The 12 Events of Christmas.

Well another Christmas come and gone. Fun was had by all and now all that remains is overflowing toy boxes and a copious amount of material to be recycled.

Christmas seemed to be a drawn out event this year. The first event that was Christmasish was our 2nd annual care group gingerbread decorating night. Fun Fun Fun and some nice looking houses.


2nd event was Fred's Christmas Party. It was fantastic! His company flew up to Phoenix for the weekend and it was great. My mom came up to stay with the kids and we were footloose and fancy free. We rented a car directly from the airport and ended up with a brand new dodge charger. Equipped with a borrowed GPS we set out to shop. It was fun to have no obligation or agenda for a weekend. No bums to change, no nap times to interrupt the day and no melt downs or sibling brawls. I will admit I missed our two blond kidlets very much and was quite anxious to return to get some great hugs. I don't know if I could go longer then 2 days without them....Not yet anyways.


3rd Christmas event was the kids party at Fred's Work. We went to playtopia in Okotoks and was great fun. Complete with a visit from a very believable santa! Samantha was over joyed after receiving a Tinkerbell doll and suddenly would talk to everyone to show it off.

4th Event. 1st Annual Care Group Christmas party. We invited others from Church to join us and had a pretty full house. What a grand time. We borrowed the idea from a good friend and had a White elephant gift exchange. People had to bring a item they already owned- no money was to be spent. Then we played one of those games when you could steal or pick new... Fun Fun Fun. Some gifts were a 50's radio, a petrified tarantula, books, Bible on tape. So Fun. The rules were nothing could remain at our house. We did however open our fridge to find a tarantula. Payback will be interesting!! Another fun thing we did was invited people to donate the money they would have spent a present for the gift exchange and donate it to our cause. We decided to pool some resources and bless a recently single mother with some Christmas surprises for her and her son.

5th Event. Our Mom's group baked and Decorated Christmas Cookies.


6th Christmas event. My mom's Company throws a kids Christmas party that they invite grandchildren too. So our family and my sisters family go down from Calgary and niece April from Medicine Hat joins us also. So we all spend the afternoon swimming at the leisure centre followed by a pizza supper and of course a visit from Santa. This santa no so believable. Very fun event and I can't believe the company buys a $30 gift for each kid and grandchild. Also swimming and pizza for everyone. So Great.




7th Christmas Event. Christmas with my Dad. While in Medicine Hat we celebrated with my Dad. We joined this with a little Birthday Party for my niece April who turns three today!! Complete with Ice Cream Cake.


8th Event. Christmas Eve at our house. My sister and family and my Mom and Buba(her long term boyfriend that our kids call Buba) and my cousin and her boyfriend and My Aunt and her kids. We had a appetizer night and all ate too much. We also made a castle Birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. We had a little mishap with the color but it still tasted great.


9th Event Christmas Morning. A grand event of blur of wrapping paper and smiles that light up my world. Followed by a time of unpackaging adult proof packaging, followed by a time of sorting disgusting amounts of cardboard and plastic to recycle.

10th Event. Opening presents at My sisters house. The kids each had a present from my Sister but mostly watched Cam and Reece open there gifts from Granmda who had slept at our house. Also got to give Grandma her gifts which I think we did good on.

11th Event. Turkey Dinner. This is its own event because it was amazing. My sister got a Fresh Turkey from Sunterra Market and they smoked it on the BBQ. It was fantastic coupled with Garlic mash potatoes that my Brother in Law makes the absolute best in the world. My brother in Law took the picture below, doesn't it look like a photo from a magazine? It is not though- that is the actual turkey we ate. Yummy!


12th Event. Off to Fred Parents. We arrived after they were done there meal and got to see our uncle and cousin before they left to feed puppies. Then had a little present exchanging there. We gave our gifts to Grandma and Grandpa that we joined with 2 of Freds siblings to buy. They seemed excited with the gifts so Yahoo!

Very exciting times. So fortunate that we have family nearby and that we got to spend time with so many of the people we treasure. We did miss not seeing my younger sister Jessie and Fred sister Jenny and her family. That would have made Christmas the best ever. We enjoyed the kids joy immensely and our so thankful for them. By far our greatest gift. We are happy that we were able to pick out gifts that our loved ones appreciated. We are thankful for the opportunity to bless a family becasue we could. We had fun times with Friends new and old. We value the reason for Christmas and what it means to our souls and try to spread that Love and Joy to others.

1 year

Today marks one year since my Friend Stephanie passed away. She was 28 and she died of ovarian cancer. Although we had drifted apart and let life happen and were not close in recent years - I miss her a lot. I always thought there would be time to reconnect..... I think of her often. It just doesn't seem fair.

