Christmas Eve

 Waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve....planning the strategy!!!!!

Santa arrives and eats his cookies.....the boys open the gifts.  Santa brought them a Playstation Move!

Boris enjoys the gift opening!

Here Max is looking out the window for Santa!

 The best gift of all is a snowy owl puppet!!!!!

Boris waits patiently...

Gingerbread and Christmas Trees

 Maximilian and Bruno took their dear friend Pietro to see the Gingerbread homes and Christmas trees at the Four Seasons and the Hyatt.  Then, we had lunch at the Four Seasons....

 Except we had to wait a while for a table.....

Thank goodness for the iphone!!!

Annual Christmas Bash!

Mom...what can I say?

 Running after kids....

 Second cousins are great...Georgia, Oliver, and Maximilian on the ipad

 Anne, Oliver, and moi

 Cousin Dina and Georgia, her lovely daughter

 Making a point...

 Ian, Steven, and Chris

 Chris and Harrison

Aunt Carole, Uncle George, Mom, and cousin Anne

Owls in the Family

 

Max's Grade Four class read "Owls in the Family" and each student did a research project on an owl of their choice.  As well, they had owls visit the classroom.  These two owls are from an Owl Conservation Organization called O.W.L located in Delta BC. 

 I knew so little about owls, but now, I am in love with owls.  I couldn't believe the beauty of these creatures.

 Max is enjoying the presentation!

 This is Chance, who is used to visiting classrooms and teaching students about owls.  I loved him.  Here he is looking right through me with his huge yellow eyes.

 My favourite picture.  I am so excited to take the kids to see other birds of prey in Delta.  I hope we can see the snowy owl!

Baking with Maximilian

 Maximilian and I did some baking; Magda made these beautiful aprons for the kids. 

 Max and Boris under the tree

 Waiting to do some baking

 Great mixing skills

Boris with his Christmas necklace.  Waiting for a treat!

Christmas Concerts and Hockey Games

 I

 I couldn't get a good picture of the boys at the Christmas Concert; they were behind other students.  They did a great job!  It was a lovely evening.

 Then, later in the week, onto a hockey game.  The students from the school took part in this reading and physical exercise program for a few weeks, and then they got the opportunity to go to a hockey game.  A new experience for us and we are not really into hockey.   Here the kids throw stuffed animals on the rink after the Giants scored their first goal.  It was a bit surreal for us.  Spectator sports for the Canadian crowd!!!

At one point, a fight broke out and everyone started yelling "fight, fight, fight!!!".  I was totally shocked and it freaked me out a little bit.  I guess we aren't used to that kind of sport!