Family dinner!

Aunty J decorates from a seated position . Efficient!



Aunty Jehnny and Mike decorating the tree. The hat really suits my sister.



Aunty Jehnny, Mike, Lauren and Dudley dropped by for a Christmas tree decorating party last night. I love the stories my sister tells that always make me laugh. I love that Mike and Wes and Lauren can chat about web sites and games and I love the thumping of toddler feet and the pitter pat ( seriously ) of puppy paws followed by squealing. I love the house full of family.




Dudley - chilling out waiting for belly rubs - he is so well behaved and awesome with Willow. He's our pseudo pet and I am hoping when we get a house we can doggie sit when needed.

O' Christmas tree ..

This is NOT the greatest picture of our Christmas tree which Lauren and I (mostly Lauren), carried home all the way from the Glebe . I have photos of that on the cell phone and will have to e-mail them to myself so I can post them. She is fabulous. We also saw the Olympic flame on the way home while standing next to our Christmas tree on Bank street. Best day ever.

This is a locally farmed Blue Spruce (I think). It has the softest needles ever and went up without protest. I love real Christmas trees. I have many many fond memories of putting up giant, pine smelling trees and decorating them with crafty homemade ornaments and of course, Christmas balls and ancient candy canes, drinking egg nog and listening to carols. That is my favorite part of the holidays. Presents I could seriously do without, but the tree is about tradition and beauty and family time. Those are thethings I value most.

This year, Willow helped with the bottom - mostly candy canes. She tried to eat the first one but after that got the hang of things - no pun intended! Every year, I try to make something new for the tree - this year I'm waiting for the rest of the family to get here.

Happy Holidays!

Summer 09

Wes (Dad or Daddy to some of you), took much time and effort to put together this video compilation of some of the best bits of this past summer. When Willow watches it she squeal and says " Arrr ( Arrow), " Mak" ( Max) and " Ty- yen" ( Tyren) . Dad and I just laugh and smile.

We hope you enjoy it - looking forward to seeing you so soon.

All our love,

Dad and Kathy

Pie on tap

Willow was pouring pie out of her play kitchen ( which Jody found on the side of the road). The pictures aren't great but the idea was fabulous. Pie on tap!!!

So lets see - Willow fixing things up before the black feet.
With Auntie Emily as I recall..

When she stepped in a drawer Emily had rescued from the garbage to fit under the couch.

Yes. Black feet solved.

Answer to the question " What happened?"

But photo evidence suggests it was not that particular occasion in the bucket that led to the black feet. Different PJs. Hmmm.. more research required.

Nana

The soot sprites are at it again!

I KISSED A GIRL - Acoustic live at the Vat

My sister Alex signing live. She's amazing and it makes me cry - cause y'know I'm her sister.

Strathcona Park!

What did you do this week?

Nature Girl always asks me that when we talk and I think that it is sweet and a fair question except that over the phone, my week sounds so much lamer than it it feels most of the time.

This week for instance, I worked 7 am to 3pm which was perfect because we went to the park with Sarah and Felix most afternoons and even saw Orayo and Maya and Emily and Tarek on Monday. We ate great stinky cheese from a new cheese shop whose name escapes me and the leaves were beautiful.

Tuesday we went to the toddler park in the Glebe, drank coffee and commented on the "helicopter moms". The leaves were beautiful.

Wednesday I forget completely.

Thursday I went to a clothing exchange party at Fraulein F's. We all brought old clothes and traded them while drinking wine and eating cheese. Emily came over for Hamburgers before hand. We topped the burgers with Branston pickle and goat cheese. Delicious.

Friday I took a day off just for me. I read a whole detective novel and ate spaghetti sauce in bed. On a bed of rice. And on toast, when I ran out of rice. Friday night, Sarah and I went to Ikea with the kids and got new bedding for Tyren , some CD holders, kids masks and odds and ends. We ate swedish meatballs.

Today, Sarah and I went to the Third world Bazaar with the kids. Willow was being "two" and was a bit overwhlmed, so she and I mostly ran around outside. She was upset and then calmed right down when she saw a Buddha water fall. She loved his face and the water and kept pointing out his features. Something to think about.
I managed to find a gorgeous cushion for Tyren's bed and a green bamboo bowl. We ate cauliflower curry soup and spring rolls. MMmmm.

