Did we go to the rainforest and the St. Lawrence in one day? Yep!

We had an amazing time at the biodome today! I have been wanting to take Mara-Grace there for so long and we actually bought a family pass today for the price of going 1.5 times! So, now we can visit whenever we want to! Whoohooo! She was so excited about seeing a sloth and the penguins! Thank Goodness we spied the sloth! And the penguins couldn't be missed! Dictator finger!

Serious business!

Not so serious business!

Making wide smiled kooky Cayman faces!

So, there they are- the penguins!!!!!

A special visit!

We had a special surprise visit on Monday!

Tori went shopping with her Aunt and Uncle and we got to spend the day with our niece and nephew!!!!! We had a grand time. Playing at our house, making cookies, coloring, and of course we went to the Ecomuseum!!!!!!

DEFINITELY Mommy's Girl!!!!!!

Calista and Miss Mara played dress-up on Christmas! I had bought this outfit for Livy one birthday. Now Miss Calista and Mara-Grace get some wear out of it! AHHHHHHHH Takes me back!

Tori's Family Parties!

Since Victoria's birthday is over the holidays, and we live where the weather is totally undependable in January, we have always been the ones to 'make the trip' and never really expected so many family members to all drive the winter roads. So, over the years, we have traditionally had a party at Kev's parent's house, then at my folks, and then one with her friends here and then celebrated as our family on her actual day. Yes, 4 parties! Who ever said that when your birthday falls over the holidays you get 'gyped'?!!!!!

This year she will be having 10 friends over for pizza and a movie/party on Friday. And we will also take her out for supper just the 4 of us to celebrate her 14th birthday! 14!!!!! Where did the time go?

Merry Christmas!

What a beautiful Christmas it has been!

I woke up extra early 5AM on Christmas morning so that I could be completely ready once the girls got up. I thought with the excitement that they might waken anytime after 6. Well, I showered, got ready, woke up Kev, made breakfast, we packed the car for our trip and then Tori woke up first. We let her open her stocking and then at 7:30 the three of us woke up Miss Mara-Grace. We wanted to be on the road by 9:30 AM.

Getting up extra early makes things that much more enjoyable. I love to watch our girls and not be hussling about. I don't like to miss a minute! So, that aspect of our day went so smoothly. I even had a cup of tea and sat down with Kev by the tree before our girls even awoke!

Mara-Grace sprang up the minute we came into her room and announced that it was Christmas! She was so incredibly excited to see if Santa arrived in the night and to check to see if he drank his milk and ate his cookies. But, even more exciting was verifying whether or not "Rudot" and the other reindeer had enjoyed their food on the snow! Apparently they had, and we could even see some hoof prints!

We opened presents and had breakfast and did a little playing when we packed into the car and headed to Mom and Dad's for lunch. The weather was lovely for driving so we made it in about 2 hours 40 min. We had a beautiful lunch and visit with everyone and then headed over to Kev's parent's house for supper. Again, it was a lovely visit and meal.

The following day we celebrated again with my Grandma and our large family! It was a lovely time!!!!

We had a beautiful Christmas Day and we definitely counted our many blessings. We couldn't help but think of our Hannah and wonder if she will be home to celebrate with us next Christmas.

P.S. Note Victoria's outfit. We bought her a lovely Christmas dress to wear, that she chose btw, but she left part of it at home and forgot to pack the needed leggings and wrap. So, note Victoria's new jeans and sweater! Perhaps next year:) hehe Poor Tori she was so upset when we arrived and she realised what had happened!

Happy Christmas Eve!!!

What a lovely Christmas Eve it has been.

We awoke to around 20 cm of new snow (rather unexpected as they predicted 5) and what looked like a winter wonderland outside!

Our day was spent casually getting ready for tomorrow's travels.

Mara-Grace scattered her Reindeer food outside! She was so excited all day regarding the special visitor tonight. We followed Santa's journey all day today on Norad Santa Tracker!

We attended mass tonight at 5:30 which was lovely. Mara was her busy self, but good. It has been such a lovely Christmas Eve.

After mass, we came home and had supper, both girls opened one present (the traditional new Christmas PJ'S) and then Mara had her bath, got ready for bed and we set Santa's plate of goodies out with some milk, read stories and off to bed Mara-Grace went. As a side note, Mara-Grace's PJ's have owls on them. I thought that very fitting since that is what she really asked for from Santa. Tonight we thought we saw Rudolf (or Rudot as Mara pronounces) in the sky! I suppose I better get myself to bed soon so that Santa can arrive!!!!

May you be filled with the beauty and peace this special Christmas season brings.

Much love from your home to yours.

xoox
Merry Christmas!!!!!! xoox