Status Update

Home-made Fruit Mince Pies that I made on Sunday. You
can't buy these here, indeed buying the dried fruit to make
fruit mince is itself a bit of a challenge. But totally worth it!

• The guys finish school tomorrow at midday.
• Once again my two younger boys' teachers have "cooperated" and organised Christmas parties at the same time. This is both efficient and confusing for me! I get to go to both parties (down the hall from one another), but don't get to all of either of them.
• I'm running games at the 5th grade party, including the Chocolate Game, which was such a hit last year. Our 3rd grader really wants me to run that game for his party, but alas, I haven't had the opportunity to volunteer for that role (and it would be a bit hard to split myself in two to do this at the same time).
• These last two days have been exam-schedule for our high schooler. That means he's not been at school when he doesn't have a "culminating event" scheduled. That phrase continues to fascinate me, and in this case it is somewhat appropriate. He's not had exams for every subject. For example, today he had World History. They played a class game covering some of the general themes that they've studied. Afterward they had a reflection paper to write. They'll be marked on the reflection paper.
• Wresting dual (which means between two schools) tomorrow night. At CAJ, thankfully.

  

  Today's two-bike-loads of groceries should keep us
  going for a few days. They always eat more when
  they're on holidays.

• Christmas holidays only last for 2 ½ weeks, but we're going to make the most of that. Our holidays will include (Lord willing):
• A trip to the zoo (perhaps, if the rain holds off).
• Visitors from near and far for morning/afternoon teas.
• Christmas Eve service at church
• Boys at various events like a birthday party, sleep-over, Futsal clinic.
• Six days away in the mountains (including skiing, sledding, all-you-can-eat restaurant and New Year's Eve partying with friends)
• Magazine packing on Boxing Day. Yes, the Autumn issue will make it out by the end of the year,  even if its name (Autumn) is no longer appropriate, with temperatures mostly under 10˚C. Possibly this is the most appropriate-to-the-name activity I've ever done on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas).
• Eating! I've been doing quite a bit of baking, and with a teenager who rarely admits to being full, it's getting consumed at quite a rate. A current favourite, that we shared as gifts with the 17 teachers who teach our kids through the week, is home-made fudge! Yum.
• Resting. I'm looking forward to lot of reading plus some sleep-ins. With the sun rising at around 6.45 these days and temperatures close to zero at that time of day, our 6am rises are not that fun.