'tis the season

Van looking unsure about his first experience with the jolly fat man. It must not have been all bad though because he has been experimenting recently with saying "Ho, Ho, Ho." It's pretty darn cute!

Kim modelling her starting school togs--a present from Auntie Annie.

Van being amused at Kim's shenanigans.

Kim being her silly self.

Walkin' the dawg

Pictures from a dog walk a couple of weeks ago. Van was determined to walk Buddy himself, so Kim gave him a few pointers on just how to do it--to make sure he was doing it right.

Later in the walk, Kim somehow managed to get herself carried!

One of those weeks

This morning Van woke up soaking wet with pee because I had forgotten to leave a Huggies diaper out for the babysitter last night and the budget brand ones don't cut it overnight. This was because I was running late on my way to class last night (to hand in a paper that I had barely had time to finish), because I couldn't cycle, because the night before that, I had snapped the cable of my only remaining functioning brake on my bike and nearly ploughed into the back of a panel truck while hurrying home because the kids were with a babysitter for the second night in a row, because I had also been to class the night before that to write a test that I wasn't prepared for because I didn't have enough time to study on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, because Kim had a ped day on Tuesday, and Monday was a holiday and because Steve left for Kansas on Sunday at 5:30 a.m., (when two diamond cab drivers almost came to blows over him and were almost killed by me because I thought their yelling right outside our front door was going to wake my kids) I was too busy playing with the kids to study.

Anyhooo, back to this morning; a pee soaked Van and I went downstairs to get him a bottle only to find dog poo and pee all over the kitchen floor! I think what happened was pack mentality--Jasper pooed because he is ancient and was desperate, and then Buddy thought, "hey, I can do that in here?! Cool." And he let loose.

But hey, it's Friday; Steve will be home early Sunday morning and life will go on.


Here are a couple of shots (courtesy of one of the daycare teachers) of Van playing on the play structure at daycare.

The remains of summer

It seems like summer just doesn't want to let go. This morning I picked about .5 litre of raspberries, a litre of cherry tomatoes, and a cucumber from the back yard, and there is no sign that the plants are slowing down production!

Here are a couple of pictures of Kim showing the appropriate serious reverence for baseball.



A picture of Van almost exactly one year ago. Scroll down to the first and second posts for comparison shots.

Sign of the times

A couple of nights ago Van bit Steve on the nipple, much to Steve's discomfort and pain. Well, Kim was definitely impressed by Steve's reaction and went straight for the stationary and markers to add her $.02. See below.

bi-annual family shots

Updated October, 2008

Here are the family shots that we have taken for Kim's and Van's follow-up reports that we send to Vietnam. We have to send a report once a year for Kim and every 6 months for Van. The photos go from most recent to oldest. I've also included the family shots we took in Vietnam.

Where coffins go to die

There is metal collector down the block from us. His loaded trailer is often parked a few doors away. Twice this summer, he has had a metal coffin in with the old propane tanks, radiators, bike frames, old stoves, etc that make up a regular load. The first time, Steve asked him where he had gotten the coffin. He replied: "I can't tell you." Steve and I both smiled thinking that he was kidding. He wasn't. We can't figure out if he doesn't want to reveal his source because he thinks we might beat him to the punch and go salvage coffins ourselves, or because his possession of the coffins is the result of some unsavoury practice!

a few more recent pix

As requested, more pix!

Pocket treasures

Here is what I found today checking pockets while sorting laundry: 2 stones in Kim's pants front pockets, 1 St-Ambroise beer bottle cap in Steve's pants back pocket, 1 used kleenex in my pants front pocket and 1 grocery list in my back pocket, and nothing in Van's pockets because like on many baby clothes, the pockets are fake.

Some recent pictures of Van.

Van's do

Van seems pleased with his new hairdo, and it sure is wash and wear!