Christmas Preview

While it will take a bit of time to compile the footage from Christmas morning, here is a preview of one of the gifts.

Taylor is obsessed with K'Nex. Ever since he got his mega box, he's been wanting one of the roller coaster sets. Shawn and I purchased one at Toys R Us for him and then found a better one at a much better price on Kijiji (classifieds).

Daddy and Taylor spent the morning assembling it and here is the finished product!

The Sick

'Twas the week before Christmas, and to my dismay, two children were feverish and hacking all day. And if this condition could get any worse, the father got sick and desired a hearse. "The sick" was here and lasted all week, while preparations for Christmas were considered at peak. Presents were wrapped, the family survived, and at long last, Christmas Day did arrive!

Thankfully, both Mommy and Ella were spared but Ella felt left out...

Ella (from her bed):  Mommy, I'm sick...  (pause)  I have the hiccups!!

Get Along T-shirt

A terrific way to decrease the frequency of sibling disruption!

Not sure where this came from but will have to try!!

School Portraits

I just realized that I forgot to post the kids' school portraits!

This is the first year we splurged on the kids' school pics. We decided on the Portrait CD so that we could create as many copies of whichever size that we wanted. Another advantage of this is that we get the photos in color, black & white, and sepia without having to manipulate anything ourselves.

Our sweet princess Kindergartener (who had lost her glasses at the time):

This was Averi's retake, and while we didn't choose the gray-brown background, I quite prefer it to the blue we chose for Taylor. Will have to remember this preference.

Our handsome 2nd grader:

A photo collage that I whipped up:

While it is doubtful that we will get pictures out by Christmas, please send me an email if you'd like any of these. Just indicate which version and what size.

Teacher's Pets

Christmas gifts from three of my students:

I got my very first #1 Teacher paraphernalia! It's a snowman s'mores ornament.  I was quite tickled.  ;)

Also some cookie-mix-in-a-jar and a vocabulary desk calendar. So sweet!

The Christmas Cactus in the background was a gift from my mentor, Lori. I'm so nervous that the thing will die cuz I'm terrible with plants. Otherwise, it's a lovely spot of color on the desk.

Christmas Card Artists

The kids are helping me out with Christmas card mass-production this year! This was my first Saturday home in who knows how long! I think that Shawn is just as excited as I am that I won't be working Saturdays for the next while. :)

You can catch a glimpse of Ella's new glasses here:

The glasses are a brand-new kind made entirely from plastic! Just perfect for our energetic 3-year-old!

Ella colored a whopping EIGHT Christmas trees, all with fabulous color combinations!

Averi colored THREE Christmas trees and chose Grandpa Nelson, Aunt D, and cousin Claire to giver hers to.

Taylor took his sweet time coloring his ONE Christmas tree. He picked Omi to give his creation to.

I still have a few uncolored trees left. I'm not sure if I will do some coloring or just change it up a bit. Cutting them out was a pain.  ;)

Location, Location, Location

Even though it's a long commute to northwest Calgary, I love working at SAIT because of the spectacular view!!

This is just outside the parkade:

The glorious night view! (Excuse the poor photography...)

A shot of downtown on a foggy day:

The building I work in as seen from the parkade (my office is actually on the opposite side but I've been teaching classes up on the 9th floor here):

 This was the very first building at SAIT. It's called Heritage Hall and Shawn's grandmother actually graduated from here in 1920!! (The photo was taken from the steps from the parkade... I really should have found a better place to take this shot from...)

The view from my office:

I share the office with 4 other instructors. The lovely lady in the bottom left of the photo above is my mentor, Lori, the Medical Transcription program instructor. I really work with most spectacular ladies!

Quick Update

I've been super busy but wanted to share that I signed a contract for next term at SAIT. Wehoo! I'll have my fingers in 3 different programs: Medical Transcription, Health Information Office Assistant (being renamed Medical Office Assistant/Unit Clerk), and Health Information Management (the program I took once upon a time). I even have an old pal that's currently taking that last program, so I'll get to see her on a regular basis starting in March.  :)

We set up the Christmas tree this past weekend and the kids are wondering where the presents are.  lol!

Ella finally got her glasses! I haven't had a chance to take pics... Will have to do ASAP.  Since she's farsighted, the lenses magnify her eyes a bit... She's still cute.  At least when she's hugging you.  ;)  She's very huggy but only on her own schedule.  ;)  We also have to patch her a bit. I feel terrible that our kids' eyes are so terrible.  Even Taylor's grade 2 teacher has voiced concerns so Taylor's up next for an optometrist visit.  :(

Dude-isms

#1

I was surprised to hear Taylor answer the phone when I called home from work the other day.

