Today we headed out into the snow for some winter hiking (snowshoeing). Everyone had a good time though Kale and Umpa weren't up for the second round so we headed down the hill for a nice nap while the others continued hiking in a snow downpour.
There has been a posting frenzy onto the blog today and yesterday so please read back through November and December on the archives to see all of the posts and pictures. We contracted an invasive computer virus that Keva finally put to rest (now that he had some free time on his Christmas break) and I haven't really been able to post since early early November so it was nice to catch up to the almost present.
Hope everyone had a lovely lovely holiday and is enjoying the last few days of 2006.
Love,
Molly Keva & Kale
The newly engaged couple arrived today and we had a quiet day at home, chatting and taking down the Christmas Tree.
Kale playing with his Christmas present from Auntie Robyn.
Robyn stacking up all of the tree ornaments and getting them ready for their annual trip into the Christmas box.
I love you Cousin Rod!
Elena carries the matching boys.
Sitting down to supper.
The untouched pile with Rod waiting very patiently.
The last stocking (with lots of help from the boys who were ready to start with the presents).
And the great unwrapping commences. We only made it a third of the way through before we needed to break for breakfast and Rod had to be patient all over again. Kale had a fabulous time watching us unwrap (especially Rod) and trying to play with all of Rod's new toys. He is in love with his cousin and is constantly running up to him and giving him hugs. Rod seems to like Kale as well and the two have been romping together all day.
The family arrived safe and sound yesterday! When they arrived Keva was scrubbing the bathroom and Kale and I were in there watching, unfortunately that meant we couldn't
hear the doorbell so were in our yard for 20 minutes before we finally noticed them. I felt a bit guilty but it meant they had gotten rid of their car legs and were ready to socialize with us over drinks. For Christmas Eve day we decided to take the Sky Train downtown and then walk to Stanley Park and the Aquarium. 
Here are Mom and Kim on the Train, Rod was in the picture I imagined but jumped up just as the camera clicked. 
Here is Elena in front of the downtown EA. Keva will take her on a tour of the Burnaby campus on Boxing Day.
We had a great walk and aquarium visit but then it started pouring, we figured out the bus and made it to downtown and even made it into a restaurant before anyone melted. (It was a close call.) The food and wine helped us warm up and get prepared for a return to the rain. We enjoyed a hearty Indian Supper as our Christmas Eve fare and will retire early to await a certain midnight visitor.
Yet Kale still manages to have the advantage. It sure looks like he is sitting on top of Belle in this picture but I am pretty sure they were just cozy against one another in the 3D world. Kale had lifted both ferrets onto the chair and then asked me to put him up there as well.
Happy Solstice to you and yours. We are celebrating the return of the sun as well as lighting the Hanukkah candles this evening over a big platter of LATKES (yum).
Kale figured out that if he flips the footstool upside down he can climb inside and rock himself back and forth. There is a little bit of self satisfaction in this grin.
We are busy getting the house ready for the onslaught of holiday visitors. My entire family is arriving on Saturday near dinner time and Keva's sister and her love are coming next week so the house will be full of family. I was nervous about all of the details several weeks ago but am feeling relaxed about it now. Maybe I have just accepted that the house won't be impeccable but we will still have a great time.
I couldn't believe it when I woke up to pee last night and it was snowing (AGAIN). But luckily there were only 2 inches which turned out to be about perfect for Kale. He didn't love the two feet but he enjoyed walking around in this snow and watching it smoooosh under his feet.
Kale has always had a thing for shoes but it has gone beyond fascination to utter love with his rain boots.
He wears them in the living room while playing.
He even seeks them out while naked.
Or cuddling with Dad.
Kale loves the fact that he can catch the ferrets now and spends their entire play time chasing, catching and bringing them to us. Luckily he is being gentle and the ferrets and surviving this current adventure.
Kale went down for his nap in the midst of the laundry pile today. I had been planning on folding the laundry during nap time but I sure didn't mind having an extra bit of time to work on my knitting.
fa la la la la la la la la
Kale is loving the tree in the middle of the living room.
Though I must admit the arm reaching up would much rather remove ornaments from the tree than put them up. I think the Christmas tree is going to be plucked clean by Kale and the ferrets if we don't keep an eye on it.
Just because he is gluten free doesn't mean Kale doesn't get to enjoy the joys of spaghetti and we as parents get the obligatory spaghetti face pictures.
Kale fell asleep on our way home from playing in the snow yesterday so we stopped to take a picture of the snow. We have even more snow now today and I can safely say I have never seen so much snow here in Vancouver.
We woke up this morning to a big wet pile of snow and immediately bundled into our warm clothes and headed out into the white.
Here we are walking down the street, Kale was only willing to walk on the sidewalks where people had already shoveled. This was understandable as the snow almost came up to his waist.
We went for a long wet walk in Central Park. It was pretty exciting because the weight of the snow was causing trees to snap in half and thud to the ground all around us.
Kale had hated walking in the snow until we got near the duck pond and then he was all grins and arms.
We hunkered down in the snow to watch the ducks swimming until...
Someone arrived to feed the ducks and Kale got an up close and personal view of the ducks. He was absolutely intrigued and amazed.
We headed out in the yard to rake leaves today. Kale was wearing his Newt Suit so he could play around all he wanted without getting wet.
Kale isn't too sure about walking around on these wet leaves.
Here Kale is going for the rake, he really wanted to help.
We paused for a while to play on the swing. Kale thought this was way more fun than raking.
Kale seems to have observed that fun can be had with a DS and remembered where we keep/hide it. Today he squealed and screeched at the drawer until I opened it
and forcefully demanded that I open it. He wanted me to play it so it made all the fun pictures and sounds. Then he figured out that he could bang on it with the stylus and he was ready to run away with it. I managed to hide it at nap time but once I had told Keva about Kale's new interest he opened up the drawer and the joyful hysteria resumed.
Boo went up rather than down the basketball hoop but she had fun none the same.
Ketchup is good.
Vinegar is better.
What do you mean I can't drink all of the vinegar.
For Veterans Day we headed out to the dikes of Richmond for a hike. It got a little cold with the rainy wind but we had a good time.
A few more pictures from the Couch Baby Party.
Kale in his wagon.
Kale feeding Mason a veggie booty.
Kale and Ayla chillin' on the couch.
One year ago, almost today, we lined our babies up on the couch for a prenatal reunion picture. Most of them slept through the experience though Sadie and Sam managed to keep their eyes open.
We decided to have another reunion and this year things were a little more lively, tugging, pulling and ignoring.
Finally Ayla decided it was time to climb off the couch and Mason was ready for the experience to end.
The babies had a really good time playing in the house and we parents had a good time reconnecting now that our lives are busy (returns to work, parenting toddlers etc etc).
