Superheroes ready for sleepover action

This winter has seen loads of sleepovers. Must be an age thing or catching up from our years away.

Using our pressies

Totally digging my immersion blender and everyone loved my first soup effort.

A yearning from our childhoods

We are deep into a wonderful family read - the inimitable Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Our reading aloud together days are dwindling, and so I mused:

What childhood book do you yearn for?

Did you read it to yourself?

Did someone else take the time to read it to you? Did he or she create the voices?

Do you have a copy on your shelves now? Did the internet bring it into your life or is a copy saved in a relative's home?

For great-uncle mushroom

Sophie hard at work prepping some mushrooms with her first knife
(and no, our kitchen is not so cold one needs to wear a wooly hat)

Weekly games night

In mulling over our winter holidays, we concluded that playing lots of board games and having friends come round were the real highlights. So we offered to host a weekly board games evening for Sebastian and his pals (Grades 6/7 we suggested). We have set it up as a drop-in with a simple supper. "No soda, no screens" is the slogan. And it will run till March break (about 9 weeks).

Last night was the inaugural evening with 4 of 7 pals able to attend. They played horse-opoly for 3 1/2 hours straight! only interrupted by a dash to the kitchen table for pierogies and bacon, followed by mint chocolate chip ice cream. One of our goals is for the kids to make their own meal by March break (they voted for homemade pizza next Saturday); another goal is to get some girls invited!!

Ski season 2016 is underway!

On the way to the trails on Saturday morning

Taking a lunch break from the trails

Blazing her own trail

On the way back from the trails mid-afternoon

Some holiday portraits

A few photos snapped over the holidays of some of your favourite folks 

(well, they must be if you are reading this blog after 8 1/2 years!)

New Year's Day 2016

There had been a lot of preparation for our gift exchange and Open House. And it paid off in spades, we opened pressies, snacked on yummies and then welcomed the friends we have made over the 8 or so years we have lived here.

Auntie R opening the 2nd pannetone of the season

Enjoying one of their gifts

And the best gift of all, a story that she had written herself

And then the hoards descended and somehow we didn't take a single picture of the party itself.

Cuddly pyjamas for 2016

Onesies 2016 version... Thank you, Auntie Dorothy and Uncle Peter!

Holidays bring friends nearer

Many friends were too busy to squeeze us in over the holidays or out of town. But look who we were delighted to share a bite with...

New Year's Eve 2015

We had a quietish night with these lovely folks - great conversation, delicious nibbles, fine wine and charades!

When we arrived home at 12:30, she almost fell asleep

but there was a certain present to open...

and enjoy!!