December 27th - Merry Christmas Bourne's!

Today was our Merry Christmas with the Bourne's. We woke up happy...well, most of us. Tyler felt a bit queazy all morning and laid in bed for quite a while. The kids got right into playing with Cy and Jillian, who came home from their Dad's this morning. Alison and I attempted to work out together using my work-out DVD. She had never done it, and I hadn't done it, or pretty much anything for a week, so it was humorous.

Most of the day was hanging out and relaxing until all the rest of the family showed up. Then it was noisy and awesome.

Cousins and Grandma's house = crafts, colouring, and little bits of paper EVERYONE as the little girls love to make 'creations'. So there was a big job to clean up when it came time to set the table for dinner.

I'm taking every opportunity I can get to hold the little babies...

During dinner, we had the door open because it was so hot in the house. Logan decided he wanted to close it, but because a window was open too, the door wouldn't close without a good push...which Logan just didn't have in him. So he would close it, and then start to walk away when the wind would push it back open again. He kept thinking someone was at the door, so he'd look outside to see no one. It was fun to watch.

After Christmas dinner, we did the traditional Nativity, with all the grandkids acting out different parts. My mom orchestrated costumes for everyone in her bedroom, and it was quite the little surprise for all the parents. Max was a shepherd, Lucy and Logan were Wisemen.




After the Nativity it was present time. It was getting late and Logan was not in the mood for presents. So it was fast-tracked a bit.

All the grandkids got jammies from Grandma, so it was a quick change for everyone so we could snap a picture.

Then people who were staying, left, and our little kid lets went to bed.

Boxing Day

Today, we woke up, pretty much better. Still a lower appetite, but healthy. The plans for today were to go to the Mundy Christmas party at John and Marianne's, and then over to my parent's house to hang out. We are going to do Christmas day with the Bourne's tomorrow, so we decided to get a jump start and sleep over there tonight.

Going to the Mundy's always involves a lot of food. So there was a lot of food prep in the morning and early afternoon. Lucy helped Auntie Sarah make Santa Hats from two-bite brownies and strawberries.

Lucy and Max headed to the party with Grandma and Papa, while Tyler and I stayed home while Logan napped, and so we could pack up our stuff for a few days in Calgary.

The party was great fun with lots of people and lots of visiting. I think my kids enjoyed the bon-fire outside the best. Logan always loves riding in Papa's truck the best.

When we got to my parent's it was pretty much bedtime, so we had to set the kids up right away. Logan got his jammies on, and so did Auntie Alison, so they spent the next 20 minutes saying, "Tada!" because of jammies.

Tonight, after the kids went to bed, the grown-ups played Disney Trivial Pursuit and eating WAAAAY too much food. But that's what Christmas is about, no?

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning, we woke up feeling much better! I had a crazy drug-induced sleep, but my back was significantly better by morning. Max had thrown up a few times in the night, but Logan slept, which was also great news.

Because Christmas was on a Sunday, we opted to go to church first and then do gifts. Well, the healthy people went to church. Tyler stayed home with the boys, and Janie, who was queazy, stayed home and slept. The rest of us headed off to church. Max was the most disappointed that he didn't get to wear his new suit with all his other cousins, so we promised him next week. I was concerned that Max and Logan would have a hard time keeping hands off the presents while they waited, so Tyler set up a movie for them downstairs, and they were good to go.

Church in Cochrane was wonderful. It was good to see all our friends there, and I really enjoyed the Musical Sacrament Meeting that Ali organized. It was really excellent.

When we got home it was back into jammies and time to open presents!!




Highlights:

Gift from Grandma and Papa to everyone - a trip to the new Science Center later that week...

Gift from Grandma to all the eligible ladies (that is, 6 and older) - tickets to Beauty and the Beast at the Jubilee!!!

New Apron for me, which I love!

Fairy books GALLORE for Lucy

Homemade Stockings for our family from Kari

Trucks and tractors for Logan

Remote Control Truck for Max

Pirate and Princess colouring faces from Jacob and Sarah

Awesome matching jammies for me and Tyler - Pilsbury Dough Boy. No offence taken...by me. Tyler on the other hand...

We played, napped, and made Christmas dinner.



It was all AWESOME!

December 23rd & 24th - Hanging at Grandma's

Friday morning we woke up ready to play. Lucy and Max had slept in Grandma and Papa's room. They specifically went out and bought a new King Sized bed, just so grandkids could sleep with them. So that's what they did. Papa was tired, so he went to bed with the kids. When Grandma went to go to bed, there was no room in the king-sized bed for her. So she bunked with Janeen in her room, and Logan in his crib. The next night, we set up an air-mattress on the floor for Lucy and Max to sleep on, so Grandma could have her bed back.

Kari and Barrett had arrived late in the night and were excited to come up to the big house (they were staying with Sarah and Tyson in the Trailer) to see everyone. So there were more hugs and hellos and the traditional pancake breakfast that always accompanies the first day at Grandma's. Pancakes with of special shapes too.

Lucy and Max were both missing school to be at Grandma's and they were supposed to have a pyjama day at school, eat treats, do a Christmas craft and watch "The Polar Express", so we promised Lucy that she would get to do all those things at Grandma's. Therefore, the kids stayed in their jammies ALL day.


Except for a few minutes to try on the new suits that Grandma bought for each of her grandsons. Lucy and Baby Sarah got matching dresses, but somehow we didn't get a picture of those.


Papa and Grandma had also bought a Christmas train to go around the tree, which never did get set up around the tree, because there were too many presents. But they set it up in the music room and it was a hit for the entire trip.


The day was also spent putting a puzzle together. We ended up doing about 6 different puzzles over the course of our time there. It's a Christmas tradition.

Lucy got some fun crafts from Grandma and decided to start making a family tree. She was making each person's face. Unfortunately, her table space got over-taken and the project was never finished. But it was a nice idea.

Christmas Eve was supposed to be spent at Bourne's, but unfortunately, Logan was up through the night, upset, and ended up puking on Christmas Eve morning. He still had a major appetite, so we hoped it would be short lived, but it turned out that it ended up hitting a lot of people on both sides of the family, hard and fast. Tammy and her girls, my parents, Logan, Grandma Janielee, and finally Max, late into the evening. Bathrooms at both houses were well occupied most of the day.

Before Max got sick tonight, Papa and Tyler decided to set up the quad and take the boys out for a pull on the tube. They had a great time, and it was good for Logan to get some fresh-air. Soon after coming inside is when Max started to get sick. Poor boy. He was so chipper and pleasant through it all.

Logan ended up puking on me about 7 times within 45 minutes that evening. I felt like I was in the worst fashion show ever. Parading a different outfit every 3 minutes, only to have it puked on. I'm so grateful that my older two children are old enough to make it to the bathroom before puking. Logan, I will be happy when that day comes for you too.

Through all my hefting of pukey children, I ended up throwing my back out and was laid up on the floor, in the worst pain I have experience in a long time. Barrett and Papa administered priesthood blessings to me, Logan, Max and Tyler (who was starting to feel queazy). Janeen ran to town to get some ginger ale for all, some robaxacet for me, and juice. Thanks Janeen! Scott also gave me half a percocet to ease the pain in my back. I was shivering on the floor with pain when Logan came and cuddled up to me and fell asleep, face-down on the hardwood floor. Poor guy.

Max passed out on the arm chair.

After we got kids settled into bed (Lucy went with Janeen down to Sarah and Tyson's to sleep in their bed as they were at Merrill's, so they could avoid the sick people), we all started wrapping Christmas presents. The meds I was on helped a great deal. Then it was off to dream land with a prayer, hoping Christmas day would be better.

Logan slept all night. (HALLELUJAH!) and I was so dopey from drugs I don't think i could have been much help if it was different. In face, Max was up in the night 3 times. I heard him once but wasn't able to bring myself out of the drug-fog to do anything about it. Good thing for Grandmas! And an even 'good-thing' for the Priesthood. It saved me that day. It's hard to be a mom of sick kids, away from home, with a hurt back who can't do anything to help her kids who need her. It was especially hard that Lucy was well and excited for Santa and Christmas, and I had had all these plans to make the evening magical, and it just wasn't coming together. Again, thank goodness for Grandma and Janeen who created the magic for her. Cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.


Here's hoping for a better Christmas Day!

December 23rd - Travel

Today was a very exciting and exhausting day of travel. Of course, to prepare for this very long and exhausting day of travel we decided it would be wise to stay up well past midnight making JibJab videos of our kids dancing around like elves. Very wise. But, they were hilarious and we just couldn't help ourselves.

