A two day entry… Tuesday was just a little too tiring to sit and put it all down here that night. Thanks to Chris and Chris Echo and I were able to make it to The Mall to do Christmas shopping for Ken, and then spend the money we were given for the kids (thanks Sharon and family!). I managed some deals… got in tons of walking and even breastfed in public… with nursing cover and head held high.

The Mall is all dressed up for Christmas, and surprisingly enough – not busy! I didn’t have to stand in line to pay and it was very simple to get someone to help me. Even at the Crepe place (talk about MMMM) I didn’t have to stand in line!

Christmas in The Mall

I had a little over an hour before (she) Chris caught up with me and we checked out a few places and then back to the food court for a New York Fries poutine and A&W rootbeer… then back to the dentist to pick up (he) Chris. All in all we were there around 3 hours and I certainly was feeling it!

We got Echo and myself back home in time to meet up with mom and Mike… and Phoebe!! Yup, I finally got to meet the new dog in person. She is a total sweetie. The kids had a bit of snuggle time with their grandparents and I got in some doggie time.

Miss Phoebe

Today was a bit less hectic but time seemed to slip right through my fingers. A bit of a late night interrupted with Echo had me in bed until after noon when (she) Chris showed up after her exam with great news – a pass of 80%!! So we hopped in the car (after my quick bath and feeding Echo) and went out to a Canadian staple – Tim Hortons, to buy her a congratulatory coffee… then a quick stop off at 7-11 for the always beloved slurpee (yes I love them even in the winter!). What can I say – gotta feed the addictions.

All done her testing!

We got back in time for Chris to head off to get (he) Chris and then head home and Nathan, Ada and Anna to come over to do their family photos. I dressed up Echo in her Christmas best to try and get a good picture of our two little god-sisters together.

It was fun to photograph a small (by our standards) family. So much less… drama, though Anna gave me a run for my money.

We have pressed onward with our Advent activities. Tomorrow I am hoping to do one suggested with a laminator, I just have to hunt down my confetti and glitter. I am telling you this UK site is AWESOME. The kids just love checking under their little tree each morning for the newest activity sheets, and examining the larger tree for their finished ornaments. We are going to have 100 new ornaments for our tree just from this activity! Maybe next year we will have to get a used shorter tree and string on some lights and let them have it for these projects!

The rest of our week is shaping up to be busy. Tomorrow Chris and Chris are over for the night (She Chris starts her clinical on Friday on the north end of the city) so Ken will catch a ride with (he) Chris when he goes for his other dental appointment and do some shopping… Friday we have to get cleaning in preparation for next weekend… Karyn and Esther should be here this weekend, Saturday is the boys’ pageant practice in the afternoon and Sunday Sunday School… and for me Karyn’s birthday party… so not much time to stop and waste time. Which is excellent when when we sit and are still it gives time to worry about our vehicle issues etc etc. Not needed now that we are so close to Christmas. The goal is to just make do and have the best moments we can here at home van or no van.

It feels like we have blinked and Christmas is almost here! Where has the time gone. At least I am done the kids (except for a run to IKEA) and Ken… we still have a few things to pick up for friends and a bunch of baking to accomplish, but baking can be done all day as long as we have the supplies and so is not a worry. The kids are getting more and more excited as we count on the calendar. I think this is the first year they actually realize how the days are passing.

The boys and Ken brought home Echo’s stocking, my mom finished it a bit smaller than the other but it is absolutely lovely! 5 stockings basically identical for my 5 angels.

Echo's stocking

We spent a few minutes tonight with a full tummy and down to the diaper naked baby Echo. She always is at her best after a nice bath/shower and a full tummy… especially when it is just Ken and myself. She was all giggles and sunshine, pushing up for forever and wiggling. It is moments like these that I just love having our camera and some spare time!

Joyous Baby

Well thank goodness I emailed the lady in charge of Sunday School at our church… practice time on Saturday is NOT at 10:30 but at 2pm… which would usually not be an issue except we are borrowing someone else’s vehicle for Ken to get them to the practice. The plan is to get a rental for the 19th (the day of the pageant AND the Christmas activities at the conservatory) not the weekend before as we are ALSO going to need a vehicle for the 24th to get us to mom’s for our traditional Christmas Eve church and dinner. From what I have researched it will not be super cheap but it is necessary.

We spent our day catching up on the weekend’s Advent activities… and the sheets the twins brought home from Sunday School that were half finished. With 2 ornaments to colour and an ABC dot to dot.. a shape picture where the shapes overlap, well the kids were content for quite a while. That also left quite a bit for us to laminate tonight. After all the ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Lapbook is coming along nicely too.

Hard at work (Gavin left)

Then we tried a new recipe … this is out of a booklet we got in the mail from Pillsbury, delicious but definitely need to make more than a single batch for our not so little family!!

Pizza Pinwheels

1 can Pillsbury Crescents

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped pepperoni

2 tbsp finely chopped green or red pepper

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1. Heat oven to 350. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations

2. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, pepperoni, pepper and Italian cheese blend over each rectangle. Roll up each rectangle (starting from the short end); cut into 6 slices and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

3. Bake about 15 min or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

Makes 24

Simplified version but so yum!

Tonight we caught up in our laminating which meant lots of cutting for me, and started some more projects for gifts. I am addicted to making hairthings for the girls. It is a good thing I CAN’T get out to get more ribbon right now. Micheals always has something to draw my attention and Ken’s wallet out of the home it seems.

It is hard to believe 2010 is almost over. While it was a difficult year for us it was definitely better than 2009 and, I am hoping 2011 will be better yet! Of course, that will only happen if we WORK at it, which Ken and I both plan on doing. That is my hope for all our friends and family… that 2011 surpasses all of our dreams and best efforts!

Now here as promised – pictures from the boys’ adventure with Grandma! Our tree decorating for her has become tradition ever since the year the boys were 2. We had a grease fire in the upstairs apartment of our building that filled the whole place with smoke so we had to run to mom’s without Ken around and the help of a neighbour. With nothing else to do she had the boys decorate the tree… and it stuck!

Meeting Phoebe

Decorating the tree

Gavin and Zander digging through ornaments

Proud decorators (Zander left)

So now back to crafting!

Smiles!

Our weekend has been a busy one, well for Ken and the boys at least! Saturday Ken spent the bulk of the afternoon/evening running errands that would be much more difficult to do once we gave back mom’s car (today). We are down to a trip to IKEA for Emanuel’s final present after pay-day (ie. after Tuesday) and my shopping at The Mall on Tuesday to complete our shopping for the kids. A friend in the US left money with my mom when she was up for a funeral last month to buy gifts for the kids so I will add that to my to do list for my mall trip.

We have started our Christmas baking and wrapping of presents. Ken even sent my package to my dad and his family in South Carolina last night… and our Santa letters!!! Be sure to write your own!

Santa Claus

North Pole

H0H 0H0

CANADA

We are keeping up with our Advent colouring, the calendar I made out of Perler beads AND our December calendar page. The kids are so excited to count how many days are left. Even Trinity is getting in on it. This week I am hoping to get the creative juices flowing and have the kids work on some of the little kits I have in the craft bucket. So far I have been leaving each day’s ornament page under the mini tree for the boys to find first thing, and this morning when I got up I came into the living room to find all 3 boys hard at work at their colouring. And the dot to dot I printed out for them to boot!

I am so happy with my nephew’s stocking, I managed to complete the stitching late last night. Which was just in time to have Ken and the boys take it down to my mom for her to assemble. Ken DID change my design quite a bit but the result is just too cute! I am not sure if you can see it from the picture but there are little mice running along some of the lines done in grey and pearl, the cat face is a loose interpretation of my sister in law’s artwork that I previously made into a cross stitch as well! So both of the stockings I set out to do for the year are completed, though we still need to assemble and mail Quinn’s.

Done!

I am still planning on putting the patterns up for sale, though most likely not until AFTER Christmas. We are just too busy with everything else right now.

I did manage some quiet time this afternoon. Ken and the boys headed straight to my mom’s after church so I put Trinity to nap and Echo in the swing (which thankfully today WORKED… it is about 5 or 6 years old now so it working is a bit amazing but new ones are NOT cheap.) and as soon as she settled started wrapping presents. Sadly Echo had a bad night last night and was up from 6 am on wards for over an hour causing me and Ken to have a nice sleepless patch. So she slept in late and then an afternoon nap… well I am not expecting a restful night but at least she seems to have kicked the fever and has not needed any Tylenol today.

Asleep in the swing

Watching Cars

I have been working on my barrettes today. My ribbon stock is in a bit of a mess but I figure I will sort it all out AFTER Christmas.

The boys had a great time with Grandma and Mike. They took them to see Tangled in the local theatre, decorated the tree and met the new dog. While we 3 girls enjoyed the calm and quiet of a boy free home. Ken got himself in a nap while the crew was gone for the movie. I have to say I missed them, quiet is fine and good but not what I signed up for when we decided to have 5 kids. Towards the end of the day I missed the conversation and excitement… just a little! I will go through and post pictures from their day tomorrow. Tonight I need to get my bum in gear and get off the blog!

This week we are going to continue our Advent fun, work on the new math work books and hopefully spend some time in the snow. I have to take Echo out for at least a picture. But tonight, tonight I am working on barrettes, baby books and other odds and ends… after all as of tonight we are officially vehicle free!

Ready for Bed!