Workshop?

So, I have been hearing from lots of excited friends that they got given some pretty snazzy gifts for Christmas - specifically digital SLR cameras! I've also been hearing how scared people are of these dSLRs and wanting to learn how to use them. If you are interested in a workshop on how to use these beauties - pop me a line. I'll mull over the idea...

Jack Frost

On our way up to the farm yesterday there was this gorgeous frost on all the trees - looked like I had stepped into an infared photograph. Just stunning! I only snapped a couple shots but it gives you the idea!

Christmas Past

Well, I am happy to say I did not take as many pictures this Christmas as normal. I'm happy to say that because instead of being behind the camera, I was able to be enjoying the festivities instead. It was a fun Christmas and I must say age 5 might be the perfect age for Christmas! Madi was excited beyond belief about Santa and the reindeer (she's a bit animal obsessed so she cares more about the reindeer than Santa) and was fascinated by the Christmas story still. Eden at 3 is also a fun age - where she could care less aboutthe multitude of presents - she gets one she likes and is done.

A few highlights of Christmas...

-Madi has been begging for an animal - any animal!! - but with Eden's allergies we can't commit to a dog. So we got them a guinea pig! They could not have been more thrilled! Madi sits by the cage, sings to Gordy, "reads" to him and is working hard on getting him to feel "comfortable" with us. We have a wonderful friend Amber who has had guinea pigs for awhile - so she is coming over tomorrow to teach the girls about how to care for it. Yeah!

-Eden asked for "bubble gum and tax" for Christmas. We have NO idea what the "tax" is - and if it is "tax" or "tacks" or "tacs" but needless to say she was ecstatic to get bubble gum. She just gets really upset if we leave off the "and tacks" when we mention her gum.

-the girls also got a kid's digital camera to share. I guess they've watched mom take lots of pics because Madi was HILARIOUS! "Okay, everyone get over here now. Okay, mom move a little this way. Hmmm... dad, can you pick up Eden actually I can't see her. And let's try that again but this time can you move here..." and so on. Adorable. Made me proud.

-this Christmas we had the girls give gifts to some of their friends - they had to give something of their own that they liked (not really a gift if it's broken or you don't like it!). It was amazing to watch their generosity as they were giving things I was wanting to hold on to because "it's too expensive" or "too new"... but what am I teaching them then? We made notes explaining why they chose those gifts for their friends. Definitely a major highlight of the holidays for me.

-I got way too much and won't begin to mention gifts as I'll leave something out - but wanted to mention one thing. My sister gave me "Dirty Dancing" (the musical in Toronto!) tickets for me and her for my birthday today!! She knew Mark had NO desire to go - but I did!! Can't wait to go see it in Feb with her!!

And a few photos of the festivities...

Although I didn't get a photo of it (since we were rushing out the door) Madi put about 15 of these bows in her hair for church on Christmas Eve. I let her wear them as she was SO proud. She looked beautiful - as only a 5 year old can.


Eden was so excited about her slippers - she wore them saying "I got slippers!" quite excitedly.


Our girls are book-aholics (which I love). They received a ton of books for Christmas - here they are hearing the Christmas story with Grandpa (my dad).


The girls got two big presents to share... one was a guinea pig (now named Gordy)


and the other was a kids digital camera - here's Madi taking a picture of the tree


And the girls all cleaned up and ready to go see family!




Opening presents at their cousin Hannah's house


Every year my parents take the grandkids out shopping for gifts for the family - and every year Hannah (now almost 7) buys my dad gumballs. She gets SO excited about giving him gum balls. Thing is - my dad doesn't ever chew gum - but Hannah loves to! Smart little girl!


Cohen reading a book with dad


The country girl rolling a snowball for a snowman


And the city girl's snowman attempt


Then Boxing Day (my birthday!) we head up north of Guelph to Mark's family's Christmas festivities. We stopped in Guelph for a visit with his grandpa ("Poppy" as we call him) which was very special. Here is Poppy with just a few of his grandkids and great grandkids.


And Poppy and the girls getting a quick snuggle before we leave


Then on up to the farm. The girls had fun with all their cousins! A few of them here...

Naiya


Jack (Who Eden asked "Can I marry you today?")


Emma


Aydra


and there was lots more kids and people - but I tried not to snap too much!

A fun couple of days - but I'm so glad to be home now and just hang out with the family and let them enjoy their gifts!

Christmas Morning Recipe

I am horrible in the kitchen (understatement!) but I love a big breakfast on Christmas morning. My sister introduced us to this great recipe - you make the breakfast the night before! Sweet! So, I thought I'd post it here for you too...


Day old French bread in 1 inch slices
5-7 eggs
3/4 cup milk
brown sugar
1/4 lb melted butter
cinnamon

"Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam. Sprinkle brown sugar on bottom of the pan. It should be 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with cinamon--I use a lot. Pour melted butter over this mixture. In separate bowl, beat eggs and milk. Dip bread in. Allow bread to absorb egg mixture (I count to 20 each side). Place in pan. l Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 375'. Turn bread pieces over (very important). Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown."

Merry Christmas!

Well, the blog has been fairly quiet since I have taken December off from photo shoots. It has been great going to the kids concerts, baking, eating too much baking!, hanging out with friends, and just being "mom". We have enjoyed laughing more, dreaming, connecting and life!

