The boys tried building a number of contraptions to travel down a string line. They tried tons of ideas, and learned the weight needed to be under the string, not above it. They also needed to keep the weight symmetrical, and the more spread out the better. This is one of Adrian's. Kenny built a one and two wheeled contraption.
Yesterday the girls used the gingerbread house kit. They had fun putting it together and adding the decorations.
For the last day Jane hung out in a Christmas wreath. She left with Santa and will be back next year.
I wonder what we can blog about daily this month coming up? Any ideas?
Adrian was happy to get his hair cut today, and really happy to lose his tooth! What's can be better than a visit from the tooth fairy on boxing day!
Cold cereal is a treat at our house. So when it was Kenny's then to pick out the nut free cold cereals he was very excited. He picked rice krispies cheerios, shreddies, and corn pops. With left over berries from last night, it was the best cold cereal breakfast treat.
This year as we received and opened Christmas cards we hung them on the string of lights in our living room. It reminded mom of the cards hung each year on her grandparents wall.
It was wonderful to see all the good wishes from our friends and family. Thanks to all of you. We all wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
We put some cookies on a plate for Santa, and some punch from our party tonight. Mom asked Adrian to get a few carrots for the reindeer. He came back with 9 carrots, one for each.
We found Jane clinging to the to of the Christmas tree. Adrian says she looks like an angel.
We had our first family dinner held at the church. It was great. The tables were set in a square, allowing us all to chat and visit. We all brought something for the turkey dinner. Then came a sing along, a visit from Santa, and games in the gym. It was a great night, there was lots of room for the kids, and everyone helped clean up. This looks like a new tradition.
We found Jane laying down, reading the original version of "mansions". It's a story of a man who does good things only if people can see what he has done. One night he dreams he has died and gone to heaven. Everyone is given a mansion to live in, but his is only a shack. The reason is he received payment for his good works on earth, from man, leaving little to build with above. While the others did good things with no one seeing all the good they did to help others.
It is look a while for the kids to find her this morning but they did. Adrian was looking on the Christmas tree for her, when he spotted her out of the corner of his eye. She was hanging near the ceiling between the dining room and living room on the Christmas lights.
For family home evening we toured the town dropped off some Christmas cards and enjoyed all the beautiful decorated homes. Two houses actually had loud Christmas music playing too.
For two days now Jane has been on strike. She was tired of the kids not listening and doing their chores.
Mom and Dad also went on strike yesterday. We had a family meeting, and discussed their demands. Everyone agreed to the terms, then cleaned up, and went to bed.
Jane still didn't move last night. We think she was waiting to see if the kids were really going to do chores and listen to their parents.
Today the kids also listened well, and did as they were asked. We will see if Jane is still on strike tomorrow.
Jane takes the day to stare at baby Jesus, and remind us all what Christmas is really all about.
As excited we are about Santa, and gifts, true Christmas is about a baby sent from heaven to come to earth.
It's about rejoicing and remembering that because of that baby, we can all return to live with our Heavenly Father and with our families again.
Christmas is about the love that God has for each of us, his children, that he knows each of us individually, and loves us. He hears our hearts, and our thoughts, and does what he can to help us remember him, and get through our struggles here on this earth. The sent his son to teach us, and suffer for us.
Christmas is also remember others, and loving them and helping them with that same unselfish love he has.
May we each take some time today, to follow Jane's example and reflect on the true meaning on Christmas.
Last night was Canadian security systems family Christmas party ( part 2). I completely forgot to take pictures.
It was a good night. We visited, ate tasty treats, and we each received a gift from the CSS Santa. The kids played and played with Kenny's table top pool game for the whole time we were there, and mommy worked on one of Adrian's 500 piece puzzles. We watched a cute family Christmas movie, and then came home very happy and late.
The kids were so excited about mom's and dad's new popcorn popper, they had to see how it worked before going to bed so Dad popped a few batches and then sent the kids to bed.
The girls are planning to wear their necklaces to church today.
It was an evening out, but still with family, and I think that makes the best Christmas parties.
Jane is made her self a swing, and is enjoying the view. She has placed herself in the front hall doorway.... It's a good thing we don't use that door often.
Nicole performed at the diamond willow (old age home) tonight with her activity day girls.
They sang a number of Christmas songs, and each girl preformed in some way. As the girls sang "Christmas bells are ringing", Nicole signed (american sign language) and sang.
This morning the boys and girls searched and searched for Jane but couldn't see her anywhere.
Mom, using her super mom powers allowing her to find things kids can't find themselves, found her, and pointed the kids in the right direction.
They all thought it was the funniest thing to have Jane actually on a shelf... Just like her name, elf on the shelf.
Isn't our tree the bestest you've ever seen? It's filled with glass balls the family decorated and Christmas cards we made for our loved ones. It's decorated with love and family. There is nothing better than that!
Christmas card making was in full swing last night for family home evening. Dollar store Christmas cards plus stickers and colouring supplies equals two hours of family fun.
Each Sunday our kitchen turns into an art studio. Easels, brushes and paints fill the space as Uncle Andrew and Courtney sit down to paint. This week they tidied up, but left most of the supplies out with plans to finish their art project very soon.
Jane saw the opportunity and took it. She set up her own easel, and also painted something on her own canvas. She seems to have a talent for painting portraits.
(And for your information, Nicole did make cookies, the old fashioned way! She made them herself completely from scratch and baked them to perfection. We might have another amazing baker in the family!)
Kenny also received his Irlen glasses in the mail this week, but his came with the lenses seperate from the frames. We didn't know how to put them together, as his frame had no screws.
We posted on Magrath buy and sell, looking for help, and someone in town answered, knowing just what to do.
Glasses fixed, and old costumes from auntie Mandy, and he is ready for pics.
What a devil.
I guess the chips yesterday did not satisfy Jane cravings. Today we found her in the kitchen surrounded by baking ingredients and the recipe for ice box cookies.
Cookies sounds like a great idea, but with her sitting in the mixing bowl it will make it a little difficult to make some today. We might have to make them the old fashioned way, by hand.
Yesterday, we found Jane up in Daddy's snack cupboard. She got into his chips. She must of needed a snack after traveling to the north pole and back.
This is the fourth time I've tried to post about Jane today! Blogger is driving me crazy!
What is Jane doing? That is the question of the day this morning once we found her. Some ideas were telling stories about the north pole, singing Christmas songs, playing with toys or having a meeting with the locals as to where to hide tonight.
Any other ideas?
Nicole received be her new irlen glasses today. She has been waiting for ages. They finally arrived from California. Her glasses may be blue, but her mood after receiving them is the opposite.
She looks good, and can't wait for school and church to show them off.
Today it was wind chill of -45 most of the day. It was too cold for the kids to play outside, so it was indoor recess today at school.
Tonight was Magrath's annual Hometown Christmas, but because of the extremely cold weather we decided to stay home. Dad still went with the fire department to serve hot chocolate and tend the fire in the middle of Main Street, but even with all his fire gear and standing next to the fire, his feet were still frozen.
We woke up this morning to find Jane surfing the net. We are sure she must have been playing tons of free games and checking things out on elfontheshelf.com.
Adrian has a theory that she does things that each of us like to do. She slept lots, like Sarah. She made Christmas ornaments, like Kenny (he made 22 ornaments Monday night). She watched TV, like Dad.
Took some time, but they finally found Jane, in the plant Courtney decorated for Christmas.
Courtney and her Uncle Andrew decided to spend a Sunday afternoon persueing the arts. They found a youtube video to follow, and this is what Courtney result was.
Great job with the oil paints!
Jane also wanted to have some fun, so she also made a Christmas decoration last night.
