A couple of Christmas pictures

Here we are in front of the Christmas Tree. Martin and I together are a dizzying pattern of red and white.

Oliver helping Martin open up his Christmas presents.

Joe said not to say anything, so don't tell him I said so, but I've loaded up new pictures, he just needs to sync. So check out the website over the next couple of days.

Christmas Day!!!

Well, Santa found us alright. We got up at 8:00 to see that Santa had brought us all presents. We opened our stockings and then had some waffles for breakfast. Keeping an eye on the time, we did a call to Paulina's before Kate had to go to bed, and then did a conference call with Mom and Dad on the new web camera Joe bought, just for Mom, as he said. He set it up yesterday downstairs so now we can do calls from the sofa. The conference call had the usual hiccups (I can see you but I can't hear you, can you hear me, etc).

Oliver started saying he wanted to open more presents. So we had to go, and then we opened up the rest of the presents. Oliver is really happy with his gifts, particularly, the airport set from his grandparents.

For dinner we had our friends, Gary, Linda and Adam, our Canadian friends that we met in The Bahamas, and Mark, Mel and their baby William. I "picked up" Mel(anie) at lunch one day when we were both pregnant. William is about a month older than Martin. We ordered in food from Mr. Hoe, and bought a turkey, ham, the whole fixin's. It was quite good.

Everyone had a real nice time.

Christmas Eve

Well, the boys are both tucked into bed, but I doubt images of sugar plums are dancing through their heads, as neither one knows what a sugar plum is. Actually, come to think of it, neither do I.

We have left out milk & cookies for Santa, and sprinkled down oats for his reindeer. I think he should be able to find us.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Monday Craft Update

Since Paulina has now received the gift, here is the ornament I made her this year. It is from a Cross-Stitch Christmas ornament magazine, and is called "Victorian Lace Snowflake" from Karen at Rosewood Cross-stitch. I changed the colours though, and used some linen fabric Paulina had given me, and used the silk thread that I bought in China (on a trip with Paulina). I picked the Victorian design in honour of her trip to England this year.

To tell you the truth, it was a real pain in the butt to stitch. The silk and metallic thread did not go well together, and I had to keep using shorter and shorter pieces. There are also a lot of beads in the design, which anyone who has stitched with beads can tell you, they are a pain.

But the finished product is quite nice, and Paulina said she liked it, so there you go.

Knitting
Stuffed knit baby balls.

Cross-stitch
Finished the "Dad" of the snow family. Have one child left to do, plus the backstitching. I think I will display it on Christmas day anyways.

Photography
Nothing.

Christmas to-do list:

• Finish cross-stitch Christmas picture and get framed - ha ha ha
  
• Buy gifts:
• On-line - 100% done.
  
• Oliver, Martin, Joe - 100% done
  
• Wrap present - 100% done

Next week, the year in review.

I don't think that Christmas

is good for the environment. Think about it. The consumerism. The wrapping paper. Seriously, $10 for wrapping paper that you end up throwing away. Similarly with Christmas cards (though it's nice to know someone is thinking of you).

But just the mass consumerism is overwhelming. But at the same time, the urge to buy Oliver (and Martin - though he doesn't ask for much) is overwhelming too. It's not like we can't afford it, but does he really need it all? Of course not. But it's still pretty packed under the tree right now.

Martha has got nothing on me

in terms of making sugar cookies. I decided it would be fun for Oliver and I to do it, and then we could decorate it. So I looked up a recipe for sugar cookies. You have to chill the dough, so I decided to make up the dough last night. It went well, except the minor hitch that we are out of vanilla, but I was able to borrow some. The mixing was fine, except it was very pilly. Then I realized that I added only 3 teaspoons of milk and not tablespoons. But I fixed it up, and put it in the fridge to chill.

Today, Oliver and I started making the cookies. The dough was really tough to roll as it was cold, and then it got really really sticky. So I added more flour. But didn't really help. So I got it flat enough, and we stuck in a shape. And then we couldn't get the cookie onto the cookie sheet without basically wrecking the cookie. (I think it was the heat and humidity in the kitchen. There is no air conditioning there). So I gave up and said, let's make silly shapes. Here they are pre-cooking.

