:: 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 :)

:: December 24th ~ Christmas Eve ::

:: December 24th ::

We spent all day on Christmas Eve with Paul's family and we had a great time. We went over to his parents place for brunch (around 10:30 am) we brought "Christmas Wife-Saver" and "Baked French Toast" and his Dad added his famous ham to complete the brunch.

We then exchanged gifts with the family & Michael (Paul's sister's Beau) and enjoyed a lazy afternoon of napping and munching on spinach and artichoke dip prior to heading off to the Christmas eve service at Victory Christian Center where Paul's parents attend.

We then headed over to Paul's Nanny & Papa's where we presented the gift I had been working on for months...I didn't mention it on here just in case someone read about it and let the cat out of the bag. What we did is call our local MP office and get the email address' of all of the significant people in parliament and the government and ask them to send an official congratulations to Nanny & Papa on their 60th Wedding Anniversary. The gift was a success! I mounted most of the certificates in a leather 12x12 scrapbook except for one that we framed from Stephen Harper ~ They loved the gift and called us just the other day to say that it was the best gift that they have ever received! And today when I was going through a pile'o junk in the office I came across a certificate that was in a folder that I missed putting in the book...so we will have to pop over tnd present them with yet another certificate :)

Once we finished up at Nanny & Papa's we headed to my parents place to pick up our PJ's that we get every year on Christmas Eve - And that was about it...we headed home around midnight and we were grateful that we didn't have to go anywhere in the morning!

:: December 22nd ~ First Annual Friends Christmas Bash ::

:: December 22nd ::

We attended the "Annual Friends Christmas Bash" hosted by C & T at their new place and we had a great time. There have been many new additions to our little group of friends this year.

All of which are under the age of 7 months; From left to right on the couch: Jaelyn @ 4 months, Benjamin @ 4 months, Jacob @ almost 7 months and Kate @ 3 months (thanks Lisa for the correction)It was super fun to see the great group of friends that God has brought together and to see that we are being obedient and "being fruitful and multiplying" :)

:: Can't wait till next year ::

:: Jacobs Dedication ::

We had a fabulous time with Friends on December 17th to celebrate

Jacobs dedication to the Lord.

He was dedicated in the first service at CLA by Pastor Brent (the same pastor that maried us) and then we hosted a brunch afterwards for 40 people at my parents place.

It was a busy day - but a wonderful one to remember when we look back on it now!

Jacob received some really nice gifts of remembrance from the day, but I think my most favorite gift was my Grandpa's harmonica from my Grandma Rosie (My Dad's Mom). I was holding it together really well until I opened her gift. Now you have to know that my Grandpa used to always get us little kids up onto his knee and play the harmonica for us...we all loved it and it is definitely one of my fondest memories of my Grandpa.