I'm Back!

Where does the time go? It's been so long since I updated that I'm just going to mention some highlights from the past month or so. The weekend after our Victoria get-away we went to see The Wars at the Playhouse. We were able to make good use of my parents' tickets since they were out of town and couldn't make it. We started the evening by going the Gotham Steakhouse which we've been meaning to try for ages. It was well worth the wait! The steak was fabulous (the best I've had in a restaurant) and the ambience and service definitely made it an experience to appreciate (and repeat!) The play was also fantastic. I'm always so impressed by how a very simple set can transport you between places and times so effectively. We enjoyed it so much we even considered getting season's tickets ourselves; maybe after we recover financially from my year of mat leave!
A couple weeks later we were off to see Maroon 5 with Kris and Claudine. We saw them the last time they were here and they've only become more popular since then. We went to Samba for dinner and opted for the all-you-can-eat menu and did we ever! As the servers came around to offer the varying meats (veal, bison, ostrich, elk, steak, chicken...) we just couldn't say no. Then we headed to the Coliseum for the concert. The opening band was The Hives and they were so entertaining that we are some of their newest fans. Maroon 5 didn't disappoint either. They were so effective at involving the audience and the set list flowed really well. They were so energetic that, despite how full we all were, we pretty much danced the entire show.
The next weekend was also pretty busy. It was Charles's birthday on the Friday but we opted to stay in as we had a busy couple of days ahead. We spent a quiet evening at home and watched a couple of movies after Caleb went down (we love this 7:30 bed-time thing!). On Saturday we were next door at Eric and Lisa's for dinner. Lisa prepared a great lasagne and Caleb had a blast playing with Keira before and after dinner. We ended the evening with a delicious cheesecake (another first for Caleb!)
On Sunday we were off to Mattias's birthday party. Rina and Carl held it in the amenity room of Carl's mom's building and it was the perfect location. There was a lot of room for all the little ones to run around. We had such a great time watching the kids have so much fun together. After the playing, pizza, and presents all the kids (and their parents) were exhausted! I added a few photos from the party.
Last weekend we were at Mom and Dad's for the Charles/Cristi birthday dinner. As usual, Dad prepared a fantastic meal which was made even more delicious with the addition of foie gras, wine, and chocolates from their trip to France. We were all pretty tired (our household had just recovered from the flu and Cristi wasn't feeling well) and so we headed home pretty early for a good sleep!
This past week has been pretty intense. We're looking forward to an evening out with Mandy and Kevin tomorrow, but that's about it for this weekend. Then we'll be working like crazy on report cards next week. It seems like there's so much to do and so little time; Christmas vacation will be here before we know it.

Mini-Vacation

On Friday I received a fantastic surprise. While I was in the library with the grade sevens one of Charles's students arrived with an 'Urgent' envelope for me. When I opened it I found an invitation from Charles to join him and Caleb for a weekend in Victoria. I had been dying to see the Titanic exhibit at the Royal BC Museum and Charles had arranged for us to go this weekend (the final weekend of the exhibit!). We left early Saturday morning and had some time for lunch (at Sam's Deli - a favourite of ours) and to check in at the hotel before heading to the museum for 3:00. The exhibit was spectacular. It was so fascinating to see the wide variety of objects that have been salvaged from the shipwreck - from clothing to suitcases to vials still containing perfume. I've always been so interested in the tragedy, and learning so many personal details about many of the passengers really made it seem like it was not so long ago.
After the exhibit we continued on to the Natural History part of the museum to share some of my favourites with Caleb. He loved seeing the Mammoth (which he woke up just in time for) and the Coastal Forest display. We spent a long time at the Water Fowl section as he kept pointing at everything and wanting to go right up to the glass to get a closer look.
We took a little walk along the harbour on the way back to the hotel and stopped to see one of the street performers (it wasn't Red the Juggler, a regular who I remember from when I was a kid, but he was very entertaining!) Then we headed back to the hotel for dinner only to find that the restaurant was completely booked for the entire evening. So, we decided on room service instead and made reservations for Sunday morning brunch. We spent a cozy evening playing with Caleb in the room before putting him to bed and watching a movie.
On Sunday morning we walked through town to have a light breakfast. It was so peaceful as there weren't too many people walking around at 8 in the morning! When we returned to the hotel we all went for a little swim before going for brunch. Caleb had his first taste of french toast (Peaches 'n' Cream French Toast, in fact). After eating we spent a few hours doing some shopping in Victoria before leaving for the ferry. We love how they keep so much of the original architecture - it really gives the city a distinct feel. On the way home, Caleb had a great time playing with all the little kids on the slide; it tired him right out. We arrived home just in time to put him to bed.
It was a fantastic weekend for us all; what a great little family I have!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow - after the week we had at school we sure needed this long weekend! Luckily, we had a great weekend which helped to fade the memory of last week. On Friday we went to the pub with our staff to say goodbye to our head secretary who is leaving to go to a school closer to her home. I really don't know what we'll do without her expertise. When we got home we packed Caleb up and headed to Kris's parents' house for the evening. Kris and Claudine prepared a fantastic seafood pasta and we brought along a Caesar Salad. After dinner we put the kids down and then indulged in a fantastic dessert created by Claudine. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the hot tub visiting with a few drinks. It turned into a late night (especially for a Friday when we're so exhausted) but we really needed it.
On Saturday I had my reformer pilates class; it's a great way to start the day as I always feel so good afterwards. In the early afternoon we headed out to the Alibi Room to celebrate Cristi and Chris's engagement. They had a really good turn out and everyone had a good time visiting over appies and cocktails. We headed home just after five so we could be at home for Caleb's dinner and bedtime routines. After watching a bit of tv we turned in early.
Sunday started pretty early as we wanted to get out to Metrotown for some shopping before heading over to Mom and Dad's for Thanksgiving dinner. The shopping trip was very successful (I love it when I find exactly what I'm looking for) and we got home just in time to prepare the potatoes and get over to Mom and Dad's. We were joined by Aunt Nan, David, Cristi, Chris and Chris's parents who are visiting from Manitoba. She's a special ed teacher and he is an ex-NHL player (very interesting people!). Caleb was the centre of attention and he enjoyed playing with everyone. As usual, Mom and Dad made a fantastic dinner (complemented by my now-famous potatoes) and Cristi provided a delicious pumpkin chiffon pie for dessert. We had an early dinner and were home in time to put Caleb to bed around 7:30. (I'll add some photos soon.)
Today we may take in a matinee (it feels like ages since we've been to a movie) or we may just take advantage of a day with no plans to relax and prepare for another school week. I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

