November Photo Catch-Up

Running Stuff
- Since you asked (Lindsey), I'm going to follow a 14-week training program from the Run Less Run Faster school of thought. Mostly because, Run More Run Faster isn't really an option with my current lifestyle. So it'll be 3 quality runs per week plus some cross-training. The promised land of having all 3 kids in nursery school commences at the beginning of February, so I'm hoping to do most of my running during the school mornings.
- Yesterday, we both ran the first race of the local Snowflake Series, and there was even snow on the ground to make it feel festive (and to provide excuses for slow times). So that 5km has to give us some momentum to get training. In case you have to ask, yes of course Kate beat me, by over a minute.

Techie Stuff
- How unfestive is it that I already gave Kate her Christmas present, a Sonos sound system, under the guise that the Christmas season would be more fun with music? We love it. Wireless. Controlled from my iPhone and/or computer. Easy, immediate access to our whole computer library of music. Plus streaming internet radio. Two different zones of music (infinitely scalable to more rooms), which can play different music or synched. And it took me about 20 minutes to install. It's insane.

Mom's Great Photos
She takes way better photos than me and I still forget to post them half the time. Shame on me.

- Molly and Jacob emptying the rain barrel before it freezes (obviously this is from a few weeks ago)

- Three monkeys on Zoë's bed

- Full speed Zoë

- Showing off their new sweaters. Hilarious facial expressions.

- Waiting for our flu shots. Not a peep from any of the kids. Possibly a whimper from me.

- Ice cream anyone?

- Plus, here are a couple of shots of the gang in their new Christmas jammies, courtesy of our friend Sandy

Things You Need to Know

1. I've committed to doing a sub four hour marathon for my 40th birthday in May. Yes, 40 is coming.

2. Sean and Erin continue to be the best big cousins ever. All efforts to bring them home with me from Montreal this weekend were sadly rebuffed by their mother.

3. All three kids slept in until 7am this morning. I believe that's a first. So, what to blame my lack of productivity on now?

4. Molly and Jacob went to their first theatre production on Saturday - an adapted version of Little Red Riding Hood. One hundred kids in the audience and only one couldn't handle the intensity of the drama. Molly, about 10 seconds into the production, shouts "I don't want the wolf to eat Riding Hood". Two minutes later, shouts "When are we going home, I want to go home now". Spends the rest of the play, in my arms, at the back of the theatre, continuing to shake like a leaf. I was really hoping my girls were going to end up with my wife's tough genes, not my mom's, Beth's and Erin's. Ah well.

Belated Halloween Photos

Here are our Halloween unicorn, leopard and pirate.

Jacob insisted that he was a "good pirate", especially after his sword got broken. Molly said she was a flying horse and frowned at anyone who said she was a unicorn. We trick-or-treated to half a dozen friends' houses before escaping the chilly night.

One of the bonuses of Halloween candy seems to be its effectiveness as a reward for waking up from naps with a dry diaper. We may be out of diapers at sleeptime by Christmas at this rate.