About Me

My photo
Currently living the dream of moving to Toronto for 12 months for a Firefighter Exchange!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Christmas Day to New Years Day

Christmas Day for the Bower family was a very low-key affair compared to what we are used to.  However, it was still and enjoyable day.  Jack enjoyed finding his Santa Stocking (thanks for the loan, Big Jack) on Christmas morning and was delighted with his new game.



This is a cute photo I took of our tree on Christmas Eve night.  Jack is reading a book to teddy.



We (I) decided to 'break all the rules' of Christmas and we opened our presents straight after our pancake breakfast with Jack was still in his jarmies.  Although we only bought Jack a few small gifts for Christmas this year, he was a very lucky boy to get numerous other gifts from Bob, Candace, Big Jack's Mum and Dad, Sandy's Mum and Dad, Barbie & Brian across the road and our neighbours from Taiwan.  All in all, Jack didn't miss out at all this Christmas! 


                                                  Some of the gifts from Candace.



                                            Presents from Big Jack's Mum and Dad!


Toronto Maple Leafs Backpack from Bob (inside is an inflatable raft for the snow)

Troy and Jack gave me a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, hat and scarf!   Jack and I gave Troy some aftershave and a key-finder that beeps when you clap.  God knows he needs it, eh?
For the few days leading up to Christmas, Jack was randomly selecting items from his bedroom to wrap up and put under the tree for Troy and I.  At one stage I caught him wrapping the camera!  So on Christmas Day, Troy and I enjoyed opening our gifts of lego, scissors (I was going crazy looking for them all day Christmas Eve), pokemon card, more lego, army men, a small foam ball and markers.  Thanks Jack!!

At around 5pm on Christmas Day, we went over to Barbie and Brian's house for dinner with their family.  It was a lovely night and Barbie and Brian did a wonderful job of hosting and cooking the wonderful feast!   It was great to meet their family and be included in their Christmas Celebration. 


On Boxing Day, Troy had to work so Candace, Jack and I went to Peterborough to the Donnelly's.  They were the family who invited us for Thanksgiving.  Again, a fantastic day/night was had and the feast of course was gigantic.  There were even more people there this time around and the house was literally busting at the seams!  Jack had loads of fun as there were more kids there this time.   Space is an a minimum and you get a spot where you can, so Candace and I enjoyed our dinner (with others) sitting on the stairs.  There were people perched on furniture, standing in hallways - you name it.   Mrs Donnelly's dining room table was a never-ending revolving procession of people sitting down to eat and then getting up to give someone else a turn to sit down to eat.   They are such a wonderful family, very friendly and welcoming.  I hope I get to see them all again before we leave in July and it would be great for Troy to join us!   Here is a photo of Mrs Donnelly. 


Boxing Day night Troy was called to a house fire (with loads and loads of other firies) and was up ALL night, standing in the freezing cold!  He said that it was so cold that he literally froze because he got wet from the hose etc and then the water on him froze solid.  If he clapped his hands, the iced gloves made 'clink-clink' sounds.  Needless to say he was exhausted the next day and had a chill in his bones that lasted a couple of days.   So the day after boxing day was a very lazy day for us all.  We watched Jack's new Star Wars DVD that night.

The following day we went skating up at our local outdoor rink.  Jack is getting really really good and was even trying to skate backwards (not good).   He still falls over a bit but he is getting the hang on 'gliding' and has better balance.   Troy of course can skate like a pro already.  I am a little wobbly but not doing too bad. 

For New Years Eve, Bob and Candace came to our place and we baked a ham in the barbie.   Our neighbour Amy came and invited us for a drink at her place and so after dinner, we headed next door and enjoyed a New Years drink there.  Troy and Bob are both working on New Years Day (today) so we didn't see the New Year in. 

In two weeks, Bob, Troy, Jack and I will be heading to Mont Tremblant which is a ski town in Quebec.  It's apparently a gorgeous place and we will be staying there for three nights.  We can't wait!  Jack has been enrolled in 'learn-to-ski' classes here in Toronto, so he will have two lessons under his belt before the big trip.  Mont Tremblant also has tobogganing and sledding etc so Jack will have a great time, even if his skiing ability is not that great.   

I will  leave you all with a few other photo's we have to share!  Happy New Year!






No comments:

Post a Comment