Back to the Grind

Arggh. 2008 has started off with a bang... just 4 days into this glorious new year, still depressed that we had to leave the promised land and that I am back at school, I find myself freezing to death in the dark contemplating who we are going to have to eat first. These are tough issues to face so early on in the year. Luckily the good folks at PG&E took care of us and had our power back up after about 24 hours. Oh, and we didn't have to eat anyone (the odds were stacked against me: Jenny is way too bony and Ryder is too cute. I might be a little grisly, but I think I am the 'most nutritious' member of the family.)

We have had an exciting couple of weeks, the typhoon-like storm that welcomed us back to the States was just the tail-end of it all. CANADA was fantastic, we did a lot, but there were still a couple multi-day stretches where I don't recall changing out of my pj's. Here are a few pictures:

Ryder and Nanna. Every day since we have been back he picks up the phone and props it up to his ear with his shoulder and says, "Hi Nanna, hhfiohqiwerhvbihovq." He enjoyed 'herding' her when we were at home. If she would leave the room he was preforming in, he would storm after her and not stop whining until she came back to the room to watch him dance/play/wrestle etc. He is turning into a little Diva...

Affinity for snow did NOT come naturally. Even the firce looking YETI on his baby-boggin couldn't get Ryder excited about the white stuff. By the time we left however, he was looking forward to goinig out back with my mom to take carrots to the horses and trudge through the snow.

The snow was literally melting all around her. WOW she is HOT. Oh yeah, she took Yummy Mummy of the Year Award for 2007 (two in a row baby). Congrats Jen. P.S. no animals were harmed in the making of the furry lining of Jenny and Ryder's hoods. Faux is vogue.

Here it is! Photographic evidence that Ryder let Grandpa hold him. It took a while, but by the end of the trip Ryder and Papa were going on unsupervised trips to the 'park' in the basement together. Here, Ryder is showing us the whale that was apparently under the couch. Lately Ryder's imagination has kicked in. He will crouch down by a couch or table, point underneath it and shout "WHOOAA, ____ (insert animal name)". To date we have had snake, whale, lion, tiger, camel and lizard sightings. It is cute now, and I suppose it will continue to be cute until we discover that Ryder really thinks he is seeing these things and his little delusions are properly diagnosed and medicated.

Jenny was making cookies (I guess there weren't enough sweets around the house already) when the mixer went out. Thank goodness my dad is the Master of Innovation. Whether the good folks at Skil and DeWalt, or for that matter, Martha Stewart, would approve is yet to be seen, but Jenny and Lloyd mixed it up like pros that night.

My mom bought my dad a Wii for their anniversary and it quickly became the centre of family activity. Jenny was a natural, I was decent, and Ryder ended up being one of those objects that the game warns you to look out for and not hit when you are following through your home run swing (UNCLE SAM). Oh well, the bruises are temporary, but the memories are forever right?!