HO! HO! HO! Christmas 2007

Christmas Day dawned beautifully. The weather was perfect - not too cold, snow on the ground but not in the air, nothing to interfere with Santa's journey at night or with family travels during the day. This year we began the day at home. With just three of us there to see what was in stockings, it was considerably quieter than some other years we can recall. Younger daughter (pictured below with one of her gifts) cooked a delicious breakfast for us and for her paternal grandparents. About 1 p.m. we headed over to the other side of the city to meet with one side of the family for the annual gift exchange (I ended up with yummy baking and a movie pass). We were happy to see everyone there, including the recent groom and his son, and the youngest member of the family (three months old on Boxing Day). After eating, visiting, and opening presents, we headed back home to carve the turkey and cook the veggies for dinner for the other side of the family. We had 17 for dinner, including visitors from Saskatchewan, and our token native of rural Manitoba.

The pictures below are a representative sampling of who was there. Sorry, there is not a lot of action, but that is not what Christmas is about. We are so blessed to have family, abundant food, and more than adequate shelter, and to be able to see one another and celebrate each others' joys. As we bring 2007 to a close, we pray for our good health to continue and for the strength to deal with whatever life brings our way. We are so fortunate!


Self-proclaimed favourite aunt with a picture of her sweetie.

Great grandma and great grandpa got a picture of all five of their "greats".

In the party room, awaiting the beginning of the "circle gifts".

New hockey gloves for the player!

Boys will be boys! - sharing the excitement of a new transformer with the baby.

Oh goodie - another new robe!

Christmas dishes - eventually traded for work gloves!

Another gift eventually claimed by someone else. Note "Santa's" hat!

Back at home, here are some of the girls relaxing before dinner.

This singing tie was a big hit! Someone knows that men in this family can't sing in tune!

Great grandma and her only great grandson.

These two instantly became good friends!


The videos below aren't great. (I said before, there wasn't much action during the day). However, if you watch carefully, you may see someone you know!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

Ancestors, an Anniversary, and Fresh Air

Here we are almost at the end of November. There have been no big parties since "The Wedding of the Year", on which I reported last entry. However, we did celebrate a very special occasion last night, so special that it is difficult to find a card to mark the occasion. The couple pictured below celebrated 65 years of marriage yesterday. Like the day they were married, it was cold here (so cold on the day they were married that their flowers froze!). Their two sons and daughters-in-law took them out for dinner. What a remarkable milestone! 65 years of wedded bliss.
Some of you may be interested in the next four photos. I was given recently photographs of some of my (and many of your) ancestors. Since our son is working intensely to chart the family tree and find as much information as possible, I took photos and sent them to him, so decided to put them on the blog as well. They are interesting, because they are photographs but they have been enhanced with pastel. I am still thinking about how I want to frame them and where I want to put them, as they are a bit of history well worth preserving.

This is one of my maternal Great Grandfathers.

My other maternal Great Grandfather.

My paternal grandfather.

My paternal grandmother.

I am so glad that my son has decided to record everything for the family. I know that the generations to come, his children and nieces and nephews, will appreciate his work, as do we.


Now, on a more mundane note. We decided to replace the remaining two original windows in the house. As you can see by this picture, we saved the largest window for last! Unfortunately, it was a cold day when the work was done, and the house was a bit drafty during the process. The poor plants shivered in the kitchen, while I remained toasty in the basement with the gas fireplace turned on. Three doors will be replaced next week, and then all will be relatively new!

There was a gaping hole in the wall for several minutes!

Now that was a wedding!

Well, the big day finally came. The same family which knows how to throw a Hallowe'en party proved that they also know how to throw a wedding! The day was perfect, no snow, rain or sleet. The wedding party members all looked terrific, the food was fantastic, and a good time was had by all. We wish the bride and groom all the best as they begin their lives as a married couple. Here are some candid shots from the event. They are in a bit of a random order.

The birthday girl was pleased to take a turn with her nephew, who was the youngest guest at the wedding.

November 10, yet warm enough to be outside without a coat (as long as one wasn't outside for too long!)

The setting for the ceremony - the garden at the conservatory in the park. Beautiful!

The groom makes his way in with the Justice of the Peace.

This one is really out of order- grandparents on the bride's side, with their grandchildren and their newest grandchild by marriage - the groom.

The radiant mother of the bride enters with the master of ceremony (who did a fantastic job keeping the show moving along at the reception).

The bride's beautiful sister, the maid of honour, waits her turn to enter. The slide show she created as a tribute to the bride was terrific.

Here is the youngest guest with his mom and dad. He didn't know which way to look first!

Here is the happy couple on the dance floor.

Dad and daughter share a dance.

It was truly a night to remember!

The "baby" turns 25!

Because we were celebrating a family wedding on her real birthday, the "baby's" 25th birthday was celebrated a couple of days early. This also gave relatives an opportunity to welcome her brother, who had come from the east to attend the wedding. Here, dad presents the birthday cake (with many candles!) as guests look on. Happy birthday, petite!

Baby Shower!

This family has done more celebrating in the past few weeks than in the past few years! Another exciting party was held on Sunday, a baby shower for the newest member of the family. All the little girl cousins were very excited to help with the gifts, to hold the baby, and to play with 30 year old Lego! (Some toys never go out of style). The baby's self-proclaimed favourite aunt, one great-aunt, and one cousin-in-law of the mom hosted the shower. The baby performed well (we hear he was exhausted at day's end), the guests ate well, the gifts were beautiful, and all had a good time.
The feast!

There were many little girls to present the gifts. They did a fine job.

Self-proclaimed favourite aunt's friend with the boy.

Above and below, two great-aunts have a turn.

Grandpa and baby planned their wardrobe choices so they would be twins!

By the time this cousin got a turn holding the baby, he had had enough!

Thanks to the hostesses, and thanks to the guests for all the lovely things. Next blog....wedding!

What a Party!

It is not every day that the youngest member of one generation of the family turns 50, so naturally there had to be a party. Fortunately, one branch of the family takes Hallowe'en much more seriously than do the other branches, and seeing as the birthday is two days before Hallowe'en, that was the theme. All arrived in costume and spent the evening enjoying great music and food, and celebrating with one who is finally "over the hill"!

Here are two of the magnificent carved pumpkins (styrofoam so they can be preserved from year to year) created by the bride-to-be. What talent!

I have seen many Christmas villages, but never a Hallowe'en village. Here it is, complete with moving parts and scary shrieks.

I did my best to get a picture of each costume. I missed a few, but you will get the idea...

The mad scientist with the hostess (not the living hostess, the animated one).

The Hawaiian tour guide...

And his lovely assistant!

The host, again with the animated hostess...

also sharing hosting duties were the crab, and her companion, the pirate? town crier? admiral?

Miss Kitty and Matt will be getting hitched in a couple of weeks!

Oscar the Grouch, the birthday girl, her escort the nun (more revealing picture later on), and the real hostess, the "Soon to be Empty Nester". (Now that took some thought!)

The "nun" in profile!

Serious conversation - most likely about the political state of the nation!

Matt kept the youngest guest, dressed in his pumpkin sleeper, entertained while the guest dressed as a "mother" looked on. The pumpkin seemed to enjoy his first Hallowe'en celebration.

Finally the guest of honour got to blow out the candles on her witch birthday cake.

Thanks to the host and hostess for throwing this shindig. You definitely know how to throw a party. Makes us all really look forward to the wedding in a couple of weeks!