Just a few pictures from our annual Small Family Christmas gathering on Boxing Day (Alberta branch this year). We met up with Andy's brother Ernie & his wife Marie & their boys, Josiah & Charlie, at Grandpa's, Grandma's and Lorne's house in Red Deer. Sorry I didn't get pictures of everyone - I think I was too busy eating.....

There's Janelle in a head lock with Grandpa & laughing with (at?) Charlie (he is SO cute!), and Calvin with his bestest buddy Josiah who absolutely ADORES Calvin, and a picture of Grandpa's pride and joy - his nativity set ("Did you get a picture of the angel? I climbed up there myself to put it up. Did you get a picture? I wouldn't let Lorne put it up; he might fall. I climbed up there myself. Did you get a picture?")

Christmas Food Picture

I made a turkey dinner for the four of us for Christmas Day. That may sound very normal to you, but for me it was a very proud moment! Those who know me well know I am not a cook, and I don't like cooking really. So for me to cook a turkey (for only the second time in my life) with all the trimmings was a major accomplishment - and I actually really enjoyed doing it! After dinner I cleaned up everything and we played Simpsons Monopoly (one of Calvin's gifts), followed by a trip to see the lights on Candy Cane Lane in Edmonton - a big disappointment; it should be called "Candy Cane Lame". Oh well, we had fun in the car and the kids were laughing hysterically all the way home while tickling each other - a happy family memory!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

The gifts are open and the turkey's in the oven. Everyone is playing with their gifts (except Andy, who's playing with Calvin's gifts!), so I thought I'd take a moment on the computer to update our blog and my Facebook page. We've had a very happy morning, and last night after the candlelight service at church, we invited over a new family whose first Sunday at the church was this past one. They moved here a week ago from Maple Ridge, and we thought we couldn't leave them all alone on Christmas Eve! We had a great time with them and their 4 children (between the ages of 2 and 6). It made Christmas Eve feel very special to share it with friends, especially ones with little children - my favourite!

We're looking forward to a fun & relaxing day at home, going out to look at Christmas lights tonight, and then tomorrow visiting with Andy's parents and brothers and their families in Red Deer.

So....Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

I was trying to take a photo of the kids in front of the Christmas tree, but Raymond the dog kept getting in the way. I just love how happy Calvin looks and how pretty Janelle is, so I thought I'd post the picture anyway, even with the big, black blob in the front!

Christmas Pageant

Yesterday was our children's Christmas pageant at church. This was a first for me - writing the script (just using verses from the Bible spoken by narrators), choosing songs, and then coordinating all the other aspects that have to come together to make it work. I was amazed at how much I LOVED doing this! We have the most amazing congregation here - I never lacked for volunteers, and in fact had people coming up to me asking how they could help! The whole service went SO well, and I was very appreciative of all the people who helped make it happen.

Calvin helped me with "crowd control" for the elementary school kids, and Janelle worked with the preschool teachers to lead "her" kids (ages 18 months to 3 years) performing a song for everyone. So cute!! (the kids as well as Janelle :-)

Comfy Cozy

I thought I'd post a picture of our home looking very Christmasy with it's lights on in the snow. Although it looks cold outside, inside it's comfy cozy.....
Yesterday afternoon after church and a nap, we built a fire in the fireplace, put out plates of cheese, crackers, & candy, and played a family game of Monopoly. We had the Christmas music playing in the background and the decorations up. It was the perfect holiday atmosphere, and the whole family had a great time playing the game and getting along so well. Janelle won - she even beat Andy!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Sunday night Andy and I came out of the home our small group was meeting in and I was surprised to find there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground that wasn't there two hours before! The weather forecast has mentioned snow almost every day for the last two or three weeks, but it never amounted to more than a centimeter and it always melted in the next day or two. Sunday it came to stay. I'm told by those in the know that this is it - no more bare ground until April!

When we got home from Bible study, the first thing I noticed were footprints in the driveway - BARE footprints! My foolish son, I thought. But no, it was Shawn & Joanne Greek's foolish son who went outside in his bare feet, just for fun! Keep in mind that it was about -17 outside, not factoring in the wind chill! The kids were inside in the process of bundling up to go sledding (at 9:30 p.m. - no school the next day). So off they went, first down our sloping driveway, then to the park 3 blocks away, which has a substantial hill. They lasted about 20 minutes before they realized that snow in Alberta is not the same as snow in Abbotsford! Janelle said she'd never seen her legs that shade of red before....

Yesterday was -27 in the middle of the day with the wind chill, and it's supposed to be getting colder over the next few days! Let me sing it again - Baby, it's cold outside!