On Friday afternoon I did some Christmas shopping for the children’s shoe boxes that go to poor children in different countries.  I went to the Dollar Store and got some hair products, a bar of soap, mittens and paint by number books! I love doing this every November/ December.  It feels good to give back to the community and to those people who might not have much money for Christmas presents or other things. On the previous Saturday I bought two mugs from a Christmas market at the CRE,  one of the  mugs has kittens and the other one was of peeps. So I gave my friend Mackenzie the peeps mug for her birthday!  I bought some Hersey’s Hot Chocolate and a box of different kinds of Teas!  On Saturday evening  I went to the Boston pizza lounge for my friend Mackenzie’s birthday celebration!   We watched the Oilers hockey game and mostly visited. The Oilers won 7-2! I had a blast celebrating Mackenzie ‘s 30th birthday!   

 On Sunday afternoon I got to meet my friend Kathleen and her husband Davin’s newest addition to their family, a baby boy named Declan Scott! I got their daughter Evelyn Rose a homemade apron and I got a homemade baby bib for Declan from the market the previous Saturday. My friend Kathleen likes getting homemade gifts and presents.  It was so nice to see the siblings becoming so loving as brother and sister! You could tell Evelyn loves her brother so much!  A huge Congratulations on your new addition Kathleen, Davin and big sister Evelyn. 

On Saturday morning I got to go to the Vegreville bowling tournament with Special Olympics. I got a couple of ribbons, I got ribbons for second place, third place, and a ribbon for participation as well !  It was a great experience,  I had a blast bowling and we even had a game of bingo bowling too. I couldn’t go to the banquet that night, so on Wednesday night I got some medals from the bowling tournament.  

On Saturday afternoon I had a chance to go to see my friend Theresa and visit with her and with her roommates!  It was great seeing her again! Every year during the Christmas season we have a  Rose Club Christmas party where we exchange Christmas presents. I didn’t go to the Christmas party but I was able to exchange Christmas presents.  I gave someone a kitten puzzle and then someone gave me some bath supplies.  It was a nice surprise to come home and get an early Christmas present! 

On Sunday afternoon Auntie Gail and Grandma Sharon came to visit us. My Grandma  Sharon’s birthday was on Saturday so my mom made her a cake for her birthday. My mom made an angel food cake with icing and then she also made a cereal cake! Both were delicious even though I’m not a huge fan of angel food cake! Happy birthday grandma Sharon!  We made lots of Christmas cards. One card was painted Christmas lights and some stamps, and the other card was a painted snowman, snowflakes and snowballs. On Sunday night Maryann and I went to the Brett Kissel concert!  It was a fantastic concert and a perfect Christmas present for Maryann!  I saw my old aide miss K and her daughter Misty, and I also saw my newest friend Emily from Centra Cam!  It was a great afternoon celebrating grandma Sharon ‘s 74th birthday, and also getting into the spirit of Christmas with doing Christmas crafts.  I also had a blast going to the concert on Sunday evening!  

On Friday morning my friends Skyler and Courtney from high school came over so I could meet their new additions to their families! A six month old baby girl and a one month old baby boy!   My friend Skyler had a baby girl in June who was named Miller and my friend Courtney had a baby boy in October who was named Kasen!  My friend Skyler also has a daughter named Sutton who is two years old. Then Courtney has two other kids, Joseph and Marley who are two and four years old.  They were with their grandparents so we hung out with Sutton and the newest additions!  Congratulations Courtney and Richard on their newest addition and congratulations Skyler and Morgan on their newest addition!   I found a newborn snowman outfit for Kasen and I got a Christmas outfit for Miller too.  It was a great visit!   I finally got the chance to give Skyler her Christmas present from last Christmas. I decorated a plate with Christmas stickers and I gave her a Christmas card!  I like getting baby cuddles before they’re toddlers and don’t let you cuddle them as much ! The best part of having friends, who have babies – once they cry you can give them back! lol. On Friday afternoon I got some Christmas nails, some reindeer and some Santas!

The week before Christmas break from Centra Cam was very busy! On Tuesday evening I went to the movie theatre and saw Moana 2 and it was a really good movie. Wednesday evening I went to the Polar Express movie at the Bailey theatre with friends from Rose Club, which was a really good movie.  Then, on Thursday evening I went to see Wicked at the theatre too, and it was a really good movie, and very long too!

