December

December came and we were getting ready for Christmas.

Monika's parents came to visit from Halifax and we bakes Czech and German Christmas specialties together:

...while the boys watched hockey:

I finished some Christmas crafting. I really wanted to get this quilt done for my niece Pauline. I started the quilt during the summer and was working on it the night Pauline was born, sending my sister all the best for her labour and Pauline best wishes for a safe arrival in her parent's arms. Everything went really well and my sister and her partner are the proudest parents!
I hope this will be a fun quilt for her to crawl on now, crawl under soon for a nap and then maybe use to build a fort between a table and some chairs...

Liam really wanted to do some crafting as well and here's the flower he embroidered all by himself for his Oma. I am so proud of my boy!

And then it was Christmas! We had a beautiful Christmas Eve celebration with our friend Monika. So much love, family and friendship that evening!

Liam and Anouk were so happy with their presents from family, friends and of course Christkind!

November

I just realized that I have no photos for November...

I guess it's an indication of just how tired I've been!!
There were a lot of hockey nights in November. There is nothing like a hockey game to watch at the end of a day curled up on the couch under a blanket, too tired to do much else....
Does this mean I'm getting more and more Canadian? I now not only understand the rules of the game, but I can follow the puck across the ice and I know the names of almost all Canucks hockey players...

October

October was of course time for Halloween. This year with a Vampire and Little Red Riding Hood.

September

September had many beautiful sunny days and we enjoyed some more time at the beach:

 It's amazing how much joy can come from a bunch of logs!

And you know it's been a great day when everyone is covered in dirt and grinning!

September was of course also watermelon time!

And then it started to get cooler and it was time to go and pick some delicious apples with friends:

We had a huge apple pie for dinner that day... mmh! (and yes, we had only apple pie! Who needs anything else when you have a fresh delicious pie to eat!!)

OK, I have not been forgetting about this...

... so before the year winds up, I'll try to catch up on the last few months!

After Anouk's birthday the academic year started again, which kept me really busy and a new member of the family started growing inside me.... All of this left me tired, too tired to get to this space and share...

Here's a sneak preview at who we look forward to welcoming in May:

Turning 3.

Anouk started in her new daycare a couple of weeks ago and she has been the happiest little girl in the city. She is finally a "big girl". She really warms my heart, to see her grow, to see her learn, to snuggle with her and to see the world through her eyes.

Tomorrow she will turn three. It's hard to believe it's been three years...

She has been looking forward to this birthday for a long time, probably the first birthday she really planned ahead of time and experiences as her own special day.

I asked her what she would like for her birthday:

"A cow."
"You really like farm animals. You like your piggy, you like playing with your farmer..."
"Actually I don't need a cow. I already have one." [true]
"Is there anything else you would like? You like playing with the baby dolls..."
"I already have a doll."
[pause]
"I don't need anything."

Big snuggle, tear wiped out of the corner of my eye... Bewilderment - is she turning 30 or 3??!!

I guess it just really shows that she is absolutely happy - and that makes me absolutely happy.

One thing she has been adamant about: chocolate cake with smarties. No problem.

And over the last few days she has been wanting a truck, a really big truck. We got her a red fire truck. And a red balancing bike (the ones without pedals). I think she'll be pretty stoked.

And when the kids were in bed tonight I finished her dress for her birthday - in bright colours with zebras (she really likes zebras, too!).

Happy birthday, my happy big girl!

:: postcards :: Sailing - Dolphins & Orcas

One of the things I really wanted to see on this trip was orcas. I've been living here for about ten years, have done numerous whale watching trips, taken the ferry to Vancouver Island countless times - and have never seen an orca. 

We saw lots of dolphins, swimming in large groups, around our boat, jumping in the air. Some were playful, but mostly they were hunting following a school of fish.

We sailed all the way up to Robson Bite, a known orca spot. And... (drum roll) I saw orcas.

What beautiful animals...