CHRISTMAS EVE PLUS ONE

AS WE HAVE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, WE BAKED STOLLEN ON CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE MORNING.

THE LAST COUPLE OF BATCHES HAVE BEEN VEGAN, AND ALSO RAISIN-FREE.

MAMA IS DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS.

AND THE STOLLEN IS, IN FACT, BETTER THAN EVER.

WE SET THE TIMER ON THE KAMERA SO WE COULD GET IN A GROUP SHOT OF THE BAKERS IN ACTION.

FRITH ICING THE LOAVES WITH A SOY CREAMCHEESE AND MAPLE SYRUP BLEND OF OUR OWN DEVISING.

YUMMY CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER.

THEN OF COURSE THE LIGHTING OF THE HANNUKAH CANDLES. DOESN'T EVERYONE DO THIS ON CHRISTMAS EVE?

AND FINALLY.. PRESENTS.

THE RED PRESENT BAG HAS BEEN WITH US FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS. AND YET, IT IS STILL AS EXCITING AS EVER TO SEE IT FAT AND FULL, SITTING UNDER THE TREE EVERY YEAR.


SOME VIDEO OF THE STIRRING PORTION OF THE STOLLEN EVENT


AND SOME MORE OF THE ICING PORTION

HANNUKAH DINNER

THE ANNUAL HANNUKAH DINNER AT THE TEMPLE WAS A SUCCESS AS USUAL. THERE WERE LOTS OF VEGETARIAN OPTIONS, A BIG TABLE OF KID'S ACTIVITIES..

AND DANCING.

LOTS OF DANCING.

DID I MENTION THE DANCING?

ASSORTED MINTS

PRE-CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH MEME, PEPE AND OMI.

CHRISTMAS OR NO, THERE IS ALWAYS TIME TO GET SOME PAINTING DONE. THIS ONE IS OF A BLUE AND GREEN TULIP WITH A BLACK MIDDLE. BECAUSE "ALL THE BEST FLOWERS HAVE BLACK MIDDLES".

OH THE WEATHER OUTSIDE WAS FRIGHTFUL

MAMA AND FRITH WENT OUT AND SPENT A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY ON SNOW-RELATED STUFF. A NEW FRITH-SIZED SHOVEL SO SHE CAN HELP WITH SNOW REMOVAL (AT HER REQUEST) AS WELL AS ABOUT A THOUSAND NEW HATS AND MITTENS.. AND FINALLY, A HAND-PICKED NEW PINK SNOWSUIT WHICH HAS FINALLY ENDED THE BATTLE OF WILLS OVER THE WEARING OF SNOWPANTS IN THE MORNING. BECAUSE SHE PICKED IT OUT HERSELF, SHE IS HAPPY TO WEAR IT. PHEW.

WHEN WE GOT BACK FROM SHOPPING WE SPENT ABOUT TWO HOURS OUTSIDE SHOVELLING AND PLAYING IN THE SNOW.

FRITH INSTRUCTED MAMA TO BUILD A SNOW BUNNY WEARING BINOCULARS.

WHILE FRITH MADE ONE WITH BOTTLE TOP EYES AND A HAT AND SCARF FOR WARMTH.


SHE WAS (CLEARLY) VERY PROUD OF THE DAY'S WORK.


A QUICK VIDEO OF THE DAY'S EVENTS. YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE THIS ONE, I THINK :)

ASSORTED MINTS AND A CONCERT

FRITH, POSING WITH HER TWO FAVOURITE BIRTHDAY GIFTS.. THE RUBBER SNAKES. SHE HAS DECIDED SHE LIKES TO WEAR THEM AS CLOTHING. THEY'VE ALSO ACQUIRED NAMES.. THE ORANGE ONE IS ORANGEY, AND THE GREEN ONE IS.. WELL, YOU CAN PROBABLY SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING.

WE HAD A COLD AFTERNOON, AND DECIDED TO WARM UP WITH SOME ALMOND MILK HOT COCOA SWEETENED WITH MAPLE SYRUP. AND A SIDE OF MUM-MUMS.

THE DVD FIRE HAS BEEN THE HIT OF THE SEASON. IT PLAYED ALL THROUGH FRITH'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND HAS NOT BEEN TURNED OFF DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS SINCE.

THESE NEXT FEW PHOTOS ARE FROM FRITH'S SOLSTICE CONCERT AT SCHOOL. THE LIGHTING WAS DIFFICULT, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE A CHANCE TO TAKE SOME PHOTOS.

CASA 2, ENTERING THE GYM AS A TRAIN WITH TEACHER LOUISE GUIDING THE WAY.

