It's ok...

... the ice was 8" and sometimes 12" thick :) The water was flowing under the ice in a bubble.

As Long As Everyone Is Laughing....?

Somewhere A Toy Collector Feels a Disturbance in the Force

"Grandpa, you play piano and I play the drum" (Ransom)

Remember Finn... Ransom May be Bigger Than You Someday

Jill Knows the Recipe for Child Head Explody

The Traditional Pre-Christmas Astronaut

Dinosaurs Don't Wear Capes

Strawberry Hat Geographer in Winnipeg

Travois

Ding Dong

Visitors Always are Wowed by the BallChair

Dialouge

Edwina, the Dinosaur That's Still a Favourite

Thanks again, Jillian!

Piano Percussion

Epic Track with Papa

Harmoni-Ca!

Text Edit Font Size Control

If Finn practices writing his name (now with E-A-S at the end) or Ransom's name or PAPA or MAMA, then he can type in the text edit program. Now that he knows how to make the font large, it's very exciting!

Floating Rawks!

What a way to run a railroad

"St. Nicholas' Day"!

We told the boys it was St. Nicholas' day when Nana's package arrived (2 days after the "real" St. Nick day - but the boys didn't know!). All three of us were at the door when the postal truck drove up! The driver enjoyed the boys' enthusiasm. And then we had to wait for Papa to come home...





Thanks so much, Nana and Grandad!

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

Thanks, Dad!

Gloria in Excelcis Deo

O Tannenbaum

Anticipation

Is it working?

(How to teach your children to work at home!)

Warm Winter...

...means the park! But wet mittens. I think Finn went through 3 pairs before we had to abort for lack of more dry ones!

Finn's First Piano Song

... you can just catch the end of it:

Thanks, Great-Grandma!

How Begama

Budding Artist

I've waited so long for Finn to start drawing and I just love seeing the things he comes up with. That's my boy!

Old Fashioned Toys

Wasn't Finn just wearing this hoodie and playing this game?!

Apollo 18 Mission

Ransom Abhors a Vacuum

Or he used to - this is the first time he has touched it, used it, and not been (too) afraid of it!

Happy Winter Walk

The winter here so far feels like southern Alberta - it's been easy so far to get outside multiple times per week - instead of watching the weather for the one day a month it won't freeze your face!



This wasn't his first wipe-out and the landings before were soft - he doesn't have far to fall! The ice-slides are surprisingly gentle!

Good Morning, Ransom...

Away in a....

Coloured Matchsticks

Best $1.50 I spent at the "dollar store".

(Our friend in the middle is Madeline from downstairs).

Perfect Boxes

Hose-anna

(Thanks for the title, Jennifer!)

Ready

Clean Up: Barbour Colony Style II

Finn Redefines "Paint Gloves"

An Intro to Chore-Training

And it hardly clogged the vacuum!

Wind Bag

He's regressed! But today (Nov 22, he was blowing fine again)...?!

The First Sledding of the Year...

Ransom's "Fluxin" Cave

Only upon watching this video the first time did I understand what he meant by "fluxin". Serendipitous vocabulary-ist, there!

Finn's Soundtrack

First Snow Bear of the Year...

First Christmas Cookies of the Year!

It's the First Snow of the Year!

The video is a bit choppy because I edited it for obvious reasons!

Elefun!

Gobble Crane

Jack in the Garbage Can

"We're Blunking"

Now you know.

A Link to "Lost" Thanksgiving Footage

Part I

Part II - apparently is too big (Robyn's camera records HD!) so it will require editing - an some patience!

Who's got a broken leg?

Clean Up: Barbour Colony Style

Ready for Baby Jesus

In the first few seconds you can see Finn colouring the face of our paper Baby Jesus for the nativity book we found at the Post - complete with a fold-out paper nativity after the story - except Baby Jesus was missing.

How to take Care of a Baby Sister

Do you carry tape in your pocket?

Big Pile

Drawing Run

Bum Boarding Too

Bum Slide

Bum Boarding

"Lost" Thanksgiving Footage Part I

Great-Grandma Cuddles!

Great-Grandma Visits!

So special to be visited! Thanks Great-Grandma! You're great!
(Finn learned how to play UNO!)

The First Leaf Pile of 2011

Could They be Any Cuter?

Sunflower Harvest

Could it be any more adyllic? Ahhh, fall...

A Day in the Life of Ransom

Peace is when...

..the wind stops blowing... the sun is showing...

...and when my boys are playing... cooperatively, like this... ahh. Sigh.

Pillowed!

Adventures in Flyswatting

Russian Almond Mice

Tandem Dino Dance

Another Snippet of our Daily Concerts

Kitty Hammock

This is Smaug again - our stray kitten who was under our care for a little over a week. He walked all the way to the tunnel with us - and back! But the next day he moved on...

Like Bike

And he's a month past two?

Gloria In Excelsis Deo... Lego?

Apparently this is fun...?

