The Week Before Christmas...

... and all through the house every creature was stirring (except Grover) as we had a ton to do...

Monday: Ken had to play a hard nose stay at home defence, while wearing the 'C', to help Team MacLeod win the Staff / Student hockey Game 7-0.  Ken then went to curl.  Cara knitted.

Tuesday: Off to Teresa's first Christmas concert (yes there is video of it, we bought the mediocrely filmed DVD, just wait a while).  When we got home, Cara knitted.

Isn't she darling? She sang a song where she "Nibble, nibble, nibbled" her gingerbread man cookie. For the record I was appalled by the fact they called it a Christmas Concert (making me happy) then not singing about Christmas at all in the main program (but mentioning the made-up 1960s Marxist "festival" of Kwanzaa in the same breath as the 2200+ year old celebration of Hanukkah)

Wednesday: Cara went to her knitting, where she knitted. Alone... The girls and I wrapped Cara's gifts.

Please note that even if Cara looks closely, there is nothing to see here...

Thursday: Ken had some post-work libations, then returned home. Cara knitted.

Friday: The girls wrote their letters to Santa and then the family went to Polo Park to do the following: 1 - Buy Ken's gift from the girls 2 - See Santa. Realize there was a 2 hour wait and leave with a promise to return tomorrow. Teresa cried.

We did drop off our letter to Santa though...

When we returned home, Teresa and Frances went to go to rehearsal of the church Christmas pageant. I finished the subfloor in the basement (Yay!). Cara knitted.

Saturday: We awoke, ate and found out that Santa had emailed me, so went to see Santa early. The girls did well enough with the man in red. Frances cried after a minute of the elves trying to make Margaret look at the camera. Rookie mistake elves... While we were gone, Cara knitted.

Not bad, the glare is from the iPhone...

We returned home and I dealt with Teresa crying as I told her the rehearsal was the day before, so she thought she missed the actual pageant. I had to teach her the proper definition of the word "rehearsal". I took Rowdy out to the dog park. While I was gone, Cara did not knit. She had a house to clean and food to bake... It's been a lean year, with only one batch of Brown Sugar Shortbread the kids plower through and some Christmas nuts. Cara's been a little busy, you know with Margaret (and knitting).

Rowdy and his doppelgänger playing...

Actually, every time I go to the park there are a few Goldens out...  As a note to non-Winnipegers, I think we got above zero.  I forgot my mitts in the van, and didn't need them one bit...

Upon my return it was time to head off to church and the pageant. All three girls took part as Margaret was Baby Jesus and the other two girls were angels.

Pre-mass.  I love Frances' smile.

That is one cute looking Baby Jesus...  Now that's a Baby Jesus worth saying grace to (and thanking for my red hot smoking wife)...

The girls held their candles upright very well...

Upon our return, we had a smaller than usual feast of appetizers (this doesn't mean there weren't ample leftovers, just less) and then went on to open a few gifts. The girls got their Christmas pyjamas (where we learned that Teresa no longer likes pink [as if - ed.]), Cara, Andrea & I exchanged gifts...

Opening MAYHEM!

Frances' reaction was awesome...  "PYJAMAS!!!!!!"

Opening a gift for Rowdy.  Teresa said sit, so Rowdy (always the 'good' boy), did.

Trying to feed him the bone.

Eating his Christmas treat.  I seem to recall a theologically sound movie "All Dogs go to Heaven", so clearly Jesus' birth is important for Man's Best Friend^TM too ;)

Frances picked out this gift for Auntie, so she could always have a game at her condo for them.

Cara opening up her new makeup bad & receiving an offer for the make-up to fill it.

The girls helping me open my iPhone case.

Lastly we got around to putting the fire out so Santa could come while watching his progress around the world on NoradSanta.org Now the children are in bed, and we wait for the magic to happen. Their joy and happiness warms we heart (except for the little pushing in bed issue, but we'll forget that now won't we...). Presently Cara snores beside me (not knitting) so I will go fill her stocking and wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!

The First Gathering...

The fourth Sunday of advent is always a busy one at the House of Yost. Our parish has a "Birthday Party for Jesus" and Cara's maternal grandparents host their gathering. As always it was a big and busy affair. The girls were excited to get some gifts and I think it stoke their engines and they are asking about Christmas and how long, etc... We even got lucky and although we forgot Teddy, Teresa remembered close enough to Steinbach that a U-turn was easier than a week of tears.

Here's a few pics and video from the events (and a few other things)

Frances' Face Painting at B-Day Party for Jesus

Great grandma & grandpa with the girls.

Margaret is pretty cute...  Oh, hi Cara...

Frances got this fairy costume from her ticket.  She's so cute, running around saying "poof", turing me into a frog, grandma into an evil queen and Cara into a princess.

She naps on me still!  The greatest thing about babies...

Opening gifts.

The three girls.

Frances "Poofing"

Frances Bowling at Bday Party

Teresa and Frances being Crazy.

Teresa's Sixth, Frances' Third & Margaret's First

Well, it was Christmas tree time again, and once again we got ourselves a true Manitoban tree, a Black Spruce...  Bought from the Optimists for a mere $25, this three was a steal, as it was thicker than the ones we are used to buying.  Teresa and Frances helped me pick it out* on Wednesday and we decorated it today with Auntie Andrea & Grandma Friesen.  The girls that can move of their own accord did their best work it terms of decorating, but seemed to prefer taking the ornaments out rather than putting them on the tree.  This is what they did...

