Holiday Finery

A few shots of the Thompson trio in our Christmas Eve and family party finery. The girls really loved these outfits (which always makes this mom happy).

Won't have an opportunity to wear these too often, but fun when we do!

White Christmas

Recognize this?

Something was nagging at me the last few days... I was thinking that I had missed something from my regular traditions and after my parents headed home last night, everything was tidied up and the kids ready for bed, I suddenly realized...I haven't seen White Christmas even once this year!

My sister and I lo-o-o-ove that movie and made it a habit to watch it every year. And when busier schedules the last few years often prevented me from seeing the televised version, I went and bought my own copy. Last year, the dynamic duo got right into the "Sisters" song and even performed it for my parents and I this year.

So, when I realized that THAT was the missing piece, I grabbed the kids and we plunked ourselves down on the couch and watched the whole thing together.

Ahhh. Merry Christmas, all!


And if you need a little trip down that memory lane, here's the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CcaNw2CM6o

Enjoy!

Joys of Christmas

For our friends and family, the tale of our Christmas celebrations in video and photos...

A brief clip of the children singing at the Christmas pageant...
can you pick out the dynamic duo?

Dinner after the Christmas Eve service with our friends the Woodburns and Shaws.(The best part...no cooking or clean-up!)

Preparing for Christmas day...working on the dressing with Nanny on Christmas Eve...

Making coffee for her family on Christmas morning...

Excitement!

The gifts...how grateful we are!

Even Charlie Brown was included...some treats and a harness for "walking."
Not so much. LOL!

Remembering Riley...

The dinner prep and YUM.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

And to a year of peace and happiness in 2010!

Christmas Comes Early

This weekend, we received an early Christmas present from my sister and we have been smiling ever since.

Auntie K has a special touch with video and movie magic, and has made that into a successful career. As families do whenever help is needed with "just a little project," we of course turn to those in our circle who have a talent that we do not. As a return trip to China is fast approaching this March, I had hoped K could transfer some lost video footage from earlier trips onto DVD so that Miz C could see the roots of her story.

My sister has been working on her own projects lately and to add to the stress of preparing her own family for Christmas, both she and my b-i-l have been under the weather for some time. But last week she spent hour upon hour (into the wee hours of the morning!), creating a magical re-telling of Miz C's story. Not simply a download of hours of video footage, but editing, creating chapters, and also splicing in her own wonderful footage of the first meeting of the dynamic duo AND some wonderful scenes of our first 6 months as a family.

The result is the emotional, magical, sometimes funny tale of the child that turned our lives upside down...for the better.

The following is a tiny clip of Miz C that Auntie K pulled into the opening frame of her video. C watches it over and over and over, delighting in that happy baby - and she loves the fact that she can now watch "her" story whenever she wants. (FYI, this clip is a little fuzzy while the DVD version is not.)

Thank you, Auntie K !

Deck the Halls...

Just a few pics of our Christmas preparations...

Love that glow...

Making Bryanna's favourite cranberry dish...

And enjoying it with a yummy dinner and a movie!

And the outside...

Group 70 Festivities

It's one of the joys of our lives to regularly meet and enjoy time with the wonderful friends made through our CB connections. Our annual Christmas gathering with Group 70 at Leo and Maryann's downtown loft was a glorious afternoon full of good friends, food, and conversation. Some our friends could not make it this year, but we kept them close in spirit.

Maryann's world-famous ham...the men were drooling in anticipation of it for days in advance!

Future physio therapist?

Giggling over craft tables and snacks. The moms kept looking over in wonder...no requests for help, no squabbles, no hanging around the adult conversations. Wow - when did they get to be so grown up?

A wonderful day. Look at these beautiful girls - they make us so proud.

The Spirit of Christmas

This may be it - the last year with both girls and Santa. As it was, it took a little bribery to get Miz B to pose with the jolly old elf this evening (amazing what the promise of a large turkey sub will do).

I feel a little nostalgic about yet another reminder of how quickly this is all passing so had to post the photo capturing the look of their Christmas happiness (after I prettied up the ordinary mall photo just a bit).

However, I also feel oddly satisfied this year. Amazingly, the house is decorated inside and out, ALL the Christmas cards are written and mailed, and as of today, 95% of the shopping is done.

I don't recognize myself.

But am loving it. ;-)