A Wintery visit to the Prairie Gardens :)

We had never been to the Prairie Gardens in Winter before, but today we headed up to Bon Accord to attend their Christmas Festival.  The farm looks very beautiful in the snow :)  

A package from Germany!! :)

Today we received a package from Laurences German exchange partner and his Mom - we had a lovely week in October having Kevin to stay with us - and are so glad he enjoyed his visit to Canada so much!!!  I was soooo shocked by the parcel though - it was HUGE and so heavy!!!!

We sooo wanted to open it up and see what was in it - but we chose to wait for Laurence to get home from work so he could be there too!!  He didn't get home until 9pm!!

We all sat down and opened the package together and WOW!!   They were so incredibly kind and generous!!!  Just wow!!!  It was filled with gifts, chocolates, home baked cookies and even a bone for Rosie!!!  So nice that they remembered Rosie :)  

We really did get so lucky with Kevin as Laurences exchange partner - it takes a certain kind of person to fit into our crazy life - with so many children, noise, chaos etc etc - but Kevin became one of the family while he was here and it was a delight to have him to stay with us - we can't wait to see him again next year when he hopefully returns to experience Alberta in Summer :)  

Saturday on Whyte...

A lovely day - we went to the Christmas Market in Sherwood Park, and then the farmers market on Whyte Ave.  Then after our sleigh ride we stopped in at Fuss Cupcakes to celebrate National Cupcake Day :)  

We also stopped off at the British Import store to get a few treats for Christmas.  

Home and we watched a couple of movies, played Dreidel and 'Lumps' - a new dice game which is based on lumps of coal.  I also spent some time working on my JYC album.  The girls took Rosie for a walk and then Susie watched a movie while I worked on a canvas in my art room :)  (pics to follow)

Waiting for the sleigh ride:

I love the decorations all around Old Strathcona:

Old Strathcona Farmers market:

Lovely bark on this tree:

Christmas music at the farmers market:

Fuss Cupcakes:

Festive cupcakes for December. Mine was Eggnog and Rum flavour:

My girls being silly -

Sleigh ride with Santa :)

Today we went on a sleigh (wagon) ride with Santa along Whyte Avenue.

It was so much fun and we sang two Christmas songs as we went along - had candy canes and waved to all the shoppers everywhere - it was lovely :)  

PLaying with Washi Tape and Inks :)

Tis the Season....

Friday Fill-ins :)

And...here we go!

1. Oh, my December is going fast! 
2. I need my hair cut sooner, rather than later!
3. Buy one, and you'll soon be addicted to dylusions like me. 
4. I always think positively! 
5. Soon, I'm going to find the time and space to create. 
6. Do you always wish on shooting stars?  I do :)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting the supplies for the gingerbread houses, tomorrow my plans include Christmas market, sleigh ride, and Maisies Christmas House and Sunday, I want to go to the Prairie Gardens Christmas Festival to use our card for free admission for the last time!  Then have a big roast dinner as an early Christmas dinner :)  

Sledding fun this afternoon :)

First Annual Unchristmas party :)

This afternoon was the 'UnChristmas' party' that my friend J had organized - it started with sledding at Broadmoor Lake - everyone had to wear tacky/ tasteless clothing - and T brought a big bag of clown wigs and everyone wore one during the sledding!!!  

Sadly I wasn't back from downtown for the sledding, but we made it to the actual 'party' part at J's house.  We had planned a 'tacky gift exchange' and that was soooo much fun - the adults went first and we were each given a number - you got to pick one of the gifts from the centre of the room OR you could 'steal' someone elses gift!!  

I will photograph the advent centrepiece that I won tomorrow :)  

The kids then did their exchange - and they had a lot of fun 'stealing' gifts from each other - very cute!!  

Before we left, us Moms had some group pics taken in our amazing wigs :)  

Stupid legal system

Today I spent the morning downtown at the court house, police station and with social workers.  I am yet again disgusted at how the law seems to support men/ Fathers rights and NOT the rights of the children.  It is like the government is so scared of offending the men in this province that they don't seem to care what happens to the children involved.  It's awful.  And everything/ every process is sooooo slow - even in cases where it is an emergency - don't these people realize how LONG a week is to a parent/ Mother worrying about her child???  

On the bright side, I got to spend the morning with this Cutie and his Mom.  So grateful to his Mommy for her help today xxx:

12:12pm on the 12th of the 12th of the 12th :)

Had to capture this moment:

It snowed beautiful big fluffy flakes almost all day - just gentle snowfall and soooo pretty.  These flakes were by my truck window so I snapped some pictures.  Snoe flakes are so tiny and perfect and so very beautiful:

The sun starting to set when I picked Susannah up from her bus stop yesterday:

Abigail is starting a new blog - so write down and photograph all her recipes and cooking practice.  She took some recipe books out of the library and wants to do a kids version of Julie and Julia.  Yesterday she made a recipe from one of the books, called Norwegian pancakes.  They were INCREDIBLE!!!  I can't put into words how good these were!!!!  WOW!!!!!  She is an amazing little chef!

I noticed Sam had sorted his cars out beside the bed - couldnt resist taking a picture of his little parking lot - all sorted into lines and colours: