Morning time plans

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The Christmas stockings are finally made, the final shopping for contents has been completed and I'm off to sleep.... We had to promote Heidi to a dray string bag as her pressies are the size that small peoples pressies come in, too big for the Hindle stockings. Oh well, it can be for storage for the rest of the year!

Monday, December 22, 2008

I LOVE LONG JOHNS!!!!!

That is my overwhelming thought now that I have some! And they come in pink so all is well :)

We have been so busy, going up to Banff for the day, playing at Heritage park world of Christmas, sledging and spending time at Zoo lights tonight. All of this is more impressive considering that it has not got above -18 for the last 10 days (and with the wind chill completely freezing)!

Heidi stole the show at the family Christmas service last night. All the children we dressed up as Shepard's to sing away in the manger. My little one was all in white (the only costume that fitted) and proceeded to sit on the stage and pick her nose. And the inevitable stuffing her whole hand in her mouth after. She must take over her Daddy! (photos soon)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

oh, and I forgot to mention, that there is ice on the bottom of the windows....on the inside. I think the worst part is that I have been told casually "oh that's normal!"

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Cold is a whole new word!

The winter has come......
Snow, wind, drifts and longjohns!!!
We experienced a winter storm yesterday, it started around noon and then just carried on. Walking out left footprints that were blown out within a few minutes. But the coolest thing was that it wasn't that cold last night, so after getting the kids into bed, Matt, Tom, Mike and I went for a walk in the winter wonderland. The snow that fell yesterday had enough ice to leave sparkles everywhere and so it was beautiful by the streetlamp light! We went as far as the lake, and then it beckoned to be played on, so Tom, Mike and I obliged. Brushing the snow off reveled thick ice...at least where we were standing. We walked along a little and then hopped off again.

The other fun thing is that we have friends here with us, who stayed last night and will be staying tonight too. That means Heidi has friends to play with and we have friends to play with, and enjoy the we can't go out feeling. Actually Matt and Hannah have felt the call of Starbucks! and have gone out, Matt refusing to wear long johns with the excuse of "I'm English!" They have gone, and are yet to return!

I learnt how cold it was by heading out to the compost!!! It was bad, no ears in a few seconds and felt like I had forgotten to put any trousers on by the time I turned round to come back in. And, the cold hit my chest something awful and meant I could hardly take a full breath! Fun fun fun springs to mind. We were hoping to hold out till Christmas until we got long johns as they were going to pad out the stockings.... early is good too though.

So we are all safe and haivng fun holed up with friends, the big pot of soup on the stove gives me confidence we'll hold out...just off to check it.

Monday, December 8, 2008

The look on Heidi's face when we put the lights out and put the Christmas tree lights on will stay with me forever. Wish I had the camera ready, but good too just to enjoy the moment. She looked thrilled and then sat on the floor to sit and just look!

For those of you who are feeling the cold in the UK at the moment, here's a link to the fourteen day forecast for Calgary! http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourteenday/caab0049 No sympathy from us!
oooh
and I just decorated the Christmas tree...only 5 days since I bought it.
No prizes for how many times I'll have to say don't touch!

Birthday boy and snow

Tom's birthday was not quite the huge party he teased he wanted, but we celebrated in a few small ways.
We played on a Wi for the first time on Thursday night. The pics are us playing boxing...try not to laugh too hard. For those who don't know what a Wii is, it is a computer game with which you can do all kinds of things such as play tennis, box, ski etc. all by holding onto a controller. (I'm sure that there is a much better way to explain it!). We also attempted to have a bonfire (but too cold and damp) and then just vegged with pizza and movie. We have decided to go on an outing type thing next weekend with Matt and Hannah (they arrive on Wednesday). Apart form that we have eaten the icecream cake that I made Tom (it was in a 10" tin and took 6 litres!).

The snow started on Sunday sometime between me getting in the shower and getting caught reading my book sitting on the bed a few! minutes later. We attempted to get to church but 2 skids later and a lot of ice plaining we came home and listened to a John Piper sermon instead. It stopped about 4 in the afternoon and we got out to clear our deck and path. (you have to do so within 24 hours of the snow ending). Heidi thought it all good fun and has learnt to throw snowballs now.
Tom has made it into work this morning, and Heidi and I took an outing to the post office by sleigh in her case. So if you get a card....be sure to know I trudged through ankle high snow pulling a heavy baby behind me! It was really good to get out though and I certainly didn't feel cold despite it being -6. Heidi alaid my fears o her being cold by promptly falling asleep! We saw 4 separate car incidents during our 20 min walk each way. Ice dancing for cars is all I can describe it as. There really is nothing you can do with the roads covered in packed snow which freezes into ice. We are learning though, that life really has to go on!
I'll get some pics of the weather soon.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

There has been a call for a video clip of me skating....and Heidi skating. Not sure of that will happen, but will certainly try. I can't imagine why someone thinks it would be amusing to watch. grown women skate here all the time pushing a pushchair! We're off again to do it tomorrow, perhaps Heidi will do a little more on the ice walking again this time. Last week was a mixture of enjoyment and sheer terror!

The Christmas party season has started already and we are in the midst of a really busy week. I'm thrilled though as it means a lot less cooking and packed lunches for me! We ended up taking mandarins wrapped with ribbon to look like parcels to the work Christmas lunch today! Genius even if I do say so myself.

And, you need to come to north America if you want to experience real Christmas lights. They are everywhere and for the whole really tasteful, mainly lights and the occasional life size santa, but hey ho! Needless to say, Mr Hindle doesn't like the idea of lighting of the house, but perhaps next year!! A nagging wife......