weekend pics

this weekend was all about christmas.  we did the last of our shopping and we picked out a christmas tree.  i wanted a charlie brown tree but my boys wouldn't have it so we ended up with a grand fir.  i must admit, it is a good looking tree with dark green foliage, lustrous, and a strong scent.  i can't wait to get it decorated!

 

           

   

 

 

 

every year we sponsor a low-income family through the ywca's presents of peace holiday giving program.  we receive a christmas wish list and do our best to fill as much of it as possible.  we shopped for a mom and her 5 year old daughter; it was such fun shopping for a little girl.  we deliver the bag of prezzies this week.  it is such an easy way to give back, put a smile on a family's face and feel great.  the very first time we sponsored a family, stefan delivered the prezzies.  he described, with tears in his eyes, how the little girl tore open one of the presents and hugged her new doll with a great big smile on her face then ran over to stefan and gave him a great big hug too.  pretty awesome.  if you can, i encourage you to seek out your local ywca and support one of their programs.

we made another visit to the vancouver aquarium.  we gave kai an early christmas prezzie - an animal encounter with the sea otters.  we went "behind the scenes" and learned tons about sea otters like the fact they have no blubber so to keep warm they eat 25% of their body weight daily; they have great metabolism so they don't get fat; their fur is dense and almost impenetrable; they eat seafood only (mussels, clams, shrimp); they have molars and therefore chew their food.  they are super cute but apparently not cuddly because their super soft fur has a layer of coarse fur on top to keep the under layer dry and also because they will put anything in their mouth including your hand (they are curious like babies)!  kai had fun feeding elfin, the sea otter, who we got to see up close and personal.  he declared the visit an "awesome surprise".

 

 

while there we also caught a glimpse of scuba santa. we watched the 4-d polar express movie; i make kai see it every year even though i know he isn't a fan of 4-d.  and, we saw the eels at work powering the christmas tree lights! all in all, a pretty good day at the aquarium!

image from the vancouver aquarium website

image from the vancouver aquarium website

 

 

afraid of a reef shark?  they are harmless!

and i finally wrapped up presents to be sent to toronto.  this is a big deal because most years i am usually late which costs me mucho monies.  not this year! 

all in a box to be shipped, whew!

i picked up the 'because you've been' stamp at anthropologie.  pretty cute!