Winter Wonderland Express School Party

I love the season!!!! I love the fun shirts that are out there now, seriously how can such silly things make me smile? They do. It is perhaps my career choice as an elementary school teacher, wearing seasonal clothing and jewellery would not be mocked hahaha! Now that I am a mother and at home I feel like I can totally work that angle too, adding to the merriment of our home.  Anyway I had to snap a picture before bedtime because even Graham is in on the festive clothing, we just happen to kinda match ;) I seriously LOVE this guy!!!!

We also had a fun event at school, a Winter Wonderland Express!  It was an evening in lieu of a Christmas Concert.  I have to admit when I read about it in the school newsletter I was a bit sad, however I completely understand the reasoning behind it.  The school is at population capacity, a new school in our area is set to open in 2016 (although it will likely be later) so there are 3 or 4 classes for each grade which would makes for a lot of children and a whole lot of parents. In the past they have broken the Christmas Concert into two evenings with an afternoon performance for each and then a limit of 3 tickets per night, per family....so sad not to be able to go watch as a whole family or have Grandparents join, literally though there is a fire code to keep in mind.  The event the staff planned was great fun and I think most parents would agree that it added to the excitement of the season. We were greeted at the door and given a Polar Passport and traveled from classroom to classroom doing activities and collecting passport stamps, it was excellent!

REINDEER RACES

GINGER BREAD DECORATING

SNOWMEN POPCORN

 A quick family picture in front of Amelia's classroom which was a Story & Hot Chocolate stop :)  Also to be noted, I helped with the bulletin board displays throughout the school.  I love that kind of stuff and try to be around the school as much as I can. Next year I can even kick it up a notch with Stella in Kindergarten.   I seriously love school and all that is encompassed in the beauty of public education! As we saw neighbours and friends throughout the evening there was such a sense of community and great joy as we encouraged one anothers littles, it was a blast!  The school choir still sang and one can't help be filled with love for the season as children sing. It was a lovely evening!!!

~ Mrs. P

The Nutcracker Ballet

When you plan a big girls day we just had to hit up Duchess to have a fancy brunch! It was so fun and the little ladies were enthralled with the whole place.

 Two years ago we attended the Nutcracker for the first time and have been converted, we LOVE it!  Last year we ended up having to sell our tickets because our little cousin got married. This year we were very grateful to score tickets through Graham's work - yeah discount - he did some leg work for us to ensure we were able to get wheel chair seating.  So worth it and super grateful, it is beautiful!

They have a lovely pre-party for the matinee and the ladies were able to make crowns.  I also got our Stella girl to pose for a picture because she was big enough to join us this year. So fabulous!  She was so excited!!!

 We had such a great time. I may or may not have shed tears, so beautiful.

I say it often but I feel so incredibly blessed to be the mother to these two little women, so very lucky.  I love when we get to have special experiences together....kinda missed Mr. P but it is lovely to go with the big girl Bird cousin and Auntie Alyson.  Yeah for the Nutcracker!!

~ Mrs. P

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

I drove Grandma home, back to the farm. Goodness it was stunning! The frost and fresh snow were breathtaking. What a beautiful world we live in. Stella and I listened to Christmas music and totally felt the spirit of the season.

~ Mrs. P

Reason for the Season

Stella and Neely have been stellar sidekicks during these baking days. Stella came home from Joy School with a new ornament for the tree, it is beautiful.

~ Mrs. P

Snuggling Gramma

 

We made a date to do a little baking with our Gramma Hudkins.  She has some great recipes that are Christmas staples at her house and with her just having back surgery we needed to help that woman get some goodies made up.  I sadly didn't photograph the final products; mint chocolate popcorn and nuts 'n bolts but we did good.  I did however snag some sweet moments of the ladies with Gramma.

I just adore this picture of our ice blue eyed girls.
They have the same eyes.

~ Mrs. P

baking tradition

We moved from Fort McMurray 10 years ago and since moving here I have done Christmas baking with my Grandma Hinko....that is 10 YEARS FOLKS!!!  When Alyson moved here she joined in, when Leslie lived in Edmonton she joined us, it is a treasured tradition. As the little women get older they are participating more and more, I love it!  We have a steady stream of Christmas music playing and the mixer barely has time to rest, the oven is going non stop.  This year we made up 8 different recipes which resulted in just under 3000 pieces of baking in 48 hours!  We went really hard.  My Grandma Hinko turns 75 years old in March but I dare say she has more stamina then me, that strong farming background is just no comparison to my city kid life style hahahaha.

The Rice Crispy Marshmellow Balls, they are scrumptious and messy but pretty darn fun to make. Chopsticks with baking, yes please said my girls.

 Jacey's bus driver dropped her off at my house and I just adore this woman. I missed her arrival by 5 min because I was driving car pool for Amelia but she was pretty pumped up to be over after school. The togetherness and the yummy baking are the two parts I adore.  I even love thinking about what we can have for lunch and dinner that will allow us to continue to use the stove and counters. It is just such a pleasure.

We have gotten our favourite recipes down to a pretty efficient system; our grocery list, amounts the recipe makes, tweeks to recipes and tins/bags/foils.  Typically we all chat making a list and then one of us shops, the list goes up in on the kitchen cupboard and we go to it. I love us all working side by side together in the kitchen.

 Seeing the final product always makes us smile, it feels like Christmas, it smells like Christmas and it totally tastes like Christmas.  My favourite picture from our baking days this year is the one from below...these hands working together <3 br="">

 

~ Mrs. P

{kinda not so cute} christmas sweater day at school

I love a good student council that chooses activities that gets everyone participating. Amelia's school has a some pretty great activities and 'ugly sweater day' peaked a lot of interest I am sure ;P

Amelia talked about it during the week so we brainstormed a few ideas and then I picked up a few tiny ornaments and we got creative so it was ready for today.  I had also saved a reindeer hairstyle on Pinterest to see if little miss would like to have her hair done up all festive too, a big YES!! She was so excited going off to school today and was eager to tell me about the different shirts other kiddos had. A junior high class came to help her class with a craft today and she always has a blast with her big 'buddies'. School is cool!

~ Mrs. P