Short Days, Long Nights

We're into November... I'm thankful that the madness of Halloween is behind us for yet another year, but it also means that the Christmas season is quietly sneaking up on us... I think November is one of the months I dread the most... It starts to get cold. It's dark by supper, and in the mornings. And we KNOW we have 5 months of cold and dark ahead of us.

I know Thanksgiving is a big deal in the States. We don't have that on our plates either, we're done with thanksgiving celebrations by mid-October. [Though to be honest, it would be great to have October dedicated to Halloween, November dedicated to Thanksgiving and December dedicated to Christmas] But that's just not how it happens for us Canadians.

So, as we head into November, I feel like I can kind of coast a bit, until I realize... Oh my... Christmas is only 6 1/2 weeks away. And then I begin to think about my advent project, Christmas cards, decorating, tree putting up, baking, and packages sent in the mail. I start to think about crafts I want to do, and home made gifts I'd like to get together for people... And I realize, "Wow... I need to get this sorted out BIG TIME." Then it becomes clear, that my "sigh of relief" about having October behind me, is not a sigh of relief at all. It just indicates that now we're headed into the very busy holiday season.

So, while I begin to jot things down, and create lists, these few pictures are what we did this past weekend. Can you BELIEVE that the weather is still so mild? I can't believe it, but I'm very grateful for it indeed.

A trip to the park with light jackets on.

Can you believe this girls hair? She asked me this morning, on our way to school, if it was the "law" for girls to have their hair done. I told her no, it just looks nice when it's done. I perhaps should have gone with a fib and said "Why yes, it IS the LAW that girls do their hair before leaving the house." In all honesty, it doesn't matter. As nice as it looks when we leave the house, in what seems like a nano-second, it resembles a rats nest.

Sunday, Madelyn announced was pajama day. Which didn't stop her from playing in the backyard one bit. [Barry also took all the plants out of our flower bed, so lots of dirt to play with]

There was a war going on.

Some fared better than others I'm afraid.

Then there's her, whose REALLY mad at her lack of ability to say the word NO... I canvassed my neighborhood for the Canadian Diabetes Association this weekend... Seriously, can you think of a less likely candidate for that people-person job? I'm going to scrapbook this picture, then put it by my phone, so the next time someone calls, politely asking if I'll canvass, I can look at this picture and remember how I felt like throwing up for the hour and a half that my route took. [Not to mention clammy hands and the power sweat I had going on. Don't I paint a pretty picture?]

And now... our clocks are turned back. It gets dark early. We took full advantage of that last night, and tricked our kids into going to bed at 8:30 [which was actually 7:30 tee,hee,hee]. That's the only advantage to having it dark by 5:30 pm. And I can only get away with that until all the clocks are changed. Unfortunately, Mason can now tell time... Oh well, last night was great, AND QUIET by 7:40 pm. We relished in the silence.