in a nutshell

WOW...I can't believe how busy I/we've been over the last while. Since my last post, I spent the Friday before Christmas in the city shopping for a couple of last minute gifts and groceries...I was in Superstore for 2 hours buying food...I was kinda cranky by the time I got out of there @ 3:30 in the afternoon! Then Christmas Eve, we have special things we do on this night so that was busy. I won't even touch on Christmas Day...I was pretty much on my own, as the boys got a TON of Lego sets, so Brian was building in different bedrooms most of the day. Plus he got the Batmobile set that took him about 8 hours in total to build. It was nice to be home with just the 6 of us though. We spent Boxing day @ our neighbors having a backyard hockey tournament...sooo much fun! We potlucked supper over there too, had a blast. ad big plans to Maybe it'll become an annual event. I had big plans to scrapbook the rest of that week, while Brian was home but it didn't happen. I worked on a project here and there but didn't get it finished. New Years was AWESOME...our good friends, Jessi and Jason came up from Red Deer, and our neighbors came over. We had a fire and skated in the backyard for a bit and then spent the rest of the night eating, drinking and playing games. The kids all stayed up till past midnight too. I had bought one of those New Years Eve party in a box, with the hats, lays and horns. I bought sparling apple cocktail to drink from plastic champagne glasses. Finally went to bed @ 3:30 am!! Enjoyed a brunch in the morning and then we headed off to go skidooing and sledding for a few hours in the afternoon. I am deathly afraid of things like skidoos/quads (don't know why, just am). Zack (13) was taking my brothers skidoo for a drive, so I jumped on the back of it and asked him for a ride. I knew he would go slow for me! Well, we got stuck, so I jumped off, into very deep snow, to lift up the back end while he gave it some gas....we got it unstuck but the metal bar tied to the end of the rope for the kids to hang onto to get pulled up the hill...cut me off at the ankles and knocked me to the ground. I jarred my back in the fall...to everyone watching it looked pretty funny and they all laughed, until we got back and I showed them the instant bruise I had. It still hurts today and is a bit swollen. Good thing I don't start teaching preschool till next week!! I was feeling all proud of myself for trying something new and out of my comfort zone and then I get hurt. Next time, I am sticking to being the picture taker!!
Phew, I know that was a lot to catch up on, but that's basically it, in a nutshell!


so much fun on the 1st...here's a sampling. My Brother brought his skidoo and now the boys are hooked. Gavin wants one just his size!!









Happy New Year everyone....may 2007 bring you health & happiness and all that's best!



playing hockey @ the neighbors on Boxing Day


the boys were totally happy and excited with the gifts they got this year...even the ones they had to only look at a picture of because we couldn't actually get the gift. This is the case with the nintendo Wii (cannot find one anywhere) and Uncle Neil is buying htem a trampoline, but of course they are out of season right now so he gave them a picture of one too. They are old enough to understand so it makes it a bit easier. Brian and I couldn't believe that Gavin wanted to play with the box...all the cool things he got and he climbs in the box....what a goof!


After driving around town to look at lights, we came home, sprinkled Magic Reindeer food on the front lawn, put out the usual snack for Santa...homemade oreo's and coke and cuddled up on the couch to read our favorite book: Santa's Favorite Story. What I love most about reading this book to my kids year after year, is that my Mom used to read it to my brothers and I when we were kids. I was lucky enough to find a copy when my first child was born.
the boys enjoy cookie decorating and building our annual gingerbread house.