Christmas with the Jacksons...(Bobcaygeon)

We spent Dec 27-30th in Bobcaygeon with the Jacksons: Mom and Dad, Joel and Janet, and Amy and Jason.

We had a chance to go for a nice winter walks, watch our favourite "classic" Christmas shows (National Lampoon!), play some family games ("Tok", Cranium) and just relax and visit...while eating a lot of cookies and chocolate!! It was so nice for the whole family to be together under one roof, even if only for a few days.

We are all very excited about next Christmas--to be hosted in Bobcaygeon on Christmas Day next year, for the first time in a while, and to be shared with our future nieces or nephews! (see below!)

More photos from Bobcaygeon Christmas...

Great News about Amy and Jason!!!

We are SOOO excited to hear that my sister Amy and her husband Jason are pregnant--due this summer (July 12th)!! While we have been awaiting this news for so long it seems, it still comes as a very pleasant surprise, and we couldn't be happier for them! We will now have a new baby in the family in April (Joel and Janet) and July (Amy and Jay)--the first grandchildren/niece/nephews in our family!!
(I guess this means they will not be visiting Calgary for Stampede this year! :)
Congrats guys--we love you both!

Visiting Frank Gorham...

Boxing Day was spent doing some shopping in Windsor (now a holiday tradition!), as well as having a visit with Dave's long-time friend Frank Gorham. Frank and his wife Desiree are expecting a baby in April, so this was an exciting Christmas for them with lots of "new parent"-themed gifts and advice! Frank is an avid "blog"-reader, so we had to get a photo of him up on this page!! Hi Frank!!

More photos from Amherstburg Christmas...

Merry Christmas!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!! We are in Ontario for about 10 days: doing the tour to visit friends and family in Toronto, Amherstburg and Bobcaygeon! We will have lots of photos and updates--stay tuned next week, once we have access to be able to upload our photos. In the meantime, have a peaceful holiday season. Lots of love to all...
xoxo
Bethany and Dave

Christmas with the Brewins...(Amherstburg)

We spent Christmas again this year in Amherstburg with the Brewins: Mom and Dad, Dave's sister Tara and her fiance Joe, as well as a brief visit with Uncle Mark, Aunt Kathy, and cousins Ryan and Kyle.
No "White Christmas" this year, but the house was festive and beautifully decorated as always, with many "Canadian Living"-worthy meals! It was such a nice visit--such a nice way to spend Christmas. We look forward to many more "family" Christmases to come!

Visiting Ines and Millar (and the belly!)

It seems like this is turning into a "baby" Christmas this year: lots of news about babies on the way (Janet and Joel, Ines and Jamie, Amy and Jay, Desiree and Frank), as well as many friends celebrating their first Christmases with new babies (Lori and Chris, J.K and Jen, Downey and Steph, Greg and Krista)!

My friend Ines is now 27 weeks, and looking ever-so-cute with her little belly--I feel like she makes it look like a fashionable accessory!

We're sorry we won't be around to welcome this little one in the end of March, but hopefully we will be back for a visit sooner rather than later!

Congrats to all of you--this is such an exciting stage of our lives!!

Our new cousin: Madeline Christina

Our newest family member was born on my birthday: December 18th--Madeline Christina, a baby girl born to my cousin Lori and her partner Chris.
Here is my Aunt Judy--proud Grandma with her first grandchild. Congratulations!!!
We were lucky enough to visit this new family on the 22nd--when Maddy was just 4 days old!

Out and about in Toronto...

Our first night in Toronto, we spent with friends at a bar on Queen West (Lot 16): celebrating Christmas and my birthday. It was a great turnout, and a great night--thanks to all who made it out!!

Zoo-lites!

Our first visit to the Calgary Zoo...

Pre-bday celebrations in Banff!!

Shandra, Harman, Dave (my Dave!) and I spent a great weekend in the mountains in early celebration of my 30th (yikes!) birthday tomorrow! We snowboarded at Lake Louise yesterday--another great day on the mountain, and I am finally feeling mostly comfortable making it through the day with no major mishaps--then headed to Banff for an amazing dinner and night out on the town (note the "appropriate" choice of wine?!). Dave and enjoyed being pampered with massages at the spa today, while Harman and Shan took in a movie. A great way to feel like we've had a real "vacation" by just getting away for a night. Plans for this week include visiting the Calgary "Zoo Lights" tomorrow night (http://www.calgaryzoo.org/PlanYourVisit/CalendarofEvents/index.htm), then our "Winter Concert" at school on Tues and Wed nights. We fly "home" on Thursday night to Toronto! For anyone in town on Friday (Dec 22), we are meeting at Lot 16 on King Street at 7pm so that we can have a chance to visit friends before heading to Amherstburg and Bobcaygeon. Send us an email for more details.
Hope Holiday preparations are going well for everyone--only 8 more sleeps until Christmas and Santa comes!!
:)
B&D

Santa comes to Providence!

"My" kids were so excited about Santa's visit to Providence on Thursday:

2nd Snowboarding day: Sunshine Village (Banff) with Tannis and Jenn

I made it through my second day of snowboarding in the Rockies--Tannis and Jenn (friends of Shandra's...and mine too I guess!) were kind enough to let me tag along on a day at Sunshine Village in Banff (about a 1hr drive from us). It was a great day--sunny and cool, but not too cold. And with Tannis skiing, Jenn telemarking and me on a snowboard, we pretty much covered the gammit of snowsports...although I did have to get pulled along a few of the flat sections--a little harder when you're strapped into a snowboard! Here are some photos...





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