I was disappointed that the Hawrelak Park lights wouldn't be on this year as we really enjoy going the first night and walking through the park to see the lights. This event looks like lots of fun though, and it'll be nice to go see fireworks that aren't on way past Jr's bedtime.
------------------------
Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up
Christmas on the Square
November 04, 2009
Join the City of Edmonton and the Downtown Business Association on Saturday, November 14, for this year’s Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up.
Date: Saturday November 14, 2009
Time: 1pm - 6pm
Location: Sir Winston Churchill Square
Come to Sir Winston Churchill Square to enjoy shopping at the 104th Street City Market, warm drinks, Christmas choirs, and a variety of entertainment. Don’t miss seeing the candy cane switch being thrown by Mayor Stephen Mandel and Santa Claus to light up the annual Christmas tree and kick off an amazing fireworks show at 5pm.
The white spruce, donated by Millar Western, will stand nearly 60 feet tall and EPCOR will be decorating it with nearly 8,000 LED bulbs. In addition to the tree’s traditional lights, the branches will be decorated with hundreds of new LED lights, including cascading snowfalls, star-flashes, and sparkles.
The Edmonton Food Bank will be collecting food donations and Santa’s Anonymous will be collecting new books and toys on site during the event. Please bring a donation.
Event Schedule
1 – 3 pm DJ
3 – 4:15 pm Kip the Court Jester
4:15 – 4:40 pm Madrigal Singers
4:40 – 5 pm Essence of Praise
5 pm Fireworks and Light Up of Downtown
Event day activities:
* Family Edmonton
* Art Gallery of Alberta
* Balloon maker
* Ice sculptures
* Face-painting
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Where I've Been
- swimming
- unwittingly joining the parent council
- embroidering cloth napkins for school snacks
- embroidering anything
- going to a knitting group and being the odd one out who embroiders instead of knits
- reading and scaring myself by reading Stephen King
- listening to the new Audrey Niffeneger
- working. blerg.
- listening to an elaborate make believe game Jr and my childcare charge play whenever they are here together
- seeing movies (one word review for Jennifer's Body: huh. One word review for Zombieland: ha!)
- being a Gleek
- buying my house (zomg!)
- spending less time online, partially due to owie wrists. Work = lots of typing.
- writing hand written letters
- making lots of paper Halloween crafts. Jr's craftiness is exploding right now and it's very interesting to witness. He makes things like "pirate ships with ghosts on them" with egg cartons, straws, paper and 4 rolls of tape. I also melt when I see him concentrating over his embroidery hoop (so far he has embroidered 2 trucks and a racecar).
- wondering why my 2 vacuums both decided to break at the same time
- thinking about people and the desire to be connected to other people vs the desire for privacy and convenience and the effect this has on the sharing of personal information online, such as blogs or micro blogging like facebook and twitter
- unwittingly joining the parent council
- embroidering cloth napkins for school snacks
- embroidering anything
- going to a knitting group and being the odd one out who embroiders instead of knits
- reading and scaring myself by reading Stephen King
- listening to the new Audrey Niffeneger
- working. blerg.
- listening to an elaborate make believe game Jr and my childcare charge play whenever they are here together
- seeing movies (one word review for Jennifer's Body: huh. One word review for Zombieland: ha!)
- being a Gleek
- buying my house (zomg!)
- spending less time online, partially due to owie wrists. Work = lots of typing.
- writing hand written letters
- making lots of paper Halloween crafts. Jr's craftiness is exploding right now and it's very interesting to witness. He makes things like "pirate ships with ghosts on them" with egg cartons, straws, paper and 4 rolls of tape. I also melt when I see him concentrating over his embroidery hoop (so far he has embroidered 2 trucks and a racecar).
- wondering why my 2 vacuums both decided to break at the same time
- thinking about people and the desire to be connected to other people vs the desire for privacy and convenience and the effect this has on the sharing of personal information online, such as blogs or micro blogging like facebook and twitter
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Dollhouse Renovation
A few years ago I went to stay with my young cousins for a day. They were all elementary school aged and it was October. I tried to think of something I could do with them that would be fun and I ended up bringing an old dollhouse I had bought off of ebay to make into a haunted house for Halloween. It ended up looking like this:
The cross on top of the house makes me laugh, because it was a tombstone I had made from polymer clay as a halloween decoration. Their family was catholic though, so they must have thought it was a crucifix and the kids glued it to the front of the house.
