a looking back list

I love lists. Always have. And so today, thinking back on all that has happened this past year, my thoughts are creating a list. Remembering that it was New Years Day last year that our boy began and so tomorrow on New Years Day again I'll look down on the little Henry-bear in my arms and have a little cry at how blessed I am. 

2008 was the year of a Monday morning surprise and a happy secret to tell Sam ... winter visits from my Mum and Liz and Andrew ... a growing belly and a pregnancy shared with my sister expecting her babe too ... packing up our bedrooms and preparing for renovations ... demolition and rebuilding with Mom and Dad Morgan's help ... my Dad's last day of work at CIBC in July ... Sam writing and passing the EPPP licensing exam ... living in our dining room while we finished the second floor ... my parents visit us in Swift ... 2 week summer trip back to BC, celebrating our 5th anniversary ... babies, babies, babies: Brandi's Ava, Angie's Brady, my sister Bethany's Isla, Caro's Lucy, Sharon's Joshua, and my brother and sister in law's Mirra ... plus baby-on-the-way news from Jennifer, Lisa, Kari, Cheryl, and Karen ... setting up our baby's nursery... an unexpected c-section for me and the arrival of our first child, Henry Lyall, at the end of September ... a Thanksgiving Chambers reunion in Kelowna to surprise my Dad ... Sam's parents drive out for their first Henry visit ... regular trips up to Saskatoon for weekly casts to correct Henry's club foot ... making friends at church and visiting friends at work ... enjoying the end of renovations and our warm and brand new bedrooms ... celebrating one year in the house and one year with Sophie-cat ... Christmas scrapbooking and other adventures in creativity ... flying home for Christmas with my family and now New Year's in Duncan. 

There's so much I've missed or overlooked, I know, and most might not be of interest to others but it's fun to remember and to document these memories and details for years to come. 

Happy New Year's everyone ... have a safe and enjoyable night! 

a chambers christmas

We are stuck in Kelowna, flights cancelled, and trying to fly to the Island ... hoping to get just to Vancouver tomorrow to take the ferry over instead. Not quite the easy transition to visit both sets of parents as we planned but at least I have lots of time to load some pictures and do some blogging, right?!

We've had a full all family Christmas, the first in years. Though we did reunite in Maui last December but this was an at-home Christmas and so the real deal! Cale came up from San Diego (and had a 2 day delay himself trying to get here!), Bethany, Glen and Isla flew in from Vancouver and of course Eton is already here in Kelowna. A full kitchen table again. And every chair filled. Mum had the place all decked out and was of course busy in the kitchen every day, feeding us and putting on quite a Christmas spread. Gingerbread cookies are a tradition and this year Glen and Sam took up Cale's usual habit of getting quite creative, producing a few rather un-Christmasey cookies. (The Lion King and The Lord of the Rings were both represented, thank you very much Glen!) Isla and Henry were passed around from cuddler to cuddler and as you can see from the last photo Henry completely slept through his first Christmas, just too tuckered out! (I love that photo!!) That picture also shows 2 new traditions we've started: new Christmas Eve pajamas and an Oh Henry bar in his stocking, which Grandpa got to enjoy this year. Bethany, the babies and I went out to Westbank to visit my old friend Sheila and of course Willie, Melanie and Nathaniel came over for an evening again too. The four of us siblings went out to the movies on Christmas Eve which was the first time we've been out alone together in years and years, I'm sure. And I spent quite a bit of time snuggled on the couch finishing up the hand-stitching on the pink and rosy quilt for Miss Isla Rose, appropriately, and I was happy she quite liked it! Sam and I are now trying to get over to the Island to spend some time with his parents but like the rest of the country, our plans have been thwarted by all this snow, snow, snow. What a Christmas, indeed!

{And a big congratulations to Jeff and Shendah on getting engaged this week!! We're so happy for you both ...}

merry christmas

... from this beautiful boy and his very thankful parents, who are so happy for this year's Christmas gift.

have yourself ...

... a Merry little Christmas ... from us three! 

We're off to B.C. to see both families and to deposit Henry in the eager arms of four grandparents, two great-grandparents, four uncles, two aunties, three cousins (new baby girl born yesterday!) and many, many friends. 