Autumn Update

Well, by this point we're all firmly settled into the fall routine. Charles and I are back in the classroom and, despite a rough few days in the beginning, Caleb is settling well into daycare. I am really enjoying teaching again and it makes coming home and weekends that much more exciting as I get to look forward to spending time with our little guy.
Caleb is transforming so quickly that I can barely keep up. He is now walking all over the place and he says 'mom' and 'dad' (and even associates them with the correct people!). He is having so much fun at daycare playing with the other kids that the other day he cried when we took him away from his friends and toys to go home! He is such a little boy now and his personality is definitely developing.
We've also been able to make it out for a few evenings thanks to a fantastic network of willing babysitters. We went to see Justin Timberlake in the beginning of September and it was definitely the best concert I've seen. We've had a few dinners with Chris and Claudine - at their house and at ours. It is so nice to have friends close enough that we can pull together impromptu dinners. I also went out for dinner with Chris and Harjit who I haven't seen since Junior High. It was so easy to just be ourselves and have a blast getting reacquainted. This past weekend we also went to see the Blue Man Group which was a lot of fun. We went for dinner at Wimaan Thai beforehand (on Mindy's recommendation) and it was fantastic - we'll go back for sure.
Today we had Caleb's first birthday party. We had originally planned on holding it at the local park, but the weather had other plans. We moved the party to our house and it was a full house. Caleb was surrounded by friends and family and he had a great time playing with everyone and his new toys. He won't be getting bored anytime soon. People started arriving around three and pretty much everyone left around seven. It was perfect timing for us to get a very tired little boy off to bed. Thanks to everyone for your gifts and, more importantly, your company!

Caleb sure is having a social week! After Alex's birthday on Saturday, we had Rina, Carl, and Mattias over for a bbq on Sunday evening. We hadn't seen them since their moving day, so it was really nice to catch up. The two boys hadn't seen each other in ages since Mattias was with his grandma on the day that they moved. Caleb was so excited that he didn't eat his dinner very well because he just wanted to play. Since he's normally such a good eater, we weren't too worried about it! We barbecued hamburgers (Caleb later loved his!) and Rina and Carl brought over a delicious salad and dessert. After dinner Caleb and Mattias played for a bit longer before Caleb had his bath and was off to bed. There are photos of the boys in the August folder. We were able to finally see Rina's photos from Greece - I definitely want to go one day - and we heard all about their rental house in Nanaimo. They have a fantastic flyer outlining all the features and showing great photos. It is such a cute little house; they'll have no problem renting it out.
Caleb is growing so fast! I know that I've probably neglected updating you all on his progress over the past little while. He's stands on his own for quite a while now and we're pretty sure he'll be walking soon; he walks all over the house with his walker and is getting really fast at it. His 'vocabulary' has expanded greatly and he really enjoys singing along with us; he also learned to scream after being around all the kids at Alex's party (great!). For mealtimes he's eating more and more of what we are having and he really enjoys the independence of feeding himself (with his hands). His newest skills include clapping and using sign language to indicate when he wants milk, daddy, or mommy. He also points at everything wanting to know what it is called and is in the routine of giving good-night kisses to all his toys (and mommy and daddy). I can't believe that he'll be a year-old soon - I'm already planning his party!

