Christmas - Round 2, Part 2

Christmas Morning - The Adults

So Christmas morning is obviously all about the kids, but the adults enjoyed themselves as well...

For example, my dad enjoyed looking after Abby's new baby (her name is 'Fella') while Abby opened more gifts...

My Aunt Mary enjoyed opening her gift from us, wrapped by Curt and lovingly taped in a way that made it almost impossible to open...

Curt enjoyed wearing his new Christmas gifts - a new t-shirt, and button (too small to see) that says 'Curt is King'...

 And, my brother enjoyed making waffles for everyone with his new waffle maker...

Stick with me, just a few more pictures :) 

Christmas Day - The Rest of the Day

The next part of Christmas morning involves brunch at my Uncle John and Aunt Jody's house!  They live right around the corner from my brother, so we walked over...Tom and Nolan took advantage of the opportunity to play a little street hockey on the walk over...

After brunch it was back to my brothers house, most of us took a nap and then spent some time visiting and playing.  We went separate ways for dinner - Tom, Krystle and Nolan went to have dinner with Krystle's family, and Curt and I took Abby to my parents house for dinner (because Abby wasn't feeling well, they decided not to take her to a place where she would be around other kids).  She was really worn out by this point and ended up falling asleep on my lap :)  When she stirred and seemed to be waking up, my mom got dinner on the table...I asked Abby if she wanted to get up and have something to eat, she replied 'NO, I just want to snuggle here'....awww, melts my heart, so I ended up staying on the couch with her while everyone else ate dinner...

Once Tom and Krystle arrived at my parents, Abby went straight to mommy, and I enjoyed my Christmas dinner :)

Overall, I guess it was a pretty low key day, but it was GREAT!  It was a nice mix of family time and quiet time...and of course, eating!

Thanks for sticking with me and making it to the end of some long Christmas posts!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas - Round 2

Round Two of Christmas was with my family in Acton.  Curt and I both had to work on Christmas Eve, but only for the morning, so once we got work out of the way, we hit the road!  I was originally scheduled to be one of three people who have to put in a full day at the office, so I wouldn't have finished until 5pm - I'm very thankful that someone was willing to cover for me, so I was able to get to Acton in time to attend the Christmas Eve service at the church I grew up in.  This service, and the family get together my mom hosts afterwards, are two traditions I cherish (really I'm big into all traditions at this time of year!).

Christmas Morning - The Kids

Christmas morning, Curt and I got a knock on our door at 7:15am...not too bad...Nolan and Abby were up and READY TO GO!  They had been up for a few minutes already, so my parents and Aunt Mary had already been called and were on their way over so we could all open gifts together.
This was one of the first gifts Abby opened, and was she ever excited with her new Dora chapstick!

For the most part, Nolan and Abby opened their own gifts and did their own thing.  But, when Abby got to this particular gift, Nolan was very interested in watching her open it...he could tell by the way it was wrapped that it was a hockey stick!  Abby got her very own Disney Princess hockey stick.

It was pretty hard to get a good picture of Nolan this year, he was too busy with all the presents :)

Excuse the red eye, and poor quality of this picture, I just had to post it anyway...poor Abby wasn't feeling very good, and wasn't sleeping well due to her cough, so by the time she was done opening presents, this is what she looked like...

And, after all the gifts were opened, Nolan took some time to enjoy some of his new toys and games.  Here, he sits down with Uncle Curt to check out his new Cars Monopoly game. 

Abby spent a bit of time playing with her new dolls, but really, she just wanted to snuggle with her mom.

So that wraps things up for the kids, next post will be about the adults.

Christmas - Round 1

Our first round of Christmas was with my in-laws over the weekend.  It started Saturday night with a Vreugdenhil 'tradition' - a fondue?  I use quotations and a question mark because not everyone seems to remember doing this in the past :)  Curt and his mom remember having fondues...my brother-in-law Mark, and father-in-law Gord, don't remember having fondues...this was my eighth Christmas with the family, and only the second time I've experienced a fondue with them?  So, whether it's a tradition or not, Curt and I hosted a fondue on Saturday night - it was a quiet and relaxed evening, and a nice start to the weekend festivities.

