Christmas Performance

Clem was a real trooper this afternoon. Two hours of other performances with her dance lasting 2 minutes half way through. Six sweet little 3 & 4 year olds dancing to Twas the Night Before Christmas - dressed as mice. (Just in case it's not obvious!)

What we do when Paul's away

With an abundance of eggs and potatoes (from our 2' x 5' front yard patch), this is becoming our typical lunch. In spite of the snow, the chickens are still happily providing us with 5 eggs a day - AND the house has been seeing a lot more forts (given that play outside is mucky and typically dark by day's end).

Our Christmas in November

Funny, we've done this a few times now - as Paul heads off to teach in China for month of December. Truly feels like Boxing Day today (though no one has wished me a happy birthday!) But we had a wonderful family day yesterday. Coffee had to be poured and camera ready before girls could get to their stockings. Then gifts galore. Waffles with our blackberries (and side scrambled eggs) for brunch and finally a roast chicken with potatoes, gravy and veggies for supper. Delicious meal. Sat down to a movie about Christmas and storytelling with Jessica Tandy, but a bit slow for Clem, so the night ended with G on the computer and us reading stories to Clem.

The snow and sunshine here is lovely. Our chickens are still finding spots to scratch in the grass and bless them, 5 eggs a day.

Art Attack hits the house

Clem was compelled to "do a craft." She appeared as an Art Attack (from program on Knowledge by the same name... if you have sadly not seen it). Just to make sure I knew it was not her, but an Art Attack Clem, she lay down beside.

ABCs Begin

This Thanksgiving amidst all the various conversations, Jenny mentioned that Ruby is printing letters. I remember looking at Juno and thinking, 'Holy, Clem is not doing that at all.' The idea that printing letters was a soon to be taken developmental step shocked me. Didn't that happen in Kindergarten. Weren't signatures to marriage certificates and mortgages something that followed shortly after that?!

Well, then it happened here. Last weekend, Clem and I worked on an invitation for her far-in-the future birthday. I wrote WELCOME TO MY PARTY and she copied it. When she showed it to Paul, he feigned not believing her, so I wrote and she copied a series of notes that went back and forth. DAD IT'S ME, then YES, DAD. I was stunned.

Yesterday, she and Paul worked through the whole alphabet from a Curious George learns to print book. I particularly like the colouring that accompanies it.

Hallowe'en 2010

Georgia was beautiful as an Australian exchange student selling candles for her education and Clem was a fairy princess. So many treats, it's all a bit overwhelming.

Annual Apple Press with Cawsey/Fraser clan

Third year in a row, we've joined Ken and Susan in this event. 1,800 lbs of apples (gala & mac) and after pressing only half, all our jars were full.