The Big Trip

This year we're going to Michael's parents house for Christmas in Kitimat. I'm sure I've probably mentioned that in previous posts, but just in case anyone forgot, there it is again :) Usually I'm super organized about trips. I have packing spreadsheets with lists of what to pack for me, Aidan and Keira organized into categories, plus lists of snacks to bring (for airplane or car) and the best toys to bring along on trips. Before any trip I usually spend a couple hours researching various travel sites, finding tips about travelling with children, making notes on what people recommend bringing for kids or for snacks or whatever. As time goes on though, I have noticed that I am less paranoid, probably because I've realized that it doesn't matter how much research I do, it's not really going to affect the behaviour of the kids.

This trip kind of snuck up on me. I've been so wrapped up in getting Christmas presents, finishing Christmas baking, getting Christmas cards out etc. that it's now 3 days until we leave - 4 sleeps! - and I still haven't gone over my packing spreadsheets! I can remember times when I had my list finalized a week before we planned to leave and the actual bag was packed 3 days prior to leaving - although that was also probably before we had kids!! I'm crossing my fingers that we have enough room in the car for everything we're bringing - presents, snow gear, hockey gear, skis, playpen - and then of course our bags!!

Winter

We've been having a discussion in our house as to whether it is winter or not. Aidan keeps asking me if it's winter and I say yes, and then he asks Michael, who says I'm wrong and it's not winter yet. I feel like when there's snow on the ground and I'm wearing my winter jacket, mittens and hat - it's winter! Michael goes by the calendar and still maintains it is officially fall and not winter until the solstice on Dec 21. Usually Aidan takes my side in EVERYTHING, but in this one thing he's been taking Michael's side and saying to me 'I know it's not winter. It's fall. You're wrong Mommy' which of course is just great.

Even though it is not 'technically' winter, it's starting to feel a lot more winter-y around here lately. Right after Halloween we got about 3 or 4 dumps of snow, but in between it would warm up and be slushy and muddy, which I think is the worst part of spring up here. Then it snowed again, warmed up, iced over and we've had ice for the longest time. Now we've gotten a huge dump of snow and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon either!

I have also started that extremely frustrating/slightly rewarding process of Christmas baking.
I enjoy cooking and baking, but my problem is that I like to experiment and I have a hard time simply following the recipe. Sometimes I just don't have enough of what I need, so I substitute, or I want to improve the nutritional value so I throw in extra veggies or reduce the oil/butter but it's difficult for me to just let it be! With Christmas baking though, I try really hard to follow the recipe exactly - and stuff STILL doesn't turn out!! This just proves my point. If it's not going to turn out anyways....why not try to improve it?? This year I'm making Chocolate Fruit Balls, Raspberry Nut Pinwheels, Chocolate Mayan Sparklers, Raisin Rugalachs, Ginger Snaps, Chocolate Marshmallow Rolls and Festive Fruit Loaf. I have made everything before, except the Chocolate Fruit Balls and I don't think I'll make them again. They're a mixture of peanut butter, candied fruit, coconut, dates and nuts dipped in chocolate and the dipping part is not fun. Also, there's 100 of them and I spent like 2 hours and only got about 30 dipped. Everything else is fairly straightforward (which is why I picked them!) except for the Raspberry Nut Pinwheels. They are made by rolling out some dough, spreading jam and walnuts on top, rolling it up and then slicing the roll to make the cookies. My dough is constantly falling apart - as if I didn't follow the recipe closely even though I did! I've made 1 batch and I'm going to try again and this time I'm going to slightly adjust the recipe and add more softened butter to see if it helps hold the dough together. These just might be my favourite cookies out of everything that I make, and it might be because the perfect Raspberry Nut Pinwheel is so elusive!

The other day I realized that we were almost a full week into December and I still hadn't gotten the tree up or the advent/countdown calendar up! My mom made this awesome fabric wall hanging calendar with little numbered pockets and a little teddy bear who moves from pocket to pocket as it gets closer to Christmas. There's also room for a couple treats in each pocket and Aidan loves moving the teddy bear along and discovering what each pocket is hiding. Yesterday the teddy moved from 1 to 7 and then this morning Aidan got to move the teddy to 8 and he and Keira got some smarties. Keira was fascinated by the calendar and after she had gotten and eaten her smarties, stood looking at it, maybe trying to figure out how to get more smarties!