I was in Medicine Hat this weekend. In the recent years whenever I would go to Medicine Hat I had thoughts of calling the girls and trying to connect. This weekend I visited her grave. It seems surreal. Because I hadn't seen Steph in a couple years it just doesn't seem real.

There is a Church in Medicine Hat that is rather famous- well to Medicine Hat standards. Everybody knows it. It is St Patrick's. It is located on Riverside. This is the neighborhood I spent my first twelve years in. This Church roof line can be seen from everywhere on Riverside. It was a fixture in my Childhood. But I never went in it. I wasn't catholic. After I became a church goer myself my Friend Steph often asked me to go to mass with her. She wanted to go the Saturday evening versus having to wake up on Sunday Morning. I went at first because I wanted to learn the difference between the catholic faith and my new found faith- and I wanted to see the inside of that church. So I went with her probably half a dozen times. Then the next time I went was for her wedding and then I last went again for her funeral. I can't see the church without thinking of her. She was a pretty amazing person. She was Beautiful, Funny, Sarcastic, Kind, Blunt.- She had a particular affirmation for public flatulence. She was one of a kind and I will remember her till we meet again.

Only One Hair Cut

Fred has had the same haircut for over 10 years- Since before we met. Fred has always had some variation of the Caesar cut. Short in the back and sides and a little longer on the top. And he styles this cut by making a messy look on top. This is not a haircut that is hard to do. In fact I have cut Fred's hair for at least 8 of the last 10 years. And nobody has ever commented that it was crappy - ever.

So about a year ago I was growing bored of cutting his hair and I was really wanting him to try out a new look. Don't get me wrong....Fred is Hot and I do like this cut on him but I bet he would look just as Hot in a new Style. So he started going to a barber. And the same Caesar cut he got each time. Fred is not one to speak out and ask -So a couple of months ago I went with him. We were looking through a haircut book and hadn't found anything but then it was his turn. So the guy says what are we doing and Fred of course asked me. I am sure the Barber felt sorry for Fred and his pushy wife however Fred didn't know what to say to describe what we had talked about. So I said can he have something beside the Caesar cut?? Still something short and clean but something different... His suggestion? A faux hawk that is actually not really a faux hawk but rather a little longer of a Caesar cut so that he can still do the messy look if he isn't comfortable in a faux hawk.

So Fred has since been growing his hair thinking that if it were longer then they might have more to work with. So we go to a different shop today and were told- "So I just shorten it up for ya eh?" So Fred says well I would like something different- and he says "okay I shorten the sides and back and leave the top a bit longer ya?" This is when I interject and say - He has had some version of the Caesar cut for the last decade can he have something different? "Okay okay" he says - so he then spends approx 5-7 mins on Fred hair giving him a Caesar cut once again and only he says well the sides are tapered in so you won't have stick outs - ask Fred if he likes it, Fred shyly says its okay and then says to me- " See it looks good eh?" I say well good yes but also the same as the last 10 years. Then Fred pays his $19 and we leave. Fred comments that he has never had such a fast haircut in his life.

I see lots of men out there that there hair doesn't look the same as Freds so I know it is possible....But seriously why can't they just do what we ask? Do barbers only know how to follow the lines of what was there before? I don't get it. I imagine anyone reading this thinks I am crazy pushy and Fred should be able to have his hair the way he wants it...I just want to make it clear he is ready for a change, he wants something new also. He just wont ask for it...That is just Fred.

Nate Turns Two!

Well our Little Baby is not so Little Anymore. Monday Nathan turned two. Nathan is such a Happy Boy who brings so much Happiness in our Home. In Crowds he tends to be a little bit of a Mama's Boy. But this Mom will admit she doesn't mind. There is something so rewarding about being the only one he wants! I admit when I need both hands it can be a slight inconvenience.

On Sunday we had his Party and had a bunch of friends over. We rented a bouncy castle from our Church and were estatic to have such nice weather to be able to use it outside in November. It was a great hit and the kids had a blast. Fred made a amazing cake decorate like wall-E. Nate Loved it!

His actual birthday was Monday and Fred took the day off. We have a little family tradition of Fred taking the day off on every bodies Birthday and we go for Breakfast and spend the day together. We went to ABC then after we went to toys r us and let the kids explore the toy isles for nearly a hour. Then we went to our Uncles new house to take Before pictures as they are going to do a massive reno. The kids had fun running around a empty house and playing with the leaves in the Massive back yard. We stopped in at Grandma's work and the kids had fun checking out the school. On our way home the kids fell asleep and so Fred and I drove through some of the very uppity neighborhoods on our way home to look at all the massive homes. I can't believe the size of some of these places.

