Attwood Family

We like to celebrate fun days whenever we can.  This year we leaped into the Leap Year!  Yup, the girls were woken up by stuffed frogs leaping onto their heads (bet that is the only time leaping frogs will wake them up with smiles on their faces.)  Green Hawaiian punch in our lunch boxes.  We came home to a table decorated with our froggy friends and green iced cupcakes.  I did try to find cupcakes that looked like frogs but it wasn’t to be.  Hope that you all enjoyed the Leap Year too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and as a bonus to this post, Elspeth asked that I add the photos of her and the challah that she made at Sunday School.  She has enjoyed it every day for lunch since!

The final catch up is about….skating but this time Missy E. She has done two skating competitions this year and had fun doing it (as you can see from the photos below).

Missy K’s 11th Gotchaversary & Forever Family:

It is hard to believe that 11 years ago we were walking around China with a wee mite in a snuggie trying to figure out this parent thing for the very first time.  Now look at her, so tall and making us so proud.  Just love her to bits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking with Missy E:

She is really starting to enjoy working in the kitchen and I love having a side kick.

 

 

We had a lot of fun at Chinese New Year.  It is now the Year of the Monkey — Katrine’s Year and she is super excited about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hope that all of you welcomed in the Year of the Monkey surrounded by the love of family and friends.

We are baaaaaack!  2016 got off to an interesting start; a lot of ups and downs.  We welcomed in the new year at my parents and it was wonderful.  Family and snow.  It was the most snow we have had this winter.  The girls managed to get in some snowman and fort building as well as sledding.  Of course, we came home and the first round of illness struck.  To make it worse, Katrine hurt her knee when landing a jump.  She has spent the last two months in physio and she ended up missing two skating competitions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been really hard on her because she has not only been in physio but also had to sit out/greatly reduce the amount of skating.  Skating is her soul.  She is getting back into it now so is beginning to feel better.  Yeah.  In just a little while she may even be able to get back to off ice.

 

Christmas Day began with stockings (of course) and a delicious breakfast.  Some of the favourite Santa gifts are shown below.  Props go out to the Auntie Elf who lovingly crafted a giant cloud for Elspeth who continues to carry it around the house with her.  Then we had a nice break while Glenn went to pick up his mom and brother.  I took the girls outside to blow off some steam and enjoy the unseasonably nice weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the day was a mix of presents, food, Lego and Sushi Go which is a really fun card game featuring cute pictures of sushi on the cards.  Oh and there was also a lot of music shared by our wee Elspeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day was our family portrait day.  I can’t wait to see the photos because I am sure that they will look wonderful.  Afterwards it was time for Christmas Dinner round two with Tim and Karen.  Gain a lot of fun was had and two tired girls climbed into their beds that night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that everyone else had a great Christmas as well.

 

Christmas Eve was a restful evening.  The girls and I spent the afternoon baking and icing Baby Jesus’ birthday cake (from scratch gluten-free gumdrop cake) and sugar cookies for Santa with Grandma.  Glenn picked up his mom before dinner.  Afterwards the two grandmas, and us went off to church while Grandpa stayed at home to pre-cook the sweet potatoes and mashed for Christmas day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we got back from church there was just enough time for a snack and to leave out goodies for Santa before bed.

 

Okay so tonight after a rather skaty day I let the girls lose on a gingerbread house.  The end product was lots of laughs and a building that I am pretty sure is not up to code.  Oh, and a gingerbread gummy Santa who appears to have had a mishap on the roof.

Yesterday was Katrine’s Holiday Skating Show but I don’t have photos without the other skaters in them so you will simply have to take my word for it that the show was a lot of fun and the skaters amazing.  Afterwards they had their skate with Santa time.  As you can tell, Katrine was zipping around with her friends.  I barely got her to stop for the two photos below and the one with Santa took a candy cane bribe.  Elspeth on the other hand, had a great time skating with a friend and was eager to stand in line and talk with Santa.

The main street in our “downtown” has a lovely festive garland hanging right across it.  I am not sure that it was done on purpose but there is a secret message in the garland that highlights the importance of family….well moms to be precise.  And, it is even lit up at night!

Holiday Greetings to every Mom!