full of boxes, full of love.

These days we are up to our necks in boxes, preparing to make the move to our new home later this month. I am so looking forward to having this move over with - and my bones are excited to have a little studio space to myself once again!

I was a little bit concerned about the stress of all of this on the children, but Adelaide seems to be thrilled and excited, and she's been presenting me with the art to prove it!

Details of note:
- the waves of Trout Lake. We'll be close, but not THAT close.
- Addie and I hanging out in our backyard
- the big tree with a swing street-side
- ample street parking
- loads of love here in this place.

misty mornings

Lately, I've been sleeping with the humidifier on each night to help with the dry winter air and stuffed up noses.

Each and every morning, Adelaide and Reid have been rushing to enthusiastically finger-scribble all over the steamed-up windows together. They are crazy about doing this! Both of them end up with soaked sleeves, but it gives me a few extra minutes to myself each morning and this time is priceless.

I also love this photograph, of the two of them just being little, together. These days are flying by much too fast, and I can't believe that Reid will be 9 months old already, on Christmas Eve.

every little inch

This year I decided to let go and let her have at it,

and she's illustrated every little inch of our Christmas wrapping paper.

....and still going!

tempting fate

Sometimes so much is going on that I am not even sure where to begin.

This past summer my partner Charles and I began to get the urge to make a move in life. We agonized for several months... by making changes, are we being foolish to give up our comfortable and happy lives? Are we tempting fate? Or are we just moving forward, as life should, and living? We contemplated all summer long.

But by October we finally decided to make a leap of faith and list our lovely home for sale on the market. A few weeks later it was sold, and so we spent the next month house shopping. In November we found a charming little heritage house on the east side of Vancouver. By December we bought and passed subjects on the little house. And this January, we will be moving and settling into our new home and neighborhood. Woosh!

So, in the midst of all this, Christmas hasn't really been too much on my mind. It really snuck up on me this year!

This past week I have been attempting to whip out a few home-made presents, baking lots, and making homemade wrapping paper with Addie. We've also been kept busy by our little wild man Reid, who all in the space of 1 week somehow sprouted teeth, learned to crawl, stand, cruise, and notice (terrorize) the poor cats with his shrieks of love and full-body hugs. And in between all the moments I am gathering up moving boxes and beginning to disassemble and pack our lives away.

These are full days. I am looking forward to settling in and sharing more of them with you again, real, real soon.

xox.

love that girl

Our house incredibly still and quiet when Adelaide is gone - too much so. It's funny how when Addie is with me, she often drives me crazy with her non-stop nammering and endless enthusiasm. There are moments when I think to myself "my goodness, my brain is going to EXPLODE if I don't have just a minute of quiet here!!!"

But then when Addie is gone - it's as though my heart stops. Listens. Waits.

The other day, I dropped Addie off at preschool and returned home with a sleeping baby strapped to my chest. The house once again was too still and empty, as I padded from room to room, trying to figure out what to try to get done. And then on her desk I found this...

Love that girl.

little miss milk

Here is my little miss milk, on her way to a costume birthday party. I was a little concerned because I knew all of the other little girls going to the party are all really quite girlie. I assumed that Addie would be the only girl not dressed like a princess at the party. But when we arrived, there was only one Snow White there, amongst assorted witches, bats, and Transformers. Addie held her own.

Growing up, I had no interest in the stereotypically girlie world - dolls, princesses and the like. I still remember my mom's disappointment that I didn't care for Barbies! I had an older brother for inspiration, and so I spent most of my time running around after him. And playing with my pets. Oh, and I have clear memories of pretending I had a crafting TV show in which I'd show people how to make things.

Adelaide has only lightly dabbled in moments of pink and fairies. I usually steer her away from over marketed girly type things. Truthfully, after years of working in marketing, they kind of freak me out! And I am secretly relieved that she hasn't been overly obsessed with any of these things... (yet!)

But the other day, out of the blue, Addie said to me: "Mama, how come you never let me have any princess things?" and I felt so incredibly guilty! Have I been denying my daughter the joys of discovering her feminine side? Oh my.

And so that very afternoon, we trooped over to the neighbourhood dollar store - our mission: $2 for Addie to pick out any item she desired.... it only had to be something princess. After much searching and deliberating, we left the shop with a pack of fairy crayons - she didn't want the princess ones, after all.

and the anniversary winners are...

Thank you to all of my previous customers who entered my giveaway for the ten +30 card packs! It has been really sweet to hear from you all again, and to recognize and remember so many of you from over the years.

And the winners are...

8. leigh

9. sara

13. Cassandra

14. Ames

26. everyeskimo

30. Katherine

36. milk tooth's rain

42. Yellow

47. Jane Benson Ackerman

52. linda

Congratulations to all of you lucky winners. If you do not hear from me first, please take a moment you send me your mailing information. (oooh.... my baby is crying, have to run now!)

xox

sharilyn

countdown to kindergarten

I snapped this photograph earlier this week - Adelaide on our front steps, ready to go to her first day back at preschool.

Part of me actually kind of wishes that my kid was one of the little children who clung to their moms on that first day of school - but, um, yeah, not so much. After a little cajoling, I barely managed a wave from her. And my soft-focus day dreams of homeschooling my children - which have lingered in the back of my head since giving birth - have by now completely slipped away. (Almost - maybe Reid will never want to leave me!)

And so, the countdown to kindergarten begins. Often, I am thinking of this. Perhaps I have too much time to think rather than do these days, but the thoughts of my girl and school fascinate me.

I really love hearing schooling stories from around the world. And so, to feed my wonderment, I have three questions for you:

1. How did you choose your child's school?
2. What do you love most about it?
3. What do you not like about it?