Happy New Year 2021!

These are 3 brave souls .... about to embark in a New Years Eve SWIM!!

And they're off!!







Midnight came! And it was time to cheers and ring in the new year.

Christmas Morning 2020 !

Well, trying to keep things as normal as possible on our first Covid Christmas ... the boys woke up in their matching onesie pj's .... and i grabbed a coffee, fire was on, and we started opening eachothers gifts.

Lydia wanted a Christmas shot of all of us, so I took advantage of the fact we were all in the same room at the same time (including Mittens)

When Chris was younger, his parents bought him his first study bible ... it was one of the only things on Isaac's list this year ... so while they were in school one day, we took a trip down to Victoria so Chris could hand pick one out for him .... 

He was pretty excited for the one Chris picked out ... It has been such a kick to watch this kids faith grow as he seems to want to read everything he can about God right now.

Paul gave him a bin of some of his deeper books for Isaac to have for his own library .....

My new mug .... this year was the first time the boys bought us gifts too .... 

Chris and his new shirt!  I had Trent make him a tshirt that said "Functional and pleasing to the eye" because Shannon and I were teasing Chris that whenever we think he is just going to do something simple, it always ends up being a gorgeous piece of art!  

This kid was a bit tougher to buy for this year because he wanted a computer ... soooo ... we did end up finding him a plasma ball ... 

And then both kids got a bike as their old ones were on their last legs .... these are aluminum frame with a super basic structure (no shocks, less things to go wrong) ... and the wheels are a hybrid, so they should be great on trails and road ....



But maybe not so great on snowy roads! 

Soul came out on Disney tonight .... very sweet show.  Some of Danny's musician friends actually collaborated on it and one of them even helped the animators to ensure the finger placements on the piano keyboard of the pianist were on point!

Christmas Eve Night .....

Home from the grand-parents house .... 

And the dinner looks amazing!  All portioned in new containers (for us to keep!), included drinks, and christmas crackers, and turkey & ham and ALL the fixings!!  Even half a white cake (with jello and fresh fruit) to assemble together for a salute to a family favorite: Trifle!!  

Somehow these guys found a chocolate bar in the package somewhere and started to divide it up for a snack!

It was time for bed, and it's when these 2 come alive!  And always when I am cozy and trying to fall asleep .... time to wrestle ...

This is a time tradition of a 'daddy-express' and though he is 14, it is still his preferred method of transportation to his bed.

They didn't find their stockings til this evening !  Luckily, they made it in time for Santa to fill them.

A quiet moment ....

Christmas Eve 2020

This was the scene at the back office of Canada Post when I arrived for work Christmas Eve ... lots of room on the floor which would soon be full ....

Once we unloaded this delivery truck full of crates of packages (called 'monos').....

I was home early afternoon with my feet up in my favorite place ... Isaac had just come in from making some butter knives for some family gifts (I love mine, so I make him make more for others ;-)

Sweet little window bird feeder from Yanin!!  No birds have discovered it yet ... 

Iceland tradition of opening a book on Christmas Eve ... so I went through my library and picked out books for some family that I thought they may enjoy!

Chris made some fridge magnets out of stone tiles for some family members ....

And they are off!  Representatives of the family to go drop off our gifts, and pick up others as well as the big Christmas Dinner that the Burdges made and packaged for everyone to warm up on Christmas night !  So fun .... as you can see, Isaac dressed up!  (Thanks Nona for the Christmas onesie!!)

Chris made Paul something ....

And I stayed home and ate the box of chocolates that got sent home with me from work ;-)

Another happy guy in his Christmas onesie!!

First week of Christmas break

We were one of the few families that reserved some ice skating time this week.  We “happen” to run into the Williams there too!!!  They are the group of figures at the other end of the rink organizing all the games (lol, once part of a camp, always part of a camp.... who wants to play a game??!)

Then it was time for the tradition of  pulling the rocket behind Chris’s quad.  Reid said it was the best part of his winter so far.  

The Peru hats came back out today .... we wore them a year ago ....

It was a gorgeous day ... and all fun and games til Elliot got an ice snowball in the face.  

Dragging the kids over the BMX track ... and then they forced the mothers to go too .... haven’t laughed that hard in awhile.  

Mother daughter ....



Pretty sure he had a good time too.  

And on another note - my happy diving pig arrived!!!