"Just hear those sleigh bells ringing..."

The 12 Days of Christmas at Heritage Park. Can you see how scared Buck is in this pic?
The sleigh bells ringing.
Elton John Jr. (If there were such a thing. RKZ said, "No way in hell.")

Told you I would post again. RKZ is driving me crazy telling me to post pictures of the hole in the wall being fixed - I don't have a picture, but I can tell you that people are pooping in a fully green room at this point. Sans holes. There you go.

We leave in just a little bit - packed to the gills with clothes we will not wear and toys and books to entertain Buck when all he really wants to do is stare out the airplane window and tell everyone (at the top of his lungs) what's going on. Oh, he'll take a break to watch an hour of Blue's Clues...but that will be it.

We are sure that we're forgetting something (as we always do) because we're pretty much packed and ready to go. There isn't a blizzard this year, so we've got that going for us. I think this means that there will be some terrible airline delay and we'll be stranded at the airport for some insane reason - but we'll be home by Christmas - we always are...

"I'll be home for Christmas..."

I do think it's possible to be hopelessly in love with your own child. RKZ, Buck & I made a gingerbread house (It's from a kit - we didn't bake the cookie parts).
Buck with the "Kelly picture face."
Dance of the Sugar Plum Aliens.
Here we are after the house. Bets, you'll love this picture for the same reasons you were teasing me about the Christmas card :)

We had a really nice evening last night. Canadian Safari Guide came over for dinner along with a few college aged girls from the Challenge Club. It was a fun night of "fish & chips" Weight Watchers style. Everything was baked and Buck made the pronouncement that "these are not real fries." He was disgusted with baked potato "chips." Of course.

More later. Our flight is tonight and I have a few more pictures I want to post in time for Christmas.

"Have a Holly Jolly Christmas! It's the best time of the year..."

Our tree in the dining room. Those are new blinds. I am in love with them. Carrie and Jackson came over and made Christmas cookies the other day - we left the boys in their pajamas and that really helped cleaning the mess.
Jack and Buck played drums after slaving away with cookie-cutters.
More percussion. Excited about the addition of the new guitar after Christmas.

One more day before we leave for Reno tomorrow afternoon. I will blog tomorrow, but I wanted to be sure to get a post in today for all of you workers who will be "logging off" for the holidays. We're winding down the excitement today and having a couple of friends over for Christmas cod (fish and chips, really) - it will be a nice send off for us tomorrow.

RKZ and I had too good of a time at the Christmas party we attended Wednesday. Actually, I think I was having the "too-good" of a time. Missing those HBHS Christmas shindigs and the WT Christmas party we used to throw. Missing the palm trees covered in Christmas lights and the 70 degree temps. But, I did realize that a year can make a big difference as I spent the night chatting with about 30 Brits. It was a fun (and alcohol-laden) party. "Good times," eh, E?

We had a "Grady family Christmas" last night and Buck opened his presents before bed. I will try to get those pictures on tomorrow (or tonight). Lots of video as this will be the first Christmas where he can understand what's going on. I can't wait for the big family parties at both Reno and Colorado Springs. He will be in heaven. So will we!

"The snow is falling and friends are calling: 'yoo hoo'"

[We have a "baby/kids" tree upstairs where we keep the ornaments we love (really). Buck had the Ferner kids over to help with the decorating. It was a fun time.]


Yeah, so "yoo hoo" to you. We're in full Christmas-crazy here as Buck and I spent the morning running around looking for "small" gifts for our friends. You know, things we can just drop off with a "Merry Christmas" and a happy handshake. Turns out, those little gifts run around $20.00 these days. All of the $7.50 stuff looks cheesy and very small - like we shouldn't have bothered. I wish I had made something cute and crafty this year - using the boy would have been good. But instead, 2 days before we're supposed to leave, I'm running around like a chicken with...well, you know...trying to find the perfect way to say, "I'm glad that I don't have to go to these mommy classes alone and Merry Christmas." RKZ will really appreciate how much sentiment like that costs these days. I can't figure out if it's inflation or just Calgary. I'm leaning towards Calgary since everything here is shockingly expensive. If I actually looked at the price of groceries, I'd probably be outraged at what I'm paying.

My poor husband. He is really wonderful.

Stepped into our bank for the first time - uhh ever - so that I could deposit some checks and cover Christmas. Buck ran around the metal posts that make up the line for about 10 minutes. People were really nice, but it wasn't a hit with the young 20-something tellers. They were friendly but didn't offer him the usual lollypop he gets when he's with his dad. I actually do believe that the candy is a slight way to come on to my husband. Those tarts!! Can't blame them, of course.

Just finished puttin' on the slow cooker as RKZ and I actually have plans to attend a Christmas Party tonight! Yeah! We're adults and have an adult activity to attend until - gasp - like 11pm!!

"Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we"

Best thing about Christmas (I mean, aside from all the Savior of the World stuff) is that there are like 7,000 songs for me to choose from for the blog. Yes, I have hit shallow bottom :) We're off to music class in about 2 minutes. We'll be late, of course, but I wanted to upload some shots of the music program for your enjoyment.

"Come, they told me, parum-pa-pum-pum"

All Buck wants for Christmas is a guitar. If you ask him, it is the only thing he ever answers. We have already bought a real-string "kids" guitar. He keeps telling everyone that he is going to take the guitar on the airplane "to Christmas." I can see the fight already. This video is his foray (sp?) into drums. It'd be ok with us if he forms a rock band or something as he gets older. I think I date myself by typing the words "rock band." Next week is the mass friend exodus to warmer climates for Christmas. Crazy. We'll just be banging our drums here until the 22nd.

"Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"

This is a bit of a "hodge-podge" of pictures because I uploaded them in a crazy way. OOPs! The funny thing about shoveling is that it has to be done after it snows, doesn't matter if it's at night. Of course, this is really only about 5:30 at night (no lie). Enjoy our Christmas light covered tree as well, please.
RKZ out shoveling. This night was very cold. And RK doesn't like the snow to freeze in the tire tracks.
Buck's "Marty the Moose" snowsuit.
RKZ driving like a mad-man. It's pretty snowy here and this pic cracks me up.
This is Buck's most usual face. I enjoy the "What?" aspect of it. He's 2 going on 12.
This is me looking like my older brother every time he takes a picture. Scary, eh? I'm such a beauty queen. I'll upload some more Christmas pagent pictures tomorrow.
Buck loves helping shovel. This is proof that child labour laws don't apply to Canada (labor is spelled labour here in Canada as well)
More shoveling.

RKZ is off to Houston today to have "meetings" (dinner, lunch and breakfast) and to see a Broncos game against the Texans. Very big deal that Mike Shannahan's son is the QB coach for the Texans. Family drama for one of RK's favorite families. RKZ will be on the 20 or 30 yard line, in case you're watching the game.

Buck and I are spending a few "quiet" days around the house until Friday. I don't really believe that either.

"Y - M - C - A"

Buck going over the gymnastics "horse"
Buck beginning a somersault (it's called a forward roll now, I think)
Buck and Clemmie bouncing
Daddy helping Buck up the balance beam - notice the PJ top!
Focus! Focus!
Buck loves the trampoline! Don't we all?
Buck on the BOSU (means "both sides up" for you non-gymnasts/worker outers)
"So, howz it going, Clemmie?" Buck receiving his gymtastics diploma. Crazy, right?

Buck on the bar
practicing the iron cross
"Stop taking pictures, mom"

Ok, not really "YMCA" - it's called Gymtastics. Buck had his last class the other day (I'm a little behind in pictures). My favorte part of these pictures is that Buck insisted on wearing his PJ top to the class. It's fleece and really comfy for him. I also like that RKZ is in the shots. Another of his saved-up days off.

It's been a busy few days with everything coming to a close. All of Buck's classes are taking the holidays off. I am really looking forward to a few weeks of downtime, although we've been really busy with playdates now that there is 'free time.' This week is filled with meetings, of course, but it was nice to just take a walk in the snow yesterday. It's still pretty cold here, but it warmed up to 25F so we were enjoying the warmth (I'm not kidding).

"You spin me right round baby, right round"

I will post a bit more later. We've been super busy. First, I am going to copy the "letter to the editor" that I just wrote to our local newspaper. There is a big debate going on here because the Catholic school board (the Catholic schools here are free and funded by Catholic tax dollars) - anyway - the board is "reviewing" the books of "The Golden Compass." Many of of you sent emails regarding these books and I have to warn anyone who doesn't know about these books that they are very anti-Catholic and generally anti-Christian. Not "intellectual discussion" anti-Catholic/Christian - but "introduce our kids to anti-Catholic/Christian concepts" in a fantasy book where they are influenced to think negatively of the Church and ultimately, God.

Now, all of you who have read my blog know that I am a Harry Potter fan. I also love fantasy and science fiction. I wouldn't blog about works of fiction unless I had done a lot of research into them. I am not for burning or banning books. But I do believe that parents have the responsibility to know what their kids are reading and should make the decsion as to how their media intake will affect their thinking. Some kids can watch "Finding Nemo" and not think that they are keeping their family fish prisoner. Some kids will immediately want to flush all of the fish down the toilet so that they can be "free." Parents need to decide what their own children will do with information they take in.

