Good Times.

 Last year,  our neighbour Gus gave us the pajamas that Eli is wearing.  They were size 6 and they were Judah's favourite!  Judah's favourite because they were super warm and super cool because they were Gus'.  Well!  This past month Gus brought over another pair of pajamas!  The same ones in size 8!  Horray!  Now the two boys are super warm, super cool and also nice and matchy.  Thanks Gus!

 The kids have been into this a lot lately.  Those little plastic beads you set on a little grid and then iron the whole design and ta-da!  Beauty!  I can't believe that they all love this craft so much - time consuming and quiet.   

Judah is upset in the above picture because he has to finish his theory before he can play.  Tough!  

Eli and Silas were in the middle of dress-up and took a little crafting break.

 Here is another day, still more play.  The things they create! 

 Nadine still takes Lila to school once in awhile.  The girls at school made a house/fort out of snow.  Anneke and Nadineke were pretending that they were living in the house and their parents weren't there.  They had to take care of themselves and the baby!  They did well by making food out of snow and making warm snowbeds and being brave in all their adventures.

 Eli would like an ipod touch.  So, he decided to have a sale and sell us some of his stuff.  His prices were a bit high ($30-$53) but he quickly lowered his price when his skeptical family wouldn't buy ($11-14).  Still no buyers but if you are interested, please let Eli know.  He was a little crushed that nothing sold.

 Yay!  Steve and I are done speeches!

Above: Nadine puts her speech on cue cards.  This year we had 4 kids working on "speeches" and it was a bit tiring for Steve and I although we were told that the majority of the work would be done at school :)

 Reuben: a Speech on Bowser (a character from the Mario games)

Nadine: a speech on Deer

Judah: Recitation of the story "Ant on the Railroad Track"

Eli: Choral and individual recitation of a Max Lucado poem

 Silas always (usually) gets on all of his stuff on to play with the kids in the mornings while they wait for the bus.  We were running out of places to put the snow from the driveway but all that means for the kids is better hills to play on :)

 Sad Silas.  He didn't want me to take his picture because he can't play trains when I am there.  It was so cute, though.  He chats and chatters on with those trains.

 Hamper on the head?  Knight, of course!  See the horses and swords?!

Family day was SO lovely.  The weekend before Steve and I went to Toronto to hang out with Rob and Rachel.  It was so good to be together, and talk and admire their home, and eat and laugh and shop and listen to music together.  My parents (wonderfully) watched the kids both day and the kids had a super great time building snow forts and swimming in the hot tub.
When Steve and I come home, we still had Family Day to be with our little people!  "Sleeping in," watching the Olympics, snacking, napping, family skating (gets easier and easier every year!), learning how to curl at the local curling club, home again to watch "Cool Runnings" and have another nap (for the two above) with me and then as soon as it was dark - fireworks! at the park.  A lovely family day.  We sure do love our family.

 Waiting for the bus.  Here is where "Reuben's Room's guts" are.  A bit messy on the front porch.  We are waiting for a bit of a thaw to get Dad's trailer out from under the snow!

And here is Reuben's room!  Nice and insulated.  It already makes a difference.  Steve has now also finished putting the plasic vapour barrier up, Dad is almost done the electric (working on putting a ceiling fan/light on the ceiling right now.  Turns out our 10 feet ceilings actually are dropped two feet from the original 12 foot ones.  Crazy high!  Why?!  Anyway, I guess that complicated things up there in the attic/crawl space)  

Anyway, good times here at 242.  :)