a little about a lot :)

birthday signs

Lots happens in between posts when they're weeks and weeks apart! Steve celebrated a birthday (woohoo!), and school and activities are in full swing. What activities you ask? Hendrik is doing ball hockey (with BHI London) and basketball (with the Ramblers) - both for the first time - and swimming, and Alana is doing swimming and gymnastics (with FCGC); Jordan is in Monday morning music class, and Steve and I are doing hockey and volleyball, respectively. There are some days when, between school, their stuff, our stuff and coaching, it's a juggle, but everyone is happy and into what they're doing (yay / phew) and, for now, it's working. It seems crazy but with my intentions of being more organized and planning ahead, I'm trying to think of summer stuff and spring and summer activities... ugh. So both bigs are signed up for baseball again (both parents signed up to coach too), and they'll both likely try soccer - we'll see how all of that fits in. Jordan will be the team mascot? Every team mascot? Maybe.

this afternoon

the forecast - !!

On another note... this weekend feels like the longest EVER because... it started on Wednesday! All three of the schoolkids skipped some school and made for Great Wolf Lodge where almost everyone had a fantastic time. The one who surprised us - with some apprehension and sickness (just a cold thank goooodness - last time Alana has the flu and puked all night) - was Jordan. When we walked into the cavernously large water park he sort of balked and then became a clingy leech. I was able to unhinge him and convince a try at the little slides, but it didn't last long before he was stuck to me again, asking to go back to the room. The trip was complete with Grandma and Gramps there too, and we were able to distract Jordan a few times to cling to Grandma (instead of me), but that wore off and the mommy-mommy vibes came back quickly. So I didn't do a ton of sliding, which was fine because I was quite cold-y as well. Hendrik and Alana (and Steve and Gramps) had lots of pool and slide time and enjoyed a trip to a nearby butterfly conservatory and put in a good chunk of time at the arcade one night. We've been home for two days and they're still wearing their bracelets, which they originally thought they'd keep on until our next visit (which might be years away).

Contrary to the days at the water park, we spent most of today's wintery day outside in the snow. We shovelled driveways, built forts, and Steve took the bigs sledding at a nearby park while Jordan and I did a few errands. It has been chilly, finally; it's getting down to -18 tonight and Wednesday's high is -19 (no doubt colder with the wind chill)... brrrr! I'm dreaming of planning a trip south next winter... but where to? There are so many options! For now I'll just try and enjoy winter - because time flies, and before we know it spring will be on its way (right?)...

 my Christmas lamp from Steve and the kids

Christmas and into Jan (!)

Well... I wrote a nice long post about Christmas a few days ago (okay, probably a week ago) and just stopped in to finish things up and post it - and it's gone! Gone. Boo. Oh well, I can start over I suppose. It's January! And school starts tomorrow! And we had a fantastic Christmas, spent almost entirely in Bowmanville. It was just the perfect balance of do-nothing and out-of-the-house activities (swimming, skating, and a day in Toronto - which involved eating at one of my fave pizzeria's, Pizzeria Libretto, visiting the Science Centre and watching some volleyball). There was lots of hanging out - games, movies, TV, cousin time, outside play and, of course, family time. This is one of my favourite things about B-ville and my in-laws - their sense of family unity (or cohesion or I don't know what word is right here!). People live relatively close to each other, and there are traditions that people look forward to, like Christmas dinner together, the Left-Right-Centre game, Dutch treats on New Years Day and I'm sure there's more. Anyways, it was very relaxing, with adults outnumbering kids for most of the time and many hands to make light(er) work. The kids were spoiled with gifts over what felt like two Christmases, as we unwrapped presents here in London before we drove east. Santa came too, and though Hendrik complained a bit about being woken up early (and did a tired-blob on the couch for at least 10 minutes before opening his stocking), Alana and Jordan were excited and eager to rip things apart and find all of the stocking treasures. Highlight presents this year were: for Hendrik, a Jurassic Park DVD (he LOVES JP), a Sphero, books, a magic trick set, PJs, a Meccano car set, and candy; for Alana, an Ozobot, a mermaid tail blanket (now Jordan wants one too), an LOL doll (I still don't get the appeal), an alarm clock, a colour-it-in cape, PJs, books, candy, and a Barbie car; and for Jordan, a school planner (so he can do homework, just like his brother and sister!), a little light, a retro Fisher Price schoolhouse (that I bought at a yard sale a few years ago), PJs and a few dinosaur shirts, cars, books and a new car set complete with tracks. The night before we left - same night as the present unwrapping here at home - Steve and I did a mini blitz on the toys and junk that we already have cluttering the house, so things were nice and tidy when we returned home on Friday, and things seem to have found their place without causing too much overflow (thank goodness). Steve and the kids made me an up-cycled little wooden lamp that they made together, so I have a light on my bedside table again (pic next time).

a rare family photo

ice skating... even the little!

these girls were joined at the hip... cousin love!

Other holiday news:

Steve went to "Cwallyfornya" as Jordan says, for five sleeps with the Mac team, and enjoyed his time away and in the warm sun and talking volleyball with all of the other coaches. We missed him, but the cousins (and Erin and Fred too) were there by then so there were even more adult bodies around, and the kids did a great job occupying themselves (especially Alana and her 5-year old cousin Lennon) - WITHOUT fighting. Oh what bliss.

hendrik spent a good deal of time working on a new comic, "Tie Guy" - he even opened a comics shop!
(It's amazing... I'll post some pics next time)

ready to go swimmmmmmming

crafting! with a "unicorn tail" to boot.

making a mouse - to scare grandma 

playing nicely together (!!!) at aunt and unc's house on Christmas Day

New Year's Eve was relatively uneventful - I reluctantly stayed up until midnight BUT it really was fun, because Hendrik stayed up for the first time and was giddy with excitement to be included in the grown up rituals of welcoming the new year (snacks, drinks, TV, games).

Is that it? Probably not. I need to get this thing posted and go grocery shopping. I'm thinking about trying a new meal-planning system - a 4-week pre-planned schedule with shopping lists (ugh, sounds like too much work). BUT while I think about this we still have dinners to play and shop for - and now school lunches too (waaaaaahhhhh) so I'd better get to it. Hope you enjoy the photos!

mermaid tail!

getting the goodies ready for santa and his crew

stocking goods!

stocking goods!

father and son working on scratch tix