Scenes from the Mall..

We stopped off to wave to Santa on the way to the parking lot...he asked the children why they were upstairs and not down with him....Abby said she was on her way down....but we will do that another day when she wears a nice outfit for a picture :)  

I loved this store window display, so Wintry and icy looking:

Field trip to the Apple Store!!

Today we headed to West Edmonton Mall for a field trip at the Apple Store there.  It was such a great morning!  The children were split into three groups and could choose which activity to do - movie making, poster making or music making!  Then they all got to switch!  

At the end they got to print out their pictures and posters and put their movies and music on to cd's to bring home.  They were also given t-shirts to keep!!  All this and the field trip was free!!  The staff were really great and said ours was the easiest field trip they'd ever had because we all just went on in and got on with things - they are used to having to set everyone up and do everything for people - but we all just got on with everything and were more independent than school field trips and summer camps of kids who go to school.  

They told us they can tailor trips to anything we would like - all we have to do is call them up and let them know what we would like.

After the field trip a few of us headed to lunch together:

Then it was off downtown for a quick drive...Abigail's friend came with us for the ride.  We headed to the General hospital to pick something up for a friend, before heading out to their house for coffee.  We stayed there for the afternoon (much longer than planned - as always!!) and the children enjoyed playing with their new kittens.  

Home to see Susannah and Laurence.  Supper was an easy Jacket potatoes after a busy day.  Laundry done.  Sam coloured in his new Lego club magazine that arrived in the mail.  I signed him up a month or so ago and he was thrilled when it arrived!!  Then Sam and Abby disappeared outside sledding until just after dark!!  They do so love having their own sledding hill :)  Rosie loves the freedom of running outside with them too.  It makes me sad that their Father would take that from them.  Take this life they love JUST to get at me :(  He just doesn't understand.....

Oh well....I am making sure they make the most of every moment they have this place :)  

We have had a winter storm warning come through.  15cm of snow forecast tonight and tomorrow with blowing snow.  I am glad we have nothing planned until Friday!  We have everything we need here at home.....we can just stay snuggled up here in the warm.  

Today was a great day filled with friends and fun!!  

I hope yours was too!!

Early morning fog patches...

We were up and out early this morning for a field trip, and although it was a beautiful sunny morning, it was also a little foggy in places....it left a lovely eery effect as the fog was in thin layers and looked like smoke.....Abigail snapped some pictures as we drove along!!

Susannah and I had noticed this structure a couple of weeks ago and wondered what it was, but it wasn't until Now Radio posted about it this morning that I learned what it was!  So this morning I told Sam and Abby to guess what it was and how much it cost!!!  It is a new piece of art work - The Talus Dome - that our city decided we had to have!!  They had  Los Angeles artists design and create it.  It has already been defaced.  Most people hate it.  It doesn't seem to make any sense at all.  It seems a shame that it is not designed by any of the fabulous local artists - or even by a CANADIAN artist!!  It cost tax payers $600,000.  

They have now said that the city has no money left to pick up garbage for the rest of the year as they are over budget!!!  How does this make sense???  I love art - I do think art is important to have...BUT I think it is far more important to have plants and flowers and trees by our roadsides than art....and we have been told we have run out of funding for this......hhhmmmmm I wonder why???!!!!

By the way, Abby guessed that this art piece cost $1,000 and Sam guessed that it cost $4,000.

It looks like a pile of Christmas tree ornaments/ baubles:

You can read more about the art piece by CLICKING HERE