Crescent Beach

There are only two major things I don't like about living on the east end of the Fraser Valley: We're too far away from mum and we're too far from the ocean.

The sun was shining today so we headed west to visit both.


After hearing the wind last night I knew I HAD to see the ocean.

Have you ever noticed how scary some Christmas movies are?

Andrew rented Scrooged over. Christmas. I'm not a big fan of most movies from that time period, but I thought I'd try to keep an open mind. I spent most of the movie with a cushion over my face...creeeeepy!

I don't like the Grinch movie either, but Andrew does and Davey is a big fan of Dr Seuss so I thought he might like it. Not two seconds into he says "I'm scared." So we watched The Simpsons instead.

Apparently since then he keeps telling Andrew, "I can't stop thinking about the Grinch!"

finally...Christmas pictures...

The plan was to arrive at mum's house at about 9 am on Christmas morn...so that we wouldn't have a repeat of three years ago when we got to mum's house at the pre-appointed time only to find everyone else had already finished opening all their presents. However, as with other best laid plans, that's not quite how things worked out. First, I messed up setting our alarm clock and set it for 6 pm instead of 6 am. Then, our kids didn't wake up at 630 am like they usually do. In fact, when I woke (with a start of, well, alarm) at 815 am, everyone else was still snoring.

In a bit of a tizzy, I called my sister. They weren't up yet either. Jadey had an ear infection and had been up most of the two previous nights and so they were only just getting up themselves. PHEW!

Rob, usually the one who arrives only when the food is hitting the table (he got that gene from Dad!) was the only one there on time. But eventually everyone gathered and assumed the gift opening position:

This is Ashlie with the gift Alexis MADE for her. I know, where can I order an awesome purse like that?!

Tinkerbelle fifi insisted on alternating between giving Cody everyone else's presents and sitting on Kathi's lap. Taking the Santa thing a bit too far if you ask me!

Daveycakes:
Rob got a new hat.


Dave is the musical one in the family. I don't know what this is called, but the kids were very jealous that Uncle Dave got it...


With a truck from Uncle Rob...
A doll house from Grandma:
Reading the book Auntie Kat and Uncle Cody got her:

Dave had just been complaining about the state of his gray slippers. They were really gross. Luckily he got new blue ones for Christmas.

Me and Ashlie playing with one of her Christmas presents...


For some reason Tink thought she had to sit in the box to play with Davey's lego.

Mugging for the camera:



And we even got a white Christmas. How perfect is that?!

AGES ago, I found a sale at Toys R Us. They had the Imaginarium Train Set on for 1/2 off. Andrew and I have been wanting to get a train set for Davey since his first Christmas...If we'd known it would take us till almost 130 in the morning to get it all set up, we might not have bothered.

Of course it was all worth it this morning when Davey and Elisabeth came downstairs (oh, by the by, we celebrated the gifty bit of Christmas this morning since we're heading over to mum's first thing tomorrow morning.)

Look at his face. I don't think he quite realizes that this train set is his yet!


He was also quite pleased with the matchbox car he got in his stocking.


Elisabeth got her very own baby and bubbas for Christmas. She loves it! After she'd fed it it's bottle, she sat on the floor and very carefully pointed to the baby's eyes, "Eyes," she said. Then pointed to her own eyes, "Eyes," she repeated. Pointed to the baby's nose, "Nose," she said. And pointed to her own nose. "Nose." Pointing to the baby's mouth, "Mouth," she said....you get the drift. The dolly was a great idea Laurie. Thanks!

Pretty in Pigtails

Tinker got lots of hair pretties in her Christmas stocking. The Pentecostal in me was giving in faith. Sure enough, when we went upstairs and got her ready for the day there was enough hair for pigtails. Woo Hooo!

That was my lip plumper she was playing with while I did her hair. I guess I should have been paying more attention...Later as we were getting ready to leave, her face around her mouth (think the stubbly area on Homer Simpson) was all red and...well, plumped. And her lips? Suzanne Somers had NOTHING on Tinker!!

The dress by the way, is her Christmas present from Grandma and Gramps out in Ontario. Doesn't she look adorable it?!

Merry Christmas!

It was so good to be in church this morning and celebrating the real reason for this season. You may be able to tell from the pictures on this blog that I love all things Christmassy. But nothing brings more joy than celebrating the birth of our Saviour.

I pray that the love, joy and HOPE of Christ may be yours this season. Wishing you a very, very merry Christmas!

Yesterday we headed out to North/West Vancouver and Grouse Mountain for the Peak of Christmas event. We debated a little about it since we all have sinus colds, but finally decided we'd just have to dress warm and spend lots of time indoors. There is, after all, quite a bit to do indoors there.

After a very long drive we finally made it to the base of Grouse. After everyone had a pit stop, a diaper change, put on their snow pants, coats, gloves, hats, and winter boots...well it was almost time to go home again! Sheesh...we need a mountain closer to where we live (tee hee).

Davey love the sculptures.
Once we were ready to go, we had to wait in a really long line up for the lift. Next time I think we'll buy our lift tickets online and print them off so we can bypass the line up. What with yesterday being the last day of school (and no one showing up for it!) the mountain was really busy!

Once you've got your lift ticket, you wait inside a cage for the tram/gondola to come and get you. Tink kept wanting to suck on the bars of the gate. Yah, she's that kind of kid...

Though the weather wasn't spectacular (but, hey it was SNOWING, not raining!) the ride up was.
Even the kids were in awe, and I am SO homesick for Lenk!

Your lift ticket gets you into everything at the top of the mountain. So they had a Santa's workshop, caroling, Christmas movies...

...all the snow any little boy could handle...

(or little girl for that matter!)


...they have real reindeer and do some kind of interactive thing with them twice a day. But we missed that.


We still got to see the reindeer though. The kids loved 'em.

AND THEY HAVE A FREE SLEIGH RIDE!! I wanted to leave the kids with Santa and just go with Andrew, but he wouldn't let me.

So here we ALL are on the sleigh. Very excited.


And for any snow lovers, it was amazingly gorgeous. I think I need to move up there.

(notice the icicle hanging from this poor eagle's beak? Reminded me of Narnia)...


Well after the sleigh ride we were in desperate need of a warm up and, oh yah...LUNCH! So after listening to some roving carolers inside the lodge we found a nice warmish spot to sit and colour.

"Look how fast I'm drawing circles, mamma"

After a delicious lunch (pizza for the kids, beef stew for Andrew and a steak for me) Davey had to go say hi to the giant nutcracker/soldier. We also stopped to listen to more carolers. This time by an amazing (voiced) man who was also playing the piano. Nice!

The kids decided they wanted to play in the snow a bit more before we left.



Davey remembered sledding on his butt last year, so he started doing that. Then we started pulling them down the hill...

Waiting for mum to come and give him a tow...

And finally, going down on his belly. I think we need to invest in a sled...