Sunday after church, it was off to Curt's parents house for the full Christmas celebration.  It wasn't exactly quiet and relaxed (no one expects it to be when the five grandsons are going to be there) but it was a lot of FUN!  It was a day of visiting, eating, playing, opening presents, and eating some more!

Joshua opening a gift with Uncle Mark watching closely from behind...

Noah taking his turn...

 Isaac looking pretty excited...

And of course, Luke was not left out...

Owen wasn't really into opening gifts, he didn't have a nap before coming over, so early on you could tell he was tired....later, he was in that hyper, beyond tired state!

I was trying to keep Owen entertained while his older brothers opened more gifts.  I don't think I can take any credit though, I think the bath toy he was chewing on is what kept him happy and busy :)

Once he was bored with his toy, and me, Curt stepped in to keep him busy - this is what that looked like...

So it was a busy weekend, but a great start to the Christmas festivities! 

Christmas at the Rink

Remember when you were little and Christmas was approaching...remember the last week of school before the holidays, and how it was all about parties and fun?  Well, we adopt that idea at skating and always have a Christmas party for the kids.  And, at both clubs I coach at, the party involves a special visitor...Santa!  The kids are always soooo excited to see Santa arrive...and then when he comes out on the ice, the kids all flock to him!   

In Quinte, Santa comes out and skates with the kids for the whole session - he always has lots of company!

We have a family skate, so parents and siblings can come on the ice too.  The kids have so much fun showing their parents and Santa all the new things they can do on the ice!  This year, there were also festivities in the arena lobby - hot chocolate, treats and face painting. 

In Tweed, Santa doesn't skate with the kids, he likes to have a chance to talk to the kids - so, he brings a chair out on the ice and lets the kids sit with him and tell him what they want for Christmas :)  He usually shows up about 20 minutes into the session, so we played some games while we waited.

This year, we tried to have a family skate here too, but parents weren't notified until two days before, so we only had two dads join us :(  The kids still had a great time though.

Sisters, McKenna and Cheyenne, dressed in green and red for the special day!  McKenna is in my CanSkate group, and Cheyenne is one of the Advanced CanSkaters that I give private lessons to...she LOVES to skate, and that big smile is almost permanent when she's on the ice (until she gets cold)!

Molly, one of my CanSkaters, Santa (who is actually our rink employee, Randy), myself, and Alyssa, one of my STARSkaters (who was Santa's helper for the morning).

 
As a coach, I'm always thankful for these skating parties...it means a little break for me too because I don't have to plan lessons!  So, it's a win-win for the kids and the coaches!

Gifts Galore!

The few people that read this blog know me pretty well, so you know that I don't really like celebrating my birthday.  I used to, when I was YOUNGER!  But, as I get older, I prefer the day to go by quietly.

I have to say, I have been pretty spoiled this year, so the fact that I'm getting older doesn't seem as bad :)  Horrible and selfish, I know!

Friday night, when I got home from work, there was a note from Curt waiting for me just inside the front door.  It said there was a birthday gift hidden for me...and that I had to find it...it said 'you don't have to go in the garage, you don't have to open anything, and you don't have to move anything to find it'.  I took a quick look around, but couldn't find anything - I was only home briefly before heading back out again, so I figured I would get another clue from Curt later!  But, he wouldn't give me any more clues!  So, I was still looking for the gift on Saturday.  It took awhile, but I ended up finding a NEW SET OF TAYLOR MADE BURNER IRONS in my golf bag.  Gone were my Callaway Big Berthas, and in their place was these...

