Christmas On This Side Of The World

Merry Christmas to all .... Christmas Eve starts at the Nickums... Turkey Pie and the trimmings as usual... this year we were lucky to have Oma home for the holidays since she has been in the hospital for the last two months... I think Opa was the happiest of us all.... but she will be returning on Monday morning to continue her treatment...

Oma and Opa on Christmas Eve..

.

Susan, Lindsay and Kristen at the dining room table after dinner..

.

Dan

Carl and Kristen

Then off to pick up Matthew at the Hills's which I didn't get any photos of... sad kind of Christmas for Charles this year as Lois is also in the hospital...

After picking Matthew up.. it was off to my house...

Mom and dad... notice that dad is looking great... mom is all smiles...

Matthew, Greg and Matthew in the living room while Flo and Rebecca are in the kitchen making up breakfast for the next morning... Danie's specialty actually...

The traditional meat pie eating on Christmas eve... Carl and I didn't want any since we did have it earlier that night... thankful that when Matthew came home on Wednesday I actually made a seafood chowder for us... didn't get to miss that one this year...

Back home for a few hours and a few gifts to be opened...

Matthew getting one of a few gifts... his sweater... he wanted me to knit one for him a little smaller then the one I did a few years ago but he mentioned that about a week before Christmas not a great time to ask for something like that so I went out and got one for him with the promise that in the next year he will get the homemade one...

Carl asked for three things.. a GPS which I think living in NB is silly to have... since the man knows pretty well everywhere to do in this province ... ohhh I am not sure what the other one was... and a lap top... he got his lap top... and was very happy over that...

As for me I got a day at the spa... 6.5 hours of being pampered so I am not complaining one little bit...

So Christmas morning we go to the house to watch the boys unwrap their gifts... I didn't mention that Peter, Pauline and the boys are home for Christmas (actually they have been here since the 12th of the month)... and this is what we are welcomed with... Dad did a silly Christmas Eve after we left.. we are not getting into how he did it because it was a silly thing he did but he did it... so he is sporting an ugly nose and an almost black eye.. but he is okay....

Mom and dad had ring side seats to watch the boys unwrap their gifts...

Of course mom got some chocolate for Christmas.. actually she got a second large Chocolate bar... a 18 box of Lindors (I know that is spelled wrong) and a few others along the way... so she is filled with chocolate for a little while...

Flo sporting a new hair do...

When there was a gift for the three of the boys the three of then opened it up together...

Roger with one of his gifts...

Pauline thanking mom for her gift...

Matthew having his first coffee of the day... think he may need a few more to get him wide awoke...

Pauline with one of her gifts...

Two of the boys helping Nanny with one of her gifts...

Peter being serious as usual... but he is just a little sweet heart when he wants to be .. .he he

Carl helping mom with one of her gifts...

Roger greeting Pat at the door...

Merry Christmas Pat... hugs hugs... the man was so loving... (ok sometimes)

Me and mom... (gave Matthew the camera for a while...)

Pat...

So after the gifts were unwrapped and breakfast was eaten... we were off to the house... we have company coming...

The turkey was in the oven since about 4:30 but the rest of it had to be made...

Pauline got some crackers for Christmas and was wondering what was in them...and put the hat on Carl as he was doing the spring beans...

He was so helpful with dinner this year... and I was very thankful for his help...

Matthew serious as he arrived the cheese on the plate...

he was also a great help for me this year...

Glad they were both there....

But then dad got the cole slaw done... Yvette had the broccoli bake ready and a wonderful cheese cake as well... thank God for my little helpers... wouldn't have done it all by myself... I am getting old... can't do this all by myself any more...

Of course there ws the tour of the house for photos so maybe next year I will take the time to look at them and see where I put things this year....

But these are the two new things I got this year...

a new Nativity from good old Mr. Tomato... hand crafted and loving it so very much...

Also this one was a gift from Flo when she came home from up North... a Christmas ball... so it is hanging in place of honor not sure if I am going to leave it out for the year or just at Christmas time... still thinking on it....

This year we needed 3 tables so the two as usual in the dining room

and another done up in the Kitchen.. thank God we had that extra table...

Company finally arrived and the boys headed for the TV room and the WII game...

Well Peter too... think they may have been missing it...

of course there was lots to munch on as dinner was getting ready...

Matthew and Carl....

Brian always says I don't get a good picture of him.. .and you know what this year has not been any different I have no idea why... when I take the picture it is looking good... but when it comes out... here it is...

