The kids are off school for the day. Don’t ask me why, I have zero idea; a friend did the math and only 6 out of 16 weeks before the Christmas break contain 5-day weeks. Sigh. So I am popping by with two short (kinda) and sweet (debatable) posts on Friday.
First is Happy Things: The Bullet-Point Edition.
- Bedtime snuggles. When we’re busy and the days get full, one of the first things to slide is my willingness to linger at bedtime. Tuesday we were able to wind things down extra early and I got to spend quality time with both kids in their rooms chatting by lamp light. The day-to-day reality of parenting can be rather unglamorous, but I appreciate these golden moments when they come my way.
- I opened up my mailbox to find a “Cool Bloggers” postcard from Kyria and Birchie! Thank you <3
- We received the postcard we mailed to ourselves from Portugal (we send home a postcard from every place we travel; I end up using them as bookmarks).
- All the Cool Bloggers Walking Club pictures. Receiving each e-mail or text was a thrill.
- The message at church on Sunday was all about Sabbath. It was exactly what I needed to hear, our small-group discussion was on point, and I’ve started listening to an excellent audiobook about the Sabbath. All of which have given me renewed enthusiasm for the topic.
- My father-in-law arrived yesterday from Ontario. Over the next week we’ll celebrate: his birthday, John’s birthday, and Thanksgiving. Let the good times roll.
- My Kobo. I’ve been reading quite a bit in bed lately and it is very handy.
- I wasn’t able to fit in a full walk with Joy this week so she came over while I was prepping for my father-in-law to arrive. In addition to joining me for coffee, she chopped vegetables and washed dishes. It was fun to hang out and get some domestic work done. (Thanks Joy; the curry tastes extra delicious with your perfectly diced bell peppers.)
- Next week is fall break at the university…which means it will be an extra-light week for me work-wise. Plus, John is off for four days to make it an extra long Thanksgiving weekend. Yay!
- New hot lunch options are starting at school next week! Our province has just rolled out an affordable, standardized, and diverse (each day has a vegan option!) menu. Unfortunately, the veggies often served alongside are bell peppers which Belle refuses to eat, so she will not be buying too many lunches. But Indy has hopped on the meal train with two feet. Belle made a colour-coded calendar for keeping track of what they’ve ordered. We have been packing lunchboxes for NINE years and I am SO READY FOR THIS! (I felt the need to use caps and then bold, italicize, and underline this last bit so you can more fully appreciate my enthusiasm.)
- On one of our walks to school this week I heard a lot of noise and looked up to see a flock of geese flying overhead. This picture does not do the experience justice (the soundtrack of honks really made the moment).
- Guess who came fourth (and a whisper – just a whisper, I say – from third) at a giant cross country meet? My boy, that’s who. To be 4th (out of over 50 Grade 4 boys) was a special accomplishment and he was very proud of his efforts. It was also an extra long, hilly course so gold stars for emerging from that with a big smile.
- My father-in-law is such an easy guest and only a few hours into his visit I’ve already laughed until I cried! (He is hilarious, but rarely on purpose which makes it even funnier.)
- We saw the northern lights last night!!! It had been a busy week and I was ready to head to bed early when a friend – who lives about 45 minutes away – texted that the northern lights were visible. It was raining where we were and I didn’t think we’d see anything. Boy was I wrong. It was so much easier to see them through the phone camera and the pictures were incredible! (John used a tripod, but these colours are exactly what showed up in the viewfinder!!). We did drive to a dark spot out of town where we saw more greens/purples; our backyard views were predominantly pink/red. The kids had never seen northern lights before and were absolutely giddy and I had only seen them once (25 years ago in Ottawa).
Your turn. What Happy Things have happened in your world this week? Have you ever seen the northern lights? Do you decorate a little, a lot, or not at all for Halloween?
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Michelle G.
So many happy things, Elisabeth! I love that Belle made a chart for the lunches. Now I have some good menu ideas! Your northern lights photos are so gorgeous. I have seen the northern lights once, which was an amazing experience. I decorate a little for Halloween, indoors and cute only.
Elisabeth
I love that you do “cute only.” That’s where I am too (I guess maybe the black spider isn’t cute?). Do you decorate your dollhouse at all? I can’t remember from last year…
Coree
Oh wow, you had a great Northern Lights show! We saw a bit of them alongside a gorgeous and enormous halfmoon last night but then fell asleep before they really peaked.
Go Indy! T finished his 100 miles of cycling for Social Bite and is so proud of himself. He’s the youngest participant so they’re doing a bit of a social media feature on him, which is very sweet. Raised £600!
T has halfterm so he’s off from Monday to Monday. Today’s our 10th wedding anniversary so we’re going to take T to forest school this afternoon, bring his bike for a spin around the pump track and go out for family dinner tonight. He’s been invited to sleepover at his besties’ Saturday night so that’ll be fun as well. We’ve got takeaway sushi and may wander over to the pub for a drink.
Elisabeth
I love that so many people got to see these around the world.
That’s amazing about T and extra special since he’s the youngest participant.
Sounds like you have a great Saturday all lined up. It’s nice to have fun things planned that keep everyone happy but not too busy and overwhelmed. Enjoy. And congrats on the 10-year anniversary.
