Colder than Frights

Wow, this has been the coldest spell in a long time. I know that when the middle of December starts to get close, I believe that we are on the back side of winter. But how wrong am I when we keep hearing from the weather man it is going to get colder and just a little more snow.
We have been busy with Christmas parties, visiting folks, finishing up the baking & Christmas cards. But that's all part of December - every year we go through the same rituals of trying to accomplish all these things.
It's also hard to believe that tomorrow will be one week until Christmas eve and then the following day Jack and I leave for Minneapolis, MN...yes, you read correctly. I bought Jack tickets for the NFL game on Dec. 28th and so we are going to brave even colder weather (outside) than Calgary. They get all the cold weather from Winnipeg so that should be pretty much what we are getting the latter part of this week, we should experience it again next week. However, we are staying only 3 miles from the Mall of America and this is a much heated indoor, 550 businesses to shop, eat and explore in. I think that a good couple of days exploring this place should keep us very warm. Plus the football stadium is indoors with around 70,000 adoring fans (Jack bought ear plugs). We hope to also get a chance to see the refinery that our Alberta crude oil is shipped to. This is where one of the offices that I work for is located. Then on the 30th we head to New Jersey to surprise my parents who are at my sister's place for New Years eve. That should be fun, just not sure if we will get into New York or not....pretty crazy time with the ball dropping at time square etc.
So I am counting the days down until our kids & families are brought together on Christmas eve and then off to a cold, very cold destination. This will be a much needed rest of a holiday (after all how much shopping can one person really do)???

December Rush

I like to call this time of the year "December Rush"...because that is just what everyone does....rush, rush, rush...rush for a parking stall, then rush into the store (until you have to pay for something then there is no rush as the register lines are all really, really long). Our work just collected $800 from 13 folks so our company will match our money. We went to Neighborlink and got 2 families to support. Now everyone is rushing around trying to get clothes etc. for people that we haven't even met. I just got off the phone with my boss (who just happens to be the President) and even he said how hard it was to shop for little boys that he hasn't met etc. He did say that he will be talking with his 6 year old son about giving up some of the toys that he doesn't play with. Very commendable!
I have my Christmas party downtown tomorrow night and again it will be a rush...from first thing in the morning right up until we rush to the restaurant to set the tables with cenre pieces and names....plus I have to make up a list of instructions for my boss to read...again, rush, rush, rush.
Jack is in Regina at board meetings so things are a little more quiet here. He is due home tomorrow afternoon just in time to rush home from the airport to change clothes and rush out the door....there's that word again about rush. So I guess that I will end this with, "I have to go rush out and finish the dishes, get the laundry going and figure out my dress for tomorrow night...rush, rush, rush!!!! I'm sure that most can relate.

Christmas Rush

Well November is almost complete and now we move onto the busiest month of the year. I love this time of the year, with all the colors, music but best of all the friends & family that come to our home for the holidays. I love to bake and cook and share with everyone. This year we are planning on 13 for Christmas Eve dinner (Jaelyn, Rob & 3 girls), Ryan, Ashley(Bre's friend) Breanne, Marc, Nicole and Cecil. It should be fun having dinner, opening gifts and then playing the fun gift exchange. Then we move onto the real fun - playing Wii. We had a great time at Breanne's birthday so this should be a blast.
I have already done my first turkey dinner with Christmas baking by having my bunco ladies in for our annual Christmas bunco & gift exchange. We had a great time and my great friend, Barb bought me a beautiful flower arrangement for my table..so thoughtful. Barb and my neighbor Patti helped me clear up, move furniture, and then clear up again - what great friends I have...they were my guests but still have a heart as big as ever to help get things done. Thank you my dear friends.
Then yesterday I took the plate of left over baking to the office to share with my "guys" and they loved it (as usual). It was nice that they appreciated all the hard work that goes into making so many squares & cookies.
Today is a day to do some shopping and then start with all our outings for get togethers. We have chosen to go out rather than have everyone in all the time. It is easier for all of us that way...Jack and I plus some of our guests.
So with that I must go and get breakfast going and then get out the door to do a little more shopping.
Merry Ho Ho and Happy Shopping/Decorating/Baking or whatever is on your list!!!!

Grey Cup Champions

Yes we are!!!!! Can you believe that game! It was a close score and who knew that after the first half that we would be on the cup side of things. But we were - thanks to Coach Huffer who can instill faith and belief in a team. Calgary has pulled off something very good after living through these times of all the layoffs etc. happening in this oil city. To all our friends & family - it feels so good to be the winner of the 2008 Grey Cup! Go Stamps Go!!!!