 I have always liked the look and feel of these clubs...and, we saw them at Golf Town a few months ago and they were on sale for a really good price!  I was really close to getting them that day, but, it was right around the same time I had decided to order new skates, so I couldn't justify buying another 'big ticket item'.  But, Curt said it was too good of a deal to pass up...so, he went to Kingston one Saturday morning while I was at skating.

Sunday night, Curt's parents came over to give me my gift.  Mid-afternoon, Curt said to me 'you're really going to like their gift'...so, I was pretty excited all afternoon.  I was so surprised when I opened the gift and saw this....

Actually, I only saw the big one at first, then my father-in-law told me to open it, and the little one was inside!

I love this Heys luggage!  I almost bought the little one for myself awhile ago, but when I realized this particular style ('Journey') wasn't included in the sale, there was no way!  One of my favourite parts is that Africa is front and center on the big bag!  We joked and laughed about the fact that I probably won't want to use this when we fly...have you seen the guys load bags onto the plane?!?!  They throw those bags around without a care in the world!!!  And I don't want these beauties to get all banged up :)

And, I can't forget this gift...

I already blogged about my Coach purse...way back in AUGUST!  This is from my parents, and my mom was so proud and excited about this gift she couldn't wait to give it to me!  So, I've been enjoying this birthday present for months already.

So, like I said earlier, I was SPOILED this year!

As for the how I spent my birthday....well, it was on a Monday, so I went to work...then I went to skating...then I came home and relaxed for a bit before going to bed :)  Exciting, right?!?!  That's OK though, like I said, I prefer the day to go by quietly.

An Exciting Purchase

I really want to be better about blogging in December.  But, as I was doing some household chores today, I couldn't really think of anything worth blogging about.  I checked my camera to see what I've been taking pictures of lately, and I found these...

Last weekend was the Tweed Santa Claus Parade, and this is the float that the skating club entered.  I really had nothing to do with the float, I just went out and took pictures.  We've put a float in for a number of years now, but usually it's just a truck and trailer...this was the first time for horses and a wagon...the kids were VERY excited!  It's hard to tell, but that giant white thing on the wagon is actually a skate (it looks like a shoe/boot because the kids are sitting in front of the blade).  Apparently the horses had an impact on more than just the kids - we ended up winning second place in the parade!

So, although that is kinda fun, it's a pretty weak blog post, right?!?

But, then I remembered these...

My BRAND NEW SKATES!  A Riedell 875 TS boot with a JSW Stealth Blade.  Not that that means much to anyone, but that's OK.

To say I am excited about these is a bit of an understatement.  I honestly can't even remember when my last skates were purchased - it had to have been my last, or second last, year of skating...so I figure it was 12 or 13 years ago!  So, I wore them for the last part of my own skating 'career' - which means they got me through my Gold Skills and Gold Dance Tests - and I've worn them for the last 7.5 years while I've been coaching!  I didn't do much skating during my four years at University, so they got a break during that time.

I have been well aware of my need for new skates for a few years now.  The skates I was wearing are extremely broken down in the ankle, and there are a few screws missing on each skate - so there's not a lot holding the blade on the boot!  But, they are still soooo comfortable - they feel like slippers when I put them on.  Looking at them next to my new skates makes them look pretty ugly though...

So, besides my old ones still being comfortable, I just could not bring myself to spend the crazy amount of money it would be for a new pair.  However, now seemed like an appropriate time to just bite the bullet and do it - and, although it was quite an expense, I know these skates will probably last until the end of my coaching career, so that eases the pain :)

My new skates are not exactly comfortable.  My excitement was slightly ruined when I wore them for the first time - they are so stiff, and there is a lot of different padding in the boot - my feet hurt a lot after the first session!  The blade is also really different, and at first it felt like I was going to fall backwards - but, it's just because the rocker is in a slightly different spot, so I know it's just a matter of time before I adjust.  I've worn them for six sessions now, and each time they feel a little better.  I've been carrying both pairs of skates back and forth to the rink, just in case my feet get too sore and I want to put my old skates on, but I think I'm going to start leaving the old ones at home now! 

