Christmas Catch-up

Well it's been a week since I landed back in Frankfurt, but already feels like ages ... a combination of jetlag (ie. very little sleep at the beginning of the week) and kids who've forgotten how to be quiet for 5 seconds, made for a long week. Luckily by Friday all was good :) Got some wonderful news too on Friday - my useless, no sorry, worse than useless TA will no longer be with us after next Thursday!!

And back to while I was in Vancouver. I had an absolutely amazing time at home! I was home for 3 weeks. One week with both my brother and sister home, one week with just my sister and then the last by myself. Here are some highlights of the holiday, in photos:

Midnight!! <3

Gingerbread tradition

On Christmas Eve, Hannah and Kyla came over for our ritual gingerbread making. This really just becomes a task of how much candy can you pile onto the small gingerbread house. I am still eating the candy almost a month later ... and I left a bunch at home too!

Dad and I ready for a bike ride in the cold

New Town Bakery

Twice after Christmas, Dad and I biked down to Chinatown. The first time we looked rather hilarious, all dressed up to bike in the rain. Since it was wet out, I borrowed my Dad's old rain pants to wear. Plus wore my rain jacket under my cycling jacket. I gave Dad a German cycling jacket for Christmas, so he was warm and dry :)

Hairdresser at work

Apparently this photo looks like Christie is murdering me with the shower head ... I guess it sort of does. Really it is Christie dying my hair red. I had hoped for purple, but you no longer can buy that hair dye. Red was the closest I could get. Though the first couple days it did look a bit purple! After a few washes (it will last 28 washes, according to the box), it looks less purple and more red like it is suppose to. 

Mum's birthday

Mum enjoying opening her present from Christie, while wearing the Chinese jacket that Dad gave her. I gave my Mum a very exciting present - some pens for school, all labelled with her name attached :)

All ready for guests

On New Year's Day we kept up our tradition of my sister and I catering an open house for my Mum. We spent a couple days leading up to the 1st planning, shopping and baking. I even made little labels for all the food! It was a nice afternoon spent visiting with various friends and neighbours. I also made Glühwein, which was very popular. 

The next day we took the ferry over to Gibsons to visit Pat and Gerry and uncle Glenn. 

The view of the mountains from their living room - mountains I miss so much when I'm away!

Another view of mountains, this time from Horseshoe Bay

And of course one must have a BC Burger on the ferry ride home :)

Dad had to go back to work first, but he took an afternoon off  later that week since it was sunny. Christie, Dad and I went down to Wreck beach (don't worry - cold enough out to be safe to walk there!). We walked along the beach in the sunshine, I think the first we'd really seen all holiday. 

Christie and Dad enjoying the sunshine

Christie and Mum went back to school on Jan 7th, so Christie flew back to Toronto on the Sunday. We took her to the airport, and then decided since it looked nice out we would go for a walk in Richmond. Sadly by the time we parked the car it was already raining. So we went for a soggy walk. 

Mum and Dad along the dykes

In the rain, before we stopped at McDonald's for a hot drink and to dry out a bit!

The next week I was the only one not back at work. On Monday I went to work with my Dad, and helped him organize his lab. Only after a sushi lunch though :) On Tuesday I went to work with my Mum. I didn't spend much time with her though. Spend the first two periods with a kindergarten/grade 1 teacher. Then before lunch I was with the librarian, learning about the library and getting ideas for my own library. Well just trying to learn a bit about what I should be doing. I spent the afternoon with a grade 1/2 teacher. Came home with some resources and a list of ideas, so it was a day well spent! Plus on the way home we got a tour of the new Kitchener school - architecturally nice, but whoever designed it was a bit crazy. 

Wednesday I met up with Melissa and we headed down to the Robson Square ice rink. It was a great place to go skating. Mid-week there were not many people, and they had great skates. We had a great afternoon skating, and then met up with Sandra for dinner. It was so nice to catch up with friends while I was home! 

Melissa and I mid skate

Thursday and Friday were my last two days at home. Spent some time packing, but not much. On Thursday I picked up my parents just after lunch and we went for a walk along the Fraser River, enjoying more sunshine. It was cold, but the sun made up for that. Then on Friday morning my Dad and I went down to Trimble Park with his high speed camera. I wanted to film myself pitching, so I could watch what I do in slow motion. Looks good to me, but I don't know what it's meant to look like...

Friday afternoon I took the bus down to meet my Mum on south Granville. Got one last shopping trip in before leaving. I flew back to Frankfurt Saturday, arriving on Sunday at 9 am Frankfurt time. And then was back to school, letlagged, on Monday! I wasn't the only one, most Canadian teachers came back on the Sunday as well. 

Made it through one week, only 9 more to go until my parents come to visit for Easter :-)