Each child took a floor, with the eldest taking the top floor, the youngest the middle floor and a rather gruesome middle child decorating the main floor. He glued bloody feet onto the stairs and made a headless doll.
We displayed this haunted house every Halloween except when Jr was little and it would have scared him.
This week though, I renovated the dollhouse. I wanted a new dollhouse for Jr and for my childcare charges and instead of buying one I decided to redo the Haunted House. Here is what it looks like now:
I will miss the haunted house, but as we already have a couple of other dollhouses in our house I couldn't justify bringing in another one. As a compromise, I saved some of the haunted house decorations and we will decorate this new house for Halloween.
You can tell I've always liked miniatures because the only thing I had to buy for the new house was the mouse family. The rest of it was found around the house, in the playroom or my sewing room. I bought the furniture at a dollar store, knowing I would use it someday (and look, 8 years later, I have! ha ha), and some of the furniture came with the house through ebay and I let Jr paint it (hence the silver and black furniture). I plan to set out the dollhouse along with this one and the kids can play neighbours or that the mom lives in one house and the dad lives in another, which mirrors many kids' families. I made this one a few years ago from a hanging shelf.
My favourite item in the new house is this little soup pot
I purchased it at a miniature show a few years ago. The Miniature Enthusiasts of Edmonton are having their annual show again on September 20th and I want to go and get more dollhouse food.
One of the challenges in making the dollhouse was I had to keep reminding myself it was to be child-friendly. I've always liked miniatures and it was tempting to fill it up with items like this one from Kitchen in the Cupboard on Etsy.
but then I'd be hovering over them, worried they would break something or get to the point where they have to ask to play with my dollhouse. So I kept things simple and glued the curtains in instead of hanging them on little curtain rods (ribbon and thumbtacks were in my original plans, until I realized they would constantly be pulled out as the kids tried to open and shut the curtains).
One of the most fun things about the dollhouse was that I told Jr I was fixing it up and a new family would be moving in, but it would be a surprise who they were. I told him they would be small and that they had children but that was it. He's very curious and we've read Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Two Bad Mice, where the mice destroy a dollhouse in their disappointment that the food isn't real, and then make off with the furniture to furnish their own home. The mice later feel badly and so they sweep the dollhouse every morning and when they find a coin they put it in the doll's Christmas socking to pay for the damages. I had Tom Thumb & Hunca Munca in mind when I purchased the little mouse family for this dollhouse. Apparently my cats also think they are interesting as I found the father mouse clear across the kitchen floor this morning.
I might still buy that brownie set. I have a tiny cupboard under my ironing board spice shelf that is currently empty. It's only about 8" wide and 3" deep and near the floor. Wouldn't a miniature kitchen look so cute in there?
The cross on top of the house makes me laugh, because it was a tombstone I had made from polymer clay as a halloween decoration. Their family was catholic though, so they must have thought it was a crucifix and the kids glued it to the front of the house.
Each child took a floor, with the eldest taking the top floor, the youngest the middle floor and a rather gruesome middle child decorating the main floor. He glued bloody feet onto the stairs and made a headless doll.
We displayed this haunted house every Halloween except when Jr was little and it would have scared him.
This week though, I renovated the dollhouse. I wanted a new dollhouse for Jr and for my childcare charges and instead of buying one I decided to redo the Haunted House. Here is what it looks like now:
I will miss the haunted house, but as we already have a couple of other dollhouses in our house I couldn't justify bringing in another one. As a compromise, I saved some of the haunted house decorations and we will decorate this new house for Halloween.
You can tell I've always liked miniatures because the only thing I had to buy for the new house was the mouse family. The rest of it was found around the house, in the playroom or my sewing room. I bought the furniture at a dollar store, knowing I would use it someday (and look, 8 years later, I have! ha ha), and some of the furniture came with the house through ebay and I let Jr paint it (hence the silver and black furniture). I plan to set out the dollhouse along with this one and the kids can play neighbours or that the mom lives in one house and the dad lives in another, which mirrors many kids' families. I made this one a few years ago from a hanging shelf.
