Christmas on Vancouver Island

Here are a few photos from Christmas 2008 to fill you in on what's been happening. We had a White Christmas with about two feet of snow and we've enjoyed the beauty of the scenery.

Sophie wearing the dress her Great Grandma Louise made for Holly about 30 years ago:


Packing for two weeks on the island:


Sophie "enjoying" her first visit to Santa.


Making the traditional sugar cookies with Nonna:


Decorating the tree at Nonno & Nonna's:


Hugging her new mouse, a present from Aunt Kristi:


Watching the hungry and cold deer get a snack with Grandma:


A new toy on Christmas morning:


Trying on the new sweater Mommy knit for her:


Christmas Day 2008, clearing the driveway of fallen branches:


Mommy and daughter on Christmas:


Heartwood in the snow:


Reading Frosty the Snowman with Grandpa:


All-natural hair, no curling iron used in the creation of this picture:


Three Broadlands on Christmas Day:


The Kozijns and Broadlands in the new studio on Boxing Day:

Recent new words/phrases

Here are a few things Sophie has been saying recently:
- "opportunity knocks"
- "ridiculous" (learned while Daddy was awake at 3:30am, luckily too incoherent to think up any worse words)
- "bubble lights" (on the Christmas tree)
- "lovely day"
- "more sled!"
- "momma's reading a book"
- "winner chicken dinner" (we'll teach her to play blackjack shortly, and add the other "winner")

It's definitely a language explosion. Now to work on her motor skills...

Let it Snow!

The West Coast has been hit with unseasonal snow storms this December (we're much more accustomed to a rainy Christmas than a white Christmas). Sophie and I went out in the snow on Wednesday and made a snowman together. It was Sophie's first time making a snowman (if you count watching your mom do everything as making a snowman). Overall, she seemed dubious, but I sure had fun!




We're now in Metchosin and the snow has been coming down steadily since 5pm last night. It was a very cosy scene this morning as Nonno read to Sophie while the snow softly fell outside.

Sophie's word of the day...

...is "exactly". As in:

Sophie (pointing at the book I'm currently reading): Dada book.
Dean: Yes, that's Dada's book.
Sophie (pointing at one of her gajillion books, a bit further away): Sophie book over dere.
Dean: Yes, you're right, Sophie's book is over there.
Sophie: Yeah, exactly.

Anagram

Holy cow. If anyone ever tries to tell you that subliminal anagrams don't play a role in baby name choices, check this action out: I just realized that "Sophie" can be rearranged into "Oh, pies!"