...Apparently boys wrestle:

Smaug

A stray cat was under our care for a while. Pets do bring so much "joy"! But he wasn't around the morning of August 24th... The boys miss him.

Bedtime Dance

All Three Verses

I love how Auntie Ruth can change keys on the piano to follow Finn's tune!

Bin Bath

It's been a long time since the last bin bath. Thanks for sharing the bins, Leina!

Rachel's Puppies

Rock Symphony

Hobby Farm in the City-Forest

The highlight of my visit to Campbell River was this morning:

I think the boys enjoyed it too.

Richard and Bre'el's "Backyard"

Ok, it's across the street from their backyard. Pretty close. Pretty nice. And there are big slugs!

Bubbles Beach

Special battery-powered bubble blowers from Mrs. Bre'el!

Campbell River Crab Rock Beach

Boys' First Ferry!

Port Angeles to Victoria...

Hollow Driftwood

How old do you think this trunk would be!

Rainforest Walk to the World's Largest Spruce Tree

Wing

Rummy Cub

Aren't You Going to Miss... This!

Ransom wanted to show Nana his shell.

BIG, Big Sandbox

Of course, Ransom did just say it moments before...

Ohhh, Pacific Beach!

Laugh Saver

Ransom Walks the Waves

(He was here two years ago but needless to say, he wasn't walking in the waves!)

Pre-Road Trip Birthday "Cake"

Concentration

Apparently He Thinks it is Funny

Although to me it looks uncomfortable!

Hooray for happy non-screaming brother time!

Through the Praise of Children and Infants II

Transcript: "dump", "he is my help and salvation", "Oh my soul praise him... for He is my help and salvation... Oh my soul praise Him..."


(I prompted him wrong and accidentally changed songs to All Creatures of Our God and King)...


Thanks, Carolyn for using these hymns for your processional - I think after your wedding we started singing both of them more consistently.

Ransom the Teacher

Apparently Leina and I trained Cara in the same way!

How They Like to Clean Up Their Toys

Someone Asked Nicely Enough

It's really Grandma Harder's molasses cookie dough but it still makes "Gingerbread Men"! Jill's vinyl storybook records that she gave Finn two Christmases ago has the Gingerbread Man and it ends with "Perhaps someone will make some for you - if you ask nicely enough!". Someone did!

Through the Praise of Children and Infants

...You have established a stronghold against your enemies. (Psalm 8:2)

(Musical interlude from"All Creatures of Our God and King")

How we survive routine 5-hour roadtrips:

Pardon the sugar-slurpees, though. First (and last) of the summer. For the record, they drank only the top 1 cm. :)

Ransom reads Panda

Finn is older in these posts, (scroll down) but the books are the same and so is the sweetness!

Gift that Keeps on Giving

Thanks, Nana and Grandad!

"Snow" at the end of June

I had heard the complaints of the poplar fluff but had never seen it. Finn wanted me to weave cloth from thread we would make from it!

Sailboats in Southern Saskatchewan?

Nana Bubbles

Water Balloons with Nana!

Out back with Nana

Finn cracks me up. Of course. before the camera came out he was telling it all: (on repeat) "I'm working hard..." and when Ransom was helping "We're Team Barbour"....

Thanks, Aunt Robyn!

Barbour Gifts

Thanks , Grandad and Nana.

Bubbles From Jill

Someone was pretty excited for bubbles.

Happy 4th Birthday from Aunt Jillian

Thanks, Jill, for such thoughtful (and vintage!) gifts.

Sing for Their Supper

Ransom Suggests a Haricut

Talk about knowing what you want - before you're even two!

Rocket Ship Cake! With Dragons! And Christmas Trees!

Finn's specific request.

Annual Birthday Carosel

Was it really a year ago to the day when Finn the dragon was here with Aunt Robyn and Nana?

Homemade Marble Toy

Designed by my mom and dad and made by my dad... Thanks, guys.



Happy 4th Birthday, Finneas.

Rain Play with Grandpa

European Noodloos

Celery Car Snack

When he saw the carrot wheels, he pulled them off, looked at them for a minute and then put them in his ears (Renae uses earplugs when vacuuming the house and they are orange and circular on the end)!

Tan-spert Tuck

(Transport Truck)

Our Skate Park

Apple Blossom Petals

The Mail Boy

The Lawnmower Boy

Frog Prints

The Puddle

The Parks of Summers

Water Balloons with Papa

He actually picked up the burst balloon shreds after the video. :)

Nothin' Like a Like Bike

We get so many comments about Finn's Like Bike!

Daniel caught him on the nice decline into the tunnel but he is a bit more wobbly than usual - but still! Not bad for a two wheeler without training wheels.

The Garage IS all it's Chalked up to be...

I figured that we have to paint and prep it anyway; chalk won't hurt. They loved it.

Boys' First Water Balloons!

22 Month-Old Hashi User

Thanks, Aunt Jill!

Surprise, Papa!

Dandelions Beware!

Ahhh... spring!

