekend.   
We packed up Boxing Day. Lucky for us the roads were not too busy. 
We had a nice trip. The weather was a bit cooler than we've been used to in the city but with the wind, it was quite chilly. 
It didn't stop Chris and Jude from getting out to go ice skating and handful of times. 
Jude started with his "Bob" skates but it became apparent he had out grown their use. We found a sports consignment store in Canmore that had used kids hockey skates. Cheap. 
Chris and I got out for a day of snowboarding. My first time in 4 years (with 2 pregnancies and 2 young winter babies).  I had a good time and I was thankfully more confident than I had expected. Just like riding a bike. 

Arrived! 

Special Daddy time.

Elise and Elmo, ready to watch Jude skate.

Whoops. Real skates are slippery!

Done for the day!

Sitting right in the racetrack. 

Peek-a-boo.

Fun trip. Hopefully we'll make it back sooner than last time! 

Christmas 2011 - part 2

We hosted Christmas dinner at our this year. 
I am still amazed at the difference our new house gives us in terms of entertaining. 
To be honest, my mom did all the work! She always does. She brought the turkey over to my house. She made the sweet potatoes, peeled the potatoes, made the stuffing and stuffed the turkey. 
All I had to do was put it in my oven and baste it occasionally. 
We have a nice big dining room now so we extended our table to it's full potential and set the table. We used Jude's little kid table and made a kids table. 


It was great. Our whole family came. We had 16 people for dinner and had a really nice visit and  a great time. 

Dinner.

Kids table.

Watching the kids tuckered Papa out. 

Evening game of scrabble. 

Christmas 2011.

Christmas 2011 - part 1

Well, despite being as prepared as possible towards the end of November, Christmas still crept up on me and I can't believe it came so fast! 
We had a great Christmas this year. I love seeing the kids get older and more into the Christmas spirit. 

Our tree this year. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of lights. I normally have tonnes of lihts. I didn't want to buy too many new ones (of coarse mine were broken the night I decided to put up the tree!). This is our old "skinny" tree in our new big room. It looked a bit silly. It will have a new home next year I think. 

Santa visited our house!

Santa wrote Jude and Elise a letter. 

Jude really loves his new floor hockey nets. 

Christmas afternoon at our house. 

Christmas Eve - Dec 24

As far back as I can remember, I guess since we moved to Edmonton, I can remember cowing what we were doing on Christmas Eve. Every year was the same- skating at Hawrelack Park and then back to my Grandma's house to open the gift form her.

Now that I have a family of my own, it kind of snuck up on me that I should be planning these "traditions" around Christmas. 

My mom has worked retail for the last 4 years or so and so she's really really busy at Christmas and always works Christmas Eve.

My sister in laws family has 2 big celebrations, one on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas Day. 

I'm not sure if my sister has traditions yet ... maybe I need to plan something with her :)  This year she was having out of town guests one to visit. 

And so, for the past 4 Christmas' now, we have spend it with my best friend, and her family. Just a small gathering with lots of fun, visiting and yummy food. 

As the kids get older ... and faster... I get less and less pictures of the fun. 

Elise had a great time this year, keeping up to the rest of the kids. 

Jude found a drum kit which he instantly fell in love with. 

Kids singing and dancing around the tree.

The biggest tree I've ever seen!

Jude rocking the drums!

Elise force feeding Daddy beer. 

Elise liked the drums too! 

Maybe Christmas next year?!