Commune New Year Party 2014

We came back to Chicago (from Montreal) on the new year eve, arrived home about two or three hours before the Greenwood Commune new year party was supposed to commence. And when we were opening our front door, our street window showed a lit house with two men moving stuffs in the living room. Door opened... it were Keven and Max!! 

We came back after ten days of absence to see a different apartment. The two guys not only moved most pieces of our furniture (including our Christmas tree), but also set up a stage for music and dance (moved in a piano and other instruments, amplifiers, computers, etc). Okay, we granted them the freedom to do anything with our place. It was decided that the party had to be at our place because, first, noise complaints had cut short our new year parties in the last two years, and second, both of our upstairs neighbors were coming to this party, so we could be sure of no complaints this time around. Since we would not be here to set up, Keven and Max were in charge.

The last-minute preparation was eventful, which included Hugo walking through the snow bare feet (snow blisters, poor thing), but we (and Hugo) were strong enough to persevere and hence a great new year party to start 2014!

a bunch of over-excited kids found it hard to sit down and eat dinner!

set up of dinning room

I tried some makeup, disaster!

first thing after dinner - kids' secret Santa! Each kid received one present from a secret Santa (another kid). Of course, straws were drew before the holidays to decide who would be whose secret Santa.

adults' term - Anne got a feet massage groupon from me

Keven got me a Jello cook book - he has a thing against gelatinous food and thinks that all Chinese desserts are gelatinous, hence the alternative he proposed. 

Antoine got a big pot of honey from Max

Helen got some nice things...

then it was time for the white elephant gift... each person collected and re-gifted something from their home that they hate or thought useless. It was hilarious! (I re-gifted three bottles of Pedialyte.)

Anne got "ugly" PJs that she actually like

the dancing party starts

the band getting ready.

Hugo slept, and the party went on till the small hours of the night..

last days in Canada

stopping at Quebec City on the way back to Montreal... my most vivid memory: frozen toes. My feet were so totally frozen after walking at the city center for merely 30 mins that I had to rushed back to the museum to rejoin baby Thomas who was taking refuge with his parents. It took me more than 15 mins to warm my feet up. It was dangerously cold for those inadequately dressed. 

Ming Ming and the rest of the Cadoux family seemed to do fine.

back at the museum of civilizations: MM and Alex playing dress up at the children's corner.

got back to Montreal, the two cousins bade a sweet goodbye before they went to bed.

Mamie read one last story to MM before we headed back to Chicago the next morning.

second day at ski station

We tried skiing again but the wind was too strong and the temp too low. headed back home immediately. Alex and Ming Ming spent quite some time in front of the i-pad, but finally ended the day with an expedition to the outdoor hot-tub/swimming pool. the great point of excitement was to have Ming Ming's hairs turned into icicles. 

helping mamie preparing crepes the next morning

playing in the snow

thomas

family pics

last minute updates

last minute updates on things happened in 2013: Ming Ming's trip this summer to France, here and here; small things in September and here too..

Ming Ming tries skiing

ski station at Le Massif de Charlevoix, 4 hours and a half from Montreal. We rent a holiday home at petite-riviere st Francois and today Ming Ming tried skiing for the first time.

 

 

 

Ming Ming skiing all by herself

 

Antoine skiing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas at Montreal