I’ve been too busy to write about my activities of late, but I’ve finally uploaded the photos to Flickr. I’ll have to send them to blogger and write the posts later, but you can preview them here:

December photos on Flickr

Christmas with the kidlets
Christmas pageant
Boxing Day at Science World
Stella the Gambian Pouched Rat
Stanley Park
Vancouver Aquarium
Tripp House (site for Pennsylvania wedding and reception)
Aberthau House (site for Vancouver reception)
Museum of Anthropology
Octopus’ Garden

Here comes Megan by Allan & Cheryl

Why is this baby laughing?
Originally uploaded by Allan & Cheryl.

These babies have chompers… you only see one on the bottom in both their mouths, but you can feel more if you are foolish enough to put your hand in to check. Watch out, they bite!!

Look we can stand up! by Allan & Cheryl

The twins will be 11 months old on January 2, and it’s feasible they’ll be freely vertical and wobbling by the time they turn 1.

We celebrated my Auntie Fely’s birthday a year late… her 75th was actually last year, but a documentation error made her officially 74 then. She looks marvellous for her age — great skin, spry, always a ready smile. If we could bottle her youthfulness and sell it, we’d be rich!!

More photos here: You’re only 75… errr… twice!!

A lap full of babies by Allan & Cheryl

who is this guy in red?? by gailontheweb

keeping Santa company
by gailontheweb

Took the kidlets and Cheryl on the Bear Creek Park miniature Christmas train today. It was the twins’ first train experience, while the other kids have all been on this train as well as the Stanley Park Christmas train a number of times. Stanley Park is still my favourite, but this one’s closer.

More photos here:

North Pole Express

Gumpa and Maribeth

Went to my dad’s church for the first time on Saturday night, to attend their Christmas party. I haven’t been to a Filipino function for YEARS, but it was — I’m happy to report — a typical Filipino event filled with food, loud people, singing, lots of kids, and utter chaos.

More photos here:

Filipino Christmas Party

pulling a cracker with Michel

Our company Christmas party was on Friday, at Chez Philippe (Bonniebrook Lodge) on the Sunshine Coast. Revelry was had by all, fueled by copious amounts of alcohol (except me… I had a total of one glass of white, I think — crazy, huh?).

More photos here:

ERA Christmas party

Check this out, courtesy of my friend Berit in Hamburg, Germany:

New coats by Allan & Cheryl

Last coat photo by Allan & Cheryl

On Sunday, I bought coats for the five kidlets on sale at the Old Navy in Scranton. Last night I dropped them off to see if they fit, because if they didn’t, I was going to have David go back to Old Navy for the proper size before they sold out.

Turns out we picked up a wrong size by mistake, so Maddy’s has to go back. But otherwise the rest of the kids all fit their coats, even the twins, who are different sizes (Megan is the bigger eater and sleeper of the two).

We tried to get Michael a red coat, too, but there weren’t any in his size. Now, when they go out, if any of the girls run off, it will be a lot easier to identify her to other people:

“Have you seen a little girl wearing a red coat like this??” (pointing to the others)
“She’s one of a set of four!”

(In all likelihood, the escapee would be Maddy.)