December 2013 Part 2

On Christmas Eve we traveled up to Canada to spend a week with my family.  This year felt different than usual, with my grandma being quite sick in the hospital (her first time since having her boys many many years ago!) and then home at my parents' place needing lots of care.  Despite the downside of sickness, we still had a very special time and I felt blessed to be there with family and especially with my grandma.

Visiting Great Grandma on Christmas morning.  Kai was so sweet and gentle with Great Grandma and made sure to take extra special care of her...holding her hand, helping her walk, bringing her stuffies and even sharing his special blanket with her.

The whole family went back to visit Great Grandma on Christmas evening.  Kai made sure to deliver the card he had made for her.

She had hardly eaten anything for about a week and was very weak.  But, we took her some turkey dinner and she let Kai and Uncle Jeff help her eat quite a bit of it :)

Kaden also brought along his guitar and we sang some Christmas carols together.

After we got home, the kids acted out the Christmas story for us.

The girls were great helpers with Kai.

Kai and Bryon on their traditional father-son Christmas outing to the Vancouver Aquarium...

...and Lynn Canyon.

Great Grandma finally got to come home and Kai was more than happy to help her open presents.

Bryon spent a day skiing at Baker with a friend.

And, they got a bit lost and spent 4 hours hiking out.  So thankful they made it out okay!

Sadly, the ice rink had melted, but Kai attempted to play in the water anyways.  Poor kid, doesn't even know how to hold a hockey stick properly!  We'll have to send him up to Canada for hockey school.

Out for a quick family walk before we had to drive home on New Year's Day.

Kai has such great cousins!

(Sorry Jenn, I know you told me I couldn't put this one on the blog, but Kai wouldn't let me leave it off!)  Auntie Jenn was Kai's favourite this Christmas.

Saying goodbye to Great Grandma, and wearing the special "Snoopy" (on the back) sweater that great grandma has made for all the male grandkids and great grandkids.

December 2013 Part 1

As usual, December was a busy month...trying to fit in many celebrations of the beautiful Christmas season.  I missed taking photos of a lot of our activities, but between iPhone photos and a few others, here's a peek at the first part of the month leading up to Christmas.

December started out with a poor little sick boy, and on a snowy morning no less!  I was so sad to think he'd miss playing in the tiny bit of snow outside...probably the only snow we'll get in Portland all year long.

But, by afternoon he'd rallied enough to go outside and make a few snow angels.

Bryon's company Christmas party.

My cousin Lindsay visited on her way from San Francisco to Canada and
Kai fell in love with her :)

Decorating our Charlie Brown tree.

Making red and green play dough.

Visiting a stable with friends (we did the same last year), to try to show the kids what it may have looked (and smelled!) like where Jesus was born.

Wrapping Christmas presents and making Christmas cards.

We kept finding little gifts and cards from Kai.  So sweet :)  He also worked really hard all on his own to make cute little cards for all of the family members we spent Christmas with.

We studied and acted out each part of the Christmas story as part of our advent activities.

Since we don't own any dolls, Bear Bear got to be baby Jesus.

Making Christmas crafts like snow globes.

Baking Christmas cookies.

An early Christmas celebration with just us three.

Opening gifts from Gramma and Papa.

And, Kai woke up nice and early to find that Santa (actually, mostly Gramma and Papa) had filled his stocking with all kinds of goodies.

After our Christmas celebrations and a yummy breakfast made by Bryon, we went for a nice long bike ride (complete with Kai's new bike bell...our Christmas gift to him).  Kai also insisted on wearing his favourite tie...on his jacket :)

One day I let Kai use my camera phone and these next few pictures are what he chose to photograph.  I love seeing life from his perspective.

Christmas post to come next!