  On Thursday was our Christmas party with Centra Cam. In the morning there was *Christmas song bingo* and people were going bowling! I got to go bowling and it was a blast. Then, there was a Christmas dinner and desserts. Very tasty turkey and ham dinner.  My mom came so I could eat the delicious dinner and I had blueberry cheesecake for dessert!  In the afternoon there were performers that were singing Christmas carols and playing Christmas music!  My grandpa Ray, his wife Shandy and my mom came to see the concert and the Christmas gift exchange!  Everyone was able to buy a Christmas present for a guy or girl and then we got a Christmas present. I got a nice blanket, movie theatre ticket and some Popcorn Twists.   It was a great day to spend time together before the Christmas break starts!  

On Friday afternoon, my friend Courtney showed me her baby boy Kasen in his newborn outfit that I bought him, it fits perfectly on her little boy and he looked adorable! I can’t wait until Skyler sends me a picture of her baby girl in the outfit that I bought her!  Friday evening was our roommates gift exchange. I got some shampoo, soap,  body wash and loofa, face masks, wax smell cubes for my butterfly night light and a coffee Christmas ornament! Then, we went to look at Christmas lights with our friends from Rose Club. After driving around, people headed to Tim’s Horton for coffee or a treat, but I went back home to have a mocha with after eight coffee creamer! It was delicious! 

On Saturday afternoon Maryann and I went to visit with our friends Theresa and Carolyn right before we all go home for Christmas!  We brought them French vanilla coffees from Tim’s Horton! It was a great afternoon!  

On Sunday afternoon we went to my brother Joel and sister in law Ashley’s house and celebrated an early Christmas before Joel and Ashley travelled to Saskatchewan. We also celebrated our dad’s 55th birthday, because his birthday was Tuesday!  We let him open his birthday presents first, then we had some appetizers, which were bacon wrapped water chestnuts, spinach dip tree, and a mushroom dip. Then we played the saran wrap ball game. We opened sibling Christmas presents and Christmas presents from grandpa and Shandy.    Joel got some pants, a nespresso coffee machine, butane torch, underwear and chocolates.  Ashley got pants, shirt,  warming mug,  slippers,  shower gel, candle and lotion. Joel and Ashley together got kitchen stuff – spice jars, utensils and a soap dispenser. Luke got pants and money. My dad got pants, a tool bag , heated gloves and guitar socks and underwear. Ray and Shandy got a ninja ice cream machine and tickets to an Eagles Cover Band.  My mom got a blanket , e-reader, body stuff and earrings. After Christmas presents we had dinner which was ham, sweet potato casserole, french onion potatoes, salad, and carrots Shandy brought a salad.  My mom made a cherry cheesecake for dad’s birthday cake so we had that for dessert .  

On Christmas Eve morning my dad and I went to drop off Christmas cards to our friends’ houses. My mom and I were making appetizers for Christmas Eve. We made a spinach dip and a crab dip, cheeses and crackers. My mom had to make some icing to decorate sugar cookies. Then, my brother Luke and I opened our presents from our parents for Christmas.  Luke got new underwear, a weighted blanket, a book and a towel. I got some new sweaters, body wash, body lotion, jeans, a day planner and a humidifier!   My grandpa Raymond and Shandy came for supper and we decorated sugar cookies.  

Christmas Day started with homemade waffles, fruit, whipped cream and bacon. I watched my mom make the sweet potato casserole.  After we had breakfast and cleaned up, my uncle Wayne and my auntie Gail came down from Edmonton and my auntie Gail and I exchanged Christmas presents. I gave my auntie a mug and some coasters. She gave me a jacket, bath bombs, socks and stamps.  We headed out to grandpa Raymond and Shandy’s house where my cousins Eric and Ian were.  We had a Christmas dinner which was turkey and ham with all the sides.  Cranberries, sweet potato casserole and meatballs with a little salad. For dessert we had a blueberry crumble with vanilla ice cream.  After eating, we decorated wooden snowmen that my grandpa had built and painted already.  We hot glued Christmas fabric on for a hat and a scarf. Then we painted a little face.  It took an hour and half to do.  After Christmas craft and dinner, my parents and I went out for a little bit of a drive looking at some Christmas lights and listened to Brian Dumont’s concert in his front yard! Then we finished our Christmas Day by watching Dear Santa with Jack Black! It was a perfect very special merry Christmas!   

On Boxing Day my mom and I went shopping at Marks, Ricky’s and Winners.  When we were shopping at Winners we saw our friends Sherry, Nicole and Nicole’s daughter Avery. Sherry and Lee came over for a visit with Nicole after dinner and I got a beautiful picture of Avery and Austin!   My mom and I bought the same sweater from Winners and wore it to the new Lion King movie on Sunday afternoon!  For New Year’s Eve everyone went to the office for a big party. There was music, games and we hooked up the new year countdown on YouTube so we could watch.   Here’s to 2025!