Christmas

The Whole Family

This Christmas was wonderful. We had only been in our house four days when Lynda arrived with her two boys, Kegan and Chase. She helped to unpack a few boxes and move furniture to make room for everyone. Three days later Evette arrived with her husband, Richard and son, Zachary. Now we needed at least another piece of furniture in the living room in order for everyone to sit comfortably. We found a love seat which would accommodate two, but was enough because most of the time not everyone needed a place to sit and once the comfortable chairs were taken then the dinning room chairs were used.

In addition to the freezer, the two box springs, Richard's bike and the boxed Christmas tree, two strollers were added to the porch. The car seats were used for the babies in the living room when they weren't on someones lap or playing on the babies gym mat that Evette brought with her.

Zachary and Chase on the gym mat.

One of the first things Richard did was to pass the chores out. Smiley (Evette's husband Richard) would do the snow shoveling. The two girls would work out a menu and help in the kitchen with the meals. I would cook the Christmas dinner with the help of everyone else. Ian would be in charge of clearing dishes and packing the dishwasher once he arrived. Richard would be busy with Church duties and I would help as needed. Most of the time I was holding my two little grandsons; or helping with Kegan.

Lynda and Evette Christmas afternoon

Kegan had a little job too. Kegan handed the gifts out and put the wrapping paper in the garbage bag. Part of our family tradition is to have only one person open a gift at a time so gift opening took most of the afternoon. This meant that Kegan was kept amused all afternoon as he tried to help everyone open their gifts.

Kegan on Grandpa's knee having a story read

It became difficult at times for Richard to read to his grandson as Wyneken would get jealous and insist on sitting on the book. He did not want to be left out of the activities.

Zachary, Nanny and Chase

This was my favourite time, when ever I had the chance I would have at least one of the babies and sometimes both. As these two little ones are only 13 days apart it was like having twins in the house. Actually several of the ladies at church thought they were twins and found it very interesting that each baby belonged to one of our girls.

Smiley (Richard) on the Wii Fit board

This was the favourite activity of Evette, Smiley and Lynda. Once Kegan was in bed and usually when Richard and I had turned in they would play on the Wii and drink beer or what ever was the drink of choice. The two girls made sure they had breast milk on hand for those times when they could not nurse their son due to their enjoyment the night before.

Ian doing his favourite activity

Ian was only with us for two days as he had to get back to Fernie, BC to be on duty on the 27th. The other three kids tried to get him to play on the Wii with them but he wouldn't. At least we had his favourite Christmas food, mince tarts, Lynda made them for us.

This was the best Christmas Richard and I have had since the children were young. Actually it is the first Christmas in about 15 years that all three of our children were home with us and of course the bonus was the addition of a son-in-law and three grandsons. Even though Christmas dinner was a fiasco, due to us not having a hood fan in the kitchen and it being far too cold to have the doors open and allow the smoke from the oven to escape. I had wanted us all to be sitting down at the dinning room table with the table looking festive, instead we sat around the living room with our plates of food on our laps. I did shed a few tears because I had wanted this perfect Christmas dinner and it didn't happen. But it was perfect because our whole family were home with us.

Ian, as I said left Boxing Day, Evette, Richard and Zachary left on the Saturday after Christmas and Lynda left on the Monday. I was glad that their leaving was staggered as it gave me chance to prepare for the next one to leave. I shed quiet tears as each family member left for their own homes. Ian to Fernie, BC. Evette and family to Victoria and then later they will be heading back to England. Lynda and her boys to Nanaimo, BC.

Hopefully we will see Lynda and the boys in the summer, maybe Ian too. It may be a few years before we see Evette, Richard and Zachary again.

Thank you kids for coming for Christmas and lets not leave it so many years before we do this again. I love you all.