Carl and Hubert having a chat in the kitchen

Wanted picture of someone carving the turkey... it is a big one but we have never had anyone carving it...

The only problem with this picture with Peter is that we did't plug it in... duh me...

but we did get some good photos... he is so funny when he wants to be...

Well not only Brian took a bad one this time... so did Yvette....

Of course we did get it plugged in for dad and the craving...

bad hands or not he still did a good job...

Pat making sure mom had a few little things before dinner sine it was late...

and mom...

Well that is it for now... it seems that other people have lots of other pictures but they were not passed on to me as of yet... I am hoping that I will GET some of them SOON... and I wouldn't have to go looking for them for the wall of Past Christmas's next year...

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas and I will be back tomorrow with some photos of the newest addition to the family since I did do it on facebook but not here...and we dropped in on Boxing Day with Matthew so he could see Caleb as a baby... since I am sure it will be a while before he gets up that up to see him...

Have a great one all... Joanne

3 more days

This weekend we had a beautiful arrival of my first grandchild born to the family... Caleb.... Arrived on December 19, 2009 at 4:11 am... weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 19 inches...

We came home on Saturday but Sunday the thought of going back down just to sit and hold him was very much on my mind... hoping to get to do that very soon....

Four Days to go:

Today marks 4 days to Christmas and not a lot of time to get whatever I have to do done... so being me I sat down with the Tim's tea Carl actually went up and got me before heading off to work this morning... got to love that man.... and make a list... after number 55 I stopped... actually I got a little discouraged about the whole thing... so with list in hand I headed out to pick up the last of the Christmas gifts I needed to pick up... which took a very short time... I was actually surprised that the malls were not as full as I thought they would be.... lucky me I guess... I am happy to say I am done my Christmas shopping for the year... and by the time I came upstairs tonight I also had all the wrapping done... with gifts under the tree and those going out of the house in bags ready to go on Friday... the wrapping paper and ribbon is back in their storage bins and I am hoping I will not see that again until next year as well...

Of course I did have to do a drop in to see mom and dad for a bit but also picked up the stuff I put in their freezer since I took the bird out and put it in the fridge this morning making room for other things... which is always nice... I figure it is going to take that long to thaw....

On the way home I thought I should pick up cranberries to make this afternoon... something else that can be done ahead of time but to my total amazement Donald actually didn't have one fresh berry in the store... so tell me what store keeper actually forgets to order cranberries this time of the year... ohhh yes Donald... shakes her head in total amazement of this man...

By the time I got home I knew that I had to tackle the list so it wouldn't look too back tomorrow morning and actually I think I did pretty good today.... I knocked off about 10 things but also added another 7 things that either has to be done or picked up tomorrow... I decided that I was leaving the touch up of the house until Wednesday while I am waiting for Matthew to arrive... I did important things today like finding that perfect spot for my angel that usually is on top of the tree but this year we put the tree in the TV room and if we wanted the angel on we would have had to but it to about 4 feet... we went with a real tree this year...

Wrapped gifts, got the tables set up, put up the rest of the decorations that have been laying around the house saying I am going to put them up one day, started taking out plates, bowls and things of that nature out, washed and ready for the tables... looked for things I know I have but can't find, finally put my ribbon up for my cards I received and it seem that it was a perfect day to be home because from Monique call this morning the phone had not stopped ringing until 10 tonight... so I think I had a very productive day... to get the day an hour on the cook book which reminds me there are some of you that have not put in your recipes which I would like to see... so take a minute people...

Well now I am off to bed so I can start again tomorrow ... first of the list...find cranberries....

Have a great one...

Anal, Forgetful Or Just Going Insane?

I am on a new project and Christmas is not even over yet now I am wondering if that is the reason why only the gold balls are on the tree... the crafts which I am pretty well getting tired of doing are still sitting on my dining room table waiting, all gifts that I have bought are not bagged or wrapped. This week it is all getting done or put away and will finish up the crafts especially next year...

From the looks of the forecast I may have a day or two home which is always good for me, though I did take the time this weekend and picked up a book that I have been wanting to read... ohhh the thought of snow falling, hot cup of tea, a warm blankets and a book... what more can one ask for.....

Peter, Pauline and the boys arrived Saturday night until the 28th...we have children for Christmas... always nice to have... and Flo showed up Sunday night until the 28th as well... The house is officially over flowing... not my place... mom and dad's ... it has been a long time since there was that many people in the house for that length of time...

