Merry Christmas from our home to yours....

Merry Christmas!

The day started off on the tail of a big snow/wind/rain/ice storm, which left us all wondering if Christmas was just not meant to be... again... but the wind cleared, the ice wasn't too bad and the roads were driveable. We had a small gathering, short and sweet, but it was nice to reclaim the holiday again. 

Wishing you all love and peace during this holiday season... from our home to yours...

Last day of school 2021

Wow! The last day of school! This year was definitely packed with new experiences... things that we couldn't even have imagined before. No matter how it started, I am very proud of all the children and their teachers for how it ended up. They definitely showed their resilience, dedication, effort and strength during this past year. Now Alexander had his last day of high school and is off to CEGEP in the fall... Nicklas will be in grade 9, in the same school but a new building... and Oliver will be in grade 6 and looking forward to his own 2022 graduating year.

Here's to the last day and the summer ahead! May the next school year be a little more boring ;)

Happy boys!

My 1,000 post

On Monday January 20, 2014, I decide to start a blog (my first blog entry can be seen here). I didn't even care if anyone ever read it. It was started to chronicle our lives for us and our families/friends far and near. It was a way of remembering what we did during the day to day. Now, it allows me to go back and have a visit with who we were and what we did over these years. When I started, the boys were all super excited to see themselves online... now, not so much 😉 They were so small and we did so much together. Now, as they grow older, the family outings are being replaced with their own activities, interests and friends  (which usually don't include Andreas and me). I totally understand that... it is life. When I started writing here, Alexander was 9, Nicklas 7 and Oliver 3. Now Alexander is 15 (going on 16), Nicklas is 13 and Oliver will soon be 10. These pages contain their growing up and I love that.

I also love that I have actually met online friends through these pages. Some have come and gone but some have stuck around and become a part of my life. I feel blessed!

At the start, I tried to write every day. It went well for the first year-ish but turned out to be too much of a challenge. There were other times that I really had nothing to say so I didn't write at all. Considering that I was always really crappy at keeping journals and diaries, I am impressed that the blog is still going 😉 Happy 1,000 post birthday, blog! Let's hear it for the next 1,000 posts. I hope that you will continue to join me for a little bit of my day to day xox

Snow Day

Yesterday evening, the boys must have asked me every 15 minutes whether there would be a Snow Day. The weather channel was forecasting about 40-55 cm of snow but, heck, they have been wrong (and really wrong) before. Anyway, just before sending them to bed, we got the long awaited email from their school board: SNOW DAY! This is really a call for celebration because we don't seem to get a lot of Snow Days anymore. We have lots of ice days or generally overall crappy weather days that don't result in days off school but not so many real Snow Days so the boys went to bed happy. So did I because I was intending on working from home anyway and a Snow Day means no having to get up so early... no making lunches... no morning nagging... ahhhhh!

I remember Snow Days when I was growing up. We didn't have the internet and Facebook (heck, I don't even think that Mark Zuckerberg was our of diapers yet!) so, when I heard my mother turn on the radio in the morning, we always said a little prayer to the Snow Day gods. We listened, hopeful, for our school board to be one of the lucky ones that would be closed that day. It was absolute magic when we learned that our prayers were answered! The best days!!!

Today, I am sitting here with 3 happy boys (and, no, I was not allowed to take any pictures of them), thankful that we can just enjoy each other's company (well.. at least that is how I feel) and watch the snow come down... You have to love a good Snow Day! On top of it, a Friday one :) Can't get any better...

Enjoy your Friday... especially if you also have a Snow Day! xox

Happy 13th birthday to Nicka!

Wow! Another teenager in the house!

Today, our beautiful Nicklas turns 13 years old and he has made us all so proud (although his brothers may not want to admit it). He has turned into a loving, smart, funny, football obsessed, sensitive and kind young man. We love him!

So plans for the day include cake for lunch and a family dinner out. Wishing the rest of you a very happy Saturday xox

Happy birthday, Nicka!!!

Last hours of 2019

In these last few hours of 2019, I am reminded of all that I am thankful for from this past year: my beautiful boys, my always entertaining husband, the family I knew, the family I am getting to know, my beautiful friends that I see on a regular basis, my beautiful friends that I don't often see but think of regularly, the opportunities that I have been lucky to have taken up and the opportunities that I have been offered but had to decline.

