Scroll down for pictures!!!
I think I finally found it: the secret to a perfect Christmas.
Now before you whip yourself into a tizzy trying to guess what it is, just remember what you know about me. I have a healthy reputation for reinventing the wheel. . . over and over and over again.
So, if you're wondering what the secret is, I think I can squeeze it into two words: preparation and simplicity ("and" doesn't count). This year, for the first time in my life, I started getting things for Christmas around the time school started. I barely went into a store during the last two weeks (and when I did, I rarely found what I was looking for, let alone at a price I wanted to pay). Add to that "simplicity," which in our case meant one Santa present for each kid (it ended up being two, but whatever), and books, art supplies, and a gift card from us, and voila! Easiest Christmas ever. Besides that, we really put the kids in charge of gifts for each other this year, suggesting that they make things, or use their own money to buy. What a lot of hassle that got rid of! It's nice that they're old enough to make some interesting things.
With all that preparation out of the way, there was a little extra time left over during December for some fun stuff. I suppose if we didn’t have a conductor in the family it might have been a lot of extra time, but there’s no such thing as an wide-open Christmas season where musicians are concerned. Even a little went a long way though. We baked cookies and made almond toffee and sang Christmas carols around the piano, of course, but we also managed to cram everyone into the van one night to go pick out a Christmas tree—to cut down ourselves. No, no, it wasn’t out in the middle of the woods or anything (if there are woods in Saskatchewan, nobody has told us about them), but there is a cute little tree farm just outside of town where they grow trees. When we got there, the owners gave us a couple of sleds, one for the kids and one for the tree, and we trekked back through the snow to choose one. Not one tree on the whole lot stood over six feet tall, but after looking around for a while, Aaron found us one that was a little taller than most, and sawed it right down. They had hot cocoa and cookies waiting for us when we got back to the shop, and then we sang along with Harry Connick Jr. and admired the northern lights (we can see them from here!) on the way back home.
Although it looked a little tacky once we finally got it decorated, it was tacky with love, overflowing with hand-made ornaments created by all the little hands in our family. The kids had fun lying together under the tree and imagining Christmas morning. And everyone, Sera included, got pretty good at belting out Angels We have Heard on High, which turned out to be this year’s favorite carol. We attended all Aaron’s concerts, and managed to squeeze in some Christmas caroling and cookie deliveries.
After we had counted down almost all the days to Christmas, the kids got a big surprise. On December 23, we packed them all into the van and told them we had to go on a long drive to go pick up a big bag of rice that was on sale (why rice? Who knows—they’re gullible, so we took advantage). We sang and chatted as we drove for 45 minutes, and amazingly, there wasn’t much complaining. As we got closer to our destination, we told the kids to look for a place that had the word “mineral” on the sign. Bright kids that they are, they found a big one that said Temple Gardens Mineral Spa. No alarm bells went off in their brains. So we went inside, carrying a big suitcase (to hold the rice, of course). Right away the kids noticed that this place looked like a hotel. “Aw, I wish we could stay here!” Theo and Addy started saying. Then we saw an enormous mineral pool that extended outside. “I wish we could go swimming” came next. Just then a lady came by and asked the kids if they had come to swim. “No, we just came for the rice,” Theo said dejectedly. Then they noticed a swimsuit shop and Theo, Addy, and Emerson started talking about whether or not they could pool the money in their accounts to buy swimsuits. Well, rather than prolonging their agony, Aaron and I told them to open the suitcase to make room for the “rice.” They practically fell over when they saw their swimsuits inside! We swam all evening, then watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas and ate a fabulous spinach/feta pizza for dinner in our super-fancy suite with two rooms, a fireplace, and a huge mineral-water Jacuzzi tub. We let the kids open their new pajamas before bed and stay up late watching A Christmas Carol. They told us probably a thousand times how awesome we were, and what parent doesn’t love that?
We got home in time for a nativity pageant on Christmas eve, some last-minute wrapping (not much—I really did start earlier this year), and went to bed happy (aside from Aaron’s and my yearly quarrel about which things should be from Santa). Christmas morning was perfect for everyone, and we even did the Eyre Eggs Benedict tradition that we’ve been so half-hearted about. Then we kissed 2008 good-bye, a little sadly. It was a good year for us (compared to 2007), and we hope it was for you too!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Countdown to Christmas
Winter!
The magic of Christmas
Sera's favorite Christmas friends
Cutting down our own Christmas tree! At Temple Gardens Mineral Spa:
The best bath ever!
Warming up at the spa
Our favorite spot was outside, where the temperature was -30 or so, but the water was HOT-- We hopped out and ran around in the snow, then jumped back in!
It wore Sera right out . . .
. . . but not these guys!
Christmas Eve!
