Christmas Wish List

Apologies to my regular 2 readers, I am interrupting my normal broadcasting for this special announcement:

OK The boys are generally happy with anything they get. They would be satisfied with some cheap crap from the Dollar store. Somehow I didn't think this was a satisfactory answer to the question "What would the boys want?" So, rather than just write a list for each member of the family, I will post a list here. The potential benefit could be if you comment on the blog if you are getting something specific (a particular book, or a specific gift item) there won't be any of those embarrassing buying the same thing moments. And if I think of something else I can just update here. I promise the boys do not read my blog :) I will remove this post after Christmas.

Lucas (8) and Michael (6 1/2):
construction kits
lego
role playing stuff (swords, nerf blasters, costumes)
zombies, monsters, lord of the rings related toys
board games (connect 4 was a favorite that was left behind in Geneva, they already have Monopoly and Jenga)
coloring books

David (2 1/2):
little figurines (knights, dragons, animals)
train related things
push and pull toys
car ramp
sit n spin
pretend stuff (doctor kit, tools, food)
play dough

Books:
Michael - Early reader books
Lucas - Calvin and Hobbes, Beast Quest (he has the first one), Asterix (in English or in French he has Asterix the Gaul, in Switzerland, and in Spain)

They are also getting a Wii for Christmas.

Hallowe'en

Well we have survived our first North American hallowe'en. Lucas wanted to be a vampire and was very
impressed with his glow in the dark fangs. Michael was a wizard compete with pointed hat and a magic wand. David was a monster with a green face since he often "Hulks out" these days. I reused a bug covered shirt from when Lucas and Michael were monsters a few years ago. For dinner I made mummy hotdogs, I hope to make it a tradition. I thought they were pretty cool. Chris didn't seem suitably impressed. All three boys were the picture of excitement as they ran from door to door and loudly recited the "Trick or Treat" mantra. David refused to hold my hand, wanting to go up and down the stairs and run house to house all by himself. By the time we decided to head for home his little hands were red with cold and his nose was running and his mouth was drooling.

Farm boys

This weekend we went to the Circle Pond Farm as part of the "Open Farm" event in Nova Scotia. All 3 boys were excited as soon as we arrived to a chorus of rooster crows. They saw geese, chickens, pheasants, turkeys, ducks, emus, sheep, baby kittens, and a few rabbits. Circle Pond Farm prides itself on having a wide variety of heritage breeds. The different breeds of bird were very interesting, but a heritage poultry farm smells just as appetizing as a regular poultry farm. Nuff said. There was a petting zoo. Petting zoo is a generous description. It was a 2 metre square pen with half a dozen animals within. The boys enjoyed petting the sheep. Chris showed Michael how to properly hold a bird and Michael spent the rest of the time chasing chickens and ducks. After a short while he was pretty good at being able to catch various fowl. Not to be outdone, Lucas showed his prowess by catching the rabbit. All in all, I think all three boys really enjoyed being on a real farm while Chris and I appreciated learning about the heritage breeds of poultry. A success.

A dinosaur named Sue

Santa Claus brought the boys dinosaur bones encased in clay. Lucas received this last Christmas as well and the boys really enjoy the excavation. Except for the massive amount of dust and mess it makes, I also enjoy the relative peace I get when my budding paleontologists are at work. Lucas has decided that once they have completed their digs they will watch Jurassic Park. In the meantime, I took them to the Museum of Natural History in Halifax to see Sue, the Tyrannosaurus rex. Sue (named for the woman who discovered the bones while waiting beside her broken down car), is the most complete T. rex skeleton discovered so far. The exhibit was very good, on loan from somewhere in the states (I'll update the post when I figure out where she is from). The rest of the museum was somewhat lacking, at least in our expectations after being regulars at the Natural History Museum in Geneva. I really hope there are some really great exhibits on hiatus during Sue's visit, because what is there right now does not even come close to justifying the entrance fee (Geneva's was free...). The basement was a bit of a treasure though, as there were a bunch of amphibians and reptiles in aquariums. David was quite taken with the bullfrogs.

A well deserved treat

The second time I have left work early is the second time that I have been stuck in crazy massive traffic. We still managed to make it out to Bayer's Lake to pick up some shirts for Lucas. I hadn't wanted to buy clothes for the kids at the beginning of the season since we would be moving. Lucas has been confined to a couple of shirts since moving to Halifax. I am sure we have more buried in a box or a pile of belongings somewhere.... Coupled with the limited supply was the breakdown of our washing machine last weekend. Time for new clothes indeed.
Lucas spotted the tell-tale signs of fast food restaurants nearby. By the time we were finished shopping, I was rather receptive to the idea. Lucas was pushing for McDonalds, but I knew better. I happened to know that the Burger King was a) within walking distance from where we were, b) had a t.v. showing Treehouse, their favourite, if somewhat juvenile for their age, station and c) there was a playroom. I decided to forgo the struggle with a high chair and plunked David down on the bench for the first time. The boys had a blast burning off much of those excess calories in the play room with some other little kids. Aside from the other tired looking parents of kids in the playroom, the place was deserted. It felt like we were all taking refuge. Letting our kids play and interact with other kids despite the -20 degrees outside.
A rather long and boring for anyone other than his parents movie of David eating his breakfast is here. Anyone interested in what kind of mess a toddler can make of Shreddies can stop by and watch as much or as little as you care too!

The Swiss make me smile

So after I picked up my new running shoes bought off of eBay (and paid about half their value again in import duty, but that is another post) I noticed my postal code had been written in ink beside the address label. Strange. I am sure I put the right one down and looked at the crossed out postal code. Sure enough, it was identical to the handwritten one. It was just incorrectly positioned you see. In Switzerland Suisse, the postal code is written BEFORE the city. Apparently some postal workers like to correct the mail passing through the system. This is not the first time. I have had Geneva Geneve and Switzerland Suisse. Actually, I think it was Switzerland Suisse!!!! It makes me smile each time. It is just so....Swiss Suisse.

Toilet humour

Ok, so I have been a very, very, very bad blogger to my few loyal readers. I have almost a full year of little stories to tell you that of course I have forgotten most of, so in the interest of just getting "pen to paper" I will relate this priceless anecdote from our recent vacation. We were staying at a backpackers paradise, with young 20-25year olds finding themselves in Europe. Lucas made many friends. He certainly follows his Popeye's philosophy that a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet. So my little social butterfly goes into the mens room to do his business in a stall. One of his new friends is in another stall and a random gentleman comes in to also use the facilities. The distinct sound of bodily gas being expelled reverberates through the room. Lucas, still in his own stall, giggles and demands "Who tooted?"

Story related to Chris by the "new friend" who also remarked "Your kids are awesome!" I humbly agree.