Weeee!

One of my favorite things about being a parent is being able to re-live the pleasures of childhood as they experience them.  We took them sledding last weekend, and this was definitely one of those times.  I had as much fun as Alyssa did...easily.

Here we go!

Crash!

"Hurry Mom!"

Again!

Uh-oh...

We're headed straight for Daddy...!

Evan's turn!

Cute boys make sledding so much more fun!!

Off to check out the ice.

Getting the hang of it.

and we're skating.

Crash!

well...make that another first...

If you haven't read today's earlier post, read that first...

Remember I said I'd rather have gum in the hair than scissors to the hair...

Guess I should have put the scissors away after I got the gum out.

Good thing we already have a haircut scheduled for tomorrow.

A first for us...

So, I guess this is a parenting rite of passage.  If I had to choose between this and scissors to the hair, I'd choose this. But still...

gum in the hair... yuck...really good placement though!

examining the evidence...

proud of herself?

Oh, and here is Evan this morning...

I'm soooo glad it's Friday!!

A trip to City Forest

We had some free time this weekend and decided to take the kids Tobogganing.  Alyssa had seen "tofrogganing" as she calls it, on an episode of "Calliou" so she was quite excited.  Last minute we decided to take Mom with us.  The toboggan that we have was originally my parents.  She said they bought it in 1976 when they first moved to town.  They gave it to Chris and me when they moved from the house I grew up in.  Chris and I were living in Ohio at the time.  When we moved back here, we forgot that it was in the attic above our garage and did not have the movers pack it.  Months later, we remembered and contacted our old neighbors who went over and ask the new home owners about it and then brought it to us.  Phew!!  Anywho...we went tobogganing.  It was so much fun.  Mom giggled the whole way down the first run.  When we got off she said she had forgotten how much fun it is.  I don't have the best pictures because you can't really take your camera with on the toboggan ride, but you'll get the idea.

Here is the toboggan run on one end of the forest.

Aly G with her cold cheeks.

I'm glad we're not in Texas!!

Our Family...by Alyssa

How great is that?

You may notice there are 5 of us...no, this is not an announcement, the extra person is Edan her best buddy.  In case you don't recognize us...from the left: Edan, Chris, Evan, Me, Alyssa!

Little man giving it a try!

Christmas Wrap Up

So I realize this is oh so late, but I feel the need to put up a Christmas post to wrap up the season before moving on to things of the new year!

Chris' family traditionally celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve so we packed up gifts and headed over to his parent's house mid afternoon.  Eric and Alicia and Andrew were all in town and Brian and Kim joined via Skype later in the day.  We started the festivities off with a little "cheers" as Alyssa refers to it.  She was quite excited to have her own mini champagne flute.  (Don't worry mom, we're both drinking sparkling grape juice!)

Jan put together a fabulous appetizer spread complete with these prawns that we decided were really more like lobsters because of their size.

A quick celebration of Alicia's birthday...

...and we were off to open presents.

Alyssa opening "Hero of the Rails!"

Andrew showing his new fishing pole to Brian and Kim

Chris consoling a little one who really needed a longer nap.

After the presents we ate dinner and then went to Christmas Eve service at church.

I never did show you the tree that took up a quarter of our living room...so here she is in all her glory.

Our eyes were definitely bigger than our room!  This struck me again this morning when I saw our neighbors tree out at the curb...they were much more sensible!

Mom spent the night at our house that evening so she could wake up with us.  We put our traditional breakfast casserole in the oven and then began unwrapping.

The dragon Alyssa asked Santa for.

Chris opening the clock Alyssa gave him for his workshop.

Evan checking out his new Leapfrog table.

Grandma opening her new photo magnets!

Evan in the aftermath!

Mom stayed and hung out the rest of the day and had dinner with us.  Chris' parents and Andrew came over and joined us (almost) for dinner and a rousing game of...

Hungry Hungry Hippos...what else?!