Funny story from the first night I wore the skates - one of my little skaters noticed that I had new skates on, so she was asking me about them.  And, she asked me how long I had my other ones - since I can't remember the exact number, I told her that I got them before she was even born!  Ha!  The look on her face was classic...and, her sister was skating nearby, so she called her over to tell her that 'Mary Beth's other skates were older than me!'. 

One Month, One Post

I will be so glad to flip the calendar on the weekend!  November hasn't been a great month, so I'm glad it's almost over.  I don't think it's possible to have a bad month in December!

The month started off OK - we went to a Belleville Bulls game; our nephew Isaac is playing Timbit hockey this year, and his team was playing during one of the intermissions, so we wanted to see that.  Unfortunately, we were a week early, it was two other teams playing...ooops.  I knew one of the little guys that did play that night, so it was still cute. 

Curt and I both enjoyed a long weekend for Remembrance Day (one of the perks of working for our provincial and federal governments).  We decided to go shopping in the States, and we got about 80% of our  Christmas shopping done - it felt great to be that far ahead that early!

Sunday night, as we drove from Watertown to Syracuse,  I fell asleep, so Curt used the GPS to pick a restaurant for dinner...I wasn't impressed when we pulled in to Ichibon Japanese Steakhouse :)  The building didn't have any windows (always sketchy in my opinion) and the sign was less than impressive...BUT, the parking lot was PACKED!  So, I gave in and said I would try it...so glad I did, it was really good, and it was a cool experience too!  We sat at a table with three other couples and we had our own hibachi chef cook right at our table.  And, there was sooo much food...I think it was four courses!

Our chef after he finished cooking for us.  

And then, after our weekend in the States, I got SICK!  At first I'm sure it was just a cold, but I decided to take some time off work to get over it.  But, instead of getting better, it got worse...a lot worse.  I ended up going to a walk-in clinic, but after waiting for two and a half hours, the doctor wouldn't prescribe anything - said I should just give it time.  Five days later I was still feeling horrible, so I went to a different walk-in clinic and finally got a prescription.  It was only a matter of days before I started feeling better.   Apparently it was a sinus infection, but I think because the first doctor chose to ignore it, it got pretty bad.

Anyway, I recovered just in time to return to the ice for a test day.  My skaters all did great - I had five skaters try nine tests, and they all passed!   

And, following test day, it was off to a different rink - we had family Christmas with my mother-in-laws side of the family, and it was held at the curling club this year.  I didn't spend a lot of time curling, I thought it would be better to stay in the warm area watching and visiting...it was still a lot of fun though, and it's always nice to spend time with the Wielemaker's. 

It was the Roeleveld's turn to organize, but because Curt is the curler in the family, he helped organize some games to encourage people to get out and try curling. 

The winning team during their first game...

Almost everyone came out the ice for a chance to win a giant bag of M & M's...Curt taped them to a curling rock, stuck it in the middle of the ice and then gave everyone a chance to throw a stone - the one closest to the M & M rock at the end, won.  Easy and fun.

So, although it wasn't all bad, the week and a half I spent sick in bed really sucked and kinda put a damper on the rest of the month.  But, like I said, it's December, and I don't think you can have a bad month in December!  The festivities have already started, and the best is yet to come - getting to go 'home' to Acton for Christmas...it's only a few weeks away now!
 

Trick or Treat

Despite being an adult, and not having any children to 'celebrate' with, I have had a very fun Halloween!

The day didn't start out great - we had to curl late last night and we didn't get home until after midnight - so, getting up for work this morning was harder than usual.  But, when I got to work and started seeing co-workers in costume, the day got a lot brighter :) 

Last week, the office social committee sent out an email suggesting that people dress up in clothing from the decade they were born....that evolved to just dressing up from your favourite decade...and then some people just dressed up in whatever.  There were a lot of laughs as we saw what people came up with...and the whole office loved it when our two managers arrived in costume!