Discovery Museum

My neighbour friend told me about this place - and it was free this day. They have a pet shop/vet area, a lego table, a music section, a stage with costumes and a puppet stage, a camping area and a craft room with supplies. We were the first to come and the last to leave. The boys loved it.

(What he wanted to do with the mask "to pay for it" was to "beep" it on that grey microphoney thing. Beep! I guess nothing escapes their notice - and they do come with me to the grocery store at least once a week.)

I'm....

The Very Hungrwee Ca-a-pillar

Hand Crafted Airplanes

Hope Springs Eternal

So sweet... breaks one's heart...

(He's holding a bowl of sunflower seeds hoping a bird will come by and eat them).

Candid Ransom Again

Candid Ransom

I just love how he likes to go outside by himself - on his own initiative!

Bite-amin Ceeeee!

Ransom Reads "The Very Quiet Cricket"

Transcript: "Rubbed his wings together" (but) "nothing happened" (not a) "sound".

Noodloo

Real Play

The new lambs were bleating just across the fence, a soft wind was blowing and the meadowlarks singing. Ah.. And is there anything more wonderful than seeing a little boy play freely in the great out of doors? I think not.

Easter Egg Hunt

(The fourth one of the holiday!)

Hammock Giggles

When's the last time they...

Easter Outside!

Pudding Paint

It's Spring! Skateboards!

Tummy Raspberry/ Flubber-Dubber/Zerbit?

Watch! They're playing well together!

Evan!

I don't know... do you think he likes him?


Oh the "Finn running commentary"!


It's so fun to see my "baby" entertaining another!

Blast from the Past

Daniel's friend Chad invited us over before this semester began way back in August and then just gave us some footage of the visit. Pretty cute....

Melt

Toes

For my Kowalsky family out there who knows my crocheted finger loop habits, does the apple fall far from the tree?

There's no diaper under those stylish green sweats!

It's Warm Enough for a Walk...

It was Ransom's idea to wear the hearing protection. Kept his earlobes warm!

Mr. Dennis, What's Wrong with Papa's Helicopter?

Big Tractor, Big Boy!

Caciocavello

A gift from Olwyn. Thanks, Olwyn!

Sweet Sleep

Table Dance

Hi Tammy

Ransom's Favorite Past-time:

Indoor Snow Angel

Tickle Tackle

Finn's First Wishbone

Anticlimactic at best. But so nice to be visited by Aunt Robyn!

St. Pat's Day

Snow Cave

Snow Tunnel

It was +2 today!

And it's supposed to be "warm" (above -10?) until the end of March! Time to enjoy the snow before it melts!

Papa Jumps

Saturday Morning

Shining Armor

I thought I got him saying "helmet" on video, but I didn't start soon enough. Cute nonetheless.

Table Nap

Oh Sick!

We had just washed his backside in the tub as is our norm - and in this video he is finishing his job in the tub (surprise! - should have sat him on the potty!). He's referring to the messy diaper in the toilet.

It happened on the way home...

... from this year's first buggy trip to the grocery store. Who cares if it was -14? It was a warm -14 and the sun was shining no one got0 cold and we (I) had a bad case of cabin fever. And it looks like it was quite a long walk for Finneas.

SnowAngel

A Warm - 14

Someone put pee in my pants!

Trampoline!

We know, it's really a "re-bounder", but try and tell that to a little boy... Whenever the song comes on, the trampoline has to come out (or vice versa).

Best $10 we've spent yet!

More Puzzles

Forgot to post this one before leaving for reading week:

Not as Puzzled as we thought he'd be...

Oh yes, and the "funky fab fashions" are in celebration for our first annual bleak midwinter party, scheduled for later this evening.

SnowBeasts

Jugs

Hearing Protection

A Particularly Creative Way to Pick up CLEAN Laundry

Puppy Is Hungry

Train

Aunt Jill's Apple Machine

Zoo Cats

It's -2? Let's go to the zoo!

Hooray! It's warm enough to make snow forts and snowmen!

Christmas Presents in Action

Jiggley Dinosaurs!

Oranges!

Ish!! (and other animals)

A moment in the life of...

The camera is out of sight so it's candid:

Could they be any cuter?

Nana, we love our ball chair!

And our rocking horse.


He's looking at the screen saver on the computer that has a random picture slideshow of family.

Creme Brule

Blue Gelli Baff

Ham

How long can he keep spinning?

How long can you keep watching?!

Even though it wasn't moving, its light was flashing!

Mind-blowing.

Friendly-Like!

Spontaneous cooperation! At last! :)

Gelli Baff

Take one:

It turned out to be bread!

Take two:





Thanks, aunt Jill!

Back Home

Of course Ransom was loudly exclaiming about the lights before the camera came out... :)

And Finn's reference to Abraham and Noah is in regards to that big white box of Bible stories on cassette that the Babe children listened to whilst falling asleep - thanks Jennifer - he really enjoys listening to them and plays well and asks for a new tape almost every day. I enjoy listening to them, too!