Here is how they look post cooking and post decorating:
I wish. Here they are (they also broke during decorating):
At least they taste okay. And Oliver had fun.

Monday Craft update

Knitting
Completed knitting Martin's ball. I have 2 balls to stuff

Cross-stitch
Did about 3 hours on the snow family. I went to bed a couple of nights early as I was so tired.

Photography
Nothing.

Christmas to-do list:

• Finish cross-stitch Christmas picture and get framed - ha ha ha
  
• Buy gifts:
• On-line - 90% done.
  
• Oliver, Martin, Joe - about 70% done
  
• Wrap present - about 0% done
  

Santa Claus

In honour of our Canadian roots, I like to get a picture of Oliver (and now Martin) a picture with Santa Claus each year. In 2005, we went to the Mall at Marathon in Nassau. Last year, we went to Grant Park Mall.

In Canada (and the Bahamas), Santa has a large throne to sit on, and you have to pay to get a picture printed.

So, I've been looking around the malls in Singapore, for Santa's throne. There never were any, even though there are tons of Christmas displays. But Tanglin Mall has Santa this weekend (including an avalanche!?!?!), so we decided to go there to get our picture taken. We wander around looking for Santa's throne. Can't find it, so we ask information. Santa will just walk around the mall, and if you want your picture with him, you need to bring your own camera.

So Santa came. I ended up in the picture holding Martin (whose bib I forgot to take off), Oliver is busy unwrapping his lollipop (they don't even give out candy canes, for heaven's sake!) and not looking up, and I look terrible. Where is this wonderful picture you ask? Still on the camera card. I'll see if I post it for public view.

A very anti-climatic, disappointing visit.

Dear Santa

I hope you can read it.

Monday Craft Update

Knitting
Did three stripes on Martin's ball. Will be a Christmas present.

Cross-stitch
Did about 3 hours on the snow family. I'm sad to report it will not be done in time for Christmas (even without framing) as I have to still do the Dad and the boy, plus all the outlining. Quite disappointing. I'm thinking I should start Martin's stocking January 1st, if I even want to pretend to get it done on time.

Photography
Nothing.

Christmas to-do list:

• Finish Paulina's ornament & mail out - Mailed out
  
• Finish cross-stitch Christmas picture and get framed - ha ha ha
  
• Write Christmas letter - mailed
• Write Christmas cards - mailed
  
• Decorate house - done including the window.
  
• Buy gifts:
• On-line - 90% done.
  
• Oliver, Martin, Joe
• Wrap present

We have a winner!

The undisputed champion for the first Christmas card of the season is Mrs. P, with it arriving on Friday. I believe she has always won.

Sorry, no prize but the glory.

Christmas is coming!!

Christmas is coming! On Saturday I put up the Christmas tree. I had to buy new lights, due to the power conversion. I thought Oliver would help me, but he wasn't too interested in it. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Almost all the ornaments are "single" ornaments, they are souvenirs from trips, like our glass ornament of Santa on a gondola from Venice, or the handmade gift ornament by Julia.
I have a Santa hat and here are some pictures that Oliver requested I take.

"Mommy, put it on Martin!"

"Cheese!"

"I'm a monster! Raaarr!"

Children' Christmas Party 2007

The Children's Christmas party was on Saturday, and was a great success. The kids decorated cookies, played pass the parcel and Santa brought Jill gifts to distribute to all the good boys and girls. The weather was great, even a nice breeze to cool us off.

Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. You can see more pictures at the Compass Chronicle, but here is one.

Santa brought Oliver "Sheriff" from Cars, which he was quite happy about it and Martin a little stacking toy with farm animals.

Monday Craft Update

Knitting
Nothing.

Cross-stitch
Working solely on Paulina's ornament. Will be done by end of week, even if I have to stay up late, but I don't think so. I'm about 65% done.

Photography
Nothing.

Since it is such a boring post, I'll give you my Christmas to-do list:

• Research Christmas games for the party & buy necessary supplies
• Finish Paulina's ornament & mail out
• Finish cross-stitch Christmas picture and get framed
• Write Christmas letter. Print
• Write Christmas cards.
  
• Review mailing address list. Print
• Mail
• Decorate house
• Buy gifts:
• On-line
• Oliver, Martin, Joe
• Wrap presents

So, what do you think will get done and what won't get done?