Christmas

When does Christmas end and begin - if we're talking the season of Christmas and not just the day... and do I just post about the day, or the season? 

Next question, what do I want to remember about this Christmas of 2025. 

A couple of weeks ago as I was headed out the door Ken told me that he was thinking that he might take the day off to do some Christmas shopping - online for the most part, but some in person. I was a little sad, thinking I should take a day too, but I phoned him back during my drive and told him to just go ahead, take the day, shop. The girls are great at giving us a Christmas list, which is super helpful. I had made a spreadsheet, and Ken and I had talked about shopping, but hadn't really done anything about it. What is the point of all of this? I want to remember how awesome Ken was. He did most of the shopping for Christmas this year.

I want to remember how much fun it was watching the girls open their stockings. I want to remember how much fun it was watching Ken open his stocking and how much fun I had opening my stocking - not knowing what was in it.

I want to remember the fun of sitting as a family, the five of us, taking turns opening gifts. I want to remember how happy all the girls were receiving all of their gifts. I want to remember watching them open the gifts they picked out for each other. It was all just really happy!

I want to remember the piece of Christmas sheet music that I saw while walking the dog.

I want to remember Alice's cute Minecraft Lego creation.

Andrew wearing his most awesome Christmas sweater - our gift to him on his birthday last year.

Mom opening her Christmas present from me - her picture calendar with all the birthdays.

I want to remember that even though Ken wasn't feeling the greatest the night before, he had the energy to make an amazing meal for his family. 

I want to remember a beautiful sunset glow when I took Milo for his second walk, thinking about my dear friend Shawn and her sweet Mama who is getting very ready to leave this frail existence. 

Fun sister Lego time - a present from Suzanne and family.

How thankful I am to have a brother close by, and what a good fun uncle he is.

Watching Mr. Bean with Kate and both of us falling asleep and Ken capturing the moment.

I am thankful for a lovely Christmas at home filled with the people and food that I love. I thankful that we have the resources to provide our children with a fun Christmas. I'm grateful that we can share Christmas Day with my Mom and CJ and Andrew and that Stella could come to dinner. I'm grateful most of all for my Savior Jesus Christ, for His humble birth, His atoning sacrifice and the peace, comfort, forgiveness and strength that are available to us all year round.

Pre-Christmas Fun

Wonderland

We met up with Memphis, River and Katie Yap at Wonderland Winterfest and we had a really fun night!

Christmas Eve Parking Lot Lights

On Christmas Eve we were going to see the Wild Cherry Lights - but found out they weren't happening this year. Instead we drove around our own neighbourhood and found ourselves at special Christmas Parking Lot light show thing. It was kind of cute. 

Alice and Fiona did Christmas nails.

The presents are all ready!

And so are the stockings!

Bring on Christmas!

Sunday Christmas Service

Today was a lot but it was so good. When Ornette asked for ideas for the Christmas service I asked if Kate and I could do a clarinet/flute duet. She was excited and said okay. I took the new to our hymn book "He is Born, the Divine Christ Child" (The traditional French Carol Il est né le divin enfant) and arranged it into a duet. Kate had agreed to this before I even started. The Wednesday before I went to the church to practice with Melanee and Hannah, and Kate and I practiced too. It sounded glorious.

On Sunday I was the organist, I played for the primary kids, played with Kate and accompanied Hannah and Melanee. (The week before I had also been asked to step in last minute and perform a piano solo - a medley of Beautiful Savior, which ended up fitting into the program so beautifully, it was a gift to me the way this all happened.) 

Every single bit of music that was shared today, I was part of it. I felt a little silly getting up and down and up and down. I'm not sure where I could have/should have sat to be less up and down, but it was all good. I am so so grateful to get to perform, to share my praise and worship through music with the members of my ward family. And I'm so grateful that we were a family of five together on Christmas Sunday. I'm so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, the reason for the season.

Messiah and Gingerbread

What a glorious day! About two weeks ago Kate expressed interest in going to see Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall. The thought of it at the time made me so tired, but. But I love Messiah. It is my Christmas music. Kate thought it would make me happy to go, a fact I later learned. With Kate's encouragement (and Ken's too) I bought the tickets and it was set.

Everything worked out well today. The weather was good, the trains were good, the seats were amazing. When the music started I had my kleenex handy because I knew I would need it. The version they performed was a very scaled back small orchestra. The choir was actually seated on risers on the stage and only used one row of the choir loft. The tenor was glorious. The choir was transcendent. I didn't realize how badly I needed this concert. I'm so so glad that Kate wanted to go tonight. I loved the conductor. The silences. The timing. The way the music echoed in the hall, it was a brilliant performance.

