Last night’s flight at 10:35 was easy as pie, I slept the whole way, plane landed at 06:00, caught the bus right outside the doors at Terminal 1, didn’t wait at all for the subway, caught the streetcar right out of the subway station, and got in my front door at 07:25.

Couldn’t have been any easier. But now I go to work!

I leave you with my first attempt at a balloon dog, which begs mockery for its giant head and tiny body! Thanks to Auntie Eliza for the mileage we got out of a bunch of balloons!

Maribeth’s attempt at blowing up a balloon without the pump:

What a clown!

More balloon photos as thumbnails or a slideshow. I’ll add more of the photos later, plus our trip to Science World yesterday.

It only snowed about an inch, but it was enough to get the sleds out and roll around in the white stuff. It was too wet to take out the DSLR, but the Canon A520 saw some photo and video action. (I’ll add the video later.)

More sledding photos as thumbnails or a slideshow.

I’m on my dad’s computer to write this (because I left my power cable in Vancouver!) and it’s a dinosaur, so I’ll upload the video later. For now, some photos from our Christmas Eve in Stanley Park.

“Bright Nights” included a visit to the Children’s Farmyard, the lights display, and the highlight of the night, the Christmas train.

View the Bright Nights photos as thumbnails or as a slideshow.

Well, there were up to seven adults at some point last evening, but that’s not quite as interesting to the camera.

In no particular order, the kids and kidlets:

more…

Photo credit: Cheryl

I was late with Michael’s birthday present (in the end I couldn’t decide on anything, so I copped out for the first time in the history of all five Ms and gave him money), so I was determined not to miss Madeleine’s. It’s not actually until Monday, but I was set on getting it there a bit earlier. Before any of her scheduled tea party engagements, that is.

I sure hope this Princess phase ends soon (please!), because if I have to listen to Disney show tunes any longer I’m going to stick my fingers in my ears while shopping. Madeleine apparently loves everything pink and princessy, a la Disney, and when she gets old enough to realise the error of her ways I will be sure to remind her about this phase and how long it lasted!

I packed that lunchbox with the pinkest things I could find. Things I didn’t even think I could find in pink, like a reading light!

I can tell you — with firsthand knowledge, I’m afraid — that the Disney stores on both sides of the border have not only the same merchandise, but exactly the same promotional videos playing at the back of the store. The employees must have this music playing over and over in their dreams!

With all the griping I do about Disney, I don’t do it with the kids, because you’re only six once. The age of innocence and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is all too short for us aunties and uncles, too. Next thing I know the Ms will be asking for designer jeans and the latest music player, so I’d better enjoy shopping at the Disney store while they’re still young and easy to please.

Happy Nearly-Sixth Birthday, Madeleine!

It’s true. My smoke detector bit the dust not long ago, and lo and behold, I won a smoke detector today in a draw at work — plus two 9 volt batteries for it!

Am sending the fireman’s hat and kids stuff to the nieces and nephew in BC. Kermit’s a bit miffed as it was his Halloween costume.

Last night Michael, 7, phoned me from his mother’s mobile.

“Hello?”

“No, I just phoned your name. I’m phoning all the Edwins in mom’s phone.”

That kid makes me laugh…

Maribeth, 3

From my Easter trip. I’m trying to pare down the ‘upload to Flickr’ batch.

My youngest niece, Maribeth, the miracle twin. She only had 25% of the placenta, but she beat the odds and made it out into the world. She’s smaller than Megan, but she makes up for her size by sheer cunning and being a champion climber. She also has eyelashes long enough to comb.

Day 2 on the Sunshine Coast dawned bright and FAR TOO EARLY. At 5 o’clock in the morning I was lying fast asleep in the tent in the backyard with four kids completely awake, trying to convince me that it was time to start the day.

“Auntie Gail, wake up!”
“Are you kidding me? It’s five o’clock! Go back to sleep!”
“But we’re not sleepy!”
“I don’t care! It’s too early to be running around. Nothing before 7 o’clock. Go get some books and read quietly until then.”

Actually, I’m not sure exactly what I said at that hour or the next three times they tried to tell me something, but I do remember the kids clearing out of the tent and migrating their hyper selves to the house to leave me to snooze in peace. Ashley came by around 8:15 and said, “The coffee’s on!” and I thought to myself, ‘My, is ever hot!’ By that time the sun was beating down on the tent and the only reason I didn’t roll over and go back to sleep was because I was lying in a nylon convection oven.

After breakfast we took the five kids down the slope to Hopkins Landing and let them burn off their energy in the water and on the beach. A few pics:

The set thus far is here. Lots more to be added later.

The kids are loving it here on the Sunshine Coast, but only Michael and Melissa were able to come with me because Maddy was feeling ill and she was kept home with the twins.

A few pics from the day:

all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth

Mister Grumpypants is not so grumpy

snake friendly

BBQing out on the deck

Horseshoe Bay-Langdale ferry

1 year old

Age 3

Age 5

Age 7

And now the big 8! Woo! Happy Birthday Melissa! See you soon!