Our tree is also up but still undecorated. Aidan likes to put up the decorations with me and things have finally slowed down a bit so hopefully we can do that today. I love pulling out the bit Rubbermaid of Christmas stuff and unpacking all the decorations and ornaments and little things that go along with the season! There's just someting about the Christmas season that makes me feel warm and happy and like everything is going to be okay.

I also love Christmas shopping - not now, but before all the craziness hits. I hate going into stores now because they're packed with grumpy rude people who are all in a hurry. I usually start at the end of August, beginning of September and shop right up until December. My reasoning is that is spreads out the cost over a few months, but when I pull everything out to wrap it up I always have way more than I anticipated! There's always those few things that I bought 3 months ago and forgot about or packed away in my closet so no one would find. This year was no exception and we just barely have enough room under the tree for all the presents - and that's just for the kids! There's sure a lot to be thankful for! We're spending Christmas in Kitimat this year so the kids will probably have 2 Christmases - a little one here before we go and then a bigger one in Kitimat with all of Michael's family. It should be fun, we've never done Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's before. I think we did it once or twice when I was growing up, but it wasn't a tradition that I or my kids have grown up with. Aidan was very concerned when he heard that we weren't spending Christmas here because he thought he wouldn't be getting any presents!! He's been very busy inspecting all the presents under the tree and wanted to make a big pile out of his presents. I think it makes Christmas even more special when you can experience it again through the excitement of your kids!

Done and Done!

I'm finally done all my sewing projects!!! Technically, I still have to finish 'cutting' the one blanket, but that should be done tonight and then everything is done, I'm so happy.

Here are the pants that I made for Aidan - and there's 2 pictures because I'm not sure which one has the better lighting, or maybe they're both equally bad:


I think he'll like them....hopefully he does because if he doesn't, he'll never wear them!

And my last projects, the 2 baby blankets I made. I was going to make the babies little flame pants, I thought that would be cute, but Michael suggested I make blankets instead because 'I do such a good job on them' or something equally flattering, so I did blankets. And since I usually only do 1 or 2 at a time and completely forget how to do them between making any, I accidentally made these extra large! Fortunately I had enough material, but I always forget how much work it is! I think the end result is work it though. The pattern is little blue and red and yellow and lime green cars and they're honking their horns because above each car is 'Pip Pip' - so cute!

I would also like to say thanks for all the great comments on my other sewing projects!! You'll notice, though, that I didn't take any super close ups, so you can't see my wobbly seams and other imperfections. You also can't tell that Keira's top is about 5" too wide for her - I guess you can now because I just said it. I don't know what's with sewing patterns and stuff being super wide! I know none of those things are big deals, I'll get better with practice. And I think I'll continue to practice on polarfleece - it's so forgiving, just swallows any wobbly seams or uneven backstitching in it's fuzziness!

Aidan Meets Batman

There's a new Best Buy in Grande Prairie and as part of their Grand Opening they brought Batman in for the kids to meet. I let Aidan choose between going to meet Sponge Bob Squarepants or Batman and he chose Batman.

Here he is on the way to Best Buy. You can just see on his face that he's super excited!

There was a crazy amount of traffic, so we made good use of the camera while stuck in traffic.

Also keep in mind we're both sick which is probably why I look all pale and gross. Keira's been sick for a couple weeks and Aidan's had a runny nose for a few days but Saturday and Sunday Michael and I got it really bad.

The obligatory 'silly face'

And here I am trying to eat his head - apparently. I forgot how silly faces are still cute on little kids...but not so much on their parents. Oh well, Aidan thought these were the best pictures ever :)

Finally, after standing in line both outside and inside, Aidan finally got to meet Batman.

The Pose.

As you can see in the first picture of the two of them, they had a little conversation. I missed the first part, but this is kinda how it went:

Batman: Hi, what's your name?

Aidan: Aidan. I got to choose to see Sponge Bob or Batman and I chose Batman.

Batman: Oh, well I'm glad you came. Sponge Bob and I are actually good friends. We had soup just the other day.

Aidan: Oh!

Batman: Do you know what kind of soup he had? Tomato! Do you know what my favourite kind of soup is?

Aidan: No.

Batman: Beef stew. What's your favourite kind of soup?

Aidan: Tomato.

Batman: Ah, just like Sponge Bob. Who's your favourite Super Hero?

Aidan: You (thankfully he pulled through and said Batman instead of Spiderman, who I think is really his favourite Super Hero)

Batman: Oh good, high five!

I thought it was really nice that even though there were tons of kids there he took the time to have a little conversation instead of just signing the paper and posing for a picture. And of course Aidan thought it was the coolest thing :)