Our Christmas Pickle....

...which kind of reminds me of Susannahs comment today:

"I LOVE pickled carrots...they're just like pickles but they're carrots"!!!! ;)

Christmas Eve at our place...

It's been a lovely day....Lloyd left me to sleep in and he ran into town to get the last of the groceries - fresh vegetables etc for tomorrow. Sam and I woke up just after 9am and were up and ready when Lloyd got home...then I headed into town with Chris, Laurence and Susannah.....they each went off to get their last minute gifts for each other....after that we headed to Wow Factor Desserts to buy a Tiramisu for Lloyd as thats his favourite dessert. Then we went to McDonalds for coffee and we shared a large fries - that was kind of fun - just a quick snack and we were fighting over the fries lol...then we headed home and all decided not to bother with Lets Play this year....we were all tired from our late night last night. Lloyd and I wrapped gifts...I spoke to my Mom ad Dad briefly (my parcel to them has not arrived - in fact they said a million or more parcels are delayed in the UK because of the overwhelming use of shopping online this year......) thats a shame but they do each have a gift from us to open which is good.

The children are now at the table making gingerbread houses....Sam has decorated more cookies and is now curled up with Lloyd.....I made a tray of coconut Ice for Lloyd which he loves.....I found a card addressed to me left by the computer.....this years gorgeous card from Lloyd that made me cry AGAIN!!! And I gave him his with a cup of tea just now :) Its a Christmas Eve tradition that we swap cards having each searched for the card that says how we feel perfectly!

Our Christmas Pickle is ready to go on the tree (more about that later!) and tonight we are curling up by the fire to watch Deck The Halls :)

Last night we had friends over - they came over around 4pm and stayed until VERY late but it was such a fun evening....we sat outside for hours by a roaring fire and that was so lovely....and then we came inside and I helped Samantha create 3 scrapbook pages she had to do for her Moms 70th birthday album - that was fun :)

Anyway, have a wonderful, safe and happy Christmas Eve everyone! If I have time later I will post the piccies I have taken the last couple of days.......from last night and today......

Off to drink my tea and curl up with my Husband on our first Christmas Eve as Husband and Wife :)

Starry starry night.....

Whyte Ave at night.......

Bright Nights......

Tonight we made our annual trek to Bright Nights in Hawrelak park, Edmonton. WE have gone every year since we arrived here and Lloyd complains every year that they never change it lol - but there were a few new things this year AND they moved a few of the displays lol!

The whole of the park is filled with lit displays and you drive slowly around to admire them all.....it's $15 to get in and they accept donations for the food bank - we had a coupon to get a discount on entry so we made sure to take plenty for the food bank!

We always stop off at Tim Hortons on the way, and buy hot chocolates that the children drink as we drive around!

I love it :) I know they don't change it at all really but thats not the point.....it's festive and cheery and the children oooh and ahhhhh at all the lights and get excited about seeing the squirrel run through the trees! And I think Lloyd enjoys it really lol - he just likes to play the Grinch sometimes lol!

Scenes from Bright Nights 2007....

The end of Friday....

Our Friday ended with me speaking to my Sister for almost 2 hours (gulp!!!) and in the evening we all curled up and watched The Santa Clause 2...with the Christmas tree lights glowing, the fire flickering and the children eating candy canes :)

It was a nice start to the Christmas holidays....tonight we are off to Brightnights and then hope to watch a movie before bed :)

A surprise email from a friend!

This morning I woke up to an Email from my wonderful friend Lianne - we were good friends back in England when I was still with my Ex husband. We had children of similar ages and just tons in common and there was nothing I liked more than piling over to her house for coffee. We went to toddler groups together, indoor playgrounds, parks in the summer, to see Santa at Christmas....and we even went on holiday together - a week in a caravan (trailer) by the sea in North Wales.....and it was cold and very VERY windy - I swear the sides of the caravan were bending in......we went to a big indoor swimming pool by the beach and when we came out it was like being in a sandstorm!!!