I am also thankful for being able to share my day to day with you all. See you in 2020! 😘❤

Happy 3rd Advent!

This coming week will be the last before the Christmas break. Needless to say, I cannot wait! The thought of being able to spend the day in my pajamas is so appealing right now ;)

Wishing you all a Happy 3rd Advent! May this week fly by xox

A little bit of Sunday cosiness

Happy 3rd Avent!

Happy 2nd Advent... the teenager edition ;)

Sometimes I feel guilty that most of my blog pictures are now of Oliver. Truth is that the other 2 are just not interested... I either get a funny face or a hand. Anyway, I appreciate that they still keep the tradition of decorating gingerbread houses, even if it is for the sole purpose of putting more sugar on their "cookie" that they eat in milliseconds after finishing their creation 😉 They will also happily consume (more like inhale) their advent treats... getting pictures of them is another challenge. To make sure that my children are all represented here, you will now get the photos of Alexander and Nicklas that I usually end up with... hands, funny faces and all 😉

Hope you had a good 2nd Advent! xox

The famous hand....

... and the face of gratitude... I mean attitude ;)

It looks like the big, bad wolf got a hold of this house ;) It did not have a chance ;)

Nicka's only lasted a few minutes more ;)

Oliver just strategically ate the candies from the roof ;)

Celebrating 15 years

And this time the celebration is not for Alexander's birthday but for our wedding anniversary! Fifteen years brings a lot of history and water under the bridge. I couldn't think of anyone else who I would have preferred to have as a partner on this life voyage. Here is to many, many more! xox

Yes, this is a long time ago and, no, he is not trying to bite my face ;)

Missing big events

Nicklas' grade 6 graduation ceremony is this coming Friday... and I will be missing it :( Early in the year, I was invited to give a talk at a conference and, lucky me, this conference is in Denmark! I was so excited about it... until I found out that Nicklas' grad was exactly the time of the conference. Andreas assured me that he will be video taping it for me but I still feel sad to miss the event. To make up for it, I took him shopping for his celebratory outfit. I had a good time with him and proud of how he is growing up. He even matched me in the love of picking up a Bubble Tea while we were at the mall.

 I am sorry to be missing this big event but he knows that he will be in my heart on his big night.

On another note, be prepared for Denmark spam as I am leaving tomorrow ;) All I can say is almost 10 days of not making school lunches xox

12!

Today is Nicka's 12th birthday!

It is funny with the second child... as surprising as some of the eldest child's milestones are, you expect them to happen... they are always the chapter coming up in the parenting books. They are your first venture, as parents, into the unknown. With the second child, you know what is coming up so it is a smoother venture from milestone to milestone, with some even being glided over. This year, however, is starting to really hit me. Nicka will be going to high school in the fall and is starting to transform into a teenager... This birthday, for me, is one that I am really noticing...

Happy birthday to our sweet, lovely, funny and smart 12 year old! We hope that this year will be filled with wonderful new adventures for you! xox

Happy Friday to you all!

4 months old

Age 3

PS: this one is of Nicka kidding around ;)

Happy birthday xox

Reflections on 2018

Like I said in a recent post (here), I was not the biggest fan of 2018 but I did learn some things that made the year worthwhile (just trying to be positive here 😉). For a brief summary: I learned that it is very possible to burn out, even doing a job that you actually care about. I learned that NO is not always a bad word. I learned that if I drop a ball or two, the world does not fall apart. I learned that a person's negative reaction to you may not always reflect you... but themselves. I learned that not all things deserve giving a shit about. I learned that you have to stick up for yourself... and that is OK. I learned that negative/stupid/ridiculous comments on random news web pages do not merit being addressed. I learned that, sometimes, all you have to do is ask for help and, other times, it is easier to do it by yourself (I just have to figure out which one works for what situation 😉 ). I learned that I do not understand how boys fight together and, as long as they are not breaking furniture or each other, I will just step away and let them figure it out for themselves. I learned that I actually like football (American version) and can even understand it to some degree. I learned that, even if I am not enthusiastic about something, fake it... and enthusiasm will follow... or, if it doesn't, at least you tried 😉

Thanks, 2018, for the lessons learned... and thanks to the rest of you for sharing in my year! xox

Thank you to random internet images ;)

Happy 4th Advent!

