I am so behind in posting, I don't even know where to start...
Loving the new Brandon Flowers album, Darryl brought it home the other day not knowing I liked him too, and we both love it and can't turn it off. For me, it's partly because we listened to it NYE and it was so much fun the music helps me re-live the fun-ness. P.S. How is it possible that The Lower Lights, Mindy Gledhill and Meghan Smith all made Christmas albums in 2011????? That was the best gift of all!
Christmas cooking, parties, Kaycee Gardens, etc. We had our annual baking day and the farm with my Grandma and sisters, and we churned out 13 delish Christmas treats, the kids really loved it this year. My Grandma's house is pretty magical when you are a kid. My Grandpa was really good and patient with the kids while we were busy, it makes me laugh to hear him tell them the same jokes he always told me and my brothers and sisters hundreds of times. My parents took the kids to the annual Nativity Pageant that their ward puts on, while I had dinner with Mel, Val and Orleigh who was in town for Christmas. I was so much fun, Orleigh had us crying/laughing while she made her biscotti. My kids loved the pageant too, they have had a little Mary/Joseph/Shepherd obsession this Christmas and I love it. Darryl and I both mentioned that it would be nice to take credit for our kids focusing so much on the real meaning of Christmas at such a young age, but sadly we can't. We did act out the Nativity with cousins and friends, but my parents taking them to the pageant and singing The Nativity song at church started it all, and they were so cute listening to the cd over and over again, taking turns holding up the star, so cute. Carter was constantly saying "Shepherd song again Mommy!
Christmas Eve at our house was the highlight for me. For 30 years, Christmas had been at my Gran's, but being in her late 70's my Papa thought she should throw in the towel (the only thing she was in charge of this year was her traditional trifle, so we all had a good laugh that she forgot it on the counter when she left the house. She didn't laugh though) so I hosted this year and it was so much fun. I wish you could bottle magical days like that. I have to be honest, I am no master chef. I can host a fun party and make things look pretty, but after almost anything I host, I think to myself, the food could've been better. But luckily this wasn't the case on Christmas Eve. With about 25 phone calls to my Grandma, I produced a juicy turkey with perfect gravy to match. My Grandpa made Chlo a beautiful doll house that brought me to tears, we laughed at Andrew putting Papa's gift card in a Snuggie box, I wish I had picture of my Dad and Uncle Jay with their "Komet Hockey" t-shirts, Char and I were so grateful to our parents making a donation to our favourite charity "One Heart Bulgaria" as a surprise gift to us too. The only downside was that the Spanish half of the family wasn't there, with Suzie being so tiny and all the Spanish celebrations being held Christmas Eve as well. Darryl and I had finished all the wrapping ahead of time, for the first time ever, so it was nice to go to bed at a decent hour too.
Christmas Day was awesome too, minus Carter's barfing. One time we even caught it on video while opening gifts. I wish we had the camera rolling at my in-laws when we went for Christmas dinner and we were just about to bless and Carter barfed all over the table and floor. It was so disgusting, but sooo cute, because he just looked up and said "Oh shoot. I barfed. Shoot. Sorry."
It was relaxing to take a couple of hours to open gifts and have a new traditional breakfast of hot chocolate, ham and Apple Cinnamon Strata. The kids loved their gifts, but next year, I really am going to just get 4 things each, because they get bored of opening, and they don't really need much. We could've gotten Chloe just her Barbie Make-up case and a dress and she would've been set, plus that was all she really even asked for or wanted. Oh, and plastic high heels. We wrote To Chloe From Carter on the shoes and it was so cute, she thanked him so many times.
Boxing Day was probably my favourite day. Darryl went to Future Shop at 5am to buy a Blackberry Playbook, I wanted to buy him one for Christmas, but he said they would be way cheaper if we waited and he was right. He came home at 7am, I was wide awake and all 3 kids were asleep, so we cuddled in the basement and watched it's A Wonderful Life with hot chocolate and leftover plum pudding (my grandma made it, it's heavenly with orange sauce on top) It doesn't get more festive than that, does it? Then when the kids did get up, he took them shopping while I sorted through my computer and organized everything on the external hard drive. I took 3 hours, but it felt soooo good to sift through dozens of RS lessons and thousands of pictures and put them in their proper place and eat turkey/turnips/cranberry while doing it.
The next day we went to my Gran and Papa's for their fifty-something anniversary and some trifle. The kids played and laughed while my grandparents pulled out all their old Scottish songs and rhymes. It's always so nostalgic for me to watch my grandparents do the same things for my kids as they did for me. I feel really lucky. Papa pushed them in the pink chair while he sang "Shoo Shaggy oor the glen" and "roon aboot, roon aboot" My Gran swung them around by their arms and legs. Chlo tried on Gran's earrings while Carter played in the china cabinet. Nothing in that house is off limits, but it did make me nervous watching Carter have a tea party with 100 year old china. As my Gran said, it was magic. We went to Yorkdale to wonder around The Rainforest Cafe before we plowed through the storm and headed home.
New Year's Eve we got up and at 'em to take the kids to go see Pinkalicious. I don't know who loves her more, Chlo or Carter, they both get get enough of her. They honestly were star-struck for the entire 60 minutes, they loved it. Carter has kissed his Silverlicious book goodnight ever since. Darryl is a little concerned.
When we got home we had our traditional NYE meal cooked on a raclette, reminiscent of Darryl's days in France. NYE is his holiday. We eat escargot, smelly cheeses and all kinds of things of that sort. The kids loved it. They liked being able to cook it themselves and they especially loved the Brandon Flowers dance party that followed. All 5 of us were asleep by 8:45pm.
I think 2011 was the best year yet, mostly because of Miss Claire. She truly is an angel sent from above. I couldn't have asked for a calmer, quieter, peaceful, sweeter little soul to come to our family. The 4 of us could learn a lot from her. She completes us so perfectly. And her cough is hilarious, I have to video tape it. She is so beautiful, my teeny tiniest baby by far, still wearing some newborn stuff at 3 and a half months. She really is pure joy. She has just started laughing, first time was at Ollie, second time was at Chloe dancing to Popcorn Popping. She is the sweetest. Chlo just loves her, kissing her face off is the first thing she does every morning. Carter loves her too, but don't try and call her by any type of nickname, he doesn't like that. "Baby Dare!!!!" he'll scream at me if I call her Claire-Bear or anything else. It's kind of funny actually.
Here's to 2012.....
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