A home day

The past week has flown by - lots happening, on the one hand.  Phone calls to insurance companies regarding new house coverage, but also to ICBC and MPI about the accident.  Trips to the doctor for whiplash (for me), then an infection (for Ai).  Morning drop-bys to the new house to finalize upstairs paint samples and an agreement on fixing up the bathroom.  A new play group at the school near our new house on Tuesdays, Mom's group on Thursday, library story time on Friday.  Those have been the fun things, but otherwise I feel like I'm back in my role as an admin assistant for all the phone calls I've been doing!


On the other hand, its been a quiet week.  Without Iz in the house, I've marvelled at how much lower the energy level is.  I only ever had two kids for Ai's first 8 months, and so I forget how much easier it is than having the three (not that I'm saying two kids is easy!).  I've been enjoying my one-on-one time with Ai, not to mention my longer hours of uninterrupted sleep.  A's thrilled if I let her go downstairs to let me stay in bed for half an hour while she makes breakfast for herself and Ai.  It's wonderful to have such a nurturing daughter as my oldest child!  However, I'm looking forward to the plane's return on Tuesday morning to give my little 'zest in flesh' girl a big hug.  I know if I wasn't in such a strange transitional season of life, I would miss her far more than I have.  S, as well.  

Playing outside Friday at 4:30 - it feels so dark!

What a kid:  - 8 C and not even with the coat zipped up!

This weekend has been a lazy one.  We went to bed with big snowflakes falling and had a really fun time playing on the wide swirly slide at the nearby playground this morning around 9:30 a.m.  I believe it was -14 C at that point, helping me recall what a trouper A is in the cold.  The only time she'd complained about the cold when we lived in Granisle was when at 2, we took her for a walk when it was -28.  And it makes sense that she did - why were we on a walk, anyway!  But today she stayed out playing for a full hour and a half!  Brrr!

How nice to look out and see that my neighbours had already shovelled for me!

Always so helpful . . . 

I forgot how cold the cheeks and nose get when its this cold!
Lots of acclimatizing to do!

After our out time, we had an inside day of dress-up:  stuffed animals and Thomas trains wearing various doll clothes, the two of them in costumes.  It's so nice when they compromise well in their playtime.  

We also discovered the Photo Booth feature on my computer, which made for lots of laughs.  Our favourite mode was the 'chipmunk effect.'  

It's far less scary that some of the other effects:  bug-eyed, alien or froggy!  Yikes. 

Scary - especially when I look at a photo and it reminds me of various people that I know (none of you!).  Not a bad way to kill a bit of time on a cold day.  Certainly a reminder that while there are some facial features I'd be happy to modify, things could certainly be far worse!  In case you forget what we really look like, here's one we took on the 'normal' effect by accident:

 I don't plan to use this computer feature too often, but thanks for letting me indulge . . . I'm looking forward to moving into our new place where I'll hopefully have a bit more of a life than I have for the past 3 months!  According to our count-down-to-moving calendar, we're out of here in 11 days!  Yeah!  Although in that time, we have to buy a new van (ours will be a write-off, we've learned) and have lots of other things to do - including  a 4-day trip to Saskatchewan for S.

Thank you for your prayers for us through this time.  It's much appreciated!