The Christmas Season... whew!

Brother KP broke 'Kimpass'

Brother KP broke a Christmas ball.  This family has a history of breaking Christmas balls.  Way back when the two oldest cousins were 2 or 3 years old they smashed Granny's Christmas balls with wooden Santa ornaments for sport!  One blamed the other saying "Gavy broke Kimpass" (as spoken by a toddler, remember).  Brother KP's older sibling had broken a favourite glass ball ornament trying to get the tree out from inside...  It seems to have stuck with the younger ones, too.

Our youngest boy is 3 1/2 years old.  He is loud.  Well, they all are - but him especially.  Early one morning he was getting ready to invade the room Grandma and Grandpa were sleeping in.  With a loud whisper he said "I want to go see them!"  His mom told him he couldn't because they were still sleeping.  His reply... "But I want to kiss them!"  Well then, in you go, son.


Here's a picture of the Half-Pint riding with Auntie Marshy's gift on his lap.

 

Our Family Abroad

As you may have read in previous posts, my sister and her family are in Togo, Africa.  Their Christmas was quite different.  First, it was hot.  Second, it was 4 days later than it should have been - with good reason.  Princess Kylie was taken to Tsiko (that's pronounced Cheeko, for all of you non-Togolese speaking white folks) for treatment of a very nasty foot infection.  Her treatment will continue for several more weeks and months.  You can read the whole story here  -->  Erin's Blog   <--   for more gory details. 

I was able to listen / look in on a Skype conversation Erin had with my Mom.  I got to see Erin and a couple of the kids on the computer.  What a cool technology that Skype-thingy is!  Anyhow, my Mom was hogging the computer screen to herself  was engaged in conversation with my sister which left my Dad and I sitting back just listening in on the conversation.  I'm not bitter, though.  It will be cool to get there and see what things are like for myself.  It sounds like they could use the distraction!  I leave in 15 days.  It's sneaking up quickly.

Happy New Year!

I want to give a special greeting to cousin Dan and cousin-in-law Monica!  I got to chat a bit with them over New Year's Day lunch with our annual family get-together.  Thanks for making the time to clear your schedule and join us.  You mustn't have had anything more exciting planned - unlike Michael and Jaqueline!  ;)
Enjoy Kilimanjaro.

It is always good to get together with family that we don't see as often as we should.  I like these people, they are all honest, caring and fun people to be around!  Plus, the food is amazing!  Even Lauren ate some turnip casserole!! She's so grown up now!  Grandma would be so proud of you, Lauren.

After a busy Christmas season with kid's music programs, Christmas parties, family gatherings, traveling, eating, New Year's events (and resolving not to eat so much ever again) it's time to settle back into the more normal cycle of life again.  For us that means more swimming lessons, hockey rinks, work, play and church activities, school days and noise and commotion around the house.  Perfect!

Oh, one more thing....

Happy New Year to you all.  May you be stretched and grow in ways you didn't think possible in 2013.