Happy New Year's

We rang in the New Year with all our favorite things! After bowling we came home to some finger foods, got bundled and headed around the corner to the local ski hill for a fire works display.  We had fun with glow in the dark glasses and sparkles.  Back home for some more yummy treats, party crackers and party drinks.  The kids were thrilled to be playing bartender and mixing party drinks.  The favorite was cranberry juice, orange juice and gingerale.  After we heading upstairs for pj s and watched a movie projected on the wall.   There was lots of hooting and hugging to bring in 2011!

New Year's Eve

It's been a long time since we have been bowling.  It was a lot of fun!  Even Shai was able to bowl without any assistance and had a lot of fun.  The kids gave us a run for our money for sure !

Handmade Christmas

Every year I continue to be amazed at the beautiful gifts we create.  We want to share them, but even more we want to remember them and therefore I record them here. 

* Aria sewed a tool belt out of brown corduroy and batik patterned material for Elias, our woodworker.                *Elias and Aria teamed up to put together a cook book for Ben, filled with some favorite recipes and some new to try in a material covered binder. 

* Likewise Ben and Elias teamed up to  sew a mattress, comforter and pillow for Aria's special doll.  

*We all freezer stenciled Chris a t-shirt with a bull fighter, to mark our summer trip to spain

*I sewed a quilt for Elias using a good amount of jean from all the pants he wore through in the past year. I was thrilled with the results

*For shai I made a pair of wings for him to sing and dance around in- they turned out a little big needing a bit of modifying

*a embroidered camp blanket for Aria

*a water bottle holder for Elias from Ben

There were others, but these were our highlights.

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a beautiful day weather wise which just called for us to be outside and enjoy it.  The kids took their grandparents and aunt and uncle out to our toboggan hill.  Despite the height, speed and forest obstacles (which all freak mama out), they braved it and met the challenge.  There was air taken, bruises earned and crashes happened, but most of all lots of fun.
We ate lots of great food, played games, caught up and enjoyed Christmas day.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning

After very little sleep, then waiting in the hallway since 4 am, the kids finally wore the parents down to go downstairs to see if a visitor had come.
One of the things I love about Christmas morning is the excitement, the wonder and the love my kids show to each other.  They are equally excited to see what gifts have been chosen for them as they are to give the presents they have created for their family. It's beautiful and magical.

Christmas Eve

It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a hike (and the secret intention to tire little ones out before the big night!).  Followed by chinese take out and reading the Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Celebrating Light and Warmth

Winter Solstice was a beautiful celebration.  Treats for our animal friends decorated the trees, sparklers, a lantern lit walk.  We were even at 2 am to see the eclipse, which was very impressive.

Some great books, a few of which are part of our own celebration.

Christmas Around the World

At the last minute we decided to host an afternoon travelling the globe exploring Christmas traditions.  We made some poinsettia magnets after reading a little bit about their significance in Mexico.  The craft took longer than I anticipated- but the kids enjoyed it so much we went with it!  We divided into two groups, one where the kids could play with a dradel and another to play tradition twister.  We used a floor map from another game, it is similar to twister.  You spin the needle and it lands on a body part and a continent.  For this days game we added one part; traditions.  I gathered traditions from different countries and sorted them into continents.  When you landed on a continent we read out a tradition while you positioned yourself on the map.  The kids loved it. Of course.
There was snack sharing with chocolate letters from the Netherlands, dried fruits from Northern Africa and the Middle East.  I personally loved the shortbread with creme de leche from Argentina, the stolen from Germany and a special cake made in a coffee tin from Italy.  Throw in some music and carols, sharing our own traditions and friends making it a great afternoon.

Season for Singing

Aria could not have been more aptly named. Since birth she has literally been singing, talking, twirling words.  Being part of the local youth choir is something that makes her soul sing.  These songs and her own music fill the house.  Christmas season means concerts, of which she had three.  Such beautiful Christmas events.  The concerts are each quite different, one a fundraiser for the hospital with a real community feel, a formal evening accompanied by bells and one which has become tradition done in the a local church.  Each year the choir learns new songs, a blend of traditional and new.  This year Aria and a friend did a duet; Sisters.  She was so excited by the opportunity, not to mention performing in front of her friends and Grammy.

Trimming the Tree

Every year there are new ornaments added, some handcrafted, others gifted.  We always buy or make one that reflects something about the past year.  This year there were two.  From Morocco we bought a hand sewn leather camel.  From Wales a hand painted rock with a light house we visited, strung on a string.

Craft Friday

I often don't decide until last minute what crafts we are going to tackle on our friday gathering.  I organize the morning with a few things in mind.  While it isn't a coop in the sense of sharing the organizing, that isn't to say we don't pool our supplies and share. It is important to me that the morning is inclusive, that there isn't a cost to the morning which may be exclusionary this time of year especially.  When I choose the crafts I try to pick ones that have supplies to be found in peoples craft cupboards at home.

Everyone has either scissors, glue, paper, tissue paper, glass jars, etc.  Sometimes there are a few individuals who have special tools, ie snowflake punch for gift tags that can be shared with everyone.  I also hope to make crafts together that can be used, either as decorations or gifts.

This week we worked on 3d snowflakes. The kids (and mamas) made really incredible snowflakes, they totally took them up a notch.  Families brought scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, wall paper.  They were stunning, with coordinating colours and patterns.  Beautiful.

Thanks to lots of scrapbooking mamas, the kids worked with some very cool tools.  There were different shape gift tags to punch out, cards to adorn with stars and snowflakes, letter punches etc.  With a stack of cards and tags we are one step closer to being ready.

Family time

My sister and her family out did themselves hosting a beautiful breakfast- with everyone's favorite foods and lovely hospitality.  It was great to spend some more time together this weekend just hanging out (except for very sick Chris who slept and missed out) and catching up.   

This year my side of the family decided not to exchange Christmas gifts.  For all of us, it really is about spending time together, so it wasn't a hard switch.  My parents generously decided to celebrate by taking us all out to a pantomine, something we used to do as kids.  After the show we went out for dinner at The Spaghetti Factory, which is a great family friendly restaurant.  It was a wonderful evening, a great way to celebrate the holiday with time together.