Then we came home and gave Nate his gift from us! We gave him a tool bench and so far it is a great hit with both kids. It was a great day spent just enjoying our family. I love days when we have no agenda per say and can just slow down and enjoy the Joy to seep in. It is fun to spend a hour in a toy store letting the kids go from toy to toy checking them all out. It is fun to play in the leaves and just watch there joy. We are blessed!

One Day to Do

I was going to call this Post the Bucket List - like the movie but decided against it. These are just things I have thought about in Passing - If I die tomorrow I would not regret that I didn't get to do them.

Learn to Sew
Learn to Scuba Dive
Drive a convertible
Take a afternoon exploring 17th Ave
Take a afternoon exploring Inglewood
Get a motorbike license
Talk my way out of a ticket
Learn to not be a picky eater
Be a guest on the Ellen Show
Pay for Everyones meal in a Restaurant
Get over my fear of Homeless people
Write Down the Story of How Fred and I met and Fell in Love. - For our Children and Grandchildren to one day read.
Learn to make fun home Movies
Make slide shows of each year of my kids life's.
Learn to Play Guitar
Go through the Paramedic Program
Help my Children Buy a house'
Take up Camping
Whisk my Husband away on a Surprise trip
Coach my kids sports team
Be a block Parent
Get to know my neighbors
Have a Cruzin Cooler race with my Dad
Play on a Basketball team again
Learn a second Language - NOT FRENCH
Learn the rules of Football
Scan my negatives onto my Computer
Be a youth Leader
Throw a costume Party
Learn more about my Grandparents that died to Early
Write more Thank you notes to the people who make a difference in my Life
Finnish my Thanks you cards from my wedding - Can you imagine getting a card 9 years later? I really did not appreciate the way in which we were blessed at the time.
Play paint ball
Try snowboarding
Acquire a sense of Style
Have a dog again
Keep updated pictures of my 4 nieces and 2 nephews.
Send out Christmas Cards
Take a cooking course

Just a few- I may add to it later

A New Love

Fred finally gave in and agreed to the purchase of a PVR- Personal Video recorder. It is amazing! Fred and I admit to being tv addicts. There are many shows we follow, Prison Break, One Tree Hill, CSI, Criminal Minds, House, and there is more but I will quit my list before people decide it is time for a intervention. We have found ourselves staying up a lot later now that shows have made there return for the season. We don't watch the shows at the earlier time as we are busy enjoying our children and then after we put them to bed we are free to watch, but have to wait for the show times. Monday is like the best TV night and there is 3 of our fav hour long shows and 3 would like to catch 1/2 hour sitcoms. There is no way we ever get them all. Tuesday there is only one show and Wednesday only one and soon one on Thursday. Nothing Fri-Sun. Now with a PVR we can set it to record the shows we want and now we can watch them at our leisure. Spread them out over the week. The machine is so great that you can set it to record only the new episodes of a series. LOVE IT! It also holds up to 125 hours of digital tv. And it lets us skip commercials.

I just proof read this - We sure like tv - maybe we do need a intervention!

I miss Fred

I feel like Fred and I haven't really got much time together as of late. I started working at the end of July and generally work 2 nights a week and all day Sat. Over The summer Fred took on a side project developing a room in my aunts basement. It ended up taking a little more time then anticipated. So on nights I wasn't working and the day of the weekend I wasn't working Fred would be up at her house. She lives across the city! There were quite a few times we went with him, so at least we spent the travel time together.
The immediately after he finished the basement job, his parents needed his help on there deck. So now he has been trying to go over there as much as he can. He has been going on nights/Saturdays when I work and taking the kids but also on Sundays after Church. He is very glad to be able to help and is enjoying spending time with his dad, however he is tired. He doesn't complain though-doesn't say a word. It is me that is starting to grow weary of this. I want to spend more time the four of us, I would also like to have some one on one with Fred. This Friday we are going with a couple of our friends to a comedy night. I am really looking forward to it. Perhaps we will be able to go for supper before or for dessert after.

I guess I am really starting to feel the impact of what my working has on our family. All of a sudden time is a commodity. I don't know how people with kids manage when both parents work full time. I guess most of the time the kids are in Child care of some fashion, I don't think it would be possible if not. I know Staying home with our children is the right decision for us and I wouldn't want it any other way. Working nights and weekends around Fred's work schedule is the only Way to make that possible. And I feel very fortunate to have that option - it's just a adjustment for us.