My favourite item in the new house is this little soup pot
I purchased it at a miniature show a few years ago. The Miniature Enthusiasts of Edmonton are having their annual show again on September 20th and I want to go and get more dollhouse food.
One of the challenges in making the dollhouse was I had to keep reminding myself it was to be child-friendly. I've always liked miniatures and it was tempting to fill it up with items like this one from Kitchen in the Cupboard on Etsy.
but then I'd be hovering over them, worried they would break something or get to the point where they have to ask to play with my dollhouse. So I kept things simple and glued the curtains in instead of hanging them on little curtain rods (ribbon and thumbtacks were in my original plans, until I realized they would constantly be pulled out as the kids tried to open and shut the curtains).
One of the most fun things about the dollhouse was that I told Jr I was fixing it up and a new family would be moving in, but it would be a surprise who they were. I told him they would be small and that they had children but that was it. He's very curious and we've read Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Two Bad Mice, where the mice destroy a dollhouse in their disappointment that the food isn't real, and then make off with the furniture to furnish their own home. The mice later feel badly and so they sweep the dollhouse every morning and when they find a coin they put it in the doll's Christmas socking to pay for the damages. I had Tom Thumb & Hunca Munca in mind when I purchased the little mouse family for this dollhouse. Apparently my cats also think they are interesting as I found the father mouse clear across the kitchen floor this morning.
I might still buy that brownie set. I have a tiny cupboard under my ironing board spice shelf that is currently empty. It's only about 8" wide and 3" deep and near the floor. Wouldn't a miniature kitchen look so cute in there?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
September
I want to write something sentimental and charming to talk about Jr's introductory day of kindergarten and the end of summer but don't have it in me tonight. Instead, I am thinking about watching this:
If you haven't seen it, you should go watch it. It's very funny.
To summarize, Jr's first day went well. There was a bit of pre-jitter panic in the hallways but once we entered the classroom he became interested in a schoolhouse dollhouse and was fine. I introduced a supersonic kiss, inspired by The Kissing Hand, for him to hold if he needed it while I was away and Polo was stashed in his backpack.
We had a blast this summer and really made the most of the warm weather. We went to the beach, the zoo, on the streetcar, Fort Edmonton (although I could have done without that last trip which ended in a total meltdown), a bit of camping and lots of visiting with friends and family.
September is bringing few changes into our household, so I'll be relieved once we settle into the new routine. My childcare charges for the last 2 years are moving on and I have started a new job working with a few community projects in the city. I'll be doing a bit of after-school care as well this year, and I'm looking forward to new creative projects and games to go along with that.
My creative energy has returned but I'm in the middle of several incomplete projects- embroideries, sewing and a dollhouse renovation. The last one is particularly fun as I've told Jr there is a new family waiting to move into the dollhouse once it's ready but who they are will be a surprise. I'll update with pictures as the projects are completed and I'm feeling an interest in taking on a larger project soon as well.
Now I'm off to watch Shaun fend off hungry zombies while doing a bit of stitching. Tomorrow I hope to spend some time reading with E in my birthday gift of a hammock in the backyard as our last day home together before school starts in full.
If you haven't seen it, you should go watch it. It's very funny.
To summarize, Jr's first day went well. There was a bit of pre-jitter panic in the hallways but once we entered the classroom he became interested in a schoolhouse dollhouse and was fine. I introduced a supersonic kiss, inspired by The Kissing Hand, for him to hold if he needed it while I was away and Polo was stashed in his backpack.
We had a blast this summer and really made the most of the warm weather. We went to the beach, the zoo, on the streetcar, Fort Edmonton (although I could have done without that last trip which ended in a total meltdown), a bit of camping and lots of visiting with friends and family.
September is bringing few changes into our household, so I'll be relieved once we settle into the new routine. My childcare charges for the last 2 years are moving on and I have started a new job working with a few community projects in the city. I'll be doing a bit of after-school care as well this year, and I'm looking forward to new creative projects and games to go along with that.
My creative energy has returned but I'm in the middle of several incomplete projects- embroideries, sewing and a dollhouse renovation. The last one is particularly fun as I've told Jr there is a new family waiting to move into the dollhouse once it's ready but who they are will be a surprise. I'll update with pictures as the projects are completed and I'm feeling an interest in taking on a larger project soon as well.