(I didn't do so well with Christmas day shots, though)
The best bath ever! Warming up at the spa Our favorite spot was outside, where the temperature was -30 or so, but the water was HOT-- We hopped out and ran around in the snow, then jumped back in! It wore Sera right out . . . . . . but not these guys! Christmas Eve!(I didn't do so well with Christmas day shots, though)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Because the Canadian Post Office just made my black-list: Our Christmas Card
December 2008
Okay, so life with a family of six isn’t always easy, but it sure is interesting! With neither infant nor pregnancy to slow us down, we’ve been amazed at how much we can accomplish. The year has been as full as it has been fun, with a family reunion in Yellowstone and a ten-year-anniversary trip to Denmark and Sweden (yes, my husband rocks!) as highlights. Aaron loves his job as choral director at the University of Regina, and even took on the orchestra this year. Meanwhile, I’ve been squeezing a bit of writing between full-time mothering and teaching a couple of music classes. Canada can be pretty chilly, but we’ve learned to go “tobogganing” (a.k.a. sledding) to keep the blood pumping, and the giant canisters of hot chocolate help a lot.
Okay, so life with a family of six isn’t always easy, but it sure is interesting! With neither infant nor pregnancy to slow us down, we’ve been amazed at how much we can accomplish. The year has been as full as it has been fun, with a family reunion in Yellowstone and a ten-year-anniversary trip to Denmark and Sweden (yes, my husband rocks!) as highlights. Aaron loves his job as choral director at the University of Regina, and even took on the orchestra this year. Meanwhile, I’ve been squeezing a bit of writing between full-time mothering and teaching a couple of music classes. Canada can be pretty chilly, but we’ve learned to go “tobogganing” (a.k.a. sledding) to keep the blood pumping, and the giant canisters of hot chocolate help a lot.
Merry Christmas!
Love, The Mitchells
___________________________
Theo
A spitfire of energy and ideas, Theo has fallen hard for science this year. He comes home from our library trips loaded down with thick tomes about space, magnets, experiments, and electricity. Full of big plans for improving the world, he has an entire drawer filled with “treasures” (aka: garbage) which he uses for his many “inventions”—a true recycler!
Addy
Addy would be my little mini-me if she wasn’t so much better than I am at most things! She paints and colors and draws stacks of pictures for everyone in the extra hour she has before the rest of us wake up each morning. She enjoys French immersion kindergarten, which she started this year, and serenades us with the cute songs she learns there.
Emerson
Full of style and spunk, Emerson keeps us laughing. He’ll strike up conversation and friendship with any stranger he meets, no matter their age, and he’s an awesome grocery shopping companion. Sera thinks he’s pretty much the king of the universe, and he’s gentle and sweet with her. He loves nursery and preschool, and plans to be Santa Claus when he grows up.
SeraThis girl is nothing but trouble. If it’s not dancing naked on the kitchen table, it’s coloring all over herself and the walls with marker or flushing the toilet sixteen times in a row. But her cheeks are so kissable (and we mean all of them) that it’s hard to get mad when she flashes her killer grin. She’s a total movie-star, and adores performing and applause.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
November Nothings
My apologies for my alliteration addiction--I should probably see someone about that.
Right. So, not that much actually happened this month. Theo and Addy started indoor soccer to stay warm, now that the temperatures are plunging. Emerson and Sera are pretty much just trooping around to playgroups and stores with me (not Christmas shopping, thankfully—I managed to get that done early for once in my life). We’re building up a nice supply of Christmas decorations, as I’ve been taking Theo to an awesome Christmas craft time at the library each week, and Addy has been attending a different Christmas craft class at the local arts center—I might be able to make it through the holidays without even braving our somewhat disorganized storage room!
Aside from that, here are some ups and downs and a few pictures. The Christmas cards are pretty much ready to go, so if you’ve moved, make sure we have your new address!
Right. So, not that much actually happened this month. Theo and Addy started indoor soccer to stay warm, now that the temperatures are plunging. Emerson and Sera are pretty much just trooping around to playgroups and stores with me (not Christmas shopping, thankfully—I managed to get that done early for once in my life). We’re building up a nice supply of Christmas decorations, as I’ve been taking Theo to an awesome Christmas craft time at the library each week, and Addy has been attending a different Christmas craft class at the local arts center—I might be able to make it through the holidays without even braving our somewhat disorganized storage room!
Aside from that, here are some ups and downs and a few pictures. The Christmas cards are pretty much ready to go, so if you’ve moved, make sure we have your new address!
Ups and Downs
- Sera
↑ talking up a storm—our favorites: “mom-mom,” “waddy” (water), “zoom-zoom” (her favorite song)
↔ mostly potty-trained—unless she doesn’t feel like being potty-trained
↓ the child cannot keep a scrap of clothing on her body for more than a minute - Emer
↑ so funny we can hardly stand it—recently: “did you know these jammies used to be Santa’s when he was a kid?”
