A Quiet Christmas and a Happy New Year

December flew past us this year with alarming speed. Eliot and I started the month with a trip down to Milwaukee to visit family and friends. It was so great to see my family and I even got a chance to swing by Froedtert and see many of my former co-workers. Eliot loved getting into all the kitchen drawers where his old toys are stashed and giving the rocking horse plenty of exercise.

Helping Noni in the kitchen.

He was very busy sorting through all of the drawers.

Lake Michigan was well worth a visit, even in the cold.

We returned home to Toronto and celebrated Christmas just the three of us. On Christmas Eve we went with some friends to a live performance of the Nativity at a local church. And when I say live, I mean live. I had been told that there would be animals and assumed that there would be some sheep on the lawn for the kids to pet. There were sheep and Eliot did pet them, but they were just inside the doors of the church along with a camel and a donkey. We took our seats and the show began. Imagine our surprise when the sheep were paraded down the center aisle followed in turn by the donkey and the camel! I think the camel even made two trips--I suppose if you're going to rent a camel you may as well get your money's worth. It was a very nice production and a great way to spend our Christmas Eve. If we were planning on being here next Christmas we'd probably plan on seeing it again.

Eliot had a great time on Christmas morning. Unwrapping the gifts was still a bit strange to him but playing with all of the new toys was right up his alley.










New Year's was celebrated in Canada's capital city, Ottawa, where our friends Dave and Lianne Backstrom live with their four children. It was great to see the Backstroms again and Lianne took me into the city center to see the Parliament buildings and to sample a "beaver tail." I was greatly impressed with both. Eliot had a riotous time with the four little Backstroms and came away, I believe, favorably impressed with idea of siblings :)

The Parliament buildings were beautiful. We'll have to go back on a non-holiday weekend and have a look inside.

Eliot and Daddy shared a plate of real Quebecois poutine. Notice it didn't last long.

We hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season and that 2011 is starting out on a good foot.

An Edmonton Wedding

Last week we had the opportunity to head north to Edmonton for the wedding of Spencer's cousin Lindsay. She was a beautiful and happy bride and I'm kicking myself now as I realize that I don't have any pictures from the wedding. You'll just have to take my word for it I suppose.

We stayed for a week after the wedding and Eliot had a great time playing in the snow, catching up with family, and learning all kinds of new words. Spencer also gave two lectures at his alma mater, University of Alberta. One was for a class taught by one of his former professors and the other was for faculty, students, and the public (meaning, of course, that several family members including myself were in attendance). It was so great to hear him lecture, he's a natural. His lecture was titled "Laundering Money and Souls: Usury, Poor Relief, and Theology at the Early University of Paris". It was pretty interesting stuff. You'll have to ask him about it next time you see him. All in all it was a great trip and a wonderful chance to see family and friends.