Me: Where's Daddy, Taylor?
Taylor: He can't answer the phone right now.
Me: Well, why are you answering the phone?
Taylor: Because it was ringing and no one was answering.
Me: Well, I guess you're old enough to be answering the phone. We'll teach you some phone etiquette. *pause* Could you please stop breathing into the phone?
Taylor: Why? Can you feel it???

Lol!!

#2

Taylor is the best kid EVER at staying in bed after bedtime. On occasion, we'll find him still awake a couple of hours later! One such occasion occurred last night so I decided to snuggle with him for a bit, hoping the added warmth might render him more somnolent. ;)  Instead, we ended up talking for a bit. After giving him some butterfly kisses, the following was said:

Taylor: Why do we have eyelashes?
Me: Why do you think we might have eyelashes?
Taylor (pausing briefly): For decoration??

Cracks me up!

If nothing else, at least kids can be heartily entertaining!!

Wunderkind

For his most recent birthday, we got Taylor a mega box of K'Nex. Perfect for any lego-lover! It came with a manual full of ideas and Taylor's probably made all of them. So, it wasn't long and came as no surprise when Taylor started inventing his own creations!

This is his "double chopper" (my nickname).

He's the cutest!!

Calgary Temple Preview!

It was an exciting day after a phone call from Shawn's sister, Vickie.

Vickie has been doing the gold-leafing at the Calgary temple. Today she called one and all to invite us to the construction-worker-family-pre-Open-House-viewing! So, amongst the other construction workers and their families, we got to be one of the first groups through the new temple! It was a fabulously memorable experience!

It started pouring rain between the Stake Center and the temple. Most of it was covered but for part of it, volunteers handed out white umbrellas! There were lots of volunteers! They've been calling for them for months and it is unfortunate that our current situation (Shawn in school) renders us unable to participate. :(

The temple was, of course, beautiful! Stained glass sheaths of wheat seemed to be the theme. I had to ask what the symbolism was and was informed that it represents Alberta's wheat crops. Duh! Didn't think of that, though, as I don't associate Alberta with wheat so much as beef. Better sheaths of wheat than shanks of meat!

The baptismal font was stunning! A glass room with benches overlooks the scene which seems a much better way to go about baptisms for the dead than a long line of youth waiting their turn...

Ella was very vocal for the entire tour (of course). When she saw the baptismal font she exclaimed, "Toilet!!" and then "Bathtub!!" We were, thankfully, able to keep her from christening the font!

The gold-leafing was terrific! ;) The ceiling in the Bride's Room was stunning with Alberta's flower, Wild Rose, trimming the ceiling.

The terrestrial room had the most stunning artwork! Believe it or not, they brought in an artist from Rexburg, Idaho to tour Alberta and transfer his vision onto the walls. I laughed out loud during the tour when they mentioned that: a bit of Rexburg here in Calgary!  ;)

The telestial room was very neutral but the celestial room was indescribable! The main chandelier was enormous!! Averi was quite impressed with the rainbow-producing crystals and I indicated that we could eventually get a chandelier for her room, albeit on a much less magnificent (and child-friendly) scale.

The view from the temple and the temple grounds are incomparable! You can see downtown Calgary and, though the clouds prevented us from seeing this evening, the Rocky Mountains!

The temple is situated very subtly within a NW community called Royal Oak. Since it isn't lit up yet, it seems to suddenly appear from nowhere. Access is from behind the temple and seemed quite oblique.

We brought the camera for (exterior family) pictures but with the weather and the exasperation factor (3 kids + temple tour = tired parents), we will have to wait until a future opportunity presents itself. Sorry!! Do recall that we have pictures of its construction here.

A Lesson in Safety

After watching the kids wrapping each other up in blankets, I decided it was a great time to review the dangers of suffocation. I gathered the kids around; Taylor and Averi seem used to this concept now that they're (back) in school but Ella did fairly well, also!

I started by trying to get them to tell me what we need to live. Taylor piped up with food and water so I asked what we need even before food and water. They struggled with this so I dropped a hint.

Me (gently leading): We do it all day and all night...
Taylor (jubilant): Chores!!

Um, no, but I had a good laugh anyway!

Calaway Park

I keep meaning to post the picture from Taylor's first roller coaster ride! The week before Taylor's birthday, Uncle Aaron and Sam (his GF) took Taylor (and Jace) to Calaway Park. Uncle Aaron wasn't planning on purchasing a photo but couldn't resist once he saw it!

Taylor looks absolutely terrified but he assures me that it was alright. He says that next time he'll do a funny pose for the picture.  :)

First Day of School

Two kiddies in school, yippee!!

Tried to get the school name in the shot...

Unfortunately, the only sun to be had this time of day isn't at its best this time of year.

I tried to provide some shade for these shots...

Taylor's fine with his new grade two teacher, Mrs. Schmitt, even though he was sad not to have the same teacher as the last two years (Mrs. Aebli).

