What a way to start the NEW YEAR

Well, we rang in the new year with our friends the Meeker's.  We had a terrific dinner, played games and then toasted with cranberry bubbly while watching the amazing London fireworks.

The next day it got SERIOUS!  We cleared out the fridge, took before measurements and pictures and planned our new weight loss regiment.  There were PT tests to pass and baby weight to loose!

  Then Dave took Ava on an adventure hike, and I took Owen for a chilly January jog.

Up on the House Top

Christmas morning is always a blur.  Both Dave and Ava can hardly sleep a wink.  This year was extra special to have Owen happy and healthy, but sadly it was our last one in England.

Holiday Magic

Count down until Dec 24 was way to quick.  We had so much fun playing, cooking, eating and enjoying new little Owen.  David's squadron put on a activity packed kids Christmas Party.  Unfortunately Dave had to work that day so I took the kids by myself. The first thing Ava made was a loot bag, to put all of her crafts and prizes in.

 Present Bowling

 Holiday Colouring

 Cookie Decorating

 Foam Picture Frames

Face Painting

 Beaded Candy Canes

Bean Bag Toss

Hot Dog Lunch

Ava was so excited to see Santa land his KC135 Airplane.  It was the perfect short and sweet holiday party.

I got a call from Ava's head teacher Miss Sue one afternoon.  I immediately thought something bad had happened (like Ava breaking her arm.) Instead I heard "Mrs Miller don't be alarmed but we want to tell you that Ava has cut her hair this afternoon.  She hid with a pair of scissors while we were wrapping presents.  Apparently a child told a teacher that a girl had cut her hair behind the dress up clothes.  Ava had taken the scissors and cut 2 large chunks of hair from both sides of her face!

I had to do something, and I didn't want her to go through a fuzzed out, pain in the butt stage if bangs so I decided to just cut everything shorter and clip back the cut pieces. She actually looked very cute.

We decorated Christmas cards for her friends at pre school, with stickers and stamps.

Owen took his first bottle

 Ava made her first Gingerbread house! I would squish the icing on, she placed ALL the candies.

Owen was cute and sweet

On Christmas Eve we went to the Zoo.  It was bitterly cold but we needed to be distracted from the excitement of the day.

 The Giraffes were Ava's favorite!

Santa was at the Zoo too.  Ava was able to put her last wish in to him and received a stuffed Tiger as a special gift.

 After we got home we took the train track out from under the tree and played with it for a while.

We opened new Christmas jammies and put cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer.

Owen was an adorable candy striped reindeer.

 Off to bed with excitement butterflies, her new tiger and a beauty rest mask. Christmas Eve is the best night of the year.