So, here are some of my co-workers...unfortunately they aren't looking at me with my camera phone, they're looking at a co-worker with his real camera...but, it's still worth sharing....

Back Row, L-R: Angela, Cathy J (my manager), Sara, Cathy S, Trish, Reeva, Jen

Front Row, L-R: Amanda, Gayle (manager) and Tara

Gayle, the manager in the front, rented that costume...she went all out!  She even had an extension clipped in her hair so she could have a pony tail!  Sara, in the back with the 'boom box' has a fanny pack on, don't miss it!  I laughed so hard when she pulled her iPhone out of it at break today :)

For those of you who know me, you're not surprised that I didn't dress up!  Although, I regretted it for a few minutes this morning...but the regret passed quickly!

And tonight, it's been fun handing out candy at home!  We've only had about 50 kids this year - that's only half as many as we had last year.  It was supposed to rain all night, but it did stop for a few hours...so, I'm not sure why it wasn't busy?

My brother-in-law Dave came by with three of our nephews (Joshua and Owen stayed home - too old and too young)...

Ironman (Noah), Ninja Turtle (Luke) and Superman (Isaac)

(we gave them some games as well as the traditional candy)

Our friends Ike and Jeanette stopped by with their son Grayson as well - he was a monkey.  And then a friend I used to work with at the golf course stopped by for a quick visit as well, she stayed here to chat while her son went to some of our neighbours to trick or treat.

 

And, we got in a short skype call with my nephew and niece!  It was fun to see them in their costumes - Nolan was Optimus Prime and Abby was Strawberry Shortcake.  The call was short because both parties got pretty distracted whenever new people came to the door for candy, but it was still good to see them!

 

I hope everyone has had a safe and happy Halloween!

 

 

Before It's Too Late...

This might be the worst month I've ever had as a 'blogger'.  Oooops!?!?  Things haven't been any busier than usual, so I'm not really sure how this happened.  So, although it's really late, I'm going to go ahead and post about one of the highlights of the month...

Thanksgiving Weekend
Curt and I were able to spend the weekend in Acton - we had a great time visiting with everyone, and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with my parents, Aunt Mary, and my cousin Becky.  I wasn't feeling great all weekend, so we didn't do as much as we usually would - no late night board games with Tom & Krystle - but we did continue our tradition of visiting a pumpkin patch!

The first thing we do when we get there, pick pumpkins!  It's a group effort, and it takes some serious concentration...

But, Nolan was pretty quick to find his - and I think Abby was happy with his choice...

Once the choices were made, and the wagon was loaded, it was time to head inside to pay.  Nolan was doing a good job pulling the wagon...until Uncle Curt decided he needed a ride...

I tried to take advantage of a pretty little fall set-up to take some pictures of the kids, but that proved to be VERY hard...I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...first try...

second try...

and, third and final try...

I realized a few things as I was cropping these pictures to put on here:

1. I LOVE these two, and even though they didn't co-operate for the pictures, I think the pictures are great because they are just so cute!

2. For the last few years, I've felt like everyone with a camera is becoming a photographer, and starting their own business - however, despite the fact that I own a camera, I could never be a photographer!  I do not have an eye for pictures...notice the green garbage can in the last three pictures?!?!  ooops! 

Our visit to the pumpkin patch always includes a trip through the corn maze as well...

The boys always play a big role in helping Nolan and Abby get through the maze :)  

Cute, isn't it!

And finally, we played in the hay maze.

Nolan, focused on his big jump from one bale to the next...

And, I got out from behind the camera for a bit and tried my own jump...

It was a great day, and we lucked out with great weather again!  So thankful to spend time with family and to enjoy traditions - new and old.

P.S. Sorry for the picture overload...Tom and Krystle didn't have their camera with them, so I wanted to share lots of pictures - I realize I probably went overboard!  I had 101 pictures to choose from though, so considering that, I didn't do too bad.