I have been able to go out with my staff gals - Beth and Carolynn. That was fun and we all got mushy and were basically doing the "I love you more" routine. I love these two so much! I also got to go away with mark for our 11th anniversary. And I got to enjoy some annual traditions as well. Each year we have the "Goodson-Jefferyear" party with our good friends the Goodyears. We exchange gifts, eat lots and play games. Always fun and with those two quirky friends we know we'll laugh lots. And then we had the annual "Martin-Bucek-Jefferson" party where we have the kids come in their Christmas best and we exchange gifts - we always buy all the kids books, the Buceks give craft supplies to all the kids and the Martins always give homemade PJ's for all the kids! I also got to got to Jacob Moon's "Christmas at the Casbah" this year - Hamilton has so much amazing musical talent. Unbelievable. And then a few days later went to the FRWY Christmas party with heaps more good musical talent. Man - I wish I was musical. Think this is the coolest talent. I can't even clap never mind play a guitar or sing in tune. But I love music!

A few more days of festivities where we get to see lots of family and continue to celebrate Christmas (and my bday!). Can't wait!

Things are a bit elfy around here!

I have received this elf greeting from a few friends - and had to try it - follow the link to see KJP staff's Christmas greeting to you!

LINK

Happy Anniversary - to me!

Well this past week (Dec. 6) I celebrated 11 years with my favourite guy in the world. 11 years - time flies!
It has been a great 11years - with lots of ups and downs but I'm still left wondering how I got a guy so much better than I deserve.
We were able to go away for a night kid-free this weekend and here are a couple photos of my hubby - eat your heart out ladies!!

All dolled up for a night out (I convinced him finally to put a dress shirt over this t-shirt!)


Our tradition of always jumping on a hotel bed when you arrive


Don't worry - he really is normal looking - he's just goofing off. He's a pic from the summer to prove he's normal!



And a few pics of the snow from up north!

All I want for Christmas... continued

Madi seems to think you need to send Santa a daily letter. Here are ones from this week....

Dear Santa

How are you today? I hope your reindeer are feeling good. How is Rudolph? How is your elves? How's the polar bears? How's the penguins? How's the seals? How is the walruses? How's the snowmens?

I've been a good girl.

Love Madi
---------

Dear Santa

I wanted you to know my phone number, it is ____. I just wanted you to know that we're all girls but one boy. Our house number is #__.
-------
Dear Santa,

Sorry that I didn't say "deer" for Christmas. I like those animals.

love Madi.

All I want for Christmas...

This year I had my animal loving Madi (age 5) tell me her Christmas list. This is what she came up with:

Dog
Cat
Mustang (horse not car!)
Dolphin
Real Live Mermaid
Meerkat

Then later we typed out a Christmas list she dictated to me to e-mail Santa - she wanted:

a horse farm
a cow farm
a sheep farm
a dog farm
a cat farm
an everything farm

These gift items are sure going to be hard to wrap!! Whew!

Made me think about gifts I received growing up. Hands down my favourite gift as a child was my Cabbage Patch kid. That was the year they were huge and my parents had explained that there was no way they could get one for me - so I was prepared not to get one. Christmas Eve my mom got a call from a co-worker that she had two as one she had ordered just came in - and offered my mom one! I screamed on Christmas morning and LOVED my Cabby ever since! We went everywhere together. I still have her (to Mark's disgust).

Another favourite childhood Christmas gift was the ugly Ken doll. I should explain - it was not my favourite toy - I hated this thing because it was so ugly! - but somehow my Grandma and I got this tradition of trying to give it to the other person without them recognizing what it was. Great big boxes wrapped up - with this hideous
doll inside. It was a second hand doll with wild matted hair and I remember he was wearing a "mumu" that was crocheted. Don't know where he ended up - but it would be fun to give him to my Grandma again!

Another memorable Christmas was in high school (or was it college?) when I finally got my own ski equipment. As the youngest child I always got hand me downs from my sister and brother for equipment. So excited we went skiing just a couple days after Christmas - and the roof rack came off the car (on the Skyway bridge!) and our skis were destroyed!! Even though we had just left home we went on to Blue Mtn anyways and rented - we knew if we went home we'd just vent about what had happened - so we just rented and had a great time anyways!

And one year I sang the song "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" so much that Mark bought me a hippo chia pet! Very fun!

What gifts do you remember most vividly - giving or receiving?

The Jeffersons

Here's a few recent snaps from the last week or two of our family...

I love Christmas! We have our anniversary this week (11 years - how did that happen?), Christmas, my birthday and Mark's birthday all in about 6 weeks of each other. So fun!




I got my hair done (are you shocked? ) and Beth was over so she snapped some pics of me - sitting on my kitchen floor!

Madi has taken to arts and crafts with a passion - love it! Here she is in her "princess" dress colouring a picture.

Just Eden eating breakfast - but I loved the light!

Eden cuddling with Madi while they play video games. Well, while Madi plays and Eden watches.

My winter loving girl Madi

The fam (do you know how hard it is to get a family pic with a self timer?)

Park Family

I had a fun afternoon with the Parks - what adorable kids! Maddie (4) is such a good Big Sister to Noah (2). Very caring and helpful. Noah sure loves his cars and Thomas the train! They were a lot of fun to photograph! It was great to meet you!

























And it was fun tog et some Christmas photos too!

Scott & Laurie Engagement Photos

Well Scott & Laurie are troopers! Braving a cold December morning for their engagement photos - brrr.... Thankfully it should be a lot warmer for y our wedding photos next year! Can't wait!