Between Tim’s last few vacation days, overtime hours, and stat days, we were able to have 2 full weeks back in BC with our families for Christmas. And a full 2 weeks they were! Here is what we all got up to.
December 20
Travel day. It took 19 hours from our house to Tim’s parents’ house in Nanaimo.
Calvin was way too wound up during our ferry ride, for it being 10 pm.
December 21
In the afternoon we left the kids with the grandparents and went to do a little last minute gift buying and had a leisurely walk by the water. In the evening, we went to see Tim’s sister, Catherine, in the last performance of a Christmas production she was in.
Tim, Tim Hortons, and west coast drizzle. Great afternoon!
December 22
This was Sunday so there was church in the morning of course. We decided to do the Sevenhuysen Christmas that day instead of the 25th because Jordan and Amy needed to be in Abbotsford on the 24th. So we had our turkey dinner, played games and music, then opened gifts once the boys were in bed.
Auntie Lisa and Calvin dueting.
Turkey leg! Om nom nom!
December 23
We played with the puppy, Amber, and went for a walk.
Calvin wasn’t scared of her, but wasn’t super in to the puppy as much as she was in to him.
At the Nanaimo harbour.
December 24
Calvin helped Grandpa with chores in the barn and had fun chasing the alpacas around. We then went to the Christmas Eve service.
Here, piggy piggy piggy!
Vroom!
Handsome boys, all ready for church.
December 25
We woke up and after breakfast, the boys (well, mainly Calvin) got to open their gifts. Calvin wasn’t too interested, but rips some paper anyway. I’m kind of glad this kid is still not so in to presents. In the afternoon we went for a walk at Piper’s Lagoon. That evening we ferried back to the mainland and headed to my parents’ in Langley.
What’s inside? Clothes? Yay!
Family photo by the water.
A west coast beach.
December 26
This was the day of the Thiessen gathering. All my siblings and their children, with the exception of Isaac who was with his mom’s family for his birthday, came to my parents’ place and we had a wonderful day exchanging gifts, hanging out and eating our BBQ. Kate even dropped by on her way to Abbotsford from Vancouver!
Uncle Nathan and Victor exchanging grins.
Cul-de-sac hockey. Look! Remnants of snow!
Hi Kate!
December 27
I got together with two of my best friends, Carleigh (who left for a trip to Benin the next day) and Megan (who is due with their first baby in a couple weeks!). It is always so good to catch up with them.
The old trio, together again!
December 28
According to my lack of photos from this day, and a blank space on my calendar, nothing happened this day.
December 29
This was our Visit the Great Grandparents day! We went to Abbotsford and saw all of our grandparents who live there.
Calvin makes Opa smile.
Nana loves the babies!
My Oma and her husband (Uncle Abe) of a couple years. Love them!
December 30
My sister-in-law had a few of our cousins over to hang out with our babies. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…all the cute babies are in our family!
Piper (3 months), Victor (2 months), and Anna (5 months).
December 31
The boys (not including Victor because he is needy) stayed home and watched hockey while I went shopping with Megan for baby things. In the evening my parents went to some friends’ house, so we put the boys to bed at 8 and partied until 10pm.
There was a lot of hockey watching between Canucks and the World Juniors. This was the scene in the family room a lot of the time a lot of the days.
January 1
I got to see my friend Christine! In the afternoon we were going to hang out with my brother and his family, but that was unfortunately cancelled due to sickness.
High school buddies.
January 2
This was a full day! Our friends Anna and Karl graciously made the trip over from the island just to hang out with us for a few hours! Then we had dinner at a family friend’s place (whose daughter is a friend of mine and also has a young baby), followed by another trip to Abbotsford for an engagement party for Jordan and Amy.
Hi, friends!
The two cuties, watching while we ate.
January 3
We had brunch at Cora (it’s so hard not to put a “‘s” on the end of that) with all of Tim’s siblings who were on the mainland for various events. In the afternoon Tim’s friends from school back in Nanaimo who now live in Richmond, came over with their boys. This visit was cut short, again due to sickness. And we didn’t get any pictures. Sad. In the evening there was an extended family gathering of Tim’s side, you guessed it, in Abbotsford.
At Cora, they give the impatient children stamps and Cheerios.
January 4
We went to my sister and brother-in-law’s place for lunch then headed to Stanley Park with the entire family for a ride on the train. It was a really lovely day with all my siblings and nieces and nephews.
Boy cousins!
I’ve seen the new bridge a couple times now, but it still looks so beautiful and majestic next to the old, dinky orange one.
Oma, Grandpa, and all the grandchildren.
Let’s go training!
January 5
Travel day back to Edmonton. I could’ve done a separate post and called it “A Moose, Two Poops, and an Oops”, in which I tell the story of seeing a moose closer than I ever have, changing two super poops on my lap, and watching a car behind us spin out and slide into the meridian. But I decided to fit it all into its own sentence instead.
It was a full and lovely vacation. I was so glad to fit in visits with so many people. Normally I can only squeeze in one or two. When I think of how we originally were not going to plan on going back home for Christmas, I think we must have been crazy!