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Christmas

...at our house

We had a nice Christmas Eve visit at Kerri and Matt's place and then scooted over to my Uncle Lewis' home to gather with my parents and my aunts and cousins for a little holiday cheer. I forgot my camera, go figure. Aunt Betty spoiled the children and me as always and they loved everything they opened from her. We got home at around 930pm in time to get the kids in the Christmas jammies, read them a bedtime book (narrated by a recording of Shaune and myself) and put out some fudge and peanut butter balls (with milk of course) for jolly Old St. Nick.  Shaune and I made it to bed in record time and just in time for Santa to come at midnight.

I slept horribly and was so anxious for the morning to come. As with every year I was the first up and started to make some noises down in the kitchen around 8am so that the kids would wake up. Then the squeals of delight and the commotion began. Santa was very good to the kids. He brought Keaton an IPOD Touch and accessories, Chloe got all her Moxie girls, a Lalaloopsy doll and a blue camera as she had wanted. Meg got some beautiful Vietnames dresses that Santa picked up on his way through Vietnam earlier that day and a gorgeous Asian baby doll complete with a shopping cart doll carraige. Everyone was thrilled. Keaton got games and hockey tickets to see the Pittsburg Penguins play along with lots of other goodies he loved from us. We gave Chloe a DSi game, an American Idol Karaoke machine and lots of fun play things. Meg got some sweet clothes, a phonics bus, a baby Karaoke machine, and so much more.

Our house looked like a bomb had went off. It was wonderful. We had a tasty eggs benedicts breakfast made by Shaune and relaxed and enjoyed all our new 'toys' for a bit and then we needed to get ready for the next part of our day... lunch with Gram!

 

The 3 photos below of Keaton opening our card to him and finding tickets to go see Crosby play. He was shocked, as you can see from the look on his face. A smile followed, I promise.

 

 

...at the Emerson hall party

As with every year we spent our lunch with Gram. She has been feeling 'not so great' for some time now and is on oxygen. Still, she is as smart as a whip and I love our time with her. I was so happy she was healthy enough to make the trip over to the hall in Stirling. Mom, Aunt Ann and Aunt Carolyn had it decorated beautifully. This year the lunch was held at an old school house and it was so quaint and the perfect size for the Emerson bunch. The lunch was amazing with turkey, and all the tasty fixings. Uncle John held a Christmas game and the gifts all got opened. The highlight was just seeing Gram amongst all those that love her so much. She had a nice time and enjoyed her few hours out with the family.

 

 

 

 

 ...at the Lightfoots

From the Emerson hall party we rushed home, sat on the couch and digested our lunch for a 1/2 hour and then we were off to Part 3 of our day - Supper with Shaune's parents in Belleville. Another amazing turkey supper that somehow we found lots of room for. It was nice to see all the cousins playing together and little baby Maya is so tiny still... adorable! It was a fantastic way to end our Christmas day and when we finally got home around 9pm we surveyed the house and all the gift bags and boxes and wondered where it was all going to go. We played Wii games and when we finally collapsed into bed, we all slept wonderfully!

 

...Boxing Day at my Mom and Dad's

On boxing day we had Christmas with my mom, dad and brother Cory. We arrived around 10am to a delicious breakfast that only Dad can do so well and then we opened our gifts. The kids got spoiled yet again - Keaton was thrilled with his youth golf club set (he loves to golf!) and Chloe was over the moon to get her own white TV and DVD set for her bedroom. Meg got a pink ride toy and other fun stuff. We had a nice visit and then met up again later in the day for supper out at a chinese food restaurant. It was delicious and we were lucky enough to have Debbie and Aunt Delma for company. 

 

Christmas is over for another year! Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2011!

Here is our Christmas card this year:

 

School concert

Chloe was in the primary choir this year at school and was so excited about her songs she would be singing on stage at the concert. She sang a song about Santa and also a song from one of my favourite movies (Sound of Music) "Favourite Things". The kids all looked adorable up on stage. I was so far away that I didn't even try to take a photo but I 'borrowed' one from my friend Kerri who got a great shot of some of the girls in the center of the stage during a song. Can you spot Chloe mid-song? The rest of the photos here are from pre-concert... when the excitement was in the air! Chloe was most happy to be able to wear a fancy Christmas dress.

 
 

 

3 kids and the tree

Chloe begged and begged us daily to get the christmas tree up but I had been sick and then we always seemed to have a hockey game or practice any night we had free. It finally went up on December 5th and the kids peacefully and happily decorated the tree pretty much on their own. Meg handled the lower branches and the non-breakables!

Trying to get a photo of the three of them in front of the tree was a little trickier!

 

Double birthday bash

I spent the beginning part of December quite sick. I had a rash that I think was the result of a spider bite. This progressively got worst when I scratched at it. I developed a very bad case of cellulitis and after oral antibiotics didn't help I had to go on a 8 day course of IV meds. It was not fun and I had homecare daily but it did the trick and I'm all better now.

Of course its never a great time to be stuck at home sick but I think December is the worst time. Not only did I have Christmas to prepare for... but two of my three wonderful children celebrate birthdays right before Christmas. Keaton turned 10 on December 13th and Meg turned 2 on December 17th.

Keaton usually has a birthday bash with his friends but because I'd been sick he agreed to wait until the new year. (THANK YOU BUDDY!) We decided to have an easy-peasy joint birthday celebration with family. Keaton loves the chinese food buffet in Stirling so we reserved a long table there and my parents, my brother and Shaune's parents joined us.

It is hard to believe that:

a) I have a 10 year old! How is that possible when I'm only in my early twenties?! Hardy Har!

b) Meg is already 2 years old.

Keaton - my first child and only son. What can I say about him? He is amazing. He is a polite, sweet and sensitive boy. He is geniune and he is such a loving son. I love spending time with him and even though I hate that time is passing so quickly and he is getting older and older - I have loved him at every single age - I'm sure age 10 will be no different. He is becoming such a fantastic young man.

Meg - my little miracle. You continue to amaze us and you are just as smart and beautiful as they come. You are tiny little gal at 22 lbs but you are a ball of energy and keep me on my toes. You talk non-stop at home and sing simple songs like "I wuv you" and "Twinkle little star". You got to two so quickly - in the blink of an eye.

I was awful and only got a few shots at the restaurant.