Ok, I can't even remember what has been going on since the last time I posted on here. I'd better go check...
All right, so I never even updated Christmas, so here goes.
If we are still up here in Kimberley by next Christmas (I really hope so) I think we will stay home. Not that I don't love seeing everyone and catching up, but Christmas time is hard enough for me as it is, just adding in all the running around, the gatherings, the parties, the trying to visit everyone of the face of the planet within the time of 8 - 10 days is just crazy! And then adding a 1 year old into the mix just makes it even more exhausting. So next year, we are staying home and anyone is welcome to come visit us and spend Christmas in our beautiful little mountain winter wonderland where Christmases are always white ^_^
So, needless to say Christmas was fun, but equally exhausting and we all came home with colds. Poor little Gwen had to spend her first Christmas with a cold. But it was lots of fun too, I just wish it could have been fun and restful. Oh well.
It was great to see most of you of course! And meet all the new babies. That was great. I'm really looking forward to maybe heading back in the summer to spend more time with the family in good weather.
Gwen had her birthday last Saturday, and it was very low key. We had a party for her just after Christmas with all the gramma's and grampas so we felt like we had already done all those rituals of cake and presents. So for her actual birthday we just went out for breakfast, and she got her very own order of toast and fruit. And then we went swimming which was lots of fun as always. She had a little mini party with her baby friends on Monday so that was fun as well.
It's a little odd to think of her as one year old, but then it's been one very eventful year. Even though it feels like it has gone fast, I look back and realize how much has happened and how far we have all come as a family. I love being a family, it feels so right for us. Makes me want a bigger family, but that can wait a bit :p
Gwen and her cousin Karma
Gwen being eaten by Georgia
All the Ratzlaff great grandchildren
Georgia, Gwen, Jacob, Robbie and Ben
Gwendalyn's chocolate vegan banana cake with tofu and maple syrup frosting
Gwen with her birthday toys
-------Fast forward to a week later. I think I'd better just post this thing before I forget again :P
This next pics are from when we are back in Kimberley after Christmas.
Eating her first Christmas orange. It was very messy. And there were lots of silly faces.
Talking a walk on Wasa Lake
Our new Rav4!
Yes, we are leasing a brand new 2010 Toyota Rav4. I always said I would never buy or lease a brand new vehicle because its usually a waist of money. But even if we got one a few years old it would have only cost about two grand less. So when you are already paying over 20 grand you may as well get a new one with all the warranties. Yay for Toyotas!