Now I'm off to watch Shaun fend off hungry zombies while doing a bit of stitching. Tomorrow I hope to spend some time reading with E in my birthday gift of a hammock in the backyard as our last day home together before school starts in full.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Owly
Owly is a kind-hearted little owl in a graphic novel series by Andy Runton. In his first story we see Owly fill his bird feeder only to feel sad when the birds fly away from him, as do the bugs he finds in a jar and frees. Owly is about to return home when he hears the sound of a little worm in distress. He rescues the worm, nurses it back to health and then helps the little worm find his way home.
Owly has almost no words, making it enjoyable reading material for kids of all ages. The first book in the Owly graphic novel series is The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer. You can read a few of Owly's comics online here at Andy Runton's website and preview The Way Home at Top Shelf.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Lovely Bones Trailer
You can view a trailer for The Lovely Bones here.
I am usually wary when a movie is made from a book I really loved but in this case the trailer looks very promising. Definitely one to stuff the pockets with tissue for.
I am usually wary when a movie is made from a book I really loved but in this case the trailer looks very promising. Definitely one to stuff the pockets with tissue for.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Newfoundland
I had a fantastic time in Newfoundland hiking along the coast on the East Coast Trail. I had never been farther East in Canada than Ontario and live in the prairies, so it was very impressive to explore the rocky cliffs along the shoreline.
My favourite spot along the trail was Freshwater Bay. One side of the rocks was the ocean shore and the other was a freshwater pond. We swam in the clear pond, but not so deep that we couldn't see the bottom as there was shipwreck debris in the water we didn't want to step on.
My second favourite spot was the ruins of a community called La Manche, which was washed out by a storm. You can see a house foundation on the right of the second photo, and the suspension bridge which went over a waterfall in the 3rd.
small community along the coastline
sea spray weathered trees
St. john's harbour from signal hill
The community of Petty Harbour, where we stayed
Me in my raincoat on a cool day in Petty Harbour
I shocked myself by trying sea kayaking. I am usually too wimpy and/or clumsy to do anything very adventurous, but I quite liked the kayaking.
I had a lovely time and would definitely do a hiking vacation again in the future. Unfortunately, Mr Blackbird's vacation was not so hot. A big storm Saturday night knocked the top half of a 4 story tree down into our backyard, taking our power and phone lines with it. Mr B said the noise was so loud he wasn't sure if the tree hit the house or not (just the garage). He and Blackbird Jr evacuated only to return home the next day and find a live wire in the backyard. They stayed in a hotel for a couple more nights while things were sorted out with the electrical company. Then he began the task of removing a very large pine tree out of our backyard, the same backyard he had done weeks of landscaping in and had just put down new sod 2 days before the tree fell in it. Poor Mr Blackbird. I was lucky to come home to a tidy backyard and some new furniture made from pine trees, lol.
My favourite spot along the trail was Freshwater Bay. One side of the rocks was the ocean shore and the other was a freshwater pond. We swam in the clear pond, but not so deep that we couldn't see the bottom as there was shipwreck debris in the water we didn't want to step on.
My second favourite spot was the ruins of a community called La Manche, which was washed out by a storm. You can see a house foundation on the right of the second photo, and the suspension bridge which went over a waterfall in the 3rd.
small community along the coastline
sea spray weathered trees
St. john's harbour from signal hill
The community of Petty Harbour, where we stayed
Me in my raincoat on a cool day in Petty Harbour
I shocked myself by trying sea kayaking. I am usually too wimpy and/or clumsy to do anything very adventurous, but I quite liked the kayaking.
I had a lovely time and would definitely do a hiking vacation again in the future. Unfortunately, Mr Blackbird's vacation was not so hot. A big storm Saturday night knocked the top half of a 4 story tree down into our backyard, taking our power and phone lines with it. Mr B said the noise was so loud he wasn't sure if the tree hit the house or not (just the garage). He and Blackbird Jr evacuated only to return home the next day and find a live wire in the backyard. They stayed in a hotel for a couple more nights while things were sorted out with the electrical company. Then he began the task of removing a very large pine tree out of our backyard, the same backyard he had done weeks of landscaping in and had just put down new sod 2 days before the tree fell in it. Poor Mr Blackbird. I was lucky to come home to a tidy backyard and some new furniture made from pine trees, lol.
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