Lots of Reasons to Celebrate

It was a week of celebrations, with Emily's 11th birthday on Tuesday and Warren's 9th birthday on Wednesday.  Then on Thursday we celebrated Sinter Klaas, since the Very Exciting Package containing several of the ordered gifts did not arrive in the mail until Tuesday, too late to celebrate on the traditonal day (December 5).  I can't count how many times I heard, "I can't wait until..."

 The night before Sinter Klaas, each of the kids puts out a shoe by the door. In the morning they wait for each other at the top of the stairs until everyone is ready and then they storm down to find a treat in their shoe. This did not seem too gross when they were little, but for some years this has seemed an odd thing to do. But tradition is strong enough to prevail, and so a well-wrapped gift is placed there for them to enjoy. :)

Allison baked a gingerbread house which everyone helped decorate.  It turned out really well, though the icing was a little drippy and the roof pieces needed some extra support until the icing hardened enough to keep them in place.  They had fun and it made a yummy dessert.

When Daddy gets home from work, it's time for some gifts and a supper of finger-foods, followed by games or a movie.

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We did not get all that lovely snow that our neighbours to the east have been enjoying.  What we did get wasn't quite enough to cover the grass.  Today's above zero temperatures has caused most of it to melt away again.


Amy posted some great links for homemade gift ideas, so the kids spent a bit of time doing some of them.  Allison and Leah took turns on the sewing machine on various projects while Meghan mixed up some bird-seed cakes with Nadia's help...

And Justine mixed up some pretty and lovely smelling bath salts.

My wise husband encouraged me to get out and go for a walk with him this afternoon, rather than waiting until evening when we normally go.  The weather was mild, the sun was shining and with so much moisture in the air from the melting snow it was hazy.  Looking across the fields towards home, where Saturday showers and baths had already begun, where the sewing machine was humming, the piano was being played, boys were busy with Lego....

Our home is always buzzing with noise and activity.  I love that.  But it's nice to step outside of it for a while. 

And then it's good to head back and be surrounded by it again, too.

P.S.  Tonight when I was putting Thomas to bed he was singing his version of 'O Canada.'  It goes like this, "O Canada! My home where native Indians live..." :)