The School Bus Sled

Just had to post this picture. It's a picture of the kids ready to head to school on a typical morning. It shows how we've been getting to school for the past couple of months. My legs are getting a great workout, pulling the kids up the street and across the field to the school. Usually only Lewis rides and often I can convince him to lay down, which is the lightest load to pull. I don't mind, it's fun for them and it's certainly about a hundred times easier than carrying a toddler puffed up in a snowsuit who has stopped short in his tracks and refused to take another step halfway to school in the snow and wind.

One day I will reminisce about all of this wistfully, right?

In the Snow

Here's a little slideshow to show how much snow we've had in the past few weeks.

Of course, it's all going to melt into a big mess as temperatures have now been on the plus side, as warm as 9 or 10 degrees C for a few days. So many people were getting their cars stuck in the snow right on their own streets, and it's just as bad in the slush. Friday morning I saw the garbage men pushing out my neighbour across the street!

We've been doing lots to keep busy in January.

Matt painted and replaced the fixtures and toilet in our main floor bathroom (all by himself, with the instructions and his plumbing book! So impressive!)
Jaina's keeping busy making crafts she got for Christmas. Here she is with the princess she made all by herself.
Lewis has moved out of his crib (for safety reasons!) and Matt converted it into a bed. This is making life interesting with some early early mornings and listening in the evenings for an escaped toddler...

Christmas and New Years

Well here I am finally getting around to posting about Christmas and New Years this year. Things were supposed to slow down a bit in January and I guess they have but life is still busy!

In typical fashion we celebrated Christmas quite a few times with various family get-togethers. Before going south, we had our own pre-Christmas morning at our own house. Here is Matt with a special present that Jaina made him at school:

We went to Taber to stay with Papa for Christmas Eve. It was fun for the kids, we were quite sad missing my mom, but I think it helped to be together with each other. And it was nice to spend some time with Papa. We also had a nice brunch on Christmas Day at my stepsister Laurie's house and got to spend some time reminiscing with the Mexico gang.

We had a nice Christmas dinner at my Auntie Carole's on Christmas Day. My cousin, my Granny, and Veronica and Chris were there too. I guess we were having too much fun or were too busy keeping up with the kids to take many photos, but here's Lewis with Granny:

We had some good family time at Grandma and Papa O's house, with Uncle Jason, Auntie Michaelia and Oscar staying there too. Again, we were too busy having fun and didn't end up with many family photos, here are the kids "helping" Oscar open his gifts:

We took the kids to a hockey game while we were there, here are the two of the cutest hockey fans ever:

Then New Year's was spent in Calgary with the Olferts. Some went to the Flames vs. Oilers game while Michaelia and I hung out at the house with the kids and had a good visit. We did a fondue here and went out for brunch the next day. It was a fun time with family.