I've noticed reading this over that I am clearly all about food this week. May as well add that for dinner we had french bread, cheese and olives with crabby sticks and sushi. Decadent.

So, the answer to the question?

I ate.

Turkey does NOT seem to have a soporific effect on my daughter. She donned this costume after dinner made like a super hero.

An afternoon in the park

Daddy's hat!

Happiness is.

Fall on my street

Coffee date!

After a busy morning, Felix and Willow made Sarah and I stop for coffee. We protested, but they were pretty insistent on a caffeine fix!

More Butterflies!

The butterflies like a warm, humid environment - which was a treat on this blustery morning! You'll see oranges and grapefruits in the pictures. The butterflies like these fruits and people were offering them fruit to entice them to come close. The giant butterfly at the top was in an enclosure with three others. Apparently, they eat other butterflies and as such were not encouraged to mingle!!

Butterflies!

We went to the butterfly exhibit at Carleton University with Sara and Felix on Sunday morning. The butterflies were beautiful - I'll let the pictures, mostly taken by "Rarah" speak:


This one is blue on the inside. The outside is covered in "eyes" that trick predators.


Felix and Sarah - marveling at the the butterflies flitting about.



A beautiful "bug"

Jane Goodall

Nature Girl-
I think that you should look up Jane Goodall. She was a scientist and conservationist who studied primates. I'm listening to an old interview with her and she is talking about her childhood. She sounds so much like you! She lived in a sea side town and had a tree in her yard that she liked to climb. She says that her dog taught her about animals and how they have personalities and feelings. She took worms to bed with her when she was a toddler - just one and a half - Her mom told her the story - and she did this because she loved them. She travelled Africa with her mom to study chimpanzees...

Thank you

I want to thank everybody who replied to the daycare post in any way or who has listened to me over the past few weeks while I come to decisions about Willow and care. Some of you called with hugs and advice, i received thoughtful e-mails and replies and many long chats were had over coffee. I feels so lucky to be surrounded by so many wise, kind and thoughtful mamas. Willow and I will be transitioning slowly over the next two weeks ( and beyond :) ) and I'll keep you posted.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Kathy

Daycare

Willow starts daycare on Monday if all goes well. Right now she's napping and I'm trying not to think " Go in there and have your last nap time cuddle".

There will be weekends
and holidays

and she's going to love it. Her buddy F is there. The food is apparently great. It is NOT a preschool. She loves other kids. We'll have evenings to swim and eat dinner and cuddle.

This has been the best time of my life so while I'm sure she'll do great, I'm sad. Just right now.

But my mom says if the decision doesn't seem right after a month, I should go with my gut. And I will. I think that I am doing this for all the right reasons because it's best for Willow and will allow me to see the other kids even when they are having fun at camp during the day. No more missing all my Nature Girl time.

If you have any hugs post them ( I' talking to my moms mostly! ) I could use one.

I know it'll be another adventure. I'll be ready -- soon : )

"I Love the bath!"

Why is that toddler so quiet?

So at7:45 I start putting together tonight's dinner - I'm on a slow cooker kick these days:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Pepper-Steak/Detail.aspx

I have to slice the meat, chop the onions and peppers, measure out the liquid odds and ends and Willow is playing independently. Awesome. I decide to tidy up a bit, fold laundry - the pile in the room is ou of control and threatens to overtake the bed. No photos of that here!

Willow is quiet. Oh so quiet.

Mischief is afoot for sure so I go see what the little booger is up to. When I walk into the kitchen this is what I find:

Saturday morning painting with Wild Thing's favorite colour. It ended up all over the walls and a bit in the floor. Shhh.. don't tell!



After a quick tidy up, we headed out to visit Auntie Emily at the bakery and pick on some croissants for breakfast. See if you can spot Willow in the picture.



A special treat - apple muffin that wasn't quite right to sell - or as I called it " the red dye special"




Uncle Mike chats it up - Willow starts her escape.




All our favorite Ottawa folks are there - and Auntie Emily is sitting still!



Auntie Jehnny - master BBQ er. Burgers, hot dogs potatoes and cool shades.


This small yard is awesome - Mike even has an apple tree.



And the "Windoor" is great for us hobbit sized folks to get in and out.


Time to eat - yummy eh Dad?



Common guys - lets go to the park!



Sliding...




Crawling..


Climbing...


Tagging???



Dad and Emily get in on the action.