Winter fun with Andrew and Anneka....

Christmas 2014.....

I thought I should post some photos of Christmas before we find ourselves halfway through the year! Blogging is proving exponentially more difficult to fit in with each new member added to our family :) so I apologize if you've been checking the blog only to discover again and again that I haven't found five minutes to add any photos ( Sorry Caroline! ) 

Anyway, Christmas was lovely! It was of course Silas'
 first Christmas, we also had Andrew and Anneka visiting from LA enjoying some nice cold Canadian weather. We tried our best to make the most of their time with us and they managed to fit in pond skating, snow tubing, cross country skiing, tobogganing and fat biking, which is no mean feat considering Anneka is not at all used to the cold and didn't even have a pair of winter boots or snow pants! The kids LOVED having them here and we all felt a bit lonely after they left. Next year...maybe we'll come to LA :) 

Hygge....

Hygge, an old Danish concept that helps Danes get through the long cold winter, is usually inadequately translated as "coziness." This translation is a little too simplistic: coziness relates to physical surroundings — a jersey can be cozy, or a warm bed — whereas hygge has more to do with people's behavior towards each other. It is the art of creating intimacy: a sense of comradeship, conviviality, and contentment rolled into one.

I've been trying to seek out some Hygge this winter or at least stop and soak in those moments when I identify with that feeling of cosiness, camaraderie and contentment. I have felt it a few times in recent weeks....during our warm and festive Christmas Dinner, Playing board games with Andrew and Anneka, while carrying our candles through our first and most magical Advent spiral at the School and during this day of skating, playing, chatting and sharing a meal with friends. I'm naturally a bit of an introvert and it can take me a long time to come out of my shell with new friends but I love that magical feeling of togetherness once I feel relaxed enough to enjoy myself :) It was a joy spending the day with this lovely family....