Our World: 2011

We didn't really write a Christmas letter this year, although I wanted to, it's hard to summarize a year into a page. Luckily, our blog does not restrict our page count quite like letter writing does.

January

• We visited Ontario to have a Christmas in January with our friends and family. We spent a week at each of the residences. Milton had a blast playing with Whisky. Erin and I went out geocaching together for the first time - both of us pregnant at the time.
• Doug starts working at the arena.

February

• I demolished our linen closet and closet of the spare bedroom, we built a stroller and bought some cloth diapers in preparation for a small little bundle of joy.
• I attended the 24th annual Winter Magic Festival, and won 2nd place in the Women's Division in Ice Fishing with my 1lb Whitefish.
• We buy furniture for baby's room!
• Doug continues steadily on removing the grout issue from our downstairs bathroom tiles - although it is beginning to be a huge drag.

March

• We demolish the spare room completely to re-do for baby. Ashley and Chris join us for the honours of drawing on the walls before we rip them down.
• We get a butt-load of snow which Milton delights in playing in it.
• Doug and I try and keep the ceiling in the spare room, but we end up having to rip it all down and re-insulate.
• I hit 28 weeks pregnant - and finally stop puking so much.
• We finish the downstairs bathroom completely and rejoice!!

April

• Doug finishes drywalling and mudding the spare room (now known as the nursery).
• The Eco-Audit Inspector inspects our house for our home upgrades, we get a sizeable return later on in the year.
• I do a lot of hanging out with my dog!

May

• We install the car-seat in the truck in preparation for our bundle & spend a lot of timing driving back and forth to Edmonton.
• I slipcover my rocking chair, a major sewing project for a novice due to it's curves.
• We install a closet organizer in the nursery's room closet.
• Doug finishes painting the walls of the nursery a lovely blue and carpet is installed.
• Grandpa Wayne comes to help Doug finish his house projects before baby, and paints the crib, dresser and desk.
• Jax and I plant our greenhouse plots in the Hinton Community Garden.

June

• We welcome Jonas Robert LaRochelle and Hayden Stuart Wiens to the world on June 5. Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Ruth meet Jonas at the hospital.
• We take Jonas home on June 8, and he takes the long car ride like a champ and meets Milton the dog.
• Jonas takes his first walk around the block with Mommy and Grandma, and meets Jax on June 10. 
• Auntie Christie shows up around the end of the month to help with her new nephew and falls in love with her little ringbearer.

July

• Grandma Louise shows up for some snuggle time with Jo.
• I take Jonas, Milton and Jax on a geocaching adventure to get back into the saddle. 
• We take the show on the road and visit Southern Alberta stopping in Brooks, Vulcan, Calgary, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Wayne and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. 
• Doug and Wayne demolish the outside lean-to.
• We hold a gigantic garage sale and do quite well + get rid of tons of junk!
• Jonas hits the pool for the first time.

August

• I learn how to function one-handed.
• We make the only mushrooms I've ever liked.
• Grandma Louise and Grandpa Wayne return home, and we are alone for the first time since Jonas was born in our house.
• Jax and I start a canning steak and make strawberry jam, pies and pickles.

September

• Jonas and I visit Ontario and meet Grandpa Lloyd, Uncle Keith, Uncle Neil, Auntie Stacy, Uncle Pat,  both great-grandmothers, many great aunts, great uncles, cousins and dear friends.
• Jonas dips his toes in Lake Huron and Buckhorn Lake for the first time, geocaches with Grandma Ruth, and marches with the Kincardine Scottish.
• EJ flies back to Alberta with us and we spend the week catching up and dipping Jonas into the local pool for the first time, sight seeing and canning salsa & peaches.
• Jonas takes to his Jolly Jumper with joy.

October

• I review how my gardens made out this year
• We debate closet organizers and ceiling fans for our master bedroom and enjoy our new colours.
• Our 26+ year old furnace gives up the ghost, we take a $100 gamble and fail
• We celebrate Jo's first Halloween.

November

• We get a new 98% efficient furnace installed, and stop running the space heaters.
• Doug installs the bathtub and tile in the upstairs bathroom.
• Jonas and I attend our first geocaching event together  - a flash mob.
• I start organizing our house - first baby clothes, then a coupon organizer, then 5Sing my baking cupboard.
• Jonas starts eating real food.
• Jax and I team up to make dipped oreos & dog cookies

December

• Tile floor is completed & sealed and we play a massive game of freezer Jenga.
• Jonas turns 6 months, and we cannot figure out where the time has gone. I write out what I've learnt about parenting thus far.
• We celebrate birthday week and melt yet another ice cream cake.
• We trudge to the forest to find a free-range tree.
• Jonas cuts 2 teeth and stops sleeping through the night, and we're all exhausted.
• I continue organizing and being a domestic goddess with a customized laundry cart and cloth diaper pail pucks.
• We celebrate Jonas's first Christmas and New Years together as a family.

Wishing you the best 2012 yet!