Happy New Year from the Northy North Pole

A while back I may have mentioned something to the Chicagweigians that they should visit us in January, abandoning their snow-bound home for a trip to Victoria, the tropics of Canada, where it snows but one weekend a year. I don't think I was too far off with that assessment but I guess I shouldn't have said anything out loud. It first snowed 18 days ago and the white stuff has yet to leave the ground. It's been a blast and all, it just would be nice to be able to get the vehicle up the driveway again!

It's snowing some more out tonight.... happy new year! (oh, and apparently it's a green new year's in Chicago, home to tomorrow's Winter Classic outdoor hockey game)

Krafty

Ferg has been king of the crafts lately. Scissors, paper and tape are his preferred medium but occasionally he adorns his creations with pipe cleaners, bows or beads.


Today he drew a picture of his Dad. Unfortunately, the image he based his work on was not that of manly-wood-chopper-dad or guitar-hero-conquering-dad or even sit-at-the-computer-dad. No, instead he used lipstick-wearing-dad as his model:


Here's the original (his sister has recently been a little overly influenced by the hijinx on Hannah Montana):

Ice Sculptures by Nature

Jeannie Genie

I'm sorry, we can't come to the blog right now...

Happy Fun Day

So yesterday Effie got duded up in pj's and housecoat at 1 pm and announced that she was ready for bed... a good 11 hours ahead of her usual sleep time. She and Ferg did manage to hold out until 8:00 and off to sleep they went. For about two hours, that is, since the excitement of Christmas soon washed over them again. At midnight they were both as wide awake as they normally are at that hour and so they watched some Avatar in bed before finally falling asleep. So much for those plans!!!

Christmas day pics:

Merry Christmas

snowed today:


mmmm... cocktails!

Forty Centimeters of Fun

A snow movie featuring much shovel posing, gratuitous shots of my crotch and the music of Sufjan Stevens ("That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!")...

We're having some weather

With snow still on the ground and much, much more currently falling you would think we live in Canada or something. Actually these are the same systems currently attacking Washington and Oregon, so we're in good company. With high winds also expected for tonight we're on power outage warning and Christmas celebrations tomorrow at Grandma and Grandpa's will most likely have to be postponed. So, we'd better post some photos before things go dark...

Play:



Christmas tree:



New ornaments with a certain theme:



Toasty:

Midnight at the oasis

Here we are at midnight with more GD snow...

Sir Henry Picklefinger

I love you Craig

I hope your holidays are all you ever dreamed of. I hope we make you smile. I hope this makes you smile. You were the most splendid thing that ever lived when I first met you, and you are even more so now!

Here is something I wrote you a few years ago, and after reading it over again just now, I don't see how to improve on it much:

:: Hobe ::I don't know what to do with my body, so full of love, as I watch you rolling with our kids, laughing, playing, sprawling, cuddling down to sleep, strolling endlessly - I never would have believed I could love so much, my body full of it. You are even more than the most splendid thing that ever lived. A crazy ride.
:: Hobe ::

(though to be fair, you do a lot less strolling and a lot more wrestling these days)

I love you more than ever, and more than I ever thought was possible. You make me thrill. You are the dream I never had. The life we have made together is beyond words - even the most challenging moment of it is more than I could ever have dreamed. Beautiful you, our beautiful children so full of you (though as you know, I was there!), the glorious home we have made together, the places we have gone. The places we are still to go.

I love you with all of me. Merry Christmas my love!

As a tribute to your love of music and videos and to your furrowed brow (and only modestly inspired by Crystal and Beth), here is a gift for you:

1) 1967. The year of your auspicious birth! In the Lovejoy tradition "I'm so glad you were born!" Plus, this hair is way too cool, perhaps it will give you some ideas for your next shear?

direct You Tube link to the above video

2) That crazy YWCA dance, you drinking tequila shooters (!?), the quest for R.E.M. Delicious courting. Music tapes. Your room with the balcony. Flowers. Trapper. Spitting cherry pits. Slow dancing in your room. This one makes me cry every single time it so literally takes me back to those wonder filled days, visceral. Lay your cards on the table baby, oh I was so wrong.


direct You Tube link to the above video

3) Listening to all those songs as we planned our wedding. Haultain living room. Every single song handpicked.

direct You Tube link to the above video

4) This one you will absolutely love (as will my brother!). But I can't embed it so you'll have to use the link to get to it - which might suit you just fine!
direct You Tube link to this special video, #4!

5) A gorgeous one that is both meaningful in lyrics as well as in where we were when we first heard it. I wanted to find Joy too, but for some unfathomable reason, Gay Dad doesn't have a very active You Tube following?


direct You Tube link to the above video

6) As you know I love this one and will one day sing it for you. Wish I had known it for our wedding. Perhaps we should do that again?


direct You Tube link to the above video

7) And this one, of course - altogether and full circle.


direct You Tube link to the above video

I love you Hobe.

Snow day

Effie had to cancel on Jeni's supreme offer to take her to the theatre today. Snow vs. Live Theatre: talk about a major dilemma for this particular 9 year old. Sledging and snowball fights...

The time we have had

Ironman:


Baking, erm... weiner wraps:


Effie tried skating a couple of nights ago for the first time at Butchart Gardens:


Here we are having a wobbly leg competition:


A wee trim (to appease the gymnastics place):


Fergus' "eyeball soup" drawing:


Making gingerbreadmen today with Grandma:



Gingerbread house building:



Gingerbreadman:


Eating gingerbreadman:


???



Five minutes after getting home tonight - Fergus' is on the left:


First snowfall: