Enjoying Some Quality Family Time

Lately we've had a lot of "quality" family time.  Christmas vacation is just behind us, this past week we had 2 snow days and our weekends have been very quiet - a lot of playing outside, watching movies and quiet dinners at home.  This is what I LOVE about the winter months.  Don't get me wrong, with an abundance of family time comes a lot of sibling rivalry and upheaval of our toys... both drive me crazy.  As soon as springtime comes, it gets very busy around here on our farm and spending time together as a family is at a premium. 
Our annual family vacation to Florida is coming up very soon and we are really looking forward to the sun, sand and pools.  We will visit Ian's parents, who spend a few months in Florida, and then we will go to St. Pete's Beach to a small family-friendly resort.  This will be our fourth year renting a spot there and our good friends and their twin babies will be meeting us there.  Last year was the first time anything about going to Disney was mentioned.  Grace wondered if we would go there as some of her friends have been.  Unfortunately for her, we are waiting until all of our children can appreciate it ie. waiting until Jean is at least 4 years old.  Grace will have to be patient for a little longer.  We have found in the past though that the kids LOVE to swim and play in the playground and on the beach and that anytime we venture away from the resort, they just want to get back there.  I'm sure they will have fun this year without a Disney experience. 
We have made so many good memories in the past with our vacations to Florida - we have been going every year since Alex we a small baby (we have driven twice with a small, nursing baby).  We have always driven to Florida, taking 3 days to get there and we try to make it a fun adventure.  This year we have decided to fly - we found some very affordable flights and will have some fun taking a plane with the kids for the first time.  We are feeling a little nostalgic about not driving because that has certainly been a good part of our vacation - seeing new things, staying in hotels, swimming in the evenings, etc.  Flying has it's perks though - less packing for mommy and daddy and avoiding the many moments in the van that are challenging.
I love quality family time... I now why my mom cherished it so much and still does.  I can imagine it becomes fleeting as the kids get older.  These are such good times. 
Stay tuned for more on our Family Vacation to Florida.

Holiday Memories

Wow - December flew by!  Our Christmas was so wonderful - full of memories.  I find December always crazy with school events (which I try to be a part of most if I can), social gatherings, shopping, and baking but this year I tried really hard to be ahead of schedule.  Well it didn't always work out that way but I did feel fairly organized once Christmas Eve rolled around.  Ian and I have made it a priority to be home here on Christmas morning and it is the nicest part of the whole season - the kids get up (Grace is the most excited so far...) and we head downstairs.  Patience is a virtue on Christmas morning as coffee needs to be made and wood put into the outdoor furnace before we can begin opening presents.  I remember having to be patient as I child to and it was agony!  As always, Santa was so generous and our livingroom was full of new toys and packaging by 9:00am.  Grandma and Grandpa McGregor, along with Aunt Beth and Uncle Lloyd can by for a visit later in the morning and we just relaxed as the day went on.  A big Christmas dinner is held at Ian's parent's home and filled with family and good cheer.  Boxing Day is hosted by Ian and I and I'm hoping that becomes a new tradition.  Ian's family always enjoys a venison meal that day and Ian makes the dish so well - yum! 
After a few more days of celebrating here in the Ottawa Valley, we head to Southern Ontario for some more Christmas fun.  Grandma and Grandpa Garner have so much space for our family to take over their home and we certainly take up a lot of room!  I love catching up with my family and hanging out with my mom in her kitchen.  We went to a really entertaining Synchro skating competition, had a big turkey dinner, opened more presents and visited a few members of my own extended family.  It is very hard to do everything and visit everyone but we try our best to squeeze in a few visits while we are there.  It was so nice to spend some time with my Uncle Jim, Aunt Susan and their 5 kids.  It always feels like home when we are there because they live where my grandparents raised their family and as a child my brother, sister and I spent a lot of time there.  I love the feeling of being in their house... makes me feel a little closer to my grandma, who is struggling with dementia in her later years.  It was also so special to chat with my grandpa - I hope we brightened his day.  Tears are coming to my eyes as I type this...
New Year's Even was spent at my sister and brother-in-law's home and their hospitality stands out!  I loved spending New Year's with our children - the first time we have done that!  It was so fun having an early New Year's countdown, then some snacks, then a dance party, then the hockey game and then bedtime.  The adults enjoyed some peace and settled into the hot tub before bed.  It was lovely.  On the way home the next day we stopped in at some good friends and Ian finally met their baby twins and then back on the road to our home.  It was a busy but fulfilling little trip.
The final week of the Christmas vacation was filled with skating on the pond, playing with new toys, visiting the new Ikea (wow), more dinner parties/socializing and just hanging out at home.  It was such a nice little break but it is time to get back to normal.  Time to shed some pounds with a better diet and some excersise (before we go on vacation again at the end of January) and time to begin preparing for the 2012 business season.  There is a lot to do but little by little it should get done.  Our family is back into our regular routine.  School started back on Monday, Grace started back at dance class and Alex will have hockey on Saturday.  Ian is doing one of his many usual jobs in the winter - filling our kitchen table with paper, a large calculator and the laptop - bookwork season!  I am reorganizing our home, planning on some little home reno projects, and doing some sewing.  I love the winter months.