Christmas day was a busy one for our family… well AFTER 10 am when Miss Trinity FINALLY woke up! Then it was time for a quick kid photograph in front of the tree with their stockings before CHAOS!

Pre Presents!

Echo opened maybe ONE present I think before she lost interest but everyone else was very excited and ready to tear in. Trinity had a happy squeal for each and every new present! This is our first year of having the twins getting different gifts more tailored to the individual. Gavin was very happy with his art set and Zander his puzzles. 

Echo at work

Chaos!

Emanuel’s favourite gift of the season was long in coming (about 2 yrs to hunt one down! Thank you Michaella!!) – Sleepy Bird from Pocoyo! He was so excited that after we calmed down he had to sit and make a thank you up RIGHT THEN! 

Front of the card

And the back... he drew ALL the characters he has toys for

Snuggles with Sleepy Bird

Instead of a full out lunch after our late breaky we did a platter of random nibbles for the kids. They thought that was too much fun, being able to come and go and eat as they pleased! 

Nibbles

After presents and before nibbled Sean stopped by with mail from the old house on his way to his parents’ place. He was supposed to go Christmas Eve but was feeling too under the weather. There was actually some GREAT mail in the stack making Sean our Christmas elf and another dear friend our Christmas Angel. I am glad to report the stress that was there a week ago is now resolved due to these two forces. YAY. It is looking like 2012 should be the beginning of a much better set of circumstances for our family. It has been long in coming since Ken was sick those years ago. 

Had to open the Laura Secord Chocolates from Ted!

Of course there were presents for the adults… well I got ONE present and an IOU. Poor Ken got thwarted at every turn and had people either buy what he was planning on getting me (ie. Camera) or stuff that he had already bought and then had to return. Most likely my presents will be wrapped and… well not under the tree as it will be boxed up by then… but gifted end of January! At least he loved what I got him!! And I DID get rechargeable batteries and the charger from Ken and the kids. The boys actually gave up their MAG trip that last Saturday to hunt it down for me!! 

Our afternoon was total  toy chaos that headed right into the evening. Supper was LOVELY! We had a large beef roast thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Mike who also sent home some moose for us to enjoy over the rest of the year. There was corn and rice and everyone was so FULL! Then Grandma and Grandpa stopped by on their way back from James, Holly and Jimmie’s! 

We had sent presents with them and they in turn were bringing presents from my brother’s family. Apparently both sides were VERY happy! I am looking forward to going to Chapters or Indigo and doing a little book shopping myself! The kids were right into their presents and cornered the grandparents long enough to get making a few items. Their visit was brief but the kids had so much fun having their grandparents for a little more time. 

There were phone calls from Ken’s folks and my dad to be had as well as the wild abandon that comes from excessive amounts of NEW toys laying about the place. I think I can safely say that though I decreased the amount of gifts the fun was no lessened, nor the mess sadly! BUT I am proud of my kids and their gratitude and sharing of their new things. Of course we are NOT planning on heading out to hunt the deals on Boxing Day… I would rather stay home with the kids and relax and play. AND do not have the extra funds to do said shopping anyway. I am an over the year deal finder myself! Are you?

Girls and Dolls

3 days … well ALMOST 3 full days at Grandma’s house after THREE MONTHS of not travelling = sad kids and Mommy when it was time to go home! BUT the time there was a blessing. Do you know, I think we are the only family with a TOILET at the top of a Christmas tree at Grandma and Grandpa’s?? Seriously! It won second place at the college. 

Isn't it awesome?

Close up

With Ken having work to finish and laundry running we made it to Grandma’s around supper time on Thursday. Oh and  you would not believe how long it takes to get to Grandma’s… ever so long… and it is SOOO boring… (got too dark to play UNO too quickly I guess). We made sure to leave room in the van for the return trip. One of the few times I miss the old van. I am proud to report that our newest repair by Canadian Tire held and was terrific, though we still smell some burning coolant (and will due to puddles that froze). So another trip to the Grandparents’ is in the works already! 

Grandma's house is the best I am told!

We were all up late and Trinity was, as usual, in our bed splayed all over. Mom and Mike have a boarder over the holidays when he cannot be on dorms. He is VERY nice and great with the kids and apparently eats anything. We ousted him from his bed for his last night there but he was a great sport… and planning on being out and about that night anyway. 

Friday was our first WHOLE day at the house in ages… tv’s were rediscovered, a toy room trashed and eventually cleaned up, backyard explored… no one was bored! AND Ken got a TON of work done in the basement in his corner. Zander, mom and I went out and got his glasses straightened, stopped in at the baby store (no size mediums to be had boo) AND stopped in where Gavin’s godmother Christine works (pharmacy) to see when she was in (4-12). Later Ken and Gavin took his present and saw her at work where she was invited to stop by before she headed off to her parents’ on Christmas Eve. 

