Memories On The Go: Christmas 2011

What a wonderful Christmas we have had.

We picked up Kyle from the bus station on December 21st and then Camille from the train station, both in Chatham, on December 23rd.

Kyle went up to London later on the 23rd to be with a friend and then came back on Christmas Eve with Oma and our friend Katherine.

We always have a traditional supper of cheese and crackers, sausage rolls, vegetables and dip before we head out to to go caroling armed with backed goods to our neighbours - as many as we can find home!

Then we come back to get ready for more of our traditions with all the home made baking that has been going on around our place.

Oma with Camille

Some of us getting ready to watch our tradtional Christmas Eve movie...

Intermission - with Oma wrestling with Kyle

How we set up the living room so Oma doesn't have to go downstairs for the TV

This is our tradition to watch this Christmas classic

I even think we even managed to get to sleep before midnight this year...which meant we couldn't open stockings early. AND Irene reminded me we had company and the plan was to open the stockings together this year like we did last year. Drats!

For some reason it has become tradition for me to capture this perennial picture of early Christmas Day risers before stockings or gifts are opened.

Not quite fully awake yet - Camille, Kyle and Katherine

But wait! We're missing someone...

OMA!!

Katherine and Camille opening their stockings

Kyle sleepily enjoying what Santa had brought him

Oma thrilled with something in her stocking

Katherine and Camille enjoying their goodies

Kyle discovering a new use for his stocking..a giraffe puppet!

Yes, this is Kyle...being innovative with his Tupperware onion holder

So we quickly opened stockings, had bacon sandwhiches on toasted bread, and then showered and prepared ourselves for church where Kyle did a reading of a poem he wrote and Dad (I) spoke as well as others and we sang the carols of the season together.

We came back home for homemade cinnamon rolls for lunch and opened up the gifts to each other. Then we made time for a Sunday afternoon nap while the turkey was cooking.

One special gift Irene had made for her Mom is a Crazy Quilt (style of quilting) square with memories of Holland. It has taken Irene a year to do after taking a class and finding the right materials, Dutch trinkets and flags, etc. to make this all up. Irene framed it in a shadow box.

Special gift opened up by Oma

Irene explaining the quilt

Closer view of the quilt

Later on the doorbell rang. Irene went to the door but no one was there. Not even a note or package on the doorstep.

The doorbell rang again. Both Irene and I went to the door. There was Andrew and Marci! They had driven down and had planned this all along to surprise us and be with us on Christmas Day.

They had been outside trying to get connected to our wi-fi connection to Skype us and suprise us that way. But I have a new wireless router and the password was changed.

What a lovely surprise!

Then we opened up gifts to and from and Andrew and Marci.