↔ fancies himself quite the pianist since he insisted I teach him a few things so he could earn treats like Theo and Addy
↓ staying up way too late at night under the influence of his nocturnal brother - Addy
↑ reading fluently now—Green Eggs and Ham is her current favorite
↔ enjoying kindergarten, but struggling a little bit to get comfortable with all the new faces
↓ Sera has started pushing her around, literally—to the refrigerator, the cookie jar, etc. - Theo
↑ earned money for ice-skates by making a flyer and selling cookies—what an entrepreneur!
↔ such a sweet brother lately—he helps Addy read, teaches Emer French, and loves snuggling Sera; still working on the temper though
↓ organizationally challenged—leaves rotten fruit in his locker for days and his bookshelf is a bit, um, ugly - Britt
↑ does a pretty darn good job teaching Sunbeams with Aaron—those kids are spoiled, not gonna lie
↔ tries really hard to get all the shopping/cooking/cleaning/etc. done, and occasionally succeeds
↓ was ultimately rejected by the agents who requested her book—and having trouble finding time to write/edit more - Aaron
↑ snagged the cover of the choral journal last month with his article on Misa Criolla
↔ rehearsed like mad all month long—we can’t wait to see it pay off in great concerts
↓ has too many projects on hold—and won’t let Britt take over and finish them
Scenes from Life
Theo bakes and sells cookies . . .
. . . and earns skates!
Theo at soccer
Addy at soccer
It's winter!
The littlest virtuosoTuesday, November 25, 2008
If you missed it before . . .
If you haven't seen our October/Halloween pictures (I added them late), click here--they're cute!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Congratulations, Mr. President
I am proud that I spent the final days of this campaign making phone calls to get out the vote for Barack Obama. And I'm proud that my home state, Ohio, pitched it's support behind him this time. YES WE CAN!!!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Fall Fotos
My favorite new toy (and Sera's too)--I fretted about whether to get a Wet Jet because of the wastefulness of the pads. Then I found some washable ones online--woo! 
The next day, Theo didn't come inside after school until he had created this masterpiece.
Turkey hats the kids made for Canadian Thanksgiving
This one has turned into quite the handful lately.
What is she doing? Oh, you know, just climbing up the walls. For real.
Boo, Buzz, Sully and Woody at the ward Trunk-or-Treat. Yup, all Pixar. And Britt hereby vows that this is the last year she dredges up matching costumes on eBay. Really. It's a promise.
Boo and Sully, Woody and Buzz--our trick-or-treaters! At each house, Emerson sang the following:
"trick-or-treat, smells like meat, give me something good to eat; not too big, not too small, just the size of Montreal." We have no idea where he got this, but it yielded him LOADS of candy.
Barack-tober
Usually we spend most of our Mitchell Messenger posts updating everyone on the comings and going and doings and sayings of our kids. That’s good, and that’s what The Mitchell Messenger is for.
But this is a pretty important time in the history of our country, and I’d like to spend a few words in behalf of my candidate for president: Barack Obama.
Barack Obama caught my attention about the same time he caught the attention of many others. As Aaron and I watched the 2004 Democratic Convention, utterly disgusted with the haphazard, corrupt governance of George W. Bush (for the record, I registered as a Republican in 2000 and voted for John McCain—yes, John McCain—in the 2000 Republican primaries, then, impelled by the wisdom and integrity of Al Gore against the backdrop of George W. Bush’s profound lack of intellectual curiosity, I voted wholeheartedly for Gore in the general election).
As we watched the young senator from Illinois take the stage for the keynote address, we heard something that we didn’t even know we had been listening for. Senator Barack Obama didn’t use the opportunity to rail on Republicans or to pronounce to the world the fundamental superiority of the Democratic party. Instead, he talked about what it means to be American. He talked about the power of individuals, regardless of the minutiae of their differences. He reminded all of us who were listening that a leader leads. Leadership is more than “deciding.” It’s more than walking and expecting others to follow. Leadership comes from those who inspire, who listen, and who seek to find common ground with all people who seek truth and right.
At risk of sounding like an infomercial, I want to share how I have changed my own life under the influence of Mr. Obama. After September 11, we lived in Connecticut, only hours away from New York City. My heart was filled with a desire to do something, anything, to help those whose lives had been changed by the disaster that occurred that day. I watched our president anxiously (and supportively) to know what we as Americans would be asked to do. And the answer was: nothing. Just go spend your money. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but we actually tried to do our part, no joke. Except it was a bit of a joke, as were the remaining three years of Bush’s first term in office.
