happy december.

Thanks for the pjs Grammie & Grampie!!!

the christmas list.

Hunter came downstairs a few days ago with her "Christmas List". There were only 3 items on her list- but the first thing that I noticed was that there were no toys. For the first time since she has been able to talk, this is the first Christmas that she has asked for stuff that didn't include toys. We knew this day would come-that she, and someday her brother, would close a few chapters on childhood. But it wasn't something I was thinking about until the list appeared. We are feeling a little sad about this. She did ask for clothes for her American Girl doll. But there was no special toy. No barbies. No bratz. No polly pockets. A lululemon sweater is the coveted item on the list. We had never heard of Lululemon until we moved to this city.Lululemon is a Canadian company which is headquartered in Vancouver and is famous for it's yoga wear. The yoga wear is also a favorite of skaters and dancers-the two worlds that our daughter lives in when not in school. On any given synchro practice night, you can see several Lululemon sweaters and headbands whirling around on the ice. It's the number 1 item on Hunter's list- "preferably pink or black" it says. Lululemon is not cheap. We have visited the store a few times, but I gasp every time I look at the prices and walk out empty-handed. But what is it about that Christmas feeling? You just want to make at least one of your child's wishes appear under the tree. Ron took one look at the list(when she was in school) and said "Go get her the Lululemon." So off I go.

While I am in the store, with it's new age edgey decor, I start reading the story boards on the wall about the Lululemon philosophy. Lululemon is a memeber of the FairTrade Organization. This means that it's yoga line is made in overseas factories which are inspected for safe work practices such as proper lighting, fresh air, first aid kits, regularly scheduled breaks, fair wage scales, to name a few. Things we take for granted in this country. Now this is something that I can feel good about. I know that this clothing is not made in a sweat shop in some foreign country which uses child labour. Unlike Gap, or Tommy Hilfiger or Walmart. This puts me in a better shopping mood. I leave the store with mission accomplished.

Now I wonder how many more years it will be before Tyler makes a Christmas list without a toy. I can't imagine what he will ask for when that Christmas comes, but I am sure it won't be Lululemon.

brown paper packages....

are the best. Mom & Dad sent us this awesome package in the mail. It's our "December 1" present. When Ron & I were first married, Mom always gave us a "December 1" present which was usually some kind of Christmas decoration. But as the kids arrived, the present has changed to include different things like cookies for decorating, etc. Our "December 1" package arrived on Tuesday and it sure was nice to have such a surprise with the recent cold snap of temperatures in the -20's and -30's. There were brownies, gumdrop cake, fleece throws, hot chocolate, new mugs, cookies and frosting and sprinkles, pepperoni for Daddy, green tea, a Christmas apron and oven mitts. It was so fun to open that box. What more could anyone ask for?
(Fast forward 2 days later: the brownies are gone, empty pepperoni packages are in the garbage, the gumdrop cake is cut, the throws are on the sofa where little bodies have left them.)

And the award goes to.....

A few weeks ago, Ron attended National Meetings in Toronto for his company. An awards and recognition banquet was held on Wednesday evening, and to our surprise, Ron was awarded the "Globe & Spear" award, which is an award given as recognition of outstanding service to the company over the past year. The awards are made in the U.S. and are reportedly made by the same company that is commissioned to make the Academy Awards. The award is a globe made of gold leaf and suspended in glass, with name and date. That baby flew home in Ron's briefcase. I call it his "Academy Award". He is so self deprecating. "No where to go but down from here. I'll have to start looking for a new job." he says. He is so funny.

Meeting Romeo Dallaire.

Tonight I had the privelege of attending a fundraising dinner organized by "Ubuntu Edmonton", which is a charity dedicated to helping widows in Rwanda rebuild and find purpose in their lives. Ubuntu was founded by a Canadian woman who now lives in Rwanda. The dinner was punctuated by ethnic dances performed by Rwanda orphans visiting Canada with the Ubuntu founder. The guest speaker was Senator Romeo Dallaire-a man that I have admired since reading his book, "Shake Hands with the Devil". I got to speak with him briefly and I thanked him for telling his story of what happened in Rwanda in 1994. He suffers from post-truamatic stress sydrome, takes anti-depressants and sleep medication at night due to the atrocities he witnessed in Rwanda. A peacekeeping mission gone so wrong forced him to arrive home with so much baggage. I was so humbled to meet this man. He thanked me for my "kind comments" about his book. And he signed my book, of course!

james live.

Seeing him "live" was incredible. His musical talent is amazing. Vocals, guitar and piano. He writes all his own stuff. The concert was not sold out, but the crowd was alive. I cannot wait until his next CD is released. He played some new material along with the "Back to Bedlam" songs. We all had such a blast!!!

The Most Adored Food Holiday in all the land.....

is fast approaching. (That's Christmas in our family.) Homemade eggnog. English Trifle. Cherry Balls. Fruitcake. Gumdrop Cake. Nanaimo Bars. I am so excited that my parental units will be arrving just in time for my mother's magic touches to grace a few of these family treats. I don't why, but although I have watched her make these things a million times and I have HER actual recipes, my versions just don't look or taste the same. My mother's christmas baking could put Martha Stewart's to shame. In fact, there are many great bakers in my family. My Aunt Janet's nanaimo bars were second to none. My Uncle Derrick makes incredible carrot cake, pies and pastry wrapped apples. I found this great quote on one of my favorite food blogs-

We preserve people by making the dishes they taught us. Dishes they loved, were proud of, and gave us permission to start making when their hands stopped working. Sharing food with others is about tradition. About a desire to reach in and pull close. About re-remembering. Closing our eyes and taking us there.

Let the food holiday begin!