A Great Weekend

Despite the nasty weather Saturday our kids headed North on Saturday about 10:30 am to come see us for our Christmas Weekend together. 

Yes the flurries were heavy at times and the roads a little bit on the wet and greasy side with one just having to be a little more careful driving and keeping their speed within reason to accommodate the driving conditions.

Before they arrived I got busy getting a few things ready for the late lunch we would be having.  They did arrive about 1 pm and we filled ourselves up with lots of goodies and then indulged ourselves with a piece of Homemade Carrot Cake.

Poppa got called out after lunch, but told the kids to go ahead and open the gifts without him as he knew how excited they all were.

Yes they were all excited, and so happy to get a Popcorn Machine, Candy Floss & Milkshake Maker from us.  They also each got an individual gift from us as well.

Even our "big" kids were happy with their gifts  Bandit almost had to be in on every gift opening going.

The kids had so much fun outside in the snow yesterday, and again today.  The dogs loved them being here.  Bandit was in his glory, and Portia absolutely couldn't get over all the attention she was getting.

Yes Portia was beyond herself with the attention she was getting.

Poor Liz had gotten off a 12 hour shift Saturday morning and had been beyond tired, but I must admit she was a "trooper" right up until the end of the day.  The kids were all gone to bed by 8 pm, and us adults called it a day to lay down and watch some TV by 9 pm.  Rob went out to work for the evening.

We had ate so much at lunch time we ended up just snacking later on, leaving our Christmas meal for today.  The weather was to take a turn for the worse, so Paul wanted us to eat at 11 pm, so this is what we did.

What a great meal we had with Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Black Bean & Feta Salad, Harvard Beets and Rolls.  The kids absolutely LOVED the Harvard Beets.

A friend recently had given me the recipe for the Harvard Beets, and of course I do love sharing. Recipe please?  FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE PLEASE *CLICK* HERE.

After lunch was cleaned up the gang all got ready to head out.

It is quite the feat to get five kids and two adults all loaded up and ready to go ... sure happy it is just me, Rob and the Aussies !  And by 11:45 they were heading out the drive way til their next visit.

I had lots more cleaning up to do, and still more tomorrow but I was tired after I did up the dishes, and cleaned my oven (a little mess I had made in earlier required the clean-up).

Late this afternoon I had a phone call about our puppies.  Another one has found her FOREVER HOME, with still the little Red Tri Female & Black Tri Male looking for their Forever Homes now. They just turned two weeks old, and their eyes finally opened this past Friday ... now the fun will begin by the end of this week, then the weaning in only 2 more weeks away.  Time flies in puppy land !

Yes it was an absolutely great weekend, worth every moment of the extra work and sore body to  have those 5 kids here having so much fun, Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

Oh Man !

What a crazy busy day it has been .... beyond busy.  Now I can not seem to download the photos from my iphone to boot.

We never had our Christmas meal today with the kids, as I had put on too big of a lunch and we had all been too full for a Ham Dinner this evening.  More snacking, and there goes my "watching my weight" gone right out the window.

We will have our Ham tomorrow before they leave to go back home.

I am truly going to  have to start walking again, especially since I am giving the volunteering a break in this New Year I should have more time to concentrate on getting on top of my house, purging and getting some walking time in once a day.  I really need to loose 20 lbs before my Son gets married this July.

There is a parade of Transformer Movies on TV today so the kids are all busy watching them, big kids including Paul & Liz.

Between the temperatures becoming mild, the wood stoves being on, as well as the oven today, it is like a sweat house in our place today, especially with 9 persons all together.

The exchanging of Christmas Gifts was fun.  Everyone was very happy with the gifts they received.  We had gotten everyone each something, then as a family got them a Popcorn Maker, Milkshake Maker and a Candy Floss Maker.  They should all come in handy for the kids to have a Birthday theme.

I am going to enjoy the kids now since we don't have them here as much as we would like, Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard.

Our 2012 Family Christmas

"Last night the boys and I all had a wonderful dinner downtown Wiarton at the Green Door Cafe.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Loaded Chicken on a Bun, while the boys had Fish & Chips and my big boy had a House Burger ... check out the size of that burger and the pile of poutine he had ordered with it !"

We had all been pretty tired after a full day, but still manged to have us a bit of "fun" time when we arrived back home after our Dinner.

"Paul shared part of a Banana Popsicle with Bandit, however Bandit thought he should take the whole stick too; then they had themselves a little cuddle "down time"."

"Connor and Paul gave me a couple entertaining "looks" while I tried to sneak in the odd picture or two."

"There is always a "special" moment or two to be found."

This morning I believe they all were in bed until almost 7 am ?  After a bit of breakfast some relaxation had been going on ....

".... for some of us."

I had to get going on our Dinner preparations, since we were having our meal by 1:00 pm, so we could open our Christmas gifts in good time for the boys to head back home before Supper time.

"I had ran into my friend, Toni with an "i" yesterday.  Look at these cute Salt & Peppers she had for me.  She had thought they would go perfect with my already 2 Kitchen Kats, IKE (I Know Everything) and ICE (I C Everything).  They could not have fit in more purfectly, would you not agree?  Thanks Toni !"

Our set Dinner menu, we all previously agreed on, was going to be Ham, Scalloped Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.

"First off it was preparing the Scalloped Potatoes.  I have always put my potato peels in the wood stove to burn, as they are to help burn off the creosote in the pipes.  The other day, Rob's Cousin, Joyce, had told me to dry them over night on top of the stove first.  This is what I have been doing the past couple of days.  

Needing to know more on the "Art" of drying potato peelings prior to burning them in your fireplace and/or wood stove?  just *click* right HERE.  Now on to the preparing of those potatoes ....

"First off I mixed all the dry ingredients in a small dish.  Melted butter, then added the dry to it in the pot on a moderate low heat ...   The milk was next to be added, gently stirring until thickened.  Next comes more Dairy Goodness with the Old Cheddar Cheese ....   The ham had been easy, since it had was a "cooked" ham, it was wrapped in foil, as not to dry out, and placed alongside the pan of scalloped potatoes in the oven."

"Less then 2 hours later we had a fantastic meal prepared, cooked and ready to serve up to my boys; all four of them big and small."

I have been making my scalloped potatoes like this for years, ever since my friend, Tim, had given me his method.  Aiden had 3 helpings !!! 

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

Then came what the small boys had been waiting for since their arrival Friday evening ... Christmas gift giving  for everyone, being more so for them.

"The big boys got each a gift handed to them first.  Rob was happy with an Old Western DVD movie collection, while Paul had a big *smile* over the Game of Farts.  *Smile*, boys will be boys, as we all know."

"Then the little guys got going on their gits with lots of "looks" on their faces on the opening of each and every gift."

Paul had bought me a 2013 Lang Calendar for my Kitchen Calendar holder, and both Rob and I a $50.00 Gift Card for Tim Hortons Coffee.  Wowsers, we hit "pay dirt" !

Before we knew it, it was all over with a mess of paper shrewn everywhere.  Aiden and Connor helped me clean everything all up while Paul got everything packed up in their vehicle to take back along home with them..  

"At the door to say their Good-byes, as I send them out into the World to spread the word all about their Poppa, The "Crabby Cabbie" !  Hahaha .. they loved their Crabby Cabbie hats we had made up for them."

My friend, Karen, had emailed me a video last night.  I am so grateful to her that she had, since the boys and I had many laughs together after watching it at least five or six times over, if not more.  

We all had a fantastic weekend together; one of the best ever to date that comes to mind.  I am looking forward to many more to come with Aiden and I having already discussing a visit for the March School break.  Connor is still undecided, leaving it at a "maybe" ... 5 year olds are so darn cute, are they not?

Guess what?  I am totally exhausted, but after today, one pretty happy Wife, Mother and Grandmother, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard."