The Month of December

ok – so I know it’s backwards, but now I’m going to give the Richmond Christmas update. I know, I know, it’s after the New Year’s Polar Bear swim but there you go.

Christmas 2007 was a great one. It was crazily busy which people who know me well, know that I love. First was the kids Christmas Production on December 9th. I directed the choir for it – about 30 kids or so. Brooklyn & Zachary had major roles – Brooklyn was the ‘rockstar’ hanging in the heavens with the star of Bethlehem and Zachary was one of the 3 Kings. He was the “King of Soul” – Jamesariah. Think James Brown but with frankincense! They both did a great job, and Zachary I have to say surprised us the most. Brooklyn is a natural performer but Zachary has to try a little harder to sing, project etc. Well, when he sang “I Feel Good” and gave us a signature James Brown spin, I was a very proud mother :)

Then Monday the 10th I was at a cookie exchange at Sherisse’s house. YUMMY stuff! You should have been there. But you weren’t……. too bad….. it was all delicious.

Saturday December 15th saw the choir singing at GT for the Tom Jackson benefit concert. We sang at it last year also and although the quality of music was very good, the format and even song list/order was exactly the same as 2006. I was hoping for something new but oh well. The VIP reception afterwards however was amazing. Our table with Sharon & Richard and Helena and Luke just had the food coming and coming. It got embarrassing after a while when we saw how many containers were on our table. December 17th was the PCS Christmas Concert. I won’t go into details as to why it was not at UVIC this year. But I’m crying ‘foul’ on political correctness. Enough said.

We had a Christmas Party at our new house on the 21st and I was surprised to see almost all guests were gone by 11pm! Twas the season. Party burnout they call it! The next night the choir sang at the Naden base. We THOUGHT we were singing by the lighted ships. Nope. Singing in the parking lot facing the porta-potties!! Quite funny actually. Freezing cold but we sang with smiles and afterwards whooped it up and Sharon & Rich’s place. Darrell & I didn’t leave til 1:30am! Thanks Andersons!

Late December we made plans that Anna & Mike would try to drive out from Westbank with baby Jack for Christmas. Well, as Christmas approached the weather got worse and worse and on Christmas Eve morning (around 10am) Anna phoned to say she was too nervous to drive it, the top of the Coquihalla looked awful. Needless to say we were saddened. I was so looking forward to one-year old Jack opening stockings Christmas morning. Well a few hours later after Mum & I kind of moped around the house we got a call from Anna. The thought of spending the next 3 days with just the 3 of them in the house staring at each other was too much so they decided to brave it! And it turned out to be a great ride for them. They got to our house at 7pm so we ended up not going to the Christmas Eve service (a favourite of mine) and instead had the blessing of family. After the service, Steve, Vicki, Emily, Curtis & Lane came by for our traditional Christmas Eve hangout time with munchies and presents for the kids.
Christmas Day itself was wonderful, went to Clint & Joanne’s for presents late morning, came home to munchies. My Dad popped in for tea in the early afternoon and then Kelly & her friend Bethany were with us for dinner. What a great time – I love Christmas dinner. After dinner we made Kelly & Bethany sit through A Christmas Carol which is a Turner tradition. They were surprised to discover, however, that it is the MUPPETS version! If you haven’t seen it, you must.

Then to top off the season we were at Brittany & Aaron Hawkes’ wedding on December 29th and had a great time with Steve, Vicki, Todd, Rayael, Kurt, Rhonda, Luke, Helena and Helena’s cousins at the Four Mile for New Year’s Eve.
Whew – just typing all that made me exhausted!
HAPPY 2008 EVERYONE!