Princess Frances putting on an ornament

More ornaments...

Margaret, Auntie & Grandma

It's Cara!  And she's HAPPY!!!!

This is Teresa's new version of smiling.  She stood on the basket to get her ornaments higher.

That's a better smile.  I think she consulted Pearl before taking this picture

Working together...

Angel time!

Proud & Crazy Princesses.  We have to find the garland / tinsel that is buried in the garage along with our wreaths...

*"Help" = "Ran around like drunken & crazed monkeys and ignored the trees"

Manitoba Children's Museum

One of the joys of being all smartphoned up is the joy of endlessly being inundated with information. Yes this is a curse, but it can also be a joy as Cara now sends me regular photographic evidence of her and the girls enjoying their days together. Recently they were at the newly renovated Manitoba Children's Museum and they had a hoot...

Here's what I was sent...

That is one crazy & psychedelic slide...

Margaret napped the entire time.

Playing at the water table.

Using their mess less finger painting table.

And it emails you the resulting modern art.

Apparently Margaret will wake up for trains.

My Chubby Little Cherub

There's not much to say other than to enjoy the chubby cuteness.

Catching Up...

Maraget is over two months now, and man is she ever getting chunky.  Cara will soon be taking the two mont pictures and will be making up some sort of post I am sure.

Teresa is loving kindergarten, although we need to get her tested for her hearing and eyesight (eyes passed today).  Also, we are learning about the insanity of government trying to micro-manage our lives as Teresa was not allowed to bring any Hallowe'en candy as part of a snack, and we just got in trouble for sending a fruit snack (fruit gummy things) as they aren't healthy enough.  Thanks, but I'm the parent, so butt out.  Lastly we have dealt with our first head lice scare and Teresa has been bringing home all sort of exciting illnesses...  The girls have both had the stomach flu in the past few weeks and one other horrible sickness that required us getting up at all hours of the night.  Last Sunday night at 3 am (Monday morning I guess), I got up and tried to run to get Teresa to the washroom on time and ended up kicking the bed in the darkness.  I have been limping since and I am pretty sure my middle toe is broken, of course I am ot sure because I spent time in an emergency waiting room (over 3 hours) during which time not even the people brought in by ambulance on stretcher had been admitted.  I gave up.

As for me, I'm still crazy busy with football, as we won the championship.  When you win you have more stuff to deal with after.  Losing is easier, though less fun...  After we won, we went out to Thief River Falls and enjoyed their water park for Ray & Myrna's 35th anniversary.  I have no pictures, as I was having too much fun getting wet with the girls.  I also learned that the CBSA at Tolstoi are a little more into their job than those at Emerson, no big deal, but to make a long story short I learned that  #1: Even if you have Andrea in your car, you can't use her booze limit as she is not "family" and #2: Tobacco limits are not actually duty free, you can only get tobacco as part of your limit if it has a "Canada Duty Paid" stamp on it (buying for a coworker, don't worry mom), which begs the question what the hell is the point of the tobacco exemption?

Um yeah, so here are some pictures, and some videos I have taken of the girls lately.

 

Teresa's Play-Doh version of Rapunzel

Frances & I watching skating.

I love it when Margaret falls asleep in my arms...

More of the same sort of cuteness.  I think Cara texted this to me at work...

Pics from the family photo session

Frances looking much too old

Same thing for Teresa.

Now for some videos:

Frances running like a crazy girl at skating.

   

Teresa skating a month ago.

   

Teresa skating two weeks ago

   

Teresa turning around a cone.

   

Teresa & Frances spin dancing.

Halloween 2011

Well it has come and gone. Another sugar surge through our systems. All Hallows Eve. It was a good year, with 100% more child interest (stoked by Teresa's incessant commentary on the impending awesomeness) and an all time record for time spent trick or treating.

The day began with Teresa having a school party and Frances being dropped off at Grant Park to round out my costume. The family came for lunch (and admiration of students) and then the coup de grace. The actual act of trick or treating.

For those not in Winnipeg, it was ~11C out last night, which was awesome. Teresa went out as a witch (though went to school as a princess) and Frances and I reprised Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat (hence why she came to GP). I was thoroughly amused when our trick or treating that someone said to their child "we saw them at Boo at the Zoo". Apparently it's a good costume that people like.

We stayed out for over an hour, and filled a shopping bag each (not as impressive as when I was a kid as we had no bulky chips to fill it up... That said Cara and are trying to figure out the best way to portion out the crazy amount of candy. Teresa got cold first and wanted to stop, which allowed me to reinforce rule #1 of trick or treating: No skipping houses, even on the way back. Rule #2 is that walking across lawns is fine, not through flower beds... I had great fun too, as watching the kids sprint up for candy and Frances grab candy from the bins, fishing for suckers and attacking for more... Good times...

The monkey & I at school.

Frances' first pumpkin...  Cara carved it

The girls and their pumpkins...  And yes, dad, that is Teresa's design on Frances' pumpkin.

The girls and the Jack O' Lanterns.  Mine's the snowman in the bottom left.

Out and about acquiring the precious candy

The pumpkins in the darkness

The post Hallowe'en Mayhem