The Barrows Family Adventures: December 2016 Monthly Memories

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

December 2016 Monthly Memories

I'm so late getting this post done but I'm so happy that the 2016 Monthly Memories project is coming to a close. I need to come up with a name for 2017's project and get going on it (although January's post will have way less photos because we just haven't been up to nearly as much as the crazy December that we had!) This is still one of my favorite posts that I do and one that I know I will look back on fondly in the years to come as these posts tend to be filled with photos of my smiling little guys.

Starting off the December post with my Jordie boy's last day of Preschool 2 swimming lessons. This kid is just like his brother and is a total fish and loves the water. He is registered in Preschool 3 now and will easily be done all of the preschool lessons long before he turns 5 and is able to go into the regular lessons.

On December 4th we headed out to the Christmas tree farm that had been sold and was having its closing out sales. We went out this year with the Tassell's and as we always do with them...we had a ton of fun! We trudged through little lakes of mud, debating which tree was best until both families had the perfect tree picked out. For years we had a fake tree and I won't go back to that anytime soon. I love the experience of getting the tree and the memories it's creating for our boys!

I thought this one would be ours...and then we kept walking!

The T's found their tree first!

Here are the boys in front of our tree!

Thanks so much Ash for taking our family photo for us too!

Helping Dad to cut down the tree

We asked the guy to take a picture of all of us and he swore it worked and he took 2...but no photo showed up on the camera...so we went with the big squishy group selfie and I actually really love it! I'm becoming a bit of a pro at this now :)

And one of the 4 besties too of course

That same afternoon we all went to the Santa Parade. These two were so cute

Seriously...one of my favorite photos of 2016.

After Sunday dinner that night we headed home early to get our tree decorated. Jim ended up having to get some last minute groceries for the week so he missed most of it...but the boys and I had fun. Then Jim came home and we hung all the glass ornaments together (after the disastrous amount that were broken last year we figured this was our best bet).

James loves helping decorate the tree every year and some of my best memories of him have been this yearly tradition!

Another favorite photo from December...seriously, how cute is that little bum in his onesie!

Hanging up his Baby's 1st Christmas ornament

Yup...another favorite. Love how the light turned out in this one.

I love this photo too!

Back in late November James tested for his full yellow belt and I was thrilled that I was off work in December and was able to be there to see him receive it in his class in the first week of December. Here he is practicing with Sensei before the belts were given out.

Patiently waiting his turn

The big moment

The bow

YAY! Way to go James

Always the performer

I love Sensei in both this picture and in the video too

I wonder how many of these photos we'll have over the years...I'm hoping lots :)

The whole class

James getting his yellow belt from Sensei. Such a proud moment for both me and Jim.

James & Cooper had a play date on a Pro-D day from school in early December. This is the first time Cooper has been to our house to play since he was a really little guy and the boys had so much fun together that I really need to make this happen more often!

It was even snowing so they got outside and got completely soaking wet throwing snowballs from the trampoline.

James and I went to Comox on December 9 for James's eye appointment and because we were unsure of how the weather would be and I hate driving in the snow, Papa came with us for the day and drove us around! This was the only part of the whole trip where was any significant amount of snow on the ground. The rest of the roads were completely clear and fine and I easily could have driven it myself but it was a fun day anyways with Papa along!

My big guy being as wonderful as ever at his eye appointment. He's been going there for almost 3 years now and is a pro.

Posing in the mall in front of a really neat old truck

Snowball fight with Papa while waiting for the ferry

A fuzzy but cute selfie while waiting

Playing tic tac toe on the ferry

Next up was Jordie's Busy Bee's Christmas Party. Full blog post (complete with photos and lots of videos) can be found here!

And the blog post about James's Christmas Concert and the Penguin Polka can be seen here!

I dare you to watch this and not smile!

I was able to go to James's Winter Wonderland skate with his class. I didn't get too many photos because he spent the majority of the skate over in the hockey area and it was a bit of a gong show with a poor boy with a busted lip and teeth and one of James's little kindie girlfriends screaming in agonizing pain from a broken leg. Not a pretty scene to witness and like I said...just a complete GONG SHOW! Way too many kids, not enough teachers/parents/adults helping and not nearly enough of those safety bars for the tons of kids that can't skate at all! I would have loved to actually be out there skating with the kids, but I'm on a no skating ban this winter from my hubby!

