Just a little flashback of Lily just 12 months ago and now!

Christmas update! Well, I'm sad to report that our 10 day vacation with Lily is in its final 12 hours as she is back in daycare tomorrow and Mike and I back to school/work. We've had an awesome last 10 days as we got to visit with some great friends and celebrate Christmas with my family. To start it off Lily and I spread some joy at a local seniors residence where one of my friend's mother resides. It was AWESOME to see the seniors react to the ever so charming Lily! The photo of her in the black dress in front of the tree is from our volunteering day.

Chris and Miia were in London during their trip to Toronto, Patricia was in Newmarket during her trip to Canada as well as getting to celebrate our nephew David's fourth birthday! PLUS Christmas at my parents new home in Markdale! All very exciting! We also got to spend some time with Kyle and Rebecca, very cool! Mom and Lyle's new place has been in the works since early Sept 2007 when they broke ground! On Thurs Dec 20th water was hooked up and they moved in on the 21st! Mike, Lily and I landed on the 23rd and stayed until the 27th! The house is actually being built by my Dad and a myriad of relatives and friends in different trades. Its just as my parents have been planning for the past twenty years! Lily was so at home there it was great. The one photo of the trees is in their backyard, if you look in the middle you should be able to see a deer. Yup, a deer! Christmas Eve day we saw 6 deer walk across the ridge! True rural living! This hill also makes a perfect toboggan hill! Lily loved going down on the tire tube with Mike!

We're looking forward to a cozy New Years with some friends here in London. I'd like to wish each of you a safe, fun and memorable New Years! PPS

12 Days until Christmas and one day left in my practicum - how great is life!? Well, we've had a hectic week despite all the work Mike and I have been doing. This past weekend Connie and Liz took their families for Family Photos - at the end are the fruits of their labour. Baby Sarah is now weighing over 11 pounds!!

This past weekend Lily, Mike and I met Karen and Ava for a tour around Victoria Park here in London to watch all the beautiful lights! It was spectacular! We've also got some photos of Lily just hanging out, reading a book or jumping on the bed (merci Grandmaman pour la chemise :-)

The photo of Lily with the little white square is how she greeted the photo of our buddy Donald! She LOVES Donald and carried around his photo for HOURS after we got it in the mail. It's now hanging on the wall where she 'talks' to him! It's a riot!

Sigh, I have many papers and tests to mark in time for my last day, so with that I leave you! Enjoy your night! PPS

Happy Holidays! In preparation for the Holidays we took our annual Szala Family Christmas Photo. Lily was not impressed with a) having to wear a dress AND tights and b) having to stand still! It took a while, but we got one! Earlier this week we got snow and Lily watched as Mike and I shoveled the walkways in the neighbourhood. She's okay withe the cold part but she doesn't like the wet part! Earlier this week we went to David & Leeat's to take part in a Hanukkah celebration with them. Lily LOVES her Kyle and doubly so when he reads to her! She also enjoyed her potatoe pancakes :-) We have a box of puppets that Lily enjoys playing with (although her all time favourite is the Cabbage Patch doll I had when I was a kid!). In some of the photos Lily and I are playing with them. She enjoys putting things into containers (cans into the recycle - full or empty!, etc.) Now she's figured out she fits into boxes - its a riot!

Well, I've got 15 tests and 10 essays I need to mark in addition to preparing lessons for my last week of practicum (then I'm on holidays until Jan 7th - YIPPEEE) so I ought to get going! Enjoy!
PPS

As per family tradition, today was the Szala family tree hunt! In years past we have undertaken this endeavor with any combination of Connie & Family, Liz & family or my parents. This year, with us living 2-4 hours away we had to do it on our own :-( Good news is that the weather cooperated and we found our tree in less than half an hour (a rarity!)!

The photos are a mixture of the tree hunt and Lily! The photo of Lily in the purple sweather (lovingly made by Grandmama is one of favourites as she is playing around! Lily LOVES hats! She found one that belonged to my late Great Grandfather! She truly enjoyed her time with it! Once we got home and the lights on the tree, Lily was oozing spirit! We're very much looking forward to celebrating Christmas in three and a half weeks! We're delighted to report that we're 99% done our Christmas shopping (it helps when I start in August :-)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

PPS