My favourite part of Messiah is the standing during the Hallelujah Chorus. It was so cute, Kate didn't realize that the Hallelujah Chorus was part of Messiah. I tried to warn her that we would stand, but she wasn't able to read my lips. I continued to weep as everyone in the hall that was able stood to honour the king. I have no idea how many believers in Christ there were in Roy Thomson Hall but it doesn't matter. Everyone stood. I'm starting to tear up again typing this.

I'm so excited for Alice to turn 15 in February. We can enroll her in the Soundcheck program too and next year all five of us can go to see Messiah. I am so so thankful for this glorious piece of music.

Back at home Fiona and Alice were having their own Christmas fun, decorating gingerbread houses! Their houses look so cute. They did a really great job, and I think they had fun too! 

I think I'm finally starting to get excited about Christmas!

Milo the Christmas Elf

We all just love our Milo so much. Tonight Fiona and I were out shopping for a birthday present for her friend Avlyn. Fiona wanted to get something for Avlyn's hamster so we went to PetSmart. When I saw this elf hat, there was no question in my mind whether or not I would buy it. I'm not sure how often Milo will wear this hat, but oh, my, goodness! He is the best boy!!

Remembrance Day and a Hospital Visit

In July when I made the decision to go to Utah to see Marcus come home from his mission and Seth depart I forgot about the appointment for Mom at the memory clinic at the hospital. This was her first visit, and this is when she received the diagnosis of dementia likely due to Alzheimer's. I'm so grateful for the way my trip to Utah worked out, so I'm grateful that when I was booking the flights I had forgotten about the appointment. At the end of that first appointment, the next in person appointment was scheduled for Remembrance Day. The Doctor didn't have the easiest time communicating with CJ in the appointment so it was very good that Andrew was there. In that July appointment the Doctor instructed that Andrew would be at a phone appointment in September, and then I would be at the next in person appointment in November.

The challenge, it was Remembrance Day. I have helped plan and or do music at the Remembrance Day ceremony since I started teaching. At my new school I've done all the planning and just done the ceremonies since we could have them again in 2022. They are a lot of work, they are extremely important to me and they are a labour of love. 

Nadia (my principal) and I scheduled the Remembrance Day Ceremony directly after morning recess. We planned to do one assembly for the whole school. A supply was booked to cover me (thank you Nadia) and everything came together beautifully. Everything was done beautifully. One of the things that I was really happy about was the fact that I was able to finish writing a song "Choose to Remember" with enough time to have the choir learn it. It was really gratifying. The choir also sang "Peace For Everyone" which I wrote two years ago. 

I was so proud of all of the kids who participated. It was really a beautiful ceremony. I'm really proud of it. And it was finished in time for me to clean up and go meet Mom and CJ at the hospital.

 Choose to Remember

Today is the day to remember
The heroes we never knew
We’ll listen to their stories
Learn about their lives
And then we ask, please will you choose to remember

Remember they were brave
Remember they were true
Remember that they lived
And died for me and you

This is the day to remember
A sacrifice made long ago
An answered call to serve
Fighting to protect
Our gift to them, we have to choose to remember

Remember they were brave
Remember they were true
Remember that they lived
And died for me and you

Now we will pause and reflect
How can we honour them
We’ll choose to forgive and choose to be kind
We’ll choose to see others with peace in our eyes
We are their hope for the future
We will choose to remember

~By Wendy Bacon

The appointment with my Mom went well. Things haven't really changed, Mom was having a good day. Dr. Thayaparan was very nice. I don't know if I really needed to be there, but I felt good being there. We also decided that it might be a good idea for Mom to do a sleep study to see if she might need a sleep apnea machine. As well Mom is going to start taking meds. 

After the visit at the hospital I went out for a late lunch to Swiss Chalet with Mom and CJ. We had a very nice visit. 

When I got home Fiona and I had a lovely walk with Milo by the lake. It was a good day.

Ajax High School Winter Concert

Tonight was so great! Between Kate and Alice they performed in everything except Rock Band. The band sounded really great. The choir sounded great. The steel pans sounded great. The bucket drumming sounded great. It was a thoroughly enjoyable show! I just love that the girls are finding enjoyment and fulfillment in the music program.

Thank you Mrs. Creswell for running such a great music program at Ajax H.S.!