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.