Grilling and Chilling

Due to the lovely weather we had this past weekend, we spent quite a bit of time outdoors. Good thing too, as this week we're finally getting our cold, rainy weather moving in (hooray, says I!). Andre and Jack took quite a few long walks, kicking the soccer ball, riding Jack's motor-bike and feeding the ducks in our condo complex.

Then on Saturday afternoon we hung out with our Russian friends again, Vera and Vladimir, this time at their home and a gorgeous park nearby. While the guys grilled us lamb, salmon and veggies, we took Jack and their adorable West Highland Terrier, Prosha, (who speaks Russian!), to the playground which was amazing! It was huge with something for all ages and Jack had a blast. Many tears were shed when dinner time signaled the end of playground time!

Lots of grilling going on

Jack ate a whole piece of salmon by himself!

Jack and Prosha cuddling in the doggy bed while we had tea and dessert.
He kept saying, "Sleep, sleep"!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

I've so been looking forward to the holidays this year. Maybe it has something to do with being really pregnant and knowing that December means an end to all that! So I've been anticipating Thanksgiving as the start to the holiday season and countdown to meeting Baby Girl, and really enjoyed preparing for this special holiday. We invited our Russian friends, Vera and Vladimir, over as they have just immigrated to the States and have never experienced Thanksgiving before.

Never having cooked the traditional feast, I was slightly ambitious and Andre feared I'd send myself into labor with all the prep! He saved the day for me by buying already prepared portions of ham and turkey, so all I had to do was sides and pumpkin pie for dessert. Easy!

I think everything worked out pretty well, apart from the sweet potato casserole...I made it early this morning, complete with perfectly browned marshmallows on top, popped it back into the oven to warm up a little and took it out right before we served lunch. Lo and behold, upon removing the tin foil, there wasn't a marshmallow to be seen! Completely gone. Melted away. How could I not have realized they would dissolve in the oven?!! Oh well, it still tasted yummy, just wasn't the work of art it had been! And on a side note, adding orange zest and juice makes a nice difference to the traditional flavor. Emeril's recipe. Yes, the Food Network was my friend this week :)

Enjoying our Thanksgiving lunch

We totally pumped Jack up about Thanksgiving this year and
he was so excited to talk about "gifts" from God and to eat "tur-keeeee" today!

Family photo, with Mummy looking decidedly
plump at almost 37 weeks!

Vladimir and Vera getting cuddled and smeared
with candy cane drool

Somebody was WORN OUT with all the thanksgiving
going on around here!

We are so thankful for the many blessings in our lives and praise the Lord for what he has given us and what he has taught us this year. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

More Love for Baby Girl

A couple of weeks ago, I had a baby shower given by my sister and some sweet friends. We had a really special morning together enjoying a delicious brunch, lots of gorgeous presents and flowers, and tons of chatter and laughter. Thank you Ladies for such a wonderful shower!

A shower of special things for Baby Girl

Beautiful table of treats

Some of the sweet ladies who came to celebrate with me

I was AMAZED when I opened this beautiful heirloom dress
and bonnet made by my friend Grace...what a labor of love!


LOVE the dress Jenna gave me (its says, "My Mommy rocks"!!)

Sisters with our belly bumps:
Nessa at 19 weeks, Rachel at 21 weeks, and me at 34 weeks

The lovely hostesses: Megan, Vanessa and Ruth

Me and my sweet friend Deborah

Playgroup

Our playgroup at church, Moms and Tots, meets every Thursday and is a fun time for the kiddos to play together but enjoyable for the moms too, as we get to chat! Two weeks ago, we had a Fall Party during playgroup complete with costumes, cupcakes and marshmallow lollipops. Such fun!

Sweet treats

Lots of crawlers at playgroup at the moment :)

Some of our older Tots

Moms with the babies

Happy Birthday...

To our wonderful Husbie and Daddy! We celebrated Andre's special day on Tuesday with coffee and panettone (that was his birthday cake!) in the morning and then took him out for an early dinner that evening to Scalinis. Delicious Italian food...our favorite! I even let him eat a bowl of fresh garlic (which he adores and I abhor) as it was his birthday and all. Only once a year he's allowed to do that!! Being so early, the restaurant was empty, the service quick, and Jack was able to run around without disturbing anyone. A win-win for all!

Family dinner at Scalinis

My boys about to dig in

We got tiramisu to go and ate it on the couch together once Jack was in bed, while we watched our new fav TV show, Ringer. Happy birthday, darling!

Halloween 2011

Finally getting around to posting Halloween pics! We lost the cable to our camera and so weren't able to get any photos off there for the past few weeks until today. So here, for your viewing enjoyment, is Jack dressed up as "Charlie the Biker" for Halloween:


Background story: Dad has a good friend called Charlie, who owns a motor-bike and whom Jack ADORES! Here he is with the real Charlie:


So seeing as we have a leather jacket and black motor-bike at home, I let him be Charlie for Halloween!


He was thrilled and still talks about it. We've decided not to celebrate this holiday by trick or treating (why are parenting decisions already getting difficult?!!) but he loves dressing up and hanging out with his cousins in their costumes :)

Showered with Love

Finally able to catch up on October goings on, as we've once again got a card reader to download all that was stored up on my camera. Fearfully behind here on posts!

One very happy occasion that took place the end of October was a baby shower my sweet friends Hannah and Robin threw me. It was such a fun afternoon and I was thoroughly spoiled and loved. Robin made the most AMAZING treats and Hannah decorated everything so beautifully...lots of pink all over the place...what fun!! Thank you for such a wonderful party, Ladies!

Me, Hannah and Robin


The beautiful table full of yummies

Some of the lovely ladies who came
(and the dogs and toddlers added to the fun!)

My precious friend Ellyn, who I hadn't seen in ages
was able to come too

More lovely girls

And Miss Katie Dog presided over everything,
making sure we all behaved ourselves!

And these special people babysat Jack for the afternoon
(Andre was still out of town at this point)
Thanks Steve and Rach!

20 Months Old

Some thoughts for our Boy…

Suddenly saying more, imitating, he watches everything we do

Now able to ask for what he wants, life is a little less frustrating

Suddenly “reading” by himself, playing more alone, chatting to his toys

He lives life a little more independently each day

He keeps us laughing, calling his stuffed Eeyore “Mule”

He’s traded in “Dadoo” for the oh-so-grown-up sounding “Daddy”

He asks us to “come” and “go”; grabs my hand and is now leading me

He’s about to relinquish the title of Baby for that of Big Brother

And how did he get so tall?

He bows his head, folds his hands, eyes closed as we pray

I pray this ritual becomes all-important, an intricate part of his every day

He raises his arms wide to show that God is everywhere

I raise my hands high, offering him back to our everywhere God

He points to himself when we ask who God loves

I gather him up, knowing my mother love doesn’t come close to His

Each month passes and I’m thankful we’re all he knows now

Praying that he soon knows the All in All

I’m thankful there is more for him, thankful there is Someone Else

The Some-one who created him, who gave him to us, who grows him, who woos him

Little Boy, may you grow up to follow hard and fast after Him