11 Weeks

Colleen's belly at 11 weeks, i swear i can feel jacoby moving when we snuggle and I lay my hand upon Colleen's womb. Colleen has gained 17 pounds already and her pants aregetting tight around her waist as Jacoby grows inside her.

Ambiana wanted her picture taken too this morning when I took Colleen's belly picture..YIKES!

Daniel, from across the road, brought over this hobby horse last weekend before Ambiana's party. It was his daughter Flora-se's and now that she has real horses she though Ambiana would like it and she was right. Ya rocks all day and all night..see the pony galloping, galloping down the country lane :)

On Sunday we went to a local celebration of Imbolc (more commonly known as Groundhog Day) where lots of people gathered to celebrate the quickening of the light which happens this time of year equi-distant between the winter solstice and spring equinox. It was held at the nature Center down rt 12 from our house and was a really cool celebration of all things fire and ice and winter and sun. There were 4 quadrants one for each direction and in each were different activities; storytelling in a giant snow pile cave in the WEST, winter sports in the NORTH, performance in the EAST and nourishment(food) in the SOUTH.

Our landlord Tarin, seen here, conceived and started this celebration years ago and is the mistress of ceremonies. We arrived just in time for the opening parade and invocation that featured masks, costumes, drumming, singing and the lighting of a fire in each quadrant!

The SUN! The costumes, masks and props were all beautifully rendered!

...and there was even a dragon to commemorate the beginning of the Chinese Lunar Year!

In the warm-up shack Ambiana got her face painted, she wanted a...

...beaver on her face complete with water! We really had a god time, we even met a lady who had lived in Alaska and knew our friend Schubie! We almost made it to the ending bonfire but after 2 and a half hours Ambiana was cold and had had enough!