Happy 4th Advent!

I have to say that I have been fantasizing about today... the day where holidays really start (actually, I still have grading to do but am conveniently denying it for the next few days 😉). This past semester has been a hard one- I felt exhausted before it even started- so I am happy to just try to relax for a little while. Pajamas and wine sound really good! This morning, the boys opened their advent presents as we enjoyed a cup of coffee (or two). After a slow start, both Andreas and I had to go to our respective work to pick up some last minute stuff (this is why I consider today the day where the holidays really start) and then run some errands. I think that we bought enough groceries to feed an army (= in our house, that means that we will run out in about 2 days 😉). I started to wrap Christmas presents but, unfortunately, Oliver unexpectedly walked in while I was doing it so I had to think up something quick to keep the Santa thing going. He has been asking whether Santa exists for a few weeks now so I think he is onto something... I better come up with something good to keep the believing vibes going 😉
Tomorrow, my family is coming over. I actually enjoy cooking for people so it should be fun. I cleaned off my counter tops to make a bit of space but they will be looking like "food hoarder" before company even arrives.
Anyway, just wanted to wish you all a very happy 4th Advent... and a fantastic holiday season. I will stop in again tomorrow to say Merry Christmas.

Glad you stopped by xox

Oliver, frustrated that he has to wait for his brothers to open his present 😉

Third of Advent.... already?!?

Wow! It is the Third of Advent already! Just a little over a week until Christmas.... and, still, a lot of getting organized to do. Christmas Eve will be at our house this year but I am actually looking forward to it. Yes, I am a sucker for punishment but I enjoy having a house full of chaos (obviously)  ;) Over this week, Santa will start to wrap the boys' presents ;) so she he doesn't get stuck doing them at the last minute like every other year ;) How do I know? I can hear the swearing all the way from the North Pole ;) This year, I bought a long-wanted Christmas present to myself... stay tuned for another post about that soon.

Wishing you all a happy Advent.... and a calm week ahead <3

Happy 1st Advent

Wow! December already!

Today, the boys opened their advent presents. Coffee is made. The cupboard is stocked with gingerbread cookies. The candle is lit. It is freezing rain outside. We have nothing on the agenda today. Great way to start the holiday season..... said completely non sarcastically ;)

Happy 1st Advent.... xox

14!

Today, Alexander turned 14! Amazing how time flies... I still clearly remember the day he was born (impressive, considering I cannot even remember what I had for breakfast this morning).

Wishing you a very happy birthday! You are an amazing young man and we are very proud of you xox

One happy kid!

#900!

This is my #900 blog post! Wow! When I first started my blog on January 20, 2014 (see here), I honestly had my doubts about being able to keep it going. Actually, I had started another blog about a year before but it had fizzled out after about 8 posts so my track record was not very encouraging ;) Looking back through my blog, I am especially impressed that I had actually tried to do a post every single day in 2014. Now, I am lucky if I can put enough brain cells together to manage a post every week (but who is counting?) ;) Seeing my boys grow up in my posts, I am very happy that I was able to capture a bit of our family's history and revisit a bit of our "day to day" along the way <3

Thank you for coming to visit! I have made some great friends through these pages. Hope to see you around at the end of the next 900 :)

Have a great day! PS: I will post an update to our Hallowe'en tomorrow... ha! Let's see how this one goes ;)

xox

Happy Mother's Day!

Just wanted to wish all those with children in their arms, hearts or dreams a very happy Mother's Day.

I received some beautiful handmade gifts... the very best kind!

xox

I totally suck at selfies ;)

Handmade treasures

Happy birthday, Montreal!

It is Montreal's 375th birthday today. I know... all you Europeans (and just about every other continent) will think that it is not too impressive but, for North American standards, that is pretty old. I found this celebratory video on Youtube and I thought that I would share it.

Happy birthday, Montreal. I <3 you! Je t'aime, Montréal!

Happiness is... ;)

Today is the first-day-back-at-school-after-spring-break for the boys. Since Andreas and I had to seriously juggle our work schedule (= we were NOT on spring break), last week was stressful and not very productive for us. Also, I am pretty fed up of all the fighting, punching, yelling and wrestling...  In light of this, we were very happy to be back to our regular routines this morning... ;)

Wishing you all a good week xox