I'm familiar with Averi's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. White-Tucker, and her energetic creativity is a perfect match!

Breath vs Nose

Due to stress related to having a new job (I signed the contract yesterday!), sleep has become elusive. ;) The up-side to this is already being awake when Ella gets up. Morning's are her best time: she's sweet and loves to cuddle.

In the midst of our snuggle, I remarked to Ella that she had terrible morning breath. She turned it around by saying, "No, your nose stinks!"

A Taylor Original

I was clearing out some papers and came across this drawing of Taylor's. I hadn't seen it before but loved it so much that I had to scan it.

Behold, our chapel:

Teacher Time

Today I was officially offered a teaching position at my old tech school, SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology)!

Rewind a few years, 2008 to be exact, and I have just interviewed for a full-time position co-teaching the program I graduated from, Health Information Management, with a friend that I graduated with. I felt very good about the interview and the more I thought about teaching as a career, the more ecstatic I became. I used to play school with my younger sibs, creating mini-texts and quizzes to grade. I taught Eva (maybe Owen?) to read (not that I find that kind of patience with my own children!). I've really enjoyed any training opportunities that came my way as both a coder and an analyst.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

It was just as well since our family grew once more after that. ;)

Fast-forward to the beginning of this past summer and my friend at SAIT approached me about a part-time contract (temporary) position at SAIT. It wouldn't be teaching my program but helping out the Medical Transcription and Health Information Office Assistant programs. It would be a foot in the door!

At this same time, I had already applied for a part-time data quality position at the new Calgary hospital (opening end of this year/beginning of next year). Data quality is my passion (consistency appeals to my detail-oriented, problem-solving side) and these positions don't come up often. It made me consider getting out of my stay-at-home-mom mode since Averi is now going to school. Child care would be less expensive and I would be missing less time with the kids. (Ella and parents will all benefit with some time apart.)

I find it unfortunate that both of these opportunities presented themselves at the same time. It has been my experience that Heavenly Father brings about these types of situations for a reason. I went after the teaching position since it was temporary and would lead perfectly into the hospital position. SAIT, however, has offered me a year-long contract, rather than just one term. I look forward to finding out what becomes of this! Will I become a permanent instructor, coding coordinator or both (SAIT assures me that they can be flexible)??

Ella Strikes Again

"Poor Daddy" is sort of an understatement.

Like, "Ella's mischievous" is an understatement.

I received a call at work today asking for the best way to get nail polish off of everything.

Including Miss Ella herself, of course.

I never did get to see the clothing she was wearing... *shudder*

Funnily enough, she actually did get her toes.

This incident can be blamed squarely on Mommy for painting her own toenails in front of Miss Sassafras and then leaving the nail polish on her bathroom counter.

Dr. Ella, MD

I can barely contain my mirth!

Ella just gave me a quick medical check-up. She approached me, placing the end of her play stethoscope on my back, and said, "Take a deep breath for me." After doing so, I was then instructed "Now breathe out." After doing this precise thing several times (rendering me somewhat dizzy), she then took my blood pressure.

I can hardly account for her knowing how to listen for lung sounds. It is true, she's been examined by a few doctors/surgeons in her time. My suspicion, however, lies with a TV show for children called Doc McStuffins about a child who fixes her toys. I am sure that there are check-ups involved.

Too cute!!

That Child!

Ella escaped her bed this evening to paint herself front and back with Taylor and Averi's toothpastes (blue and pink, respectively).
In this context, I should indicate that her pediatrician found that she is developmentally normal. She is too young for other diagnoses but words such as "oppositional" and "impulsive" were used and describe Ella to a tee.

Calgary Temple Progresses

Daddy took the kiddies to see the temple's progress:

Our Weekend in Crowsnest Pass

Shawn's parents built a cabin in a teensy town named Bellevue within the Crowsnest Pass area of Alberta. Shawn has been badgering me to take the family for a visit and I can't say why I resisted! We had such a fun time!

We started off at the Frank's Slide Interpretive Centre. Ella started her dangerous forays immediately.

Averi has a weird face, lol!

While we didn't want to pay admission to the Interpretive Centre, the grounds boasted a hiking path that we all enjoyed!

Love the silly poses!!!

Shawn trying to keep Ella safe:

Ella after I told him just to let her go:

Shawn had to make a mad climb to prevent her from making it to the top and, in all probability, flinging herself off the precipice! She's a really fast little monkey!!

Funny how Taylor's the one who end up hurting himself:

Dad tried convincing him to be brave... He got over it soon enough.

Another silly Ella pose:

And a sweet Ella pose:

We also took the children to the swimming pool in Sparwood, BC. It was fabulous!!

It was a terrific trip up until the very end when nerves became too frazzled to withstand anymore. ;)

On the way home, we stopped at the Lundbreck Falls.