Christmas!!!! It's finally started. Dec 25 - 31st, and it's over!

 Merry Christmas! The day all children wait for, adults too. lol

Sure feels different this morning being that there is no pitter patter of feet and we're by ourselves for Christmas morning. Kristi has to work on call this Christmas, so our main event won't be until the 28th. 

We opened one gift each while we drank coffee and Carolans for me. :) I'd bought Ray a puzzle table so he can put it away when necessary if I need space on the dining room table. He is a happy camper.

It's fabulous, has 6 sorting compartments and a silicone mat to cover the puzzle to keep it undisturbed when you shove it under the bed.

Ray got me a Samsung Galaxy 7 smart watch. Our friend Laurel visited in October and I drooled over hers so Ray bought me my own. I spent the next couple of days learning how to use it. You can choose various watch faces. I like that I can see it without glasses lol I also received a small gold wedding band. I didn't want to wear my rings when we go to Mexico, so he bought me a gold band to wear.

The lake is rising still with all the rain we've recieved. Seems like we've experienced storms for days, today no exception. Fortunately, no power losses for us as there is upisland.

Water breached up to our second landing. You may ask why I keep on about this .... a few years ago our neighbours next to us ended up with 8" of water in their basement! If the lake came up another 8" to 12" at that time we would have flooded too.

After a relaxing few hours, it's time for me to get prepped for dinner. We've invited Pat, Darryl and their daughter Gayle over for Christmas Dinner. Their big event with family is on Boxing Day, the 26th.

We exchanged a few gifts. Included in the gift basket of yummy things, Kona Coffee and Macadamia nuts plus a bunch of other things, Pat made me this beautiful embroidered angel and kitchen towel, the red truck to go with our theme. For Ray, he received a "red truck" embroidered on an apron. Thanks guys.

Darryl, Pat, Ray and Gayle

We had a great time, the prime rib turned out perfectly. Gayle was fascinated by all of Ray's Villages and spent quite some time looking for all the "Santa's" (there's nine). They went home at 8pm... as they have a big day tomorrow with a bunch of their family arriving. 

As we were having dinner, Pat got a call that their granddaughter and parents were unable to come over on the ferry tomorrow, as it was cancelled due to the storm. Their big Christmas dinner is now on the 27th, which we are invited too.

When I was going through old pictures of my aunt, I came across some of Ray's old Christmas Villages. What a difference.

Christmas 2003 in Port Alberni.

2007 in Nanaimo

Big difference compared to now!

Who knows what he will come up with next year!

Boxing Day, we spent by ourselves, eating leftovers. The sun came out for a little bit, so we took advantage and went for a walk. Just got back in time for the showers to start again. Ray watched football and I the last of the Hallmark movies I'd taped.

The morning of the 27th, the rain finally quit. Time to start prepping for our Christmas visitors tomorrow. Our sleeper sofa downstairs will be used for the second or third time since we moved into this house 6 1/2 years ago. It was my Dad's. I blew it up to make sure it held air or Ray would have had to go into Duncan for a new air mattress.

December 28th, our Christmas Eve. Let the festivities begin!

The lake is still rising with all the rain.

Kristi, Jason and Amelia arrived at 11 am and we decided to go out for lunch at JV's for burgers so I didn't have to make lunch. Jason's parents and Aaron arrived shortly after 1pm. I'd done all the prep for the dinner earlier in the morning so it's easy to get things going in the afternoon. I cooked a ham and put a chicken on the barbecue rotisserie. Their were many presents around the tree. A bunch of them in behind the TV stand too. Tomorrow gift opening is going to take awhile. :)

All squashed into our livingroom, 7 adults, 1 child and 2 dogs. Notice all our coffee table displays and food is gone due to the dogs and Amelia lol

Cookie decorating with Uncle Aaron.

Dinner served at 5:30 pm.

Aaron, Kristi, Amelia, Ray, Deb, Nadine and Dale

Bedtime for Amelia. Granny and I also had to read her a story.

We told Amelia that she may hear a bang on the roof not to get up because it's Santa .... the next morning she told us all that she heard the "bang" lol She inspected the chewed up carrot and half cookie left on the plate.

After Amelia retired, we all assumed our positions and watched "The Man Who Invented Christmas".

Me and Olaf. He is a lap dog lol

All of us tired and in bed by 9:30 pm!

Our Christmas morning, December 28th. Amelia woke us at 6 am. We started out with our stockings and when everyone was up, started on the massive pile of gifts around 7 am. Of course a lot of them were for Amelia. She also helped everyone else open theirs.

Necklace from Pat

New remote barbie car from Granny and Papa Dale

We kept at it until 9am when I made breakfast before tackling round 2 of presents.

My awesome kitchen crew cleaning up. I don't know how I missed Dale as he did the majority of the dishes that did not fit in the dishwasher.

After they were done we started on the second sitting of present opening. 

Ferry Costume from Santa

Kristi received a new work blazer from Nadine and Dale

Jason made all of his gifts for everyone this year. WOW. All made with exotic wood. Wenge, Pedak, Purple Heart, and maple in cutting boards.

Coasters for Aaron

Nadine's Cutting Board

My Cutting Board

Picture Frame for Kristi's Office

And the most amazing live edge slab bench for Ray. First words out of Ray's mouth "Oh My God Jason" and then speechless!

Jason's neighbours across the street from him, took down several large fir trees. Jason and a buddy made them a deal for half the wood. Jason's friend had an Alaskan Mill and they slabbed a whole bunch of the wood, giving the owners half. Matt gave Jason some of the wood and this is what he made.

After these major surprises, we gave Jason his new sander that his parents and us went in on.

First Jason received sanding paper as a clue!

We;d hid the sander in Darryl's garage next door.

Happy Camper ... just wished he had it before while he was making all our presents. lol

Well everything was finally opened from under the tree and what a haul for everyone! Stuff everywhere!

Playtime!

Game time with Amelia's new games.

Time to play Jason's new game from Aaron.

Aaron is also a whiz with electronics, so he took apart Ray's tilt a whirl to fix the gears. He brought his own tools. :)

The Victoria crowd left by noon and then it was just the 5 of us. One tired little girl.

Kristi, Jason and Amelia stayed over one more night. Everyone retired\ early, Amelia at 7, Ray and Kristi at 9. Jason and I stayed up until after 11 watching a show. Jaso perhaps had too much Rye lol

The next morning, New Years Eve Day. Jason found himself "worshiping the porcelain alter" :) He was quite sick with a migraine headache for several hours before his meds kicked in and he could get up.

We tried to keep Amelia quiet so she built her new Magnatile castle.

Ray, Kristi, Amelia and I went out for lunch at Jakes so he could sleep longer. 

Once we got back, Jason was up and within half an hour they were on their way back to Nanaimo. Although a cloudy day, at least it didn't rain so an uneventful drive home for them.

A great Christmas this year. Lots of tidying up for me with 4 beds to wash, 5 bathrooms and vacuming up all the dog hair before we can put Christmas back in the box. At least my livingroom floor is visable now. :)

Tonight (New Years) we were invited over to Mike and Debra's for a drink and some appies. Yay! I don't have to cook. :)

Lots of appies mostly made by the kids. Their kids have lots of friends who visit all summer at the lake.

We were home by 8:45 pm. Happy New Year!