Photo Update

I finally got around to installing my camera software on the new hard drive, so here's a peek at what we've been doing the last little while...

This is the first dusting of snow we got.  The kids were so excited they had to put on all their snow gear and play outside.  They had to go quickly because it melted away before lunch...

A few days later we got a big snowfall, much to their excitement.  It snowed like crazy all day, but it was still warm so it stuck together perfectly for us to go out and build a snowman....

Last Wednesday the kids and I attended the tree lighting down in Newport Village.  Santa was there in all his glory, but only Madison and Spencer would see him.  Clayton hung back and waited at the stroller.  When Dan asked him why he didn't go up, he replied, "Why would I want to sit on some fat guy's lap?"  Hmmm.....good question.  Ah, such cynicism at an early age.  A real Scrooge in the making.  Oh well.  Spencer was so excited he jumped up and down from the bottom of the stairs until he got onto the fat guy's lap. 

These are a Few of Our Favorite Things....

This ice cream from Superstore.  Yum.  Nuff said.



Buffalo Wing and Blue Cheese Chips.  Just as good as the real thing (and less messy).

Christmas Giggle

Here's something that made me grin.  Enjoy.



Dear Santa:

 I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited their doctor's office more than my own doctor's, and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground.


I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmas', since had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt, in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year, I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother", because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.

Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in to dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.


Yours Always,

MOM


P.S. One more thing ...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

Make-It Monday

Chicken Fingers



Cut up chicken breasts into strips, whatever size you want.  Let them soak in a bowl of milk.

Mix together:

Bread crumbs and flour, 1:1 ratio (if you use a cup of bread crumbs, use a cup of flour)
Add whatever spices you like.  We put in whatever's handy: onion powder, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, Montreal steak spice, seasoning salt.  You will want something salty to give it some flavor.  Be creative.

Shake the milk soaked chicken in the bread crumb mixture.  Fry them in a pan, or bake them in an oven.

Dan makes these and the kids love them.  (What kids doesn't love chicken fingers?  And these taste way better than store bought!)  He generally fries them, which is why I don't have the time for the oven, but baking them would definitely be a healthier choice for anyone worried about that.  Tasty and easy, just watch for those chicken breast deals!

Still here...

We are still here, just haven't had much time for the blogosphere lately.  Only two days away from feeling a huge weight off with all this semester's projects handed in.  Yeah!  This has been a really tough semester schoolwise, and we have all been feeling it.  Lots of crankiness and arguing, short tempers abound.  Oh well, this too shall pass.

We took part in a primary service project on Sunday.  The kids were asked to donate toys to give to kids in need.  It was interesting to see two polar opposites in my house.  Malcolm wanted so desperately to participate, but our boys toys get an awful lot of playtime so he couldn't find much worth giving.  Finally, he came to me with his two stuffed animals, a fish and a monkey.  I was surprised when he told me he wanted to donate them because he had nothing else.  Tearing up a little, I asked if he was sure.  He hesitated, then grabbed them back and told me he really didn't want to, but he wanted to give something.  After a bit more searching we settled on a rarely used Diego train set.  He took that thing to sharing time and washed it up and made a tag and put on a bow and loved every minute.  He still talks about someone getting that train for Christmas.

Shift to Clayton.  He looked through his stuff, but for the same reasons as Malcolm, did not find much.  This is my child that takes good care of his things, but keeps only what is important to him.  He is not a packrat.  When I asked if he had found anything he replied, "No, but if they're donating stuff I'll take some!"  Ever the optimist?  What a chucklehead.  I was pleasantly surprised and relieved to find him tying bows on toys and making Christmas cards on Sunday.

Madison tried out for a part in her Christmas presentation and got a speaking part with five or six lines.  She is thrilled.  We get to hear it so often it will be a treat to hear what it sound like within the context of the play, and with the other parts around it.  Clayton has his Christmas "w"rap down.  Can't believe concerts are in two weeks.  Wait, Malcolm's is next Wednesday!  Time marches on.

I am very lax on my regular features due to my high stress level, but hope to resume some creative thought after this week.  Thanks to everyone else who's blogs have made me laugh and think about something other than to-do's.  Love you all.

You'll miss this when they all grow up...

I defy anyone who says this to me to prove that they really, truly miss having children under their feet from sun up to sun down destroying your house.  Ha!

Vancouverites have been voted the Weather Wimps in Toronto.  Normally I would agree, but having been here for over a year has almost lumped me into that category.  I know it is not cold by any comparison to where we are from, but when you are not expecting it the effects are exponentially greater.  Add to that the ice on everything (I cannot open my van doors in the morning, if I'm lucky to get my key in the lock.  I've never used de-icer before now!) and the fact that you have to drive up and down hills everywhere you go and it makes for a completely different winter experience.  In Toronto they laugh that everyone here buys snow tires.  I did too.  Til I lived here.  Never owned a pair in Alberta.  Now, thinking we cannot go without.  It is such a difference having to navigate those hills, and here they are not prepared with their sanders and snowplows to keep the roads in order if snow does come.  Back home they give an extra good sanding to the one or two major hills in town and call it good.  Out here they'd have to sand every street in the lower mainland to get the same result. 

So I say Weather Wimps Unite!  It IS tough when it gets cold here because no one plans for it.  Nope, everyone told us we'd never want to leave after experiencing winter here.  I beg to differ.  I would take snow and cold and knowing exactly what's gonna come every single year, but getting surprised when a chinook-laden season rolls in.  At least I know what I'm in for...

The bright spot in the sudden drop in temperature is that, not one, but two radio stations in my van are playing non-stop Christmas carols to cheer us all up.  Try explaining to a four year old every day that there are still over 30 sleeps til Christmas actually gets here.  Oh well.  Happy Early Holidays!

Peace

Madi and Clay both had the same Remembrance Day assignment in computers - to describe what peace is to them.  Here's what they came up with.  It's interesting to see the differences, and the similarities.  Enjoy.



Madison on Peace:

Peace is crossing water.
Peace is the chirp of a baby bird.
Peace is one bite of hamburger.
Peace is delicious scents coming from the kitchen.
Peace is a warm bed on a cold night.
Peace is sitting on the beach in the warm sand on a beautiful day.




Clayton on Peace:

Peace is beautiful flowers in the fields.
Peace is fresh pie out of the oven.
Peace is the sweet taste of cookies.
That's what peace means to me.