Winter 2011

This post should probably be titled "Pre-Christmas 2011" because most of our activities these days revolve around Christmas.

November greeted us with cold temperatures and snow.  It was a rude awakening.  The snow stuck around for a couple weeks, but thanks to temperatures reaching almost 40F some days, the white stuff is now (mostly) gone.

Our friends, the Dechka's, invited us to their cabin on Emma Lake, about 2 hours north of Saskatoon over the Remembrance Day (Veteran's Day) weekend.  We had a wonderful time and got to really enjoy the outdoors...and indoors.  Emma Lake is beautiful and evidently a very popluar place to ice fish...the lake is covered with ice fishing sheds and trucks once it is frozen over.  When we arrived, there was no snow on the ground, so the big kids got to go on a hike with the dads while Sara and I took the little ones on a Rick ride.  Then the snow came...there was probably a good 6 inches before we left and it was still coming down hard.  Brogan really loved playing in the fresh snow and particularly liked eating it.  We had to remind him that he can't eat ALL snow. 



Leann, Neala, Lil, and Sara on the Rick



Brogan and Izzy walking on the lake

Looking out on Emma Lake from the cabin

Casey and I have started running and registered for the Jingle Bell 5K race on November 20th.  That weekend was BRUTALLY cold and windy!!! Thanks to our babysitter cancelling and the weather, we ended up skipping the race.  At race time, it was -6F (-21C) and felt like -18F (-27C) with the wind.  It was nice to be sitting in our cozy living room that day, but we were really bummed about missing our first race since Casey had his knee surgery and since I was pregnant with Neala.

Brogan got to experience something he has been waiting for for almost 2 years...he got to ride a school bus!!!  His preschool class took the bus on a field trip to the downtown library for story time.  He had a blast and brought back a book about the United States.  He says he picked it out, but I wonder if someone guided him towards that book.


Brogan getting on the school bus!!!

We went to the Festival of Trees at the Western Development Museum with our friends to kick off the Christmas season.  The Festival of Trees is a tradition in Saskatoon where individuals and companies decorate Christmas trees for auction to raise money for charities.  Some of the trees were sold for almost $2000!!!  A little fancy and too pricey for my taste! (A side note about the Western Development Museum...Brogan calls this place "Back to the Future" because it looks like the Old West scenes from Back to the Future III.  He thinks Doc and Marty live here!  So cute!  He also loves WDM because there is a combine simulator that he thinks is VERY cool because that's what his Grandpa used to drive when he would harvest in Kansas.)

The gang at the Festival of Trees

 Casey and I take turns sleeping in on the weekends.  One morning I woke up to a family of superheroes!!!  Note that all family members are wearing capes!  Casey is very proud of his "Movember" mustache in this photo!


The McHugh Superheroes!!!

I had to share this adorable picture of Neala and Casey while we were taking her 11 month pictures.

Neala at 11 months

 We also had some fun one day with Santa hats. 

OK, maybe Neala wasn't having so much fun.

We've been good kids Santa!!!

 This past weekend was the Cargill Kids Christmas Party, and Santa always makes an appearance to hand deliver one toy to each kid.  We were very excited to see how Brogan and Neala would react to Santa this year.  Brogan has been getting more and more comfortable with the big guy, but was still a little nervous last year.  This year he was really excited and was not scared at all!  Neala was not a fan!!!  Lots of tears were shed...and yes, I tortured my child and forced her to sit in his lap for a photo not once, but twice so I could get a picture of both kids with Santa!



Get me away from this guy!!!



Not even Mommy is making me feel better!!!

Brogan and Santa

All smiles from Brogan and more tears from Neala

 We had to take some pictures of the kids with the tree at home.  It's kind of a Charlie Brown tree this year, but Casey and Brogan made it beautiful.  The good news...Neala hasn't pulled it over on top of her...yet!

Neala loves the ornaments and always points at the tree

Merry Christmas from Brogan and Neala

A great natural smile from Brogan...we don't get too many of these!