After All....

...After all the excitement, eating, company, gifts, partying, is over, we're left alone with a quiet house and lots of great memories...two seniors, content to have come this far together looking forward to whatever good the future holds for us and trying to ignore the not so good.

We had a wonderful Christmas time.  We were visited by five of our kids and their families - not all together - our downsized house would never hold them all - but nicely spaced with a bit of overlap, allowing us to enjoy each group as they arrived.

First on the scene was Mary and her family.  We enjoyed an early Christmas celebration with them.

Layla and Baron with Papa

Layla and Baron visiting the light displays in the neighbourhood

Mary and Greg, who drove across the mountains to be with their parents for Christmas

Then, on Christmas Eve, Emily and Allan arrived, to celebrate their last Christmas as a childless couple with us.  Next year they'll bring their baby daughter with them.

Their gifts included presents for baby Olive of course.

On Boxing Day, Sara arrived with her three girls while Max and his dad stayed in Edmonton for Max's hockey tournament, which Max's team won.  Yea Max.

We all went out to our favorite Mexican Cafe 

Sara and Emily spent time in my scrapbook room sorting through
lots of pictures of themselves they had forgotten even existed.

Charlie peeled potatoes for our ham and scalloped potato dinner

And then we relaxed with our iPads

While Papa entertained Elly and Quinn with some fun songs on
his iPhone.  Who remembers the old lady who swallowed a fly, or the windmill in
Amsterdam?  Those little girls really enjoyed listening to them witt Papa.

Mike and Avril, who live just a few miles away, came over several times to visit with the sisters and their kids.

Hannah, Kenny and Alex all manage to play together with my iPad

Six of the grandkids all together is quite a crowd in our small house.  It's nice
seeing them play together and get to know one another so well.  Three of
Sara's kids and three of Mike's

Sara, Mike, Me, Emily, Lloyd

Then, when all the Christmas guests left and we had nearly two whole days to get all the beds changed, sheets washed, etc. Jenny's family of five boys arrived to help us enjoy the New Year.  It was a fun three days with them.

Jenn had a hard time smiling for this picture...you should see some of the
out-takes.  There's never a dull moment with this crew around.

For some reason, one night everyone who sat in this particiular chair picked up Lloyd's hat from the end table and wore it for awhile.  Aren't they a handsome lot.

So Lloyd and I have taken a couple days of doing nothing, just relaxing and remembering the fun of having so many family members around.

And now it's January 2014.  Time to get on with life, and planning, and enjoying each day as it comes.  Here's hoping it's a good one.