Last day of 2008...

Some of how we spent the last day of 2008....


Sebastian: Lying in the snow....making body prints, talking to the sky..


Savannah: Tending to the stump of a treasured tree that was taken down after our last windstorm. Savannah was deeply affected by this and has chosen to honour the spirit of the tree by visiting often and taking care of the stump.

All of us (including Snowbell): Playing with Lego!! And not a pre-fab 'set'..just generic bricks with which to build things according to *our* imaginations...

Have a blessed New Year everyone!

Puzzly sort of day...

Today led us to jigsaw puzzles. It was that sort of a day...a bit gloomy, a lot cold and we have five tons of jigsaw puzzles.

This one, Savannah received for Christmas last year.....a sparkly, fairy affair...

Sebastian opted to work in the Bat Cave....a Thomas the Tank Engine favourite. These 15-piecers he can manage on his own but I assisted with several of his bigger ones after he'd completed that particular collection. When I say 'assisted', I mean that he watched and cheered me on while I did the puzzle. Needless to say, my jigsaw skills have been sharpened since my kids discovered this particular brand of Joy....and I must confess...I do love a puzzle..

Mission complete! A very pensive look...capturing the mix of joy and sadness we all experience upon the completion of a puzzle. Joy that we completed it and can see it for all its wonder...sadness to think the task is over....I think you know what I mean?

Testing, testing, 1..2..3..

As much as I love our camera - it does take lovely photos - it was rushed purchase (our old one died and we were heading out to some photo-worthy function..don't remember what it was) and lacks many functions of our old faithful...zoom capability, video capture etc. SO...when the Boxing Day sales revealed the opportunity of a better (albeit refurbished - aka recycled) model at a VERY reasonable price...we made the move.

Here are a couple of experimental shots with the zoom feature...and yes, Tyler is looking at his bum...he often does that as if to express genuine surprise at his own flatulence.

P.S. Our other motive for searching for a new camera is that we intend to gift our other one to Savannah for her birthday -- our budding photographer should have her own equipment, no?

Sssshhhh...it's a surprise!

Architecture 101

I just love the feel of real wood. So I'm incredibly happy that we chose to go 'retro' and trade in the plastic stackables for good ol' fashioned wooden building blocks -- and so are the kids - their sensory-craving selves were so piqued by the smooth and solid shapes!

We had great fun building our wooden empire....which was promptly invaded by horses, an ambulance and then, in one devastating blow - an ankylosaurus.

Happy Christmas!

Various snippets of Joy from Christmas morning....

Savannah tackles her stocking...Tyler standing by in case any of the items are edible...(this is a recurring theme in these photos, as you'll probably notice)


The beloved Fly-Boat...(not edible, Tyler)

Savannah and Daddy and the Lincoln Logs...a trip down memory lane for B who played with them as a kid.

Filled with Joy!! - Sebastian fairly quivers when he's excited...he just opened the K'Nex..

A K'Nex for Sebastian....Ernie to go with his Cookie Monster..or, 'Bernie' - if you're Sebastian!

One more I Spy book....that makes 5!


Tyler meets Biscuit...nope, not edible either...but that bone might be...

Biscuit was the one gift that Savannah has absolute faith that she'd receive...there was never any doubt in her mind...and so it came to pass..how's that for LoA in action? ;)

Up the tree...

It just wouldn't be the holidays without a few snaps of Snowbell up the tree....she's bigger this year so didn't make it to the top like her last year kitten-self...but she got at least 3/4 of the way up...

Snow, snow, snow

In the aftermath of our two big snowstorms...lots and lots and lots of snow!! Sebastian discovered that he really enjoys just lying in it....staring at the sky....just Be-ing!

Happy Solstice!

We celebrated the return of the sun with a pre-dawn walk...Savannah and I and the dogs, anyway...it was a gorgeous walk -- another winter storm brewing but without the venom of Stormageddon..just big, gentle fluffy flakes and peace....wonderful peace. It was truly magical.

Then it was home to unwrap our gifts to each other...

Sorry..you'll have to look sideways to get these ones!!

