Over a year since I blogged!  That’s terrible…but life is about to slow down a little.  As of December 31st I will have offically resigned from teaching for now.  I want to take time to be at home with Maddie a little more.  All of us are looking forward to this change.  Christmas is so exciting this year with Madelynn being almost three…she is so into everything about Christmas.  She knows we are celebrating Jesus’ birthday and also knows that Santa will come and visit.  She saw him at the Legislative Assembly on Thursday night.  She walked right over, got up on his lap and told him that she wanted a princess suitcase.  So cute she was.  She is wanting to bake cookies after seeing pictures of her cousins Emily and Kate decorating theirs and is determined to bake Jesus a yellow cake for his birthday.  It is so fun and ‘magical’ to watch.  We are very busy for the next two weeks and then it’s holidays and relaxing…so exciting!  Hope you are all loving your preparations for the holidays.  Keep the meaning ahead of all the busyness!

Yes, fun for Maddie, but not for Pops, who was snowed in last night, when trying to make his way back to London Ontario. We had a great visit with Mark’s Dad, and he was an absolute God-sent to have around here. He got many things done for us around the house and enjoyed watching Madelynn while Mommy and Daddy worked. Maddie played outside for 2 hours in the fluffy white stuff this morning with Saddie, and then Emma. We then headed to lunch at Timmy’s and home for a nice two hour nap. Oh the life of a 1 year old! We are all doing very well and getting ready to settle in for the long winter (Yikes!) Thanks for the snow suit Grammie!

New Truck

Originally uploaded by maswitzer

Here is us with our new truck. Well, it’s used but it is new to us and in mint condtion…2006, 15 000 kms, from Spokane Washington, where Mark scored a great deal because of the dollar right now. It has a manual transmission and is very fun to drive. Maddie also enjoys the great view from the back seat. Now we’ll have lots of room for the luggage of all those who come and visit!

Too cute!  This is Kir and Andy’s new little girl…so adorable!!  She was born on Sat. September 14th at 11:43 p.m.  Last I heard from Kir, things were going very well.  Wish I could hold her Kir!  Love you guys.  (By the way, Mark picked out this outfit for the little one…I bet Hula likes it!)

These are our gardens in mid-September on an 18 degree day. I was so surprised when I returned home from Ontario on the 25th of August, and the flowers still looked amazing and had grown a lot since I was away. This week they were all frozen many times over and are now ready to be pulled for the season. Mark and I got up to go for a run the other day and it was minus three…yikes! It even snowed a little today…fall has settled in and winter is just around the corner. We have established a routine with both Mark and I working, and all of us have adjusted very well. Maddie loves going to “Auntie Lee’s” each day, and she always has lots to tell me when I pick her up at the end of the day. She is never stationary anymore and she talks constantly. Her love of talking on the phone has died down as of late…she is quite taken with carrying her two babies around pretending that they are crying, and then bringing them to me to give them a hug and pat their backs. She also peppers them with kisses…too cute. She is brave enough to attempt any word that we put “say” in front of. She has recieved a couple of time outs for dinner time behaviour, but she is very compliant and teachable which is a blessing. We are doing very well on the whole. Daddy leaves tomorrow for 8 days and them Pops returns with him next Monday, and a new truck too! We purchased a 2006 toyota tacoma and are excited to have more space in a vehicle. Hope you are all doing well, whether in Yellowknife, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Kenora, London or somewhere else on earth. Love to all!

PlaymatesOriginally uploaded by maswitzer

Maddie, Bella and I are saying farewell to our most favorite playmates. For two years know, Tara, Elijah and Wyatt have been a huge part of our lives and our closest friends here in Yellowknife. Tara for me is one of those friends you only come across once or twice in a lifetime. We have developed a friendship that I know will continue to grow across the miles, but it breaks my heart to think about saying goodbye to her next Tuesday. After 8 years in Yellowknife, Tim and Tara are moving with the boys to Saskatoon, where Tim will attend school. It is evident, especially as of late as we all think of saying good bye, just how much they have added to this place, and to our lives, and how much they will be missed. We are experiencing many “final” times this week…final girls coffee night with Tara, final trips to the beach, final walks…can’t stand it. I am so thankful I am heading out of here a day before Tara. It will be a welcomed distraction to spend some QT with family in Ontario… I know I will survive YK in the fall, but I sure am coming back to a big hole. I have told Tara, no one will replace her…

This picture of the garden was taken about a week ago. Since then, because of the balmy YK weather, everything has exploded. You wouldn’t believe how much things have grown in one short week. Mom and Chuck, I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I have enjoyed looking at yours…well done! Gardening is so much fun… especially when your husband is willing to do some of the tough stuff…thanks for weeding Mark! Mom, check out the flickr site if you want to see some more shots of our yard.

Be sure to check out the 30+ photos we have added to our flickr website this evening. You can get there by clicking on the link below and to the right “more photos”. Those from back home, please send a comment and let us know how you are all doing!

Maddie sure is changing these days. She has become a reader, filling in words like “moo, baa, la la la” and “purple” as we read to her. She does all the actions and chants pat-a-cake in her own little language and her vocabulary is flourishing and expanding daily. New words include: Hi, by-bye, up, more, Dada, Mama, Pops, Papa, Nana, Wow, purple, ella (for bella), teddy, and ball. It is so fun much to hang out with her. She is full of smiles, and is constantly taking in the world around her and trying new things. We never knew parenting could be this amazing.

Maddie, Mark and I had a wonderful week with Grammie and Pops (Mark’s Mom and Dad). Late evening chats and a teething baby left us all a little sleep deprived but we wouldn’t change the memories for the world. Thank you Mom and Dad for making the effort to come see us, and for all your hard work. The love and attention you gave to Maddie was amazing and we love you and miss you both so much.