Let's play catch up

Last Sunday was uber busy. We had church, then we drove straight to Vancouver to pick my dad up from the airport. After that (and some lunch) we got down to trimming the tree.

When we first got married, I was absoutely strict about the tree. White lights, red balls. Nothing else. Then we got little snowmen and Santa Clauses. And made some ornaments.

And we had kids. Kids who wants stars on the treetop, and who make ugly but very cute little ornaments. And our tree is no longer perfectly even in the hanging of the ornaments, no longer perfect in it's red and whiteness.

But I still think it's pretty perfect.

David and Elisabeth got to open an early present. And then Dave and Alexis came over to play some Carcassonne.

In fact, they came over almost every day last week. Good times.

Then we decorated the gingerbread house. As the kids get older, the house gets more and more...crazy. Here's last year's posting on the house. And this is the year before that. Hunh, it looks like this is the fourth year. Crazy. But none of them are in their own posting so you have to scroll to see how the kids and houses have evolved.



It's beautiful, right?

Okay, moving right along: now that the monsoons have relented, we're walking to school. I'm loving the frosty mornings. So pretty.


Friday afternoon me and the kids went for a long walk around our neighborhood.

We are super blessed to live where there are playgrounds surrounding us. So many to choose from! So of course we stopped to play for a while.







And we collected some sticks.

And even had a couple of battles. But then we were getting cold and it was getting dark so we headed home to make dinner.

And bundle up for this year's Spirit of Christmas! Speaking of traditions, we've done this a few times too! Starting in 2006, 2007, and though we went last year, I must not have posted pictures (maybe cause we were moving?)

Anyway, it's a tradition now and Ashlie insisted we go this year too!

They always have a row of trees decorated. This year my favorite was the Chemis-Tree. I tried to look up this carol on the Internet, but did you know there's a whole Chemist Subculture out there? Chemist Carols? Chemis-tree stuff? Crazy!

We perused the craft stalls, skipped the crafts (too busy!) and went throug the hall of trees. Then we went outside and while I waited in line for the Living Nativity, the kids, Dad and Drew played with the animals at the petting zoo.

Dad was SUPER excited!

And the Nativity Play was really good. Those kids could sing!

The Cariboo Hill Savation Army Band. Also excellent!



Tonight was the Langley Santa Claus Parade. This year we haven't got anyone in a stroller so it was nice folding chairs for the kids. I think next year I'm going to have to remember to bring blankets. And maybe pillows. And a sleeping bag. It was cold, in case you can't tell.


I had the kids in long johns and fleece lined pants, but upon reflection, snow pants might have been a good idea too. That said, they didn't feel cold when we got them home, so hopefully we were okay.



My camera doesn't take very good night pictures, but let me just say; this is a great parade! Half an hour long and lots of floats. My only complaint was that they put the hootchie kootchie float (Gabby's Caberet with their loud music and skanky dance team) in a group with a radio station and a group of carolers. Guess which float was the only one of those three that we could hear? Too bad they weren't better spaced.



Other than that, no complaints. Oh, and the Cloverdale Santa Clause Parade is tomorrow. Can't wait.