BC In 24 Hours

What a week this has been - first I had the flu and thought that the week would never end and then Jack left to go down to Post Falls, ID for a church conference. That didn't help and it made me very lonely for him. But the days ticked by and I knew that I would be going out to Vancouver for Uncle Ian's surprise retirement party and what a party. The worst part was getting up at 4:30 a.m. two days in a row. And I never sleep well so I'm usually awake every 40 - 70 mins. worrying if the alarm clock will go off. But I flew out, took our gps and was able to find the downtown hotel and even find a shopping centre that we visited a couple times many years ago. I even was able to give Dana & Rachelle directions from the ferry to the mall so they could follow me downtown to our hotel. But one of the other hilights was watching the Stampeders beat the Lions while watching the game in the lounge of Moxies Restaurant. Of course it was hard to contain the cheering when the room was so packed with Lions or Canuck fans - all who were dressed up in their jerseys. After the game it was time to decorate the room and get appies ready for the party. After that it was a pj party in my aunt & uncle's room just catching up with everyone before heading off to bed to have another early morning. This morning I was once again able to find the airport even at 5 am and dark, rainy, foggy weather. It was good leave but coming home to snow was a start..yet this is Calgary so wait one day it will be up to plus 11 tomorrow.
Jack is home and had a productive week so that is good. Now we will just have to get things in order for Christmas Bunco and then the real Christmas before we are off to Minneapolis for a Vikings football game.
Have a good week everyone and remember just over 30 days before Christmas!

Not Well But Still Busy

Have you ever had one of those days, weeks that you never felt well. I just can't seem to shake this nasty head cold that I got before Thanksgiving and then on top of it all I got the flu on Monday...the worst day as it was Breanne's party. I had to have Jack pick me up from work early as I couldn't take the pounding head ache and the running to the bathroom all the time (I will save you from the details). Well here it is Wednesday and I feel a bit better...okay maybe not. I still have the headache and my stomach still hurts but at least my bathroom trips have slowed down. This is a great way to lose weight. So I'm home from work and trying to slowly clean out all my fall things as I have a Christmas dinner here on the 27th and the house has to look that way. Jack left with the ladies (Chris & Brandi) to head down to Post Falls, ID for a conference. He will be gone for four days and then I will be gone so we hope to hook back up on Sunday...that will be weird as neither of us like to be apart for any length of time. I always think that it would be okay, and then by the first day I really miss him..must be love!
I am also requesting prayers for my brother-in-law Steph who lives in the U.S. He has had some bad back problems and each time the doctors tell him that it is a pinched nerve, well it turns out that through an MRI he has 2 compressed vertebrae in his mid back. They don't think surgery is an option because if surgery doesn't go well he could end up paralyzed. Very scary especially at a time in the US that people are being laid off from their jobs. He is a manager and has had to do lots of that through out the past couple of months. My sister is very scared and doesn't know what she can do for her husband. I ask for prayers that the doctors may find a way of relieving him from his pain and getting him back to his job so that he can care for his family. I ask that they are able to stay in the US and have their sons continue their school year. Thank you.

November 2008

Did I mention how much I like the Christmas Season (which is almost upon us)...when I see poppies being sold then I know that we are really close to getting out those Xmas ornaments. I play in a dice game with 11 other ladies called Bunco and we only play on the last Thursday of eight months of the year. Well I have the distinct honor of hosting our Christmas dinner/gift exchange and bunco on November 27th this year, so my house has to be all dressed up for Christmas. Being the Christmas fool that I am, I will have no problem in getting the inside of my house ready. Jack will be away mid-November so that is the time that I plan to accomplish most of my decorating. Actualy today, I persuaded my dear loving husband to come outside and help me get our Xmas Candy Canes & white Christmas tree up..actually the weather was at least plus 18 and no wind, so why not put up all these outside decorations while it is so warm...that's what I told him. But I also needed to rake up the neighbors leaves and some of ours in the back yard. Beautiful day! My bunco theme is Christmas - Elegant Entertaining...I asked that all the ladies dress for the evening.
The new light renovations are coming along very slowly. We had to return several lights yesterday as we realized that they were the wrong kind. Then we bought some other ones that I think will be much better. Jack invested in a new 6' ladder to help him with some tall fixtures...hopefully we can get the bathroom ones changed out this week as I will have some painting to do once that happens, and you know I don't want it to interfere with my Christmas decorating time frame.
So October has finished up on a good note and we are into November. Breanne will be turning 24 on the 10th of November...hard to believe my oldest daughter is almost a quarter of a century old. Time has a way of flying by. I remember laying her on the couch in early December 1984 while I put up the Christmas lights and her eyes were wide open looking at all the twinkling lights blinking off and on. Maybe that is why I enjoy this time of the year so much.
Time to go and get dinner started...Greek Chicken burgers tonight with greek salad. Might as well bbq while we can. I will keep you posted on the renovations for the week. Have a good one.
PS: Prayers requested for Jenn & Justin Mooney as they under a c-section for their triplets tomorrow. May God give the doctors a steady hand as they bring new life into this world. Such a miracle! Bless them all.