HERE WE HAVE THE CASA 2 CLASS WALKING IN CARRYING CANDLES. A SMALLER AUDIENCE MEMBER THOUGHT THIS BIT WAS PRETTY GREAT.

CASA 2, SINGING DO-RE-MI.

CASA 2, SINGING ALOUETTE.

SOME SHORT VIDEO - I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE SOME MORE VIDEO ON THE WAY, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT A BIT FOR THIS TO GET PROCESSED. MEANWHILE, MAY WE PRESENT.. CASA 2, LIVE IN CONCERT :

THREE!

FRITH TURNED THREE YESTERDAY! WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING PARTY AS ALWAYS, AND FRITHA'S FAVOURITE FRIEND AT SCHOOL CYNTHIA EVEN MADE AN APPEARANCE.

THE CHOCOLATE VEGAN BIRTHDAY CAKE AVEC OWL BY OUR FAVOURITE LOCAL VEGAN CHEF BARBARA MACCARONI WAS A SCRUMPTIOUS HIT.

HERE WE HAVE FRITH IN HER BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY DRESS FROM OPA AND MAMA BEAR.. SHE COULD NOT BE CONVINCED TO WEAR IT FOR THE ACTUAL PARTY, BUT SHE DID WEAR IT BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER. SHE CALLS IT HER PRINCESS DRESS.

MONKEY'S BIRTHDAY

MAMA AND FRITH WERE INVITED TO ELIANA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.

OUR LITTLE MONKEY TURNED TWO ALREADY! (WE REMEMBER JUST YESTERDAY WHEN SHE WAS JUST A LITTLE TINY BRAND-NEW MONKEY)

SHE MADE MY DAY BY ASKING FOR LOTS OF HORSEY RIDES!


MAMA AND FRITH TAKING A MOMENT OUT OF OUR BUSY DAY OF BOUNCING BALLS TO HAVE OUR PHOTO TAKEN TOGETHER.

MEOW

FRITH WANTED A KITTY MASK. MAMA OBLIGED.


PROBABLY SAFE TO SAY IT WAS A HIT.

OPA'S BIRTHDAY CAKE

TODAY WAS OPA'S BIRTHDAY, SO MAMA AND FRITH BAKED SOME ORGANIC VEGAN BANANA CAKES.

WE ADDED CAROB CHIPS AND ORGANIC WALNUTS FOR EXTRA YUMMINESS.

AND WORKED ON THE FLOOR, COUNTER SPACE BEING AT A PREMIUM.


AND WE WORE TIARAS, OF COURSE. HERE WE HAVE FRITH ARGUING FOR ONE MORE HANDFUL OF CAROB CHIPS.

SICK DAY

FRITH HAD A BIT OF A BARFY DAY YESTERDAY. SHE SPENT MOST OF THE MORNING NAPPING ON THE LIVINGROOM COUCH WHILE MAMA SEWED. BUT, SHE RALLIED AND WAS UP AND READY TO RUMBLE IN TIME FOR THE OLIVER SHOW AT THEATRE AQUARIUS.

MAMA AND FRITH PAID A VISIT TO AUNTIE MARIANNE AND UNCLE HARVEY LAST WEEK.. THE TRAINS WERE FASCINATING AS ALWAYS, AND FRITH AND MAMA WERE GIVEN A TRAIN MAGAZINE TO TAKE HOME, WHICH WE'VE NOW READ COVER TO COVER (WELL THE PICTURES ANYHOW) FOUR OR FIVE TIMES.

QUILT!

HERE WE HAVE THE FRITH QUILT, FINALLY COMPLETED. THANK-YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL PATCH CONTRIBUTIONS.. FOR SOME OF YOU, I ADDED PATCHES ON YOUR BEHALF, IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND LAST YEAR'S SOIREE .. SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHICH THESE ARE. THERE WERE ALSO SOME BEAUTIFUL PHOTO PATCHES CONTRIBUTED BY FRITH'S GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER.. BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY, WE COULDN'T CHOOSE JUST ONE FOR THE QUILT. SO THESE ARE CURRENTLY BEING SEWN INTO A SECOND PROJECT, WHICH WILL ALSO BE READY FOR VIEWING AT THE UPCOMING 3RD BIRTHDAY PARTY :)

PRESENTS OF MIND

MAMA ASKED FRITH WHAT SHE WANTED IN THE WAY OF PRESENTS FOR HER BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST :

TWO RUBBER SNAKES FOR CHRISTMAS AND ONE RUBBER SNAKE FOR HER BIRTHDAY.

AND SOME SOCKS.