Mom did a lot of the cooking for Christmas Eve dinner on Friday so that Saturday we had spare time. Mom did some crafts with the kids as well… She and Trinity finished an angel ornament together! 

Crafting with Grandma

Oh and we cannot forget the traditional decorating of the Christmas tree (the one WITHOUT a toilet at the top). We had minimal breakage and TONS of fun. With Echo in the thick of it UN-decorating the tree to boot! We put on maybe half the ornaments mom has collected over the decades on the tree… the new black tree is smaller than the old green one (it is the one that found new life as a maintenance themed tree). 

I had to take various pictures with various camera settings of course!

With Grandpa Mike AND a stool to help

Echo helping Grandma

So pretty!

Don't forget about the Christmas train set - with added stops for fun of course

Saturday was Christmas Eve of course which meant even MORE excitement… by 10:30 or so we had Christine AND her two puppies Bella and Jasper over for a visit AND mom’s dip. It was a visit long overdue and we chatted well past noon and her projected leaving time. While she was here Uncle Wayne got in for the day as well. 

Bella

Jasper

It really is true, in Mom's house the KITCHEN is where it is at!! Having dip and hanging out!

Before she left for her family gathering we HAD TO open the presents! Lots of crafty things for the kids (which we did by Christmas Day of course!). And the maintenance designed tree had to be shown off of course!

PRESENTS!

Just a happy boy with his God Mommy

It was an important first for Trinity too – Grandma gave her her first trim!!! Just a tiny bit off the bottom to get rid of the dry bits. Very exciting!

Just a TRIM now

We decided to open the rest of the presents before dinner as Mike got called into work due to a boiler issue that took some time to correct. Paper flew, toys went wild and the kids were over the moon!! 

Uncle Wayne and the fancy tree

Girly presents

Chaos!

We had supper around 3… well most of us did, mom and Mike ran out to a coffee that ended up being 2 hours long. But it was delicious. 

Turkey dinner

After mom and Mike got back we had Mike open his presents, played some and then it was time for a rather tearful goodbye. AND packing the van to the gills. Of course Mike got called back into work AGAIN and managed to make it back just in time to see us off. 

Watching Grandpa Mike open... the wrong present !!

Mom's gift from Mike - those are black and white diamonds!

We decimated this dip! While they played Clue Jr. Mom, Uncle Wayne and I finished this puppy off

Our drive was uneventful though there were tears still shed and some boredom. We got home, piled out and then the great emptying of the vehicle began… SO MUCH STUFF! AND a phone call to boot – Esther! Well worth the interruption. She has given us some lovely tax advice and calmed some fears in the same regards. Esther you are our hero and certainly do NOT visit your little Reinsch-Johnson Canadian family enough (you do know it is too late – you ARE one of us). 

Once we got in, put on new pj’s, put the baby to bed and tidied it was time for our Santa picture! Santa got chocolate milk in a WINE glass AND a plate FULL of oreos. Of course the kids had to sample first! 

Cookies and CHOCOLATE milk for Santa... with our key ready to go into the mailbox

Then bed for the kids and finishing touches for the adults. Christmas Eve was a lovely day and ended with everyone tired and ready for the big day!

Now to catch up on what has been going on with our not so little family! Wednesday last week… the 21st, was a special day – Karyn’s birthday day! So it was proclaimed (after she slept in of course) to be a girly fun day. We started off with packing up Echo (she and Fat Sheep were along as guests as well, of course) and heading out to a nearby frozen over pond that is set up for skating for PICTURES! 

Santa Sheep on ice

Watching the skaters as they watch her

After many photos and some strange looks from people on skates we headed over to Karyn’s apartment for girly fun time… a yummy meal that Echo LOVED, nail painting and black and white films! We watched the first two movies of the Thin Man. I do love black and white film! 

Note the MANY little nailpolish bottles!

Trying to snitch my dinner

Lauralee joined us for My Little Pony (the new version) and some Powerpuff Girls. Don’t forget the mini cheesecakes covered in chocolate and topped with bits of candy cane. Totally girly! AND a late night… we even got a phone call from home asking why we had not called home to check in! We were rebels AND Echo said HI to daddy for the first time! All in all an AMAZING day out just for girls! Oh and Dare the cat…

The birthday girl and her sheep

The Santa Sheep version of telling your Christmas wishes does NOT include sitting on laps! Rather a much more artistic tree side discussion!