After listening to Mr. Obama in 2004, I felt something much different. Although nothing had really changed, I felt a new sense of responsibility for my country and for the people in my community. In the weeks afterward, I tried harder to do my part to make a difference, even a small one, in the lives of my neighbors, friends, and community members. And it felt really good. It wasn’t that I didn’t know I had a patriotic responsibility before, and it wasn’t that I didn’t know how to serve others. But it was a little like I had forgotten about how important and transformative those experiences could be.
When Obama declared he would be running for president in 2008, my heart leapt a little. But I didn’t hold out much hope for him. Obviously he was young, inexperienced. But I went ahead and voted for him anyway. I even donated some money—that’s right, while all my Mormon friends were sending checks off to Romney, I knew Barack Obama was a person who could and would work to make America a better, kinder, more compassionate country.
Our country is in trouble. There are all sorts of problems, and not all of them have easy solutions. I happen to like John McCain quite a lot. He’s done good things in his life, and while he’s run his campaign rather shoddily, if he were up against George W. Bush tomorrow, my pen wouldn’t even hesitate before placing an X beside McCain’s name. But this time I can do better than that. I can vote (already did actually) for someone who will make me proud. Someone who will inspire me tomorrow just as he did in 2004 to reach out and do for others.
Finally, I want to leave a concrete example of how Barack Obama has inspired me. This holiday season, our family is collecting used books and raising money to buy additional books for underprivileged children in our city. We’re doing it because we are more aware of our personal responsibility to do something and help someone. We’re doing it because Barack Obama reminded us that YES WE CAN!
Okay, so in other news, Aaron’s article on Misa Criolla made the cover of the Choral Journal this month, and Britt’s book manuscript was requested by four very awesome literary agents. Our kids, of course, are still cute. There are (will be) pictures of Addy’s super-awesome birthday party below.
But this is a pretty important time in the history of our country, and I’d like to spend a few words in behalf of my candidate for president: Barack Obama.
Barack Obama caught my attention about the same time he caught the attention of many others. As Aaron and I watched the 2004 Democratic Convention, utterly disgusted with the haphazard, corrupt governance of George W. Bush (for the record, I registered as a Republican in 2000 and voted for John McCain—yes, John McCain—in the 2000 Republican primaries, then, impelled by the wisdom and integrity of Al Gore against the backdrop of George W. Bush’s profound lack of intellectual curiosity, I voted wholeheartedly for Gore in the general election).
As we watched the young senator from Illinois take the stage for the keynote address, we heard something that we didn’t even know we had been listening for. Senator Barack Obama didn’t use the opportunity to rail on Republicans or to pronounce to the world the fundamental superiority of the Democratic party. Instead, he talked about what it means to be American. He talked about the power of individuals, regardless of the minutiae of their differences. He reminded all of us who were listening that a leader leads. Leadership is more than “deciding.” It’s more than walking and expecting others to follow. Leadership comes from those who inspire, who listen, and who seek to find common ground with all people who seek truth and right.
At risk of sounding like an infomercial, I want to share how I have changed my own life under the influence of Mr. Obama. After September 11, we lived in Connecticut, only hours away from New York City. My heart was filled with a desire to do something, anything, to help those whose lives had been changed by the disaster that occurred that day. I watched our president anxiously (and supportively) to know what we as Americans would be asked to do. And the answer was: nothing. Just go spend your money. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but we actually tried to do our part, no joke. Except it was a bit of a joke, as were the remaining three years of Bush’s first term in office.
After listening to Mr. Obama in 2004, I felt something much different. Although nothing had really changed, I felt a new sense of responsibility for my country and for the people in my community. In the weeks afterward, I tried harder to do my part to make a difference, even a small one, in the lives of my neighbors, friends, and community members. And it felt really good. It wasn’t that I didn’t know I had a patriotic responsibility before, and it wasn’t that I didn’t know how to serve others. But it was a little like I had forgotten about how important and transformative those experiences could be.
When Obama declared he would be running for president in 2008, my heart leapt a little. But I didn’t hold out much hope for him. Obviously he was young, inexperienced. But I went ahead and voted for him anyway. I even donated some money—that’s right, while all my Mormon friends were sending checks off to Romney, I knew Barack Obama was a person who could and would work to make America a better, kinder, more compassionate country.
Our country is in trouble. There are all sorts of problems, and not all of them have easy solutions. I happen to like John McCain quite a lot. He’s done good things in his life, and while he’s run his campaign rather shoddily, if he were up against George W. Bush tomorrow, my pen wouldn’t even hesitate before placing an X beside McCain’s name. But this time I can do better than that. I can vote (already did actually) for someone who will make me proud. Someone who will inspire me tomorrow just as he did in 2004 to reach out and do for others.
