And so it begins.....

Most people know that I am a big fan of this time of year.  I love everything about the holiday season.  Snow, lights, music, holiday activities, time with friends and family, the general excitement in the air and of course this is made all the more special by watching my kids get so excited.  The only thing I don't love is the -20 temperatures, but I will even take those because the rest of it makes me so happy.  Now, those of you that know Chad, know that he doesn't quite share my level of enthusiasm for the Christmas season.  Don't you worry though... I think the boys and I will bring him around!

 

Things are beginning to look festive in and around our neighbourhood.  We have done some driving to see the lights, and Wil is asking almost everyday if its time for our tree yet.  We have also been on the lookout for Christmas fun happening around the city.  Santa is at the Mall, the boys are thinking about what one special thing they might want and Wil has decided he also needs a new haircut before he goes to see Santa at the mall.  Since we are passholders, we got a newsletter in the mail from Heritage Park and they started their Once Upon A Christmas Festival this weekend.  Since the weather was great we decided to go check it out.  All in all, we are getting in the spirit of things and starting to soak up all the fun that this time of year has to offer.  

 

 

 

Carson's favourite house so far, he even had to get out to check out all the fun stuff they had!

Carson, who is my outdoor lover, having fun with his sled.

Cozy Sunday mornings

(they start with picking football tickets with Daddy and then this was watching some 4 year old boy surfing... the kid was amazing!!)

Another Sunday ritual, that Daddy does really enjoy, watching football and eating popcorn!

All ready and excited for Heritage Park!

Trying to find their way through one of the two children's mazes

(experts from all of our Corn Maze practice!!)

The indoor train display at the Snooker parlour

(It was so cool!!  The boys loved it... my picture does not do it justice at all)

Having a chat with Santa!

(Wil was so cute... he was so very excited!!)

Sitting with Santa

(I told Carson to look up at the camera... he took me very literally!!)

Playing Christmas music in the school house

(Yes Carson has his soother back... after all the work to wean him, he has rediscovered his love in full force.  You know, I am not that worried about it.  He still really needs it, he still really loves it, and our dentist said it was okay until he was three ish.  It is a part of who Carson is, and I know he will get rid of it when he needs to and while we will continue to encourage him to find other ways to comfort himself, I am no longer trying to force him to get rid of it before he is ready.  It will come.)

 

 

They had (a really cool) exhibit open that was for kids only.  It was set up so a volunteer would take your child in and they could go shopping for a special gift for Mom or Dad or whoever and it would be all them that picked it and mom and Dad would be surprised Christmas morning.  Wil decided he would really like to do this, so we filled out a little card with a budget on it and then a volunteer took him to shop and I waited outside.  (Carson and Daddy went to the petting zoo).  Well Wil was very excited, and very proud of himself.  He came out of the curtained off area with a HUGE smile on his face, and his packages.  It was so cute! We got home and he was so excited he couldn't even wait for us to open them... I tried to convince him to wait until Christmas... but there was no talking him out of it... he was too excited.  

This is what he picked for me, I got teary

(A polar bear necklace, because that is my favourite animal {thoughtful little guy}, and some light up Christmas light earrings!! I put them all on, and he was so proud of himself and so happy about picking his own presents.)

Wil wanted a picture with the gifts he bought.

(my polar bear necklace and flashy earrings and for Daddy he picked out a nice dragon and an extendable hot dog roasting stick for camping!)

 

Craft time

(the boys were getting a bit wound up after dinner tonight, so we needed to do something quiet.... we decided to make some "Snowmen at Night")

Finished products... fun!

(the teacher in me was loving this!!)

 

 

 

Sunday Snapshots - Catching Up!

We have been MIA from the blog for about 2 weeks... my apologies.  Grampa and Gramma Toronto were in town for a visit, Grandpa and Grandma Red Deer also came and there were lots of busy activities in between!  Here are the pictures to bring us up to date!

Waiting to pick Wil up at school... might as well collect sticks!

and then it snowed....

(Gramma and Grampa and the kids building this year's first snowman! Yes, I was inside and took the picture through the window.... I was spoiled by my parents being here too!!)

Happy 4th Birthday to Charlotte!

(we got to go our for a nice birthday dinner with this beautiful princess!)