Jenny
No, I’ve never seen the northern lights- your photos are incredible!!!
Hooray for L! He’s doing amazing with his running- I’m excited for you guys. And, I’m SO envious over your new school lunch options! My kids have never been able to buy the school lunch and yes- packing lunchboxes is not my favorite thing.
On the subject of postcards- I also got yours the other day! Thank you!
You have a lot of happy things here- enjoy your FIL’s visit. : )
Elisabeth
Packing lunchboxes just…gets old. It’s better this year since they’re packing their own things, but I still need to stay on top of various ingredients etc. Indy is the biggest challenge since he has already gotten tired of packing his lunch so this new lunch program is coming at a perfect time.
I’m so glad your postcard came; sending them from an international destination always feels “risky.” So…yay!
Kyria @ Travel Spot
The Northern Lights are so cool! I kept peeking out my window until late last night but it stayed cloudy and is still cloudy! However, I also got texts from friends as far south as NYC and even my parents could see them a tiny bit in California! I am so jealous, as I have never seen them, despite being in some pretty northern places (Sweden, Alaska, Canada, England) during my travels!
Elisabeth
I’m sure you’re destined to see them eventually with all the travelling you do. I was very surprised to have such a good view in Nova Scotia.
Birchie
We saw the northern lights last night! It came about in a funny way. We have a town Facebook page where people complain about stuff a lot, and someone posted from the park in our neighborhood about how poor the viewing there was compared to other FB posts. It was after 10, so right when the adults in my house normally go to bed, but we all jumped up and ran for the park! We weren’t bothered by our “poor quality compared to everyone else’s” lights. It was so cool.
Yay that the post card finally got there! Kyria and I sent post cards to each other and for some reason hers took nearly a month to get to me. You just never know how long it’s going to take our little cards to make it through the mail. I got your lovely card much sooner than that.
Elisabeth
That’s so funny – and sad – that you learned about the northern lights via a complaint.
I have given up trying to understand or predict the mail system. Years ago I sent postcards from France to two people who were essentially neighbours (maybe 5 minutes drive apart). One got it in about a week and the other, a month. WHAT?
Lisa’s Yarns
Wow!! Those northern lights photos are amazing!! I would definitely frame some! I have never seen northern lights. I know I will see them someday but it has not happened yet. Often times they come so late at night so I am sleeping and not willing to get up to see them!
Our only Halloween decorations are some purple spider lights on our fireplace mantel. The boys love Halloween decorations, especially taco, but we aren’t big seasonal decorations people except for Christmas. I would be willing to buy some for our yard but Phil is opposed and I don’t feel strongly enough about it to lobby for outdoor decorari
Elisabeth
This was only my second time seeing them and this was definitely more impressive than the first time (on a school trip in Ottawa many years ago). It’s awesome how many people got to see them around the world this time.
I’m a hard pass on Halloween decor for outside. I don’t want to store it, don’t want to spend the money to buy it, and it just…doesn’t appeal to me. Christmas is the only holiday I really “go all out for” and even that is fairly subdued 🙂 I think Phil and I would see eye to eye!
Nicole MacPherson
Congrats to Indy on his cross-country finish!!
CONGRATS TO YOU on the hot lunch program! That is such great news, packing lunches is such a drag.
We saw the northern lights too but they weren’t quite as colourful as yours!
Elisabeth
I am disproportionately excited about this lunch program. It feels like such a mental weight being lifted, though! NINE YEARS of lunches, for kids who have limited time to eat and with no access to a fridge or, often, a microwave. I can practically hear clouds parting and angels singing.
San
Oh, I missed the Northern Lights and I was so bummed. You got some beautiful pictures!
How fun your FIL is visiting and that you’ll be celebrating his and John’s birthday and Thanksgiving. I think you shared John’s birthday with me before and I told you that my Jon is also an October baby (his birthday is on the 18th). I hope you’ll be having the best time together.
Congratulations to Indy for making 4th place. That is huge! He must have been so proud (and you too!)
Elisabeth
I forgot that our hubbies were almost birthday buddies (off by two days).
It has been a great visit so far; we just finished a Thanksgiving celebration and I am stuffed with chicken and veggies and, just now, pumpkin pie and it was ALL SO GOOD. I love holiday food.
Indy was very proud and he’s excited – there is one race left and it is supposed to be much smaller, so I think he’s hoping to move up the ranks. We’ll see. The boy who keeps winning is one of his friends and he is TALL. I’m not sure Indy can quite make up the difference of that height differential, but it’s such a fun fall event and I love how many kids participate, keeping them active.
coco
congratulations to Indy for winning the 4th place, that’s a huge accomplishment!
those northern light pics are stunning! I have to yet to see one.
oh packed lunch, yes, me too, can’t wait to not have to pack them one day. the school has cafeteria but the options are not great and expensive, so girls order once a week for fun.
Elisabeth
Belle ordered lunch a few times when she was just starting school but then the changed the ordering process and it was complicated and annoying and the options weren’t great. But this new lunch program is much easier to navigate and I like how they’ve streamlined the options (there aren’t any snacks, just lunch foods).
I had seen the northern lights once before, but they were much more impressive this time.