I almost had a major melt down last night after dinner when I sat down to figure out how many was coming for Christmas dinner. As most of the family knows I do have Christmas dishes and any one follow my poor Project 2009 (will explain what happened to the last month) knows that I finally found Christmas flatware to go with the dishes this year.... and was I excited over that one... So when the count went over what I had in dishes it was not a pretty sight if you were sitting across from me.... I did get pointed out by smarty pants that I don't have enough glasses for everybody as well and not everyone wants water with there meal either. The man lives a dangerous life I have to say and a threat that could be solved very easily this morning with a trip to town and the most expensive place to get glasses to make the count right. "eyes looked at him over the glasses"

A few years ago I turned my living room to sit everyone together.. .Not going to happen this year. Number three table has been found and a place for it other then the dining room... I still have the problem with the dishes or lack of... maybe this week the fliers will come in the house (they usually just get thrown out) to see if there is a solution in them... I know I am way too anal over things like this .. it is not my fault... I have a thing about what a table should look like especially when company is coming ... and things have to match... great looking table just makes great meals.. .My home Ed still kicks in every once in a while... like when I am setting the table... Ask Carl... Christmas eve night after all the visiting is done I am in the dining room starting to set up tables for the next night.. and there is no way he will even think to offer to help because I know he knows that I think he would do it wrong and in all honesty in my eyes ... he would... poor man that has to live with me when I am like this.. LOL...

So as you can see I maybe way behind in the actions but I have everything under almost control in my mind.... what little mind I have.. .thought I would say it before someone else did...

I could write an other blog on project 2009 but I am just going to make this one a little longer... so about 3 weeks ago I started cleaning up all the everyday stuff so the Christmas stuff can come out... and somewhere along the way I picked up my charger for my camera put it somewhere and then totally forgot where I put it with one battery dead and the other one on its last leg... so there has not been any pictures taken for the last few weeks.. now I could really cheat on this and go around the house and snap photos of what I have been doing all this time in one day and just pretend that it didn't happen... but then that is not right.. so I did find the charger in the closet in the sitting room... why I would even think of putting it there and remembering God only knows.. .but I was in the closet looking for my sister's Christmas gift that I have misplaced as well... I hope I get to find it before Christmas because I have looked for it everywhere and it is not to be found... but that is not the only thing I can't find here in the last while.. two rings as well but I think they are in with my knitting stuff which I put away so I could do crafts for Christmas... and then there is the winter boots that I bought last year and have no idea what so ever where I put them last spring... I am not a very organized person at all.. it is so sad... or I am just losing my mind. Carl laughs at me when I sit down in the morning with my note book and write everything I have to do for the day and then continue on crossing out what I have done and push what is not done to the next day... I mean even the simplest thing as mailing something... (which reminds me Tommy your birthday card just got in the mail this afternoon so it may be late... it is not mom and dad's fault... blame me.. it was not written down until this morning to do) I also have a bag (thanks to Pat) that I have hanging on the chair in the kitchen and anything going with me that morning is put in there if not it just doesn't get to where it is suppose to be going...

Well I think that is it for today... hopefully sometimes this week I will remember that I actually write this thing and come back with some updates and maybe even some pictures of the tree we got this year... when for the real thing...

Have a great one all Joanne

Part Two after 15 Years

3 am and no I am not in bed yet... the body decided to act out because of the bacon I had for dinner tonight... I know better but I didn't want it to go to waste... the car is not shoveled out yet so maybe I will just stay in bed in the morning for a little longer then normal...

When the boys were growing up.. I swear that they would be capable to do everything on their own... that they would never grow up depending on a woman to tend to all their needs and they would actually be more helpful then some men I have know in my life... and I have to say I think I was successful in that department... especially the cooking part of it... I do have to blow my own horn once in a while...

This year Matt and Craig have been in contact with me for several recipes... though they could have looked them up on the internet.. but they were looking for the ones that Nanny or Harold made way back when...

This got me thinking about a book that I made some years ago when the money was tight and I still wanted to give everyone something for Christmas so after several months of bugging both sides of the family which was the Hills and Melanson by the way... I was able to give everyone a book of the Family's recipes... of course like most things around here that I do I didn't make one for myself... and when I started to think about it... I had no idea who would have it after all these years... well I looked in mom's draw and it wasn't there... so the only one I could think of was Yvette.. ohhhh I love that woman ... she had it and told me that it was made in 1994... and she is going to be nice enough to let me have it so that I can scan the pages...