Finally, I want to leave a concrete example of how Barack Obama has inspired me. This holiday season, our family is collecting used books and raising money to buy additional books for underprivileged children in our city. We’re doing it because we are more aware of our personal responsibility to do something and help someone. We’re doing it because Barack Obama reminded us that YES WE CAN!
Okay, so in other news, Aaron’s article on Misa Criolla made the cover of the Choral Journal this month, and Britt’s book manuscript was requested by four very awesome literary agents. Our kids, of course, are still cute. There are (will be) pictures of Addy’s super-awesome birthday party below.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
East-side Mario's
Reading together
Nature walk at Wascana Park
Such a perfect fall day
Three little pumpkins 
Delicious Autumn
warning: this post is a bit disorganized!
After an overfilled summer (not that we’re complaining), September gave us a chance to relax a bit. The kids settled in to school and their activities, and I got a routine. Ah, how I love routines!
Of course, as we launched in to the month there were a couple of annoyances to go with all the fun. I planned out all these activities for the kids to be involved in, including a cooking class, dance classes, and a group violin class, but all the ones I wanted (no joke—all of them) ended up getting cancelled! We wound up with just swimming lessons and piano (nobody can cancel that one since I’m the teacher!), but it’s given the kids time to play together, so I guess that’s good? I’m hoping to get some other stuff going in January when the weather chases us inside. On the plus side, the kids are all making more progress in swimming lessons than they ever have before (Theo: listens to the teacher and tries things! Addy: she’s such a fish it’s ridiculous. Emer: actually stays in the water the whole time!). Piano practice has been really regular, and I’ve been delighted at how excited Theo and Addy have been about plunging in and learning new things. I’m all for summers off!
Three days into kindergarten, Addy got to celebrate her fifth birthday. We decided to procrastinate her friends’ party for a few weeks so she could get to know the children in her class first, but in the mean time we had a fun family celebration, and she got to be the first kid to take birthday treats to school. She decided on a cookie theme for her birthday this year, so we made chocolate chip sandwich cookies for her class and her birthday cake looked like a gigantic chocolate chip cookie with Hershey kisses as the chips. She chose East Side Mario’s for her birthday dinner, and got her very own Hawaiian pizza along with a super-yum Italian birthday custard with a sparkler in it. They also brought out little mini ice-cream cones for the rest of the family, and ended up giving us a whole extra pizza when they got our order wrong the first time. Yeah, we love that place.
After three straight years of Joy School, I decided to take this year off. We enrolled Emerson in a little pre-school just up the street, and my favorite part of the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays is walking him up there. He’s so enthusiastic and observant about the world around him. As I dropped him off that first day, it was so fun to watch him give me a quick kiss and then just jump right in. Lots of parents had to stick around the first couple of days, but Emerson only needed about 30 seconds to adjust. He’s so friendly and outgoing and loves talking about his friends at school and planning what to play with at each class. Meanwhile I’ve had a little time to devote to writing. Sera takes two naps on those days, and I’ve been amazed at what I’ve been able to accomplish during that time.
Theo has made the jump to grade two, and after I nearly drove the principal crazy in the days before school started as we tried to make sure he had a good match with a teacher, it seems we got it right. Most of his close friends are in his class with him, and because the class is a grade 2/3 split, there are only 22 kids. His French is sounding rather impressive (at least to me), and he seems to love his teacher. Although his behavior at home has taken a bit of a hit since he started back to school, I’m trying to make enough time to really connect with him for a while each day, and help him make some goals each week.
Although Addy had looked forward to kindergarten all summer, her first couple of weeks were a bit rocky. For her, it just seemed like so long to be away from home. Her teacher and classroom are both great, but the transition was a little harder than either she or I expected. We spent some extra time talking over cookies and brainstorming about how to make new friends. Although it took courage, she really tried and she’s met some cute new friends. Now that she has gotten settled in she’s really enjoying it. And her French is coming right along too.
The other fun thing we got going this month is a Friday playgroup. Although I am glad for the break from Joy School, I discovered that I missed that special time planning and hanging out with preschoolers. Although Sunbeams absorbs some of that energy, I missed spending that time with my kid. So we’ve made the playgroup a sort of themed event. One week we went on a nature walk at the gorgeous, sprawling Wascana park that goes through the south end of our city, and the next we made a stop at a hay maze they’ve set up at a garden shop nearby. It’s always good to get together with moms to chat and have fun, especially when it doesn’t even mess up my house!
So, that’s it for September. I’m loving the apple crisps and the leaves and the daily conversations about Halloween. Sometimes I wish it could be autumn always.
After an overfilled summer (not that we’re complaining), September gave us a chance to relax a bit. The kids settled in to school and their activities, and I got a routine. Ah, how I love routines!
