:: Today at our house ::

:: We have been packing/sorting/cleaning up all of our Christmas decorations and cleaning up the aftermath of it all. Paul is sorting through the garage cleaning up months of cans and bottle returns, cardboard, and junk that you say "just put it in the garage" but then months later you can't find your garage anymore! ::

:: Last night we watched "The Devil wears Prada" (thanks to Jord & Lins for leting us borrow it) and I did some baking ~ it was just nice to lounge around after what seemed to be a very long week! ::

:: Our friend Tony also stopped by to show off his new dog named "Desiel" he is SO cute and cuddly! We love him! ::

:: Our baby still all stuffed up from his cold ~ I tried to get a picture of him crying from me wiping his nose but he always stopped crying right after I stopped wiping his nose! ::

:: Now here is the big news ::

:: We're going on VACATION! ::

:: We have actually not been on a real (as in hot place, pool, shopping & dining out) since I was 5 months pregnant with Jacob :: So this vacation in our books is long overdue! ::

:: We had found some super cheap flights from Seattle to LA but with the time it would take to get to Seattle (for a 7:00am flight) plus the gas to get down there, plus the parking charges for 2 weeks worth of parking, plus the 2 hour drive once we arrive in LA, it just made sense to fly directly from YVR right into Palm Springs and when I priced it out taking the "cheap" flight from Seattle with the extra gas, parking etc. we were only paying $30.00 extra to fly out of Vancouver ~ So we feel good with the dates, times, & flights...it seems that everything worked out perfectly :) Although it took me about three hours to get all of that figured out yesterday - who says being a stay at home Mama is easy...yesterday my title was "Travel Agent" ha ha ha ::

:: We are heading to Palm Springs on March 10th until March 23rd - My parents have rented this property there and so we are going to stay in the second master suite and Jacob will have his own bedroom as well! We are so excited about this trip as it will be time for us to unwind and enjoy some down time by the private pool & hot tub ~ Thanks Marm & Dad for this opportunity, we would not be going on this vacation if it wasn't for them renting the property. We just have to get ourselves down there and pay for our food and any entertainment while we are there ~ Such a blessing! ::



:: Paul is really looking forward to this vacation, he said about three times yesterday that he couldn't wait for Palm Springs! So I know that God's timing is truly perfect :) ::

:: In other news today... ::

:: One of our landmarks in Vancouver has been popped – BC Place Stadium, under the pressure of the weather and some unknown causes received a huge hole in the roof today around 1:00 pm. It’s weird to think that that big bubble isn’t inflated right now! ::

:: Here is what it looked like prior to the hole :::: And here is the after - thanks to Amanda for the picture :) ::

:: Now that I am updated ::

I have some exciting news but my novel and husband are calling my name so you will have to wait till tomorrow to get a full report.

Please pray for Jacob as he is suffering with a terrible cold - heck pray for me while you're at it as I am the one who suffers with him!

Good night all - Sleep tight!

Ps. If you stop by and read my blog, please let me know you were here by leaving a comment in the comments area located at the bottom of every post :) thanks!

:: What I will miss ::

:: As the twelve days of Christmas are almost done I will be sad to say good-bye to these simple pleasures in my life until next year ::

:: My pretty little tree with the white tulle through it and all the white twinkle lights throughout the dark corners of the house - it's all about "mood lighting" doncha know :) :: :: The view fo our family room from my kitchen sink...I love seeing the Gingerbread house, the wreath, the Nativity & the mini tree all within the eye-shot of my sink - simple perfection...at least to me (sorry you can't see the Nativity - it's on top of our T.V. Cabinet) ::
:: Good night Christmastime - We'll see you next year! Ps. stay tuned next year for a different tree - I change it up every year & I've already started to plan next years :) ::

*edited to fix some of my spelling errors

:: Gifts Gifts Gifts ::

:: Now I don't NEED anything - I am truly blessed but every year my family and friends seem to find something to bless me even further with, so here is a little summary of a few of my favorite things we received over Christmas ::

:: My parents got Jacob his coin set for the year he was born - very cool & unique! ::

:: I received two of these novels (it's actually 3 novels in one) - which I can barely put down, I am half way through the second book :: :: My parents own a Ron Popiel rotisserie that we have over the past few years stolen to do a chicken on, so my parents decided that it was time we got our own, but this one is by good 'ol George Foreman - It's called a "Baby George". It is smaller than my parents, but just perfect for one whole chicken or a smaller meal of 4 chicken breasts - we have used it twice since the new year and love it! It makes chicken just like Swiss Chalet - If you want to pick one up you can find them @ Costco for around $50 - what a deal. totally worth it in my books ::
:: Uncle Michael and Aunty Jenn bought Jacob this cool keepsake box with the alphabet sewn all around the edge and a place for a picture in the middle - very cool unique gift again - something he will treasure forever ::

