Elspeth’s forehead

Just in case you were wondering what all of the bandaids look like now.  We have gone from this….

…to…

It looks pretty good doesn’t it?  The morning before Glenn was able to get the bandage off Elspeth decided that she was annoyed by it.  Now, we had been trimming the tape bit by bit as it came lose.  SO, Elspeth went in to the bathroom.  Climbed up on the toilet and got the scissors which were in the medicine cabinet.  And then proceeded to trim her bandage.  She was quite pleased with herself and told us that she had cut her bandage.  We had been keeping her bangs shaggy to hid the tape so I didn’t notice it at first.  However, then I walked past the bathroom.  Hair.  Black hair scattered across the floor.  At least it is not too noticable.

Bring on the Festive Shows

This has been the week of festive/winter shows.  On Wednesday alone there were three and then the last one this morning.  It all began with a brief multicultural holiday concert at Katrine’s after school care.  The kids were quite good and obviously proud of their hard work.  Then a quick kiss and I left her to enjoy the potluck until her father arrived.  He got there in time to pick her up, walk her to her classroom and then grab a seat for her show.  All of the photos we have of these two performances have other kids in them so I will not be posting them.  That said, Katrine and the rest of the group did a fabulous job (I got to see it on video).

While those two were off at Katrine’s concert, I was feeding Elspeth and gettting her ready for her holiday concert.  Her class sang Frosty the Snowman.  The photos below are of her doing the Thumpity-Thump-Thump part of the song.

This morning was Katrine’s Theater on Ice showcase.  It was really well done.  She had a blast and did a great job.  Again, too many others so no photos.  🙁

To address the lack of Katrine photos in this post I will also tell you that the girls decorated gingerbread houses yesterday afternoon.  Enjoy.

Welcome Snow!

It is looking like the Christmas that you remember from childhood – snowy!!  The girls had a blast outside yesterday.  They have a new mold and built a mini bakery (in my world with an older brother it was called a fort but to them a snow bakery).  When that got old, they took turns pulling Katrine’s monkey around in the baby sled.  No skating for Elspeth after I get Katrine tomorrow so I see some outside playtime before dinner.

Christmas Market

Last night we took Glenn’s mom with us on a festive outing downtown to the Christmas Market.  We went last year but thought that it would be a nice family outing which it was.  The lights are truly beautiful and all of the snow last night made them even more so.  Imagine walking along to the sound of christmas music amidst a swirl of snowflakes as lights dance in the breeze over head.  Oh, and there is a huge tree and tons of festive decorations.

We made a family visit to Santa before ducking inside for much needed hot chocolate.

A little bit more walking took us to a chocolate shop.  What a heavenly smell greated us as we walked in.  If we hadn’t already had hot chocolate I would have stood in that super long line for some.  Instead, we saved our pennies and watched the machines making chocolate.  Mmmmm.

Oh and a head update: the tape is finally off of Elspeth’s head and it is looking much better than when the tape was on.  Just a pink line.  Yippee!

Gingerbread Party

And so we the school based celebrations began this week with a gingerbread cookie party at Elspeth’s before&after school care.  The kids had painted signs and made glitter centerpieces which were really cute but I forgot to get a photo of one (naughty mommy).  I did however make sure that each child of mine had a cookie, knife, icing and WAAAAY too much candy for her own good.

 Here is Elspeth and her creation.  She actually ended up eating quite a bit of her cookie this year.

This is Katrine’s cookie.  He is a Cyclops gingerbread man.  Can you guess what she is reading a lot of right now?

 

Some more Christmas fun

First, for those wondering Elspeth is basically fine.  We are still waiting for the bandage to come off so that we can see what type of scar she might be looking at.

Okay, Christmas!

This past weekend it was off to Christmas on the Farm run by a local church.  The girls really enjoy it.  This year Elspeth was quite interested in their live nativity (which is pretty darn good).  One of the wise men had “golden” chocolate coins.

 

Once the nativity play had been enjoyed (and we were thoroughly frozen), it was off to the craft zone in the barn.  This year’s craft was a cute folded Christmas tree held in place by a jube jube.

We topped the evening with a wagon ride to look at all of the fabulous lights.  A very cold evening but festive fun.