Here are a few pictures I snapped!

As I've said before and I did a post about them too, I tackled coordinating a new fundraiser for the PAC this winter. It was the sale and creation of the Christmas CandyGrams. I think it was a huge success and financially the PAC did well and we met our goal of every kid at the school getting at least one (because as I'm learning...parents in this day and age are not okay with some kids just not getting one). That's certainly not the way things were when I was a kid but I guess it's just a sign of the times we live in now. There are a few things I think we can do differently next year, but overall I think it was a huge success. And the smile on James's face drives me to continue participating in these types of things for as long as I can. I love being part of the wonderful group of parents that do help out and in the overall well being of the kids at our school.

The last day of school was the other function at the school that I absolutely cherish and hope to be able to participate in for many years to come (and with my kids being 7 years apart in age...it's been decided that I will be on the PAC forever!)

The PJ Pancake breakfast that the PAC and the school put on together on the last day of school before Christmas break is so much fun for everyone involved and even though I can't cook a pancake even if my life was depending on it...I am the all-star syrup pourer of the PAC, and they are kind enough to let me do it to ensure the kids get edible pancakes to eat :)

My handsome big guy about to enjoy his pancakes!

Quynn

Jaxon and Katelyn

Lukas

Cooper

After school that day we had a nice quiet afternoon with hot chocolates. I loved these moments with my boys and realize how many of these things I miss out on by working full-time but try hard to still do when I can...and I know they appreciate them too!

Crafts that James came home with

And the book from Mrs. Christmann

On December 18th the boys and I headed over to Mom's to do some baking with Nana. Of course the boys wanted in on the fun and the video of James is just awesome!

In 4 hours we made butter tarts, mincemeat tarts, sugar cookies, chocolate chip shortbread cookies and everyone's favorite...regular chocolate chip!

James's dancing/singing/baking skills

Jordie's turn now!

Here are our 2016 photos with Santa

I can't believe that next year there will be a little girl in these photos too!

Our yearly photo turned out great. Can't wait till the day I can gather all of these photos together because I know they are somewhere in my house!

Here is a new tradition we've just recently started...a big family photo with Santa with whoever makes it home to celebrate with us! Last year it was the Reimer family, this year it was Ron & Ben.

Another thing I was excited to be able to attend was Jordie's daycare Christmas Party. The full blog post of photos can be found here.

This was such a great moment for our family. Our 20 week ultrasound and all of us got to see baby on the screen. It was so exciting (even though we didn't know the gender yet!). I did a full blog post about the ultrasound and some possible complications of my pregnancy. That post can be found here!

My dad made the boys an awesome new table and so we had to test it out by having the T's over for dinner the week before Christmas. And of course because the kids had just gotten new PJ's at the Ladybugs Christmas Party the other day they had a PJ party too!

These two are just too cute. I think it's cute how much taller she is than him!

And these two seem to always take photos like this together!

To get out and enjoy some family time we went for a walk/bike ride down the Willingdon Beach Trail on December 23rd. It was our first attempt at the boys riding their bikes on the trail and while James did great...Jordie spent the majority of the ride whining (and almost riding off the edge which made me almost have a heart attack!)

We did the Christmas Eve Winter Wonderland Skate with the Tassell's and although the boys had fun I was miserable to be stuck on the sidelines watching and taking pictures. I can't wait for next year when I can get back on the ice! When James started hockey last year we made more of an effort to get out there and I remembered how much I loved skating when I was a kid and was looking forward to getting out lots this winter...and then I got pregnant and Jim said he didn't want me to risk falling so I've been benched!

Christmas Eve was really special for us this year because for the first time ever we did dinner and bedtime routine at our own home...and it was AMAZING! We conned Ben and Ron into buying pizza for dinner and we ate and visited and then they all left early and the boys went to bed and we just hung out and didn't have to do anything. Here are a few pictures from our evening!

For some reason he wanted to do some work in a kindergarten workbook that he found!

New PJ's, bathed and ready for bed so Santa could come!

Too cute!

Milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeers

Snuggles for Uncle Ben

Boys are in bed and Santa has come and gone. I love this photo so much!

Christmas morning stockings!

He's up finally...after Nana and Papa Facetimed us at 7 and woke us all up!

He's up too and big hugs for Daddy!

Time to open stockings!

And moving on to Santa presents!

So excited to get the rod hockey table he asked for!

And the Blaze racetrack!

Awesome Innotab from Uncle Ron to the boys!

Opening more of their presents!

Huge bin of Lego

And the Paw Patroller toy!

Family photo in front of our tree on Christmas morning.

Very happy James!

First up was setting up the rod hockey table!

While Dad set up the table, Mom set up Jordie's new toys!

And then I sat and enjoyed a hot cup of tea in my new Timmy's mug while Jim took James to the school to play hockey.

Jordie and I snuggled on the couch and watched Paw Patrol. I wasn't feeling very good at all and wasn't sure if I'd make it to dinner.

Thankfully after a little rest and doing my hair I felt alright and even managed to take a nice photo of myself in my new Pollen sweater and earrings from my boys!

More presents at Nana and Papa's house!

Kids table at Christmas dinner

Boxing Day - all bets are off so it was Purdy's chocolates for breakfast

Morning snuggles and this is how he wanted to hold my hand.

Then over to N&P's for more family visiting and a rod hockey table tournament.

Very tired little guy finally fell asleep all snuggled up with his Papa

Then he was moved up to his chest and they both fell asleep

Saying goodbye to these two guys is never fun, but we were so happy they came to celebrate a quiet Christmas with us!

This is the face we get these days when we ask him something!

Yup...all bets were off and it was McDonald's McFlurries for dinner (they had had a very late afternoon snack at Nana's house)

Yummy...hot fudge sundae for Mom!

On December 30th we went up to Nanton Lake with the Parkins for some tree burning and hot dog roasting. So awesome to have a truck that has 4WD for the snow!

Lukas and James went in the creek and their boots, socks and feet were completely soaked so they sat by the fire with bare feet!

Adorable Gracie girl!

Some amazing scenery up there. So pretty!

I especially love this photo!

We couldn't believe how quickly it got cold when the sun went behind the trees! We snapped a very quick group selfie before piling into the trucks to head back home!

Silly faces!

Another wonderful New Years Eve spent with the Slacks. Full blog post with photos is here!

Now for the massive amount of iPhone photos that I took that I wanted to share. My skinny little man practicing his word wheel for school.

Eating his gingerbread reindeer

Checking out their Lego advent calendars!

Drawing me a picture on my last day of work before my month long holiday began.

Yummy supper! Bacon and cheese English muffin

Snuggles for baby

James and I went to see the Polar Express dance show

Jordie and Daddy stayed home and tried out a new Minions puzzle

Big hugs for Mom

A random Lego creation by James

This is their favorite thing to do at Nana's house...play on the iPad!

Saying hi to Sammy the Snowman

Playing Sorry with my little game playing buddy!

Adorable note from James on the white board

After school bike riding. The boys love having mom home from work!

Yeah I'm enjoying it too!

Haircut day for the boys. Had Maddie with us too and they all were so well behaved!

Playing with his Lego set

Mom's hand was too sore so I wrote all of her Christmas cards this year!

Smiles with my mini me

This was funny. One of my neighbours in the strata didn't know I was pregnant and brought me this as a gift for helping her out with something.

Helping Dad make supper

And move the big meat order downstairs to the freezer

More bike riding

I loved our tree this year!

Doing some shopping with this guy and he asked me to take his picture with this dinosaur

Poor Diesel had to have surgery on his ear and had to have the cone of shame on for 3 weeks!

Making cookies during their overnight visit with Auntie Tana and Uncle Cody

Afternoon snooze on Mom for the boy that doesn't need to nap anymore apparently

Movie night!

Yummy bagel for Mom. I seem to be taking pictures of my food a lot these days!

Showing off his Christmas ornament from daycare

Jordie felt so bad for his best buddy and the cone of shame

Gift baskets and presents that our family all bought for two local families that we sponsor. This is what we do instead of buying presents for our parents and siblings. We all contribute and sponsor families in need instead.