Trampolines!! The kids are avid bouncers so.....
A couple of other shots....not sure why we didn't take more! Too busy enjoying our gifts, I guess!!

A boxed set of I Spy books...Sebastian absolutely LOVES these books...

And, his beloved numbers...a wooden set...

Solstice Eve...decorating the tree

Savannah did all of the tree trimming this year..while I was at work on Saturday morning...what a truly wonderful surprise to come home to!!

Stormageddon...

And indeed it was....

Not sure who coined the phrase, but it was being tossed about on radio, television and the weather statements on the computer -- Stormageddon. I know I can't remember anything quite like it in December....most people hid from the elements...but there were two people in particular who loved every wild minute of it. We attempted to meet up with my sister and her little one to go tobogganing in the morning but hadn't quite grasped the viciousness of the storm and so that mission was aborted as soon as we reached her building. What should have been a five minute walk, turned into a 15 minute battle....so we went in for tea (juice) and cookies instead!

Still...no howling winds or blasting snow could keep these two from deriving some bit of Joy from the day's events. We did venture out again in the afternoon for a brief toboggan - but the storm finally drove us to admit defeat...


Sebastian sporting a rather too large hat..but it kept his ears and face warmer than his other one...and he just looks sooooo adorable!

This was taken around mid-morning..during our first shovelling expedition...there were at least three...

Juice stand...

Savannah and her juice stand featuring some of her own blends, crafted from her kitchen experiments. Unfortunately it was cold outside and no-one was really out and about....or looked up to see our sign on the gate advertising the sale....

Still..she feels that she'll be very ready for the summer juice-stand season...

The Beach Box!!

In record time...our beach box arrived! All the way from Tinian (an island in the north Pacific) this fantabulous box of beachy wonders spread some welcome warmth and sunshine to our gloomy December day...



Hearing that we (Savannah, in particular) interest in shells and the beach ('can we go to a real beach?'), a dear friend assembled this box of treasures from the island paradise were she lives.

There was something for everyone -- maps, shells, beach glass, coral, a starfish (deceased and preserved), a flash drive of photos -- and genuine Tinian beach sand, of course! Every discovery produced exclamations and shrieks and laughter and (dare I say it?), learning!! Hard to describe the atmosphere in mere words, but it was truly wondrous.

We're still going through the box...sorting and wondering and soaking up the beauty of the island and the generosity of our friend who took the time to help us follow a shared passion....and for planting the seed of a journey to visit the island itself.

Thank you Jude!!!!

Festive pancakes...

Feeling very festive, Savannah helped with a pancake making session (apple ones, this time). She's sporting her Santa hat she bought at the Dollar Store...which required my seamstress-ing attentions - it was too big. She had to test it out before wearing it to the Navy Club Christmas party....that was her concession to the 'Christmas party clothes' plea from Nanna. That's my girl!

First snow...

The kids have been itching to play in snow. We've had a few sprinklings before, which prompted hasty scrabbling for snowsuits and boots, but this was the first actual accumulation - and it wasn't much! But, in their typical Joy-full way, they made the most of it.




It had melted by mid-morning -- when it started to rain -- ugh! But here's proof that it really was appreciated and en-Joyed, if only for a short while.

And...the winter view of our tree...

Do you know this ball?

While out on our daily dog walks, Savannah became a ball-finder. This particular displaced soul was the first of the collection. She decided that we needed to take a picture for a 'Found Ball' poster...feeling that it should be reunited with its family (hence the VERY serious face).

Update: No-one has claimed the ball yet...its resting comfortably in a special cardboard box with the other wanderlings, awaiting the return of spring.

The Glitter Smile Bandit...

Imagine finding these little guys all over the house....how can you NOT smile?

Toy Workshop...

Savannah spent a great deal of time mending my poor Nutcracker who, through years of being packed up, moved, unpacked, handled by curious toddlers etc., was showing signs of great wear . ie. his hat fell off and so did both of his arms. Never fear...Savannah and her glue brush are here!



Also, in line off to the left, is a Santa who lost the tip of his nose and, according to Savannah, needed some paint touch-ups. Santa, it seems, is resplendent in pink.