Of course, as we launched in to the month there were a couple of annoyances to go with all the fun. I planned out all these activities for the kids to be involved in, including a cooking class, dance classes, and a group violin class, but all the ones I wanted (no joke—all of them) ended up getting cancelled! We wound up with just swimming lessons and piano (nobody can cancel that one since I’m the teacher!), but it’s given the kids time to play together, so I guess that’s good? I’m hoping to get some other stuff going in January when the weather chases us inside. On the plus side, the kids are all making more progress in swimming lessons than they ever have before (Theo: listens to the teacher and tries things! Addy: she’s such a fish it’s ridiculous. Emer: actually stays in the water the whole time!). Piano practice has been really regular, and I’ve been delighted at how excited Theo and Addy have been about plunging in and learning new things. I’m all for summers off!
Three days into kindergarten, Addy got to celebrate her fifth birthday. We decided to procrastinate her friends’ party for a few weeks so she could get to know the children in her class first, but in the mean time we had a fun family celebration, and she got to be the first kid to take birthday treats to school. She decided on a cookie theme for her birthday this year, so we made chocolate chip sandwich cookies for her class and her birthday cake looked like a gigantic chocolate chip cookie with Hershey kisses as the chips. She chose East Side Mario’s for her birthday dinner, and got her very own Hawaiian pizza along with a super-yum Italian birthday custard with a sparkler in it. They also brought out little mini ice-cream cones for the rest of the family, and ended up giving us a whole extra pizza when they got our order wrong the first time. Yeah, we love that place.
After three straight years of Joy School, I decided to take this year off. We enrolled Emerson in a little pre-school just up the street, and my favorite part of the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays is walking him up there. He’s so enthusiastic and observant about the world around him. As I dropped him off that first day, it was so fun to watch him give me a quick kiss and then just jump right in. Lots of parents had to stick around the first couple of days, but Emerson only needed about 30 seconds to adjust. He’s so friendly and outgoing and loves talking about his friends at school and planning what to play with at each class. Meanwhile I’ve had a little time to devote to writing. Sera takes two naps on those days, and I’ve been amazed at what I’ve been able to accomplish during that time.
Theo has made the jump to grade two, and after I nearly drove the principal crazy in the days before school started as we tried to make sure he had a good match with a teacher, it seems we got it right. Most of his close friends are in his class with him, and because the class is a grade 2/3 split, there are only 22 kids. His French is sounding rather impressive (at least to me), and he seems to love his teacher. Although his behavior at home has taken a bit of a hit since he started back to school, I’m trying to make enough time to really connect with him for a while each day, and help him make some goals each week.
Although Addy had looked forward to kindergarten all summer, her first couple of weeks were a bit rocky. For her, it just seemed like so long to be away from home. Her teacher and classroom are both great, but the transition was a little harder than either she or I expected. We spent some extra time talking over cookies and brainstorming about how to make new friends. Although it took courage, she really tried and she’s met some cute new friends. Now that she has gotten settled in she’s really enjoying it. And her French is coming right along too.
The other fun thing we got going this month is a Friday playgroup. Although I am glad for the break from Joy School, I discovered that I missed that special time planning and hanging out with preschoolers. Although Sunbeams absorbs some of that energy, I missed spending that time with my kid. So we’ve made the playgroup a sort of themed event. One week we went on a nature walk at the gorgeous, sprawling Wascana park that goes through the south end of our city, and the next we made a stop at a hay maze they’ve set up at a garden shop nearby. It’s always good to get together with moms to chat and have fun, especially when it doesn’t even mess up my house!
So, that’s it for September. I’m loving the apple crisps and the leaves and the daily conversations about Halloween. Sometimes I wish it could be autumn always.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Homemade donuts
Okay, I know this goes against my usual policy of posting once a month, but as a preview of sorts for September, I wanted to share this new, super-easy donut recipe I found. They are so awesome on a brisk fall day with some fresh apple cider.
HOMEMADE DONUTS
2 c warm water
1 T yeast
1 box cake mix (we used spice last time--mmm)
4 c flour
Let the yeast dissolve in the water, then add the cake mix and flour. Knead together until stretchy, then let rise for an hour (or pop into a warm oven with the door open for 20 minutes--I'm all about shortcuts). Roll the dough out to about 3/4-1 inch thick, cut into circles with a large cup, and make holes with a bottle lid. Then fry them up in oil over medium heat. They are delish!
