A Boyd Winter Wonderland

Guess what time it is...? It's Advent time, and for us that kicks off Christmas Preparation Mode full throttle. Today we got seriously into CPM. Boxes were dragged out, emptied, pretty shiny Christmas things were hung from top to bottom, the wreath found it's favourite place on the front door and you know the best part.... it snowed! Well, technically it snowed yesterday but for once the white flakes weren't washed away by cold rain hours later. It snowed, then the clouds cleared and the sun came out, and we've been enjoying it/freezing ever since.

Clearly we westerners are not used to -5 temperatures, so we are caught somewhere between winter bliss and not coping well due to being totally ill equipped for cold weather, snow and everything that comes with it. It's completely foreign to us on some level, but here is where having kids comes in handy - they don't care. They just enjoy. It's all very simple to them: it snowed so put on your coat and go outside and play until your nose is red and your hands feel like they want to fall off, then come in for hot cocoa, warm up, get your coat back on, go out side and repeat. And don't complain, because we all know it ain't lasting very long. Just enjoy it while you have it, and deal with tomorrow tomorrow. Kids are very in the moment. They teach me a lot about that.

Anyhow, here we are in our winter bliss:

See the sun peeking out in the distance. This was taken around 7:30 am - oh yes, the childhood excitement for snow waits for nothing. The coffee hadn't even finished brewing yet and we were already outside.

So clearly when I say it "snowed" I mean we got 1 cm or less. Nevertheless, she loved it as far as firsts go.

And here is Jake "shoveling" the snow dust with a garden shovel.  As I said, we westerners aren't used to snow, and are thus rarely equipped. At least I speak for us four Boyds when I say this. Other Vancouver Islanders may well have been ready with snow tires and street salt. We were not among them. 

Moving on to decorations. My Christmas Village is up and running folks. Ain't she a beauty.

I love Christmas Villages. They are almost as good as snow globes. It's a perfect picture of a perfect life in a perfect wintery world. In a world where life just isn't perfect no matter how hard you try, it's nice to have a little escape into a winter wonderland, don't you agree?  If not leave me alone to my romantic delusions - they make me happy.

This reminds me, did I ever tell you about how my husband proposed to me one September evening by setting up a life size winter wonderland. How could I say no? 

Happy winter wonderlanding everyone. 

Knitting with Oma

Here's hoping she can learn from my mother the one thing I never could: sock knitting

Halloween 2014

Happy Halloween!

I've been doing Halloween posts three years running now, and I don't see any reason to stop. Halloween is one of those dress me up, give me way too much candy, and let me have a lot of nighttime fun kind of holidays. I have many happy memories of choosing a costume, working hard to create it just like it was in my imagination, and then showing it off to all my neighbours while collecting a bag full of candy I probably didn't need. And it's fun to see my boy now getting to the age where he really gets lost in the anticipation, imagination, and excitement of the holiday.

This year, he was a train man (again, surprise surprise) and his dad escorted him as Captain Smith from the Titanic itself. And Amelia was a lady bug, though she only made it until 6:30 before she crashed in her crib. And I, well, I was in my usual costume - a whitch of course :) cackle, cackle.

A few photos of the evening coming up. But first Amelia's first birthday halloween party:

I made caramel apples, surprisingly easy, and festive I'd say.

 She was a ladybug, so I made ladybug cupcakes. Seemed appropriate.

And tonight: Captain Smith and his train engineer.

Matt wore Jake's captain hat from 2012. FIt like a glove.

Our not so sleepy looking, sleepy ladybug.

Our spooktacular house: 

And Jake's loot (this is only our neighbourhood. After this he went to Nana's neighbourhood and brought home double!)

I mean, check out all the coffee crisp alone... that can't be good for his teeth. In fact, I think I'll take him to go brush them now.

Have a spooky night!

The Boyds

Playground Photo Dump

Okay, so here's the truth: my laptop died. It was a long time coming, and it's probably my own fault for not treating it with the care and dignity it deserved, but it's too late for all that now because it's a goner. The problem is I haven't replaced it, and all the things I once loved to do on my laptop now have to be done on my husband's computer, which is all the way in the corner of the living room basically a million miles away, and the chair is uncomfortable, and the desktop is unfamiliar, and that is why I haven't blogged in ages.

At least that is what I am telling everyone who has been asking me why I haven't posted anything in eons, and am I okay? Yes, I am okay. We are all wonderfully, happily okay - all but one. The laptop.

Anyway, long post over due because a great many things have been going on here at the Boyd residence, namely little girl turning ONE! So long catch up post is coming soon - promise.

For now, a few snapshots from a recent visit to the park:

Ask her "Amelia, where's your tongue?" and this is what you'll get.

Sister loves when daddy does this.

Okay, not a picture from the park but I'm putting it in anyway: