A well-stocked kitchen

this pink retro kitchen was a gift from Santa, and he would be very pleased to see how much it is loved by our girl. It is full of all manner of food, from fruit to onion rings. (The fruit is carefully washed in the sink before being distributed to all tea partiers). Her kitchen is truly much better stocked than her mother's!

Grandma!

We had the pleasure of enjoying Grandma for a while in Calgary during a stopover on the way to 'Ole Blimey to welcome Auntie Jane's new baby into the world. As you can see, she was lavished with plastic donuts and invisible tea. Some synthetic hotdogs and latex cheese sandwiches were also consumed during this calorie-free picnic...

Ice Capades

Our daughter has embarked on a rigourous training schedule to secure a part in Disney on Ice. She's starting with plush, character slippers, but we're certain that ice skates are not far off...

happy birthday, super Man!

Happy birthday to our favorite DIY guy! Our little nephew received work gear for Christmas, and immediatley announced on putting on his hardhat and picking up his tape measure - that he was now a "MAN." He then proceeded to measure every object in the living room (they were all apparently "twenty dollars" long), while us aunties and uncles quickly booked him for basement finishing and shed framing...

Look who's three!

This brown-eyed prince turned three on Saturday - rumour has it there was blue chocolate cake with Smarties for all the partiers. Happy Birthday Charlie boy!!

Birthday wishes to our matey....!

Special birthday wishes to you Renee on what must have been a very memorable birthday. We celebrated your day by once again oooing and aaaahing over your wedding photos and raising a glass to your everlasting happiness and health. You were truly glorious on your wedding day, and on ours..... we love you!

Happy Birthday Brenda!

Our favorite flower child is having a birthday today! This photo was taken at Taryn's wedding (it was a hot Kelowna afternoon and I was very pregnant!). We love you Brenda and hope you have the most perfect day: being lavished with love by all ....

wedding vows

Here is an excerpt from a supreme court justice's wedding vows. I liked it.

"Love is having someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you today just the way you are. As years go by, you realize that marriage is much more than a ceremony that takes place on your wedding day. It is a process that goes on during your entire lives together.It is something that you must work at day by day, in how you meet the disappointments as well as the joys that life brings. A good marriage is one in which difficulty is not absent, but one in which the bond of affection and trust is never broken. A marriage with love means both partners can be all they can be, secure in the knowledge that whatever else happens in the world at large, their bond of unconditional love is their foundation and is unassailable. Love comes in the giving, that seeks no return. It is a growing outward in the same direction, together. Real love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense, because you share them."

It's a boy!

This happy family of four has a further reason to smile! The fourth member has made his debut: and he's a fabulous red-head that courteously arrived just prior to his due date, but rather unkindly weighed over 8 pounds. Congratulations Uncle D and Kimeeloohoo on the lovely little persons you have added to the world...

Uncle B's 30th!!

Happy Birthday Uncle B! Wow, 3-0! I remember you and the J-man competing with your brothers in living room breakdance contests like it was yesterday... and now you're a husband, embarking on a new career, and a father of (nearly) two. Can't wait 'til my 30th....

During our holiday at home, Daddy and our girl have had a wonderful time creating art: using crayons, finger paints, play doh, aquadoodle and the new art easel from Santa. The sessions were not without their casualties: art was created with purloined ink pens on my new calendar and our dining room chair is a multi-colour crayon canvas...

One of the favourite activities at Grandma's house is bathing in the huge bathtub - and this Christmas our girl had a fabulous time splashing with her cousin: and gave us parents some embarrasing photos for future wedding reception slideshows....

off to Grandma's house!

It's boxing day and we're off to Grandma's house: it's a 8 hour trek, so our girl had to ensure that she had all necessary equipment for the adventure: hairband, elephant, cell phone, portable DVD, pink hat with matching scarf and a formidable collection of Wiggles DVDs. After consuming more than 16 hours of Wiggles, Caitlin has been asking every day for "a barbie on the beach," singing songs with an Aussie accent and exclaiming that "crocs rule!!"...

Christmas morning

Christmas morning held surprises for everyone! Santa filled all stockings beyond expectation: even the naughty girls and boys. Our girl was enthralled by candy canes, chocolates and playing with the pink toy kitchen that Santa left a nice wee girl... her hands were so sticky with candy cane goo that unwrapping became difficult because the paper stuck to her fingers!

sweet child o' mine

Our daughter is addicted to headbands. She invariably takes any unsuspecting little girl's lovely, feminine hair accessories and transforms them into the embodiment of toddler rebellion. One expects her to break into a guitar riff aka axel rose...

the beginning of the christmas extravaganza

The christmas extravaganza started at Uncle B and Auntie Mariam's house on December 22. We were welcomed from our long trek north with a full turkey dinner, presents and, best of all - COUSINS. This christmas, Christmas songs, Christmas trees and Cousins were our girl's favorite festive things (gifts didn't even make the top ten - if only they could be two forever....!)

Daddy's birthday

Daddy's birthday party was a intimate gathering attended by his two girls - with chocolate. Of all the partygoers, Dad was the least excited by the chocolate. His favourite were the cocoa-flavoured kisses that were being lavished by his two girls (I had considerably less chocolate on my face)...

sleepytime surprises

We never are sure what we will find when we tuck our girl in before retiring for the night....

Often, some time between being put to bed and falling asleep, she not only unzips her sleep sac, but slips it off, neatly folds it in half, and hangs it over the crib rail - as if to say: "next time, make it a challenge, will ya"...

This night, we were shocked that she had taken every one of her considerable stuffed toys and stacked each and every one right to the top of the rail - all the while zipped up in her sleep sack. She never ceases to surprise....

A 2nd birthday

Our girl turned two on November 7th and we had a big party with family. Papa, Nana and Baba (my grandmother) made the long journey, along with all the Alberta aunties, uncles and cousins. Auntie Jane gave Caitlin this "kitty cat" shirt - and she refused to take it off for three days. (we are clearly hopelessly indulgent during birthday month....)

Welcome to our Ceili

Welcome to our Ceili

Ceili is the gaelic word for a lively, effervescent bash, full of dancing and singing. Which perfectly describes our daughter - and the joy she brings to our frenetic home.