Dey and Dee's Updates

It's beginning to look alot like....

Ah yes, winter has arrived in Winnipeg this week! Snow is falling and blowing and it is COLD! But, I'm not complaining since we've had a great autumn and we have a cozy home to keep warm in!

I am excited about the Christmas season starting! I love playing Christmas music and we've started decorating the house a bit. Simeon can sing the 12 bugs of Christmas (a Max Lucado version of the 12 days of Christmas) from start to finish and in tune! Esther dances along. We have LED lights up in our porch. We're drinking eggnog (with the occasional shot of coconut rum) and hot chocolate. We bought a cheap chocolate advent calender for the kids and a gingerbread house kit. We've even started a bit of shopping! I'm hoping to start on some baking this week, and the parties have already begun! Simeon is excited about his 3rd birthday coming in a couple of weeks "and then it's Jesus' birthday!" He told Santa at the mall that he would like a treehouse for Christmas and so would B-Esther. (Deyan has talked to him about building one next spring - I guess he can't wait!)

It is always a challenge to be away from my family, especially during the holiday season. Christmas growing up had its challenging times, but I have many happy memories of family and friends and Maritime hospitality and celebrations. This is Deyan and my 6th Christmas together and we've gone to Saint John all but 2 years (one of them being right after Simeon's birth and we didn't really celebrate Christmas much that year since we were all consumed with him and I went home in January anyway). So I would expect this to be a difficult time for me, but somehow this year it doesn't seem too hard yet. Maybe it's the novelty of our new house, or the fact that I have 2 children of my own to create special traditions with, or that I've had alot of time with some of my family recently. Or maybe it's God's grace. Or maybe it just hasn't hit me yet!!! We won't go there...

So, what's been new around here...

Deyan finished his landscaping job and is now looking for work in his field. No luck yet so pray for us in that department! I'm still working, but December is supposed to be a month off for me so we'll see how that goes.

My brother Tyler went back east to spend Christmas in Saint John. I don't think he'll ever miss that! We're not sure what his plans are, but we may see him back this way sometime in the New Year! (no pressure, bro!) One week after he left, my sister Courtney hopped on a plane and headed home as well. Poor thing had quite a journey, but she's back safe and sound. It was so great to have them both here for the time we had them and they are missed already!

Simeon is wearing underwear, but we still have some potty stuff to work through. It's getting better, little by little though. He's a smart little cookie and when we take the time to really figure out what he's thinking, he makes alot of sense! Sometimes I find life with 2 toddlers quite challenging, especially when they are defiant. But I try to remind myself that parenting is a journey and I can't expect that I nor my kids will get it all right all the time. I sure am grateful for the supports I have!

Esther is pretty funny these days. She loves her babies and her books and her tupperware. She's starting to say a few more words and do more signs. For the past week she tells me every time she needs to go 'poop'. So we go to the potty and she does her thing, all proud of herself. It sure is nice to have 1 kid out of poopy diapers! Just didn't expect it to be Esther first! Anyway, no pressure or anything, next week she may change her mind again and go back to diapers! She's also a tough little cookie, unlike her brother. It's funny, but if they hurt themselves, Esther is soothed much quicker than Simeon who goes on and on about his 'owie' forever it seems!

Well, that's all the news for now. I will try to update more often over the holidays, but I don't want to make any promises that I can't keep! :) I will post some pictures soon though!

posted by Deanna Momtchilov @ 4:22 PM