I miss Lianne and her three boys soooo much! And now she has a gorgeous Daughter who I have never met (but I think I helped a little in her having her lol) and I just know Bethany and Abigail would get on so well!!

Anyway - when I moved house 2 years ago I decided to get back to letter writing (which is how Lianne and I first met) so I didn't give her my email address and we tried to write regularly but neither of us have been able to write regularly enough for our liking lol - so I sent her a Christmas card and my email address and today I was surprised by some emails and some pictures and it was just soooooooo great to hear from her!!!

When I left my Ex, Lloyd picked me up and drove me over to Liannes to say goodbye and to collect some things of mine Lloyd had given me that my Ex had threatened to destroy...and Lianne gave me a friendship necklace that has half of a charm on it - and she has a necklace with the other half of the charm...and thats the last time I saw her.

Lianne and I had another good friend, Julie...and we took it in turns to host coffee etc - sadly Julie died from cancer almost 5 years ago......I know this in my head....but because I live so far away it doesn't seem quite real - I picture everyone back home going about their business as they did the day I left.....so its all a bit odd really.

Anyway - needless to say it was lovely to get an email from Lianne and I can't believe how big her second son is - I have such a huge soft spot for Liannes Son Cameron. Oh I miss them all :(

And Michael, her oldest is at University studying psychology!!!!!! That seems impossible - he was just a boy when I saw him last!!! It's been 7 years!!!! OMG I haven't seen Lianne for 8 years!

Fun with gingerbread dough

Making gingerbread cookies today.....they spent ages doing this and had great fun - I really need to invest in more Christmas shapes - they ended up making ducks and cows as well as a few Christmas trees lol!

Decorating mandarins with cloves....

This is a favourite tradition of ours, and now my house smells yummy and Christmasy!

Lloyds nuts!

We can't find any Brazil Nuts anywhere!!!! So we have walnuts and hazelnuts but no brazil nuts :( We've looked in most of the grocery stores in town but no luck!

Brandy butter...

Today I made the brandy butter and I have to say it was soooooo easy in my Kitchen Aid mixer....so fast and the butter is whipped until its white and fluffy :) YUM!!!! I ended up making far too much though :(

My little Elf....

Two funny pictures of Sam from this morning - these are for my Mom and Dad. A parcel arrived from them yesterday (yes its here safely!!) In the parcel were some tights for Abigail but Sam fell in love with them and has worn them constantly since! They are far too big for him and so stripy that he looks like a little Elf :)

Thank you Mom and Dad - has my parcel arrived at your house yet? I so hope it arrives before Christmas as I posted it at the end of November!!!

Christmas cyclamen

Lloyd surprised me on Thursday by bringing me home this gorgeous Christmas Cyclamen in a festive pot :) It was such a nice surprise!

My Friday....

Val brought her youngest little guy over this morning and I looked after him for a few hours while Val got some peace and quiet at home in which to wrap gifts and get caught up with things. 'I' was so easy to look after - he LOVED playing with my big bowl of red shiny Christmas baubles that I have by the fire....they are plastic and tough so the boys were having great fun with them! Abigail spent the morning playing on the computer and the boys played with the balls, toy cars and the blocks....the time seemed to pass really fast and I just pottered about while the children played...

Lloyd was hoping to finish work early but it doesn't look as though that will happen, so he will probably finish just before 4pm again.....then he is off until january 2nd YAY!!!

I chatted to my Mom and Dad on the phone this morning...thankfully my Moms main gifft has arrived safely - but the big package I sent from Canada is still not there - and that has their little gifts as well as some crackers that Abigail made for them to pull on Christmas Day and also the cards for everyone....so I hope it arrives safely by Monday! I posted it a week BEFORE the last mailing date, so it should have been there by now :( I hope it didn't get lost :(

We are still waiting for one more parcel to arrive from my Mom too....which has gifts for Lloyd and I in it - so hopefully that will be there today!

The kids will be home from school soon - no doubt very excited after their last day at school - full of sugar from endless candy probably too! Christmas can really start now :)