Of course that got me thinking... which is sometimes very dangerous with me... in 15 years there has been many changes in the family... a lot more cooks as well so why not add to the book with the younger generation kind of a part two thing... so that is what my plans are for the new year unless I get everything done for Christmas and actually don't have all that much to do... well actually if I just got out of facebook, farmville and town I would have all the time in the world...

Every year I try and find something to do after the holiday season because the winter is so long... so I think this will be it... so anyone wants to add to Part two you know my addy... just send it along and it will be added... it is always nice to have new ideas for a meal...

As for what I did today well... the entrance is finally done... you can actually see some of the dining room table... but it is still not empty as yet... I am still working on a few more projects... but the way I am going I am sure they will be done before the end of the week... I did make about 4 dozen Cherry balls tonight why watching Transformers... the kitchen and dining room are the only two rooms that needs a good cleaning... and the second last thing to be done is the top of the buffet... it still has craft supplies on that as well... I just realized this afternoon that I am missing my Mr. Snowman... and now I am wondering where I am going to put him this year... of course the tree but waiting for Carl to come home... so he can put it on top of the jeep... I just can see myself trying to put it on top of the car... not going to happen... then next week I will take my time getting that all set up and I will have a week before I have all my company... but then I will be sitting and figuring out what I am feeding them besides the 35 pound turkey....

Well I think this time I am going to try and get to bed... have a great Friday...

Just A Note To Say I am Still Alive... Kind of

Last night it snowed... oh yes is what I thought when I heard about it... no going out today... no visiting mom and dad.. .though that I miss... no going shopping or running around for things I should have done several weeks ago.. like picking up Christmas gifts for everyone on my list.. yesterday I took several hours went to several stores and actually got 9 gifts picked up... thought 4 of them were actually gift cards with a little something else... I really don't like doing the gift cards as long as I am able to get out and get something but this year has been the worst... for me... I have no idea what I can get for most people on the list... there has been a few that has actually mentioned something so I that is what I did yesterday ... got the easier ones first....

And what did I do today while I am kind of snowed in since I didn't even try to get out... actually I didn't even go clean the car off.. or clean the steps... yet... hmmmm I am not even sure where the shovels are... now that is a good excuse for not doing it... don't you think ...I played on the computer for a few hours getting good old farmville done (Oh I am so addicted to that one) and then tried with no luck to beat Yvette score on bejewel and that is when I said enough is enough I still have a dining room table that actually needs cleaning up well if I can get the rest of my crafts done... I got dressed in my house working clothes which is shorts, a t and a shirt with a pocket to carry my thumb tacks around... I have poked myself too many times with them in my pants pocket.. I have finally learned something.... got the entrance finished... the hall is almost there and after that the only thing that is left is going out and actually getting a Christmas tree for downstairs... ohhh yes I almost forgot picking up everything that is still hanging around... I can't believe it my house is actually going to get back to a semi-normal state before the 24th and through out all of this the Christmas music is blasting through the house...with the puppies close behind me as I travel through the house.. wondering what the heck I am doing...

Tuesday night while dad was at the eye doctor for his three month needles... mom and I made white sugar cookies... Yesterday morning while he was out once again for two other appointments .. nothing major guys... just a fitting for his socks for his legs and getting some medication renewed... mom and I got to ice and decorate the cookies.. though I had to keep reminding her that she already had them in the freezer and I was taking them home... I did leave a few behind since Dad was allowed them... well a few anyway...

Now I need a good Christmas movie or two to watch as I make Cherry Balls... since someone mentioned how much he really liked them and since I have two containers of cherries here since I cheated once again and when to the market last weekend and got scotch cakes for both mom and me I thought I would make these.. there is no baking involved ... just getting my hands a little dirty with icing..

Have a good one all... ohhhh yes Flo we are waiting for you to come home to decorate just in case Roger didn't tell you he he... I will help now that I am done here.... 3 more sleeps girl and you are home... I am sure I am not the only one that is counting the sleeps...

Have a great one all.. Joanne

How Disorganized Can I Really Be?

As I sat eating my breakfast after I pushed ribbon, glue guns, and other crafts stuff out of the way to put my bowl down I realized I don't want any visitors at this moment.. well for the week actually...
I also realized that I am so very disorganized person and when I am doing things...
I said Sunday that the bathroom, sitting and dining room were getting finished this week... So Monday with the help of Mother Nature I pretty well stayed home giving me the chance I have been looking for... doing things in the morning... So after a few false starts I got into the bathroom... washed the windows, mirror and the shower door... then did some decorating on all them when I realized that the Christmas Chimes that I made last year to replace the fish ones that I have hanging in the corner were not to be found upstairs... so off I went looking for them... while down there I found a few things I was looking for sitting room and others for the dinning room....so I headed back upstair with an arm full but no chimes... I also picked up the stack of wrapped boxes I did for some corner in the house... by the end of the day.. the bathroom was not finished as I said I was going to do... but things were put up in the sitting room and the boxes were put in a corner in the dining room until I decide that I really don't like it there... which happens very often.... I did get my little angel that Yvette gave me several years back on the display case in the dining room where she has been sitting for the last 5 Christmas...

