January 2010 - Almost Gone

January has somehow slipped by so quickly. How did that happen ? Last week Carolina was the first named SUPERSTAR of the week for the JK/SK class ..and that honour came along with all sort of special treats. Carolina was on top of the world. She got a little gold trophy and a gold medal and her name and picture up on the door to the classroom !!

Chris had a job change at the company he is working for and wonder of wonders is now working in Guelph .. he WAS working in downtown Toronto so this is a really positive move.

Well today the world was a bright and a sunny place so we of course went somewhere where we could play inside. After several days of bitter cold and snowy weather common sense would say 'take it outside today' but we don't follow common sense .....we went to the Waterloo Region Childrens Museum. Their current exhibit is Our Body - The Universe Within. It was very well done , a lot of information for the kids - ok, so it was a lot of information for us too !! After we had spent time looking at all the body's systems we explored the rest of the Museum .... there was a wall where you could stand in odd positions and a bright light would flash and leave a shadow you could see of what you looked like ... see picture of Chris and Rosalind in mid pose !!

They also had this maze - the idea being that you are learning to save electricity by turning off lights so you have to get all the lights in this house turned off by navigating your way through the maze turning off lights as you go...and it shows you how much energy is being spent/saved -kind of cute - Rosalind loved it !! The basement at the Museum is the craft area and the girls had fun finger painting and crafting ! And today they had the "Farty Lady " who apparently has a website and books all to do with - well you guessed it - farts !!!!! Chris and Carolina went down to the main floor and listened to her - Chris , not so fascinated, Carolina , VERY fascinated. Afterwards we went off to our current favourite pizza stop - at the Frederick Mall for a late lunch.

Then we headed off to Erik and Lisa's to drop off Carolina for a play date with Jillian who is next weeks Superstar of the week at school !! Congratulations Jillian !!

This week we lost a wonderful neighbour and friend , Ray, to cancer - a bright soul, a really wonderful person, He seemed to look death in the face and at the same time make the best of the time he had left. His courage constantly amazed me. I know - it seems so trite and easy to say- but I would bump into Ray in and around the neighbourhood and he had a philosophy of life and it was so quietly strong and forward looking and yet every single day held the ordinary and the enjoyment of that ordinary in it for him. Hopefully I have learned a lesson from you , Ray !!

And as one bright light left our circle, another little light entered, our neighbours Tim and Marie welcomed a second daughter to their family - Haley, a little sister for Sarah.

February starts Monday and Chinese New Year begins next weekend. We will be going to the celebration at the Waterloo Recreation Centre as usual - the Chinese community are so welcoming to those of us who have adopted from China and we are so much the richer for that embrace !!

We have also started making our Valentines decorations . Things to look forward to ....

Happy New Year - 2010

First post of 2010 ...............

For the past few years, we have been absolute poops around New Years Eve - the very scroogiest of New Years Eve Scrooges !! In bed before midnight, no banging of pots outside, no champagne, just another night. This year we were invited to a New Years Eve party that included the girls - a kind of family party. We had no idea how long anyone would last but we thought we'd give it a try. Hosting the party - the parents of one of Rosalinds' school chums. Well the party was great - the kids just ran wild and had a great time and we all were up and awake to usher in the new year at midnight. The girls loved being up at that hour, loved having a special toast to welcome in a new year and watch the ball drop on TV.

Needless to say the next morning EVERYONE in the house slept in very late and we had a very very quiet day. Sorry no pictures, we all just looked too horribly bleary for words !!!.

Tomorrow, the regular routine begins again ...girls back in school , Chris back at work and me back at the office too. The tree has been dismantled and is outside waiting for pickup on Friday. The new toys have been organized and incorporated into the general toy pool ( I am inclined to say 'toy mess' but that is a little mean spirited and anal ). The Christmas stuff - all back in boxes and in the basement. The house - restored to its former and much less cluttered self.

For now all will be sane, relaxed and quiet...but in no time at all, we will be decorating with those little red hearts that seem to have already made their way into the stores.