:: I also received a black cake plate that I love - it's just from Superstore, but I LOVE it ::
I also received the two coats I wanted from Old Navy as well as some jeans that are not quite fitting like they did when I initially tried them on. As a couple we received some very nice gift certificates for the movie theatre, IMAX, and two restaurants - that is so thoughtful because since we don't NEED anything but more time to enjoy each other that is the perfect gift :) - thanks to Jord & Linds & Jenn & Michael :)

I don't have a picture of it, as it is in Paul's car - but he received a Starbucks thermos for his coffee/tea while he is on the road - He wanted one of these and without saying a thing to his parents he go one! What a lucky boy! Today he called me just to tell me how great it worked!

:: So there you go another year of giving and receiving come and gone - it is truly so wonderful to give not only in a gift but in your heart and your hugs ~ May the gift of our Lord continue to bless you throughout 2007 ::

:: December 31st ~ the start to a NEW YEAR ::

We spent (or have spent for the last 4 years) our evening at our friends M & C's house for a game of Shang Hai (& also Sequence with the kid's before they went to bed) ...we also enjoyed some delish appy's and I brought "cathedral square" along with "social apple betty" for dessert. It was a great way to ring in the New Year except that Paul got sick just after we rang it in (party pooper)! He was feeling better by morning though :)

:: When we first... ::

When Paul and I first started dating I worked right D.T. on First Ave and Terminal and he was based out of Richmond - so often we found ourselves meeting D.T. for some eats and a walk through the city or a drive through Stanley Park..SO over the holiday we had to exchange some items to Pacific Center and so we took this opportunity to enjoy some D.T. shopping and the company of only each other...and the addition of our son, but a welcomed addition :) = Here are some pic's of our scenic city...Enjoy :)

:: Bits 'n Bites of Jacob Enjoying his first Christmas ::

:: December 26th ~ Boxing Day Madness ::

:: Boxing Day ::
We spent Boxing day Brunch at my parents place so that we could get more of a visit in with Trev & Christy before they had to head back to Duncan. The brunch was fabby and we had a couple great games of "Sequence" as well as enjoying the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". Then we headed out to our annual (and when I mean annual - like for the past 26 some odd years annual) Boxind day night with the H's - well actually only half are still H's as they have married the girls off - but they are all still H's at heart :) We played this great game called "Apples to Apples" and when we were off doing something else we were being photographed by Taylor who just received her first digital camera for Christmas!

:: December 25th ~ Christmas Day Afternoon ::

:: Christmas Day Afternoon ::

We had a great time with my family at my parents house for the afternoon/evening on Christmas Day. It was just us kids (J&L, T&C & Us) for the first part of the afternoon along with my Dad's mom Grandma Rosie. We had a great time hanging out and getting spoiled like 5 year olds from my parents! And thanks to all my blogging friends for putting in your two cents - we as couples received a "basket" instead of a stocking from "Santa" apparently my parents have a special relationship with Santa - They don't even make him wrap the "baskets"!

Then we were joined by my cousins Dan, Cari and second cousins Jordyn & Lexi for dinner as well as my Nanny (my Mom's Mom). My Mom created a feast fit for a King but apparently the Queen forgot to make her Yam dish and so the Kings feast wasn't complete. I always bring my yam dish to the big occassion dinners, however my Mom & I didn't discuss the yams this year so I showed up without the dish - Ooops! Don't worry I made it up to her and served her the precious yam dish just a few days ago :)

We sang carols - probably a good 15 carols which was great when I wasn't singing but when I opened my mouth and tried to give glory to God in the highest it sounded like more of a car accident on the flats of Surrey - Not a good sound at all! I had a really bad throat cold thing over the holiday's and apparently I was not the only one, as I have heard of many other cases of the flu, colds and strep throat!

:: It was truly a very MERRY CHRISTMAS ::

:: December 25th ~ Christmas Day Morning::

:: Christmas Day Morning ::

This was a great time, since Jacob was up until midnight on Christmas Eve, he slept in until 8:30! So we just casually got up and started opening our stockings first and then our presents. Now Paul and I for the last 3 years have only done $100.00 stockings for eachother. We tend to buy little things here and there through the year and so we don't go crazy over eachother for Christmas. We still end up going over our limit, but usually only by $50.00 or so. We enjoyed our first Pannetone (sp?) as a family along with fresh coffee, egg nog & pineapple. We discussed Christmas traditions that we wanted to keep/use/get rid of/refine and discussed what our future Christmas' would be like with kids all gathered under the tree with us! What fun it will be to celebrate the birth of our Savior with our family!

More to come on the gifts in another separate post :)