HOMEMADE DONUTS
2 c warm water
1 T yeast
1 box cake mix (we used spice last time--mmm)
4 c flour
Let the yeast dissolve in the water, then add the cake mix and flour. Knead together until stretchy, then let rise for an hour (or pop into a warm oven with the door open for 20 minutes--I'm all about shortcuts). Roll the dough out to about 3/4-1 inch thick, cut into circles with a large cup, and make holes with a bottle lid. Then fry them up in oil over medium heat. They are delish!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
All About August
(scroll to the bottom of the page for pictures, etc.)
It hardly seems like the events of the last month could really have fit into thirty-one days. How they'll fit into a single issue of the Mitchell Messenger remains to be seen.
On August 1 we piled the kids into the van for the six hour drive from Salt Lake to Yellowstone National Park. Since we didn't know when we'd have another chance, we decided to take the long way around and visit Grandma Ruthie on the way (a few details of that visit are detailed in the Sweden post at the bottom of the page). We finally arrived at the super-nice cabin Chelsi had booked for our family reunion a little after dinnertime. We feasted (as we did at every meal--there are a surprising number of impressive chefs in the family), then shuttled the kids off to bed and spent the evening in the hot tub under the stars, catching up on funny anecdotes from our kids during our absence and sharing our experiences in Denmark and Sweden with everyone.
In the morning we woke to gorgeous weather and eggs benedict. Mmm. I love eating when I haven't done the cooking! We spent the morning outside the cabin, with the kids collecting armfuls of wildflowers. Theo and Addy were so sweet, talking non-stop about how they're best friends and getting excited to start school together as they wandered through the trees. It was a "time in a bottle" morning. We trekked over to the river later in the day so that Aaron and I could practice a little teamwork in a canoe. You can see an exerpt of our conversation in Humorous Happenings. Let it suffice to say that Aaron and I work really well when we're each the bosses of our own thing. We rock at mutual admiration. We're probably not ever going to make it as an Olympic kayaking team. And please don't nominate us for The Amazing Race.
So after that fun journey we headed back to the cabin for some cool activities Chelsi had planned. The big game of the evening was toilet paper charades. We pulled off respectable performances in Monsters Inc. and Green Eggs and Ham, but we didn't grab the Oscar until we performed Book of Mormon Stories: The Vision of the Tree of Life. Emerson won the night with his phenomenal performance as "the crazy mocking person in the great and spacious building." The kid has a future on the stage. We ended the night with some great family bonding, and of course another dip in the hot tub.
On Sunday we made the rounds in Yellowstone itself, driving and stopping at as many paint pots and hot springs as we could manage before Sera's incessant crying threw some very literal cold water (well, more like warm and salty I guess) on our spirits. The kids were enchanted with the brilliant colors and the steaming water, and Old Faithful, though late, made a sputtering appearance that we all enjoyed. Fast forward more delicious food, more good company, a great visit with my mom and Don, lots of snuggling with adorable LucyMae and darling Clark, and several dollars in change collected from the couches in the cabin by Paul and Howie, and we arrived, regretfully, at the end of our family reunion. We had such a great time, and really appreciate all the hard work Chelsi put in to make it happen—it was fab!
So after kissing everyone goodbye, we set out for another day in Yellowstone before making the trek back. Although we managed to miss the bear everyone else had seen, we had a lovely drive through the northern section of Yellowstone, stopping at the falls and finishing off with a visit to Mammoth Hot Springs. At one of our last view areas, Theo happened upon a power converter lying on the ground (he misses nothing) which Aaron then used to plug in our laptop and book us a night at a hotel in Billings. We sped through Montana, arriving late at our hotel, to the disappointment of the kids who had been eagerly anticipating a swim. So the next morning we woke up early, had a delicious breakfast at the hotel restaurant (where the kids ate free—yay!), and managed to squeeze in an hour at the pool. Honestly, that was the highlight of the whole trip for the kids--they love hotels. A long drive later, we made it home.
Well, the next couple of weeks consisted of house-painting, watching the Olympics, shopping, and preparing for the school year. But we had to take a break for our tenth anniversary on August 21! Although we considered our trip to Denmark to be our big celebration, I thought it would be fun to surprise Aaron with a real date on the actual day. I secretly planned a babysitter and then kidnapped him to go to see Indiana Jones and have dinner at an awesome Greek restaurant nearby. It wasn’t fancy but it sure was fun. And it made me grateful and excited all over again at marrying a man who is such a perfect match for me! I couldn’t ask for a better partner—because we truly are partners in everything we do (except canoeing).
Then, to round out the month, the kids started school. The pictures really say it all. Theo and Addy wore American flag shirts on the first day. See, last year Theo was all into being Canadian. Then he watched the Olympics. This year both kids were proud to start the year as red, white and blue Americans!
It hardly seems like the events of the last month could really have fit into thirty-one days. How they'll fit into a single issue of the Mitchell Messenger remains to be seen.
