Our Week (Christmas Pageant)

We've had a week full of fantastic moments (Edward's family visiting), and slogging moments (illness, yet again), but all in all, we can't complain!

I realize there is a disproportionate number of messy Malcolm photos, but we can't help ourselves.  Here is Malcolm with his cup stuck (and I mean, STUCK) in his hair, with maple syrup

Yep, ditto what I wrote above, but here he is enjoying his fraternity with the chocolate-moustasched Musketeers.

The older three with the gingerbread houses they decorated at school and their Advent wreaths

This year, we headed our church's call for an extra shepherd, angel and wise man and committed to the Christmas Pageant.  This involved one dress rehearsal and a lot of crossed fingers (and, I'm sure for the director, a certain amount of prayer).  We almost had a wayward sheep to add to the mix, but he's suffering from a(nother) bad cold, which includes two infected eyes; and, pardon the expression, he looks like hell.  In any case, Aunt Jane graciously took the video documenting The Ducklings foray into.. musical theatre... and it turned out really well.

A few additional notes about the video:

Keith actually memorized his line: "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem to see this thing which is come, which the Lord hath made known to us", and we were extremely proud of him.  You can see him mouthing along (he barely made it down the aisle, so it was truly a Christmas miracle that he said anything at all) to his line, and to "Away in A Manger".  

Evelyn memorized her line, too, but it turns out we got the wrong line assigned to us, and hers was in fact said by the Angel Gabriel, which caused Evelyn a certain amount of confusion and disappointment. 

Colin didn't have a line, which suited him just fine because he really didn't want to be a Magi, he wanted to be a "Helicopter Guy".  But I think he was won over by his crown.

The little ones who did make in into their sheep costumes provided some levity, which you can hear rippling through the congregation at times... and Father Murray tried in vain to choral one (his grandson) at one point, which is why he makes a cameo appearance in the video.

The angel who suddenly pitched forward on the floor is fine.... not even a feather ruffled, or halo bent!

Dancing Duo (+ Hopping Colin)

Aunt Pinie and Uncle Ken sent a holiday card with music, and it has many fans....

Creativity and Contagion

Colin was very proud of his parkade/church/apartment building, and we took this picture knowing that his handiwork wouldn't be preserved past 37 seconds....

Advent candles!  The one in front is Evelyn's, Colin's is on the left and Keith's is on the right.  He insisted on bringing his candle into McDonald's after church yesterday because "other people should see it."

And well, it turns out that this part of the nasty, nasty cold we've been dealing with is also contagious:

Malcolm, in mid-mouthful, fast asleep this afternoon.  Poor baby bear!

We're still waiting for Evelyn to come down with this horrendous thing, but I am eternally grateful that she was able to attend her first every birthday party unscathed (alone!!! with her BEST ever girl friends from school!!! in pyjamas!!!).  She floated out of her little friend's house on Saturday afternoon in a cloud of sparkles, cupcake crumbs and (I swear!) pixie dust and hasn't been quite the same ever since.... I love it.

This Is New....

I don't mean to brag (insert sarcasm), but at this point, Edward and I are pretty conversant in contagion and it's various, miserable permutations.  And, not like I'm counting in a petty, somewhat childish way, but at least one member of our household (and usually two or more) has been sick 52 weeks out of the past 64.  

Last week, I got the stomach flu and a cold simultaneously.  I was secretly hoping it was food poisoning, because that isn't contagious.  Alas, Keith was up two nights in a row sick to his stomach, and Evelyn suffered the same symptoms last night.  Now, however, for the first time, we have two illnesses in the house at once manifested in two different people - Evelyn and her stomach flu, and Colin and his bad cold.

It looks something like this:

Colin passed out at the dinner table tonight, and Evelyn probably wishing she was passed out...

May this be the last time this year we have a confluence of nasty bugs.  Because between upset stomachs and perpetually runny all-over-everything noses, let me tell you, that's a LOT of laundry.

I'm also hoping this guy has had the worst of it - he had a rumbly, upset tummy at the same time I was sick last week - because at the moment, he is blissfully unaware of what lurks around him... and I think I have reached my quota of sad and miserable little people for the week.

Malcolm (and Sniffer) enjoying his snack this afternoon

Our Week

 Our week started off last Friday afternoon, when we were invited to the kids' school to participate in an assembly that saw Evelyn being recognized for having exhibited the quality of "Justice" from the beginning of the school year.  Edward and I had to suppress wry smiles when we were informed of her award, because the meting of "justice" by Evelyn has a very long history, and it is usually of the frontier variety.  However, she definitely has an innate sense of fairness, and most importantly, inclusion.  Unless if involves her baby brother....

During the assembly, they provided examples of what "justice" looks like in our daily lives.  I expected they'd talk about making sure everyone got an equal share of cookie - and they did touch on smaller "j" justice, but their prime example was Rosa Parks.  I don't think I knew who she was until I took American history in Grade 11, and even then she was approached as a catalyst for the Civil Rights movement, and not from the perspective of fairness, equality and justice.  It was a little humbling to see the level of awareness of this group of elementary students in relation to these big issues.

In any case, we are very proud of her!

My apologies for the shaky camera!  I was quite far away, and had a hard time keeping her in the frame... as you can see.

Malcolm loves oatmeal.  A lot.  I took this picture for posterity, although it doesn't represent the worst of it!

In his hair, of course.

This bucolic scene was taken this morning - the kids have a PD Day.  Let's just pretend the rest of the morning looked like this, too.

Overheard - The Catholic School Version

Colin:  Mummy, Baby Jesus isn't dead.  He's alive in our hearts.
Me:  Yes, Colin, that's what some people believe.
Colin:  You know who else is in our hearts?
Me:  No, who?
Colin:  Sloths.

Hallowe'en 2014

I had one wish for Hallowe'en this year, and that was that we would all recover from the stomach flu before the candy was doled out.  Happily, that was the case!  Everyone was in pretty good form when they headed out in costume; and I would say for the first time, they truly enjoyed the experience.   Keith got to live his dream of being a "rat mascot" and scaring people; Colin was happy to be a giraffe; Evelyn couldn't decide between a fairy, a cat or a zebra until she laid eyes on a witch costume our neighbour had outgrown and then it was an easy decision; and Malcolm... well, he did master a little growl beforehand, but for most of the trick-or-treating route he was a rather sad and tired lion.  But overall, it was a busy and fun night!

Malcolm Lion and his prey.  You do not want to get in between Malcolm Lion and his prey.

The pumpkins I decorated.  The two on the top were a little rotten, which accounts for the odd mouth shapes (and the small third eye on the one of the left).  But, of course, I had to include tongues, which I propped up with toothpicks.

Evelyn the booootiful witch

Keith the Rat Mascot

Colin the Giraffe

Rooaarr?

Ready to go!

Our pumpkins, lit.  The Big One is Edward's handiwork.