Making Salad

The boys decided to make supper for Patches, the guinea pig.

You can see how full the bowl is!  

Nathan's first time skating

 Nathan has always somehow managed to escape putting on ice skates.  We have taken him with us when we have gone skating but he always wanted to just run around in his boots.  Skating is an activity though that they do at school here as the arena is within walking distance.

The arena provides these great supports for the kids to grab onto and skate.

Nathan was actually doing really well but was sad that some of his classmates could skate better than he can. 

After skating - sweaty and grumpy.

Nathan actually did really well for having never been on skates but he says he is never going skating again!

Jay's Birthday Party

Jay had a hard time waiting for his party this year.  He wanted to go to Rucker's again this year so that is what we planned for him.  He decided on a Despicable Me 2 theme.   Although I wanted to make his cake, he found one at the Co-op that he preferred.  A good time was had by all the kiddos!

Annual Gingerbread creations 2013

Every year Gram does gingerbread houses or trains with all of the grandkids.  Unfortunately not everyone can make it to the Gram & Papa's house for the gingerbread event.  For Christmas the boys received gingerbread train packages and they wanted to put them together on New Year's eve.  Here are the boys, hard at work.

Happy 7th Birthday, Jay!

December was a very long month so far.  Jay has been counting down to his birthday and was really anxious for it to come.

 The last time we were in Calgary we let him pick a Lego set from the Lego store for his birthday.  It's been almost 2 months since then and he was beside himself to open it.

Jay with some new sweats!

Jay got to open his presents before school.  After school we had to be organized to go out for dinner, to Jay's choice of restaurant, which was of course Hat's, a chinese smorg close to the house, and then off to the Christmas party at the school.

We then came home to have birthday cake.

All in all it was a good day.  You can see the Lego set in the background, already half built!

Kindergarten Christmas adventures

The Kindergarten classes make 'gingerbread' houses out of graham wafers every year.  Today was the day.  Nathan has been excited for this day for the last week.  We planned all week so that mommy could be there to help.  

Nathan with his finished project.

Rose had wanted to come as well and was kept busy helping some of the other kids.  Nathan was very specific though that only mommy could help him.

On the lower edge you will notice what looks like colored popcorn but is actually chewed up gum balls!  I asked him why he pre chewed them and he replied that they stick better that way.  Uncle Jason pointed out that it is an environmentally friendly house because of the pre chewing as he was using recycled products for construction!  Yep, Nathan the environmentalist at age 5!

Nathan was the star of the week.  Good thing I went in to school to help today or I never would have seen his poster or know that he was star of the week!  I like Nathan's blue hair.  I have the most hair.  It is actually quite an accurate rendition of the family!

Santa visits 2013

 We decided to try venturing to the Mall to see Santa.  Last year we wired in line for over an hour.  Today there was one family in front of us.  The boys and Rose were all excited for the visit this year.

 Nathan asked Santa for a cat this year.  Santa told him that unfortunately the elves won't let him bring live animals on the sleigh anymore as it gets too cold and sometimes they are afraid and they poop in the sleigh, leaving a mess for the elves to clean up!  I appreciated his honesty!

 I actually managed a picture of all 3 boys with them looking at me and no one with their eyes closed!

                            Rose likes a picture to send out to her friends each year as well.

                                  I didn't hear if she asked Santa for anything in particular.

 Jay asked Santa for a life size Lego car that he could drive with a Lego Chima on top!  Santa wasn't                  sure he would be able to find one of those but did say that he would try!

                              Carson asked for an assortment of Lego sets this year as well.