The table and buffet are still filled with stuff I want to put together but have not taken the time to do it... the table in the TV room is even worst then the dining room one... actually up until Sunday afternoon I was making sure I was putting the remotes back on the coffee table because any where else well they would be lost forever .... he he

I try to be organized... but even with three journals on the go.. it is not working... one is my journal for my blog... because I never just sit here and type... I have to long hand it... the other is for anything that has to be at or for Mom and dad... and then I have actually 4 books for myself... because I am forever leaving them in the car after the day... I am hoping by the 23th all of this has been put up or packed away once more... so when the family comes Christmas day they don't have to jump over or walk around everything that I have been for the last week...

Well I am going to mom and dad's and get a few things there... so it is one of my favorite days.. .Slob day... old jeans, a man's undershirt and a 3X plaid shirt that I know as soon as I get into mom's she is going to snap it up to my neck... he he got to love her...

And in the middle of all of this getting the house decorated for Christmas I am working on like a 100 projects that I want to try and actually get done before Santa shows up... (shakes her head in wonder)...

So if I am going I better get my butt in gear before something else comes up... have a great day.... Joanne

(most of my blogs are usually written in the morning though they are posted later in the day)

Why are Some People Just so Stupid?

I am not sure but I think when I was taking my driving course some years ago... we were told that if a fire truck, police car or ambulance came down the street with horns going and light flashing... get out of their way... I am also sure that it is in the hand book we get when we go for our driving test to get our permit... I can't sweat on a stack of bibles but I am guessing here...

Can you explain to me why people are that stupid that they don't move over when they can, stop when they should and let these people by... I think of it this way... the second the ambulance are wasting trying to get around traffic are second that may mean a lot to that person they are trying to save... it also can be my mom or dad in there... but it doesn't matter... I have seen this so many times... people just don't pull off when they can to let them go by....

I was sitting at a red light this afternoon in the second lane because I was coming up to my left hand turn to the hospital... and the ambulance came up behind me... I couldn't move nor the ones in front of me... and several in the back so the ambulance when in the middle lane of on coming traffic because there was none coming... to pass us... the light turns green I don't move because it has not driven by yet... do you know what the stupid, dumb A** behind me did... I couldn't believe it... he started to laying on the horn to make me go... oh you know that didn't set ever well with me... but being that I was already on my nerves because of where I was going... I said that is okay... I am just ignore the Okay no more name calling.... the gentleman (ya right) have his little fit and I will continue on my way in good time...

I get into the parking lot and am walking to the hospital and you wouldn't believe it ... the GUY was parking... of course it was just my luck I found someone I knew while waiting for my number to be called... and as he sat there a few seats away from me... I told my friend of the adventure with the man that must of got his drivers license out of a Cracker Jack Box because he didn't know that he had to stop for the ambulance.... I have to say he was a gentleman because he didn't urge a word.... I to do believe it was because the female friend was agreeing with me of how much of a jerk he was... I did smile nicely to him as I was walking to the desk when my number was called.... I am sure Yvette knows the smile I am talking about HA HA...

As for the hospital... I was going in to get an ultra sound done on my breast which I found a lump last week... It was a cisk (it is not spelled right I know) that bleed so all is good with me as of 2 pm this afternoon... I will be going to see the doctor this week I am sure... because he calls as soon as he gets the results in... and wants to see us no matter if it is good and bad... this is the second time that this one has been tested so I think maybe we are going to get it drained... well that is if he thinks I should... so my world is at peace again... now to get back to eating properly because the last week I have not been... ohhh the junk food that entered my body when I am under stress... I am sure I have a few pounds that have to be retaken off...

I also got good news last night Matthew will be home for Christmas... I was hoping to have him home since Robin and Amanda are way too close to the due date and Craig and Family are too far away... I only have him for three days but it was more then what I was going to have him... last week...

Well that is it for now... have a great day because I am planning on it... Joanne...

I need to change my stuff to fit the season... hmmm maybe the next time