 

Wound update

Well, I can now say that I recommend opting for stitches over glue when given the chance.  Elspeth seemed okay until Saturday morning.  That is when there was some blood on cleaning.  Again today.  She is being a trooper but it hurts as her hair is caught in the tape.  Guess we are heading back to the doctor’s.  Sigh.  On Wednesday she wrote a note to her teacher explaining what had happened.  It is very cute.  Makes me smile.

In amidst all of the drama there have been good things as well.  Yesterday the whole family went to see the pantomime Peter Pan.  It was hilarious for both the kids and adults.  Top that off with time spent with cousins, uncle, aunt and grandparents and you have a great time. A great early Christmas gift.

Still smiling over all.

 

This afternoon was the annual Advent Craft Dinner at church.  The girls LOVE it!  They spend time doing crafts and being part of the church community.  Top that off with dinner, ample dessert and a family centered worship service and it is a sure fire success.  A great way to kick off advent…well, that and their Playmobile calendars.

Hard at work crafting

The evenings work…aside from the cookies which disappeared in a flash.

A Trip to the ER

And so, November is going out with a BUMP….CRY!!

Last night Elspeth managed to fall out of bed and into the corner of her dresser.  We are still not sure how she managed to hit the dresser because there is quite a gap between the two but manage it she did.  Glenn and I were woken up by a loud bump and crying.  At first we thought that she had simply fallen out of bed and then Glenn noticed that something was running down her cheek.  So, into the bathroom we went where there was light.  Goodness me, it was no little cut but a nicely bleeding gouge.

Off to the ER we drove.  I must say a special thank you to every single house that had their Christmas lights turned on so late into the night.  Nothing helps a hurting little one feel better than distraction and they did the trick.  The staff was excellent but as it goes with ERs we were stuck there from 12:30 until about 5:30.  Elspeth was a trooper and only cried when the doctor actually was gluing her gouge back together.  Poor wee thing came home and slept until 10:30 and she is the kid who hits 7:30 when she is sleeping in!  Before falling asleep she announced, “I am a brave girl.”  Yes my pet you are indeed.

Waiting for the freezing to kick in.

A little while later she was getting done so I added a bandage to Aleigh’s head.  That distracted her.

Right before the gluing.  She is ever so done now.

 

A Holiday Weekend with Snow

Last weekend we put up our tree and got the decorations out.  I love Christmas.  It is still a magical time.  Perhaps because I get to re-experience it through the eyes of a child.  The girls’ favourite ornaments are those which we made upon coming back from China.  They love the fact that an ornament actually has them on it.

We were suppose to go up to my parents for their local Santa Claus parade but the weather was against us.  Instead we spent a quite weekend at home.  The girls played in the snow and we saw our local parade instead.

Here is my favourite float.  I would never have thought of turning a recycling truck into a gingerbread house.

First visit to Santa!

Yup, the season has already begun in our house.  I have my nails painted red.  There is festive music on the radio and I have broken out the Christmas socks.  It is the most wonderful time of the year!!! 🙂

Actually, I was a bit surprised about the music thing.  Pleasantly surprised but still surprised.  I mean, we are not putting our tree up until next weekend during the Santa Claus Parade.  I was even more surprised to see that Bass Pro Shop already has their Santa.  Well, visiting Santa at a place where you can finish up some Christmas shopping and do some activities sounded like a great way to fill a Sunday afternoon so off we went.  The girls wrote letters to Santa, played with bows and BB guns (Katrine has now added a pink BB gun to her wish list…can you say NOT gonna happen.  That said, Katrine was much more successful hitting targets with the gun than foam arrows.  She killed the floor again with the Nerf arrows but hit the bird, bear and raccon targets with the toy gun.  Elspeth successfully hit a duck with her arrow…with a LOT of Glenn help that is.) and of course visited with the big guy.  It was a big day.  This year Elspeth allowed Santa to lift her up for the photo!!!  I had to stay near by but it is the first time that I am not actually in the photo.  A happy mom today.

If you can’t read Elsepth’s sentence, she has decided that she needs a Hello Kitty camera and is quite set on it.

The girls loved the mailbox with the talking reindeer beside it.\

Sometimes a girl just needs Baba’s help.