Christmas chez Mamie - 24-25 Dec

`Tis the season - Dec. 2012

Toasting the Season!

Two is looking more terrific than terrible - Dec. 2012

Teddy's Ready - 25 Nov. 2012

Philippe purchased this large-eyed leopard for Caroline while they visited the Toronto Zoo in June. She and "Teddy" have been inseparable since!

Blankets and books - feels like winter! - Nov. 11

Sarah marries Tom - 13 Oct. 2012

Maman, Anne, Philippe and I shared the palpable joy as Sarah and Tom married. Sarah planned the wedding perfectly. We couldn't be happier for them.

Train Museum - 10 Oct. 2012

The Docent wisely advised us to visit the second floor toy train exhibit last. Caroline exclaimed, "Choo Choo" with the same enthusiasm she expresses, "Chaussures!" (Shoes in French.)

Sacramento Zoo - 9 Oct. 2012

Wild life. Kangaroos can have a baby still in the pouch and be pregnant with another - it's true.

Inspired Spire - 6 Oct. 2012

Philippe went to General Conference in Salt Lake City. He took this artistic shot of the temple spire to let me know he was thinking of us.

Virginia City Train with Grandma Jean

Grandma Jean said, "Well, if you're going to ride the train, I'll come!"

William's 4th Birthday Take 2 - 4 Oct. 2012

We made a whirlwind visit to Nevada and California in early October. We celebrated William's 4th birthday a second time at Aunt Leah's house. (His cupcakes were frosted with nut-rious-ella...) William loved playing with his cousins. Danny, Leah's youngest, especially loved being the big kid.

Lantern Festival - 28 Sept.

The Botanical Garden's Chinese lantern festival was spectacular even mid-day.

Nut-rious-ella moustaches - Sept. 2012

Too cute to clean... immediately. There is a commercial that praises parents for giving their children a healthy head-start with Nutella. If that's the standard, I'm feeling exceptional.

Great expectations - Aug. 30 2012

Our baby's expected arrival is early March 2013.

4th Annual Branch Picnic - 25 Aug. 2012

Great tradition, great to reflect on what has happened since the Branch began in 2009.

Indoor rain forest - 8 Aug. 2012

Making a real splash in a simulated puddle.

Caroline climbs - 27 July

Caroline climbs to the tallest slide and proudly calls, "Mom!" The space between baby and toddler seems to have widened chasm-like in the past few months.

Exporail - 25 July

We visited the train museum with Maman, Nelly & Hubert. It's William's second visit. This round, he was old enough to marvel and attempt to climb where prohibited. I took that as a sign of interest...

Honesty begins with me - 23 July

I recycled my Primary lesson for family night. We enter the temple by being honest. William was of the done-that-already attitude.

Lake on the Mountain - 20 July

This fresh-water lake is a geological mystery as it is unclear where its source is. Myths and theories have been put forth since its discovery - i.e. tears from the gods... Fact: It was a pretty picnic stop and an opportunity for a family portrait.

Rock Bottom & Birdhouses City - 19 July 2012

I indulged Philippe and agreed to find a beach called Pietre Point. After a lengthy not-for-a-family-sedan-off-road-drive we arrived. It was aptly named. The bank was all rock. I found a heart-ish shaped rock for Philippe and he swooned for the camera.

Philippe returned the indulgence and relented to a visit to Birdhouse City in Picton, Ontario. It is delightfully quirky. It's a collection of 100's of birdhouses modeled after prominent properties found in Prince Edward County. The birdhouse pictured is the "Crystal Palace."

Pony Ride - 18 July 2012

The best tourist dollars we spent. William has spoken often and affectionately about "his" pony, Cookie, and the donkey, Popsicle. He mentioned to his teacher a week later that if he were a horse, he would wear 4 shoes to protect his feet. At home he put Caroline's shoes on his hands to demonstrate.

Sandbanks on Lake Ontario - July 16-20

Previously I associated the Great Lakes with ice-fishing. Now, I know that Lake Ontario has pristine (Lake Tahoe-like) beaches. The best family fun in the sun we've had all summer.

Apples close to the tree - 30 June 2012

Bibliophilia is incurable chez nous.

6 Year Wedding Anniversary - June 2012

Sunrise, sunset the days have flown. For our 6th wedding anniversary, we planned a dinner and mini-golf date. When we arrived at the address we found on the internet, the course had been highly modified. The mini-golf had been bulldozed for an apartment complex. We went shopping and rode the metro instead (where the self-portrait was taken at arm's length.) It's the time together that counts, no?

Gladiator - June 9, 2012

While I attended a Mother Goose training in Toronto, Philippe took W & C to the Royal Ontario Museum. William enjoyed the Roman dress-up cape and helmet. Is Caroline giggling or smiling proudly at her precocious centurion brother?

Duet - June 2012

Caroline loves to climb up on the piano bench as much as she loves to strike the keys. (It is ultimately a percussion instrument...) William accompanied. I can't resist taking (and posting) pictures of this.

Caroline's First Haircut - 23 May 2012

When I asked for a souvenir snippet of hair, the hairdresser was hard pressed to locate something that was substantial enough. The hair clip lasted long-enough to take a photo.