Half-Way Point

Well, we're half-way through summer and, for the most part, it's been great. The Bard-B-Q was fantastic. We saw Taming of the Shrew and it was hilarious. They used a Western theme for the play and, although still in Shakespearean English, they spoke with southern drawls. It was amazing! In the intermission we had a great salmon bbq and following the play we were directed to a private seating area where we had coffee and dessert while watching the Celebration of Light Fireworks (Canada performed). The next morning we helped Rina and Carl move to their new place (closer to us!). On Tuesday, we had the great news that Kris and Claudine welcomed their newest addition, Amelie, into the world. We went to see them in the hospital on Wednesday and everyone was doing great. That evening, we went to Jessica's to see China's fireworks show. She has the perfect roof-top balcony to view the fireworks as she looks right out onto English Bay.
The following weekend, I set off for a surf weekend with the girls. We left on Friday and it was pretty difficult for me as it was the first time I've been away from Caleb. Although I knew he was in Charles's capable hands, it was still pretty tough for me to say goodbye (even though it was only for three nights!) Mandy, Cori and I drove to the ferry together where we met up with Kelly and Christina. Cristi, Laura, and Suzanne caught an early morning ferry and were already at the house in Ucluelet when we got there. We had surf lessons through Bruhwiler Surf School on Saturday and Sunday mornings for about three hours. By the end of day two, we were all very comfortable with and somewhat addicted to surfing! I can't wait to do it again (perhaps in a warmer climate next time!). We were provided with wet suits which kept us warm and the weather remained dry throughout the weekend; the afternoons were actually quite sunny. We headed home on Monday afternoon and, despite having our ferry break down, driving to a different terminal, waiting in line for hours, barely getting on the 4:30 ferry, and redocking once we reached Horseshoe Bay due to a broken ramp, we eventually made it home.
Since then we've been kind of laying low. I was so happy to see my little family again that I just wanted them to myself for a while! We did go to Kris and Claudine's for an impromptu bbq a couple of days ago. Amelie alternated between eating and sleeping while we were there and Caleb had a great time playing with Alex and his toys.
Last night we received the sad news that Grandpa Larson passed away. He had been in the hospital for about a week and was apparently rested and peaceful when he died. Cindy had gone in to see him that morning, shaved him, and put on some music for him to listen to. After a full life of 100 years, he was ready to go. We all love and will miss him greatly. Will Yogi Yorgensen ever sound the same again?
Today we're getting ready to celebrate Alex's second birthday and Rina, Carl, and Mattias are coming over for dinner tomorrow. After that, who knows...?

Caleb's First Trip

We returned home last night from Cusheon Lake Resort on Saltspring Island. The resort is one that Charles took his class to a few years ago, and since then we're returned three times with friends. The first time was with Mandy and Kevin, last year with Rina and Carl, and this time Mandy, Kevin, Rob, and (of course) Caleb joined us.
We arrived amid sprinkles on Sunday afternoon but by Monday afternoon it was clear and we enjoyed the sun on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sunday was spent getting settled and unpacking before dinner. After Caleb was asleep we all played Tricks followed by Catan - Cities and Knights which took us into the wee hours!
We attempted to visit two local bakeries on Monday (both were closed!) and we were pleased to find the Saltspring Island Cheese Factory open. After selecting a few varieties, we enjoyed a picnic lunch on the grounds. In the afternoon Rob and Charles took out one of the canoes while Caleb napped and Mandy and Kevin went into town. That evening we took a break in between games (Bang and Tricks) to go down to the hot tub.
Tuesday was a beautiful day and we began by driving out to Mount Maxwell which has spectacular views of the islands. On the way back to the cabin we went into town for lunch and then returned for Caleb's nap. Later that day we all trooped down to the lake for some swimming and sunning on the dock. Charles and I took turns with Caleb on the shore where he made some little friends and really enjoyed wading out into the water with us. We had a somewhat earlier night and finished up with the games around 11:30.
Wednesday morning was spent enjoying a leisurely breakfast before packing up. We went into Ganges and spent some time in the galleries and shops before having lunch and heading out to the ferry. I've added some photos in the Saltspring folder.
We were a little nervous about how Caleb would handle being in a different house again - would he think we had moved again?!? There was nothing to worry about, though, as he adjusted just fine and slept pretty much as he would have if we were at home. The trickiest part was when Charles and I would head off to bed; Caleb was sleeping in our bedroom and since it's been so long since he's slept in a room with us that we were sure that he'd wake up as soon as we opened the door. It turns out we were worried for nothing - we should have been more concerned about him waking us up as it turns out that he talks/laughs in his sleep A LOT! He is so active that it's no wonder that he is such a great sleeper. He had a fantastic time showing of for and playing with Mandy, Kevin, and Rob. I wonder if he's now wondering where everyone went!?!
This weeked we'll be heading out to the Bard-B-Q and Fireworks performance of Taming of the Shrew with Mandy and Kevin and then on Sunday we'll be helping Rina and Carl move. Then it will be less than a week to Surf Camp!!! Somewhere in there we're hoping for news of Kris and Claudine's new baby!