Wil in his big boy skating class

(He is the one on the left on the red line... the only time Wil looks small in when he is in a class with 6-12 year olds!!)

Carson helping Gramma Toronto make a cake for Mommy's birthday!

Wil proudly displaying the finished product!

(we had a little birthday party for me as well)

Carson tried on my new yoga pants

Happy First Birthday Clay!

(We got to go to ANOTHER birthday party, all in the same weekend, a pool party for Charlotte and Clay, it was so fun.  Here is the birthday boy with his first birthday cake!  Look at that gorgeous face, so cute!)

 

We were exhausted after so much birthday fun, and it was snowy and blowy out, having some quiet time with Gramma Toronto

"Uncle" Dr. DJ came to have dinner with us, and give Carson a check up!

All dressed up in his "work" clothes like Daddy

(Chad had to go in for a few hours on Rememberance Day so Wil and Grampa went too.  Wil was so cute, he picked an outfit with a golf shirt and some "work" pants like daddy wears and he was very excited to go to the office!)

Some important work being done

This is what a tough day at the office looks like!

(Sorry these two are sideways, they are from Grampa's phone and I forgot to rotate them before)

One more adventure with Grampa and Gramma Toronto on their last day

Doing some reading in Wil's favourite Hockey Magazine

Captain Canada using his superpowers to help Grampa load suitcases

 

Thanks for another great visit Gramma and Grampa Toronto!  We will miss you!

 

Thanks to everyone else for all the birthday fun and excitement.... that was one big weekend of birthday love for us November Birthday Buddies!!

 

Halloween - Part Two

Halloween this year was so much fun!  The kids were excited, Gramma and Grampa Toronto were in town and that was exciting, and the weather turner out to be not too bad.  Carson woke up and put his chicken costume on right away.  We had to take Wil to his last swimming class midmorning, so we carved one pumpkin before we left... then another after naps. 

Getting Messy

Wil capturing the moment

(he loves to take pictures)

One silly/happy pumpkin and one spooky one

We also decided to roast the pumpkin seeds... this was a first for me.  I picked two recipes... a "regular" oil/salt one and a sweet maple cinnamon one.  Both turned out great!  The kids loved them and the adults too.  I think it will become part of our Halloween traditions. 

After naps and a dinner consisting of lots of vegetables... it was time to get dressed up and head out.  I'm not sure if the kids were more excited or me (or the grandparents!). 

My cute little trick or treaters - a Chicken and a dinosaur!

(Wil said, "Mommy, let's turn around so you can get us from the back too)

On the move

(Carson was having so much fun.... he was thrilled everytime someone put a treat is his bucket, and he kept saying (asking), "We get to go to another house mommy?" and squealing about all the scary and spooky decorations in the neighbourhood. It was super cute.)

Trick or treat at one of the spooky houses

"Mommy, let's ring our door and surprise daddy"

So many treats!

 

So many.... we are going to have treats until after Christmas! 

Halloween 2012 - a spider and a pumpkin

Halloween 2011 - The original chicken and a monkey, and since it is part of a post with lots of other Ontario pictures, there are some special ones of my Grandmas who are no longer with us. 

Halloween - Part One

This year Halloween had a big build up... at least for Carson.  Each day, when we drop Wil off at school, if there is no "activity" that day, I ask Carson what he wants to do.  The last few weeks when I would ask the answer was always, "go see Halloween things".  So we have been to a few Halloween stores, spent lots of time in Shopper's Drug Mart and stopping anywhere we see "Halloween things".  He loved to try on masks, push buttons on the various decorations and would happily spend the whole 2 hours examining all of the different Halloween items.  Carson also had his costume picked very early (thank you hand me downs!) and wore it daily.  All of this things combined made Carson very excited about Halloween.

Cutest little Cheetah

Chicken hat

(This one really made him laugh)

Trucker Hat

Clown Shoes and pimp cane

(It was difficult to get him out of the store without those shoes!)

We found Wil's Dinosaur costume at Value Village

("Oh mommy, that is the perfect colour, just what I was imagining!"

Masquerade Carson

Devil Carson

Creepy Witch

Even Creepier clown

Shrek Mask from Wendy's

(Wil was scared of Carson in this one!!)

Wearing his costume to hang out and play with Grampa and Wil

 

Part two coming up later today.... all the Halloween Day fun and festivities!!