The Day after Christmas

Cathi took the little boys and went to Oklahoma to pick up Brandy and Jeremy today. Greg enjoyed his first day of vacation between jobs and hung out with an old friend. I sorted eleven loads of laundry and made a dent in accomplishing them. I also spent much of the day trying to catch up on my blogging from October with Kevin, November with Greg's kids, and Christmas.

When Cathi returned with the big kids, Gabe was glad to be in Daddy's arms again! He is very much Daddy's boy!

Brandy and Jeremy are growing up and are delightful kids!!! So nice to have them back home. I was shocked to notice that Jeremy is taller than I am -- probably a good two inches taller!!!! I did not notice it when they were at my house last month!

We had dinner at a favorite Mexican restaurant along with the friend of Greg's who "played" with him all day.

After dinner, we took Brandy and Jeremy to see the awesome light display we saw on Saturday night! They loved it too!

Christmas!!!!

Kien asked for drums but parents were wiser and gave him a guitar which plays songs, and has an attached microphone which works!

Kien opened a BibleMan outfit -- the armor from Ephesians 6: The Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God). Certainly a BIG hit along with another sword that makes noises and extends.



Plus he got a guitar with microphone that works!

Gabe is a ball player! He throws and catches very well for a 2 year old! He now has a basketball and hoop, and makes most shots!!!! :-0

Gabe is also a car-man -- like his Daddy!!! He LOVES cars!!!! So he got a car wash and car ramp with firehouse.

After plenty of sword activity, Kien was wiped out!

For breakfast, we had a Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus -- angel food cake frosted with whipped cream and strawberries. YUM!

Blowing out the candles!

Then, it was time for church. The children were called forward for a Children's Sermon.

The sermon brought on a nap for Gabe.

Both boys were very well behaved in church!

I commented on being out of practice doing something, and Kien piped up, "Don't give up, Grandma!"

The day was spent playing with new toys, napping, and Grandma fixed a ham dinner for our Christmas feast. But we missed the two big kids.

Christmas Eve Day

Today was spent preparing for Christmas and playing with the boys.

I made Candy Cane Cookies with Kien. Kien was very good at rolling the dough into "worms." He made pink ones and I made white ones, then we twisted them together. Cathi took pictures, but I don't have them. :|

After dinner, Greg and Cathi had heard about a fabulous light display at a house not far away. We went to check it out. PHENOMENAL!!!! By Googling "Lake Country Christmas," you can see videos of various songs performed by the computerized display. Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nch7nEL9gw8
We all loved it!!!

Greg's Birthday

Grandma flew to Texas yesterday to be with Greg and his family over birthdays and Christmas

Today is Greg's birthday. The big kids are with their Dad in OK over Christmas. So it is only the little boys, Cathi, and me to celebrate Greg's day. We met him at his work at lunchtime and went to an all-you-can-eat spaghetti restaurant nearby.
Fortunately, they sat us in a room by ourselves as Gabe cried and cried and cried. He was having a 2-year-old meltdown because he had to leave his M&M container in the car. Not only does he look like Karin, but the crying reminded me of her too! ;-) Another thing about him like Karin: when he awakens in the morning, he stays in his bed! He never tried to climb out of his crib and now he is in a toddler bed and does not get up until told he can!!!! Karin never got out of bed until told she could! Amazing! Greg was NOT that way! LOL We had to put the side of his crib down fairly early so that he would not kill himself climbing out.

Tomorrow is Greg's last day of working at MAACO after 4.5 years. He has many personal things there to bring home -- including 2 vehicles. So I drove his S10 truck home after lunch.

For his birthday dinner, Greg chose Joe's Crab Shack. Gabe had fun finding all the "wishes" (fishes) on the walls and ceiling!

Gabe definitely has a love affair with Daddy!

Greg and Cathi shared a crab dinner.

Christmas is coming, and there are still lots of preparations to do. We went shopping at Walmart for some gifts and groceries so that Grandma can make cookies tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Day

Before breakfast, Gabe was playing with the Matchbox cars and made "garages" for them between the stair spindles! Clever kid!

We had pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage, and all the trimmings for our Thanksgiving Day breakfast.

It took a couple of hours to pack up everything and get it all in the van again. They brought an amazing amount of stuff and managed to fit is all very well into the van with extra hamburger box on top.

Kien asked me three times during their stay why Karin died! He also asked me why some people are bigger than others, so we talked about God making people in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Cathi said he is being ridiculed by kids his age for being so tiny. Today he asked me why Karin is "Mama Karin." I explained that he was just a baby when he lived with her, and babies learn to say mama before saying mommy. What a memory he has! The last time I saw him in May, he noted my aging, sagging skin on my elbows and asked what was wrong with my elbow. I told him it is "old skin." This time, he told me, "I have old skin on my elbows"!!!! LOL Not quite!


Brandy made an interesting observation today. She said that grandmothers with dogs, grandmothers with cats, and grandmothers with no pets have different characteristics. Grandmothers with dogs are lively and energetic. Grandmothers with cats are laid back. And grandmothers with no pets are just grandmothers. I am glad I am in the lively and energetic category!

Jeremy continues to be a bit of a daredevil. He was jumping around our stone walls and over the stairs. Then he threatened to do a backflip off the boulders behind our driveway. Thankfully, it was only talk and not action!

The boys were ready to go with their paper trucks from Montana's yesterday.


On their way. . .

The house was VERY quiet and lonely after they left at 1pm.

CN Tower

Kien having breakfast.

Grampa arrived this morning to ride with us downtown to see the CN Tower. We parked under the Canada Lands offices.


It is such a treat to have VIP service and not wait in line or even pay the enormous charges for a trip of the Tower.

We rode to the restaurant level, then up to the observation deck looking down on the new EdgeWalk platform on top of the restaurant.



We stood on the glass floor and had our picture taken! Greg is afraid of heights, so walking on the glass floor was NOT something he wanted to do. We told him to only look up. The photographer encouraged him and offered to hold his hand. Greg said, "I am not touching you!"
Mid-afternoon, we stopped at Montana's in Mississauga on our way home. We had a fabulous lunch with a super attentive waiter who gave us extra things including paper cars for the little boys.

Greg's family arrives

Greg, Cathi, and four kids left Texas on Friday night, drove to Omaha, then Chicago, then to my house in Canada, arriving very late Monday night.

Tuesday morning, everyone liked Grandma's homemade banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins. Kien and Gabe especially liked picking the chocolate chips out!

Jeremy had to keep Guinness from eating his!

Guinness demanding Brandy's attention.


Grandma had toys and books out of the little ones.

Karin & Greg's old FP farm was a hit!

Gabe did a clever thing! Something I have not seen any child do! He placed a FP person ON each of his fingers as if they were puppets!!!


The boys liked Grandma's piano too!


Plus Grandma bought a Lightening McQueen ride-on car for them.

Gabe is transfixed with Lightening McQueen and Mader. He has multiples of them in different sizes and needs to be carrying at all times!

Greg wanted to show Niagara Falls to the kids, as who knows when, if ever, they will be back here to see it! We left late afternoon in the rain.

Note the Lightening McQueen in Gabe's hand!


It was nightfall by the time we arrived in the drizzling rain. They saw the falls with colored lights on them. I'm not sure the little ones realized the majesty of the falls in the lights, as, to me, the falls looked like a movie!

We had dinner at Swiss Chalet at Greg's request. Gabe is eating his ice cream.