Darn, It's Over!

So, I've been to Ontario and back. Christmas holidays just flew by. Bruce ended up getting home part way through the evening Christmas Eve and didn't have to go back into work until early boxing day. That was totally unexpected. We sat down in front of the TV with some goodies and watched Scrooge, one of our Christmas traditions. I was sick as a dog though, as I came down with a sinus infection. We skipped Wanda's Christmas Eve party and going to Stephen and Gayle's for brunch Christmas morning because I didn't want to make anyone else sick. We did go to Stephen and Gayle's for a very short visit on the way to the airport so that we could give the kids their gifts.

I tanked myself up on medication before I got on the plane (ya, I know, I wasn't willing to make my family sick, but still got on a plane with about 100 or so other people). There was this one kid who screamed (not whined, SCREAMED) the whole flight, 3 hours worth! It was like having 50 people drag their finger nails down a blackboard. About 45 minutes before we landed, the kid across the isle from the first kid started too (turns out they were cousins or something). GREAT dualling screamers! The flight attendants started taking bets with each other as to which one could scream the loudest. When I was booking my seat, I thought of switching it to closer to the front of the plan. Boy was I glad I didn't, at least I had some space between myself and the screamers. I felt bad for the people sitting around them.

Anyways, Jenn and Kevin picked me up from the airport. Jason was back at the house. When we got to their house I emptied all the gifts from my suitcase and put them under the tree. Jenn insisted everyone get into their PJ's. We had our Christmas morning at 10:30 Christmas night. Jason got his tool box and all his tools, Jenn got a hand carved girafe from Zimbabwe and some clothes, while Kevin got an electronic Sodoku game, some golf shirts and a golf gift card. The kids and Bruce all went together and bought me a very good (8 MP) digital camera, along with an extra memory card. It's great what I can do with it. I took tons of pictures and some videos while I was in Ontario. When I get it figured out how I can post them all, I will.

Tuesday we went to Mom and Dad's for the annual boxing day family doooo. It was great. I really missed it last year. As you may have already read, we initiated Alyson with a game of spoons. We tried scaring her by telling her we were going to play "forks", but it didn't work. She said she was disappointed we weren't going to play "knives". The younger kids had a blast. They especially liked it that they got what they termed "war wounds" and that they were able to wrestle spoons away from the adults.

On Wednesday, Alyson came over and openned her gifts from us. We made her sit in the middle of the room with all of the rest of us around her gawking at her. We then played a game of Phase 10, where everyone ganged up on her for a bit (we stopped when we realized Jenn was running away with the game). Thursday, Kevin got Jenn and I into a movie for free. A piece of advise........if you have to pay for it, don't go see the movie "The Holiday". A huge piece of fluff with lousy acting.

Friday, Jenn and I hooked up with Liz. I haven't seen her since I moved to Calgary. It's amazing how when a friendship is as solid, and as deep as the one Liz and I have, we may have gaps in time when we don't see each other, yet when we do, it's as if we had been together just the day before. We've been friends since we were 12 years old, so for 35 years now. She has been one of the staples of my life and I really do miss not being able just to drive up to her place or being able to meet her for dinner somewhere. Man, time flies!

Saturday, it was girls night out with my sisters and Deb (a friend we have come to know through Barb). What a blast. I think when we showed up at the scrapbooking store in Whitby 5 minutes before it closed, the girl working there almost "pooped" her pants. We didn't stay long though. I think the people at the restaurant thought we were nuts too, as we danced in our seats, ran around taking pictures of upside down Christmas trees and tried to attract the attention of our waitor (for Deb's sake of course). Of course, when we got back to Jenn's place, the aunts had to raid Mr. Stinky's, I mean Jason's room for a bit.

Sunday Kevin & I went to church at Scarborough (Jenn was working), then went back to his parent's (Ruby and Leslie) place for lunch. I've said it before and I will say it again, Jenn is so blessed to have Ruby and Leslie as in-laws. They love her as if she were their own. Ruby put lunch (roast beef dinner, complete with Yorkshires) together for Jenn and one of her coworkers and Kevin took them to her. Jason came over towards the end of dinner (he had been in Cambridge with Alyson's family). Ruby spoiled him, just as she does Jenn.

Ater that, it was time for me to fly back home. It was a great visit with only one negative, James and Bruce weren't there. I have come to accept however that now the kids are all adults, we can't be together for everything all the time, but when we are together it's great! It's a sign of a strong, healthy family when we can be apart at times when we are usually together and we can long to have each other there yet be comfortable in the fact that they are mature, responsible, strong people and are OK.

So there you go, my blow by blow of my time in Ontario. My trip home was much more uneventful as compared to the flight out. Bruce was out on a run when I got in and does not get back until late tonight, so I still haven't seen him yet. So much to share with him as well.

PS: So I played with my camera all day. I know I am a little late for this round of the photo challenge, but here is what I have come up with.

My gold & silver music tree. Most of this will be gone next year as the majority of the ornaments belong to Jason.

Our fireplace