Fritz, Van Photos, Christmas, and Big Purchases / Rec Room Stuff
Fritz, my cousin (in Vancouver)'s cat. I've been able to get a few more photos from the Vancouver trip done, mostly from the Bloedel Conservatory, which I've sadly learned is being closed down next year due to budget overruns and cutbacks.
I made a promise to Jenn that we would do our best to make Christmas great this year, even though it would be our first since mom died. I like to think I kept that promise. We did have a really good Christmas. We went to Jenn's parents' house on Christmas Eve for dinner and gift exchange with her family, and it was a great dinner (the stuffing was amazing) and a lot of fun.
We had Jenn's dad come over for Breakfast on Christmas morning, since everyone else was doing their own thing that morning, and Jenn's mom was working. Jenn made delicious french toast, and I cooked the turkey bacon and hashbrowns, and it was great.
Jenn and I then headed up to my sister's place in Fort Sask. to spend the rest of our Christmas Day. I helped set her up with a Wireless G network while dinner was being prepared, and then we opened presents. The kids, as usual, were very excited and seemed to love their gifts from us. It was hard not to think of mom a lot, though. But we got through it.
I spent most of the afternoon helping my oldest niece set up her new iPod Touch (from her mom), and watching Yes Man (it was actually pretty good).
We had a really great dinner (the turkey was amazing), and it felt really good to be there with my family. After dinner, we watched Found Footage Festival, Volume 2 (Vols. 1-4 was our gift to my sister), and we nearly peed ourselves laughing.
So, in all, it was a great Christmas.
In other news, we got a crapload of gift certificates for Ikea, and spent them all today on a Coffee table and some other stuff for our rec room in the basement (after a delicious breakfast at Cora). On that note, we also bought ourselves a new sectional for the living room, so we can move the existing couch down there too. Next big purchase will be a new 52" LED TV to put in the living room, so we can put the existing 32" in the rec room as well. Whew.