The Long Way Around: 2013

Years ago, when Kiandra celebrated her 10th birthday, I took her on a special date, for dessert, to the revolving restaurant in our city. Kezia was so jealous of our date and began counting the days until she would be old enough to go to the revolving restaurant too. Unfortunately, I found out too late that the restaurant closed on December 31 just over a month before Kezia turned 10. She was so disappointed and although there were many rumours that it would open again, nothing seemed to be happening. Kezia would often mention it as we passed the downtown landmark and sigh with deep despair that she would never have a chance to go there.

A few weeks ago, I found out that the restaurant was indeed going to open again and my plan was to keep that news a secret from Kezia and surprise her with a lunch date in honour of her, now really late, 10th birthday. Yesterday was the day it finally worked out to take her.

The views of the frigid city were remarkable:

The food was fantastic! I had a honey mustard chicken burger with a berry compote and Kezia had a fire roasted chicken pasta dish.

Riding the glass elevator down:

After our delicious lunch I drove Kezia to her friend's house for a sleepover, I stopped at the school to do some prep, and then I went home to pick Kaden up for his last game of the Christmas Challenge tournament. He has played 5 games in the last 3 days! This last game was for the bronze medal. It was a very even game and a real nail biter! They scored in the first and then we tied it up late in the third. Kaden's team got another goal to make it 2-1 with just 3 minutes left in the game....we thought that was the end...until the other team scored with just 1 minute left to make it a 2-2 final score. In the case of a tie, the teams play a 3 on 3 two minute period and that ended without a score...even when our player was tripped on a breakaway and had a penalty shot. Then it went to a 2-2 two minute period and Kaden's team broke out right after the puck dropped to score a goal!! What a win!

It would have gotten even more intense if that player wouldn't have scored because it would have scored it would have gone to a 1 on 1 two minute period and then 1 on 1 without a goalie and Kaden's coach said that Kaden would have been up for that play. Yikes! I was already stressed for the players and they weren't even my kids!

So it was a Bronze medal win for Kaden's team and the end of the Christmas challenge.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

...and one more

We celebrated with Conrad's side of the family for supper this evening:

It almost looks like we co-ordinated our outfits with a red scheme around the grown up table:

The kids table was also sporting a matching colour scheme of grey:

After dinner entertainment:

Present distribution:

Conrad helped his parents shop for these gifts and the kids were thrilled:

Kiandra laughed when she saw this because Kezia had received a purple one in her stocking and Kiandra had thought "wow I really want that too" and then it didn't show up in any of her gifts and she was a little disappointed. She was surprised to find it in her gift from Conrad's parents.

How many more Christmas photos will Conrad and I be able to be in the back row of the family picture?? :)

Saturday, December 28, 2013

All fun and games

We like to play games and this year Conrad's work schedule allowed for many times around the table with the kids. This year we added two new games to our collection:

Telestrations is a new favourite:

and flip out is another new one.

Of course, over the last few days some of our favourites have also come out.

Conrad and Kezia played a game of Quelf:

We also played some Killer Bunnies:

Conrad even taught the kids how to play Mennonite Madness which was fun to watch too.

It's been so awesome to have time lately to break out the board games.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Out and about

After a few days of hanging around our house, we decided to head out for the day...

First was brunch at my mom's house:

Then Kezia had been begging to spend some time ice skating outside and since it was the warmest day in a LONG time we did brave the cold...

I was reminded that I have not skated in many, many, many years!

Kiandra made it just one lap but the rest of us lasted about an hour.

Then we brought pizza to Conrad's parent's place and Conrad's brother and his family also joined us for an evening of games and time in the pool

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Under the tree...

Conrad worked on Monday but is now on holidays and I love that he has been able to be home so much this week. With my family Christmas last Saturday and Conrad's family this coming Sunday, I love that we have just been able to savour some amazing home time (aka pj days!) over the last few days.

Again, we were extremely blessed this Christmas with some amazing gifts. We always get the kids just 4 gifts (something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read) and then a stocking of little things but somehow they are always appreciative of what they get and the kids never complain even when all of their friends seem to be getting iphones and laptops.

This year:

Kiandra got
want: ukelele ( a pink one!)

need: high heeled tap shoes (ordered through her musical theatre teacher and will come in January)
wear: lululemon gift card
read: wreck this journal

Kezia got:

want: Perplexus Epic Ball

need: high heeled tap shoes (ordered through her musical theatre teacher and will come in January)

wear: HIMYM "Robin Sparkles" shirt

read: Another year of Sisterhood Magazine

Kaden got:

want: XBox 360 Controller and some money towards NHL 14 (which we knew would be $20 cheaper on boxing day!)

need: rolling suitcase for his trip to Quebec this Spring

wear: (a bit of a stretch but he got) this towel for our trip this summer and underwear

read: a guy's devotional hand book

Conrad got some clothes, hockey shoulder pads, and I scored a sweet deal of Apple tv and so he got that as well.

I was probably the most spoiled this Christmas by the kids and by Conrad when I received almost everything from my wish list. I know my purse and wallet were practically falling apart but it still was a surprise to find this under the tree: