the rink

today this very rink is more like a pond.  however, there has still been lots of enjoyment already from this particular rectangle of ice on our back lot....Good, old-fashioned, unstructured outdoor play with nets and sticks and more recently~ the new addition of a ramp made by Grandpa Joe.  hopefully there are more snowy days to come when i can post pictures of his latest build...

 

 

it sure helps the winter pass~ with rosy cheeks and weary bodies that crawl into bed at night dreaming of hockey and sledding and all the carefree "stuff" that childhood is made of...we're so blessed here in Canada.  by the seasons, the property, the health, the freedom, the leisure and the privilege...so thankful!! 

"brown boys"

another quote that made me smile...the scene: at the breakfast table before school.  both boys had made it to the table in time, which is not often the case.
Hudson: "the brown boys beat the timer today, AJ"
AJ: "yah, just the brown boys.  Mommy's not brown.  Hannah's not brown."
Hudson: "we're the only brown ones in the family, AJ, and brown guys are fast!!"

:)

hudson quote

me to AJ Friday morning as we checked backpacks before school: "where are your blue mitts buddy?"  AJ looked at me with a blank stare...
Hudson excitedly jumped into the conversation with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth: "oh mom~ i know, i know!"
he proceeded to run over to me by AJ's backpack and open the small pouch where, lo and behold, were the blue mitts.  i hadn't looked there yet....i never use that pouch!
me: "wow Hudson, that's twice you've found those mitts there.  i don't know why i can't seem to remember to look in that spot...what would i do without you??"
Hudson, with a big grin: "i know, i'm going to be a great husband, hey mom?"
awwwhhh....he surely will, there will be a lucky lady someday that is the recipient of his wonderful affectionate and charismatic spirit, his tender heart, his sweet smile and his great ability to locate things that are lost! :) what more could a girl want??

december in photographs

of course, there's much i could write about the month of December.  it really was great!  jam packed with lots to do, a bit of gastro-disruption thrown in (i mean thrown up!) the mix with five of eight facing the 12 hour wrath of digestive upset (thankfully all done before the 25th!), Christmas festivities with friends, family, gifts, worship of Jesus born as a baby, down time, twinkle lights, warm fires, games, stories, puzzles, sledding, skating, play dates, cookies, delicious meals, a new year, traditions, brand new socks, fresh snow, etc....so, instead of expanding on all of the above, i gathered a few pictures collected through the last month of 2012....enjoy!

 

here's Joelle being Joelle...regularly appearing without fail on my cell phone, Jeff's cell phone, or our camera....always makes me smile when i discover them...

 

AJ celebrated Gotcha Day #2, aka his adoption day, on December 16th....cream puffs to mark the occasion...two years have flown by~ and this boy is a GIGANTIC gift every single day we're given to parent him....

a live nativity done annually by a church in Sarnia, with real sheep and a donkey!  i found it surprisingly moving...you could just about imagine what it was really like in Bethlehem that momentous night...

 

dear Mrs. Nikke gave all six a "grow your own Christmas tree" kit~ and that they are!  these six cans are closely inspected daily, arranged near consistent sunlight, watered (too much, i fear) and lovingly spoken to by our crew, with Hannah leading the charge...all have sprouted so far and look very promising. 

three visits with Hudson's special friend.  these two have a special mutual connection to Haiti and GLA.  they are experts at silly and rambunctious behaviour...but i expect that one day this bond will have much deeper meaning for the two of them...i feel their friendship is a gift, and i love that we've been able to foster it whenever possible...

shirts are off because the two oldest were hot from all-out basement play, and AJ's shirt is off because Hudson's shirt is off~ he must do what Hudson does.  that is cute~ most of the time....

Christmas Eve, two happy boys asleep with their brand new batting gloves on...baseball season 2013 can't come soon enough.  hope they don't lose them before the season starts...

 

Grandpa Joe playing his new harmonica...how does he do that so effortlessly???

 

skateboards on Christmas morning.  AJ on Hudson's...he will wait a bit before he's deemed ready for a board of his very own, much to his disappointment.

Layla in la-la-land...my thoughts exactly after a whirlwind month, but so worth it all...

 

wishing all a blessed 2013...Cheers!

word of advice....

might not want to fall asleep at our house....

 

too tempting for us (not us...correction...too tempting for Jeff!!) so if you come, you might want to be well rested. 

 

Adam was a good sport when he saw these pictures in the morning.  daddy asked him what he thought he was doing getting into the gummie bears without asking (when we slipped out and left him and his older sisters one Saturday evening).  he denied it, and then was shown the pictures Jeff had taken on his phone.  this guy is definitely used to pranks.  he rolls with them all....

paybacks coming to daddy, i'm sure...