Twas the night before Christmas.

Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the suite

Wafted the delicious smells of mom's turkey meat

Snow was falling outside ever so lightly

The kids inside were whining ever so slightly

All were basking in the day of powder joy

As the kids anticipated unwrapping their toys

Outside the temperature was about negative seven

Six inches overnight making it snowboarder heaven

Staying up late playing games and watching a show

Going to bed dreaming of powdery snow

Both kids bundled up and skiing Gondola laps

Know this mountain so well, don't need no maps

Ghiradelli chocolates stuffed in our pockets

Riding laps on Powder Chair and Ridge Rocket 

Mom cautiously skiing down the Gondola run

Snow glittery in the holiday sun

Christmas up here with warm family meals

Kids unwrap presents with excited squeals

Whizzing down Paradise w Dad on our skis

Followed by apres dinner boxing fun on the Wii

Christmas at Big White holds a special place in my heart

Because that's where the best family memories start

sweet n sour.

A decade ago when Simon and I were in our early twenties, we spent every Friday with a group of grade 6 and 7's at our church. We were youth leaders for at least five years or more. It's not easy to get a group of 10 or 11 year olds to open up about life so we came up with 'sweet n sour', we would ask each kids to tell us their 'sweet moment' of the week (anything that was awesome) and a 'sour moment' (anything that sucked) and to positively reinforce this sharing, we had sweet candies for sharing a 'Sweet' and sour candies for sharing a 'Sour' which served as great motivators.


Now that Natallie is at school, we started doing sweet n sour with her after the end of each school day and it's been a great conversation starter and giving us great insight into her day. And she actually likes doing it that we don't even need candy. Isn't that sweet?! (no pun intended)


 These are some of things we have learned...Sweet: Grounders was so much fun. Sour: too scared to tell the teacher I had to go pee. Sweet: teacher sat in the car on the fieldtrip. Sour: didn't want to play toilet tag. Sweet: the grade 5 buddies came to eat lunch with us. Sour: didn't get a chance to go to creation station for center time. Sweet: teacher read a book that glowed in the dark Sour: mom packed oranges (loathe oranges)


Last weekend we had quite the roller coaster of emotions. Sweet: Playdate at best friend's house. Built new Lego sets with Daddy. Decorated the Christmas tree. Family movie night.

But the Sour seemed to overshadow everything Sweet: Natallie's beloved pet hamster, Cutie (which she only has had for less than 4 months) suddenly died. This was her first 'real' pet and she loved it with all her 5 year old heart. It was so devastating. She was so upset. She sobbed and I held her in my arms and I sobbed because it broke my heart to see her so upset. It meant so much to her.

She asked for another hamster but I don't really want to go through the death of another animal again. She loved that hamster so much. We buried her beloved Cutie in the yard. I told her that hamster go to heaven. Bad theology I know but parents lie sometimes. Goodbye Cutie, you were the perfect first pet for our Nallie. If there is a hamster heaven, I hope you go there.

Pumpkin Patch Photoshoot.

I love the pumpkin patch. Fall colors. Fun displays. Farm animals. Hayrides. Corn maze. Fields of pumpkins. And the kids are usually so excited and in such a good mood, I can get some great shots without bribing them to smile. This year we went with our good friends and captured some genuine pumpkin patch joy. This is my favourite...

Thanks to Rachael for finding these adorable pumpkin dresses on sale and bought one for all the girls. Noah was devastated (I mean like bawling uncontrollably) when he realized he didn't have a pumpkin dress too. Seriously. "I wanna pumpkin dress. Waaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaa". Note to self: I need to hang out with people with sons. Its tough being the only boy sometimes....


He soon got over his non-matching shirt and had a blast with his fleet of girlfriends...

love this one. totally nailed the look of sibling love.

The best part of going to the pumpkin patch is comparing photos from pumpkin patches of years past.

So thankful for these two turkeys...even when they make each other cry with their crushing hugs and sob over not getting to wear a pumpkin dress. I'm still feeling very blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!

to be continued...

Dear Nallie bear - did you know that ever since you could talk and I could understand what you could say that we have been doing "the Birthday Interview"? I started doing this since you were 3. I would try to interview you on your birthday and see how you change. You started Kindergarten this week and I thought there might be some tears. I was bracing for some tears. I thought either you or I would cry. I didn't wear mascara on your first day of Kindergarten. Just in case. You did so great, you just skipped along to school, holding hands with Nala. You were slightly scared when we actually got to school, I could see your bottom lip tremor but we held hands and once you got inside the class, you and Nala picked the drawing table and the two of you happily starting drawing rainbows. I'm so proud of you sweet heart! You are going to rock Kindergarten.


I admit I am feeling pretty nostalgic, I can't believe you're going to be at school all day. I started piecing together your birthday interviews from the last few years. I am going to keep adding to it.....probably every September I will start to feel weepy how fast you are growing up and I'll keep working on this. Click on video to see your first few birthday interviews...

And you, my sweet boy, Noah....you surprised me with your smiley face at preschool today. I was also bracing for some waterworks from you. All week you were clinging to me whenever I mentioned the word preschool. When we were dropping off Natallie at Kindergarten you were super-glued to me and wailing, "I don't want to go to preschoooool!" and I was trying to hush you and tell you that this isn't even your class, it's Natallie's class. But today was different, you woke up brave and smiling. You waltzed into that classroom and picked out a toy and you ignored me when I told you I was going to leave. I made you give me a hug and you were all smiles when I came back. I am so proud of you.  Since you are turning 3 in just a few days, instead of the Birthday Interview maybe we will start the tradition of the September Interview for you. Now if you just sit still for long enough to answer the questions....here is the first segment to your saga

So this is an unfinished post, I am dying to know what you want to be when you grow up next year, will you still want to be a 'beaver teacher'! I love that when I ask you what you will teach those beavers you don't skip a beat and say, 'build a dam'!!! I had no idea you had such dam-building expertise my boy. You are the cutest future beaver-teacher a mom could ever ask for. I am so proud of you! I can't wait til the next year of interviews but don't grow up too fast babe!


To be continued...