On August 1 we piled the kids into the van for the six hour drive from Salt Lake to Yellowstone National Park. Since we didn't know when we'd have another chance, we decided to take the long way around and visit Grandma Ruthie on the way (a few details of that visit are detailed in the Sweden post at the bottom of the page). We finally arrived at the super-nice cabin Chelsi had booked for our family reunion a little after dinnertime. We feasted (as we did at every meal--there are a surprising number of impressive chefs in the family), then shuttled the kids off to bed and spent the evening in the hot tub under the stars, catching up on funny anecdotes from our kids during our absence and sharing our experiences in Denmark and Sweden with everyone.
In the morning we woke to gorgeous weather and eggs benedict. Mmm. I love eating when I haven't done the cooking! We spent the morning outside the cabin, with the kids collecting armfuls of wildflowers. Theo and Addy were so sweet, talking non-stop about how they're best friends and getting excited to start school together as they wandered through the trees. It was a "time in a bottle" morning. We trekked over to the river later in the day so that Aaron and I could practice a little teamwork in a canoe. You can see an exerpt of our conversation in Humorous Happenings. Let it suffice to say that Aaron and I work really well when we're each the bosses of our own thing. We rock at mutual admiration. We're probably not ever going to make it as an Olympic kayaking team. And please don't nominate us for The Amazing Race.
So after that fun journey we headed back to the cabin for some cool activities Chelsi had planned. The big game of the evening was toilet paper charades. We pulled off respectable performances in Monsters Inc. and Green Eggs and Ham, but we didn't grab the Oscar until we performed Book of Mormon Stories: The Vision of the Tree of Life. Emerson won the night with his phenomenal performance as "the crazy mocking person in the great and spacious building." The kid has a future on the stage. We ended the night with some great family bonding, and of course another dip in the hot tub.
On Sunday we made the rounds in Yellowstone itself, driving and stopping at as many paint pots and hot springs as we could manage before Sera's incessant crying threw some very literal cold water (well, more like warm and salty I guess) on our spirits. The kids were enchanted with the brilliant colors and the steaming water, and Old Faithful, though late, made a sputtering appearance that we all enjoyed. Fast forward more delicious food, more good company, a great visit with my mom and Don, lots of snuggling with adorable LucyMae and darling Clark, and several dollars in change collected from the couches in the cabin by Paul and Howie, and we arrived, regretfully, at the end of our family reunion. We had such a great time, and really appreciate all the hard work Chelsi put in to make it happen—it was fab!
So after kissing everyone goodbye, we set out for another day in Yellowstone before making the trek back. Although we managed to miss the bear everyone else had seen, we had a lovely drive through the northern section of Yellowstone, stopping at the falls and finishing off with a visit to Mammoth Hot Springs. At one of our last view areas, Theo happened upon a power converter lying on the ground (he misses nothing) which Aaron then used to plug in our laptop and book us a night at a hotel in Billings. We sped through Montana, arriving late at our hotel, to the disappointment of the kids who had been eagerly anticipating a swim. So the next morning we woke up early, had a delicious breakfast at the hotel restaurant (where the kids ate free—yay!), and managed to squeeze in an hour at the pool. Honestly, that was the highlight of the whole trip for the kids--they love hotels. A long drive later, we made it home.
Well, the next couple of weeks consisted of house-painting, watching the Olympics, shopping, and preparing for the school year. But we had to take a break for our tenth anniversary on August 21! Although we considered our trip to Denmark to be our big celebration, I thought it would be fun to surprise Aaron with a real date on the actual day. I secretly planned a babysitter and then kidnapped him to go to see Indiana Jones and have dinner at an awesome Greek restaurant nearby. It wasn’t fancy but it sure was fun. And it made me grateful and excited all over again at marrying a man who is such a perfect match for me! I couldn’t ask for a better partner—because we truly are partners in everything we do (except canoeing).
Then, to round out the month, the kids started school. The pictures really say it all. Theo and Addy wore American flag shirts on the first day. See, last year Theo was all into being Canadian. Then he watched the Olympics. This year both kids were proud to start the year as red, white and blue Americans!
Yellowstone Adventures
Gathering wildflowers
Into the "deep dark forest" (singing cuckoo-wakee)
Papa, Sera, and Pepper
Ladderball
Exploring the world
Addy and Howie
Waiting for Old Faithful
Emerson sure loves LucyMae . . . but is the feeling mutual?
Family photo shot (too bad we couldn't all look into the same camera!)
Overlooking the falls
Me and my beauties
Off come the shoes
What pals!
My little helper
I'm pretty sure they weren't supposed to climb up here--but I had to take a picture
Looking for a bear
The highlight of our trip (no joke--these kids LOVE hotels)
Back to School!
Americans in Canada
How I will miss these two!
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