AFTER ALL WAS SAID AND DONE

Our little girl just wanted some quiet time

with Pocahontas.

(Really a Barbie doll

but when she spied it

in the store she shouted

"There is Pocahontas Mommy")

She is in Moose Jaw right now

with her Grandma and Grandpa.

She'll get home on Saturday.

We miss her but we are

enjoying our time alone as well.

LOOK MOMMY!

I HAVE BIG BOOBIES LIKE

BELLE!

(from Beauty and the Beast).

And so it begins.

CHRISTMAS PICTURES

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration last weekend. Jen, Jord and Abby drove up in less than ideal weather from Regina. Jess and Mark and Jill, Clinton and Eden came from Saskatoon. The highways were miserable but all made it safely.Look out the window on the one picture and you will see the blowing snow. Jill and Clint ended up staying the night due to weather so we had more guests for breakfast than we planned for. No Biggie, as JIll would say.

The day was grand. The little girls had so much fun. Great gifts were exchanged. The big girls all brought appetizers and I mad the dinner. Beef Tenderloin. Yum.

After the girls all went to bed, we had so much fun playing Mad Gab. Girls won, of course. We went to bed around 12:30 and Paul and Jord stumbled into bed around 3:30. See, Jord got some poker chips from Jill and they just couldn't resist trying them out. It was an evening to remember.

SOME CHRISTMAS TIME PHOTOS

We have been very busy around here these days. Busy with Christmas activities.

Today Paul and Athena made their first gingerbread house together.Note it is the same one as Jordan and Abby's.Then they both got haircuts by Mom.Next they played outside and went for a sled ride. They were outside for over an hour and a half. It gave me a chance to clean the house and vacuum. On a side note, unfortunately, Athena WAS allergic to the dog so we had to sell her. On the plus side, we made 50 bucks in the deal. That is why I was cleaning on a Sunday. I vacuumed every surface in the house trying to get rid of all the dog hair.

We decorated the tree last week and Athena put several ornaments on the same branch. When she was finished, I moved them around. A few minutes later she returned to ask " where is the family?", referring to the group of ornaments she set up. I stood in front of the bough and quickly put them back, stepped aside and said, "there they are!". "Oh good. " she replied. There they hang today.

What a complete blessing it is to have that little one around. What a joy she is.

SIMPLE PLEASURES

I had the most lovely simple pleasure this past Saturday.

We were out with the masses doing some shopping

and we stopped at DQ for lunch.

After Athena ate her chicken strips we got her her first ever

ice cream cone.

Paul told her to lick it.

She was so intent.

I sat there for 15 minutes just watching in silence.

She would lick the ice cream.

She would tip her head sideways

to bite the cone.

She had an ice cream beard and moustache.

She had ice cream on her nose.

She would take her napkin,

blot her mouth and then continue.

She ate only a third of it

when she handed it to me and said

"All done."

She liked it well enough,

but like me,

she would much rather

"Bite some fries."

Anyway, it was so peaceful in a zen sort of way

just watching her eat her first ice cream cone.

A moment of silence.

Time stood still among

the hustle and bustle.

UH OH
I think something bad is happening.
My girl has had red, swollen itchy eyes for 3 days running.
It can't be!
She has never shown allergy to dogs before.
What else can it be?
Nothing else new in the house.
Hmph.
Tikka is a superb dog too.
Poor little lass.
She loves animals.
We will see if it continues.

DECLUTTERING

Today I plan to declutter.

My home, my life.

I have the boxes ready.

I will be ruthless.

I won't let Paul see what is in the box.

He is a packrat.

This drives me nuts.

I will let my girls look through

the boxes when they come.

First come first serve.

Jen will be here first.

She may need some things for her new home

I have been dreaming about doing this for days.

I am excited.

I hope I fill at least 4 boxes.

I'll let you know how I make out.