Quiet Christmas Eve (Dec.24, 2021)

Christmas Eve is here - it always seems to sneak up so fast. 

Of course we got more snow.

We did go to the store to do a few things first thing this morning.

We stopped at the Hardware and Freya posed for a picture.

Kody and Haylee came by early to pick up Freya as they were heading to Barrhead.

Jason and I had a pretty quiet day.

He got a start on cooking up the ham for tomorrow.

I watched some Christmas movies and just enjoyed my Christmas decorations.

The angle looks a bit lopsided.

I really like how everything looks this year.

I never did take a video of everything so decided to do that today.

I didn't think to narrate it at all for some reason.

If I knew how to dub over it I would - maybe that can be another goal for next year, to learn how to edit videos.

The kids snowmen are all ready for them to take home with them tomorrow although I might keep Freya's here. We'll see.

I got some cuddle time in with Paddington.

Then put in my traditional Christmas Eve movie - It's a Wonderful Life.

I love, love, love this movie - best Christmas movie ever!

My Honey, my kitty and Jimmy Stewart on this peaceful Christmas Eve, what more could a girl want?

I'm not used to it being so quiet on Christmas Eve but it was nice but I was missing everyone too so after Jason worked out, we got ready and headed over to my brother Adrien's place, we picked up my brother Rob on the way.

Hunter got new banana pajamas for Christmas and they are awesome!

Alivia got sloth ones, they even had sloth claws.

It was nice to hang out with everyone.

We opened a few presents.

Rob got a new shirt.

Eating some chocolates.

Jason got to open a present.

He got this awesome statue for the yard, Bigfoot carrying around some gnomes.

He was showing us the 'Distraction Dance"

We stayed and visited for a couple hours then we headed back home.

We'll likely go back in the morning when they are opening their gifts as Kody and Haylee will likely head over to her mom's first thing.

My sister posted pics of her and the boys on Christmas Eve.

My gorgeous sissy.

My cousin shared these memory pictures of my Grandmother - I picked a few to share that show her spunky, jokey personality - she was so much fun.

Look at her slippers.

Sticking out her tongue at the kids - love it.

Another soul I miss dearly, my cousin Ryan.

That's all for today, until next time, be happy!

Crafting with the Kiddos (Dec.23, 2021)

 Today is my last day of work before being off for the holidays and I did work but to be perfectly honest, I was running around the house doing a bunch of stuff here and there too.

My sister called and I told her about the sleigh craft I was going to be doing with the kids and asked if she would be able to send me pictures of the boys doing the pose I needed, so she sent me these.

I wish Declan was looking a bit more but by the time she sent these, they'd left with their dad so it will have to do the trick.

Ethan's was pretty good.

I went down to the Rexall and printed off copies of each for the crafting.

While I was there, I asked the pharmacist about the Covid Booster shot and if we needed to make an appointment.

He said that we could make an appointment or they did have drop ins on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

That being said, he happened to have one dose left today that I could have if I wanted it so I took it!

Jason made home made donair meat and then he made us donairs for lunch.

They were pretty darn good too!

Later in the afternoon, the kids all came over, Hunter, Alivia and Freya.

I had a few more things to do for work so they kept themselves busy for a bit until it was time to do crafts.

Jason had cut wood pieces for them to make snowmen so that was the first thing that they started on, painting those white.

While they worked on those, I worked on making little popsicle sleighs.

The little kids lost interest pretty quickly but Alivia stuck it out longer.

She painted the sleighs as I was making them.

Once I finished making the sleighs, I cut out the pictures of the kids.

I wish I'd zoomed in on Ethan and Declan pictures a bit more but all in all, I think they turned out well.

I made two of each of Alivia, Hunter and Freya so they could take one home for their parents and I could keep the others for my tree.

Hunter and Freya.

Alivia and Hunter.

He did paint this one himself, I let him pick his color and he wanted orange.

Declan and Freya.

Alivia and Hunter.

Next, I cut foam board with a box cutter in the shape of snow globes.

I had a little mishap with the box cutter and sliced my jeans right open.

Such a bummer, I just got these jeans and I really like them.

Luckily, it was only my jeans that got sliced and not my leg!

Maybe I can put a patch over it or something?

(I feel like my belly is looking so big here, it's amazing how easy it is to fall back into bad habits).

Once I got the snow globe shapes all cut, I let the kids draw scenes on them.

I love doing things like this with the kids - I think it might be another goal for next year - regular crafting with the kids.

They had stickers and stuff too to decorate them with.

Once they did that, I had clear plastic plates that I glued on and I put a bit of snow inside to make it look like a snow globe.

Freya really went for it with the stickers!

Hunter made this cool looking guy but you his head is kind of covered with some of the snow.

Alivia is really into anime and drew this character from a show she likes.

She is really a great artist, it's way better than anything that I could have drawn.

The last thing we did was finish off the snowmen.

I got the kids to put the eyes, mouth and buttons on with black paint and their finger prints.

Then I made a label like this for each one.

They are cut to the exact height of each of the kids and will not only be nice decorations but mementos as well.

I'm really happy with how they turned out.

I put the kids sleigh ornaments on the tree and I am really digging them.

Freya.

Ethan

Hunter

Alivia

Declan

Kody and Haylee brought their gifts for everyone over tonight because they are going to be going to her grandparents in Barrhead tomorrow night and they wanted the kids to open theirs.

Hunter got a laser tag game and he thought that was great.

He had to put it on and play it right away.

Alivia was quite happy with her canvas's that she got - I think that is going to be the theme of her Christmas gifts this year, art supplies.

Freya got a Peppa Pig bowling set and she had to play it right away too.

After the kids and parents (except Freya who was staying the night) went home, I had to go down and pop on the treadmill for a bit to get the rest of my steps in.

It took me 47 minutes, mainly because I didn't feel like running and mostly walked but at least I got it done.

Happy to have my steps done for the day.

Back upstairs, Freya was enjoying a bubba.

Jason was getting some cuddle time in with Paddington.

Freya and Jason wrapped a present for me.

What a great gift!

That's all for today, until next time, be happy.