I can expense that, right?

A few weeks ago Erin and I braved an 8.5 hour drive to Saskatoon with all four kids (my two snotheads and her two turdballs). I had a regional hockey tournament to attend (yeah, we’re that good).  I managed to convince Erin to join me because we’ve got lots of family there. My aunt/godmother, Judy, moved there 30+ years ago and raised her family of 4 there. They’re all adults now and they all still live there and now they’ve got a few kidlets of their own. So we threw some lunch in a cooler and packed Erin’s VAGON (she won’t call it a van) full of books, blankies, diapers, wipes, toys, and a BLESSED portable DVD player and ventured out. The drive out went so swimmingly that we knew the ride back could not be without a few glitches…in the world of literature that’s what you call foreboding.

While visiting, Erin took some photos of Cooper (our cousin Adam’s little guy), Jessie and Tegan (our cousin Jenn’s two cuties) and I took photos of Izzy and Kennedy (our cousin Jo’s ‘kids’). Newborn Kennedy is the cutest newborn I have EVER seen…even cuter than my own adorable poop machines were at birth. She was just two weeks old when we met her and she was so strong and was already genuinely smiling. I know farts and I know smiling. She smiled.

We lost all three games in the hockey tournament (okay, so we’re not that good) but got an amazing visit in with everyone. It rained all weekend. By the time we left on Monday morning the kids missed their dads, their beds, and had been cooped up for 3 days. We knew we were doomed. The first half of the ride went without any real problems but seemed to drag foreeeeever. Erin’s oldest, Willem, takes 30 minutes to go the ‘bathroom’ and he did that twice. We stopped for an hour for lunch and then again for 30 minutes to let them get their beans out. So 9+ hours into the drive we (stupidly) turned the DVD player off and tried to force them all to take a nap. Didn’t happen. At all. In fact there was an uprising and the hostilities between the warden and the inmates became such that Erin and I laughed/cried for the last hour and a half of the drive.

Still worth it. We took photos on the trip, so I can expense it, right?

Here are some of the images we took of the girls of Saskatoon:

This is Jessie. She's the 'thinker'.

Tegan took some time to warm up to us but once she did...all hugs and cuddles.

Kennedy. Are you kidding me? Freakin' adorable!

This is Cooper. We think he may still be teething. 🙂

Izzy's SUPER excited about her new baby sister, Kennedy!

4 more sleeps…

and if you can believe it, I’m completely and totally ready for Christmas. I don’t have a single thing to do. Nada! I’m caught up on all my BTP stuff, the house is clean (thanks to no TV; more on that later*), the baking is done (my 4 year old, Moira, and I just finished a batch of over-sprinkled shortbread tonight), the presents are wrapped, the tree is trimmed, and falalalalalalalala! I’ve got time for TV, just no TV, so I’m about to pop the HBO series ‘True Blood’ on DVD into my iMac; just what I need, another TV series to become addicted to.

*A few weeks ago my husband said, “When do you want me to pick up the Christmas tree?”. I replied, “Remember last year when I said, ‘I’m not cramming a friggin’ Christmas tree into the living room again next year; this monstrosity of a TV will be gone’, well, yeah, I meant it.” He said, “So sell it.” I called his bluff, and well, sold it. So, long story short, he’s buying an even bigger TV once the basement renovation is completed (which should give him some motivation to get stuff done)! In the meantime, my living room looks gloriously spacious and festive! Yay!

We’re going to be offering a great deal for photo sessions booked in January, February, March and April so keep your eyes peeled. There will be more info on the website when we’ve got the new site up and running in early January! This will likely be my last post before the holidays are through (though Mya and Erin might find time to crank one out before 2010 slaps us upside the head). So until then, BTP wishes you and yours a very happy holiday and a wonderful New Year!

Cheers,

Jody