Our plan was to leave the house at 9am so we could get to Ottawa before 11 and be well prepared to board our flight. We didn't leave until 9:30, but it all worked out. Driving consisted of the kids watching their make-shift DVD player and eating left-over pizza. And talking about how excited we were that the day was FINALLY HERE!!

When we got to the airport we had planned to park in the park-n-fly for the 2 weeks. Of course, there was a shuttle bus that would take us from our car to the airport that I hadn't even considered. Logan spends most of his days watching other people in our family getting on buses and begging me to let him go too. So as the bus drove up, Logan was still buckled into his carseat, so we could load luggage. I told him, "Logan, the bus is here!" He responded by saying, "Logan, me, bus!" And finally, I could say yes! I think that was the most thrilling part of the day for him.

I love the Ottawa airport. It's so clean and beautiful and quiet. They got us through security SO quickly and then we got to hangout by these GIANT windows to watch for our plane to come in.

They don't have things for the kids to play with, like they do at the Calgary airport, but it's just so beautifully spacious! And I had plenty to entertain with in my giant carry-on bag I had purchased JUST for this occasion. Plus, it'll be my church bag once we get home. It's so beautiful!

The plane arrived, and it was time to go! Again, boarding an airplane is much more exciting then the actual airplane ride. and airplane ride gets old after 4 hours.

We watched a lot of videos and tv. I brought crayons and colouring books. Logan played with a few toys. He got fussy for about 20 minutes when he was getting over-tired and the turbulence was too bad to allow for us to get up from our seats so I could change his diaper...it's hard to let a tired boy fall asleep on the plane when his diaper is soaking wet. So we waited it out. We were finally able to change his diaper, and then he had his bottle and fell asleep. It was a beautifully quiet 45 minutes.



I soon discovered that our plane ride was about 40 minutes too long. A movie takes just less than 2 hours, plus some colouring and tv shows gets us to about 3 1/2 hours. the last 40 minutes was difficult. But we made it. We purchased cashews and apple slices and pringles to distract the kiddos with food. All except Max...he was fully distracted by the movies and tv. I didn't hear a peep out of him for 4 hours. Pretty amazing.

Because Logan isn't 2 yet, we didn't have to pay for a seat for him. But then he always has to be sitting on someone's lap, which he doesn't love. There was a lady behind us who was acting RIDICULOUS on the flight, complaining loudly and obnoxiously when Tyler put his seat back a few inches. At one point, she leaned forward and angrily said, "Can you put your seat up!" Seriously. We have 5 people crowded into 4 seats. 3 of those people are 6 and under...give us a break! Anyway, we dealt with it. There was a little boy who threw up on the flight as well....thankfully not mine! I offered the mom some children's gravol that I had and then avoided that section of the plane.

Through all that, we finally made it! We landed in Calgary! The kids were giddy. Truthfully, so was I. Off the plane and down the hallway to be greeted by a huge crowd of family! Way more people than I expected to be there! It was so fun!


Hugs all around and time to get our luggage. It's never a good thing when you hear them page you to come to the luggage counter. Never a good thing. One suitcase didn't make it. They told us it was on the following flight and they would deliver it to us later that evening. Ok. We can deal. Of course, it was the one with Max's coat, all the pjs...and later, I discovered, the one with all the diapers! I had barely enough in my giant (awesome) purse to last me the evening. Phew!



Papa surprised the kids with a special visitor, strapped in the back of the truck.


We all headed to my parent's house for some dinner and visiting. It was a GREAT way to start the Christmas celebrating! It was a late night by the time we got to Williamson's and got set-up for the night, but thankfully the kids were seemingly resilient.







Yes, it is Christmas and not St. Patrick's Day...

Max kept saying, "I don't remember any of this" as we drove out to Cochrane. I was disappointed that his memory would fail so quickly. But when we got into Grandma and Papa's house, we took a quiet moment while he was in the bathroom. "Do you remember any of this, Max?" "Yeah, I remember this house. Look mom, they even got new soap!" Yes, after 6-months, the thing my son notices first is the new soap in Grandma's bathroom.

Tomorrow, it's time for hanging out at Grandma and Papa's and spending time with Kari, Barrett and Luke. They should be arriving sometime tonight too!