Love that feeling #1

When you open your friends' son's closet and it's a trip down memory lane.
Catching up with Seb's 2009-2012 wardrobe. What do you recognize?

Can't wait to be a raging granny - ok, I can but still

Christmas Day dawns and eases into Boxing Day

There was a theme to his gifts.

Stocking fun

SIX - 6! - rubiks cubes from the cousins

Breakfast

All dressed up for our main meal 

A sleigh of candy

Sophie found a book on Downton Abbey for her nana

My love and I walked home. It was much colder this year, so there was ice and we walked faster!

At home, we spent 45 minutes learning the game that Sebastian had bought the family, and an hour+ playing it.

The table is set for George & Lorraine's Boxing Day feast.

And slowly but surely we managed to finish the Christmas puzzle

Christmas Eve all together

First was Lorraine's afternoon tea

Learning how to use the corkscrew 

I managed to track down two bottles of my favourite cordial from Nova Scotia.

Afternoon tea ladies

Stocking up for the holiday season

Opening her Christmas Eve pyjamas

and his

We knew he was growing fast...

Preparing some foie gras

Poached salmon, asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes for post-Service Christmas Eve dinner (and yes the Christmas service was a quick and lively as last year)

Picking out their ornaments for the ring

She still has to stand on tip-toe

It must be Christmas Eve because she came to the toe

The grandparents add their selection

Our living room ready for us to finally get to bed.

Making it an annual tradition

With Nana & Gramps arriving before Christmas, we decided to take ourselves out to a fantastic meal at a new restaurant. And so on the 23rd we went for a late dinner at Dailo. It was delicious, beautifully presented and the service was excellent - all questions answered (including all allergy concerns), and attentive enough.

The ReGift market

The parents at Sophie's school launched a ReGift market this year. The idea is that each family donates 1-3 good quality, unused or lightly used items that they just don't want. The parents sort it and then lay it out for each class to come and examine. We had so much "stuff" that the children were allowed to select something for each member of their immediate household and then on day 2 (yes, we had that much stuff) they could take something for the wider family.

The parents quickly wrapped each present and put it in a bin that had the teachers' name on it. The kinders (4 & 5 year olds) cut up old art work to make gift tags, so we could track of who was giving and to whom. As you can imagine, it was a bit tricky steering the younger ones away from "ohhh I like that" to "oh, my father would like that". Plus some wonderful moments of youngsters picking children's picture books for mom. Why? because she reads them all the time. One student picked a "chapter book for mom". "I know you like chapter books" Subject? sparkly unicorns!

With a bit of apple cider and some seasonal tunes, it was a load of fun! Sophie picked up some lovely things for her Nana, Dad and even one of her cousins.

We had snow in the city too

Urban childhood

waiting for her brother to get up?

Heading out for some more fun with a jaunty rake to her hat

Loving her snowman

Cool dude in his new snow gear

Our snow entity after a long night

My fellow clearly feels the same way

On a de la neige!

Ski season started early this year and my oh my was Mr M happy! He was amazed at how well Sophie did (and smiling the whole way as per usual)

New equipment for both of them - skate and classics...