Jillian's Birthday

Jillian wanted a Ballerina cake for her birthday. She wanted white cake with raspberry filling. This is what I came up with:

Here I am with the birthday girl and Jenna.

Who Loves Santa?

Just wanted to share a few pics of how Christmas morning went in Canada with 14 people, 1 dog, and a beaver in an evergreen tree.Chris' mom got a saxapone. While that sounds like a silly gift, she immediately started crying. She had lost hers years ago in a house fire and that was the one thing she had never replaced. It was such a great surprise!All Darien wanted from Santa was a "completer". Santa gave him a Vtech computer, which was just perfect so here he is with his Auntie Deya, both of us on our completers! He waited till the last day to learn my name- figures. But it's better than Uncle Donna! I got a hippopotamus for Christmas!Auntie Lisa got really tired after 3 hours of present opening. She cozied up by the fire in her new pink blankie and settled in for a nap! Don't worry, Auntie Deya got a pink blankie too!The best was little Daniel who passed out under the tree- cookie in hand!

Canadian Christmas Eve

Yesterday afternoon in an attempt to brag that we were all done with our shopping, we decided to go see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. We really liked it. Chris' Nanny especially loved it. I included some pictures of those of us who went to see the movie in the car, except for Chad as we were all waiting for him to get his Starbucks. That's what happens when Tim Horton's closes their drive through at 3pm on Christmas Eve!

I have been dubbed "Auntie Martha" by Chris' brother and was thus nominated to supervise and "be in charge" of gingerbread house decorating. For all future ventures, we have decided to wait until kids are at least 7 years old. Chris did video tape the event, but we have to find a short clip where I am not yelling "don't eat the glue!"

As is true with Martino tradition, Christmas Eve includes new jammies for the kids. Here is Darien modeling his, including the housecoat (Canadian for robe). Note the Edmonton Oilers Teddy Bear. A popular choice on this year's runway.

O Canada!

We made it to Canada safely! We are spending Christmas this year in Vancouver, BC with Chris' Mom and her family. It is great to see some siblings and grandparents and so many family members we haven't seen in awhile. We even have a nephew we've never seen! So, we are excited to be here despite the cold.

The most lively time in the house is bath time- which seems to last longer and longer every night. Partly due to the luxurious tub bath time is in. and we never seem to get them in their jammies right after the bath for some reason. Something about running around free as a bird with Uncew Cwis chasing you through the basement seems to be just the thrilling crowning glory to the bedtime regiment you need when you are 4 and almost 2.

So far Cally has acclimated to the house, the weather, and really taken to Papa Frank. We've already had one huge adventure with her today as she followed the pizza delivery man outside and go on an exploration of the mountain. She finally decided to come home to the back door much to her mother's relief.

Part of the reason I was so worried about Cally was because it actually snowed today! I was promised it didn't snow in Vancouver. I am now reminded the quote was added the caveat of "often" or "much". Chris and I keep remembering why we moved to Florida and how much we DO NOT miss snow, or driving in it!

Mommy's new toy....

For the record, this is doctor mandated. Not for Cally :) but for me. Mostly just a great perk for the dog. Or torture, however you want to read into it. Your choice really. This was my favorite picture we took:

How lazy am I?

Thanksgiving Weekend Pics

Florida ICE

One of the resorts down here has an ICE extravaganza every year where they use more than 2 million pounds of ice to make some of these amazing pictures! It actually takes more than 3 months to freeze all the water to make the ice for these sculptures. Everything you see is made out of ice. The only thing in the exhibits that wasn't ice were the signs and the carpet I'm pretty sure. It was Mom and Dad's first night down here and we knew they were missing out on the Utah weather, so we decided this would be fun. Especially for Mom since they make the exhibit a mere 9 degrees (for you Canadian readers that is Fahrenheit)!!! They actually provide you with parkas but you have to bring your own toques and mitts (for American readers those are beanies/hats and gloves/mittens). -See how diverse and multicultural we are here? Just trying to spread the love.

Please note the earmuffs on the fish. Didn't even know they had ears...

Here we are standing in a huge gazebo. I wish you could see the hand-carved life-sized doves that were resting on the top.

Dad and Chris in the Engine of the three-car train. We never could fit the whole thing in one camera shot. Pardon the camera work, it kept fogging up, it was so cold!

This was a life-sized scale nativity scene. All the animals and figures were so intricately carved and life-like. The camera just doesn't do it justice!

And did I mention there were 3 slides? And of varying length? The tallest was 40 feet! Here is Dad saying, "I'm done!" Lake- he compared it to the Bobsled track.

This one is my favorite.