Christmas Eve Concert

A Christmas tradition that started on Jack’s side of the family where on Christmas Eve all the kids played their instruments for a family concert. I don’t remember whose idea it was and whether or not the motive was just to keep those pesky kids engaged in productive behaviour leading into the holiday festivities; but it was fun and memorable for me as a child. This year Caleb (10) worked out the order of the performance and Emma (8) finger-typed it all into the computer (with Dad’s help) for the program. Mom & Dad even played a duet! The audience (Grandma Dot, Aunt Debbie, and Uncle Rich) even participated in the final number (Silent Night).

Neighborhood Caroling

A Christmas tradition that we’ve started since moving into our house is taking plates of cookies to our neighbors and signing Christmas carols. Gail whips up half a dozen different varieties of cookies (many from her favorite award winning website). This is a great way to say “hi” – fortunately we live in a small neighborhood – but it still takes a good portion of the evening. This year the kids pulled the wagon and wore either reindeer antlers or elves hats.

Christmas at the Brenchley’s 2006

This year marks a major Christmas decorating victory; only two glass Christmas tree decorations were shattered! Much better than previous years! But the outside icicle lights had whole sections burned out and we couldn’t find our bulb tester! So our house had less of a gingerbread appearance this year…picture something more like a Lite-Brite checkerboard! Anyway, here are some of the traditions we engaged in this Christmas:

Christmas cards & newsletter
Each year we try to have a Christmas newsletter just to let family and friends know that we are in fact really busy and that’s why we didn’t come over to visit and eat fruitcake. Anyway this year’s theme was the Incredibles so we had a picture and matching newsletter. See it here.
Gail’s Dad and Mrs. Thew arrive to spend the holiday with us though we don’t know if they really knew the Incredibles were so near!

The Brenchley's
Christmas 2006

Whistler Vacation

We just got back from a week-long vacation in Whistler, BC. We try to do something special for the kids’ birthdays and birthday #8 is earmarked as a destination vacation. Emma turned 8 on the 5th and things worked out for us to celebrate in Whistler. Here are some comments in the kids’ journals:

“We went to Whistler in Canada where there was lots of snow. Mom bought us a red sled and three ‘magic carpets’ (rectangle plastic sheets with cut out handles)! And boy were they fun! You could steer side ways and still keep going forwards (you could slide down the hill sideways all the way down unless you tuned back into position – you turn by leaning). Once we went to a park and there was a hill with a slide that went all the way to the bottom. So we sledded on it – it was like a ski jump!” [Caleb, age 10]

“My favorite part of the trip was ice skating, swimming, climbing, sledding and playing.” [Emma, the birthday girl]

Colin [age 6] drew pictures in his journal of sliding and sledding at Helicopter Park as well as the whirlpool at the Meadow Park Sports Centre pool.

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2006 found the Brenchley's hosting friends and family; including Grandma Bev, Grandma Dot, Uncle Jack & Aunt Shirl, and our friends the Lobbs - Franklin, Joy, and Gabriella. This wasn't the 30+ number we have hosted in the past but a good time was had by all. Here is some art that Colin drew (recognize the infamous hand tracing?):

Art by Colin, age 6

Veteran's Day!

Today is Veteran’s Day in the U.S. Possibly an overlooked holiday since it always happens on the 11th and is not always a guaranteed three day weekend- though I don’t know if anything really shuts down anyway. Memorial Day celebrates those who have died in service while Veteran’s Day honors those who have simply served in the military. Like my father, Charles Edward Brenchley, who served in the Navy from 1948 to 1952 as a medical corpsman. He never saw action, even though this was during the height of the Korean War. He was a part of the Medical Reserve Supplement of the 13th Naval District Headquarters in Seattle, Washington. He told me that the only reason he wasn’t sent to Korea was because he could type. Dad passed away ten years ago, but I thank him for serving our Country and insisting that I take typing in Jr. High.

Charles Brenchley c.1948

Happy Birthday Gail!

Today is Gail's Birthday! She is (today's date * 11) on the 4th! The Ostling side of the family had a celebration for Sterling and Gail this evening - one of the gifts she got was a chocolate fondue fountain! (thanks Bruce and Rachel!) She was ecstatic! We can now say that chocolate will be truly flowing at our house! Even Cian, who is just 26 some months old, knows the word chocolate. Emma (7 going on 8) gave her mom a card this morning which said, "I love you even though you aren't dipped in chocolate." I think she had a premonition...

Gail at Goodbeach c.1965