But I do have a pretty strong opinion about the books for personal reasons (which are probably pretty obvious). So I wrote a letter about the controversy to the Calgary Herald:

Seriously, give me a break about all of this discussion regarding whether or not children will become Atheists by reading three books or watching a movie. This is not the issue regarding "The Golden Compass" books. The issue is that they are offensive to a large religious group and that this group has the right to remove offensive materials from their schools which are payed for by the tax dollars of people belonging to this group.

How are these books/this movie offensive? Here are just two examples: The villains of the story are called the "Magisterium" which even Pullman has admitted is a direct stab at the governing body of the Catholic church. Also, every character in the story has a "best friend" which is the manifestation of each person's soul known as a "daemon." While the word "Daemon" may be defined as a "supernatural being of a nature between God and humans," it doesn't seem a small coincidence that the proudly (read some of his interviews) Atheistic Pullman is also playing with the archaic spelling of "demon." The Catholic school board should not have to explain a choice to remove books which vilify its leaders nor paints pictures of children with daemons following them around.

Nobody would chide a Jewish school for removing a book celebrating the holocaust nor a Muslim school for removing Rushdie's "Satanic Verses." Whether or not the books will affect the faith of children seems a personal issue. I mean, reading a book has never changed anyone's mind, right? It's great that there is not a long list of literature which has changed the culture of the world. Oh....wait...

Thanks for reading,

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

Grandpa Duke made us pretty homesick a few days back when he sent over pictures of our family in Colorado. Below is a shot of Bailey, who is now everyone's dog. He's looking pretty healthy!! These are some shots of Buck's cousins decorating the Grady house in Colorado. Can't wait to see them so soon! This is Pahina and Bailey. Pahina, Shawn Jr and Cotter (not their real names, of course) with Bailey the Christmas dog. Doesn't Pahina look so cute in her pink hat? This pic is in Grandma and Grandpa's basement. The Duchess is my hero when it comes to decorating.
Pahina and Grandma Duchess also in the basement. Look Grandma! We're on the blog!!
Here is RKZ's life-long (basically) home. Loving the bow in the front. We can't believe that the big tree that used to be in the front yard is totally gone! Wow! We're also excited to see how "unsnowy" it is in this shot. We're on the 4th day of snow in a row here.
Colorado back yard. The new color is awesome!
We simply can't wait for the Christmas holiday to start. RKZ was home yesterday - more using up days off - and we are really excited to have a long stretch of days together and with family. Buck is beside himself to see all of his cousins. It's going to be a really fun Christmas & New Years' this year.

I plan on posting again later with the picture of Buck traumatized with seeing Santa yesterday. The picture isn't too bad, but the experience was funny.

We can wait to see you all, family!!

"Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"

Here is my hat.


Buck now insists on sitting in a "big boy" chair instead of his old booster seat. I have him use a circular place mat. Yesterday, he decided that it would make a good hat. I think it's like a Little House on the Prairie bonnet. This is a dull post. Later on today, I'm going to post some pictures of the Duke & Duchess and Buck's cousins decorating the house in Colorado. Our old dog, Bailey is also there. Stay tuned!!

"We wish you a Merry Christmas"

This is RKZ's first crack at taking video with our small digital camera, so please be merciful with your judgements. He took 2 videos and, although this is the one that is more "jumpy," The only thing to be seen in the other video is the very attractive back of another dad's head. Needless to say, this was one crowded Christmas pagent.

So, Buck's in this music class. There is a real competitive spirit to the infant/toddler music classes in Calgary, but I was ignorant of the drama. There is actually a word-of-mouth list of which is the best class to have your 4 - 30 month old stare at some very excited woman as she sings and mimes the actions to "Little White Duck" and "Were you ever in Quebec?". Go figure.

We chose the Suzuki class because it's in the same building as my Mom's Time Out work-out class and it's really close to our house. It's been fun and Buck loves it - but I don't see how there can be much variation on using shakers or xylophones and "stomping to the beat." But I digress. This Suzuki class comes with a Christmas musical pagent. We were asked to dress our toddlers in "festive holiday dress" and to show up 30 minutes early to line up with the kids and sing "Jingle Bells" (as we processed in), "Little Tommy Tucker" (as we stood on stage) and "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" (as we walked off). This video documents our walking off as well as the fact that an infant/toddler Christmas pagent is actually a mommy/daddy Christmas pagent.

We thought we'd get to leave right after our section (which was - thankfully - first), but the second that the "Twinkle" Class of 4 year old violinists began, we couldn't pull Buck away from the show. He would shriek with delight everytime the music began. Poor RKZ was ready to pass out with sheer boredom. His comment? "I couldn't sit through recitals like that for the rest of my life."

That is exactly how I feel about the 14-month hockey season. Give me an indoor violin concert over 3 hours in -20 anyday. I'm sure RKZ completely disagrees.