Happy and safe travels to everyone ... I'll be back on when I can and with an overload of pictures to boot, I'm sure! 

life in point form

• For all my bragging about the great number of blogs lately ... well, it's been slim pickins lately, hasn't it? Sorry. I've been busy trying to finish up a Christmas project and I'm afraid - for once - blogging's been the last thing on my mind!
• We're off for our Christmas hols this weekend so I'm now shifting to the business of packing for us three. And flying. Different story when we can't just toss it all in the back of our car ... oh dear. 
• But to counteract the stress of that, I'm treating myself to a manicure just before we go. Believe me, it's a treat!
• We're waiting on news of the arrival of our next niece or nephew sometime this week or next, Sam's brother and sister-in-law, and Henry is sure excited to have another cousin so close to his age. 
• And speaking of cousins ... Cousin Isla, Henry can't wait to see you on Sunday!!
• It's been a week of contrasting news from friends ... Brenda and Cheryl's Dad passed away from cancer just last week and then my good friend in Australia told me her 2nd babe is coming in June .... so much love to you, Bren, Chey, and Karen and Justin. 
• We were up to Saskatoon on Monday again for Henry's 6th and final cast. (yay!) This one is a 3 weeker though as they snipped his Achilles tendon to release his foot further which will then regenerate in the next couple weeks. They've put a very thick cast on to really stabilize his heel (not the one in the photos) which is making it a tight tug to get on all his new pants I've bought for our time away. I know it's necessary, but I sure find this last cast frustrating. Glad we're getting to the end! Then in the New Year he gets fitted for his Boots-and-Bar contraption for 3 months ... but oh, his wee footie is looking so good already! 
• Had our work Christmas party/dinner/gift exchange free-for-all this week. The boys hung out together and I had a great time seeing everyone and having big laughs at Brandi's crazy stories! Felt good ... the night out and the laughs. And the 3 glasses of Coke. 
  

I'd better go ... Mr Talkie-Talkster here is starting to fuss and we need to get to our coffee date with a new friend ...

sometimes life is ...

... just hanging out with my sleepy boy after he finishes his lunch.

ear plugs in!

Last night I slept through the night ... first time in 2 months, 6 days. Oh my.
Sam did Henry's 10pm going-to-bed bottle and his middle-of-the-night bottle, this time it was 5:45am, and I was awakened just after 8am.

Isn't that what normal people do??

Thank you, Sam, I love you.

{Henry-boy all snuggly after his bath tonight ... Cast #5 tomorrow!}

i always wanted to be a mailman (sorry, a mail carrier)

I love this time of year! I discovered our first Christmas card in the mailbox this morning! ... from Jim, Joy, Jeremy and Amy (can't wait to see you guys in a few weeks!). With a 'This was our year' letter, the kids school photos and a family photo! Joy, you've outdone yourself this year! I'm working on our cards right now and have alot done but I have funny rules about not sending them out too early so I'm actually just holding onto my finished pile for a few more days. Our first Annual Family Photo turned out really well, I thought, though with using the tripod we couldn't get Henry to smile but at least he's looking right at the camera. Success!

And does anyone notice that I seem to be blogging alot?
I feel as though I'm blogging alot. Is that ok?

{eta: I'm being silly ... I love blogging and am so happy with myself with the posts I'm able to get out in amongst these full days!}


Only in the prairies might you find that Santa is really just a couple of hay bales!

yay, it's december!

What I really love about my first December ...

• our Christmas tree is up and I love looking at the lights!
• long afternoon naps 'cause my Mum tells me to
• 3 plane rides to go see my Gran, Grandpa, Nana, Grandad, lots of other family and friends ... and my cousin Isla too!
• I like that Sophie comes inside more to be with me. 
• clean sheets and cozy jammies (just like in the picture!)
• getting lots of fun mail with photos of all our friends tucked inside
• a few more road trips with Mum and Dad to go fix my monkey foot at the big hospital
• something new called "snow" ... we're supposed to get some soon
• posing for pictures every day as Mummy wants to do a Daily December album (I'm a good poser and I smile lots now!)
• and best of all ... having my Daddy off work for 2 whole weeks at Christmas!!