Dashing Through The Snow

Fun times at Grandma-with-the-dogs and our cousins . . . right before they moved out west.

Uncle Greg sat on the snowmobile and whipped all the kids around the front field on a toboggan.

Naturally, the Templeman tradition of competition under any circumstance prevailed and teams were made and an object of the game was invented: throw the other team off the moving sled.

My attempts of getting the first shot with Avery and Liv instead of Nadia and Liv . . . proving that you can never really recreate a shot in photography. At least not with kids.

Jackson had had enough of getting kicked off by Anna Beth so he snuck onto the snow mobile instead. (Judging by the next picture, I really don't blame him.)



Yes, it is THAT intense. You should see them at the annual Easter Egg Hunt . . . or Cottage Pinata Party. (We train year-round to keep up with Greg and Suzanne's kids.)

Livvie: Nine Months

At nine months, Liv has sprouted some teeth. With them, her appetite for semi-solid food has grown. She lives to eat and somehow LOVES her baby food.

I know. Seriously, I almost feel bad indulging her, but it really just simplifies my life to feed her mushy jarred food. Grinding my own table food would really be a pain at meal times when it's me against the four hungry mouths.

Liv has also mastered the roll. Both ways. Once upon a time I used to sit her down in one place to do something quick . . . that reminded me to do another quick chore . . . and then another until I had a chore that brought me back to the spot where I left her . . . an hour before. Well, that just doesn't happen anymore. If I leave the room, she will go missing. I have found her under beds, in closets, in bathrooms, etc. Fortunately, she hasn't figured out how to turn efficiently. While she has mastered the 27-point turn, she often gets frustrated and gives up after the 7th attempt.

Even though she spins her legs like Fred Flinstone while being held, there is no chance of her walking any time soon. If you lower her to the ground, she will automatically push her legs out into a sitting position. Every time. She just likes to sit.

(I thank my lucky star every single night.)

I used to hear about these types of kids, who'd sit for hours beside their mothers as they would tend to chores and endless piles of laundry. But looking at my little tazmanian devils I didn't think there was any way a child so sedentary could possibly exist but in urban legends.

But it does. And how refreshing for me.

She is still so sweet and eternally happy. Such a little joy. Except, of course at 2am and 5am. :) We're still working on that part.

Union Strike

Santa has been busy shopping this year.

It's actually pretty incredible, considering how busy he has been as of late.

But it does pose one, major, wrapping problem.

The Elves are WAY behind. And one in particular has been wrapping non-stop between the hours of 10pm-12am for the last few nights.

The solution: Santa needs to return a few items or the elves are going on strike (as their union recommends.)

Santa, of course, isn't pleased with either option. In fact, he claims that Santa can't wrap. He's too busy sleeping and getting fat for the big day. ;)

I guess we'll have to find out on Christmas day if Mrs. Claus came to the rescue. :)

For Those Busy Parents . . .

Who have procrastinated sending out their kids' Santa letters . . . or haven't taken them to the mall.

This is a really cool idea . . . personalized Santa videos!

Take a few minutes of your child(ren)'s naptime or sleep time and fill in the questionaire . . . including some personal photos and voila! I can't wait until tonight when I can show my kids their message from Santa. I think we will email him our lists . . . if we have time. If not, we did at least see Santa on the train last weekend. That counts, right?


Avery


Jackson

Jayden

To make your own, visit:
PNP

Overheard . . .

Jayden: I want a house coat for Christmas. Then I don't have to put pants on, I just need to put the coat on.

Jackson: I want a snuggie.

Really?? I hope it's not for the same reason that Jayden wants his house coat. Snuggies certainly warrent pants at all times. :)

White Christmas

It is highly doubtful that we will have to be wishing for a white Christmas. It is here and will stay for a while (unless someone sends some crazy rain storm and some hot weather up this way--anyone? anyone??)

At first I kept positive.

It is really pretty and romantic to be inside watching the blizzard pelting at your window when you have your Christmas decorations up and your fireplace and hot chocolate on.

The first shoveling of the year was fun too . . . great exercise . . . for the first 20 minutes. And not so great the next day when I was so sore and had another foot to shovel. And then another foot that night.

Happy thoughts of sledding expeditions and ski days came to mind.

But they all fleeted fast when we ran out of groceries and couldn't find our car under the snow. Or when Brad had to drive on the slippery roads.

And the sledding, well, my kids have been taking turns passing illness around so we haven't had much of that.

Not to mention the frigid temperatures. (Is there a rule that you either get bone-chilling cold with no snow or mild temps and a dumping of snow??) Even being inside with hot chocolate, the fireplace on, and the thermostat cranked to 73 isn't taking the bite away.

So, if anyone has yet to get us a Christmas present, I have a few suggestions:

1) A Snowblower (please, oh, please!)

2) An all-wheel drive car for me. :)

3) (Okay, so that last one was a stretch, but at the very least . . . ) Snow tires. For the van.

4) A warm weathered vacation?? (Can't blame a girl for trying!)

5) A snuggie . . . per Jackson's request. :)

I'm Dreaming . . .

I'm dreaming . . . of a snow-blower!

With every shovel that I push.

It would clear up high ways, clean the sidewalks, and make my paved drive way appear.

I'm dreaming . . . of a snow-blower!

Unlike the ones I used to know.

It would stop the blizzard, make stir-crazy kids calm, and send their mom off to Cancun.

I'm dreaming. Please, don't wake me.

It has been snowing almost non-stop since last Sunday. Today we actually have a day of relief . . . from the blizzard. Instead, we have bone-chilling temps in the -15 range.

Here's Brad digging his car out in the blizzard so he could get to work. I think we've gotten about 3 ft so far and there is another storm blowing in on Friday . . . followed by a day of "rest" and then another one Saturday night lasting until Monday morning.

And, to top it off, the kids have been sick for the last week so we haven't been able to enjoy the snow . . . or get out of the house. (Read: Mom is going a little crazy.) I was desperate the other day and shoved Jayden off to school inspit of his pleas to stay home and his horrible hacking cough . . . only to get a call later that day from his teacher insisting that I come pick him up asap.

Christmas List

This year, there is one thing topping my list . . .

a Kelly Moore camera bag!

Check them out here, they are gorgeous and functional.

I think for me, I'd like two. One large one like the Juju to carry and store all my equipment, but then I feel the need for a b hobo . . . in teal . . . for going out with the kids or doing a shoot.


Besides being so much nicer to look at than my ugly black boxes with straps, I love that I can configure the interior compartment to suit my needs. Also, I love that the dimensions are narrower than my small black box . . . It seems that when I am out and about with my kids (diaper bag in tow), I hate to carry very much else . . . let alone something so bulky. (My current bag seems to get in the way when I am chasing a kid.)


Anyway, Santa, if you are reading this, keep it in mind. Give Kelly a call and hook me up! :)

Mind Boggling

An old, (outdated) clip but interesting.

I think about the population explosion in Asia and can't stop wondering about what life will be like in a world where India and China are superpowers and the US and Canada become more second-world countries. Maybe that's drastic, but it is possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY