Well, I guess I should catch you up on the last week of our Christmas holidays in Saskatchewan. We spend the last week in Imperial and it wasn't as easy to blog there so I thought I'd do it as soon as I got home. Oops - guess work and family took priority . . . but at least I'm doing it now.
We went to Imperial on December 31st and then on to North Battleford on January 1st for a McGifford Christmas. It's been the first time in YEARS since we've been to one of those - I don't even know if my Aunt, Uncle and cousins have met Navia before. The kids did really well on the trip up there (well, to be honest we only had Navia as Kaleb and Emma were travelling with Gramma and Grampa - yay!!!) It was really great to see everyone again.
We came home that night and got ready for our McGifford Christmas the next day - Christmas number 5! Fitting all of us at the farm house was a bit tight, but we did it! 2 grandparents, 3 siblings, 3 spouses and 9 children ages 1 year to 10 years old.
Our kids had a lot of fun playing with cousins - which Emma wanted to bring home with us - hehehe
Emma `babysitting' 1 year old Jaycee on the bay window in the kitchen - it's the place that all the babies go to just hang out and they seem to LOVE it!
Bailey Family
Sisters
Spratt Family
Campbell Family
Gramma and Grampa and all 9 of their BEAUTIFUL grandchildren
All of us together - it sure is hard to get 9 kids to all cooperate at the same time for pictures!
While on the farm we went ski-dooing, skating on the frozen flooded pasture, had a bonfire weiner roast, jumped on the trampoline and even hooked the dog-sled up to a horse to create a new sport . . . horse-sledding!!! If only Aaron (Charlene's husband and great dog-sledder) was there to see that!
Larry & Robyn
Braden and Navia
Grampa and Emma
Riley
Grampa and Riley
The kids waiting in line for their turn to ski-doo
Grampa
Grampa pulling Kaleb and Navia
Robyn and Taffy
Grampa pulling Kaleb and Robyn
Grampa pulling Kaleb and Robyn
Getting ready to go 'horse-sledding'
Robyn and Navia having fun on the dog sled
Grampa pulling Robyn and Navia
Grampa pulling Robyn and Navia
Emma leading Navia on Taffy
Emma and Taffy
Navia leading Grampa on Ernie - she must have thought he needed some help - ha ha!
Cousins just hanging out - Aaliyah and Kaleb
Bailey kids with their Rudolph bow noses
Skating in the pasture
Grampa chasing Kaleb - um - well - it ended up with them BOTH on their backs!
Look! Mommy is in a picture!!! With my back problems I became the official photographer while everyone else had all the fun - although on the farm Braden was taking some pretty cool shots!
Yep - the frozen flooded pasture - pretty cool hey!
Grampa and Navia heading out for their last ride of the vacation
Emma leading Emma and Grampa leading Kaleb
Kaleb brushing Ernie
Navia brushing Taffy
Emma discovered that Eldon LOVES bubbles! He is a bit uncomfortable around people who aren't his Mom and Dad, but seemed to really take to his Uncle Braden.
Gramma watching Tangled with the grandkids as they take turns at bath time
Cousins Avery and Navia - they both LOVED their rings that light up and I think Navia loved having someone around that would actually listen to her and do what she wanted . . . being the youngest of 3 means that usually her older sister and brother tell her what to do, so this was pretty unique for her! Auntie Coralie made Navia's adorable hat!
Emma spend most of her time either out with the horses or out riding the horses - it has been a long time since she's been able to do this so it was pretty cool to watch her and see how good she was with them.
When Eldon would smile his entire face would just light up. By the end of the trip he was kinda not minding hanging out with me, that is if I had cookies, a window to tap on or his sister near by.
Avery LOVES her books so Emma took time to read to her and Navia before bed.
Grampa, Navia and Braden burning the lunch's garbage - Navia loved seeing how everything burnt.
Riley stood there and contemplated jumping into the snow from the trampoline, like his big sisters and cousins . . .don't worry - he didn't do it.
Aaliyah and Kaleb had fun jumping at the same time and then jumping onto the snow from the trampoline.
Grampa, Gramma and Coralie chatting at the bonfire
Poor little Jaycee was stuck on the sled, just watching everyone around her, as she couldn't move a muscle in that outfit - but isn't she cute!!!
Braden and Kaleb
Emma cooking her hotdog
Larry, Robyn, Riley and Grampa getting their hotdogs ready
Riley
Kaleb and Grampa on their last ride of the vacation
Kaleb and Grampa
Navia and Grampa
Navia is having fun riding with Grampa
Emma and Taffy
Grampa - looking good there Dad
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| Emma and Grampa in the sunset |
After the farm we went back to Regina to hang out for one more day with the Bailey family before we had to leave back to Ottawa. Uncle Jesse and Helen made pizzas with the kids (which we delicious!!!) and then we went bowling together - and had a blast doing it! We found out that Emma is actually a good bowler, Kaleb has fun being a silly bowler and Navia, well, she likes showing how cute of a bowler she is.
Overall the trip was pretty great - it was amazing to have Braden there for the entire time instead of him having to leave early to come back to work. We all loved hanging out with our families and watching the kids with their aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. On the way home the kids were talking about how they want to go back next Christmas, so we'll see what happens.
If we didn't say it while we were there, or did and it can never hurt to say it again - thanks to everyone who helped to make this trip an amazing success. . . for putting up with all 5 of us (and our many, many suitcases), took time out of their busy work schedules to fit us in and hang out with us and just plain love us the way you do. We love you guys and miss you already!
